Courtyard House: Is Xu Damao a childless man? Let me help.

So regardless of whether they are rich or poor, they will all set aside some money to give as a red envelope, as a way to bring good luck to Sha Zhu.

Even Uncle San, the stingy matchmaker, gave a two-yuan red envelope to Sha Zhu for his wedding, although Sha Zhu's thank-you red envelope was even bigger.

But when it comes to Jia Zhangshi, she really doesn't give a penny! Fine! If you don't want to give a red envelope, fine, you can eat it and then leave.

But this old lady was really a bit too greedy. As soon as the dishes were on the table, before the host had even spoken, she started eating, making everyone around her stare at her.

That wasn't all. Halfway through the meal, Madam Jia deliberately caused trouble. With her mouth full of food, she sneezed, spraying the food all over the table!

Goodness, that scene instantly killed everyone at the table's appetite.

So... was her sneezing unintentional? Of course not! Because after everyone else had finished eating, Jia Zhangshi casually started carrying plates into her own room.

When Sha Zhu saw this, he immediately wanted to say something, but Ran Qiuye stopped him in the end. On such a joyous day, there was no need to spoil the mood for such a petty person.

However, regardless of the circumstances, Jia Zhangshi's series of actions caused her reputation among the residents of the courtyard to plummet once again.

Even her nephew, Zhang Xiangyang, couldn't stand it anymore and made a few sarcastic remarks. Unfortunately, his arguing skills weren't as good as Jia Zhangshi's, so Zhang Xiangyang ultimately lost.

(The last two chapters are transitional chapters~~).

Chapter 141 After the New Year, Zhang Xiangyang is going to run away.

Time flies and it's already past the New Year. Actually, not much happened during the New Year period.

The scene where Sha-zhu instructed this stick-like creature to take his sister from house to house to ask for New Year's money is no longer possible in this timeline.

Even this year, Banggeng didn't stay in the courtyard house at all during the Spring Festival. He was taken back to the countryside by Jia Zhangshi and Zhang Xiangyang to spend the New Year with the Zhang family.

And what about the other people in the courtyard? They were basically all back at their own homes, including Lou Xiao'e, who went home for the New Year.

However, some people gathered together to celebrate the New Year, such as Ye Jianchuan, Qin Huairu, and He Yushui, who celebrated the New Year together.

You want to ask Sha Zhu? That guy also forgot about his sister after getting a wife, and Ran Qiuye took him home to be with her parents.

Of course, no matter what, Ye Jianchuan spent his first New Year in the 1960s after transmigrating.

To be honest, even though there's no Spring Festival Gala, no TV, and no familiar faces to celebrate the New Year with at this time, the festive atmosphere is still quite strong.

Putting everything else aside, the level of enthusiasm with which each household greeted each other with clasped hands and the wish for a Happy New Year was unparalleled in later generations. Moreover, this era allowed Ye Jianchuan to witness the power of firecrackers.

Well, actually, this thing isn't only available during the Lunar New Year; it's just that fewer kids can afford to play with firecrackers at other times.

Unlike during the Lunar New Year, when you can smell the gunpowder on the street just by opening a door and walking a little outside, it's not like during the Lunar New Year.

During the Spring Festival, Ye Jianchuan finally found a chance to rest. He did nothing but lie in the courtyard all day.

Then, he spent another day visiting Director Zhou, Captain Long, and people he knew well, such as Nan Yi and Liang Ladi. For Ye Jianchuan, the New Year was over.

. . . . . .

After the New Year, most people's lives continued as usual, but Zhang Xiangyang's life was quite different from theirs.

After returning from the Spring Festival, news came from the steel rolling mill that a sister company located far to the east of the mountains urgently needed a group of workers with solid basic skills to go and "help".

Those who have no family burdens, are hardworking, and meet the requirements can proactively apply to their superiors.

Because it was a transfer to work in another place, and a very far place at that, not a place like Baoding, which is only a two-hour drive away.

This kind of job, which basically means you have to move once you apply, is something that almost no one would apply for voluntarily.

After all, everyone knows that once you apply and are transferred out, it's hard to say whether you'll still be considered a resident of Beijing!

This Beijing is, after all, right under the emperor's nose! Who would be willing to give up life in such a central area and go elsewhere to start over?

