Courtyard House: The Thief System of All Realms

As Sun Jingyuan walked out of the building's residential area, carrying his neatly packed luggage, a familiar greeting came from behind. Looking up, he saw Zhang Shouye, his father's former colleague who now worked in the Ministry of Industry. Zhang was walking briskly towards him, his face showing the concern unique to an elder.

"Stop talking nonsense."

Zhang Shouye approached, glanced at the luggage in his hands, and gave a playful scolding with a smile. His tone was genuinely supportive of an elder for a younger person, without a trace of pretense. "The steel rolling mill is a key unit under the Ministry of Industry. You are the child of a martyr of our Ministry of Industry. If I don't support you, who will?"

"Uncle Zhang, thank you."

Sun Jingyuan remained calm and did not refuse. He quickly walked to the stone table and ate the simple breakfast on it. Then, he casually handed the key to the Ministry of Machinery's family housing to Zhang Shouye. This house was originally intended for the temporary residence of the children of martyrs, and now that his job was settled, he should return it as soon as possible. There was no need to delay the formalities.

Zhang Shouye took the keys, didn't go inside to examine them closely, casually put them in his pocket, turned around and walked to the side of the building, pushing out his old, worn-out bicycle, its paint peeling and showing obvious signs of use. In those days, a 28-inch bicycle was the most precious means of transportation. He deftly set up the kickstand, patted the back seat, gesturing for Sun Jingyuan to get on, then straddled the bicycle, steadily pedaling, and rode off towards the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

Along the way, Zhang Shouye simply gave a few brief instructions on reporting for duty. Sun Jingyuan responded quietly, saying little and displaying a composed demeanor, completely unlike the impetuousness of a recent graduate. Thanks to the physical enhancement he had received from taking the Strengthening Pill, even while sitting on the back of the bicycle, he maintained an upright posture and remained steady throughout the journey without the slightest hesitation.

An hour later, the two arrived steadily at the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill and headed straight for the factory director's office. Workers hurried to and fro within the factory area, and the faint roar of machinery could be heard, exuding the busy atmosphere of a large state-owned factory. The two did not linger and went straight to their destination.

"Old Zhang, why didn't you give me a heads-up before you came?"

As soon as the office door opened, factory director Yang Xugang came up to greet him from afar with a warm smile on his face. He took the initiative to shake hands with Zhang Shouye. The two had known each other for many years and had dealt with each other many times before, so they were very familiar with each other.

"Well, this is my nephew reporting for duty at your factory." Zhang Shouye stepped aside, revealing Sun Jingyuan behind him, and introduced him solemnly with a smile, "He is an outstanding graduate of Beijing Medical University, with top-notch academic performance. He is a true high achiever, so you'd better take good care of him."

"They're really here?"

Yang Xugang looked at Sun Jingyuan in shock, his eyes scanning him up and down, clearly incredulous, his surprise barely concealed.

Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill is a large state-owned factory with tens of thousands of workers. With heavy production tasks, minor bumps and scrapes are commonplace for workers. However, it struggles to retain qualified professionals in its medical departments. Doctors are not like ordinary workers who can be hired simply by having physical strength; this is a technical job that relies heavily on professional knowledge. Several young people who graduated from medical schools had previously come to the factory, but they all used connections to transfer to larger hospitals within two years; none of them wanted to stay long.

In this era, promotions in all walks of life require rigorous assessments, and this is especially true for the medical profession. Graduating from university is merely the starting point of a career; true mastery of medical skills requires guidance from renowned teachers and extensive clinical practice. The job of a factory doctor is monotonous, mainly dealing with workers' headaches, fevers, minor injuries, and ailments. There is little room for clinical advancement and limited career prospects. Any doctor with connections and ambition would be unwilling to settle down here.

Moreover, the Hongxing Hospital is not far from the steel rolling mill. If any worker is seriously injured or has an emergency, they are all transferred directly to the hospital, making the role of the factory doctor seem dispensable. It is precisely because of this that the huge factory with 10,000 employees previously relied entirely on an elderly doctor who was over sixty years old and had long been of retirement age. At the beginning of this year, the old doctor suffered a sudden cerebral infarction and was hospitalized, leaving the factory doctor position vacant and without anyone to see patients.

During this time, Yang Xugang was extremely anxious, asking around for job offers. He was only trying his luck and didn't have high hopes, since no one would give up a promising future at a major hospital to become a factory doctor at a steel rolling mill. But to his utter surprise, he not only found someone, but also a genuine outstanding graduate from a medical university. This was a truly unexpected and delightful surprise.

