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

"At that point, forget about her trying to please you... even if you had Sister Qin bring you water to wash your feet every night, she'd still have to smile and bring the basin to you!"

"What the hell are you spouting!"

Sure enough, the mere mention of Qin Huairu ignited Sha Zhu's fury, and he burst into a rage: "Xu Damao, you little brat, you're asking for trouble again, aren't you!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already rushed forward in two steps, raising his fist to strike. The yard immediately erupted into chaos, with chickens flying and dogs barking.

On the other side, Jia Zhangshi completely ignored the commotion around her. She was perfectly clear-headed—

Those few words not only flattered Liu Haizhong and Liu Guangqi, but also subtly mentioned his own son, Jia Dongxu—a triple win. What's shameful about currying favor with the boss? As long as this Buddha is appeased, Dongxu's future in the factory will naturally be smooth sailing.

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai was also drawn out by the noise in the courtyard.

As the year draws to a close, he was inside calculating the month's expenses when he noticed the increasing liveliness outside the window, the festive atmosphere almost palpable even through the paper windowpane.

"What's all this commotion outside?"

He slowly pushed open the door, his hands still tucked into the sleeves of his cotton-padded coat.

Looking up, I saw Liu Haizhong holding a shiny Forever bicycle, the red ribbon tied to the handlebars swaying like a little tail.

Upon closer inspection, a section of his wrist was deliberately exposed in his bangs, and the dial of his Shanghai brand watch gleamed brightly in the light, quite eye-catching.

"Hey, Lao Liu, you've got some new stuff?" Yi Zhonghai stood by the door, a smile on his face as usual, but his heart felt like it had been twisted by something.

Both were senior managers in the compound and senior workers in the steel rolling mill. He had always held the position of senior manager, and his work rank was one level higher than Liu Haizhong's. For many years, he had always been one step ahead of the other.

But what about now? Liu Haizhong is now at the same level as him, both being seventh-grade workers. They even bought bicycles and watches before the New Year—in the end, it's all because of his successful son.

The feeling in Yi Zhonghai's heart at this moment, to use Liu Guangqi's words from his previous world, was simply "making me feel extremely uncomfortable."

In contrast, Liu Haizhong has a beaming smile on his face.

"That's right! Guangqi got the tickets from the ministry and insisted on buying them for me." He deliberately raised his wrist. "This watch too, the kid insisted that it would be convenient for me to tell the time. How filial of him."

Yi Zhonghai nodded, saying "Very good, very good," but his eyes remained fixed on the bicycle and the watch.

It wasn't that he hadn't seen good things before—with his salary as a level seven fitter, if he really wanted to buy something, it wouldn't be difficult to find a used bicycle or an old watch at a trust store; it would only cost two or three months' salary.

But the feeling was different.

These two things Liu Haizhong gave his son were genuine acts of filial piety. People in the courtyard gathered around to praise him, saying that Liu Guangqi was successful and that they envied Liu Haizhong for raising such a good son... This kind of dignity that comes from the core is something that Yi Zhonghai could never buy with any amount of money.

Why can't he have a son?

Yi Zhonghai felt as if a spice jar had been overturned, a mixture of sourness and a subtle tightness in his heart. He used to think that Liu Haizhong was pretentious and lacked real skills, not as good as him, a genuine seventh-level fitter.

Looking at it now, it's clear that having a son who has secured a foothold in the Ministry of Machine Building is more important than anything else.

"Hey grandpa, you've come to take a look too?" Sha Zhu shouted at him, holding up a spatula. "This car is even brighter than Guang Qi's!"

Yi Zhonghai waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to stay. "You guys continue having fun, the water in my room is about to boil."

He turned and walked into the house. In that instant, his back seemed more hunched than usual, as if something invisible was pressing down on him.

The door closed, instantly shutting out the noise outside, leaving only the hissing of the coal stove flames filling the silent space. Yi Zhonghai sat down on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed), his hand unconsciously stroking the cold, hard edge of the mat, a sudden emptiness washing over him. He had lived most of his life without children, and hadn't thought much of it before. His workshop was always surrounded by apprentices, and the younger generation in the courtyard would respectfully call him "Uncle." He always thought that with the reputation he had built up over the years and the savings he had accumulated, he wouldn't be destitute when he grew old and frail.

