Courtyard House: A Prosperous and Joyful Life

At Yu Li's enthusiastic urging, Wang Jun stayed at the hot pot restaurant until 10 p.m. before returning to his courtyard house.

The next day, Wang Jun drove straight to Fangshan Restaurant and ordered a table of imperial dishes.

Fangshan Restaurant opened in 1925 and has been open for sixty years. It is one of the top imperial restaurants in Beijing, and its Manchu Han Imperial Feast is the most authentic.

Wang Jun made this trip for two reasons: first, he wanted to taste the craftsmanship of the imperial cuisine, and second, he wanted to meet with some international students.

Around 10 o'clock, Zhou Rong, Li Xiaoyu, and Huang Wenfei arrived. Zhou Rong and Huang Wenfei were young men, while Li Xiaoyu was a girl of average appearance but with a good temperament.

The three of them were stunned when they saw Wang Jun. They had thought that someone who could open a factory and be a boss would be at least a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, but they didn't expect him to be so young—he looked to be at most in his early twenties.

Starting a factory at such a young age? Are you just bragging?

All three of them began to have doubts.

Wang Jun smiled and said unhurriedly, "Let me introduce myself. I'm Wang Jun, the owner of Huanyu Garment Factory and Huanyu Canned Food Factory."

The three of them stared wide-eyed.

"My God, you're the owner of Universal Garment Factory and Universal Cannery?"

"These two factories have been on TV and in the newspapers lately! They're quite famous! I never imagined the boss would be you!"

My classmates abroad said your factory's products are extremely popular overseas!

"I heard that Huanyu's clothes are really popular among American women; they all think this is the future trend!"

"Canned goods too, they're all sold out as soon as they get to America!"

Zhou Rong, Li Xiaoyu, and Huang Wenfei could no longer remain calm and started shouting all at once.

As recent returnees from overseas studies, they were acutely aware of the vast gap between China and the world. Exporting Chinese products? An impossible task. Yet Wang Jun's two factories not only successfully exported their products, earning money from foreigners, but also became incredibly popular—that's true skill.

The three men admired Wang Jun from the bottom of their hearts for his achievements at such a young age.

They were all young people, so there were no barriers to conversation, and they became familiar with each other in no time.

After the conversation, Wang Jun had a better understanding of the situation—these three people were indeed highly skilled.

Decades later, many of those who returned from studying abroad were not truly accomplished, but in the 1980s, almost everyone who could study abroad was a top student. Zhou Rong, Li Xiaoyu, and Huang Wenfei clearly belonged to this category, and they all possessed a strong sense of patriotism, wholeheartedly wanting to return and contribute to the country's development.

At the same time, the three of them became increasingly impressed with Wang Jun. He was incredibly insightful and knowledgeable, and his English was even more fluent than theirs. After chatting with him, they almost became his fans.

Seeing that the time was right, Wang Jun said seriously, "The three of you are all cultured, capable, and idealistic individuals. I would like to invite you to join me and work together to build something great. What do you say?"

"Okay! I'll join!"

"I'm joining too!"

The three of them agreed almost without thinking.

Wang Jun was secretly pleased. With these three people, he finally had a few capable subordinates. Now that the business was growing bigger and bigger, talent was the most urgent need.

"Welcome to the team," Wang Jun said. "Currently, Factory Manager Lü at the garment factory earns two thousand a month. I'll offer you the same compensation: two thousand a month, plus a year-end bonus. How does that sound?"

The three of them were thrilled upon hearing this.

In the 1980s, a monthly salary of two thousand was an astronomical sum. If they had gone to work in a state-owned factory, they would have earned at most seventy or eighty yuan a month, and year-end bonuses were out of the question.

Although their family had some savings, they had basically emptied their savings to send their children abroad to study. Now, with a monthly salary of two thousand yuan, sending a portion home immediately makes life easier for the family.

Zhou Rong was the first to speak: "Thank you, I'm very satisfied with this treatment."

Li Xiaoyu nodded: "Two thousand a month, I'm satisfied."

