Courtyard House: A Prosperous and Joyful Life

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Instantly, all the neighbors in the courtyard flocked to follow Banggeng, eager to see what was going on.

A few curious onlookers gathered around Banggeng, asking all at once, "Banggeng, why are the police looking for you?"

"Did they get into a fight?"

"Your face is covered in blood, did you kill someone?"

Bang Geng was so angry he was trembling all over. He got into a fight, and these people actually accused him of murder. It's outrageous!

He roared, his face dark, "Get out! Get out of here! I'm in a bad mood today, believe me or not, I'll beat you all up!"

That shout completely offended the neighbors.

"Heh, that kid Banggeng caused such a big mess and still dares to be arrogant!"

"He's been this unruly since he was little, no wonder he got into trouble!"

"To start hitting someone without warning, that's so rude!"

Upon hearing the discussion, the police officer reminded him, "Comrade Jia Banggeng, this is a new society. You need to speak politely and have good manners." Banggeng didn't dare to argue and simply replied in a low voice, "Okay, okay."

At this moment, Jia Zhangshi, Qin Huairu, and Shazhu ran out upon hearing the noise. Seeing the police following Banggeng, they felt a pang of anxiety.

Qin Huairu hurriedly asked, "Bang Geng, what happened?"

The police officer replied, "Are you Jia Banggeng's family members? He lost his wallet today; it contained over a thousand yuan."

They thought it was stolen because it was missing, and they beat the person up. We're here to collect compensation, which is 10 yuan in total.

These words caused an uproar in the courtyard. "So Banggeng hit someone!"

"This indiscriminate beating has really blown up!"

"A thousand dollars? My goodness, that's incredibly wealthy!"

"This money probably came from his family to run a restaurant. What will we do if it's lost? Bang Geng is so unreliable!"

"that is!"

The neighbors were gossiping, and many of them had gloating expressions on their faces.

On the other side, Qin Huairu's face turned deathly pale upon hearing that Bang Geng had lost a thousand yuan, and she nearly lost her balance. Jia Zhangshi collapsed to the ground, wailing, "How could you lose the money! A thousand yuan! I don't want to live anymore..."

A thousand yuan was a huge sum of money back then, and Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi simply couldn't accept it; their hearts ached so much they were practically pounding. Sha Zhu was also heartbroken; he had worked hard for over twenty years and had never even seen what a thousand yuan piled up looked like!

Yi Zhonghai also rushed over. Upon hearing that he had lost a thousand yuan, he almost had a stroke due to high blood pressure, and his eyesight became blurry.

Ignoring the family's panic, the police officer urged, "Alright, you're family members, so please take out the compensation money first."

If someone is injured, compensation is unavoidable. Qin Huairu took out 10 yuan and handed it to the police.

Sha Zhu hurriedly asked, "Officer, is it possible to get back the thousand yuan that Bang Geng lost?"

The police officer thought for a moment and said, "It's difficult. We can't tell whether it was lost or stolen right now. We'll do our best, but don't get your hopes up too high."

Bang Geng was about to cry when he heard this. The police's words made it clear that the money was gone forever.

Sha Zhu said anxiously, "You must help us find it! This thousand yuan is what we've worked so hard to save!"

Qin Huairu chimed in, "We come from poor peasant families; this thousand yuan is our lifeline. We must get it back!"

The police officer sighed, "Don't worry, we'll do our best, but we can't guarantee the outcome. I'm leaving."

After saying that, he turned and left, leaving Qin Huairu and her family to worry in the air.

The police officer took the money and, not wanting to stay any longer, turned and left.

Seeing a large crowd gathered there, Sha Zhu shouted at the top of his lungs, "It's all over now, everyone disperse, don't crowd around here, we still need to take Bang Geng to the hospital!"

Once Sha Zhu spoke, the onlookers felt embarrassed to crowd around any longer and dispersed. But they didn't really go far; they all returned to the front yard and began excitedly discussing it:

"Bang Geng has really lost out! A thousand dollars gone just like that, he'll probably have trouble sleeping tonight."

