In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Chapter 27.27. The New Function of the Cheat Code!
Back at the Chen family's house, Uncle Chen Le'an had just put down his tool bag when his mother, Granny Chen, finished telling the story in a vivid and detailed manner.

He looked at Yang Guangming, whose face, etched with the marks of time and hard work, blossomed into a simple and honest smile:
"Brother, congratulations! You look much better wearing a watch now!"

Grandma Chen's eldest granddaughter-in-law, Zhang Chunfang, holding her toddler daughter, also smiled and offered a few simple blessings.

The entire first-floor courtyard was filled with a sincere congratulation to Yang Guangming's "new look" and a touch of envy tinged with the warmth of everyday life.

In this era, a "used" watch worth thirty-five yuan was not only reasonable, but also seemed particularly "cost-effective" and "prestigious," especially for a young person who had just obtained a cadre position.

This small measure of dignity is a rare bright spot in the Shikumen neighborhood.

However, this warm and harmonious atmosphere among neighbors was soon shattered by the sharp noise coming from the rooftop.

Zhao Tiemin and He Caiyun from the Zhao family of the Three-Story Pavilion also returned home from get off work.

He Caiyun's signature shrill voice, with its deliberately raised pitch and undisguised sourness, pierced through the thin floorboards, striking the courtyard like an icicle:
"Oh my, this is quite something! Wearing a watch now! Does he really think he's some young master from the old society? He's quick to adopt this young master's air!"

As she vigorously scraped the bottom of the pot with a spatula, making a teeth-grinding "scratching" sound, she continued her sarcastic remarks:

"We, the working class, rely on our hardworking hands! Does wearing a watch make us superior? What about our ideological awareness? Never forget the revolutionary tradition of hard work and plain living!"

Zhao Tiemin silently poked at the coal stove, slamming the door shut with a dull, rough bang.

It was as if this monotonous noise was the most powerful footnote to his wife's sharp tongue, and also a silent yet strong protest and mockery of the "respectable" people downstairs.

The air in the courtyard seemed to freeze for a moment.

Zhang Xiuying's face darkened, and she was about to raise her head to refute, but was silently stopped by Yang Yongkang's calm gaze.

The old man merely lifted his eyelids slightly, glanced at the direction of the balcony, and then lowered his head again, slowly packing his old pipe as if the jarring sound was nothing more than a gentle breeze passing through the hall.

Having experienced yesterday's triumph, this slight sour feeling couldn't stir even the slightest ripple in his rock-solid heart.

The steady ticking of the watch on my son's wrist is the real, undeniable source of his confidence.

Yang Guangming seemed completely oblivious.

He gently adjusted the slightly loose watch strap, feeling the cool touch against his skin and the substantial weight of it.

The noise of scraping pots and slamming doors on the balcony, along with the harsh words, sounded to him at this moment like a few insignificant, jarring notes in a grand symphony, unable to disturb his unwavering anticipation for the new week and the new beginning.

……

On Sunday morning, the smell of coal smoke in the courtyard of the Shikumen seemed to have faded, giving off a rare sense of relaxation.

Yang Guangming sat at a small square table, in front of him was a bowl of rice porridge that was much thicker than usual, with a few slices of dark pickled cucumber scattered among it. "Mom, brother, sister-in-law," Yang Guangming swallowed the rice grains in his mouth, his voice clear, "This noon, I made an appointment with Yan Jun and Hu Tou to meet up at the entrance of the small park."

Zhang Xiuying was feeding her grandson Zhuangzhuang rice cereal when she heard this. She looked up and smiled knowingly. "Oh, are you inviting Hutou to dinner? He signed up to go to the countryside. We should get together and see him off. This little boy has been following you around since he was little. He's strong and kind-hearted."

She put down the small bowl, deftly untied the belt of her apron, walked to the chest of drawers, opened the drawer and rummaged around for a moment. When she turned around again, she was holding two one-yuan bills and two half-jin grain coupons in her hand.

"Here, Mingming, take this." She stuffed the money into her son's hand, her tone unusually straightforward. "Don't be stingy when treating someone to a meal! Find a clean little restaurant, order a couple of hearty dishes, and let Hutou have a good meal. He has a heavy burden at home and doesn't usually get much oil or fat in his food."

Yang Guangming was somewhat surprised by his mother's generosity and quickly accepted the gift, saying, "Thank you, Mom! I understand."

Li Guihua, who was clearing away the dishes, glanced quickly at the two banknotes and moved her lips as if she wanted to say something.

Normally, she would grumble for a long time if the family spent even a penny more, let alone a "huge sum" of two yuan.

But this time, she simply pursed her lips, forced a smile, and spoke in a much softer voice than usual:
"We should treat Tiger Head to a good meal; he's helped our family a lot. Mingming, keep an eye on the money, make sure it's clear before paying."

Even so, a barely perceptible hint of heartache was still hidden in her eyes.

Yang Guangming carefully tucked the money into the back of his pocket, but he had other plans in mind.

Going out to eat? That's just an excuse to appease my family.

He, Yan Jun, and Chu Dahu, three greenhorns who had just graduated, were hardly willing to actually go out to eat. They simply agreed to meet at the entrance of the small park before noon, each bringing some food, finding a stone bench under the shade of a tree, and having a hasty lunch.

Yan Jun took over his mother's job as a sales clerk in a grocery store, standing behind the counter every day with very few days off; Chu Dahu was even more like a wound-up toy, willing to do any odd job to save money for his trip to the countryside, even carrying bricks.

It's already a rare treat that the three of them can squeeze out this little bit of time at noon to get together.

Around noon, Yang Guangming stepped out of the heavy black lacquered gate of the Shikumen. The early summer morning sun was already quite scorching.

He checked the directions and instead of going directly to the small park, he turned into the familiar dead-end alley next to the abandoned factory wall.

After confirming that no one was around, he leaned against the cold, rough brick wall, held his breath, and let his consciousness sink into the depths of his mind.

The enormous double-door refrigerator space reappeared clearly, its soft, cool white light enveloping the "treasures" inside. Yang Guangming's gaze habitually swept over the empty space left after he took out the drunken chicken and braised pork knuckle yesterday.

The next moment, his breath caught in his throat!
The empty spaces were suddenly filled again!
The beautifully packaged drunken chicken gift box, and the heavy, oily braised pork knuckle, lay perfectly intact in their original place, radiating an enticing sheen, as if they had never been taken away!

“This…” Yang Guangming’s heart suddenly raced, as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer.

He suppressed the surging waves of emotion and immediately focused his mind on the exquisite gift box containing Sumatran rhinoceros horn slices.

(End of this chapter)