Courtyard House: A Leisurely and Contented Life

Yingzi's mother brought a lot of things, and only after turning around did she realize that she had left two packs of cigarettes on the table.

"Old Li, look, Jianye even gave you cigarettes!" she called out, leaning out the window. "Good cigarettes, two packs of wide-brimmed hats, that must have cost a fortune!"

Yang Jianye: "..."

"Alright, stop yelling, you woman. You're making a fool of yourself," Yingzi's father said with a stern face.

When your prospective son-in-law comes to discuss marriage, it's not for you to show off. Once he leaves, won't all the gossipy women come knocking on your door asking about it?

Showing off now, won't people laugh at you later?

After being scolded by the man, Yingzi's mother muttered under her breath and put the things back on the table.

Showing off is fine, but gifts can't be accepted now. The two men have to reach an agreement and things are settled before accepting them. Otherwise, if you accept gifts when things are still in the early stages, the whole neighborhood will laugh their heads off.

The room quieted down, and Aunt Liu spoke up: "Yingzi's father, just ask him directly. Jianye can make his own decisions."

Yingzi's father nodded; the child had no choice but to make the decision.

He glanced at Yang Jianye on the long bench, feeling both satisfied and heartbroken: He's so young, and he's all alone in his family. It hasn't been easy for him to get to where he is today.

He has begun to treat Jianye as family, and he has received the child's heartfelt wishes.

Yang Jianye took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, flicked it, and handed it to Yingzi's father: "Uncle, have a smoke."

"Hmm." Yingzi's father took the match, and Yang Jianye lit it for him with a famous match. He then took a light puff of his cigarette, shook the matchbox to light it, and then extinguished the match with his toe.

"Jianye, I heard from Aunt Liu that you work at the steel rolling mill. Tell me more about it?" Yingzi's father took a deep breath, his tobacco burning down to a third of its length, the thick smoke blurring his face.

Yang Jianye, puffing on his cigarette, said, "I took over my dad's job at the factory three months ago. I got lucky and passed the fourth-level riveting exam. Now I'm hammering and tinkering in the special workshop. It's hard work, but the pay is okay, 75.8 yuan a month. The coupons and subsidies are enough to eat, but I often have to work overtime and don't have much time."

"To be honest, as soon as I arrived, the director told me to get things done quickly, because there might be another assignment someday, and it wouldn't be easy to find time again."

Yingzi's father's eyes were glazed over. He took a few deep drags on his cigarette. He had been working in the factory for three months and had passed the Level 4 riveting test by luck.

He raised his eyelids slightly, his eyes saying, "You're being too modest, kid."

But the salary of 75.8 yuan made his heart tremble: he had worked in the supply and marketing cooperative for so many years and his salary was only 40 yuan!

That's a really high salary!

At his age, earning this salary is something you might not find anywhere else in Beijing. It's not that no one earns more, but they're all veterans who've worked their whole lives.

Yang Jianye is capable!

A man is not afraid of being poor now, he is afraid of being incompetent.

Besides, Yang Jianye isn't poor now; he's long since outlived poverty.

Good background, high salary, capable, hardworking and honest...

Yingzi's father couldn't find a reason to criticize him; he was extremely satisfied with this son-in-law!

Yingzi's father's fingers suddenly became burning hot, and he shuddered violently, throwing the cigarette away.

The sparks flew twice, leaving only a cigarette butt.

He clapped his hands and crushed the sparks with his toe: "Your director is right. No matter how important the matter is, we can't delay the mission. We should hurry up."

Aunt Liu, who was trying to smooth things over, clapped her hands happily: "Hey, I'll congratulate you first!"

"Aunt Liu, thank you so much! You'll have to have a few more drinks when the banquet starts!" Yang Jianye said with a smile and a cupped-hand salute.

"Yes! Aunt Liu will definitely get a seat of honor!" Yingzi's mother chimed in, her voice loud and clear.

This wonderful marriage was all thanks to Aunt Liu's matchmaking. Without her, who could have found such a good son-in-law as Yang Jianye in the courtyard?

