Courtyard House: The Fisherman Never Goes Sick

The news spread like wildfire, and soon the entire courtyard knew—Yang Wei, the former "country bumpkin," had not only turned his life around but also passed the Level 3 fitter exam and might even become an engineer in the future.

The news was like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone in the hospital stunned.

"Just a level three fitter, what's there to be proud of? I hope you get crushed by a machine soon!" Jia Zhangshi cursed viciously as she leaned against the window.

"Exactly, a level three fitter, not even as good as I used to be, what's he so smug about?" Jia Dongxu added sarcastically.

Qin Huairu sat silently to the side, head bowed. Seeing this, Jia Dongxu became even angrier and yelled, "Qin Huairu, you're useless! Yang Wei, a country bumpkin, passed the exam, and you're still a first-level fitter? Do you even have a brain? If you did, our family would be living the high life by now!"

Qin Huairu felt a pang of sorrow—she was supporting the family alone, enduring the insults of her wicked mother-in-law and the ridicule of her husband. She couldn't help but regret marrying into the Jia family.

An old man's house

Upon hearing the news, an older woman couldn't help but complain, "If you had cultivated a good relationship with Yang Wei back then and hadn't helped the Jia family seize his uncle's property, why would he be ignoring you now?"

"Who knew Yang Wei had this ability?" Yi Zhonghai complained—if he had known, he would definitely have sided with Yang Wei.

Second Uncle's House

"Dad, did Yang Wei pass the Level 3 fitter exam?" Liu Guangqi asked.

"I heard from people in the courtyard that he'll pass the Level 8 exam and might even become an engineer!"

"Heh, keep bragging." Uncle Liu Haizhong sneered. "What's a level three fitter? Fitter levels aren't like cabbages on the roadside. I'm a level seven fitter now, much better than him. Let him take the level seven exam first."

In his view, Yang Wei was just lucky to pass the Level 3 exam, and there was absolutely no way he could pass the Level 8 exam.

Third Uncle's House

Yan Bugui was being flattered by the whole family.

"Dad, you have such good taste! You just got on good terms with Yang Wei yesterday, and he passed the exam today!" Yan Jiecheng said with a smile.

"Dad is good with an abacus, and he's a master of calculation!" Yan Jieti and Yan Jiekuang gave him a thumbs up.

Yan Bugui, beaming with pride, turned to Yu Li and said, "Yu Li, go back to Yang Wei's house to clean later. Don't worry about him not giving you anything, and don't mind even if he doesn't."

"Yes, sister-in-law, listen to Dad, go too in the future," Yan Jiecheng echoed.

Yu Li's heart started racing for no reason, and she quickly agreed, "Okay, I'll do as you say."

"Sister-in-law, if Yang Wei offers you anything, don't refuse!" Yan Jieti quickly reminded her.

"Don't worry, I won't refuse." Yu Li smiled, but in her heart she thought—even if I wanted to refuse, he might not agree.

Yang Weijia

Yang Wei was putting a fish into the tank to expel water, preparing to make steamed carp. While waiting for the fish, he picked up a book called "Third-Level Fitter" and flipped through it.

He heard footsteps outside, looked up and saw Xu Damao carrying a bunch of local specialties, obviously just back from showing a movie.

Xu Damao saw the book in Yang Wei's hand, and the words "Level 3 Fitter" on the cover were glaringly obvious. He scoffed inwardly: This country bumpkin wants to pass the Level 3 exam? He's only been here a few years, he's like a toad trying to eat swan meat!

Thinking about Yang Wei's low salary, Xu Damao felt even more smug—his projectionist job paid well and he often received local specialties, something Yang Wei couldn't even dream of. If it weren't for the 1000 yuan left by Yang Wei's uncle, he wouldn't even be worth a hair on Xu Damao's head.

Thinking this, Xu Damao turned around and walked arrogantly towards his home.

Xu Damao's "Shocking Moment"

"Xu Damao, another success showing movies in the countryside?"

When he ran into an acquaintance on the roadside, seeing Xu Damao carrying a large pile of local specialties, the person's eyes flashed with envy.

Xu Damao waved his hand proudly: "It's all because the villagers are so hospitable!"

The man then changed the subject, deliberately putting him down: "Hey, Xu Damao, I heard someone from your factory passed the Level 3 fitter exam again, and it's someone from our compound. Do you know who it is?"

