Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

Chapter 1: The Three-Wheeled Carriage Shatters Old Dreams, and the Sudden Arrival of an Old Friend Creates Turbulence

September 30, 1958, was a clear and crisp autumn day. The square in front of Beijing Railway Station was teeming with people, a cacophony of train whistles, shouts, and the sounds of luggage being dragged along. An elderly man with gray hair and a slightly hunched back, carrying a bulging canvas bundle, emerged from the station exit with the flow of people. He stood on the steps, squinting as he surveyed the city, both familiar and strange.

It was He Daqing.

Eight years have passed since he boarded the train to Baoding with a small bundle, without looking back. Eight years is enough for a man to grow old, for a city to change its appearance, and for many people and events to become unrecognizable.

He wore a faded blue Zhongshan suit and dusty black cloth shoes. His face was etched with deep and shallow wrinkles, a testament to the hardships of time and life. Only his eyes remained sharp, occasionally flashing with a shrewdness and trepidation. He had returned because he had received a letter from his son, He Yuzhu—the letter informing him of his wedding date.

To be honest, when He Daqing received that letter, he was in his humble home in Baoding, clutching the thin sheet of paper, motionless for a long time. The widow Bai—now He Bai's wife—muttered beside him, saying it was definitely someone asking for money and that he should ignore it. But He Daqing's heart was filled with a jumble of emotions.

When he first received Sha Zhu's letter informing him of his upcoming marriage and testing his feelings, he hesitated for a long time before finally sending back the two thousand yuan he had secretly saved. It was money he had painstakingly saved over the years in Baoding, working long hours as a chef in a restaurant and taking on side jobs. When he sent it, he didn't expect anything in return; it was more like an act of atonement, a way of making amends for his heartless departure years ago.

Unexpectedly, Sha Zhu wrote again, formally informing him of the wedding date and inviting him back.

To go or not to go?

He Baishi was naturally extremely unhappy, crying and making a scene, saying that if he dared to go back to Beijing, he should never return to this home in Baoding. He Daqing didn't argue with her, but silently smoked all night. The next day before dawn, he went to the post office to withdraw a sum of money he had prepared beforehand, and then went to the market to buy Baoding specialties—donkey meat sandwiches, Huaimao pickles, and two new outfits made for Shazhu and Yushui from fabric bought at the department store—Shazhu's size was estimated, and for Yushui, he remembered that when he left 8 years ago she was still a little bean sprout, now… she should be a grown woman, right?

In the end, he still came. He bought a hard-seat ticket and endured a bumpy journey. The trepidation of returning home, the guilt towards his children, the fear of being scorned and seeing old acquaintances weighed on him like a stone. But he still came. What kind of father wouldn't be there for his son's wedding? Even if it was just to catch a glimpse from afar, even if his son kicked him out, he had to come.

"Master, need a ride?" A man pedaling a tricycle approached.

He Daqing snapped out of his daze and nodded: "Nanluoguxiang, No. 95 courtyard."

"Alright! Hold on tight!" The driver quickly took the package and put it away. Once He Daqing was seated, he pedaled with all his might.

The car wheels rolled over the familiar streets, the scenery on both sides both familiar and unfamiliar. Some old shops were still there, but their signs had been renovated; some alleyways had been widened and new buildings had been erected; the clothes of the pedestrians on the street were also brighter than they had been ten years ago, although still simple, but with fewer patches, and they seemed to have more spirit.

He Daqing watched silently, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Ten years had passed; Beijing had changed, and so had he. He wondered what had become of the home he had so heartlessly abandoned. Zhu Zi… he must be a grown man by now, right? Yu Shui… did he still recognize his father?

The tricycle turned into Nanluoguxiang, and the familiar blue bricks and gray tiles came into view, making He Daqing's heart beat faster. When he arrived at the gate of No. 95 courtyard, he paid five cents for the fare—the price made his heart skip a beat, tricycles in Baoding were not this expensive—carrying his package, he stood in front of the mottled vermilion gate, somewhat hesitant to push it open.

Eight years have passed. Within this door lie half a lifetime of memories, the flesh and blood to whom he owes the deepest debt, and the past he dares not face.

