Courtyard House: Become Stronger Through Blind Dates

Jia Dongxu was both anxious and ashamed when his mother yelled at him.

He forcefully shook off Jia Zhangshi's hand, his neck stiff, and shouted, "Mother, didn't you promise me that if I took a liking to something, you would definitely make it a grand affair for me?"

"When my dad passed away, didn't the factory give him a compensation payment? What happened to that money? It's not unreasonable to use some of it to buy a sewing machine!"

"Besides, we're not buying a sewing machine for anyone else. It'll be convenient for us to make clothes and do mending at home, won't it? And when we're not busy, we can even take on some freelance work!"

He thought he had made a good plan, but little did he know that his words had hit Jia Zhangshi right where it hurt.

That pension was her lifeline, the last penny she had saved for her retirement; how could she possibly use it?

"Bullshit!" Madam Jia completely exploded, her pent-up anger erupting instantly. She raised her hand and slapped Jia Dongxu across the face with a crisp sound.

This slap stunned Jia Dongxu and silenced everyone in the room.

The matchmaker's smile froze, and she opened her mouth, unsure of what to say.

Qin Huairu trembled with fright, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

The relationship hasn't even started yet, and she's already publicly beating her own son. What will she be like after she marries into the family...?

Jia Dongxu covered his burning cheeks, feeling both wronged and angry, especially after losing face so badly in front of the girl he liked.

He stiffened his neck, his eyes red-rimmed: "Mother, how...how could you hit me!"

"So what if I hit you? I'm hitting you to wake you up, you good-for-nothing!" Madam Jia pointed at Jia Dongxu's nose and scolded, "That compensation money was earned by your father with his life, it's meant to be our family's savings, mother and son. If you want to buy a sewing machine, you'd better find a way yourself~"

Seeing that the blind date was about to end in farce, He Yuzhu couldn't sit still any longer.

The mission is not even halfway over yet. If it ends now, his master-level Bajiquan and body-strengthening pills will be wasted.

His eyes darted around, and he loudly interrupted the standoff between the Jia mother and son: "Hey, Aunt Jia, Brother Dongxu, what are you arguing about? You haven't even explained yourselves clearly!"

His shout successfully drew everyone's attention.

Jia Dongxu glared at him fiercely, and Jia Zhangshi also looked over with displeasure.

He Yuzhu remained calm and smiled, saying, "Aunt Jia, you've misunderstood Brother Dongxu! Brother Dongxu just said that his master, Yi Zhonghai, will arrange things for him!"

"Think about it, who is Yi Zhonghai? He's Dongxu's own master. There's an old saying, 'A teacher for a day is a father for life.' Master Yi has no children of his own, and he treats Dongxu like his own son. Who among us doesn't know that?!"

"When an apprentice gets married, isn't it only natural for the master to provide a big gift, like a sewing machine? That's definitely what Brother Dongxu meant, right, Brother Dongxu?"

As He Yuzhu spoke, he winked at Jia Dongxu.

Reminded by He Yuzhu's suggestion, Jia Dongxu was overjoyed and immediately seized the opportunity: "Yes, yes, that's exactly what I meant! I meant my master... he'll definitely help me, he's the best to me!"

Upon hearing that she wouldn't have to pay out of her own pocket, Jia Zhangshi's mind immediately began to work.

That old man Yi Zhonghai, who has no descendants, has always wanted his son to support him in his old age, so it's only right that he bleeds some money out of him!

Thinking about it this way, her anger subsided considerably. Looking at the clear five-finger mark on her son's face, she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache and regret.

Her expression instantly brightened, and she reached out to gently rub Jia Dongxu's cheek, which had been reddened by her slap.

Her tone softened, tinged with a hint of reproach, "Sigh, look at you, child, you can't even speak clearly! Does it hurt? Your mother is just worried... You made it clear that you wanted Yi Zhonghai to arrange things for you, how could your mother stop you?"

The speed at which she changed her expression left both Wang the matchmaker and Qin Huairu completely stunned.

