Courtyard House: My Hidden Wheat Seeds Caused a National Sensation

"People of this era are so simple and warm-hearted."

Li Jianye sighed softly.

"Brother, you're amazing."

Delilah leaned on his shoulder, looking up at him with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Of course, don't you know whose family you're from?"

Li Jianye smiled and squeezed her hand.

"mine!"

Delilah raised her chin, smiling like a proud little bird, "My people are the most powerful."

We chatted and strolled along, and before we knew it, we had arrived at Shichahai.

A number of people gathered by the lake, most of them sitting quietly with fishing rods in hand—in these days, food is always precious.

Each person received a fixed amount of grain, and very few anglers were willing to use grain as bait. They mostly caught insects, ants, earthworms, and the like directly on their hooks, and the catches were often small.

The waterways within the city walls are now under government control. Every autumn, officials set up nets in various waterways to catch fish, and any fish weighing more than one pound are taken away.

The yamen where Yan Jiecheng worked was specifically in charge of this job.

This job was secured for his son by his father, Yan Bugui, an old man who was obsessed with fishing, who had a chance encounter with the manager of the fishing office.

The two stopped along the street, observing the anglers for a moment, before continuing their slow southward journey.

They had to rest after walking a while, as Delisilin was now six months pregnant and had to make such adjustments.

We traveled and stopped frequently, and by the time we arrived in the Dashilan area, the sun was almost at noon.

So they found a restaurant, had a meal, and then headed towards Chen Xueru's silk shop.

……

The silk shop on Qianmen Street was exceptionally lively today because of a great event—the imperial court had opened its granaries to distribute grain, and famine would soon be a thing of the past.

The female customers had long-lost expressions of relaxation on their faces, and there were many more people choosing new clothes than usual, making the business so busy that it was almost chaotic.

Both the public manager, Pian'erye, and the private manager, Chen Xueru, had to personally step forward to make arrangements.

The crowds surged until noon when the flow of customers gradually thinned out.

The two took the opportunity to move to the inner room to have their meal.

Chen Xueru held the bowl, her eyes shining: "Today's turnover is almost as high as during the New Year! If it continues like this this afternoon, it might break the single-day record."

But Pian'erye shook his head and laughed, "Like this every day? How could that be?"

It was only because the food shortage was resolved that everyone felt relieved and, having been cooped up for so long, came to buy food.

Such a sight is unlikely to be seen again.

Chen Xueru sighed softly, then said, "That Li Jianye is truly remarkable; he managed to solve the nation's food shortage in one fell swoop."

The thought of never having to go hungry again filled me with joy.

I, Chen Xueru, never imagined that my family, with its limited resources, would ever have days when we had money but couldn't find rice... The past few days have truly been unbearable.

She paused, then suddenly looked up. "Uncle Pian, do you think that Li Jianye mentioned in the newspaper might be the one we know?"

"Absolutely impossible."

Grandpa Pian waved his hand, "How old is that young man? Think about what's written in the newspapers—fertilizers, breeding, agricultural machinery, which of these isn't a subject that others have spent their entire lives studying? For him to be proficient in so many things, it must have taken him at least several decades."

In my opinion, that Li Jianye must be a highly respected and esteemed elder.

Chen Xueru nodded after hearing this, agreeing with the point.

The tall, imposing figure she had envisioned in her mind faded somewhat.

Ever since Li Jianye came to order maid outfits, rabbit ears, cat ears, and other similar items a few times, Chen Xueru's impression of him had quietly shifted.

She felt that this customer must be a person with taste and a sense of fun, completely different from the usual taciturn and introverted technical staff who buried themselves in scientific research.

"Sister Xue Ru!"

Just as Chen Xueru was about to speak again, the shop assistant hurriedly lifted the curtain and came in, her voice filled with excitement, "Mr. Li Jianye is here! He's looking for you!"

Because of the bet Fan Jinyou made last time, Chen Xueru owed Li Jianye a thousand yuan, and since then he has become a regular customer of this silk shop.

Everyone in the shop naturally recognized him.

