Courtyard House: A Leisurely and Contented Life

So, Xu Damao, who dares to ask for two old hens just for showing a movie in the commune, is really bold!

There's probably something else going on inside. Someone has something on him that makes him dare to ask for such an exorbitant amount.

Otherwise, showing a movie in exchange for two chickens isn't "asking," it's blatant robbery!

Even the richest landlords aren't this greedy!

Each of the three gained something from this business trip.

But for Yang Jianye, compared to Xu Damao's two old hens and the envelope that Director Ma stuffed in his mouth, what he cared about most was the plumbing skills.

Last night, he used the "Plumbing Skills Upgrade Card" to upgrade his skills to level three in one go.

Boilers and plumbing are inseparable. Yang Jianye listened attentively, observed carefully, and learned thoroughly from the complex circuit designs, the difficult problems encountered in practical applications, and the experienced workers' hands-on instruction. He was just as dedicated as anyone else.

It's like leveling up in a game, grinding by yourself, with each level being a hurdle; but now a group of "max-level accounts" team up to help you grind experience, can that feel the same?

The experience points are skyrocketing, like they're refreshing the screen! Hey, that's so satisfying!

I have to thank the master craftsmen for not being able to spare any time to give me this opportunity to learn from them.

Don't be fooled by how heavy the work at the boiler factory may seem; compared to "protecting the home and the business" and "standing tall," it's nothing.

These days, there are tons of important things to do, but only so many people to manage.

You transferred this group of people away, are you going to return them or not?

Even if we do repay it, who will take responsibility for the time wasted and the consequences of any mistakes? We've done this kind of thing countless times. Compared to talent, what does face matter?

When the job assessment team poached him in front of Director Yang a few days ago, Director Yang's face turned green, but he couldn't utter a single word.

They're all top experts and darlings! If you say anything too much and offend them, it's considered an "attitude problem" or "lack of awareness."

In this day and age, what could be more important than what they do? But if I really went with them, life would never be as comfortable as it is now. I would be destined to be an "apprentice" there, surrounded by experts, each one a master of the "Five Greats" level; the tasks would be heavy, the rules numerous, and the burden would be so heavy that I could hardly breathe.

In a steel rolling mill, if you mess up, at worst you'll get a melon seed (a form of food poisoning), but they won't actually eat you.

These are the conditions we have here. How about you lend me your top expert for a while?

When you get there, you're given a task, and you have to do it whether you're capable or not. They escalate things to an extreme, it's terrifying!

Besides, if you perform well, you might just be thrown somewhere and left to languish for half your life. What's the point?

Yang Jianye deeply admired these ancestors. If he could meet them, he would definitely chase after them for their autographs, frame them, and keep them as a family heirloom. But if it really came down to it, he knew he didn't have the courage. He hadn't even warmed his new wife's bed yet! No way, no way…

"Master Yang, are you going home or to the factory?"

"I'm going to the factory to take care of some things before I go back."

"Alright, Xiao Li, back to the factory!"

"Okay!"

Looking back at the receding boiler factory, a large crowd had gathered at the entrance, and a small figure could be seen ahead. Yang Jianye thought to himself, "Next time I come, I'll probably have to walk back drunk!"

After a bumpy ride back to the steel rolling mill, driver Li didn't get out of the car. He turned around and smiled:

"Master Yang, you can just leave the chicken in the car. I'll wait for you and take it back to you when I'm done."

The leader said, "Deliver safely and pick up safely again," but how to flexibly handle this is entirely up to the driver.

Master Yang is a capable man. It's always good to get along with him. Last night, while everyone was busy in the workshop, he slept comfortably in the car. He won't miss out on this extra step!

What actually made Xiao Li willingly approach him was the last time he took the factory manager to the big boss's house. On the way back, the factory manager casually mentioned, "Master Yang is a capable man. The big boss praised him highly!" Just from that one sentence, Xiao Li knew that this was someone he had to curry favor with.

"Okay, thank you then." Yang Jianye pulled out a brand new pack of "Qianmen" cigarettes from his pocket. "Here, Master Li, take this and smoke."

"Oh, how could I possibly accept your cigarette?" He said politely, deferring the cigarette to her hand. He had to be polite when necessary, but he also had to accept it. Accepting it made her feel at ease, and it made him feel good too!

Yang Jianye wasn't here to work; he was here to deliver "invitations"—verbally. These days, a word is a word, and verbal agreements are considered binding. People who treat words like dirt exist in every era.

"Master Yang, what brings you here today?"

"Master Yang, we're waiting for your wedding candy!"

"Yes, yes, we have them all..."

It was early morning, the time to head to the factory, and Yang Jianye encountered many people along the way. Upon arriving at the workshop, he shouted, "Comrades, tonight at the north entrance of South Street, at Tongheju Restaurant, I'm treating you all to a wedding feast!"

The time-honored restaurants in Beijing specialize in Shandong cuisine and were once known as the "Eight Great Halls, Eight Great Buildings, and Eight Great Residences".

Before liberation, many restaurants closed down, but Tongheju recruited chefs from the "Eight Great Restaurants," and its business became more and more prosperous and its reputation grew, eventually ranking first among the "Eight Great Restaurants."

