Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 31 Tan Xiulan's Divorce

That night, He Yuzhu sat in the main room of the courtyard. He spread out a sheet of paper under the electric light and picked up a pen.

"Tan Xiulan, Yi Zhonghai is infertile. He was kicked in the groin during the Japanese occupation, and the old deaf man in the backyard knows about it. They're both keeping it from you; one is using you as a scapegoat, and the other is treating you like a servant. Go to Peking Union Medical College Hospital for a checkup, take the report to the Military Control Commission, and apply for a divorce. You can get half of the family property; you can get half of the house and half of the money."

Sell ​​your room to Old Li. Openly declare in the courtyard that Yi Zhonghai can't have children, and that the old deaf man is protecting him. Also, add that the old deaf man and Yi Zhonghai started sleeping together over ten years ago—you saw it with your own eyes, but you didn't dare say anything then, afraid of losing your life. Do as I say, or you'll never leave Beijing.”

Once finished writing, there will be room for income.

He stood inside the moon gate of the courtyard and used his spatial abilities to place the letter next to Tan Xiulan's pillow, with a dagger on top of it.

The next morning, Tan Xiulan woke up. A letter and a dagger lay beside her pillow. She stared blankly for a long time, then her hands trembled as she reached for the letter and opened it. After reading it, she shuddered all over. She sat on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed) for half an hour.

In the afternoon, she left Peking Union Medical College Hospital, clutching a lab report in her hand. It stated: No abnormalities were found in the uterus and adnexa; she possesses normal fertility.

She went to the military control commission and submitted her divorce application. The staff, seeing that she was a family member of a labor camp inmate, told her to go home and wait.

The next day, she was informed that her divorce application had been specially approved. She received an extra 50 yuan in property, and one of the two rooms in the east wing.

In the evening, Tan Xiulan took the divorce certificate in her hand, grabbed a copper basin from the kitchen, and went out, banging on it all the way to the door of the back room.

The old deaf woman opened the door, and she stood inside, leaning on her jujube wood cane. Seeing Tan Xiulan glaring at her with hatred, she knew something was wrong.

Everyone in the courtyard came, except for the Yan family.

Tan Xiulan slammed the copper basin to the ground with a loud crash. She held up the lab report. "I went to Peking Union Medical College Hospital for a checkup! I can have children!" Her voice was shrill and shrill. "Yi Zhonghai can't have children! His genitals were injured during the Japanese occupation! That old deaf man knows about it! They kept it from me, using me as a scapegoat, treating me like a servant!"

The deaf old man slammed his cane on the ground and shouted, "You're talking nonsense!"

Tan Xiulan turned to her and said, "You dare say Yi Zhonghai is capable of having children? You dare say he hasn't been kicked and injured?"

The old deaf man's lips trembled, and he pointed his cane at Tan Xiulan, unable to utter a single word.

Tan Xiulan then held up her divorce certificate: "The Military Control Commission approved it! I'm divorced from him! I'll get half the house. Old Li will sell it to you for 150 yuan. If you want it, come with me to transfer the ownership."

Old Li stood in the crowd, nodding with a smile.

"There's something else. More than ten years ago, I personally witnessed the old deaf man and Yi Zhonghai in bed. At that time, I didn't dare to say anything, for fear of losing my life." Tan Xiulan looked at the old deaf man, her eyes filled with the satisfaction of revenge.

The people in the courtyard burst into discussion.

The old deaf man's face turned pale.

Once this got out, she couldn't clear her name no matter what.

Everyone in the brothel was calling her a slut, a whore, a madam, all sorts of things.

The old deaf man, leaning on his cane, retreated back into the house, the door bolted shut.

Tan Xiulan tucked the test results and divorce certificate into her bosom, turned around and walked back, her back ramrod straight as she exited through the wall gate.

Old Li bought the east wing room. The next day, he hired someone to build a wall to separate it from Yi Zhonghai's room and to open a new door in the wall.

They moved in the next day.

Yan Bugui was released after serving his detention period. He had lost weight, his eyes were sunken, and he had a stubble on his chin. When he got home, he learned that Yan Jiecheng, like Liu Guangqi, had been missing for more than ten days, and there was no hope.

The next morning, he forced himself to go to school. The head of student affairs saw him and called him to his office. "Mr. Yan, the school has considered it. Your current condition is not suitable for you to continue teaching. We need a cleaner in the logistics department; would you like to do it?"

