[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life":3,"chapter-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-145":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Courtyard House: A Salted Fish's Good Life",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2104282,3398,"Chapter 145","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-145",145,"\u003Cp>\"First Master and all the neighbors present, whoever wants to eat at the banquet, pay your contribution now, and I'll go buy the food tomorrow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo reached out his hand toward the neighbors present, the smile on the corner of his mouth making their scalps tingle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as they heard they had to pay a contribution to eat at the banquet, those who had been clamoring for it immediately shut their mouths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>10 Brother Yuan for a meal? You think you're playing the landlord here!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you don't pay the contribution, you'd be too embarrassed to eat at the banquet, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are all people from Jingcheng; I know you wouldn't do something as shameful as eating for free.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since that's the case, everyone should disperse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo gave a cold laugh, then looked at the First Master with piercing eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First Master, the neighbors are living in hardship, but you, old man, are an eighth-grade machinist with a salary of over ninety Brother Yuan a month.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why don't you contribute an extra one or two hundred Brother Yuan to subsidize everyone and let me set up a banquet with eight cold and eight hot dishes?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Sihe Academy was full of animals, people still cared about their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that they couldn't take advantage, these people stopped talking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The First Master was so angry that his face turned blue:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cao Cao Weiguo, we are all neighbors. How can you have the nerve to charge such a high contribution for a banquet? Aren't you afraid of people pointing fingers at your spine?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo sneered: \"I walk straight and act upright; I don't steal, rob, or cheat, so I'm not afraid of people pointing fingers at my spine. It's you, First Master, with your two-faced behavior—be careful of retribution, dying alone at home with no one to take care of you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You! You! You...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The First Master was so angry he couldn't speak, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, almost fainting from a lack of breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no children, and his biggest worry was his old age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bought people's hearts in the courtyard precisely so he would have something to rely on when he was old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, being publicly mocked and cursed by Cao Cao Weiguo, he was so angry he wished he could take a wrench and kill Cao Cao Weiguo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You hypocrite with a sanctimonious face! Get lost!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't wag your tail and beg like a dog.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Despicable!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo's sarcasm immediately made the Second Master laugh out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words were truly cutting!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was simply throwing Yi Yi Zhonghai's face on the ground and stomping on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Cao Cao Weiguo was stubborn and unyielding, Yi Yi Zhonghai glared fiercely at him and left after throwing out a harsh threat:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cao Cao Weiguo, you're finished! Don't come looking for me when you run into trouble in the courtyard!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Yi Yi Zhonghai's bark being worse than his bite, Cao Cao Weiguo didn't take it to heart at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hypocrite acting all high and mighty!\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Steel Rolling Mill\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the month, Chi Ping'an successfully entered the First Workshop and became a machinist apprentice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This left the neighbors of the Sihe Academy dumbfounded, and upon learning that Cao Cao Weiguo had helped arrange it, it immediately caused a sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, he got the Yan family's Yan Yan Jiecheng into the steel mill as an electrician apprentice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he had operated to get Chi Ping'an into the steel mill as a machinist apprentice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such ability made the neighbors of the Sihe Academy itch with desire, like jackals smelling meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this day and age, job positions were even scarcer than supplies; it was almost like one radish for one hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let alone entering a large unit like the steel mill; getting into the factory was as difficult as ascending to heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Cao Cao Weiguo was so capable, many people wanted to beg him for help to secure an iron rice bowl at the steel mill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just that they had never had any dealings with Cao Cao Weiguo, and even when they thickened their faces to ask for help, they were dismissed in a few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made many people regret it so much they wanted to hit their heads against a wall, regretting that they had misjudged him and hadn't noticed Cao Cao Weiguo, this potential stock, earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before, they ignored him; now, they couldn't afford to climb up to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Cao Cao Weiguo shut these neighbors out, it didn't stop them from fawning over the powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lu family and the Chi family were both closely surrounding Cao Cao Weiguo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yan family, led by the Third Master, was also reaping benefits from Cao Cao Weiguo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xu Damao and the Second Master, Liu Haizhong, were also thinking of currying favor with Cao Cao Weiguo to help them get promoted and rich in the