Courtyard House: A Leisurely and Contented Life

Well, Master Yang has a new idea again!

Great! That's wonderful!

"Get me a..." "Get me two blueprints. Come on, I'll go with you."

Clutching the blueprints, the master and apprentice headed straight for the special workshop.

"Director, what are you busy with?" "Master Yang has an idea, I'm going to take a look." "Master Yang? Yang Jianye!" "Yes." The director walked away, but the news spread like wildfire throughout the workshop in the blink of an eye.

When he arrived at the workshop, Factory Director Yang's ears perked up: "Jianye, has another idea?" He couldn't sit still; he got up and glanced back at the phone, finally deciding to go check it out first. If they had any improvement ideas, he could inform the higher-ups later. He couldn't help but think to himself, "Jianye is truly my lucky star!"

When Director Yang arrived at the workshop, no one paid him any attention. No one even noticed him enter; everyone was craning their necks around the central worktable, watching Yang Jianye revise the blueprints. At first, it looked like a copy of the original, but when it came to the core, crucial parts, changes suddenly appeared. Those subtle adjustments clearly had a different effect. Some people stroked their chins in thought, some seemed to understand, but most looked completely bewildered: What is this? Why am I standing here?

It wasn't until Yang Jianye finished the last stroke at the crucial point and put the pencil aside that anyone noticed Director Yang standing on tiptoe and craning his neck beside him.

"Hey, Factory Manager!" "Jianye, the Factory Manager's here!" "Good morning, Factory Manager!"

"Alright, alright, I just came to check in. Everyone get back to your work." Yang Jianye nodded to the factory manager and called the foremen over: "Same as always, each of you take charge of your own part. I'll explain the core modifications to Master Li in detail later. Let's get started."

After assigning tasks, Yang Jianye approached the factory manager: "Factory manager, what brings you to the workshop in person?" "Hey, didn't you tell me to spend more time in the workshop?" Factory manager Yang chuckled irritably, "Now that you're here, you're complaining I'm superfluous?"

Yang Jianye grinned and took out a cigarette: "How could that be? You should come and inspect more often. Leaders can't be detached from the masses and the grassroots!" Factory Director Yang sensed a hidden meaning in his words, but his mind was preoccupied with technical improvements, so he didn't dwell on it. After lighting his cigarette, he asked about the direction of improvement: "Mainly to enhance stability, nothing else has changed much. Whether it works or not, we'll have to try it to know."

Yang Jianye never speaks about things he's not sure about. Anyone can make grand pronouncements, but in the end, facts speak for themselves. If you can't do it well, all the boasting is useless; if you do it well, you don't need to say a word, everyone will give you a thumbs up and say "That's amazing!" So, to see if someone is reliable, you have to look at what they do.

"I trust you. You wouldn't touch something you weren't sure about." After three months, Factory Director Yang had long understood him. Yang Jianye didn't respond to that, but smiled and changed the subject. After finishing his cigarette, he said, "I have to go back to work." He needed to explain the processing of the modified parts thoroughly to the foremen, otherwise, if even one detail was wrong, not only would today's work be wasted, but materials would also be wasted.

He got so busy that he forgot the time, and the loudspeaker announced that work was over, but the new boiler in the workshop wasn't finished welding yet. Factory Director Yang didn't leave the workshop all afternoon.

"Hey, young man, could you please go to the kitchen and tell Chef He to stay a little longer and add a couple more dishes for everyone?" He was looking for Hua Zi, Li Yaoye's apprentice, who was now more like the workshop's messenger and everyone's "little follower." But for Hua Zi, it was a good thing: by running errands for the masters and being diligent, he could teach each of them a skill, enough to live on for a lifetime.

Craftsmanship is something that sometimes seems incomprehensible, and doing it is clumsy, tiring, and inefficient. But a master craftsman might offer a seemingly insignificant tip, and the result is immediately different. That one tip could be the culmination of two or three decades of experience. Why would a master teach you without some reason?

People always say that masters are complacent and hold back their skills, but on the other hand, some apprentices these days are too lazy: they haven't laid a solid foundation but think they can fly, spending all their time trying to learn special skills and take on solo jobs. If you say anything, they'll label you as "old-fashioned" or "old-fashioned." Ambitious but incompetent, lacking real ability but with lofty ambitions—if you were a master, would you be happy to take on someone like that?

After receiving instructions from Director Yang, Hua Zi took off running towards the canteen.

He often came to get meals for the chefs and was considered "half an acquaintance" of He Yuzhu, after all, he had even helped him bring pickled vegetables to Yang Jianye.