"No way?" Xu Damao's eyes widened. "Someone in the factory has passed the Level 3 fitter exam?" A Level 3 fitter's salary is much higher than his as a film projectionist's, something he can't even dream of.

"It's true, the whole courtyard has heard about it."

"Who is it? So amazing?" Xu Damao was incredibly curious.

"Yang Wei!"

"Yang Wei?!" Xu Damao's mind went blank for a moment, a string of question marks popping up—in his mind, the probability of Yang Wei passing the Level 3 fitter exam was lower than the probability of him finding a hundred yuan on the ground.

"Absolutely true!" the other person said confidently. Xu Damao knew this man never lied, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings—he had just mocked Yang Wei, and now his face was burning, as if he had been slapped in the face.

While Yang Wei was still in a daze, a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind:

"Ding! Master, your bait has caught a silver treasure chest!"

Silver treasure chest! Yang Wei's eyes lit up instantly—the last time he opened a bronze treasure chest, he got two good items, wouldn't a silver one be even better?

He opened it directly with his mind:

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, you have achieved Master-level chess skills!"

"Congratulations, Master, you have obtained a stinky tofu recipe!"

"Congratulations, Master, you have obtained a bottle of vision gene potion!"

Three items! One more than before, Yang Wei was overjoyed.

"Master, do you wish to equip Master-level chess skills?" the system asked.

"Equip!" Yang Wei said without hesitation.

In an instant, countless golden lights flooded his mind, and his knowledge of chess took root—he used to be an ordinary chess player, but now even future professional chess players might not be his match.

Then, he retrieved the bottle of vision-generating potion from the system's inventory. The system proactively explained:

"After taking it, it can improve eyesight, allowing you to see farther and clearer, and it also has night vision, enabling you to see in the dark without a light source. In addition, it also grants the ability to remember what you see and to understand what you see instantly."

With a photographic memory and instant understanding, Yang Wei couldn't hide his smile—from now on, he could memorize and understand books at a glance, making him more than qualified to be a scientist!

He tilted his head back and swallowed the medicine, its effects instantly absorbed. His eyesight seemed to be reshaped; his previously 1.5 vision was now as clear as if he had a microscope—he could see the fine hairs on the legs of an ant a hundred meters away from the window with perfect clarity. He casually flipped through an electrical engineering book and understood everything at a glance.

"Incredible!" Yang Wei thought to himself, carefully putting away the stinky tofu recipe (he didn't have the ingredients and couldn't use it for the time being), and started making braised carp.

With master-level culinary skills at his disposal, cooking fish was a breeze. Soon, a plate of glossy red braised carp was ready, its aroma wafting out the door. Yang Wei closed his eyes and took a deep breath—he knew without even tasting it that the flavor was even better than that of a chef at a state banquet.

He picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth; the aroma exploded, and he ate it heartily.

The Jia family's appetite was greatly whetted.

The aroma wafted from Yang Wei's house, seeping into every corner of the courtyard. The Jia family members gathered around the dining table sniffed—

"It smells so good! Did Yang Wei make braised fish?" Bang Geng's mouth instantly watered. He had been arguing for a while and no one had paid any attention to him. His clothes were still covered in dust. Now, all he could think about was fish.

"Grandma, I want to eat fish! I want to eat the fish from Yang Wei's house!"

Banggeng's cries were like thunder; his chopsticks slammed onto the floor, scattering rice grains all over the table. He rolled on the floor, his cotton trousers getting covered in ash from the stove, looking like a monkey that had rolled into a flour bin: "I want to eat fish! Yang Wei's family eats all by themselves; when they're old, no one will take care of them in their old age!"

Jia Zhangshi, hands on her hips, her wrinkled face trembling with anger, yelled, "Dongxu! Is your wife dead? How could you only ask Shazhu for this little bit of food? Tomorrow, have him get a fish, the kind like Yang Wei's, so fragrant it could waft through three alleys!"

Jia Dongxu shrank his neck and glanced at Qin Huairu: "Qin Huairu, why were you so stingy when you asked Sha Zhu for vegetables today? You're so greedy, aren't you ashamed as his mother?"

Qin Huai clutched the hem of her dress, her knuckles turning white—in her past life, she had been driven to despair by this very "fight for food," and now she was facing the same fate again. What to do if there were no fish? She couldn't very well steal them, could she?