After a round of compliments, Aunt Liu seemed to have drunk three cups of wine. Her eyes were half-closed, her cheeks flushed, and she sat contentedly to the side. She had been waiting to drink this cup of wedding wine.

Despite the excitement, we still need to get down to business.

Yingzi's father rubbed his burned fingertips and asked bluntly, "When are you planning to do it?"

Yang Jianye looked at the Li family, his gaze finally settling on Yingzi's face: "Uncle, if Yingzi is willing, we can get the marriage certificate this afternoon. We'd like to have a few tables in the canteen for the wedding, to invite our coworkers, leaders, and our own family."

The five words "we are family" were like a warm patch, instantly touching the hearts of the Li family.

"Great!" Yingzi's dad slapped his thigh, then turned to his daughter with a grin, "Yingzi, what do you mean?"

Li Ying glanced at Yang Jianye, her cheeks flushing with shyness: "I'll do whatever he says."

"Then let's do as Jianye says!" Yingzi's father decided. "Let's get the certificate first, and then get the marriage certificate this afternoon. We can discuss the banquet later."

Seeing his father-in-law's straightforwardness, Yang Jianye didn't rush to leave, but went straight to the point: "Uncle, the bride price..."

Make things clear first, and things will go more smoothly later.

Yingzi's father turned to his wife and asked, "Yingzi's mother, what do you say?"

Yingzi's mother glanced at the two children and gave the man a look: "You're the head of the household, so we'll do whatever you say."

Yingzi's father didn't mince words and said seriously, "Jianye, although our family's conditions are not as good as yours, they are not bad either. I'm marrying off my daughter, not selling her."

Li Ying softly called out "Dad," a warm feeling welling up inside her. This kind of attitude was so rare in the 1980s.

She has two younger brothers, so for her to say "I won't sell my daughter" shows that she truly considers Yang Jianye as family.

"Don't say anything, let me finish." Yingzi's father patted Yang Jianye's hand. "We don't need the bride price, but you have to remember your previous promise. If you bully Yingzi in the future, I won't allow it, and neither will her two younger brothers!"

The two boys immediately puffed out their chests and shouted in unison, "We won't agree either!"

Yang Jianye glanced at the two young men, his eyes showing no sign of guilt, not out of fear, but because he couldn't: he was all alone, with no family to worry about, and he had nowhere to find someone to love; to get married and still mess around? Did they have a death wish?

Having spent over thirty years in an era of rampant materialism, Yang Jianye had witnessed far too much hypocrisy, spending exorbitant sums to marry a "femme fatale," and engaging in constant infighting. How could anyone live a peaceful life? He'd had enough!

What he is most grateful for after traveling to this era is finding true love: to support each other through thick and thin and grow old together.

When the spring breeze of reform and opening up sweeps across the land, and he is old and gray, he still has a beautiful woman by his side; this is his wish.

There were no dramatic events or grand scenes; he was just an ordinary person who wanted to live a down-to-earth life.

........

Yang Jianye rode a Phoenix 28-inch double-bar bicycle, with Li Ying's warm arm pressed against his back like a small stove, warming his heart.

The seat was made of shiny black leather, and the upper and lower barres in front of the seat gleamed with a silvery-white sheen. This was the most eye-catching "signature" of the Phoenix brand. On the streets of the 80s, riding this bike was more "stylish" than driving a supercar in later generations.

The certificates from the factory and the neighborhood office have already been issued; now all that's left is the "final push" from the Civil Affairs Bureau.

The car stopped in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau. Yang Jianye squeezed the brake and got out of the car, the kickstand clicked as it hit the ground.

The gazes of those around him swept over, some envious, some scrutinizing, reminding him of the way passersby looked at supercars in later generations. This car was truly "eye-catching"!

He pulled Li Ying toward the door, then suddenly stopped and teased her, "Yingzi, this is your last chance."

Li Ying's heart pounded in her chest. She looked up at him and glared, "What opportunity?"

"Regret it?" Yang Jianye laughed, flicking her nose with his fingertip. "Once you've entered this door and become my wife, don't even think about escaping for the rest of your life."