He took a deep breath and was about to raise his hand to knock on the door when it creaked open from the inside.

Yan Fugui opened the door. He was carrying an empty soy sauce bottle, intending to go to the cooperative to buy soy sauce. When he looked up and saw the person standing at the door, he was first stunned, then his eyes widened, and he almost dropped the bottle in his hand.

"He...He Daqing?!" Yan Fugui's voice changed with surprise, like a rooster being choked.

Several middle-aged women washing vegetables at the tap in the courtyard looked up at the sound and were stunned. He Daqing? The He Daqing who ran away with the widow Bai? He still has the nerve to come back?

Facing Yan Fugui's gaze that seemed to see right through him, and the various gazes that quickly focused on him in the courtyard—curiosity, disdain, surprise, and amusement—He Daqing remained expressionless, simply nodding slightly: "Old Yan, it's been many years."

"You...you're back?" Yan Fugui finally found his voice, looking He Daqing up and down, his eyes immediately gleaming with calculation. This old fellow looked much older, but his spirits were still high; his clothes, though old, were clean. Judging by appearances, he wasn't doing so well in Baoding...wasn't he? What was he doing back? Was he here to reap the benefits of Zhu Zi's wedding? Or had he failed in his career and returned to rely on his son?

How could He Daqing not see through Yan Fugui's intentions? He twitched the corner of his mouth, giving a forced smile: "My son is getting married, how could I, as his father, not come to see him?" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable sense of entitlement. He stopped looking at Yan Fugui, his gaze passing over him and landing in the courtyard.

Upon seeing this, He Daqing was also stunned.

The dilapidated and cramped courtyard I remembered seemed to have changed drastically. The most striking thing was the two-story building in the very center of the courtyard—that incongruous structure! The blue bricks and gray tiles were harmonious, but the style, the spacious windows, the exquisite balcony… this was no longer the main house of a traditional courtyard house! It was clearly… a Western-style villa that only capitalists and high-ranking officials could afford!

He Daqing's heart skipped a beat. This...this was built by Zhu Zi? Where did he get so much money? How much did this cost?! That spendthrift!

A surge of mixed emotions, anger and heartache, welled up inside him. But now was not the time to dwell on that.

Seeing He Daqing staring blankly at Sha Zhu's new house, Yan Fugui's eyes darted around. He lowered his voice, a hint of schadenfreude and probing in his tone: "See that? Your Zhu's got quite the story! He spent this much!" He held up two fingers and waved them in front of He Daqing's eyes. "Two thousand yuan! And this is all he got! Tsk tsk, he really doesn't care about the cost of his father's property! Old He, your son certainly knows how to enjoy life better than you do!"

He Daqing frowned even more deeply, ignoring Yan Fugui's words. He carried the package and walked straight into the courtyard. With each step, he felt countless gazes piercing his back like needles. He heard hushed whispers:

"Is it really He Daqing? He dares to come back?"

"Look at that shabby appearance, you're not doing so well in Baoding, are you?"

"Why did he come back? It's Zhu Zi's wedding; he wants to come and enjoy the fruits of his labor?"

"That girl, Yu Shui, probably doesn't recognize him, right?"

"Does Yi Zhonghai know? Back then, He Daqing entrusted the pillar and rainwater to him..."

He Daqing ignored him, his steps heavy as he walked toward the central courtyard. His gaze was fixed on the glaring little building and the tall figure bustling about at its entrance.

Section Two: The New Building and the Old Father, Speechless, Tears Flow First as They Face Each Other

Sha Zhu and several hired workers were doing a final check on the large red lanterns and "double happiness" characters hanging at the entrance. Tomorrow was the big day, and everything had to be perfect. He was in high spirits, humming an off-key rendition of "Socialism is Good" as he deftly adjusted the lantern tassels.

Suddenly, he felt a gaze fixed on his back. That gaze... was complex, heavy, carrying a long-lost familiarity and a strange feeling that made his heart clench inexplicably.

He slowly turned around.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

The sunlight at the courtyard gate was a bit dazzling. In the backlight, a slightly hunched figure stood there, carrying an old package. The face was not clear, but the figure, the outline... The lantern tassel in Sha Zhu's hand silently slipped to the ground.

