Courtyard House: A Prosperous and Joyful Life

Xu Damao was in a terrible predicament; he really didn't want to spend the money. But if he didn't buy it, who knew what kind of trouble Yu Haitang would cause? If she really forced him to divorce her and then pestered him to marry her again, he'd be stuck in a pit he couldn't climb out of. He'd long since lost interest in this woman; he was already tired of her.

Men, sometimes they're just like that—they keep their wives at home while having mistresses on the side. But if you really asked them to give up their wives for mistresses, they wouldn't be willing. Besides, if the mistress has become a haggard, worn-out woman, losing all the mystery, who would want to marry her?

After pondering for a long time, Xu Damao gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words: "Fine! I'll buy it, I'll buy it, okay?!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Haitang's face immediately brightened, and her smile stretched almost to her ears. She knew perfectly well that Xu Damao was the kind of person who responded to gentle persuasion but not to force. She had been with him for so long, wasting her youth on him. How could she not give him a good thrashing?

With a pained expression, Xu Damao pulled out his wallet, counted out the thick wad of bills, and bought the ridiculously expensive coat. His hands were trembling as he handed it over.

The surrounding middle-aged women and young wives who were watching the spectacle instantly changed their expressions, their eyes turning red with envy.

"Wow, such an expensive coat, does anyone actually have the money to buy it?"

"That's right, that's several hundred yuan, equivalent to two years of my salary."

"Sigh, if my husband were half as generous, I'd be content. I heard there are only eight of these coats in the whole department store, and this is the last one. There won't be anywhere else to buy one later."

"I've been watching for a while now. I was even thinking of going back to my parents' house to borrow some money, but I didn't expect to be robbed of it in the blink of an eye."

Hearing the whispers around her, Yu Haitang felt incredibly happy, as if she had drunk honey. Without any pretense, she immediately put on her coat, and in that instant, her entire aura instantly rose, making her look like a movie star, outshining all the women around her.

Xu Damao, watching from the side, was also taken aback and couldn't help but nod, saying, "I must say, these clothes are a bit expensive, but they are definitely high-end. Wearing them makes you look completely different. I want to see which country these imported goods came from."

As he spoke, he leaned over to examine the label on the collar.

This was a shock; Xu Damao's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets: "Huanyu Garment Factory? That name... why does it sound so familiar? Let me think... Holy crap!"

Xu Damao slapped his thigh, his face filled with disbelief: "Isn't this Wang Jun's bastard's factory?! This coat was actually made in his factory? It's not an imported product at all!"

"Selling a piece of clothing for 599 yuan, how much does it actually cost to make? That factory must be producing hundreds of pieces a day! Wang Jun has really struck it rich!"

At this moment, Xu Damao was completely dumbfounded. He never dreamed that Wang Jun, who was usually inconspicuous, could produce such high-end goods. He was being taken advantage of!

When Xu Damao came to his senses, his admiration for Wang Jun was so profound that it was like a never-ending, surging river.

"Wow, this kid Wang Jun is really something."

Xu Damao was secretly amazed. He had originally thought that this kid was already quite capable, able to assemble radios and make antennas, but he hadn't expected him to be such a pro at running a factory. Look at these high-end clothes they produce—the workmanship, the style—absolutely superb!

He strolled around the clothing section and found that Huanyu Garment Factory had quite a lot of goods: hoodies, skirts, shirts, pants... more than twenty kinds in total, each exuding a fashionable vibe. The counter was surrounded by women, all of them unable to tear their eyes away and unable to move.

"Wow, this hoodie is so cool! It's bright red, so festive to wear during the Chinese New Year, it makes me feel so happy."

"If you ask me, this dress is prettier. Wearing it to dance, I'd definitely be the most stunning person there. And with the weather getting warmer, wearing this dress for photos will be absolutely gorgeous!"

"The dress is beautiful, but the price is shocking! Two hundred and sixty! That's five months' salary for me."

"You can argue with that, the stuff is really good, but it's too expensive. I have some money, but I don't dare buy it. If I did, my husband would fight me to the death."

A dozen or so women huddled together, touching the fabric and chattering away.

