Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Su Yu settled the bill for the dinner party directly with the waiter, without paying for his food ration coupons, and credited it to the unit's internal supply account. A dozen or so people in the kitchen pitched in, stir-frying, stewing, steaming, and boiling, preparing a table full of steaming, hearty dishes. Everyone ate with sweat beading on their foreheads and their chopsticks never stopping. Su Yu was in a hurry to go home, so no one pressured him to drink—but he casually picked up a few bottles of bulk liquor from the supply and marketing cooperative and placed them on the table: entertaining guests without wine is like performing a play without drums and gongs—it just doesn't feel right.

After Su Yu left, Zhang Yishu smiled and nodded: "Comrade Su Yu is reliable! He's quick and efficient, knows what he's doing, and what's even more valuable is that he knows how to handle things and how to conduct himself properly."

Everyone echoed in agreement, their eyes full of approval—they all knew exactly how others did things.

Zhang Yishu raised his hand and toasted: "Let's look out for each other from now on and work together to get the job done beautifully."

The room was filled with the crisp, clear sound of clinking glasses, and laughter rose up along with the aroma of wine.

Su Yu casually stir-fried some green peppers and pork strips in the kitchen and put them on the table. She had already paid for them and made a point of explaining to her colleagues that it wasn't that she was stingy and didn't want to share, but that she was currently having furniture made at home and her wife was still practicing her cooking skills. She was afraid that the food wouldn't be presentable and would make her a laughingstock.

As soon as the bicycle turned into the village entrance, Liu Yan was already standing under the old locust tree, craning his neck to look around. Su Yu waved to him, moved aside on the back seat, and the two of them hurried home.

As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, my eyes lit up: three wooden doors and two cabinets were neatly arranged, and the aroma of wood mixed with the smell of wood shavings filled the air. The bed boards were being fitted with mortise and tenon joints, and Uncle Wang, the carpenter, was bending over and chiseling.

Su Yu handed the dishes over: "Yulan, quickly put them in the bowl. It's getting dark, Uncle Wang, let's call it a day and have dinner."

Uncle Wang wiped his sweat and readily agreed, "Okay! I'll do as you say!"

At lunchtime, the father and son devoured the pork belly, their mouths glistening with oil—over a pound of pork belly, which the three of them cleaned until the plate was spotless. Seeing Xiao Yulan smiling as she picked up food, without a trace of reluctance on her face, the two men felt a little lighter as they worked: it was only when the host was truly happy that the meal felt human; if you were eating meat while watching their expressions, it would be more painful than chewing tree bark.

Looking at the glistening braised pork on the table, the father and son exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with undisguised surprise: They had just enjoyed a meat feast at noon, and now there was another plate for dinner? This life was as sweet as if they had secretly drunk honey!

Xiao Yulan pushed the wine bottle over: "Uncle Wang, this was specially brought to you by Su Yu from the supply and marketing cooperative." The three of them sat around, and as soon as their wine glasses clinked, they got into a lively conversation, drinking and chatting without stopping.

After the meal, Su Yu called Liu Yan to walk up the mountain. Upon hearing this, Su Jiang, without even tying his shoelaces properly, shuffled after them and headed straight for the yam field.

Su Yu squatted down, brushed away the loose soil, pointed to the furrow, and said, "You guys help dig this thing. You can choose from three things: wages, bread, or two hours of cycling. Make your own decision."

Without a word, the two grabbed hoes and got to work, muttering to themselves, "We want the pancakes, and we want the cart! We can always take one less pancake!"

As darkness fell completely, Su Yu shone his flashlight, the beam of which swayed like a silver streak on the mountain path. Carrying two large baskets of yams on his back, his steps were heavy yet steady as he made his way home, stepping in the moonlight.

"Even close brothers should keep clear accounts." He took out a steelyard balance. "I'll buy the yams at five cents a pound. From now on, you can dig them yourselves, and I'll buy them all when I get home from get off work—but only the two of you, because I can't even finish them all myself."

