Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Nowadays, supplies are rationed and meat coupons are precious. For an average family, half a pound of meat per person per month is the maximum.

Who would dare to eat meat every day? A few days ago, someone secretly bought some a few times, but the braised pork cost almost a dollar for one meal, which scared them off, and they never dared to think about it again.

All things considered, those two lunchboxes of He Yuzhu weren't just filled with food; they contained life-saving oil!

Seeing that the tide was turning against them, Yi Zhonghai quickly changed tactics, forcing a smile: "Shazhu, you're family too, it's only right that you lend a hand... How about this money... you can give me a little something?"

"Stop! Hold on!" He Yuzhu suddenly raised his hand, his eyes sharpening. "Grandpa, you're not really planning to make me contribute manpower, effort, and even money, are you? How much are the two lunchboxes I contribute every day worth? Can you even buy them for a dollar outside? I still need food coupons and meat coupons! That's like me losing thirty dollars a month for nothing, and I still have to worry about buying groceries and cooking! And now you want me to pay for it? So I'm the only living bodhisattva in the whole hospital, just there to offer incense?"

His voice grew louder and louder, his words as clear and articulate as a knife, slicing away at those hypocritical faces.

"If that's the case, then I might as well be the boss! I'll be responsible for providing meals, covering expenses, and handling all your problems—how about that? Who agrees? Step forward and let me see!"

After these words were spoken, the entire courtyard fell silent for a few seconds.

Many people lowered their heads and began to ponder.

According to this calculation, He Yuzhu didn't actually gain anything; on the contrary, he was treated as free labor.

With his skills, he could easily earn over a hundred yuan a month by setting up a stall outside. Now he delivers meals every day. What's the point?

Yi Zhonghai was speechless after being rebuked, his face turning pale and then red.

Continuing to say this will only make me seem petty and calculating, or even like I'm targeting Sha Zhu.

He could only cough twice and wave his hand in a show of magnanimity: "Since that's the case... it was my oversight."

"Besides Sha Zhu, is there anyone else willing to lend a hand? Let's share the burden."

He spoke eloquently, but in his heart he was already gritting his teeth.

Eight yuan only bought them a lunchbox. The Jia family didn't even get any benefit; instead, they were outmaneuvered.

Despite all his scheming, he ended up with nothing but bitterness and a reputation for being mean and ungrateful.

He made a note of this debt.

The moment he finished speaking, the entire courtyard fell silent, as if a mute button had been pressed.

No one said a word—after all, it was only voluntary, and given their conditions, it was really not something they could offer.

If it weren't for Jia Zhangshi's earlier "golden words of wisdom," Yan Bugui, as the third master, would have at least gritted his teeth and symbolically taken out some money to save face.

But now they've made it perfectly clear: what if they donate sweet potatoes and sorghum flour, and their own precious grandson gets sick from eating it?

He could legitimately pretend to be deaf and dumb, and he comfortably started cracking sunflower seeds, making a particularly crisp crunching sound, as if providing background music for the silence.

"Since no one is willing to step forward, let's stick to what we agreed on before." Yi Zhonghai's face was ashen, and his voice was as cold as frost. "Shazhu's daily lunchbox will be distributed to Old Lady Li and Old Wang's family. The grain that Second Uncle and I pooled together will be distributed to the three families according to their needs."

Meeting adjourned!

After saying that, he picked up his enamel mug, turned around, and left without even giving her a second glance.

The crowd dispersed quietly, their steps slow and deliberate, each lost in their own thoughts.

Only Old Lady Li and Old Wang walked towards He Yuzhu without prior arrangement, their steps heavy but firm.

"Grandma Li, Uncle Wang, is there something you need?" He Yuzhu had already sensed their intentions. He smiled faintly, but his tone was not distant. "Come in and sit down. It's just a few steps away... Xu Damao, you should go home and lie down. The food has gone bad, why are you still mooching off us? I'll have someone send you the plate."

"Pah, what a disgrace!" Xu Damao rolled his eyes, still refusing to back down, but his head was buzzing—the effects of the alcohol were already creeping up his temples.

I only drank a few sips, but I felt extremely weak and staggered away.

Only after his figure disappeared through the door did Grandma Li and Old Wang follow him into the house.

Old Wang's family was indeed dirt poor.

Although he was a strong laborer and his household registration was in the city, he never had a proper job and made a living by carrying bags and pushing carts.

When I'm lucky, I can earn fifteen or sixteen yuan a month, but when I'm unlucky, I earn less than ten yuan, barely enough to make ends meet.

As soon as she entered, Old Lady Li began, "Zhu Zi, I know you're kind-hearted and often help us, but this time..."

"Stop." He Yuzhu raised his hand to interrupt, his tone crisp and decisive, "Grandma, I don't listen to your nonsense."

I was just about to ask you for help—the rain has gotten a bit bigger lately, and I'm having trouble washing the clothes. She washes them herself but can't get them clean, and she takes forever to do it.

If you have some free time, could you help her with her washing up and teach her some things girls should know?

He paused, then lowered his voice: "My mother passed away early. As her older brother, I can manage to feed her and send her to school, but other than that... it's not convenient."

"It's just a lunchbox, a little something to nourish the body, it's not like it costs money."

