Courtyard House: A Carefree Life Begins with a Lottery of Wish Power

Early in the morning, Lin Zhuo was awakened by the crowing of roosters outside.

The thought of having to go outside to use the toilet on such a cold day made Lin Zhuo feel a bit of a headache.

But his bloated bladder relentlessly urged Lin Zhuo to get up.

Lin Zhuo reluctantly got up from the kang (a heated brick bed), put on his patched cotton-padded coat, and quickly went to the yard to use the toilet.

Stimulated by the cold air outside, Lin Zhuo found it difficult to fall asleep after returning to bed.

Lin Zhuo has been in this world for a while now, but it took him quite a while to get used to going to the toilet.

The outhouse was drafty in winter, and although it was cold, at least it didn't smell bad.

Lin Zhuo was not originally from this world.

Previously, Lin Zhuo was enjoying the "blessing" of working 996 at his workplace when he suddenly felt a bit tired, so he rested at his workstation for a while.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the suburbs of Beijing in the 1960s.

He was still called Lin Zhuo, but all his relatives, friends, and social relationships had changed.

My father, Lao Lin, worked at the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, the same factory featured in the TV series "Full House of Love." He passed away a month ago due to a work-related injury at the factory.

Lin Zhuo's mother passed away when he was young. Although his father was a legitimate state-owned enterprise employee, Lin Zhuo's mother had an agricultural household registration.

Lin Zhuo's household registration is with his mother, so only his father can work in the city while his mother raises several children and farms at home.

Lin Zhuo's mother passed away early, and he was basically raised by his grandmother and older sister.

Lin Zhuo went from being a post-80s woman in her late 30s to being 20 years old, and her appearance also changed back to how she looked when she was young.

He was 1.8 meters tall and had a handsome face.

My hair, which had become somewhat thin due to working overtime and staying up late, has started to grow back.

His slightly protruding belly has also disappeared, replaced by a strong, muscular physique honed through regular physical labor.

The previous greasiness has been completely swept away, and now he exudes a youthful vibe.

Before his transmigration, Lin Zhuo was all alone and had no worries in his heart.

On the contrary, I no longer have to pay the mortgage or have to put up with my boss's attitude, which makes me feel incredibly relaxed.

The events before my time travel are like old photos in an album; they are still clear, but they have slowly faded.

The memories of past and present lives have finally begun to merge.

Lin Zhuo's mood changed from initial confusion and fear to excitement and agitation, and finally returned to calm.

After all, this is the era we live in, and my primary goal is to preserve myself and my family amidst the tides of time.

Then, we can leverage our information advantage to prepare for opening up ten or twenty years from now.

Lost in thought, Lin Zhuo fell into a deep sleep again.

"Xiao Zhuo, what time is it? Get up now!"

Lin Zhuo opened his eyes groggily and saw that it was his older sister, Lin Yufang.

Lin Yufang is ten years older than Lin Zhuo, and they look somewhat alike.

It's just that the living conditions of this era make people look older than they actually are.

Lin Zhuo said with some resentment:

"Sis, I'm an adult now. Can't you knock before you come in?"

Hearing Lin Zhuo's complaints, Lin Yufang wasn't angry and explained:

"I knocked for ages and you didn't respond, so I finally pushed the door open and came in."

"Your brother-in-law's car will leave in half an hour. If you don't get up soon, it will delay our business."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhuo jumped up with a start, exclaiming, "Look at my brain!"

Lin Zhuo quickly dressed and went to the outer room.

Lin Yufang had already placed an enamel basin on the stove and heated the water.

Lin Zhuo, afraid of waking her grandmother who was sleeping in another room, quietly finished washing up.

Just as Lin Zhuo was about to put on her tattered cotton-padded coat, Lin Yufang snatched it away, saying:

"We're going to the city on official business today, so you should dress presentably. Why are you still wearing this shabby cotton-padded coat?"

As she spoke, Lin Yufang picked up a brand-new cotton-padded jacket and helped Lin Zhuo put it on.

Although it was a bit short, it made Lin Zhuo look exceptionally energetic.

"This was made for your brother-in-law last Chinese New Year. He only wore it for a few days during the holiday. You should wear it carefully because you'll have to wear it again this year."

Lin Zhuo felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at the older woman tidying up his clothes.

This care from his family made him truly feel the warmth of home.

Lin Zhuo secretly made up his mind that he must make sure his family lived a good life.