He paused, then added, "If you want to earn more, you still have to rely on real money."

Upon hearing that "it can make money," their eyes lit up instantly, more excited than if they'd seen cured meat: "Brother, you're even closer than a blood brother!"

After weighing them, it came to eighty jin each. Su Yu took out four yuan and stuffed it into their hands, waving her hand: "Go back!"

The two of them kept turning back, their eyes glued to the gleaming old bicycle at the gate of the courtyard, unwilling to look away.

Su Yu knew what was going on: the black market grocery store only sold it for 15 cents a pound, and he kept 5 cents for himself, keeping a small profit for the long term—acting like a living saint would only arouse suspicion.

After harvesting the yams, there's still kudzu root to be harvested. Three months before the Lunar New Year, the two boys should have no problem saving up a hundred yuan or so. With a few dozen yuan in pocket money before school starts, they're definitely starting out as little tycoons!

Looking at the yard full of timber, Xiao Yulan suddenly frowned: "Third Brother, aren't we moving into the city? Won't moving all this furniture be exhausting?"

Su Yu laughed: "Timber is expensive in the city, there are few skilled workers, and the labor costs are high. If we do it here, we can save half the money. Besides, the transport team has a whole tractor for us. I already told the captain—you can focus on your pregnancy and don't worry about these 'tough nuts to crack'."

Xiao Yulan smiled and said, "Alright, Third Brother is the smartest."

"Go and rest, I'll wash the yams." Su Yu rolled up her sleeves, turned around and went into the yard.

Xiao Yulan rolled up her trousers, picked up a bucket, and followed after them.

……

That evening, Su Yu went into the supply and marketing cooperative—she had promised to buy some daily necessities for the workers in the cowshed, and she also had to pick up seven packages at the post office on the way.

Matches: two cents a box.

Salt: 13 cents a pound.

Soy sauce: 2 mao per jin (500g).

Vinegar: 0.8 fen per jin.

These were all essential dried goods for every household. Su Yu carried three jin of each item, carefully tied them to the back seat of his bicycle, and then rode to the post office. The seven packages were stacked higher than a person. He rode slowly all the way, and when he passed a grove of trees, he quietly unloaded them and stuffed them into his storage space—there were many people and many eyes in the village, and some things were better kept secret to ensure safety.

In about twenty days, Liu Yan and Su Jiang were so happy with their 160-plus yuan that they couldn't sleep. They went straight to a repair shop, bought a worn-out bike with chipped paint for 50 yuan, then spent another 40 yuan on tires, chain, and brake pads. After some refurbishment and adjustments, they had a perfectly functional "iron horse" in their hands. The two agreed to take turns riding it, one person for one day.

Su Yu shook her head – if anyone asked where the money came from, the two boys would immediately fall silent. Fortunately, the car was old and rough enough that no one asked too many questions; one was the village secretary's son, and the other was the team leader's nephew, who would be so bored as to check a beat-up car? But their families wouldn't allow it! Liu Yan was grabbed by the ear and pressed against the doorstep by his father, who beat him severely. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he gritted his teeth and made up a story: "I caught a wild boar and traded it with the mechanic!" – The two had already agreed on this story on the way, and they would not utter a word until they were beaten to a pulp.

As soon as the car got home, it was immediately requisitioned: Secretary Liu fell while learning to ride and ended up with a bruised and swollen face. Liu Yan stood by, holding the handlebars, handing him water, and smiling apologetically, barely daring to breathe; Grandpa Su Jiang rode it to the town market every day. The two of them had no choice but to retreat back into the mountains to dig up kudzu roots, thinking about how to keep things quieter in the future.

As soon as Su Yu entered the village that day, she saw Secretary Liu riding his bicycle crookedly, the handlebars wobbling wildly. Liu Yan stood beside him, holding up the back seat with a stern face, sweat dripping down his face, not daring to utter a single complaint.

