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

That makes sense.

Ms. Li and Mr. Zhou exchanged a glance, and a weight was lifted from their hearts.

"So what exactly do you do?"

Zhou Feng sighed, thought for a moment, and lowered his voice, saying, "Mom, I'm telling you the truth, but please don't tell anyone."

"you say!"

"I am indeed engaged in trade, but it's not ordinary trade." Zhou Feng carefully chose his words. "The things I deal with... are strategic materials, the kind that are linked to national interests. That's why it needs to be kept secret, and that's why I need bodyguards."

Ms. Li was stunned: "Strategic materials? What are strategic materials?"

"Strategic materials are... materials that require you to sign another confidentiality agreement if you keep asking."

Zhou Feng glanced at his mother speechlessly; he hadn't realized she was so trusting before.

Where does such strong curiosity come from?

Ms. Li smiled somewhat awkwardly and did not press the matter further.

"Alright, you don't need to ask anymore. All you need to do now is that what I'm doing is legitimate, the kind that serves the country."

At this point, Zhou Feng unconsciously puffed out his chest.

Whether in the 60s, the world of courtyard houses, or in modern society, serving one's country is always a glorious thing.

Ms. Li's eyes suddenly reddened, and she reached out to touch Zhou Feng's face.

"I really didn't expect that my son would grow up and become so successful."

Zhou Feng was instantly embarrassed by her actions and unconsciously took a step back.

"No, Mom, what are you doing? Mu Yao is still here."

Tao Muyao covered her mouth and chuckled. She hadn't expected that Aunt Li's personality was so similar to her mother's. No wonder they became best friends so quickly!

However, she immediately held Zhou Feng in higher regard.

This is someone carefully selected by the Dragon Kingdom, someone who can be given important responsibilities by the organization. How bad could they be?

The group ate dinner at home. Zhou Feng sent Lao Zhang out to buy groceries, since it was convenient for him and Lao Li to go out and about.

Ms. Li wanted to cook herself, but Mr. Zhou stopped her and gestured in Tao Muyao's direction.

The former immediately understood and gave the opportunity to show off to his son.

Zhou Feng's cooking skills are actually just average; he usually cooks for himself.

But for Tao Muyao, it truly surprised her once again.

Such a capable person can even cook?

What kind of high-quality stock is this that her mother actually discovered it!

Ms. Li glanced at her son, who was still busy in the kitchen, from the living room, and felt incredibly happy.

This kid must have a crush on Tao Muyao.

Normally, I'm too lazy to even wash the dishes after eating at home, but now I'm actually taking the initiative to cook.

When it was time to eat, the atmosphere became even more harmonious. The four of them sat around the table, as if they were already a family.

Zhou Feng and his father had a couple of drinks together. The latter was very proud of what Zhou Feng was doing and started talking a lot.

Ms. Li held Tao Muyao's hand and kept telling her embarrassing stories about Zhou Feng when he was a child.

What do you mean, "how old were you when you wet the bed?"

What?! He was eating a carrot during class and got caught by the teacher...

Failing an exam and then hiding in the closet when I got home...

Zhou Feng's face turned ashen; he could have dug another laboratory out of the ground with his toes.

I don't know who started this, but why do we have to talk about other people's embarrassing moments to get closer to them?

One person's social death was exchanged for bringing two people closer.

However, seeing Tao Muyao laughing so hard she was doubled over, Zhou Feng felt a sense of relief.

Alright, alright, this girl has clearly taken a liking to him, so there's no doubt he'll be constantly clashing with her in the future.

Letting her hear her embarrassing stories to cheer her up is a way of making amends.

The meal lasted until almost 9 o'clock. Ms. Li checked the time and got up to leave.

"Mom, why don't you and Dad stay here tonight? There are plenty of guest rooms!"

It had indeed been a long time since Zhou Feng had seen his parents, and he missed them a little. However, Ms. Li firmly shook her head.

"We originally came here with Mu Yao's parents on a trip to relax. We only came to see you on the side!"

"We've seen enough of you today. We have our own plans for tomorrow, so we won't bother you any longer. You can continue with your business."

As she spoke, Ms. Li walked out.

She would never say that it was because the courtyard was too solemn; if it weren't for her son being there, she and Old Zhou would feel awkward being there.

Left with no other option, Zhou Feng had to send Lao Li to drive them there.

