Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

He Yuzhu only paid the elderly women who helped him with the work a little over 10 yuan a month, which is the current market rate; he couldn't pay them more.

"You've learned to be as sarcastic as the people of Beijing." Xu Huizhen rolled her eyes, then asked about the details of what happened that night. He Yuzhu sat down and slowly recounted the story.

In the courtyard.

Xu Wude returned with his children, looking utterly dejected, his eyes lifeless as if he had lost his soul.

He didn't even acknowledge Yan Bugui's greeting.

Yan Bugui said arrogantly, "What's so great about him? He's just a senior member of the management department. Look at how arrogant he is, putting on airs."

Only then did they notice that Xu Zhaodi and Xu Damao, the siblings behind them, also looked as if their father had died.

He asked in surprise, "What happened to you two? Weren't you out for a walk? What happened? Were you robbed or had your money stolen?"

Xu Damao was young and didn't think about covering it up. After all, Yandaixie Street was less than a mile away, and news of today's events would surely spread quickly.

"We lost four large yellow croakers today."

"What? Four big yellow croakers? Where did you get these big yellow croakers?" Yan Bugui was startled. Was this kid running a fever? He was talking nonsense. Even if you sold the entire Xu family, inside and out, it wouldn't be worth four big yellow croakers.

Xu Zhaodi quickly said, "Uncle Yan, it's not like that, please listen to me."

Then he explained what happened today, using some subtle language, so it can't be said that he originally intended to frame He Yuzhu.

He just happened to run into them, and then, with a shameless grin, he followed the family of three to the night market. Under his father's guidance, he bought that Tang Dynasty porcelain piece worth several hundred yuan.

He accidentally broke the porcelain, which contained four large yellow croakers. Everyone on Yandaixie Street saw it.

However, He Yuzhu is a scoundrel. He doesn't follow the rules at all, and he's ungrateful for not even paying a commission.

Yan Bugui had never been so shocked. He asked dumbly, "You mean He Yuzhu bought a porcelain vase with four large gold bars hidden inside? Are you kidding me? Do you know how much four large gold bars are worth?"

"We saw the whole Yandaixie Street, would we lie to you?"

After Xu Zhaodi finished speaking, she immediately pulled Xu Damao back.

Not only Yan Bugui heard this conversation, but the neighbors chatting and relaxing in the front yard also heard it. They were all wide awake and started discussing it enthusiastically. First, they said sourly how could Sha Zhu have such good luck, and then they fantasized about how great it would be if they were the ones in that conversation.

As soon as Xu Wude entered the house, Xu Damao's mother hurriedly asked:

"So, did it work out? How much money did you swindle from Sha Zhu? Did you get it back?"

Xu Wude took out 10 yuan from his pocket and handed it over.

"ten bucks?"

Xu Damao's mother immediately beamed with joy and laughed, "If you can bring over 10 yuan, aren't you cheating Sha Zhu out of 20 yuan?"

Only then did he notice that Xu Wude's expression was off, and asked in surprise, "What's wrong with you? Now that you've gotten the 10 yuan back, you can just find a way to scam a few more times, right? You should at least get that 50 yuan back. Why are you unhappy?"

Xu Wude sighed, "I did swindle 20 yuan from Sha Zhu, but he didn't cry, but I'm the one who's going to cry."

"What? Why are you crying?" Xu Damao's mother was confused and looked at her husband with a blank expression.

"What do you know? I'm so angry today."

Hsu Wood, somewhat impatient, took his toothbrush and toothpaste and went out to wash up.

"What's wrong? You cheated Sha Zhu out of his money, why are you still unhappy?"

At this moment, Xu Zhaodi and Da Mao returned from outside, both with mournful faces.

"What's wrong with you three today? Tell me what happened."

Xu Zhaodi said, "Mom, that silly Zhu is only good at cooking. He's a complete idiot when it comes to antiques. He was fooled by my dad and ended up spending 20 yuan to buy a Maitreya Buddha."

Da Mao's mother pressed on, "Isn't this a good thing? Why do you all look so mournful?"

"This was a good thing, but then it turned into a bad thing. There were four large yellow croakers hidden inside the Buddha statue's belly."

Xu Zhaodi held up four fingers and waved them in front of her mother, emphasizing, "They're four big yellow croakers!"

"Big yellow croaker? There are four big yellow croakers inside the Buddha statue?" Da Mao's mother stared wide-eyed, looking incredulous.

"Yes, a lot of people saw it, and it even alarmed the police, who sent him directly to the military control commission."

"Are you all stupid? Why don't you lie to him and say it's copper and worthless?" Da Mao's mother instantly thought of a way to resolve the situation.

"With Sha Zhu's brain, how could he possibly distinguish between copper and gold?"

Xu Zhaodi quickly gave a thumbs up: "Mom, you're the one with the best ideas. It's a pity we didn't think of that at the time."

Xu Wude, who had just brushed his teeth and entered the house, was dumbfounded: "How could I not have thought of that? How could I not have thought of that?"

He kept repeating the same phrase without even noticing that the enamel mug in his hand had fallen. His eyes were vacant and blank as he mechanically repeated it.

