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

Liu Haizhong, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, examining the professional books on the bookshelf—he only had a primary school education and couldn't understand them—cleared his throat, adopted the demeanor of the head of the household, and solemnly agreed, "Your mother is right. Let's eat at home; let's see what cooking is like in this apartment building." He was also reluctant to let his son spend the money. His son's success made him proud, but money should be spent on essentials. The expenses during the day had already pained them; how could they let their son spend even more?

Unbeknownst to them, Liu Guangqi was now a level 16 administrative officer, earning a base salary of over 110 yuan per month. The previous expenses were no match for him. But since his parents insisted, he didn't force them; they would eat at home if they wanted.

So the mother quickly got to work, lighting a fire in the communal kitchen in the hallway. This was the typical design of the ministry's dormitory building: everything was fine, except the kitchen was shared. "Sizzle—" Slices of lean and fatty meat slid into the hot pan, instantly filling the entire corridor with a rich aroma. The two brothers, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, like two kittens smelling fish, clung to the kitchen door, their eyes gleaming, their mouths practically watering.

"Mom's cooking smells so good!"

Before long, four steaming dishes were on the table: stir-fried pork slices with green peppers, spicy stir-fried cabbage, braised pork, and hot and sour shredded potatoes, plus a large bowl of meat soup with drizzles of oil on top—there were two growing boys in the family, so they couldn't go hungry. The family sat around the square table, the house was warm enough that they felt cozy even in just a light shirt. This was a world of difference compared to the cramped conditions of eating by the coal stove in the courtyard house, where they had to worry about the food getting cold.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu couldn't contain themselves any longer. They rolled up their sleeves and buried themselves in their food, their cheeks bulging, muttering indistinctly, "Brother, your house is so nice... the food isn't even cold."

Liu Haizhong took a sip of hot tea, gazed at the darkening sky outside the window, and suddenly sighed softly:

"Why……"

"Guangqi, a meal here is more comfortable than at a state-run restaurant."

These words came from the bottom of my heart. Eating at a restaurant is about showing off, for others to see; but eating at my son's place is about peace of mind, about the warmth of the family sitting together.

Warmth enveloped him, hot tea soothed his soul, and the bright, clean room brought comfort from his fingertips to his heart. Liu Guangqi listened to his father's words and simply smiled slightly: "If you like it here, just come often. There's plenty of time."

During the meal, Liu Haizhong and his wife had sighed countless times in their hearts—this government compound was definitely more spacious and bright than a traditional courtyard house!

In the traditional courtyard house, water had to be drawn bucket by bucket from a communal well; heating relied entirely on a coal stove; and the old houses were drafty, with windows and doors leaking through, making it not uncommon for people to freeze to death in the dead of winter. At night, the rustling of rats kept everyone awake. But here at my son's place, none of these troubles exist. The electric lights are bright, clear tap water flows freely, and there's central heating throughout the building, making the house cozy and warm, as if summer had lasted forever. There's no need to shiver on the kang (heated brick bed).

To put it bluntly—this compound has all the essentials of a tenement building, except for the stove which isn't inside. No wonder everyone longs to move into a place like this.

After dinner, Liu Haizhong and his wife couldn't sit still. They divided the New Year's goods they had bought into two piles, leaving most of them at their son's place and taking only a small portion back to their courtyard house.

Don't underestimate this small portion; it's more lavish than the annual festival gifts of an ordinary family. Liu Guangqi practically used up all the coupons he had saved, even exchanging all the family's stock for food and supplies. You can imagine the amount.

In fact, Liu Guangqi harbored deeper calculations. He would continue to purchase supplies in the days to come. As for whether to remind others—he knew he wasn't that compassionate. Regardless of whether others would listen to advice, having lived two lives, he understood all too well that some things were better left unsaid. Letting go of that obsession with helping others was the key to true wisdom. In this day and age, indifference wasn't necessarily wrong, but excessive kindness could easily lead to trouble. Helping others was a favor, but not every favor was reciprocated with gratitude. Giving a liter of rice was a kindness, but giving a bushel might breed resentment. Rather than wasting his breath and annoying others, it was better to close the door and quietly live his own peaceful life.