Eight years. A full eight years.

The father who had resolutely left with a woman when he was sixteen and Yu Shui was six, without ever looking back, suddenly and without warning appeared at the door of the house where he was about to get married.

There was no expected angry roar, no pent-up grievances or accusations. Sha Zhu simply stood there, like a statue suddenly frozen in time. His throat was dry and tight, and he couldn't utter a single word. The blood seemed to rush to his head, his ears were ringing, and the image of his father before him was both blurry and all too clear.

He Daqing was also looking at his son. He had grown taller and stronger, his shoulders broad, and the childishness of his youth had faded, replaced by the sharp features of a man. But his eyes were now filled with shock, bewilderment, and a hint of… a deep-seated pain that He Daqing dared not look too closely at. His son wore a brand-new white shirt, the cuffs rolled up to reveal his strong forearms, and he was bathed in the autumn sunlight, radiating a vibrant life force completely different from that of his aged father.

Father and son, separated by a mere dozen steps, by ten years of time, by countless unspeakable grievances, stared at each other in silence. The air seemed to freeze; the noisy discussions in the courtyard and the voices of the workers helping out all seemed to have faded away.

Just then, the door to the new house opened.

Yu Li and He Yushui came out. Yu Li was holding a paper-cut window decoration, and Yushui was carrying a large red "囍" (double happiness) character. They had come out to check because they found it strange that it had suddenly become quiet outside.

The first thing Yu Shui saw was that familiar yet unfamiliar figure at the doorway. She froze, the "囍" (double happiness) character in her hand falling to the ground with a thud. She blinked, then blinked again, as if in disbelief. Then, a trembling, tearful cry broke the silence:

"Dad... Dad?!"

He Daqing shuddered, his gaze struggling to leave his son and landing on his daughter. The little girl who had worn pigtails and cried for her father when he left had now blossomed into a graceful young woman. She still retained a hint of her childhood self in her features, but now possessed a youthful beauty and vitality. She wore clean blue cotton trousers and a white floral shirt, her hair styled in two jet-black braids. At that moment, her eyes widened, tears quickly welling up and rolling down her cheeks.

"Rain... rainwater..." He Daqing finally managed to squeeze out a sound from his dry throat. His voice was hoarse, aged, and trembling uncontrollably.

"Dad!" The rain could no longer be contained; like a fledgling bird returning to its nest, she cried and rushed over, burying her face in He Daqing's arms, tightly embracing his thin body, and wailing. "Dad! You're back! You're really back! I thought... I thought you didn't want us anymore... Waaah..."

His daughter's cries were like a heavy hammer blow, striking He Daqing's already hardened heart. He stiffly raised his hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally gently, with boundless guilt and belated tenderness, placed it on his daughter's trembling shoulder. His eyes instantly reddened, and turbid tears slid down the deep wrinkles on his cheeks, dripping onto his daughter's dark hair.

"Don't cry... Rain, don't cry... Dad... Dad's back..." He choked up, his words incoherent, only able to repeat these few words. Eight years of separation, eight years of longing, eight years of guilt, at this moment, turned into scalding tears, gushing out.

Standing at the doorway, Yu Li watched this scene and instantly understood the old man's identity. She was a clever and perceptive young woman; from Sha Zhu's occasional snippets of conversation and Yu Shui's complex emotions of love and resentment towards her father, she had already sketched out the image of this father-in-law she had never met. Now, watching the father and daughter, reunited after so long, embracing and weeping, and then looking at her husband standing beside her, his eyes also slightly red, yet stubbornly turning his head away, she sighed softly.

She stepped forward and smiled apologetically at the stunned coworkers beside her: "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. We can handle the rest of the work ourselves. You can go back and rest first. We'll need your help again tomorrow." Her words were polite and considerate, both dismissing the outsiders and giving the family privacy while maintaining proper etiquette.

The workers, sensing the situation, quickly agreed, packed up their tools, and left.