As Xu Damao listened, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "It seems that the products from Huanyu Garment Factory really hit the nail on the head with women."

Yu Haitang, who had just received her desired coat and was feeling quite pleased with herself, chimed in, "Of course! These are all high-end items, and the effect is immediate when worn. No woman can resist such temptation."

Yu Haitang actually wanted to buy a few more items, but she knew that Xu Damao had already spent a lot of money this time, and if she asked him to spend more money, he would probably get angry. So she thought she would coax him to come in a few days.

As Xu Damao listened, a thought suddenly struck him.

He's been trying to seduce a young widow lately, but unfortunately, he hasn't made much progress. This widow has a child, and she's incredibly shrewd; she's much harder to please than a young woman, and she's extremely pragmatic.

However, what woman doesn't love to look beautiful? If I send her a pretty dress, wouldn't the young widow look at me differently? Maybe this will work out!

Once he made up his mind, Xu Damao didn't hesitate. After seeing the satisfied Yu Haitang off, he made a surprise return, and with a wave of his hand, he directly spent 315 yuan to buy a pink hoodie.

"Hehe, a 315 yuan hoodie, that young widow probably hasn't even seen one before." Xu Damao thought to himself, feeling quite pleased. "If I give her this hoodie, won't she be mine obediently? Then..."

He grew happier and happier as he thought about it. He rode his bicycle, humming a little tune, and sped off towards the young widow's house. He had completely forgotten about going home for dinner after get off work.

After winding through several alleyways, Xu Damao knocked on a door. This was the home of the young widow, He Xiaoyun. He Xiaoyun had given birth to a son before, but after her husband left, the child went to live with his relatives, and now she lived alone.

Xu Damao set his sights on her, firstly because she was beautiful, and secondly because she had given birth. This meant she was physically healthy and could give him a healthy baby boy.

As soon as he entered, Xu Damao handed over the red sweatshirt along with the receipt.

He Xiaoyun glanced at the price on the receipt, and her eyes almost popped out of their sockets: 315 yuan! This number was so dazzling that she could hardly believe it.

Xu Damao, beaming with pride, leaned closer and said, "How about it? Surprised? This is high-end stuff in the mall; countless women would stare at it but couldn't afford it. I thought it was perfect for you, so I specially brought it back for you. Come on, try it on!"

He Xiaoyun felt a surge of emotion. These days, it's incredibly rare to find a man willing to spend hundreds of yuan on clothes for a woman.

When He Xiaoyun changed her clothes and stood in front of the mirror, she was even more surprised. Her whole demeanor was different, as if she had become a completely different person, and she was several levels more beautiful.

"It's so beautiful, I love it!"

"Hehe, I'm glad you like it. Come on, let me take some pictures of you to remember this moment."

Xu Damao picked up his camera, bent over with his backside sticking out, struck a professional pose, and started snapping away. After taking the photos, he lingered for another hour before finally leaving, completely satisfied.

……

In the courtyard, Qin Jingru had set the food on the table, but Xu Damao was nowhere to be seen.

She stopped waiting and started eating, pondering something that seemed increasingly wrong. Ever since Xu Damao bought that camera, he'd been coming home later and later each day, and she wondered what he was up to outside.

"There's something wrong, there's definitely something wrong." Qin Jingru slammed her chopsticks down. "Xu Damao is definitely hooking up with women outside."

A woman's intuition can sometimes be frighteningly accurate. Qin Jingru's first reaction was that Xu Damao was having an affair, and her anger flared up.

"You, Xu Damao, how dare you cheat on me with another woman! You're getting bolder and bolder!"

She initially wanted to go out and find Sha Zhu, so that Sha Zhu could teach Xu Damao a lesson, but then she thought that she should catch him in the act.

Qin Jingru pondered that Xu Damao always carried that old camera like a treasure; he must have taken some shady photos on it. When he got back, she'd definitely get the film out, sneak him to a photo studio to develop it, and see what that bastard was up to!

Xu Damao didn't stroll home until after 6 p.m.

He glanced furtively into the room and saw Qin Jingru sitting there watching TV, looking perfectly normal. He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a huge weight lifted from his shoulders.

