Courtyard House: The Fisherman Never Goes Sick

The factory has been operating at full capacity lately, and Yang Wei has been working non-stop for days. Finally, Friday arrived, and the higher-ups announced that he could leave work as usual that night. Everyone in the kitchen was overjoyed; it had been a long time since they had left work on time.

"Oh my goodness, at least I can finally get some rest for the night!"

"If we keep going like this, we'll definitely die here!"

As they untied their aprons, they complained bitterly.

Yang Wei didn't join in the commotion, but instead poured cold water on the situation: "Stop spouting nonsense! While you're here stir-frying vegetables, others are in the workshop swinging sledgehammers and doing hard labor. Don't you have any idea who's tired and who's having an easy time? From now on, stop saying such discouraging things. If your coworkers in the workshop hear you, you'll be in big trouble! If you still complain about being tired, just lie down on the ground and pretend to be dead!"

"Well, well, Master Yang, you're really ruthless. Even capitalists don't exploit people like you!" someone retorted with a smirk.

"That's because you haven't experienced the hardships in the workshop! Qin Huairu used to work outside, she knows best what it's like, go ask her when you're free. Alright, hurry up and clean up, leave at 1:40 sharp!" Yang Wei was too lazy to waste words, he called out and started cleaning up.

It had been a while since Yang Wei had visited his master's house. He got off work early tonight, quickly ate dinner, told Lou Xiao'e, and headed straight for his master's house with the wine. A drink was always a must when visiting; the old man loved wine and had over ten bottles, but still felt it wasn't enough, always saying that in a few decades these would be priceless treasures, and he had to keep collecting them. Anyway, he could easily earn that money by doing a few daily tasks, so a few bottles of wine were no problem for Yang Wei. He was happy to please the old man and never arrived empty-handed.

After parking the car in the courtyard, Yang Wei had just stepped inside carrying the wine when Xue Hongmei, who was washing dishes in the kitchen, poked her head out. Seeing him, she smiled and said, "You're here? It's been quite a while since you've shown up. Your master may not say it, but he's been thinking about you!"

Yang Wei curled his lip: "Come on, he's probably just calling me unfilial."

"Hehe, you two are just being sentimental, always thinking about each other. Come on in, give me the wine, I'll put it in the kitchen." Xue Hongmei came out, took the wine, and said with a laugh.

Yang Wei entered the room and saw the old man lying in a rocking chair, digesting his food. He went over and chuckled, "Master, your disciple has come to pay his respects!"

"Hmph, you still acknowledge me as your master? I thought you were dead out there, I haven't seen a trace of you all this time!" The old man closed his eyes, his temper flaring up, and he wouldn't even look at him directly.

"Look at what you're saying! The factory is operating at full capacity, and I can't get away! I just caught my breath tonight, and I rushed over here right after finishing my meal!" Yang Wei quickly said with a smile.

"At least you have some conscience. You've found someone to serve me, are you planning to just wash your hands of this? Do you think you can hide your little tricks from an old man like me?" The old man half-opened his eyes and glanced at him, then turned his head away arrogantly.

Yang Wei had no choice but to continue pleading and coaxing, spending ten minutes trying to calm the old man down before he finally opened his eyes and spoke to him properly.

"How many of the books I gave you are you still reading?" the old man asked casually.

"Only one miscellaneous book left; I've read the rest. I must say, you have a lot of treasures, sir; you've gained quite a bit!" Yang Wei exclaimed sincerely. Old Master Guan, as expected of someone who had mingled with princes, possessed many items connected to the palace, things ordinary people would never even see. This descendant of the tax officials of the old Beijing's four gates was once the subject of countless flattery and gifts of gold and silver. By the time it reached the old man, it was real wealth, and his own collecting habits only amplified his fortune.

"Don't even think about taking my things! If you dare to lay a finger on me, I'll disown you as my apprentice!" Upon hearing this, the old man immediately glared at him as if he were a thief.

"Well, no wonder they deal in antiques, they treat me like a traitor!" Xue Hongmei, who had just finished tidying up and entered the house, sat to the side and laughed as she listened.

Yang Wei raised his hand and swore, "Don't worry, I have my own goods and I would never covet your little fortune! All these treasures of yours are for your granddaughter; I will absolutely not have any designs on them!"

"That's more like it. You're a good apprentice of mine!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Hongmei couldn't help but burst out laughing. The master and apprentice exchanged a glance and also laughed.

