Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 36 Aftermath and Ripples

The next morning, sunlight pierced through the small patch of sky above the courtyard, gently bathing the blue brick floor, as if trying to dispel the gloom and chill left from the previous night. When Lin Yan woke up, his cousin Lin Gang had already left for work, leaving only his cousin's wife and him at home.

My cousin's wife is a thoughtful person. When she saw Lin Yan come downstairs, she greeted him with a smile: "Little Yan, you're awake? Let me move the recliner and small tea table that your brother made for you to the yard. The sun is shining brightly today, so you can air them out and get rid of the musty smell."

"Thank you, sister-in-law, for your trouble." Lin Yan nodded with a smile. He knew in his heart that the "bad luck" referred not only to the furniture, but also to the filth in the yard.

The spatial puppet operated silently, and a pot of top-grade oolong tea brewed with spiritual spring water was ready. The tea's aroma was clear and lingering, and Lin Yan placed it on the coffee table. He then turned and went upstairs, picking up Xiao Qi, who was dozing in the doghouse, and held it in his arms. The little guy lazily purred and found a comfortable position, settling peacefully on his lap.

The recliner was very comfortable. Lin Yan casually stroked Xiao Qi's smooth fur, squinting his eyes to enjoy the warmth of the early summer morning light. His cousin-in-law saw that he was only wearing a single layer of clothing and was worried that he would catch a cold, so she hurried upstairs to fetch a thin blanket.

"It's still a bit chilly in the morning, cover yourself up." His sister-in-law carefully covered him up, but her eyes unconsciously glanced at the house of Uncle Yan Bugui across the street. She lowered her voice and said, "Auntie came over this morning to borrow something, and she kept asking about what happened yesterday. Be careful in the yard."

Lin Yan understood immediately and nodded: "Don't worry, sister-in-law, I know what I'm doing."

Only then did my cousin's wife feel at ease and go inside to busy herself.

Lin Yan closed his eyes, seemingly feigning sleep, but in reality, he quietly spread his mental energy like a spider web. The morning in the courtyard was not quiet; all sorts of subtle sounds entered his ears, and almost every household's conversation revolved around the three words "Yi Zhonghai."

The backyard, Liu Haizhong's house.

Uncle Liu Haizhong was eating cornbread with scrambled eggs, but he seemed to be enjoying it immensely, even managing a smile.

"Hmph, I knew it! Yi Zhonghai's hypocritical act won't last long!" He spat at the second aunt, "All that talk about selfless service is bullshit! Who knows what he's scheming behind his back. Now, the position of the eldest uncle is vacant. I think in this courtyard, in terms of seniority and prestige, who else but me, Liu Haizhong, can fill the vacancy?"

The second aunt chimed in, "Yes, yes, you're right, sir. You've finally made it through."

Liu Haizhong seemed to already see himself dominating the courtyard, and he chewed the cornbread with even more gusto, as if he were biting not coarse grains, but the imposing presence of a future "old man".

The backyard, Xu Damao's house.

Xu Damao slurped up the egg noodles in his bowl, while Lou Xiao'e across from him ate in small bites.

"Tsk," Xu Damao put down his bowl and smacked his lips, "Speaking of which, that bastard Sha Zhu and I actually stole sweet potatoes from the supply and marketing cooperative together when we were kids, and we even went fishing in the river together."

Lou Xiao'e looked up in surprise: "Huh? Aren't you mortal enemies?"

"That all happened later." Xu Damao rarely showed a hint of regret. "Before his father, He Daqing, ran away with Widow Bai, we were on good terms. We were the only two people in the courtyard who were about the same age. Later... sigh, his father ran away, and he seemed to become a different person. He became more and more stubborn and listened to that old geezer Yi Zhonghai more and more."

Look at how much he's starved Yu Shui! He's as thin as a bean sprout! He neglects his own sister, letting all the good food from the canteen end up in the bellies of those ungrateful Jia family members! Could the gentlemen of Beijing really do something like this? I'm starting to think, maybe Yi Zhonghai has bewitched him, just to make Sha Zhu devoted to taking care of him in his old age!"