Such an announcement is actually a bit like Jiang Taigong fishing – basically no one will actively apply.

Moreover, the main reason for this announcement is that there are not enough jobs in Beijing, and they need to find a way to relocate some people.

They should be moved to other places so that the original inhabitants of Beijing can have more job opportunities.

However, Zhang Xiangyang took a liking to this announcement. After asking the workshop director for a bit, he took the initiative to apply to the higher authorities!

Why did Zhang Xiangyang choose to voluntarily apply for a transfer away from Beijing? Wouldn't it have been better to stay in Beijing?

Staying in Beijing is certainly good, but having a vampire and an ingrate constantly by his side is becoming too much for Zhang Xiangyang to handle!

Previously, Zhang Xiangyang had thought that he might have to wait until he was officially hired before he could think of a way to use Jia Zhangshi's past misdeeds as leverage to get rid of her exploitative behavior.

But now it seems that the plan really couldn't keep up with the changes! With the opportunity to be transferred out of Beijing, wouldn't the sky's the limit and the sea be the limit for fish to leap?

The only concern is what Jia Zhangshi will do after I slip away, and whether she'll cause trouble at home. There's even less to worry about then. Zhang Xiangyang's father isn't someone to be trifled with either. You're an ingrate in the Zhang family, but what about me?

I know all the tricks you can pull! I can throw a tantrum like you can, and so can I. It's just arguing and acting like a brat, right? You think you can beat me?

If Jia Zhangshi really dares to go to her brother's house and cause trouble, then Zhang Xiangyang's father might give Jia Zhangshi an unexpected 'surprise'.

Zhang Xiangyang's application was submitted and approved in less than a day. After all, it is very rare to find someone who is willing to voluntarily apply to leave Beijing and work outside.

Zhang Xiangyang is one example, and there is actually another such character in the show, namely the eldest son of Uncle Er.

So the procedures were handled incredibly efficiently, as if they were afraid Zhang Xiangyang might change his mind.

Although Zhang Xiangyang is still an apprentice, he has been learning under Uncle Yi for more than a month, so his skills are definitely up to par.

So this time when he was transferred to another place, Zhang Xiangyang got a good deal. The factory directly promoted him to a formal worker, a first-level fitter!

After the formalities were completed, Zhang Xiangyang began to prepare for a quiet retreat. The biggest problem was figuring out how to trick Jia Zhangshi into leaving the team.

If Jia Zhangshi were at home, it would be inconvenient for me to tidy up or do anything else.

So after completing the application process, Zhang Xiangyang spent a lot of money to buy some sweet potatoes, flour, and scraps of cloth on his way back to the (Dewangzhao) courtyard house.

After returning home, Zhang Xiangyang found Jia Zhangshi and asked, "Auntie, can I trouble you with something?"

After all, she relied on Zhang Xiangyang for her livelihood, so Jia Zhangshi's attitude was still acceptable: "Xiangyang? Just tell me what's on your mind!"

"Aunt, I would like to trouble you to go back to the countryside again tomorrow. Last time, my dad gave me some money and asked me to buy some fabric scraps and food for him in the city and bring them back with me."

I really can't leave work, so I'll have to trouble you, Auntie, to make the trip. Could you please bring these things back for me? My dad can then kill a chicken and bring it back, so we can have a nice meal tonight, right?

Jia Zhangshi originally didn't want to go back, but when she heard Zhang Xiangyang mention chicken soup, she was immediately tempted. With a determined effort, she agreed to it.

Chapter 142 A Bundle of Buns, Uncle Yi's Scheme

Time flew by and it was already the next day. Zhang Xiangyang left home early in the morning as usual, but this time he didn't go to work. Instead, he went to the station and booked a ticket for the afternoon.

Since all the procedures for the job transfer were already completed, getting the train tickets and other related things was a breeze.

Around noon, Zhang Xiangyang leisurely returned to the courtyard house. By then, Jia Zhangshi had already set off for the countryside.

Zhang Xiangyang didn't stand on ceremony and immediately started packing his luggage. He didn't have much stuff—just a few clothes and two pairs of shoes. After packing his things, Zhang Xiangyang prepared to leave.

But at that moment, Zhang Xiangyang's eyes involuntarily drifted to a corner by the bed.