Li Ying lowered her head, glancing at him with the corners of her eyes turned upwards, biting her lower lip as she whispered firmly, "I don't regret it. I'm sticking with you for life. Even if you try to dump me, I'll cling to you no matter what!"

"Great!" Yang Jianye laughed wildly, grabbed her hand, and ran into the Civil Affairs Bureau. "Then neither of us will run away; we'll stay together for life!"

When they came out again, Li Ying had her left arm around his arm and her right hand holding one side of the marriage certificate, while Yang Jianye held the other side.

Unfold the red booklet, the embossed seal is bright red, like a freshly picked date, sweet and reassuring.

"Come on, get on!" Yang Jianye straddled the bicycle, tilted his head on the back seat, and said, "Get on."

Li Ying smiled, revealing her dimples, and jogged over to sit sideways on him, her right arm naturally wrapping around his waist: "Wife, we're 'certified' now!"

"Hey, call me 'husband'!" Yang Jianye deliberately jolted the car, causing her to exclaim and hug him tightly.

The tea market in Houhai is like a living painting of everyday life.

Rows of wooden tables were set up, and people in work clothes and white shirts sat on bamboo and rattan chairs. Families sat around drinking tea and chatting, with simple smiles on their faces. There was no restless music like in later generations, no empty "whining," only the soft clinking of teacups and the splashing of boats passing by on the Shichahai sea.

"Jianye, there's a seat here!" Li Ying, with her sharp eyes, pointed to an empty table by the railing and waved.

I ordered a pot of tea from a white porcelain teapot with a swan-neck design, two rough earthenware teacups, and some spiced chestnuts and braised broad beans, for a total of 12 cents.

The waiter in the blue cloth shirt took the money and went about his business, without calling out "Sir, you've arrived!" Here, that was more precious than "rules."

Li Ying carefully unfolded the marriage certificate, her fingertips tracing the seal: "Should I keep it?" Yang Jianye noticed how tightly she was clutching it and laughed: "Don't fold it."

"Don't fold it!" Li Ying hurriedly spread the certificate out on the table, touched the surface to make sure it was dry, "Look, this fold is right between the two of you, if you press it too hard it will leave a mark...won't that become an obstacle between husband and wife?" She lowered her voice, afraid that others would hear and accuse her of "feudal superstition", but her eyes were very serious, "We don't allow obstacles, it has to be flat and smooth."

Yang Jianye is both funny and heartwarming; this girl has turned her life into a "philosophy of peace of mind."

He didn't say anything, but just squeezed her hand: "I'll listen to you, no matter what."

The aroma of tea wafted through the air. Li Ying gazed at the birds flying over the lake and suddenly laughed, "Come often in the future. When we have children, you can hold the baby while I row, and we'll chase the ducks, haha..."

"Okay, let's have a daughter!" Yang Jianye interjected, "She'll be sweet and gentle, just like you."

"Yes!" Li Ying nodded, his image reflected in her eyes. As long as she was with him, the ends of the earth would be home. A man is a boat, a woman is a sail; with him, life has direction.

After finishing the pot of tea, Yang Jianye declined the offer to refill it and took her hand, saying, "Come on, let's go home and frame our marriage certificate."

Li Ying was led along by him, her eyes only seeing his back.

The wind brushed past her ear, and she suddenly understood: love in the 80s didn't involve as many "I love you" statements, but the most genuine warmth was hidden in the "back seat of a bicycle," the "one-and-two cents tea fee," and the "neatly printed marriage certificate."

With companions by my side and witnesses to prove it, even simple meals can be a good time.

Resting her head gently on Yang Jianye's broad back, Li Ying felt as if her heart was soaked in warm water, peaceful and calm, so reassuring that even her fingertips felt warm.

A man's maturity is not determined by his age, but by his sense of responsibility and whether he knows how to "take on responsibilities".

Without this mindset, growing taller is pointless.

As soon as the two stepped into the courtyard, they were immediately surrounded by a lively crowd.

