Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

Director Li sat for a few more minutes, chatted with Liu Shuanzhu and Wang Xiuhe about their families, and asked about their situations.

Wang Xiuhe was a little reserved at first, but after chatting for a while, she found that Director Li was honest and down-to-earth, and gradually relaxed.

After sitting for a while, Director Li put down his teacup, stood up, and nodded to everyone in the room: "Alright then, I won't bother you any longer. Grandpa and Grandma, please take care of yourselves."

As he spoke, he took another step toward the door, and Liu Erhe quickly followed to see him off.

Yao Qingwan stood up and called out, "Wait a moment."

She turned and walked to the cabinet, opened the door, bent down and took out two bottles of liquor, then grabbed a bag of pastries and handed it to Liu Erhe: "Erhe, take this with you and let Director Li hold it."

Liu Erhe took it and nodded.

Director Li had already reached the door when he turned around and saw Liu Erhe carrying some things. He quickly waved his hand and declined, saying, "Sister-in-law, this is unacceptable! I came to pay my respects for the New Year; how can I take things back?"

Yao Qingwan smiled, her tone gentle yet firm: "Director Li, please accept this. Yu Heng doesn't have many old subordinates in Beijing, and even fewer who remember to come and visit on the first day of the Lunar New Year. We appreciate your thoughtfulness; please take the gifts back with you and let your family try them. It's a small token of our appreciation."

Director Li did not refuse again, and accepted the wine and snacks handed to him by Liu Erhe with both hands. He nodded solemnly to Yao Qingwan: "Then... sister-in-law, I won't be polite."

Yao Qingwan smiled and nodded, without saying anything more, and simply gestured to Liu Erhe: "Erhe, see Director Li off."

Liu Erhe responded and stepped aside to let Director Li leave.

As they reached the courtyard gate, Director Li stopped and turned to Liu Erhe, adding, "Brother Erhe, remember what I just said. If Comrade Liang isn't feeling well, don't push yourself. Come find me anytime. Don't worry about the trouble; I can handle things with the supply and marketing cooperative."

Liu Erhe nodded vigorously: "Director Li, don't worry, I've got it."

Director Li smiled, carefully hung the wine and snacks on the handlebars of his bicycle, hopped on, pedaled, turned back to wave to Liu Erhe, and then rode out of the alley.

After seeing Director Li off, Liu Erhe turned and went back to the courtyard. He had just stepped through the gate and hadn't even had a chance to walk towards the east wing when he was surrounded by several people.

Yi Zhonghai was the first to approach, still holding his ever-present enamel mug, his tone inquiring: "Erhe, that person just now... was that Director Li from the Dongzhimen Supply and Marketing Cooperative?"

Liu Erhe nodded, and casually replied as he walked into the courtyard, "Yes, that's him. He's here to wish my brother a Happy New Year."

Yi Zhonghai said "Oh," nodded thoughtfully, and didn't ask any more questions.

Xu Fugui, who witnessed the scene clearly, clicked his tongue twice, his tone filled with barely suppressed envy: "Tsk tsk, Director Li of the Dongzhimen Supply and Marketing Cooperative, he's a man of real power! During holidays, so many people line up to buy in-demand items from the cooperative, but they can't even get a glimpse of him. Yet he's the one who brings you snacks to wish you a Happy New Year... Erhe, your Liu family's influence is truly immense now."

Standing next to Xu Fugui, Xu Damao also clicked his tongue twice, his eyes sparkling, his tone filled with the straightforward admiration unique to young people: "Brother Liu is really impressive! Even the director of the supply and marketing cooperative has to personally come to pay his respects for the New Year. He has more influence than our factory director!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Fugui quickly slapped Xu Damao on the back of the head and scolded him in a low voice, "Don't talk nonsense! What do you mean by 'impressive' or 'powerful'? That's just Minister Liu's prestige! You can't keep your mouth shut, what will people think if they hear this?"

Xu Damao shrank back after being patted on the shoulder, not daring to utter another word, but he couldn't hide the envy in his eyes.

In a corner of the courtyard, Liu Haizhong squatted under the hanging flower gate, a cigarette dangling from his hand. His gaze was fixed on the gate, but his mind was racing. The fact that Director Li had come to wish Liu Yuheng a Happy New Year was like a pebble thrown into a pool of water in his heart, the ripples spreading outwards in circles, never seeming to stop.

He thought: If Liu Yuheng can get Liang Fangfang into the supply and marketing cooperative, can he also put in a good word for me?

Liu Haizhong has worked at the steel rolling mill for ten years. His skills are excellent, but he just can't get promoted to a management position.

If Liu Yuheng could put in a good word for him, it wouldn't be too much to ask him to be a team leader, right?

If I could become the workshop director... that would be a meteoric rise.

Once that thought popped into his head, he couldn't suppress it; it grew wildly in his mind like vines.

Just then, Yan Bugui strolled over from his doorway with a teacup in his hand, a signature smile on his face that was both warm and shrewd. He approached Liu Erhe and said, "Erhe, I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

Liu Erhe was about to walk towards the east wing when he heard this, so he stopped and turned to look at him.

Yan Bugui took a half step forward, lowered his voice, and said with a tone that was both pleading and tentative, "Erhe, my son Jiecheng will graduate from junior high school next year. You know, his grades are average, and he's unlikely to get into high school. I've been thinking... if he doesn't continue his studies, we need to find him a way out. You see, your Fangfang is doing quite well at the supply and marketing cooperative, and Director Li even came to visit us today to wish us a Happy New Year. They're so close... could you help put in a good word for him and see if the supply and marketing cooperative is hiring, so Jiecheng could work there too?"

Upon hearing this, the adults in the courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Yi Zhonghai paused, his hand holding the teacup still. His expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he clicked his tongue: "That stingy Yan, he's really good at scheming." The supply and marketing cooperative was a place so many people would kill to get into, and he just casually tried to get his son in, making it sound so easy.

Why should the Liu family help him? Director Li came to his door because of Liu Yuheng's influence, not because of Yan Bugui's. But he just took advantage of the situation and climbed up the ladder.

Xu Fugui shook his head inwardly, not saying aloud, but his eyes already showed a hint of disapproval. He stood next to Xu Damao, not interrupting, but simply picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.

Liu Haizhong was still lost in thought, his mind racing with the question of whether he could become a workshop director. Yan Bugui's words were just a passing sound to him, not registering in his mind at all.