During this time, Xu Damao followed Wang Jun around and his pockets were full. As the saying goes, poverty breeds trouble, and the poorer you are, the more trouble you encounter. Many of the family's conflicts boiled down to one word: "money." Now that he had money, the little misunderstandings between him and Qin Jingru naturally went away, and their relationship was much warmer than before.

Qin Jingru glanced at Xu Damao as he entered, didn't even lift her eyelids, and casually asked, "Why are you only just getting back? Have you eaten?"

As Xu Damao took off his coat, he casually lied, "I ate, I was entertaining my boss, that's why I just got off. Honey, I'm exhausted, I'm going to sleep now."

After saying that, he quickly changed his clothes, flopped onto the bed, and soon started snoring.

Seeing that Xu Damao was fast asleep, Qin Jingru immediately sprang into action. She quietly took out Xu Damao's camera, her eyes turned cold, and she turned and left, heading straight for the photo studio.

"Xu Damao, don't blame me. If you dare to find other women outside, don't blame me for being impolite." Qin Jingru thought fiercely, "If you can find women, I can find men too!"

……

At the garment factory, You Fengxia stayed behind to oversee the office, while Wang Jun hopped on the Changjiang 750 motorcycle and, with Lü Guangrong in tow, sputtered off towards the cannery.

The cannery is located diagonally opposite the garment factory, about 300 meters away on foot. Like the garment factory, it was also converted from two courtyard houses.

There's nothing we can do about it. These days, getting approval for a plot of land to build a factory is incredibly difficult; the paperwork can be exhausting and takes at least a month. Buying an existing courtyard house and renovating it is the most cost-effective and time-saving option.

The cannery is currently without a factory director, and all the affairs inside and out are being handled by Lü Guangrong.

As soon as Wang Jun's car came to a stop at the entrance, Liu Guangfu immediately ran up to greet him.

That's right, this guy is now the security captain of the cannery. But the factory hasn't hired anyone yet, so he's a one-man show and has to stand guard at the main gate himself.

"Hello, boss!" Liu Guangfu smiled so broadly that his eyes disappeared; his joy was genuine.

Although he currently has no soldiers under his command, this job is a hundred times better than doing temporary work, and he is very content.

Looking at his energetic appearance, Wang Jun smiled and said, "Looks like you're quite satisfied with this job?"

"Of course I'm satisfied! Thank you for the opportunity, boss!" Liu Guangfu chuckled.

The two Liu brothers, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu respectively, managed the garment factory and the cannery. Neither of them complained about the arrangement. Even their father, Liu Haizhong, who was eager to become an official, initially had a dark expression when he saw his son resign to work for a private business owner. But as soon as he heard that his son had become the security captain, his attitude changed completely, and he stopped putting on airs.

Wang Jun and Lü Guangrong took a tour of the factory. The equipment and materials in the workshop were neatly arranged and fully stocked, just waiting for the workers to come in and start work.

Lu Guangrong, holding his notebook, reported to his supervisor: "Boss, the cannery plans to hire 260 people. 150 male workers, 110 female workers, and we also need to hire a few security guards and accountants."

Wang Jun nodded and pondered for a moment, then said, "Many veterans are returning to their hometowns and facing difficult lives. This time, let's prioritize hiring veterans for male factory workers and security guards."

In those days, ordinary soldiers were truly "naked" upon discharge, receiving nothing but a little travel money, and had to find work entirely on their own. It wasn't until 1987 that there were mandatory regulations for resettlement. These soldiers had shed blood and sweat to protect the country; providing them with a job was only right. Besides, veterans are physically strong and disciplined, making them easier to manage than ordinary civilians.

Upon hearing this, Lü Guangrong immediately nodded in agreement. His father was a soldier, so he naturally had a favorable impression of soldiers.

The two then finalized their salaries, setting the base wage at 50 yuan, in line with garment factories. Of course, salaries varied depending on the position, with team leaders and workshop supervisors earning more. Overtime pay was also the same as in garment factories; as long as you were willing to work hard, earning one or two hundred yuan a month was not a dream.

Within two days, news of the cannery's job openings spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys.

