Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

"When will you become a big leader? Then you can just leave Director Sun out of the picture."

Zhou Feng patted Bai Ling's shoulder with a grin, and she rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.

This girl started joking around again, which means Zhou Feng has accepted what she just said.

That's enough.

"By the way, if you're also going to collect that timber, remember to leave Uncle Qin's area out of reach. The area around Beiping is so big, there's no need to compete with them."

Zhou Feng suddenly remembered something and gave another word of advice.

He was quite certain that since he had received these timbers from Qin Jingru and her father today, Sun Yue and his group would investigate them soon afterward, so he might as well just be upfront about it!

"Well, Comrade Zhou Feng, you've actually taken notice of them over just this one meal?"

Zhou Feng grinned and leaned closer: "What's wrong? Is our Comrade Bai Ling jealous? Jingru is still so young, just a child. What could I possibly do to her? I don't care for those I can only look at but not touch. I only care for those I can both look at and touch!"

As he spoke, he had already put his arm around Bai Ling's waist.

The latter, her face slightly flushed, pinched his arm, but not with much force, just enough to make Zhou Feng pretend to be in excruciating pain and cry out "Ouch, ouch!" twice.

"Come on! Who's jealous of you! I'm telling you, I'm reminding you to be mindful of your image. Your position is special, so avoid contact with people of unknown identity, especially..."

"Especially young women, right? What if they fall for a honey trap?"

Zhou Feng teased her on purpose.

"Pah, pah, pah! A honey trap, my foot! You're dreaming!"

Bai Ling was so angry at this guy that she laughed and slapped his hand away.

The Qin family father and daughter's carriage left Nanluoguxiang and turned onto a slightly wider street.

The winter wind immediately rushed in, making Qin Jingru wrap her worn-out cotton-padded coat tighter around her, but her heart was warm.

Thinking about how Brother Zhou Feng had promised to help her find a job, she couldn't help but smile.

Qin's father sat next to her, close to the sacks of grain and meat, his hands occasionally stroking them.

But they hadn't gone far when Qin's father's expression turned strange. His brows were furrowed, a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he quietly pressed one hand against his stomach.

"Whoa—" The old driver heard him gasping for breath and pulled on the reins. "Old Qin, what's wrong? You don't look well."

Qin's father grinned somewhat awkwardly: "It's nothing, it's nothing... it's just... maybe I ate too much oily food today, my stomach is a bit upset... Um, Brother Wang, please wait a moment, I... I'm going to take a break, it's the public toilet at the alley entrance up ahead."

Today at Zhou Feng's house, he ate quite a lot of roasted lamb skewers and braised pork, along with soft and sticky rice.

All that was left for my wife was some braised pork broth.

His stomach, which rarely gets oily or greasy, was really struggling to cope.

"Alright, go ahead, but be careful. I'm just about to have a smoke." Wang took out his pipe.

"Dad, are you alright?" Qin Jingru asked with concern.

"It's alright, it'll be fine in a bit."

Qin's father waved his hand, clutched his stomach, and jumped off the carriage in a somewhat disheveled manner, quickly walking towards the public toilet not far away.

Qin Jingru sat alone in the carriage, guarding the sacks, her eyes constantly scanning her surroundings.

This is Beiping! It's much more lively than their commune. The buildings are taller and the roads are wider. When I start working here, I'll be able to see it every day!

Just as I was lost in thought, a somewhat familiar voice suddenly rang out beside me.

"Jingru? Is it Jingru?"

Qin Jingru turned her head and saw a woman wearing a blue cotton-padded jacket, an old scarf, and carrying an empty cloth bag standing next to the carriage, looking at her with some surprise.

"Sis? You're back?"

"It really is you!" Qin Huairu smiled and quickly approached. "What brings you to the city? And why are you sitting in this carriage? Who are you waiting for?"

She asked the question aloud, but her gaze swept directly over the several bulging bags.

A few grains of rice seemed to have fallen out of the gap. Did they come to the city to buy grain?

So much grain, how much money did it cost? And it's all premium rice!

"I came with my dad, but... my dad went over there." Qin Jingru was a little embarrassed to say that her father had gone to the restroom, and she mumbled, "We came here... to take care of something."

"Getting something done?" Qin Huairu's smile grew even warmer. She walked over to the carriage and chatted casually with her cousin as if it were a natural conversation.

"You're definitely not here to visit relatives. I'm probably the only relative we have in the city. So who are you looking for? Zhou Feng?"

She gestured towards Nanluoguxiang with her lip.

Qin Huairu's eyes lit up when she thought of what her mother-in-law had said before.

Qin Jingru was still young, and since Qin Huairu was her cousin, she had no need to hide anything from her, and she was unaware of Zhou Feng's dislike for the Jia family.

Hearing Qin Huairu's words, he subconsciously nodded: "Yeah, we're going...to Zhou Feng's house."

Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat, but she feigned surprise. "Oh, Zhou Feng! Yes, he lives in our courtyard! He has a lot of stuff. What...why are you going to see him? To buy food?"

She glanced at the sack, then at the driver, Wang.

"It wasn't about buying..." Qin Jingru said honestly without thinking much about it. "Brother Zhou Feng is a really nice guy. He likes the old wood that our family used to have, the kind of heavy hardwood. We traded the wood for some grain and meat from him."

She pointed to the burlap sack, a hint of pride in her voice, "Brother Zhou Feng even said that if we ever need this kind of wood again, we should come to him!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu unconsciously clenched her fists, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Good, good, even their relatives in the countryside can now exchange food and meat with Zhou Feng!

We'll exchange old logs for grain, and we'll keep doing that in the future!

Isn't he only interested in old things?

Now you can even replace wood, right?

Looking at Qin Jingru again, although her clothes were unfashionable, she was pretty, young and fresh...

A thought that had crossed Qin Huairu's mind before suddenly came to her attention.

Zhou Feng wasn't interested in any worthless piece of wood; he was clearly interested in the person who delivered it!

Then, recalling how she had mentioned Jingru to Zhou Feng before, only to be kicked out by him, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

So it turns out he doesn't look down on Jingru, but rather on her, the one who brought up Jingru!

Despite her inner turmoil, Qin Huairu's smile grew even more amiable, even tinged with envy: "Oh, Jingru, you've really met a benefactor! Zhou Feng is the most capable person in our compound! The food and things his family uses, tsk tsk..."

"Let me tell you, it won't hurt for you to spend more time with him! If... if he takes a liking to you and lets you stay in the city, your family's fortunes will be completely turned around!"

Qin Jingru blushed at her cousin's words, her vague hope exposed. She lowered her head and said shyly, "Sister, what are you saying... Brother Zhou Feng is just being kind, helping us exchange for some food... He even said he might be able to help me find a job in the city..."