Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

Upon hearing this, Wang Feng smiled slightly and said, "She should try to break up the fight. If she can't, she'll probably stay neutral."

"Yeah, I think so too."

......

at the same time.

Yesterday, thanks to the gossip of Liu Lan and Sister Hua, Yan Jiecheng has become famous in the steel rolling mill, and people have even given him the nickname "Chicken Killing Maniac".

After Liu Lan and Sister Hua got off work, they told the people in the courtyard about it. The story spread like wildfire, and the news of Yan's pickled vegetables being divided by the root, as well as Yan Jiecheng's chicken-killing maniac, quickly spread throughout several streets near Nanluoguxiang after a day of fermentation.

Gulou East Street.

Yu Li's mother had just picked up the parts for pasting matchboxes from the neighborhood office when she heard a group of middle-aged women discussing something in the courtyard.

"Have you heard? There's a strange family in Nanluoguxiang. I heard that they even divide the pickled vegetables by the piece when they eat."

"Hehe, what's so special about that? I heard that the family's surname is Yan, and he's a teacher. I heard that when a manure cart passes by their house, it has to taste the saltiness before it can leave."

"What you said is all correct, but there are many things you don't know. My son's uncle's cousin's brother-in-law works at the steel rolling mill, and he works in the same workshop as that guy named Yan Jiecheng."

"Let me tell you, that guy named Yan Jiecheng asked a deputy section chief in his department to help him get a job at the steel rolling mill, but the deputy section chief didn't agree. Guess what happened in the end?"

"What's wrong?" a group of middle-aged women asked curiously.

"Hahaha, that's incredible! That guy Yan Jiecheng secretly strangled the two old hens in the deputy section chief's house while everyone was asleep at night. Now people have given Yan Jiecheng a nickname: the Chicken Killing Maniac."

"Seriously? Instead of helping him find a job, you secretly strangled his chicken? That's too cruel!"

"Yeah, he's just someone from the same compound. Why would anyone recommend a job to him? These days, a job at a steel rolling mill costs over 800 yuan. Even if it were a brother, let alone someone from the same compound, they wouldn't find him a job for free."

Yu's mother walked up to a group of middle-aged women. She didn't hear the rest clearly, but she did hear the three words "Yan Jie". Wasn't this Yu Li's blind date?

"Aunt Zhang, what's the deal with Yan Jiecheng that you were talking about earlier?" Mother Yu asked as she stepped forward.

Aunt Zhang grinned broadly: "Hahaha, Lily's mom, I heard about a weirdo, a guy from Nanluoguxiang named Yan Jiecheng. Let me tell you, he..."

Aunt Zhang rattled off a whole bunch of things, unaware that Yu's mother's face grew increasingly grim after hearing Yan Jiecheng's rumors, and she kept talking on and on.

It has to be said that the mouths of middle-aged women in this era are truly amazing; they can even make the dead seem alive.

After listening to Aunt Zhang's account to a group of other women, Yu's mother didn't even have time to greet them before running into the house.

Back inside, Yu Li was pasting matchboxes. When she saw her mother return, she smiled and said, "Mom, how many matchbox parts did you bring back? The last batch is almost finished."

Yu's mother grabbed Yu Li's hand and said in a deep voice, "Lili, you can't marry Yan Jiecheng."

Yu Li looked at her mother, puzzled, and asked, "Mom, Yan Jiecheng is working at a steel mill now, he has a stable job, why can't I marry him? I feel like he's a very honest person."

Yu's mother's face darkened, and she quickly told Yu Li every word of the rumors she had heard from the older woman.

Upon hearing this, Yu Li opened her mouth wide, almost stuffing an egg inside.

"Yu Li, let me tell you, regardless of whether Yan Jiecheng's rumors are true or not, even if they are false, you can't marry him. People's words are terrifying! And they're making it sound so convincing, I reckon it's probably true," Yu's mother said in a deep voice.

"Lily, if this rumor is true, this has really saved you. Don't you think about it? Even pickled vegetables are divided up by the piece. How could you live in a family like that? And Yan Jiecheng is too petty. He won't find him a job, and he even goes to kill someone's chicken in the middle of the night. Is that something a normal person would do?"

Yu Li nodded: "Mom, I understand. Don't worry. Next time Yan Jiecheng comes to see me, I'll explain everything to him."

Mother Yu said in a deep voice, "It's a good thing our family didn't accept Yan Jiecheng's betrothal gifts, otherwise things would be complicated. Lili, how about this, I'll go to Nanluoguxiang to inquire around, so we'll have something to say next time Yan Jiecheng comes."

"Mom, I'll go with you," Yu Li said.

"Okay, let's go together then."

Soon, Yu Li and her companion put down their work of pasting matchboxes and headed towards No. 95 Nanluoguxiang.

The two arrived at courtyard number 95. They dared not go in, fearing they would be seen by the Yan family. They planned to inquire in the courtyard next door, when they saw a short and fat woman named Jia Zhangshi come out of the courtyard.

Yu's mother quickly stepped forward and asked, "Excuse me, ma'am, I'd like to ask if there's a person named Yan Jiecheng in your compound?"

Madam Jia, with her triangular eyes, glanced at Mother Yu and waved her hand impatiently: "Go away, I'm busy, I don't have time to chat with you."

Mother Yu took out two fruit candies, placed them in Jia Zhangshi's hand, and said with a smile, "Elder sister, it won't take up much of your time. Just tell me about Yan Jiecheng."

Seeing that there was something to gain, Jia Zhangshi grinned and stuffed two fruit candies into her pocket. She glanced at Yu Li sideways and laughed loudly:

"Is this your daughter? Your daughter isn't going on a blind date with that bastard Yan Jiecheng, is she?"

"Hahaha, let me tell you, if you marry your daughter into the Yan family, it's like pushing her into a fire pit. I've been the Yan family's neighbors my whole life, I know them too well."

"Do you know how the Yan family eats? Each person gets two cornbread buns and four shredded pickled vegetables for every meal. No one can have more or less. If your daughter likes pickled vegetables, then just pretend I didn't say anything."

"Also, aren't all the neighbors talking about Yan Jiecheng killing chickens in the middle of the night? Let me tell you, it's true. There is indeed a family in our courtyard whose two old hens were strangled to death in the middle of the night."

Yu Li pursed her lips and asked, "Auntie, are you sure it was Yan Jiecheng who strangled someone else's chicken in the middle of the night?"

Madam Jia Zhang said indignantly, "Is this even true? I got up to use the toilet in the middle of the night and saw Yan Jiecheng run from the front yard to the middle yard, open that bastard Wang Feng's chicken coop, and strangle two of Wang Feng's old hens to death. He didn't even take the chickens away after killing them because he was afraid that Wang Feng would find out about him. He just didn't expect that I would see it."

Upon hearing this, Yu Li felt a sense of lingering fear. Fortunately, she and Yan Jiecheng were not yet married. If she had actually married Yan Jiecheng, her life would have been over.

Mother Yu chuckled awkwardly, "Hehe, thank you, elder sister. We'll head back now."

Just as the two turned around, they were spotted by the Third Aunt. The Third Aunt was puzzled. Yu Li had come to No. 95 Courtyard, so why didn't she come in? What was she talking about with Jia Zhangshi?

I was about to chase after Yu Li, but she walked too fast, went into an alley, and disappeared in an instant.