A Young Couple in a Big Courtyard, 1967

Gu Hongxing dreamed that she was living in a book. In it, she had become a cash cow for her stepmother and stepsister. Not only did she hand over every cent of her wages each month, but in the end she even gave up the job her mother had left her so her stepsister wouldn't have to be sent to the countryside. Without a steady job, she could only stay home and wait on the whole family like a servant. Her stepmother and stepsister were always putting her down, and even her two younger brothers, who had once been close to her, treated her with less and less respect. She became more and more downtrodden, losing her spark in her twenties. Gu Hongxing couldn't believe how foolish she'd been in the book, unable to tell right from wrong and always taking the wrong side. But when she thought back to after her stepmother married her father, she remembered that even though she hadn't wanted it, somehow she'd been unable to refuse her stepsister's many demands. The pretty schoolbag, stationery, clothes, and pocket money she'd been coaxed into giving away made Gu Hongxing more and more afraid the more she thought about it. It was as if someone invisible had been controlling her. So in 1967, after turning eighteen, Gu Hongxing did two major things. First, she took her aunt's place at work and became a permanent employee in the cafeteria at Shengli Steelworks. Second, she got a marriage certificate with Qi Weiguo, the notorious "prodigal" of the shared courtyard. Qi Weiguo was famous in the courtyard as a "walking money dispenser." Even though he had a home of more than thirty square meters and a stable job that paid 31 yuan a month, he still managed to spend more than he earned. After marrying Gu Hongxing, Qi Weiguo could no longer be a "walking money dispenser." His wife swept up every cent of his wages and all his ration coupons each month. Although Qi Weiguo's pockets were emptier than his face was clean, their life only got better. They had plenty to eat and drink, and he grew sturdier by the day. Qi Weiguo's cousin and his wife, who had raised him, died in an accident. They left behind two poor children, who were living miserably as dependents in their maternal grandmother's home. The young couple promptly brought the little ones home. After moving in with their uncle, the children not only had enough to eat and warm clothes to wear, but also snacks in their pockets and pocket money in their boxes. The other children in the courtyard were green with envy! Gu Hongxing became an excellent cook, frying, deep-frying, stir-frying, and braising delicious food every day, tempting all the neighbors. Whenever it was mealtime, the neighbors' children would carry their bowls over to her home and sit under the eaves, using the smell of her dishes to help wash down their food. More than a dozen families lived in the shared courtyard. The neighbors were always embroiled in chaos, with every family busy scheming against one another. Only Qi Weiguo and his wife kept away from the courtyard's troubles, living an honest life and raising their children properly. They became the family everyone in the courtyard envied. This story is set in an alternate world and mainly depicts the daily life of a young couple in a shared courtyard during the 1960s and 1970s. There aren't many truly awful characters, and the plot is on the gentle side, focusing mainly on everyday family life and raising children. Most of the story takes place in the shared courtyard. If you enjoy family dramas and farming stories set in a specific era, feel free to add this to your collection. Mwah! [Upcoming Story] Back to 1957: Awakening the Talent to Transmigrate [Blurb] Universal talent awakening + reborn + transmigration to parallel worlds + farming + everyday family life + country living + building wealth This story is set in an alternate world. National affairs and international events are only briefly mentioned. The focus is on the daily lives of ordinary people, especially family life, farming, raising children, and building wealth. After returning to age sixteen, Lin Guyu discovered that everything had changed. Everyone had awakened a talent, and hers was "transmigrating to parallel worlds." Uncle Li, the best farmer in the village, awakened the "plant cultivation" talent. Whenever he touched a seed, he could tell whether it would sprout. Auntie Zhao, the most sharp-tongued woman in the village, awakened the "loudspeaker" talent and became the commune's radio announcer. From that day on, all the commune's loudspeakers went out of business. Shen Heipang, the fattest person in the village, awakened the "fat is useful too" talent. All his stored fat turned into combat strength, and he went straight off to join the army and defend his country. At this time, China's population was nearly 700 million. It had just completed the main 1v17 quest, and the most united era in history had the most talent users in the world. With everyone united in building a better China, and millions of people with the "transmigration talent" bringing back countless resources and supplies, who could compete with us? As someone reborn, Lin Guyu awakened the "transmigrating to parallel worlds" talent. Drawing on her experiences from her previous life, she brought back all kinds of useful things from every trip, doing her part to build socialism. This story is told from the perspective of ordinary people. National affairs and international events are only briefly mentioned. The focus is on the daily lives of ordinary people, especially family life, farming, raising children, and building wealth. Readers who enjoy this kind of story are welcome to add it to their collections. Mwah! Theme: A husband and wife working together to build a life