Yu Li then walked over to Sha Zhu, gently tugged at his sleeve, and whispered, "Zhu Zi, don't stand here, let Dad go inside first. What's wrong? We can talk inside." She then looked at Yu Shui, who was still sobbing, and He Daqing, who was silently shedding tears, and said softly, "Dad, Yu Shui, let's go inside. It's not convenient outside..."

She glanced meaningfully at the neighbors in the yard who, though pretending to be doing their own thing, were all listening intently and glancing over from time to time.

He Daqing wiped his face with his sleeve and nodded. Yu Shui stopped crying, but still clung tightly to her father's arm, afraid that if she let go, her father would disappear again.

Sha Zhu finally moved. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if trying to suppress the emotions churning in his chest. He didn't look at He Daqing or say anything, but silently turned around, pushed open the door to the new room, and then stepped aside.

With the help of the rain, He Daqing stepped over the new threshold. Yu Li gently nudged Sha Zhu, who then followed her inside and closed the door behind him.

The heavy wooden door shut out all prying eyes and whispers from outside. The courtyard fell silent instantly, leaving only a mess of unspoken thoughts, which began to fester in everyone's minds.

Section 3: The Grand House Shocks the Father's Heart; Past Events Like a Knife Reopen Old Wounds

Upon entering the room, He Daqing was once again stunned by the scene before him.

Although the house was clearly extraordinary from the outside, the sheer novelty and quality of it inside still exceeded his expectations. The gleaming tiled floors, the pristine white walls, the uniquely designed chandeliers, the stylish furniture… everything was so unfamiliar, a far cry from the “home” he remembered and imagined.

He stood awkwardly at the door like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, unsure where to put his feet—the ground was too clean, and the soles of his shoes were still covered in dust he had brought from the train station.

"Dad, change your shoes." Yu Li considerately brought a pair of brand-new cotton slippers and placed them beside He Daqing's feet. She then took the old package from Sha Zhu and gently placed it on the chair in the corner.

He Daqing changed into slippers and walked a few steps unsteadily inside. His gaze swept over the living room, kitchen, and bathroom… and with each place he looked, the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily. How much money did this cost? This spendthrift! He cursed inwardly again, but this time, besides the heartache over the money, there seemed to be a hint of bewilderment mixed in with the cursing, a bewilderment he himself didn't even realize. His son was living a life he could never have imagined.

"Dad, please sit down." Yu Li led He Daqing to sit down in a Ming-style chair in the living room, and then quickly went to pour water. Yu Shui sat down next to her father, holding his hand tightly, her eyes still red.

Sha Zhu stood not far away, leaning against the side of the multi-treasure pavilion, arms crossed, his face expressionless, but his gaze was fixed on He Daqing, which was filled with too many emotions: resentment, hatred, confusion, and a trace of barely perceptible expectation.

He Daqing took a sip of the hot water Yu Li brought him. The warm water helped to ease some of the fatigue from the journey and the turmoil in his heart. He put down the cup, his gaze finally landing on his son's face. He opened his mouth, but didn't know where to begin.

Finally, Sha Zhu spoke first, his voice dry and unreadable: "The house, for Yu Li and me to use when we get married. It's just finished."

He Daqing hummed in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the furnishings in the room. Finally, unable to contain himself, with the pickiness of a chef judging ingredients and the instinctive displeasure of a father over his son's wasteful spending, he muttered, "It's...not bad. But...how much did this cost? For everyday life, practicality is enough. Why all this fancy stuff..."

"I'm spending my own money," Sha Zhu retorted bluntly. "I didn't steal or rob, and I didn't expect anything from anyone else." His words were barbed, directly pointing to He Daqing's abandonment of him and his sister back then.

He Daqing was taken aback, his face turning somewhat pale. But looking at his son's stubborn expression and recalling his own actions back then, he realized he was ultimately in the wrong. He didn't say anything more, only grunted in response, picked up his cup, and drank some water to cover his embarrassment.

The atmosphere froze again.

Seeing this, Yu Li quickly smoothed things over, smiling as she introduced the house: "Dad, look at this kitchen. It was designed by Huanbo... oh, that's Zhuzi's best friend, Engineer Wang. It has a gas stove, so convenient. And this toilet, you can sit down... and take a hot shower, Engineer Wang also helped with that. Zhuzi is thinking that it will be cleaner and more convenient for us to live together in the future..."

