Courtyard House: A Leisurely and Contented Life

The gossiping housewives who were just moments before were now all smiles, calling out through the courtyard gate, "Yingzi's husband is here!"

"Mm." Yang Jianye nodded with a smile, propped up his bicycle at the door, and started unloading the bags.

Yingzi, beaming with joy, accepted the gift without a word, her fingers moving with a light touch.

"Jianye, let Yingzi tidy up and come inside." Yingzi's father came out of the house, smiling at him.

The elderly couple felt warm inside when they saw him arrive.

"Dad, it's alright. There's a lot of stuff, and I'm worried Yingzi will get tired." Yang Jianye's words brought out the wrinkles on the faces of the two elderly people.

The idle women on the sidelines exchanged glances, feeling a pang of envy. They looked at Yingzi's husband and then thought of their own: he would come home every day and collapse on the bed like a king, not helping with any chores, and they even had to take off their own shoes; they had to be served when he washed his face and feet, and his salary was less than half of Yang Jianye's, yet he put on such airs.

Then look at what Yingzi's husband brought back: that bag of refined white flour weighed at least twenty pounds, and there was also chicken and fish. The aroma was just like that of Quanjude roast duck, and the packaging looked authentic.

The gifts they brought during their previous visit were truly astonishing...

Comparing yourself to others is a recipe for misery; compared to them, my own man is simply unbearable to look at.

"Yingzi, here's some melon seeds and candy to share." Yang Jianye handed her the bag and then turned to move on to get other things.

The children who had been running behind the car suddenly swarmed around it. Yingzi smiled and waved her hand, saying, "Don't push, one at a time. I won't give any to those who try to grab it."

"Sister Yingzi! Sister Yingzi!" the children called out, stretching out their little hands.

She gave each child seven or eight sunflower seeds and two candies, no more and no less.

Yingzi's mother watched with a heavy heart. No wedding was this lavish. Putting down the chicken coop she was almost finished weaving, she rushed forward and snatched the bag: "Go away, go away, it's all gone! Share it among your brothers. If you want some, wait until you get home."

He glared at his daughter and led her to hand out candy to each house for good luck.

Back inside, Yingzi's mother scolded, "How can you give like that? Five or six kids in a family, how is that enough?"

"Mom, I was so happy I forgot." Yingzi felt sorry for her too.

Yang Jianye had been busy all night and was still thinking about her. He brought such a generous gift, and she felt like she was floating on air. She didn't think much of it and left without giving it a second thought.

Now that I think about it, I really can't bear to part with the extra few dollars.

"Mom, stop talking. Consider the extra money as a blessing." Yang Jianye interjected with a smile, and Yingzi's mother stopped talking. She was scolding her daughter only because she was afraid that her son-in-law would be unhappy.

These days, life is tough. We've just started to have a better life, so how can we waste it?

Yingzi is used to being generous. If she spends an extra two or three dollars, how can the men not complain?

But judging from Jianye's appearance, he seemed genuinely unconcerned, and his gaze towards Yingzi was warm and gentle. As a mother, she felt comforted: "Our daughter married the right person."

"Jianye, Yingzi said you're having a banquet at Tongheju tonight?" Yingzi's father asked, smoking a cigarette with a slight frown.

"Yes, at Tongheju," Yang Jianye replied. Yingzi's father hesitated and said, "How many tables do we need? Your salary isn't low, and Yingzi also has a regular income. We're not afraid to spend money, but we need to be frugal. Extravagance is unacceptable; once you get used to being extravagant, it's hard to change. Besides, we don't want to arouse jealousy; there are plenty of people who can't stand seeing others do well."

Yingzi's mother glanced at the young couple: "Jianye, your father is doing this for your own good. You need to be careful with your money. You're still young; you need to save some money. Yingzi will be pregnant later, and there will be many expenses!"

Yang Jianye nodded: "Mom, I understand. It's a wedding, a happy occasion! Besides, I gave the factory some feedback before..."

He explained the whole story, and Yingzi's father felt relieved. It was both a wedding reception and a way to thank his colleagues, so letting them stay at Tongheju was a reasonable explanation.

"Then it's your decision. Don't worry about the supply and marketing cooperative. Yingzi's mom, prepare a couple of dishes later, and I'll invite them over." Yingzi's mom agreed.

Many people wanted to come and join in the fun, but Yingzi's father turned them all down. There were already quite a few people from Jianye's workplace, and he didn't want to add any more burden to the child.

As they were talking, Yingzi's mother put away the things Yang Jianye had brought back, and couldn't help but mutter, "Jianye, why did you buy so much?"

