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

To be honest, this was the first time Liu Haizhong had learned so clearly from his eldest son about his specific rank and benefits. Liu Guangqi was always busy, and since moving into the ministry compound, he rarely came home. Especially since his promotions had been so rapid, Liu Haizhong only had a general idea and had never investigated further.

But today, Liu Guangqi's words completely stunned him.

Level 16 in administration—that's a real section-level cadre!

To put it another way, the workshop director position that Liu Haizhong longed for wasn't even a deputy section chief; at best, it was a low-level position held by a worker. Meanwhile, his young son was already a section chief in a ministry, earning 110.5 yuan a month!

Moreover, aside from his administrative position, Liu Guangqi also holds a highly prestigious Level 8 engineer title. Although his salary is paid according to administrative standards, with the Level 8 engineer allowance, he steadily earns 140-150 yuan per month. And what about Liu Haizhong? He just passed the Level 7 forging worker exam this year, making him one of the top workers in the factory, but even with all subsidies, he earns at most 80 yuan a month.

In other words, his son's monthly income was almost equivalent to his two months of hard work.

No wonder he dares to say he's not short of money!

At this moment, a complex mix of shock, bittersweetness, and ecstasy welled up inside Liu Hai, ultimately transforming into an indescribable sense of pride. He stretched out his large, fan-like hand and patted Liu Guangqi heavily on the shoulder: "Good lad! You've really made your father proud!"

He grinned, smiling like a child, but his eyes were faintly burning.

"I'm afraid I'll never catch up to you in this lifetime."

Liu Haizhong knew better than anyone that after a lifetime of working as a factory worker, the seventh-level forging worker was practically the limit; no matter how hard he tried, it would be difficult to reach the eighth level. But his son was different—he was still young, his life just beginning. Sixteenth-level administrative officer, eighth-level engineer—his future was beyond limit.

"Guangqi," Liu Haizhong called again, "you're more successful than your father. I'll listen to you."

He paused, his gaze falling on the money he had prepared for his son's wedding. A hint of regret flickered in his expression, and for the first time, he appeared awkward in front of his son: "Then... I'll keep this money for you for now? If you and Xiaoyun are ever short of money in the future, then ask me and your mother for help."

"Alright, you can keep it." Liu Guangqi smiled. "Family expenses are considerable. Guangtian and Guangfu will need money for school and starting their own families in the future."

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, who had been listening intently nearby, immediately brightened up upon hearing this, their eyes shining like mice spotting an oil lamp in the dark.

Sure enough, the eldest brother is still the same as before—not only does he not want money from the family, but he also cares about the two of them. What a good eldest brother!

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes brimming with undisguised joy. Previously, they had secretly worried that their elder brother's wedding would drain the family's savings, but now it seemed their concerns were unfounded.

Of course, they were overthinking it. Given their father's preference for his eldest son, even if the money wasn't given to Liu Guangqi now, it wouldn't be theirs in the future.

……

After the matter was settled, Liu Guangqi looked up at the sky, smiled and said, "Father, Mother, it's getting late, I'll head back now and come back tomorrow."

Actually, it wasn't that he couldn't stay in the courtyard house, but now that he had his own place, he had long been accustomed to the tranquility of the ministry compound, and going back to spend the night there felt strange. Besides, tomorrow was an important day, and he couldn't very well go to see Zhao Mengyun's parents in his work clothes.

"Okay, okay!" Liu Haizhong nodded repeatedly, personally escorted his son to the gate of the courtyard, and watched him push his bicycle further and further away before reluctantly turning back.

Meanwhile, everyone in the courtyard naturally noticed Liu Guangqi's departure. The courtyard was only so big; his comings and goings couldn't escape the neighbors' notice. Curious glances immediately fell upon him. Yi Zhonghai even asked with a smile, "Old Liu, didn't Guangqi just come back? Why is he leaving again?"

Liu Haizhong settled down on the stone bench, a smile on his face: "It's nothing important, just that Guangqi and Xiaoyun are thinking of getting engaged beforehand."

Yi Zhonghai was clearly taken aback, and paused for a moment before speaking: "It's settled already? When do you plan to visit the woman's family to exchange formalities?"

