Siheyuan: Leading the Steel Mill Onto the World Stage

In the world of the courtyard, where people experience both kindness and cruelty, Li Yi is reborn. After graduating from university, he starts working at a steel mill. With his solid technical skills and tireless efforts, he successfully improves the machinery, helping the mill rapidly expand and earning himself a promotion to technical director. But the good times don’t last. Deputy Director Li at the steel mill covets power. Using the promise of promotions to entice the courtyard residents, he gets them to join forces in reporting Li Yi and having him dismissed. Without Li Yi, no one can repair the mill’s machines. Product quality plummets, causing huge losses in foreign exchange and plunging the company into crisis. Faced with disaster, the people who once betrayed Li Yi have no choice but to bow their heads and beg him to return and fix things. Li Yi refuses. In the end, Deputy Director Li is dismissed and reduced to hauling manure, while the courtyard residents are sent to prison one after another for various reasons. Forced by financial hardship, Qin Huairu remarries. When Silly Zhu, who is in prison, hears the news, he breaks down sobbing. Meanwhile, Li Yi marries a sent-down youth. After Reform and Opening Up, his wife becomes a powerful figure, and Li Yi benefits as well, going on to live a wealthy life. Years later, the impoverished courtyard residents see Li Yi surrounded by countless bodyguards and feel nothing but regret.