"Young man, something's not right in your eyes. Something's bothering you?" The old man had a sharp eye and immediately noticed something was amiss. Yang Wei appeared cheerful, but he had something on his mind.

"You're so shrewd, old man!" Yang Wei sighed. "It's all because of my wife's mess; her belly is still nowhere to be seen. Now she treats me like an animal every day. Just looking into her eyes makes my vision go black and my lower back ache. This isn't something you can achieve by working yourself to the bone. I'm not in a hurry, but she's burning with anxiety. Master, you don't know, I'm afraid to get into bed at night now; my legs just cramp up!"

Xue Hongmei had no sons, only a daughter living in the countryside. Hearing this, she recalled the humiliation she suffered in the countryside when she was young, and felt a pang of sorrow. The old man, however, didn't feel it as deeply, and simply shook his head. In these days, traditional values ​​are deeply ingrained; raising children to provide for old age and carry on the family line are taken for granted. If a woman can't bear children, she can't hold her head high in her husband's family and will be gossiped about behind her back, called a "barren hen," which is very stifling. Even if she has a daughter but no son, life isn't much better; encountering a ruthless husband and being beaten or divorced are common occurrences.

"Xiao Yang, there's an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor in my hometown who specializes in treating infertility. Why don't I go back and ask him for some medicine to help you?" Xue Hongmei suggested.

"No, no, no, there are too many swindlers these days, I don't believe in them. It's not that I'm worried about the money, I'm just afraid that taking random medicine will harm my wife's health. It's much more reassuring to do things this way." Yang Wei waved his hands repeatedly. It's not that country doctors are completely incompetent, but most of them just mess around, and even if they don't kill someone, they can easily leave them with chronic illnesses.

"Alright, it's getting late, I should head back. I'll come see you again in a couple of days when I have some free time." Yang Wei got up to say goodbye and went straight home.

But as soon as he arrived at his doorstep, Lou Xiao'e, who was resting in the bedroom, suddenly covered her mouth, felt nauseous, and rushed to the kitchen in her slippers, where she lay down by the sink and began to dry heave.

In December, the cold wind in Beijing was like a knife. Yang Wei rode his bicycle leisurely home, not daring to pedal too fast. If he weren't wearing gloves and dressed fairly warmly, he would never have wanted to suffer in this freezing weather. Fortunately, it doesn't snow much in Beijing, otherwise his old bicycle would just be gathering dust in the yard.

I finally got home at 10:30 p.m.

As soon as the door was opened, Lou Xiao'e rushed out of the inner room, covering her mouth, and headed straight for the kitchen.

Yang Wei's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly followed. Just as he reached the kitchen door, he heard a series of heart-wrenching retching sounds.

"vomit--"

"vomit……"

Lou Xiao'e clutched her thighs, gagging at the garbage can, her face flushed red. Yang Wei rushed over, gently patting her back, anxiously asking, "Wife, what's wrong? Did you eat something bad for dinner?"

Lou Xiao'e was in so much pain that she couldn't even speak; she could only wave her hand weakly.

Five or six minutes passed before the pain subsided. Lou Xiao'e, leaning against the stove, managed to stand upright, her body still swaying. Yang Wei quickly grabbed her and supported her: "Where does it hurt? If you're still feeling unwell, we're going to the hospital right now!"

"Don't go, let me catch my breath..." Lou Xiao'e's face was pale, and she weakly grabbed his arm, "Help me into the house and lie down for a while."

After settling her down to lie down, Yang Wei touched her forehead. It wasn't hot, but what was wrong with her vomiting like this? Just as he was wondering whether he should go to the hospital that night, he heard the old lady making noises outside.

"Wei Zi, come out!"

Yang Wei walked out of the house, puzzled. The old lady had probably been woken up by the commotion. She was standing outside the door, wearing a coat, her eyes half-closed, but a smile she couldn't hide on her lips.

"Your wife keeps running out in the middle of the night, constantly gagging. Don't you have any idea what's going on?"

"This...how would I know..." Yang Wei stammered, then suddenly realized what she meant, his eyes widening as he stared intently at the old woman. "Grandma, you mean..."

"It can't be worse! Cola Novels, a professional novel website, provides the most comfortable reading experience. I was in the same situation when I was pregnant with your father. You'll have to take care of her tonight, and tomorrow you can take her to the hospital for a checkup. If I'm not mistaken, I'll be able to hold my great-grandson next year!" The old lady was beaming with joy.

"real?!"

