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

"Brother, sister-in-law!" Liu Guangtian was the first to greet them, his steps firm and steady, no longer the impetuous young man he once was. He naturally took the packages of various sizes from the guard's hands, saying, "Comrade, you've worked hard, let me do it." His words revealed the thoughtfulness he had honed in the factory. Carrying the things, he turned to Liu Guangqi and smiled, "Brother, Mom and Dad have been talking about you all morning."

Liu Guangqi nodded slightly, looked him over for a moment, and a smile appeared in his eyes: "He's doing alright now, he has the air of a technical cadre."

Liu Guangtian grinned, his expression a mix of pride and shyness: "Brother, don't tease me. I learned everything at the factory. I can't let you lose face outside."

The third brother, Guangfu, remained silent, leaning against the doorframe with a bright smile on his face. He didn't rush forward, but his gaze remained fixed on his elder brother, his eyes filled with the pure admiration of a younger brother for his elder brother.

If you've never stepped through the gates of that vocational school, you'll probably never know how capable your older brother is.

But once you step inside and see for yourself, all you feel is complete admiration.

"Big brother, sister-in-law."

He called out hastily, his gaze immediately falling on the two small figures behind his sister-in-law, unable to look away.

A smile instantly spread across his face, and he adopted a playful expression as if he were teasing a child.

"A timely snowfall promises a bountiful harvest!"

"Uncle will take you outside to play in the snow, okay?"

Before the words had even faded, two small figures pounced like two bullets, grabbing Liu Guangfu's legs from either side.

"Third Uncle!" "Third Uncle, I'm going!"

Liu Guangfu laughed loudly, bent down, and easily carried the two little ones out the door, one in each hand.

Soon, the yard was filled with the sounds of children making snowballs and chasing each other, mixed with their clear laughter, one burst after another.

The once quiet backyard was suddenly filled with this vibrant energy.

Looking at the scene outside, Liu Guangtian's lips unconsciously curled into a smile. He turned to Liu Guangqi and Zhao Mengyun and whispered:

"Brother, sister-in-law, don't stand in the wind, come inside quickly."

***

In the backyard, Mr. and Mrs. Liu Haizhong had already met their eldest son in the ministry compound the night before, and their emotions were calm at this moment.

As soon as she sat down, Zhao Mengyun, the daughter-in-law, got up on her own initiative and went to the kitchen to help her second aunt with a smile—she never interfered when the men in the family were talking about serious matters.

Liu Haizhong, holding a cup of hot tea, slowly moved to sit down next to Liu Guangqi, a tentative smile flashing in his eyes.

"Guangtian is not young anymore, he's twenty-one, it's time to start planning to settle down and start a family."

As he spoke, he glanced towards the front yard, his voice carrying a hint of calculation:

"Guangqi, what do you think of the younger sister of the new bride from the Yan family in the front yard? Her name is Yu Haitang. She just graduated from high school and is currently waiting for job assignment at the neighborhood office. She's quite pretty. Once she gets a job, given her qualifications, it shouldn't be difficult for her to become a staff member."

"I think it's quite suitable for Guangtian."

"I've been watching closely. That girl's eyes always seem to drift towards the backyard, whether intentionally or unintentionally—she probably has feelings for him too."

After he finished speaking, he glanced furtively out the window, looking as if he had already seen through it all.

Strangely enough, Liu Haizhong is quick to discipline his children, but when it comes to important matters, he is never careless.

In the original drama, he had mentioned it to Yu Haitang on behalf of the second brother, but she didn't take a liking to it.

Despite the beatings and scoldings, when it came to matchmaking and finding a partner, he always picked out the best ones to arrange. From this point of view alone, it can be seen that this father wasn't entirely neglectful of his son.

……

Clearly, Liu Hai still habitually relied on his eldest son and always wanted to hear Liu Guangqi's opinion first in everything.

Liu Guangqi was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

Just now in the front yard, he only glanced at her briefly and didn't pay much attention to her because she was a young girl. He never expected that she was Yu Haitang.

Only when his father mentioned it did he vaguely remember that face.