Outside the courtyard, He Yuzhu and He Yushui were peeking through the crack in the door, inhaling the aroma of steamed carp mixed with the scent of scallions and ginger. The aroma wafted out from the crack in Yang Wei's window, and He Yushui's stomach rumbled.

"Brother, what smells so good?" she sniffed, her fingertips red from the cold.

He Yuzhu said expressionlessly, "Steamed crucian carp. Yang Wei brought the fish back; his cooking skills are alright."

"Yang Wei is really something!" He Yushui rubbed her hands together, her eyes gleaming with envy. "Yesterday it was braised pork, today it's steamed fish! Brother, can you get one for me tomorrow so I can have a taste?"

"No money!" He Yuzhu slammed his chopsticks on the table. "You have money to help the Jia family, but you don't have money to get them fish?"

"You..." He Yushui's face turned red with anger, "Then I'll go eat at Yang Wei's house!"

"Get out!" He Yuzhu slammed his fist on the table. "If you go there, don't ever step foot in my door again!"

He Yushui slammed her chopsticks down and turned to leave—she had made up her mind: Yang Wei had 1000 yuan in assets, was a level three fitter, was handsome, and was still single. Such conditions were hard to find even with a lantern!

As soon as the door to Yang Wei's house was cracked open, He Yushui's pretty face turned red—Yang Wei was wearing blue work clothes with fish oil stains on his cuffs, and he had a small mole at the corner of his eye when he smiled. He was ten times more handsome than the rough men in the yard.

"Yang Wei, did you make steamed carp?" Her voice was so soft it was barely audible. "It smells delicious. You probably can't finish it all by yourself, can I have a bite?"

Yang Wei sized her up: her patched cotton-padded jacket wrapped around her thin body, her nose red from the cold, she looked rather pitiful. "Come in," he said, stepping aside. "There's only half left, it'd be a waste not to eat it."

He Yushui's eyes lit up, and she followed him into the house. Half a carp remained on the porcelain plate, scallions adorning its body, fish oil condensing on the rim, the aroma making her swallow three times. "I'll cook and do the laundry for you, how about we have some fish instead?" she quickly added, afraid Yang Wei would think she was eating for free.

Yang Wei smiled: "No need. Sit down." He handed over the bowl and chopsticks, his fingertips touching the back of He Yushui's hand, which was so cold that he frowned.

He Yushui picked up a piece of fish belly meat, which was so tender it trembled. The aroma of scallions mixed with the freshness of the fish exploded in her mouth: "Delicious! Much better than my brother's!" She ate quickly and didn't even notice that there was some fish oil on the corner of her mouth.

Yang Wei looked at her and recalled the faces of those fighting over food in the courtyard—Jia Zhangshi cursing, rolling on the ground with sticks, and Qin Huairu swallowing her anger. This girl was honest; she said she wanted to eat, unlike them who hid it away.

"Eat more if you like it." He picked up a piece of fish tail for her. "I'll treat you to some next time."

"Then I have to do some work for you to make up for it!" He Yushui said hurriedly, her fingers gripping the chopsticks so tightly that her knuckles turned white—she knew this was an opportunity to "get closer to Yang Wei," and she had to seize it.

In the courtyard, He Yuzhu clung to the wall, watching He Yushui enter Yang Wei's house. He stomped his feet in anger, "That girl, she's siding with outsiders!" But he was helpless; he couldn't very well kidnap her.

Inside the house, He Yushui was planning: tomorrow she would wash a set of work clothes for Yang Wei, the day after tomorrow she would help him organize his tools, and slowly... once she became his wife, she wouldn't have to fight with Banggeng for cornbread anymore.

Since Yu Li often comes to help, what if He Yushui gets involved too... and the two of them start fighting over the work?

As soon as Yang Wei said that, the light in He Yushui's eyes dimmed. She quickly lowered her head, hiding her disappointment behind her eyelashes—perhaps Yang Wei felt embarrassed? After all, it was her first time eating at his house, how could he really let this "outsider" steal Yu Li's job?

"We can't let this go!" He Yushui bit her lip, her eyes suddenly lighting up: "I'll steal my brother's 'He Family Recipes' and give it to Yang Wei! Doesn't he love food? With an exclusive recipe, wouldn't that bring us closer? He'll definitely be happy to let her come over often!"

