The Courtyard House: Xu Damao's Aunt is the Queen of Women

5:30 p.m.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the workday.

Liu Hao had a very rewarding first day at work: a girlfriend, a bicycle ticket, and a group of kind and honest colleagues.

Thanks again to the truck driver at the school gate, and may he have eight sons in one pregnancy, and then have eight more... no, ten!

If a truck weighing 100 tons dares to drive right up to the university gate, how could it possibly support 100 or 200 sons?

"Goodbye, Brother Hao!"

At the entrance of the finance department, He Xiaomeng, carrying a military green shoulder bag, greeted Liu Hao, who was waiting for Ye Juan at the door, and walked away with light steps.

Goodbye, take care on your journey.

"Hmm!"

As soon as He Xiaomeng left, Ye Juan came downstairs, followed by a somewhat handsome young man on her left and Yu Haitang with a fake smile on her right.

Is this Yang Xingguo's nephew, Yang Weimin?

Liu Hao smiled slightly and called out loudly, "Juan'er, I'm here!"

Upon hearing Liu Hao's voice, Ye Juan, who had been absent-minded, immediately smiled and ran over to him.

"Waiting for me?"

"Of course! I'm afraid you'll get robbed on the way; I'd be devastated!"

Ye Juan chuckled. This guy was just so humorous and witty; he never came across as glib or slick.

"Hmph, what's yours can't be taken away, and what's not yours, you can't take away either!"

These words had a double meaning; they were meant for Liu Hao, but also to let Yang Weimin know that he had someone else in his heart and that Yang Weimin shouldn't waste his time.

At this moment, Yang Huaimin stood there, stunned, as if petrified.

He went out on business today and didn't come back until almost the end of the workday. He didn't know that Ye Juan already had a boyfriend, and such a handsome one at that.

He considered himself very handsome, and no one in the Third Steel Rolling Mill could compare to him.

But compared to this tall, handsome, and dashing young man, he was quite ordinary.

Yu Haitang was also staring intently at Liu Hao, her eyes wide open and her heart pounding.

Liu Hao asked, "Are these your department's coworkers?"

"Yes, Comrade Yang Weimin, Comrade Yu Haitang!"

"Hello, my surname is Liu and my given name is Hao, Hao as in 'vast and boundless sky.' I am the new accountant in the finance department and also Ye Juan's boyfriend."

Yang Weimin forced a smile and said, "Hello, Comrade Liu Hao, I have other things to attend to. You two chat."

After saying this, Yang Weimin, heartbroken and unable to breathe, hurriedly left.

Yu Haitang asked, "Comrade Liu Hao, when did you and Ye Juan start dating? I've never heard Ye Juan mention it before?"

"Sorry, we can't disclose that now. We're going home. Goodbye."

Seeing that Ye Juan was getting impatient, Liu Hao didn't bother with Yu Haitang anymore. He casually said something, and the two of them quickly walked out.

Yu Haitang's expression turned slightly cold as she stared at Liu Hao and Ye Juan, whose height difference even from behind was quite perfect, feeling both jealous and secretly pleased.

Now that Ye Juan has a boyfriend, Yang Weimin will definitely come back to pursue her.

……

At the entrance of the logistics warehouse.

Ye Juan didn't like being in close proximity to others, and Liu Hao happened to be the same way. The two walked side by side to the open space in front of the warehouse and strolled around, waiting for the rush hour to pass before going out.

"Yang Weimin is Factory Director Yang's nephew. He used to pursue Yu Haitang, and after I came here, he started pursuing me too. That scoundrel is just plain despicable!"

After Ye Juan finished speaking, she kicked a large clump of snow away.

Liu Hao listened attentively to Ye Juan's rant in a Northeastern accent, finding it increasingly amusing.

"Yu Haitang is even more annoying... Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore, it's ruining my mood!"

What should we eat tonight?

Liu Hao paused for a moment, then shook his head: "I don't have anything at home. Aren't you going to Xu Damao's for dinner tonight?"

"I'm not going. I get angry just seeing Lou Xiao'e, and Xu Damao isn't a good person either."

Seeing her adorable puffed-up face, Liu Hao couldn't resist reaching out and pinching it.

"What the hell, are you trying to be a pervert?"

"..."

Well, this sexual contraction force is truly something else.

Liu Hao withdrew his hand and said seriously, "There are reasons for poverty and reasons for stupidity. If it's going to rain, let it rain. If the grass has no roots, it's its fate not to catch the rain. A smart person understands immediately, while a fool can't be satisfied even with ten thousand taels of gold. Please put aside your desire to help others and respect their fate!"

Huh? Ye Juan was stunned, silently repeating... Let go of the urge to help others, respect the fate of others...