Liu Guangqi was naturally familiar with Yu Haitang—the future "factory beauty" of the steel rolling mill, who caused quite a bit of trouble in the story.

However, in his eyes, the so-called "factory beauty" was nothing special.

In terms of looks, he was even slightly inferior to Qin Huairu, let alone his wife Zhao Mengyun.

It's nothing more than taking advantage of being young, good at dressing up, and quick-witted, plus the halo of having a high school diploma and being a propaganda officer. All these factors combined have allowed them to forcibly create a title.

Of the tens of thousands of workers in the steel rolling mill, it would be a joke to say that no one was more beautiful than her. It's just that most of the female workers were simple and unassuming, unlike her, who loved to show off and was good at scheming.

Therefore, the title "Factory Flower" should be taken with a grain of salt and not taken seriously.

……

If Liu Guangqi remembered correctly, Yu Haitang was ambitious and somewhat materialistic, not the type of person who could live a stable life.

Of course, it's not wrong for girls to consider conditions when getting married these days; who doesn't want to live a more comfortable life?

But given her temperament, this woman was quite restless and active when the wind picked up.

Therefore, Liu Guangqi did not really approve of his father's plan to make the connection.

However, the thought only crossed his mind and he did not say it aloud.

Liu Guangqi was naturally not foolish enough to contradict his father on the spot, much less ruin his younger brother's wedding. Firstly, this matter had little to do with him, so why bother playing the role of offending someone? Secondly, it was ultimately Liu Guangtian's own life, and he should at least hear his own thoughts. So he picked up his teacup, his fingertips gently tracing the warm rim, and said with a smile, "Dad, I only glanced at it briefly and didn't look closely. These things... ultimately depend on Guangtian's own preferences."

As they were talking, Auntie Er led Zhao Mengyun out of the inner room. She sat down beside him and said, "I think that girl has bright eyes and speaks tactfully; she'd be a good match for our Guangtian." Liu Haizhong nodded repeatedly, his smile deepening. "That's exactly right! Guangtian is already twenty-one, and he's a technical cadre at the factory. It's time to start thinking about marriage. That girl has a high school diploma, which is equivalent to Guangtian's vocational school diploma, and her family background is respectable. Although she doesn't have a formal job now, she'll eventually be assigned one. Then all five of us in the family will be employees—how prestigious that would be!"

The more he talked, the more he felt the marriage was perfect, his eyes brimming with anticipation for his future daughter-in-law, as if he could already see the envious glances from the neighbors. As for whether the woman's family was willing—he hadn't even considered that. With four employees in his Liu family, which family wouldn't be eager to arrange a marriage? Marrying her meant a life of luxury; who would be foolish enough to refuse?

Liu Guangqi shook his head, saying nothing more. He knew perfectly well that if he directly objected, the matter might simply fizzle out, but it would inevitably spoil his family's mood. He slowly put down his teacup, his voice calm yet clear: "Dad, Mom, you've talked for so long, shouldn't you ask Guangtian what he thinks?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Guangtian almost teared up. He realized he'd been completely out of the loop, unable to even get a word in edgewise. His older brother, after all, still remembered him! He quickly straightened his back and said firmly, "Dad, I don't like that Comrade Yu Haitang. Besides… I already have a girlfriend at the factory."

The room fell silent. Liu Haizhong and his second aunt were both stunned, and even Liu Guangqi raised an eyebrow slightly—this kid was quick on his feet. But then he thought about it and it wasn't surprising: these days, a formal job was a golden ticket, especially since Liu Guangtian was a technical cadre with a vocational school diploma. The female workers at the Red Star Factory were all shrewd; even if they didn't know the Liu family's financial situation, his own qualities were certainly not bad, so why wouldn't they make a move first? A man with even a modicum of standing wouldn't be picked over by others; he'd already been snapped up by discerning girls.

A knowing smile appeared on Liu Guangqi's lips. The tables had turned; now it was Liu Guangtian who looked down on Yu Haitang. That was fine; it saved him the trouble of explaining. He turned to his younger brother, his tone slightly teasing: "You've already said it yourself, so go and explain things to Mom and Dad properly. How far have things progressed?"

