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

Yi Zhonghai, who had been in seclusion for a long time, has once again adopted his dignified and composed demeanor, standing ramrod straight.

He smiled and offered me a cigarette, his tone familiar:

"You look radiant these days, you even walk with a spring in your step. It must be good luck that you've met someone; your energy is completely different."

Liu Haizhong scoffed inwardly.

He understands.

Old Yi has picked up his old kung fu again.

He didn't respond, but casually tucked the cigarette behind his ear, and then subconsciously pressed his pocket with his free hand—which contained his ministry's access pass.

Only then did he put on an act of complete indifference:

"Sigh, what happy events could I possibly have? I'm just an ordinary worker; life isn't like this every day."

"Old Liu, that's not very honest of you."

Yi Zhonghai smiled and shook his head, his tone conveying a sense of closeness, as if saying, "I have to flatter you."

"In our compound, whose family has more happy events than yours, Old Liu's? You were promoted to a seventh-level forging worker, your son got a promotion, and you even got a housing allocation from a ministry..."

The mention of separate housing caused Liu Haizhong's spine to straighten a bit: "Guangqi is quite promising, he didn't embarrass me!" He said it casually, but the smile lines at the corners of his eyes folded into deep wrinkles.

Yi Zhonghai saw this clearly and understood perfectly. He went along with it, saying, "So, your family is having one happy event after another."

"Guangqi has a bright future ahead of him!"

"According to tradition, for such a joyous occasion, shouldn't we set up a table and invite everyone in the courtyard to have a few drinks, so that everyone can share in the happiness?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Haizhong narrowed his eyes.

Hearing that...

Why does that sound so familiar? Are they asking me to host a banquet?

Good guy!

Normally, when it's not a holiday or festival, isn't this kind of small talk always Yan Bugui's stingy opening line? Liu Hai's heart tightened.

Oh no, Lao Yi has gotten smarter too!

He's been staying home lately, probably secretly figuring out Yan Bugui's tricks of scheming against people.

Yi Zhonghai seemed oblivious to Liu Haizhong's thoughts and continued speaking:

"Tomorrow is Sunday, everyone's free, let's invite Guangqi too..."

"A few old buddies from the compound got together for a lively gathering. Perfect timing, I still have a bottle of Red Star Erguotou left, it's time to open it."

Hearing this...

The haze in Liu Haizhong's eyes instantly dissipated.

Having been neighbors with Yi Zhonghai for so many years, how could he not figure out his old friend's scheme?

What congratulations?

What do you mean by drinking?

Bullshit!

This old man clearly sees that Guangqi has become successful and wants to use this as an excuse to get close to him and build a relationship!

Liu Haizhong secretly found it amusing.

Although he and Yi Zhonghai were always subtly at odds, they had been neighbors for many years, and he still had to maintain a certain level of politeness.

It's not that I would actually refuse their invitation to drink.

He smiled and said:

"That's great! Old Yi, since you've asked, how could I not have a couple of drinks with you?"

"But let's get this straight: since you're providing the wine, we'll drink it in the backyard. I'll prepare the snacks! It'll be a good opportunity for my wife to show off her cooking skills; her dishes are just as good as those from restaurants!"

Even the bangs are meticulously styled.

These words both confirmed the agreement and secured the venue on their own turf.

Yi Zhonghai could easily understand the implication, but since the matter had already been brought to this point, he could only nod repeatedly, "Of course..."

"Everyone in the neighborhood praises his second aunt's cooking skills."

……

The two of them took turns talking and just finalized the matter.

But then they saw Sha Zhu had somehow wandered out of the cafeteria kitchen, carrying two lunchboxes and looking all smiles.

"Hey, old man, old man, chatting over here?"

As the sun sank behind the western mountains, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys in the courtyard.

The front yard was eerily quiet; the low stool where Yan Bugui usually sat sat empty against the wall. Liu Guangqi stood under the moon gate, leaning on his bicycle, when suddenly a rich aroma of stewed meat wafted into his nostrils—from the direction of the middle courtyard came Sha Zhu's loud shouts:

"Xu Damao! Has your chicken recognized some kind of ancestor? If you don't put it in the pot soon, the soup will boil dry!"