After a long silence, Ye Juan said, "Indeed, my mother once told me that lecturing is the most poisonous form of hatred, especially towards stupid women. You may be doing it for their own good, but they feel like you're harming them. I won't say another word from now on."

Liu Hao pulled out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes that Lei Zhenghe had insisted on giving him while he was settling accounts, and lit one with a match.

"Don't interfere with other people's cause and effect. Preaching will only arouse hatred in others. The greatest tragedy in life is to support the rotten mud, turn over salted fish, resist dead pigs, and carve rotten wood."

"Besides, you were adopted when you were young, so you're at most a close friend of Xu Damao's family, not a real relative. Don't take this family too seriously."

Ye Juan nodded. She had figured out the Xu family's character and indeed didn't really want to get to know them well.

"Don't you dare say that! Xu Damao's mother, my third sister Zheng Sulan, is the worst kind of person. She actually dared to act like an elder sister who is like a mother to me, wanting me to change my surname back to Zheng and interfering in my marriage. I was so angry that I almost slapped her!"

???

Huh? Change your name?

Zheng Juan?

By the way, is there perhaps a human version of Zheng Juan in this world?

"Tsk tsk, Xu Damao married a capitalist's daughter. If you change your surname back to Zheng, you'll really be associated with the Xu family. Isn't that just harming you?"

Ye Juan sighed and said softly, "That's why I haven't had any contact with Xu Fugui and his wife, and I don't want to get involved in Xu Damao and his wife's affairs in the future. I'll try to stay away and respect other people's fates."

"Liu Hao, will you always love me?"

Ye Juan's sudden remark left Liu Hao speechless.

He stopped, turned his head to look at Ye Juan, and his clear, bright eyes were full of determination.

"Of course, from the first moment I saw you, I never thought of letting go of your hand."

Why?

"Why look for so many reasons? Liking something is simply what the heart desires, and one should move forward without hesitation."

Liu Hao asked, "And what about you?"

"I……"

Ye Juan became shy and turned her head away, not daring to meet Liu Hao's gaze.

"Me too!"

……

No. 95, Nanluoguxiang.

Liu Guangtian, Liu Guangfu, and Yan Jiefang stood at the door. Seeing Sha Zhu, his face bruised and swollen, eyes bloodshot, a large bump on his forehead, and muttering curses, finally return, Yan Jiefang called out, "Sha Zhu, we need you!"

In a terrible mood, feeling so depressed he was about to go crazy, Sha Zhu glared at the three of them.

"Get lost, leave me alone!"

The three men were already used to Sha Zhu's behavior. Liu Guangtian's eyes darted around, and he said, "Sha Zhu, don't you want to marry Ye Juan anymore?"

Sure enough, Sha Zhu stopped abruptly.

"Speak, what is it?"

Yan Jiefang said in a low voice, "This is not the place to talk. Come with me."

The four of them arrived at the corner next to No. 97 Courtyard. Yan Jiefang took out a box of economic cigarettes that he had treasured for a long time, distributed them around, lit them for the three of them with a match, and lit one for himself as well.

He tossed the half-burnt match into the snow, took two deep drags, exhaled the smoke, and slowly said, "Shazhu, Guangfu, Guangtian, the four of us all like Ye Juan!"

"He who eats another's food is bound to him," so Sha Zhu accepted Yan Jiefang's cigarette and, unusually, didn't spit out any foul breath.

Sha Zhu knew that all the single young people in the courtyard liked Ye Juan, but only the four of them had the courage to pursue her.

"Well, and then? Ye Juan is already dating Liu Hao, and everyone at the steel mill knows that."

What?

Yan Jiefang, Liu Guangtian, and Liu Guangfu were struck dumb, not even noticing the cigarettes they were holding or sucking on fell to the ground.

We've been ripped off!!! We've really been ripped off!!!

Seeing the expressions on the three people's faces, Sha Zhu grinned, his depressed and resentful mood easing considerably.

But the thought of his future wife being taken away by Liu Hao made him grit his teeth in anger.

"That little bastard Liu Hao is a male vixen! Ye Juan is kind-hearted; she's definitely been fooled by him!"

The three of them snapped out of their daze and nodded in unison in agreement.

Liu Guangtian said in a deep voice, "Yes, Ye Juan was deceived by Liu Hao. This hypocrite is a wolf in sheep's clothing. We can't let him harm Ye Juan!"

The cunning and treacherous Yan Jiefang immediately came up with a good idea.

"Even if all of us tied up, we probably couldn't beat that bastard Liu Hao..."

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu subconsciously looked at Sha Zhu, whose face was bruised and swollen.

Sha Zhu got angry and stubbornly retorted, "What are you looking at me for? I was ambushed by Liu Hao. In a one-on-one fight, I can make him cry for his parents!"

"..."