Courtyard House: Starting as an eighth-grade worker, with too many wives.

Finally, there were those two cucumbers. I smashed them with the back of a knife, cut them into sections, poured over minced garlic and vinegar sauce, and served them on a clean and refreshing plate.

Li Jianguo carried the dishes into the house, and just as he put the plates on the table, there was a knock on the door behind him.

He turned around—

Qin Huairu stood at the door.

They didn't knock.

It just stood there, straight and stiff, like a wooden stake.

Li Jianguo paused, picked up the plate of cucumbers he was holding, turned around and went back to the kitchen, covered it with a plate, and then came out with a bowl of rice.

Qin Huairu's eyes were glued to the table, to the bowl of braised pork, and to the plate of scrambled eggs.

How long has it been since she smelled meat?

The dark brown chunks of meat, glistening with oil, trembled slightly, their aroma wafting straight into her nose—so strong it made her throat ache.

Li Jianguo sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and looked up:

"What's up?"

Qin Huairu shuddered, as if she had been dragged out of a dream, and her face flushed red.

She kept her head down, twisting the hem of her clothes in her hands, rubbing them back and forth, shuffling her toes on the ground, and wriggling her body, but she didn't say a word.

Li Jianguo didn't stop using his chopsticks; he picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and chewed:

"If you have something to say, say it. If not, get out. Can't you see I'm about to eat?"

Qin Huairu looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She thought that since she was standing there, any man should be polite, make way for her, ask if she had eaten, and then offer her a seat.

But Li Jianguo did not.

He just sat there, eating, not even bothering to glance at her.

Qin Huairu gritted her teeth, swallowed those thoughts, and spoke:

"Bang Geng is still young..."

"Um."

"He's immature and made a mistake this time, but if he goes to a juvenile detention center, his life will be ruined..."

"Um."

"Could you... issue a letter of understanding?"

Li Jianguo stopped using his chopsticks.

He put the braised pork in his mouth, chewed it slowly for a long time, swallowed it, and then raised his eyelids to look at her.

"You mean, you want me to spare a thief who stole from me and still holds a grudge?"

Qin Huairu's lips trembled; she wanted to say something, but couldn't get the words out.

She took a step forward and reached out her hand—

I wanted to grab his arm, to get closer to him, to say the words I hadn't finished saying.

I'll do anything.

even if...

Li Jianguo swung his arm and pushed back.

Qin Huairu felt a blur before her eyes, her body became light, her feet left the ground, and she flew off the threshold, landing hard on her bottom.

A muffled thud.

pain.

She was in so much pain that she couldn't breathe for a long time.

The courtyard was bustling with activity at this time of day, with people coming and going—some leaving get off work, some leaving school. This noise drew everyone's attention.

Qin Huairu sat on the ground, covered in dust and looking utterly disheveled.

---

Jia Zhangshi, peering through the window, saw the whole scene clearly.

She flung open the window with a snap, leaned halfway out, and spat everywhere:

"Useless wretch! He's been eating for free all these years! That scoundrel surnamed Li is ruthless and vicious; he'll get what's coming to him sooner or later! God will take him down!"

Jia Dongxu stood behind her and spat on the ground:

"We spent so much on dowry to marry her, and this is all? Useless!"

---

Sha Zhu just happened to come back from outside.

He saw Qin Huairu sitting on the ground from afar, his heart tightened, and he ran over in a few steps, squatted down, and reached out to help her up but dared not touch her:

"This...this is happening...get up quickly, the ground is cold!"

Qin Huairu looked up at him, her eyes first brightening, then dimming.

She glanced instinctively towards her own window.

Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu were still standing there, watching.

Just watch.

They didn't come out.

He didn't help her up.

He didn't utter a single word of criticism against Li Jianguo.

The warmth in Qin Huairu's heart vanished instantly.

She stood up following Sha Zhu's hand, shook her head, and said in a muffled voice:

"It's nothing. I just wanted... a letter of understanding. Bang Geng is still young, we can't let him be ruined like this..."

As he spoke, he squatted down, buried his face in his knees, and his shoulders trembled.

The crying was kept low, but it still escaped, soft and muffled.

A fire suddenly ignited in Sha Zhu's chest. He stood up and rolled up his sleeves:

"You wait! I'm going to find him!"

"Don't--"

Qin Huairu grabbed his trouser leg, tilted her head back, her eyes and nose red:

"You can't beat him... Have you forgotten what happened that day?"