That's where Jia Zhangshi hid her "secret stash of money." The last time I saw it, there was a huge stack of money, at least two or three hundred yuan!

If I could take all this money with me... then I could finally establish a foothold on the east side of the mountain, right?

Having suffered so much at home with Jia Zhangshi and the others, and still having to pretend to be obedient in front of this old man, Zhang Xiangyang was having enough!

So Zhang Xiangyang, driven by malice, slowly walked to the bedside, lifted the mattress, and revealed a bed board. It seemed fine at first glance, but underneath the bed board was a whole different world!

Lifting the bed board, Zhang Xiangyang reached inside and took out everything inside. The first thing that caught his eye was a huge stack of money!

There were coins of one or two cents, and coins of one or two dollars, but what caught the eye the most was the huge stack of ten-yuan notes on the surface. Zhang Xiangyang stared at it with wide eyes!

A quick count revealed a staggering twenty-four ten-yuan notes! That's two hundred and forty yuan! Adding in some other loose change, it far exceeded my initial expectation of three hundred yuan.

Without hesitation, Zhang Xiangyang gave Jia Zhangshi a quick and easy bribe, stuffing all the money into his pocket before reaching under the bed to collect more.

Soon, Zhang Xiangyang took out the remaining items inside: a small stack of red paper? Useless, he simply stuffed it back in!

A bundle of needles? Where did this old guy get so many needles? Did he steal them? Never mind, they're useless to me, I'll just stuff them back!

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Then... when Zhang Xiangyang turned his gaze to the third item, he was stunned once again, because this time the item was a ring, and a gold ring at that!

Although this item may not be as valuable as a goldfish, it is still a treasure in the eyes of ordinary people!

Without saying a word, Zhang Xiangyang put the ring into his pocket, then rummaged around inside and found there was nothing else there. So he quickly stood up and clapped his hands.

He then tidied up the traces he had left behind, and then, satisfied, picked up his large bundle of belongings and left the Jia family.

. . . . . .

Meanwhile, Uncle Yi, who hadn't seen Zhang Xiangyang for most of the day, was the first to sense that something was amiss.

After all, Zhang Xiangyang used to be a very proactive person. He would ask her questions every day and try to curry favor with her during lunch.

So when Zhang Xiangyang suddenly disappeared today, Uncle Yi naturally sensed something was wrong immediately.

However, Uncle Yi didn't think too much about it, assuming that Zhang Xiangyang was feeling unwell and had taken leave.

It wasn't until almost the end of the workday in the afternoon, when the workshop foreman found Grandpa Yi, that Grandpa Yi realized something terrible had happened.

"Old Yi! Your neighbor's kid, your new apprentice, he's been transferred, so his position is now vacant."

The factory might hire a new person in a couple of days. When that happens, see if you're still willing to mentor an apprentice. If you are, I'll arrange it for you.

Grandpa Yi was a little confused. "Transferred? When did that happen?"

"You didn't know? Didn't your apprentice tell you? It happened yesterday! Didn't the factory issue a notice yesterday? It said that a brother unit on the east side of the mountain needs manpower, and those who are interested can apply."

As a result, your apprentice went to apply directly. When Deputy Factory Director Li saw that he had applied voluntarily, he even asked me about his skills.

I've been observing him for a while now, and you've taught him quite well. In just over a month, his skills are already comparable to those of a certified first-level fitter, so I told Deputy Factory Director Li the truth.

Deputy Factory Director Li was so pleased that he immediately promoted him to a permanent position!

At this point, the workshop director leaned over mysteriously and whispered, "I heard that two of the three new people the factory hired this time are people from Deputy Factory Director Li's side."

If you have any ideas, I'll arrange for the people you have connections to be assigned to others, so you won't have trouble managing them later.

Uncle Yi didn't care at all about Deputy Factory Director Li's matter. Whether or not he took on new apprentices, it didn't matter to him whether he had one more or one less.

However, Zhang Xiangyang actually applied to be transferred to the east side of the mountain, and he didn't even know about it, which made Uncle Yi feel that something was not right.

After all, based on what Uncle Yi knew about Jia Zhangshi, she definitely wouldn't be happy if Zhang Xiangyang were to be transferred!