"Do you think I'd lie to you about this? Take good care of your wife. I'm going back to my room." The old lady glared at him, then turned and walked away happily.

"Hey! Got it, you can rest now!" Yang Wei slapped his thigh excitedly. The problem that had been bothering him for two or three months was solved! After being transmigrated for so long, was he really going to be a father? The happiness came too suddenly, his mind was buzzing, and he turned and floated into the bedroom.

Seeing Lou Xiao'e lying unconscious with a furrowed brow and her face deathly pale, Yang Wei felt a pang of heartache and forgot all about laughing. He quickly prepared a basin of hot water, wrung out a towel to wipe her face, and tucked her in.

The old courtyard houses in Beijing didn't have central heating, and usually the stoves weren't lit until the twelfth lunar month. But Yang Wei had already set up the stoves well in advance. Without a word, he turned around and lit the fire. Before long, the stove was steaming, and the room became warm.

"Wife, wife?" Yang Wei called softly twice, but Lou Xiao'e's brows remained furrowed, offering no response. He could only watch over her. Morning sickness was the worst; she couldn't eat or sleep well, and she had to get through this period before she could have a stable pregnancy. But everyone's constitution was different. Take Sha Zhu's wife, Wu Xiuqin, for example; after only a couple of days of vomiting, she was lively and energetic again, eating and drinking as usual, just like nothing had happened. Sha Zhu had even boasted to Yang Wei that his wife was very robust. But Lou Xiao'e was different; she was delicate and had severe morning sickness.

Yang Wei didn't dare close his eyes that night, adding fuel to the fire while keeping a close eye on her. Fortunately, Xiao'e didn't vomit again after falling asleep.

I was half asleep when dawn broke.

When Lou Xiao'e opened her eyes, she saw Yang Wei dozing off by the bedside, the room warm and cozy. In an instant, tears streamed down her face. A woman marries a man for food and clothing; what does she want? Just someone who cares for her and understands her needs! Seeing that he had stayed up all night, making the room so warm and cozy, Lou Xiao'e couldn't help but reach out and touch his face.

"Husband..." she whispered.

Yang Wei suddenly looked up, rubbing his bloodshot eyes: "Huh? You're awake?"

Coming to his senses, Yang Wei saw that she had opened her eyes and immediately grinned, "Honey, how are you feeling? Any better? What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you!"

Lou Xiao'e still had tears in the corners of her eyes, but her face lit up with a smile: "I'm much better. You should go to bed and rest for a while. You have to go to work today. I'll get up and make you some food." As she spoke, she was about to lift the covers and get out of bed.

Yang Wei quickly pressed her down: "Rest. I've taken the day off today. I'll take you to the hospital for a checkup later. Grandma told me last night that you're probably pregnant."

"No need to check, she's definitely pregnant." Lou Xiao'e said with certainty. "My period hasn't come this month. I've been keeping track of the dates, it's been several days late." In the past, she would have blushed if she said this, but now she was very certain.

"I'd better go to the hospital to get it checked out before I feel at ease. You wait here, I'll go make some millet porridge." Without letting her interrupt, he turned and walked towards the kitchen.

Watching his retreating figure, Lou Xiao'e couldn't hold back her tears again, silently thinking: Mom, I've found a good man!

Yang Wei barely slept a wink all night, only managing to doze off for a short while as dawn broke, but now he was surprisingly energetic.

To be honest, he'd never really felt a sense of belonging to this era. Whether it was protecting the old lady, showing filial piety to his master, Master Guan, or even flirting with Ran Qiuye and marrying Lou Xiao'e, it all carried a bit of a "playing a game" mentality—a desire to make up for the regrets of his past life and live more freely in this place. But this morning, that mentality suddenly changed. That playful enthusiasm instantly turned into a heavy sense of responsibility. Although this feeling wasn't yet deeply ingrained, he knew that he would only truly experience fatherhood once Lou Xiao'e gave birth to the child.

After quickly preparing breakfast, Yang Wei strolled to the front yard and found Sha Zhu: "Brother Zhu, help me ask the factory for leave today. I need to take Xiao'e to the hospital; I think she's pregnant."

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu's eyes widened, and he grinned, slapping his thigh. "Oh my! What wonderful news! Congratulations! We have to have a feast tonight, it's on me!"

Yang Wei happily agreed. After finishing his meal, he didn't dare ride his bike, afraid of getting jostled around, and instead took Lou Xiao'e on a crowded bus straight to the hospital.

