Courtyard House: My Hidden Wheat Seeds Caused a National Sensation

The young man in the driver's seat grinned: "A freshman? Get in, I'll show you around."

Bao Yanzhe hesitated before getting into the passenger seat, his gaze still fixed on the car: "Comrade, what kind of car is this?"

"Electric vehicles, for on-campus use only."

The young man turned the steering wheel. "See that open space to the east? Those bicycles are parked there. You can register and ride them."

If you break it, you'll have to pay for it—the school is generous, but the rules are clear.

Bicycles can be borrowed at will? Before Bao Yanzhe could process this news, he saw the other party pull out a palm-sized black cube from his pocket, with number buttons embedded on its surface.

"This is called a mobile phone."

The young man proudly swung his arm, "The signal is only available on campus, so I can call anyone on campus."

You need to accumulate enough credits to buy one.

Bao Yanzhe's eyes widened, as if he were seeing props from a science fiction story come to life.

The scene in the dormitory once again shocked his perception.

A white box on the wall blew out cool air. The young man pointed casually and said, "Air conditioning. We rely on it in the summer."

A silver cylinder hangs on the bathroom wall: "Water heater, hot water for showering anytime."

The washing machine in the corner hummed and whirred. "Just throw the dirty clothes in."

The senior student leading the way leaned against the door frame, his smile radiating pride: "You'll understand once you stay here a while—the best things about our school are things you can only dream of outside."

On the day of the opening ceremony, the sky was clear and bright.

Bao Yanzhe stood in the group of new students, his worldview being quietly reshaped by the information he had been bombarded with over the past few days.

Besides Principal Li Jianye, there was another leader with a lean and refined appearance on the stage.

Li Jianye's voice surged through the auditorium like a tide as he recited "A Young China," each word striking the silent air.

The leader who went on stage last didn't say much, only a few brief words of encouragement, his gaze sweeping over the young faces below the stage, as if inspecting the seeds of the future.

Amidst thunderous applause, the academic journey of the Class of '77 officially began.

Shortly after the ceremony, Li Jianye led the first group of students away from the campus, their footprints scattered across the country.

Time flows by like a stream, and before we know it, autumn is here again.

As the freshmen of the Class of '78 dragged their luggage into the school gate, the sycamore leaves were swirling and falling one by one.

Winter arrived quietly, but the emptiness of the campus did not attract much attention.

A piece of news spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys, stirring up waves far beyond that—an era of change had arrived.

Clutching the still-wet newspaper, He Daqing rushed into the yard, his voice trembling with barely suppressed excitement: "Old Yi! Old Yi! Come out and see!"

Yi Zhonghai pushed open the door, still somewhat sleepy in the morning light: "What's the rush?"

"It's changed! Everything's changed!"

He Daqing's face was flushed as he pointed to the newspaper headline, "Look here—ordinary people are allowed to set up their own stalls and shops! We can do it too!"

Yi Zhonghai was taken aback at first, then snatched the newspaper and quickly scanned the words.

His breathing gradually became rapid.

Ever since I lost my job, my savings have dwindled day by day, and the unease in my heart has been like a stone sinking deeper and deeper into the water.

At that moment, the stone was suddenly pried open.

"Great...that's really great..."

He muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rough surface of the paper, "At least there's a way out."

That makes perfect sense!

He Daqing rubbed his hands together, his eyes shining. "Old Yi, how about we team up? Let's open a snack stall."

Steamed buns in the morning, stir-fried dishes for lunch and dinner, and maybe some steamed bread on the side—don't you trust my skills? I guarantee it'll turn out great!

Yi Zhonghai was intrigued, but his brows immediately furrowed: "The idea is good, but what about food coupons? Where are we going to get so many food coupons?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, leaving the two of them speechless for a moment.

In the silence, a figure slowly emerged from the base of the wall.

Jia Dongxu twirled a few sparse whiskers on his chin, and waved the faded feather fan in his hand idly.

"Food coupons... they're not that hard to come by."

He strolled over to the two men, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "Things are good in the countryside now, and there's plenty of food."

We can just contribute a little more money privately and collect it quietly.

"If you offer a good price, why worry about finding a buyer?"

Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing exchanged a glance, both somewhat tempted.

"Can it be transported into the city?"

He Daqing pressed on, "So much grain is too conspicuous."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

Jia Dongxu closed his fan, puffed out his thin chest, and said, "I've read a few books in this courtyard, after all."

Here's the deal—Master, you provide the capital, Uncle He, you take care of the kitchen, and I'll handle the errands and food preparation.

