Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Liu Hongchang asked them to reheat the leftovers and brought out two large bowls. Everyone sat around the table and ate the hot soup and rice.

"You all really worked hard today, so I'll give each of you an extra two yuan for your hard work!" He held up his enamel mug. "Our little shop is like family. I see who sweats and I remember who puts in the effort—Liu Hongchang always keeps his word."

A round of applause erupted from the table, some people clapping until their palms were red. Two yuan may not be much, but these days, who doesn't hope for a slightly fuller pocket and a warmer heart?

Around the 20th of the month, the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, which is also payday.

He Wenyuan received her payslip, her palms slightly damp—fifty-two yuan exactly. She was only three yuan less than He Wenhui, two yuan more than she had expected. She stared down at the number, her heart pounding like a bird in its chest.

Holding a thirty-one-yuan bill, Gao Xiaocui approached Liu Hongchang, puzzled, "Why is it two yuan more than what I negotiated?"

"Your base salary is 24, your meal allowance is 5, and your monthly service bonus is 2, which adds up to exactly 31?" Liu Hongchang explained with a smile.

Everyone received two yuan more than originally agreed. No one asked any questions; they simply folded the money neatly and stuffed it into their inner pockets, their smiles impossible to hide.

At dinner time, Liu Hongchang tapped the rim of his bowl: "Everyone, quiet down! Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, the factory is closed, and we'll all take a day off too. No mooncakes or candy, but everyone will get half a pound of braised pork to take home for a family reunion; plus a movie ticket, which will be distributed tonight—wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and good health to your families!"

The Mid-Autumn Festival is all about family reunion. Tomorrow, all factories and mines in the city will shut down, whether state-owned, collective, or private; even in the countryside, you won't see a single person bending over on the ridges of the fields.

Each movie ticket handed out was met with a loud "Thank you, Brother Liu!" After the braised pork was distributed and all the tickets were given out, people left in twos and threes, smiling. In the end, only the Liu family of four remained in the shop.

"Brother, how much did the fast food stall make this month?" Liu Hongchang put a piece of meat into his brother's bowl.

"Fast food is 710, roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) is 650, that's 1360. Here's 355 for you." Liu Yunchang carefully counted the money and pushed it over. The accounts of their joint business were always crystal clear.

"Is the roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) business two hundred yuan less than last month?" Liu Hongchang frowned.

"These days, there are steamed bun vendors everywhere. The reason we've managed to keep our regular customers is because of our skills and reputation!" Liu Yunchang grinned, his eyes filled with confidence. "People only appreciate our slightly salty taste and our dedication."

Liu Hongchang: "It's alright. In a couple of years, I'll have a new business going on. Would you be willing to invest?"

"I'll follow your lead, brother. You're sure to make a fortune if I stay with you," Liu Yunchang replied with a smile, already regarding Liu Hongchang as a treasure trove of ideas—each one more honest and profitable than the last.

The fast food stall barely earns a little over 700 yuan a month, half of which is taken by Liu Zi's wife; the noodle shop is even worse off, earning less than a small noodle shop selling soup noodles outside a construction site. Xiao Li's steaming bowl of minced meat noodles was made entirely by Liu Hongchang.

We should make money together. Liu Zi is a genuine man; he always thinks of his brothers when there's good fortune, and he never keeps secrets about how to make money. Whether he participates or not is another matter, but we can't let our friendship go to waste.

Yang Maixiang: "Where should we go tomorrow?"

"Who will take care of the child?" Liu Hongchang asked casually.

"I'll take care of it! You've all run around happily. Once the gate is locked, the four kids won't be able to cause any trouble under my nose. This is the only day of the year I get to rest, so you four can run wild as much as you want!" Wang Cuilan straightened her back, patted her chest, and made a solemn promise.

"Tomorrow the whole family will go on a picnic outside the city. We'll bring barbecue, tea, and kites—what do you all think?" As soon as Liu Hongchang suggested it, the whole room burst into laughter and agreement.

……

Before dawn, Liu Yunchang and his wife split up and got busy: one went into the restaurant to get seasonings, and the other went straight to the market to pick out beef and mutton, and also brought back a lively rooster.

As soon as Liu Hongchang and his wife opened their eyes, Wu Xiaoying had already neatly prepared all their belongings—the meat was cut into even pieces, skewered neatly, and lay glistening in the winnowing basket.

"Hongchang, take a look. This cooking time, this knife skills, isn't this the flavor you described a couple of days ago?" Wu Xiaoying said with a smile in her eyes.

"Sister-in-law's cooking skills have really improved! Where's my brother?" Liu Hongchang asked as he moved closer to the stove.

"They went to get the materials. The iron frame you mentioned was brought back yesterday. Look, it's the one by the wall, isn't it this thing?" Wang Cuilan hugged her eldest grandson with one arm and pointed to the corner with the other.

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Yunchang squeaked and stopped his bicycle at the door.

"Brother and sister-in-law, you'd better remember this today—this skill will be a golden rice bowl in the future. I'll take on apprentices and teach them until they learn. I'll charge thirty per person, no bargaining!" Liu Hongchang teased, half-jokingly.

Liu Yunchang waved his hand: "Don't get sidetracked, let's try it first and then see if it works."

"Let's go, let's go, it's cool enough to set off! Brother, where's your tricycle? I'll stuff all the kids in the back." Yang Maixiang urged as she rolled up her sleeves.

"Right at the gate of the courtyard, I laid out a thick quilt overnight. The wind was strong in the morning, and I was afraid the child would catch a cold," Liu Yunchang said, bending down to pick up his youngest son with light steps.

