Courtyard Houses: The Great Masters of a Nation Hidden Within

The clerk from the logistics department helped him carry his bag, and the two of them entered the courtyard together.

After passing through the gate and turning right, you'll find the place where Gao Jianguo will be living for quite some time to come—the east wing of the front yard.

The east wing has three rooms in total, and the family of Uncle Yan Bugui lives opposite it.

The three rooms together are at least 30 to 40 square meters, and that's the actual area, without any concept of shared area.

From this moment on, Gao Jianguo has the freedom to choose where to sleep.

The location is free, but when to sleep and who to sleep with is not so free—that's a story for another time.

The clerk opened the door, slapped the key into Gao Jianguo's hand, and that was it for Gao Jianguo's job.

"This is it. Feel free to use whatever's in the house; it's all junk that the family in front threw away." Gao Jianguo casually pulled out two packs of Xiangshan cigarettes and stuffed them into the bag.

The clerk tried to push it back, but couldn't budge it; he forced it into his pocket.

Even emperors don't starve their soldiers, let alone ordinary people. They've gone to great lengths to help carry things over; we should appreciate that kindness.

Gao Jianguo knew exactly what was going on.

Seeing how sensible he was, the clerk was in a good mood and offered to lend a hand.

"Thank you, Technician Gao. This room is filthy. Shall I tidy it up for you?" Gao Jianguo smiled and waved his hand, ignoring the offer.

"No, no, it's too dirty. If we really clean it up, your clothes will have to be washed too. If you get another tear or something, I'll feel really bad about it. I'll take my time to fix it myself. I'll just dig out a place to sleep first." After chatting for a few more minutes, Gao Jianguo saw the clerk to the door.

Turning back into the house, it was indeed dirty, but very empty, with few odds and ends and no large items.

Moving house these days is different from what it was in later generations.

People in later generations would rather pack their bags and leave, leaving everything behind; but these days it's the other way around, people grab whatever they can and take it all, and if they can't carry it all themselves, the little they have left has long been taken away by others.

Gao Jianguo's east wing, the middle room used to be the living room with a kitchen attached, but now it's completely empty.

There was a kang (a heated brick bed) on each side, one in the north room and one in the south room; both were bedrooms. There wasn't much else worth mentioning.

He threw the quilt on the kang (a heated brick bed), plopped down on it, and started thinking.

There's really nothing to worry about.

I am currently a Level 10 Technician. Don't underestimate this Level 10 title. Although I have the title of Technician, if I take another step forward in my professional skills, I will become an Engineer.

In terms of wages alone, it's 86.5 yuan. Yi Zhonghai, an eighth-grade fitter in the yard, earns 99 yuan. Gao Jianguo ranks second, and he still has plenty of potential.

From the army to university, he rose from an ordinary soldier to a platoon leader, and then became a university student, with his salary and allowances never ceasing.

Whether in the military or at university, there weren't any major expenses. The production subsidies I received accumulated into a large sum, which, if you do the math, amounted to nearly three thousand yuan.

In his previous life, this amount probably wouldn't have been enough for a single night of drinking, but now, for ordinary people, it's a real fortune.

With a system at your disposal, technical skills at your disposal, and a substantial income, you can make a living in this era as long as you don't do anything reckless. You'll survive and live a pretty comfortable life.

Back to the courtyard, to be honest, Gao Jianguo probably still had that layer of clear-headed stupidity buff from his previous life, so he really didn't think that the courtyard had reached the point of being "overrun with birds".

They are just ordinary citizens, making a living in a world where all industries are waiting to be developed.

Taking a small, harmless advantage is fine, so what if you take it?

With Gao Jianguo's system at his back, a top-tier start, and abundant resources, he really didn't need to bother with their pittances.

Of course, those who don't know when to back down and who push their luck are another matter.

As for the shady dealings in the courtyard, such as people scheming for retirement and forming cliques, Gao Jianguo didn't care at all.

They didn't even try to take advantage of him.

