Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

"Hello comrade, I'm here to report for duty. Where do I complete the onboarding procedures?" Xiao Yao gently pressed the letter of introduction against the glass window sill, her voice clear yet measured.

"This is the onboarding window. Please bring out your letter of introduction and household registration book." The woman at the window didn't even look up, her fingers tapping the abacus beads with a clattering sound.

Xiao Yao deftly handed over two items, then casually pulled out two White Rabbit milk candies from his pocket. The candy wrappers gleamed softly under the light, and he gently placed them beside her hand.

The girl glanced up, her lips curving into a smile. Without refusing, she flicked her finger and put the item into the drawer. However, she looked at Xiao Yao a few more times, her eyes filled with a hint of contemplation, as if she were testing him.

Xiao Yao's heart skipped a beat: Why are those eyes like searchlights? Could it be that he gave himself away? But that can't be right—he had specially studied micro-expressions with a veteran actor for three months, and even practiced the blinking rhythm three times.

……

"Hello, Comrade Xiao Yao! Let me show you around, so you don't get lost in the warehouse." Su Man handed over her freshly stamped work ID, her eyes crinkling into crescents. "My name is Su Man. From now on, we'll be working together."

"Oh my, she's beautiful inside and out!" Xiao Yao blurted out, his tone warm but not exaggerated.

Su Man's ears burned, she lowered her head and pursed her lips, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes—this was the first time in her life she had received candy from a male comrade, and before the sweetness had even melted, her heart skipped a beat.

The two walked through the narrow alley paved with blue bricks, their footsteps rustling through the fallen leaves, finally stopping in front of the logistics department office. Su Man pushed open the door and softly called out, "Dad, the new colleague has arrived." Then she turned and left, her ears as red as if they had been smeared with rouge.

"Hello, Director Su, I am Xiao Yao. I will be at your service from now on." Xiao Yao presented two ounces of loose liquor and half a pound of dried donkey meat wrapped in kraft paper with both hands. There were still some flour marks on the edges of the paper package.

"Okay, manage the warehouse entry and exit registration. If anything is missing or not, come and tell me immediately." Su Yuanshan took the things, pressed his palm heavily on Xiao Yao's shoulder, glanced at his daughter's hurried departure, and then slowly looked at Xiao Yao's face. Finally, he raised the corner of his mouth, turned around and stepped out the door. His leather shoes stomped on the cement ground, thump, thump, thump, very steadily.

"Hello everyone, my name is Xiao Yao. I'm new here, please take care of me!" He smiled and pulled a handful of candy from his military green satchel. The milk candy, wrapped in shiny cellophane, shimmered in the winter sunlight—two candies for one cent. In 1992, the price had just risen to two candies for one dime. A few years later, it slowly faded from the glass jars of the corner store.

"Xiao Yao, right? You're so sensible!" Li Mei, with her short, ear-length hair, smiled cheerfully and reached out to take the candy. "If you don't understand anything, just ask me. I'll teach you everything! My surname is Li, Li Mei."

The other two women also thanked them with smiles, the candy wrappers rustling.

They efficiently finished all the work by noon, leaving Xiao Yao idle and helpless, like a piece of tender tofu just arrived at the warehouse—soft and unprepared. When lunchtime arrived, Li Mei grabbed his arm: "Let's go to the cafeteria!"

"Oh, Su Man? What a coincidence!" Li Mei's eyes lit up, and she turned to wink at Xiao Yao. "This is my newly adopted younger brother, the new colleague you brought this morning—I'm in a good mood today, so I'll treat you to a good meal!"

Xiao Yao was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself, how come the enthusiasm these days is even stronger than the flames in the furnace?

"I've made arrangements with Wang Tong, and I'll report to the logistics department this afternoon." Su Man's voice was soft, but every word was clear.

"Alright! Now we're practically living upstairs and downstairs, seeing each other all the time!" Li Mei smiled, fine lines appearing at the corners of her eyes, and pulled Xiao Yao over. "Quick, go get food for the two of us!"

Xiao Yao rushed forward to join the queue, took their aluminum lunchboxes, and quickly filled three portions—the rice was piled high, and there were a few slices of glistening pork belly in the stewed cabbage, all for only eight cents.

When he handed the fullest portion to Su Man, her fingertips paused slightly, and she quickly lowered her eyes, revealing only a section of her reddened earlobe.

"Xiao Yao, how many people are in your family? How old are you this year?" Li Mei picked up a piece of pickled cabbage with her chopsticks and asked while chewing.

"It's just me," Xiao Yao said, head down, eating her rice. Her words were slow and even. "My parents went to the Great Northern Wilderness with my younger brother when they were young. I lived with my grandfather when I was little, but he passed away two years ago, and I've been living here all by myself ever since. I'm nineteen, just turned 18."

These words were part of his resume that the system had stuffed into his head, and he spoke them naturally, as if he were talking about his neighbor.

"That's good too. One person eats their fill, the whole family isn't hungry." Li Mei pointed with her chopsticks. "Are you dating anyone? I have several girls I know, reliable and capable. Want me to play matchmaker?"

"Not yet, the conditions are so-so, I wouldn't dare to aspire to such a high position," Xiao Yao quickly replied, his tone so sincere it was impossible to find fault.

Before she could finish speaking, Su Man lightly nudged Li Mei's waist with her elbow. Li Mei paused, turned her head, and caught sight of Su Man's lowered eyelashes and flushed cheeks. Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind: Could this girl be falling for someone?

Sure enough, as soon as she started work in the afternoon, Su Man came to the logistics department with a notice of job change, her blue work clothes still covered in chalk dust.

