Courtyard House: Become Stronger Through Blind Dates

The two chatted for a while longer, then He Lanlan looked at the sky, stood up and said, "It's getting late, I have to go prepare for my blind date this afternoon."

He Yuzhu also stood up, took out his money, and paid the bill.

Stepping out of the breakfast stall, a gust of cold wind blew, and He Lanlan tightened her scarf: "Then let's go on Sunday noon, I'll bring people over."

"Yes, go straight in, those three main rooms in the middle courtyard are my home." He Yuzhu nodded.

"Okay, I'll be going now. I have a blind date this afternoon!" He Lanlan waved her hand and turned to leave.

"Hey, wait a minute," He Yuzhu called out to her, "I wish you a successful blind date."

He Lanlan turned around and smiled at him: "Thanks for your kind words, but I doubt it'll be long. I'm leaving!"

Watching her leave with light steps, He Yuzhu was in a good mood.

I wonder if this meal on Sunday will trigger a system task.

Even if it doesn't work out, it's not a complete loss. At least I'll get to know a few female textile factory workers, and I can ask them to help me with introductions later...

He hummed a little tune and turned to walk towards the courtyard house.

I had only walked a few steps, and as I passed a street corner, I suddenly heard a familiar loud voice, spitting as it spoke.

He Yuzhu paused, listening intently.

"...Let me tell you, that idiot Zhu has been a bad kid since he was little. He's been stealing chickens, fighting, and doing all sorts of bad things! Now that his dad's gone, nobody's watching him anymore, and he's become even more lawless!"

"He's capable of anything—beating the elderly, bullying children, taking advantage of neighbors!"

"Master Yi Zhonghai from our courtyard, what a good man he was, but he beat him so badly he couldn't get out of bed for days!"

"And Xu Damao from the Xu family, he was beaten so badly his mouth was bleeding!"

"He even dared to slap our boss, a primary school teacher, in public! That kind of person should be arrested!"

He Yuzhu frowned. That voice... was it Yan Bugui's wife, Yang Ruihua?

He quietly took a few steps forward and turned the corner.

Sure enough, Yang Ruihua was surrounded by seven or eight middle-aged women, who were talking animatedly.

The older women listened with great interest, occasionally letting out exclamations of surprise.

Good heavens, is he trying to ruin his reputation by coming out here?

You two, Yang Ruihua and Yan Bugui, dare not retaliate openly, so you're just ruining my reputation behind my back?

They even deliberately chose the day I was on a blind date to come to the vicinity of the girl's house and spread rumors?

That's a really malicious thought!

He Yuzhu stopped hiding and strode out of the alley.

He walked straight up to Yang Ruihua and grabbed her arm.

"Hey, isn't this Comrade Yang Ruihua, the wife of Yan Bugui, the road bully in the front yard of our No. 95 compound?"

He Yuzhu's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

Yang Ruihua was speaking enthusiastically when suddenly someone grabbed his arm, startling him.

When she turned around and saw He Yuzhu, her expression froze instantly, and a hint of panic flashed in her eyes.

"What...what are you doing? Let me go!" Yang Ruihua struggled, her voice trembling.

The surrounding middle-aged women were also stunned, looking at He Yuzhu and then at Yang Ruihua, not understanding what was going on.

He Yuzhu didn't let go; instead, he raised his voice and said, "Yang Ruihua, what did you just say? That I beat the elderly, bullied children, and acted like a tyrant?"

He sneered and continued, "Why don't you tell me why your Yan Bugui was beaten the other day?"

"He blocked my way, demanding something from me. When I refused, he chased after me, lecturing me and threatening me. Everyone in the entire hospital saw it!"

"What, your old man blocked the road asking for something and I taught him a lesson, so you're holding a grudge and coming here to spread rumors about me?"

These words contained a great deal of information, and the surrounding middle-aged women immediately erupted in uproar.

"What? You're blocking the road and demanding things?"

"Is that so?"

"Isn't Teacher Yan a primary school teacher? How could she do something like this?"

Yang Ruihua's face flushed red and then turned pale, both anxious and angry. She retorted sharply, "You're talking nonsense! Our master was just concerned about you, reminding you to be polite. You're the one who didn't appreciate it and hit someone!"

