Courtyard House: I'm an engineer, and a fairy godmother transferred me to a different position.

"It's all complete! All four major items are here!"

A gasp erupted from the fabric counter against the wall. The middle-aged woman clutching the fabric ration coupons trembled, her fingers shaking: "What kind of family is this…?"

On the other side, the elderly man at the watch counter adjusted his glasses, his voice hoarse: "Young man, where did these tickets... come from?"

"It was an award from the ministry," Liu Guangqi replied casually.

Those three words caused the whole pot of water to boil.

"Ministries?"

"No wonder! He's an official!"

"This style is truly exceptional!"

The discussion was interrupted by two coughs.

Liu Haizhong had somehow appeared beside the young man. He stood with his hands behind his back, chest puffed out, his voice not loud, but loud enough to carry to every corner:

"My child works at the Ministry of Machine Building."

"I earned a foreign exchange order for the country a few days ago, and the leaders gave me a special reward."

He spoke with restraint, but his eyes swept over every face, and the corners of his mouth couldn't suppress the ever-widening curve of his lips.

"Foreign exchange order!"

"That's a unit under the Ministry of Machine Building! They make water heaters for the north!"

"A hero indeed...no wonder!"

"Look at their upbringing..."

The quality of his gaze began to shift—from initial scrutiny gradually melting into burning admiration. Liu Guangqi's face remained expressionless. He pulled out a stack of dark banknotes from his inner pocket, his fingers lightly twirling them as the pages fluttered like butterflies, the amount already clearly counted.

The receipts and banknotes were laid out neatly on the glass counter. "The amounts are all correct, please issue the invoice."

In the state-run store, the saleswoman finally came to her senses, her fingers trembling slightly as she counted the money—this wasn't buying New Year's goods, it was clearly a clearance sale! After finishing the count, she hurriedly pulled out her receipt book, the nib of her pen darting across the paper, almost tearing it.

Please register your name, organization, and address.

"Bicycle registration can be done at the entrance."

"The sewing machine is quite heavy. Leave your address, and we'll deliver it to your home this afternoon using a handcart."

After all the receipts were completed, she handed a stack of bills to Liu Guangqi. While he was busy organizing them, she quickly pulled two fruit candies from her pocket and stuffed them into his coat pocket, her earlobes turning a faint red.

"Comrade Liu... this is just a small token of my appreciation. Happy New Year."

Liu Guangqi was slightly taken aback when he suddenly felt a bit heavier in his pocket.

When he looked up, he saw the saleswoman's evasive gaze, her reddened ears particularly clear under the light. A knowing smile crossed his mind, but he didn't reveal his unspoken feelings, only giving her a slight nod.

Thank you.

The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a pebble thrown into still water. The saleswoman's blush deepened, but she still managed to reply with a forced calm, "You're welcome," before turning around to pretend to tidy the shelves. Only her slightly trembling fingertips betrayed her true feelings.

On the other end, the shop manager was already shouting orders: "Everyone, be quick! Carefully lift Comrade Liu's sewing machine out, be careful not to bump it!"

Several delivery workers responded immediately, and the scene instantly became a flurry of activity.

Liu Guangqi turned his gaze away and looked at his father, Liu Haizhong, who was standing beside him with his hands behind his back.

"Dad, my old car is already registered, so please register this new one in your name."

"Hmm?" Liu Haizhong was staring solemnly at the workers carrying things. Hearing this, he was taken aback, and a hint of barely perceptible joy flashed in his eyes, but he said politely, "Guangqi, this was all bought with your money. What would it look like if I went to register it? No, no, no."

Even so, his eyes were already glued to the brand-new Forever bicycle—the gleaming crossbar, the shimmering silver bell, every detail captivated him. These days, no man could remain indifferent to a bicycle, especially someone as vain as Liu Haizhong.

Liu Guangqi saw through his thoughts and directly handed him the receipts: "As the head of the household, any major purchases should naturally be made in your name. Do you expect Guangtian and Guangfu to register them?"

Liu Haizhong blurted out, "They dare..." but stopped mid-sentence.

Liu Guangqi smiled and gave him a push, "Go on, they're waiting to get their stamps done over there. It'll be much more convenient for you to ride your bike in and out of the ministry compound from now on."