"Hello, Director Yang, I am Sun Jingyuan."

Sun Jingyuan stepped forward, his expression calm and composed, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant, and he introduced himself in a steady tone, without the slightest hesitation or deliberate ostentation.

"Hello, Dr. Sun!"

Yang Xugang quickly reached out and gently shook hands with Sun Jingyuan, his smile growing more genuine. The more he looked at the young man before him, the more satisfied he became. He couldn't help but ask, "Dr. Sun, with your qualifications and achievements, Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Peking University Third Hospital would have been much better options. Why did you choose our steel rolling mill?"

"My father was a worker," Sun Jingyuan said calmly, without much explanation, his words concise and to the point.

"Cough cough cough, what worker? Old Sun was a senior engineer in the Ministry of Industry, a martyr who died in the line of duty." Zhang Shouye quickly coughed twice and added casually, deliberately pointing out Sun Jingyuan's background.

"Senior engineer? Or a family member of a martyr?"

Yang Xugang was immediately shocked, and his gaze toward Sun Jingyuan instantly became more respectful. He really didn't expect that this young, high-achieving student was actually the son of a martyr from the Ministry of Industry. With such a background, he would be more than qualified to work in a top hospital. Why would he be willing to come to the steel rolling mill as a grassroots factory doctor? This made him even more puzzled and more admiring.

"This kid said that Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Peking University Third Hospital have no shortage of good doctors, but the steel mill lacks a doctor who can stay and work there. It seems that Old Sun has done a good job of raising his son, and he has a good character." Zhang Shouye said with a sigh, which not only pointed out Sun Jingyuan's choice, but also helped him to calm down.

"Well said! Absolutely right!"

Yang Xugang couldn't help but clap and cheer, his eyes full of approval, and his approval of Sun Jingyuan grew even stronger.

"Stop making a fuss and get down to business."

Zhang Shouye waved his hand, interrupting the polite pleasantries and getting straight to the point, "Old Yang, how should my nephew's position be graded? How should his salary be calculated? Give me a straight answer."

Yang Xugang suppressed his smile, pondered for a moment, and then gave a serious answer without any ambiguity: "Dr. Sun is a graduate of a regular university with a bachelor's degree. According to the national regulations for personnel grading, he is directly assigned to the fourth-level salary, with a basic monthly salary of fifty-six yuan and eighty-seven cents. In addition, he is a special professional talent that the factory is in short supply, so the factory will provide an extra ten yuan subsidy per month. All his benefits are in accordance with the standards for middle-level managers in the factory."

In those days, the highest professional title in the medical system was level eight, with a monthly salary of 112.5 yuan; junior college graduates were generally assigned to level three, with a monthly salary of 48 yuan. Sun Jingyuan, a bachelor's degree graduate, was directly assigned to level four, with a basic salary of 56.87 yuan, plus a 10 yuan subsidy, bringing his monthly take-home pay to 66.87 yuan. This treatment was quite generous in a state-owned factory, far exceeding that of ordinary workers, and even veteran technicians with more than ten years of service in the factory might not earn as much.

"Hmm, you're a straightforward guy, you haven't treated my nephew unfairly." Zhang Shouye nodded in satisfaction, then brought up another crucial matter, "There's one more thing, the factory must completely resolve Sun Jingyuan's housing problem, no ambiguity."

"housing?"

Yang Xugang's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a troubled expression. His brows furrowed slightly, and his tone was helpless. "Old Zhang, we've known each other for so many years, and I can agree to anything else without hesitation, but this is something I really can't do. The factory has a huge number of employees right now, and the housing for family members is extremely scarce. There are dozens of families waiting in line for housing, all of them veteran workers with twenty or thirty years of service. Many of them are even crammed into small bungalows with their entire families. There's simply no spare room."

Without saying much, Zhang Shouye took out a document from his canvas bag, straightened his expression, and handed the document to Yang Xugang: "This is not my personal request, it is the ministry's decision. Please read it carefully."

Yang Xugang quickly took the document and began to carefully read it, his brows furrowing more and more with each reading. The document clearly stipulated that, as the employment placement of the child of a martyr, the receiving unit must properly resolve Sun Jingyuan's housing issue and specifically arrange for him to live in an apartment building. After all, Sun Jingyuan had originally given up the job opportunity at Peking University Third Hospital, which entitled him to apartment housing. It would be unreasonable and unacceptable to simply arrange for him to live in a simple bungalow at the steel rolling mill, and it would also not meet the Ministry's placement requirements.