"Oh my, this is... you got your marriage certificate?" The three old ladies watering the flowers at the door trembled, almost tipping the watering can over. Li Ying was holding a red booklet, a "certificate of merit" that was dazzling to the eye.

Yang Jianye pushed his bicycle, turned his head and smiled at his wife: "Oh, never mind, I'll go get the wedding candy for everyone now."

As soon as I arrived at my doorstep, two middle-aged women, who had heard the commotion, came out excitedly: "Jianye, congratulations!"

"Why don't you introduce us? We'll be living in the same compound from now on!"

"Thank you." Yang Jianye thanked her first, then pulled Li Ying close to his side, shoulder to shoulder, like a tree that had just taken root.

He shouted in a strong voice, "This is my wife, Yingzi, a full-time employee at the food factory!"

Yang Jianye deliberately pointed out that the job was a "permanent employee" because he had a stable job, which would not only make him more respected, but also reduce his free time to mess around with the people in the compound.

As long as it looks presentable, it's fine; don't interfere with the young couple's daily life.

"Wow, now that they're a dual-income family, that's amazing!" The third aunt's eyes lit up like light bulbs.

"Thank you for your kind words, please take the wedding candy first." Yang Jianye pushed the car down the window sill, went inside and took out the melon seeds and milk candy that he had prepared in advance, which were heavy in his hands.

"Yingzi, let's go hand out candy."

"Okay, I'll put the certificate away." Li Ying replied, and the young couple walked side by side into the yard.

"That's enough, Jianye, why did you buy so much?" Auntie Er took the candy, her face crinkling with laughter.

"I prepared a lot, we'll need them later," Yang Jianye replied, grabbing another handful of sunflower seeds and stuffing them into her pocket.

"Thank you, Jianye. Wishing you both a healthy baby boy soon!"

"Second Aunt's words are auspicious."

When they got to the third aunt, she was incredibly blunt, stretching out her hand wide: "Jianye, we have a lot of family members, so don't be stingy!"

Li Ying quickly added two more handfuls of melon seeds and a handful of candy. The three aunties were so happy that they slapped their thighs and chanted auspicious words.

The two carried the candy to the backyard to deliver it to the deaf old woman.

The old lady clutched the candy, looked at Li Yingzhi and nodded: "Good girl, Jianye is blessed."

Yang Jianye smiled without saying a word. Li Ying replied with a few perfunctory words, and he urged her to leave. It wasn't coldness, but rather a sense of propriety.

Once outside, the deaf old woman stared at the candy on the table, her smile slowly fading. She sighed deeply, "Yang Jianye is a lucky man... It's a pity he was fooled."

She had been shrewd her whole life, but now she was filled with regret: if she had been a little softer-hearted back then and helped him through the most difficult days, given his nature of "trading a handful of peanuts for a table full of hot food," wouldn't he have treated her like his own grandmother?

Now he has married a woman who works full-time at the food factory, and his life is getting better, while she has become a lonely old woman left behind.

Walking from the middle courtyard to the front courtyard, just as they reached the corner, the curtain of the Jia family's door was suddenly lifted with a "whoosh." Banggeng was clutching the family's tinplate and washbasin, while Xiaodang shrank behind him, holding an even larger basin high in his hands: "Uncle Yang, this is from my family!"

Yang Jianye was secretly delighted: Can I give you the whole bag of candy?

Little Dang, with her pigtails, grinned foolishly at Yang Jianye. The little girl wasn't cunning; she was happy to see Uncle Yang. No need to ask, this was definitely taught by Granny Jia, hoping to take advantage of the situation.

Li Ying frowned, about to speak, when Yang Jianye pulled her aside, ignoring the stick blocking their way, and squatted down in front of Xiao Dang: "Xiao Dang, reach out, hold it with both hands."

Xiao Dang obediently opened her little hands, and Yang Jianye grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and piled them in her palm, then grabbed a handful of milk candy and stuffed it into her cotton-padded jacket pocket, filling the other pocket with sunflower seeds as well. Leaning close to Li Ying's ear, he whispered, "Peel a candy and put it in her mouth."

