The Courtyard House: He Yuzhu Returns with Boundless Hatred for Revenge

Thinking back to how many times he had cleaned up Xu Damao's messes in his past life, He Yuzhu felt a wave of disgust. Only a nine-times-living sycophantic good-natured person like himself would do something as stupid as spending money to redeem a house. Don't believe me? Ask around in real life if there are any people like that—spending money to redeem their mortal enemy's house without asking for anything in return, and then having to take care of his bedridden mother afterwards.

You might not even hear of a similar case two thousand years ago. How brainwashed and idiotic must someone be by Yi Zhonghai's propaganda to do something like this? The more I think about it, the more my hatred for Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huai feels like it's seething to the bone. No, I have to go back and find a reason to bully the old man who's left without a heir to vent my anger.

To be fair, Xu Damao is indeed capable. In his previous life, he managed to become the deputy director of the GWH, which, while partly due to the opportunities of the times, was also due to his own scheming and cunning. This guy is quick-witted, has an excellent ability to adapt to changing circumstances, is eloquent, and is very knowledgeable about human relationships.

As long as his personal interests aren't infringed upon, this person isn't difficult to get along with. He's completely easygoing; give him face, say a few kind words, and if he's in a good mood, he might actually help you out within his capabilities. Having dealt with Xu Damao for decades in his past life, He Yuzhu knows Xu Damao's true nature perfectly well. He's genuinely selfish, and also has a bit of a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) spirit; the kind of person who'll retaliate tenfold if you treat him well, but if you offend him even slightly, he'll definitely ruin your entire family.

Maintaining a good relationship might be beneficial for both himself and the He family in the future. Having a friend like Xu Damao, who is well-connected and has a keen sense of trends, can sometimes lead to hearing different kinds of information. Therefore, Xu Fugui's request is not unreasonable, and may even be advantageous to him; agreeing to it wouldn't be a bad thing.

However, there's a prerequisite: don't provoke Lou Xiao'e again. Even if you do, you'll ruin things. In this life, she was both Xu Damao's woman and his own woman; He Yuzhu doesn't want another melodramatic situation like this. The Lou family's only way out is to go to Hong Kong, which is also a way to repay the kindness of having offspring in the previous life.

Of course, sometimes good advice is useless against a stubborn person, and I will only offer a warning once. If the Lou family doesn't listen, then I can only let them fend for themselves. At most, I can save Lou Xiao'e when the time comes, but that will only be if I have the ability to do so.

Weighing the pros and cons, He Yuzhu felt that agreeing would be more beneficial than harmful. Looking after Xu Damao? Not really. But maintaining a relatively peaceful relationship, even one where they could mutually benefit if necessary, was feasible. As for what trouble Xu Damao might cause, that depended on the situation; the initiative was ultimately in his hands.

Thinking of this, He Yuzhu picked up his wine glass and clinked it with Xu Fugui's. "Uncle Xu, you're being too polite. No matter how much Da Mao and I bicker, we grew up in the same courtyard. After all these years of fighting and arguing, we still have a bond. Don't worry, we'll be working in the same factory from now on, and I'll definitely keep an eye on things where I can. Da Mao is smart, but sometimes he doesn't know how to hold his tongue. If I see him saying something, I'll definitely tell him off. As long as he doesn't cause any big trouble, I'll be fine with him."

Upon hearing this, Xu Fugui's face immediately lit up with a smile, and he quickly refilled He Yuzhu's glass. "Good! Good! Zhuzi, with you saying that, I'm relieved! From now on, treat Da Mao like your own brother. Give him a good beating or a good scolding if you need to! Come on, let me toast you again!"

The two drank a few more cups, and Xu Fugui seemed particularly happy, becoming more talkative. He kept reminiscing about He Daqing's former glory and how successful He Yuzhu was now, even more capable than his father had been back then. After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Xu Fugui looked around and reached into his pocket.

"Zhu Zi, Uncle Xu is very grateful that you agreed to take care of Da Mao. I can't let you go to all this trouble for nothing." As he spoke, he took out a small cloth bag from his pocket and quickly stuffed it into He Yuzhu's hand. "It's just a small token, please take it and don't refuse."

He Yuzhu picked it up and weighed it in his hand; it was hard and heavy. A corner of the cloth bag revealed a bright yellow color—it was a small yellow croaker. In those days, this thing was hard currency, but also the root of all trouble.

He Yuzhu sneered inwardly: He knew Xu Fugui was here. Xu Fugui was the kind of person who wouldn't act without self-interest; after showing goodwill, he'd inevitably try to tie them down with shared interests. Once he accepted the gold bars, it would be harder for him to shirk responsibility if Xu Damao ever needed anything. Besides, taking his things might mean paying a hundredfold in the future. They were all old-timers, always keeping their options open and setting traps; one wrong move and he'd fall into their scheme.

I'm not that stupid. Besides, I have my own space and don't care about these things. If I really wanted to, I could just go to the black market and have everything. Why incur favors and risk hiding the gold for a little bit of money?

Her smile remained unchanged, but she resolutely pushed the item back, pressing it into Xu Fugui's hand. "Uncle Xu, you're really putting me in a bad position. Da Mao and I are brothers, and you're my elder. I promised to help you out; that's just a favor. Presenting this makes me feel like an outsider. Besides, I'm a cadre now, and this... is inappropriate. Please take it back. I appreciate your gesture."

Xu Fugui was taken aback, not expecting He Yuzhu to refuse so decisively. He couldn't help but look at He Yuzhu with new eyes; this man had indeed changed. His words were now watertight, his mind meticulous, knowing exactly what he could and couldn't take. He was completely different from the clueless, simple-minded Yuzhu of the past. Was this a sudden change in temperament, or was it his true nature, deliberately concealing his abilities under He Daqing's influence since childhood?

He was secretly relieved that he had come today. Otherwise, if Xu Damao had continued like this, and a conflict were to break out between them, someone like Damao would be no match for him. The consequences... the current situation with the Yi, Liu, and Yan families is a prime example. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but exclaim in his heart, "Thank goodness, thank goodness..."

He chuckled awkwardly, took the cloth bag back, and said, "Look at you, still being so polite with your uncle. Alright, since you put it that way, I won't force you. But Zhu Zi, I'll remember this favor. If you ever need my help in the future, just let me know."

"Sure, I'll definitely trouble you if I need anything." He Yuzhu agreed with a smile, but in his heart he thought, "It's bad enough that two people who died violent deaths are drinking together. I'd better stay as far away from you as possible in the future."

When He Yuzhu returned home, it was already late. He knocked on the door, and his younger sister was completely relieved to see him.

"Brother, you're back! Have you eaten? I left you some food, it's keeping it warm in the pot."

Seeing his younger sister's sensible manner, He Yuzhu felt a warmth in his heart and patted her head. "You've already eaten out. Go back to your room and rest early, don't stay up too late."

After He Yushui returned to her small room, He Yuzhu took out a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) from the cabinet and went straight out the door.

In the backyard of the Xu family's house, Xu Damao was enjoying a leisurely drink by himself. It was his first day in charge, and he had prepared two dishes. He was living a comfortable life.

The constant banging on the door was a real downer, and it just wouldn't stop.

"Who is it? Knocking on someone's door so late at night, have you no manners?" Xu Damao got up impatiently. He opened the door and froze.

He Yuzhu stood outside the door carrying a bottle of liquor. As soon as the door opened, he stepped inside.

"Xu Damao, your dad said that from now on I'm your older brother. If you do something wrong, I can hit you or scold you."

"From this day forward, I'm in charge of this household."