Chicken, fish, Quanjude roast duck, beef, canned goods, plus heavy loads of white flour—this is quite a grand affair.

"Mom, please accept this. We have plenty at home." Yang Jianye held Yingzi's hand, his tone reassuring. "This is a small token of our appreciation from Yingzi and me."

Li Ying lowered her head, her eyes overflowing with tenderness, her heart warmed, and she wished the sky would immediately darken so she could give herself completely to him.

They didn't linger at home and carried their things back to the courtyard.

He was carrying a chicken coop, as well as some melon seeds and candy.

Yingzi's mother accepted everything else, but she absolutely refused to take the melon seeds and candy, insisting that they keep them to entertain guests that evening.

Yang Jianye smiled and said, "There's more," and insisted on stuffing it into Yingzi's hand: "Take it if you have any, what if it's not enough? We're not short of food at home, it's okay if you eat a little less."

Thinking about how warm and caring the two elderly people were, truly treating them like family, Yingzi felt a sweet warmth in her heart. This daughter-in-law was definitely a worthwhile marriage.

Back at the hospital, they parked the car at the gate and went inside to tidy up.

The melon seeds and wedding candies were unpacked and sorted. No cigarettes were prepared; whoever wants them can bring their own. The alcohol was ordered directly from the store; these days, the price is the same outside and inside, and besides, there might not be that many vouchers available outside.

Just as I was wondering what else I had missed, the door creaked open a crack.

"Uncle Yang?" It was Xiao Dang.

"I'm here, come in quickly." Yingzi stepped forward and opened the door. As soon as Xiaodang entered the room, he reached into his pocket, opened his hand, and there were two milk candies lying in his palm, the wrappers still covered in mud.

"Uncle Yang, Aunt Yang, my brother took it, I'm returning it." Xiao Dang's voice was soft and sweet, her eyes shining like they were filled with water as she stared straight at the two of them.

Yingzi pulled her to sit down on the small stool and asked what had happened. Yang Jianye already knew what was going on. It must have been when he left that Banggeng sneaked into the house and secretly grabbed some milk candy and melon seeds, without touching anything else. Otherwise, he would have noticed something was wrong long ago.

"My brother only gave it to the two of us, but I didn't eat it." Xiao Dang swallowed hard and stuffed the candy into Yingzi's hand.

Yingzi felt both heartache and joy, and hugged the girl tightly: "Xiao Dang is such a good girl, such a good child."

Xiao Dang was also tempted, but she remembered what Uncle Yang said, "Don't go astray," and she also remembered what Uncle San told his son, "Those who don't know gratitude are beasts."

She adored Uncle Yang and Aunt Yang, and didn't want to be called a "stinky beast," so she put the candy in her pocket and hid from her grandmother and brother, waiting for them to come back to return it.

Yang Jianye patted her head and took out a jar of food from the cabinet: "Yingzi, get me a bowl."

After Yingzi handed him the bowl, he divided the can in half, pushed one bowl to Xiaodang, and left the jar for Yingzi: "Eat up, it's very sweet."

Xiao Dang's mouth watered, her eyes wide with anticipation. She had never even seen canned food before.

After trying to scoop with a spoon several times without success, he simply brought his mouth to the edge of the bowl, used the spoon to scoop the food into his mouth, and took a big "hum".

A small notch appeared on the yellow peach, and she was so happy that her eyes narrowed into slits. Uncle Yang was right, the canned fruit was really sweet!

Yingzi ate happily, scooped up a piece and held it to Yang Jianye's lips: "Let's eat together."

Yang Jianye wasn't being coy; he opened his mouth and swallowed a large piece. It wasn't like there wasn't anything to eat; if he wanted to eat more, he could open the shop tomorrow.

After finishing the canned food, Yingzi pulled Xiaodang to wipe her face, cleaning the sugar water from the corners of her mouth and the dust from her face.

Her thin little face suddenly looked much fairer. "Go play."

After seeing Xiao Dang off, Yingzi looked at Yang Jianye and asked, "How old is Bang Geng? How come he's stealing things?"

Yang Jianye sneered: "With a thieving wife, what kind of good grandson can she raise?"

"Did your grandma teach you that?" Yingzi was stunned. "No way! Which adult doesn't teach their child, 'If you steal, I'll break your hand'? Take Aunt Guo in our neighborhood, for example. She beat her son so badly his face was swollen because he stole firecrackers, and she even dragged him to her house to apologize."