How about the three of us join forces?

Yi Zhonghai sized him up but didn't respond immediately.

He Daqing also pursed his lips, his eyes full of consideration.

Seeing this, Jia Dongxu quickly smiled apologetically: "I understand the rules! If I have any ideas, I will definitely discuss them with you two first, and I will never act on my own."

Is this feasible?

The two then slowly nodded.

……

Inside the Yan family's house in the front yard, the same newspapers were spread out on the table.

Several heads huddled together, holding their breath as they read the lines. After a moment of silence, a low murmur arose like boiling water.

Who wouldn't want to earn more money? The Yan family's desire for money has always been more straightforward than that of other families.

The Yan family members sat around the table, their eyes all fixed on the open newspaper.

The room was quiet, with only the occasional soft rustling of papers turning.

They all knew they needed to find a way to make money, but after thinking it over and over, they couldn't say what they were good at.

"Boss, think about it."

Yan Bugui pushed the newspaper towards his eldest son, Yan Jiecheng.

Yan Jiecheng took the newspaper, his eyes scanning over a few lines of text, when a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

"Father, look at this newspaper. It says that the south is going to pilot foreign trade."

"Could we go over there and see if we can bring back some novelties that are hard to find here? Maybe that's a good opportunity."

"That's an interesting idea."

Yan Bugui nodded, a hint of approval on his face.

This son is finally thinking about something serious.

But when he turned his gaze and saw his daughter-in-law standing beside him with her head bowed, a different kind of sorrow mixed with his relief.

"Little Liu,"

He cleared his throat. "You two should also get serious; it's time to have a child."

"Why……"

The daughter-in-law lowered her head even further, her voice barely audible.

Yan Jiecheng seemed not to hear, his mind already wandering elsewhere.

The image of Yu Li flashed before his eyes; she was the one he truly desired, but unfortunately, it never came to pass.

The man I'm with now is plain-looking and doesn't have a proper job. I can't stand him no matter how I look at him. We're just barely getting by.

……

In another household in the backyard, the elderly couple, Liu Haizhong and his wife, were also looking at the same newspaper with concern.

Last time, she was so angry that she vomited blood. Although she survived, she completely broke ties with her sons.

With the intervention of the neighborhood committee, the house and most of the family's assets were saved, but the family ties were severed.

Now that I have no children, and my savings are dwindling, I have to find a way to make a living.

"Dad, what can we do?"

My wife asked worriedly.

Liu Haizhong squinted and thought for a long time.

"I think setting up a food stall might work."

He remembered Nan Yi's excellent cooking skills and began to make a plan.

"I'll go talk to Nan Yi tomorrow and spend some money to learn one or two practical skills from him."

We don't aspire to great wealth or status; a small stall selling hot food should be enough to make ends meet.

"Alright, as you wish."

……

Xu Damao also saw the news about the policy change, but only glanced at it briefly before tossing it aside.

He wasn't very interested in these business ideas.

……

In the mud house in the countryside, Cui Dake held a crumpled newspaper, his fingers trembling slightly from the force.

He stared at the words, his eyes burning with a ghostly fire, and a twisted smile gradually spread across his lips.

"Ha...haha...the opportunity has finally arrived!"

He practically spat out the words through clenched teeth, "The Jia family... Jia Dongxu, Jia Zhangshi! You just wait! I, Cui Dake, will return sooner or later!"

……

In the tavern, Xu Huizhen and Cai Quanwu stood side by side, carefully reading the articles in the newspaper several times.

When they saw the clause allowing private individuals to redeem their original properties, their eyes lit up simultaneously.

"Nothing at all, did you see that?"

Xu Huizhen's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement, "We...we can redeem the tavern! We can be in charge of our own affairs now!"

Cai nodded firmly, a smile spreading across his honest face, and simply hummed in agreement.

With a single sound, all expectations were contained in that one sound.

……

Inside the silk shop, Chen Xueru stood alone behind the counter, her fingertips gently tracing the smooth satin surface.

With the policy relaxed, she was able to reopen her shop and was making plans to make a big splash when she heard unhurried footsteps outside the door.

She looked up and saw a familiar figure standing against the light at the doorway; the silhouette made her frown immediately.

"Fan Jinyou?"

Chen Xueru straightened up, her tone indifferent, "What are you doing here?"

Fan Jinyou stepped across the threshold, stood still, and his gaze fell on Chen Xueru's bright face with a complicated expression. After a moment of silence, he managed a cryptic smile.

"Chen Xueru,"

He spoke slowly, his voice a little hoarse, "It's been a long time."