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

His house faced the gate of the courtyard. He had just taken a bite of noodles when he glanced over and saw the deaf old woman standing by the door frame, no more than two meters away from him.

The old woman stared intently at him.

Li Weidong remained calm, picked up the bowl, and took a sip of the soup. It still had that familiar, fresh aroma.

He doesn't really care much for instant noodles, but this body really likes them.

Just then, a sharp scream rang out—

"I want to eat it! I want to eat that! Get it to me right now! Otherwise, I won't get up!"

Li Weidong's lips curled up. He knew the joke was about to start again.

Qin Huairu was completely bewildered. She had just finished cooking a pot of vegetable soup, chopped some slightly sour pickled vegetables, and steamed a few cornbread buns. Who knew that rich aroma would suddenly waft over?

Banggeng threw the steamed bun on the ground, slid off the stool, rolled on the ground, and cried his heart out.

"Stop fooling around, old man's coming back with pig's head meat tonight."

Qin Huairu's voice was full of helplessness.

She knew without a doubt that Li Weidong's side had started another attack.

"That damned bastard who killed his parents, he doesn't even bother to bring me some good food to show some respect to this old man."

Jia Zhangshi cursed through gritted teeth, crumbs of cornbread flying everywhere from her mouth.

Xiao Dang and Huaihua had just licked the bottom of their bowls clean when Banggeng rushed to Li Weidong's doorstep.

"Mom, you have to get me something to eat. I'm still growing, I can't go without food."

Bang Geng spoke with confidence and spouted off without hesitation.

Qin Huairu was still stunned when she suddenly realized that two maids were missing, and her expression changed immediately: "Huh, where are Xiao Dang and Huaihua?"

"Those two brats ran off to the backyard to play with that jinx from the Li family."

Madam Jia wasn't worried at all. She curled her lip and said, "That kid's parents are dead, and he's still wasting money like this. His father's meager pension will be gone in no time. He'll be starving then!"

"That's not the case."

Qin Huairu gave a wry smile, "Li Weidong can earn two hundred and sixty yuan a month."

She was already plotting how to get something out of this man. If she could handle a simpleton like Sha Zhu, why would she be afraid of dealing with Li Weidong?

"Huh? How much?"

Jia Zhangshi's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, "Two hundred and sixty a month? What makes him think he can do that?"

"He graduated from university and is the head of the medical department at a steel rolling mill. He's also an eighth-level engineer."

Qin Huairu admitted that she herself was a little envious.

"Bullshit! Where did you hear that nonsense?"

Jia Zhangshi almost jumped up.

"Sha Zhu's apprentice, Ma Hua, said it himself, and even sent Li Weidong two electric fans back."

Qin Huairu shook her head. "Never mind, I'll go call Xiaodang and the others back for dinner."

"What are you yelling about? You two good-for-nothings won't die from missing a meal."

A cold glint flashed in Jia Zhangshi's triangular eyes: "Huai Ru, you have to find a way to get some money out of that little beast's pocket. Two hundred and sixty a month, can he even spend it all?"

"I'll go take a look right away."

Qin Huairu tidied her hair.

"Those two girls might already be eating at someone else's house. Take the corn cob with you."

Jia Zhangshi grabbed a large bowl and handed it over, saying, "Look what good food they're eating, bring some back for me to satisfy my craving."

"Let's go, hurry up!"

Without saying a word, Banggeng picked up the small basin and rushed out.

When Qin Huairu led Banggeng to the backyard, she saw Xiaodang and Huaihua each holding a large bowl, their heads almost buried in the bowls, happily slurping down their soup.

When Qin Huairu reached the door, the two girls had already licked the bottom of the bowl clean and were rubbing their bellies contentedly.

The table was empty. Qin Huairu sighed with a wry smile—she was late.

"mom!"

Xiao Dang and Huaihua quickly ran over, "Xiao Xi's noodles are so delicious!"

Li Yiming glanced at Qin Huairu and said to the two little girls, "You two go back with her first. Come and play with Xiaoxi again when you have time."

"Goodbye, brother; goodbye, Xiaoxi."

The two little girls, with their round bellies sticking out, waved to them.

Upon seeing this scene, Banggeng threw the small earthenware pot in his hand to the ground, lay down, and began to howl.

"No! I want to eat too! I want to eat their food! I won't get up unless you give me some!"

The stick rolled around on the ground.

Qin Huairu steeled herself and leaned closer, but before she could even open her mouth, Li Weidong slammed her tongue down.

He slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

All the words were stuck in his throat.

Banggeng stopped howling this time, and ignoring the broken pot on the ground, grabbed Xiaodang: "What did you eat at their house?"

Little Dang smacked his lips: "Pig ears, noodles, and tongue."

Banggeng's saliva dripped directly onto his collar, his eyes fixed on the closed door.

"Let's go home. This is really upsetting. A perfectly good earthenware pot is broken like this."

Qin Huairu sighed as she looked at the broken pottery shards on the ground.

Earthenware pots are much cheaper than porcelain pots, and it's a real shame if they break.

"It's all your fault! You didn't invite me when there was good food!"

Bang Geng suddenly shoved Xiao Dang, causing her to stumble and almost fall to the ground.

Tears streamed down Xiao Dang's face, but she didn't utter a sound. She knew that if she cried out, the beating would only get worse.

"Forget about the stick, maybe Grandpa will bring back a pig's head later."

Qin Huairu quickly comforted her son.

Huaihua ran to her sister and reached out to wipe away her tears.

