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

Yi Zhonghai's wife put down her shoe sole, thought for a moment, and then said, "I overheard Xiuhe mention it when we were chatting last time. She said that once Liu Yuheng's wife gets pregnant, she'll go over to help take care of her. Besides, Liu Shuanzhu is several years older than you, already in his early fifties. In a few years, once Liu Yuheng's situation is more stable, he'll definitely bring the old couple over. Maybe Liu Er and his family will benefit too and move over there together."

After hearing this, Yi Zhonghai remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

His wife added, "So, you should just continue being the boss as always, and just don't offend the Liu family. If Jia Dongxu and Shazhu listen to us, there won't be any problems with your retirement."

Yi Zhonghai let out a long sigh of relief, picked up his teacup, and said nothing more, but the expression on his face was noticeably more relaxed.

At Xu Fugui's house, the atmosphere was completely different.

Xu Fugui sat down next to Xu Damao, his tone carrying a carefully calculated seriousness: "You'll be joining me at the steel rolling mill in a few days to learn how to project movies. I have a favor to tell you. While you're at the factory, make sure you get to know Liu Erhe better."

Xu Damao scratched his head, somewhat puzzled: "Dad, what's the point of me associating with him?"

Xu Fugui glanced at him: "What do you know? As long as outsiders know you can talk to the Liu family, or rather, Liu Yuheng, they'll have to think twice before trying to scheme against you. Showing movies may seem like an easy job, but there are plenty of envious people. If someone knew you were close to Liu Erhe, who would dare to trip you up behind your back?"

He paused, then lowered his voice and added, "Besides, if something really happens in the future, a big shot like Liu Yuheng might be able to settle things with just a word. It won't take much effort for you to make the most of this opportunity and get to know Liu Erhe better. Carry some snacks with you sometimes, and give some to Liu's eldest grandson when you see him. Kids are sweet-talking; if you tell Liu Yuheng about it, he might just lend you a hand someday!"

Xu Damao's eyes darted around after hearing this, clearly taking it to heart. He nodded and said, "Okay, Dad, I understand. I'll keep in touch with Liu Erhe more after I start working at the factory."

He thought for a moment, then couldn't help but blurt out, "How did Liu Yuheng become such a high-ranking official at such a young age? I wish I could be such a high-ranking official too."

Upon hearing this, Xu Fugui sneered, "They earned theirs through countless battles. They fought the Japanese invaders back then, and later went abroad to fight. They risked their lives for it. If you were there, you might just defect to the enemy and become a traitor the very next day."

Xu Damao, somewhat unconvinced by his father's words, muttered, "I only have a possibility, but you really were a traitor."

Upon hearing this, Xu Fugui's face darkened instantly, and he slapped Xu Damao on the back of the head: "How can you say such things?!"

Xu Damao was slapped so hard he fell forward, covered his head and shrank back.

Xu Fugui glared at him, his voice low but stern: "When I was young, the entire capital was under Japanese control. Who in this compound didn't work in places connected to the Japanese? Back then, if you didn't work, you'd starve! Stop talking nonsense outside, do you hear me?"

Xu Damao shrank back sheepishly, muttered "I know," and then quickly slipped back into his room. Before closing the door, he poked half his head out and said ingratiatingly, "Don't worry, Dad, I'll definitely get along well with Liu Erhe."

At the Jia family home, the dinner table had just been set when Jia Dongxu couldn't help but tell them the news he had heard in the yard that day.

As he put food into his bowl, he said, "Mother, Huairu, do you know that Liu Yuheng has been awarded a rank of lieutenant general?"

As Jia Zhangshi was bringing the bowl of porridge to her lips, she heard the words "Lieutenant General," and her hand trembled, almost spilling the porridge: "Lieutenant General? What kind of rank is that?"

Jia Dongxu put down his chopsticks and thought about it seriously: "He's much bigger than our steel rolling mill director."

Madam Jia exclaimed "Ah!" and held the bowl of porridge in her hand for a long time without moving it. Her expression changed several times before she suddenly asked, "I haven't offended the Liu family, have I?"

Jia Dongxu was both amused and exasperated by her sudden nervousness: "Mom, what are you so nervous about? Apart from that incident a couple of years ago when Liu Yuheng came back and you kept insisting on introducing him to someone, you haven't done anything else."

Madam Jia smiled sheepishly and put down her porridge bowl. "I was just trying to be kind, thinking that he was so old and still unmarried... Who knew he would find such a wonderful person on his own?" As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, and her expression relaxed slightly. "But that happened so long ago, Liu Yuheng can't possibly hold a grudge now, can he?"

Jia Dongxu comforted her, saying, "Probably not. They're people who do big things; they don't have time to remember such trivial matters."

Only then did Madam Jia feel a little relieved and picked up the bowl of porridge again to take a sip.

Qin Huairu, who was standing to the side, kept her head down and ate her meal, slowly picking at the rice grains in her bowl with her chopsticks, without saying a word.

She heard every word Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi said, but she didn't look up or interrupt. She just silently chewed her food, her gaze fixed on the rim of the bowl, but her mind was already wandering.

She remembered the day Liu Yuheng drove his jeep to the courtyard with Yao Qingwan, remembered Yao Qingwan standing in the courtyard being praised by a group of middle-aged women, and remembered Liang Fangfang now wearing the supply and marketing cooperative's blue apron, standing straight behind the counter.

She looked at herself again. In the years since she married into the Jia family, she had never taken off her apron, her calluses were thicker than the bottom of a pot, and her complexion was getting worse day by day.

"The General's wife," she silently repeated the word in her mind. Yao Qingwan really got a great deal. If only she had met Liu Yuheng instead of Jia Dongxu… or even Liu Erhe instead of Liu Yuheng.

Look at the Liu family's life now. Liu Er and his wife have a monthly income, their child is taken care of by his mother, and Liu Yuheng has even arranged a formal job for Liang Fangfang at the supply and marketing cooperative.

What's so great about Liang Fangfang? She's just like me, only with a primary school education. In terms of figure, looks, and thriftiness, how can she compare to me? But she's just so lucky. When she got engaged, she met her older brother who had been missing for over ten years and returned home in glory. Her child is just a little older, and she already has a job arranged for her. Her good days are probably yet to come.

As she thought about it, her nose started to sting slightly. She quickly lowered her head, shoveled down two mouthfuls of porridge, and swallowed the sour taste along with the porridge.

Jia Dongxu treated her well, but Jia Zhangshi's mouth had never given her a kind word in all these years. She did all the housework by herself—washing clothes, cooking, taking care of the children, and serving her mother-in-law—and her back was almost broken from exhaustion.

Qin Huairu secretly glanced at Jia Dongxu, then lowered her head again, finished the last mouthful of porridge in her bowl, and got up to wash the dishes at the stove.