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

"Alright, everyone watched Liu Hao and I count the Jia family's money, now it's back to its rightful owner."

After stabbing Yi Zhonghai in the heart, Ye Juan stuffed the money into her pocket, picked up two cloth bags and two paper bags from the table, and stuffed them all into Jia Zhangshi's hands.

Liu Hao was amused by Ye Juan's antics. This little queen was truly cunning. The money had already been put into Jia Zhangshi's hands, yet Qin Huairu still wanted it back.

As expected, Qin Huairu broke down her guard. She was so anxious that her eyes almost popped out of their sockets. She put down the locust flowers and rushed over to try to take back the savings she had accumulated over twelve and a half years since she married into the Jia family.

"This is my money!!!"

"Go to hell! I'm the head of the household, you're in charge of all the money!"

Jia Zhangshi was even faster. She snatched the cloth and paper package from Ye Juan, ripped open her collar, stuffed it inside, clutched her chest tightly, and ran out.

In this state, Jia Zhangshi resembled a maddened wild boar, her face contorted in a ferocious expression, her imposing presence terrifying, causing the onlookers to scatter in fear.

Soon, Jia Zhangshi ran incredibly fast, displaying speed comparable to that of a national-level athlete, and within a few breaths, she had run out of the central courtyard.

Thump! Qin Huairu collapsed to the ground, her body weak, and covered her face as she wailed.

After stirring up trouble, Ye Juan grabbed the net bag on the ground, pulled Liu Hao aside, said goodbye to everyone, and quickly left.

Just as they reached the backyard, Sha Zhu's angry roar suddenly rang out.

"Fuck your mother! You all cheated me, you all schemed against me, He Yuzhu and Jia Zhangshi!! Give me back my money!!!"

Ye Juan laughed heartily, patted the bulging pockets of her cotton coat, and said excitedly, "Honey, we've struck it rich today!"

Liu Hao reached out and pinched her cheek, asking with a smile, "Now that we've made some money, how about we renovate the house? A wedding room should look like a wedding room, right?"

"How should I decorate?"

"Hmm... how about we paint the walls white and buy some furniture?"

"Scraping the wall is a minor problem. I'll have my dad find someone to apply some lime, hire two bricklayers, and it'll be done in two days at most."

"Instead of buying furniture, why not design it yourself, buy the materials, and have a craftsman from the Kuai family make it? I've always wanted to have a set of furniture that I like. What do you think?"

Seeing that the little queen had made all the arrangements so well, Liu Hao decisively chose to be a bystander.

"Wife, you make the arrangements, I'll do whatever you say."

Ye Juan smiled and nodded: "Okay, leave this to me!"

"Let's go home and cook, let your wife see your culinary skills."

"Just wait, I guarantee I'll make you swoon with the aroma!"

The couple went through the small gate into the west courtyard. Liu Hao took off his heavy down jacket and started killing a chicken, while Ye Juan started a fire to boil water.

Ye Juan doesn't know how to cook, but her elderly father Ye Tingkai and mother Zhang Shuhua still provided her with all the necessary kitchen utensils, including pots, pans, knives, cutting boards, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

"This kitchen knife is no good! It's too dull."

Liu Hao took out the kitchen knife and scraped it with his finger; it was so dull that he wondered if it hadn't been sharpened.

Ye Juan, who was sitting on a small stool tending the fire, pointed to a grayish-white terrazzo in the corner of the wall.

"Just grind it a little, hurry up, I'm hungry!"

Liu Hao took the basin of water, squatted down, and began sharpening his knife with great effort.

With great force, miracles can happen; the blade can be sharpened to the point where it can be used as a mirror in no time!

After sharpening the knife, Liu Hao picked up the half-frozen rooster and went outside, then slashed it with the knife.

Scald and pluck the feathers, gut and cut into eight pieces, then blanch in boiling water; if you don't have cooking wine, use white wine instead.

Take them out and put them in a bamboo basket to drain. Quickly chop the scallions, ginger and garlic. Grab a handful of dried chilies and cut them into small pieces. Prepare the peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon and bay leaves. Heat the oil in a wok.

