Chapter 174: Four Courtyard Open University

Zhao Jianguo stood at the Siheyuan gate, still clutching that black box. Sunlight warmed the threshold. He lowered his head to glance at his shadow by his feet, then remained still.

Footsteps sounded behind him; Sha Zhu came back from the canteen holding his lunch box, saw him and blinked: "Hey, weren't you taken away? How are you back again?"

"They couldn't find anything." Zhao Jianguo stuffed the box into his bag, "People left, but the words remain."

Sha Zhu scratched his head, "What are you up to now? Going back to the dorm?"

Zhao Jianguo didn't answer, turned and walked into the courtyard. The empty lot in the Central Courtyard basked in sunlight, a few kids squatted on the ground playing marbles. Dong Xu sat in a corner, squatting before an old machine tool, tightening screws, his hands covered in grease.

He walked over, set his bag on the ground, and patted Dong Xu's shoulder: "We can't just survive by secretly teaching lessons."

Dong Xu looked up, "What? Got a new idea?"

"This courtyard," Zhao Jianguo said, scanning around, "will become a university from now on."

"What?" Sha Zhu, just finishing a steamed bun, almost choked, "What university? Who approved it?"

"Nobody approved it." Zhao Jianguo said, "But the kids need to learn. We'll run the classes ourselves, we'll be the teachers, and you handle the meals."

Sha Zhu glared, "I'm just a cook—how could I manage all that?"

"Managing the canteen is managing the future." Zhao Jianguo pulled a booklet from his bag, its cover reading Chain Operation Management Manual, "It explains how to schedule shifts, keep accounts, and save grain coupons. If you're willing, take it over."

Sha Zhu took the booklet, flipped two pages, reading slower and slower. Finally he looked up: "Are you really planning to set up a school here?"

"Not a school." Zhao Jianguo shook his head, "It's an open university. No age limits, no background checks—anyone who wants to learn can come."

At that moment, He Yushui entered from outside holding a stack of papers, hearing this she stopped: "You're serious?"

"Of course." Zhao Jianguo looked at her, "Can you teacher-trainees find time to come teach liberal arts? I've prepared the blackboard and chalk."

He Yushui laughed, "You really think you're the principal now?"

"For now, yes." Zhao Jianguo also laughed, "Once we recruit a hundred people, we'll elect a board."

San Daye came out of the west room leaning on his cane, drawn by the commotion, and asked: "What are you muttering about?"

Sha Zhu blurted out, "Zhao Jianguo wants to run a school in the courtyard! Free of charge!"

San Daye frowned as soon as he heard, "Free? That's just setting up a stall—can knowledge be given away for nothing?"

"Not for free." Zhao Jianguo said, "Students sweep the courtyard and help in the kitchen for half an hour each day—that counts as tuition."

San Daye snorted, "Sounds like child labor."

"It's labor education." Zhao Jianguo unhurried, "If you don't believe me, come see the first class tomorrow."

The next morning, Dong Xu moved an iron sheet to hang on the wall, writing with chalk "Middle Courtyard Laboratory". He then dragged a pile of gears and shafts from the scrap heap, assembling them into a movable model.

At eight o'clock sharp, he stepped onto the platform, raised a copper gong, and struck it with a "Clang—".

Everyone in the courtyard was startled.

"Middle Courtyard Laboratory!" Dong Xu shouted, "Today's first lesson—Mechanical Principles! Whoever wants to learn, step forward!"

Several older children hesitated, approaching. A chubby kid tiptoed to look at the gear set on the table, reaching out to touch it.

"Don't touch!" Dong Xu blocked him, "Listen first."

He began explaining how wheels turn, how force transmits, why pedaling a bicycle once can carry you far. As he spoke, he casually took apart an old alarm clock, laying out the parts one by one.

"See? This small gear drives a large one—turns slow but with great force; reverse it and it's fast but weak." He demonstrated while speaking.

The chubby kid listened intently, unable to resist asking, "Uncle, can I try assembling it?"

Dong Xu nodded, handing him a set of parts. In less than ten minutes, the child actually assembled a small transmission device; shaking the handle, the gears meshed and turned.

"It moved! It moved!" he shouted, jumping up.

That shout drew more onlookers. Even the old lady from the neighboring courtyard leaned on her doorframe to peek.

