Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Xu Damao lowered his head and pondered for a moment. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Yi Zhonghai's words hit the nail on the head. Once he made up his mind, he immediately picked up his wine cup and raised it at Yi Zhonghai.

A relieved smile appeared on Yi Zhonghai's face. He raised his glass, his voice tinged with approval: "Da Mao, I wasn't wrong about you! Before, I was a fool, blindly trusting He Yuzhu's smooth talk and his hypocritical face. That ingrate's only climbed a little higher, and now he's all brazen and unrecognizable! From now on, we two should keep in touch and work together..."

"Absolutely right, sir! You've explained it perfectly!"

Xu Damao nodded vigorously, and the two clinked their wine cups together with a crisp sound. They downed their drinks in one gulp, then picked up food and ate rice, their conversation growing increasingly lively.

Yi Zhonghai didn't drink too much; he knew exactly what he was doing—he was here on business. Seeing that they had reached an agreement, he put down his chopsticks and smoothly brought up the matter of the deaf old lady again: "Da Mao, what do you think about that matter we just discussed? The old lady lives in the backyard, and so does yours. It's just a small favor. Besides, your wife just arrived in the city and doesn't know anyone. Spending more time with the old lady will be a good way to add an elder to your family and warm your heart."

"If you think four dollars isn't enough, I'll add another dollar, making it five! It doesn't take much effort on a daily basis, just cooking a meal and washing a few clothes, it's very easy..."

Before she could finish speaking, Wang Xiufang couldn't contain herself any longer and gently nudged Xu Damao's shin under the table with her toe.

Five yuan a month? A strong laborer in the countryside can only earn ten or twenty yuan a year by working himself to the bone, and that's only if he's at the maximum work point level and busy from spring to winter!

She quickly calculated in her mind: five yuan multiplied by twelve, that's a full sixty yuan! That's more than the village secretary's entire family combined!

With a quick change of heart, she immediately suppressed the discomfort she felt when Yi Zhonghai brought up Xu Damao's old wounds—it's just taking care of an old lady, right? Washing and cooking are easy things, and it's free money, why be picky?

"Alright! Since Uncle is trustworthy, I'll agree!"

Xu Damao readily raised his glass and clinked glasses again, decisively accepting the task.

He didn't care at all about sending Wang Xiufang to take care of the deaf old lady: it would bring in income, so it wasn't a loss; he could also use the opportunity to get closer to Yi Zhonghai—right now he was surrounded by rumors, all because Yu Li publicly exposed his hidden pain of being unable to have children, every word like a knife, making him unable to sleep soundly at night. He hated Yu Li to the core, and even more so He Yuzhu for taking advantage of his misfortune.

If we can unite with Yi Zhonghai, we might actually be able to turn the tide and, by leveraging his prestige and influence, break free from this pent-up frustration.

As soon as the words were spoken, the thin layer of ice between them melted away. After a few more drinks, Yi Zhonghai, seeing that the time was right, got up to take his leave. Before leaving, he took out five crisp new bills from his pocket and gently placed them on the table: "Starting tomorrow morning, pay upfront."

This deal was a sure win for him: taking care of the deaf old lady would both enhance his reputation and demonstrate his kindness. Although the old lady wasn't well-liked by He Yuzhu, who in the courtyard dared to offend her? At her age, hard of hearing and stubborn, she could throw a tantrum and act unreasonably, making her unbearable for ordinary people.

As soon as Yi Zhonghai left, Wang Xiufang couldn't help but say, "Da Mao, your neighbor is really generous! He just asked for five yuan to help an old lady. In the countryside, that's just a small favor..."

"Here, keep it for you." Xu Damao waved his hand casually, "But be careful when you get your hands on them—Yi Zhonghai and that deaf old lady are no pushovers."

Five yuan? He didn't even lift an eyelid. The projectionist earned a little over thirty yuan a month, and with a few trips to the countryside carrying some local produce, forty yuan easily slipped into his pocket. Ever since being diagnosed with infertility, he had been determined to treat Wang Xiufang and their two children as his own family, so this small amount of pocket money was nothing to him. As for seeking medical treatment, he hadn't given up hope—the big hospitals had declared it "hopeless," but he secretly sought out traditional Chinese medicine doctors, hoping that one day his energy would return, his bloodline would be restored, and he could raise his own flesh and blood.

"Let me tell you, this place is a dangerous place; you can easily fall if you're not careful. Take that old man from earlier, for example... "

As the alcohol took effect, Xu Damao started talking non-stop, bringing up all the stories about the courtyard house, embellishing them, and portraying himself as completely justified and innocent.

Wang Xiufang listened, her eyebrows twitching occasionally, but she only smiled and didn't point it out. Now that she was a member of the Xu family, living in the city with two children, her future depended entirely on him; how could she dare to take it seriously?

Xu Damao was tired from drinking, so she obediently helped him lie down. The alcohol took effect, and he became restless, pulling her around for a while.

The next morning, Wang Xiufang brought hot porridge and dirty clothes to the deaf old lady's door. This commotion was overheard by the second uncle next door—Xu Damao had given them a heads-up beforehand. As long as no one mentioned "taking money," everyone assumed it was just a kind act of kindness; as for Yi Zhonghai, he certainly wouldn't expose his shortcomings.

To put it bluntly, they were both scheming and hit it off immediately—they shared the same goal and were enemies with the same name.

