The Fitter Master in the Courtyard: Surrounded by Dead Men

If he really wanted to, he could probably bring all the people who had gone downstream to the sea ashore.

"Please don't be so polite..."

Deng Gang persisted.

He would feel guilty if he didn't give some kind of thanks.

Yang Ping said no more and let him go.

If the other party insists on giving it to you, then accept it.

Deng Gang then busied himself with tasks.

Baiting, setting up nets, preparing bait... the whole process is complicated and requires skill, and it takes quite a bit of time.

Yang Ping waited quietly for Gao Yue and the others.

The breeze from Houhai Lake caressed my face, carrying the scent of water and fresh grass, which was quite refreshing.

People occasionally stop by – the reputation of Deng Gang, the "King of Fishing," is known to some in this area.

But Deng Gang had not yet cast his line, and Yang Ping was just standing there idly. After observing for a while, the people dispersed again.

Not long after, the faint sound of wheels rolling over the stone road came from the alley entrance.

Zhou Xiaobai was riding a 28-inch bicycle with Gao Yue on the back seat. A fishing rod was hanging on the handlebars, and two small stools were stuffed in the front basket.

"Gao Yue, Xiao Bai—over here!"

Yang Ping raised his hand and called out.

"Here you are!"

Zhou Xiaobai responded crisply, pushed off with his foot, and the bicycle nimbly rode towards him.

The two girls got out of the car and were surprised to see Deng Gang, the fishing king, standing by the water.

"Master Deng!"

They greeted him.

Hello.

Deng Gang nodded in response.

Yang Ping merely twitched the corner of her mouth slightly and gestured with her chin toward the water's edge.

"Let's start fishing."

"good!"

The two girls sat down as instructed, baited their hooks, and cast them with nimble movements.

Yang Ping also cast his line from the side.

He used the bait prepared by Deng Gang, and the fishing spot was also set up by Deng Gang beforehand—so he got a bit of an advantage.

Deng Gang glanced at her, said nothing, and cast his own line into the water, but his gaze kept drifting toward Yang Ping.

After watching for a while, I felt that his posture was very unfamiliar, just like a novice.

Deng Gang's brows furrowed slightly—he had witnessed Yang Ping's true abilities, and his current appearance only made him more uneasy.

"Whoosh—"

The water suddenly burst open.

A large fish weighing over ten pounds leaped out of the water, twisted in mid-air, and was forcibly pulled ashore.

There was no complicated fish-playing process, no stalemate or struggle; it was as straightforward as lifting a wet garment out of the water.

Deng Gang pursed his lips.

He had studied Yang Ping's technique repeatedly and tried it himself countless times, but either nothing happened, or he encountered a big player and his rod broke. The money he lost could have bought several good rods.

"Yang Ping, you're amazing!"

Zhou Xiaobai's eyes lit up instantly, and her voice revealed undisguised joy.

She didn't realize that her feelings were already blatantly obvious on her face—she was the first to jump out and cheer whenever Yang Ping made even the slightest impressive move.

Gao Yue was also smiling, her lips curving upwards, proud of her people.

Yang Ping simply smiled faintly.

He glanced at Deng Gang, as if casually offering a suggestion:

"Do you understand?"

Upon hearing this, Deng Gang solemnly replied, "Okay."

This time he was completely convinced; Yang Ping's skills were truly amazing.

He calmed himself down and focused intently on his fishing rod.

Before long, a strong pull was felt from underwater, indicating that a fish had taken the bait.

The force was quite strong, but Deng Gang remained calm and steady, maintaining control of the fishing line and playing the fish in circles until it exhausted its strength before reeling it in.

"Splash—"

The sound of water filled the air, and Yang Ping had already picked up the second one.

It was still that same decisive and efficient technique: as soon as the fish took the bait, he would immediately lift the rod without the slightest hesitation, as if he was never worried about the rod breaking, the line snapping, or the fish getting away.

"That's really impressive."

Zhou Xiaobai sighed softly.

By now, she could clearly see that Yang Ping's abilities were far beyond those of ordinary people, no wonder even someone like Deng Gang was willing to come and ask him for advice.

If it were her, she would probably also have the idea of ​​becoming an apprentice.

Gao Yue, standing to the side, frowned slightly.

