Courtyard House: I'm an engineer, and a fairy godmother transferred me to a different position.

Just then, a series of hurried and forceful footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate.

Everyone looked up and saw Liu Guangtian, the second son of the Liu family, stride across the threshold, holding a booklet high in his hand, his face beaming with pride—it turned out he had graduated from vocational school.

Liu Guangqi returned to the hospital today precisely because of this matter. Otherwise, with so many things to do at the factory, he wouldn't have had time to come back.

At this moment, Liu Guangtian felt a surge of joy at graduation, and an even greater sense of pride and accomplishment. From now on, he would have the status of a cadre with a guaranteed job and a stable income!

He straightened his back, his gaze sweeping around the courtyard before finally settling on his elder brother and sister-in-law:

"Brother! Sister-in-law!"

Her voice was filled with barely suppressed joy, and she quickly followed him into the backyard.

Such an important matter naturally had to be discussed behind closed doors, as there were too many people and too much talk in the front yard, and he didn't want to divulge even a single word.

Even after the Liu brothers left, the conversation in the front yard didn't stop.

The neighbors, who had just been discussing the marriage, immediately turned their attention to Liu Guangtian:

"See? The second son of the Liu family has graduated too. Time really flies."

"Graduation is nothing, where you'll be assigned to is what really matters!"

An elderly woman fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan had a loud and clear voice:

"Right now, all factories are downsizing, and good positions are incredibly competitive. His vocational school diploma isn't even top-tier, so his chances are slim!"

The man next to him, who had just finished work, nodded in agreement:

"It was alright in earlier years, but with the current situation, it's hard to say!"

In the afternoon in the courtyard, several women huddled under the eaves in the shade, sewing shoe soles, their conversation flowing between them as they worked.

"That second son of the Liu family just had to graduate from vocational school at this crucial moment. He really ran into a hurdle." The woman in the blue cotton shirt pursed her lips.

The girl next to her, with her hair in a bun, chimed in, "Who says otherwise? In the current situation, the reputation of vocational schools isn't what it used to be."

Their voices weren't loud, but their conversation carried the unique warmth of people living in alleyways—neither harsh nor overly concerned, just finding topics to talk about under the sun to add some flavor to ordinary days. Things have changed in the last two years; vocational school graduates are no longer as valuable, and that's certainly true. In their eyes, the future of Liu's second son was probably shrouded in gloom.

Only Yan Bugui stood silently, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. He squinted at the backyard, a faint smile playing on his lips. No future? He scoffed inwardly. What a short-sighted woman. Didn't they even look at the status of Liu's eldest son? He held a position in a ministry and had been a technical leader in several major factories—his position was beyond the reach of ordinary people. What did his younger brother's future matter to him? Yan Bugui knew perfectly well what was going on, but he chose not to point it out, finding rather amusing to watch his neighbors' smugness. Just wait and see; once Liu Guangtian's job was settled, they'd have their moment of utter disbelief.

He was now more curious about something else—why hadn't Jia Zhangshi, who was always stirring up trouble, made a sound all this time? Knowing her personality, with the courtyard so lively, she should have jumped out and said a few words by now. Yan Bugui was actually secretly looking forward to seeing her sullenly pop up, only to be shut down by the facts.

Just as they were thinking this, and the conversation in the front yard was getting lively, a loud, sharp shout broke the silence:

"What do you know!"

Everyone turned their heads in unison. There stood Jia Zhangshi, her back ramrod straight, striding out of the house like a demon. Her slanted eyes swept across the room, her face overflowing with disdain: "So what if she graduated from a vocational school? Who gives you the right to criticize her? She graduated and became a legitimate government official, understand? What do we guys in this yard, wielding hammers and shovels, have to compare to her?"

The front yard fell silent instantly.

Everyone stared at her blankly, like a flock of geese whose throats had been choked. It wasn't that they were stunned by her unreasonable ramblings, but rather astonished—the words uttered by this old hag today were perfectly measured, her level of sophistication seemingly elevated. Was this still the same Jia Zhangshi who only knew how to whine and curse? Back when Liu's eldest son graduated from university, she wasn't like this at all, always spouting sour remarks like, "What good is a college graduate? They might not even earn as much as my son." How could she be such a different person in just a few years? A strange sense of nostalgia welled up in everyone's hearts, a longing for the former, domineering, and vibrant old woman who always found fault with everyone. Her current obsequious tone was so unfamiliar it sent chills down their spines.

