Courtyard House: Become Stronger Through Blind Dates

He Yuzhu then pointed to Bai Guihua and asked, "Have you two registered your marriage?"

He Daqing glanced guiltily at the police officer and whispered, "Originally... I was planning to get it done in the next couple of days..."

"It's good that you didn't get the marriage certificate." He Yuzhu breathed a sigh of relief; things would be easier if they didn't get the certificate.

He turned to Bai Guihua and questioned, "Widow Bai, you have two sons of your own, and you know my father has two children. Why do you insist on forcing him to abandon his own children and run away to Baocheng with you? What are you up to?"

Bai Guihua was flustered by the question, her eyes darting around, and she stammered, unable to speak.

She couldn't very well say outright that she was attracted to He Daqing because he was a chef from Beijing, with a high salary that could support her and her two children.

Seeing this, He Daqing quickly took the blame upon himself: "Zhuzi, don't blame your Aunt Bai! It was me... I wanted to come with her myself. Xiaobai and I are in love, it has nothing to do with her!"

Looking at He Daqing's eager-to-protect-widow "lickspittle" appearance, He Yuzhu felt powerless and slapped his forehead.

Well, this person is beyond saving; he's already deeply poisoned.

She wasn't the original owner of this body, and she didn't have deep feelings for him. He insisted on jumping into the fire pit, and she couldn't stop him.

Thinking about this, He Yuzhu calmed down completely and didn't bother arguing with them anymore.

He said directly, "Alright, I'm too lazy to waste my breath on you. Now, what do you want to do?"

The two exchanged a glance but remained silent.

He Yuzhu said, "Since you won't tell me, then listen to me."

He Daqing looked at Bai Guihua with a questioning look in his eyes.

Bai Guihua gritted her teeth and said, "You go first, let's hear it."

He Yuzhu nodded and said clearly, "Alright, I'll ask, you choose. First, are you coming back to Beijing with us?"

Bai Guihua immediately shouted in a shrill voice, "No, I won't go back! I'd rather die than go back!"

She had finally managed to get her son into a school in Baocheng, and was about to start living a better life, so how could she possibly go back?

He Yuzhu wasn't surprised and continued, "Secondly, are you two getting married?"

He Daqing and Bai Guihua exchanged a glance and nodded.

"Okay." He Yuzhu took a deep breath and stated his long-considered plan, "Since you two are going to be together and not go back to Beijing, then Yushui must go with you!"

"What?" He Daqing was stunned, and Bai Guihua also looked at He Yuzhu in surprise.

"Yushui is still young and can't be without her father. I'm just a young boy, I can support myself, but I can't take good care of her," He Yuzhu said calmly.

"He Daqing, since you have chosen to stay here and start a new family, you cannot abandon your responsibility to raise Yushui. This is stipulated by law, and the officers from the police station can testify to this."

Officer Wang nodded in agreement, saying, "Comrade He Yuzhu is right. Parents have an obligation to raise and educate their minor children, which is written into the Marriage Law."

He Daqing looked at He Yushui, who was clinging to his neck in his arms, and then at Bai Guihua, whose expression was constantly changing. He swallowed hard.

The white widow immediately said excitedly to He Daqing, "He Daqing, you promised me..."

He Yuzhu sneered and said, "Widow Bai, if you dare to make my father discard the rainwater, then you can forget about getting married."

"You're only after my dad because he can help you out, right? If you don't agree, I guarantee he won't be able to find any job, and he'll be locked up by the police for a few days for no reason."

The widow was speechless. He Daqing was clearly in his forties, but he looked like an old man in his sixties or seventies. She only wanted him because he could make money.

She didn't care about He Daqing, who couldn't make money.

Seeing this, He Yuzhu continued, "The rainwater is following you, but there are conditions!"

"First, He Daqing, you two must guarantee that Yushui will stay by your side and not suffer any injustice!"

"The food, clothes, and other necessities she needs can't be inferior to those of her two younger brothers!"

"If I find out that Rainwater is starving, freezing, or being mistreated here..."

He Yuzhu's eyes suddenly turned fierce as he stared at Bai Guihua and said viciously, "I'll tear your family apart, you try me if you don't believe me!"

His fierce gaze made Bai Guihua's heart tremble, and she subconsciously avoided his eyes.

He Yuzhu then looked at the two police officers and said, "Secondly, please have the officers from the police station witness this and issue a mediation document stating that He Daqing and Widow Bai voluntarily raise He Yushui to adulthood and guarantee her basic living needs and freedom from abuse."

"If He Daqing violates this rule, or if Bai Guihua and her children mistreat Yushui, I, He Yuzhu, have the right to pursue their legal responsibilities through legal channels."

Officer Wang nodded in agreement, saying, "That's no problem. I think Comrade He Yuzhu is right. Given your previous abandonment, it's necessary for you to sign a commitment letter. Our police station will also visit your home regularly to investigate."

Looking at his pitiful little daughter in his arms, He Daqing felt a mix of emotions, his heart heavy with sorrow.

He opened his mouth, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to say the heartless words, "I don't want rainwater," in front of the police and his daughter.

He turned to Bai Guihua, whose face was ashen, and said in a low voice with a hint of pleading and helplessness, "Xiao Bai, look at the situation now..."

"If I really don't care about the rain, the police officers at the station won't be able to justify it. They'll definitely lose their jobs, and might even have to go to jail for a few days. How... how am I supposed to live like that?"

Bai Guihua's chest heaved violently as she quickly calculated in her mind: if He Daqing really lost his job or even went to jail, then all her hopes would be dashed.

He Daqing is at least a cook; as long as he can work, he can earn money…

In the end, she couldn't bear to let He Daqing, whom she had almost gotten her hands on, slip away.

She reluctantly snorted through her nose, which was a tacit agreement, and turned her head away, no longer wanting to see this unpleasant scene.

He Yuzhu watched coldly as they reached a "consensus," feeling little joy but only a sense of indifference as if the dust had settled.

He cleared his throat and said, "Alright, now that the matter of the rain has been settled, it's time to talk about my business."

Upon hearing this, Bai Guihua instantly flew into a rage. Forgetting that they were at the police station, she shrieked, "You little brat, don't push your luck! You're sixteen years old, you have hands and feet of your own, do you think you can just rely on us to leech off your father?"

He Yuzhu didn't bother arguing with her and turned directly to Officer Wang, saying, "Officer, what follows is a matter between me and He Daqing, an internal affair of the He family, and has no legal connection whatsoever with this widow Bai. Could you please ask her to recuse herself for the time being?"

"You're talking nonsense! How can I not care? I'm about to marry your father!" Bai Guihua shouted anxiously.

He Yuzhu curled his lip dismissively and said, "So you know we're not married yet!"

Officer Wang had long been impatient with Bai Guihua's behavior and gave the younger officer an even sterner look.

The young police officer understood and, without further ado, grabbed Bai Guihua's arm and forcibly dragged her out of the reception room.

No matter how much she yelled and cursed, the door slammed shut, shutting out the noise.