At first she didn’t pay attention, but Zhou Xiaobai’s repeated praises made her vaguely realize something was wrong—her friend’s attitude seemed too enthusiastic.

Could it be that she has feelings for Yang Ping?

A hint of doubt crossed Gao Yue's mind, but she didn't voice it.

She still cherishes her friendship with Zhou Xiaobai and is unwilling to ruin their relationship due to speculation.

The sun was setting, and it was already afternoon.

Yang Ping caught sixteen fish in succession, taking breaks while fishing and not trying to catch more, otherwise his catch would have been much greater.

Deng Gang caught even more, about thirty or forty fish.

However, he never devoted himself entirely to fishing; he spent most of his time chatting with Yang Ping and exchanging fishing tips.

Gao Yue and Zhou Xiaobai each caught two fish, which, though not many, meant they didn't leave empty-handed.

"It's getting late."

Yang Ping glanced at the sky, put away his fishing rod, and said, "It's time to eat."

Zhou Xiaobai immediately agreed with a cheerful "okay," her heart filled with joy at the prospect of having dinner with Yang Ping.

She had originally planned to wait until Yang Ping received his reward before having him treat her to a meal, but she couldn't suppress the urge, so she brought it up with Gao Yue, which led to today's earlier dinner appointment.

Gao Yue remained silent to the side.

"Mr. Yang, there are fifteen fish here in total. This fish bag is also for you. It will be convenient for you to take so many fish home."

Deng Gang kept his word and agreed to give half of his catch to Yang Ping, also giving her a bag to carry the fish.

"Then you won't be polite."

Yang Ping readily accepted the fish and put it into a bag.

Without this bag, he really wouldn't know what to do with his sixteen fish.

Now, by combining them into one piece and attaching it to the rear rack of the bicycle, it fits perfectly.

"Let's have dinner together later."

He extended an invitation.

"No, I have some things to do. Maybe next time."

Deng Gang politely declined.

Yang Ping didn't try to persuade her further. She simply packed her personal belongings neatly and took Gao Yue's and the others' luggage, placing them in the back of her car so that Gao Yue could relax a bit.

Once everything was arranged, he said, "Let's go."

"OK!"

Zhou Xiaobai readily agreed, gave Gao Yue a gentle nudge, and then eagerly hopped on her bicycle.

Gao Yue sat sideways in the back seat.

The three of them then rode their bicycles towards Fengzeyuan.

This place was chosen by Yang Ping.

Since we're going to treat people to dinner, we need to find a decent place to go.

Before long, Fengzeyuan Garden came into view.

Yang Ping requested a quiet private room.

Afterwards, he found an excuse to go to the back kitchen, put his personal belongings into the system space, and took out four of the fattest fish—two for Gao Yue and two for Zhou Xiaobai to take home.

The private room returned to calm, and the banquet began.

During the meal, Zhou Xiaobai frequently struck up conversations with Yang Ping, chatting and laughing with great interest.

Yang Ping responded indifferently, and after a few words, she steered the conversation toward Gao Yue, her intentions all too clear.

Gao Yue always wore a gentle smile and didn't say much.

The dinner party ended quickly.

Yang Ping secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

After the meal, he felt utterly exhausted, as if he had used every trick in the book, yet still felt it wasn't enough to handle the situation.

Zhou Xiaobai was good in every way, but his direct expression of his feelings, especially in front of Gao Yue, made things difficult for him.

Let's see what Gao Yue says in the future.

At this moment, all he could think about was finding Chen Xueru.

In the end, Chen Xueru was more comfortable.

Even though she was deeply in love with him, she never showed it too much in front of Lou Xiao'e, and instead often considered the feelings between the two of them.

Such a woman is truly rare.

After watching Gao Yue and Zhou Xiaobai leave side by side, Yang Ping got on his bicycle and headed to Xue Ru's silk shop.

A gentle breeze brushed my face as I walked, and a slight sense of joy welled up inside me.

Sister Xueru, I'm here.

*

Upon arriving at the store, Yang Ping braked the car, locked it neatly, and stepped straight inside.

Chen Xueru was taking measurements for a customer, so he sat down on a chair nearby, poured himself some tea, picked up some candied fruit and ate it slowly, waiting quietly.

