He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

He Yuyang woke up just as the first rays of sunlight climbed over the wall of the courtyard house.

He didn't get up immediately, but instead closed his eyes and silently circulated the "Basic Internal Energy Cultivation Method" once. The warm current in his dantian was slightly thicker than yesterday, and as it flowed along his meridians, it brought an increasingly clear sense of comfort, as if his entire body was being soothed. In just a few days, the progress in his internal energy cultivation was visible to the naked eye, which gave him more confidence for the future.

"System, sign in," he muttered to himself.

[Ding! Daily check-in successful. Congratulations, host, you have obtained a set of "Improved Blueprints for Commonly Used Agricultural Tools during the Republic of China Era" (including simple irrigation and threshing tools), which has been stored in the system knowledge base.]

Pale blue virtual text flashed through his mind, and then a large stack of blueprints appeared clearly before his eyes. There was an improved curved plow, which required less effort than a traditional plow; there was a simple foot-operated threshing machine, simple in structure but able to greatly improve efficiency; there was also an irrigation device made using the lever principle, which could easily draw water with just one person... Each blueprint was marked with detailed dimensions, materials, and manufacturing methods, which were easy to understand. Even someone who had never been exposed to woodworking could understand the general idea after looking at them.

He Yuyang's eyes lit up.

Although these farm tools are designed for agriculture, the mechanical principles and labor-saving ingenuity they embody can be applied to other situations. In particular, the structure of those small tools, such as grain threshers, is based on "rapid separation." If modified slightly, wouldn't they be perfect for processing food?

My father cooks Tan family cuisine at a restaurant, and the most time-consuming part is the pre-processing. Like the "braised shark fin" I mentioned yesterday, just soaking, removing sand, and shredding it takes up most of the day. Then there's the delicate knife work—shredding as fine as hair and slicing as thin as cicada wings. By the end of the day, his wrists are so sore he can barely lift them. If we could make a few small tools for processing ingredients based on these improved designs, it would not only increase efficiency but also reduce my father's workload—wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and he couldn't wait to put these ideas into practice.

"Brother, you're awake?" He Yuzhu sat up, rubbing his sleepy eyes, his little face still bearing red marks from being pressed against the stove. "Mom's already cooking; there's sweet potato porridge today!"

"Okay, get up." He Yuyang smiled, lifted the covers, and got out of bed.

Breakfast was simple: sweet potato porridge with pickled radish, a thin, watery dish, enough to reflect your image. But He Yuzhu ate it with gusto, slurping down two large bowls, and even smacked his lips, saying, "It's better than wild vegetable porridge."

Seeing her son's satisfied expression, Liu Yan smiled and wiped his mouth, saying, "Drink slowly, no one's going to take it from you." Her complexion was much better than a few days ago; her face was rosier, and her cough had lessened—all thanks to the spiritual spring water. He Yuyang noticed this and was secretly pleased.

After breakfast, He Daqing went to work. Before leaving, he specifically told Liu Yan, "I might be back a little late today. The restaurant is busy preparing for tomorrow's banquet."

"Okay, take care of yourself and don't overwork yourself." Liu Yan stuffed a steamed bun into his hand, "Have something to eat."

He Daqing nodded, then looked at He Yuyang: "Yangyang, keep an eye on your younger brother, don't let him cause trouble in the yard."

"Don't worry, Dad," He Yuyang replied.

After He Daqing left, He Yuyang made an excuse, saying he wanted to go out and play, and slipped back to his little hut. He rummaged through the stove hole and found a crumpled piece of straw paper—leftover from when Liu Yan wrapped things last time—and found half a piece of charcoal. He sat on the edge of the stove and began to "draw".

Instead of directly copying the farm tools on the blueprints, he simplified and modified them according to his father's needs for processing food. For example, with the threshing machine, he retained the foot-pedal drive structure, replaced the part used to separate the grains with a fine metal mesh, and added blades with adjustable spacing. This way, you could put in softened kelp and radishes, step on them, and they would be quickly cut into even strips, much faster than cutting with a knife.

He also designed an improved peeler that uses curved blades and a rolling shaft to peel sweet potatoes and potatoes quickly and cleanly, while also preventing hand injuries. These were all ideas he came up with based on the principles of the system blueprints and his own life experience from his previous life. The structure is simple and can be made from wood and iron sheets, making it very suitable for use in restaurant kitchens.

The paper was rough, and the charcoal sticks were difficult to control, but He Yuyang drew very carefully, his little brows furrowed. He would stop every now and then to ponder for a while, then use his fingers to erase the parts he wasn't satisfied with and start over. Sunlight streamed through the window and shone on his face, reflecting his focused expression; he didn't look like an eight-year-old child at all.

He Yuzhu leaned over to take a look, pointed at the crooked lines on the paper, and asked, "Brother, what did you draw? It looks like a little car."

"This is something that will make Dad chop vegetables faster," He Yuyang said without looking up.