"Heh, I see he has no appetite at all."

"That's right, I lost a thousand dollars and got beaten up, my nose was even injured, how could I have the appetite to eat?"

In the crowd, Yan Bugui shook his head and chimed in, "A guy like Bang Geng can't hide any money he has. He's not destined for wealth, so he should just work honestly for the rest of his life."

This remark drew a chorus of agreement: "Uncle San is right!" "He's destined to be a wage earner, there's no escaping it!"

The next day, Wang Jun finished washing up and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered the two Yangtze River 750 sidecars he had caught the night before. He decided to drive one of them to the courtyard house.

The thought had barely crossed my mind when a dark gray Changjiang 750 appeared on the roadside. The paint was chipped and it looked old, but it stood out among the pile of bicycles and quickly attracted the attention of passersby.

He felt his pocket and found an extra car purchase certificate, which he could use to refuel at the gas station according to a set amount.

These were planned economy days; everything was done according to plan. Without proof, even if you bought a car, you couldn't get gas. I looked again and found a motorcycle driver's license and keys—all set.

It's now possible to take private motorcycle driving tests, but the process is irregular. Licenses can be issued by the transportation, agricultural machinery, and public security departments, and those with connections can even get a license just by submitting a photo.

Wang Jun went out with his keys and saw a crowd already gathered around the Yangtze 750, discussing the matter.

"Wow, that car is really impressive!"

"Of course, the police always drive these!"

"How much did this car cost? It's so cool!"

"I heard that this thing is produced and then given to the police. It's hard to buy even if you have money; you need connections."

"I wish I could drive it!"

Unable to squeeze through the crowd, Wang Jun shouted from outside, "Comrades, make way, I need to drive!"

The crowd immediately dispersed. He walked to the car and sat down, first checking the fuel tank. It was full, enough to last for a while. He closed the fuel tank, inserted the key to turn it on, and stepped on the pedal. The Changjiang 750 didn't have an electronic starter; it relied entirely on hard pedaling, the harder the better.

I stepped on the gas pedal twice, and the engine sputtered and sputtered, with exhaust fumes coming out of the exhaust pipe.

"It's on fire!" "The engine's started!" "This gasoline smell is pungent!" Some people leaned in to smell it, some felt nauseous, while others loved the smell and would go near any car they saw.

Wang Jun waved his hand: "Make way, I'm leaving!"

Everyone quickly stepped back. He shifted into first gear, gently twisted the accelerator, and the Changjiang 750 roared to life, heading towards the courtyard house.

"Rat-a-tat-tat!"

Wang Jun drove his motorcycle directly into the courtyard, instantly stunning everyone in the yard.

"My God, Wang Jun bought a motorcycle!"

"Wang Jun, is this your car?"

"This...this is a three-wheeled sidecar motorcycle driven by the police! That policeman was driving one yesterday! I can't believe Wang Jun actually bought one, that's amazing!"

"That's true, it's just a different color."

"My God, this car is amazing! How much did it cost?"

"Money? Even if you have money, you can't necessarily buy one! These kinds of cars are all driven by government officials; private individuals need connections to buy one!"

"This car was probably borrowed by the military."

"I think so too. Even if it's borrowed, you still have to have the skills."

"Yes, ordinary people simply can't borrow it."

Before Wang Jun had even parked the car properly, a group of people had already surrounded it, staring at the vehicle and rubbing their hands together. These kinds of cars are usually only driven by the police; they wouldn't even dare get close, let alone touch it. Now that Wang Jun had driven it into the yard, everyone wanted to reach out and touch it, just to have a go. If there were cameras, someone would probably be taking pictures like crazy.

Hearing the commotion, Yan Bugui was the first to run over and examine the vehicle, asking, "Jun, did you buy this three-wheeled sidecar?"

Wang Jun nodded.

This caused an even bigger uproar among the crowd: "It really was bought by the military!" "My God, the military is incredibly capable; they even managed to get their hands on a three-wheeled sidecar!" "Amazing!"