"Nothing is impossible for a willing heart!" She clenched her little fists, her mind racing with calculations.

After dinner, she stayed at Yang Wei's house for a while longer before leaving, completely satisfied. On the way back, her mind was filled with thoughts of "how to steal the recipe without anyone noticing"—rummaging through drawers and cupboards? No, that would be too obvious; copying a copy when her brother wasn't looking? Yes, she'd do it while he was bragging to the neighbors!

At this moment, Yang Wei was slumped in a chair, digesting his food. After eating and drinking his fill, he was too lazy to move, but in this era without television or games, he was bored to death.

"Ding—New mission activated!"

A mechanical voice suddenly sounded in Yang Wei's mind, and he sat up straight with a start:

"Mission: A good life is more than just good food. Go out for a walk, play a game of chess, and cultivate your mind!"

"Reward: A stinky tofu ingredient kit, plus a childhood candy gift pack!"

"Playing chess? The reward sounds pretty good!" Yang Wei's eyes lit up. He was just getting bored, and this task came at the perfect time! He patted his behind and stood up, about to open the door, when he heard footsteps outside—

"Yang Wei, are you home?"

"It's Yu Li!" Her voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of ingratiation. Yang Wei chuckled immediately: How closely was Yan Bugui keeping an eye on me? Was he afraid I'd run away, so he sent his daughter-in-law to "keep an eye on me"? He instantly put on a smile and called out, "I'm here!"

As soon as the door opened, Yu Li stood there, her pretty face slightly flushed, clutching a rag in her hand: "Yang Wei... you gave me too many White Rabbit candies yesterday, I... I think I should help you with some more housework..."

Her voice trailed off as she spoke—she was pretending to come and help, but her real intention was to covet Yang Wei's "good stuff," so how could she possibly mention the "candy"?

"Come in." Yang Wei stepped aside to let her into the house, his heart leaping with joy: Where could he find such a free maid? The dishes hadn't been cleaned up properly, and Yu Li would come in handy. He glanced at Yu Li's beautiful figure and deliberately said, "Yu Li, you should come often from now on. I can't leave you here alone."

Yu Li's eyes lit up instantly, and she almost jumped for joy—comes often? That means Yang Wei doesn't dislike her! She suppressed her racing heart and nodded vigorously, "Then, okay!"

"Take your time packing, I'm going out for a stroll and will check back later." Yang Wei waved his hand, preoccupied with the system task. As for Yu Li? No rush, there'll be plenty of time to "train" her later.

Looking at the complete set of Jingdezhen teaware on the table, Yu Li felt another surge of excitement—Yang Wei dared to leave her here alone and even casually displayed his valuables; he truly treated her like "family"!

Yang Wei strolled outside the courtyard and headed straight for the old banyan tree nearby—the "chess mecca" of the courtyard, where a group of old men would play chess every day.

Upon closer inspection, lo and behold, Uncle Liu Haizhong was playing chess! He was sitting with his legs crossed, holding a chess piece in his hand, his mouth practically stretched to his ears – he had the upper hand! On the chessboard, Liu Haizhong had two rooks, a horse, and a cannon left, and only one pawn had been captured; the old man opposite him only had a rook, a horse, and a cannon left, and his pawns had been reduced to just two, and it looked like he was about to be completely wiped out.

"Being a person and an official is just like playing chess!" Liu Haizhong said proudly, tapping the chessboard. "When an opportunity arises, you have to be like a 'chariot,' decisive and swift, without hesitation! You see, it's because I dared to charge and fight that I was able to catch him off guard!"

He was spitting as he spoke, displaying his "official authority," when Yang Wei, suppressing a laugh, leaned closer and said, "Second Uncle, well done!"

Liu Haizhong looked up and saw Yang Wei, and became even more excited: "Little Yang's here? Watch closely, Grandpa's 'Cart Crushing Horse' move will surely make him admit defeat!"

Yang Wei chuckled inwardly: "I'll show Second Uncle what 'old ginger is spicier' really means—but I'll do it the other way around, making him accept his defeat wholeheartedly!" He pulled out five yuan and slapped it on the edge of the chessboard: "Second Uncle, how about we play a game? I bet five yuan, the loser buys an ice cream!"

Liu Haizhong glared at him: "Little Yang, you little brat, you dare challenge your grandpa? Come on then! Don't cry if you lose!"