Li Weidong closed the door, turned to Lin Yurou, and said, "What kind of freaks are this family?"

He added, "From now on, when you're with their family, you'll only talk to those two little girls. Everyone else is practically inhuman."

He remembered what Xiao Xi had said—Xiao Dang and Huai Hua had given her three peanuts. Those two girls were hardly well-liked at home, and it wasn't easy for them to save up a few peanuts, yet they had shared them with Xiao Xi. Li Weidong kept this kindness in his heart.

"Xiao Dang and Huaihua are my best friends!"

Xiao Xi tilted her head back and said in a serious tone, "Bang Geng is a big bad guy!"

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

Lin Yurou opened the door and saw Lou Xiao'e standing there.

"Aunt Lou!"

Xiao Xi ran over, shouting, "Here, I have hawthorns!"

"Hey, these things are hard to find these days."

Lou Xiao'e laughed, "But Auntie's teeth aren't good, so she can't eat it."

"My teeth are great!"

Xiao Xi grinned, revealing two rows of bright white baby teeth.

"Okay, okay."

Lou Xiao'e turned her head. "Weidong, what did you have for lunch?"

"Instant noodles, Sister E, would you like to try some?"

Li Weidong said with a smile.

"Hmm, I'll buy a few packs. I didn't have much of an appetite, but this smell is wafting over..."

Lou Xiao'e was a little embarrassed. "Hey, your electric fan is quite interesting."

Her family also has a table fan, but it's not quite the same as this one.

"My brother made it!"

Xiao Xi proudly puffed out her little chest, "Impressive, isn't it?"

"Wei Dong, you have this skill? That's a skill only engineers have."

Lou Xiao'e looked surprised.

Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill used to be owned by Lou Xiao'e's family, and her father still holds the title of honorary director.

"It's alright. Sister E, what flavor do you want? We have pickled cabbage and beef noodles, spicy beef, braised beef, and shrimp and fish cake noodles."

Li Weidong recited a series of names.

"Give me one of those, that's all."

Lou Xiao'e wasn't polite at all, "Where did you buy this?"

Li Weidong waved his hand and casually replied, "This stuff isn't sold outside; I brought it back from the south. You can have the noodles, but only you and Brother Da Mao are allowed to eat them."

He paused, then added, "Don't give it to that shameless old man."

Li Weidong knew perfectly well that Lou Xiao'e had become close to the deaf old woman, but in the end, she was terribly betrayed by that old woman.

Lou Xiao'e was stunned for a moment, looking a little embarrassed: "This...this isn't quite right."

She understood that once she started eating, the smell would waft out and the deaf old woman would definitely come looking for her.

"Alright, let's eat here. The pickled cabbage flavor is quite appetizing."

As Li Weidong spoke, he turned to Xiaorou and called out, "Xiaorou, make Sister Xiao'e a bowl of noodles. Add two braised eggs, Sister Xiao'e, and don't mention money."

"I'm going back to my room to draw."

Li Weidong carried the electric fan into the bedroom, opened the window, and sat down at the desk. With the fan whirring behind him, he spread out a sheet of paper and began sketching out the design of the fan, stroke by stroke.

The entire process flow must also be clearly written out.

With his intense focus, it took him almost two hours to produce a dozen or so drawings and instructions.

As soon as he pushed open the door, Xiao Xi ran over and hugged his leg, looking up at him and saying, "Brother, you're out! I wanted to play with you. Sister said you're doing something big and making money to buy me meat."

Li Weidong bent down and pinched Xiaoxi's cheek, coaxing her with a smile, "Okay, Xiaoxi, play with your sister first. I'll go out and buy some fabric so your sister can make you new clothes, okay?"

Li Weidong got on his bicycle and left. He circled the vegetable market and came out with a few potatoes hanging on the handlebars.

He found a secluded spot, took out a piece of light blue printed fabric and a piece of white cloth from the system's inventory, and placed them on the back seat.

There was a large rooster hanging on the handlebars of the cart. It had already been killed and plucked, with its gizzard, liver, and heart stuffed inside.

One hand gripped the handlebars, while the other steadied a large bundle of bamboo of varying thicknesses slung over his shoulder. These too were retrieved from the system's inventory.

As soon as I entered the courtyard gate, I saw a large group of people gathered in front of Yan Bugui's house.

It's almost 5 p.m., and everyone who's off work is coming home.

Li Weidong glanced around. Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu, and Liu Haizhong were standing at the front, with Sha Zhu also nearby. They were facing Yan Bugui, and a group of people were gathered behind them, all listening to Yan Bugui speak.

"What? Li Weidong has a master's degree in medicine?"

Yan Bugui's voice suddenly rose: "Still a section chief? An eighth-level engineer?"

"That's right, two hundred and sixty yuan a month."

Yi Zhonghai sounded quite helpless, "Old Yan, what's going on with this master's degree? None of us know anything..."

"A PhD is like the top scholar in the imperial examination, while a master's degree is like the third and second place winners!"

Yan Bugui's voice trembled sharply, "This is something that brings honor to one's ancestors! Although these titles no longer exist, the country must keep an eye on such talent!"

"Tch, so what?"

Sha Zhu curled his lip, looking completely unconcerned. "Isn't he still living in our compound, still under the control of you three old men?"

Yan Bugui scoffed, "You're just being stubborn. He makes 260 a month, what about you?"

Sha Zhu was speechless for a while, and finally managed to stammer out, "He...he has a lot of money, but he probably won't spend it."

"Idiot Zhu, whether I spend money or not is none of your business!"

Li Weidong looked disdainful.