Courtyard House: My max-level medical skills specialize in treating beasts.

When Sha Zhu mentioned books, his admiration for his younger brother grew even stronger, and he quickly said, "I'm currently reading 'How the Steel Was Tempered'."

As he spoke, he turned around and took a book from the shelf in the room. The cover had five large characters printed on it: "How the Steel Was Tempered".

The book tells the story of Pavel Korchagin, who grew from a young boy into a loyal revolutionary fighter. Even after losing his sight, he persevered and wrote novels, becoming an indomitable "iron man."

He Yuzhu spoke eloquently, clearly explaining all the insightful content in the book, all thanks to the extra lessons He Yudong had given him.

Teacher Ran's eyes lit up: she had read the book herself and thought it was quite good, but she had never explored it as deeply as Sha Zhu.

"Master He, I never expected you to know this book so well! Let's chat more about it when we have time." These days, artsy young women are easy to "fool." Sha Zhu scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed.

"That would be great! It's getting late, Teacher Ran, please have a seat for a while. I'll go cook, and today I'll let you try my best Tan family cuisine." Sha Zhu patted his chest.

He was a bit lacking in academics, but when it came to cooking, he considered himself a "master chef."

"Let me help you," Teacher Ran said with a smile as she stood up.

"That won't do! You're a guest; how can I let you do it?"

Sha Zhu quickly stopped him, "Sit down, leave the cooking to me!"

Teacher Ran felt a growing fondness for He Yuzhu. Although this man was just a cook and didn't have a high level of education, he was very ambitious: not only was he knowledgeable about music and art, but he also loved learning, and he wasn't bad-looking either. Although he was a few years older than her, wouldn't older people be more caring?

Just then, Qin Huairu came out of her house carrying a plate of peanuts and a half-empty bottle of liquor.

She hesitated for two seconds, then started walking towards the idiot's house. He Yushui, with her sharp eyes, immediately went to block her way: "Sister Qin, what are you doing?"

"It's rainwater," Qin Huairu forced a smile. "Isn't your brother on a blind date? I stir-fried some peanuts and brought some wine to brighten his day."

"No need, Sister Qin, our family doesn't lack these things. Please don't disturb my brother's blind date." He Yushui's face was as cold as ice.

"Rain, look at what you're saying. How could I bother you? I'm just worried about your brother. His blind date is here, shouldn't we tidy up the house a bit? Don't let people laugh at us." Qin Huairu persisted.

"No need, my brother's room is spotless, I already cleaned it up. Don't think I don't know what you're up to," He Yushui bluntly stated.

"Rain, you've really misunderstood me..." Qin Huairu said, tears falling down her face.

At this moment, He Yudong came out of the house, his eyes sweeping over Qin Huairu with icy glare: "Qin Huairu, stop with your hypocritical act! Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You just can't stand seeing my brother on a blind date, so you want to go in and sabotage it? You went in and started pulling and tugging at my brother, saying ambiguous things to make the girl misunderstand and break up my brother's match? You've done this at least ten times. Don't think people are stupid!"

Qin Huairu's face turned deathly pale. He Yudong had completely exposed her little schemes! A surge of resentment and malice towards He Yudong welled up inside her. But then she thought, where had Xu Damao gone? That good-for-nothing, all talk and no action! Hadn't she already hinted to him to keep an eye on her? And now he's gone missing at this crucial moment!

Seeing that his scheme had failed, Qin Huai slunk home and slammed the peanut plate on the table as soon as he entered.

"What's wrong with you?" Jia Zhangshi glared at her. "This plate would cost two cents outside!"

"I'm so annoyed!" Qin Huairu said sullenly.

"What? Did you ruin Sha Zhu's blind date again?" Jia Zhangshi pretended to be confused even though she knew the truth.

"With He Yudong watching over me, he won't even let me into the house now. How am I supposed to cause trouble?" Qin Huairu became more and more angry as she spoke.

"What are we going to do? That damned He Yudong, he's always going against us, he's trying to drive us to our deaths!" Jia Zhangshi exclaimed, jumping up and down. In her eyes, if He Yudong arranged a blind date for Sha Zhu and it went well, Sha Zhu would stop supporting them after his marriage, and the whole family would starve to death. Therefore, He Yudong was the enemy who was "driving" their family to their deaths. Some people's logic is just so shameless.

"What can I do?" Qin Huairu said irritably. "I hate He Yudong to the core!"