Huang Wenfei also stated, "I am very satisfied."

Next, we need to assign tasks.

Of the three, Huang Wenfei was the most composed and had studied management, so Wang Jun directly appointed him as the deputy director of the cannery, with the intention of promoting him to the position after he had adapted for a period of time.

Li Xiaoyu was a young woman with a strong interest in the cosmetics industry, so Wang Jun asked her to be the factory manager of a cosmetics factory.

However, the cosmetics factory had not yet been built, and there were so many things to deal with that Li Xiaoyu couldn't handle it all by herself, so Wang Jun sent Zhou Rong over as well.

"For now, help Li Xiaoyu set up the framework," Wang Jun said to Zhou Rong. "In a while, I'll be opening an electronics factory to produce a brand new game console. You'll be the factory manager then."

"A brand new game console?"

"Can we design and manufacture game consoles?"

"That stuff is a huge hit in America, the profits are enormous! But... can we make it?"

All three were taken aback and couldn't help but chime in with their own words.

Wang Jun smiled mysteriously: "Of course you can. You'll find out once the electronics factory is built."

If handheld game consoles were to be released in 1985, they would absolutely shock the world.

However, Wang Jun didn't want to say much about this; it had to be kept secret.

After finishing his meal and seeing Zhou Rong and the other two off, Wang Jun drove slowly down the street, glancing at the shops on both sides. He was considering opening a clothing store for Huaihua; after all, the girl was practically his now. Didn't Huaihua love counting money? Why not give her a shop and let her be her own boss, counting money all day long? However, opening a clothing store required finding a good location. If the location wasn't good, business would definitely suffer, and he'd be spending all his time swatting flies—it would be better to have a regular job. Wang Jun's current goal was simply to try his luck driving around and see if any shops were for sale; if so, buying them would be the easiest solution.

……

At this moment, in a hospital ward.

Jia Zhangshi's surgery was completed. This surgery cost a total of over 5300 yuan, which is an astronomical figure for an ordinary family. However, Qin Huairu received a huge sum of 10,000 yuan from Huaihua, and after Banggeng deducted 1500 yuan, there was still 8500 yuan left, which was more than enough to pay for the surgery. She settled the bill easily.

"The surgery was quite successful. With some rest, the patient has a good chance of recovering. But please remember, you must not do strenuous exercise or get emotionally agitated, otherwise the wound will reopen and it will be much more difficult to treat." The doctor was giving instructions with a stern face at the bedside, while Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu nodded repeatedly.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief. The surgery was a success, and Jia Zhangshi wouldn't be paralyzed—it was fantastic news for the whole family. Overjoyed, Sha Zhu secretly reached out and hugged Qin Huairu's waist while the doctor turned away. These past two days, he'd been cooped up in the hospital taking care of the old lady, and hadn't had a chance to be intimate with Qin Huairu and try for a baby. He gritted his teeth, determined to find a chance to catch up today.

These past two days, Shazhu has finally figured it out: Banggeng didn't even show up when his own grandmother had surgery. This ungrateful wretch who doesn't even care about his own grandmother—how could he, as a stepfather, expect him to serve him tea and water in his old age? Dream on! "Relying on Banggeng is hopeless. I need a biological son! But Qin Huairu isn't young anymore, and I'm over forty. If I want to get pregnant, I'll have to work hard every day." Diligent sowing yields a harvest—Shazhu understands this principle.

Just as she was pondering this, Jia Zhangshi glanced around and caught Sha Zhu's restless hand. A surge of rage welled up inside her. "That damned Sha Zhu! He's flirting with Qin Huairu right in front of me, completely disregarding me! And Qin Huairu, letting him touch her like that, utterly shameless! Don't think I don't know your filthy thoughts. You just want a baby, don't you? Humph, as long as I'm alive, you won't get away with it!"

