Courtyard House: From Bloodsucking Jia Zhangshi to Industrial Giant

Chapter 42 Yan Bugui's Provocation Causes Two Girls to Lose Their Temper!

The system panel shows that Zhang Chengfei has accumulated 6375 points of dislike within two days since the last lottery draw, which can be converted into six skill points.

In other words, his current research level is Silver, and his experience value is (126/1000).

I gained 18 points in two days. At the current rate of development, it will take at least several more months to upgrade to Gold.

The people in the courtyard aren't showing enough emotion. Their threshold has been raised, so their dislike level is getting lower and lower.

Zhang Chengfei pondered whether he should think of a way to catalyze this.

But that's a story for later; let's start with the lottery draw.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, you have successfully won a bicycle ticket in the lottery."

"Ding! Congratulations, host, you have successfully won one hundred pencils in the lottery."

"Ding... You have obtained 8 Big Black Tens."

There were six draws, the most valuable of which was a bicycle ticket.

Zhang Chengfei put all the prizes he had won into his spatial storage, wrapped himself tightly in the blanket, and thought about how he could use the bicycle tickets to generate some dislike points. Then he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Zhang Chengfei was awakened by the sound of Liu Haizhong hitting his son.

Logically speaking, the Liu family lived in the backyard, while he lived in the frontyard, which was dozens of meters apart. Unless Liu Haizhong committed murder, he shouldn't have been able to hear the noise.

The problem was that Liu Guangtian was unwilling to be beaten on the spot. Taking advantage of his father's inattention, he turned around and ran away like a rabbit.

Just when he was about to reach the gate of the courtyard house and escape, his mother and second aunt came back to empty the chamber pot.

The couple, one in front and one behind, blocked Liu Guangtian's path. The second aunt was burly, blocking the gate completely, and with a sinister grin, she brandished a belt and approached step by step.

Finally, a beating with bamboo shoots and pork left Liu Guangtian screaming and howling in pain.

Yan Bugui was sweeping the floor and occasionally fanning the fire. Zhang Chengfei couldn't sleep because of the noise, so he got up, yawning, and went outside.

"Second Uncle, isn't it inappropriate for you to hit the child so early in the morning?"

Before Liu Haizhong could speak, his second aunt chimed in, "What's inappropriate about it? As the saying goes, a sapling won't grow straight if it's not pruned, and a child won't grow up well if you don't discipline them. If you want to raise a child well, you have to discipline them!"

Zhang Chengfei nodded and smiled, "You're absolutely right. I've also heard the saying, 'A beaten wife is like dough that's been kneaded.' I wonder if Second Auntie has heard that saying?"

Second Auntie knew he was making fun of her, so her face immediately fell. She put down the belt in her hand and kicked Liu Guangtian, saying, "Get lost."

Liu Guangtian gave Zhang Chengfei a grateful look and ran away.

Zhang Chengfei thinks people can be quite interesting sometimes. They can use grand principles to pressure others, but when others try to pressure them back with grand principles, they get angry, like his second aunt.

Sometimes, you want something even when you don't have it, and then once you have it, you don't want it anymore. Like him.

A couple of days ago, without a stove, he was determined to make breakfast. But now that he has a stove and cooking utensils, he wants to eat out...

Twenty minutes later, Zhang Chengfei, who had finished getting ready, was already standing at the entrance of the state-run breakfast shop.

The door to the house was not locked before I left.

Just kidding. Other time travelers lock doors to prevent Er Ya and the Thief Saint's staff jokes. As the great-grandfather of the Thief Saint, who is he trying to prevent?

The breakfast shop is rectangular, wide but shallow.

Near the entrance, there was a large oil fryer with a special rack on top, on which were fried dough sticks, fried cakes, sugar cakes, and fried dough rings being drained of oil.

The chef, holding chopsticks a foot long, was turning over the fried dough sticks in the pot as they slowly grew larger and thicker.

Next to the oil pan was a large cutting board covered with tinplate, where a chef in a white uniform was kneading dough.

