I am Jia Dongjin in the Siheyuan (Courtyard House)

Chapter 19 All Parties

Yan Jiecheng registered for the electrician's certificate exam early on and prepared for it for a while. He even found an electrician in the neighboring courtyard and reluctantly gave him two packs of cheap cigarettes to ask for his guidance.

At that time, there was no certification training available, so people could only learn on their own or seek guidance from experienced people. Yan Jiecheng was a sensible person and knew to ask an electrician for help.

Yan Jiecheng also went to take the exam today, but he hasn't returned home since leaving. His third aunt, Yang Ruihua, doesn't know if he passed.

"Auntie, I took the written exam in the same room as Jiecheng this morning, but I haven't seen him since. I don't know if he passed or not. Don't worry, just ask him when he gets home."

In fact, Jia Dongjin knew perfectly well that Yan Jiecheng's absence from the practical exam meant that Yan hadn't even passed the written test, so he couldn't possibly pass and was considered a failure.

He had just taken the exam and knew that although the questions were simple, they were like gibberish to the average person. No wonder the electrician's certificate was so difficult to obtain; once you passed, you were part of the skilled workforce.

"Okay, I'll head home and check right away."

After hearing Jia Dongjin's words, Aunt Yang Ruihua could no longer stay. As soon as she left, the women who had flocked to Jia's house began to bombard her with questions.

"Is he really a full-time employee at the steel rolling mill?"

How much is your monthly salary?

"Can I start work tomorrow?"

"Dongjin should be looking for a wife by now, right? What kind of woman are you looking for? I have a friend who..."

"..."

"I'm a permanent employee at the steel rolling mill, earning 30.5 yuan a month. I'm starting work tomorrow. My husband, Dongjin, wants to find a wife from the city; her family can't be poor."

"Aunt Zhang, my cousin can give birth to a son, but she's not very pretty. Is that okay?"

Erdan's mother has a distant cousin who works in a thermos factory. She is about the same age as Jia Dongjin, but her appearance is average, with a slightly round face. However, her figure is excellent, and she could easily have a son.

Considering Jia Dongjin's youth and good looks, Erdan's mother wanted to steal Wang the matchmaker's business.

"Erdan's mom, whether it's suitable or not depends on the young people's fate. I'm not a picky person. Let's make it clear first, I don't own a house, and I can't afford a three-wheeled vehicle and a radio. I only have a bicycle."

"As long as I have a job, that's fine. The steel rolling mill is a good place to work, and I'll be allocated housing sooner or later."

Madam Jia's face was radiant, and her speech became 30% more open and honest than usual. This was the first time she had witnessed such a moment of glory for the Jia family.

Before long, the topic shifted to having sons. The women began to discuss how many sons Erdan's mother's cousin should have. No one cared that Jia Dongjin was right next to them. It seemed that Jia Dongjin had already married Erdan's mother's cousin, and the only problem was how many sons they should have.

At this time, unmarried men are still considered boys. Only after they marry will they be treated as men, just like in Jia Dongjin's previous life, and the pressure to get married is similar.

Because of the scarcity of material goods, talking about material things is pointless, since every household is pretty much the same, at most having three turns and one sound, or how many legs a piece of furniture has.

Unlike Jia Dongjin's previous life, where just the mention of a house made people tremble with fear, not to mention the issues of name on the property certificate and even more sophisticated prenuptial agreements, etc.

But the essence is the same: after the women decided to have two sons, they finally started discussing the house.

Because Erdan's mother insisted on having a new house, she had a disagreement with Jia Zhangshi, and the conversation began to veer towards a breakdown.

It is said that one woman is equivalent to 500 ducks. The Jia family now has a group of women, which is much more lively than the vegetable market.

The protagonist of the topic, Jia Dongjin, had a buzzing head. He could only huddle by the stove, carefully processing the newly bought pig liver and listening to the reactions from all sides. Deep down, he kept sighing that the duck theory was too unreliable. Clearly, one woman was equivalent to 600 ducks.

In summer, pork liver doesn't keep well, so stir-frying the liver tips is out of the question; otherwise, there wouldn't be a drop of oil left in the house. Jia Dongjin can only stick to the old way and honestly make pork liver soup.

After reading some history books, he finally understood why his ancestors didn't need pots; a clay pot was enough. As long as they put the food they had gathered into the pot in a certain order, they could have a satisfying meal.

