Courtyard House: My Hidden Wheat Seeds Caused a National Sensation

She changed the subject, her eyes sparkling again, "However, if I can't find a job right away, I could arrange a marriage for Xing'er! By the way, how old is that Mr. Li's son this year?"

"puff--"

Han Chunming spat out a mouthful of dumpling soup, choking and coughing repeatedly.

The others at the table were taken aback at first, then their expressions became very strange, as they wanted to laugh but held it back.

After finally catching his breath, Han Chunming said to his aunt with a mix of laughter and tears, "Auntie, please don't think like that anymore."

Given Xing'er's qualifications, even ordinary working-class families would have to think twice before choosing a wife, since she's the daughter of a cadre, and their social standing is vastly different.

Besides…

The early autumn wind swirled fallen leaves through the alleyways.

The aroma of dumplings from the Han family's house hadn't even faded when Cheng Jianjun's hurried footsteps echoed outside the courtyard gate.

"Haruaki! Good news!"

When Cheng Jianjun stepped across the threshold, his forehead was still damp with a thin layer of sweat, but his eyes shone with an unnatural brightness.

He grabbed Han Chunming, who was chopping wood in the yard, and lowered his voice, making sure every word was clear: "The work is settled."

Han Chunming paused, the axe in his hand faltering, sawdust falling in a flurry.

"Really...really?"

His throat was dry, but his heart pounded as if it had been struck by an axe.

"My father did the work."

Cheng Jianjun smiled, a smile that seemed carefully painted on, floating on the surface, "Yili Food Factory."

There's plenty of oil and fat, so we won't go hungry.

"A food factory?"

Han Chunming's eyes widened suddenly, and he turned to shout into the house, "Mom! Did you hear me? The food factory!"

Han's mother lifted the curtain and peeked out, her apron still dusted with flour. Her face first showed surprise, then joy, and her wrinkles smoothed out: "Oh my! This is wonderful news! Jianjun, you must thank your father for all this trouble!"

"You're too kind, Auntie."

Cheng Jianjun waved his hand, but his gaze remained fixed on Han Chunming's face, carefully capturing every change in his expression.

The jar of vinegar in his heart, aged for years, was now bubbling and bubbling with complex emotions.

Why does this person in front of her have such a high opinion of her? Why does Su Meng only have eyes for him? Why does Li Jianye, that reclusive big shot next door who even his own father treats with utmost respect, show such favor to this simple-minded young man? All she gets in return for her attempts to please him are nods and perfunctory responses, while Han Chunming is always invited into that dark wooden door for tea and conversation.

Jealousy, like a vine, tightened around his heart.

But on the face, there's a layer called "brother".

He applied the oil paint with utmost care.

When he got these two job openings, his first thought was Su Meng.

If he could walk into the same workplace with her side by side, day after day, they could be close by... Unfortunately, Su Meng only glanced at him indifferently, her eyes clear but distant, politely declining.

Hope is like a soap bubble, "pop!"

It shattered with a single sound.

Settle for second best.

Give this "favor"

It might be more cost-effective to give it to Han Chunming.

Han Chunming was Li Jianye's favorite.

Maintaining this superficial brotherhood is like holding onto a hidden thread that could lead to higher places.

Who can predict the future?

"One spot,"

Cheng Jianjun patted Han Chunming on the shoulder, deliberately making his tone hearty, "I'll let you have this, buddy."

Han Chunming's excitement froze instantly, slowly fading, replaced by astonishment and confusion: "What nonsense are you talking about? Where are you?"

"I...I'll think of something else."

Cheng Jianjun shifted his gaze to the old locust tree in the corner of the courtyard.

"That won't do!"

Han Chunming frowned, his expression resolute. "For something like this, either we both go, or neither of us goes! Do you think I, Han Chunming, would hog it all to myself?"

He suddenly recalled a casual remark Li Jianye had made during a conversation, a comment that was half-smiled at him: "Your childhood friend Cheng Jianjun is quick-witted; you should keep an eye on him."

At the time, he thought it was just a casual comment from an elder, but now those words inexplicably echoed in his ears.

But Cheng Jianjun is "righteous" in front of us.