Leaving the government compound, the father and son walked back along the alley. Liu Haizhong rode his brand-new, gleaming bicycle, while Liu Guangqi followed leisurely beside him.

As Liu Haizhong rode into Nanluoguxiang, his back straightened even more unconsciously. A neighbor noticed and called out, "Old Liu, got a new bike?"

He immediately beamed: "That's right! My son, Guangqi, got his year-end bonus bicycle voucher from his department. The kid kept urging me to buy it, saying it was to show his filial piety..."

Liu Guangqi stood to the side, only smiling faintly, without responding. He knew his father's thoughts all too well—he had deliberately returned before dark so that the neighbors could see him clearly in the light. For this chubby Liu, having a new car and not showing it off was like wearing fine clothes in the dark—what was the point?

Just as I turned into the alley, I ran into Uncle Yan Bugui, who was carrying an empty oil bottle and walking out.

The other person's gaze swept across the room, then suddenly fixed on the Forever brand bicycle in the bangs, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets behind their glasses: "Damn it... this, this is newly purchased?"

"Yes, it's a ticket from the Guangqi unit prize." Liu Haizhong replied casually, without stopping.

Yan Bugui stared at the red silk cloth tied to the handlebars, then glanced at the watch face peeking out from his wrist through his bangs. His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. A bellyful of envy swirled on his tongue, turning into a sour mutter: This old Liu is really showing off. In the dead of winter, he's still showing off his wrist. Doesn't he feel cold?

Upon entering the courtyard, Liu Haizhong became the center of attention.

Sha Zhu poked half his body out of the kitchen, oil still dripping from the spatula in his hand: "Hey! The permanently heavier model! Second Uncle, you've struck it rich?"

Xu Damao also stepped forward, but he wasn't looking at the car; instead, he was looking at the watch on Liu Haizhong's wrist, grinning and saying, "It has to be Second Uncle; he even has a watch. How impressive!"

As Liu Haizhong listened to the cacophony of voices, he felt a sense of comfort, as if his pores were being slowly simmered over a gentle fire.

Liu Guangqi watched his father's ostentatious display silently. Although he felt it was too high-profile, he ultimately didn't say anything to stop him. He knew his father had been holding back for too long these past six months, and since this would give him some relief, he'd let him be. After all, these things were obtained honestly, without theft or robbery; it was fine if he just wanted to have some fun.

In the Jia family compound, Jia Zhangshi was huddled against the wall, laboriously peeling a frozen cabbage.

Since Qin Huairu's belly started to grow bigger, all the chores of washing clothes and cooking have fallen back on her shoulders.

This matter, in Sha Zhu's eyes, also became a secret regret.

Qin Jie, whom he once found agreeable, has now become Jia Zhangshi, a shrewish old woman, shattering his hopes for returning home after work each day.

She was throwing rotten, blackened vegetable leaves onto the ground, her eyes fixed on Liu Haizhong not far away, muttering through gritted teeth, "Hmph, this old man... what's with all the showing off!"

That being said.

That brand-new 28-inch bicycle stood out conspicuously in the dusty winter courtyard.

"Show off! What's there to be proud of!"

Madam Jia cursed inwardly, her lips drooping so low they looked like they could hang an oil bottle from them.

"It's just a metal frame with two wheels, isn't it? We have a sewing machine at home that actually works!"

That's what I think.

But she knew herself that she was just fooling herself.

When her family acquired that sewing machine, it was quite a spectacle, a unique occurrence in the neighborhood.

But those are all old grievances.

These days, no one even mentions it anymore, let alone Liu Haizhong's recent return with a bicycle and a watch, both with a shiny Shanghai brand!

This kind of posture.

It made her sewing machine look like an old object dug out of a pit, something she was ashamed to mention.

"This is unbelievable!"

"When did the feng shui of this backyard become so auspicious?"

She muttered to herself.

With a fierce grip, she crushed a rotten vegetable leaf that was already frozen and blackened into a pulp.

"Even Xu Damao, who has no descendants, managed to get a high school diploma. The Liu family must have had some incredible luck, producing a college student!"

I think of Liu Guangqi.

Jia Zhangshi felt a surge of bitterness rising in her heart.