Jia Dongjin estimated that the emperor was no different from a wealthy family. He had to be familiar with the extravagant feasts and the most luxurious things. At most, he would have a stone slab for grilling meat. The so-called "meat forest and wine pool" was probably just King Zhou of Shang having his men set up tree branches for a barbecue.

It's just that there's more meat. In terms of prosperity, it's not as fun as the bonfire party organized by the expansion company in my previous life. There are more slaves, but no karaoke, and they have to be heavily guarded, for fear that the slaves will rebel against the oppression.

Without a wide variety of seasonings, King Zhou of Shang's palate was somewhat lacking. While he couldn't be said to be eating raw meat and drinking blood, it certainly wasn't as good as Jia Dongjin's, even though he was just a lowly electrician.

Thinking of the emperor, Jia Dongjin had a sudden thought: the emperor was not far from him.

In fact, the emperor was very close to Jia Dongjin. Puyi lived in Juhua Hutong, just a few hundred meters away from here. They were practically next door. He might be mending socks right now.

There is a hutong in the Nanluoguxiang area that was once the residence of Ronglu, an important official in the late Qing Dynasty. Ronglu's daughter, Guarjia Youlan, was the birth mother of Puyi.

He still remembers a story about an expert.

It is said that when Puyi visited the Forbidden City, he discovered that the wrong photograph was hanging in Emperor Guangxu's room; it was a photograph of Prince Chun, Zaifeng. He was very angry and summoned the staff.

Staff stated that this was confirmed by experts and there were absolutely no problems.

Pu Yi was very serious. He said, half-laughing and half-crying, "This is my father. How could I not recognize my father's photo?"

Jia Dongjin was in a good mood today, and his thoughts were wandering. He was preparing to show off his skills and satisfy his own cravings, but the Jia family was poor, and after searching for a long time, he still couldn't find any starch.

"Mom, do we have any starch at home?"

Madam Jia, beaming, was engrossed in her lively conversation. She didn't even glance at her youngest son, and with a dismissive sneer, replied impatiently, "It's just making pig liver soup. What makes you think you're so great? I've lived this long and never heard of starch. Corn flour is flour too, you tell me, is it any good?"

Since the 60s, China has made great strides in the deep processing of starch, particularly in the production of sugar, pharmaceuticals, and fine chemical products.

At this time, starch had already begun to be widely used, but for Jia Zhangshi, it was still a rare luxury; she had never even heard of starch.

Jia Dongjin: "..."

To make pork liver tender and smooth, it must be coated with starch; there's simply no way to satisfy your cravings without it.

Except for lazy people, who don't deserve to enjoy life. Jia Dongjin asks himself if he is a lazy person, especially when it comes to enjoying life.

To get the seasonings, you need to find a chef. The problem was too simple. Without even blinking, Jia Dongjin squeezed out of his house and turned left to He Yuzhu's house.

"Silly Zhu, are you home?"

"Brother Dongjin, my brother hasn't come back yet, we'll have to wait a while."

Sha Zhu wasn't home, and a little girl popped out of the side room next door.

She is He Yushui, 14 years old this year, and is just beginning to show her potential.

Jia Dongjin shrugged. He was so overjoyed today that his mind went blank and he forgot it wasn't time to leave work yet. He Yuzhu couldn't possibly be home at this time, so he could only talk to He Yushui first.

Just like in the drama, He Yushui is beautiful and delicate, as if she has been nurtured by the gentle charm of the Jiangnan water towns. The young girl's eyebrows are curved like crescent moons in spring, with slightly upturned corners, but without any sharpness, instead carrying a touch of unconscious coquettishness. Her skin is a translucent porcelain white, with a faint blush on her cheeks, giving it a pinkish glow.

"It was a bright and promising fruit, but it was ruined by that silly Zhu. Especially those long legs, tsk tsk."

With his body strengthened, Jia Dongjin regained his normal physical function of pursuing beautiful women. Thinking of He Daqing and He Yuzhu's mature faces, he didn't need to think to know that He Yushui's mother was beautiful, otherwise she couldn't have given birth to such a delicate little girl, as if she and He Yuzhu were from two different worlds.

The only incongruity is that He Yushui's hair is slightly yellow, still falling into the category of a young, blonde girl.