These words hit the nail on the head. Liu Haizhong cleared his throat, stopped refusing, took the receipt, and strode towards the registration office.

Outside the store, the paperwork was completed quickly. The staff quickly chiseled the serial number onto the frame and stamped it with a steel seal, officially transferring the bicycle to Liu Haizhong. Seeing him circling the bicycle, touching and examining it with obvious delight, Liu Guangqi spoke up again:

"Dad, take the rest of the sewing machine, radio, and watch back with you. Mom can use the sewing machine, and you can listen to the radio to pass the time..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Haizhong waved his hands repeatedly as if he'd been burned, saying, "No, absolutely not!"

He leaned the bicycle against the wall, leaned close to his son, and whispered sternly, "Guangqi, listen to me. The yard's already in an uproar over this bicycle being taken back today. If we take all three of these things back too, those people's eyes will be bloodshot with envy!"

He counted on his fingers, analyzing each point: "Let's start with your third uncle in the front yard. He seems all smiles on the surface, but he's shrewder than anyone else. The moment he takes the sewing machine home, one neighbor comes to borrow a few needles and thread, the next to the neighbor in the back wants to borrow a radio to listen to opera. Should your mother and I lend it to him or not? If we lend it, who will pay for it if it breaks? If we don't lend it, the gossip will drown us!"

As Liu Haizhong spoke, he became increasingly anxious, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

The more he spoke, the more he felt his plan was ingenious:

"So it seems..."

"These items should be moved to your ministry's staff housing apartment!"

"Now that you're in a ministry, your status is different, so your living space should be appropriate. It's only right to have these things on display! Besides, keeping them is also a way to build up your savings; you'll need them when you get married in the future."

"A sewing machine, a bicycle, a radio, a watch—if you put these things in the house, which girl wouldn't be tempted?"

As he got more excited, Liu Haizhong leaned closer to his son, Liu Guangqi, lowered his voice, and spoke with a hint of mystery:

"Take that woman in the state-run store just now, did you see her? Her eyes were practically glued to you!"

"With sweets and New Year's greetings, don't you understand what they mean?"

"I think if you just nod your head, they'll go register with you without saying a word."

Liu Guangqi listened attentively at first, thinking that although his father always wanted to become an official, he had a clear understanding of the interpersonal relationships in this compound.

He originally thought that a grown man like him didn't need sewing machines and bicycles, and that it would be more suitable to give them to his mother. He didn't think about how much gossip would be attracted if he carried them back to the courtyard house.

The people in this courtyard are far more complex than the mundane family matters they seem to share on the surface.

Before he could think it through, his father suddenly changed the subject and brought up marriage, insisting on acting as a matchmaker, which left him feeling both helpless and amused.

"Guangqi, you're not young anymore. It's time to think about your marriage. Stop using being busy with work as an excuse."

He muttered to himself in his bangs.

Liu Guangqi nodded, not arguing much, and simply replied with a smile, "Dad, I understand, I'll consider it."

His gaze immediately fell on the brand-new watch box.

"Since that's the case..."

"Dad, I won't bring the sewing machine and radio into the yard. But you must accept this watch."

Liu Guangqi opened the box and took out the shiny all-steel watch.

"I already have one on my wrist, any more would just be sitting idle. You're a level seven blacksmith now, and also in charge of the workshop, it's so inconvenient not having a watch to tell the time, isn't it?"

These words hit the nail on the head.

From the moment he got the watch back, his eyes kept glancing at it, his thoughts were impossible to hide.

Seeing the obvious fondness in his father's eyes, Liu Guangqi already knew in his heart—since he liked it so much, he should give it to him.

Having lived two lives, Liu Guangqi naturally understood how his father, Liu Haizhong, had treated him.

Since he started school, his father had never skimped on his expenses. Even after he went to university and received a stipend, Liu Haizhong still sent him living expenses every month without fail.

He's the kind of person who's willing to give his entire fortune to his son.

Given this sentiment, now that Liu Guangqi has the means, how could he possibly be reluctant to part with a watch?

"This...this won't do!" Liu Haizhong firmly declined verbally, but his eyes remained fixed on the watch.