But seeing Liu Haizhong's smug, beaming face today, he seemed to be awakened by something and suddenly realized that reputation is ultimately not something that can be used to make a living; no matter how much money you save, when your hands and feet no longer obey your commands, who will remember to hand you a bowl of warm soup?

His gaze fell on the slightly wilted, yellowing cactus on the windowsill, and his thoughts drifted away. Perhaps it was truly time to find a place to rely on in his later years.

"In the end... I still need someone to take care of me in my old age and see me off in my final days," he murmured to himself, the last syllable fading into the quiet air.

* * *

Meanwhile, Liu Haizhong, who had just enjoyed a moment of glory at the Intermediate People's Court, was pushing his brand-new old-fashioned bicycle, contentedly heading towards his backyard. The wheels rolled over the ground, making a soft, pleasant sound. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his son, Liu Guangqi, who had been following beside him, a faint smile on his face, silently cooperating with him.

The scorching heat of vanity in his mind dissipated almost instantly, as if doused with a spoonful of cold water. The red ribbon tied to the handlebars was still swaying gently, but the bright smugness on his face had faded without him even realizing it.

Upon entering the backyard, Liu Haizhong nervously rubbed his hands together, his voice tinged with unease: "Guangqi, just now... wasn't Dad a bit too flamboyant?" He paused, then tentatively added, "Won't... it have some negative impact on you?"

Liu Guangqi had already steadily parked his bicycle against the wall, his movements unhurried and deliberate, exuding a composure beyond his years. He turned around and looked at his father's sudden change from arrogance to obsequiousness, feeling a slight chuckle in his heart. Just moments ago in the courtyard, his father's upright posture almost rivaled the flagpole, as if he wanted everyone in the courtyard to look up at him; but in just a few steps, all that ostentatious air had transformed into this cautious probing.

"It wouldn't be fair to say it has any impact," Liu Guangqi smiled, casually patting the spotless bicycle seat. "Dad, these bicycle and watch vouchers were earned by your son through honest means. I didn't steal or rob; it was all aboveboard. What can others say?"

He looked up and saw Liu Haizhong's contradictory expression, a mixture of smugness and lingering fear. He couldn't help but tease him, "But Dad, your expression changes pretty quickly. Just now at the Intermediate Court, I thought you were going to ride your bike straight to the steel mill gate and drive around to show all the workers what you were doing."

"Hey, you little rascal!" His secret exposed, Liu Haizhong's face flushed, but he also secretly breathed a sigh of relief—judging from his son's tone, there was no blame. He leaned closer and lowered his voice, "It's not that Dad wants to show off, it's just... I've been holding it in for too long." As he spoke, his gaze involuntarily glanced towards the central courtyard, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve upwards again: "You didn't see the look in Yan Laoxi's eyes! His eyes were practically glued to my car wheel. I reckon when he gets back, he'll be calculating how much his fortune must have spent on this car. And that old woman from the Jia family, she's so jealous, yet she still has to force a smile and flatter us. Even Yi Zhonghai, didn't he stand at the door for ages..."

He became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he were reliving the moment when he was the center of attention: "I've lived most of my life and I've never felt this good!"

"It's good that you've had your fun." After listening to him finish speaking, Liu Guangqi poured some rational cold water on his excitement. "Dad, let's talk behind closed doors. From now on, you need to be more discreet in the yard. Showing your face occasionally is a good thing; but if you do it every day, people will get annoyed."

"Yes, I understand, Dad understands!" Liu Haizhong nodded repeatedly, his attitude exceptionally sincere. "Dad was just too happy today and got a little carried away. Don't worry, after the New Year, the first thing I'll do when I go to the factory is to untie these red ribbons and put the watch in my sleeve. I won't show it off easily!"

Liu Guangqi was amused by his serious demeanor. "Dad, I didn't expect you to be so enlightened."

"Of course!" Upon hearing his son's words, Liu Haizhong immediately straightened his back, raised his chin slightly, and regained a smug look on his face.