Her body was too thin, which was out of proportion to her tall stature, and her trousers were also half a length too short, reflecting the unique characteristics of the era.

From drooling to feeling pity, Jia Dongjin suddenly realized that he himself was also covered in patches, and his mind immediately returned to normal.

Even if He Yushui is poor, she has her own house, and it's her own private house. In the future, the girl will graduate from high school, which is much better than him, a former street urchin.

At this time, He Yushui was still a little girl. Thinking of the terrifying taste of peanuts, Jia Dongjin shuddered. He quickly shook off the filth in his mind and began to act kindly, pretending to be a caring older brother.

"Brother Dongjin, my brother said he's going to get some meat today, specifically pork tenderloin. Do you need starch for a new dish?"

Seeing Jia Dongjin turn to leave, He Yushui grabbed Jia Dongjin's clothes and pulled him to the wall. She looked at Jia Dongjin with her big eyes and asked in a low voice.

A beautiful lady is sought after by a gentleman, and a handsome young man is also desired by a girl; this is a natural law and human nature.

He Yushui, like a lotus in early bud, was filled with curiosity and affection for her respectable neighbor, especially since something good was going to happen that evening.

The little girl appeared innocent and pure. Although she vaguely sensed the lewdness of her older neighbor, she was unaware of the truth and simply assumed it was the delicious food that evening. Little did she know that he harbored evil intentions and was lusting after her future long legs.

Her words were innocent and naive. She asked about the new dish, boiled pork slices. After eating Jia Dongjin's pickled fish a few times, He Yushui had a very good impression of Jia Dongjin.

Jia Dongjin felt guilty towards the little girl in front of him who had been so badly cheated by the Jia family. He tried his best to dispel the lewdness in his heart, took out the Cuban candy from his pocket, and said in a low voice, "Have a candy to sweeten your mouth first. I bought pig liver. When your brother comes back, we'll cook at your house and have a big meal tonight."

Knowing there would be delicious new dishes for dinner, He Yushui had no appetite for the cornbread and pickled vegetables at noon and eagerly awaited the meal.

The literal meaning of "feast" whetted her appetite, and He Yushui's stomach rumbled loudly. The little girl blushed with embarrassment and lowered her head shyly.

"Don't be shy, studying takes a lot of brainpower. I'll get you a few more; they'll keep you from getting hungry at school. Yushui, how's your studying going?"

Talking to a smart person is easy and pleasant; the two of you chatter away, both trying to keep their voices down.

The middle school girl was so pretty and charming that Jia Dongjin found her very pleasing to the eye, which made him feel great. He couldn't help but take out a handful of candy and secretly slip it to He Yushui.

Since he wanted to celebrate, he bought some candy on his way home to give to the children in the yard.

"Thank you, Dongjin, you're so kind. I'm third in the class, and the teacher says I'm good enough for vocational school."

The sweetness reached her heart, and He Yushui's eyes crinkled into crescents with beauty. She couldn't control the volume of her voice, which attracted the attention of those who were paying attention.

"Take the entrance exam for a vocational high school!"

When it came to serious matters, Jia Dongjin completely returned to normal. He recalled He Yushui's fate in the original drama, and his eyes and mind were no longer filled with lewdness and filth.

"Uncle, I want some candy too!"

Banggeng, who was playing in the mud in the yard, looked up at the sound. He had sharp eyes and spotted the candy immediately. He ran over to ask for it.

Jia Dongjin looked disgusted and urged the little brat to wash up, "Your hands are so dirty, go wash them quickly before you eat candy."

The candy was incredibly attractive, and Yan Jiedi, Liu Guangfu, Erdan, and other children had already gathered around. Banggeng was worried that the candy would be gone, so he didn't dare to miss his chance. However, having been reprimanded by Jia Dongjin many times, he dared not snatch candy from his uncle again. Finally, he had a brilliant idea. He opened his little mouth and begged to be fed.

Jia Dongjin was a worldly man. In his previous life, he had seen many children who were like porcelain dolls. These children were well-fed and well-clothed and would not even glance at rough candies. Only chocolate could make them take notice.

Blood is thicker than water. Seeing that the future little thief's clothes and pants were tattered, he felt a pang of sadness. He quickly unwrapped a candy and stuffed one into Banggeng's mouth before coaxing him to wash his hands.