Ignoring the stares of others, Jia Zhangshi raised her voice again, her ingratiating tone almost dripping with honey, clearly determined to make sure the backyard heard: "So what if Guangtian's job assignment isn't going well for now?" She gestured towards the backyard with her chin, "Do you think his brother Guangqi would just stand by and do nothing? With Guangqi's current status, getting his brother into a good factory is just a matter of asking. It's none of your business to worry about it!"

Yan Bugui's lips twitched slightly. He raised his hand to push up his glasses, but remained silent.

The neighbors in the courtyard exchanged glances, all thinking the same thing: This old woman has truly put the word "snobbish" into a live performance.

In the backyard of the Liu family's house, the aroma of food was so strong it was almost overwhelming.

On the table sat a bowl of braised pork belly, its sauce glistening and thick, each piece neatly cut, the marbling of fat and lean meat clearly visible—it looked much more lavish than usual. Next to it was a plate of scrambled eggs, golden and fluffy, with tempting crispy edges. There was also a dish of vibrant green vegetables, a dish of cucumber tossed with sesame oil, and a dish of tangy and spicy shredded potatoes. Even the sesame oil, usually used sparingly, was generously drizzled on today.

Liu Guangtian had just put his luggage roll against the wall when he was already at the table, his eyes fixed on the bowl of meat, unable to look away.

Liu Guangtian's gaze was firmly drawn to the plate of glistening braised pork. Just as his fingers cautiously reached out, his hand was struck with a crisp bamboo chopstick.

"No manners!" Auntie glared at her. "How old are you? Go wash your hands!"

Liu Guangtian chuckled sheepishly, not annoyed at all. He turned around, quickly washed his hands, and returned to the table, rubbing his palms together. His eyes gleamed. "Mom, this food is way too hard and oily today. Did you make it especially for my graduation?"

The second aunt was handing chopsticks to her eldest daughter-in-law, Zhao Mengyun, without even lifting her eyelids: "Don't flatter yourself. If your brother and sister-in-law hadn't come back, we wouldn't have this kind of lavish treatment. On ordinary days, you should be grateful for a plate of stir-fried shredded potatoes."

Liu Guangtian's smile froze instantly, his shoulders slumped, and he sat down dejectedly. The difference between one's own children and others is stark; the treatment is like night and day.

Liu Haizhong sat steadily at the head of the table, holding an enamel mug, taking a sip of his cheap liquor. Looking at his second son's pathetic state, he couldn't help but reprimand him: "Just because you graduated from a vocational school, you think you're all that? What's there to be so arrogant about?" He clicked his tongue, adopting the air of a seasoned veteran: "According to your logic, when your brother graduated from a proper university, wouldn't our family have thrown a huge banquet, inviting the whole courtyard to congratulate him?"

Liu Guangtian lowered his head, picked up a piece of scrambled eggs with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth, muttering indistinctly, "Isn't that what you planned back then... If it weren't for my older brother stopping me, the invitations might have already been printed..."

On the other side, Liu Guangqi saw his father teasing his younger brother again and couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. He put down his chopsticks and then asked gently, "Guangtian, are all the graduation procedures finished?"

Liu Guangtian nodded hurriedly, swallowed the meat in his mouth, took out a red booklet from his pocket, and handed it to Liu Guangqi with both hands: "Everything's settled, brother, look."

The vocational school diploma had a dark red cover with slightly creased corners, clearly indicating it had been clutched tightly by its owner. Compared to Liu Guangqi's exquisite and impressive Tsinghua University diploma, it appeared simple, even somewhat rudimentary. But for Liu Guangtian, this thin booklet was the fruit of his years of hard work and dedication, and his greatest asset in making a living.

"Brother, look, it just came out, it's still warm!" His tone was filled with pride, like someone showing off a treasure, yet tinged with barely perceptible nervousness. Then, his face suddenly fell, and his voice lowered: "But... brother, the school leaders said my grades aren't top-notch, and the company I'm assigned to... is called Qianjin Factory. I really don't want to go there. Brother, you have to help me think of a way..."