Once the lard has melted, add the chicken and stir-fry until the skin is slightly browned. Add the seasonings and ingredients, stir-fry evenly, pour in hot water, and cover the pot.

Ye Juan, who was in charge of tending the fire, was mesmerized by the smooth and effortless operation.

"Liu Hao, your cooking skills are even better than my mom's!"

Liu Hao, who had just started cutting the pork belly, said seriously, "Hmm, next time I'll tell my mother-in-law that you complained about how bad her cooking is."

Ye Juan was stunned. It took her several seconds to react. She jumped up, reached behind Liu Hao, and tightly hugged him, biting his shoulder with a loud thud.

"You bastard Liu Hao, how dare you frame me! I'll bite you to death!"

"Don't bite the shoulder, bite down there!"

"Hmm? Where down there? On the thigh?"

"root!"

???

Ye Juan was stunned for a moment, and an image involuntarily appeared in her mind. She stared in astonishment, took a few steps back, and her face turned as red as a dyed red apple, which was quite cute.

"You...you...you shameless! I...I'm ignoring you!"

Embarrassed to the point of breathlessness, Ye Juan turned and ran to the yard to cool off, baring her teeth and waving her fist at Liu Hao through the window.

"Hahaha~"

Liu Hao laughed heartily, absolutely smitten with this spoiled and adorable little queen.

Just then, there was a knock on the small door in the passageway, and Xu Damao's hoarse voice came through.

"Auntie, open the door!"

Ye Juan's mood immediately soured. What was this annoying person doing here?

She walked over and opened the door. Xu Damao was carrying a hen in his left hand and a string of dried mushrooms and two bottles of Fenjiu liquor in his right hand. Lou Xiao'e was carrying two cloth bags behind him.

"Auntie, we've come to congratulate you and Uncle Liu... oh, I should call you Uncle now, we've come to congratulate you and Uncle Liu on getting your marriage certificate."

Ye Juan invited the two inside.

"You're here already, why did you bring anything? Come on in, Liu Hao is cooking."

"My uncle can cook?"

Xu Damao laughed and said, "Then I'll have to try my uncle's cooking tonight."

"Do you have a chicken? If not, I'll kill this one and make a chicken stew with mushrooms."

Ye Juan glanced at the old hen Xu Damao was carrying and said, "We bought one, so you should slaughter this one too. We don't have room to raise it, so we can slaughter it and eat it tomorrow."

"Yes, you have them. Can I take them back?"

Take it back?

What are you thinking!

Ye Juan glared at her: "What do you think? Once you're in my house, you're mine! Hurry up and slaughter him! If you don't, I'll slaughter you!"

"..."

Xu Damao smiled wryly. This wasn't an aunt; she was practically a bandit.

Lou Xiao'e covered her mouth and chuckled, then took the mushrooms and wine from Xu Damao's hand.

"Auntie, we just got back from visiting Da Mao's parents today. We heard you and Accountant Liu got your marriage certificate, so we came to congratulate you."

Ye Juan accepted the gift with a smile.

"Thanks, come on in, it's cold outside!"

Once inside, Xu Damao ran to the kitchen to help, while Ye Juan showed Lou Xiao'e their marriage certificate and a two-inch photo.

Three photos were printed. The neighborhood office took two for their archives, and we kept one as a souvenir.

"These photos are really great! When are you going to have the banquet?"

"It will probably be before the Lunar New Year, around the 20th of the twelfth lunar month!"

Lou Xiao'e handed the marriage certificate and photos back to Ye Juan.

"That's so fast! From meeting to getting your marriage certificate, it only took a few days. This must be fate!"

Ye Juan turned her head to look at Liu Hao, who was busy in the kitchen, her face beaming with a happy smile.

"I also have to thank Da Mao. If he hadn't bumped into Liu Hao, Liu Hao and I wouldn't have met. Oh, and I also have to thank God for the heavy snow, which made Liu Hao lose his way and gave me such an outstanding man!"

"..."

Lou Xiao'e felt both amused and envious, thinking to herself that Ye Juan was truly blessed!