How could he not like it? It's a watch, a standard accessory on the wrists of many officials.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he continued with a stern face, "I'm your father. What kind of father asks his son for things? People will laugh at us if word gets out!"

The last sentence was almost stern: "If Dad doesn't want it, you can keep it yourself and wear it in rotation!"

"Dad, what are you saying?"

Liu Guangqi smiled, grabbed his father's rough hand, and put the watch on without saying a word.

"This is a gift from your son to show his respect. Who would laugh at it?"

Every sentence was typed in the most flattering spot in his bangs.

Liu Haizhong fell silent.

Liu Guangqi didn't urge him, but just held his watch and looked at him with a smile.

The father and son looked at each other for a moment.

Liu Haizhong finally couldn't hold back any longer, snatched the watch away, and muttered to himself:

"Alright, alright... Dad will keep it for you! You young people are careless; it's a waste to leave good things unworn."

As he spoke, he eagerly put the watch on his wrist and rolled up his sleeves to reveal the entire watch face.

She twisted her wrist to the left and raised her arm to the right, smoothing out the wrinkles on her face and smiling like a chrysanthemum in autumn.

"Look at this watch, it's really sharp."

The old shop assistant from the state-run store next door also came over to take a look:

"When my son got married, I tried everything I could to get a ticket. You're really...lucky!"

"Of course, my son always misses home."

As Liu Haizhong listened to the flattery around him, his face flushed even more, and his smile almost spread from the corners of his eyes to his temples.

After getting the bicycle license plate sorted, Liu Guangqi led his father back to the state-run store. Since the sewing machine needed to be delivered by a special person, he went to the service window at the registered address. The clerk behind the desk, without looking up, mechanically asked:

Please provide the address.

Just as Liu Guangqi was about to speak, Liu Haizhong took half a step forward, his voice low but clear:

"Building 5, Room 206, Family Housing Complex of the First Ministry of Machine Building".

The clerk paused, pen in hand, then abruptly looked up, her eyes wide with surprise: "You just said... the First Ministry of Machine Building compound?"

His expression immediately changed, and he smiled broadly: "Old comrade, please repeat it again, I will write it down carefully."

It must be said that Liu Haizhong has an excellent memory; the fluency with which he recited the address seemed as if he had already mentally rehearsed it a hundred times. After the other party confirmed, the clerk wrote quickly, and the handwriting became neater.

This was just a minor incident. After purchasing the "four essentials," Liu Guangqi turned and walked towards the tobacco and liquor counter. Under the astonished gaze of the sales clerk, he pulled out a thick stack of vouchers from a manila envelope—all special vouchers that were hard to find on the market.

"Comrade, two bottles of Qianmen liquor, two bottles of Dashengye liquor... plus four bottles of Moutai."

He finished speaking briskly and pushed the tickets and money across the counter. The sales clerk's eyes widened: these kinds of tickets were extremely rare these days, and this young man had actually taken out so many at once.

"It'll be ready soon, please wait a moment!"

Before long, the cigarettes and alcohol were carefully wrapped. "Twenty-eight yuan and sixty cents in total," Liu Guangqi paid, lifting the heavy net bag. Liu Haizhong, standing to the side, stared in disbelief, his lips moving several times but no sound escaping. What he saw and heard today seemed more vivid than anything he had experienced in the past ten years. He suddenly felt that compared to his son, he had lived most of his life in vain.

Liu Guangqi shook his head inwardly—this was not his father's fault; the Ministry of Foreign Trade's stipend this time was exceptionally generous.

"Master!"

Aunt Er's call came from behind. She was carrying large bags and small packages, and hurried to catch up. When she saw the brand-new Forever brand bicycle next to Liu Haizhong and the Butterfly brand sewing machine waiting to be transported on the cart, she froze on the spot.

Her lips trembled slightly as she reached out her hand, but dared not touch the glossy lacquer. "These...are these really ours?"

In her entire life, she never dared to imagine such a scene, not even in her dreams. Who could prepare all the "three turns and one sound" (a set of watches, a camera, a landscaping device, and a radio) for a wedding so easily, without batting an eye? Not to mention the scarcity of ration coupons these days, even in the days before coupons were needed, no one had the confidence to buy things so readily!

Just how high a position has my son become?