Liu Guangtian rubbed his hands together, somewhat embarrassed, and explained, "We've only been dating for a short time. She works in the factory's publicity department, her name is Zhou Juan, and she's... quite pretty. We've been seeing each other for almost two months, and I was planning to wait until things were more stable before telling my family." As he spoke, his expression gradually became serious: "After the New Year, I'll bring her home for you two to meet. If you think she's suitable, we can then make further plans."

Actually, the neighborhood committee had mentioned introducing him to potential partners before, but Liu Guangtian was determined—he wanted to learn from his older brother, Liu Guangqi, that a good wife had to be found through honest dating! Relying on the neighborhood committee for introductions? Only a spineless man would do that! He, Liu Guangtian, was a technical cadre; he couldn't afford to lose face like that. Therefore, as soon as he entered the Hongxing Factory, while burying himself in technical work, he immediately set his sights on the propaganda department. In those days, where in the factory were the women most concentrated? And sure enough—

Liu Haizhong snapped out of his daze, his face instantly lighting up with joy: "Good lad! You kept it a secret well." His smile deepened the lines around his eyes. Although Liu Pangpang had always favored his eldest son, Liu Guangqi, his second son had now proven himself, becoming a technical cadre and bringing him honor. And now, he'd even found himself a partner—a staff member in the propaganda department…compared to Yu Haitang, who was anxiously waiting for a job assignment at the street office, this was far more respectable. Naturally, he preferred the marriage Liu Guangtian had chosen himself. In the future, when people in the neighborhood talked about the Liu family—they would be second to none in every way.

As a respectable family of government officials, such a background naturally put people at ease. When Liu Guangtian learned that he had found his sweetheart, his second aunt excitedly came over and pulled him aside to inquire in detail:

"Where is the girl from? How many people are in her family? What do her parents do?"

The barrage of questions left Liu Guangtian somewhat overwhelmed, but he still patiently responded to each one.

On the other side, Liu Guangqi simply watched the lively scene quietly, saying nothing. His thoughts differed from his parents'—with his current abilities, even if the woman was a propaganda officer, or even from a rural background, as long as his younger brother genuinely liked her, he could arrange a stable job for his future sister-in-law, handling all the follow-up matters flawlessly, leaving no room for gossip. The current situation was even better; Liu Guangtian had found a place, saving him the trouble of dealing with Yu Haitang. Liu Guangqi was happy to have some peace and quiet. Yu Haitang was not only shrewd but also had very high standards; if she were to actually enter the Liu family, who knew how much trouble she would cause in the future? He really didn't want to bother with those family matters.

As they chatted and laughed, Liu Guangqi and his wife Zhao Mengyun's eyes met, a knowing smile flashing across their faces. Zhao Mengyun leaned close to his ear and whispered:

"When you first came to me, was your home just like this?"

"It's much more lively than this." Liu Guangqi smiled slightly and continued, "The two elders almost emptied their savings to give me as a betrothal gift."

Women always love to hear such words, and Zhao Mengyun was no exception. After hearing them, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved up, and a faint joy shone in her eyes.

Liu Guangfu, who was playing with his child outside, heard the commotion inside and rushed in like a whirlwind.

"Dad, Mom, I heard my second brother found someone?"

Before he could finish speaking, the two little ones behind him had already hugged his legs on either side. Ruixue tilted her little face up and asked in her childish voice:

"Third Uncle, who's your girlfriend?"

Feng Nian smacked his lips, looking eager, and asked, "Can I eat it? Is it sweet?"

The child's innocent words immediately drew laughter from everyone in the room. Liu Guangfu laughed heartily, picked up Xiao Fengnian, and explained:

"You can't eat that, that's your second aunt! She's the one who will buy you candy from now on."

"Wow! Second Aunt!"

"I want my second aunt—"

The children's playful antics mingled with the adults' laughter, gradually filling the room with the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year.

In the front yard of the Yan family's house, while Yu Haitang was temporarily away, Yu Li looked at Yan Jiecheng, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke:

"Dad, Mom, it's almost Chinese New Year, and Haitang wants to stay in our compound for a few days to wait for news from the neighborhood office."