Courtyard House: Become Stronger Through Blind Dates

He Yuzhu hummed a little tune as he slowly walked home.

When I passed by the farmers market, I thought about how the Chinese New Year was coming soon, so I decided to buy more meat and vegetables to stock up.

He went in and bought some, including five catties of eggs.

When I got back to No. 95 courtyard, it was already past four in the afternoon.

The front yard was quiet, and Yan Bugui's house door was tightly closed. He probably felt ashamed and was hiding at home, too afraid to come out.

The middle courtyard was more lively. Several women were washing vegetables by the pool. When they saw He Yuzhu come in, they stopped talking and laughing and looked at him with complicated expressions.

He Yuzhu didn't care and went straight home.

Just as I put the groceries down, Aunt Qian's voice came from outside the door: "Zhu Zi, are you home?"

He Yuzhu opened the door and saw Aunt Qian standing at the door with a small bowl of pickled radishes.

"Zhu Zi, here are some pickled radishes from your auntie. Have a taste." Aunt Qian said with a smile.

"Thank you, Aunt Qian." He Yuzhu took the bowl. "You're too kind."

"You're welcome, you're welcome." Aunt Qian waved her hand and lowered her voice, "Zhu Zi, you don't know yet, do you? The Jia family bought a sewing machine this afternoon. I heard it was Yi Zhonghai who paid for it!"

He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow: "So fast?"

"That's for sure!" Aunt Qian scoffed. "With Jia Zhangshi's stinginess, would she have been willing to part with it if Yi Zhonghai hadn't paid for it?"

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Master Yi is so good to his apprentice!"

"What's so good about it!" Aunt Qian said dismissively. "I think he has ulterior motives; he wants someone to support him in his old age!"

"You didn't see how Jia Dongxu acted when he came back this afternoon; his tail was practically wagging in the air!"

The two exchanged a few more words before Aunt Qian took her leave.

He Yuzhu closed the door, thinking to himself: Yi Zhonghai is really willing to go to great lengths to win over Jia Dongxu.

As he was thinking, he suddenly heard a commotion outside.

He Yuzhu walked to the window, looked outside, and couldn't help but laugh.

Then, Wang the matchmaker, accompanied by three old women, escorted a woman with scratches on her face into the central courtyard.

"Everyone, come and see! Look at this shameless man!" Matchmaker Wang shouted at the top of her lungs. "He dares to steal the marriage I arranged! Doesn't he have any manners left?"

As Liu the matchmaker struggled, she pleaded, "Sister Wang... please listen to me, no... it wasn't me who wanted to pry it open, it was... it was Master Yi who asked me to..."

"You answer the phone when Master Yi calls? If he asks you to eat shit, would you eat it or not?" An old woman with a mole on her face pointed at Liu the matchmaker's nose and cursed.

"Sister Wang ran around doing all the work for the Jia family's marriage, even going to the countryside to inquire, and you just broke it up without a word?"

"Exactly!" another tall, thin woman chimed in, "Liu Xiufang, how many times has this happened now?"

Surrounded by several old women, Liu the matchmaker was anxious and frightened, and her stammering became even more pronounced: "I...I didn't...really...Master Yi...looked for...me..."

People from the Intermediate People's Court came out upon hearing the commotion and gathered around to watch the spectacle.

Yi Zhonghai also came out of the house. Seeing the scene, his face darkened: "Sister Wang, what are you doing? Let's talk this out, don't resort to violence!"

When Wang the matchmaker saw Yi Zhonghai, her anger flared even more: "Master Yi, you've come at the perfect time! I ask you, didn't you know I was the matchmaker for this marriage with the Jia family? Why did you go to Liu Xiufang?"

Yi Zhonghai was taken aback by her question and stammered, "Well... I only started talking because I hadn't heard from you, Sister Wang..."

"No news?" Matchmaker Wang sneered. "If you're interested, just tell me, and I'll talk to you again! Master Yi, what you're doing is really unethical!"

Madam Jia Zhang rushed out of the house, hands on her hips, and said, "Matchmaker Wang, what do you mean by that? We at Dongxu are looking for a partner; we can choose whomever we want. What's it to you?"

Matchmaker Wang was not one to be trifled with, and immediately retorted, "Sister-in-law Jia, you're wrong! There's a rule in our line of work: one family can't entrust two matchmakers! You entrusted me first, and then Liu Xiufang; that breaks the rule!"

"Besides," Wang the matchmaker said, her gaze sweeping over Jia Zhangshi and Yi Zhonghai, "I went from village to village to find the men for your family, and you're just going to turn around and sell out all my previous efforts?"

Jia Zhangshi was embarrassed by her words, but she refused to admit her mistake, stubbornly saying, "Who sold you? We can find whoever we want, it's none of your business!"

Seeing that the two sides were about to start arguing, Yi Zhonghai quickly tried to smooth things over: "Sister Wang, calm down. I was wrong to do this. I apologize to you."

"How about this? We'll pay you your matchmaker's fee in full, not a penny less, so don't worry about it."

Matchmaker Wang, however, refused to give up: "Master Yi, this isn't about money. If Liu Xiufang dares to steal my job today, she'll dare to steal someone else's tomorrow. How are the matchmakers in this area supposed to do their jobs?"

Several elderly women who came with her echoed her sentiments:

"Yes, we can't just let it go like this!"

"We demand an explanation!"

"We can't let her off easily..."

Yi Zhonghai was at his wit's end looking at the three angry middle-aged women.

He didn't expect Wang the matchmaker to react so strongly, and he certainly didn't expect her to make a scene in the courtyard.

Now look what's happened, we've lost all face and dignity.

Just then, He Yuzhu pushed open the door and came out.

When Yi Zhonghai saw him, he felt even more aggrieved.

This kid is definitely here to make a fool of himself!

When Matchmaker Wang saw He Yuzhu come out, she asked, "Yuzhu, tell me, isn't this a case of them crossing the river and then burning the bridge?"

He Yuzhu said, "Aunt Wang, I do know a little about this custom. A family doesn't rely on two matchmakers; it's an old saying!"

Matchmaker Wang immediately said to Yi Zhonghai, "Did you hear that? Even young people know the rules!"

Yi Zhonghai's face turned ashen. He took out 30,000 yuan from his pocket and stuffed it into Wang the matchmaker's hand: "Sister Wang, we were in the wrong. Consider this money an apology. Please don't hold it against Sister Liu."

Matchmaker Wang clenched the money in her hand, her expression softening slightly, but she still wouldn't let it go: "Master Yi, no offense, but what you did was really unethical!"

"I'll let it slide with Liu Xiufang today because of the money, but if this happens again, don't blame me for turning against her!"

After saying that, she put the money in her pocket and waved to the old ladies, "Let's go!"

The old ladies glared at Liu the matchmaker again before leaving with Wang the matchmaker.

Liu the matchmaker felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly slipped away.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai lose 30,000 yuan for nothing, Jia Zhangshi felt heartbroken and her heart ached. She wished she had that money.

Yi Zhonghai turned around and went back to his house, slamming the door shut.

The crowd that had gathered at the Intermediate People's Court gradually dispersed, chatting amongst themselves in small groups.

"Tsk tsk, wasn't Yi Zhonghai used to be quite steady? Why has he been acting so recklessly lately?"

"It's just that he's worried about his apprentice; concern makes him act rashly!"

"Hey, I heard that the sewing machine the Jia family bought this afternoon was paid for by Yi Zhonghai~"

"It's making me want to go and take care of Yi Zhonghai in his old age..."

"Come on, it's not certain who'll die first, you or Yi Zhonghai!"

"Screw you...."