Knowing that Wang Jun had bought it, everyone became bolder and moved closer, carefully touching the paint. In everyone's eyes, even the peeling paint on this Changjiang 750 looked "noble," and they touched it very gently, afraid of damaging it.

A child ran up to Wang Jun, looked up at him, and asked, "Brother Jun, can I sit on it? I'll be very careful!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the eyes of several children nearby lit up; they also wanted to experience the thrill of being a "police officer." Wang Jun casually said, "Sure, go ahead and ride." The Yangtze 750 is very sturdy; it's hard to break it. Let the kids ride if they want.

Upon hearing this, the children cheered and climbed onto the vehicle, each one standing tall and striking a majestic pose, just like little police officers.

At this moment, even more people surged over, and the men desperately pushed their way in, frantically touching the car. What man doesn't love a car? The Changjiang 750 was both majestic and imposing, simply the dream car for every man.

"Wow, what a great car!" "The quality is top-notch!" "Tsk tsk, if it were mine, I'd drive it every day, and all the pretty girls on the street would stare at me!" "When I was unmarried, I had this car, and I could pick any pretty girl in the surrounding villages; I wouldn't even look at someone who wasn't pretty!" "This gasoline smell is really awesome!"

Xu Damao squeezed in, staring blankly at the motorcycle, then suddenly exclaimed, "Holy crap! Brother Jun, you're amazing! You managed to get your hands on a vehicle like this!" He grabbed the child from the motorcycle and put him aside, then sat down himself, his face flushed with excitement, "Great motorcycle! This motorcycle is fantastic! A man should drive a motorcycle like this!"

He was thinking to himself: if he had this car, he could drive Yu Haitang to the grove after get off work... The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, and he secretly resolved to get one. Picking up girls would be a piece of cake.

On the outskirts of the crowd, Bang Geng, with a bandage on his face, pushed his bicycle, ready to go to work. Seeing everyone discussing the motorcycle, he curiously joined in, and was immediately stunned by the imposing presence of the Changjiang 750: "Holy crap! This bike... it's so cool! That kid Wang Jun actually drives one of these, it's so unfair!"

He was both amazed and frustrated. He had just lost a thousand yuan yesterday and had his nose injured; his life was a mess. On the other hand, Wang Jun's life was getting better and better; he had even bought such a powerful-looking car and was beaming with pride. Comparison is the thief of joy! He used to cherish his bicycle, cleaning it every few days, but now, after seeing the Changjiang 750, he suddenly felt that his bicycle wasn't so appealing anymore and didn't even want to ride it.

At this moment, the Liu brothers, Guangtian and Guangfu, also ran over. Their eyes widened at the sight of the Changjiang 750. Liu Guangtian swallowed hard: "Boss, did you buy this car?"

Wang Jun retorted irritably, "Nonsense, if you didn't buy it, did you steal it?"

Liu Guangtian exclaimed, "This car is amazing! Boss, can I touch it?"

Wang Jun waved his hand: "What are you touching! This car is for you two brothers to drive for the next few days. Drive it and do your job properly!" He then tossed the keys over.

He lent the car to Liu Guangtian and his brother for a while because he knew it would be too slow for them to find a courtyard house on foot. Anyway, he had two Changjiang 750s; Liu Guangtian took one, and he still had the other.

Liu Guangtian took the keys, almost thinking he had misheard, and stammered, "Boss, did I hear that right? This car... you're letting me drive it?"

Wang Jun nodded: "That's right, I'll leave it to you for the next few days. If you don't know how to drive, practice in the yard until you're proficient before going out."

The Liu brothers were stunned. They actually got a job with him? They were so excited they almost cried, and their loyalty to Wang Jun skyrocketed. What makes a good boss? Wang Jun is it! Lending them the Yangtze 750 so readily—it felt like a dream! With a boss like that, it's worth it even if it's free!

The Changjiang 750 is actually quite easy to drive. Its three wheels are stable, and it won't tip over if you drive slowly. Wang Jun gave them a couple of pointers, and Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu quickly got the hang of it. The two took turns practicing in the courtyard. The motorcycle sputtered and chugged along, slowly circling, while a group of children excitedly followed behind, inhaling the exhaust fumes, finding it novel and exhilarating.

