Courtyard House: Starting as an engineer, crushing a yard full of poultry

Li Xiangdong listened and nodded in agreement. This family had very sound values. He hoped they could interact more in the future. Otherwise, even if he married Yu Li and lived in the same courtyard, he would still need to be mindful of maintaining a proper distance.

“Xiangdong, why don’t you take Yu Li back? You already said it in the yard. Now that you and Yu Li are engaged and the betrothal gifts have been given,” Yu Dajiang said. “You two just need to find a time to get your marriage certificate.”

Yu Li stared intently at Li Xiangdong with her big, watery eyes. She also wanted to get their marriage certificate that afternoon.

"Let's wait until spring when the flowers bloom," Li Xiangdong hesitated for a moment before saying, "My house needs to be renovated before the wedding. Otherwise, Yu Li will feel a bit wronged!"

Li Xiangdong was also thinking of playing cards with Yu Li tonight. But that would be too hasty. In his mind, they should date for at least three to five months.

“That’s fine, that’s something for you young people to do,” Yu Dajiang said. “Actually, just covering it with plain white paper is good enough. The plain white paper you gave us, we used to cover the walls at home. It looked so neat and clean.”

"Don't interfere with young people's ideas." Huang Guihua rolled her eyes at Yu Dajiang and said, "I haven't even seen what your new house looks like yet."

"And those demons and monsters you mentioned, hehe, I just don't believe it..."

"You'll see it tomorrow. We'll move there tomorrow morning," Yu Dajiang said. "Leave all the furniture behind. Just bring the clothes and bedding."

"And we should bring two more hens too!" Huang Guihua hurriedly said, "We'll keep them in cages to lay eggs, so the children can have some meat!"

In this era, eggs are also considered a form of meat.

"What are you feeding them? Do you think you can find something to eat in the countryside? You're going to feed them grains then," Yu Dajiang said.

“That makes sense. Well then… Xiangdong, take the two old hens with you. And the remaining five catties of pork, this wine, and the sugar…”

Li Xiangdong hurriedly shook his head and said, "No need, no need, I'll just take one old hen back with me."

"Let's have chicken soup and noodles tonight. I don't want any of these things!"

"And this isn't a bride price. I'll prepare the bride price when we get our marriage certificate."

Yu Dahai was getting tired of hearing it; no wonder he's rich!

Li Xiangdong rode his bicycle away with Yu Li, returning to the courtyard house around 1:00 PM. They didn't see the doorman Yan Bugui there, probably out fishing.

“Yu Li, let’s go fishing too, since the weather’s good today. The fish are more likely to bite,” Li Xiangdong said. “At least we won’t need to buy fish for the New Year.”

"Okay, okay. Then let's kill the chicken, put it on the stove and bring it to a boil. Then close the stove door and let it simmer slowly!" Yu Li said sweetly.

The two men busied themselves in the yard, and the noise of killing the chicken attracted many people. Yan Jiecheng was the first to come out and see.

When Yan Jiecheng came out, he saw Li Xiangdong and Yu Li sitting by a basin, plucking feathers from an old hen.

Seeing the two of them exchanging tender glances every now and then, Yan Jiecheng felt as if his heart had shattered into seventeen or eighteen pieces, beyond repair.

With tears in his eyes, Yan Jiecheng turned to go home.

At that moment, Liu Guangqi walked in with a girl. Seeing the situation, he couldn't help but say, "Tsk tsk, Yan Jiecheng, why are your eyes filled with tears?"

"Heh heh, someone like you is a toad trying to eat swan meat. What your dad said this morning was right: someone like you, how can you compete with Section Chief Li?"

Liu Guangqi was trying to curry favor with Li Xiangdong because his job was already secured. Liu Haizhong had spent a lot of money to get him a job at the steel rolling mill.

Liu Guangqi also had another idea: to become a technician. After all, he only graduated from junior high school, and if Li Xiangdong could take him on as an apprentice, then Liu Guangqi could really take off.

This morning, after Li Xiangdong left, Yan Jiecheng excitedly shouted to Yan Bugui, "Dad, give me some money. I'll go buy some gifts and propose to Yu Li."

"I knew Yu Li first, I don't believe it..."

Yan Bugui kicked Yan Jiecheng angrily: "Are you a pig?! Do you even have a brain? Compared to Li Xiangdong, you're miles behind in looks!"

"Work? He's an eighth-level engineer and head of the technical department. You're just a day laborer."

"A house? You're still living in my house. Other people have three houses!"

Yan Jiecheng has been so angry that he's been holed up at home ever since, but he never expected to be hit with another blow as soon as he came out.

Li Xiangdong chuckled inwardly. After he and Yu Li finished simmering the chicken soup, they locked the door, grabbed their fishing gear, and left. As they departed, the aroma of the old chicken soup filled the courtyard.

Yu Li sat on the back coat rack, openly wrapping her arms around Li Xiangdong's waist. A happy smile never left her beautiful face.

Li Xiangdong could feel Yu Li's enormous breasts, even through several layers of cotton clothing, and their soft yet elastic texture. He figured he wouldn't have to worry about his son's livelihood anymore.

"I'm really young now; I even feel like I'm experiencing my first love again."