With his mother's tacit approval, Jia Dongxu felt much more confident.

Ignoring the pain on his face, he quickly assured Qin Huairu, "Comrade Qin Huairu, you...you don't need to worry, I'm telling the truth! As long as you agree to marry me, I'll definitely get the sewing machine!"

The pressure instantly fell on Qin Huairu, and everyone's eyes were focused on her.

How could an unmarried girl like her have the nerve to express her opinion in person when faced with such a promise that directly relates to marriage conditions?

Saying yes would make her seem too materialistic;

Saying no might mean missing an opportunity and offending people.

Two blushes rose on her fair cheeks, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, her head lowered, and her eyes pleadingly looking at Matchmaker Wang.

Wang, the matchmaker, was a seasoned veteran. She immediately understood and knew it was time for her to step in and smooth things over, changing the subject.

She exclaimed "Oh dear!" and said with a beaming smile to the Jia family mother and son, "Look, look, you've made our girl blush! Dongxu, it's good that you have this intention; it shows that you value Huairu."

"However, marriage is a big deal, and we need to plan it out carefully and discuss it slowly."

She skillfully steered the conversation away from there, beginning to praise Qin Huairu: "Sister-in-law Jia, Dongxu, I'm not exaggerating, Huairu is known throughout our area for being capable and virtuous!"

"Her two older brothers are both married. She is the youngest, and her parents have doted on her like the apple of their eye since she was little, but she has never developed a spoiled personality."

"She's a whiz both inside and outside the home; she excels at cooking, laundry, and cleaning!"

"Her parents just felt sorry for her and didn't want her to suffer in the fields in the countryside anymore, so they wanted her to marry into the city and live a peaceful life."

As Jia Zhangshi listened, she thought to herself: capable, virtuous, good-looking, and from the countryside—easy to manipulate…

Apart from household registration, there are really no other conditions to choose from.

Jia Dongxu was completely captivated by Qin Huairu's shy, helpless, and pitiful appearance. He felt an irresistible urge to settle the marriage immediately.

After calming the storm, He Yuzhu decisively chose to keep quiet and conceal his merits and fame.

He sat calmly on a stool in the corner, seemingly listening to everyone talk, but actually silently focusing on the countdown to the task in his mind.

However, he also noticed that Qin Huairu would occasionally glance in his direction out of the corner of her eye.

After a moment's thought, He Yuzhu understood the key to it.

At this point in the original drama, He Yuzhu was preoccupied with the struggle to survive and naturally had no interest in participating in the Jia family's matchmaking.

Although he's not good-looking now, he's certainly in good shape.

In contrast, although Jia Dongxu has a city household registration and a formal job, he has little money, lives in a cramped house, and has such a shrewd and capable mother-in-law weighing on him.

Qin Huairu is a smart and realistic girl, so it's perfectly normal for her to secretly compare the two of them.

"Looks like I might actually be a stumbling block on Jia Dongxu's blind date journey?" He Yuzhu thought to himself with a bit of amusement.

He didn't have any particular feelings for Qin Huairu herself, but he was happy to see her cause some trouble for the Jia family and make it harder for Jia Dongxu to win her heart.

Just then, as if to ease the awkwardness, Jia Zhangshi steered the conversation back to Yi Zhonghai.

They began to boast about how highly regarded Yi Zhonghai was in the steel rolling mill, how influential he was in the institute, and how he treated Jia Dongxu like his own son.

While Jia Zhangshi was talking animatedly, Qin Huairu quickly glanced at He Yuzhu again.

This time, her gaze lingered on He Yuzhu for a little longer, which He Yuzhu happened to notice.

He Yuzhu's heart stirred, and a mischievous idea suddenly came to mind.

He met Qin Huairu's gaze and a smile appeared on his lips.

Qin Huairu, like a startled deer, immediately looked away in a panic, her ears turning bright red, her heart pounding.

What does He Yuzhu mean? Why is he smiling like that? Did he see something?