Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

At this moment, Liu Haizhong picked up his wine glass, raised it across half the table towards He Yuzhu, and said in a loud voice, "Zhuzi, come here, Uncle Liu wants to discuss something with you."

He Yuzhu was peeling a peanut when he heard Liu Haizhong call him. He looked up, popped the peanut into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and wiped his hands with his sleeve. "Uncle Liu, what is it?"

Liu Haizhong put down his wine glass, his expression serious as he discussed, "You know Guangqi is getting married next month, right? The date is set, the 18th of next month. But I don't have many coupons on hand, meat coupons, oil coupons, sugar coupons, they're all very tight. Do you think you could help your uncle get some ingredients that don't require coupons? Chicken, duck, fish, meat, anything is fine, whatever you have, your uncle isn't picky."

He Yuzhu put the peanut shells he was holding on the table and clicked his tongue. "Uncle Liu, you know how things are these days. Things are hard to come by. Before, at the factory canteen, I could talk to Old Sun, the purchasing agent, and he could get some from outside sources. But in the last six months, things have become increasingly tight. Anything that doesn't require ration coupons has almost doubled in price. A chicken without a coupon costs five or six yuan, and a fish costs three or four yuan, which is more than twice as expensive as buying it with coupons."

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong immediately waved his hand: "Money is no problem! Zhuzi, don't worry, contact your uncle. You'll get whatever you ask for. Guangqi's wedding is a big deal, it only happens once in a lifetime. What's a few extra dollars? As long as we can get some good stuff, make the banquet look presentable, and don't let the bride's relatives think we're stingy, that's fine."

"There's one more thing. You'll have to come and cook for your uncle then. Everyone in the neighborhood knows how good you are. You cooked for the Liu family's two babies' one-month celebrations, so you'll have to show off your skills for this one too. You'll get your fair share of the price, just like a restaurant. I won't let you suffer any losses."

He Yuzhu's expression relaxed considerably upon hearing the words "head cook." He knew He Yuzhu's cooking skills; having worked in the steel mill's canteen for years, he was adept at both large-scale cooking and small-scale preparation. People in the neighborhood would often ask him for help, and he never refused. Firstly, it was out of consideration for his neighbors, and secondly, being a head cook provided income, which was more lucrative than the fixed salary at the canteen.

He nodded, raised his glass and clinked it against Liu Haizhong's: "Okay, Uncle Liu, I'll take this job. Tell me about the menu later, roughly how many tables, and what the standard is, so I have a general idea. I'll contact the ingredients in the next couple of days, and let you know what I can get so you can choose."

Upon hearing He Yuzhu's agreement, Liu Haizhong's wrinkles smoothed out. He picked up his wine glass, downed half of it in one gulp, and wiped his mouth as he put the glass down. "Alright! It's settled then! I'll discuss the menu with Guangqi's mother in the next couple of days, and once it's finalized, I'll send it over to you. Zhuzi, thank you in advance."

He Yuzhu waved his hand: "Uncle Liu, don't be so polite. We're all old neighbors in the courtyard, it's only right."

The table became lively again, with someone adding wine to Liu Haizhong's glass, someone serving him food, and the sounds of talking and clinking bowls and chopsticks mingling together once more.

Yan Bugui, who was listening to Liu Haizhong and He Yuzhu reach an agreement, rolled his eyes and chimed in, "Old Liu, your Guangqi is getting married, do you want me to write a couplet for him? I have a few sheets of red paper over there, I can cut them up and they'll be just enough."

Liu Haizhong was talking to He Yuzhu about the dishes when he heard this. He turned around, glanced at Yan Bugui, and nodded: "Alright, Lao Yan, you have good handwriting, so I'll leave this to you. Keep the red paper for yourself. I'll have Guangqi's mother send you two jin of cornmeal later as a thank you gift."

Upon hearing "two jin of cornmeal," Yan Bugui's smile deepened immediately. He waved his hands repeatedly, saying "No need, no need," but the shrewd glint in his eyes was obvious to everyone. Yi Zhonghai, sitting next to him, picked up his wine glass, took a sip, his gaze swept over Yan Bugui's face, and his lips twitched slightly, but he said nothing.

