Yi Zhonghai felt an unspeakable sense of embarrassment in this awkward situation; he felt as though he had lost face. After all, he had patted his chest and given his word to the Jia family. Now that someone else had snatched the room right out from under them, he found himself in a tight spot. But the deed was done, and the room had already been assigned. He hadn’t even met the new owner, nor did he know anything about their background, so he truly didn't know how to untangle this mess.
Struggling to maintain his composure, Yi Zhonghai squeezed out a strained smile and looked at Mrs. Jia. "Old sister-in-law, this really caught me off guard. But I only just heard the news myself; I haven't even seen the person who was assigned the room, so I really have no solution at the moment. How about this: after dinner, I’ll call a courtyard general meeting. That way, I’ll at least get to see the person. Once we figure out where they came from, we can decide on our next move."
Mrs. Jia rolled her eyes, curled her lip, and replied in a tone dripping with distrust. "How you handle it is your business, but don't think you can play games or welch on the promise you made me."
Seeing this, Jia Dongxu hurriedly stepped forward to tug on Mrs. Jia’s sleeve, appearing flustered as he whispered a plea. "Mom, how can you talk like that? Master will definitely find a way for us."
Softened by her son's intervention, Mrs. Jia paused before saying reluctantly, "Fine, we’ll do it that way for now."
Yi Zhonghai felt a surge of anger, but unable to vent it, he gritted his teeth and turned to leave the Jia home with a sour expression. Shazhu, who had been standing by and watching everything, hurried to catch up with him. "First Uncle, I’m heading back to my place."
Without turning his head, Yi Zhonghai waved a hand and said in a muffled voice, "Go ahead. Just don't forget about the courtyard general meeting later."
"Understood, I won't forget," Shazhu replied, then hurried off.
Yi Zhonghai walked back to his own home with heavy steps. The moment he pushed the door open, he sensed an unusual atmosphere; the air seemed thick with tension. Looking up, he saw First Aunt sitting at the table, her expression dark and frosty.
Yi Zhonghai’s heart sank. He knew she must have seen Mrs. Jia accosting him earlier. Just as he was about to explain, First Aunt spoke up coldly, "What did Mrs. Jia want with you?"
Yi Zhonghai walked over to her, sat down slowly, and sighed heavily. "Sigh, it’s about that room."
First Aunt raised an eyebrow. "So, you already know?"
Yi Zhonghai nodded, his face full of worry. "Yes, and I’m worried sick about it."
First Aunt frowned. "Have you thought of any way to handle it?"
Yi Zhonghai shook his head, looking troubled. "Not yet. I haven't even seen the person; I have no idea what their background is. Everything will have to wait until after the courtyard general meeting."
"What courtyard general meeting?" First Aunt asked, puzzled.
"Since a new person has moved into our courtyard, we need to hold a meeting so everyone can get to know them, and we can test the waters to see who they are," Yi Zhonghai explained patiently.
"That makes sense," First Aunt replied with a slight nod.
With that, they picked up their bowls and chopsticks in silence and began to eat, but the food tasted like sawdust.
Meanwhile, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao were leisurely strolling back to the back courtyard, having already heard the news that the room had been assigned. Liu Haizhong remained unfazed by the news; his heart didn't skip a beat. Although his family had five people, they were fortunate enough to own two back-row rooms, totaling over forty square meters—a quite spacious living arrangement. Furthermore, his eldest son, Liu Guangqi, had graduated from technical school and was now a technician at the Machine Repair Plant. With his performance and seniority, it wouldn't be long before he was assigned a home of his own. Thus, Liu Haizhong had absolutely no worries regarding the housing issue.
However, he began to scheme regarding this new neighbor. As the Second Uncle of the courtyard, though his title was second, his prestige was nowhere near that of Yi Zhonghai. Almost everything in the courtyard was decided by Yi Zhonghai alone. Liu Haizhong had always longed to change this and increase his own say in the courtyard. He knew that to achieve this, he had to win over as many people as possible to strengthen his camp. He figured that if he could build a good relationship with this new arrival, it might increase his standing in the courtyard.
As for Xu Damao, he was curious about the new neighbor. Additionally, he wanted to see if he could pull this new neighbor to his side to help deal with Shazhu. It would be even better if he could deal with Yi Zhonghai, though that was admittedly difficult. After all, his own home was right next door to the new neighbor's—they were literal neighbors. No sooner had he learned of the new neighbor’s arrival than he scurried home, fished a bottle of Erguotou out of his cupboard, and headed toward the new neighbor's room.
At that moment, Xushu was busy inside. He was crouched by the stove, watching the kettle intently; the water hadn't boiled yet, emitting a soft "gurgle-gurgle" sound. While waiting for the water, he set his dried rations aside to heat. He had been far too busy today; between moving and cleaning, there was simply too much to do. He hadn't had the time to go out and buy food or vegetables, so for now, he had to make do with what he had to fill his stomach. Although it was just dried rations, the mixed-flour steamed buns and air-dried cured meat were decent meals in these times of scarcity.
Just then, a sharp knock on the door broke the silence. Xushu was puzzled. He had only just moved in, and as a stranger in a strange land, who could be looking for him? He set down his work and walked over to open the door.
Standing before him was a man with a long face, somewhat resembling a shoehorn. Though he didn't look very old, there was an indescribable, sleazy quality to his expression. Xushu frowned slightly and asked politely, "May I ask who you are? Is there something you need?"
