Siheyuan: Start with a big car

Although Yan Jiecheng was not a serious person, he looked respectable and wore a half-new Zhongshan suit with four neatly-fitted pockets. In that era, this kind of dress could easily make people mistake him for a cadre.

Zhang Xiuhua was watching with great interest when she heard someone greet her. She turned around and saw Yan Jiecheng. For some reason, her heart suddenly started beating fast and she was at a loss as to what to do.

She hurriedly looked away, but felt that it was impolite, so she looked at Yan Jiecheng again and stammered, "Hello... hello, I am Liu Guangtian's wife, and I live nearby." As she spoke, she unconsciously tidied her hair, and a hint of nervousness flashed in her eyes.

Zhang Xiuhua was not pretty, with pockmarks all over her face. Yan Jiecheng's mouth curled up slightly, but a hint of barely perceptible disdain flashed across his eyes. However, he still said with a big smile on his face, "Oh, it turns out to be Sister Guangtian. I've heard of you a long time ago. Look at your temperament, you're really different from the others."

Zhang Xiuhua smiled a little embarrassedly, her pockmarked face flushed with shyness: "Really? What kind of temperament do I have? I am just an ordinary woman."

Yan Jiecheng quickly waved his hands: "Sister-in-law, don't say that. Look at your eyes, they are like stars, sparkling and full of cleverness. And your figure is so well-proportioned. You will definitely get a lot of attention when you walk on the street." In fact, in Yan Jiecheng's eyes, Zhang Xiuhua's face of pockmarks was simply horrible, and her figure was bloated, but in order to achieve his goal, he could only praise her against his conscience.

Zhang Xiuhua was a little flattered by the compliments. She covered her mouth and smiled: "You are such a sweet talker, young man. It's not as good as you say."

Yan Jiecheng pretended to be surprised and said, "Sister-in-law, I am speaking from the heart. I just don't understand why you, such a good person, are with Liu Guangtian? How is he worthy of you? You should find a better man who can hold you in his hands and love you."

Zhang Xiuhua's smile dimmed when she heard this: "Alas, this is my fate. There's nothing I can do about it. I can only make do with it now."

Yan Jiecheng struck while the iron was hot: "Sister-in-law, you can't think like that. You are such a good person, you should live a better life. If you have any difficulties, just tell me, maybe I can help."

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhang Xiuhua's eyes: "Really? Can you help me?"

Yan Jiecheng nodded his head repeatedly: "Of course, I can't bear to see you suffer."

Zhang Xiuhua's eyes suddenly turned red after hearing what Yan Jiecheng said. She wiped her eyes with her rough hands and began to complain: "Oh, you don't know, my life is so hard. My husband Liu Guangtian has a job in the workshop, but how much money can he make? Every month, the salary is used to pay the rent and buy some food, and there is not much left."

As she spoke, she frowned, and the pockmarks on her face seemed to become deeper because of the painful expression. "Let's talk about food. I haven't smelled meat for a long time. The last time I ate meat was during the Chinese New Year. I wanted to eat something good, but he said he had no money. But what can I do? I don't even have a decent piece of clothing now. I've been wearing this one for several years, and it's patched up with patches."

Yan Jiecheng frowned, his face filled with righteous indignation, and said loudly: "Sister-in-law, you are so kind, but Liu Guangtian really doesn't know how to appreciate his blessings! He doesn't know how to cherish a good wife like you. I had a great opportunity, a good job that could make money, and I was thinking of him."

Zhang Xiuhua's eyes widened and she asked hurriedly, "What kind of job is this? How much can I earn?"

Yan Jiecheng paused deliberately, raised his voice and said: "If this job is done, you can easily earn a hundred yuan! Just think about it, a hundred yuan is Liu Guangtian's salary for working in the workshop for several months. I told him with good intentions, but he rejected me without even thinking about it."

When Zhang Xiuhua heard the number "100 yuan", she was completely stunned, her mouth opened wide, and she couldn't close it for a long time. Her eyes flashed with shock and disbelief, as if she had heard a piece of news that was out of this world. After a long while, she came to her senses and said anxiously: "Why did he refuse? This silly boy, is he confused? Where can I find such a good opportunity to make money!"

Yan Jiecheng shook his head helplessly: "I don't know what he is thinking, sister-in-law, tell me, isn't this just pushing the God of Wealth away?"