The voice, tinged with the smell of cooking oil, rolled across the gray wall. Liu Guangqi understood perfectly and pushed the cart inside. Just past the passageway, he saw a person squatting by the well—Qin Huairu, her belly protruding, was washing dishes in a wooden basin. Her blue apron stretched taut in front of her, and hearing the sound of the cart, she raised her wet hand to brush aside her hair, her eyes suddenly lighting up:

"Guangqi's back?"

She slowly straightened up, supporting herself on her knees, and tied the apron straps behind her waist. Water droplets splashed from the rim of the basin, spreading dark spots on the bluestone bricks. From the backyard came the faint sound of Liu Haizhong's loud laughter, like muffled thunder rolling across the eaves. Qin Huairu listened for a moment, a slight smile appearing at the corners of her lips, but she merely raised her hand to tidy up the rough porcelain bowls stacked on the rim of the basin. The evening breeze blew through the clothesline, and the bulging shadows of her clothes swayed at her feet.

"Dongxu just mentioned that the old men specially arranged a dinner party, hoping you would come back!" Liu Guangqi glanced at his backyard in the direction of the voice.

Two square tables were placed together, and several people were already seated around them. Sha Zhu stepped out of the kitchen, carrying a steaming plate of snacks to go with drinks. Xu Damao, standing beside him, argued with him, twisting his neck and raising his voice: "Sha Zhu, what do you know! Your Uncle Mao was plucking the chickens, what are you talking about breeding!"

Jia Dongxu kept his head down and silently chopped a piece of pork belly in front of the cutting board.

The scene was even more lively than during the Lunar New Year.

Just as Liu Guangqi's lips curled into a smile, he saw his third uncle, Yan Bugui, quietly emerge from the shadows of the backyard, his face full of smiles: "Guangqi! We've been waiting for you to come back!" He rushed over to him in a few steps, lowered his voice, and spoke with eager enthusiasm: "I specially saved a fresh cucumber for you, it's perfect for drinking with wine—I didn't give any to anyone else, I just prepared it for you."

Before the words had even finished, an old man named Yi Zhonghai leisurely walked out, carrying an enamel mug, his face bearing his usual composed smile: "Guangqi, you're back just in time! We've been waiting for you. This first glass of wine... you'll have to pour it."

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, the two impatient boys, grabbed the bicycle handlebars on either side before Liu Guangqi could even respond. "Brother, let us park the bike!" "Come on, brother, the food's all ready!"

Around the eight-immortal table put together in the backyard, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, Yan Bugui, Shazhu, Jia Dongxu, Xu Damao, along with Yan Jiecheng, all the men from the front, middle, and back courtyards had gathered. Liu Guangqi's gaze swept over them, and a hint of amusement rose in his heart.

He knew this scene all too well. This courtyard was always rife with scheming. Sha Zhu would raise his fist at the slightest provocation, Yi Zhonghai always talked about morality and rules, and Yan Bugui, despite his humble origins, could calculate for ages. But now? Sha Zhu had sheathed his thorns, Xu Damao had suppressed his malice, and even Yan Bugui's calculating eyes shone with genuine warmth.

Ultimately, they weren't after Liu Guangqi at all; they were after his current position and future prospects. It's true that when you reach a high enough position, everyone around you becomes a good person.

Thinking of this, Liu Guangqi shook his head slightly, not taking these changes to heart. Whether the people in this courtyard were kind or lewd was irrelevant to him, as they didn't bother him in any way.

Before long, Sha Zhu had served all the dishes, and all the men in the courtyard gathered around the table. Yi Zhonghai casually unscrewed the bottle of Red Star Erguotou, and the liquor poured into a bowl with a "glug," stirring up fine white foam. He steadily pushed the first bowl in front of Liu Guangqi: "Guangqi, this first cup is for you. Not only for your promotion and housing allocation, but also for bringing honor to our courtyard."

Liu Guangqi was about to leave with his bowl when Sha Zhu suddenly stood up, filled his glass, and laughed, "That's right, I'll toast you too!" Xu Damao quickly followed suit, raising his glass with a fawning smile, "Me too, Brother Guangqi! Don't forget your brother if anything good happens in the future!" Even the usually taciturn Jia Dongxu raised his glass and smiled, "I'll toast you too, thank you for your help earlier."

All eyes were fixed on Liu Guangqi, a mixture of anticipation and cautious probing. Liu Guangqi weighed the wine bowl in his hand, met the gazes, and smiled calmly: "Uncle, you flatter me. I am the junior; this wine should be offered to you." His voice was clear and his smile warm: "And everyone, this cup is for you all—life is more lively when there are people in the courtyard."