"I'd love to go," Liu Haizhong said, following up on what he'd been waiting for. "But Guangqi said Xiaoyun's parents are busy in the army and can't get away right away. So they'll just come to our compound tomorrow so the two families can meet and finalize the marriage."

These words left Yi Zhonghai speechless for a moment.

The information came suddenly, and even though he was usually quick-witted, it took him a while to sort it out.

"Old Liu, Old Yi, what's all this commotion about?"

The third uncle, Yan Bugui, strolled over slowly, a smile plastered on his face. "I just finished eating and came out to digest when I saw the second uncle grinning from ear to ear, as if he had stumbled upon some joyous occasion."

Actually, he had been listening behind his own door for quite a while before finally finding an excuse to come closer.

Liu Haizhong glanced at Yan Bugui, then at Yi Zhonghai who was still pondering, and knew in his heart that this was the perfect opportunity to show off.

Of course, Liu Guangqi had repeatedly reminded him what he should and shouldn't say, and he naturally kept that in mind.

So Liu Haizhong sighed slowly, "You've come at the perfect time; I was just having a problem with that."

"Worried?" Yan Bugui feigned surprise. "You look so cheerful, what's troubling you?"

"I'm worried about how to entertain our guests tomorrow," Liu Haizhong shook his head. "It's our in-laws' first time visiting, we can't be rude to them."

Yan Bugui still had a smile on his face, but he couldn't help but mutter to himself: This old rascal has found another opportunity to show off.

He leaned forward half a step and asked in a low voice, "The in-laws coming to visit... is that the girl Guangqi brought back a few days ago?"

"Old Liu, can you sneak a peek? What do her parents do?"

As Yan Bugui asked this question, his mind was already racing—if he could find out the background of the Liu family's in-laws, it would be a unique topic of conversation when chatting in the courtyard, and he might even be able to exchange it for some scallions or garlic. Besides, if the Liu family really held a wedding, the people sitting at the banquet would all be respectable people in the courtyard, and he might be able to use this opportunity to make some connections.

Liu Haizhong just chuckled, putting on a magnanimous appearance that let his children make their own decisions: "What do I, as their father, know about Xiaoyun's parents' jobs? As long as the two children get along well, I'm at ease. Why bother asking about their work?"

He just wanted to take this opportunity to show off and then leave it at that; naturally, he wouldn't reveal all his family's wealth. Besides, even he himself didn't fully understand his daughter-in-law's family situation, so it was impossible for him to say much about it in the yard.

Seeing that he couldn't get any information out of him, Yan Bugui's eyes darted around, and he immediately changed the subject, his smile becoming shrewd: "Second Uncle, how much dowry are you planning to give for Guangqi's wedding this time?"

That's what he really wanted to ask.

Living in the same compound, the amount of the bride price is a scale in everyone's eyes, and whether it's high or low can be talked about for years. Besides, Liu Guangqi is getting married, and Yan Bugui's son, Yan Jiecheng, is the same age and should be getting engaged soon. The bride price is something their family will have to face sooner or later.

The Yan family's circumstances are not as good as the Liu family's, but it's good to find out their situation in advance so as not to be passive in the future.

Thinking of this, Yan Bugui put on a considerate expression and advised, "Old Liu, let me tell you the truth. I've met your future daughter-in-law. She has a refined manner and poise. Her family is definitely not short of money, and she wouldn't be after your few dozen yuan dowry. In my opinion, your family should just give a token amount of ten yuan to fulfill the proper etiquette, and that will be enough!"

The atmosphere in the courtyard froze for a moment because of the comment that "it makes our courtyard seem simple and unpretentious."

Before Liu Haizhong could respond, Yi Zhonghai, who was watching from the sidelines, subtly curled the corner of his mouth.

Ten yuan?

Yan Bugui is truly calculating to the core; he even has to manipulate the beads for something as simple as this.

They don't even look at the current situation of the Liu family—Liu Haizhong has already been promoted to the seventh level of blacksmith, earning more than eighty yuan a month. In addition, there is an engineer in the family who works in a ministry, whose income is an amount that others dare not even imagine.

