I am Jia Dongjin in the Siheyuan (Courtyard House)

Chapter 32 Luck

What was bound to happen eventually did happen, but no one expected it to happen so quickly. Jia Dongjin, who had been promoted three times in a row, was hit hard. He sat obediently on the stool, his mind racing, preparing to start making excuses.

"Director Wang, I was unemployed back then, and I worked hard fishing to make a living so my family could eat. Is that illegal?"

"Fishing to make a living is certainly not illegal, but speculation is illegal." The female clerk, named Li Lan, was about forty years old. A hint of pity flashed in her eyes, but she remained expressionless as she explained the difference between the two.

"Yes, I understand. I just trade, I exchange food with restaurants or canteens. I only exchange food for money if they don't want to. I'm a worker trained by the steel rolling mill, and I've never sold fish outside."

After making his own excuses, Jia Dongjin then revealed the names of the restaurant and canteen where the transaction took place.

Director Wang, bound by his duties, could only act according to regulations. He immediately called several units and, upon confirming that Jia Dongjin's statement was correct, his expression returned to normal.

There are many kinds of punishments for speculation and profiteering. In severe cases, it can even mean being forced to eat peanuts, or being imprisoned for a few years or a few days, or it can just be a fine or a reprimand. Anything is possible, and it all depends on luck, or rather, on one's character.

Generally speaking, many people still have a kind heart. Speculation and profiteering are not necessarily heinous crimes. For example, Jia Dongjin was forced by life's hardships, and people still feel sympathy for him deep down.

Director Wang and Li Lan did the same; the two women exchanged a glance and both understood each other's feelings.

"Comrade Jia Dongjin, we understand your situation. We'll consider you fine this time, but you can't make the same mistake again. You've already been promoted to a third-level worker, and your salary is higher than your peers. As long as you work hard, better days are ahead. Don't make any mistakes."

Even the two women themselves didn't believe that Jia Dongjin hadn't done anything wrong. Although they decided to let the young man off the hook, Director Wang still had to point out his ulterior motives.

"Director Wang, please rest assured, I promise to do a good job and will never let you down." Jia Dongjin dared not joke around anymore and honestly wrote a guarantee.

He Yuzhu's help and reminders came in handy at the crucial moment, and Jia Dongjin finally escaped disaster. He had caught the fish himself, so it wasn't a big deal, but it was still an unexpected misfortune.

After discussing the important matters, Director Wang began to handle the actual business for Jia Dongjin. Since all the paperwork was complete, Jia Dongjin received the house move-in documents in less than ten minutes.

"Jia Dongjin, you've been promoted and allocated a house. Shouldn't you get married soon?"

Since Jia Dongjin was fine, Director Wang put on a smiling face, explaining that introducing potential partners was also one of the responsibilities of the subdistrict office.

"First, tidy up the house, and then we'll prepare to find Matchmaker Wang after the New Year." Jia Dongjin had just been reprimanded and was now as obedient and docile as a kitten.

Matchmakers are not allowed to work privately now, so there are two matchmakers affiliated with the neighborhood office. Wang is just one of them. She has been doing this for a long time and has a strong reputation, so people think of her first.

"Comrade Li Lan is in charge of matchmakers. You can ask her for help; just call her Aunt Li."

Seeing that the street urchin of six months ago now has a house, a decent monthly salary as a level-three electrician, and has become one of the best young people in the neighborhood, Jia Dongjin looks presentable and could easily be matched with a female cadre.

Like any ordinary old woman, Director Wang couldn't help but feel a surge of compassion and looked at Li Lan beside her.

"Aunt Li, please have pity on me. I'm already 22 and still don't have a boyfriend. It's so hard for me."

Seeing Jia Dongjin feigning pitifulness, Li Lan readily agreed and then asked about her requirements for finding a partner.

"I don't have any requirements, really none. Just try to be pretty, have a good personality, be gentle and virtuous, be able to manage a household, and preferably be somewhat educated. Um, her family background can't be bad, and she should be a bit tall, but not too tall, around 1.65 meters is fine, no more than 1.7 meters. Women tend to stand out, and being over 1.7 meters is a bit too tall. Fabric rations are tight now, and being tall will use up too much fabric. Oh, and don't be too fat or too thin, being too thin is uncomfortable, just look well-proportioned."

Without even thinking, Jia Dongjin blurted out his innermost standards.

"Director Wang, is there no requirement? It sounds like Chang'e to me."

After Li Lan finished speaking, she suddenly remembered the words "clunky". Her expression changed, and she looked at Jia Dongjin with suspicion, seriously doubting that this kid was an experienced driver.

"His standards are too high; he definitely wouldn't even look at him. Get that brat out of here!"

Director Wang was exhausted. She picked up a crumpled piece of paper from the table and threw it directly at Jia Dongjin.

As she was leaving, Li Lan caught up with Jia Dongjin and whispered, "Jia Dongjin, my son is 25. He just started dating this year, and I heard that his future father-in-law likes to eat fish. Could you sell me a few? Salted fish will do if you don't have any live fish."

Jia Dongjin naturally said it was no big deal, as he had plenty of salted fish at home, including several large ones.

As Jia Dongjin was kicked out of the street office, his playful smile vanished in an instant, replaced by a gloomy expression. What had seemed like a warm and friendly demeanor could turn into a chilling storm at any moment. He now owed Director Wang and Li Lan a huge favor.

You won't know the pain until you're hit on the head.

This time, the Jia family almost got into a terrible disaster. If Jia Dongjin had become a bad element, the fate of the Jia family would have been predictable, possibly even more tragic than in the drama.

