I am doing well in the Siheyuan

In addition to the traditional courtyard houses, there are also many new buildings in Sijiucheng.

Most of these buildings are only for management to live in and are equipped with separate bathrooms and kitchens. Compared with the courtyard houses, their conditions are better.

However, the sound insulation is poor and the space for activities is relatively small.

Nowadays, many young people are eager to move from courtyard houses to Western-style houses, but more people are waiting anxiously for the opportunity to be allocated a house in staff dormitories.

Even if grassroots employees are lucky enough to be allocated housing, it is often just a tube-shaped building with a shared toilet, sink and kitchen on each floor. The environment is dirty, crowded and noisy.

If it weren't for all the intrigue, the courtyard house would be a nice place to live.

The layout of Director Yang's house is very simple, no different from that of most households in the courtyard house, with one bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom.

The bedroom and living room are separated by a curtain. Although small, it has everything you need, including a sofa, a coffee table and an old radio.

There was a sound from inside the house, and a woman in her forties, who looked like she had been worn down by life and no longer had any sharp edge, walked out from the inner room.

When she saw Director Yang leading two unfamiliar young men in, the director's wife was also stunned.

"This is your sister-in-law. The two children in the family have been sent to their grandmother's home in the countryside. This is Xiao Ye, the young man with great cooking skills that I mentioned to you before."

After Director Yang finished his introduction, he placed his briefcase on the coffee table in the living room.

Ye Ming was not restrained at all and greeted them with a smile.

"Xiao Ye, come in and sit down. Old Yang always complains to me that the food at home is not to his taste. I was wondering who made him so picky, and it turns out he is still a young man."

The factory director's wife did not mention the money directly, but there was a subtle sharpness hidden in her gentle words and smiles.

These words sound like a test.

Ye Ming's smile was a little stiff, while Director Yang looked helpless, muttering in his heart, "Who asked you to lend me money?"

"You're welcome. I'll trouble you to cook dinner at home today. Is this girl your sister? She's very pretty. There are some date cakes at home. I'll go get some for you."

Even if I was cooking for a big boss, I wouldn't be so nervous.

Director Yang also uses a coal stove at home.

If this meal tonight is not satisfying, I am afraid I will have to endure constant bullying in the factory in the future.

But Ye Ming's cooking skills are unquestionable and he will be able to handle it with ease.

A yellow croaker was rolling in the pot, and several pieces of tofu were waiting on the side. In an instant, the aroma filled the whole house.

Cook a few home-cooked dishes and tonight's meal will be complete.

The factory director's wife spoke much less than usual.

After tasting the dishes, the expression on her face became subtle and complicated. She ate a few mouthfuls of rice hastily and found an excuse to leave the table.

"Now the house is finally quiet." Director Yang breathed a sigh of relief.

"Director Yang, is my sister-in-law okay?" Ye Ming asked with concern.

"What can happen? It's just a waste of time. It will be over in a while. Don't worry about her. We two brothers can take this opportunity to have a couple of drinks." Director Yang took out the half-remaining bottle of Fenjiu from the cabinet.

Ye Ming didn't have any particular liking for wine, but he still drank a few sips with them.

"I heard you mention before that this matter was exposed by Deputy Director Li?"

"That's right, he lives downstairs from us. That guy loves to stab people in the back. If I wasn't afraid of the people behind him, I would have kicked him out long ago with those letters of complaint I have." As he got drunker, Director Yang began to pour out his heart.

"What kind of power is behind him that even the top leaders can't touch him?" Ye Ming asked.

"You think too simply about the officialdom. Li himself is actually nothing special. The key is that his father-in-law has some influence. Although he has now retired to the second line, he still has connections. A lean camel is bigger than a horse."

"Most of the reports I received were from dissatisfied factory employees. However, they were just empty words and Li Huaide was extremely cautious. He only targeted people with loopholes, and the victims themselves also had problems.

On one side is the deputy director with a background, and on the other side is an ordinary employee. Whose words do you think carry more weight? " Director Yang sighed, revealing that this is the reality in the officialdom at all times.

Ye Ming originally thought that people had become numb during this special period, but now he realized that the ones who were truly numb were the majority of ordinary people.

In times like this, the powerful people become more creative, because they know that only when they fill their stomachs can they think of other things.

"Deputy Director Li is behaving badly in the factory. Doesn't his father-in-law care?" Ye Ming asked.

"There's nothing I can do about it! I've been married for many years, but she hasn't given birth to a boy or girl for Mr. Li. We're already doing him a favor by not getting divorced." In that era, people were relatively conservative about fertility issues and usually believed that the problem lay with the woman. Few people were willing to do relevant examinations, after all, doing so was not decent enough.

The situation in their family is similar to that of Lou Xiao'e in the TV series. Because she was unable to give birth, she endured the cold words from Xu Damao's family but dared not speak out, and it was not convenient for her parents' family to interfere too much.

Putting this topic aside for the moment, Ye Ming asked Director Yang about another matter: "Do you know where there is a relatively large warehouse?"

"Warehouse? Why are you asking about this?" Director Yang asked in confusion.

"Of course it's to practice the spirit of "Three Selfs and One Package". When the market opens, we'll quickly stock up on supplies and become a local rich man!" Ye Ming joked.

Director Yang glanced at him, obviously not taking Ye Ming's "joke" seriously: "As for the warehouse, there is one. It was where the second factory used to store waste materials. Later it was abandoned and no one has been managing it. If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten about it. It's just that the location is a bit remote, at the junction of urban and rural areas, and it takes half an hour to ride a bike to get there."

I didn't expect that there really was such a warehouse, which saved Ye Ming the trouble of looking everywhere.

After eating and drinking, it was getting dark and Ye Ming prepared to go home.

We came here by car and our bicycles are still parked at the steel rolling mill.

Director Yang originally planned to send him downstairs and then have the driver drive them back.

However, just as he walked down a few steps, a familiar conversation came from the next room: "Qin Huairu must have her reasons for saying this."

"Shh, keep your voice down, this wall is not very soundproof."

"Xu Damao?" Ye Ming frowned and looked at Director Yang.

"This is Li Huaide's home." After getting confirmation, Ye Ming's face darkened.

Deputy Director Li invited Xu Damao to his home not just to watch a movie.

If there was something fishy between the two of them, it would have nothing to do with Ye Ming, but once Qin Huairu was involved, things would not be so simple.

Because she is with herself now.

It was no accident that Qin Huairu was transferred to the kitchen. Two possibilities flashed through Ye Ming's mind: either this was an opportunity gained by the widow's sacrifice, or Deputy Director Li was targeting him.

Although on the surface there seems to be no direct conflict of interest between the two, Ye Ming has already stood on the side of Director Yang, which means he is standing on the opposite side of Deputy Director Li.

If I were in the same position, I would also eliminate this threat before the opponent becomes stronger.

These people really have forgotten the pain after the wound has healed. If I don't pick a fight with them, they will keep looking for opportunities to step on me to climb up.

Ye Ming's expression turned cold, "Do you need me to intervene?"

Director Yang also heard the news that Li Huaide transferred Qin Huairu to the kitchen.