Yan Bugui stood there, his mouth agape.

The head of the teaching department looked down at the documents and didn't look at him.

Yan Bugui swayed, but managed to brace himself against the edge of the table and didn't fall. He left the office and walked onto the playground, where the sun was shining brightly.

Students ran past him, and one of them called out, "Hello, Teacher Yan!"

He didn't answer. He walked to the edge of the playground, his legs gave way, and he sat down on the ground. Everything went black.

He was seriously ill. He had a fever for three days. Yang Ruihua applied a wet towel to his forehead and gave him fever-reducing medicine.

On the morning of the fourth day, his fever subsided. He opened his eyes and saw the roof beams. He lay in bed for another day, then got up the next day, went to the school to settle his wages, and quit.

Find a job as an accountant in a private shop near Qianmen; the income is higher than before.

Yan Bugui left early and returned late every day, his abacus beads clicking away. He didn't mention Jie Cheng or Sha Zhu, but in his heart, he blamed everything on Sha Zhu.

September has arrived. The weather is still hot.

He Yuzhu, wearing a white vest, was practicing Xingyi Quan in the courtyard. He had already reached the peak of Ming Jin (manifested strength). He pushed off with his foot, the brick floor thudding. He threw a punch, the air crackling. He pulled his fist back, exhaled, sweat streaming down his back.

He took a shower and went to the bedroom. The bookshelves were full of books: thread-bound ancient books, Soviet novels, and cookbooks.

In the past few months, he has also learned music, chess, calligraphy, painting, Cantonese cuisine, and Fujian cuisine. He has a very good relationship with the Lou family, and even learned to play the piano there. His various skills are evident in his daily life, and everyone in the Lou family looks at him with new respect. Lou Xiao'e especially admires this Brother He; there's nothing he can't learn.

Lou Bancheng treated everyone to a meal, and he made Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. When the jar was placed on the table and the lid was lifted, the aroma was so enticing that everyone at the table forgot to speak.

Every Sunday afternoon, he would ride his bicycle to the Lou Mansion. A box of pastries hung on the handlebars.

That afternoon, He Yuzhu brought egg tarts, with flaky crusts encasing tender yellow fillings, steaming hot when bitten into. Lou Xiao'e ate three, her lips stained with crumbs of flaky crust.

After finishing her egg tart, she slumped over the table to do her homework. It was third-grade math; she was biting the end of her pencil, her brow furrowed.

He Yuzhu sat down next to her and glanced at it. He picked up a pencil and wrote down the equation on the draft paper. She looked at it once and said, "Brother He, you are so smart."

After finishing his homework, He Yuzhu pulled a bamboo flute out of his bag. Lou Xiao'e's eyes lit up. He held it to his lips and played a tune; the sound was clear and the melody was beautiful.

She was completely stunned.

"Would you like to learn?"

"Yes!" she said, her dark eyes looking at him.

He handed her the flute and showed her how to place her hands and how to blow. She puffed out her cheeks, produced a soft breath, and laughed to herself.

He Yuzhu looked at her: "Xiao'e, did you know that many learned women in history could play the xiao (a type of vertical bamboo flute)?"

Lou Xiao'e shook her head.

"Li Qingzhao knew it, and so did Zhuo Wenjun." He meant wickedly. "You must study hard. It will be of great use in the future."

Lou Xiao'e nodded vigorously, her cheeks puffing out again.

In the evening, He Yuzhu rode his bicycle back to the courtyard. The pomegranate blossoms on the tree had faded, and the pomegranates that had formed were not yet red.

He sat down under the pomegranate tree, took out a cigarette, and lit it.

Jia Zhangshi's voice came from the middle courtyard. Qin Huairu, heavily pregnant, walked slowly through the passageway, one hand supporting her waist. When Jia Zhangshi saw her, she started cursing again.

He Yuzhu smoked a cigarette, looking at the moon gate. In his past life, Qin Huairu was also heavily pregnant at this time.

He knew everything that happened afterward. He knew who would come knocking, who would scheme, and who would betray him. He knew it all.

The cicadas chirped incessantly. Night fell, and the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, its pale light illuminating the pomegranate tree. He Yuzhu stubbed out his cigarette, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a bowl. The tea was golden; he took a sip, then looked up at the white moon.

"There's still a long way to go."