Courtyard Houses: Longevity Since the War of Resistance

Come back home.

Li Feng was preparing to go home at noon. Today was a big day. Two streets away from Nanluoguxiang, the crackling of firecrackers and the flying red paper scraps attracted the attention of onlookers.

He Family Restaurant has opened.

The Tan family's signboard is quite large, painted very white, and the windows are gleaming.

Sha Zhu, dressed in a brand-new white chef's coat and hat pulled up neatly, stood at the door. His usually indifferent face was now contorted with urgency. Ma Hua followed behind him, back straight. Fatty hadn't come; he couldn't bear to give up the empty title of head chef at the steel mill canteen and figured he could fill in if Sha Zhu left. Sha Zhu didn't insist, hiring two other efficient and arithmetic-savvy waiters instead.

MCA loudly proclaimed: "Ho's Restaurant is grandly opening! For the first three days, all stir-fried dishes are 30% off, and rice is free and all you can eat!"

Uncle Yan Bugui strolled over with his hands behind his back, pushed up his glasses, glanced at the signboard, peeked inside, and nodded: "Alright, Zhuzi, that looks good! This location is well chosen."

But in her heart, she was thinking that she should ask Zhu Zi to bring her some vegetables later; she hadn't given up her old habit of taking advantage of others.

Liu Haizhong, with his belly bulging, paced back and forth, speaking in an official tone: "Silly Zhu is starting his own business, good! This is responding to the policy and revitalizing the economy! Do a good job!" After saying that, his eyes also glanced under the red silk.

The second and third uncles have appeared, but where is the eldest uncle?

At that moment, Yi Zhonghai, with a forced smile, walked over with Director Wang from the neighborhood office. Sha Zhu quickly came over, "Director Wang, what brings you here? Please come in, please come in!"

Director Wang chuckled, "I even expedited the paperwork for your restaurant's opening. How could I not come and take a look? Zhu Zi, run the business well from now on, don't cause any trouble, and bring honor to our neighborhood!"

"Don't worry! I'll be absolutely law-abiding!" Sha Zhu patted his chest and assured him.

Young people like Yan Jiecheng and Liu Guangtian also came over to watch the excitement, while the women stood a little further away, pointing and discussing whether the restaurant could stay open for long.

Xu Damao arrived late, strolled over to the opposite wall with his hands in his pockets, glanced sideways at this side, and muttered to the person next to him, "Quite a show of force, let's see how long this will last."

Li Feng, the key figure, was the last to arrive; he went home to get some things.

Sha Zhu, with his sharp eyes, immediately pushed through the crowd to greet Li Shan: "Li Shan, we've been waiting for you! Say a few words to me!"

Li Feng smiled and nodded, handing over a red paper packet: "Congratulations on your grand opening." Then, turning to the growing crowd, he said in a clear voice: "Fellow neighbors, Comrade He Yuzhu's restaurant is opening today. Many of us have tasted his cooking at the steel rolling mill. Now that he's started his own business, we should support him even more! I can't guarantee anything else, but if Zhuzi can't deliver on these three points—high-quality ingredients, generous portions, and fair prices—I'll be the first to object!"

These words were true, and a chorus of applause immediately rose from the crowd. Director Wang also nodded with a smile.

Sha Zhu, his blood boiling from the atmosphere, stood on the steps, his face flushed: "I am He Yuzhu, a rough man! I only know how to use a ladle. Please forgive me if I have done anything wrong in the past."

He raised his voice even louder, "From now on, this restaurant will be located here! The vegetables will be guaranteed fresh! The portions will be absolutely generous! If the taste isn't authentic, you can scold me! I just want the neighbors to eat well and comfortably. MCA, let's get this going!"

People laughed and pushed their way in, but Li Feng and Yi Zhonghai didn't squeeze in. They sat at a small table reserved near the door. Li Feng ordered stir-fried mutton with scallions, while Yi Zhonghai ordered braised winter mushrooms and bamboo shoots, and cabbage and tofu soup.

The sizzling sound of hot woks cooking over a strong flame came from the kitchen, and the aroma burst forth, making everyone in the room sniffle.

Yan Bugui, being frugal, only ordered the most affordable shredded pork noodles, with a braised egg added. When the noodles were served, he carefully examined their appearance, tasted the soup, and then nodded: "Hmm, that's how it is."

Xu Damao stood at the door, smelling the aroma and hearing the laughter inside. Feeling embarrassed, he snorted and turned to leave.