Given her past temper, she would have already stood up with her hands on her hips and gone up to him, making sarcastic remarks and not stopping until she made Liu Haizhong feel extremely uncomfortable.

But now she doesn't dare.

That's right!

I just don't dare.

She, Jia Zhangshi, was unruly and wicked, but she was not stupid.

She knew better than anyone which family in the courtyard was easy to bully and which was tough.

The Liu family now is a tough nut to crack.

Let's leave other things aside for now.

To put it simply, her son Jia Dongxu was able to rise from a level two fitter to a higher level, all thanks to that casual remark Liu Guangqi made during the assessment.

That's quite an ability.

Even if Jia Zhangshi was muddle-headed, she could still tell what Liu Guangqi's current status was.

In fact, she knew exactly what was going on.

What about Yi Zhonghai? A level seven fitter, a master craftsman in the steel rolling mill, what a prestigious figure!

Just because he had lectured Liu Guangqi a few times in a pretentious manner a few days ago.

What's going on now?

I heard that Liu Guangqi casually said, "You still need to hone your skills," which completely blocked Yi Zhonghai's application for Level 8 craftsmanship, preventing him from even making a splash.

If she were to go and cause trouble at this moment, wouldn't that be like an old man bumping into someone's birthday celebration?

Are you tired of living?

Thinking about this...

The spark of jealousy in Jia Zhangshi's heart was instantly suppressed by her instinct to read people's expressions.

With a quick glance, she turned her eyes around, and the wrinkles on her face that could trap mosquitoes squeezed together into a wilted chrysanthemum. She got up and ran quickly forward.

The person arrived before the voice:

"Oh my! Uncle! Did you get a new car?"

"Look at this car, how bright and clean it is! It suits you perfectly, making you look so energetic!"

Once Jia Zhangshi started flattering him, she couldn't stop:

"And this watch! It's a Shanghai brand, right? Everyone says it keeps more accurate than a grandfather clock!"

"Uncle, if people saw you dressed like that, you'd look just like a government official!"

"Walk out onto the street..."

"Anyone who didn't know better would think it was a factory manager coming down for an inspection!"

These words hit the nail on the head.

To tell the truth.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Jia Zhangshi usually only knows how to throw tantrums and act tough.

This old woman is truly skilled at putting on a show of flattery.

"If you ask me..."

"It's precisely because we have a capable elder like you managing things in our compound that the atmosphere is positive and the young people have something to strive for!"

as predicted!

Hearing this, Liu Haizhong beamed and exclaimed, "Sister-in-law Jia really knows how to talk!"

Madam Jia saw that the time was right.

He immediately turned to Liu Guangqi, who had been silent, and his smile became even warmer, his eyes revealing a sense of intimacy.

"Guangqi, you really give our dean a lot of face!"

"Your parents didn't spoil you for nothing; you've already earned enough for the family's second bicycle! No wonder you're the first college student in the neighborhood!"

As she spoke, she subtly steered the conversation away from the topic:

"From now on, you'll have to look after your brother Dongxu more often. He's an honest and hardworking guy who doesn't talk much. You young people should visit each other often and look out for each other!"

These are the words of Madam Jia Zhang!

This not only boosted Liu Guangqi's reputation but also incidentally dragged his own son, Jia Dongxu, into the mess.

Sha Zhu, who was standing to the side, felt his stomach churn and couldn't help but spit on the ground, muttering in a low voice, "Really... Old Mrs. Jia just said that Guangqi was a bookworm and that even though he went to university, he couldn't compare to her son."

"Now they're fawning over him, their faces change faster than turning the pages of a book."

Before he could finish speaking, a mocking snort drifted from the side.

Xu Damao approached unnoticed, his voice low: "Silly Zhu, do you think Aunt Jia is as simple-minded as you? She's shrewd!"

"Now everyone in the institute knows how capable Guangqi is. Last time during the worker level assessment, he just gave Jia Dongxu a casual suggestion, and Jia Dongxu's fitter title was secured."

"If she doesn't fawn over Guangqi, why would she fawn over you?"

Xu Damao leaned to the side and nudged Shazhu with his elbow, his words gradually revealing that familiar slyness:

"If you ask me, if you, Shazhu, had the same skills as Guangqi, Aunt Jia would have treated you like royalty long ago."