"Hua Zi, why are you running so fast?" In the kitchen, He Yuzhu was carrying a lunchbox filled with stewed cabbage and pork, intending to take some to the old lady. Seeing him panting, she stopped.

"Master He, Factory Manager Yang asked me to inform you to add two more dishes! The workshop will be working overtime tonight."

Sha Zhu chuckled upon hearing this. Why would a chef like him specially prepare extra dishes for a normal overtime shift? There must be good news.

"What's the good news?" He tossed the lunchbox aside and reached forward.

Hua Zi quickly put an apron on him, showing he had good judgment. "Ma Hua, see what other good dishes we have!" Sha Zhu turned to his apprentice and instructed.

After sending his apprentice away, Hua Zi came over and chatted, "Jianye's doing well, huh? Upgrading technology again?"

Upon hearing that Yang Jianye had come up with another new idea, Sha Zhu grinned from ear to ear. It wasn't for any other reason than that Yang Jianye was a man of simple, clear speech, easy to understand; sincere and a man of his word. In the words of cultured people, "a promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold"? He wasn't quite sure himself, but the closer he got to Yang Jianye, the smoother his life became. Before, he always felt stifled, but now he felt enlightened; those things he couldn't understand before, he now understood perfectly.

Ren Jianye is not only eloquent but also capable. That table that knocked on his head made him realize the importance of living life wisely; one must use their brain and not lose their intelligence. Who can resist the temptation of gold lying unguarded by the roadside?

After a brief chat, Hua Zi had to return to report and continue learning. His own experience was this: if you don't understand, write it down; if once isn't enough, do it ten times; if ten times isn't enough, do it a hundred times. The more you listen, the more you'll understand. After two months in the special workshop, his welding skills were already qualified; he was just waiting for his apprenticeship assessment to become a full-fledged employee. Even after becoming a full-fledged employee, he still wanted to work with Li Yaoye—this master was truly exceptional. Other masters treated their apprentices like personal property; even borrowing an apprentice was like robbery. His own master, however, always let him lend a hand, just listen and learn; his skills were there, no questions asked. Li Yaoye was an eighth-grade worker? Ha! Hua Zi really didn't think much of him.

"Factory manager, I've already spoken with Master He," Hua Zi reported, his eyes already on the work. Seeing Master Hao about to move the parts, he quickly picked them up, asking, "Master Hao, where should we put them?"

"Put it on the workbench," Master Hao said with a smile and a shake of his head. He'd made a good apprentice! Hua Zi carefully placed the part down, shook it to make sure it was stable, and then stepped back a few paces. Master Hao was pleased and beckoned, "Come here, stand in front of me...look at this tooth groove, isn't it exquisite?"

"Hey, I see it! The tooth grooves are so fine!"

"That's right, we support our whole family with this skill!" Master Hao proudly raised his head, explaining the processing tips. Looking around the workshop, not a single apprentice was slacking off; they were moving around like eagles, running around faster than rabbits when there was work to be done: "Master, let me handle this!" "Master Wang, let me lend you a hand!" "Master Cui, don't rush, I'll come over as soon as I'm done!"

Director Yang was delighted to see the bustling activity. He thought that if all the workshops were like this, the future of the steel rolling mill would be as bright as the sky over Longye!

"Jianye, Jianye! I'm all done here, come and take a look!" Li Yaoye tapped the weld with a hammer and called out from afar.

Yang Jianye, who was directing the meticulous work, hurriedly put down his work and ran over: "Yaoye, your skills are excellent!" After praising him, he instructed them to prepare for the test. The atmosphere in the workshop froze instantly, becoming tense.

The smile on Director Yang's face had long been replaced by tension, and his expression changed frequently as he listened to the conversations of his mentors. After half an hour of formal testing, Yang Jianye was the first to relax, clapping his hands and saying, "Put down what you're doing and let's eat."

Seeing that he had simply left the boiler there unattended, Factory Director Yang cried out anxiously, "Hey, Jianye! Master Yang! This is such an important thing, concerning the steel mill and your own future, how can you be so calm?"

"Factory manager, it'll take a while longer to see results, there's no point in staying here," Yang Jianye laughed. "How about I keep watch while the workers go eat first?"

"I'll stay, you go!"

"If you stay, things will really go wrong. Can you even understand it? It's better not to stay at all!" Yang Jianye waved his hand and shouted, "Everyone hurry up and eat! Hua Zi, I'll have to trouble you to get the food."