"Caring about me? Reminding me?" He Yuzhu scoffed. "Caring about me means you want me to give you things? And if I don't, you block my way?"

He turned to the middle-aged women around him and said loudly, "Ladies, you be the judge. I, He Yuzhu, am sixteen years old this year. My father ran away with someone a while ago, so I separated from the family and started living on my own. It's not easy for me to live alone."

"Yan Bugui, as an elder in the courtyard, not only did not help me, but also repeatedly blocked me from getting things."

"The first two times I gave him two scallions and a radish, he acted like I owed him something and started blocking my way every day."

"If I don't give it to him, he'll keep nagging me! A lot of people in our compound know about this. If you don't believe me, you can go ask around at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang!"

The older women looked at each other in bewilderment, and their gazes toward Yang Ruihua changed.

If He Yuzhu's words are true, then Yan Bugui's behavior is... incredibly degrading!

Is it reasonable for an elementary school teacher to block a junior student from getting something, and then lecture them when they refuse?

Feeling extremely uncomfortable under the strange looks from everyone, Yang Ruihua was both ashamed and angry. Pointing at He Yuzhu, she cursed, "You...you're slandering me! Our boss is not that kind of person!"

"Whether I'm that kind of person or not, everyone knows the answer," He Yuzhu said coldly. "But you went out of your way to the vicinity of the girl I was on a blind date with to spread rumors about me. What were you up to?"

He shouted, "You're damaging my reputation and hindering my blind date; that's illegal!"

"Come on, let's go to the police station and we'll clear things up!" With that, He Yuzhu grabbed Yang Ruihua's arm and started to leave.

Yang Ruihua panicked when she heard that she was going to the police station.

If this matter escalates to the police station, the Yan family's reputation will be completely ruined.

"I won't go, let me go!" Yang Ruihua struggled desperately, but He Yuzhu's hands were like iron clamps, and she couldn't break free at all.

Seeing this, the surrounding older women all tried to persuade them:

"Young man, let it go, we're all neighbors..."

"Exactly, it would be so embarrassing to get to the police station."

"Yang Ruihua, you too, say less..."

He Yuzhu, however, refused to give up. He looked at Yang Ruihua and said sternly, "Now you're scared? Why didn't you think about the consequences when you were spreading rumors?"

"Let me tell you, Yang Ruihua, this isn't over yet! If you don't give me an explanation, I'll go to Yan Bugui's school tomorrow and ask their principal."

Upon hearing this, Yang Ruihua's legs went weak with fear.

"No...don't go..." Yang Ruihua's voice trembled with tears. "Zhu Zi, I was wrong. I shouldn't have said those things...please...please forgive me this time..."

He Yuzhu looked at her and sneered inwardly, but his face remained serious: "Is admitting your mistake enough? So many people heard what you just said; you've ruined my reputation!"

Yang Ruihua quickly said, "I...I'll explain to everyone, I was just talking nonsense, it wasn't true..."

She turned to the middle-aged women around her, forcing a smile, and said, "Ladies, I was just... I was just talking nonsense. Please don't take it seriously. Zhu Zi... Zhu Zi is a good boy. It was our boss's fault..."

The older women shook their heads as they looked at her.

"If only I had known then what I know now."

"Exactly, with such a chatterbox, he deserves it."

"Pillar, forget it, she's already admitted her mistake..."

Seeing that the time was right, He Yuzhu released his grip and said coldly, "Yang Ruihua, I'll let you off this time for the sake of all the aunties."

"But you better remember this: if I ever hear you spreading rumors about me again, these old ladies will be my witnesses."

"I'm not only going to the police station, but also to Yan Bugui's school to ask them how they educate their teachers!"

Yang Ruihua nodded repeatedly, saying, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, I'll never dare again..."

He Yuzhu snorted coldly, ignoring her, and turned to the surrounding middle-aged women, clasping his hands in a fist and palm salute: "Ladies, I apologize for disturbing you today. I, He Yuzhu, am an upright and honest person. You will all know what kind of person I am after spending more time with me."

After saying that, he didn't linger and strode away from the alley.