All day long, Xiao Yao was like a decoration placed in the center of the warehouse—he didn't get to do any work. After the three of them finished their work, they would chat with him, explaining the warehouse rules, how to fill out forms, and the key handover process to him in detail. When it was almost time to leave work, Li Mei would still go to report on the work, and after she came back and gave a heads-up, everyone would pack their bags and leave, either going home to cook or heading straight to the canteen.

Su Man and Li Mei left one after the other, each carrying a cloth bag. Xiao Yao had to detour to the canteen to get food, and then drag her feet home to start a fire and cook—too lazy to bother, and even less willing to live her life like a rushed play.

As soon as he pushed open the courtyard gate, he saw Han Chunming leading three people deeper into the alley. He looked up and bumped into Xiao Yao, immediately waving and calling out, "Hey, you're back? The house was locked, where did everyone go?"

He pointed behind him: "These are my aunt, Xiaoxing, and Xiaozao; this is my best buddy, Xiao Yao."

Xiao Yao nodded slightly and walked straight past. It wasn't that he was putting on airs; he knew perfectly well that these relatives came in without bringing a single pound of flour, and the first thing they asked was how many ounces of grain coupons they had left. Even a simple greeting felt like a debt. Anyone who got into a relationship with them would have a headache. Xiao Yao was here for peace and quiet; he didn't want to clean up Han Chunming's mess.

Just like every time he met Su Meng, he would simply nod and smile, without saying much, responding, or getting close—he knew perfectly well what kind of etiquette to use with whomever he met.

Meng Xiaoxing pouted: "What's with Fifth Brother putting on airs? I think he's too unsophisticated, what's with all the arrogance!"

"He acts like that with everyone!" Han Chunming quickly tried to smooth things over. "Even when my mom passed by, he just nodded. It really wasn't directed at you guys."

"What's he carrying? Fifth Brother, I've never seen this before!" Xiaozao stood on tiptoe to look.

"We'll find out when we go inside!" Han Chunming chuckled and led the three of them straight to his own courtyard gate.

Xiao Yao went back to his room and stuffed his luggage into the camphor wood wardrobe. On his way, he went to the kitchen, touched the woodpile, added some dry pine branches, and a flame suddenly leaped up, gradually spreading warmth. He lazily lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed). The wind was howling outside the window; it was getting dark early. Should he go out for a walk? He'd rather lie down and rest.

Knock, knock, knock—a rapid knocking sound rang out on the door.

"Open the door! Tell me honestly, where have you been having fun today?" Han Chunming's voice boomed through the door.

Xiao Yao slowly got up, opened the door a crack, and rolled back onto the warm kang (heated brick bed). Han Chunming didn't stand on ceremony either, quickly climbing onto the kang, sitting cross-legged, and sporting a gossipy look: "Tell me, tell me, what good deeds did you do today? What treasure are you carrying? Show me!"

"What else can I do at work?" Xiao Yao asked lazily without even lifting his eyelids. "A set of work clothes, why don't you try it on?"

Han Chunming grinned, rubbing his hands together as he leaned closer: "Fine, you win—these days, even work clothes exude an air of arrogance!"

"Where did you find such a secure job? Did you really get a job as a chef in a state-run restaurant?" Han Chunming's eyes almost popped out as he stared intently at Xiao Yao—he'd only been back for two days and was already working on stilts? These days, even sweeping jobs at the alley entrance require connections to snatch, and this kid actually has such a strong trump card up his sleeve!

"My dad got a job as a record clerk in the logistics department of a garment factory through an old comrade-in-arms." Xiao Yao handed over a brand-new blue work uniform, the cuffs still crisp from being starched.

"Did your dad write? Is the factory still hiring? Leave a spot for me!" Han Chunming grabbed the uniform, rubbing his fingertips against the epaulets.

"There aren't any vacancies right now, but I'll definitely keep an eye out for you when one comes along. But—" Xiao Yao's tone shifted, a slight smile playing on his lips, "Back in the countryside, I remember clearly what happened between you and Cheng Jianjun—that incident where you and he secretly ate grain seeds." He paused, lowering his voice, "And now, you're working in a food factory, and you still dare to try and skim some extra money?"

"Hey, that's not how you put it!" Han Chunming immediately retorted, "Who hasn't chewed those grain seeds? You tasted them even better than I did! Don't worry, as long as I get in the door, I'll absolutely obey your orders!"

"Alright, this job took six or seven trips to finalize. Once I have the connections, I'll do my best to help you get it done." Xiao Yao waved his hand.

Han Chunming was so happy that he slapped his thigh and skipped out of the courtyard; Xiao Yao locked the door and went to sleep.

Han's mother was deeply worried—with her eldest daughter's arrival, the family's food supply for half a month would be gone. If they didn't treat her to a decent meal, people would gossip behind her back, saying she was arrogant; but if they actually spent money to entertain her, the family's financial situation would be even more precarious.

"Mom, Xiao Yao's at work! He said he'll introduce me to any openings at the factory right away," Han Chunming announced as soon as he entered the house.

……

"What are you thinking? Don't you know what their parents do? If you really didn't want to go to the countryside, you would have been working for the government a long time ago!" Han's mother glared at him and slammed her chopsticks down on the rim of her bowl.

"We're like brothers, inseparable! The fact that he's willing to help means he trusts me!" Han Chunming said, shoveling rice into his mouth, his words tinged with stubbornness.

"Auntie, where do his parents work?" Meng Xiaoxing asked softly.

"Don't waste your time!" Han Chunxue scoffed, not even lifting her eyelids. "His parents are both high-ranking officers in the military; they were transferred to the Great Northern Wilderness to reclaim wasteland two years ago. Do you think they care about your little favor?"