Sha Zhu paused.

He remembered that day, when Li Jianguo lifted Xu Damao up with one hand. He remembered rushing forward and being kicked away.

He stood there, without moving.

His fists were clenched so tightly they cracked, but he just couldn't take that one step.

---

He Yushui came over at some point.

She glanced at Qin Huairu sitting on the ground, then at her silly brother standing there with his fists clenched, her eyes darting around, and a smirk appeared on her lips:

"Brother, didn't you say you were the best fighter in this compound? How come you couldn't even handle Li Jianguo? Look how badly Sister Qin is being bullied!"

She snorted through her nose:

"I bet all that bravado you put on is just empty talk, isn't it?"

Sha Zhu frowned, his face darkening.

"Shut up! Take your sister Qin to get checked out, see if she's hurt anywhere!"

He Yushui pouted and reluctantly went to help Qin Huairu.

But the look in her eyes when she looked at Sha Zhu clearly said the words—good-for-nothing.

---

Sha Zhu stood there, staring at Li Jianguo's tightly closed door.

I've been watching it for a long time.

Finally, he turned and left.

---

Inside the house, Li Jianguo shoveled the last mouthful of rice into his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it.

He could hear everything that was happening outside, but he didn't go near the window.

He put down his chopsticks and pushed the bowl aside.

Finally, it's quiet again.

Outside the window, it was completely dark. A cold wind slipped in through the crack in the door, and he got up to bolt it.

In the dead of winter, food cools down quickly.

Fortunately, we finished eating.

---

The next morning, Li Jianguo opened his eyes to find it still gloomy outside.

Sign in.

[Today's Check-in: Common Supplies x1]

He glanced at the pile of rice, flour, and oil, his expression unchanged.

My luck was so-so.

However, I don't expect to win the lottery every day.

After washing up, I pushed my bicycle out of the hospital gate and pedaled all the way to the steel rolling mill.

As we approached the factory gate, a person was squatting by the roadside.

The man's bicycle lay on the ground, the chain dangling. He squatted there, his hand groping along the chain, his brow furrowed.

Li Jianguo squeezed the brake, braced himself on one foot, and tilted his head to look at it twice:

"Did the chain come off?"

The man looked up, startled:

"Master Li... Master Li!"

It is Nan Yi.

He stood up hurriedly, wiped his hands on his clothes, unsure where to put them:

"This...this won't interfere with your work. I'll just take it to the repair shop in a bit, you go ahead with your work..."

Li Jianguo propped up the bike, squatted down, and flicked the chain twice with his hand:

"It's a minor issue, it'll only take two minutes."

Nan Yi stood to the side, at a loss for what to do:

"How could I let you do this? You're an engineer, I..."

"Engineers also need to know how to fix cars."

Without even looking up, Li Jianguo exerted force with his hand, hooked the chain onto the gear, and it turned twice. That was it.

He stood up and dusted off his hands:

"Are you from the steel rolling mill?"

"Yes, I am the cook at the third canteen."

"cook?"

Li Jianguo looked at him, and a slight smile slowly appeared on his lips.

The cook at the third canteen.

Nanyi.

He remembered.

Isn't Sha Zhu smug? Isn't he just relying on being the cafeteria chef, earning a lot, eating his fill, and not having to worry about his family?

Let him taste what it's like to lose even this prized possession.

Li Jianguo's smile deepened, and his tone became warmer:

"Let's go in together."

---

At the factory gate, Factory Director Yang was walking inside when he turned around and saw Li Jianguo. He rushed over to greet him.

"Master Li! We've been looking for you. Come on, let's go to the conference room."

Li Jianguo paused in his steps:

"What's the rush?"

"You'll find out when you get there; Elder Qi and the others have already arrived."

---

The conference room was packed.

Among the steel rolling mill's technical backbone were several elderly professors with gray hair. Old Qi sat in the middle, holding an enamel mug. Seeing Li Jianguo enter, his face lit up with a smile.

Factory Director Yang cleared his throat and pointed at Li Jianguo:

"I hereby announce that Comrade Li Jianguo will serve as the Director of the R&D Department of the Steel Rolling Mill."

There was no commotion downstairs; everyone had already heard about it.

Factory Director Yang continued:

"At the same time, a new materials research and development project was launched, with Comrade Li Jianguo serving as the project leader. He led the team to overcome difficulties and develop qualified new materials as soon as possible."