Madam Jia cursed inwardly, but then she realized something was wrong! She had just had surgery, and the doctor said she needed to stay in bed for a month. A month? That was terrible! Sha Zhu was as strong as an ox, and he ate and lived with Qin Huairu every day. Wouldn't Qin Huairu be heavily pregnant by then? Once it was too late, it would be difficult for her to do anything.

Absolutely not! But the problem is, she can't move right now, what can she do to stop her? Is she just supposed to watch Qin Huairu get pregnant and give birth? The more Jia Zhangshi thought about it, the angrier she became. In a fit of anger, she felt a sudden tightness in her back, followed by a tearing pain, and blood instantly soaked through the gauze.

"Ouch! I'm going to die! Doctor, my wound has burst open!" Jia Zhangshi was terrified of death, and as soon as she sensed something was wrong, she screamed like a pig being slaughtered.

When the doctor arrived and examined the wound, he was also shocked: "This is strange. The surgery was clearly successful, so how did the wound suddenly reopen? This is troublesome. We don't know if re-stitching will leave any sequelae."

Upon hearing that the wound had reopened, Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu rushed over to check on it. Jia Zhangshi was in excruciating pain and hated Sha Zhu intensely. When she saw his face approaching, she bit down hard on his arm without saying a word.

Silly Zhu, caught off guard, screamed in terror, "Mom! Are you out of your mind? I'm Silly Zhu! Why are you biting me? Let go!"

Qin Huairu clapped her hands anxiously, "Mom, tell me! This is Sha Zhu! Don't you even recognize him?"

A cold smile flashed in Jia Zhangshi's eyes. She was perfectly lucid; she was biting him! The more pitifully Sha Zhu screamed, the tighter she bit, her jaw clenched so tightly that blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. Despite her age, Jia Zhangshi's front teeth were still strong. This time, she bit down with all her might, as if she wanted to tear a piece of flesh off Sha Zhu's arm alive.

Sha Zhu was in so much pain he was jumping up and down, but he didn't dare to push the old woman away. If he accidentally hurt her again, he'd have to go for surgery, which would be fatal. He could only scream at the doctor, "Doctor! I've been bitten! Please find a way to make her let go!"

The doctor was also bewildered. He had seen thousands of patients, but this was the first time he had ever seen one that bit someone and wouldn't let go. He had no idea how to handle it. He could only think of a solution in a moment of inspiration: "Don't panic, I'll go get a needle and prick him. The pain should make him let go."

Upon hearing that she was going to be pricked with a needle, Jia Zhangshi dared not pretend to be crazy any longer; if she continued to lie, she would definitely get a needle prick for nothing. She closed her eyes, steeled her resolve, and pulled with all her might!

"Rip—" A small piece of skin on Sha Zhu's arm was ripped off.

But Jia Zhangshi didn't fare well either. Her teeth were already a bit loose, and with that violent tug, she felt a sudden emptiness in her mouth as all four of her front teeth broke off, filling her mouth with blood. She screamed in pain like a pig being slaughtered. The entire ward instantly descended into chaos, and the doctor hurriedly shouted for help to come in and handle the situation.

"Ouch, ouch!"

On the hospital bed, Jia Zhangshi screamed in agony. Although she had torn off a piece of Sha Zhu's skin this time, she herself suffered even more—she had lost all four of her front teeth, her speech was slurred, and she was in excruciating pain. She glared fiercely at Sha Zhu, her eyes so venomous they seemed to drip with malice.

Sha Zhu felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze, thinking to himself, "She's gone mad, the old lady has definitely gone mad, biting people like a dog, that look is terrifying."

He realized that Jia Zhangshi was probably mentally unstable.

Just then, several nurses came over and pushed Jia Zhangshi away. Sha Zhu quickly pulled Qin Huairu aside, lowering his voice to say, "I think the old lady is mentally unstable. That look in her eyes just now was fucking creepy. If she's got brain problems, she needs to be sent to a mental hospital, otherwise she'll bite someone again sooner or later."

Qin Huairu nodded. She also felt that Jia Zhangshi was acting strangely. Who would bite someone without thinking?