A knowing smile flickered in Liu Guangqi's eyes. He took the certificate that carried his younger brother's future, his fingertips feeling the rough texture of the cover. Turning to the inside pages, neat penmanship and a striking red seal marked the beginning of a new stage in a young man's life. In this era, a vocational school graduate carried considerable weight; graduation meant acquiring cadre status. Typically, the personnel file would contain a "Graduate Assignment Certificate" and a "Cadre Resume," the black and white paper establishing the starting point for a technical cadre.

Naturally, in those years when family background was particularly important, vocational school graduates from poor peasant families were more likely to be recommended for management positions rather than purely technical careers. But there are always exceptions. Especially after the recent streamlining and restructuring, with some units being closed or merged, some vocational school graduates were even assigned to state-owned farms as technicians—nominally technical positions, but the difference between a state-owned farm and a well-established state-owned factory is vast.

Knowing the importance of this distribution process, Liu Guangtian eagerly begged his brother and sister-in-law to come back and help him make a decision.

Liu Guangqi's gaze fell on the "Major" section, and he softly read it aloud: "Mechanical Engineering." A slight smile played on his lips as he closed the certificate and leisurely placed it back on the table. "So worried about this? Is it really worth it?"

Liu Guangtian froze, staring expectantly at his elder brother, his heart pounding like a rabbit's. "Brother?"

Liu Guangqi put down his chopsticks and said casually, as if he were talking about the weather, "I can just give up that job at Qianjin Factory."

He turned his gaze to his second brother, Liu Guangtian, who was standing there dumbfounded, and continued, "The technical department of Hongxing Factory is short-staffed recently, and your major is quite suitable."

"If you'd like to go," he paused, "I can issue you a letter of introduction for a technical position right here."

Liu Guangtian's mind went blank, as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer.

Red Star Factory? That's one of the top places in Beijing, even harder to get into than a steel rolling mill! Countless people would fight tooth and nail to get in, but for his older brother, it was just a matter of a word.

"Brother... are you serious?" Liu Guangtian's voice trembled, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.

"When has your brother ever lied to you?" Liu Haizhong glanced at his second son, his tone carrying a hint of admonition. "Go there and do a good job. Don't embarrass the Liu family."

Auntie Er smiled and placed a piece of braised pork in Liu Guangtian's bowl: "What promise has your brother made that he hasn't kept?"

"Okay!" Liu Guangtian's cheeks flushed red, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the rim of the bowl, and he could barely hold his chopsticks.

He buried his head and ate a few mouthfuls of rice, then couldn't help but look up at his elder brother, his eyes filled with fervent respect.

All the worries that had been weighing on my mind were resolved by my older brother's casual remark.

Liu Guangqi had his own reasons.

At the steel rolling mill, given his current standing, Li Huaide would be more than happy to do him a favor if he asked; he could arrange not only a technical position but also an administrative one.

That's precisely why he didn't want his younger brother to step into that murky water—the factory had a complex web of relationships and was by no means a peaceful place.

Moreover, with a storm brewing, it's hard to guarantee that someone like Li Huaide won't stir up trouble. If Liu Guangtian really gets involved, he'll likely repeat the same mistakes, and might even implicate himself.

Hongxing Factory, however, was different. The restructured factory was vast in scale, its core personnel were mostly trustworthy, and its future prospects far surpassed those of the steel rolling mill. As a major contributor to foreign exchange earnings, its compensation and benefits were naturally excellent. Now that Liu Guangtian had graduated from vocational school, it was the perfect time to fulfill his old promises.

After dinner, Liu Guangqi played with the children for a while, but seeing that dusk was approaching, he decided not to stay in the courtyard for long.

With his younger brother's job settled, a weight was lifted from his shoulders. The real priority now was the development of the second-generation transistor computer project—that was the battlefield where he needed to devote himself entirely.

The evening breeze in July carried the heat of summer, and neighbors gathered in the courtyard, fanning themselves to cool off. Moonlight filtered through the locust tree branches and leaves, casting dappled patterns of silver light on the ground.

As Liu Guangqi led Zhao Mengyun out of the backyard, the laughter and chatter from the front and middle courtyards suddenly subsided. A series of gazes quietly followed them, like fireflies that wouldn't dissipate on a summer night.

Yi Zhonghai finally couldn't sit still any longer.

He stood up and went to greet him, a smile plastered on his face, but his eyes held a cautious, tentative look: "Guangqi, are you going back already?"

Before the pleasantries were even finished, the conversation abruptly shifted: "I heard Guangtian's job... he's been assigned to the Hongxing Factory?"