His actions immediately dispelled any doubts he might have had.

See, Uncle Jianye still doesn't understand Jianjun. He's incredibly good to himself!

"No, no, no!"

Cheng Jianjun quickly waved his hand, looking as if he had suffered a great injustice, "If you don't go, how can I have peace of mind? I won't be able to sleep! To tell you the truth..."

He paused, lowered his voice, and leaned closer, as if to deliver a great secret.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment, with only the faint sound of the wind passing through the eaves.

Han's mother looked at this and then at that, then quietly retreated back to the kitchen, where the hot water in the pot was emitting a soft, continuous hum.

To be honest, I wasn't entirely satisfied with my job at Yili Food Factory, and I always thought that I might find a better opportunity.

"really?"

The other party pressed for details.

"Naturally true."

"Then I won't be polite!"

The two laughed and joked for a while, and the matter was quickly dropped.

A few days later, Han Chunming still went to work at Yili Food Factory.

Here, he made many friends, and he especially got along well with a young man named Li Chengtao.

The two quickly became inseparable brothers.

Soon after, a woman named Cai Xiaoli also came to the factory and became Li Chengtao's apprentice.

Li Chengtao fell in love with her at first sight, but Cai Xiaoli had known Han Chunming since she was sent to the countryside years ago and had always been thinking about him, so she ignored Li Chengtao's advances.

Although Li Chengtao felt disappointed, he did not develop a rift with Han Chunming because of it. On the contrary, their friendship deepened as they went to construction sites together to earn extra money.

The workers' peaceful lives were soon disrupted.

When Su Meng casually mentioned wanting to eat bread produced by the factory, Han Chunming immediately wanted to get her one.

But he hesitated in the workshop for a long time and never dared to make a move.

In the end, Li Chengtao and Cai Xiaoli couldn't stand it anymore and secretly helped him choose one.

No one expected that when Su Meng mentioned bread to Han Chunming, Cheng Jianjun overheard her words.

He turned around and dialed the hotline to report it.

Han Chunming and his group were stopped for inspection as soon as they reached the factory gate.

The two loaves of bread were found in Li Chengtao and Cai Xiaoli's bags.

Upon seeing this, Han Chunming took full responsibility without saying a word and proactively admitted his mistake.

Fortunately, he was well-liked, and in the end, he only received a disciplinary action and had to write a self-criticism, barely managing to keep his job.

However, this incident did not deter Han Chunming.

Not long after, he pulled Li Chengtao and Cai Xiaoli aside and started planning to go to the countryside to collect eggs and then resell them to the factory to make a profit.

Cheng Jianjun learned of the situation once again and reported it to the authorities.

The moment the eggs were sold, the investigators arrived.

Speculation and profiteering were serious crimes at the time.

After much effort, Han Chunming was persuaded to leave the factory without further criminal charges.

Han Chunming lost his job just like that.

Before leaving, the workshop director quietly slipped him a freshly baked chocolate bread—it was one of the first batches of trial-produced products from the factory.

During the days when Han Chunming left the food factory, Li Jianye was returning from Hainan.

His trip south was to investigate the cultivation of several cash crops.

Among them, the two things he is most concerned about are cocoa trees and coffee trees.

Under his leadership, excellent varieties of these two types of crops have been developed to adapt to local conditions, paving the way for his next plans.

I had only been home for a few days when a guest arrived, accompanied by several guards.

"Jianye, it's been a long time."

"Boss, you've finally arrived!"

Li Jianye's face lit up with joy as he welcomed the guests into the living room and brewed them fine tea.

The two reminisced for a long time, and then invited the master chef from Fengzeyuan to prepare a table of dishes. They drank and talked in the inner room.

Outside the door, several guards stood silently.

The night was as still as water, except for the light in that little house, which remained lit all night.

There were people guarding the door tightly, and not even a wisp of wind could get in.

No one knows what the long conversation inside the room was about.

All that could be heard was the flickering candlelight and the soft voices, continuing until the dead of night.

Finally, the car door clicked open, and the figure disappeared into the night, leaving behind a few smiling farewells.