Sha Zhu, however, had other thoughts. To be honest, he got his marriage certificate with Qin Huairu because of her; he had absolutely no liking for Jia Zhangshi. If the old lady really did develop a mental illness, sending her to a mental hospital would mean he wouldn't have to face that old face anymore, and he could enjoy a life with Qin Huairu—the thought alone was wonderful.

Qin Huairu was also tempted. She had no feelings for Jia Zhangshi whatsoever; she was more likely to be dissatisfied. Getting rid of that annoying old woman would make life so much more comfortable.

However, she was cautious. Since Jia Zhangshi was still ill, sending her to a mental hospital now would surely invite gossip and criticism from the neighbors. It was best to wait until she recovered.

"Let's discuss it after Mom recovers," Qin Huairu said softly. "If she's still not mentally stable by then, it's not too late to send her."

She had a very shrewd plan in mind—after the old lady recovered, she would bring Jia Zhangshi back to the courtyard house. If the old lady had a fit and started biting people in the courtyard, she could then have a legitimate reason to send her to a mental hospital. At that time, not only would people not gossip, but they might even thank her.

As the two were whispering to each other, Yi Zhonghai arrived. Today was the day of Jia Zhangshi's surgery, so he had to show up.

As soon as he entered, Yi Zhonghai noticed the row of teeth marks on Sha Zhu's arm and was shocked: "How did this happen? This injury—"

Sha Zhu looked dejected: "The old lady bit me. Uncle Yi, I think the old lady has mental problems, maybe she's mentally ill."

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai's heart sank. Mental illness—this was no joke. If Jia Zhangshi truly went mad, the Jia family was finished. Just taking care of her would be a struggle enough; how could they expect her to provide for them in their old age? Besides, Bang Geng was such a scoundrel, completely unreliable. The old woman was insane, the young were useless; relying on the Jia family to see them off in their final days was hopeless.

"It seems we'll have to rely on ourselves for old age." A chill ran through Yi Zhonghai. "Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui can't even count on their own sons, let alone outsiders."

This matter was like a thorn stuck in Yi Zhonghai's heart, and he couldn't get it out.

After leaving the hospital, he walked along, pondering matters of retirement, his steps heavy. Passing a newsstand, he bought a newspaper and flipped through it as he walked.

Suddenly, a news item stopped him in his tracks—

[A septuagenarian is overjoyed to have a son!]

News reports say that in a small southern city, a 73-year-old man married a woman in her forties, and a year later, miraculously, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, leaving everyone around him astonished. The newspaper also quoted experts as saying that men can still be fertile at seventy, and with improved living conditions, many elderly people are in good health, making it not uncommon for men in their seventies to have children.

After reading it, Yi Zhonghai's eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and he stood there stunned.

"Seventy-three... and still able to have a son?"

He swallowed hard, his mind racing. The experts said men can still be fertile at seventy, as long as they're healthy. He was only in his early sixties, a full ten years younger than that old man! He was also incredibly robust; he hadn't even known which way the hospital doors faced in recent years, except for a slight case of high blood pressure.

According to experts, given his circumstances, it's entirely possible for him to find a woman and have a son!

With a biological son, what's there to worry about in old age?

It can also help you continue your family line!

Besides, life would be different if he married a woman in her forties—he wouldn't be all alone with a lamp at night, and he could finally have someone warm in his cold bed. Even though he was over sixty, he hadn't completely given up on his feelings for women.

"Woman! I need to find a new woman!"

"Have a son of my own!"

Yi Zhonghai became increasingly excited as he thought about it, his steps even becoming lighter. He still had money; finding a woman in her forties wouldn't be a problem. If city women were hard to find, he'd look for one from the countryside. He didn't care how beautiful she was, just that she was young, had a thick waist, and looked like she could bear children. Women like that were a dime a dozen.

Having figured this out, Yi Zhonghai strode towards the park. These days, parks have a matchmaking corner where matchmakers love to gather. He planned to find a reliable matchmaker to handle things.