After seeing the guests off, Chen Xueru strolled over, smiling before even speaking: "You've come so late today, were you perhaps with another girl?"

"yes,"

Yang Ping laughed and answered frankly, "I went fishing with other girls."

He wasn't afraid of Chen Xueru finding out.

It's something she'll find out sooner or later anyway, so it's better to let her know in advance.

A barely perceptible shadow of sadness flickered across Chen Xueru's eyes, before she scoffed with a laugh, "You little rascal, how can you be so annoying!"

Chen Xueru knew in her heart that an outstanding man like Yang Ping would not lack beautiful women by his side.

But hearing it from someone else still felt like being gently pricked by a needle, a bittersweet feeling rising in my heart.

Yang Ping merely curved the corners of her lips slightly.

"I didn't do that."

He said calmly, "I'm just someone who doesn't like to lie."

He didn't dwell on that topic, instead asking, "Sister Xue Ru, how's the tidying up of that little courtyard in the back coming along?"

"Everything is packed and ready."

Chen Xueru replied, "One room was used as a storeroom, and the other was kept for resting."

I'll take you to see it.

As she spoke, she turned and led the way, walking briskly ahead.

Yang Ping nodded and followed.

The original inner room was used for taking measurements and changing clothes, and it was also piled with a lot of fabric, making it feel cramped and cramped.

Now only rulers and fitting rooms remain; all the fabric has been cleared away, and a new door has been opened in the wall, leading directly to the small courtyard at the back.

The first thing you see upon entering is the cloth warehouse.

Dozens of bolts of fabric were neatly stacked, layer upon layer, on a wooden frame, covered with a plain cloth to keep out the dust.

Going out from the other end of the cloth warehouse, you'll find a quiet little courtyard.

Right next to it was the rest room.

The room was thoughtfully furnished—with a bed, table, and heated kang (a traditional heated platform bed), making it a cozy little home.

Several walls are decorated with brightly colored silks, which look particularly elegant.

"This room... has a faint fragrance."

Yang Ping sniffed lightly and said in a low voice.

"I specifically bought some incense."

Chen Xueru explained with a smile, "To make the room feel more elegant."

"very good."

Yang Ping looked around and sincerely praised, "Everything is meticulously arranged."

"That's natural."

Upon hearing the praise, Chen Xueru couldn't help but reveal a hint of pride in her eyes and brows.

Being able to hold this small courtyard in her hands is, for her, fulfilling a long-cherished wish.

With the cloth storage and rest room properly arranged, and the changing room in front no longer cluttered, Chen Xueru felt much more at ease.

"Boss Chen!"

Customers' calls could be heard from outside the shop.

"Coming right away!"

Chen Xueru responded and walked out with light steps.

Yang Ping didn't linger. He casually closed the door, locked it, and then followed them back to the front shop.

There's no rush for the headache to flare up—I'll have plenty of time to deal with it after dinner.

"Please take care!"

After seeing the guests off, Chen Xueru turned to Yang Ping and explained, "The materials we ordered last time haven't arrived yet, but they will be delivered tomorrow."

Now that we have a place to store the cloth, we have nothing to worry about.

Yang Ping nodded.

Such things happen frequently in shops; even if the goods are in stock, customers may not necessarily like them.

"The clothes you ordered last week are ready."

Chen Xueru took out two new outfits from the closet. "Try them on and see if they fit."

"become."

Yang Ping took the clothes and was about to head to the changing room when Chen Xueru followed her, saying, "Let me help you."

Yang Ping let her have her way and went into the inner room first to take off her outer garment.

Chen Xueru took a shirt and draped it over him. Her hand accidentally touched the firm muscles of his shoulders and back, and she couldn't help but chuckle.

"Small man, but quite sturdy."

Yang Ping chuckled softly but did not reply.

A physique tempered by innate internal strength is naturally far superior to that of ordinary people.

In no time, he was wearing a new set of clothes.

When Yang Ping changed into that well-tailored Zhongshan suit, she looked completely different.

The crisp lines of the fabric outlined the contours of his shoulders and back, and the dark fabric made his eyebrows and eyes appear even more bright and clear. Standing there, he truly had the composed demeanor of a general from the old days.