Her voice was gentle and her words were clear and logical. She introduced the advantages of the house while subtly mentioning Wang Huanbo, thus easing the tension.

He Daqing's expression softened slightly as he listened, and he felt a greater liking for Li, his daughter-in-law. This girl was generous, sensible, and knew how to speak.

"Engineer Wang...is that the Wang family's kid? Huanbo?" He Daqing finally found a way to start the conversation.

"Yes, that's him," Sha Zhu chimed in, his tone softening. "He's the factory's chief engineer now, he's really capable. He came up with a lot of ideas for this house."

When Wang Huanbo was mentioned, He Daqing seemed to recall something, his gaze becoming distant, but he didn't say much.

Another silence fell. This time, something even heavier was brewing within that silence.

Yu Shui shook He Daqing's arm, her voice trembling with tears, and asked, "Dad, are you leaving again this time?" She asked the question that Sha Zhu also wanted to ask, but couldn't bring himself to say it.

Looking into his daughter's eyes, filled with both expectation and fear of disappointment, He Daqing felt a pang of sadness. He avoided her gaze, looked out the window, and remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Seeing Zhuzi get married, and you...you've grown up, Dad is relieved. I have a place to stay in Baoding...I'll go back after Zhuzi's wedding tomorrow."

The light in Yushui's eyes dimmed instantly, her lips trembled, and she felt like crying again.

Sha Zhu's heart felt a pang, then sank again. Sure enough... he still had to leave. That Baoding, that widow Bai, were ultimately more important than him, her son, and Yu Shui, her daughter.

An anger, resentment, and unwillingness that had been suppressed for eight years, mixed with the despair of learning that his father was still leaving, surged up into Sha Zhu's head. He could no longer hold back, took a step forward, his voice trembling with emotion:

"Leave? Of course you're leaving! Baoding is great, you have your lover, you have your new home! Why would you come back? Just to see this 'flashy' house? Or to attend your son's wedding and make yourself look like a father?!"

"Zhu Zi!" Yu Li hurriedly grabbed his arm.

Even Yu Shui was so frightened that she forgot to cry and nervously watched her brother and father.

He Daqing did not erupt in anger or refute as Sha Zhu had expected. He simply raised his head and looked at his son's face, flushed with emotion. Those eyes, almost identical to his own in his youth, were now filled with pain and questioning. A complex expression, a mixture of weariness, sorrow, and relief, appeared on He Daqing's face.

He slowly pulled a crumpled pack of "Da Qianmen" cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, lit it with a slightly trembling hand, and took a deep drag. In the swirling smoke, he seemed to have made some kind of decision.

"Pillar, Rain," he began, his voice unusually calm yet carrying a power that seemed to transcend time, "There are some things I've kept bottled up inside for eight years. Today, with Pillar's big day tomorrow and with you all here, it's time to make things clear."

He looked at Sha Zhu, his gaze frank: "I know you hate me. You hate me for abandoning you and your siblings and running off with a woman. You hate me for being heartless and a scoundrel. I accept all of that. Today you ask me why I came back? I just want to see you get married with my own eyes, I want... I want to tell you in person why I had to take that dead end back then."

A dead end? Sha Zhu and Yu Shui were both stunned. Yu Li also held her breath.

He Daqing took another drag of his cigarette, slowly exhaling the smoke. His gaze became distant, as if he had returned to more than ten years ago, to that era of war and chaos, when everyone lived in fear.

"There are some things you may not know, or you may have long forgotten." He Daqing's voice lowered. "Our family used to be the Wang family's cooks, Huanbo's family. Later, Master Wang took Huanfa, Huanshuang, and Huanbo to America, and this courtyard was left with only the deaf old lady and our family."

Sha Zhu nodded; he had a vague recollection of this past event.

"Later, I went to the Lou family, the Lou Bancheng family, and learned the craft from Lou Tanshi, the successor of the Tan family cuisine. That was real skill, and I can be considered to have learned some of the true skills." A trace of craftsman's pride flashed across He Daqing's face, but it was quickly covered by gloom. "But it was around that time that the Japanese occupied Beiping."