"Master Yang, you're too kind. I'll go right away!" Hua Zi said with admiration. No one in the factory was more respectable than Master Yang for his awareness, attitude, and willingness to dedicate himself to his fellow workers and the collective. As an apprentice, if he had any education, he should at least write a report about Master Yang, or even a poem if necessary!

Factory Director Yang originally wanted to leave, but he was captivated by the atmosphere of the special workshop and wanted to stay and keep Yang Jianye company: "Young comrade, I'll call you Hua Zi like Master Yang does. Get me a meal." He took out his meal ticket and smiled, "Master Yang, this meal is on me."

"Hey, I'm going right now!" Hua Zi rubbed his hands excitedly. The factory manager was inviting him to dinner—what a huge honor! Although it was Master Yang who was invited, Master Yang was his idol and role model. Inviting his idol to dinner made him even happier than eating it himself.

Yang Jianye and the factory manager squatted down next to the sinkhole in the workshop and sat down on a piece of iron. After a while, all the workers returned after finishing their meals. No one wanted to linger in the canteen; they all wanted to know the results as soon as possible, even though they knew they would have to wait another two or three hours.

They waited until nine o'clock at night. After the furnace was extinguished, cold water was poured over it, causing the temperature to drop sharply. Yang Jianye grabbed a hammer and struck the furnace; with each strike, the factory manager's heart trembled, and the sight of the falling slag pained him. Finally, Yang Jianye stuck his head into the furnace, laboriously turning around to observe. Half an hour later, a loud "It's done!" rang out, and Yang Jianye beamed with joy. A deafening cheer erupted in the workshop: "Wow!"

In the courtyard, Yi Zhonghai tossed and turned in bed, making pancakes. An older woman, who had gone to bed early, was woken up by his commotion. She struggled to sit up and put on her coat: "Zhonghai, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, just annoying!" Yi Zhonghai's expression was complicated. How could he admit to being jealous of Yang Jianye's renewed success? He was worried that Yang Jianye was becoming increasingly capable, and he wouldn't be able to maintain control in the institute. But it seemed he already couldn't. Yang Jianye didn't want to get involved in the institute's affairs at all, which Yi Zhonghai thought was a good thing. If Yang Jianye really wanted to get involved in these trivial matters, it wouldn't be long before he became the "big boss." However, he might not succeed. Technical improvements aren't something that can be achieved overnight. Many times, even with an idea, it might not be implemented for a year or two. "I don't believe Yang Jianye will always be lucky!" In Yi Zhonghai's mind, Yang Jianye's previous success was partly due to technical skill, but mostly luck. It just so happened that Yi Zhonghai had summarized his experience in welding, forging, milling, planing, and grinding, and happened to discover areas for improvement, offering key suggestions. If he had the opportunity to thoroughly understand the specific operations of these trades and master them completely, he could also summarize areas for improvement. Why would Yang Jianye have a chance?

Unfortunately, when the special workshop was recruiting before, he declined because he thought the workload was too heavy, the hours too long, the job instability too low, and the salary too stagnant. Now it's difficult for him to get in! Yi Zhonghai felt frustrated, thinking himself shrewd, but he had outsmarted himself.

At his second uncle's house, Liu Haizhong sat on a bench, head down, lost in thought. He'd heard the rumors circulating at the factory today: Yang Jianye was going to implement another technical improvement. This didn't make sense! Technical improvements weren't something that could just happen on a whim. He'd worked most of his life, even reaching the seventh-grade worker level, and had never offered any opinions. At most, he was efficient and had a few "special skills," but which master craftsman didn't have some expertise? Those were skills accumulated through experience and craftsmanship; they couldn't be popularized, let alone improved. Why was Yang Jianye doing this twice in three months? Was he ever going to stop?

"It's definitely nonsense, it won't work." Liu Haizhong was in a state of turmoil and couldn't sleep at all.

These two master craftsmen were incredibly conflicted and distressed! It wasn't entirely because they couldn't stand seeing others succeed; it was more the inherent arrogance of artisans at play. Imagine, one was an eighth-grade craftsman, the highest level in his trade, a veritable "abbot," while the other was a seventh-grade craftsman, at least a "head of the Dharma Academy." They had spent most of their lives studying Buddhist scriptures, believing they had thoroughly mastered the teachings, each with their own unique insights, and their pride was palpable.

But now a young monk has arrived, and after only three months of practicing Buddhism, he's already written commentaries on the Buddhist scriptures. These commentaries have not only been recognized by the holy sites and monks, but it's also been mandated that all temples, large and small, follow suit. Crucially, the commentaries are insightful, clear, and concise, making scripture reading several times faster. How could the abbot and head monks not be frustrated? How could they possibly be convinced? Absolutely not!

