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

Just then, the large iron gate swung open with a clang. Li Xiangdong and Yu Li stepped out.

At the venue for the large meeting at the Intermediate People's Court, Li Xiangdong saw Yi Zhonghai. The man had a bruised and swollen face, and his eyes were like those of a national treasure.

Needless to say, Yi Zhonghai was dealt with in the security department.

Just before leaving get off work, Director Zhao came over and explained how Yi Zhonghai would be dealt with. He'd be demoted by one level. Yi Zhonghai is now a level six worker, and he's not allowed to participate in any assessments for a year.

"This is your last major demerit. It will be announced on Monday when we come to work," Director Zhao said finally. "I just got a good scolding from the security department."

Seeing Yi Zhonghai's bruised and swollen face, Li Xiangdong realized just how much trouble the old bastard had suffered in the security department. It must have been the work of Old Chen and Little Wang.

Because of Yi Zhonghai's matter, these two had five yuan deducted from their wages, and that was for a year and twelve months. These two probably both wanted to kill Yi Zhonghai.

Despite his bruised and swollen face, Yi Zhonghai still sat arrogantly behind the table. Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong sat beside him.

The deaf old woman, wrapped in a quilt, sat in a round-backed chair. It was as if all her vitality had been condensed into her two eyes.

Sha Zhu also appeared, looking pale and unwell, but his expression was still quite spirited. He sat not far from Qin Huairu, occasionally glancing at her with a silly grin.

Qin Huairu was helpless. Now Sha Zhu had been relegated to the workshop and fined 300 yuan. She figured Sha Zhu's savings were almost gone.

If it weren't for the fact that Sha Zhu could still work in the kitchen later, Qin Huairu wouldn't have even glanced at him.

Just as Li Xiangdong and Yu Li stopped, they saw a woman in her forties, accompanied by two strong women and four militiamen, approaching. All four militiamen were carrying guns.

"Are you Chief Engineer Li?" the middle-aged woman asked Li Xiangdong with a smile.

"Yes, and you are?" Li Xiangdong was a little confused, as he had never met this woman before.

"I am Wang Hongmei from the neighborhood office," the middle-aged woman said with a smile. "I saw you from afar at the steel rolling mill."

"Um, Director Wang, right?" Li Xiangdong nodded with a smile.

"Yes, I'm going to announce two things," Director Wang said with a smile. "I'll report to you later."

Director Wang spoke very politely, then led the two women to the table. Four militiamen carrying guns stood nearby.

Seeing Director Wang arrive with four militiamen, Yi Zhonghai felt a chill run down his spine. He thought Director Wang might be there to arrest him. Perhaps Jia Zhangshi had already confessed everything.

But then he thought, if Jia Zhangshi had given everything away, it wouldn't be the militia coming to find him; it would be the police officers.

"Director Wang, please have a seat..." Yi Zhonghai hurriedly and warmly said.

"No need, I'll announce two things before I leave," Director Wang said. "The first is that Jia Zhangshi was arrested for theft and will be detained for seven days. I hope everyone takes this matter seriously."

"Yes, yes! Jia Zhangshi is a disgrace to our courtyard house!" Yan Bugui said indignantly. "With her detained, we've lost our title as an advanced courtyard house."

If they had this title, the three old men would not only receive a five-yuan reward, but also meat coupons and grain coupons.

The thought of all these things disappearing without a trace filled Yan Bugui with a burning hatred that made him want to kill Jia Zhangshi.

"Sigh, that Zhang girl. I knew she was no good the moment she stepped into the courtyard." The deaf old woman sighed, "Young Wang, could you please not treat our courtyard's advanced..."

The deaf old woman spoke in a very arrogant manner.

"Shut up, you deaf old woman!" Director Wang slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "This is your business! Your real name is Bao Guixiang! Before Liberation, you were a brothel madam in the Eight Great Hutongs!"

"No, no, that's not true!" The deaf old woman jumped up immediately, looking nothing like someone in her seventies.

"That's not true. Xiao Cui from Wei Hong Courtyard has already spotted you from afar and pointed you out. What else do you have to say?" Director Wang said coldly.

"Should we have Xiao Cui come over and confront you?"

"I...I...I..." the deaf old woman stammered.

"I don't know how you managed to get a spot on the 'Five Guarantees' program after Liberation. This matter must be thoroughly investigated." Director Wang said sternly, "Your 'Five Guarantees' status has now been revoked."

"If it weren't for your age, we would have locked you up long ago."

"Now you move into your own house. Give me those two main rooms."

The deaf old woman lived in the two rooms on the east side of the backyard. The room that was originally assigned to her was now Yi Zhonghai's small kitchen.

Yi Zhonghai's house has one main room and two side rooms. The small side room, which serves as the kitchen, was originally allocated to the deaf old lady. I don't know how the deaf old lady ended up with two main rooms in the backyard.

The deaf old woman plopped down in the armchair, her face ashen, looking just like a dead person.

"Yi Zhonghai, get the house vacated right away. Have someone do it. I'm going to lock the house up in a bit," Director Wang said coldly.

"This...this..." Yi Zhonghai didn't know what to do.

"Yi Zhonghai, you don't need this or that," Director Wang said coldly. "Hurry up, Captain Zhang, go to the backyard and keep an eye on things. Those pieces of furniture don't belong to her. Only clothes, bedding, pots, and pans are allowed!"

