Courtyard House: Primordial Chaos Pearl

As dawn broke, Lin Dong woke up. After being nourished by the Chaos Pearl overnight, his body had fully recovered, even stronger than the original owner of the body at his peak. He could clearly hear the sound of pigeons flapping their wings in the courtyard, and even the faint clatter of abacus beads in the house of his third uncle, Yan Bugui.

He first entered the chaotic space to check. The cabbages he planted yesterday had already grown to the size of his palm, with thick, juicy leaves, even better than those that had been growing in the ground for half a month. In a corner of the space, the small ladle of tap water he had put in last night had also turned into spiritual water with a faint spiritual energy. A sip of it was refreshing and invigorating.

"Let's use these as a stepping stone." Lin Dong picked the two largest cabbages, wrapped them in an old cloth, and put them in his pocket. These cabbages carried the spiritual energy of the chaotic space, and their taste far surpassed that of ordinary cabbages. In the current situation of scarcity, they were definitely a hard currency on the black market.

He changed into the original owner's most presentable blue cloth jacket, and smeared some soot on his face, deliberately making himself look disheveled—the black market was a mixed bag, and being too clean would only attract attention. After disguising himself, Lin Dong avoided the early-rising neighbors in the courtyard and slipped out through the back door.

The morning in Beijing was still chilly, and the streets were sparsely populated, mostly with workers in overalls hurrying along and children carrying schoolbags. Following the route he remembered, Lin Dong made his way through a maze of turns into a secluded alley. At the end of the alley was an abandoned grain depot, which was a well-known black market stronghold in the area.

Before even getting close, I could hear hushed conversation coming from inside. "Old Chen, how much is your cornmeal?" "Fifteen cents plus three ounces of grain coupons per pound, no less!" "Too expensive, it was only twelve cents last week..."

Lin Dong took a deep breath and walked in. Several sacks were scattered around the abandoned grain station, and a dozen or so people stood in twos and threes, their eyes filled with wariness. A man in a black cotton-padded coat with a scar on his face immediately stared at him and asked in a gruff voice, "Kid, here to buy or to sell?"

"Selling things." Lin Dong casually pulled open the cloth in his arms, revealing two plump white cabbages with glistening water droplets on their emerald green leaves, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

"My goodness, how did this cabbage grow like this?" someone exclaimed in surprise. It's early spring now, and vegetables are more precious than meat. The cabbages on the market are either shriveled and yellow, or have frost marks. You can't find any as fresh and plump as this one.

An old man wearing a melon-shaped hat squeezed through the crowd. He was a regular at the black market, specializing in vegetables, and he immediately recognized the cabbage's unusual quality: "Young man, are you selling this cabbage? I'll offer you five cents a pound, plus half a pound of grain coupons!"

"Five cents? Old Zhang, are you trying to fob me off like a beggar?" A plump woman nearby immediately interjected. "Young man, I'll give you six cents, plus a pound of grain coupons, I'll take it all! My husband will definitely love this cabbage stew with pork!"

Lin Dong knew that these two cabbages would grow quickly in the chaotic space, with almost zero cost, but he couldn't appear too eager. He slowly wrapped the cloth back up: "I don't want money, I want grain coupons and seeds—cabbage seeds, radish seeds, potato seeds, anything goes, the more the better. Grain coupons should ideally be nationally valid, local grain coupons are fine too, but there needs to be a lot of them."

Everyone was stunned by these words. Right now, everyone was short of money and food coupons; few would ask for seeds. Old Zhang's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "I have three jin of national food coupons, a packet of cabbage seeds, and two packets of radish seeds, all from last year's harvest. They're guaranteed to germinate! How about I trade these two cabbages?"

Just as Lin Dong was about to speak, he was interrupted by a shrill voice: "Old Zhang, you're being unfair! I'll give you four catties of local grain coupons, plus a bag of potato seeds!" The speaker was a middle-aged man who was carrying a cloth bag and looked like a purchasing agent from a nearby factory.

Old Zhang grew anxious: "Local grain coupons are nowhere near as valuable as national grain coupons! Young man, I'll add another fifty cents!"

Lin Dong watched the two bidders, secretly pleased. He ultimately chose Old Zhang's offer; the grain coupons were widely accepted nationwide, making it convenient for him to travel. After the transaction was completed, he had just put the grain coupons and seeds away when he was stopped by two shady-looking young men.

"Hey kid, stop right there!" The leader, a blond-haired guy, slurred a cigarette and glanced at Lin Dong. "Just got your food coupons? Want to share some with your brothers? Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite."

Such robberies are common on the black market. The original owner of this body had been robbed once when he came to the black market to exchange goods, which is why he dared not come again. The people around pretended not to see anything, and lowered their heads to pack their things and prepare to leave—it's better to avoid trouble.