After spending more than half a year together, Jia Dongjin had come to regard Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu as family, and he would never allow himself or his family to be harmed.

Thinking of the whistleblower, Jia Dongjin felt a chill and a cruel look appeared on his face.

"Jia Dongjin used to be a street urchin; no girl would have ever been interested in him. That's just a joke; you're overthinking it. You have three children; hasn't your wife, Lao Xu, been complaining?"

In the office, after listening to Li Lan's words, Director Wang looked Li Lan up and down at her thin figure and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Even if Lao Xu had three times the courage, he wouldn't dare say that. He's not much fatter than me, and I even find him uncomfortable."

Li Lan and Director Wang have been colleagues for more than four years and are very familiar with each other, so they don't hold back when they talk.

"This Jia Dongjin is quite a catch. I heard you have a cousin, could you introduce us? Being in close proximity makes it easier to get what you want, so you should act quickly."

"Director Wang, not now. That guy's a womanizer. His circumstances are actually quite average. His widowed mother has no income, and his widowed sister-in-law is raising a child. The burden is very heavy. My cousin's daughter isn't particularly attractive. Let's wait and see. Let him run into some obstacles and become more docile before we start talking. I just bought some fish from him. Once we get to know each other, there will naturally be opportunities to introduce him to potential partners."

"Wow, you've even got some political maneuvering skills. But I think he's a good catch, and he's got a sweet tongue, so he won't have trouble finding a pretty wife."

"Well, there's nothing we can do. Marriage can't be forced. This guy has such high standards, so we can only let fate decide. He's very clever. When we were buying the fish, he kept saying he didn't want any money. But after I told him I couldn't accept bribes, he agreed to exchange it for cornmeal."

"That's right, the stupid ones were all punished, and the rest were all very clever."

The two older women were in a hurry to get off work and go home to cook, so they didn't investigate further and let Jia Dongjin get away with it.

Li Lan was not wrong about Jia Dongjin. Although he was an old bachelor in his previous life and lacked practical experience, he was extremely knowledgeable in theory. Otherwise, he would not have said "it's uncomfortable".

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What a waste of such a beautiful day! Drinking and eating meat in the courtyard.

Today is a good day; many people in the courtyard have been promoted.

He Yuzhu was promoted to level nine chef, Xu Damao became a full-time employee, and Erdan's father, Uncle Liu, was promoted to level four employee.

The higher the worker's grade, the more difficult it is to advance. Neither Yi Zhonghai nor Liu Haizhong were promoted; they remained at the seventh-grade fitter and sixth-grade forger, respectively. However, they were not much different, and neither of them was depressed. Instead, they were both full of confidence for next year.

Yan Jiecheng's plan to get Yi Zhonghai into the steel rolling mill has also made progress. Unlike in the original drama, he did not go to the agricultural machinery factory, but instead went to the steel rolling mill as a temporary worker after the New Year.

Every household bought some meat, preparing to eat something good. The courtyard was filled with the aroma of meat, and the children were as happy as puppies, running and playing around in the yard.

"Uncle, everyone else bought meat, and Grandma bought some too. Did you buy anything good to eat?"

Banggeng, holding a small wooden toy gun, followed Liu Guangfu and Yan Jiedi around happily. When he saw Jia Dongjin enter through the hanging flower gate, he immediately rushed over to ask for snacks, his eyes fixed on Jia Dongjin's satchel.

"Of course, your uncle bought you candy."

When food was scarce, sugar became an important strategic resource, and sugar coupons were a key item that Jia Dongjin paid close attention to; he collected quite a few sugar coupons.

Liu Guangfu was too old to approach, while Yan Jiedi was younger and couldn't resist the temptation. She cautiously walked up to Banggeng and watched him eat the candy with longing eyes.

"Jie Di, here's some candy for you. Guang Fu, you get one too. One piece for each of you. No fighting over it."

Jia Dongjin smiled, glanced at the Yan family, and handed them two pieces of fruit candy.

That evening, the Jia family also had a good meal. Upon learning that Jia Dongjin had been promoted to a level three electrician, Jia Zhangshi sped off to the market and bought two ounces of fatty pork.

She took matters into her own hands, first rendering lard from the fatty meat, then using the rendered lard to stir-fry dried anchovies in a ready-made wok, and finally stir-frying a dish of stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings.

"This food is even better than what we eat at home during Chinese New Year. Dongjin, you're really capable! How much does a level-three electrician earn each month?"

Qin Jingru served a sliced ​​salted egg and some pickled vegetables, her large, watery almond-shaped eyes glancing at Jia Dongjin.

"Let Dongjin catch his breath first. Yi Zhonghai said he could get 51 dollars. Is that really so much? How will we ever spend it all? We won't be able to buy meat every day anymore."

Madam Jia's face lit up as she looked at Jia Dongjin with great eagerness.

Jia Zhangshi's words were perfectly correct. Qin Huairu and Banggeng had been transferred to urban household registration and were now entitled to grain rations. Under normal circumstances, the Jia family's grain shortage would no longer be a problem.

Jia Dongjin is exceptionally good at finding food and can currently support Qin Jingru. If his monthly salary reaches 51 yuan, he can indeed afford to eat meat every day, but he just doesn't have meat coupons; money is not a problem.

Qin Huairu didn't seem particularly happy. She didn't go over to ask, but simply brought over a glass of water and silently returned to the inner room.

She might drop the bag at any moment, so Qin Huairu is currently tidying up the baby's clothes to prepare for the soon-to-be-born child.