"Really?" He Yuzhu's eyes lit up. "Even faster than Dad?"

"More or less," He Yuyang smiled. "Let Dad see it when he gets back."

After drawing for almost an hour, he finally finished the basic shapes of the two small tools. Although the lines on the paper were immature, the key structures and principles were all expressed, and anyone with a little woodworking knowledge could understand them at a glance. He Yuyang looked at his "work" with satisfaction, carefully folded the scrap paper, and hid it in his pocket.

Instead of playing in the courtyard, he went into the spiritual spring space.

The bok choy in the space had already grown to the size of a palm, lush and green, so tender it seemed you could squeeze water out of it. He Yuyang estimated that, based on the 1:5000 time flow rate, the first batch could be harvested tomorrow. He turned over the soil again, planning to plant some radishes and potatoes—these are vegetables that store well and have a relatively short growing cycle, making them perfect for planting now.

He even used his mind to summon spiritual spring water and carefully watered the seedlings. The water was absorbed as soon as it touched the soil, and the seedlings seemed to instantly regain their vitality, their leaves unfurling more fully. Looking at this vibrant vegetable patch, He Yuyang's heart was filled with hope. With this space, his family would never have to worry about going hungry again.

Lunch was simple as usual: sweet potato porridge and cornbread. Liu Yan gave the last bit of pickled radish to her two sons, then ate her cornbread with the porridge, making He Yuyang's heart ache. He secretly took two newly sprouted radishes from his spatial storage, washed them, shredded them, sprinkled some salt on them, and handed them to his mother: "Mom, eat these. I dug them up outside; they're so sweet."

These radishes were grown with spiritual spring water; they're crisp, sweet, and juicy, much tastier than ordinary radishes. Liu Yan took a bite and exclaimed in surprise, "So sweet! Where did you dig them?"

"It's right next to the vegetable garden at the entrance of the alley, nobody wants it," He Yuyang lied.

"Don't dig up vegetables next to other people's gardens anymore, it's not good if someone sees you," Liu Yan warned, but still gave half of the shredded radish to He Yuzhu.

In the afternoon, He Yuyang sketched several small tools, all of which were gadgets to lighten kitchen work. He planned to wait until his father tried out the slicer and peeler and found them useful before slowly "drawing" them out.

As evening fell and darkness descended, the aroma of cooking wafted through the courtyard. He Yuyang stood at the door, glancing occasionally towards the alleyway entrance, waiting for his father to return.

"Brother, why isn't Dad back yet?" He Yuzhu asked anxiously. "Did he forget to bring me some candy?"

"Dad's busy, don't rush him." He Yuyang patted his head, feeling a little worried himself.

Just then, familiar footsteps came from the alley entrance. He Daqing dragged his tired body in, his shoulders slumped, his arms too lazy to lift, his forehead covered in sweat, and the back of his clothes was soaked and clung tightly to his body.

"Dad!" He Yuzhu called out and ran over excitedly.

He Daqing forced a smile, patted his son's head, and said in a hoarse voice, "You're back."

"Come inside and rest, I'll get you some water to wash your face." Liu Yan quickly went up to him and took the empty basket from his hand.

He Yuyang felt a pang of sadness seeing his father so exhausted he couldn't straighten his back. He quickly followed his father into the house, and only after his father had wiped his face and was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) catching his breath did he take out the folded piece of straw paper from his pocket and hand it to him.

"Dad, look at this."

He Daqing took it with a puzzled look, unfolded it, and saw several strange things drawn on it, the lines crooked and distorted, like a child's scribbles. He paused for a moment: "What is this? Did you draw it?"

"Hmm." He Yuyang nodded, pointing to one of the things that looked like a small cart, and said, "Dad, do you usually get very tired when you chop vegetables? Especially when you're chopping seaweed and radishes, you have to chop them very finely, it's exhausting. I was thinking, if we made something like this, you could put the vegetables in, step on the board underneath, and the blades on top would move by themselves, wouldn't that make it faster?"

As he spoke, he gestured with his little hands: "Look, this is where you put the vegetables, and this is the blade. The spacing can be adjusted. If you want to cut thicker slices, adjust it to be wider; if you want to cut thinner slices, adjust it to be narrower. Just step on it, and it will start spinning, so you don't have to keep swinging the blade."

He Daqing didn't pay much attention at first, just thinking it was a child's doodle. But as he listened to He Yuyang's explanation and looked at the simple structures marked on the scrap paper—foot pedal, transmission rod, blade, adjusting screw—his eyes gradually changed.

This isn't just random doodles! It's clearly the prototype of a simple shredder!

Having worked as a chef for over a decade, he knows all too well how tiring chopping vegetables is. Especially in Tan family cuisine, which demands extremely high knife skills, sometimes after a day of chopping, his wrists would be sore and swollen, making it impossible to sleep at night. He Yuyang's drawing, though simple in appearance, captures the key to effortless and efficient work. Using a foot pedal instead of manual operation, it truly saves a lot of energy, and the resulting shreds are uniform and much more stable than hand-cutting!

