Courtyard House: Home Alone

"There are too many flies and rats in Beiping City, daring to run rampant in broad daylight. Go back and tell your bureau chief to give it a thorough cleaning, including the area around the train station."

If he can't do it, then replace him with someone capable. Don't just occupy the position without doing anything. This Beiping city isn't for those damned Yiguandao sects and Buddhist monks to run wild."

The patrol captain quickly responded and led the scrambling Wang Kaixi and his companions out.

Seeing this commotion, the other customers in the restaurant realized that Lin Yifan was no ordinary person, and they all quieted down. The owner hurriedly ran over with a smile, saying that it was all his fault for not taking good care of them and that they had been frightened. He offered to pay for the meal as an apology.

Lin Yifan didn't make things difficult for the shop owner. He let the owner pay the bill, took out some money and put it on the table, and smiled to appease Xia Yan and the other two who were still angry: "It's okay, don't let this dirty stuff spoil our mood. Keep eating, we still have to go shopping later."

The three girls recovered and, seeing that the villain had been taken away, slowly breathed a sigh of relief. Xia Yan spat and sat down next to Lin Yifan, saying that her appetite had been ruined by that fat man.

Wenxiu took out a handkerchief to wipe the dust off Xinyi's cuffs, and also advised her that since the person had already been arrested, they shouldn't hold a grudge against him. Since they had come out for a rare trip, they should have some fun.

Lin Yifan nodded and put a piece of cooked mutton on each of their plates. The atmosphere quickly relaxed again. After they finished eating, they paid and strolled leisurely out onto the street.

Passing by a pastry shop on the street corner, Lin Yifan bought custard pastries, which all three girls loved. He wrapped them up and gave them to carry. They walked and stopped along the way until the sun was setting before heading back home, completely satisfied.

Back in the courtyard, the three of them excitedly talked about the fabrics they had chosen that day, looking forward to their new clothes being finished in three days. Soft laughter filled the whole courtyard.

The next morning, there was a knock on the gate. Wenxiu hurriedly went out to open the gate and found that it was the patrol captain from yesterday who had come to report early in the morning.

Upon meeting Lin Yifan, he said that the interrogation had already taken place. This Wang Kaixi was originally a member of the Yiguandao sect, and he had done many bad things in the city by using the name of Yiguandao to bully men and women.

This time, they also raided his brother-in-law's Cuixianglou, and found a lot of hidden opium. Now that they've caught him red-handed, they can be sent directly to the military court.

After listening, Lin Yifan said "Oh" and nodded, only saying that he had done a good job. He said that in the future, if there are any bullies in the city who rely on their power to bully others, they should be arrested and killed as appropriate. They should not be given any leeway. The stability of Beiping cannot be disturbed by these parasites.

The patrol captain quickly agreed and then respectfully took his leave before departing.

Hearing this, Xia Yan's gloomy expression dissipated, and he relaxed his grip, smiling as he said, "That's good, at least we've gotten rid of a menace."

Lin Yifan patted her head and said with a smile, "It's okay. With me here, no one can bully you. We're going to the suburbs today. I need to test your marksmanship and self-defense skills to see if Grandma Long has taught you diligently and if you've studied hard."

Upon hearing that their skills would be tested, the three girls immediately perked up. Xia Yan was the first to jump up, patting his chest and saying, "Don't worry, young master, I've memorized everything Grandma Long taught me. I'll definitely satisfy you in time!"

Wenxiu and Xinyi smiled and nodded, then went back to their rooms to change into more comfortable short-sleeved clothes, took the pistols they had hidden in their rooms, and followed Lin Yifan out the door, heading towards the grove outside the city.

Upon arrival, Lin Yifan first set up the target paper and had the three girls fire in turn. He then watched them demonstrate several close-quarters self-defense techniques. Seeing their nimble movements and accurate marksmanship, he nodded in satisfaction and praised Grandma Long for her dedicated teaching, noting that the three girls had learned well.

After hearing the praise, Xia Yan smiled so hard her eyes crinkled. She grabbed Lin Yifan and insisted on having another arm wrestling match. But Lin Yifan gently pushed her down in less than two seconds. Xia Yan rubbed her wrists, still not satisfied, and wanted to have another match, which made Lin Yifan and the other two girls laugh out loud.

After playing around for a while, as the sun gradually approached its zenith, Lin Yifan led the three girls to a shady spot to rest. He took out the water and snacks he had brought with him and shared them with everyone. He also told them a few practical tips for dealing with dangerous situations in actual combat. The three girls listened attentively and remembered them.

The temperature has risen considerably this season, and seeing that the three girls' faces were covered in sweat, Lin Yifan led them home together.

Before I even reached the door, I saw a child wandering around outside the door. Who else could it be but He Yuzhu!

From afar, He Yuzhu spotted Lin Yifan and the others walking home and quickly went to greet them. "Brother Xiaofan, you've been gone for so long! You didn't even tell me you were coming back. I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Zhu Zi, I've been away for over a month. There's a lot of stuff going on at home, so I need to take care of it when I get back. By the way, how's your Bajiquan training going?" Lin Yifan smiled and ruffled He Yuzhu's hair.

He Yuzhu patted his chest and said, "I've practiced every single day without fail. I may not be good at anything else, but I'm willing to put in a lot of hard work when it comes to kung fu!"

Lin Yifan nodded upon hearing this, saying that since he had some free time, he would have He Yuzhu demonstrate his boxing skills for him.

He Yuzhu immediately got into position and seriously performed the entire Bajiquan routine. His punches and kicks were powerful and his stance was solid, which made Lin Yifan nod repeatedly and praise him for his significant progress.

He Yuzhu scratched his head and smiled, then followed the others into the courtyard. Xinyi brewed some tea and brought it over. Only then did He Yuzhu sit down and begin chatting about the everyday matters in the courtyard.

Finally, she happily told Lin Yifan that his mother was pregnant again.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yifan's heart skipped a beat. She was pregnant? This meant Yushui was coming! Aunt Han had also passed away two days after giving birth to Yushui because of her poor health. With him in this life, he could see if he could prevent this tragedy from happening.

Even if He Daqing and Han Fengzhi weren't bad people, any ordinary neighbor should have lent a helping hand. Of course, those who treat others like fools are another matter.

"Zhu Zi, when your dad comes back from the restaurant, have him come to my place. I need to talk to him."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu immediately stood up and agreed.

Lin Yifan smiled and told him some things to Aunt Han, such as resting more, not doing heavy work, and paying attention to her diet. He asked He Yuzhu to go back and tell her, and he would talk to He Daqing in detail when he came over in the evening.

He Yuzhu remembered what was said and excitedly said goodbye and went back. Xia Yan watched from the side and said with a smile that Lin Yifan was too soft-hearted, even caring so much about such a small matter concerning his neighbor.

Lin Yifan just smiled and said that his family had always taken good care of him, especially Aunt Han. Given the current customs and medical conditions for childbirth, childbirth is a major hurdle for women. They would help if they could, because it involves multiple lives, so how could they not care?

Before they knew it, it was nine o'clock in the evening. There was a knock on the door of the courtyard. Lin Yifan was playing around with Xia Yan and the others when he heard the knocking. He used his spiritual power to "look" and saw He Daqing supporting Han Fengzhi standing at the door. He quickly called Wenxiu to open the door.

Wenxiu opened the door and welcomed the couple into the courtyard. When they arrived at the main room, Lin Yifan stood up and offered them seats. Xinyi brought over two cups of hot tea and placed them in front of the two of them.