Liu Haizhong slammed his teacup on the table, spilling a few drops of tea. "You think I've been wasting my years working at the steel mill? I could figure out the ins and outs of it all with my eyes closed."

"Don't back down when you should show your face, and don't peek out when you should stay hidden..."

"That's true wisdom in managing daily life!"

Liu Guangqi listened, but he had a different story in mind.

If the father had truly been so insightful, he wouldn't have ended up in such a state after the chaos subsided in the original story.

but--

Those were all things from the past, what do they have to do with the present?

I am no longer the Liu Guangqi I once was.

Father Liu Haizhong, of course, would not repeat the same mistakes and do those foolish things again.

The father and son chatted for a few more minutes, and then the matter was considered closed.

Liu Guangqi originally planned to take a quiet vacation in the courtyard after finishing his shopping.

Before long, Sha Zhu's booming voice rang out in the backyard: "Guangqi! Second Uncle! Meeting's in session!"

"Both the eldest and the third uncles are waiting in the middle courtyard!"

The meeting was naturally a college-wide assembly.

It wasn't because of what Liu Haizhong had shown off in the courtyard earlier.

This is an old custom in traditional courtyard houses.

As an advanced residential compound registered by the subdistrict office, whether for the sake of reputation or to join in the fun, they always hold a meeting before the Spring Festival every year to discuss matters related to the New Year.

As the old saying goes, if things don't go smoothly on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the whole year won't go smoothly either.

So everyone sat down together and started talking.

Should we pool our money to buy red paper and write couplets together, or should each family contribute a small amount and gather around some melon seeds and peanuts on New Year's Eve?

It's all about the warmth of family and the idea of ​​reunion.

It is worth mentioning that--

In many time-travel stories, the phrase "university-wide meeting" has become a hotbed of trouble, always turning into chaos and uproar.

The protagonists in the story seem to only show their abilities if they make the stewards look disheveled and humiliated.

But what Liu Guangqi personally experienced was a completely different story.

The story portrays the people in the courtyard as incredibly stupid, but in real life, who doesn't have a sense of right and wrong?

People these days may be struggling financially, but they're never short of shrewdness.

If anyone were to use the pretext of a meeting to try and steal money from everyone's pockets, they would be indulging in wishful thinking.

Would you dare to raise any unfair allocations at the meeting?

Then someone ran to the neighborhood office and said that it was just a matter of signing a name or remaining anonymous.

At that point, not only will the "Advanced Courtyard House" plaque be lost, but the dignity of those old men in charge will also be completely stripped away.

Even a rabbit will kick an eagle when cornered, let alone the residents of this courtyard who are careful with their money.

Director Lin glanced at the incessantly ringing phone on the table, his brow twitching slightly.

That old guy—

Its nose is really sharp; it found its way here by following the scent.

He wasn't in a hurry, letting the ringtone ring noisily seven or eight times before leisurely picking up the receiver.

The smile that had been on his face had vanished without a trace.

"Hey, Old Chen?"

"Old Lin! Congratulations!" On the other end of the phone, Director Chen's voice was so loud it was deafening, and you could feel the warmth even through the phone line.

"What's the good news?" Director Lin's voice deepened. He leaned back in his chair, picked up his enamel mug, and slowly blew away the floating tea leaves. "I'm almost starving here."

"Hundreds of mouths are waiting to be fed, hoping that your foreign trade department will allocate some funds to help them out in this emergency."

"You can't expect the horse to run without feeding it, can you?"

"Come on, you!" Director Chen laughed and scolded on the other end of the phone. "Do you think I don't know what kind of resources your Ministry of Machine Building has? You think you can hide this from me? Five rice cookers, hurry up and send them over. Don't even think about hiding them..."

"Send what? We haven't finished our own testing yet. Besides, this is the culmination of our Ministry of Machine Building's hard work; why should your Foreign Trade Department get priority?" Director Lin scoffed.

"Hey, you old rascal!" Director Chen's voice suddenly rose. "Don't forget, our 'Red Star Foreign Exchange Machinery Factory' starts with 'Foreign Exchange'!"