He paused, his tone complex, "Thinking about it this way, that idiot Zhu is truly hateful, but also pitiful, being treated like a fool and manipulated for so many years. Forget it, I'm a magnanimous man, I won't stoop to his level. In a couple of days, once he's recovered, I'll bring him a couple of bottles of good wine and have a drink with him, to give him some advice. After all, we grew up together." Lin Yan, who was eavesdropping, also revealed a hint of amusement on his face.

Lou Xiao'e listened to her husband's words, a hint of surprise and barely perceptible admiration flashing in her eyes. She had always heard the deaf old woman say that Xu Damao was selfish and a bad seed. But Xu Damao's words yesterday and today seemed to have a human touch. The deaf old woman's previous behavior was nothing like her usual kind and fair demeanor. For the first time, Lou Xiao'e felt a deep suspicion about that "old matriarch of the courtyard." Simple-minded, she couldn't understand the intricacies, so she suppressed her doubts, planning to ask her more knowledgeable mother when she returned to her parents' home next time.

The Jia family.

Unlike the other houses, the Jia family's house was shrouded in gloom. Banggeng and Xiaodang seemed to sense the oppressive atmosphere as well, and obediently dared not make a sound. Jia Dongxu paced back and forth in the house like an ant on a hot pan.

"It's all over! Why am I so unlucky to have such a mentor!" he cried, his face contorted with despair. "His reputation is ruined now. What will people think of me? Will my job be affected? Mom, please give me some advice!"

In the past, Jia Zhangshi would have already started wailing and cursing. But at this moment, she sat cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed), her small eyes gleaming with shrewd calculation, and even a strange smile on her face.

"Dongxu, what's the panic! Calm down!" Madam Jia scolded her son. "I didn't understand before, but now I see it clearly! That old bastard Yi Zhonghai, he's doing terrible things, but this might actually be a great thing for our family!"

Jia Dongxu abruptly stopped, his eyes widening: "Good news?"

"Of course it's a good thing!" Madam Jia Zhang analyzed smugly. "You've been Yi Zhonghai's apprentice for almost seven years, right? And you're still only a second-level worker! Before, Mom thought you were just stupid and didn't have the talent, but as long as you got paid and had a master to rely on, you could just coast along. Now that I think about it, it's simply that old man Yi Zhonghai didn't really teach you properly! He was definitely holding back, afraid that once you mastered the skills, you'd become too independent and wouldn't take him seriously anymore! He just wanted you to be inseparable from him forever, to always rely on him, so that you could wholeheartedly support him in your old age!"

Jia Dongxu was struck dumb. Reflecting on the past, he realized that Yi Zhonghai had indeed rarely taught him core technologies systematically, mostly assigning him odd jobs and occasionally offering guidance on minor details. He had previously thought it was just his master being strict, but now he understood it was such a malicious scheme!

"Then... what should I do now?"

"What should we do?" Jia Zhangshi lowered her voice, giving instructions. "Go to the factory today and find your workshop foreman! Tell him everything that happened in the yard yesterday, and everything I just told you! Cry, complain, say that you were also deceived, and only now do you realize that you've been wasted all these years! Portray yourself as the biggest victim! Ideally, ask the workshop foreman to find a skilled master craftsman to test you on the spot, so everyone can see what real skills Yi Zhonghai has taught you all these years! This way, you can not only completely sever ties with Yi Zhonghai, but also gain sympathy. Maybe the leaders will soften their hearts and find you a better master craftsman! You're not even thirty yet, it's not too late to start over!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongxu's admiration for his mother was overwhelming. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Mom! You're a reincarnation of Zhuge Liang! That's the plan!"

Under the sunlight streaming through the window, Lin Yan, reclining in his chair, smiled slightly. Madam Jia's actions were nothing short of miraculous, turning a crisis into an opportunity. If this old woman had been born into an official's family and received a few years of education, she would undoubtedly be a master of political maneuvering and crisis management.

"Heh," Lin Yan gently scratched Xiao Qi's chin, sighing inwardly, "This little courtyard is really full of 'talented people' everywhere."