"Minister Zhang, the factory really doesn't have any spare buildings right now, not even a single room." Yang Xugang said with a bitter face, looking troubled. After thinking for a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, "How about this, I'll move out and let Dr. Sun live in my small two-bedroom apartment. I'll temporarily make do in the factory's duty room."

Zhang Shouye's face darkened slightly. He was about to argue when the ministry's document clearly stated that the children of martyrs should not be forced to make do.

Sun Jingyuan, who had been standing quietly to the side, spoke first, his tone calm and composed, without the slightest dissatisfaction: "Director Yang, I'm here to work, not to enjoy myself. As long as I have a place to live that shelters me from the wind and rain, the quality of my living conditions won't affect my work."

"Jingyuan." Zhang Shouye called out to him with a frown, his tone filled with worry, not wanting him to suffer any injustice.

"Uncle Zhang, I know you mean well, but you also need to understand the factory's actual difficulties. There's no need to dwell on housing so much." Sun Jingyuan said sincerely, gently shaking his head to indicate to Zhang Shouye that there was no need to argue anymore.

"Dr. Sun, you are truly understanding and considerate of our factory's difficulties!" Yang Xugang was instantly moved, and his goodwill towards Sun Jingyuan soared. He immediately turned around, opened his desk drawer, took out a stack of neat receipts, and handed them to Sun Jingyuan without saying a word. "I'll find you a spacious and tidy empty room. Consider these receipts as compensation from the factory. You must accept them."

Sun Jingyuan quickly reached out to stop him, politely declining, "Director Yang, I cannot accept a reward without merit. I am only being considerate of the factory's difficulties, not deliberately making concessions to ask for compensation. I cannot accept this."

"Take it. This is the factory's gesture of goodwill and a way to appease you. You can't refuse." Yang Xugang said sternly, his tone firm and unyielding.

Sun Jingyuan looked at Zhang Shouye, and seeing him nod slightly in acknowledgment, he stopped refusing, reached out and took the receipt, and said softly, "Thank you, Director Yang."

"That's right. Come on, I'll take you to see your accommodation now. I'll make sure everything is arranged properly for you." Yang Xugang's face lit up with a smile again. He warmly put his arm around Sun Jingyuan's shoulder and walked out. Zhang Shouye followed closely behind. For both public and private reasons, he wanted to make sure that Sun Jingyuan's accommodation was settled.

The group didn't linger in the factory area and headed straight for the Nanluoguxiang area. It was less than twenty minutes' walk from the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, a convenient location where many of the factory's employees lived in the hutongs and courtyards. Yang Xugang didn't go directly into the hutongs but instead led the two to the local street office first.

"Director Yang, what brings you here today? Is there anything we need to discuss at the factory?"

In the subdistrict office, a middle-aged woman in her forties with neat short hair looked up. She was Director Wang of the subdistrict office, who was decisive and efficient. She frequently liaised with the steel rolling mill and was very familiar with Yang Xugang.

"Director Wang, could you please do me a favor?" Yang Xugang stepped forward with a smile, turning to introduce Sun Jingyuan beside him, "This is our factory's new factory doctor, Dr. Sun Jingyuan. He just reported for duty today. Housing is tight at the factory, so we'd like to arrange a place for him nearby. I remember there are still a few vacant rooms in the courtyard house where Yi Zhonghai and his family live in our area, right?"

"Are you talking about that courtyard house in the back, where most of the steel mill workers live?" Director Wang asked, looking up and holding a pen, ready to register at any moment.

"Yes, yes, that's the courtyard. Most of the residents there are employees of our steel rolling mill, so they can look out for each other. It's a suitable place for Dr. Sun to live," Yang Xugang nodded in agreement.

Upon hearing this, Director Wang glanced through the housing registration book in his hand and quickly decided: "Perfect, there is a separate empty room on the west side of the courtyard. It has good lighting, the size is sufficient, and no one lives there. I'll take you there to see it now. If there are no problems, you can proceed with the check-in registration directly."

After saying that, she got up, closed the registration book, took the key, and led the group out of the street office, heading straight towards the courtyard house in the alley.

Within minutes, the group arrived at the gate of a courtyard house. The gray brick walls and old-fashioned wooden door exuded the charm of old Beijing's hutongs. Director Wang stepped forward, took out his key, opened the gate, and gestured for everyone to enter.

Sun Jingyuan followed behind the group. When they reached the entrance of the courtyard, he paused slightly, but then resumed his normal pace and walked with the group toward the empty room on the west side of the courtyard.