"Oh right, find Xu Damao!" Jia Zhangshi slapped her thigh. "Xu Damao and Shazhu are mortal enemies. If he finds out Shazhu is getting married, won't he try to ruin it? Didn't you always do that?"

"I looked for him, but he's nowhere to be found. Hey, where's Jingru? What time is it? Why is she nowhere to be seen?" Qin Huairu asked, but she was making her own plans. She had to do everything she could to sabotage Sha Zhu's blind date, even if it was just a tiny bit. She had to do her part, and she could also lend a hand to Qin Jingru.

Inside He Yudong's room, He Yushui leaned over and said, "Brother, Qin Huairu is such a scoundrel! Just like you said before, he came to cause trouble! Luckily you were prepared, otherwise Big Brother would be single again."

"That widow is quite cunning," He Yudong said in a low voice. "Guess what I just saw her do when she went out?"

"What did you do?" He Yushui's eyes widened.

"If Qin Huai sees Xu Damao leaving, he'll go around to the front through the back door, pretend to bump into him by chance, and tell Xu Damao everything about his brother's blind date today. If that bastard Xu Damao finds out, he'll definitely cause trouble."

"What? Is that so?" He Yushui stomped her feet in anger. "Our family helped her so much before, how could she repay kindness with enmity!"

"That's what they call 'the kindness of giving is appreciated, but the resentment of giving is resented,'" He Yudong poked her forehead. "Your silly brother used to help their family a lot, spoiling them. Now that your brother is married and has a sister-in-law, they'll have to tighten their belts and can't keep giving him money endlessly. How could they be content with that? That's why they've been trying to sabotage your brother's marriage. Otherwise, your brother would have been married years ago, and wouldn't be single now."

"That's outrageous!" He Yushui pouted. "I used to think Qin Huairu was a good person, but it turns out he was just pretending."

"You're smart to have realized it now," He Yudong said, patting her head and teasing her with a smile.

"By the way, bro, what's your relationship with Dr. Ding?" He Yushui leaned closer again.

"Just colleagues, what else could it be?" He Yudong said casually.

"That's not right!" He Yushui wrinkled her nose. "The way Dr. Ding looked at you didn't seem like a normal colleague. Does she like you?"

"Smack!" He Yudong flicked her forehead. "You little brat, you're so young and already gossiping!"

"Oh dear, what if you knock my brains out? I'm eighteen already! I'm just concerned about your marriage prospects, Haitang or Dr. Ding, who will you choose?"

"Haitang is a nice person, she would be good as my sister-in-law." He Yudong glanced at her sideways. This girl had obviously been won over by Yu Haitang and was playing the rural-to-urban trick.

"Brother, tell me already!" He Yushui persisted.

"I'm focused entirely on my medical skills right now; I'll let romance happen naturally." He Yudong raised an eyebrow. "Besides, with your brother being so outstanding, how could he not find a girlfriend?"

"Hehe, I just care about you! Your older brother has already gone on blind dates, it's your turn now."

"Your job is to study hard and get into university, stop worrying about your brother," He Yudong scolded, but inwardly he was delighted. He thought, "I have a system; only kids make choices. I want them all." However, relationships between men and women are very sensitive these days. Want to marry multiple women without a Hong Kong identity? No way. So he had to weigh things carefully. If he really had to choose between Ding Qiunan and Yu Haitang, he would still lean towards Ding Qiunan. But he was only twenty; marriage wasn't in a rush.

"By the way, brother, if Qin Huai gets Xu Damao to sabotage Big Brother's blind date, we need to be careful!" He Yushui remembered the important matter again.

"Xu Damao is fooling around with Qin Jingru right now," He Yudong sneered. "In a few days, that silly girl Qin Jingru will be tricked into having an affair with him."

"What? Xu Damao is so wicked!" He Yushui exclaimed angrily. "He has a wife but still cheats on his wife. Qin Jingru isn't any better; she said she'd set up a blind date for my brother, but then she started hanging out with Xu Damao!"

"As the old saying goes, a whore and a dog are a match made in heaven," He Yudong chuckled. "They're a perfect couple."

"Pfft, bro, where did you get this old saying from? I've never heard of it before." He Yushui was amused and found the metaphor to be very apt when applied to Xu Damao.

"That's not the point," He Yudong waved his hand. "Just you wait and see. Lou Xiao'e will definitely go back to her parents' home in a few days, and Xu Damao will definitely bring Qin Jingru home. Maybe she'll even stay at his place."

