Courtyard House: Become Stronger Through Blind Dates

Just as he was preparing to start a fire and cook a meal to reward his stomach after a long day, Jia Dongxu's roar, choked with sobs, came from the courtyard.

"It's over! Why did it just collapse?!"

Then came Jia Zhangshi's sharp and shrill retort: ​​"What are you yelling about? So what if it's over? You're just a country bumpkin, thinking you're some kind of fairy. I'll ask someone to find you someone better tomorrow!"

"Better? There's no better. I want Qin Huairu. It's because you wouldn't buy me a sewing machine that things fell through!" Jia Dongxu said unwillingly.

"Why would we buy a sewing machine? Where would we get the money? Let me tell you, don't even think about it!" Jia Zhangshi's voice rose even higher.

"I don't care, it's all your fault! If you hadn't picked at that little bit of flesh yesterday, Sha Zhu wouldn't have said anything, and things wouldn't have turned out like this. It's all your fault!"

"Snapped!"

It sounded like something breaking.

"Well, you dare to throw things at your mother? Old Jia, come and see! Your son is going to rebel over a woman!" Madam Jia Zhang then began her mourning.

He Yuzhu stood at his own door, listening with great interest to the commotion next door.

"Tsk, you can't even handle this?" He Yuzhu curled his lip, showing no sympathy whatsoever.

Looks like I really messed up Jia Dongxu's marriage proposal. Not bad, not bad, tonight is worth celebrating!!

He hummed a little tune, turned around and went back into the house, where he quickly began washing rice, cutting meat, and preparing vegetables.

Before long, a rich aroma of food wafted out of the He family's house.

Smelling the enticing aroma of meat, and thinking about his failed marriage, Jia Dongxu felt utterly hopeless. He lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) and cried even harder.

Meanwhile, at Yi Zhonghai's house, listening to the commotion across the hall, Yi Zhonghai's face remained expressionless as he silently pondered his next move.

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He Yuzhu happily finished his homemade pork stew with vermicelli, then devoured two large bowls of white rice, and was now comfortably leaning back in his chair to digest.

He was planning where to find a wooden dummy tomorrow, and also to go to the pharmacy to buy some medicinal herbs.

Just then, a knocking sound rang out on the door.

He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow. Who could it be so late at night?

He got up and walked to the door, but didn't open it immediately. He asked through the door, "Who is it?"

A somewhat familiar middle-aged male voice came from outside the door, sounding a little hesitant: "Zhu Zi, it's me, Xu Dahai."

Xu Dahai? He Yuzhu quickly searched his memory and remembered.

He lived in the next alley and was a driver for the steel mill's transport team. He used to have a good relationship with He Daqing and had come to our house for drinks a few times. He was a very generous person, unlike those scheming beasts in the yard.

He then unlatched the door and opened the door.

Standing outside the door was indeed Xu Dahai, who said with a slightly embarrassed smile, "Zhu Zi, did I disturb your rest?"

"Uncle Xu, what are you saying? Please come in, it's cold outside." He Yuzhu stepped aside to let him into the house, but he wondered to himself, what does Xu Dahai want with him?

Xu Dahai entered the room and subconsciously looked around.

The room was spotless and everything was neatly arranged, a stark contrast to the messy state he remembered when He Daqing was there.

He couldn't help but praise, "Zhu Zi, you're amazing! You've only been living separately for a few days, and the house is already tidier than when your old man was alive. It looks like a proper home!"

He Yuzhu smiled, not responding to the question, and poured a cup of hot water from the thermos and handed it to him: "Uncle Xu, is there something you need that you came so late?"

Xu Dahai took the enamel mug, warmed his hands with it, and his shy expression returned. After stammering for a while, he finally said, "It's like this... When I got home from get off work today, your aunt told me that you told the people in your compound that if someone asked you to be there for a blind date, you'd help cook a meal?"

Upon hearing the words "blind date," He Yuzhu's eyes lit up instantly, and he became enthusiastic in a flash.

"Yes, yes, that's right!" He Yuzhu quickly pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Xu Dahai. "Uncle Xu, is there...good news in your family?"

Seeing He Yuzhu's enthusiasm, Xu Dahai felt much less uncomfortable and nodded with a smile: "Oh, this is my eldest son, Xu Ning. He's going on a blind date tomorrow. The girl works at a textile factory, and the matchmaker has arranged for her to come to our house for a meeting tomorrow at noon."

He paused, then continued, "Your aunt has been worrying about this meal for ages, afraid that her cooking skills aren't up to par and she'll slight the young lady. This afternoon she was chatting with the Qian family's wife from the front yard, and she heard her praising your cooking to the skies, saying that the Jia family…"

"Cough cough~"

Realizing he'd let something slip, he quickly coughed twice to cover it up: "Anyway, I was just praising your cooking skills. Your aunt was immediately interested and insisted that I shamelessly ask you for this favor."

He Yuzhu was overjoyed; it was like a pillow being delivered to him just as he was about to doze off.

"Uncle Xu, what are you saying? What's with all this talk about being shameless!" He Yuzhu slapped his thigh and said readily, "You and my dad have a long-standing friendship. It's my honor to help with something as important as Xu Ning's blind date. I'll take the job!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Dahai was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Really? Oh, thank you so much, Zhu Zi!"

"However, Uncle Xu," He Yuzhu changed the subject, laying it all out in advance, "we need to make it clear beforehand that I'm only in charge of cooking."

"You'll have to prepare the vegetables, meat, and fish yourself. Whatever you prepare, I'll cook for you, making sure nothing goes to waste and that it tastes just right."

Upon hearing this request, Xu Dahai immediately thumped his chest loudly, "Zhu Zi, don't worry, your Uncle Xu knows what to do! Your aunt has already prepared all the vegetables, meat, fish, and eggs, I guarantee it will be complete, and I certainly won't make things difficult for you!"

Both parents work in the family, and they have only one son and a daughter. Their family is better off than most families in the neighborhood, and they are willing to spend a lot of money for their son's marriage.

"Alright, that's great!" He Yuzhu's smile widened. "Then it's settled. I'll head over early tomorrow morning, and you can leave the kitchen to me!"

"Alright, alright, Uncle Xu will be waiting for you at home tomorrow morning!" Xu Dahai, having resolved a major concern, stood up with a sense of relief. "Well, Zhu Zi, I won't bother you any longer. See you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow, Uncle Xu, take care!" He Yuzhu warmly escorted Xu Dahai to the courtyard gate, watching his figure disappear into the night before humming a little tune and happily returning to his house.

After closing the door, He Yuzhu rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"The girl from the textile factory... I wonder what kind of reward the system will give this time? Ideally, something to improve my appearance, or maybe a spiritual spring space or something would be even better!"