It took over an hour of waiting in line to register before it was finally my turn. Just as I was about to go into the examination room, the doctor stopped me: "Gentlemen, please wait outside."

Yang Wei could only pace back and forth in the corridor. Half an hour later, Lou Xiao'e came out with the form in her hands, her face beaming with joy.

Yang Wei rushed forward, asking, "How was it?"

Lou Xiao'e nodded repeatedly: "I'm pregnant! The doctor said it's all good, and told me to be careful not to bump into anything, not to get too emotional, and to come for regular checkups. He even praised my good physical condition!"

"Great! Great!" Yang Wei rubbed his hands together excitedly. "We have to tell Mom, Dad, and Master this good news right away! Let's go home!"

As Yang Wei stepped out of the hospital, he couldn't help but burst into laughter: "I'm going to be a dad!"

Passersby were all staring in their direction. Lou Xiao'e blushed with embarrassment and quickly slapped him, saying, "Hey, keep your voice down! It's so embarrassing to be seen like this!"

"What's shameful about it? I'm happy!" Yang Wei didn't care at all. He wasn't from this era, so he didn't care about those rules and regulations. He had already made Lou Xiao'e call him "husband" in private. The two happily returned to the courtyard and immediately told the old lady the good news.

Upon hearing this, the old lady beamed from ear to ear: "Good, good! May our ancestors bless us!"

"You stay home and rest. I'll go tell Mom, Dad, and Master to bring everyone over today so we can celebrate at home." After giving these instructions, Yang Wei hopped on his bicycle and sped off.

That evening, the backyard was bustling with activity. As soon as the Lou family elders received the news, they immediately dispatched a car to come over. Mrs. Lou smiled so broadly her teeth almost dried out, and Mr. Lou was so excited he kept slapping the sofa armrest, repeatedly cheering. Actually, they had been under a lot of pressure lately. Their daughter had been married for three months without any sign of pregnancy, and the old couple had often grumbled about it privately, even secretly considering taking Xiao'e to see a doctor. People these days are so rigid in their thinking; when faced with such a situation, they always assume it's the woman's fault, never considering the man's perspective. In later years, the young couple would have gone to the hospital to find out the truth, but nowadays, even a checkup had to be done secretly, all for the sake of saving face.

Yang Wei borrowed his father-in-law's car and picked up Grandpa Guan and Xue Hongmei. The whole family sat around a large table: Mr. and Mrs. Lou, Grandpa Guan, Grandma Guan, Sha Zhu and his wife, Xue Hongmei, and Yang Wei and his wife—a total of nine people. The men toasted each other, the women chatted about everyday matters, and everyone was beaming with joy. The meal lasted a full two hours. Yang Wei first took Grandpa Guan and Xue Hongmei home, then came back to take his parents-in-law home. As they were getting into the car, Mrs. Lou hesitated several times, but ultimately swallowed her words, only holding Lou Xiao'e's hand and repeatedly reminding her: "Be careful what you eat, go to the hospital immediately if you feel unwell, and don't push yourself." Sha Zhu and his wife helped tidy up and then returned to the hospital.

As night fell, the house finally quieted down. Lou Xiao'e felt heavy, so Yang Wei helped her wash up and lie down, then sealed the stove to remove the damp coal before going to bed himself.

"Husband," Lou Xiao'e said softly, leaning against the pillow, "Mom told me today that she wants me to go back to my parents' house and have Aunt Wu come over to take care of Grandma."

Yang Wei understood immediately. His mother-in-law's hesitant manner when she left was to save face for him. Indeed, it was better to be taken care of at her parents' home than to cook for her grandmother here, and there was no one to look after her if something happened to her.

"Okay, I agree," Yang Wei nodded, "but there's no rush. She's only just gotten pregnant, so as long as she doesn't fall, it'll be fine. We can move over after the New Year, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Lou Xiao'e leaned over and gave him a quick kiss: "Honey, you're so good to me! I'm going to reward you today!"

Yang Wei's face turned green. This was supposed to be a reward for him? It was clearly a reward for herself! Lou Xiao'e had been treating him like an animal, tormenting him day and night. He'd finally gotten pregnant, thinking things would calm down for a few days, but it was even worse. But since his wife had spoken, he didn't dare say "no." In this family, he was the one who made the decisions in everything else, but when it came to this, he had absolutely no rights!

Author HRCPAA's latest work, "The Courtyard: The Fisherman Never Goes Homeless," is exclusively published on Cola Novels!