Besides these, the breakfast shop also sells eight-treasure porridge, fermented mung bean juice, fried liver, and millet porridge. The side dishes in the shop change with the seasons. In summer, it's mustard tuber or cold cabbage salad, while in winter it's pickled radish and shredded cabbage.

In the past, breakfast shops in Beijing would charge you for porridge and other food, and you could eat side dishes for free. After they became state-owned, they started charging for the side dishes, but they weren't expensive.

Smelling the aroma of fried dough sticks, Zhang Chengfei was about to enter when he saw the black oil bubbling in the pan and stopped in his tracks.

Judging by its appearance, this oil probably hasn't been changed since the Qing Dynasty...

Just as Zhang Chengfei was about to back down, Yan Bugui, who happened to be passing by, seemed to have noticed his thoughts and came over: "This oil is really good, it's so flavorful! The fried food will smell amazing for miles around."

"Third Uncle is exaggerating." Zhang Chengfei sometimes called Yan Bugui Third Uncle, and sometimes nephew.

Similarly, Xu Fugui's hairstyle also emphasizes a free and easy approach.

Yan Bugui seemed pleased that he was called "Third Uncle," and added, "This is rapeseed oil. Although it looks black and foamy, it's definitely not bad for your health."

If Zhang Chengfei were to express any further dissatisfaction after all this has been said, it would make him appear to be standing against the people.

He looked at Yan Bugui with a smile and explained, "What are you saying, Uncle? I didn't complain about the oil. I was just wondering if spending one cent on breakfast is a bit too extravagant."

Yan Bugui first nodded, then shook his head: "It's a luxury for me, but what is it for you, Technician Zhang?"

Your monthly salary is significantly higher than mine. I have to support a family of six, while you only have yourself to feed.

Zhang Chengfei still smiled and said, "It's not a good thing to say that if one person is full, the whole family won't go hungry. As a teacher, you should know this."

Yan Bugui hurriedly explained, "I didn't mean that, Technician Zhang, please don't misunderstand."

"I didn't misunderstand," Zhang Chengfei said again. "Uncle, please wait here. I'm going to buy a fried dough stick for my Erya. Please take it to her so she can have a nice bite."

On the way back to the courtyard house, Yan Bugui held a fried dough stick wrapped in oil paper, smelling the tempting aroma, swallowing his saliva while looking down on Zhang Chengfei.

How can someone expect someone to bring something for free without giving them any benefit in return? And this is supposed to be a cadre! He's clearly too young and doesn't understand basic manners...

We can't work for nothing!

Yan Bugui steeled himself, wanting to sneak a bite of the fragrant and crispy fried dough stick, but when he thought of Zhang Erya's fierce and menacing appearance, he held back.

Back at the courtyard house, he successfully handed the fried dough stick to Zhang Erya and began to try to sow discord: "Aunt Zhang, you know, your third uncle is really something. There are five people in your family, and he only brought one fried dough stick."

Zhang Erya cut the fried dough stick in half, handed one half to Banggeng, and ate the other half herself. She took a big bite before saying, "My third uncle just started working and is short on money. The fact that he brought me a fried dough stick shows that he cares about me."

My third uncle cares about me, I'm so happy! Zhang Erya felt warm inside as she ate the delicious fried dough sticks.

Yan Bugui retorted, "Your third uncle earns more in a month than I do. Besides, didn't he just receive a fifty-yuan bonus from the steel mill?"

Zhang Erya stuffed the last bite of the fried dough stick into her mouth: "What business is it of yours if my third uncle gets an award! Do you want to borrow money from me?"

"No, I mean..." Yan Bugui tried to explain.

Zhang Erya started shoving him without saying a word: "I don't care what you mean! If you have nothing better to do, go clean up the public toilet at the alley entrance, why are you causing trouble here?"

"Get out, get out of here right now, or I'll smash your windows!"

After a fit of rage that drove Yan Bugui away, Zhang Erya plopped down on the doorstep, her mind starting to wander.

Although she knew Yan Bugui was trying to sow discord, she couldn't help but wonder if her third uncle was really no longer close to her.

After thinking it over, I still felt that I had to take the initiative and be good to my third uncle.

