Courtyard House: New Life, New Silly Zhu

Chapter 78 Arrival at the Village

"I didn't talk to you earlier because you looked unwell. You're feeling better now," Xiaofang's uncle said with a smile, while urging the oxcart to quicken its pace.

He Yuzhu patted He Yushui's head with some heartache: "I didn't expect Yushui to feel nauseous so easily. Luckily, Xiaofang prepared some preserved plums beforehand."

"The first time I took a bus from my small town to Beijing, I threw up for a long time on the way," Yang Lifang recalled. "I felt really awful, like I was going to throw up everything in my stomach. Later, I learned my lesson and started bringing preserved plums with me when I took the bus, but I never had to use them again."

"I still remember that time. Lifang had just been admitted to high school and was going to study in the city. I wanted to see her off, but she refused and insisted on going to school by herself." Uncle Xiaofang also looked emotional.

"I made the wrong choice back then," Yang Lifang said, her voice filled with regret.

This matter touched He Yushui, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "Sister-in-law, why did you say that you made the wrong choice back then?"

Yang Lifang was silent for a while before saying, "I relied on my family's support for three years of high school. Without money, I could only work while studying and didn't get into university. If I had chosen a vocational school back then, things would have been different. Vocational schools guarantee job placement and even provide subsidies for students."

He Yushui nodded thoughtfully and said, "I see. My brother also mentioned that he wanted to take the entrance exam for a vocational school. I will definitely study hard."

Yang Lifang looked at He Yuzhu in confusion, wondering why he said that. If she didn't have the conditions, it would be fine, but He Yushui clearly didn't. If He Yushui got into high school and went to university, she would have a bright future and could become a government cadre.

Faced with Yang Lifang's questioning gaze, He Yuzhu remained silent. After all, only he knew that if things proceeded normally, He Yushui would experience a strong wind before graduating from high school.

By then, she, as a college student, would definitely suffer. The best option would be to get into a vocational school, as depicted in the original TV series.

As long as He Yuzhu doesn't ruin He Yushui's reputation, He Yushui will have a very good job after graduation, even if she doesn't become a cadre.

The group chatted and the time passed quickly. Soon they arrived at Shuangyang Village.

"Uncle, Fangzi is back." An older woman looked curiously at the group of people on the oxcart, and after seeing Yang Lifang, she asked Yang Lifang's uncle with great curiosity.

Before Yang Lifang's uncle could speak, she spoke first, warmly greeting the woman, "Hello, Second Aunt, I'm back!"

Auntie nodded and said with a smile, "It's good that you're back. I thought you wouldn't come back to the village after you started working in the city."

"Alright, it's getting late, and the children are hungry. I'll take them back for dinner first, and we can talk again later," Yang Lifang's uncle interrupted with a smile, continuing to crack his whip as he drove the oxcart back to the village.

Yang Lifang bit her lip and looked at her uncle: "Second Uncle, is there some gossip circulating in the village again?"

Her uncle waved his hand: "What nonsense are you thinking? You know these women love to gossip."

"You've been busy with work and haven't been back for a while, so they like to spread rumors. Just ignore them."

Yang Lifang wanted to say something more, but He Yuzhu quickly grabbed her hand, shook his head at her, and signaled her to stop talking.

The oxcart soon stopped at a farmhouse courtyard. The courtyard was large, but the walls were all made of mud.

"Alright, you all go in first. Your second aunt has probably already prepared the meal, so you can eat as soon as you get back. I'll return the oxcart to the brigade first." After her uncle finished speaking, he unloaded all the luggage from the oxcart and drove it towards the village center.

Yang Lifang nodded, and just as she was about to push open the closed door, it was pulled open, and a young man came out. He was tall and thin, and his face resembled Yang Lifang's.

"Sister, you're back!" The young man's face was full of joy.

Yang Lifang nodded excitedly, her eyes reddening as she looked at her younger brother: "Yes, I'm back. I've come back to see you and your uncle and aunt."