Although Li Ying was completely baffled, she did as instructed. The candy melted in Xiao Dang's mouth, and the little girl's eyes curved into crescents. She even forgot to complain about the stick.

The wind lifted the curtain in the yard, making the wedding candy wrappers rustle.

Yang Jianye led Li Ying back, and the sunlight fell on their intertwined hands, like a layer of warm gold powder.

The days have just begun, but this solid sweetness has already seeped into every inch of each day through my fingers.

"Your name is Xiao Dang, right?"

"Hello, Aunt Yang."

"Good boy/girl, come on, open your mouth, Auntie will give you candy."

"ah,"

Yang Jianye stuffed the candy into Xiao Dang's mouth, and Li Ying asked with a smile, "Is it sweet?"

Little Dangmei nodded excitedly, but dared not open her mouth to speak, afraid that the candy would fall out.

"So sweet," she thought to herself.

This was the first time she had ever eaten a whole milk candy. Before, her grandma would always save the candy for her brother, maybe giving her a tiny bit that would melt in her mouth. So this is what milk tastes like!

After doing all that, Yang Jianye stood up and said, "Alright, go back now. Remember to leave some melon seeds and candy for your mother."

He definitely wouldn't have said that if they weren't married. But now, since he'd taken pity on Xiaodang and provided her with two meals, she should learn to be grateful. Qin Huairu may have wronged someone, but she'd done right by these three children. If "greatness" is the standard, 99% of mothers in this era wouldn't qualify, so how many in later generations would?

Banggeng stood to the side, pouting, his face gloomy, just like his old lady.

When Xiao Dang carefully carried the melon seeds home, he snatched half of them and ran back into the house.

Xiao Dang looked at the sunflower seeds, which were mostly gone and a few had been scattered, and burst into tears.

Li Ying, who had just reached the doorway, heard this and wanted to turn back, but Yang Jianye shook his head to stop her: "Don't worry about it, we can't control it." Her face darkened; what a worthless burden. Everyone in the courtyard was alarmed, except for the Liu family, who remained silent.

Yang Jianye brought his new wife to visit, exchanged a few polite words with Da Liu, grabbed a handful of melon seeds and candy and stuffed them into his hands, and before leaving, he put some more on the table: "Save these for the children, don't be stingy."

"Hey, I'll share in the joy too." Da Liu nodded repeatedly, looking much more cheerful and energetic than yesterday.

After walking around, Li Ying was exhausted. Yang Jianye invited her, "Come on, let's go to his house for a while." She didn't hesitate; they had already registered their marriage, so she was his woman now, and it was a good opportunity to see the home she would be living in from now on.

The house was filled with new furniture, the corners were neatly tidied, and the stove was clean and tidy—it didn't look like a single man's home at all. Li Ying had seen the homes of single men before: when her father was home alone, pots and pans, the room and under the bed were a mess; without a woman, it was hardly cleaner than a pigsty.

"Does someone clean your room?" Li Ying sat down and glanced at the portrait of a great man on the wall.

Yang Jianye sat up on the kang (a heated brick bed) and laughed: "Four people helped clean last night, and we were up half the night. All the furniture was just brought back yesterday."

He pulled her into the next room, opened the door, and there was a new bathtub in the center, still smelling of it!

"I plan to build a water heater next door, which will make heating more convenient. I'll drill some pipes through holes, run them around the wall to a metal box, install valves and hoses, and connect the hoses to the tub when I want to take a bath."

He gestured to the name, "Both rooms are warm, so you don't have to go to the bathhouse every Sunday. I'll also put some face cream and clam oil on your dressing table. The bed has been changed, and the kang (heated brick bed) has been rebuilt, so it's convenient for anyone to sleep there when you have a child. You don't know anything about sewing and mending, so give me the ticket and money, and you can do whatever you want."

Using a combination of words and gestures, Yang Jianye explained the future transformation clearly, then turned to look at Li Ying.

Li Ying suddenly felt a weight in his arms as she nestled into his embrace, a faint scent of soap wafting from her hair.