His voice became hoarse: "Because my cooking skills are decent... I was targeted by traitors and Japanese officers, who forced me to cook for their superiors. I didn't want to go, but if I didn't go, I would die, and I might even implicate you. I... I went."

Those few words, though brief, exploded like thunder in Sha Zhu and Yu Shui's ears. Cooking for the Japanese? Their father? The cook they remembered, strict but still somewhat upright?

"Later, the War of Resistance was won, and the Skinheads returned. I thought that this whole thing was finally over, so I left the Lou family and went to Fengzeyuan Restaurant to work as a head chef, hoping to make a stable life with my skills." He Daqing gave a bitter smile. "But who knew that fate would never let you have peace? That traitor who forced me to cook for the Japanese back then has transformed into a minor official in the Skinheads! He recognized me!"

He Daqing's fingers curled unconsciously, cigarette ash falling softly: "I was so scared I couldn't sleep for several nights. He had something on me, he knew I'd done things for the Japanese. If that got out, in those days, I'd be a suspected traitor, not only would I lose my job, I could be arrested and shot!"

Looking at his shocked children, he continued, "By then, your mother would be long gone, leaving only the three of us. If I fell and got arrested, how old would you be? Yushui would be even smaller! What would you do? You'd be labeled 'family members of traitors,' your lives would be ruined!"

Sha Zhu's heart sank suddenly; he vaguely understood something.

"It just so happened that... at that time, Widow Bai became attached to me." He Daqing mentioned the name without much expression on his face, as if he were talking about a stranger. "She forced me to go to Baoding with her. I... I just went along with it and agreed. To outsiders, to everyone in the courtyard, including Yi Zhonghai, I told them that I was bewitched by Widow Bai, abandoned my family and career, and ran off with a woman. I went to extremes, ruined my reputation, and made everyone curse me, He Daqing, as a heartless scoundrel, a Chen Shimei."

He paused, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly: "I was thinking, this way, if one day that traitor really reports me, arrests me, or even executes me, you two siblings can sever all ties with me because of my 'morally corrupt' and 'child-abandoning' father. You can say that you've long hated me and have nothing to do with me anymore! Your backgrounds are those of the working class (He Daqing arranged for Sha Zhu to succeed him before he left), you're innocent! You won't be implicated by me!"

"Dad..." Yu Shui was already sobbing uncontrollably. She finally understood the heavy secret and sacrifice hidden behind her father's resolute departure back then.

Sha Zhu was struck dumb, frozen in place. He remembered how unusually silent his father had been before he left. One night, when he got up to use the bathroom, he saw his father sitting in the yard smoking, his back hunched. He remembered his father giving up his job to him, and on the day he left, patting his head and kissing the sleeping Yushui, his eyes filled with a complex emotion he couldn't understand at the time… He realized that it wasn't cruelty, but a desperate entrustment, a painful sacrifice!

"Before I left, I secretly went to see Yi Zhonghai." He Daqing's voice regained its calmness, but sounded even more desolate. "I begged him to look after you siblings, out of consideration for our many years as neighbors. I left him the two million yuan (from the first set of RMB) I had saved, asking him to give you money monthly or whenever he had the chance. I also told him that once I settled down in Baoding, I would write to him and send money back, asking him to pass it on to you. I thought... I thought Yi Zhonghai was a respected old neighbor in the courtyard, a well-known good man, and that I could trust him with you and the money. I thought I could rest assured."

For the first time, He Daqing's face revealed deep pain and regret: "But I never imagined I trusted the wrong person! I never imagined that Yi Zhonghai was a beast in human skin!"

Section 4: The veil of hypocrisy is finally torn off; raising children to provide for old age ultimately proves futile.

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and his eyes reddened. Yu Li held his hand tightly, offering him silent support.

Sobbing, Yu Shui asked, "Dad, what happened to Uncle Yi Zhonghai? He... he hurt us..."