"What? Xu Damao is incredibly audacious! If Lou Xiao'e finds out, she'll skin him alive!"

"He's a complete idiot," He Yudong scoffed. "He found such a good wife like Lou Xiao'e, and he still went out and messed around, always saying that Lou Xiao'e couldn't have children. Actually, Lou Xiao'e is perfectly healthy; it's Xu Damao who can't have children!"

"Really?"

"Your brother is a miracle doctor, how could he be wrong? I can cure his illness, but I won't treat him no matter how much money you offer, so as not to add a few more pests to pollute the environment."

"Xu Damao deserves it!" He Yushui gloated. "He definitely wants Qin Jingru to have his child. Seeing that Qin Huairu can have children, he thinks Qin Jingru can too."

"Just wait and see," He Yudong sneered. "Lou Xiao'e is no pushover either. This time, Xu Damao is sure to lose both his wife and his money."

He Yudong had a good impression of Lou Xiao'e; she was kind-hearted and well-mannered. It was just a pity she ended up with a guy like Xu Damao. If he hadn't already arranged for his older brother, Sha Zhu, to meet Ran Qiuyue, Lou Xiao'e would have been a perfect match.

The person who transmigrated didn't have much of an obsession with being a "virgin." After all, he was marrying his brother, not himself. As long as he could have a son to carry on the family line, that was enough. Of course, it would be even better if Sha Zhu and Ran Qiuyue could get together. She was a proper virgin and an educated woman, a perfect match.

Inside He Yuzhu's room, after He Yudong's efforts, the table was piled high with dishes, a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate. The Dongpo pork and fish soup were especially enticing. The Dongpo pork was premium pork belly he brought from his original world, stewed until tender and juicy; the fish had been raised in the spirit spring pool for several days, its meat incredibly tender.

There wasn't a trace of earthy smell.

He Yudong and his sister He Yushui didn't join in the fun, and Uncle San also wisely stayed away. He Yudong had told him beforehand that they would have lunch together after Teacher Ran left, so they could have some alone time together and their relationship would develop faster. After spending time together a few times, Ran Qiuyue had already decided to start dating Sha Zhu first.

Qin Huairu's family was so anxious they were stamping their feet, but they were helpless. Xu Damao and Qin Jingru seemed to have vanished into thin air. She wanted to go and cause trouble, but He Yudong and Shazhu blocked her way, so she couldn't get close at all. She could only wait until Teacher Ran left before going to the school to say bad things.

After lunch, Teacher Ran chatted with Sha Zhu for a while. Seeing that it was almost time to leave, she got up. Sha Zhu offered to walk her home, and even though Teacher Ran was riding a bicycle, he got on He Yudong's bike and escorted her all the way. The roads were slippery in the dead of winter, and it wasn't safe for a young woman to go home alone. This thoughtful gesture warmed Ran Qiuyue's heart.

This was He Yudong's idea. Firstly, it made Teacher Ran feel protected and safe; secondly, it prevented Qin Huairu and others from intercepting her and spreading rumors outside the hospital.

Sha Zhu returned after 1 p.m., his face beaming with a constant smile. He Yudong, seeing his silly grin, teased, "Brother, did it go smoothly?"

"Hey, little brother, you're amazing! Teacher Ran has agreed to date me, you're going to have a sister-in-law soon!" Sha Zhu excitedly grabbed He Yudong's hand.

"Don't get too excited yet," He Yudong said with a laugh, trying to dampen the spirits. "Some people are happy while others are sad. There are plenty of people who want to break you two up. If you're not careful, your wife might leave you."

"Don't worry, I'll be more careful next time." Sha Zhu wiped away the tears of laughter. "You guys haven't eaten yet, have you? Call Uncle San, there's still plenty of food left!" With that, he skipped off to Uncle San's house.

A little while later, Uncle Yan Fugui arrived with a big smile. He Yudong, He Yushui, Uncle Yan, and Shazhu sat around the table and started eating again. Teacher Ran and Shazhu didn't eat much; most of the food was still left.

"Yudong, your third uncle handled things efficiently this time, right?" Yan Fugui was still thinking about that piece of pork belly.

"Don't worry, Uncle, I'll bring you some pork belly tonight, and a couple more pounds too." He Yudong picked up a piece of fish. "But you'll have to put in a good word for my brother at school. Keep an eye on Qin Huai if he decides to cause trouble for Teacher Ran at school. If my brother and I really get together, I'll give you my fishing rod, plus a backup gift!"

