I am Jia Dongjin in the Siheyuan (Courtyard House)

Chapter 14 Happiness

"Hey there, an old man and an old woman, I'm here to mooch a drink!"

Carrying a large basin of boiled fish, this was the first time Jia Dongjin had entered the home of Yi Zhonghai, an old man in a courtyard house, since he had transmigrated.

Yi Zhonghai lived in the east wing of the central courtyard, which was actually right across from the Jia family's house, separated only by the central courtyard. To the northwest, right next to it, were the main house and side rooms of He Yuzhu and his sister.

"No wonder Yi Zhonghai has such a complicated relationship with the Jia and He families. He can see Jia Dongxu when he looks up and He Yuzhu when he turns his head. Both families lack a father to lead the family, and their conditions are decent. It's no wonder that Yi Zhonghai has designs on them."

When Jia Dong arrived at Yi Zhonghai's house, he realized that the plot had a certain rationality and logic, and that he would have the same thought if he were Yi Zhonghai.

The two young men were practically chosen by the hospital; they were tailor-made for Yi Zhonghai, perfect candidates for retirement.

Yi Zhonghai is capable of both offense and defense. He only needs to secretly push forward at key moments to change the course towards retirement, and he can easily achieve his goal without much investment.

Yi Zhonghai is now a level 7 fitter with a monthly salary of 84 yuan. With subsidies, he earns about 90 yuan a month, which is among the top incomes for workers in the courtyard house and steel rolling mill. He can also talk to the factory manager and is considered a person of importance.

Unlike the Jia family's simple house, Yi Zhonghai's house had simple decorations. There was a partition between the inner and outer rooms, and a kitchen was also separated. Apart from an old-fashioned clock, the furniture in the house looked plain and unremarkable, highlighting the owner's simple personality.

"Uncle and Aunt, have you eaten? I caught a few fish today, so I'll add some dishes for you to try." Jia Dongjin greeted them respectfully at the door, holding a large bowl.

Yi Zhonghai was not tall, and his square face exuded an air of authority, but at this moment he had a warm expression. He had a smooth life and was respected in the factory. His only regret was that he had no children, so he enjoyed the younger generation coming to his door to show their respect.

"Dongjin, come and sit down. Let's have a good drink together today. Cuilan, go get the Xifeng liquor from the cabinet. One bottle of Lianbai isn't enough. Also, cut some sausages that the factory gave us as a reward. It's Dongjin's first time here, so let the kid have something good to eat." Yi Zhonghai pointed to the seat next to him, his attitude extremely friendly, and he even used the word "kid" in his words.

In the 1950s and 60s, before Moutai won any awards, Xifeng Liquor held a much higher status than Moutai.

After the eighth-grade workers of the steel rolling mill were transferred to support the Northwest, Yi Zhonghai, a seventh-grade fitter, was already considered a top figure. The Xifeng liquor and sausages were rewards given by the steel rolling mill. Ordinary people simply couldn't afford Xifeng liquor.

Ordinary people drink bulk liquor, commonly known as "bulk liquor". In the original drama, when He Yuzhu was suffering terribly from being sucked blood by Qin Huairu, he often drank bulk liquor, and his snack was moldy peanuts.

Now that He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu have no connection, they are well-equipped and well-fed, and they drink the same kind of liquor that ordinary families in Beijing drink, which is much more upscale than regular liquor.

At that time, Lianbai was very famous in Beijing. During the Republic of China period, many literati drank Lianbai. Later, the trademark was maliciously registered, and people gradually forgot about the name "Lianbai".

Yi Zhonghai's dominance over the people in the courtyard was due not only to his deep cunning and loyalty, but also to his strong technical background.

He had a certain say in matters such as worker grading, and the ordinary workers in the compound dared not challenge him, for fear of affecting their promotion. Not getting a raise was a matter of life and death, so the people in the compound treated Yi Zhonghai with great respect.

"Dongjin, you're such a good-looking child, the best grandson in our neighborhood. Don't be shy at my house, or I won't allow it." The old lady's name was Gao Cuilan. She had a kind face and was especially good to children. She was a well-known kind person.

After greeting Jia Dongjin with a smile, the middle-aged woman Gao Cuilan hurried to the kitchen to prepare the food and drinks, her face full of kindness.

In Beijing, little girls are called "丫头片子" (yātou pianzi). Originally, the term "丫头" had a slightly derogatory connotation, but after getting used to it, it sounded cute. For pretty girls, there is another more descriptive term, "坚果儿" (jiānjiǔr); and for handsome boys, there is a term, "尖孙" (jiānsūn).

"Dongjin, I heard from your sister-in-law that you made this dish?" Upon seeing the pickled fish, Yi Zhonghai was also surprised and couldn't help but ask.

