The Courtyard House: The story begins with He Yuzhu beating up the White Widow.

Yan Bugui fell silent instantly. Seeing Yan Bugui's reaction, He Yuzhu continued, "Teacher Yan, defending against enemies and spies is everyone's task. You did a good job in that regard. But setting up a checkpoint at the main gate was your fault! Luckily, the people in our compound are quite lenient with you. If it were the other people in the compound, you'd be lucky not to be beaten to death; it's a miracle your ancestors did such a good deed." With that, He Yuzhu shouted, "Yushui, let's go! Let's go home!"

After He Yuzhu and his sister left, Yan Bugui came to his senses. He then noticed that the neighbors were looking at him strangely. Realizing the situation was wrong, Yan Bugui slunk away.

After a while, the neighbors who had been watching the commotion began to laugh gleefully.

Yang Ruihua, who was comforting the child, saw Yan Bugui return looking disheveled and asked, "Old Yan, what happened to you?!"

Yan Bugui sighed and replied, "What else can we do?! That brat He Yuzhu has plundered our entire fortune. It won't be easy to get anything from our neighbors in the future."

Yang Ruihua said, "Old Yan, didn't I tell you?! If all else fails, I'll go out and find a job too."

Yan Bugui said, "It's not difficult for you to find a job. But what if you leave work without permission?! Let me think about this some more."

"Dad! Why aren't you setting up your stall in the yard today?!" Just then, Yan Jiecheng came in from outside.

Yan Bugui rolled his eyes at Yan Jiecheng and said, "I also wanted to set up a stall to earn some commission. But our family's reputation is ruined now. Who would want me to write Spring Festival couplets?!" Then he asked, "Where have you been this early in the morning?! I haven't seen you anywhere!"

Yan Jiecheng replied, "I went ice skating at Shichahai Lake."

Yan Bugui said earnestly, "I really don't know what's going on in your head! With the time you spend skating, you'd be better off finding some odd jobs. You might even earn some money!"

Yan Jie looked at Yan Bugui as if he were an idiot and said, "Dad, are you out of your mind?! What day is it today?! Except for department stores, convenience stores, restaurants, and movie theaters, everything else is closed. Where am I supposed to find odd jobs?!"

Yan Bugui sighed and looked at Yang Ruihua. Yang Ruihua pretended not to notice Yan Bugui looking at her, and teased Yan Jiekuang, saying, "Old Yan, I want to go back to my parents' home on the second day of the Lunar New Year. What should I bring back this time?"

Upon hearing that Yang Ruihua was going back to her parents' home, Yan Bugui's expression changed instantly. After hesitating for a moment, Yan Bugui made up his mind and said, "There are still five jin of standard flour at home. I was originally planning to make dumplings tonight. But I'll take two jin of standard flour and add some cornmeal. I'll make mixed flour dumplings. Take the rest of the standard flour with you when you go back to your parents' home on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Also, I'll ask Xie Cheng to roll all the cigarettes that weren't finished later. You can take half of them. There's also a bottle of loose liquor in the cupboard; take that too. I think those three things are enough."

Yang Ruihua said, "Old Yan, it's Chinese New Year now."

Yan Bugui continued, "It's precisely because it's the New Year that I let you take so many things over."

Yang Ruihua hesitated for a moment, then said, "I won't bring the liquor. My father doesn't really like drinking. As for the cigarettes, you can leave them! I'll just take some flour back." She then asked, "On the second day of the Lunar New Year, will you come back with me, or should Jie Cheng accompany me?"

Yan Bugui said, "Ruihua, this is what I'm thinking. Your family is in Zuojiazhuang. Taking a long-distance bus isn't cheap, and walking there takes a lot of time. I'm thinking that in a little while, I'll go and talk to the He family about borrowing a bicycle. I'll have Jiecheng carry you back to your family. That way, you'll have both face and substance."

Hearing Yan Bugui's analysis, Yang Ruihua was somewhat tempted. After considering it for a couple of minutes, Yang Ruihua urged, "Old Yan, what are you still doing at home?! Hurry up and go ask Old He!"

"Alright! I'll go ask!" With that, Yan Bugui reluctantly went out the door.

At the same time, He Yuzhu brought a radio into the main room of the courtyard. The moment He Daqing saw the radio, his eyes lit up, and he asked with a smile, "Yuzhu, what made you decide to buy this today?!"

He Yuzhu said, "You'll have to buy it sooner or later anyway. It's better to buy it sooner rather than later. This one is yours."

As He Daqing opened the package, he asked, "From what you're saying, you bought more than one unit?!"

He Yuzhu replied, "We bought three. Besides this one, Yushui and I each have one."

He Daqing plugged in the radio, turned it on, and casually switched to a channel. Peking Opera music came from the radio. He Daqing unconsciously hummed along. He Yushui, seeing He Daqing swaying his head, couldn't help but laugh. Just then, Yan Bugui's voice rang out from the doorway: "Old He, are you there?!"

He Daqing walked to the door, opened it, and asked, "Old Yan, what's the matter?!"

Yan Bugui said, "Old He, don't you have two bicycles?! I'd like to borrow one from you on the second day of the Lunar New Year."

He Daqing replied, "Oh?! Old Yan, you've come at a really bad time. We also need a bicycle on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Why don't you go check with the others?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui's expression changed several times. He Daqing continued, "Old Yan, bicycles aren't that expensive these days. Other families can't afford them. Why shouldn't yours?! If I were you, I would have bought a bicycle and taken my wife to her parents' house to show off long ago."

Yan Bugui pleaded poverty, saying, "Old He, my family was originally quite wealthy. But even the wealthiest family can run out one day. Besides, before Liberation, the bald-headed regime didn't value martial virtue and issued gold yuan notes. I wouldn't squander all my family's wealth and move the whole family here."

He Daqing said, "Old Yan, you've misjudged the situation by complaining about being poor. How about those two shops in Dashilan? Should I help you promote them? Others may not know you, Yan Bugui, but I know you very well. Don't you think so?! Yan Shuzhai?!"

Yan Bugui, whose surname is Yan, given name Bugui, and courtesy name Shuzhai, had his face instantly change when He Daqing uttered the words "Yan Shuzhai." Yan Bugui thought to himself, "It seems the He family really knows his background?! This is troublesome." After a quick mental calculation, Yan Bugui forced a smile that looked more like a grimace and said, "Old He, I'm going back now. I won't borrow from you anymore." With that, Yan Bugui slunk away.

He Yuzhu walked to He Daqing's side, looked at Yan Bugui's back, and said, "Dad, the guy surnamed Yan is quite interesting."

He Daqing said, "He only learns from his mistakes. He'll show his true colors again in a few days! He's lucky to live in our courtyard. If he lived in another courtyard, he would have been beaten to death long ago."