A crowd had already gathered by the roadside, pointing and laughing heartily.

Later, Wang Guifen and Secretary Liu sat down and discussed it, and decided on a compromise: the car would not be returned or bought out; it would be considered a joint purchase by the two families, to be used in rotation, and rotated every month. Who wanted to buy it separately? The other family immediately slammed their fist on the table—this car was a "hero," who would be willing to give it up? This method was the most agreeable.

In fact, Secretary Liu had long since figured out how these two were making money—always abandoning farm work to hide in the mountains, did they really think he was blind and deaf? But Su Yu took the initiative to help her son, and he was happy to play dumb, after all, his son hadn't suffered any losses, but instead was making money every day. He knew exactly how much that little stash of money had grown; not to mention Wang Guifen, no matter how well Xiao Si hid his things, he couldn't escape her notice. Since there was a way to make money, it was better than nothing, so the two families tacitly agreed, and neither of them dared to expose the truth.

With the remaining thirty yuan, Wang Guifen quickly arranged marriages for her eldest and second sons; while Liu Yan's money was confiscated on the spot by his mother without any mercy.

Liu's mother: "How many kilograms do you and Su Jiang harvest in a day?"

Liu Yan: "About eighty pounds."

Liu's mother: "I won't go to work tomorrow; I'll go up the mountain with you."

Liu Yan: "No, Third Brother said he'd only take the two of us; he won't pay attention to anyone else."

Liu's mother: "Why are you so stubborn? I'll dig it up for you, you take it to hand in, and I'll just show up, isn't that enough?"

Liu Yan: "I need to ask Su Jiang first."

Liu's mother: "Why are you asking! Wang Guifen will also help Su Jiang tomorrow. You're all too clumsy—and look at Su Yu, who knows when he sold those things? Can his family really stockpile thousands of kilograms? Can they even fit them all in the house?"

Seeing Liu Yan lower her head and remain silent, she paused, then softened her tone:

"Son, it's a blessing that they're willing to take you in. This matter is kept very secret; not many people know about it. Su Yu is no ordinary child; following him is better than staying at home digging in the dirt. Keep in touch with him and don't become distant."

Liu Yan nodded: "Mm."

Inside Wang Guifen's room, Su Jiang lay there in a huff, the blanket pulled up to his neck, looking like the sky had fallen. Twenty days of work, all for nothing, and he felt utterly dejected.

Wang Guifen patted the edge of the bed: "What's there to be angry about? The eldest and second eldest sons are married, and it's just the three of us and the youngest son left at home. I left you fifty yuan for your schooling—whatever you earn, whatever I earn, will all be yours in the future, right? Who are you looking at with that long face?"

Su Jiang wrapped the blanket tighter around himself, remaining silent as if he had suffered a great injustice.

Wang Guifen sighed and leaned closer: "Alright, Mom will help you with the work tomorrow, so you can earn more. Don't worry, the person I cherish most would never mistreat you."

Su Jiang muttered sullenly, "You'd better not go. Third Brother will definitely be unhappy if he sees you."

Wang Guifen raised an eyebrow: "Why would I go and see him? I'll dig, you sell, is that alright?"

When Su Yu returned home, she calculated that the money she had saved from the two of them over the past few days was enough to buy a small apartment in the city. But right now, no one was willing to sell, so she could only wait until she was officially employed to apply for a plot of land to build her own house—the room she was allocated right now was tiny, barely big enough to turn around in.

He even went to the ravine to investigate, and if he dug any deeper, it would only last for about ten days at most.

This morning, I saw a lot of former educated youth queuing to mail packages outside the post office. Upon opening them, I found they were all filled with cured meat and wild game. The post office staff glanced at them, didn't investigate their origins, and simply stamped, sealed, and sent them out.

Liu Mei sent eight pheasants and less than ten pounds of meat in one go, saving the rest to eat before the New Year. Just one more month, and she could go back to the city for the New Year—a fixed 25-day holiday every year.