The adults in the courtyard house stood by and watched, discussing as they went:

"How impressive!"

"Yes, this car is really good."

Why did Wang Jun let the Liu brothers drive his car?

"Didn't you hear that? The Liu brothers called him 'boss,' which means they've already started working for him."

"No wonder! I'd love to work with Wang Jun too."

"What are you thinking? The Liu brothers quit their jobs to follow Wang Jun. Do you have the guts to do that?"

"Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu resigned? Those two are really bold. Everyone else is scrambling to get into the factory, but they just quit like that."

"Heh, fortune favors the bold. You think you can get rich without that kind of guts?"

"I don't have the guts to quit my job. I just hope that Wang Jun's business will grow bigger and bigger, and I can make some money with him. I'd be content with making ten or eight yuan a day."

"Haha, I'm just hoping his garment factory will be built soon so I can introduce my sister to it."

Everyone chatted enthusiastically until the materials arrived, at which point they stopped and began assembling the antenna. This time, Wang Jun brought 1,500 sets of materials, piled up like a small mountain, making the entire courtyard look like a temporary factory. However, no one complained; now everyone in the courtyard was working alongside Wang Jun, so there was no reason for them to utter a word of complaint.

Wang Jun strolled around and noticed that everyone was assembling faster and the quality was better than before. At noon, he asked Liu Guangtian to drive his Changjiang 750 to buy a basket of sesame seed cakes, distributing one to each person.

"Haha, there are even sesame seed cakes to eat! Thank you, Jun!"

"Jun is so generous. He bought a whole basketful at once. After eating two sesame cakes, he didn't need to cook lunch."

"It's delicious, thank you Jun!"

Some people ate while expressing their gratitude, while others hurriedly continued assembling the food. Those who didn't have time to eat secretly stuffed the sesame cakes into their pockets to save for later.

With nothing else to do, Wang Jun went out of Tongluo Lane and bought a copy of "Popular Cinema" at a newsstand, reading it as he walked.

After the reform and opening up, magazines sprang up like mushrooms after rain, including *Story Club*, *Reader's Digest*, *Popular Cinema*, *Wulin*, *Legend of Today and Yesterday*, *Zhiyin*, *UFO Exploration*, and *New Sports*. Among them, *Popular Cinema* was a film magazine that focused on domestic and foreign film news and introductions to classic films. What attracted young people most were the stills of actresses in the magazine, and the cover often featured naturally beautiful women.

At its peak, the magazine sold 947 million copies per issue, setting a world record and demonstrating its immense popularity.

Wang Jun bought the film to understand this era and, incidentally, to see beautiful women. It's perfectly normal for men to like looking at beautiful women and women to like looking at handsome men.

The people in the courtyard worked tirelessly to assemble the antennas, and by 4 p.m., all 1,500 sets of materials were used up, turning them into finished products. Next came distributing the money. Wang Jun stood at the door with a small notebook, and everyone lined up to have him check the quality. If it passed inspection, they received their money on the spot.

"Haha, I'm much more skilled today! I installed eighteen antennas!"

"So many? I only have fourteen. I'm over fifty and my hands and feet can't keep up with yours."

"I had an exceptional performance today, twenty-one goals, and the quality was top-notch!"

"I have more than you, twenty-five! Hehe, if there are no problems, I'll have twenty yuan in hand."

"Holy crap, you filled twenty-five? That's fast! But the fastest was locust flowers, I heard they filled more than thirty."

While queuing, everyone chatted animatedly, and Wang Jun checked quickly, giving money to those who passed on the spot. The courtyard was filled with laughter and joy.

At the window of the Intermediate People's Court, Jia Zhangshi stared intently at the scene of money being distributed, cursing incessantly: "That damned Wang Jun is distributing money again! So much money, and I won't get a single penny! How despicable! So despicable! That Wang Jun, who has no parents, if he doesn't give me money, he'll go bankrupt sooner or later!"