"He withheld my letters and stole my money!" He Daqing's voice suddenly rose, filled with anger and sorrow. "Zhuzi, Yushui, how difficult were those first two years in Baoding? I was a complete stranger in a strange land, and I had to support Bai Widow's large family. I worked from dawn till dusk, starting with the hardest jobs at the restaurant! But I saved every penny, and every month, as soon as I got paid, the first thing I did was go to the post office and send you money! I wrote letters, asking how you were doing, asking if Zhuzi's work was going well, asking how Yushui's school was going... but I didn't receive a single reply! I thought you hated me, wouldn't forgive me, wouldn't reply to my letters... I felt terrible, but I understand, I'm the one who wronged you..."

He gulped down a large mouthful of water to calm his agitated emotions: "It wasn't until later, when I gradually gained a foothold in Baoding, that I secretly inquired and learned what kind of lives you two siblings had endured all those years! Zhu Zi had to drop out of school early to become an apprentice and suffer scorn from others in order to support the family! Yu Shui wore patched clothes and was emaciated from hunger! And Yi Zhonghai? He took my money and pretended to be a moral saint in the courtyard! He ignored you completely, and even... even instigated you to hate me! Making you think that I, your father, had long forgotten about you and was living a carefree life in Baoding!"

"That old bastard!" Sha Zhu couldn't hold back any longer, slamming his fist on the table beside him with a loud "bang," making the teacups jump. Eight years of pent-up resentment and confusion finally found a concrete target. It turned out that the suffering they and their siblings had endured, the twisted hatred they harbored for their father, were all orchestrated by the shadowy hand of Yi Zhonghai!

"And then? Dad, what happened next?" Yu Shui asked, crying.

He Daqing sighed: "Later, I received a letter secretly brought by an old buddy, saying that the traitor from back then was actually a hidden enemy agent who was exposed after liberation and executed long ago. The 'thunder' on my shoulders was finally cleared. I... I wanted to come back then, I wanted to come back to see you all, give you all the money I've saved over the years, and tell you the truth... But I was also afraid, afraid that you wouldn't acknowledge me, afraid that my appearance would disrupt your newly peaceful life. And... I did have some entanglements in Baoding, with Widow Bai..."

He shook his head and didn't continue. But the meaning was clear: he had rebuilt his family in Baoding, had new responsibilities and ties, and wouldn't be coming back.

"Then, Zhu Zi wrote to me, saying that you were dating someone and getting married." He Daqing looked at Sha Zhu with complicated eyes. "I sent money, not expecting you to forgive me, just as... just as my last little token of affection as your father. I didn't expect you to write again, telling me the date... so I... so I came."

The room was silent except for the muffled sobbing of the rain.

After a long silence, Sha Zhu spoke in a hoarse voice, continuing the conversation: "Dad, that old bastard Yi Zhonghai got his comeuppance."

He began to recount Yi Zhonghai's later experiences, from Jia Dongxu's work-related injury that left him disabled, to Jia Zhangshi's falling out with him, to Yi Zhonghai's obsession with having a child leading him to give an older woman medication that rendered her infertile, to being reported by Xu Damao, the intervention of the neighborhood women's federation, and the forced examination that ultimately exposed the truth that he suffered from azoospermia and was completely infertile...

Sha Zhu recounted the story in detail, his tone tinged with a cold satisfaction. He described how Yi Zhonghai's mask of "moral sainthood" was completely torn off, leaving him infamous and despised in the courtyard; how Yi Zhonghai was abandoned by everyone and faced a desolate old age; and how, by a twist of fate, he finally found a home by adopting the children of his long-lost younger brother, Yi Zhonghe, who had died on the Korean battlefield.

"He did come looking for me later," Sha Zhu sneered. "He knelt down before me with a thud, tears streaming down his face, and returned all the letters he'd withheld back then, along with all the money, principal and interest. He even gave me an extra three hundred, and then another three hundred at my wedding, saying it was a wedding gift. Humph, where were you all this time?"

He Daqing listened quietly, his expression shifting from anger to shock, and then to a desolate irony. He finished his cigarette and stubbed it out hard in the ashtray on the table (it was prepared by Yu Li; although He Daqing didn't come often, she still thoughtfully prepared it).

"Yi Zhonghai... Yi Zhonghai..." He Daqing repeated the name, his voice filled with endless coldness and contempt. "That old man without a son! I was truly blind to have entrusted you to such a despicable wretch! For his ridiculous schemes to secure your old age, he almost ruined my two children!"