Zhang Xiuhua was so angry that she stamped her feet, and she resented Liu Guangtian even more.

The two chatted back and forth, and before they knew it, it was noon. The sun was high in the sky, making people feel warm. Yan Jiecheng rolled his eyes and said to Zhang Xiuhua with a smile: "Sister-in-law, we have been chatting for so long, I am hungry. Look, there is a tavern nearby, the wine is very good, and the food is authentic. How about we go there to have a drink and chat while eating?"

Zhang Xiuhua lowered her head in embarrassment when she heard this, her hands unconsciously tugging at the corner of her clothes, and she said hesitantly: "This... is not good. I am a woman, and I am going to a bar in the middle of the day..."

Yan Jiecheng quickly waved his hands and said with a smile on his face: "Sister-in-law, what's wrong with this? Let's just have a meal and drink some wine to relieve our fatigue. You've been busy all day long, just think of it as a way to relax. Besides, it's a different era now, there's no need to be so restrained." As he said that, he invited her enthusiastically again.

Zhang Xiuhua was a little shaken. On the one hand, she did feel that this was not appropriate, but on the other hand, the temptation of the tavern and Yan Jiecheng's enthusiasm made her a little tempted. After hesitating for a long time, she finally nodded: "Well... Well, let's go and have a drink."

So, the two of them walked towards the tavern. Along the way, Zhang Xiuhua felt a little nervous, after all, she had never been to a tavern with a man in the middle of the day. But Yan Jiecheng seemed very comfortable, talking and laughing with her as they walked, and soon they arrived at the tavern.

Yan Jiecheng skillfully picked up the wine pot and poured a glass of wine for Zhang Xiuhua, his eyes revealing a kind of persuasion: "Sister-in-law, this wine is a good thing, it can relieve worries. Please try it." Zhang Xiuhua hesitated, but after Yan Jiecheng's repeated persuasion, she still took a sip of the wine glass. The wine was a little spicy when it first entered her mouth, but after a few glasses, she felt a little refreshed and gradually talked more. Zhang Xiuhua's cheeks flushed and her eyes began to blur. She stared at Yan Jiecheng intently, and the more she looked, the more she felt that this man was attractive. The Zhongshan suit on him looked particularly energetic, and his demeanor and manner when he spoke revealed a kind of confidence, unlike Liu Guangtian, the blockhead. She secretly regretted in her heart, why did she marry Liu Guangtian in a muddle-headed way? How great it would be if she could marry the man in front of her. She would definitely live a good life every day and no longer have to live such a hard life.

Yan Jiecheng was keenly aware of Zhang Xiuhua's gaze towards him, which was full of admiration and desire, making him feel sick. He suppressed his discomfort, still smiling, and asked with pretended concern: "Sister-in-law, what's wrong with you? Is the wine too strong?"

Zhang Xiuhua shook her head and said drunkenly, "No, nothing. I just think you are a really good person, much better than Liu Guangtian." Yan Jiecheng's mouth twitched slightly, and he quickly said, "Sister-in-law, you're drunk. I'm not as good as you say. Brother Liu also has his advantages, don't say that."

After chatting for a while, Yan Jiecheng looked at Zhang Xiuhua's increasingly fiery eyes and felt more and more uneasy. He knew that if he let the situation continue like this, the situation would be completely out of control. So, he put away the smile on his face, his expression became serious, and he said directly to Zhang Xiuhua: "Sister-in-law, let's not talk about this for now. Let me tell you, if Liu Guangtian is unwilling to do the money-making job I mentioned before, then I can only give it to someone else. This opportunity is rare, and many people are eagerly waiting for it."

Zhang Xiuhua sobered up a bit when she heard this. She anxiously grabbed Yan Jiecheng's arm, her rough fingers turning slightly white due to the force. "That won't do! How can we give such a good job to someone else? Don't worry, I will go back and talk to Liu Guangtian. If he dares not agree, I will never forgive him!"

Yan Jiecheng calmly withdrew his arm and pretended to comfort him, "Sister-in-law, don't push Brother Liu too hard. Talk to him carefully. This is a big matter concerning your family's future life. If he can take this job and earn this money, you can live a good life."

Zhang Xiuhua nodded repeatedly, her eyes full of anxiety: "I know, I can definitely convince him. If he doesn't listen to me, I will... I will die in front of him!" As she spoke, a trace of determination flashed in her eyes.