They are relatives by blood, so if she treats her third uncle sincerely, how could he not reciprocate?

Thinking of this, Zhang Erya grabbed a basin, a rag, and scouring powder, rushed into Zhang Chengfei's house, and started cleaning.

She spent the whole day in the front yard room. When Zhang Chengfei got off work, he saw the newly renovated room and his big, chubby niece smiling.

"Er Ya did a good job." He patted his chubby niece on the shoulder.

Although Zhang Erya was exhausted and her back ached, she was satisfied as long as she received praise from her third uncle.

She said that her third uncle had worked hard all day and should lie down and rest, and then she prepared to leave.

But as soon as he opened the door, he slammed it shut again, pounding his chest as if he were terrified.

Zhang Chengfei asked curiously, "Er Ya, what are you doing?"

"Shh~" Zhang Erya quickly gestured for Zhang Chengfei to shut up, and whispered, "Third Uncle, don't make a sound, there are people outside."

Zhang Chengfei became even more curious. Who was his chubby niece? It was Zhang Erya!

The oldest and most domineering woman in the courtyard was a local tyrant who could walk barefoot and do whatever she wanted.

She punched Yi Zhonghai and kicked a deaf old woman; who has Zhang Erya ever been afraid of?

But now?

Seeing his chubby niece huddled under the table, trembling with fear, Zhang Chengfei curiously opened the door, wanting to see who this brave soul had frightened his little girl like this.

I don’t know, I’m scared.

The person standing at their door wasn't some fierce warrior at all; it was clearly a girl.

The girl looked to be no more than eighteen or nineteen years old, just the age when a flower bud is in full bloom.

She wore a Lenin suit, a style often worn by female cadres in that era, with small black leather shoes and two small braids that looked like brushes.

With distinct features and fair skin, she possessed a unique charm and vitality unlike any other woman, even without makeup.

While Zhang Chengfei was observing the girl, she was also observing him.

The young woman looked Zhang Chengfei up and down, then asked confidently, "Excuse me, are you Comrade Zhang Chengfei?"

Seeing Zhang Chengfei nod, she asked again, "Is Comrade Zhang Erya at your home?"

Zhang Chengfei remained silent, neither saying he was there nor that he wasn't.

The young woman continued, "I am Zhou Jihong, the officer in charge of literacy work at Jiaodaokou Subdistrict Office. In the past seven years of literacy work, Comrade Zhang Erya has never cooperated with my colleagues."

She paused for a moment: "After I took over two years ago, she was also very uncooperative."

The neighborhood committee has issued a strict order: the illiteracy rate in our area must be reduced to zero. I'm here to persuade Comrade Zhang Erya to attend a literacy class.

"From the neighborhood office?" Zhang Chengfei slightly turned his body to the side.

Zhou Jihong strode in and used all her strength to pull Zhang Erya out from under the table.

Zhang Erya was incredibly arrogant in front of everyone in the courtyard, but in front of Zhou Jihong, she was like a kitten without claws, lowering her head and looking very timid: "Cadre Zhou, it's not that I'm running away, it's just that my handwriting looks like tadpoles, I really can't learn it..."

Zhou Jihong's expression was serious: "Grandpa Song from Black Sesame Alley next door, he's eighty-three years old and he can learn it, why can't you?"

Zhang Erya: "I get a headache as soon as I see words."

"If you have a headache, just take a painkiller!" Zhou Jihong said sternly. "If you don't go to the literacy class this time and get rid of your illiteracy, you're going back to your hometown."

"Wow, this girl looks pretty, but she's also quite fierce," Zhang Chengfei exclaimed in surprise.

Seeing that the leader was difficult to deal with, Zhang Erya started to whine and complain again. One minute she said she really couldn't learn it, the next she said she didn't want to go back to the countryside, and then she said the air in the literacy class might be problematic, and she felt uncomfortable as soon as she went in.

Just as Zhou Jihong was about to say something, Liu Haizhong suddenly spoke up from the crowd: "Cadre Zhou, Zhang Erya is being disobedient. You should contact her parents."