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

Sister Qin...

Sha Zhu opened his mouth, his numb and dull eyes slowly brightened, and his originally cold heart gradually warmed up.

All the clarity, all the determination, all the heartache and resentment vanished in this moment.

He thought he had long since turned his heart cold and could completely sever his love for Qin Huairu, but when Qin Huairu's gentle words reached his ears, those emotions he had forcibly suppressed surged back like a tidal wave.

Is this an inescapable fate?

Or is it an obsession I'm destined to never be able to shake off in this lifetime?

Even though I know it's a trap of gentle temptation, my reason is desperately telling me to stay away, but my soul has already involuntarily trembled and succumbed to it.

Qin Huairu observed Sha Zhu's emotional changes, a hint of smugness flashing in her eyes. In a soft, sweet voice, she said, "Zhu Zi... do you still remember the heartfelt confession I made to you in Yu'er Alley? I truly love you... I swear to God!"

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu's eyes reddened, and all traces of aloofness and indifference vanished, replaced by a burning, tender light.

Sweet memories etched into his very bones uncontrollably surfaced in his mind.

It was also a tender moment that he couldn't bear to wake up from countless midnight dreams.

The most vivid memory is of an ordinary evening when the afterglow of the setting sun, like a soft and translucent golden veil, slowly fell and enveloped the entire alley and the entire courtyard.

The ancient and heavy gate of the courtyard at No. 95, marked by the passage of time, was bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, and the warmth of home life hidden in the wood grain gradually spread in the warm light.

Even the moss in the corner of the wall and the mottled carvings on the lintel are tinged with a gentle and hazy glow, and even the evening breeze carries a touch of tender warmth.

She stood quietly in front of the courtyard gate, waiting for him to come home from get off work.

The clothes she wore were simple cloth garments, but they were not at all shabby. On the contrary, they made her gentle and bright temperament, which radiated from within, even more charming.

The hem of her top swayed gently in the evening breeze, like a delicate flower quietly blooming in the wind, soft and graceful.

She stood there gracefully, her figure slender and her curves gentle. Without any superfluous adornment, she was like a delicate ink painting with a profound artistic conception, slowly unfolding at the entrance of the alley and in front of the gate. Once you looked at her, you couldn't take your eyes off her.

She is like a delicate orchid growing in the mundane world, unassuming and unpretentious, yet possessing a unique and charming elegance that flows quietly within her.

Unlike the charming and flamboyant city girls, or the rustic simplicity of country women, she possesses a gentleness hidden within the everyday life of women that softens the heart at first glance.

She kept her eyes up, her gaze gentle yet unwavering, passing through the bustling crowds in the alley, through the laughter and chatter of the neighbors, through all the noise and restlessness of the world, as if she could penetrate layers of time and space mist, firmly and unwaveringly locking onto the direction he was coming home from get off work, never deviating even slightly.

That was the look in his eyes that haunted his dreams!

The longing in her eyes was so intense it seemed to melt away, an eager anticipation for her beloved's return.

The anticipation is wrapped in deep longing, a yearning that feels like three autumns apart.

In my longing, there is an overwhelming and deep affection, like a deep and clear lake, shimmering with light. A gentle breeze stirs up ripples full of tenderness, so gentle that it can completely drown one in its depths.

Every time a pedestrian walked through the alley, every time a figure headed towards the courtyard house, her originally calm eyes would light up slightly, as if she had suddenly fallen into starlight. Her eyes would be filled with anticipation and joy, and that momentary light was enough to illuminate the entire dusk.

She would subconsciously straighten her back, her eyes fixed on that figure, convinced that it was the man she had been longing for, who had finally returned.

But when that figure brushed past her or entered another courtyard, the light in her eyes would shine like a shooting star across the night sky, briefly brilliance before gradually dimming, a faint sense of loss welling up in her heart, and even the fingertips hanging at her sides would tighten slightly.

But this sense of loss never lasts long. In the blink of an eye, a new hope is rekindled in her eyes, and she gazes intently at the crossroads where he will return.

Without a trace of impatience or complaint, she waited quietly, guarding her expectation, day after day, without ever changing.

A faint, gentle smile always graced the corners of her lips.

That smile was neither intense nor ostentatious, like a flower bud just beginning to bloom on a branch in spring, pure and beautiful, untouched by any dust.

It's like the warm winter sun, gently shining on people's hearts, dispelling all the coldness and healing all the weariness.

It was an affection that couldn't be hidden, a sweetness that couldn't be concealed. Even just standing there quietly, that smile was enough to soften the entire twilight.

Occasionally, when neighbors pass by and see her standing at the door, they will always laugh and make a few jokes, asking if she is waiting for her husband to come home from get off work.

At these moments, the gentle smile on her face would bloom even more brightly, like a flower in full bloom, her eyes crinkling, exuding both gentleness and grace.

Her voice was gentle and polite, with just the right amount of politeness. Her clear and melodious voice, like a silver bell swaying in the wind, echoed leisurely in the alley and floated in front of the courtyard.

"Aunt Li, Uncle Wang, you're still up? I wasn't waiting for anyone, I was just feeling stuffy inside, so I stood here to enjoy the scenery and feel the breeze."

She said she was just looking at the scenery, but her words were full of uncontrollable happiness and sweetness. Every word and every tone of her voice was like being soaked in honey, sweet and sweet, going straight into people's hearts. Anyone who heard her would know that she was waiting for the person in her heart, but she was too shy to say it directly.

She stood there, in the sunset and the evening breeze, holding onto her tenderness and longing, waiting for his figure to appear.

Until that familiar, tall, handsome, and upright figure finally came from the end of the alley, approaching the courtyard house step by step.

At that moment, her eyes shone like the brightest stars in the night sky, radiating light. All the waiting, all the disappointment, all the expectations found their home in that instant.

The starlight in her eyes shone brightly, and her gentle smile blossomed to its fullest extent. It was as if all the beauty in the world had gathered in her eyes at this moment, stunning the entire dusk and softening all his years.

She could no longer contain her joy. She tiptoed slightly, her body involuntarily leaning forward, her eyes filled with eager delight.

She looked like a little bird that had broken free from its bonds and was flying joyfully towards its lover, innocent and passionate.

She was breathing heavily, her eyes burning, and she rushed towards him, opening her arms... to take the lunchbox he was carrying.

"Pillar, it's so good to have you!"

As Sha Zhu reminisced about the sweet past, a gentle yet slightly shy smile appeared on his wrinkled, orange-peel-like old face.

Oh, Sister Qin! In this life, I can never escape you, I can never let you go.

"Sister Qin, I know how much you love me, I... I forgive you!"