Courtyard House: In this life, I have a new home!

Liu Guangqi was incredibly shameless. "My dad earns eighty-eight a month, isn't that better than the Yan family? Girl, what do you think?"

Xiaoyu turned to look at Liu Guangtian: "Is this comrade also from this compound? They said..."

"This is Liu Guangqi's younger brother, Liu Guangtian."

Matchmaker Zhang said irritably, "I bet she's got a lot of bad intentions too."

"Comrade Xiaoyu, the Yan family is incredibly stingy."

Liu Guangqi interrupted, "Yan Jiecheng doesn't even have a proper job. He just does odd jobs to get by and earns a pittance."

"Not to mention the living conditions. They kicked their younger brother out to rent a place, and he still had to pay half the rent for just one room."

"They never see meat in their family all year round. The small fish that Yan Bugui caught didn't count; they sold all the big fish."

Matchmaker Zhang was so angry that her lips trembled.

She knew that the money for today's meal and the red envelope would be wasted.

Liu Guangqi said smugly, "I wasn't lying, was I?"

Liu Guangtian then interjected, "He's telling the truth."

I genuinely want to be in a relationship with you.

Liu Guangqi's eyes lit up. "How about we go to my house first?"

Chen Xiaoyu glared at the plump matchmaker in front of her, looking displeased: "The food is all cooked, you want three yuan, right?"

Matchmaker Zhang was filled with apprehension—the Yan family had only given two yuan, but this family was giving her an extra yuan.

After hesitating for a long time, she tentatively asked, "Xiaoyu, why don't you take another look at the Liu family's offer?"

"What did you say?"

Chen Xiaoyu's face flushed red. "What did you tell my parents before? You raved about how good the Yan family was, making it sound so wonderful! Now you've gone back on your word and want me to go on blind dates with other people? What kind of person do you take me for?"

After saying that, she turned and left.

Liu Guangqi quickly caught up: "Comrade Xiaoyu, don't be angry! This is called free love..."

"Get lost! You've got some nerve!"

Xiaoyu turned around and retorted.

Li Weidong watched the spectacle from a distance, and upon hearing the comment "Big face,"...

I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

After Xiaoyu left, Zhang the matchmaker glared at Liu Guangqi—he had ruined everything for today.

Liu Guangtian quietly followed Xiaoyu, chasing her all the way to the corner of the alley before calling out to her.

"What do you want?"

Xiaoyu's tone was impolite.

Liu Guangtian rubbed his hands together: "Comrade Xiaoyu, I've taken a liking to you. I'm also from the Liu family, but I'm a worker at the steel rolling mill. I'll be officially hired next Monday, and I'll be promoted to at least a second-level worker by the end of the year."

I have my own house and live alone.

"Liu Guangqi is my brother, that's true, but he doesn't have a job, he lives at home, and he doesn't even have his own place."

Xiaoyu's eyes darted around: "Then how come you have a job, but your brother doesn't?"

Liu Guangtian knew in his heart that this girl was quick-witted.

"I have a very good relationship with the chief engineer of the steel rolling mill."

Liu Guangtian lowered his voice, "If we get together, I'll ask Chief Engineer Li to arrange a job for you. It shouldn't be difficult."

"OK."

Xiaoyu blushed. "But my family is poor; I have three younger sisters and one younger brother. I'll try my best to get married before the new year..."

"That's no big deal."

Liu Guangtian laughed, "Want to come to my house now? Dinner's all ready."

Xiaoyu frowned: "You two brothers were planning to steal the prize all along, weren't you? Do you have a grudge against the Yan family?"

"This matter cannot be explained in a few words."

Liu Guangtian waved his hand, "Let's go."

Li Weidong found an empty alley, took four watermelons out of the basket, and carried them on his shoulder as he walked back.

When they arrived at the gate of the compound, they saw several members of the Yan family arguing with Zhang the matchmaker.

Yan Bugui and Yan Jiecheng were waiting for someone at home, but when they still hadn't seen him after a while, they ran out to check anxiously.

As soon as he stepped out, he bumped into Zhang the matchmaker, who was about to leave.

Yan Jiecheng asked anxiously, "Where are they? Where are they?"

"You're asking people!"

Matchmaker Zhang said irritably, "Your neighbor Liu Guangqi snatched it away! Chen Xiaoyu was so angry she left right away!"

Liu Guangqi had just reached the gate of the courtyard when he heard this and turned around and ran to the backyard.

The Yan father and son were so angry that they stomped their feet.

Liu Guangtian carried a snakeskin bag and strode into the courtyard.

As Li Weidong pushed his bicycle through the gate, he saw two people in the backyard fighting like two cockfighting roosters.

Liu Guangqi grabbed Yan Jiecheng by the collar and wouldn't let go, but Yan Jiecheng wasn't going to back down and grabbed Liu Guangqi's collar in return.

"What are they up to?"

Lin Yurou put the bamboo basket on the ground and turned to ask Li Weidong.

"Liu Guangqi tried to thwart Yan Jiecheng's blind date today, but it didn't work out. However, a grudge has been formed."

Li Weidong gestured with his chin in that direction, grinning broadly, "Watching these two old drama queens fight is more exciting than watching a play."

Yan Bugui jogged to the backyard, followed by Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, but Sha Zhu was nowhere to be seen.

Yi Zhonghai immediately uttered an old line: "Stop fooling around, what kind of talk is this! Aren't you afraid of being laughed at by outsiders?"

Liu Guangqi and Yan Jiecheng are both good at talking, they'll tug at each other's fists but they never actually exchange a punch.

"What exactly happened?"

Liu Haizhong had his hands behind his back and his chin held high.

"You still have the nerve to ask? Is what your Liu family does even humane?!"

Yan Bugui's face turned green with anger.