"There are plenty of things you haven't seen." Yang Jianye smiled, thinking to himself, "This is nothing."

That old woman's wicked thoughts are a hundred times more cunning than a shrew's.

These days, if you're not assertive, you'll suffer in silence; but even kindness needs to have thorns, otherwise you're just being foolish.

The old woman's demeanor is such that calling her human is like saying she's just an empty shell; who knows what's inside?

"You stay home and tidy up, I'm going out for a bit." Yang Jianye put on his shoes and walked out. Yingzi quickly asked, "Where are you going?"

"Buy a lock, so we won't attract thieves again."

He went out and bought two locks, hung them on the door when he came back, and rode his bicycle with Yingzi straight to Tongheju. It was getting late, and he had to make arrangements first to avoid chaos when others arrived.

After finishing work, Yi Zhonghai walked into the yard with his hands behind his back, his mind still on Sha Zhu. When he got his meal today, Sha Zhu's eyes were different from usual; he ignored him.

Normally, if Sha Zhu gets upset about something, he forgets it as soon as he turns his head. How could his brain remember things?

But a whole night has passed, and you still hold a grudge?

Yi Zhonghai wondered to himself, "Has this kid changed his ways?"

There was something even more troubling: Yang Jianye was getting married and had a wedding banquet at Tongheju Restaurant, with over a dozen tables set up. He invited all his coworkers from the workshop and factory leaders, but conspicuously, no one from the compound was invited. Yi Zhonghai grew increasingly angry. Yang Jianye was so famous now; if outsiders found out, they'd surely say that the people in the compound were ostracizing him! Wouldn't that ruin his own reputation? He'd spent half his life seeking fame and fortune, and now he was making this foolish mistake at the end?

"That kid Yang Jianye is getting more and more outrageous." Yi Zhonghai muttered as he stepped into the courtyard, only to find a group of people gathered in the middle courtyard, making a ruckus.

He frowned and quickened his pace. As soon as he entered the cave, he saw the heads of each household peeking out. "What happened?"

"Grandpa, come and see Jianye's house!" Someone ushered him inside.

Yi Zhonghai squinted and his blood pressure shot up. The two large iron locks hanging straight on the door felt like two slaps to the face!

Which family in the courtyard doesn't keep their doors open?

If Yang Jianye locks the door like he's guarding against thieves, and the neighborhood committee finds out, will the red flag for the advanced collective still be displayed?

"Could it be a burglary?" "It looks like one, I wonder if it was an inside job or an outside job." The neighbors whispered among themselves, and Yi Zhonghai's heart sank.

Reputation may seem insignificant in ordinary times, but it only shows its weight when something really happens. Yang Jianye had good interpersonal relationships, so even if he made a mistake, there were always people who would speak up for him.

Yi Zhonghai pondered deeply: Should he intervene in this matter? Could he use this as an excuse to put pressure on Yang Jianye?

Just as he was pondering this, Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up when he saw Sha Zhu return.

When Sha Zhu got closer and saw the lock on the door, he sneered, "Sha Zhu, don't you think Jianye has gone too far? There are only a few households in the middle courtyard, and Auntie Da, Auntie Er, and Auntie San are all here. Who is he locking the door to keep out of?"

Sha Zhu was a kind-hearted person, and when he saw Yang Jianye giving him a hard time in front of the whole courtyard, his face immediately fell.

Just then, Xu Damao strolled in, a cigarette dangling from his lips, looking like a troublemaker.

Meanwhile, in Tongheju, Yang Jianye's wedding banquet was a grand affair, with over thirty workshop workers, factory leaders, and Yingzi's six relatives, totaling sixty or seventy people, filling most of the hall.

The large round tables were packed full, with at least fourteen or fifteen people crammed into each table except for the leaders' table. Even Yingzi's parents' table was so crowded that they couldn't turn around.

Yang Jianye advised everyone to sit separately, but no one listened: "Jianye, it's warmer to squeeze in! Hurry up and greet the leaders, remember to come and toast them later!"

His father-in-law pushed him inside with a single sentence, leaving Yang Jianye both amused and exasperated. He could only pull Yingzi inside.

Sixty or seventy people dining out is a first for this compound. Even large factories and enterprises don't have this kind of grand occasion. Normally, being able to add two dishes to the canteen would be considered a celebration of the New Year.

The leader sat alone in the private room, and had already picked up his wine glass.

A roasted lamb leg sat on the table, glistening with oil and golden brown, looking incredibly tempting.

The lamb leg was supported by a dart, with a butcher's knife next to it, slightly larger than a fruit knife of later times, with a slightly curved tip.