The three had just left when Zhou Feng received a message on his phone: [Let me tell you, your dad and I have both taken a liking to Mu Yao. You better work hard and stop being so carefree.]

[If you're always making that little bit of money, who are you saving it for if you don't get married?]

Well, this is the kind of person Ms. Li should be in.

The sight of her earlier, with her eyes reddening and filled with emotion, was all an act!

Now that she's away from Zhou Feng, her true nature has reverted to itself.

Zhou Feng, who had rested in the modern world for one night, did not return to the courtyard world until noon the next day.

Just as he was yawning and opening the door, Yi Zhonghai, who came out from the backyard, showed a kind smile instead of his previous slightly fearful reaction.

This made Zhou Feng look at him with new respect.

I didn't expect this old guy to have such a strong ability to adjust his mentality. He was timid and hesitant before, but now he dares to look me in the eye and smile at me.

On the contrary, Xu Damao, who was looking dejected outside, seemed more normal. When he saw Zhou Feng walking out of the room, he didn't even dare to look him in the eye. He just lowered his head and quickly walked through the passageway, heading towards his own home.

Today, he finally made up his mind and went to the Lou family's small villa.

However, instead of his wife Lou Xiao'e, he met his father-in-law Lou Zhenhua.

Oh, no, not father-in-law, but former father-in-law.

He thought he had already lowered his attitude to the lowest level, but when Lou Zhenhua saw him, his face turned extremely ugly, as if he had seen a lump of mud.

But Xu Damao still lowered his posture, smiling obsequiously and bowing.

"Dad... I'm back now, I wanted to see Xiao'e and tell her..."

"Don't call me Dad." Lou Zhenhua coldly interrupted him, pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, and slapped it directly onto Xu Damao's face. "Perfect timing, now that you're here, saves me the trouble of sending someone to deliver it. Take a look for yourself."

Xu Damao hurriedly caught the paper. The handwriting on the paper was neat, and the words "Declaration of Dissolution of Marital Relationship" were written at the top.

His mind went blank for a moment, his hands trembled violently, and he struggled to read on: "Due to long-term discord and serious differences in ideology with Xu Damao, after careful consideration, I have decided to dissolve our marital relationship. From this day forward, all of Xu Damao's words and actions are unrelated to me or my family."

At the bottom are Lou Xiao'e's signature and fingerprint, along with the date, which is clearly from not long after he was arrested.

"This...this is impossible!" Xu Damao's voice trembled. "Where's Xiao'e? I need to see Xiao'e! She's my wife! How can she just divorce me like that!"

"On what grounds?" Lou Zhenhua sneered, his eyes full of mockery and disdain. "Xu Damao, don't you have any self-awareness? The Special Operations Division arrested you, and the steel mill specifically sent a letter of notification! Do you think you're still that projectionist? You're now a released convict! Although our Lou family may have a bad class background, we are still an upright family, and we can't afford to lose face like this!"

He paused, then added, "To tell you the truth, Xiao'e wasn't willing at first; I forced her to sign. Now she understands that there's no future in living with someone like you. You can leave now, and don't come back. If you dare to harass me again, I'll call the police."

"Bang—"

The door closed, leaving Xu Damao standing alone in the cold winter wind, clutching the "letter of divorce" in his hand.

He stood there for an unknown amount of time before mechanically turning around and walking back step by step.

My mind was a jumbled mess. One moment I saw Lou Xiao'e's face, which, though sorrowful, was still relatively docile; the next, I saw Lou Zhenhua's disdainful gaze; and then I saw the cold walls of the prison cell...

Gone.

Everything is gone.

I lost my job, my wife, and my reputation.

All that's left is a government job at the steel rolling mill. Although it's been retained, the projectionist job is definitely out of the question—that was such a prestigious and lucrative position!

Now I can only work as an ordinary worker in the factory, starting from scratch and earning the lowest wage.

With this, you think you can be compared to the Lou family?

Even if Lou Zhenhua's family background was problematic, he was still a worldly capitalist; even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse.

He knew in his heart that Zhou Feng was responsible for all of this.

But the moment he saw Zhou Feng, he couldn't help but hunch over, not daring to look at him even once.

Just as Xu Damao was still grieving in his room, a voice suddenly came from the courtyard outside: "Ladies who are still at home, this is Yi Zhonghai. Remember to inform your families tonight that there will be a general meeting at the Intermediate People's Court."

He shouted several times in a row.

Xu Damao was taken aback for a moment, then frowned.

