Courtyard Houses: Longevity Since the War of Resistance

Li Feng woke up in bed and saw the unwashed food and wine on the table, and the book in his hand. He truly hoped that through his efforts, he could change the lives of some people, especially children, since there were many who wanted to study but couldn't.

While washing up inside, he glanced around the courtyard and found that no one was taking care of the sanitation. So, the immediate priority was to give Jia Zhangshi a good beating.

That old hag, if we don't teach her a lesson, she'll really think no one in this yard can handle her.

Li Feng pushed open the door and walked out, not even bothering to eat breakfast. At this time, every household in the courtyard was making breakfast. He went straight to the Jia family's door, and without saying a word, kicked the door open with a bang.

Inside the house, Qin Huairu was busy at the stove when the noise startled her. Jia Zhangshi, on the other hand, lay sprawled on the kang (a heated brick bed), cracking melon seeds and gesturing wildly: "What are you dawdling about? The porridge is almost burnt! Bang Geng is growing, he needs to eat more."

She had a lot of diarrhea yesterday, so she needs to replenish her energy today.

Before she could finish speaking, Jia Zhangshi saw Li Feng walk in with a gloomy face, and she immediately panicked: "W-what are you going to do?"

Li Feng completely ignored her, grabbed her hair, and dragged her off the kang (a heated brick bed). Jia Zhangshi screamed in pain, kicking her legs wildly in the air.

"Oh my god! Murder!" Jia Zhangshi screamed like a pig being slaughtered.

Qin Huairu turned pale with fright, wanting to step forward but not daring to, and could only plead softly, "Section Chief Li, what is this?"

Li Feng glanced at her. This woman wasn't inherently bad, and she was quite hardworking. If Jia Dongxu hadn't died young, and her rural family hadn't been so unreliable, leaving her to support a family of five, she wouldn't have to spend her days smiling and begging for a living in front of Sha Zhu and the others.

"I need to find an opportunity to give her some pointers," Li Feng thought to himself. "This is a new society now, and the teachers have said that women hold up half the sky."

But now is not the time to think about that. With one hand grabbing Jia Zhangshi's hair and the other grabbing the sweeper behind the door, he dragged her to the middle of the courtyard.

This alarmed the neighbors.

The third uncle peeked through the crack in the door, while the second uncle stood at his own doorway, peering in. Sha Zhu, who had just gotten up and was brushing his teeth with his toothbrush, saw this and forgot to spit out the foam in his mouth, swallowing it all back down to fill his stomach.

"What did I say yesterday?" Li Feng slammed Jia Zhangshi to the ground. "I told you to clean the yard and the toilet, but instead, you hid inside and acted like an old matriarch?"

Jia Zhangshi plopped down on the ground, slapping her thigh and wailing, "This is outrageous! Old Jia! Dongxu! Come and see for yourself! This damned bastard is trying to kill me!"

Her tricks to summon spirits might fool the people in the ward, but they wouldn't fool Li Feng.

"Look carefully at who it is! Didn't I tell you that if you continue with this feudal superstition, I'll send you to the police station?"

Madam Jia felt uneasy at his laughter, but stubbornly retorted, "I... I'm just calling my own husband 'son,' what's it to you?"

Snapped!

Li Feng raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap across the face.

"The first slap is for your cheating and trickery."

Snapped!

"The second slap is for spouting superstition."

Snapped!

"The third time, for instigating your grandson to steal. Oh, I already hit you yesterday, I'm hitting you again today to teach you a lesson."

After three slaps, Jia Zhangshi's cheeks swelled up so much that she became completely obedient.

"I was wrong... I really won't do it again..." She covered her face, her voice barely audible.

Li Feng threw the broom in front of her: "Get to work. The yard, the alley, the toilet—don't miss a single spot."

Not daring to renege, Jia Zhangshi trembled as she picked up the broom and obediently went to sweep the floor.

Banggeng hid behind the door, peering through the crack at his grandmother's disheveled state, and unconsciously swallowed. He seemed to see his own future reflected in the door, and his little face turned deathly pale with fright.

Li Feng went back inside and ate a quick breakfast. Looking out the window, he saw that Jia Zhangshi was truly frightened this time and was sweeping the floor with extra effort.

Upon arriving at the factory, nothing much happened that morning. At lunchtime, Li Feng paid special attention to the canteen window. Sure enough, Sha Zhu was still the same as always, getting his food entirely based on his mood.

They would bribe young female workers and tremble at anyone they didn't like.

When it was Li Feng's turn, Sha Zhu was clearly upset. He scooped the bowl full, but then shook most of it out, leaving only a few vegetable leaves at the bottom.

"Next!" Sha Zhu shouted loudly on purpose, and even gave Li Feng a provocative glance.

Just then, Deputy Factory Director Li walked into the canteen for an inspection and saw what was happening. His face immediately darkened, and he quickly walked to the window.

"He Yuzhu! Are you serving meals to the workers?" Deputy Factory Director Li's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an air of authority.

Sha Zhu was startled and stammered, "Director Li, I'm just serving myself the standard meal."

"According to the standard?" Deputy Factory Director Li sneered. "I saw it clearly just now. You gave that lady two big spoonfuls, but when it came to Section Chief Li, there was only this little bit left? Are you treating people differently based on who you serve them?"