"Hey, I was just saying that, and here they are."

Sitting to the side, Pian'er Ye picked up his teacup and said with a smile.

"We've already eaten, let's go out and meet them."

Chen Xueru stood up, straightened her clothes, and said, "It's a good opportunity to chat with this person who shares the same name as the great hero and hear his thoughts."

The two then walked towards the outer room.

Inside the shop, Li Jianye and his wife were carefully selecting fabrics, their backs to each other exuding a gentle aura.

"Jianye, it's been a while since I've seen you."

Chen Xueru stepped forward, beaming with smiles.

His gaze shifted to the woman beside him, and he sighed softly, "Little Di, your figure is showing, you're so lucky."

The four exchanged a few pleasantries and then moved to the sofa on the side of the hall to sit down.

Pian'er Ye, always fond of joking, had barely sat down when he teased Li Jianye, "Jianye, I haven't asked you yet—how does it feel to share a name with that great hero in the newspaper?"

Li Jianye was taken aback. Before he could answer, Dilireba, who was beside him, frowned slightly and spoke in a clear voice: "Master Pian, the man mentioned in the newspaper is my husband."

Both Pian'erye and Chen Xueru were stunned by these words.

"really?"

The two looked at Li Jianye with surprise and doubt in their eyes, hoping he would deny it.

Li Jianye simply smiled sheepishly and nodded: "It really is me."

For a moment, the hall fell silent.

Pian'erye and Chen Xueru looked at each other in surprise. They had initially thought it was just a coincidence that they shared the same name, but they never expected that the familiar customer in front of them was actually the person mentioned in the newspaper.

Old Man Pian was the first to recover, excitedly slapping his knee: "Hey! I can't believe I've met someone like that in my entire life! How impressive!"

"That's truly remarkable."

Chen Xueru also sighed softly, and when she looked at Li Jianye again, her eyes shone with a new light.

Compared to him, Fan Jinyou's behavior seemed utterly foolish and dull.

If he weren't already married... This thought only briefly crossed her mind before she dropped it.

"Tonight at the tavern, it's my treat; we absolutely have to have a couple of drinks!"

Pian'erye extended a warm invitation.

"Let's do it another day."

Li Jianye gently declined, putting his arm around his wife's shoulder. "She's pregnant; it's not appropriate for her to go to a pub."

"I'll treat you next time. This time, the government even gave us a reward for getting those things done."

"You're really capable..."

After hearing this, Pian'erye couldn't help but sigh softly.

He used to make a living by pulling shadow puppets, but he had no stable job and no special skills, so he always lived a meager existence.

Ever since the trend of public-private partnerships came about, he has completely lost his livelihood.

Life became increasingly difficult.

Fortunately, Chen Xueru lent him a hand and pulled him into the silk business as a general manager, which gave him a stable income.

However, Chen Xueru was stubborn and had a firm mind. Working under her was bound to be restrictive and frustrating.

But Pian'erye was a restless man at heart. How could he be content to just live off this meager amount of money? He harbored a burning ambition and was always plotting to find an opportunity to make a big deal—such as those speculative businesses that circulated in the shadows.

However, in those years when the situation was tense, he dared not make any rash moves.

Now that things are different, and he no longer has to worry about going hungry, his heart is filled with renewed energy.

Seeing Li Jianye's success today has stirred him even more, making him eager to go out and make his mark and achieve great things.

Thinking that Li Jianye was not an outsider, Pian'erye tentatively spoke up: "Jianye, you are now a man of some standing. I have something to ask you for some honest advice."

"He's not some big shot, he's just someone who buries himself in research."

Li Jianye smiled and waved his hand, "Please speak your mind, I'm listening."

"That's how it is."

Pian'er cleared his throat and lowered his voice even further, "Given the current situation, it's obviously impossible to do private business openly."

But I know someone who's struggling financially and is always looking for a way to earn some extra money... What do you think, is this feasible?

"Doing business?"

Hearing this, Chen Xueru quickly lowered her voice and looked around the front and back of the shop warily.