Li Jianye stood alone in the courtyard, gazing up at the bright moon in the sky. After a long while, he finally let out a long sigh, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"Finally... I can go ahead and do it."

……

A month later.

A piece of news, yet to be published, is spreading quietly in the shadows of officialdom like ripples on water—the college entrance examination, which has been suspended for many years, is about to be reinstated.

"Jianjun, have you heard? The college entrance examination is going to be reinstated."

In the living room of the Cheng family, the father, Mr. Cheng, spoke to his son in a low voice with a solemn expression.

He had worked in the government for many years. Although he was not in a high position, he was well-informed and had extensive connections.

He got that coveted job at Yili Food Factory through his connections in the neighborhood.

Now that the rumors have just begun and have not yet been made public, he has already received confirmation from acquaintances.

"real?"

Cheng Jianjun's eyes lit up, and he almost stood up from his chair.

He only had a junior high school diploma, but then he thought that no one had really studied properly in recent years. If he studied hard, he might actually be able to get a place in university.

Once you become a college student, your status changes—you become a cadre upon graduation, with a bright future.

With the connections his father had built up over the years, and if he could also leverage Li Jianye's influence over Han Chunming in the future... Cheng Jianjun could almost see himself rising through the ranks.

"Of course it's true."

Mr. Cheng nodded, his tone urging, "Don't run around these days, just focus on your studies."

Cheng Jianjun nodded repeatedly, then suddenly remembered something: "Dad, is the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University that Li Jianye runs still enrolling students this year?"

Mr. Cheng frowned: "They have always recommended students for admission; I've never heard of them recruiting students from outside the school through entrance exams."

Besides—

He paused, a hint of disdain in his voice, "Even if they recruit you there, don't go."

In his eyes, Li Jianye's so-called "technological paradise" was...

The worker-peasant-soldier universities were nothing more than products of self-entertainment through land grabbing.

Apart from the top leaders, no one outside knows what's going on inside.

The outstanding graduates almost all stayed on campus or in the nearby factory, never entering the workforce; while the few who were eliminated often performed only moderately. Over time, in the eyes of ordinary people, that school became associated with "disreputable" or "unprofessional".

"No future"

They were equated.

"I'm not going."

Cheng Jianjun quickly agreed, but his mind was already wandering to the upcoming exam.

Cheng Jianjun heard about the university admissions from his father, but his face remained expressionless.

"I wouldn't even take those worker-peasant-soldier student spots if they were given to me for free."

He spoke casually, as if discussing the weather, "Just a casual question—now that formal exams are being reinstated, shouldn't this route of recommendation for school admissions come to an end?"

Mr. Cheng put down the newspaper in his hand and shook his head: "That depends on what the higher-ups want to say."

Comrade Li Jianye carries significant weight within the workers' and peasants' system; unless he relents, this matter will not change.

"understood."

Cheng Jianjun stood up, casually draped a jacket over his shoulders, and said, "I'm going out for a bit."

"Going to see Su Meng again?"

His father looked up at him.

"Such a big thing, I have to tell her."

Before Cheng Jianjun could finish speaking, he was already outside the door.

Smoke rises from the chimneys in the alley at dusk.

When Su Meng was called out, she was still clutching half a pencil in her hand.

Cheng Jianjun explained the situation in a few words, and her eyes immediately lit up: "Is the information accurate?"

"My dad said it himself, how could it be false? It'll be in the newspapers soon."

Cheng Jianjun leaned against the wall, his shadow stretched long by the setting sun. "But I have no intention of taking the exam—with my and Chunming's junior high school education, it would be a waste of time if we went to the exam hall."

He spoke softly and casually, and also mentioned his brother who was always laughing and joking.

Su Meng frowned: "We should at least give it a try."

"Sure, treat me to dinner when you pass the exam."

Cheng Jianjun smiled and turned around, then took a few steps and turned back again, "By the way, I'm going on a business trip tomorrow, so don't spread this around yet."

Su Meng nodded, watching his figure disappear around the corner of the alley, her heart rippling like water with a stone thrown in.

She slowly walked home, and as soon as she pushed open the door, she heard her grandmother's voice:

"What's that Cheng boy talking to you about?"