Applause erupted.

Li Jianguo stood there, his heart taut with tension.

This is exactly what he wanted.

The right to speak.

Resources.

people.

Factory Director Yang looked at him:

"Director Li, may I speak?"

Li Jianguo stepped forward, glanced around at everyone present, and spoke in a low but steady voice:

"It's all up to the organization. I'll do my best to lead the team and achieve results as soon as possible."

Several older leaders nodded, their eyes showing satisfaction.

Factory Director Yang made the decision:

"Great! From now on, the entire factory will cooperate with your work. Just tell us what kind of people you need, and we'll get it done immediately!"

Li Jianguo nodded, paused for two seconds, and then spoke:

"In the early stages, we don't need very advanced technology. The main thing is to select and smelt the ore, find the most suitable metal, and then conduct composition experiments later. I need a few people to help."

"explain."

"Yi Zhonghai, Sha Zhu, Jia Dongxu."

Factory Director Yang was taken aback.

He glanced at Li Jianguo, recalling the stories he had heard about the courtyard houses, and frowned slightly.

"Are you sure? Sha Zhu and Jia Dongxu are fine, but Master Yi... he's an eighth-level fitter after all, this job..."

Li Jianguo chuckled, but his laugh was devoid of warmth.

"An eighth-level fitter?"

He chewed those four words in his mouth for a moment, then spat them out:

"His skills are so bad, I doubt he even reaches level five. He's not even as good as me."

There was a moment of silence in the conference room.

Factory Director Yang opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

The elderly professors nearby exchanged glances, then looked at Li Jianguo with a knowing look in their eyes.

---

After the meeting, Li Jianguo did not return to his office but went directly to the workshop.

The deputy factory director followed beside him, waving as soon as he entered the workshop:

"Master Yi! Jia Dongxu! Come here!"

Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu were standing by the lathe when they heard the shout. They looked up and their expressions changed.

Li Jianguo stood there, backlit, so his expression was obscured—but his figure, standing there, was like a wall.

The deputy factory director brought the person over and nodded to Li Jianguo:

"Director Li, I've brought the people to you. Is that enough? If not, we can ask for more."

"That's enough. There's one more; I'll go find it later."

"Okay, then you get busy."

The deputy factory director has left.

Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu stood there, looking at each other, neither of them saying a word.

Li Jianguo didn't waste any words:

"Just letting you know. From now on, you two are part of my project team. You'll be in charge of the preliminary work. Pack your things and come with me."

Yi Zhonghai's face turned pale and then white, then pale and then pale again.

"Li Jianguo, what do you mean by this? We're from the same workshop!"

"As Director Yang said, the entire factory will cooperate with the new project."

Li Jianguo looked at him, his eyes indifferent:

"It's fine if you don't want to. Just write a report now saying you're quitting, and you can go home tomorrow."

Yi Zhonghai opened his mouth, but remained silent.

Jia Dongxu clenched his fists, his face trembling—but he didn't dare utter another sound.

He knew all too well how difficult it was to find a job these days.

---

Inside the canteen, Sha Zhu was tossing a ladle, while Ma Dong chopped vegetables beside him. The steam from the stove rose up, making the entire kitchen warm and cozy.

Li Jianguo walked in, followed by Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu.

Sha Zhu didn't even lift his eyelids:

"What's up?"

"Shazhu, from now on, you're part of my project team. Let's go."

Sha Zhu stopped holding the spoon, looked up, and sneered:

"Are you kidding me? I'm a cook, you're an engineer, we're completely unrelated. If you have nothing else to do, get out of here and don't keep me from cooking."

Li Jianguo pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and slapped it on the stove:

"Director Yang's notice. Everyone in the factory has to give it to me if I ask."

Sha Zhu glanced at the paper and pursed his lips:

"Only a fool would go out with you. It's several degrees below zero outside. Wouldn't it be more comfortable for me to stay here warm and cook? Go find someone else, I'm not going."

Li Jianguo didn't move, he just stared at him.

The kitchen quieted down, with only the roaring of the flames on the stove.

Xu Damao suddenly appeared out of nowhere, poking his head through the window with a gloating smile on his face:

"Hey, Sha Zhu, you're about to strike it rich! Working on a big project with Director Li, how glorious!"

Sha Zhu glared at him:

"Get out of my way!"