Fortunately, it was lunchtime, there were no customers in the restaurant, and none of the staff were there, so no one else heard what they said.

"How can we do that now? What if we get caught?"

"Xue Ru is right."

Li Jianye nodded and continued, "It's not easy to do things behind the scenes."

More importantly, if we get caught, the trouble will be much bigger.

He knew perfectly well that Pian'er wasn't the type to settle for poverty; deep down, he harbored the ruthlessness of a gambler. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given up his stable job and sold his ancestral home to make a living through speculation.

When Master Pian asked this question, he wasn't really asking for advice; he just wanted to hear something from someone else that confirmed his own thoughts.

So he gave Pian'erye the line he wanted to hear—it's not easy, and the risks are terrifying.

"Not easy?"

Pian'erye's heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself, "It's not that it's impossible, it's just not easy."

It seems this path really works! As for the risks... just be careful in everything you do, and don't give anyone any leverage against you.

He sensed the hint and a smile crept across his face, but he said, "It seems I should advise my friend to give up on this idea as soon as possible."

Li Jianye could tell just by looking at his expression.

He knew that Master Pian'er was determined to make up his mind.

Considering the timing, it's not surprising that he would have this idea right after this difficult time.

"You've come at just the right time."

Li Jianye thought to himself, "His intention to sell the house is probably already budding."

"Come back a few more times, and when the time is right, you can get your hands on that courtyard."

After this matter was discussed, the group stopped talking about business and started chatting about everyday things, gradually creating a more relaxed atmosphere.

After chatting and laughing for a while, Li Jianye took the opportunity to have several loose-fitting clothes measured for Dilisilin at the store, in preparation for her future wear.

Dilireba took Li Jianye's arm, and the two strolled slowly along the street.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the sycamore leaves, casting dappled patterns of light that fell on her slightly protruding belly.

They turned into the department store, where the air was filled with the smell of new fabrics mixed with mothballs.

In front of the baby supplies counter, Li Jianye carefully selected several soft cotton shirts and an oak cradle with guardrails.

The salesperson carefully wrapped it in kraft paper and tied it with hemp rope.

When we returned to the courtyard house, the sun was already setting in the west.

Yan Bugui was squatting by the doorway tending to his chrysanthemums when he saw them. He patted the dirt off his hands and came over to greet them.

"You're back?"

He naturally took the package from Li Jianye's hand and lowered his voice, "Something unusual happened today."

His eyes gleamed behind his glasses as he leaned closer. "I went to Shichahai to cast my line and ran into Dongxu and Shazhu there."

The three of us sat side by side, the buoy on the water completely still. Suddenly, Dongxu nudged me with his elbow and said he'd seen He Daqing.

"He Daqing?"

Li Jianye paused in his steps.

"That's right, it's Sha Zhu's dad."

Yan Bugui switched the package to his other hand. "Years ago, I ran off to Baocheng with a widow, leaving behind two children."

Sha Zhu went to look for him in the rain, but they wouldn't even let him in the door.

Who would have thought he'd return so quietly? I figured he was probably ashamed too, too embarrassed to face his children.

Li Jianye frowned slightly.

The book in his memory clearly stated that this person was not brought back until decades later.

It's only autumn of 1960, how come people have already appeared? Perhaps it's true, as people say, that a butterfly flapping its wings can change the direction of the wind.

Meanwhile, in the backyard room where a half-drawn curtain was always drawn, the air felt heavy and oppressive.

The deaf old woman sat in the rattan chair, her hands gripping the worn bamboo joints on the armrests, her knuckles turning white.

"He's really back?"

Her voice sounded like it was being squeezed out of an old bellows.

Yi Zhonghai nodded from the shadows: "Zhu Zi and Dong Xu both insist they saw it."

Dongxu wanted to step forward, but Zhuzi held him back.

Later, Old Yan also went for a look around, but people said they had already left.

"Why...why did he have to come back at this time?"

The old woman murmured, her deeply wrinkled face showing no resentment, but rather like a pond in winter with a thin layer of ice, beneath which ripples of anxiety spread.