But He Yuzhu didn't take these two seriously at all. Although he was only the logistics director of the factory now, his father-in-law's business was already thriving, with orders from the foreign trade department coming in one after another, and he had even made real contributions to the country. The He family and the Lou family had both caught the attention of the higher-ups. As long as he didn't betray the country and defect to the enemy, no one could touch him.

Yi Zhonghai and Xu Damao? They're nothing but two bedbugs jumping around in the cracks of the wall, they can't cause any trouble, much less turn the world upside down—He Yuzhu has long since subdued them.

For a while after that, the courtyard house was peaceful. He Yuzhu's children gradually grew up, and their features showed a certain composure.

Around the tenth anniversary, Xu Damao and Yi Zhonghai again instigated Jiang Shouqin, hoping to stir up trouble at the steel rolling mill. But they never expected that Li Huaide would suddenly be transferred back to the factory as clerk—he had powerful backers, proven track record, and a knack for manipulation; more importantly, he had a close relationship with He Yuzhu. Before the three could even open their mouths, He Yuzhu saw through their scheme and subtly silenced them.

Not long after, Jiang Shouqin was transferred away from the steel rolling mill; Xu Damao and Yi Zhonghai were caught red-handed, dismissed from their posts, and sent to the sanitation department to clean toilets because of serious misconduct and repeated failure to correct their mistakes.

The two of them spent eight years wielding brooms in a stinking public toilet!

As soon as the reform and opening up began, He Yuzhu immediately resigned and went into business. With his superb culinary skills, dozens of easy-to-learn specialties, and the strong support of the Lou family, his business got off to a steady start, expanded rapidly, and became deeply rooted.

In just a few years, he rose to become the richest man in Beijing!

But by this time, He Yuzhu no longer cared about money—his vision had broadened, and his mind had become more focused. He saw through the long-standing Western countries' blockade of China's high-tech industries, so he gritted his teeth and invested heavily in tackling the "bottleneck" problems of chips, precision machine tools, and aerospace materials.

With real money invested, results have been achieved one after another.

However, he also took the initiative to confess to Lou Xiao'e about Chen Xueru and Bai Danyu—Bai Danyu had even given birth to a son for him.

Lou Xiao'e was furious after hearing this, and she smashed bowls, gave him the cold shoulder, and argued with him several times. But He Yuzhu always bowed his head and admitted his mistakes without being perfunctory, and apologized gently every day, which eventually warmed her heart.

She came from a traditional large family. Her father had several concubines, but they were all settled and left gracefully after the founding of the new society.

With his home safe and sound, He Yuzhu had no more worries and could devote himself entirely to his career.

In just a few years, his name not only resounded throughout Beijing, but also spread all over the country. He even accompanied Lou's father back to China to Hong Kong Island, where he witnessed the raising of the red flag on a morning when the Bauhinia flowers were in full bloom.

After that, he quietly stepped back from the limelight, handing over all his businesses to his three children to manage, while he himself, along with Lou Xiao'e, Chen Xueru, and Bai Danyu, sailed the seas and mountains.

Inside a luxurious bedroom at an island estate.

He Yuzhu was fast asleep, his breathing even and deep, his brows relaxed.

That night, he fell into a long and vivid dream...

The kitchen of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

A boy of seventeen or eighteen was chopping cabbage with swift, precise strokes, the cabbage petals neat and crisp; a few steps away, on a rattan deck chair, lay a young man of twenty-four or twenty-five, sleeping soundly without a care in the world.

This is his third day in the world of the courtyard house.

The lingering doubt in my heart had not yet dissipated, like mist enveloping the still-awakening morning light.

Fortunately, he had something powerful under his belt—the system.

More precisely, it's a secluded space: you can grow rice, wheat, and sorghum, raise chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits, and even have a neatly laid-out fishpond with fresh water in the corner.

Three years ago, He Daqing packed his bags and ran off to Baoding with a widow surnamed Bai, never to return.

She left behind only her younger sister, who depended on the original owner for survival. No wonder the original owner was so attached to Qin Huairu later—the seeds of this conflict had already been sown.

"Master, the vegetables are chopped neatly, can we cook them now?" Ma Hua asked, leaning closer.

"I'm going to show off my real skills today, so keep a close eye on me and learn." He Yuzhu lifted his apron and stood up, the spatula flew, the stove fire leaped up, and the aroma of oil exploded instantly.

Not long after, the stirring strains of "The East Is Red" burst forth from the factory's loudspeakers, the sound waves echoing against the brick walls.

Workers flocked to the canteen in twos and threes, their lunchboxes jingling and their voices clattering.

Back then, prices were ridiculously low, but you had to hold onto your food coupons and banknotes tightly for every meal—coarse grain coupons, fine grain coupons, oil coupons, industrial coupons, bicycle coupons… If you were missing any one of them, your rice scoop would hang in mid-air and wouldn’t fall.

After the last worker left with his hot meal, He Yuzhu rolled up his sleeves to sweep the floor, wipe the table, and wash the pots before taking off his apron.

I need to check out the black market today—see if there are any free chicks or ducklings, and maybe trade them for some good seeds for corn and potatoes.

This place exists in many places, with all sorts of names: Pigeon Market, Ghost Market, Black Market, Dark Alleyway... The names may differ, but the rules are always the same—pay a dime to enter, and the young man squatting in the corner smoking is the gatekeeper.

Several pairs of eyes were hidden in the shadows, remaining silent.

In this line of work, who isn't afraid of being caught for "speculation and profiteering"? If you really get caught, the whole village has your bedding and bags ready for you.

Once inside, everyone fell silent, squatted in their own areas, spread out their goods, and negotiated prices using only their eyes and whispers.