With such a family background and Liu Haizhong's vain nature, wouldn't it be the biggest joke in the alley if the bride price was only ten yuan?

Yi Zhonghai understood perfectly well.

Having lived in the same courtyard for so many years, he knew all too well what Yan Bugui was thinking—he was simply afraid that if the Liu family raised the price of the bride price, it would be difficult for other families in the back courtyard to arrange marriages.

After all, the Yan family still has three sons waiting to get married.

Thinking of this, Yi Zhonghai simply leaned back, put his hands in his sleeves, and adopted a completely spectator-like posture.

Since he has no son, the amount of the bride price is none of his business, and he's happy to watch the two of them secretly compete.

Liu Haizhong naturally wouldn't reveal the generous gifts his family had prepared.

Even if you're honest, you can't reveal your savings of just over two thousand yuan.

He raised his voice, his tone revealing undisguised smugness: "Hey, let's not talk about the bride price... Guangqi said he's saved some money from his job, and he'll take care of it himself."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui's eyes widened in surprise.

Yan Jiecheng, standing to the side, turned pale and cursed inwardly—preparing the bride price himself? This was even more unbearable than openly raising the price.

His lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word; he could only glare helplessly, seething with frustration.

Yan Bugui felt both envious and sour: How come the Liu family raised such a promising son when they both raised sons?

He glanced at his son, wishing he could grab him and give him a good scolding to vent his anger.

The gossip didn't last long before it ended.

Liu Haizhong walked back with a belly full of satisfaction, unaware that his words had stirred up an undercurrent in the courtyard.

The news spread like wildfire through every household—the news of Liu Guangqi's engagement the next day had quickly reached every corner of the courtyard.

At the stove in the middle courtyard, Sha Zhu was cooking for his younger sister when he heard a noise and almost dropped the bowl in his hand.

"Is it really decided? That kid Guangqi... he's quick on his feet."

He had a good relationship with Liu Guangqi, and at this moment, besides feeling envious, he also felt a slight bitterness in his throat.

"She's four years younger than me, and she's already getting married..."

He didn't say the second half of the sentence: he didn't even have a prospective spouse.

Separated by a curtain, Qin Huairu sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), lost in thought.

The sounds of laughter and conversation drifted in intermittently from outside. She looked down at her sleeping youngest daughter, then thought of her rural household registration and sighed softly.

Although her husband was a fitter with a decent income, the days of tight food rations never eased.

If we had an engineer like Liu Guangqi in our family, why would we have to worry about food every day?

Xu Damao also leaned half his body out of the window in the backyard.

He gazed in the direction of the Liu family, his eyes burning with a complex mix of envy and jealousy.

He envied Liu Guangqi's future, his respectable marriage, and his smooth life—unlike himself, who, although married to a capitalist's daughter and outwardly glamorous, was constrained in every way.

In these days, poor ingredients are a stain on one's spine.

Lou Xiao'e could attend a private school, but she couldn't get into a proper school. Middle school and university were both out of reach. She could only savor this hidden pain behind closed doors.

The courtyard was still noisy, but everyone's thoughts had already sunk into their own shadows with the twilight.

Xu Damao knew perfectly well that he had at least finished high school, making him one of the few educated people in his generation. But what about Lou Xiao'e? She couldn't even find a decent job. To put it bluntly, she was just a rich girl who only knew how to squander money and had no other skills, a mere decorative object placed in the house.

How can anyone compare to Liu Guangqi? He works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; his family background is clearly extraordinary. Marrying a woman like that would bring honor both inside and out.

After thinking it over, Xu Damao secretly made up his mind: Tomorrow he must take a closer look at who Liu Guangqi's boyfriend's parents really are.

In this courtyard, it wasn't just Xu Damao and his group; Yan Jiecheng and the other younger generation in the front yard—every single one of them—envied and sighed at Liu Guangqi. Of course, while they admired him, they weren't truly jealous—Liu Guangqi's achievements were far beyond their reach and incomparable. Such feelings of jealousy seemed superfluous. They simply thought: This man is truly remarkable.

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye.