Courtyard House: A Leisurely and Contented Life

The auntie was incredibly envious, muttering to herself, "If I had a dress like that, I'd wear it to bed; I wouldn't want to take it off."

"Yes, Auntie Yi, Jianye bought it for me." Yingzi linked arms with Yang Jianye, gently brushed her hair aside with her right hand, and her face was filled with a shy yet happy smile.

"That's wonderful. Seeing you two makes me so happy. That's wonderful."

The older woman kept saying "That's so good," but her heart was filled with mixed feelings. She was a woman herself, and thinking back to her own youth, she wondered what kind of life she had, then looking at Yingzi, she thought, "Wow, life is just different."

"Hey, Yingzi, Jianye, where are you two going?" Aunt Liu, who heard the commotion, also came out of the house, followed by a girl who looked about ten years old, with sunken cheeks and a thin body.

"Auntie, Jianye, take me out for a walk." Yingzi spotted her daughter behind her at a glance and greeted her warmly, "Is this Dajuan? We haven't met before!"

This is a dual-income family where both parents work every day and are only free on Sundays. This is the first time they've seen the Liu family's daughter in so long.

Upon hearing Yingzi's question, Aunt Liu pulled her daughter forward: "What are you standing there for? Greet them!"

Dajuan then smiled and called out in a clear voice, "Brother Jianye, Sister Yingzi."

"Eh!"

Yingzi readily agreed and turned to walk into the house: "Wait here, I'll get you some milk candy."

"Eiko, Eiko..."

Aunt Liu couldn't stop her, so she could only smile awkwardly at Yang Jianye and glare at her daughter: "Why are you calling her Sister Yingzi? You should call her Sister-in-law."

Dajuan looked up, muttering unhappily, "Mom, Yingzi already agreed. Besides, calling her Yingzi sounds so nice. When people meet outside, they call her sister-in-law, but Yingzi sounds much more affectionate."

Listening to her eloquent explanation, Aunt Liu pointed at her daughter, both amused and exasperated: "Auntie Yi, Jianye, look at you two, not very tall, not much skill, but quite the silver tongue."

The older woman nodded happily, "That's what a girl from our city should be like—so poised!"

Yang Jianye laughed and chimed in, "That's right, we northern girls have that kind of manly boldness."

Praised by the two, Dajuan's lips curled up, and she held her head high, looking smug.

Seeing her like that, Aunt Liu laughed and scolded, "Fine, fine, you think you're so capable? You think you can do it?"

Yingzi came out with a handful of candy, six or seven in each hand, and stuffed them directly into Dajuan's hand: "Here, share them with your sister later, okay!"

"Oh, thank you, Sister Yingzi." Dajuan smiled happily, her eyes crinkling.

"Yingzi, it's getting late. If we don't leave soon, it will be too late," Yang Jianye urged from the side.

"Okay, I'm here." Yingzi said a few more words to Aunt Liu and Aunt Yi before following Yang Jianye out the door.

Once the two children were out of sight, Aunt Yi turned her gaze back to the milk candy in Da Juan's hand. Envious as she was, she couldn't very well take something from a child. She thought to herself, "It's almost New Year's; maybe I can have Jie Di go and wish them a happy new year, and she might get a couple of pieces of candy too. Then I can just take a bite and taste it." In these days, a little sweetness is like a dream.

……

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: ①⓪①ⓚⓚⓢ.ⓒⓞⓜ]

Yingzi sat sideways on the back of the bicycle, her arms around the man's waist. When they reached the alley entrance, she greeted Uncle Liu, who had a stall there. The two then headed straight for the photo studio to take some photos together.

These days, photo studios only take black and white photos. Want color? Forget it! Not just one, but every single one. When that old machine was around, some journalists outside the photography industry would bring it along. If you had connections, you could ask someone to take your picture. But now, the man's gone, and the machine went with him.

Upon arriving at the photo studio, I saw two weathered wooden doors wide open at the entrance. Inside was a large open space with a red cloth stretched across the wall in the middle, and a bench placed in front of it. To the left of the entrance, directly opposite the red cloth, was a large-format camera, a Seagull brand, a well-known brand.

As people lined up to go inside, those taking photos couldn't help but glance at Yingzi. Her cheongsam, with its sheer neckline, was incredibly beautiful! What woman wouldn't be delighted to see her?

"Look at her, she won't even buy me a simple cheongsam," a woman said sourly to her man.

A regular cheongsam costs between 2.5 yuan for the cheaper ones and 5 or 6 yuan for the more expensive ones, which isn't cheap.

"We're model workers, so these work clothes are the best-looking. If someone dresses too nicely, who knows what their class of origin is?"

Yingzi's face paled, and Yang Jianye immediately frowned, saying, "Comrade, how dare you speak like that?"

Seeing Yang Jianye staring at him, the man in overalls retorted defiantly, "What? I'm just stating the facts. What can't I say?"

"You're judging people by their appearance! How do you know someone has a bad family background just because they're dressed well?"

Yang Jianye retorted in a deep, resonant voice, "This was ordered from the department store using my personal bonus; the receipts and money were all issued by the factory. I'm a workshop foreman at the steel rolling mill; you can verify that at the factory. My wife and I are three generations of farmers with excellent family backgrounds! This is the result of my hard work in learning, improving my skills, and advancing my craft!"

Seeing the other person's dazed expression, Yang Jianye continued to question, "And you? Which factory are you from? What progress have you made?"

Seeing the other person's dazed expression, Yang Jianye continued to question, "And you? Which factory are you from? What progress have you made?"

"I, I..."

Seeing his embarrassing state, the girl who came with him angrily waved her hand and said, "It's so shameful! Take the picture yourself!"

After saying that, the girl turned and ran away.

"Hey, Xiuer, Xiuer!"

The man hurriedly chased after him, his heart pounding with anxiety. Only when he saw that Yang Jianye hadn't followed did he relax. If, as he said, someone caused a scene at the factory, he'd definitely be in trouble. Losing his reputation was no small matter.

Yang Jianye knew this, which is why he reprimanded the other party on the spot. If he didn't talk back, gossips would spread the word that there was a woman in the photo studio dressed like a rich young lady from the past, and people would find out her background was definitely that of a capitalist. If acquaintances pointed fingers and whispered, his reputation would be ruined.

That's why Yang Jianye gave him a public humiliation. There was no need to reveal his name; if someone came to the factory to verify, they would naturally know who he was.

Now, as they stand in line with Yingzi in their arms, the way people look at them from all sides has changed; their eyes are full of envy and admiration.

Resting her head on her husband's shoulder, Yingzi felt the wind was no longer cold, and her heart was warmed!

After waiting a short while, there weren't many people left in front of them. Yingzi and Yang Jianye stood in front of the camera, and the photographer laughed. These two are such a perfect match!

"Move closer, okay, bury your head in my arms."

"Oh, right, that's it."

After taking those two unique yet intimate photos, Yingzi looked a little shy, but the couple's affection was so strong that onlookers could only look on with envy.

After the photoshoot, the two stood aside waiting to collect their tickets. Seeing that it was windy, Yang Jianye took off his coat and draped it over Yingzi.

"I don't need it, this is fine." Yingzi reached out to push it back.

Yang Jianye's face hardened, and he glared at her. She immediately shut up and obediently wrapped her clothes tighter around herself. He had told her to wear more layers to protect herself outside, but she insisted that it was a rare opportunity to wear new clothes, and it wouldn't make sense to be all bundled up. Now, her face was even a little pale from the wind, and she was still trying to be brave!

It's no wonder they say "beauty is freezing"—throughout history, unless forced by circumstances, which woman doesn't love beauty?

"You're all better now."

The deliveryman brought the tickets, along with two identical photo frames. The tickets were for picking up the photos; these days, you don't pick up your photos on the spot. You pay after the photo shoot, take the ticket, and leave, then come back three days later to collect them.

Yang Jianye was puzzled. He hadn't paid any money or asked for a frame, so how did this guy come with a ticket and a frame? But the frame was indeed quite exquisite. Should he buy it?

Just then, the master spoke up, "I'd like to discuss something with you two."

"Please go ahead," Yang Jianye said politely.

The craftsman smiled and explained, "The photo you just took was fantastic, the atmosphere was wonderful. I was wondering if you two could print an extra copy to use as a signboard?"

Before the two could answer, the craftsman continued, "Don't worry, I won't hang it outside conspicuously. It'll just be on this wall inside the room. You can come and see it whenever you want. I'll waive the photo fee for today and even give you two frames as a gift. Is that alright?"

Looking at the photo wall that the shopkeeper pointed to, there were all kinds of photos hanging on it. Men, women, old and young; serious, laughing, frustrated, excited, happy, blissful... This small wall seemed to carry the memories of half a city.

"Yingzi, what do you think?" Yang Jianye was somewhat tempted. If that were the case, it would be a special memory between the two of them, and they would smile knowingly whenever they passed by the door in the future.

Seeing the look in his eyes, Yingzi knew what was going on. She rolled her eyes and said to her master, "Master, you can keep the photos, but you can't let them circulate anymore."

"Of course, I couldn't do that even if you hadn't told me." The technician waved his hands repeatedly, indicating that he would absolutely not leak the photos. After developing the film, he would destroy the original, and there wouldn't be any more copies.

The two exchanged a glance, and Yang Jianye took the things from his master's hands: "Okay, then it's settled."

The master nodded and smiled, "It's settled then, you two can rest assured and come visit often."

Those who come to his photo studio for pictures are all neighbors living nearby. The photographer has already planned it all out: what if the couple has a child and then comes back for a family photo? They'll need another one then, for the guy at his studio who does the family portraits. And if other people think it looks good, they might want one too, right?

Take care, and come again often.

Carrying his things, Yang Jianye had the driver see him to the door. He put the frame in the bicycle basket, took Yingzi with him, and pedaled home. Today's experience was quite special; he didn't spend a penny to have his picture taken, and even got two free photo frames. Hey, that's interesting!

"Jianye, do you think we've become celebrities for once?" Yingzi hugged his waist, rested her head on his back, and laughed.

Yang Jianye tilted his head and chuckled, "Of course, he's getting celebrity treatment! Even a celebrity at a photo studio is a celebrity!"

Despite receiving such extraordinary treatment, the two didn't get carried away. They went back into the yard to change their clothes, grabbed their tools, and headed outside.

Time to get to work!

What used to be a flat area with cracks in the wall overgrown with weeds now has a steep gate. The slope goes downhill, and the soil has been compacted. It's over three meters deep, and then a three- or four-square-meter hole was dug to the right. It's all square and neat, and the scaffolding is all set up.

Yang Jianye bent down and crawled into the hole, calling out to the outside, "Yingzi, pass me that steel bar."

For the past week, the two of them have spent their evenings tinkering with this cellar. Today, the scaffolding is up, and all that's left is to put up all the pillars. The steel plates and insulation layer on top are also neatly arranged.

One person was busy inside, while the other was handing things over outside.

As the sun began to set, Yang Jianye emerged covered in dust. Good heavens, all that midday shower was for nothing. But it was just dust; a quick rinse at home would clean it up easily.

He patted the dirt off, Yingzi handed him a towel to wipe his face, and looked back to ask, "Is it done?"

Yang Jianye smiled and nodded: "Alright, let's move it!"

Yingzi readily agreed and turned to go back inside to unpack her belongings. These past few days, she'd been meticulously budgeting, carefully selecting food to avoid waste. Anything that wouldn't keep had to be eaten immediately. She was adding meat every single day! She'd even closed the cracks in the window that were left open by the stove. It was infuriating! She herself was even more troubled; why was the meat becoming less and less appealing?

In just one week, Yingzi felt that she had gained at least four or five pounds.

Fortunately, the cellar was built. Now, he no longer had to agonize over whether to have eggs and beef stew with potatoes for dinner, or eat the fat he had gained first.

The rendered pork fat alone was divided up twice, once for Yushui and once for Xiaodang. Those two were lucky enough to indulge themselves! Even Qin Huairu got a taste. It was something her daughter had secretly put in her pocket out of her pocket out of love for her mother; the couple pretended not to see it. Knowing how to care for one's mother is never a bad thing!

However, it's time to settle the apprenticeship matter.

In just over two weeks, he had seen everything he wanted to see and learned everything he needed to learn. When he returned on Monday, he had already chosen his candidate.

Qin Huairu has a good chance; she has a solid foundation and is hardworking. However, there is still competition. Not all those sent by Director Ma and Factory Director Yang are just there to coast along. These days, even children of high-ranking officials have to earn a living through their own abilities. Not everyone thinks having connections equates to competence; on the contrary, many people resist this, consider it shameful, and strive to break free from the influence of their families to make a name for themselves through their own abilities.

Yang Jianye had two such men under his command. They were hardworking, capable, patient, quick-witted, and educated; they learned things incredibly fast. Compared to Qin Huairu, these two had a better chance of staying.

Looking at the dejected apprentices in front of him, Yang Jianye felt much of the frustration he had felt because of Xu Jiadong's transfer had dissipated.

He cleared his throat, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear amidst the roar of the machines: "Look up, all of you. Some of you passed today, and some didn't. Those who didn't, it's not your fault, it's my fault for not explaining things clearly beforehand. But life goes on, and you still have to learn the skills. You can't give up just because of one test."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "I know that many of you came here because of me, Yang Jianye, thinking you can learn something real and have a bright future. That's true, I can, but the prerequisite is that you have to have that mindset and the patience to settle down."

As he spoke, he pointed to the apprentice taught by Master Hao, who was still standing aside observing: "You, step forward."

The apprentice was startled and quickly took two steps forward.

Yang Jianye looked at him, his tone softening slightly: "What's your name? Which workshop are you from?"

"Report... My name is Liu Guangfu, from the welding workshop." The young man's voice trembled slightly.

"Liu Guangfu, right?" Yang Jianye nodded. "You didn't get a chance to practice today. Master Hao said you have a good foundation, but you're too arrogant. You think this assessment is too easy and you're not interested in practicing. Let me tell you, this isn't easy; this is the foundation. A tall building starts from the ground up. If you don't lay a solid foundation, you'll collapse halfway through when you've mastered your skills."

Liu Guangfu's face flushed red, and he lowered his head even further.

Yang Jianye stopped criticizing him and turned to Master Hao, saying, "Master Hao, please take care of him and send him back to the welding workshop so he can practice basic welding for another year. Whenever he feels he has settled down, he can come back to me. My door is always open for him."

Master Hao quickly agreed, "Don't worry, Jianye, I will definitely teach him well."

Then, Yang Jianye looked at the other apprentices who hadn't passed: "You're the same. Go back to what you were doing and solidify your basic skills. You can't be lazy or rush when it comes to skills. When you feel ready, you can come back and take the test again."

These words were impartial, containing both stern criticism and hope. The apprentices' initial discouragement gradually transformed into shame and motivation.

Finally, Yang Jianye looked at Zhang Chao and Qin Huairu, who had passed the test, and a rare approving smile appeared on his face: "You two, you've passed."

Zhang Chao and Qin Huairu exchanged a glance, so excited they almost jumped up.

"Don't get too excited," Yang Jianye poured cold water on their enthusiasm. "Passing the test only gives you an admission ticket. Whether you can stay and learn well depends on your future performance. Starting tomorrow, you'll follow Master Li Yaoye and begin with the simplest tasks, taking it one step at a time. Let me be clear: anyone who tries to slack off or lacks ambition will be fired."

"Yes, Master!" the two replied in unison, their voices loud and clear.

After making the arrangements, Yang Jianye returned to his workstation. He picked up his tools, but his mind was preoccupied with something else.

It's truly a pity that Xu Jiadong is gone. But everyone has their own ambitions, and you can't force them. His father wanted his son to return and inherit the family business, which was quite common in those days.

However, this also served as a wake-up call for him. It's not enough to simply discover talent on his own; he also needs to establish a mechanism to retain it. Otherwise, if Xu Jiadong leaves today, Li Jiadong or Wang Jiadong might leave tomorrow.

It seems we need to have a serious talk with Director Yang. Besides technological innovation, talent development and compensation should also be put on the agenda.

Just then, someone from the office came to call him, saying that Director Yang wanted to see him.

Yang Jianye's heart skipped a beat. Was he going to be called in for a talk because of Xu Jiadong? He straightened his clothes and went into the factory director's office.

Factory Director Yang was looking down at a document when he saw him come in. He pointed to the chair opposite him and said, "Sit down."

"Factory manager, you wanted to see me?"

Factory Director Yang looked up, his face expressionless, and pointed to another document on the table: "Take a look at this."

Yang Jianye picked it up and saw that it was a personnel appointment notice, which stated that he was appointed as the deputy director of the steel rolling workshop to assist Director Ma in his work, with a three-month probationary period.

Yang Jianye was stunned.

He never expected that Director Yang would promote him so directly! This was much faster and more direct than he had anticipated.

"Factory manager, isn't this... a bit too fast? I'm still relatively inexperienced, and I'm afraid I won't be able to keep the people under my command." Yang Jianye said somewhat nervously.

"I just want you to get up to speed quickly." Factory Director Yang waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The factory has studied your new heating furnace design and the apprentices you've trained; the results speak for themselves. Right now, the factory desperately needs young people like you who have the skills, ideas, and the ability to lead a team. Director Ma is getting old and his energy isn't what it used to be. This workshop will be yours sooner or later. Letting you familiarize yourself with it beforehand will be beneficial."

He paused, then added, "As for Xu Jiadong's matter, don't take it to heart. Everyone has their own destiny. The factory needs cogs in the machine, but it also needs pillars. If you can secure your position as a pillar, that's better than anything else."

A warm feeling welled up in Yang Jianye's heart, but at the same time he felt a heavy pressure.

He knew that this position as deputy director was a sign of Director Yang's trust in him, but also a test for him.

"Factory Director, rest assured, I will definitely do my job well and live up to your expectations!" Yang Jianye stood up and solemnly saluted Factory Director Yang.

Stepping out of the factory director's office, Yang Jianye looked up at the azure sky and took a deep breath.

The road ahead is long and fraught with challenges, but he is no longer the Yang Jianye who could only passively wait for opportunities.

He's going to take the initiative.