Xu Damao smiled broadly, his eyes squinting into slits, and responded enthusiastically, "Oh, I’m Xu Damao, your next-door neighbor." As he spoke, he pointed toward his own room, as if to emphasize their neighborly relationship. "I just heard someone moved into the room next to mine today. I thought, since we’ll be seeing each other every day from now on, I’d bring a bottle of liquor over to pay a visit and get to know you."
A friendly smile broke out on Xushu’s face. "Oh, so it’s Brother Damao! My name is Xushu, I just moved in today. Please, come in!"
Xu Damao walked inside with a light step, his eyes darting around the room. Everything was organized and tidy, a clean and orderly environment that put him in a good mood. Looking at Xushu, he saw a young, handsome man with a clean-cut appearance and a crisp, capable air about him. After this quick observation, Xu Damao’s first impression of Xushu improved significantly.
Just then, a rich, savory scent of cured meat wafted into Xu Damao’s nose. He instinctively turned toward the stove where the fire was still roaring. Seeing this, Xushu hurriedly put the warmed buns and meat into a bowl and carefully set it on the table.
"Brother Damao, I’m so sorry. I just moved in and haven't had time to prepare much, so please, just make do with a little something," Xushu said apologetically.
Xu Damao laughed heartily, opened the bottle of liquor he’d brought, and set it on the table. He then walked over to the cupboard with practiced ease, opened the door, and took out two bowls. He skillfully poured a bit of liquor into each and said, "Xiao Shu, don't be so formal. Brother is here for you, not your food. Sit down, let’s have a drink!"
Hearing this, Xushu found his impression of Xu Damao shifting. The two sat face-to-face, the steam rising from the food and drink, adding a sense of warmth to the slightly awkward atmosphere. They chatted about everything under the sun while they ate and drank.
After a few rounds, Xu Damao’s floodgates opened, and his mouth began running like a wild horse without a bridle. Xushu listened quietly, chiming in every now and then. Through Xu Damao’s nonstop narrative, Xushu gradually gained a rough understanding of the courtyard’s layout, as well as the intricate interpersonal relationships and hidden stories within it.
This three-courtyard complex housed nearly twenty families and over a hundred people. There were three Committee Heads, who were responsible for relaying information, ensuring policies and residents' concerns were communicated, managing sanitation, and maintaining order—from major neighborhood disputes to the playful chasing of children.
The Committee Head of the front courtyard was Yan Bugui, Third Aunt's husband, who taught at the Red Star Primary School affiliated with the Red Star Rolling Mill. He was a master of calculation—a real "abacus whiz." His eyes were always darting around, constantly scheming how to take advantage of small gains. His reputation for being stingy was known to all in the courtyard; if anything happened, he was always the first to show up, hoping for some benefit.
The Committee Head of the middle courtyard was Yi Zhonghai. As a Rank-Eight Worker at the rolling mill, he was a big name. When Xushu heard about Yi Zhonghai’s rank, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. Although Xushu had lived in the countryside, the legendary status of a Rank-Eight Worker was well known. In that era, such a rank represented the highest level of technical skill and social status; those who attained it were masters in their field. However, through Xu Damao’s words, Xushu also learned of some negative rumors. Xu Damao complained indignantly that Yi Zhonghai ruled the courtyard with an iron fist, turning it into his own personal forum where he made every decision, leaving others with no say. Xushu remained cautious, however, knowing better than to judge Yi Zhonghai based solely on Xu Damao’s one-sided story. Everyone had their own perspective, and there might be misunderstandings. He decided to wait until he met Yi Zhonghai and interacted with him personally before passing judgment.
The Committee Head of the back courtyard was Liu Haizhong, a Level-Seven blacksmith at the rolling mill, also a formidable character. While slightly less skilled than an eight-rank technician, he was still a technical backbone. But in Xu Damao’s mouth, Liu Haizhong was worthless, described as a brainless oaf whose only asset was his job title. He was also notorious for beating his sons; the sounds of his scolding and physical abuse were frequent occurrences.
Beyond the three Committee Heads, there was a special resident: the Deaf Old Lady, a recipient of the "Five Guarantees" and a military martyr’s dependent. She lived alone in the room in the middle of the back courtyard. Xushu hadn't noticed her all day, as the door remained tightly shut and the room was deathly silent, as if it were unoccupied—truly mysterious.
Furthermore, according to Xu Damao, two other families were particularly noteworthy. One lived in the main room of the middle courtyard: the siblings He Yuzhu and He Yushui. Yushui was in middle school and lived at the school, only returning on weekends, so she wasn't seen often. He Yuzhu, whom everyone affectionately called Shazhu, was a head chef at the rolling mill, renowned for his exquisite culinary skills.
The other family was the Jia family, living in the West Side Room. The family matriarch, Mrs. Jia, was a notorious shrew, despised by everyone and akin to a plague god. If anyone crossed her, they would be in for an eight-lifetime streak of bad luck; she would stop at nothing to extort them. Xushu had already experienced her tenacity that afternoon, and the memory of her triangular eyes and sharp tongue still sent a shiver down his spine. Her son, Jia Dongxu, was a total "mama’s boy," a slacker who spent his days doing nothing but loafing around.
As for Jia Dongxu’s wife, Qin Huairu, she was the jewel of the courtyard—young, beautiful, and graceful, with no equal in terms of looks. When Xu Damao spoke of her, his eyes lit up and he licked his lips, looking so salivating that it was hard not to laugh. Xushu, however, had no particular impression of her, as his focus had been entirely on Mrs. Jia when he moved in.
Xu Damao continued to introduce the other residents with great enthusiasm. Everyone had their own quirks and stories, leaving Xushu full of curiosity about the courtyard he would be calling home for a long time to come.