"Hehe, look at what you're saying," Yan Fugui grinned from ear to ear, "What kind of relationship do our two families have? If I don't help, who will?" Sha Zhu's friendship with Teacher Ran is related to his own interests, and if Qin Huai dares to cause trouble, he will be the first to not let him off the hook.

The third uncle stayed until 2:30 before leaving. The aroma of meat from Sha Zhu's house wafted into Qin Huai Ru's house, and Jia Zhangshi was so hungry that she wiped away tears, while cursing and swearing.

In the afternoon, Bang Geng, who had short legs, was picked up by Qin Huairu and taken home. It wasn't a serious fracture, but he needed a month to recover before he could walk again, so he had to take leave from school. Bang Geng glared venomously at He Yudong's door, already blaming him in his mind: If He Yudong hadn't come back, would Sha Zhu's room have been locked? If it hadn't been locked, would he have needed to climb through the window? And if he hadn't climbed through the window, would he have broken his leg? It's all He Yudong's fault; he has to get revenge!

On the other side, Xu Damao was riding his bicycle with Qin Jingru on the back. Qin Jingru was intimately wrapped around his waist, her face flushed with shyness. Today, Xu Damao had given a heartfelt confession, even swearing that he would divorce Lou Xiao'e and marry her, which moved Qin Jingru to tears. What a devoted man!

Xu Damao knew perfectly well that he was currently having an affair and hadn't divorced Lou Xiao'e yet, so he couldn't let it slip. Therefore, he dropped Qin Jingru off several corners away from the courtyard, and the two returned to the courtyard separately.

As soon as he entered the house, he saw that Lou Xiao'e's face was so gloomy that it looked like it was about to rain.

Upon hearing that Lou Xiao'e was leaving, Xu Damao felt a pang of unease and quickly went over to try and strike up a conversation: "What's wrong, Xiao'e? Why does your face look like a wilted eggplant?"

Lou Xiao'e lowered her eyelids, her voice muffled as if she had a piece of candy in her mouth: "It's nothing, my mother hasn't been feeling well these past few days, so I'm going back to my parents' house for a few days to take care of her."

Ever since He Yudong revealed his secret to her, she felt uneasy, as if a damp wad of cotton was stuffed inside her. That's why she decided to test Xu Damao to see if he would really dare to bring women home. Although she didn't want to believe He Yudong, the guy didn't seem like the type to make up lies.

"Is Mom really sick?" Xu Damao asked urgently, but he was secretly overjoyed. He was just worried that he couldn't find the time to pursue Qin Huairu. With Lou Xiao'e gone, it gave him the perfect opportunity to have an affair.

"It's not serious, I might stay for four or five days." Lou Xiao'e stared at him, "You'll have to take care of your own meals during these days."

The more Xu Damao pretended to be indifferent, the more suspicious she became. She had never seen him care about his parents this much before.

"Fine, I'll just grab a quick bite myself." Xu Damao waved his hand dismissively, already planning how to strike up a conversation with Qin Huairu.

In the evening, He Yudong strolled into the courtyard carrying a skewer of pork belly, weighing a full twelve pounds. The old woman who was squatting by the door washing clothes looked up and stared wide-eyed. In those days, workers only had one pound of meat coupons per month, and even if they had money, they might not be able to buy it. He was carrying more than ten pounds at once. How could she not be shocked?

"Auntie, Uncle isn't here?" He Yudong waved the meat in his hand.

"Hey, I'm here!" the third auntie shouted at the top of her lungs, "Uncle! Yu Dong's here!"

The third uncle came running out, saw the skewer of meat, and his face beamed with joy: "Wow, this is really heavy!" He almost dropped it when he took it, his mouth stretching to his ears.

"Yudong, you're too kind. This is enough to feed our family for three months!"

"No way," He Yudong handed over the meat. "You helped my brother so much, what's this little bit? In the future, please put in a good word for Zhu Zi at school. Zhu Zi is honest and a perfect match for Teacher Ran. No one can separate them."

"Don't worry!" the third uncle patted his chest confidently, "Zhu Zi is so honest, I'll definitely get it right!"

"Alright, I'll head back now." He Yudong turned to leave, and the three aunties came over and muttered, "Yudong is such a good young man, so generous right away."