However, back then, only five of the "Eight Great Restaurants" remained, and now, only Tong Wo Ju and Sha Guo Ju are left!

The days when the eight famous residences competed for attention are long gone, but the Tongheju brand still resonates throughout Beijing.

Yang Jianye's shout immediately caused an uproar in the workshop.

"Master Yang, are you really going to Tongheju? The food there isn't cheap!"

"Yes, Master Yang, with so many of us, it must cost several tens of yuan, right?"

"Master Yang, you've gone to too much trouble!"

Everyone genuinely wanted to eat something good, but they also felt sorry for Yang Jianye because of the expense.

Sincerity for sincerity, that's how comforting it is. But some people still have their doubts: Tongheju!

With so many people going, it must cost at least thirty or forty yuan, right?

Including the leader, the woman's family will definitely have to send people as well, which would cost at least a hundred yuan.

Spending more than a month's salary on this is too extravagant! Besides... isn't this a bit too high-profile?

"Hey, listen to me!" Yang Jianye shouted a few times before the workshop quieted down.

He patted his chest and said earnestly, "Although this is my wedding, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the masters."

The improvement plan is my own summary, but it's based on experience gained from working on the job. It's full of the hard work of all the masters over the years, and I, Yang Jianye, have kept it in mind and never dared to forget it!

Seeing his righteous and stern demeanor, everyone felt as if a window had been opened in their hearts, and they felt relieved!

Are you envious of him receiving the award?

Even if you know it's something you deserve, you can't help but envy it. If someone doesn't envy it, they should check if they're normal!

The reward and the honor belong to him, but everyone did the work together, so he doesn't have any grudges.

Yang Jianye wasn't sure, but he knew that hoarding things for oneself could lead to problems. He wanted to treat everyone to a nice meal at his wedding to cheer them up and boost morale. He figured that if there was work to be done in the workshop, he could just give them a call and they'd all be ready to give it their all.

One must be honest and down-to-earth; one cannot just make empty promises, lest one lose oneself in the process.

He made a promise to his mentors: "You all have to be here tonight, no excuses! Don't bring anything, just bring your mouths!"

Amidst laughter and chatter, Yang Jianye left the workshop and headed towards the office, inviting each leader in turn: "Director Zhang, would you like to join us for a wedding drink tonight?"

"Director Li, Tongheju Restaurant is open for business!" Some accepted, while others declined.

Finally, he knocked on the door of the deputy factory director's office: "Deputy Factory Director Li, I've come to invite you to my wedding."

"Master Yang, what a rare guest!" Deputy Factory Director Li smiled and invited him to sit down. "I heard you got your marriage certificate. Are you having a celebration tonight?"

"Just got back!" Yang Jianye laughed. The other person offered him a cigarette, and he quickly took out a match to light it for his superior before lighting his own.

He tossed the matchstick into the navy blue ashtray and waved his hand, saying, "I won't be going drinking tonight. Congratulations in advance."

"How can you not come? If you don't come, who am I supposed to invite?" Yang Jianye said anxiously. Seeing that he was really anxious, Deputy Factory Director Li smiled with satisfaction: "You really invited me?"

"What are you saying? I owe everything I am today to the care of my superiors. How could I possibly take time off for my wedding?" Yang Jianye tilted his head back.

"Okay, then I'll go ask for a drink."

Deputy Factory Director Li smiled. Yang Jianye quickly lowered his posture: "Your presence is an honor for me." After exchanging a few pleasantries, seeing that the other party had given him the order to leave, he went out, looked at the cigarette he was holding between his fingers, smiled, threw it on the ground, crushed it with his toe, and went to Director Yang's place.

Having invited everyone he needed to, Yang Jianye returned to the car: "Master Li, were you getting impatient?"

"Not at all!" Xiao Li lit the fire and said politely, "This is the kind of job we do. It's nothing for the boss to wait all night when he's busy."

"I wouldn't dare compare myself to the leader," Yang Jianye waved his hand. Xiao Li turned the steering wheel, and the car left the factory and headed towards the compound. They arrived in a few minutes. Yang Jianye got out of the car and politely invited the other party in for a drink of water, but the other party declined as usual. After a few words of flattery, they waved goodbye, and then ran out of things to say.

"Jianye's back!" The old lady spotted him before he even entered the courtyard. Yang Jianye grunted in response, thinking to himself, "You really have a lot of free time." His children are all grown up, and he has nothing to do. Doesn't he get sick from being so bored?

"Oh my, these chickens are so beautiful!" The third aunt's eyes lit up when she saw the two old hens he was carrying. Yang Jianye didn't reply, but went straight into the yard, calling out, "Yingzi, Yingzi, I'm back!"

Carrying the chicken home, the door opened from the inside. Li Ying, dressed neatly, stood in the house, her eyes initially filled with surprise and excitement. But upon seeing him in person, her excitement subsided: "You're back. Have you eaten?" Her gaze didn't fall on the chicken at all; it was fixed on Yang Jianye's slightly tired face, which was still smudged with oil.