By this time, He Yuzhu had already picked up all the luggage. The rural roads were all dirt roads, and putting things on the ground would easily get them dirty. He Yuzhu was tall and strong, so carrying the luggage didn't take him much effort.

The young man soon noticed a tall, imposing man standing next to his sister.

"This is your sister's boyfriend, his name is He Yuzhu, he's the head chef at the steel mill." Yang Lifang quickly pulled He Yuzhu to her side and introduced him to her closest confidant.

Upon hearing that it was his sister's boyfriend, the young man became a little nervous, unsure of what to do with his hands.

"Hello, my name is He Yuzhu. I've heard your sister introduce you before." He Yuzhu handed the luggage in his right hand to He Yushui, and then shook hands with Yang Lifang's younger brother with his free right hand.

The young man instinctively grasped He Yuzhu's hand, stiffening as he didn't know how to move. He stammered, "Hello, I'm Yang Guanglei."

After saying that, Yang Guanglei released his grip and took a step back: "Um, let's go inside first."

The group entered the courtyard one by one. Yang Guanglei led He Yuzhu to a bedroom, which was very clean and tidy, clearly prepared by their family for He Yuzhu to live in.

The group then went to the living room, and as soon as they entered, He Yuzhu felt a sense of confinement and darkness.

The windows of the mud house were made of wooden frames covered with a layer of paper, making the room dimly lit.

"Brother Zhu, please sit down and have some water." Yang Guanglei invited He Yuzhu and his sister to sit down and quickly poured them several bowls of tea.

"Brother, where's Auntie? I just heard Uncle say that she was cooking at home, right?" Yang Lifang asked her younger brother curiously, not seeing her aunt.

"Auntie knew you brought your boyfriend home, so she went outside to prepare fruit right after finishing cooking," Yang Guanglei said.

They had barely finished speaking when a woman in a hurry walked in through the door.

She carried a basket on her arm, wore a blue dress, and had her hair in a bun, secured with a sharpened twig.

Her face lit up with a smile as soon as she saw Yang Lifang and He Yuzhu, the brother and sister.

"Lifang, you're back. It's good that you're back." After saying that, she looked at He Yuzhu and sized him up.

With a satisfied look on his face, he said to Yang Lifang, "Lifang, you have a good eye. This young man looks capable."

He Yuzhu immediately stood up, about to say something, but Yang Lifang's aunt looked at He Yushui.

"This girl must be your boyfriend's sister, right? She's really pretty. You wait here for a moment, I just went to get some plums, I'll go wash them." Without waiting for their reply, she hurriedly left the house, went to the well, and started washing the plums.

Looking at his energetic aunt, He Yuzhu couldn't help but smile and said to Yang Lifang, "Your aunt is really interesting."

"That's how my aunt is, she's very warm and welcoming," Yang Lifang said, before going out of the house to help wash the plums at the well.

Yang Guanglei and He Yuzhu, the brother and sister, were left alone. The three of them sat there awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

He Yuzhu thought for a moment, then said, "I'll call you Guanglei. Your sister got into high school, how are your grades?"

"Well, this is..." Yang Guanglei said somewhat awkwardly, "My sister's grades are excellent, while mine are terrible. I dropped out of school after junior high."

Hearing Yang Guanglei say this, He Yuzhu felt a little embarrassed. He hadn't expected his sister to be so smart, managing to get into a university in the city from the countryside, while his brother had only finished junior high school and hadn't continued his education.

However, the awkward scene was quickly broken by the plums that were served.

"Here, Yushui, have a plum." The aunt handed a plum to He Yushui, who was sitting next to He Yuzhu.

While sitting by the well, Yang Lifang's aunt asked for all the information about He Yuzhu and his sister, including their names. She also found out some things that she didn't know before, and learned about what He Yuzhu and his sister had gone through.

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