Lin Dong's lips curled into a cold smile. If it were the original owner of this body, he would probably have been terrified, but now, nourished by the Chaos Pearl, his strength and reflexes far surpassed those of ordinary people. He deliberately feigned weakness, taking a step back: "I only have these few food stamps; I still need to make a living, brother, please have mercy..."

The blond-haired man thought he was easy to bully, so he reached out and grabbed at his chest: "Stop talking nonsense, give it to me!"

Just as his hand was about to touch Lin Dong's chest, Lin Dong suddenly moved. He sidestepped the blond-haired man's hand, simultaneously grabbing the man's wrist and twisting it gently. A crisp "crack" rang out, accompanied by the blond-haired man's piercing scream: "Ouch! My hand! It's broken! Broken!"

Seeing this, another youth grabbed a wooden stick and swung it at Lin Dong's head. Lin Dong's eyes flashed, and he kicked the youth in the stomach. The youth flew out like a broken sack, crashing into the wall and curling up on the ground groaning in pain.

The two moves were swift and clean, so fast that no one could react in time. The surrounding people were stunned; they had thought he was an easy target, but he turned out to be a tough nut to crack. Old Zhang even gave him a thumbs up: "Young man, you've got impressive skills! These two are local thugs; someone should have taken care of them a long time ago!"

Lin Dong didn't even glance at the two groaning figures on the ground. He dusted off his clothes and said to Old Man Zhang, "Thank you for your kind words, sir." Then he turned and left, not wanting to linger there and cause trouble.

After leaving the alley, Lin Dong found a secluded corner, washed the soot off his face, and then went to a nearby supply and marketing cooperative to buy some salt and needle and thread—the original owner's clothes were torn in several places and needed mending. The saleswoman at the cooperative was a middle-aged woman with a cold attitude, but when she saw the national grain coupons Lin Dong handed her, her eyes lit up, and her attitude softened a bit.

When they returned to the courtyard house, they were just in time for breakfast. Madam Jia Zhang was standing at her door, holding a bowl of porridge so thin you could see your reflection in it, grumbling and complaining, "How can anyone eat this lousy porridge? There's not a single grain of rice! It's all that Lin Dong's fault; not only did he steal the eggs, but he also made a mess of things at home!"

As soon as Lin Dong stepped into the courtyard, Jia Zhangshi's gaze swept over him like a knife. Seeing the cloth bag in his hand, she immediately shouted, "You little rascal! So it was you who stole the eggs! Otherwise, where did you get the money to buy things?"

Everyone in the courtyard poked their heads out. Yi Zhonghai, holding a cornbread bun, frowned and said, "Jia Zhangshi, you can't just say things like that. Lin Dong just got back, how do you know he bought something?"

"I saw it with my own eyes! He was carrying a bulging cloth bag in his arms, he must have bought it with the money he stole from stealing eggs!" Jia Zhangshi became more and more agitated as she spoke, and rushed over to snatch Lin Dong's cloth bag.

Lin Dong dodged to the side and said coldly, "Aunt Jia, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. In this bag, I have salt, needles and thread, and some food coupons that I exchanged. They were all obtained by exchanging my own things, and have nothing to do with your eggs."

"Your things? What things do you have?" Jia Zhangshi persisted. "Besides that half-bag of moldy cornmeal, what else do you have in your house? I bet you stole the eggs and sold them on the black market!"

Lin Dong laughed, took out the packet of national grain coupons from his cloth bag, and waved it in his hand: "See this? National grain coupons, three jin. Do you think your two eggs can be exchanged for that much?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the courtyard gasped. National grain coupons were more valuable than money in those days; ordinary people simply couldn't afford them. Qin Huairu paused, her hand holding the bowl still, her eyes filled with surprise and greed—her family was short of grain coupons, and she wished she could get some from Lin Dong.

Yi Zhonghai was also somewhat surprised. He knew Lin Dong's family background; logically, it was impossible for him to have so many national grain coupons. He put down the cornbread, walked over, and asked, "Lin Dong, where did you get these grain coupons? Don't do anything illegal."

"I had a jade pendant passed down from my ancestors. I was so hungry yesterday that I took it to the black market to exchange for it." Lin Dong had already prepared his story. Jade pendants are things that can appear or disappear at will, and there is no way to verify them.

The reason seemed reasonable, and everyone in the courtyard believed it. Uncle Yan Bugui, the third uncle, adjusted his glasses, thinking to himself: Lin Dong usually seemed honest, but I never expected him to have this trick up his sleeve. Exchanging a jade pendant for three jin of national grain coupons—not a bad deal.

Madam Jia's face turned pale and then flushed; she hadn't expected Lin Dong to possess something like a jade pendant. But she remained unconvinced, muttering, "Who knows if you're telling the truth..."