In Beijing, it's generally women who do the cooking. It's rare for a man to know how to cook, and to cook well at that.

Of course, chef He Yuzhu is an exception, as cooking is his profession.

"Uncle, this dish is called sauerkraut fish, I just made that up."

Just as Jia Dongjin was about to explain in detail, He Yuzhu carried an old woman in. He knew that this must be the deaf old woman from the backyard, so he and Yi Zhonghai quickly got up to greet her.

After exchanging pleasantries, He Yuzhu asked the first question, and Jia Dongjin quickly explained how to make sauerkraut fish.

"This sauerkraut fish needs a little oil. First, stir-fry the chili peppers, scallions, and ginger until fragrant, then add the sauerkraut. The taste should be even better. Your knife skills are a bit lacking. The fish slices are uneven in thickness, which makes it look less appealing." He Yuzhu didn't even bother to drink his wine. He picked up a slice of fish, tasted it briefly, and began to comment.

"Originally, I should have heated oil in a wok to stir-fry the fish slices until fragrant, but I'm unemployed and don't have the money to buy oil, so I can only make do like this for now. Of course, your version will be different. You can marinate the fish slices with egg white or starch; in addition, after plating, you can sprinkle on Sichuan peppercorns, minced garlic, and chopped green onions, and then pour hot oil over them to bring out the aroma of the ingredients, making the presentation and taste even better. Another dish is called boiled pork slices, which is made in a similar way to pickled fish."

While delivering the recipe, Jia Dongjin didn't forget to subtly hint at Yi Zhonghai's intentions. He mentioned that Jia Zhangshi had privately asked Yi Zhonghai for help, and he wanted to test Yi Zhonghai's attitude towards him and the Jia family.

During this period, a workstation costs 600 to 800 yuan, which the Jia family certainly cannot afford. If Yi Zhonghai helps, he will not only have to do favors, but also spend a huge sum of money. Although Jia Dongjin has his own connections, he might as well wait and see what Yi Zhonghai's attitude is.

"Dongjin, I've already asked about the job for you. You'll have to wait patiently. Your third uncle mentioned Jiecheng to me a while ago, but the steel mill isn't hiring right now, so there's nothing we can do if we're in a hurry." Yi Zhonghai looked troubled as he picked up a piece of fish and slowly savored it.

He usually eats braised fish, so he found the petal-shaped fish slices quite unusual. The fish slices melted in his mouth, smooth, tender, and fragrant. Yi Zhonghai's satisfaction with Jia Dongjin increased by another ten percent.

"With such a good young man like Dongjin, why worry about not having a job? Good days are yet to come." Aunt Gao Cuilan smiled. She first scooped a small bowl of pickled fish for the deaf old lady before speaking up to smooth things over and get through the awkward situation.

"Dongjin Shazhu, come on, let's have a drink together, the three of us." Yi Zhonghai picked up his wine glass.

With the business concluded, all that remained was small talk. Jia Dongjin was new to the courtyard house and didn't know much about things, so he listened more and spoke less.

He had a large appetite but was too embarrassed to overeat, so he took out the cornbread he had brought, broke it into pieces, put it into the fish soup, and ate and drank slowly.

"Dongjin, you're bringing your own food to visit an old man's house? You're being too polite!" Old woman Gao Cuilan got angry when she saw this. She picked up a steamed bun made from two kinds of flour and stuffed it into Jia Dongjin's hand.

Gao Cuilan had no children, and she favored the younger generation, especially obedient and well-mannered boys.

At that time, everyone's food was rationed, and no one had enough to eat. This led to the formation of a unique rule of the era: you could eat and drink at someone else's house, but you had to bring your own food, even when visiting relatives.

When visiting relatives, many people either bring some food or leave food coupons before leaving. It's really necessary to do this, otherwise the relatives' family will go hungry after you leave, which is a matter of life and death.

"Thank you, ma'am. I won't be polite then." Jia Dongjin took a bite of the mixed flour steamed bun. The unique aroma of the flour made him squint his eyes.

Jia Dongjin took another big bite before picking up a piece of sausage. Jia Dongjin ate slowly but actually quickly, his esophageal muscles acting like a conveyor belt, continuously feeding food into his stomach. The others were similar; everyone's stomachs were lacking in oil and fat.

"Everyone, eat and drink freely, don't be shy." Watching He Yuzhu and Jia Dongjin eat and drink, Yi Zhonghai sipped his Xifeng wine, his old face glowing with health.

The people at the table were all very open and honest, creating a harmonious and friendly atmosphere. Everyone was happy. Jia Dongjin neither drank too much nor too little, and he also kept an eye on the mysterious deaf old lady.

"This old woman has a kind face; she looks like a good person. You can't possibly see how she could be sinister and vicious!"