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

However, Li Xiangdong asked for two small yellow croakers and three hundred and ten yuan. He seemingly stuffed them into his yellow satchel, but actually tossed them into the bedroom in his mysterious space.

"Sir, if you ever find anything of this quality again, come find me, Wang Laosan, here!"

The middleman was still giving Li Xiangdong instructions.

Li Xiangdong agreed and left quickly. He didn't look back after leaving the black market, but ran like a cheetah.

Back in the courtyard house, he quietly pushed open the gate. He silently returned to his room, replaced two coal briquettes in the stove, leaving the stove door ajar. Only then did he go to bed.

Lying in bed, I finally came to the detailed memories I had gathered. I have to go to work tomorrow, and there are many things I need to figure out.

The next morning, after washing up, I cooked dried noodles with the soup from the previous night. The aroma filled the entire courtyard.

"That little beast, eating meat first thing in the morning. Doesn't he even offer me anything?" Jia Zhangshi spewed filth. Jia Dongxu tidied himself up, preparing to go to work.

They ran into Yi Zhonghai as soon as they stepped outside, and the two of them left the compound.

"That kid, Master, is a troublemaker," Jia Dongxu said with a hint of malice.

"He definitely has to go to work today," Yi Zhonghai said calmly. "As a neighbor in this compound, I must look after him. I'll find someone to get him transferred to our workshop!"

Chapter Seven: Yi Zhonghai's Face Was Swollen from Being Slapped

"Yeah, yeah! We'll take him down!"

Jia Dongxu said excitedly.

Although Jia Dongxu is somewhat handsome, there is a sinister look about his face.

"What do you mean 'I can't kill him'?" Yi Zhonghai said righteously, "He's just a young guy. I transferred him here to train him a bit. Then I'll properly educate him and help him become a useful person!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongxu grinned and said, "That's right, that's right. That's not how it is. Master, you have a kind heart. That kid talked back to you like that, and you still nurtured him into a talent."

"However, in order for him to succeed as soon as possible, we must increase the pressure!"

Yi Zhonghai smiled and nodded, saying, "That's for sure. Iron can't be forged into steel without forging it!"

Li Xiangdong ate breakfast and tidied up. Looking at the empty house, he thought about buying some lumber and woodworking tools. As the great man said, self-reliance is key!

Li Xiangdong picked up the large lock, intending to lock the door and head to the steel mill.

To everyone's surprise, when her hand touched the lock, sparks flew out from the point of contact between her hand and the lock.

"This..." Li Xiangdong was stunned for a moment: "Do I have superpowers?"

He could feel the electric current emanating from his body. Then he remembered that something had been wrong with his body all along. It turned out he hadn't discovered his special ability.

I experimented and felt I could control the amount and magnitude of the current. I didn't have time to test its maximum power. I hurriedly left.

Li Xiangdong had just locked the main room door with a large padlock when he heard a surprised shout: "Li Xiangdong, what are you doing? Why are you locking the door?"

Li Xiangdong turned around and saw that it was Liu Haizhong looking at him as if he, Li Xiangdong, had committed a grave offense.

"Why can't I lock the door? Is this your door?" Li Xiangdong said coldly. "Remember, you're just an ordinary worker. Don't think you're a police officer and want to meddle in everything!"

Yan Bugui came out of his house and, seeing the situation, hurriedly said, "Old Liu, don't be angry. He's new here and doesn't know the rules. I'll explain it to him."

"We can just go into the compound; there's no need to lock the gate..."

"Who made that rule? Was it something the neighborhood committee encouraged? Then I'll have to report the neighborhood committee's problem to higher authorities," Li Xiangdong said coldly.

"Um, well... that's what we decided ourselves."

Yan Bugui was startled; of course, the neighborhood committee was unaware of this matter.

"Your rules are worthless!" Li Xiangdong sneered. "You really think you're officials?"

At this time, many people passing by the main gate on their way to work were watching the commotion.

“That’s right, why should we listen to the rules set by you three coordinators?” Xu Damao exclaimed.

Sha Zhu was there too, though he wasn't planning on saying anything. But since Xu Damao had spoken, Sha Zhu was about to demonstrate his fighting prowess as the "Courtyard War God"!

"Xu Damao, are you looking for a beating again? Shut your beak!"

Sha Zhu's old face was shiny with oil.

Xu Damao immediately fell silent; Sha Zhu's hits really hurt.

"Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui, you two won't let me lock the door? Fine!" Li Xiangdong raised his eyebrows and said, "If anything of mine is stolen, you two will be responsible for compensating me."

"No, I didn't tell you not to lock the door!" Yan Bugui hurriedly shouted.

"Why should I pay?" Liu Haizhong shouted.

"It was your bangs that prevented me from locking the door!" Li Xiangdong said coldly.

"Then...you lock it. I'll settle accounts with Lao Yi tonight." Liu Haizhong's face was as red as a monkey's butt.

Li Xiangdong locked the door and left quickly.

Li Xiangdong came to the steel rolling mill, not to work today. He needed to complete some procedures, go to the local street office to register his household registration, and also get his food ration book sorted out.