Neither Liu Haizhong nor Yan Bugui paid any attention to Yi Zhonghai, leaving him standing there unattended.

Yi Zhonghai then realized that he was no longer the old man in the courtyard.

"Wasn't it your family that started this whole 'hijacking' thing first?"

With his nose in the air and a cold snort, Liu Guangqi scoffed, "Liu Guangqi, you're a real coward, you actually failed to cut it?"

"Who said that? It wasn't a complete waste of time."

Liu Guangqi shook his big head. "I've heard that the girl didn't end up with this good-for-nothing. I'll find a matchmaker to propose again in a couple of days. It's a sure thing."

"Hehe, forget about the Yan family. They're not stupid; they'll definitely find out everywhere. That girl is absolutely gorgeous!"

Yan Bugui and Yan Jiecheng were so angry they almost passed out.

"It was clearly Yan Jiefang who stole your prize first, so why are you taking it out on me, Liu Da Nao?"

Yan Jiecheng roared until his voice cracked.

"I'm happy to pursue her, so what? You have a problem with that?"

Liu Guangqi looked smug. "Let's each use our own abilities to pursue Xiaoyu and see who wins the beauty's heart in the end!"

Yan Jiecheng was grinding his teeth to powder, but he was completely helpless. He was much better looking than Liu Guangqi, but Liu Guangqi's family was much wealthier.

Banggeng, like a fat rat, peeked out from the corner of the wall and slipped into the backyard. The moment it saw the large watermelon that Xiaoxi was struggling to hold under the porch, its mouth watered instantly.

The backyard was bustling with activity when Liu Guangtian led a girl in.

This person was none other than Xiaoyu, the one Liu Guangqi had been talking about—originally meant to be introduced to Yan Jiecheng.

Apart from Liu Guangqi, no one present recognized her. Everyone assumed she was Liu Guangtian's new girlfriend, but then again, she really was Liu Guangtian's girlfriend.

"Hey Liu Guangtian, you've got some skills! You managed to persuade Xiaoyu to come back, that's great! Come home tonight and have a couple of drinks with me!"

Liu Guangqi was overjoyed, his tone filled with a sense of being honored.

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

Liu Guangtian rolled his eyes and retorted irritably.

As soon as Liu Guangtian left, several pairs of eyes gathered around the door, staring intently at him.

"Liu Guangtian, what kind of thing did you do? You even dared to steal your older brother's girlfriend!"

Liu Haizhong was the first to react, his face turning bright red, and his voice cracking.

"Exactly! Aren't you ashamed?"

Liu Guangqi gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

Yan Jiecheng, on the contrary, laughed and shouted sarcastically, "Serves you right! You deserve it! Liu Da Nao, why don't you jump around a bit!"

He couldn't wait to see the Liu family fight amongst themselves.

Liu Guangtian slowly scanned the room, his eyes icy: "Dad, this doesn't sound like something a cadre would say. What do you mean by 'intercepting my brother's things'? Are you treating women like objects? That's feudal remnant thinking!"

He paused, his tone becoming even more serious: "The old man made it clear—women hold up half the sky."

"Besides, how did I steal Liu Guangqi's thunder? This is called free love, understand?"

"And you, Liu Guangqi—what do you mean 'you'? You've got some nerve."

Yi Zhonghai couldn't hold back any longer. He had always disliked such rule-breaking behavior, especially disrespect towards elders.

"Liu Guangtian, I'll put everything else aside, just look at your attitude towards your own father..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Guangtian waved his hand dismissively: "Old Yi, this is none of your business, get out of here! There's no fodder here, so who brought this talkative donkey?"

After saying that, he turned around and walked to Li Weidong's door.

Li Weidong was waiting with his things in his hands: a fish in one hand and two cans of food in the other, one braised pork and one braised beef.

"Take these two beers too. I'll take the girl home on my bike later."

Li Weidong smiled, looking at the situation he had orchestrated, feeling quite pleased with himself.

"Thanks, Dong-ge!"

Liu Guangtian felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

Liu Hai had just turned around when he saw Yi Zhonghai's old face turn as red as a pig's liver, and he was trembling all over.

Yan Bugui sighed, wondering to himself—how could a seasoned veteran like Yi Zhonghai be so easily angered by Liu Hai?

"Old Yi, don't get so worked up. It's the young people's world now."

Yan Bugui offered a helpless word of advice.

"No! This courtyard can't just fall apart like this."

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth, his voice muffled, "There's not a trace of humanity left in this courtyard!"

Liu Hai shrank back and quickly slipped home. He didn't dare to say anything more, otherwise, forget about becoming an official in the future, he would even lose his current position as a group leader.

As soon as he entered the house, he saw Liu Guangfu grinning widely as he peered into the doorway, watching the commotion. Without a word, Liu Hai slapped Liu Guangfu across the face, knocking him to the ground. He let out a long breath before going into the inner room.

Strangely, Liu Guangfu didn't cry once this time. He covered his swollen left cheek, his eyes filled with hatred, cold enough to freeze.

Li Weidong stood in the corridor and could see everything clearly.

"Brother, have some watermelon!"

Xiao Xi skipped out, holding a slice of watermelon in her hand, and handed another slice to Li Weidong. Bang Geng, who was not far away, swallowed hard. The sweet aroma of the watermelon filled his nose, and he felt like a hundred mice were scratching at his heart.

Li Weidong glanced at Banggeng, who felt as if it had been slashed by a knife and quickly tucked its tail between its legs and ran away. But in its heart, it was still thinking about those big slices of watermelon.

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth and went back into the house. By this time, most of the neighbors in the backyard had already left.

"That bastard, dreaming of getting on his good side is a pipe dream."

Yi Zhonghai sat under the electric fan, his face contorted in pain.

"Don't argue with him, you need to find a way to control him."