Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He Yuzhu couldn't help but laugh out loud when he heard this—wasn't this just a roundabout way of asking him to cook? But today we were talking about serious business and didn't have time to start cooking.

He immediately agreed: "Next Sunday, I'll bring the pot and cook you a decent meal."

Upon hearing this, the old man's eyes immediately relaxed, and he repeatedly said "good."

After the meal, He Yuzhu got up to take his leave. The old man saw him to the veranda and said softly, "Young He, this isn't urgent. I'll take your proposal to a few old friends and hear their opinions. By the way, do you have any plans in mind?"

Building a new factory inevitably involves the coordination of the Ministry of Industry—he couldn't make the decision alone; he had to involve several old colleagues in the planning. If the initial trial was successful, proving the path was viable, the rest would be much easier.

But how do we choose the factory manager? If this factory can really stand firm, it will have at least three or four thousand employees and will be a key project directly managed by the ministry.

Previously, He Yuzhu had repeatedly performed meritorious service, and the rewards were nothing more than food coupons, certificates of merit, and the title of canteen director; if he succeeds this time, it seems they will be serious about it. Coincidentally, he also has a temporary assignment with the Ministry of Foreign Trade, so he might be sent to Southeast Asia for a few months in the blink of an eye.

"Boss, I haven't thought about it in detail yet... I really hadn't considered this possibility."

"Okay, let's take it slow then. Even if everything goes smoothly, we'll still have to wait a month or two."

The old man didn't say anything more, but simply had his secretary drive He Yuzhu back to the courtyard house.

When I pushed open the courtyard gate, it was already dusk. The smoke from each household's chimney had dissipated, the dishes and chopsticks were put away, and adults and children were going back inside to rest.

As soon as He Yuzhu stepped into the main room, Lou Xiao'e heard the noise and immediately came out from the east room to greet him.

As soon as He Yuzhu stepped into the courtyard, Lou Xiao'e greeted him with a smile: "Why did you take so long to come back today?"

"I met with a leader and we discussed some important matters at the factory." He paused, his gaze sweeping over her thin, sheer blouse, revealing glimpses of her fair shoulders and collarbone. His brows immediately furrowed. "You're dressed far too lightly—what if someone barges in without knocking? I'd be worried sick for nothing!"

Lou Xiao'e chuckled and lightly pinched his arm: "What nonsense are you spouting? Everyone knocks three times before entering a room, but you're so impatient, you just barge in!"

"Yuzhu, guess what? Xu Damao and Yan Jiecheng almost flipped the table again this afternoon!"

In the stillness of the night, the two nestled together under the lamp. Lou Xiao'e pressed her ear against his chest and poured out everything she had overheard during the day. She worked at the neighborhood office, and the aunties and girls in the courtyard, seeing that she was kind and reliable, often gathered around to gossip and chat about everyday matters.

It turns out that Xu Damao didn't go to the factory today. Instead, he invited his father, Yu's father, and Yu Li into the courtyard house so that the two families could seriously discuss the wedding arrangements.

Yan Jiecheng happened to witness this scene—he saw Xu Damao embracing Yu Li intimately, and even Yu's father, who was sitting upright in the hall, had his face turn as red as a pig's liver, his eyes bulging red, and his knuckles cracking.

At least he didn't actually lay a hand on anyone. He gritted his teeth, turned around, and left, his back stiff as a taut iron bar.

No one knows how it ended. All they saw was the Yu family leaving the courtyard with happy faces. The neighbors peeked through the crack in the door and immediately knew: this marriage was probably settled.

Yu Li is indeed beautiful, and her household registration book says "local city". Apart from not having a job right now, there's nothing wrong with her.

If he were to get a stable, secure job, there would probably be a long line of suitors coming to propose marriage.

"Judging from this, Xu Damao is probably going to be in trouble soon... It's a pity that Yu Li chose the wrong person this time. The two of them are sure to have a bumpy and difficult time from now on."

Lou Xiao'e suddenly looked up, her eyes full of doubt: "Yuzhu, how did you make such an accurate prediction?"

"Nonsense." He snorted. "This child issue is bound to cause a huge uproar sooner or later—Xu Damao? He's probably destined to be crippled."

He was certain of this. He hadn't really fought with Xu Damao many times in his life, but the guy was just like that, he had seduced at least three or four widows in the countryside. To this day, his belt has been loose and tight, tight and loose, but his belly has remained flat. Do you even need to guess what happened?

Upon hearing this, Lou Xiao'e gasped, "That Yu Li is really unlucky! Can we say a few words of advice to her, so she doesn't plunge headlong into a fire pit...?"

But then she thought about it again, and Yu Li and Yan Jiecheng hadn't made any moves either, so no one could say for sure whose fault it was. In He Yuzhu's eyes, no matter who she chose, she would be destined to have no offspring.

"Advice? What can you offer? Empty words are just spreading rumors!" He waved his hand. "The first one to turn against you will probably be Yu Li herself—Xu Damao is at least a level eight worker, while she doesn't even have a proper job right now, she relies solely on her face and figure. If you interfere, aren't you just trying to break up their marriage?"

"Alright, alright, stop worrying about these things." His tone softened, and he pulled her closer to him. "Has anyone been giving you trouble at the neighborhood committee office? If so, I'll stand up for you. Those people only respond to force; if you don't teach them a lesson, they'll think they're invincible!"