After feeding the pigeon, Jia Dongjin was surrounded by a group of children, who followed suit and opened their mouths, begging to be fed.

"Haha, quickly surround him, Guangfu and Erdan, get closer, you two hold hands, don't let Dongjin get away. He's thinking of leaving some for Banggeng, he must still have some candy in his pocket." He Yushui next to her had a sly look in her eyes, she gave orders with confidence while laughing until her stomach hurt.

"This girl is no good!"

Jia Dongjin glared at Xiaoyushui with wide eyes and a huff.

He Yushui was right; there was indeed candy in his other pocket, which was indeed left for Banggeng.

Actually, He Yushui didn't miss Jia Dongjin's... well, you know. Whether she felt happy or disgusted was up to her.

Girls mature much earlier than boys of the same age. Once they begin puberty, they face the probing gazes of men, which they rarely ignore. Girls are more aware and sensitive than men about whether a gaze is kind or lecherous. This is an inevitable process in a girl's growth into a young woman.

Therefore, having just received a bribe from Jia Dongjin, He Yushui immediately directed the children to cause trouble, a small act of revenge against someone's burning gaze.

Surrounded and with nowhere to escape, Jia Dongjin had no choice but to make the difficult decision to give up his beloved today, even though it was a day of great joy for him.

After a round of feeding, the sound of Xiaobanggeng crying out in pain came from the middle courtyard. The crying was earth-shattering and reached the sky.

"My dear Bang Geng, who dares to bully you? Grandma will fight them!"

Jia Zhangshi undoubtedly loved Banggeng deeply. Upon hearing of her grandson's misfortune, she rushed out of the house with the ferocity of a locomotive, hurtling towards Banggeng's location.

Upon seeing that the "culprit" identified by Bang Geng was Jia Dongjin, Jia Zhangshi quickly slammed on the brakes to avoid accidentally injuring her own people, stopping just ten centimeters away from Jia Dongjin.

"Grandma, Uncle gave away his candy to others, and it was all my candy! Waaah! Grandma, make Uncle pay me back for the candy, or else..." Despite the other children's grimaces, Banggeng bravely pointed out the culprit, Jia Dongjin.

Banggeng could no longer bear it; the loss was too devastating. Just now, Jia Dongjin had given away a full eight candies. If they had been kept, Banggeng could have enjoyed them for at least eight days!

Hearing that someone was giving out candy, even Aunt Guihua from the backyard came over and asked for one for Shuanzhu, who had just been weaned, saying she would dissolve it in sugar water to feed him.

Shuanzhu licked the candy with a beaming smile, and Jia Dongjin, finding it adorable, couldn't resist giving him one last piece.

Who can tolerate this? This is intolerable!

Bang Geng was heartbroken and devastated, and finally burst into tears, which led to Jia Zhangshi standing up for him.

From both a legal and human perspective, Banggeng's logic is not wrong. The candy belongs to the Jia family, and he is the only child in the Jia family. Therefore, the candy should be disposed of by Banggeng.

However, before Jia Dongjin transferred ownership to Banggeng, Sugar did not belong to Banggeng.

Jia Dongjin's recent teachings were not entirely useless. Bang Geng finally stepped on the brakes, showing some improvement. He realized that his uncle was not someone to be trifled with, and that it seemed inappropriate to let his grandmother beat his uncle. Moreover, Jia Dongjin had said that he could ask for things, but he couldn't take them.

"What do you want if I don't compensate you for the candy? I bought that candy, I can give it to whomever I want." Jia Dongjin chuckled inwardly, but spoke harshly on the surface.

"Bang Geng is so young, he's still a child. Why are you arguing with a child? Quickly give the candy to Bang Geng." Madam Jia held her grandson's hand, her love for him evident in her words.

"Mom, the candy is all gone, I won't pay for it. This is Bang Geng's fault, you can't spoil him." Jia Dongjin patted his empty pockets, thinking about finding an opportunity to correct this little crooked tree.

Fortunately, Jia Dongjin was Jia Zhangshi's son, and he looked just like his mother, so he was her biological son. Jia Zhangshi's eyes darted around, and considering that Jia Dongjin had become a formal employee and was considered the head of the household, she ultimately decided to let Jia Dongjin go.