As Lin Yufang straightened Lin Zhuo's collar, she said with some concern:

"Xiao Zhuo, can you go to the steel mill by yourself? Do you need your brother-in-law and me to come with you?"

Lin Zhuo smiled and comforted him:

"Sis, don't worry, I'm an adult now, not a child anymore."

Lin Yufang was still a little worried and kept giving her instructions.

Lin Zhuo quickly said, "Alright, that's enough. Don't keep your brother-in-law waiting." With that, he started to walk out of the house.

Lin Yufang and Lin Zhuo arrived at the door together, and Lin Zhuo slipped a sweet potato and an egg into his hand.

In those days, eggs were a rare commodity. Unless someone was sick or in postpartum confinement, an average person wouldn't eat more than a few eggs a month.

Lin Zhuo held the sweet potatoes and eggs in his arms, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

A carriage was parked in front of Lin Zhuo's house. Zhou Defu, the eldest brother-in-law, who was bundled up tightly, saw Lin Zhuo come out and hurriedly greeted him:

"Xiao Zhuo, get in the car quickly."

Lin Zhuo got into the carriage, took a cushion from Zhou Defu, and sat down next to Zhou Defu.

Lin Yufang instructed:

"Defu, drive carefully."

Don't worry.

Zhou Defu responded, gave a shout, flicked his whip, and the carriage slowly started moving.

"Brother-in-law, you've gone to so much trouble."

Zhou Defu chuckled, "What nonsense are you talking about? Aren't we family?"

The cabbages produced in Haidian Commune had to be delivered to Dongdan Vegetable Market before dawn.

The journey of several dozen miles takes about two and a half hours.

Lin Zhuo pointed to the pile of cabbages behind the car and said:

"Brother-in-law, why is it cabbage again? When we catch fish sometime, let's save one for a treat."

Zhou Defu took out a small bag of tobacco leaves from his pocket, rolled a cigarette as he spoke:

"You're all talk, kid. You wouldn't dare take it if I asked you to."

Lin Zhuo gave an awkward smile, "We won't do anything to take advantage of the commune."

Lin Zhuo knew in his heart that everyone was short of food these days, and the delivery job seemed like a lucrative one.

But it's also being watched by many eyes.

Zhou Defu was able to do the job of driving carts and delivering goods precisely because he was tactful and no one could find fault with him.

He never takes advantage of public resources, and everyone trusts him.

Zhou Defu licked the cigarette paper, skillfully rolled a cigarette, and handed it to Lin Zhuo.

"Want one?"

Lin Zhuo waved his hand, and Zhou Defu stopped trying to persuade him. He lit a cigarette and started puffing away on his own.

Lin Zhuo looked around curiously.

Unlike its later prosperity, Haidian was still a rural area at this time, with most of it being farmland except for some colleges and research institutes.

There weren't even any streetlights on the road, and only occasionally could you see faint lights shining from the windows of early-rising families.

A faint smell of coal smoke wafted in the air. Although it was a bit pungent, it also allowed Lin Zhuo to feel the familiar warmth of home that he hadn't experienced in a long time.

While eating sweet potatoes, Lin Zhuo pondered the things he needed to do today.

My father, Lao Lin, died from a work injury. According to the policy, the steel mill allowed the Lin family to send one person to take his place.

For the Lin family, who have lost their breadwinner, this is at least some consolation.

Once you get into the steel rolling mill, you can go from being a farmer toiling in the fields to a state-owned enterprise employee who receives a salary and is covered by the grain rationing system.

It is no exaggeration to say that it can directly change a person's destiny.

However, faced with such a temptation, Lin Zhuo's sister did not hesitate at all and said that the spot must be given to Lin Zhuo.

Lin Zhuo came to the city today to go to the steel rolling mill to complete some paperwork.

"Whoa..." With a shout from Zhou Defu, the carriage stopped in front of a courtyard house.

Lin Zhuo looked up and realized they had arrived at their destination.

It's the courtyard house from the TV series "Full House of Love".

It's still early, and the factory hasn't started work yet, so let's go to Lao Lin's home in the city to rest for a while.

Lin Zhuo secretly placed the egg on the seat, got off the carriage, and walked a few steps before saying:

"Brother-in-law, drive carefully. You can have the egg on the seat."

Before Zhou Defu could refuse, Lin Zhuo strode into the courtyard.

As soon as Lin Zhuo stepped into the courtyard, a mechanical voice suddenly rang in his mind:

"System binding in progress..."