Courtyard House: Become Stronger Through Blind Dates

"Stop!" He Yuzhu interrupted her directly. "Grandma, I respect your age and call you Grandma, but there are some things that need to be made clear."

"First of all, my surname is He, and I have absolutely no connection with Yi Zhonghai. If we were to follow the seniority system of the He family, he would probably have to call me ancestor."

"Secondly, 'have a reputation'? His reputation is one thing, but mine, He Yuzhu's, isn't? He used to call me 'Silly Zhu,' and I didn't care. Now I'm not happy about it. If anyone calls me that again, I'll beat them up, even if it's the King of Heaven himself!"

"Third~"

Seeing the deaf old woman's face turn pale instantly, He Yuzhu said disdainfully, "I know you have a good relationship with Yi Zhonghai and want to speak up for him. But I advise you not to get involved. Wouldn't it be better to just enjoy your retirement in peace? Getting involved in too many troubled waters can easily lead to getting your shoes wet and your back hurt."

The deaf old woman was speechless for a long time after He Yuzhu's combination of words, and she could no longer maintain the kind expression on her face.

Her usual tactics of using seniority as leverage and trying to smooth things over completely failed on He Yuzhu at this moment. She cursed herself for being too hasty; Sha Zhu was in a bad mood and didn't like anyone.

He Yuzhu watched the deaf old woman's constantly changing expressions, a cold smile playing on his lips. He asked, "Grandma, is there anything else? If not, please leave!"

The deaf old woman pushed the handkerchief bundle in her hand forward, forcing a smile, and said, "No...it's nothing, Grandma just came to see you...this is some peanuts someone gave me, please take them..."

"No need, you can keep it yourself!" He Yuzhu refused directly. "I, He Yuzhu, have my own hands and feet. In the future, please take good care of yourself. Don't worry about my affairs."

After saying that, he didn't give the deaf old woman a chance to speak again, took a step back, and slammed the door shut.

Outside the door, the deaf old woman stood there for a long time before slamming her cane heavily on the ground and muttering, "You ungrateful little brat!"

Inside the door, He Yuzhu listened to the receding footsteps outside and a smile appeared on his lips.

"That old woman is quite cunning. She's always scheming against others when she has nothing better to do. I guess I need to find her something to keep her occupied."

---------

In the hospital, Yi Zhonghai lay on the hospital bed, his face pale.

The doctor held the medical record book, his brow slightly furrowed, and looked at each of the test reports one by one.

Yi Zhonghai's wife stood to the side, her face full of worry.

"Doctor, my man...is he alright? That area...could it be...?"

The doctor looked at Yi Zhonghai and said calmly, "Based on the examination results, there is some contusion of the external soft tissue and subcutaneous bruising, but no organic damage was found in the bones and key areas."

"However, the pain and discomfort may last for a few days. I'll prescribe some medicine to improve blood circulation, relieve pain, and reduce inflammation. Take it as prescribed, get plenty of rest, try not to move around, and observe for a few days."

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai breathed a long sigh of relief, his anxiety greatly eased: "That's good, that's good, thank you doctor, thank you doctor!"

The doctor picked up the prescription and, while writing, said to the older woman accompanying him, "Family members, go downstairs to pay the bill, and then go to the pharmacy to pick up the medicine."

When Yi Zhonghai's wife heard that it wasn't a big deal, she breathed a sigh of relief and quickly replied, "Okay, okay, I'll go right away!" With that, she took the form and hurriedly left the ward.

Only the doctor and Yi Zhonghai remained in the ward.

The doctor walked to the bedside, his gaze falling on Yi Zhonghai's face, and said, "Comrade Yi Zhonghai, there's a question I might need to ask, if I may be so bold."

Yi Zhonghai's heart, which had just settled, jumped again: "Doctor, please...please ask me something."

The doctor thought for a moment and asked, "You and your spouse...have been married for many years, right? And...have you never had children?"