San Daye watched coldly for a while, then suddenly turned and left. Everyone thought he'd given up, but ten minutes later he returned holding a wooden sign, its crooked letters reading "Free Teaching Sign".

He planted the sign at the gate, coughed twice, and said, "Everyone, mind the rules—don't litter."

At noon, Sha Zhu set up two tables, hanging a "Teacher-Student Dining Area" card at the entrance. Following Zhao Jianguo's manual, he made stewed cabbage with glass noodles plus steamed rice, one bowl each, no charge.

"Labor for meals." He announced, holding his bowl, "Sweep the floor, wipe the blackboard, help move things—work thirty minutes, and you can eat as much as you want."

Hearing that, the kids became even more eager. By two in the afternoon, the teaching area already seated over twenty. He Yushui arrived with two classmates, bringing three blackboards, dividing them into Chinese, Mathematics, and Common Knowledge corners.

Zhao Jianguo stood in the middle, glanced at his watch: "First physics lab lesson, now begin."

At dusk, when work ended, the oil lamp lit the Central Courtyard. Children drifted home one by one, while adults gathered at the gate to chat.

"I heard today's lesson was about the machine's heartbeat?"

"What?"

"They said it's about how gears mesh and turn."

"Sounds mysterious, but the kids came back happy and even drew diagrams."

Before the words faded, a figure sneaked to the gate, tore down San Daye's notice, spat on the ground, and muttered, "It'll be shut down sooner or later."

San Daye, furious, chased after them—but the person was already gone.

At seven in the evening, Zhao Jianguo summoned everyone back to the Central Courtyard for a meeting.

Five people formed a circle, the oil lamp placed in the middle. He took out several sheets of paper, handing one to each.

"Today we make a pact." He said, "Write down what you want this university to become."

Dong Xu took the pen, thought a moment, and wrote: Let workers understand science too.

He Yushui wrote: Girls can calculate calculus just as well.

Sha Zhu scratched his head for a while, then earnestly wrote: Only when full can one have the energy to study.

San Daye snorted, picked up his pen, and wrote: Education is not a privilege, it's a right.

Zhao Jianguo held up his own paper, which read: Don't let anyone who wants to learn be barred at the door.

He pasted each sheet onto the wall, securing them with pushpins.

"From today on, this is our university." He said, "Its name is—Four Courtyard Open University."

As his words fell, a notification tone sounded in his ear:

【Civilization Inheritance Degree reaches 50%】

He didn't move, just lightly exhaled a breath.

Sha Zhu suddenly asked: "What are we going to teach next?"

"Next week we'll open two new courses." Zhao Jianguo took out the Course Schedule from his bag: "Wednesday morning, Enterprise Management Basics; Friday afternoon, Mechanical Drawing Introduction."

"Who will teach?" He Yushui asked.

"I'll teach Enterprise Management." Zhao Jianguo said, "Dong Xu is responsible for drafting. We'll compile the teaching materials ourselves."

"Is the classroom enough?" Sha Zhu worriedly looked at the narrow Courtyard.

"If not enough, we'll expand." Zhao Jianguo pointed to the East Wing Room: "Make one room into a Self-Study Room, then set up a shed for a Rainy Day Classroom."

"What about the money?" San Daye asked.

"No money needed." Zhao Jianguo said, "Renovate the Old Tables and Chairs, use the Wooden Blackboard, get some Chalk from the school."

"And you?" Dong Xu suddenly stared at him, "You've been Special Task Force Surveillance, how many more days can you stay here?"

Zhao Jianguo remained silent for a few seconds, then raised his head: "As long as I'm still standing here, I must make more people learn Standing Up."

Night had fallen, the Night Lamp swayed; the Meeting Oath on the wall trembled slightly in the wind.

Sha Zhu cleared the bowls and chopsticks, He Yushui organized the lecture notes, San Daye guarded the door with his crutch; seeing a child return late, he also took the initiative to do Path Lighting.

Zhao Jianguo stood in the center of the Central Courtyard, holding the Course Schedule. The wind blew across the Courtyard, lifting a corner of the page.

He lowered his head to glance, about to fold it, when Footsteps came from the Alleyway Entrance.

Several figures approached; the leader wore Blue Cloth and carried a Toolbox.

"Mechanical Inquiry?" that person asked, "Listening Request?"