The restaurant was bustling with business until night. Sha Zhu and Ma Hua were so busy in the kitchen that their feet barely touched the ground, and they were sweating profusely, but they felt a sense of peace and warmth they had never felt before.

Back in the courtyard that evening, the three shareholders met. Li Feng said, "We've made a good start, but a long-term business depends on reputation. We can't compromise on ingredients, taste, portion sizes, or service. We need to put away the old canteen mentality."

Yi Zhonghai also said, "Zhu Zi, now we're working for ourselves. Every bit of credibility is precious. Diligence and integrity are fundamental."

Sha Zhu nodded earnestly: "Li Shan, Uncle, I understand. You two can rest assured, I definitely won't do anything reckless."

After a few days, He's restaurant gained a foothold with its honesty and delicious food, and it was packed with people at mealtimes.

Sha Zhu has changed too. He walks with his chest out and head held high, greeting everyone he meets. After closing the shop, he would wrap some good food in oil paper and deliver it to the poor households in the front and back yards. As for Qin Huairu, he would only offer ordinary greetings and occasionally give her a couple of steamed buns.

This made Qin Huairu look at Sha Zhu in a different light; she never expected that he would send her something now.

Sha Zhu's money and reputation are steadily growing, but some people can't stand it.

Xu Damao's eyes, fixed on the restaurant, grew increasingly gloomy. These past few days, he felt like he had twenty-five mice and twenty-five cats running around like a football, playing a game of tag around a hundred durians.

Watching the bustling crowds at Sha Zhu's restaurant, and seeing Sha Zhu walking briskly in the courtyard, Xu Damao felt a surge of jealousy rising in his head. The two of them had never gotten along since childhood; Xu Damao had never won a fight, but he would win an argument, only to get beaten up again, creating a vicious cycle.

Having failed to conceive with Lou Xiao'e for so many years, Xu Damao had secretly investigated and found the problem to be his own, but he couldn't make it public, as others in the compound were setting an example for him. So, he followed Yi Zhonghai's example, blaming Lou Xiao'e and secretly holding Sha Zhu responsible for the mess, always feeling that Sha Zhu had damaged his manhood when he was a child.

That afternoon, the sun was shining brightly. Xu Damao was chatting with a few idle people at the entrance of the alley. As they talked, they ended up at Sha Zhu's restaurant.

"Tch, don't let his current swagger fool you," Xu Damao scoffed, his small eyes narrowing as he held a cigarette between his fingers. "He runs a run-down restaurant, thinking he's something special? His cooking isn't bad, but his character... well, you never know. Back in the steel mill canteen, he was always cutting corners and messing around with the ladle. Do you think his restaurant ever served enough meat and vegetables?"

Someone nearby chimed in, "Really? I've eaten there, and it really tastes good, plus the portions are quite generous."

"A booming business?" Xu Damao scoffed, flicking his cigarette ash. "That's because it just opened, everyone's excited about it. Wait until this hype dies down, and then you'll see what happens. Who knows what kind of trouble will arise? Besides, where did that old bachelor get the capital to open a restaurant? He probably borrowed from loan sharks, or some other shady business."

These sarcastic and ambiguous remarks, within a few days, drifted into Sha Zhu's ears.

Sha Zhu was chopping vegetables in the kitchen when he heard this. He immediately got angry, slammed the cleaver on the cutting board, rolled up his sleeves, and was about to rush out.

"Xu Damao, you son of a bitch! You've been gossiping about me behind my back. I'll tear your lousy mouth apart!"

Just as a fight was about to break out, Li Feng happened to be passing by on his way home from get off work and caught them in the act.

"Zhu Zi, where are you going? You seem to be in a great hurry." Li Feng reached out to stop him.

"Li Shan, you be the judge! That bastard Xu Damao is spewing filth! I'll beat him to a pulp!" Sha Zhu's face turned bright red, and the veins on his neck bulged.

Li Feng pulled him to the back of the restaurant and lowered his voice: "Beat him up? You might feel better after beating him up, but then he'll turn around and report you for assault. The restaurant just opened, this is a crucial time. Can we afford that kind of trouble? Are we even going to do business?"

Sha Zhu was panting heavily. "So we just let him throw dirty water on us? Does my business even have a reputation?"

"Dirty water?" Li Feng patted him on the shoulder. "Whether your restaurant is doing well or not, whether the food is delicious or not, the neighbors' stomachs know best. Do you think Xu Damao can smear it with just a few words? Zhu Zi, you're Boss He now, you need to act like a boss and have some brains. Arguing with petty people is beneath you. The more he acts like this, the more it shows you're doing well, understand?"