Yi Zhonghai's heart skipped a beat, his expression changed slightly, and he nodded with a mix of embarrassment and gloom: "Um...yes, it's been quite a few years."

This was common knowledge in the courtyard, and it was also his deepest hidden pain.

But he didn't understand why the doctor suddenly asked that question.

The doctor looked at him and said slowly, "When I was examining you just now, I took a sample and did a simple microscopic examination. I found that you are almost azoospermia."

"What?" Yi Zhonghai was struck dumb. He jerked his body up from the hospital bed, which aggravated his injury and made him wince in pain, but he couldn't care less about the pain at the moment.

His eyes widened as he stared at the doctor in disbelief. "Doctor, what...what do you mean? Giving birth...isn't giving birth a woman's business? What does it have to do with me?"

He had lived for over forty years, and in his deeply ingrained belief, if a woman couldn't have children, it was absolutely because her womb was failing her!

His wife hadn't gotten pregnant for so many years, and he always thought it was her problem. He had harbored resentment in his heart, but he never said it out loud because of his pride and the image he had cultivated.

Seeing his reaction, the doctor shook his head and explained, "Who told you that childbirth is only a woman's responsibility? A woman can't give birth by herself!"

"The conception of life requires both men and women to provide healthy sperm. Your sperm motility is almost zero, which is medically known as 'azoospermia'."

"This means that the chances of you getting your partner pregnant are almost zero. It's safe to say that the problem of you not having children lies with you."

"It's my fault...it's my fault..." Yi Zhonghai muttered to himself, his face turning from pale to ashen in an instant. He seemed to have lost his spine, collapsing onto the hospital bed with a blank stare at the ceiling.

He always thought it was his wife's fault for being infertile, but it turned out that it was him, Yi Zhonghai, who couldn't have children!

The overwhelming shock and shame overwhelmed him, leaving him unable to think for a moment.

No, this absolutely cannot be known to anyone!

Especially his wife, if she knew that he had ruined her life, could this family still stay together?

How will he be able to hold his head up in the courtyard then? The image he has painstakingly cultivated will collapse in an instant.

"Doctor, doctor!"

Yi Zhonghai snapped out of his daze, grabbed the doctor's white coat sleeve, and pleaded, "You...you absolutely must keep this a secret for me. My wife can't know, and you can't tell anyone. I beg you!"

The doctor seemed used to this kind of reaction, calmly pulling back his sleeve and nodding, saying, "I understand. Don't worry, we have professional ethics. We will keep patients' privacy confidential. Didn't we wait until your spouse left before telling you?"

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai felt a great weight lifted from his heart and asked, "Doctor, is there any cure for my illness? I'm willing to pay any price!"

The doctor shook his head helplessly and said, "If it had been discovered when you were young, perhaps some treatments could have been tried, but now it's too late."

"I suggest you stop trying to do anything and focus on resting and recovering from your injury."

With all hope shattered, Yi Zhonghai's eyes dimmed, and he seemed to have aged several years.

"Then... then how did this illness of mine come about?" he pressed on, unwilling to give up, trying to find a reason to blame.

The doctor thought for a moment and listed several possibilities: "The causes are quite complex. It could be congenital, or it could be caused by certain diseases or infections acquired later in life. There could also be long-term exposure to certain harmful substances, or unhealthy lifestyle habits, etc., all of which could be contributing factors."

"As for you personally, due to the passage of time, it's difficult to trace the source accurately..."

Just as the doctor was explaining, the ward door was pushed open, and Yi Zhonghai's wife walked in with the payment slip and medicine.

"Old Yi, the medicine is back." Seeing Yi Zhonghai's extremely pale face, she asked worriedly, "Doctor, is he alright? Why does he look so bad?"

The doctor immediately resumed his businesslike demeanor, took the medicine, and explained the usage and dosage: "It's nothing, just a little weak. Go back and take the medicine on time, and get plenty of rest."

Yi Zhonghai forced a smile and reassured his wife, "I'm fine, just a little tired. Let's... let's go home."