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

Sister Qin! Sister Qin! Sister Qin!

Sha Zhu was madly moved. The malignant tumor on his shoulder involuntarily brought back the image of Sister Qin sobbing in his arms that night, and that passionate kiss.

Sister Qin's body was soft and fragrant, and her skin was smooth and tender... *gulp*, Sha Zhu's heart felt like it was being scratched by a cat's claws, itchy, and he couldn't help but swallow a big mouthful of saliva.

With a slightly shy glance at Qin Huairu, Sha Zhu stammered, "I don't have any money right now, can I buy it on credit?"

"Buy on credit???"

With her hands on the waist of the water bucket, Jia Zhangshi stared wide-eyed, her voice rising ten octaves.

"Do you think this is buying livestock? You want credit? You can't buy livestock on credit! Cash on delivery, no bargaining!"

"..."

Sha Zhu cursed inwardly that the old hag was really unreasonable and domineering. If it weren't for her interference, Sister Qin and he would have been a couple long ago.

The onlookers burst into laughter. They had figured it out: Yi Zhonghai was about to go to jail, and Jia Zhangshi, in order to continue living a comfortable life, planned to forcibly stuff Sha Zhu into the bottomless pit that was the Jia family.

Stuff it in, you have to stuff it in, stuff it in hard!

The onlookers, always eager for drama, started urging Sha Zhu to quickly raise money to get married.

Liu Guangtian cleared his throat and shouted, "Shazhu, hurry up and agree! It's just five hundred yuan, what's the big deal? Can it be more important than getting a wife?"

Yan Jiefang immediately chimed in, "That's right! Qin Huairu is so beautiful and slender, you can't find another like her in the entire city! You're incredibly lucky to have married her, don't be ungrateful!"

Yan Jiecheng said in a serious tone, "Shazhu, are you still a man of Beijing? Don't embarrass yourself. Five hundred yuan is nothing to you. Hurry up and agree. From now on, hot soup and hot water will be served, and the bed will be warm and cozy. How comfortable will that be!"

Liu Guangfu nodded vigorously: "Exactly! Qin Huairu is so virtuous, she's a capable woman both at home and outside, and her three children will take care of you in your old age. Five hundred yuan is a steal for a virtuous wife and housekeeper!"

Zhu Ma, from the Intermediate Court, said with a smile, "Silly Zhu, stop dawdling. Look at the way Qin Huairu looks at you, so tender it could melt your heart. She definitely has feelings for you. If you hesitate any longer, you might regret it if someone else snatches you away!"

In the backyard, Old Zhang Qi exclaimed, "A perfect match! You're a great cook, and she's beautiful. Who in the compound wouldn't envy them? Say yes already!"

Aunt Chen Xiucui clicked her tongue: "Silly Zhu, listen to my advice. What's five hundred yuan to you? Save it for two years and you'll be out of debt. If you miss out on Qin Huairu, you'll never find such a good wife again, not even with a lantern!"

Zhu Wenjie, the eldest son of Zhu Ma, craned his neck and shouted, "Don't be a coward, you silly Zhu! A man should be decisive. Sister Qin can't wait, and neither can you. Hurry up and agree. We'll have our wedding banquet in half a month!"

An old man, shaking his head, said, "Getting married on credit? But you're capable, Sha Zhu! Raising the money is no big deal! Hurry up and nod, don't keep your Sister Qin waiting!"

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions, and even Ye Juan joined in the commotion.

"Silly Zhu, don't be foolish! Qin Huairu is beautiful and virtuous. Marrying her would not only bring you prestige, but she could also manage the household perfectly. This is an incredibly good deal!"

Ye Juan said in a serious tone, "Everyone, please don't speak yet. Let me do some accounting for Sha Zhu."

The courtyard fell silent as everyone turned to look at Ye Juan, who was radiant with beauty.

Liu Hao smiled without saying a word, looking at his wife with eyes full of smiles.

Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu exchanged a glance, knowing that everyone in the courtyard could see through their schemes and plots.

so what?

It's like Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai—one was willing to hit and the other was willing to be hit. You can't buy Sha Zhu's willingness with a thousand pieces of gold!

