Siheyuan: Mastering Emotions, an Electrician Making His Way in the Courtyard

He Yi, an electrician in a Beijing courtyard compound, had barely opened his eyes when he discovered he had landed in the 1960s. Not one of his beastly neighbors was easy to deal with. Luckily, Heaven hadn't shut every door on him: a pocket dimension that could level up by watching the neighbors make a scene had awakened out of nowhere. Its spirit spring could accelerate the growth of all things, and the bigger the commotion at someone else's home, the more benefits he got. Suddenly, life had something to look forward to.

But having hope didn't make reality any less harsh. His room was so cluttered he could barely walk, the public toilets stank enough to make him puke, and even getting a bite of meat meant depending on someone else's goodwill. He planned to expand his plot, grow grain, and raise chickens and rabbits. He also considered turning his two rooms into a kitchen and a bathroom, and was eager to visit the black market for seeds and ration coupons. Every penny of his wages and every old garment had to be budgeted carefully.

Worst of all, there wasn't a single peaceful day in this courtyard. Silly Zhu and Xu Damao fought until the whole place was in an uproar, Qin Huairu had already set her sights on his pay envelope, and the courtyard-wide meeting gong could sound at any moment. Everyone else saw a spectacle; He Yi saw fertilizer for his pocket dimension. He was curious to see just how much all the petty squabbles in this courtyard could fatten up his life.

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.