The meal included a full selection of chicken, duck, fish, and meat, and the drinks were Xinghua Fenjiu liquor, poured into a clay pot and placed on a small stove, bubbling and gurgling, its aroma filling the private room.

The air was filled with the aroma of wine; even before touching the lips, one felt a slight intoxication.

Deputy Factory Director Li was overjoyed.

Today, Yang Jianye is hosting a dinner party, but he didn't invite Factory Director Yang. He only invited him, which clearly shows that he knows who will have the power in the steel rolling mill in the future.

The wind has already started blowing upwards; although it's just a hint, the direction of the wind is already clear.

Yang Jianye can read the wind direction; he's a real talent!

He is technically skilled, capable, perceptive, and quick-witted.

Such a young man is worth cultivating. Moreover, with his support, my work will go smoothly, and I will have more confidence to seize power in the future.

Having acquired a useful person and gained important support within the factory, paving the way for the future, Deputy Factory Director Li was overjoyed with three pieces of good news. He picked up his wine glass and didn't put it down, drinking one glass after another, creating a lively atmosphere in the private room.

The waiters coming and going were handsome and had a brisk pace. When Yang Jianye held his wrist to urge him to drink, his palm lightly brushed across the wine glass, and a speck of blue powder fell into the wine.

Deputy Factory Director Li tilted his head back, downed the liquor, and grinned, smacking his lips. "Jianye, again!"

Yang Jianye smiled and replied, "You drink first, I need to go outside and offer a few toasts, then I'll join you for a good drink later."

Deputy Factory Director Li laughed heartily, "Good! Go ahead, go ahead!"

After leaving the private room, Yang Jianye led Yingzi towards the main hall.

Yingzi leaned closer and asked, "Jianye, did Deputy Factory Director Li do you a favor?"

Seeing how attentive he was to Deputy Factory Director Li just now, Yingzi secretly thought that she should also try to get along with him.

Yang Jianye smiled and said, "It's not a favor, it's just that I don't want to offend you. Come on, let's go toast Mom and Dad."

The hall was already bustling with the wedding banquet, and the sight of the new son-in-law leading the bride added to the festive atmosphere.

Shouts and clinking glasses filled the air, and the entire place was bathed in the festive atmosphere.

Just as things were getting lively, a scream suddenly erupted from the corridor leading to the private room: "Ah! Pervert!"

With a "crack," a shard of porcelain shattered on the ground, splashing wine everywhere.

Deputy Factory Director Li stood at the door of the private room, his clothes disheveled, his pants pulled down to his ankles, and he had just been slapped across the face.

In front of him, the waitress, Moth, was lying on the ground, clutching her collar and sobbing.

"Hey, why isn't this guy wearing pants?"

"How shameless! Look at his thing, it's still sticking up!"

"Isn't this blatant indecent behavior in public?"

"What's wrong with the moth?"

The lobby manager rushed over upon hearing the commotion, stepped past Deputy Factory Director Li to help his niece up, and nearly bumped into something when he turned around, revealing Deputy Factory Director Li's blatant embarrassment.

The manager immediately flew into a rage: "Call the police! Get the police here! How dare you act like a hooligan in my Tongheju restaurant?"

Deputy Factory Director Li snapped out of his daze, sobering up considerably: "No, we can't call the police!"

But the waiter who had heard the shouting earlier had already taken off running, yelling to the neighbors as he ran: "Someone's being a hooligan at Tong Wo Ju! Call the police and have him arrested!"

Before long, the main gate of Tongheju was completely blocked by onlookers, and the hall fell silent. Only Ezi sat on the ground, sobbing softly, burying her head in her chest and wiping away tears.

Deputy Factory Director Li was completely dumbfounded. How could he have made such a scene in public?

But the nameless anger in her heart couldn't be suppressed, and her body just wouldn't obey her commands. She could only stick her butt out and shrink her waist to barely cover up her embarrassment.

Looking at the factory director and leaders, they all shrank back, not daring to approach.

This has blown up.

Nowadays, hooliganism is a serious crime that can be severely punished. If you are a deputy factory director, you can take advantage of others in private and no one will dare to say anything. But at Tongheju, a time-honored restaurant in Beijing and a key public-private joint venture, to act like a hooligan in front of a room full of people is just asking for death.

Their initial excitement vanished instantly, and everyone lost their appetite.

Fortunately, they had eaten most of the food, but this sudden turn of events turned the joyous atmosphere into a heavy sense of embarrassment.