siheyuan: I transmigrated into love in courtyard

The news of Shazhu's demotion and Lin Feng's promotion spread through the courtyard like wildfire. That evening, inside Yi Zhonghai's home, the atmosphere was grim. Yi Zhonghai sat at the wooden table, his brows furrowed as he recounted the day's events to Aunt Yi and the Deaf Old Lady.

"This Lin Feng... I never paid him much attention before," Yi Zhonghai muttered. "He was just a nobody in the kitchen, cutting vegetables, cleaning, doing odd jobs. But today—today, he took Shazhu's position and shamed him in front of the entire factory."

Aunt Yi, a woman who always weighed situations practically, poured a cup of tea and sighed. "I heard the workers raved about the food. If that's true, then Director Yang won't regret his decision."

The Deaf Old Lady, who sat in her usual chair with a blanket over her lap, pursed her lips. "I don't care about the factory or Lin Feng's cooking. What I care about is my retirement. Shazhu is like my grandson! He was supposed to take care of me in my old age. Now that he's demoted, what if his salary gets cut? What if his influence disappears? Who will support me?"

Yi Zhonghai rubbed his temples. "That's why we must keep an eye on Lin Feng. If he becomes useful to us, then perhaps we should pull him into our side."

Aunt Yi scoffed. "You think he'll be like Shazhu? That fool is so easy to control, all it takes is Qin Huairu crying once, and he runs to her like a dog."

Yi Zhonghai frowned. "Lin Feng is different. He's quiet, and we don't know much about his temperament. That's why we need to observe him first. If he's easy to manipulate, we'll bring him in. If not... well, then we'll have to be careful."

The Deaf Old Lady nodded. "If he's not someone we can control, then he might become a threat."

Meanwhile, in another part of the courtyard…

Xu Damao was in high spirits. He had been grinning ever since he heard about Shazhu's downfall. He couldn't stop himself from humming a tune as he walked around, greeting people with extra enthusiasm.

"Did you hear?" he asked one of the neighbors. "That blockhead Shazhu got demoted! Oh, how the mighty have fallen!" He laughed. "Serves him right! He walks around acting like he owns the place, but look at him now."

His wife, Lou Xiao'e, rolled her eyes. "Why are you so happy? It's not like you got a promotion."

"That doesn't matter!" Xu Damao chuckled. "Seeing Shazhu suffer is reward enough."

Shazhu, however, was not in a laughing mood.

Inside his home, he sat alone at the table, a bottle of cheap baijiu in front of him. His face was dark with anger, and his hands clenched into fists. Every time he thought about how Lin Feng had taken his place, his teeth ground together.

"Damn that Lin Feng!" he cursed under his breath. "Where the hell did he suddenly learn how to cook like that?"

He gulped down another drink, the burn of alcohol barely numbing his frustration. He had always thought he was untouchable in the kitchen. No one ever dared to challenge his position. But now? He was a joke. He could already hear people whispering about how he had been useless and irresponsible.

Worst of all, Qin Huairu had looked uneasy when she heard the news. That meant she was probably worried about how much support she could get from him in the future. And if she started looking for another man to leech off...

Shazhu slammed his cup down. "No! I won't let this stand. I'll get my position back. Just wait, Lin Feng."

The next morning…

As dawn broke, I woke up feeling refreshed. The cold air of the siheyuan seeped in through the thin windows, but it didn't bother me. Instead, I was filled with anticipation. As soon as I opened my eyes, a familiar golden light flashed before me.

[Sign-in system activated. Would you like to sign in today?]

I immediately agreed.

[Congratulations! You have received the following rewards:]

A personal space for storage

100kg of flour

100kg of grains

100kg of beef

100kg of pork

I sat up in shock. "A personal storage space?" I murmured. "And food? This is a blessing in this era!"

Food in the 1960s was scarce. Everything was rationed, and without tickets, you couldn't buy food no matter how much money you had. Meat was a luxury that most families could only afford on special occasions. But now…

I had 400 kilograms of essential food stored away!

I quickly tested the storage space, and to my delight, it worked just as I imagined. I could store things inside and take them out at will. The food inside was completely fresh, unaffected by time.

"This is an absolute game-changer," I whispered. "With this, I'll never have to worry about food again."

I knew that food was power in this time period. With my newfound secret storage, I had the potential to influence people and even control situations where food shortages caused desperation.