These words were completely contrary to his attitude of declining at the conference, but both Old Lady Li and Old Wang knew in their hearts that the lunchbox contained not just food, but the oil and fat that would sustain them.

Old Wang's eyes welled up with tears, and he swallowed hard. "Zhu Zi, I'm not very capable, I can only offer my physical strength and occasionally do odd jobs as a carpenter... If you ever need my help, please don't hesitate to ask!"

He spoke sincerely, his voice trembling.

With two boys and a daughter, they were always so hungry they could see stars. A hot meal was more precious to them than the Lunar New Year.

"Hey, look at what you're saying." He Yuzhu waved his hand, smiling frankly, "If something really happens, I definitely won't stand on ceremony with you."

He knew that if he didn't make these people "repay" him something, they wouldn't feel at ease eating, and he himself wouldn't be able to live with himself.

As they were talking, he suddenly remembered something and turned to ask, "Uncle Wang, you know carpentry? Why don't you try working at a furniture factory?"

Old Wang shook his head with a wry smile: "With my skills, I'm at most a first or second-level worker. I have no connections. Want to get into a factory now? Dream on."

Even before the public-private partnership, they couldn't get in; now it's even less likely.

"Every radish has its own hole; so many people in Beijing are vying for jobs, they don't need half-baked people like us."

He Yuzhu nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

After a moment, he suddenly smiled and said, "Uncle Wang, I'm quite interested in carpentry. How about... you teach me? I'll use my lunchbox as tuition, how about that?"

Expanding the system space requires more max-level skills. His cooking and Xingyi Quan skills are nearing their limits, and he's worried about not having any new projects to practice on.

Once you get the basics down, you can improve your proficiency by repeating the process.

Woodworking is a good skill; you don't necessarily have to make large pieces of furniture, you can practice by carving small things.

In addition, physical labor suited him well, and the addition of traditional Chinese medicine was a perfect match—the recipe for a tonic wine that Master Zhang had given him had caught his eye, and he had long been eager to study it in depth.

Learning a trade and accumulating skills at the same time—that's when life truly has a future.

Before leaving, He Yuzhu specifically called Old Lady Li and Old Wang aside and whispered a few words to them.

After listening, both of them had tears in their eyes and nodded repeatedly, finally feeling relieved.

They are honest and simple people who remember even the smallest kindness for a lifetime, wishing they could give it back their hearts.

He Yuzhu did this for no other reason than to put his mind at ease—it's good to give favors, but you can't let them bear too much burden.

After the two people walked away, the room became quiet, and the door creaked open.

He Yushui poked her little head in, her eyes darting around to make sure only her older brother was there, before slowly walking in, her little face scrunched up: "Big brother, you gave away all the lunchboxes... what am I going to eat from now on?"

He Yuzhu raised his eyes and smiled, flicking the spatula, oil droplets still jumping in the pan: "Who do you think I am? The head chef of Fengzeyuan, would I let you go hungry? Don't worry, I've arranged everything."

Seeing that she was still pouting and her brows were still furrowed, he simply put down his work and said seriously, "From now on, I guarantee you'll eat meat once every three days! Is that alright? But let me make this clear from the start, we have to keep a low profile."

In a courtyard house, there are many eyes and gossips. If you keep running around the yard with milk candy like before, sooner or later someone will have their eyes on us.

From now on, keep the good stuff to yourself and don't show it off, understand?

"Got it, got it!" He Yushui immediately straightened her back and nodded emphatically.

If she were to be unable to eat meat because of her flamboyance, she would be so angry that she would get up in the middle of the night and cry.

In fact, He Yuzhu has a very solid foundation now.

He would host a private banquet at Li Huaide's residence every two weeks. The vouchers that the big shots casually handed him were enough to exchange for half a roast chicken on the black market.

Wine coupons, pastry coupons, meat coupons... piled up in the drawer, clattering loudly.

He visited three or four well-established pharmacies before he could gather enough for twenty catties of pure grain liquor to make a whole jar of tiger bone tonic.

This wine is precious; I've only had it three times in the last six months. Each time, after drinking it, my whole body felt hot, and I felt more energetic than if I had drunk ten packets of energy drinks.

After the plenary session ended, some were happy while others were sad.

Grandma Li and the Wang family were beaming with joy as they carried their lunchboxes, while the Jia family felt as if the sky had fallen.

"Damn that idiot Zhu's ancestors for eight generations!"

Jia Zhangshi sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), slapping her thigh and cursing, spitting as she spoke, "What a waste! All I got was a ladle of cornmeal from Yi Zhonghai, not even enough to fill a gap between my teeth!"

They had a perfectly good plan: the Jia family would keep all the lunchboxes, while Yi Zhonghai would provide some coarse rice and noodles to appease the other two families, thus gaining both practical benefits and a reputation for "benevolence and righteousness."

But now? It's all for naught!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and her voice rose even higher: "Those two poor bastards don't even deserve to eat Sha Zhu's food! Bah! Sha Zhu is just deliberately making trouble for my grandson! He's definitely jealous that my Bang Geng is smart and promising in the future! He's a deadbeat, a wretched ghost, a lowly life scavenging for food in the kitchen, why should he live a better life than us? He's destined to be childless! May his sons be born without an anus!"