He looked at Sha Zhu with concern and relief in his eyes: "But Zhu Zi, I'm relieved that you saw through his true colors and weren't fooled by him anymore. Heaven has eyes, and he got his comeuppance. He couldn't have his own child and had to raise someone else's. He deserved it! As for the money and the letter, since he returned them and apologized to you, for the sake of Aiguo and Aijia, and for the sake of your big day tomorrow, I'll let bygones be bygones for now."

He Daqing waved his hand, looking dejected. The knot in his heart that had been there for eight years was finally untied today, and although it was heavy, he also felt much lighter. Knowing that his children had not been completely corrupted by Yi Zhonghai, and knowing that the hypocrite had ultimately reaped what he sowed, he finally felt most of the anger that had been building up inside him.

"Dad," Yu Shui wiped away her tears, looked up, and asked the question she cared about most again, "After my brother gets married, are you... are you really going back to Baoding? Can't... can't you stay? We... we're doing better now. My brother is the cafeteria manager, my sister-in-law is working, and I... I'm in high school now... We'll support you..."

Looking into his daughter's expectant eyes, He Daqing felt a deep pang in his heart. How could he not want to stay? Look at his son's impressive house, his capable daughter-in-law, and his daughter's success. This was his home.

But... before his eyes flashed the face of the widow, no longer young, who had accompanied him through eight difficult years in Baoding; before his eyes flashed the small, simple home he had built for eight years in Baoding. There, too, lay the ordinary yet authentic life he had rebuilt after shedding the "burden of history."

He reached out, his rough palm stroking Yushui's hair, just like when she was little. His voice was a little hoarse: "Yushui, Dad knows you're doing well now, and Dad's happy. But... Dad has... has some ties back in Baoding. Dad's getting old, and can't keep up with all the commotion. Seeing Zhuzi settle down and start a family, seeing you grow up, the biggest weight on Dad's heart has been lifted. Tomorrow, after watching Zhuzi bring his wife home, Dad... can go back to Baoding in peace. You two live your lives well, don't worry about me."

Before Yu Shui could say anything more, Yu Li gently pulled her back. Yu Li shook her head, her eyes filled with understanding and comfort. Some things cannot be forced. A father has his own difficulties and choices.

Sha Zhu listened silently. Upon learning the truth, the resentment he had harbored for eight years towards his father began to melt away rapidly, like snow under the sun, replaced by a complex and indescribable emotion—a sense of relief, heartache, guilt (for having hated him so much), and a profound helplessness. He couldn't blame his father for his choice. His father had protected them in that extreme way, even though it had caused them immense suffering.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end it only turned into a long sigh. He walked to He Daqing, picked up the thermos on the table, and refilled his father's empty cup.

This simple action startled He Daqing, who looked up at his son in disbelief.

Sha Zhu didn't look him in the eye, but simply pushed the cup towards him and said softly, "Tomorrow... I'm getting married. You... should get some rest. The west room is all tidied up for you."

He didn't call me "Dad," but the previous coldness and hostility were gone too. That "you" and that cup of hot water acted as a bridge, painstakingly bridging ten years of estrangement and misunderstanding.

He Daqing's eyes reddened again. He lowered his head, cupped the hot water in his hands, and felt the warmth spread to his heart.

Outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the brand-new glass windows, spilling into this modern yet old-fashioned room, gilding everyone with a soft golden hue.

Tomorrow will mark the beginning of a new life for Sha Zhu and Yu Li.

For He Daqing, this return was the settlement of old debts, but also the beginning of new regrets. But he knew that some wounds needed time to heal; and some family ties, after being frozen for ten years, were at least beginning to thaw.

Night fell silently. In courtyard number 95, speculation and gossip about He Daqing's sudden return continued to simmer in every corner. Meanwhile, in the newlywed house in the central courtyard, warm lights shone, a long-buried past was being unveiled, a twisted relationship was being corrected, and everyone's heart was filled with different thoughts and anxieties about the future. New stories and old entanglements would all weave a new chapter at tomorrow's highly anticipated wedding.