Qin Huairu has changed her strategy. Since the tried-and-true method of creating a persona and playing the victim to gain sympathy is no longer working, she has decided to lower her pride and use marriage as bait to ensnare Sha Zhu.

Face? The Jia family has lost all face!

So what's the point of having a face?

Being able to eat well and stay warm is the most important thing, and it's even more important to eat well and dress well.

Sha Zhu looked at Ye Juan with complicated emotions, his heart starting to pound uncontrollably again.

Ye Juan, who has transformed from a young girl into a young woman, has reached a new level of beauty.

With bright eyes and white teeth, skin as smooth as jade, and lips as red as rouge, she possesses both the dignified demeanor of a mature woman and the delicate charm of a young girl.

This beauty lies not only in appearance, but also in character and charm, perfectly embodying what it means to be peerless in elegance!

Sha Zhu swallowed hard and glared at Liu Hao.

They secretly cursed that it was a waste of talent to have such a beautiful flower stuck in Liu's dung.

My grandfather, He Yuzhu, was a capitalist!

Do capitalists understand?

Who am I? The eldest grandson of the He family! Before the liberation, that would be considered a wealthy young master!

Liu Hao, an orphan, dares to compare himself to me?

Just wait, when my grandfather comes back, I'll spend money to kill that bastard Liu Hao, make Ye Juan my mistress, and Ye Xi my legal wife!

If Ye Xi had gotten married before my grandfather returned, it would have been a great pity, and Ye Xi would have been relegated to being a mistress.

My legal wife, He Yuzhu's wife, must be a pure and innocent virgin, not a second-hand woman.

Sister Qin is different. She was the first woman I ever loved, and she shared my joys and sorrows. I should give her the title of my equal wife.

Sha Zhu became more and more excited as he thought about it. He grinned, revealing his gums with two missing front teeth. The black and yellow teeth were crooked and looked particularly sleazy.

Ye Juan was annoyed by Sha Zhu's smirk, so she subconsciously took a step back, cleared her throat twice, and said loudly, "Sha Zhu, think about it. Qin Huairu's salary is 27.5 yuan, which is 330 yuan a year. If you marry Qin Huairu, you'll recoup your investment in less than two years. Isn't that a great deal?"

"Five hundred yuan for a beautiful, caring wife, plus three kids! You've struck gold, Sha Zhu! Stop dawdling and agree!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone burst out laughing and cheered even more enthusiastically.

"Yes, yes, yes, hurry up and say yes! Qin Huairu is such a good woman, only you, silly Zhu, are so lucky. Don't let everyone wait and see us make a fool of ourselves, just say yes without hesitation!"

"Silly Zhu, think about it. From now on, when you come home from get off work, someone will sew and wash your clothes, cook you a hot meal, and warm your bed at night. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Don't hesitate!"

"Qin Huairu is as beautiful as a fairy. You're incredibly lucky to have married her, Sha Zhu! Hurry up and pay up!"

"Yi Zhonghai is going to jail, and only you, Sha Zhu, can protect Qin Huairu and her family. Marrying her would mean winning the heart of a beauty and accumulating good karma—what a wonderful thing!"

"Don't play dumb, Sha Zhu! You're usually so glib, why are you so quiet today? It's just five hundred yuan, right? It's worth it for your good wife, Qin Huairu! Just agree!"

After hearing what Ye Juan and the neighbors said, Sha Zhu became even more tempted.

He turned his head to look at his beloved Sister Qin. Sister Qin seemed a little embarrassed by what he said. She lowered her head slightly, her eyelashes trembling gently, which added to her delicate and charming appearance.

In an instant, the last shred of reason he had left was shattered by these flattering words and Qin Huairu's appearance.

Everyone is right. A woman as wonderful as Sister Qin is someone you'll never have again. I'm a cook, so earning money is easy for me. Five hundred yuan is really nothing.

What's more, as long as I marry Sister Qin, I can be with her every day and taste that tenderness again.

Thinking of this, Sha Zhu felt as if he had a small stove burning inside him, and his whole body warmed up. He didn't even feel the north wind was cold anymore.