Yan Jiecheng looked at Zhang Xiuhua's anxious expression, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a barely perceptible smile, he slowly said: "Sister-in-law, for your sake, I will give Brother Liu another chance. However, time is running out, I need a reply tomorrow, otherwise it will be gone forever."

Zhang Xiuhua's eyes sparkled with excitement as she saw the 100 yuan waving at her. She nodded quickly, "Okay, okay, don't worry, I'll go back and tell him today, and I'll give you a definite answer." After that, she stood up, not even bothering to drink the wine, and walked out of the pub with a staggering step.

Along the way, Zhang Xiuhua was only thinking about making money.

...

In the motorcycle workshop at this time

The roar of machines continued, and the air was filled with the smell of oil and metal. Liu Guangtian couldn't resist the sleepiness and found a corner to secretly take a nap. He was sleeping soundly when he suddenly heard someone shouting his name, and the voice seemed particularly sharp in the noisy environment.

Liu Guangtian woke up suddenly and raised his head in a daze. He was not fully awake yet. When he saw that the person in front of him was Qin Jingru, the workshop assistant, he was immediately shocked.

Qin Jingru raised her eyebrows, glared at Liu Guangtian, and pointed at him and shouted, "Liu Guangtian, look at what you look like! This is a workplace, not your home, and you dare to be lazy and sleep here?" Her voice echoed in the workshop, and the workers around her cast curious glances at her.

Liu Guangtian was so frightened that his face turned pale. He stood up tremblingly, lowering his head and not daring to look Qin Jingru in the eye. When he heard Qin Jingru say that he would deduct his full attendance bonus for this month, his heart sank. You know, the full attendance bonus for the motorcycle workshop is not a small amount, it is as much as ten yuan.

Liu Guangtian begged, "Assistant Qin, please, I'm wrong. I really didn't mean it. There were a lot of things going on at home these days, and I didn't sleep well at night. I was really too sleepy. Please forgive me this time. If I don't have this perfect attendance award, I won't be able to make ends meet this month.

Qin Jingru was unmoved. She crossed her arms and said coldly, "Everyone has their own difficulties. If everyone sleeps in the workshop because of family matters like you, how can we manage this workshop? Rules are rules. They can't be broken just because of you."

Damn you, if you relied on Li Weidong, could you have become a workshop assistant?!
Liu Guangtian was sweating profusely. He grabbed Qin Jingru's sleeve tightly and begged, "Assistant Qin, please be kind. You know Li Weidong, right? He and I used to be neighbors in the same compound! We had a very good relationship back then. Please let me go this time for his sake. This perfect attendance award is really important to me."

Qin Jingru frowned, shook off Liu Guangtian's hand with disdain, and said, "Huh, you still dare to mention Li Weidong? Do you think that bringing him up can make me change my mind? I know Li Weidong too well. If he knew that you were slacking off and sleeping in the workshop like this, he would definitely fire you without saying a word. What he hates most is employees who are not serious at work and violate discipline. Don't think of using this excuse to escape punishment."

After hearing what Qin Jingru said, Liu Guangtian felt like a deflated ball. He knew that he might really lose the perfect attendance award this time.
The workers around him stopped their work and looked at Liu Guangtian. There was disdain, ridicule and contempt in their eyes, as if Liu Guangtian was a clown who had made an unforgivable mistake. Some people whispered: "He wants to rely on his connections to escape punishment. It's a fantasy." Others snorted, shook their heads and continued to work, their actions full of contempt for Liu Guangtian.

Liu Guangtian felt like a thorn in his back under these gazes, and he wished he could find a hole in the ground to crawl into. He could only bite the bullet and continue working in this unbearable atmosphere. After finally making it to the end of get off work time, when the bell rang, he was like a defeated rooster, dragging his heavy feet listlessly out of the workshop.

At this time, Liu Guangfu was already waiting at the door of the workshop. He heard that Liu Guangtian had an accident in the workshop, and he was a little worried, afraid that his brother had gotten into trouble, so he came to see him. Seeing Liu Guangtian's dejected look, Liu Guangfu frowned, walked up to him and asked, "Guangtian, I heard that you had an accident in the workshop? What happened?"

Liu Guangtian sighed helplessly: "Guangfu, I am being targeted." (End of this chapter)