After completing all the formalities at the personnel department, Li Xiangdong left the department with Section Chief Wang seeing him off. He happened to see Factory Director Yang with a middle-aged man, both looking like they were facing serious legal troubles.

"Hello, Director Yang!" Li Xiangdong said politely.

"Section Chief Li is at work today, that's great." Factory Director Yang seemed relieved.

"I'm here to complete the formalities. I'll officially start work next Monday!" Li Xiangdong said with a smile.

"One of the imported machine tools in Workshop One has malfunctioned," Factory Director Yang said with a wry smile. "It's severely impacting the machining of precision parts. Engineer Zhang and the technicians spent a whole day working on it, but to no avail."

The technical department originally had a Level 9 engineer named Zhang, who was the deputy head of the department.

"Then let me go over and take a look."

Li Xiangdong raised an eyebrow and said, "Anyway, it's Sunday tomorrow, so I can get the house ready."

"Director Bao, please take Engineer Li to the workshop. I'll make a call and be there right away," Factory Director Yang said to Li Xiangdong. "This is Director Bao, the workshop director of Workshop One."

Li Xiangdong exchanged pleasantries with Director Bao. He then followed him to Workshop 1.

"Section Chief Li, this is Workshop One. That machine tool and the mobile phone there are imported from Russia." Director Bao frowned and said, "If it can't be repaired, the impact will be huge..."

Li Xiangdong smiled proudly. He used to work with Russian machine tools from the 1970s. Repairing Russian machine tools from the 1950s and 60s was definitely a piece of cake for him.

Li Xiangdong acquired the knowledge learned by this body. Combined with the modern knowledge brought by his transmigrated soul, he would definitely be a top expert in this era.

Furthermore, the combined spirit and strength of two bodies resulted in even greater control over the muscles. Li Xiangdong was certain that his skills were far superior to Yi Zhonghai's!

Once in Workshop No. 1, Li Xiangdong saw Yi Zhonghai hand-making parts. Jia Dongxu, like a lapdog, was assisting Yi Zhonghai.

"Master, that kid has been brought in by Director Bao!"

Jia Dongxu said to Yi Zhonghai with an excited expression.

Yi Zhonghai calmly put down his tools, and with a reserved smile, greeted Director Bao a few meters away.

"Director Bao is assigning new people!" Yi Zhonghai said. "This young man, Li Xiangdong, is my neighbor. Why don't you let him be my apprentice and I'll train him?"

"Yes, my master hasn't taken on any apprentices in so long, this is a rare opportunity," Jia Dongxu said proudly.

“Master Yi, you’ve made a mistake…” Director Bao said after a moment of surprise.

"Could it have been assigned to someone else? I can't think of anyone else in Workshop One who would try to steal my apprentice!" Yi Zhonghai's face darkened.

In Workshop One, there was only one eighth-level fitter, Yi Zhonghai!

"Master Yi, you can't be Section Chief Li's mentor!" Director Bao was furious. This guy was becoming more and more lawless, and he didn't give him, the workshop director, any face at all.

"Section Chief Li?" Yi Zhonghai was stunned.

"Yes, this is Li Xiangdong, the head of the technical department. He's an eighth-level engineer!" Director Bao said casually.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai's face covered in a layer of "Oli Ge" (a popular kimchi brand), Director Bao felt incredibly pleased!

Chapter Eight: A Fierce Criticism of Yi Zhonghai

Yi Zhonghai's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He had just been thinking of calling the level-eight engineer his apprentice. Many people in the workshop were staring at him, making Yi Zhonghai want to bury his head in the ground.

Although Jia Dongxu wasn't very good at learning technical skills, he was quick-witted. He hurriedly said, "Section Chief Li, that's not right of you. You're an engineer. Why didn't you say so in the yard? My master thought you were an apprentice, and that's why he was thinking of giving you a break!"

Yi Zhonghai suddenly realized what was happening, and with an apologetic smile, he said, "Yes, yes. Why didn't you say so sooner? We could have been happy for you too!"

Yi Zhonghai was used to speaking as an elder. Besides, he felt that Li Xiangdong was simply unhappy, and in front of everyone, he couldn't say anything. He could only swallow this bitter pill.

Otherwise, it's because Li Lidong lacks vision.

"Master Yi, Yi Zhonghai, have you gone mad?" Li Xiangdong sneered, "Who do you think you are, talking to me like an elder?"

"This is a factory, and you're just an ordinary worker. How can you talk to your supervisor like this?"

"Even within this compound, you and I are just unfamiliar neighbors. Who do you think you are? Do you expect me to reveal my identity the moment we meet?"

"Is it because so many people in the courtyard call you 'Grandpa' that you really think you're the boss?"

Yi Zhonghai's face flushed red, and it seemed as if there were invisible flames above his head.

Li Xiangdong has practically stripped him naked!

Jia Dongxu hurriedly exclaimed, "It's impressive that you're the head of the technical department, but my master is so old, can't you show him some respect..."

"Jia Dongxu, who do you think you are?" Li Xiangdong said coldly. "What, this hypocrite Yi Zhonghai, you expect me to respect him?"

"This isn't over yet, you two families teaming up to scheme against me. We'll settle this later. This guy's an idiot, trying to seize my house without even figuring things out!"

"Director Bao, let's go fix the machine."