Has this old man gone mad?

You were just released from the Special Operations Division a few days ago?

He and Sha Zhu were like quails, not daring to peek out.

This old guy suffered such a huge loss, and he still hasn't learned his lesson?

At this moment, Xu Damao's eyes turned red, and he wished he could run into the yard and strangle Yi Zhonghai.

There was no other reason than that he was afraid Yi Zhonghai would cause trouble, and that the Special Operations Unit would arrest him as an accomplice and put him back in jail.

Meanwhile, Sha Zhu was also sighing deeply as he lay on his cold kang (heated brick bed).

Although he wasn't abandoned by his wife like Xu Damao, when he arrived at the steel rolling mill, he found that the head chef of the canteen had changed.

Even if his skills are quite good, he was arrested for making a mistake, so even if he comes back now, it's impossible for him to be given a position as head chef.

Rather than being a lowly worker in the canteen, where his status was even lower than that of his former apprentice, Ma Hua.

Sha Zhu would rather be transferred to the workshop as a worker. But after spending half his life wielding a ladle, it's not that simple to ask him to operate a machine.

What saddened him most was that every night after falling asleep, he would have nightmares about being locked up in the Special Operations Unit again, and then he would wake up instantly.

The days he spent in that prison were a nightmare he never wanted to recall, yet he relived them every single day.

Fortunately, at that time, the old man next door would talk to him from time to time and give him some encouragement.

That old man is a good person!

An old man…

Huh? Why do I vaguely hear that old man's voice again?

Sha Zhu rubbed his eyes, cleared his mind, and listened carefully. It really was Yi Zhonghai shouting outside.

Good heavens, this old man has really gone mad. He just came out of there and he's already causing trouble again?

Do you really think you're that lucky?

"Otherwise, I'm not going to this college-wide meeting. Let whoever wants to go go!"

Sha Zhu muttered to himself, plopped back down on the kang (a heated brick bed), but after hesitating for a few seconds, he shook his head.

He didn't care what Xu Damao thought if Yi Zhonghai were to talk about him and Xu Damao.

He definitely couldn't accept anything Yi Zhonghai said, and he still had to appear at the hospital-wide meeting and explain things clearly in front of Zhou Feng.

We can't let this old guy court death and drag him down with us.

No matter what Yi Zhonghai says, He Yuzhu will always stand firmly on Zhou Feng's side!

Coincidentally, Xu Damao, who was far away in the backyard, also had the same thought in his mind.

No matter what Yi Zhonghai has to say, this time, he absolutely cannot choose the wrong side again!

In that instant, two people who had been bickering since childhood, for over twenty years, reached a consensus across time and space.

After making up his mind, Xu Damao pushed open the door and came out not long afterward.

Just as they reached the pool in the middle courtyard, Sha Zhu put on his cotton-padded coat and stepped out the door.

The two of them stared at each other face to face, both feeling a little awkward.

"Silly Zhu, you're out too?"

Xu Damao spoke first, and at this moment, his tone no longer carried the sarcastic tone of the past.

He has been through so much during this period that it has almost worn away his original spirit.

Even with Sha Zhu right in front of him, he had no desire to argue.

"Nonsense, do you own this yard? Just because you come out doesn't mean I can't."

Sha Zhu, with his neck stiff, instinctively retorted to Xu Damao.

The latter was taken aback for a moment, but a wry smile appeared on his face, showing no intention of retorting.

This surprised Sha Zhu. After a few seconds of silence, the two of them suddenly spoke at the same time.

"You mean that old man..."

"Do you know that Yi Zhonghai wants to..."

Okay, they both fell silent again.

It has to be said that the relationship between Xu Damao and Shazhu is indeed quite unusual.

After exchanging glances for a few moments, Xu Damao finally let out a long sigh and took the initiative to break the deadlock.

"Shazhu, let's be honest, we've been at odds for almost 20 years. But today, I have to tell you something from the bottom of my heart. No matter what Yi Zhonghai is planning to do, this time I'm definitely on Zhou Feng's side. If you're still maintaining that kind of relationship with him, don't drag me into it, or I'll fight you to the death."

"Isn't that obvious?"

Sha Zhu looked at Xu Damao speechlessly.

"I'm not stupid. Do you think we can afford to offend that person?"

As he spoke, a flicker of fear flashed in Sha Zhu's eyes.

He'll probably never forget the Special Operations Department's prison for the rest of his life.