Deputy Factory Director Li knew perfectly well that Li Feng was someone whom the higher-ups had called to take care of, and those higher-ups were very high up.

Even his father-in-law said to take good care of him, because this man was not someone they could afford to offend. If Sha Zhu accidentally offended Li Feng too badly, one word from Li Feng could bring down the entire leadership of the steel rolling mill.

Thinking of this, Deputy Factory Director Li's tone became even sterner: "The canteen is a place to serve all the factory workers, not a place for you, He Yuzhu, to throw tantrums! I'll deduct half a month's salary from your pay! If I find out again that you're treating the workers differently, you'll be reporting to the workshop!"

Sha Zhu opened his mouth to argue, but seeing Deputy Factory Director Li's gloomy face, he swallowed his words. His backer, Factory Director Yang, was not around, so he could only lower his head dejectedly.

Li Feng stood aside, calmly watching the scene unfold. He had long expected this outcome. In the eyes of the factory leaders, Li Feng was a special person who needed to be treated with utmost care. For a nobody like Sha Zhu to dare challenge him was simply asking for trouble.

After getting his food and finding a seat, Qin Huairu timidly approached, carrying her lunchbox: "Section Chief Li, may I sit here?"

Li Feng nodded.

Qin Huairu sat down opposite him, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "Section Chief Li, about this morning..."

"I'm not targeting you, but if your mother-in-law isn't disciplined, Banggeng will be led astray by her sooner or later."

Qin Huairu's eyes reddened: "I know...but..."

"But what? You think a woman with three children can only survive by pleasing a man?"

Qin Huairu was stunned; these words struck a chord with her.

"How many female workers in our factory earn their living with their own hands?" Li Feng continued. "That Sister Wang in the fitter's workshop, she raises two children on her own and lives a pretty good life, doesn't she? You're younger and stronger than her, so why do you have to rely on others for handouts?"

Qin Huairu lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers: "I...I had no choice..."

"People can come up with solutions."

Li Feng put down his chopsticks. "If you really want to change things, I have an idea."

Qin Huairu raised her head, a glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes.

"The factory is setting up a women's workers' committee soon and they're short-staffed. If you'd like, I can recommend you for help. It'll be a temporary job for now, but if you do well, you'll have a chance to become a permanent employee."

"Really?" Qin Huairu's eyes widened in surprise, then she habitually lowered her eyes again, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, and her voice also took on a touch of her usual softness.

"But my mother-in-law... she definitely won't be happy about it, and someone has to stay at home, especially with the children..."

Seeing her act, Li Feng's face darkened, and his tone became unusually serious, even somewhat cold and hard: "Qin Huairu, if you really want to go and seize this opportunity, you'd better get rid of this affected manner!"

This sudden sternness made Qin Huairu abruptly raise her head, her pitiful expression instantly freezing, replaced by a look of astonishment and panic.

Li Feng looked directly into her eyes, his words like hammer blows striking her heart: "Listen carefully, your son and daughter are watching and remembering every move you make and every word you say! Do you think Bang Geng learned those opportunistic habits from someone? Do you want Xiao Dang and Xiao Huaihua to grow up like you, relying on feigning helplessness and scheming to get by?"

He paused, letting her process the weight of his words, before continuing, "Parents are a child's best teachers! Before, you had no choice, you were just trying to make a living, so I didn't say anything. But if you go to the Women Workers' Committee, it will be a completely new beginning! It's a place that helps female workers solve problems and stand tall. Nobody will listen to your old tricks, and nobody will pamper you! Everything will depend on your own hard work and dedication; your abilities and sweat will speak for themselves!"

Li Feng's voice wasn't loud, but it carried strength: "This might very well be your last and best chance in this lifetime. Do you continue as you are, letting your daughter follow suit, or do you live a life of your own, showing them what independence and self-reliance truly mean? The choice is yours."

Qin Huairu was completely stunned by these words, all color draining from her face. Li Feng's words were like a knife, cutting open the reality she had always refused to face.

Her actions were subtly shaping the children's future. She remembered how Xiao Dang would occasionally mimic her sighs, and how Huaihua looked at people with a timid gaze; a wave of panic gripped her.

Qin Huai bit her lower lip tightly. When she looked up again, the usual watery light in her eyes was gone, replaced by an unprecedented clarity and determination. She straightened her always slightly hunched back, and although her voice still trembled a little, it was unusually firm.

"Section Chief Li, I understand. I'll go! I'll definitely do a good job and will never be like before. Rest assured, and please be my witness."

"I'll keep asking the comrades over there about your situation and I'll also assess you. As for your mother-in-law, I'll talk to her." Li Feng waved his hand. "But you need to think carefully. This job isn't easy. You'll be responsible for organizing female employees' training, mediating family conflicts, and sometimes you'll have to work overtime."

"I'm not afraid of hardship!" Qin Huairu quickly said, "Even if it's hard, it's better than what I'm experiencing now."

Li Feng nodded: "Alright, go and report to Director Liu of the Women's Federation tomorrow."

Watching Qin Huairu leave happily, I realized this woman wasn't inherently bad; she'd just been driven astray by life. Giving her a hand might actually put her back on the right path.