"Whether it's true or not, you can go to the police station and ask." Lin Dong's voice suddenly rose. "I can go to the police station with you right now and let the officers investigate who stole your eggs, and while we're at it, tell them about how you framed me!"

Jia Zhangshi was terrified of seeing the police, and upon hearing this, she immediately wilted, muttering to herself as she turned and went back into the house. Qin Huairu quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Brother Lin Dong, don't be angry, my mother-in-law was just saying it casually. By the way, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you? We made some porridge, shall we get you a bowl?"

"No need, I have my own food." Lin Dong refused directly, not wanting to have anything to do with Qin Huairu anymore. He took the cloth bag back to his small side room, closed the door, put the food coupons and seeds into the wooden box, and then entered the chaotic space.

He planted the cabbage, radish, and potato seeds he had obtained in the exchange into the black soil of the Chaos Space and watered them with spiritual water. Before long, the seeds sprouted, tender green shoots emerging from the soil, full of vitality. Lin Dong then poured the remaining cornmeal into a stone trough in the space, stirred it evenly with spiritual water, and prepared to cultivate fungal spores—he wanted to try growing mushrooms in the space; mushrooms have a short growth cycle and are very popular on the black market.

After finishing all that, Lin Dong finally felt hungry. He picked a cabbage from his spatial storage, washed it, shredded it, and scooped out a small bowl of cornmeal to make a cabbage and dumpling soup. The cabbage in the Chaos Space was indeed different; the soup it made was fragrant and the cornmeal was exceptionally soft and chewy. Lin Dong drank two large bowls in one go before he felt full.

Just as he put down his bowl, he heard a knock at the door. Lin Dong thought it was Jia Zhangshi causing trouble again, but when he opened the door, he saw He Yuzhu, the simple-minded one. He Yuzhu was holding two steamed buns and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Lin Dong, I'm sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have listened to Aunt Jia and hit you. Here, take these two buns and have something to eat."

Lin Dong was taken aback; he hadn't expected He Yuzhu to come and apologize. Although He Yuzhu was honest, he was also a bit stubborn and usually had Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu completely under his thumb. It was quite rare for him to take the initiative to apologize this time.

"Brother Zhu, let's not talk about the past." Lin Dong didn't take the steamed bun. "I have my own food. Thank you for your kindness."

Seeing that he didn't answer, He Yuzhu scratched his head awkwardly and said, "Okay, if you have any difficulties, just tell me. Don't take those people in the courtyard to heart." After saying that, he turned and left.

Lin Dong watched He Yuzhu's retreating figure, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He Yuzhu wasn't a bad person at heart, just too kind and unable to refuse others, which was why he was taken advantage of by the people in the compound. Lin Dong decided that if he had the chance in the future, he would remind him not to be exploited again.

For the next few days, Lin Dong stayed indoors, spending his time either selling vegetables on the black market for supplies or farming in the Chaos Space. The vegetables in the space grew incredibly fast; cabbages and radishes ripened, and he harvested a basket of vegetables every day, which he sold on the black market for a considerable amount of food stamps and money. He also successfully cultivated mushrooms, which grew large and tender and were highly sought after on the black market. In just a few days, he accumulated ten jin of food stamps and over twenty yuan—a considerable sum at the time.

Everyone in the courtyard noticed Lin Dong's transformation. He used to always look gloomy, his clothes faded from washing, but now he was radiant, wearing new clothes, and bringing things back from outside every day. Everyone was puzzled, but no one dared to ask—after all, they still remembered how fiercely Lin Dong had dealt with Huang Mao last time.

Seeing the changes in Lin Dong, Jia Zhangshi felt a strong urge to try and get some things for herself, but Lin Dong always turned her away. Qin Huairu also subtly inquired a few times about how Lin Dong obtained so many supplies, but Lin Dong always gave vague answers, not letting her gain any advantage.

That day, Lin Dong returned from the black market. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Jia Dongxu blocking his doorway with a stick. Jia Dongxu, his face contorted with anger, immediately roared upon seeing Lin Dong, "Lin Dong, you stop right there!"

Lin Dong frowned: "Brother Jia, is something wrong?"

"Were you talking about me behind my back?" Jia Dongxu glared at Lin Dong. "When I went to the factory today, my coworkers all said I bullied the neighbors, and that my mother framed you for stealing eggs. Did you say that?"

Lin Dong understood. It must be that his argument with Jia Zhangshi in the courtyard last time had been spread around and reached the ears of Jia Dongxu's coworkers. Jia Dongxu was very concerned about his reputation and definitely wouldn't stand for that.

"I didn't say anything bad about you," Lin Dong said calmly. "I was just defending myself when your mother framed me. As for what your coworkers say, that's their business, it has nothing to do with me."