The third uncle rubbed his hands and laughed: "We should keep in touch with him more often in the future. Isn't he close to the sister of the eldest brother's girlfriend, Yu Li? If the two of them get together, our two families will become relatives, and he will definitely help us in the future."

He had long treated He Yudong like a cash cow. The matter between Sha Zhu and Teacher Ran concerned Yan Fugui's interests, and he would never let Qin Huairu ruin it. He also had his eye on He Yudong's fishing rod that could catch two hundred catties of fish a day.

He Yudong went back inside, locked the door, and plunged into his little world. He was delighted as soon as he entered; strawberries, grapes, peaches, and apples were all laden with fruit, the trees a vibrant red. He picked one and took a bite; the flesh seemed to melt in his mouth, the sweetness sending a rush of pleasure straight to his head.

When the two monkeys saw him coming, they scratched their ears and cheeks in a panic, dragging him towards the front of the house, pointing at a large wooden barrel and chattering excitedly. He Yudong immediately understood—these two were brewing monkey wine! The small world indicated that it would be ready in three days, brewed with spiritual spring water and various fruits, definitely stronger than ordinary wine.

He then strolled through the Herb Garden, picked some medicinal herbs to prepare medicine, picked strawberries and peaches to put in his pocket, filled several bottles with spiritual spring water, and then left the small world.

As soon as I pushed open the door, a loud knocking sound came through: "Brother, are you there?"

He Yudong opened the door and saw He Yushui standing outside with her hands on her hips, muttering, "I've been knocking for ages, what are you doing hiding inside?"

"Come in." He pulled the person into the room. "Close your eyes first."

He Yushui initially wanted to ask about practice questions, but then obediently closed her eyes and asked, "What are you doing?"

Open your mouth.

"Bro, what are you up to?"

"Just open your mouth."

He Yushui had just opened her mouth when something sweet was shoved into it. Her eyes snapped open: "Brother, what's this? It tastes so good!"

"Clang, clang," He Yudong placed a basket of fruit in front of her, "Look!"

"Wow! Apples, peaches, grapes, and strawberries!" He Yushui jumped up and down excitedly. "Brother, where did you get all this fruit in the middle of winter? Where did you get it?"

"You're really out of touch," He Yudong said with a smile, shaking the strawberries in his hand. "It's winter here, but it's warm in the south, and there's still fresh fruit. My friend specially brought these from the south for me."

We can't exactly tell the truth that this was grown in a small world, can we? We'll just have to find some excuse to cover it up.

"Oh, I see! No wonder, bro!" He Yushui had long forgotten about asking about the practice questions, picked up a strawberry and popped it into her mouth. "This strawberry is so sweet, you should try some!"

"I've already eaten," He Yudong rubbed her head. "Leave some for your older brother first, and then send some to the old lady. Oh, and drink this water. I specially prepared it; it's good for your health." He handed her a bottle of spiritual spring water.

"Mmm!" He Yushui now obeyed her brother completely, took the bottle and gulped down most of it. "Why is this water so sweet? Is it really made with Chinese medicine?"

"Brother's secret recipe," He Yudong lowered his voice, "Didn't you notice that the old lady's hair has turned quite a bit black? Remember this well, don't tell outsiders about this, lest it attract envy."

"I know, bro, you're the best to me!" He Yushui's eyes sparkled.

"Give this bottle to my older brother, and take the fruit too. Give the old lady some peaches and strawberries; she can't bite into the apples. I have other things to do."

"Okay, bro, I'm off then, hehe!" He Yushui picked up her fruit basket and went out the door, but after taking a couple of steps, she suddenly slapped her forehead. "Hey, bro! There's a math problem I can't solve. Could you help me with it when you're done?"

"Okay." He Yudong replied, closed the door, turned around, took out the medicinal herbs from the cabinet, and began to prepare the medicine.

The medicinal herbs in the Hundred Herbs Garden grow vigorously, possessing even stronger medicinal properties than wild herbs, so the medicines prepared from them are bound to be highly effective. Lately, he's mainly been preparing medicinal wines, bone-healing plasters, and some self-defense powders, such as itching powder. This is a secret recipe passed down from Pharmacist Li, and only his unique antidote can counteract it. Just a touch will cause excruciating itching all over the body; going to the hospital would at best be treated as a common allergy, and even scratching until the skin breaks won't stop the itch. It's most effective against those shameless beasts.