Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 13: The General Assembly, Everyone with Their Own Hidden agendas

As evening approached, the courtyard gradually came alive. Men returning from get off work greeted each other, while women busied themselves washing vegetables and rice at their own doorsteps or at the communal taps, preparing dinner. Wisps of smoke rose from every chimney, filling the air with the aroma of food and the smell of coal stoves, painting a unique picture of everyday life in this era's traditional courtyard houses.

Lin Yan didn't return to his spatial dimension. Instead, he had "Sister-in-law Wang Cuihua" light the small coal stove outside and put the kettle on, making it look like she was about to boil water and cook. The act had to be played out completely.

Around 7:30 p.m., Director Wang from the neighborhood committee arrived at the courtyard house on time. She first went to the front yard to exchange a few pleasantries with Uncle Yan Bugui, but noticed that both Uncle Yan and Aunt Yan looked rather unhappy, as if they were holding back some anger. Director Wang didn't ask any further questions, but simply smiled and asked them to help inform the entire courtyard to hold a brief meeting.

Yan Bugui was inwardly vomiting blood. He could almost guess why Director Wang had come—it was probably about Lin Yan's family matter! But he dared not be negligent and could only force a smile and agree, secretly hoping that his uncles, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, would "perform exceptionally well" and ruin Lin Yan's house renovation. He grumbled inwardly as he went door-to-door to notify them.

Around 7:40, a considerable number of people had already gathered at the Intermediate People's Court. Everyone had just finished dinner and was idling around when they heard that the director of the street office was coming to hold a meeting, so they curiously gathered around. An octagonal table was set up in the center of the courtyard, serving as a makeshift platform.

Yan Bugui cleared his throat and forced a smile: "Everyone, please be quiet! Now, let's welcome Director Wang from the Subdistrict Office to say a few words! Please welcome him!" As he spoke, he led the way by clapping a few times.

Director Wang stood by the table and, without any unnecessary pleasantries, went straight to the point: "Good evening, fellow neighbors of the courtyard house. I'm sorry to take up a little of your time. I mainly want to talk about the Lin Yan family in the front yard."

She briefly explained the situation: Comrade Lin Yan's filial piety is commendable; he sent his father's ashes back to his hometown in Henan for burial and brought his cousin Lin Gang and his wife Wang Cuihua to live with him. His cousin Lin Gang has now taken over his father's job at the Hongxing Food Factory, and his household registration has been transferred to this facility. His wife, Wang Cuihua, is responsible for taking care of the ailing Lin Yan.

"Comrade Lin Gang, Comrade Wang Cuihua, you will be new members of our courtyard house from now on. Let's welcome them and help each other and live in harmony." Director Wang pointed to the "simple and honest" couple standing next to Lin Yan.

Most of the residents thought it was a good thing, as the Lin family would have a strong laborer to better care for the sick and weak Lin Yan, and they all nodded in welcome.

However, several people's faces instantly turned extremely ugly.

Yi Zhonghai's face was ashen, his eyes flickering, lost in thought. Jia Zhangshi's plump face was almost black with malice, her triangular eyes filled with resentment. Jia Dongxu beside her also had a furrowed brow, his face full of unwillingness.

The Jia family had always been short of housing, and with their son growing up, finding him a wife would be a problem. They had originally planned that once Lin Yan's father passed away, leaving behind two rooms and a sickly orphan, they could at least get him a room under the guise of caring for a martyr's descendant or helping struggling neighbors. Unexpectedly, this sickly young man quietly brought reinforcements from his hometown! They lost their jobs, and their hopes of a house were dashed! Their carefully laid plans had completely fallen apart, leaving them feeling utterly disgusted, as if they had swallowed a fly.

Madam Jia was trembling with rage, cursing viciously in her heart: "You damned sickly brat! You short-lived devil! You don't even know to give your job to our family! Would it kill you to help out the Jia family? I curse you to go see your father soon! You childless wretch! Anyway, your heart disease is incurable! The sooner you die, the sooner you'll be reincarnated!" If Director Wang hadn't been there, she probably would have slapped her thigh and cried out, "Old Jia!"

Lin Yan possessed keen senses. Although he couldn't hear their specific thoughts, he could clearly feel the undisguised gloom and resentment emanating from Jia Zhangshi, Yi Zhonghai, and the others. Seeing their frustrated expressions—unable to vent their anger and their schemes thwarted—Lin Yan was secretly delighted.

"Tsk, these beasts can bring some amusement sometimes." He chuckled to himself.

As the meeting drew to a close, Lin Yan gave his "sister-in-law" a wink. "Wang Cuihua" and "Lin Gang" immediately took out several packets of pastries that they had prepared beforehand, and with honest smiles, they began to distribute some to each household in the courtyard.

Lin Yan coughed twice at the right moment and said weakly, "Dear uncles, aunts, and elders, my cousin and his wife are new here and don't know many of the rules. Please take good care of them in the future. If they do anything wrong, please forgive them. It's just a small token of my appreciation, please don't mind."

As the saying goes, "He who eats another's food is bound to him, and he who takes another's gift is bound to him." The residents, who were getting free pastries at their meeting, immediately felt much better. Their earlier curiosity vanished, and they all smiled and agreed.

"Xiao Yan, you're too kind!"

"Don't worry, a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative!"

"Let me know if you need anything in the future!"

"Comrade Lin Gang, Comrade Wang Cuihua, welcome, welcome!"

Thus, Lin Yan's first courtyard-wide meeting since transmigrating to the courtyard house came to a successful conclusion. The results were outstanding.

In the backyard, Yi Zhonghai, seething with anger, went into the deaf old lady's room, smoked silently, and told her about what had happened that night and his frustration, hoping that this "pillar of stability" could give him some advice.

The deaf old woman listened intently, squinting, and after a moment of contemplation, slowly said, "Zhonghai, I know you value Dongxu and want him to take care of you in your old age. But there are some things I have to say. The Jia family, especially Zhang Shi, are insatiable and short-sighted. You're always openly and secretly favoring them, offending others in the courtyard for their sake. This won't last long. It will only make them take it for granted and become increasingly demanding and greedy. This isn't a sustainable solution."

She could see clearly that this was a ploy against Yi Zhonghai.

However, Yi Zhonghai harbored his own convictions. He believed that the more difficult the task, the more likely he was to succeed for the Jia family, the more grateful Jia Dongxu would be, and the stronger the bond of caring for him in old age would be. He always felt he could use gratitude to bind Jia Dongxu to his family.

Both men had their own agendas and couldn't see eye to eye. Yi Zhonghai gave the deaf old lady a few perfunctory words before returning home, each lost in their own thoughts. The night in the courtyard seemed peaceful on the surface, but undercurrents were surging beneath. Lin Yan's "firewall" had been erected, but the beasts, their scheming never ceased.