The moon rose over the east side of the courtyard wall. By now, two more bottles of wine were empty, and most of the dishes on the table were gone. Liu Shuanzhu glanced at the sky, finished the last sip of wine in his glass, stood up, and said to everyone, "Alright, that's enough. Let's call it a night. You all have work tomorrow, so don't stay up too late."

Liu Haizhong, Yi Zhonghai, and Xu Fugui also stood up one after another. Yan Bugui was the last to get up. He poured the half-eaten plate of fried peanuts into his pocket, then casually took a half-smoked cigarette and tucked it behind his ear before slowly walking towards his house.

The courtyard fell completely silent. Liang Fangfang put the dishes in the kitchen before returning to her room. Liu Shuanzhu and Liu Erhe sat on the steps outside the east wing, each holding a bowl of cool boiled water and slowly drinking it.

Liu Erhe took a few sips, turned his head to look at Liu Shuanzhu, and said with a touch of emotion, "Dad, Yan Bugui, that man, is really..." He didn't finish his sentence, but just shook his head.

Liu Shuanzhu took a sip of water from his bowl, put it down, and said calmly, "Don't pay any attention to him. With your brother's position, everything our family does is being watched. Your brother often tells me that reputation is more important than anything else, and we shouldn't give others cause for criticism over trivial matters. I had already decided when I handed over my position to the neighborhood committee; that way, I wouldn't offend anyone, and no one could say anything. Let Yan Bugui think what he wants; it's none of my business."

Liu Erhe nodded, said nothing more, finished drinking the water in his bowl, stood up, dusted off his pants, and walked towards his room.

On the other side, in the small brick building of the North City Compound.

Liu Qingyan and Liu Zhiyuan were placed on the living room carpet. Yao Qingwan took out a tin box from the cabinet, opened it, and found that there was still a little bit of biscuits left inside. They were distributed by the department a while ago, and she had been saving them and hadn't touched them much. She took two biscuits, handed one to Liu Qingyan, and then handed one to Liu Zhiyuan.

Liu Qingyan took the cookie, held it in both little hands, and nibbled on it, crumbs clinging to the corners of her mouth as she ate it with great care. Liu Zhiyuan also clutched his own cookie, licked it first, and then took a small bite. The two little ones squatted on the carpet, quietly wrestling with the cookies in their hands.

Liu Yuheng picked up his water glass, took a sip, and as he put it down, glanced at Wang Xiuhe, his tone casual: "Mom, how's Tingting's studying going? The college entrance exam is in July, is she feeling confident?"

Wang Xiuhe, who was holding a cup, paused upon hearing this. She looked up at Liu Yuheng, then at Yao Qingwan beside her, and sighed, "It's uncertain. To be honest, it's a bit uncertain."

"Your younger sister has never suffered since she was little. When we were young, we were poor, but she didn't suffer much. After you came back, things got better and better, and she didn't suffer much either. She was alright when she was in school, but later... you know, ever since you arranged for her to go to the library, she felt like she had a safe place to stay, and her mind wasn't on her studies at all."

Wang Xiuhe paused, her tone becoming even more serious: "She goes to work on time every day, but when she gets home, she hardly ever looks at her books or does any practice problems. Sometimes I go to her room at night and see her textbooks lying on the table for ages, still on the same page. If I say something to her, she just says, 'Okay, okay,' and then goes back to doing what she was doing. Your father and I can't do anything about her."

After listening, Liu Yuheng didn't immediately respond. He had actually been aware of Liu Tingting's situation all along. This younger sister had been spoiled by her parents since childhood, and after she came back, the family's financial situation improved, so she lacked nothing. She had never experienced hardship, hunger, or worried about making a living, so naturally she didn't have that sense of urgency to "go to university to change her fate."