Li Xiangdong thought to himself, "I was quite the experienced driver in my past life!"

Li Xiangdong brought Yu Li to the shore of Shichahai Lake. It was around two o'clock in the afternoon. The sun was shining warmly. However, the water was still frozen over. People could walk on it without any problem.

"It looks like it's going to snow," Li Xiangdong said softly to Yu Li. "Your family needs to move over soon."

“Come over first thing tomorrow morning,” Yu Li said. “We’ll deliver it using the commune’s tractor.”

"It won't interfere with work tomorrow. I'll move it back after get off work tomorrow."

Li Xiangdong nodded, then used his axe to chop open a hole in the ice. Just as Li Xiangdong was stirring the bait, Yan Bugui strode over with his signature gait.

This is how most people walk on ice.

"Section Chief Li, could you..." Yan Bugui said, looking at the bait.

Before Yan Bugui could finish speaking, Li Xiangdong said indifferently, "No! Yan Bugui and I don't have a good relationship. You shouldn't try to get close to him."

Yan Bugui was speechless, unable to utter a single word. He could only turn around and leave angrily.

Because he was angry, Yan Bugui walked back a little too fast. As a result, he slipped and fell on his backside.

"Ouch!"

Yan Bugui screamed in agony.

He was in his forties, almost fifty. His bones were already hardened, and the fall made him feel like his buttocks were split into seventeen or eighteen pieces.

What's worse, he slipped and slid all the way out. Not far ahead was a small ice hole, about a meter square, which could easily swallow Yan Bugui whole.

Yan Bugui tried to brake suddenly, but it was too late. The ice hole, like the gaping maw of a ferocious beast, was about to swallow him whole!

"Help!"

Yan Bugui screamed shrilly, terrified he was about to wet himself.

Chapter 54 Home Burglary (Seeking flowers and votes! Thanks for the data, my friend!)

Fortunately, there were people near the ice hole. A bearded man grabbed Yan Bugui by the back of the neck and lifted him up.

"Tsk tsk, watch out. What, you want to go winter swimming? If you're going to go winter swimming, you'd better take off all your clothes." The bearded man said with a grin.

"You...you're driving me crazy."

Yan Bugui rolled his eyes; this was from when he was grabbed by the collar and strangled.

"Someone like you should have just watched you go fishing. Even if you didn't drown, you'd be spending the New Year in the hospital. You're such a grown man, and you can't even say thank you." The bearded man shook his head and walked away.

Li Xiangdong ignored Yan Bugui's matter and started a fishing demonstration.

In just about an hour, Li Xiangdong had caught more than a dozen fish of varying sizes. There were four or five bighead carp weighing over ten pounds each, and a large grass carp weighing over thirty pounds. There were also several carp weighing two or three pounds each and crucian carp weighing seven or eight ounces each.

Li Xiangdong was surrounded by a crowd, which terrified him. This was on ice! With so many people crammed together, weren't they afraid of swimming under the ice?

"Yu Li, push the cart ashore, hurry up!" Li Xiangdong panicked. He had been so focused on fishing that he hadn't noticed so many people around him.

If it weren't for so many people watching, Li Xiangdong would have liked to fish until five o'clock. He'd better get out of there now. No sooner had Li Xiangdong left than seven or eight fishing rods appeared in that one-square-meter ice hole.

"No, all of you get out of here. This ice hole is mine."

Yan Bugui shouted.

"Why should we?" several people said dismissively.

"That man was our neighbor in the compound!" Yan Bugui shouted wildly, "So this ice hole is mine."

Yan Bugui reached out to shoo the other person away, but was pushed aside by someone else.

"Get out of here. Don't think he's just a neighbor in the same compound, or even if he were your father. Unless he's promised you a free lunch, you can stay out of here."

"Yeah, that old Yan is really outrageous."

"Tsk tsk, calling himself a teacher, what kind of nonsense is this?"

……

Yan Bugui was panting heavily with anger. Less than ten minutes later, he saw someone catch a grass carp weighing over five pounds. This made Yan Bugui's heart ache as if it were about to break.

When Li Xiangdong returned home and was about to unlock the door, he noticed something was wrong.

The padlock had been pried open and was hanging loosely on the gate.

"Dong-ge has been robbed!"

Yu Li said with a shocked expression.

“Definitely.” Li Xiangdong sneered, “Can you smell it? The aroma of the chicken soup is gone. It must have been stolen, otherwise the chicken soup would have tasted even stronger.”

"I'll stay here and watch over things. Go call the police! Go on your bike."

Yu Li was about to leave with her cart when she saw Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai walking over. Both of them looked furious.

"What are you all doing here?" Yi Zhonghai asked anxiously.

"What business do you have with Yi Zhonghai? Get out of my way. Don't make me beat you up!" Li Xiangdong said disdainfully.

“The things in your house were taken by the gangsters, I will make them compensate you…” Yi Zhonghai said hurriedly, “Don’t bother the police with such a small matter, they are very busy!”

"What, Yi Zhonghai, do you want to set up your own court to replace the public security, procuratorate, and judiciary?"

Li Xiangdong said calmly.

"This...this...no, absolutely not!" Yi Zhonghai's hair stood on end. If this got him arrested, it would be a death sentence.