steel mill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other neighbors also wanted to suck up to Cao Cao Weiguo, hoping to build a good relationship and then obtain some help and benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the First Master, who was all show and no power,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo, the man of real power, could bring them tangible benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as one wasn't a fool, everyone knew who it was more beneficial to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unknowingly, Cao Cao Weiguo's influence in the Sihe Academy was becoming heavier and heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This atmosphere made the First Master, Yi Yi Zhonghai, keep a gloomy face every day, finding everyone an eyesore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even regarded Cao Cao Weiguo, who refused to be managed, as a thorn in his side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just that Cao Cao Weiguo was not interested in the trivial matters of the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was focused on living his own life, busy with \"procurement in the countryside,\" preparing supplies for the steel mill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the surface, he was busy running around for the steel mill; in secret, he was getting rich and picking up bargains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Cao Cao Weiguo's massive amount of supplies, the two groups led by Liu Shan and Dong Dong Xiaoxue were earning more and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In order to sell the supplies better and faster, the two also expanded their manpower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They made a name for themselves in the pigeon market and quickly grew bigger and stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo did not treat them unfairly; although he did not increase their share, he increased the supply of materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made them earn more and more, and their lives were getting better and better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tangible benefits made them full of gratitude toward Cao Cao Weiguo, and they worked harder and harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the more and more expensive the supplies sold, the more they would earn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition to selling supplies, Cao Cao Weiguo used the steel mill's introduction letter to travel to surrounding communes as a procurement officer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one hand, he procured various supplies; on the other, he collected quite a few old items.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the antique cultural relics in his warehouse alone would be worth hundreds of millions in the 21st century.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One day, Cao Cao Weiguo and Officer Li headed to the Yunyan Commune, more than thirty miles away from the steel mill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, Officer Li gave Cao Cao Weiguo a rough introduction to the situation in the commune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving at the Yunyan Commune in the afternoon, Officer Li led Cao Cao Weiguo to find the commune's party secretary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Secretary Gu, this is our steel mill's cafeteria deputy director, Cao Cao Weiguo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Cao, this is Secretary Gu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After introducing each other, Secretary Gu Gu Shouye warmly received Cao Cao Weiguo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officer Li often came here to procure, and he was very familiar with the local cadres.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some small talk, Officer Li stated the purpose of this trip:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard that there are wild boars on the commune's mountain, so the leaders immediately ordered us to come and help.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The leaders said the peasant brothers are working hard, and they instructed us not to lower the acquisition price of the wild boars; we must give the peasant brothers real benefits.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Officer Li finished speaking, Gu Gu Shouye said in a dilemma: \"I appreciate the leaders' understanding and concern, but Officer Li, you also know that although we have killed a few wild boars, there are many procurement officers coming to the village to collect wild boar meat,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"and no matter whose procurement officer it is, we can't afford to offend any of them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although wild boars that destroy crops are a scourge, a dead wild boar is meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, as soon as they heard that the Yunyan Commune had a wild boar problem, Deputy Factory Director Li and the procurement director hurriedly sent people to collect the wild boar meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officer Li often ran to the Yunyan Commune and was the main force in this procurement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo came, one, to assist in procurement, and two, to expand the scope of business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officer Li and Gu Gu Shouye bargained, but there was no progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo took a stack of grain coupons out of his briefcase and quietly stuffed them to Gu Gu Shouye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know the peasant brothers are having a hard time. I am willing to increase the price of this wild boar procurement by 20 percent, just as a token of my heart for the peasant brothers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo's generous move surprised Gu Gu Shouye, who then said with a face full of joy: \"Thank you, Director Cao, for your care. This time we caught a total of 12 wild boars; 5 have already been bought by procurement officers from other factories, so you can take all the remaining 7.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the procurement price was much higher than expected, being able to bring back four wild boars was enough to complete the task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After agreeing on the price, Gu Gu Shouye took Cao Cao Weiguo and the other person to inspect the four dead wild boars.\u003C\u002Fp>",1679,"2026-06-16T06:52:23.012Z","2026-06-16T08:22:04.667Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","8949b2062f8f520810fbcdd56175434beff1d43cab696ddd70f38fb07a2f87be","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-146","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-144",843,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsiheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life-cover.jpg"]