Reasoning with her is pointless; forcing her to study is futile. She agrees verbally but doesn't truly care. This string is always loose, hanging there limply, impossible to pluck no matter what you do.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly sat up straight, turned to look at Wang Xiuhe, and said in a more serious tone, "Mother, I have something to tell you. If Tingting still doesn't pass the college entrance exam in July, I plan to send her to the army for two years."

Wang Xiuhe paused, her cup hovering in mid-air, her eyes widening. "Going to the army? How far is that? Can a young woman manage in the army?"

Liu Yuheng waved his hand: "I won't arrange for her to go too far, just to one of the military units around Beijing. The military is recruiting female soldiers now, for positions like communications, medical, and logistics. Once she gets there, she'll get up on time every day, train on time, and work on time. She'll run drills when she's supposed to, and study when she's supposed to. Spending two years in that kind of military environment, she won't have a choice whether she wants to or not; she'll have to learn everything. It'll also change her mindset; she won't be like she is now, taking everything for granted."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Mother, don't think I'm heartless. I'm doing this for her own good. The reason she's like this now is because she's been living too comfortably and doesn't know how life is meant to be. Going to the army for two years to endure hardship and discipline won't do her any harm. When she comes back from the army, she can either go on to university or get a job. She'll know what she's doing. It's much better than just lounging around at home like this."

After listening to these words, Wang Xiuhe slowly nodded: "You're right. That girl has been living too comfortably and doesn't know how life is supposed to be. It would be good for her to go to the army for two years of training, to let her suffer, to learn what discipline is, and to learn what hardship is. Okay, I'll give her a heads-up when I go back in the next couple of days."

"Tell her first, so she doesn't think it's a big deal if she doesn't pass the exam and doesn't feel any pressure. People only push themselves when they feel pressure."

Liu Yuheng nodded, picked up his water glass and took another sip, without saying anything more.

Yao Qingwan had been listening quietly the whole time. At this moment, she reached out and gently patted Wang Xiuhe's hand, which was resting on her knee, and interjected with a smile, "Mother, don't worry too much. Tingting is still young. She'll understand things in a couple of years. After two years in the army, she'll definitely come back different."

Wang Xiuhe patted Yao Qingwan's hand and sighed, "I hope so. If this girl could be like you, knowing how to strive for success from a young age, I wouldn't have to worry about her."

The group sat and chatted for a while. Wang Xiuhe asked Yao Qingwan about Liu Zhiyuan's recent situation. Yao Qingwan said that the child slept soundly at night and ate well during the day, but he was getting more and more mischievous, running around in the yard every day, and it was impossible to catch him.

Wang Xiuhe laughed and said it was better for boys to be a little more resilient than to be cooped up indoors. Liu Yuheng listened from the side, occasionally chiming in, but mostly just holding his cup and listening to the two women talk.

When the clock on the wall struck 9:30, Liu Yuheng checked the time: "Alright, it's getting late, everyone go and rest. Mother, you and Qingyan can sleep in the guest room downstairs. The bedding is clean; I had Qingwan prepare it beforehand. We'll take Zhiyuan with us tonight."

Wang Xiuhe also stood up, stretched, and looked more tired than when she first came in: "Okay, then I'll go to sleep first." She walked to the carpet, bent down and picked up Liu Qingyan, who was squatting on the ground playing with building blocks.

Yao Qingwan also stood up, walked to the edge of the carpet, and picked up Liu Zhiyuan.

Liu Yuheng turned off the lights in the living room one by one, leaving only the small light at the bottom of the stairs on. He followed Yao Qingwan upstairs, opened the bedroom door, and waited for Yao Qingwan to put Liu Zhiyuan on the small bed and cover him with a blanket before turning around to go to the bathroom to wash up.

When he returned to the bedroom, Yao Qingwan was already leaning against the headboard, flipping through a magazine, but her gaze wasn't on the pages. Hearing him come in, she turned her head to look at him and casually asked, "Are you really planning to send Tingting to the army?"

Liu Yuheng threw back the covers and sat down, leaning against the pillows. He nodded. "She really intends to. With her personality, she'd be the same staying at home for another two years. A change of environment, with discipline, will be more effective than a hundred words from us."