"Breaking news! Huanyu Canned Food Factory is hiring in two days! Veterans will be given priority!"

"Global Canned Food Factory? What's its connection to Global Garment Factory?"

"Hey, same boss!"

"I definitely have to go! I heard from people at the garment factory that the pay there is incredibly good; even a regular worker who works hard can earn over a hundred a month!"

"Really? Over a hundred? That's a cadre's salary!"

"Why would I lie to you! My wife works in a garment factory. They say it's piecework, the more you work, the more you earn."

"With the same boss, the pay must be pretty good. I'm tempted too. Maybe I should quit my job and try my luck?"

"Let's go, let's go together!"

"I have a nephew who came back from the army and has been staying at home doing nothing. I'll tell him the good news later."

"What a coincidence! I also have a relative who's a veteran. I'll go get him to sign up right now!"

In no time, the news of Huanyu Garment Factory's recruitment spread throughout the alley as if it had grown legs. Especially the veterans, as soon as they heard there was work to be done, they were eager to get started and were the first to rush to the cannery as soon as it opened.

Around 8 o'clock, Wang Jun drove his Changjiang 750 back to the courtyard house. He saw Qin Jingru walking down the road with a camera slung over her shoulder. Her face was gloomy, as if someone owed her money. Wang Jun thought for a moment, then pulled over and said, "Sister Qin, are you going back to the courtyard house? I can give you a ride."

Qin Jingru looked up and saw it was him. She forced a smile and said, "Okay, thanks." As she climbed onto the motorcycle bed, Wang Jun sensed the barely suppressed anger emanating from her. Although they weren't close, he could tell something was wrong.

Qin Jingru was burning with rage! The photos had just been developed, all "artistic" pictures taken by Xu Damao, showing her in a floral shirt, striking provocative poses, making her look like she was from old Shanghai—the more she looked, the more disgusted she became. She made a silent vow: she had to get a divorce! She'd make sure Xu Damao paid her a hefty sum, and if he dared refuse, she'd make sure the whole hospital knew!

The car quickly arrived at the courtyard house. Wang Jun parked the car, greeted Qin Jingru, and went inside. Watching his retreating figure, Qin Jingru suddenly had a thought: Xu Damao was unreliable; they'd divorce sooner or later. But a woman always needs a child… Wang Jun was handsome, quick-witted, and had a good temper. He even led the entire courtyard to make money. If she married him… their offspring would definitely be excellent. She just didn't know if Wang Jun would even pay her any attention. She was already over thirty; even if she offered herself, he might not even be interested.

As soon as she entered the house, she saw Xu Damao sprawled on the bed, snoring away, looking like he'd had a great time last night. Qin Jingru's anger flared up instantly. She grabbed a bucket from the doorway, ran outside, filled it with cold water, and poured it over Xu Damao's head with a splash!

"Holy crap! What the hell is that?!"

"Ugh, I'm freezing!"

Xu Damao howled like a pig being slaughtered, the sound echoing throughout the entire courtyard. The water, freezing cold in the dead of winter, made him tremble like a leaf after the bucket of water was poured over him. He jumped out of bed, ready to beat Qin Jingru: "Qin Jingru, are you crazy?!"

Qin Jingru was prepared. Grabbing a rolling pin, she rushed forward and started beating her mercilessly: "You took those lousy photos! You tricked me!"

"Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! It hurts so much!" Xu Damao was already bad at fighting, and he would get beaten up even by Sha Zhu. Now that Qin Jingru had a weapon, he couldn't defend himself at all and rolled on the ground, clutching his head.

The neighbors all rushed over when they heard the commotion. Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Bugui were all there. Xu Damao's screams were so terrifying that they were afraid someone had died.

Yi Zhonghai quickly stopped her: "Qin Jingru, stop! Let's talk this out!"

Liu Haizhong nodded in agreement: "If the fighting continues, Xu Damao will get injured!"

Yan Bugui also chimed in, urging, "Let's talk things out, don't resort to violence!"

Qin Jingru glared at Xu Damao, gripping the rolling pin. The anger in her chest hadn't subsided yet. This was a long time ago!