Besides these two, there were two others still awake in the courtyard: Qin Huairu and Li Ying.

Qin Huairu suffered from insomnia because of the news circulating in the factory during the day, but her worries were different from those of the two old men. She was just an apprentice, lacking the arrogance of a skilled craftsman, and didn't believe she could compare to Yang Jianye. Her heart was filled with envy, mixed with sadness. How could she have missed his potential back then? She envied Yang Jianye's skills, his life, Yingzi, and even their relationship. Qin Huairu felt there wasn't a single thing she didn't envy! If Yang Jianye really succeeded, the factory would definitely praise him again. That old man even thought that Yang Jianye, having been criticized, would be neglected in the future; he was treating him like an ordinary person. Look at Yang Jianye's abilities—can an ordinary person compare? Factory Director Yang spent the entire afternoon in the workshop, and after work, he reportedly squatted there with Yang Jianye, watching over the equipment, even eating his meal there. With that kind of attention, Qin Huairu would believe it if someone told her Yang Jianye would become the workshop director tomorrow. But why did all these good things seem completely irrelevant to her?

The three of them were filled with mixed emotions.

Li Ying's reason for not sleeping was even simpler: her husband hadn't returned, so she couldn't sleep soundly and had to stay awake. She had eaten dinner, but it was too late, and she was too hungry to wait any longer. She stayed up until almost midnight when finally the bicycle bell rang outside.

"Eiko, Eiko!"

"Hey, here it comes!"

Li Ying lowered her voice, threw on a coat, slipped on her shoes, and ran outside. Once she reached the front yard and unlocked the gate, Yang Jianye finally entered.

"Why are you working so late?" Li Ying asked, locking the door with concern. "It's so late, are you all working this late?"

Yang Jianye smiled, pushed the cart, and said softly, "Let's talk about it when we get home. Come on." The two walked into the house, thinking they shouldn't disturb anyone. Unexpectedly, an old man was still awake, standing in the courtyard wearing a coat. Seeing them come in, he hurriedly asked, "Jianye, your improvement... is it done?"

Inside Uncle Erda's house, Liu Haizhong opened the door a crack and was listening intently.

"It took a while, but it's done."

Upon hearing Yang Jianye's voice, the second uncle fell silent, his expression dazed as he slumped back, muttering as he leaned against the bench, "It's done... how could he... how could he have succeeded?"

Back in the house, Li Ying turned around and noticed the oil stains on the man's face and body. "Take it off and wash up quickly. Next time it's this late, just stay at the factory for the night. It's not safe at night." She helped him take off his coat and put it in a basin to wash.

"Don't bother washing it, we'll have to do it again tomorrow, and then we'll have to wash it again later."

Li Ying glanced at him and said, "You still have to wash it again. Clothes are a man's face, they have to be clean!" Unable to persuade her otherwise, Yang Jianye could only go along with her.

Yang Jianye was wiping himself down inside when Li Ying returned with a basin. It was pitch black outside, so she couldn't see anything to wash herself and could only scrub the grease inside. Seeing her using cold water, Yang Jianye quickly went to the stove to fetch a kettle: "Raise your hand."

"It's okay, I'll get it in two tries."

"That won't do either. I know how cold the water is at night." Not to mention at night, even the water during the day is bone-chilling. That's how rheumatism and joint pain come about... Yang Jianye poured out a small half-pot, put more water on the fire to boil, and then went back to continue wiping.

"Have you eaten?" Li Ying asked.

"I've eaten, but I'm a little hungry again now," Yang Jianye said with a smile.

"I saved you some steamed buns and fried an egg. Wait here."

Li Ying rubbed and soaked the clothes, then wiped her hands and went to prepare food: scrambled eggs, stewed cabbage with meat, two hot steamed buns made from a mixture of wheat and water, and a bowl of egg drop soup. "I added some water to one egg, scrambled most of it, and used the rest to make the egg drop soup."

"Hey." Yang Jianye looked down. "Did your mother bring this sesame oil? Did you trade it at the market?"

"Um."

"I'll bring some canned food or something when I get home and visit."

"What kind of wife goes back to her parents' house every day? People will start gossiping."

"What's there to be afraid of? I'm happy to do it!"

"Look at you."

After flirting and teasing each other, and once Yang Jianye finished eating, Li Ying also put on her clothes. She quickly washed up and went to bed.

"daughter in law."

"Um?"

Are you tired?

"I'm not tired, being with you makes my heart feel sweet."

"Let's have some dessert then, and have a little one soon."

"……Um."

Hehehe... Why does the moon just keep swaying?