"It's okay? If you don't defend yourself, how will they know?" Jia Dongxu stepped forward, raising the stick in his hand. "Today I'm going to teach you a lesson, so you'll know not to say things you shouldn't!"

As he spoke, the stick came crashing down on Lin Dong's head. Lin Dong's eyes turned cold. He had tolerated the Jia family for a long time, and since Jia Dongxu had come to him, there was no need for him to be polite anymore.

Lin Dong dodged the stick, then grabbed Jia Dongxu's wrist and twisted it hard. Jia Dongxu screamed in pain, and the stick fell to the ground. Lin Dong then kicked Jia Dongxu in the knee, and Jia Dongxu fell to his knees with a thud, tears streaming down his face from the pain.

"Jia Dongxu, I'm warning you, don't mess with me again." Lin Dong looked down at him, his voice icy. "I can overlook what happened before, but if you dare to lay a hand on me again, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Upon hearing her son's screams, Jia Zhangshi rushed out of the house. Seeing Jia Dongxu kneeling on the ground, weeping uncontrollably, she immediately lunged at him, shouting, "Lin Dong! You heartless bastard! How dare you hit my son! I'll fight you to the death!"

Lin Dong shoved her, and Jia Zhangshi fell flat on her face. Lin Dong looked at her coldly: "Aunt Jia, your son started it. I was just defending myself. If you cause any more trouble, I'll send you and your son to the police station!"

People in the courtyard gathered around, and Yi Zhonghai frowned and said, "Lin Dong, you went too far. No matter how wrong Dongxu was, you shouldn't have beaten him like this."

"Grandpa, he started it," Lin Dong said, reciting his prepared explanation. "If I hadn't fought back, I'd be the one lying on the ground right now."

Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses and said, "In my opinion, both sides are responsible. Dongxu shouldn't have hit him, and Lin Dong shouldn't have hit him so hard. How about this, Lin Dong apologizes to Dongxu, and Dongxu doesn't pursue the matter any further. We're all neighbors, so let's keep things peaceful."

"I did nothing wrong, I won't apologize," Lin Dong refused directly. "He provoked me first, I was just defending myself. If he feels wronged, he can go to the police station and report me."

Yi Zhonghai hadn't expected Lin Dong to be so adamant and was at a loss for what to do. Qin Huairu quickly helped Jia Dongxu up and pulled Jia Zhangshi up as well, crying, "Brother Lin Dong, please don't be angry. Dongxu knows he was wrong. Our family is already struggling; if Dongxu gets hurt, our family will collapse."

Lin Dong looked at Qin Huairu's hypocritical demeanor and sneered inwardly. He knew the Jia family was now in a dilemma, wanting revenge but also afraid of being exposed at the police station for Jia Zhangshi's framing. He deliberately said, "Sister Qin, it's not that I'm disrespecting you, it's just that Brother Jia went too far. How about this, I won't send him to the police station, but he must apologize to me and never cause me any more trouble again."

Jia Dongxu winced in pain, his face turning bright red when he heard he had to apologize, but under Jia Zhangshi's glare, he reluctantly said, "I'm...I'm sorry..."

"I didn't hear you," Lin Dong said deliberately.

Jia Dongxu gritted his teeth and raised his voice: "I'm sorry!"

"Alright, get lost." Lin Dong waved his hand and turned to go back into the house. He knew that after this incident, the Jia family would not dare to provoke him again for the time being, but this was only the beginning. His path of revenge had only just begun.

Back inside, Lin Dong entered the chaotic space. The mushrooms there were ripe, growing in clusters, large and tender. He picked a basket of mushrooms, intending to sell them on the black market the next day. At the same time, he was also thinking that relying solely on selling vegetables and mushrooms, while enough to save some money, was too slow. He needed to find a faster way to make money. Only with sufficient strength and wealth could he completely break free from the entanglements of the people in the courtyard and make them pay the price for their actions.

The Chaos Pearl's functions extend beyond farming; it can also be used to deduce cultivation techniques and refine ores. Lin Dong recalled that in the original owner's memories, there was an abandoned mine on a nearby mountain, supposedly once used for iron ore mining, but abandoned after the veins dried up. Lin Dong decided that after selling the mushrooms tomorrow, he would go up the mountain to see if he could find any valuable ores, refine them with the Chaos Pearl, and sell them, thus quickly accumulating wealth.

As night deepened, Lin Dong lay on his bed, gazing at the faintly glowing Chaos Pearl on his chest, his heart filled with confidence. He knew that with the Chaos Pearl in his possession, his future was destined to be extraordinary. The scheming and bullying of the people in the courtyard were merely stepping stones on his path to success. His goal was not only revenge, but also to use the power of the Chaos Pearl to live a brilliant life of his own in this extraordinary era.