"Oh no, your father is possessed!"

With her rich experience, Da Mao's mother could tell at a glance that Xu Wude had suddenly suffered such a great blow that he was restless and mentally confused. This was because he was so angry that he had lost his mind.

"What? My dad's possessed?"

Xu Damao was somewhat incredulous and pulled Xu Wude along, but Xu Wude was completely bewildered and ignored his questions, just like a dazed fool who had lost his mind.

Xu Damao finally believed it, and said with a mournful face, "How can my dad get better? Hasn't he become an idiot?"

Da Mao's mother was very experienced: "It's okay, there's a way to treat this. Slap him hard, and if it hurts a lot, you can save him."

It's not that I'm born with this kind of temper; I can regain my composure after being subjected to some strong stimulus.

Xu Damao had his sisters hold Xu Wude, and he felt extremely happy when he thought of how his father had looked before. Today he could finally take revenge.

Then, raising his hand high, he used all his strength to deliver a heavy slap to Xu Wude's face.

Before he could even check, he slapped the other side of her face with his other hand, and then started slapping her wildly with both hands.

After being slapped twice, Xu Wude regained his senses. At first, he was a little dazed, but then his son, Xu Damao, slapped him hard across the face. No wonder his face hurt so much.

Why did you hit your father, you unfilial son?

Before Xu Wude could finish speaking, Xu Damao slapped him across the face again.

Xu Zhaodi exclaimed, "It seems like Father can talk now."

Xu Damao was startled by these words and quickly took a few steps back, but Xu Wude had already been released by the two sisters. He was furious. A father being slapped by his son? Are there any children in the world who are so unfilial?

She jumped up and darted out, grabbing Xu Damao. The younger daughter, however, was more obedient and knew to pick up a broom and hand it to him.

Before he could even praise his youngest daughter, Xu Wude picked up a broom and started hitting Xu Damao.

"Dad, please don't hit me! Mom said you've gone mad and need to be slapped like this to save you."

"Nonsense, let me kill you first."

Xu Wude hasn't been in a good mood all night. Although he cheated Sha Zhu out of 10 yuan, he saw that Sha Zhu had picked up 4 big yellow croakers. Anyone would be angry in that situation.

When she got home, her son slapped her, and she was already extremely angry. She felt that if she didn't let out this anger, she might get sick from holding it in.

It's good to give my son a good beating so I can vent my anger and not let myself get sick from holding it in.

At this moment, Da Mao's mother didn't care about her son's life or death, and took her two daughters out to wash up.

From the west wing of the backyard came Xu Damao's ghostly howls.

Liu Haizhong, who was in the east wing, was full of admiration and said, "I've been too lenient with my children. Look at Old Xu, he's the model of how to educate a son. He only needs to beat him once to teach him a lesson he won't forget for a while."

Aunt Liu nodded: "I knew it. Even after you disciplined him, he still wouldn't listen. It seems you didn't hit him hard enough."

“Then I’ll hit harder next time. The old saying, ‘Spare the rod and spoil the child,’ is true.”

Yan Bugui can be considered the gatekeeper and trendsetter of the courtyard. Whatever he knows will soon be known throughout the entire courtyard, since he has a natural advantage in spreading all kinds of news because he is stationed in the front yard.

The second day was an ordinary day, but the courtyard at No. 95 was unusually lively.

The news that He Yuzhu had bought a Buddha statue yesterday and found four large yellow croakers hidden inside spread very quickly to everyone.

Madam Jia entered the house grumbling and sat down at the table, sulking.

Qin Huairu had suffered a miscarriage and was resting in bed, avoiding drafts. Out of politeness, she asked, "Mother, what's going on? Why is it so noisy outside?"

"You still have the nerve to ask?"

Granny Zhang cursed a few times, then said, "That damned idiot Zhu, why doesn't he just die? Heaven is truly blind, letting him pick up four big yellow croakers."

"What? You found four of them, and they're big yellow croakers! How much money is that?!"

Granny Zhang said angrily, "That's enough to buy our entire courtyard house! How much do you think it would cost?"

"You little slut, are you very happy?" Granny Zhang couldn't help but curse again.

Qin Huairu said, "Mother, I've told you so many times, I didn't give him those shoes. Sha Zhu is a bad guy. He snatched the shoes, dropped the money, and ran away. I just didn't say anything because I was afraid you would be unhappy."

"Who would believe that?"

Remembering how formidable her family was, Granny Zhang didn't scold her anymore. She just said angrily, "You know what you've done."

In truth, Granny Zhang didn't believe that her daughter-in-law had gotten together with Sha Zhu so quickly, otherwise she wouldn't have just been cursing and swearing.

"Mom, everyone wants their daughter-in-law to be happy. How can you put a green hat on your son's head? When Dongxu comes out, if he hears that the rumors are all coming from you, do you think he'll be happy?"

Granny Zhang sighed, knowing that if Qin Huairu divorced her son, it would be extremely difficult for him to find another partner.

"Are you and Shazhu really alright?"

"I've told you 800 times, how could I possibly be interested in him?"

Granny Zhang grumbled as she recounted how He Yuzhu had found four large yellow croakers the previous night.