Two tricycles were used. One was borrowed from Liu Zi and was used to carry a charcoal stove, iron frame, and seasoning barrels. The other was used to carry people. Wang Cuilan carried the eldest child and climbed on first. The four children sat down one by one, and she also had one child on her lap. Liu Yunchang pedaled the tricycle steadily to lead the way.

Yang Maixiang and Wu Xiaoying each rode an old bicycle, while Liu Hongchang brought up the rear on his tricycle loaded with household items. The whole family set off in a grand procession towards the agreed-upon riverbank.

He family

He Wenyuan finished washing up and was about to push open the door when he suddenly slapped his forehead – it's a holiday today! He turned back into the house and saw Yu Qiuhua sewing shoe soles.

"Mom, where did you put the cloth coupons? I need them today."

"I'll find it for you right away. Oh my, you're all dressed up today, where are you going to have some fun?" Yu Qiuhua looked up and asked with a smile.

"It's not that I'm joking, I just habitually put on my new work clothes... and forgot I was off work today. You have a better eye than I do, come with me to the department store and give me your opinion."

"Okay, Mom will go with you! We'll buy some good fabric and make you a couple of decent clothes. My daughter is so successful—fifty-two yuan a month. Out of dozens of kids in this neighborhood, very few can match you!" Yu Qiuhua's eyes shone, and her tone was full of reassurance.

The mother and daughter entered the department store hand in hand. He Wenyuan picked out a navy blue twill fabric with a subtle pattern, folded it neatly, and handed it to her: "Mom, try this on, it'll definitely suit you."

"Didn't I buy this for you? Mom has enough clothes to change into, just dress smartly." Yu Qiuhua waved her hands repeatedly.

Everything went as she expected.

"Mom, are you going to stop me from even showing this little bit of filial piety? This is the first time I've ever picked out clothes for you, so please let me do my part, okay?"

"Sigh... my girl has really grown up." Yu Qiuhua's eyes welled up with tears, and her voice softened. "Alright, spend it sparingly, Mom really doesn't lack clothes to wear."

The two had just finished paying for their new clothes when a clear voice suddenly came from behind them: "Second sister, can I have one too?"

He Wenyuan turned around and saw Wentao and Wenda, the brothers, standing side by side by the counter.

"My meager salary is earned with blood and sweat. If I buy it for you to wear, wouldn't that be embarrassing for you? To avoid making you feel awkward, let's just forget about it." She raised the corners of her lips slightly, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Buy it or not is up to you, who cares! The eldest sister just walked in and bought us two outfits, we don't care about your little bit of money." Wenda raised his chin, completely unconcerned.

"Thank you so much—thank you for being understanding. I really don't have many coins left in my pocket." He Wenyuan said in a relaxed tone, as if he were talking about the weather.

Yu Qiuhua's face darkened: "Wenda! How dare you speak to your second sister like that? Have you forgotten all manners? You've only been eating in the cafeteria for a few days, and you're already acting like you own the place? What will become of you if this continues?"

Just then, He Wenhui stepped in carrying a bag of hot buns: "Mom, Wenda is still young, I'll teach him slowly. Have you had breakfast yet? I just ran into you at the department store, and since it's the festival, I specially bought some breakfast to take over and celebrate together." With a nimble gesture, she both smoothed things over for her brother and quietly diffused the tension.

Wenda caught a glimpse of his mother's tense face and immediately lowered his head, his nails digging into his palms—who was He Wenyuan? Just someone who flaunted his power with a few banknotes! He gritted his teeth and vowed: I will never again do her even the smallest favor in this lifetime!

He Wenyuan almost burst out laughing when he looked at his two younger brothers' tense little faces. They were just like ungrateful stray dogs. Before, when their eldest sister wasn't home, they would call her "Second Sister" sweeter than their own mother; now they were raising their eyebrows and baring their teeth. How amusing, so very amusing.

"Mom, I'm going to the market to buy groceries first. When my older sister comes back, we'll stew a whole old hen to nourish her properly." She didn't want to squeeze onto the same street with these two little wolves anymore. If they weren't her own brothers, she wouldn't even bother to glance at them.

"Okay, you know the ropes. Let's buy a fat chicken today. I have five yuan here, take it." Yu Qiuhua took out a few crumpled banknotes.

He Wenyuan took it, said nothing, turned and left, his back view crisp and clean.

riverbanks in the suburbs

"Tsk, Hongchang, this meat is sizzling with oil, the aroma is so strong it's practically wafting into my nose!" Liu Yunchang chewed on the grilled meat and gave a thumbs up.

"So, do you think this business can stand on its own?" Liu Hongchang wiped the sweat from his brow and pressed for an answer.

Yang Maixiang added a handful of pine branches to the charcoal fire and said softly, "But there are hardly any people on the streets at night. Who will we sell to?"

Liu Yunchang: "Yes, that's it, we're talking about it right now!" Before he finished speaking, with oil still glistening on the tips of his chopsticks, he picked up a piece of tender braised meat and stuffed it into his son's mouth.

Liu Hongchang: "I was just mentioning it casually. You can use it as practice—just toss the wok around the stove a few times in your spare time. Once you get the hang of it, this business will be ours in no time. I'm not forcing you to start cooking tomorrow!"

Liu Hongchang sighed inwardly: Had he explained things too convolutedly? Or had they simply not taken it to heart at all?

"Dad—" Liu Xinxin suddenly called out in a clear voice.

"Hongchang! Listen! Our daughter is calling out to people!" Yang Maixiang hugged the child tightly, her eyes crinkling with laughter, her cheeks flushed, and her voice becoming louder.