"Banggeng, don't cry. The candy won't turn back after you finish it. Grandma will ask your uncle to buy you some more." Jia Zhangshi glared at Jia Dongjin before taking Banggeng to wash his face and hands, thus saving face for her youngest son.

At this moment, people returning from get off work came back to the courtyard, relieving Jia Dongjin of his embarrassment.

"Brother Dongjin, I finally managed to buy some pork tenderloin after going through so much trouble!"

A young middle-aged man rushed over, holding a piece of pork tenderloin in his hand. He held it up to Jia Dongjin as if to show off, giving Jia Dongjin a sense of humor reminiscent of McDull. He remembered that McDull was burly and had learned the dragon-slaying skill of snatching buns.

"Silly Zhu, you're really something else! I'm completely impressed, you're the best!"

"That's right, Zhang Fei eating bean sprouts is a piece of cake!"

Jia Dongjin felt that simply raising his eyebrows wasn't enough, so he quickly gave a thumbs-up as well. He secretly chuckled to himself, thinking that just as the original drama described, He Yushui was the smartest person in the He family, knowing that one should eat meat secretly rather than loudly proclaiming that one doesn't want it.

When He Yushui pretended to be cute and betrayed Jia Dongjin, she did so without hesitation, without even blinking.

The little girl pretended to be innocent and was actually quite ruthless and decisive. She definitely had a bright future, but unfortunately, she didn't get into a vocational school. She was a talent whose potential was wasted by her own brother.

This He Yuzhu is really useless. He's like he's afraid others won't know, shouting all the world that there's meat in the meat. No wonder people in the courtyard call him "Silly Zhu." He was tricked by Qin Huairu and suffered terribly.

If it were Jia Dongjin himself, he would have kept it completely hidden, and no one would have known that he had gotten his hands on the meat.

He Yuzhu's life tragedy was largely due to the negative consequences of lacking guidance from his parents.

He Daqing was definitely a remarkable person, but unfortunately, during the crucial period of his adolescence, He Yuzhu did not receive guidance from his father, He Daqing, resulting in the tragedy of a tiger father and a dog son. He Yushui also suffered misfortune because of him. Despite her excellent qualities, she could only work as a female worker in a textile factory.

In contrast, Yu Haitang became a broadcaster at the steel rolling mill by finding a boyfriend, who was the nephew of Director Yang.

Jia Dongjin's mind was filled with a whirlwind of emotions as he lamented the cruel twists of fate. No matter how clever a person is, if they fail to seize the right moment at crucial times, their destiny will be fraught with misfortune.

For young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, God still gave them opportunities, just not many.

Since ancient times, there has only been one path to Mount Hua. This opportunity is education, and changing one's destiny through education.

But this opportunity was fleeting, and fate was still cruel, not giving those at the bottom a chance to try or correct their mistakes.

This situation is most evident at the bottom level. As Zhang Moufeng said, what young people at the bottom lack is not money, but guidance from mentors.

Zhang Moufeng spoke the truth to the people at the bottom of society. Therefore, after his unexpected death, many people spontaneously came to pay their respects, which sparked heated discussions online. This was naturally due to the truth he told.

The older generation is often confused and lacks insight, while the younger generation is even less knowledgeable. They miss out on life's opportunities without even realizing it.

It wasn't until I grew older and looked back on my youthful days that I realized how much I regretted it. I could have had a new and happy life if I had just tried a little harder or chosen a different path. But now that I'm old, I can only sigh and lament that there is no going back.

Take Jia Dongjin himself, for example. If he had chosen to join a certain unit back then and done similar work, even one that was unbearably leisurely, but his income was ten times that of a factory worker tightening screws, he would have been resentful, and even hitting the sky with a rock wouldn't have made a difference.

You only get one chance; if you miss it, you lose it forever and never have the chance again.

The so-called next life is just a lie to fool yourself.

Each person only has one lifetime.

Whether it's Jia Dongjin in his past life or He Yushui now, they're pretty much the same.

But there is still hope for He Yushui. As long as she doesn't go hungry, there is a good chance she can get into a vocational school.

If she seizes the biggest opportunity of her life, the girl's fate will be different from that in the drama, and she will no longer have to compromise and live at the mercy of the policeman.

Jia Dongjin stood there, contemplating the most important thing in his life, while He Yuzhu carried meat around the yard, showing it off, when suddenly he was attacked.

"Hey, who is it? Who dares to hit me!"