"I've eaten!" Yang Jianye said cheerfully, holding his hand up to his eyes. "Look, what's this?"

"Oh!" Li Ying then noticed the old hen in his hand. "Jianye, where did you get this?"

"Given by the boiler factory manager."

"Factory manager? You helped them?"

"Yeah, some problems were solved. They just shoved it into the truck through the window before leaving, and we couldn't stop them." He was telling the truth; the factory manager really did force the old hen into the truck bed through the window, and he couldn't refuse.

"This is an old hen, it must lay eggs, right?"

"Definitely! We'll support you, won't we?"

With these two old hens, Yang Jianye can lay eggs every day whether he wants to or not, and they can even pair up after laying eggs.

"Okay." Li Ying looked around. "Shall we close the door in the next room first?"

"I'll go home to get the cage from my mom after I eat." He tossed the chicken into the corner of the wall next door, closed the door, and asked, "Why haven't you eaten yet?"

It's almost 10 o'clock; it's time to have breakfast.

"You weren't here... I was half asleep and didn't fall asleep until dawn." Li Ying smiled and turned to get a basin. "I'll get you some water to wash up, and then you can get some sleep. You haven't slept all night, look how tired you are."

She came out of the room, fetched water, and brought it to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). Yang Jianye took off his clothes and was about to speak when he heard her come in when a wet towel was already on his back, wiping him up and down: "Don't move, I'll wipe you."

The water was a little cold, but my heart was warm. What is life? It's when two people hold each other in their hearts! With a wife like that, life has hope. I was exhausted before, but now I'm full of energy.

"Yingzi, we're having a banquet at Tongheju tonight. We need to arrange who we'd like to invite..." But the excitement only lasted a short while. After a whole night of focused work and strenuous activity, Yang Jianye was truly exhausted. After washing himself and changing his clothes, he wanted to talk to his wife, but his eyelids were drooping: "Yingzi, wait for me to get some sleep, then we'll go back together..."

When I opened my eyes again, there was no one in the room.

"Yingzi?" I called twice, but there was no response.

He got dressed and went out, but there was nowhere to check the time. He thought to himself, "I should buy a watch."

There was no one outside, and the double-bar stool was still parked steadily. Li Ying had probably gone back to her parents' house to get the chicken coop.

Yang Jianye turned and went back into the house. A little while later, he came out carrying large and small bags. He had only been married two days before sending his wife back to her parents' home alone. Those who knew might not care, but those who didn't would gossip and make up all sorts of stories. He couldn't bear to see his wife suffer: 20 jin of refined white flour, 1 jin of braised beef, 2 jars of canned yellow peaches, and some melon seeds for the evening. He packed everything else; the same went for milk candy, saying he would buy more if Yingzi wanted some.

He loaded his things onto the cart and pushed it out, unaware that a pair of triangular eyes were staring intently at him from under the window of the Jia family's house next door, their eyes filled with resentment...

On the way, he went to the market and bought a chicken and a live fish, spending a total of two yuan. The chicken cost nine mao and the fish cost one yuan and one mao.

When talking about ducks in Beijing, one cannot ignore "Quanjude," a restaurant that top leaders specifically mentioned, located on Qianmen Street.

Upon arriving at the location, one sees black characters written on the white wall to the left of the original shop: "Duck roasting oven hanging, virtue gathers the whole camp, private and public."

It wasn't closing time, so there weren't many people at the entrance. Yang Jianye waited for about ten minutes, and then a batch of a dozen or so roast ducks was enough to satisfy the customers at the entrance.

After gathering all the necessary items, he rode his bicycle to the supply and marketing cooperative's residential compound.

At the entrance of the Li family courtyard, Yingzi's mother was weaving a chicken coop, muttering, "You child, you should have asked Jianye to come along. I know he's busy, but today is the second day after his wedding, how can it be the same?"

The curtain was lifted, and Yingzi came out: "Mom, I'm not talking to you anymore. Jianye was busy all night and just got home to rest. That man worked hard all night, contributing to the factory. What would I look like if I insisted on making him come along?"

Yingzi's mother glanced at her, both amused and annoyed: "Yes, you're the only one who knows how to take care of people. Your mother is just an unreasonable old woman." Yingzi's father, who was smoking in the room, looked up: "The banquet tonight is at Tongheju, Jianye told you that?" Yingzi responded, and Yingzi's father buried his head in his cigarette again.

"Hey, Yingzi's back. Where's your son-in-law?" a neighbor asked.

"I was busy at the factory all night yesterday and only got home this morning. Yingzi felt sorry for me and told me to stay home and rest."

"Really? You were so busy on your wedding day."

"He's skilled and valued by the factory. He's been working all night and needs a rest."

Yingzi's mother rolled her eyes at her daughter's barbed agreement, clearly saying, "I told you so."

"Ring ring ring," a bell rang, and Yang Jianye rode his old-fashioned double-bar bicycle over the wall.

"Yingzi, Mom." He got out of the car and pushed it towards the door.

Yingzi's mother was taken aback for a moment, then immediately raised her eyebrows and exclaimed happily, "Oh, his dad, Jianye's here!"