As for others, to put it nicely, "Respect others' fate and put aside the urge to help them." Or, "You are not a fish, how can you know the fish's joy?" To put it bluntly, "What's it to me!" Lu Xun, who said, "The White Snake bewitched Xu Xian, and Xu Xian married a monster, what does it have to do with anyone else?", was the one who truly understood.

(Lu Xun: I actually said that.) Besides, the people in the courtyard and these things are really quite interesting.

Not everyone has the chance to witness those dramas in real life. The dramatic tension and expressiveness are amazing. Just thinking about it is exciting.

Isn't it better to just be a bystander?

Thinking of this, Gao Jianguo was overjoyed.

"I'm going to eat this melon, not even the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor could stop me! I said it!" It was 1959, the joint venture was long over, and Siheyuan's war god, Shazhu, had already gone to work in the factory as a cook, earning thirty-seven yuan and fifty cents a month.

When Qin Huairu married into the Jia family, the legendary thief and his sister were already on the ground, while the thief's father was still breathing.

Xu Damao is unmarried, and the old man hasn't yet put all his thoughts into planning for his retirement. The deaf old lady is much more agile than the one behind him.

The eldest son of the second uncle is still hiding in the yard, and the third uncle still hasn't found his daughter-in-law.

For someone like Gao Jianguo who enjoys having fun, it was incredibly entertaining.

Counting on his fingers, he realized his transmigration setup was as follows: upright family background, strong physique, regular features, military background with meritorious service, university education, technical skills, ample cash, and a system by his side.

Gao Jianguo believed in his heart that this last point was the biggest trump card.

Wow, with this setup, even if things go wrong later, he can handle it!

In that short time, Lou Xiao'e's image appeared.

Putting aside the issue of family background, in this drama, and in this era, Lou Xiao'e is probably the person who is most compatible with him.

Temperament, preferences, taste in clothing, and openness to new things—they're all compatible.

Ran Qiuye, who ranked second, was far behind.

Lou Xiao'e has a slight overbite, but it's not severe.

If we have to talk about mouths, look at the Habsburgs' chins. That's not a flaw, that's stylish.

However, Gao Jianguo hadn't thought that far ahead yet. This kind of thing not only depends on the conditions, but also on one's gut feeling.

As for work, with the knowledge he accumulated in his previous life stored in his mind, the system providing resources, and the occasional glimpse of future fragments popping up from the lottery, Gao Jianguo really wanted to contribute more in these bustling times.

At least when he gets old, he can say to himself, "These two lifetimes have been worthwhile." With this in mind, Gao Jianguo made up his mind.

Drawing on the same drive he had as a former grassroots commander in the army, he set a sixteen-character motto for his life in the courtyard: "Focus on your work, don't be afraid of making mistakes, be a spectator, and participate appropriately." With his mind settled, Gao Jianguo stepped out of the room.

This house is uninhabitable right now; we need to clean it up quickly.

It's autumn now. If you don't get all the winter gear ready before winter, it'll be unbearable when the cold wind blows in.

He lived in the front yard, and across from him was the west wing occupied by the family of the third uncle, Yan Bugui.

When it comes to tidying up the house, the job falls to the third uncle.

If we're talking about who's the stingiest person in this courtyard, Uncle San is definitely number one. He's the kind of guy who can stretch every penny to its limit, and he's actually the easiest to talk to.

Don't ask, the answer is simply the power of money.

As for why I didn't do it myself—to put it nicely, I didn't have time; to be honest, I just got lazy.

Uncle San didn't have class today, so he went home early and is leading his family in making matchboxes.

You get 48 cents for every 1,000 pieces; if you work on it for a month, you can earn 10 or 8 dollars to supplement your household income.

The money wasn't much; it was distributed by the neighborhood committee based on how poorly each family was struggling to make ends meet, so not everyone could get a share.

If it weren't for the fact that his family was large, and that he already had a teaching job, Uncle San would never have gotten this job.

Gao Jianguo noticed a shadowy figure moving in the house across the street, walked to the door of the Third Uncle's house, and gently knocked on the door.