Sha Zhu took two deep breaths to suppress his anger, realizing that Li Feng's words seemed to make sense. But he still felt resentful: "So I'm just going to endure this? That's too cowardly!"

"Tolerate? No need." Li Feng smiled. "Xu Damao's loose tongue needs to be tightened. But it's not worth you doing it yourself. Leave it to me, and I'll make sure he won't dare to spout nonsense again."

Sha Zhu asked skeptically, "What's your plan?"

"Don't worry about it, just focus on cooking. Remember you're Boss He now, have some sense of responsibility, go prepare the ingredients." Li Feng persuaded Sha Zhu to go back inside.

The next day.

"An old man just got back? I have something to tell you."

Yi Zhonghai stopped in his tracks: "Section Chief Li, what is it?"

Li Feng leaned closer, lowered his voice, and whispered a few words in his ear. Yi Zhonghai listened, first stunned, then blinked, "Okay! Section Chief Li, I'll listen to you. That makes sense, it should have been done a long time ago."

"Then can you tidy it up for tomorrow?" Li Feng asked.

"Sure! Tomorrow!" Yi Zhonghai answered decisively, straightening his back a bit.

The next day was a rest day, and almost everyone in the courtyard was there.

Yi Zhonghai left early in the morning and didn't return until almost noon, carrying two bulging net bags in his hands, his face glowing.

I arrived at the Intermediate People's Court first and saw my neighbors working and chatting in the sun. I walked over with a smile and grabbed several handfuls of colorful fruit candies, roasted peanuts, and melon seeds from a net bag.

"Come on, everyone, aunties and sisters-in-law, have some candy, wedding candy!"

Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses: "Old Yi, what's the good news?"

Yi Zhonghai smiled so broadly his eyes narrowed into slits. "It's my wife!"

"Auntie?" Auntie Two exclaimed in surprise. "What good news does Auntie have?"

Yi Zhonghai cleared his throat, his voice louder than usual, "Dear neighbors, I, Yi Zhonghai, am here today to announce some good news: my wife is pregnant!"

"Ouch!"

"Really? Old Yi, this is no joke!"

"For a woman of her age, this is incredibly good news!"

"Congratulations, sir! This is truly a blessing to have a child so late in life!"

The courtyard suddenly became lively. Yi Zhonghai handed out candy to everyone while explaining, "To be honest, I used to have some health problems, and this worry weighed on me for most of my life. It was a stroke of luck that I met a truly skilled master who carefully treated me for half a year. The master said that everything would be fine after the treatment, and unexpectedly, it really worked! Just the other day, the master took my pulse and said that I'm stable and will even have a boy! I was too ashamed to say this before, but now I'm not afraid of being laughed at!"

Everyone in the compound knew that Yi Zhonghai didn't have children. It had been a major worry for him, and now that this huge burden had finally been lifted, and it was such a joyous occasion, that everyone was happy for him.

Jia Zhangshi leaned against her doorframe, pursed her lips, turned and went inside, muttering under her breath, "That old hag can have children, who knows whose they are."

Liu Haizhong stood at his door, holding a few candies that Yi Zhonghai had given him. He forced a smile and said, "Congratulations, Lao Yi," but a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

Yi Zhonghai has a biological son, so his position in this courtyard is even more secure, leaving no room for advancement for his second uncle.

The most unhappy one was Xu Damao. He hid behind his window, listening to Yi Zhonghai's triumphant voice. His face was gloomy, and Xu Damao's nose was so prominent that it was more effective than expensive nose contouring.

Does Yi Zhonghai have an heir?

Or is it a son?

That old bastard, what incredible luck he's got!

Sha Zhu's restaurant is thriving, and Yi Zhonghai's old tree is sprouting new buds. How come they get all the good things?

Thinking about himself again, his wife had run away, and his job was just so-so. The fire in Xu Damao's heart burned brighter and brighter. With nowhere to vent his anger, he could only slam his fist hard against the window frame, gritting his teeth in pain.

"Damn it, they're all going against me!"

The laughter continued in the courtyard. Yi Zhonghai had almost finished distributing the candy. He looked back at his own window and saw his wife's shy face. He felt every pore on his body open up.

Li Feng leaned against his own door frame. Xu Damao, aren't you going to fall for this?

Don't want children?