"How could I dare!" Lou Xiao'e smiled, her eyes crinkling slightly. "Your reputation for 'one against five' has spread throughout Nanluoguxiang. Who doesn't know I married a man who's fiercely protective of his wife and has a strong fist? Now, when Aunt Zhang encounters an unreasonable street thug, her first reaction is to call me to step in and show your name—it's guaranteed to be more effective than shouting through a loudspeaker!"

She wasn't praising him for being tyrannical. He Yuzhu had actually fought with five thugs to protect her that time, and one of them was knocked down and sent to the hospital on the spot. Now, in the eyes of the neighborhood committee, he was a pillar of stability—if things really got out of hand, the officials would be happy for him to step in, so that those troublemakers wouldn't disturb the peace of the whole alley every few days.

Sure enough, Xu Damao got his marriage certificate in no time. One weekend morning, he ran around the yard clutching wedding candy, stuffing it into everyone he saw, his face beaming with undisguised smugness.

He Yuzhu was sitting on his doorstep smoking when he saw him strolling over, but he didn't even lift his eyelids.

Xu Damao kept talking, his words revolving around "soon to be a father" and "the family is eagerly awaiting a grandson." He Yuzhu found it all amusing—you? You'd be lucky to produce an egg!

He didn't hold a banquet. These days, the atmosphere is tense; who dares to be extravagant? Bowing to the portrait of the leader, taking an oath, cooking dumplings at home—that's enough to get the wedding done.

The scrap steel recycling and smelting plant project is also showing promise. Li Huaide's father-in-law asked someone to invite several senior professors from the industrial college, who studied He Yuzhu's plan for half a month and unanimously nodded: It's feasible! Try building a small plant using this method, and it can save tens of thousands of tons of pig iron every year.

With the endorsement of these veteran experts, Li Huaide's father-in-law dared to walk into the Ministry of Industry's gates with the project proposal, speaking with certainty: "Let's try a small-scale operation first. If it succeeds, then we'll build a large factory in Beijing—at that time, all the scrap steel from Northeast China and the four provinces of Hebei will be brought here for remelting!"

Li Huaide personally told He Yuzhu the news. If the deal goes through, he's prepared to be transferred there as factory manager.

He Yuzhu was taken aback: "Brother Li, you're really going to get into steel recycling? Are you closing down the steel rolling mill?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to move." Li Huaide shook his head. "Promotions are slow there; it'll take three or four years to get a move. As for the steel mill? Unless Old Yang makes a huge mistake, it'll never be my turn..."

"Then... who will fill the position of deputy factory director?"

"Zhu Zi, you're the most suitable." Li Huaide's gaze was steady. "Your achievements, reputation, and abilities are all more than enough. Your youth is not a problem; the key is that you are sensible and capable of handling things."

He paused, then spoke more firmly: "As long as you agree, my father-in-law and I will guarantee your succession—the deputy director of the Third Steel Rolling Mill. I'll keep that position for you."

"I...I'm afraid I really can't handle it, Brother Li. Do you think the steel rolling mill can tolerate a deputy director who disappears for months at a time?"

He Yuzhu waved his hand, his tone revealing his sincerity. He would have to fly to Hong Kong Island again in a while, and that would be another six months.

Lou's father recently delivered tens of thousands of tons of rubber to Tianjin Port. The goods arrived safely, but the journey was fraught with danger, and they were almost intercepted at sea by the Taiwanese navy. There are two more big orders at the end of the year, and He Yuzhu personally made the trip to ensure that things were under control and that the bottom line was covered.

When he was the canteen manager, it was understandable that he took a long leave: the foreign trade department supported him, the canteen work wasn't mentally taxing, and things wouldn't fall apart if he left.

But what if the deputy factory director suddenly "disappears" for a few months? That won't do. Even if the Ministry of Foreign Trade guarantees it, the steel rolling mill cannot stop operating—industrial development is not child's play; how can we tolerate the long-term absence of a key figure?

Upon hearing this, Li Huaide's Adam's apple bobbed, and he let out a long sigh. He was stuck on this point: if he left, no one could take over the responsibility of deputy factory director, which was a pity; He was genuinely happy that He Yuzhu took the position—he was his own brother, someone he could trust; but if someone else took the position, he would truly become an outsider.

"Sigh, this is really difficult... Zhu Zi, you never ask for a reward after you've done something meritorious, but you're so capable and well-connected that it's hard for the higher-ups to write a letter of approval."

To put it bluntly, promotion is the smoothest path, but He Yuzhu spends four or five months a year in Hong Kong Island, turning the "promotion" process into a hot potato. No matter how high the official position is, if the person is not on duty for many years, isn't he just a figurehead?

Other rewards? He didn't care. He had a drawer full of certificates of honor, not to mention cash; the leaders of the Ministry of Industry knew perfectly well that the Lou family had only been established in Hong Kong for a year, and had already shipped two batches of valuable goods to the mainland—the first time was more than 8,000 tons of fresh meat, and the second time was tens of thousands of tons of rubber.

The value of the goods alone is not enough; even shipping costs have been saved. The mainland still owes the Lou family 5,000 washing machine drums.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade had already tasted the benefits—in the past, they even struggled to sell meat, let alone rubber; if He Yuzhu really stayed in the factory for the position of deputy factory director, delaying procurement and missing shipping schedules... Minister Zhang would probably have to personally visit him with a thermos cup to persuade him.