With a few words and a laugh, he subtly changed the subject. He then raised his bowl and drank it all in one gulp; the liquor was spicy and mellow, rolling down his throat. Truly worthy of being Red Star Erguotou, it was powerful. Everyone at the table smacked their lips in praise, the aroma of the liquor instantly filling the air.

After several rounds of drinks, the dishes were almost empty. Yi Zhonghai's bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) was finally emptied.

As night deepened, the courtyard lights shone a warm, dim yellow. The jar of wine that Yan Bugui had brought, though not an expensive item, was mellow and substantial, and everyone drank heartily amidst clinking glasses.

After several rounds of drinks, a blush rose to Yi Zhonghai's face. He put down his glass, glanced at the young faces at the table, and then casually changed the subject.

"Guangqi, look at these young men in our courtyard." He gestured with his chopsticks towards Shazhu and Xu Damao, who were engrossed in eating. "They're all at the age where they should be settling down. You should hurry up and settle things too..."

Sha Zhu had just picked up a piece of glistening braised pork with his chopsticks when he heard this. He grinned, and before even putting the meat in his mouth, he mumbled, "Uncle, don't worry about Guangqi. He's got his own apartment now, and a respectable job. What kind of good girl can't he find?" He then stuffed the meat into his mouth, chewing and laughing loudly, "Instead of wasting your time, why don't you think about something for me!"

A burst of laughter immediately filled the table, and the atmosphere became lively again.

Yi Zhonghai shook his head, chuckled, and pointed at Sha Zhu: "You're the cook yourself. These days, even if someone's starving, the cook won't go hungry. If you really can't find a wife, it's because your standards are too high!"

Liu Guangqi listened from the side, finding it all quite amusing. It was only 1958, and Sha Zhu was barely in his early twenties. But if things continued on their original trajectory, by the time the story truly began in 1965, this guy would be thirty and still a bachelor.

You say he's pitiful? But you can't blame anyone else. This man spends all his time hovering around Qin Huairu. Everyone else in the courtyard respectfully calls her "Sister-in-law Jia," but he alone calls her "Sister Qin" so affectionately, without any restraint. Who wouldn't gossip when they hear about it?

Not to mention his reckless nature—he never considered the consequences when taking the blame for Bang Geng, and ended up with a reputation for petty theft. In this day and age, reputation is more precious than anything. With Sha Zhu acting so recklessly, what decent girl would dare to approach him? As time went on, his reputation worsened, and when he tried to find a wife, people would frown at the first inquiry.

So in the end, he can't blame anyone else for being a bachelor.

After scolding Sha Zhu, Yi Zhonghai changed the subject and brought up the same old principles of "respecting the elderly and loving neighbors, and living in harmony." His manner was somewhat like that of a preacher.

Unfortunately, no one at the table took it to heart. Everyone ate and drank as usual, letting it go in one ear and out the other, their chopsticks never stopping.

Perhaps because of the large number of people, the two bottles of wine brought by Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui were emptied after only a few rounds. The lively atmosphere at the table was clearly fading.

Liu Guangqi smiled slightly and put down his chopsticks: "Have the eldest and third uncles finished their wine? Perfect timing, I happen to have a few bottles of good wine here."

As he spoke, he took a slightly worn canvas bag from the back of his bicycle—a housewarming gift from several colleagues in the general affairs department. Inside the bag lay several bottles of Moutai, their porcelain white bodies neatly tied with red ribbons.

Liu Haizhong, who had been sitting silently beside him, unconsciously straightened his back. A slight smile played on his lips, and his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Liu Guangqi slowly took out three bottles of wine from his bag. The pure white porcelain bottles gleamed warmly under the light, with red silk hanging down gently.

"Try this one." He gently placed the bottle on the table.

Yan Bugui's eyes lit up instantly. He snatched the bottle, brought it close to the light, and examined it closely as if appraising some rare treasure. His voice even changed: "Oh my! This, this is Moutai for internal supply!"

Upon hearing the sound, Xu Damao looked up abruptly and exclaimed in surprise, "I've seen this liquor at the homes of several leaders! A bottle costs two yuan and ninety cents—and even then, you can't just buy it if you have money; you need coupons!"

The words "two yuan and ninety cents" were like a pebble thrown into calm water, instantly causing an uproar at the table. A bottle of wine costing almost half a month's worth of food—who wouldn't be astonished?