I, Yan Jiefang, will live to 2025 in this courtyard house.

As someone with personal space, how could Yan Jiefang possibly have anything good in his backpack?

Apart from a few books and some stationery, there was nothing else.

He glanced at Yang Ruihua, took out all the books and stationery from inside, then turned the schoolbag upside down and shook it.

Yang Ruihua showed no embarrassment and turned to leave.

Yan Jiecheng, Yan Jiekuang, and Yan Jiedi, the three siblings, were not at home.

Yan Jiefang casually asked a question, and Yang Ruihua said that the three of them had gone to the Central Academy of Drama in Dongmianhua Hutong to watch a movie.

Seeing that it was still early, Yan Jiefang strolled out of the courtyard.

Unlike usual, he returned in the morning today, so it's not noon yet.

After being busy for so long, he decided to do nothing today and just take a break.

There are actually quite a few former residences and royal mansions in the Nanluoguxiang area.

However, you can't just enter freely; you almost always need to buy a ticket.

There's also a movie theater in Houyuanensi Hutong, not far away. If you'd like, you can go there to watch an old movie.

However, Yan Jiefang doesn't like going to crowded places.

After thinking about it, I finally decided to just go for a stroll around Qianhai.

While other families in the courtyard were bustling with activity, the deaf old woman's house was eerily quiet.

Ever since the couple, the Moral Celestial Venerable and his wife, were sent in for reformation, the people in the compound have stopped paying attention to her.

Without the care of Aunt Li Cuilan, the deaf old lady felt inconvenienced in many ways.

She originally wanted Sha Zhu to cook something delicious, but Qin Huairu ruined it.

Despite her age, she's not stupid; she still has some ideas.

The saying "old people become wise with age" perfectly describes this deaf old lady.

In addition, she had quite a bit of wealth, so she hired Widow Cao, who lived next door, for 5 yuan a month.

She was the widow who donated money to the Jia family in April or May of 1961 and dropped five cents on the ground.

Widow Cao helped her with household chores every day, such as emptying chamber pots, cleaning, washing clothes, and cooking.

They were practically her low-paid maids.

The widow Cao received this money, plus the money she earned from the tasks assigned by the neighborhood committee, totaling a little over 10 yuan.

Her life has improved considerably.

Neither the deaf old woman nor Widow Cao told anyone about this.

When asked, Widow Cao simply replied that she felt sorry for the deaf old woman and was just helping her out.

All the birds in the yard were certain that there must be some unknown deal going on here.

But if they don't tell them, there's no way they can know.

So many things happened in the courtyard, but the deaf old lady watched coldly from the sidelines, neither participating nor able to participate.

After all, people basically no longer take her seriously. Without Yi Zhonghai, the old woman's words carry no weight.

She and Yi Zhonghai were a match made in heaven, complementing each other perfectly.

In many fanfictions about courtyard houses, these two can occasionally stir up huge waves in the courtyard, their voices echoing for miles around.

But here, deaf old ladies have to keep a low profile.

Her current thought is to live well while she still has some strength and can move around.

When Aunt Li Cuilan returns from her labor reform next year, we will continue to serve her.

If Li Cuilan's reputation as one of the "Five Black Categories" became too bad, she was even considering abandoning this former maid.

Now that she has Widow Cao, she realizes that Li Cuilan is not irreplaceable.

Li Cuilan is free, but also the most expensive!

She now understands this principle.

She had practically exhausted all her important connections in order to save Yi Zhonghai and Li Cuilan!

The price paid was far too high.

The deaf old woman sat in front of her house, looking at the distant sky, thinking about these things.

My thoughts drifted away.

Liu Guangtian, carrying a backpack, walked past the deaf old woman.

He glanced at the old woman as if she were a cold corpse about to be cremated.

The deaf old woman felt a chill run through her body and couldn't help but shiver.

When she saw Liu Guangtian passing by, it was like seeing the most terrifying Yama, the King of Hell!

The deaf old woman immediately got up and slipped into the house with a speed that surpassed that of a young person.

This is truly a ghost story!

Today is New Year's Day, and Liu Guangtian is also on his day off.

I just came back to visit my younger brother, Liu Guangfu.

He and Liu Guangfu were like brothers in misfortune, and had been close since childhood.

Every time he came back, he would specially buy half a pound or a few ounces of fruit candy for Liu Guangfu to eat on a regular basis.

This candy is so sweet, it can sweeten your heart and make you forget all the pain and unpleasant things.

He works at the crematorium in the eastern suburbs, and occasionally he encounters unpleasant things.

At this time, he would take out a piece of candy and put it in his mouth.

All unhappiness will be slowly dissolved by this sweet taste.

The leaders of the East Suburb Crematorium also know that everyone is under a lot of psychological pressure.

Therefore, extra benefits were specifically provided in the areas of tobacco, alcohol, and sugar coupons.

This was also permitted and specially approved by the higher-ups.

Liu Guangfu was reading a book inside the house.

Since his second brother's incident, he has grown a lot, as if he suddenly realized something.

He knew that although his second brother had found a job, his future prospects were not great.

The best future is through studying!

In the entire courtyard, only the eldest brother Liu Guangqi and Yan Jiefang were people with promising futures.

If Yan Jiekuang can maintain his current momentum, he has a bright future ahead of him.

Although Liu Guangfu was a year older than Yan Jiekuang, he was able to humbly learn from him and was willing to share the fruit candies that his second brother had bought for him.

With Yan Jiekuang's guidance and his own hard work, his grades have improved significantly, and he is now even among the top ten elementary school students in the whole year!

In this world, anyone who has a clear goal in mind and is willing to work hard for it will always achieve something.

Starlight does not fail those who travel far, and time does not fail those who have a heart.

This statement began to be reflected in both Liu Guangfu and Yan Jiekuang.

Liu Guangtian walked into the house and saw his younger brother studying hard, which made him very happy.

He put down his backpack, took out the fruit candies he had specially brought back, and put them in his younger brother's desk drawer.

He bought this desk two months ago specifically for his younger brother to use as a reward for his academic progress.

"Brother, you're back."

Liu Guangfu noticed the commotion and, upon recognizing his second brother, quickly stood up to greet him.

"Guangfu, don't study today, take a break, I'll take you to see a movie later."

Liu Guangtian put down the fruit candies and looked at his third brother.

"Okay, I'll listen to my second brother."

Liu Guangfu quickly packed up his books and stationery.

I said goodbye to Aunt Yuan and then went out.

In the afternoon, the three Yan siblings returned home after watching a movie at the Central Academy of Drama.

Yan Jiekuang spotted his second brother's schoolbag at a glance and was overjoyed: his second brother had returned.

Yan Jiedi also saw the schoolbag hanging on the wall and immediately smiled excitedly:

"It's my second brother back! I want some chicken soup!"

"What a load of chicken soup! Your second brother has probably run off somewhere again."

Yang Ruihua was somewhat unhappy because she hadn't gotten the better of Yan Jiefang.