Seeing that things were going badly, Yi Zhonghai could only call out, "Zhu Zi, Yan Jiecheng, Yan Jiefang, and Liu Guangqi and Liu Guangtian, you all go and help too."

With Director Wang present, the few people called upon by Yi Zhonghai could only agree and move to the back.

The deaf old woman seemed to realize something at once and hurriedly chased after her with her small feet. At this point, she no longer needed her cane.

"It's very cold, everyone should go home," Director Wang said.

As everyone was about to leave, Liu Haizhong said to Director Wang with a fawning expression, "Director Wang, my son Liu Guangqi is getting married soon, could you give me those two rooms?"

“I can’t make that decision. Our neighborhood committee is just cooperating with the steel mill. The house belongs to the factory; you’ll have to apply to the factory directly.”

The main house in the backyard has three large rooms, with two side rooms on each of the east and west sides. The main house and two side rooms on the west side were only recently vacated.

The people who used to live here have moved away.

Li Xiangdong then started to consider whether he should take over all five rooms. Later, he planned to find an opportunity to acquire the two side rooms on the east side as well.

A family currently lives in the two side rooms on the east side. Li Xiangdong was wondering if he could exchange his current three rooms for one of them.

"I think taking over the row of houses behind shouldn't be a problem." Thinking this, Li Xiangdong's eyes lit up, and he pulled Yu Li towards the backyard.

"Dong-ge is going to find my dad?" Yu Li asked, somewhat bewildered.

“What? I want to take over this whole row of houses,” Li Xiangdong said. “I’ll talk to the residents of these two side rooms on the east side and trade three of my rooms for them.”

"No, what would we do with so many rooms?" Yu Li asked in surprise.

Li Xiangdong certainly couldn't reveal his goal, which was to acquire all the courtyard houses. He could only chuckle and say, "Hehe, I plan to have two sons and four daughters in the future..."

"Pah! Who wants to have so many children with you?"

Yu Li's face was flushed.

The deal to exchange three rooms for two was quickly reached. Moreover, the fitter surnamed Meng readily agreed to the exchange that Chief Engineer Li wanted.

The deaf old woman looked forlornly as the house was locked, her heart burning with anguish. Yet, her expression remained calm.

We moved to that small side room in the middle courtyard, which was only about 20 square meters. Even so, it still felt quite empty.

There was only a table and two stools inside, plus a bed and two boxes.

"Grandma, you'll have to sit here." Yi Zhonghai sighed. "How did this get discovered?"

"What's the point of pursuing this now?" the deaf old woman said indifferently.

“Now that you’re no longer a recipient of the five guarantees, well… never mind, I’ll still feed you from now on. Just not every other day we can eat meat.” Yi Zhonghai said with a wry smile.

You can eat whatever we eat.

The deaf old woman smiled demurely and said, "Little Yi, don't worry... I have plenty of money. I went there for the status of a 'Five Guarantees' household, not for that little bit of money."

Yi Zhonghai's heart skipped a beat: "Yes, this deaf old lady must be a wealthy person, and she must still have collections."

After thinking about this, Yi Zhonghai smiled and said, "Grandma, it's much easier to handle this since you have money. Tell Yumei to buy you whatever you want to eat."

"It's not that I'm stingy, I just need to save this little bit of money for my retirement."

"I understand, I understand. I understand, ma'am." The deaf old woman smiled and said, "Let's leave it at that."

"I lit your stove, otherwise you'd be in for a world of trouble tonight."

The next morning at eight o'clock, Li Xiangdong and Yu Li had breakfast together, and then Li Xiangdong drove off. Yu Li stayed home to tidy up, waiting for Li Xiangdong to return and help them move.

Li Xiangdong returned at 10:00 AM. He was accompanied by Factory Director Li and two clerks.

After Li Xiangdong approached Factory Director Li, he explained the situation. Factory Director Li immediately agreed. Even if Li Xiangdong wasn't qualified, he still needed to be.

Li Xiangdong hired a few friends and quickly moved his family to a main house and two side rooms on the west side of the house. Li Xiangdong planned to renovate the two main houses and two side rooms on the east side first, and then the three houses on the west side.

Liu Haizhong was completely bewildered when he saw Li Xiangdong move into the backyard. Finally, Li Xiangdong moved some of his timber and tools to the old deaf woman's former house. Liu Haizhong, still confused, asked Li Huaide, "Director Li, so all five rooms belong to him now?"

"Yes, you have a problem with that?" Li Huaide asked, glancing sideways.

"No, no, what could I possibly object to?" Liu Haizhong hurriedly said, "It's just that I'm requesting these two rooms over here be allocated to me..."

Seeing this, Liu Haizhong had no choice but to settle for the two side rooms on the east side.

“Your rank isn’t high enough. That’s why we’ve assigned you two rooms,” Li Huaide said calmly.

"Um, Guangqi is also a steel mill worker, can he apply for housing?" Liu Haizhong said indignantly, "Just give him two side rooms."

"Just wait in line," Li Huaide said, frowning.

“But how could Chief Engineer Li…” Liu Haizhong said hurriedly.

"You know he's the chief engineer, huh?" Li Huaide scoffed. "Get out of here. If you want the house, go through the proper procedures."

Liu Haizhong could only walk away dejectedly. (Five)

Li Xiangdong walked over, shook his head, and said, "Liu Haizhong, you still have the energy to dwell on the house issue. Think about tomorrow's assessment instead."

These words turned Liu Haizhong's face ashen.