Siheyuan: If you ruin the reputation of the whole courtyard, I will move out

"Brother, is there anything new?" a man in the shadows whispered to his companion.

"what do you want?"

"How about some meat? Anything!"

“Can you afford it?”

"Of course, look at this," the man excitedly pulled out a stack of banknotes, showing his determination.

“What kind of meat do you want? Pork, chicken, or duck? The prices are different.”

"My wife is about to give birth, and I need a hen to nourish her body," the man rubbed the back of his hands gently to warm them, revealing a clear desire.

"How much does an old hen cost?"

"It's quite high." When he heard the price, he was surprised.

"Hens can lay eggs, so they are naturally expensive, while roosters are worthless. Do you want to think about it carefully?" The man thought for a moment and asked hesitantly.

“Can you give me a discount?”

"I really can't, but I can give you 10 extra eggs, so it's a good deal overall. What do you think? Do you want to think about the deal more carefully? Don't delay my business."

Zhang Yu thought for a moment and agreed: "Then it's settled."

The buyer on the other side took out a bamboo basket from a hidden place. Inside was an old hen weighing about four or five pounds. The buyer happily took it and examined it carefully: "Young man, the quality of the things here is good."

After hearing that the price is reasonable and the quality is guaranteed, the buyer pays readily and leaves with satisfaction without any extra polite words.

There are some hidden meanings behind this transaction.

The seller who collected the money handled the cash in the corner. The sky was completely dark and the number of pedestrians on the street gradually thinned out. He decided to end his business for the day and go home. He walked along the road in the north of the city and finally came to a large and dilapidated house.

Outside the gate stood a slightly older man, about 45 years old. He was a middle-aged man with a slightly tired face. When he saw the seller, his eyes became sharp: "Xiao Zhang, you came home so late, did you go fishing again?"

Zhang Yu held a fishing rod, followed by a basket full of jumping live fish: "Yes, I'm going fishing."

"A young man like you, almost 26 or 27 years old, has high expenses and doesn't even have enough savings to marry a wife."

"Why should I, a free man, get married? Why should I be bound by constraints?" He smiled helplessly, "Can't it be a little different? The Zhang family depends on you as the only heir. How can the family inheritance continue if you don't get married? Are you going to end up with no descendants?"

"It's modern times now, why are you still obsessed with those old ideas about passing on the family line?" His tone was somewhat reproachful. "I think you are really confused. One day, the Zhang family business will be deserted because of your stubbornness."

Facing the reproach from the middle-aged man, the young man showed annoyance: "Is it wrong not to be married and have children now? I think you don't understand current affairs. One day, you will squander all the hard-earned money of your elders."

"Having a child is a debt. It's better not to have one."

After saying this, the middle-aged man left angrily, not caring at all about the young man's dissatisfaction.

How could Zhang have given birth to such an ignorant child? When he entered the courtyard, he greeted everyone warmly, but was ignored by most of them, as if they were deliberately avoiding him. It seemed that he was not doing well in socializing in this large residential area.

The only gentleman with a haggard face had a deep conversation with Zhang Yu: "Xiao Zhang, how about coming to my place for a drink?" The way this gentleman looked at Zhang Yu was very different from the way the others looked.

"Okay, Brother Zhu! Like usual, you cook the food and I'll be responsible for the wine." Zhang Yu replied happily.

Walking into the back of the hut, he found that the window that should have been closed was half open. He sneered and pushed the door open, because the door was not locked at all. The house was extremely simple, about 30 square meters in size, and the only belongings were a shabby big bed, a small table and two simple benches, and nothing else.

The door slammed shut, and Zhang Yu fell on the bed, releasing all the fatigue in his body.

His full name is Zhang Yu. He was an unemployed young man who traveled to this time and space under unexpected circumstances. Although integrating into this period was full of challenges, Zhang Yu gradually adapted to life here.

He was a soul traveling back in time. His previous owner was also named Zhang Yu, a child from a farming family with good conduct and clean character. His mother died when he was very young, and he was raised by his father's hard work.

His father, an ordinary employee of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill, sent Zhang Yu to the army when he was 16. After recalling the awakening during training and integrating the experience of death, Zhang Yu ended his military career and returned home after serving the motherland for several years and then his father passed away.

After returning to his old home, Zhang Yu was surprised to find that his neighbor was the infatuated He Yuzhu. It was at that moment that he gained a special ability - private space storage.

Although the space is simple and not large, it is a bag that can hold all kinds of things. Living beings or the dead can be temporarily stored there, but people cannot be included.

After burying his father, he started working in the factory. Although he took over the seventh-level fitter position left by his father, the meager income was not enough to satisfy him.

In the 1960s, although this salary was just enough to make ends meet, it was too hard for a modern young man like Zhang Yu to work as a fitter, especially since he had an endless love for food, and this money was very tight.

When he first entered the factory, he knew how to drive and maintain vehicles based on his experience as a driver in the army, but it was not easy to change his job in that era of fixed positions. Fortunately, he still had some inheritance, two tiled houses and more than 1800 yuan to support his life.

He used the extra money to buy wine, food and tobacco, and took the opportunity to visit the deputy factory director, hoping to get a job change. Eventually, he became a member of the driver class. Even though his basic salary was limited, he used the benefits of a truck driver's job and the unique function of carrying space to buy rural ingredients and meat specialty stores while driving, keeping the goods fresh and of high quality. Sometimes he also obtained a higher quality of life through material transactions, making his life a little more affluent, and even earning a few hundred yuan extra.

During this process, Zhang Yu remained cautious and careful. He was well aware of the risks of the times and avoided extremes. Nowadays, his family rarely uses large dining tables. The He family simply sets up a square coffee table with short chairs on both sides, so you have to squat when you sit down.

Two chairs occupied half of the coffee table, with two dishes placed side by side on them: one was stewed cabbage, and the other was leftover fried rice. Zhang Yu picked up his own portion, sat down on the stool without hesitation, and asked He Yuzhu: "Brother Zhu, where are the canteen meals in your factory? I heard that you prepare two lunch boxes to take home every day, why don't you bring them here so that I can taste your cooking skills!" Zhang Yu and He Yuzhu have a close relationship. In the crowded courtyard, only he would call He Yuzhu "Brother Zhu", while others were used to calling him "Old Fool Zhu". This title is not entirely unreasonable. Zhang Yu knows that most people like to use He Yuzhu's straightforwardness to seek benefits for themselves, but he can always be treated sincerely.

In fact, He Yuzhu is not stupid, his simplicity comes from sincerity rather than lack of wisdom. He knows how to return kindness, so over time, people will inevitably want to take advantage of him, so that even his nickname is "Silly Zhu".