"This..." He Daqing pointed to the blueprints, his voice trembling with excitement, "How did you come up with this?"

"I saw you were working too hard chopping vegetables, so I was wondering if there was anything that could help." He Yuyang lowered her head, pretending to be embarrassed. "I don't know if it will work, I'm just drawing whatever."

"Great! Absolutely fantastic!" He Daqing slapped his thigh, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Yangyang, how come you're so clever? If you can make this, Dad can save half the effort!"

He then looked at another drawing, the improved peeler: "What's this?"

"This is for peeling. Put the sweet potato in, turn it, and the skin will come off. You don't need to peel it bit by bit with a knife," He Yuyang explained.

He Daqing became more and more surprised and excited as he looked at them. Although these small tools were simple in structure, they were full of ingenuity and designed based on the actual needs of the kitchen. They were much more practical than those fancy gadgets! He couldn't believe that an eight-year-old child had come up with this.

He raised his head and looked deeply at He Yuyang, his eyes filled with complex emotions. This child, ever since he confronted Jia Zhangshi last time, seems like a completely different person. Not only is he sensible, but he is also meticulous, knows how to share the burden of the family, and can even come up with such ingenious ideas that even he couldn't have thought of.

Remembering He Yuyang's advice a few days ago to "bring less stuff back and keep a low profile to avoid trouble," He Daqing suddenly understood. This child wasn't just worrying unnecessarily; he genuinely cared about the family's safety, and he understood it even better than he did. He knew how to conceal his abilities, how to avoid trouble, and how to contribute to the family in his own way.

Such thoughts are rare, even among eight-year-old boys, let alone eight-year-olds.

"Yangyang, you..." He Daqing opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin. Should he praise him for being smart? Or should he feel sorry for him for being too sensible?

"Dad, is it not good-looking?" He Yuyang asked softly when he saw that he hadn't spoken for a while. "If it's not good, I'll change it again..."

"Good! Excellent!" He Daqing snapped out of his daze, vigorously ruffled his son's hair, his eyes welling up with tears. "My son is a little genius! Better than his father!"

He carefully folded the straw paper and put it into his inner pocket, as if he were holding a precious treasure: "Tomorrow, I'll find a blacksmith to see if he can make one. If it works, I won't have to work so hard anymore."

"Really?" He Yuyang's eyes lit up. "That's great!"

"Of course it's true." He Daqing smiled, as if much of his fatigue from the past few days had dissipated. "When Dad earns money, I'll buy you and Zhuzi some candied hawthorns!"

"Yay! We get to eat candy balls!" He Yuzhu cheered from the side.

Liu Yan brought in dinner and, seeing the father and son looking so happy, asked curiously, "What's going on?"

"Mom, my brother drew something great that will make Dad chop vegetables faster!" He Yuzhu exclaimed eagerly.

He Daqing showed the drawings to Liu Yan and excitedly explained them. After listening, Liu Yan gasped in surprise, covering her mouth: "Yangyang drew this? How is our son so capable!"

"That's right." He Daqing looked at He Yuyang with pride in his eyes. "Our Yangyang is a lucky girl. She'll definitely have a bright future."

Dinner was sweet potato porridge again, but He Daqing ate with extra relish and even drank an extra bowl. He kept touching the blueprints in his pocket, a barely suppressed smile on his face, muttering to himself, "This shredder needs a hardwood frame, the blades need to be forged by a blacksmith… the adjusting screw needs to be small, otherwise it'll be hard to control…"

Seeing his father's excited expression, He Yuyang was also very happy. Being able to help his father, even if it was just easing his burden a little, was worthwhile.

At night, He Yuyang lay in bed, listening to his father and mother still talking about making tools, their voices full of anticipation. He quietly circulated his internal energy, feeling the increasingly strong warm current in his dantian, and a smile appeared on his lips.

The system's daily sign-in rewards are becoming more and more useful, the vegetables in the Spirit Spring space are almost ready for harvest, my father's fatigue is lessening, my mother's health is improving, and my younger brother is becoming more and more dependent on him... Everything is moving in a positive direction.

Although the undercurrents in the courtyard house are still turbulent and there are many unknown challenges ahead, he is confident that he can take it one step at a time and protect this home.

He closed his eyes, and the image of the system blueprints reappeared in his mind. Perhaps he could think of other small tools that could help his father. Like a plucking tool for chickens and ducks? Or a strainer for filtering broth?

As he pondered, he gradually drifted off to sleep. In his dream, his father was effortlessly busy in the restaurant's kitchen, using tools he had designed, his face no longer showing any signs of fatigue; his mother was smiling as she brought them fragrant meals, and his younger brother was chasing butterflies in the yard... It was a peaceful and warm home.