Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He got up, took out a wooden box, laid out a red cloth, carefully wrapped the ginseng, and put it away. Then he slowly said, "The quality is not bad. Although the age isn't top-tier, it's still worth nearly three hundred yuan per ginseng. Two ginsengs for six hundred yuan. You've poured all your savings into this?"

"You want so much!?"

Bai Danyu blurted out, utterly shocked. Seeing He Yuzhu's nonchalant attitude, she assumed it was only a matter of two or three hundred yuan, planning to repay the favor later with some more expensive items. Little did she expect the price difference to be so large.

But she would have to save up for seven or eight months by living frugally to afford six hundred yuan.

Upon hearing this, Bai Weizhong immediately understood—the money hadn't been touched at all. Thinking about his sister's friends, he blurted out, "You got it from He Yuzhu, didn't you? He hasn't asked you for the money yet?"

"Hmm..." Bai Danyu realized she couldn't hide it any longer and had to admit in a low voice, "He said he only needed two packets of Dad's treasured tea. I thought it wasn't worth much... He even gave me two ginseng roots."

Bai Weizhong shook his head after hearing this: "Our father's tea leaves are good, but compared to these two ginseng roots, they're worlds apart. Ten catties of tea leaves can't even buy one! Alright, stop talking, I'll take them back first and have my sister-in-law look after Dad. As for how to thank He Yuzhu... we'll talk about it later."

People who can casually give such lavish gifts are either after power or value personal relationships.

He Yuzhu became the head of the steel mill's canteen at a young age, demonstrating merit and competence. If he truly wanted to climb the social ladder, he wouldn't choose the Bai family. Therefore—it could only be that he was after Bai Danyu.

As for the implication his wife had mentioned earlier, Bai Weizhong didn't believe it. His sister was indeed beautiful, but she was, after all, a widow with a child. With He Yuzhu's skills and status, finding a young and beautiful woman would be a piece of cake.

Bai Danyu left her brother's house, thinking all the way: How should I repay He Yuzhu?

Offering money? They definitely wouldn't accept it, and might even turn hostile. But besides money, she couldn't think of anything else worthy of that ginseng worth six hundred yuan.

Making clothes? He Yuzhu usually wears work clothes and ready-made clothes; the clothes she sews herself are not as decent as those sold in stores.

Inviting her to dinner? Not to mention—in the entire capital city, she had never eaten a better dish than He Yuzhu's cooking.

Even after I pushed open the door, my mind was still blank.

Good ginseng is rare, and wealthy people are eager to get their hands on it. After all, the saying "ginseng can save lives" has been around for hundreds of years. Although it can't bring the dead back to life, everyone knows that it nourishes and strengthens the body.

Within seven days, Li Wangcai sold all fifteen ginseng roots given to him by He Yuzhu, in exchange for 160 grams of gold.

He Yuzhu was generous and handed him 225 yuan in cash, plus 30 more new plants.

In fact, Li Wangcai had quite an appetite; this time, he asked for fifty plants right off the bat. But He Yuzhu didn't agree—giving too many at once would attract attention.

At this point, quietly selling 100 to 120 ginseng plants a month is already the limit. Ginseng isn't cabbage; it can't be traded in large quantities every day. Besides, Li Wangcai only accepts gold; if the commotion is too big, someone might be watching.

Even if something really happens, He Yuzhu isn't afraid. The system space is such a heaven-defying existence that ordinary people have never even heard of it, let alone investigated.

Who can believe that one person could obtain hundreds of ten-year-old ginseng roots in a month? Even if you sent a whole company to dig in Changbai Mountain, they might not be able to gather that many!

However, to be on the safe side, it's best to keep a low profile. Besides, Li Wangcai has been getting a bit cocky lately, so it's time to rein him in.

What we're selling now are all stockpiled from earlier plantings. A year from now, tens of thousands of ten-year-old ginseng plants will sprout from the Vitality Acceleration Space—it's perfect to cash in on a batch in advance and exchange it for some start-up capital to go to Hong Kong Island.

After seeing Li Wangcai off, He Yuzhu hopped on his bicycle and headed straight for Xue Ru Silk Shop.

Before leaving, he had already told He Yushui that he might be back late and would stay at Zhengyangmen for the night.

He Yushui is all grown up now and isn't afraid to live alone. Plus, her brother gave her five yuan for spending money, so she smiled so much her eyes crinkled and readily agreed.

Upon arriving at the silk shop, He Yuzhu immediately spotted a man pestering Chen Xueru, his tone saccharine and his face plastered with smiles. He frowned, a sudden surge of anger rising within him.

Fortunately, Chen Xueru looked annoyed, but she couldn't shake her off.

He Yuzhu immediately stepped into the store, stood beside her, and asked in a clear voice, "Xueru, are the clothes I ordered ready? Also, is it Donglaishun or Bianyifang tonight?"

"How could it be so fast!" Chen Xueru looked up and saw it was him. Her heart skipped a beat. She was happy at first, but then annoyed that he hadn't been around for so many days, even though the two of them were already very close.

In the days that followed, Chen Xueru calmed down and reflected on the situation. There really wasn't much of a possibility between her and He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu was too composed, so composed that she almost forgot about their age difference.

But could she really sever all ties completely? She couldn't bear to. Those two passionate encounters that day felt like being pulled from the mundane world into a cloud of mist; she hadn't tasted that blissful, ethereal feeling in far too long.

So when He Yuzhu came to her door today, she was secretly overjoyed.

"Roast duck is too greasy, let's go to Donglaishun instead."

Her eyes sparkled, her voice was so soft it could melt hearts, and her alluring eyes were almost hooking. Fan Jinyou, standing nearby, was furious—since this man entered, Chen Xueru had completely ignored everyone else!

He couldn't help but raise his voice and press, "Manager Chen, what's your opinion on what I just mentioned?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xueru's face immediately darkened, her tone filled with undisguised annoyance: "Fan Jinyou, are you deaf or can't you understand human language? If you want to be the public sector manager, go and register at the neighborhood committee yourself. What's the point of blocking me, the private sector manager? If I could really just assign positions arbitrarily, wouldn't the public-private partnership become a joke?"

"Besides, you almost ruined my tavern last time, and when I asked you for help the other day, you pretended not to hear. What, now you're eyeing my silk shop?"

"you……"

Fan Jin's face flushed crimson. The scandal at the tavern was a thorn in his side, and now that she had exposed it in public, it was like a resounding slap in the face!

As for helping? At that time, he and she were not related, so why should he bother with her?

"Okay! I'll go to the neighborhood committee and recommend myself!"

He snorted coldly, glared at Chen Xueru, and turned to leave. He had thought that since she and Xu Huizhen didn't get along, she would be happy to join forces to make the silk shop bigger and stronger, surpassing the tavern—but what happened? She was petty and would turn her back on someone over the slightest old grudge.

After Fan Jinyou stormed off in a huff, He Yuzhu slowly approached and asked, "Is this kid eyeing your position as the general manager here?"

"Hmm." Chen Xueru hummed softly, "I heard Liao Yucheng quit, and he's been pestering me these past two days... Come here, stand in front of me."

She waved to He Yuzhu as she spoke. When he got closer, she took out a ruler and measured him back and forth on his shoulders, waist, chest and back.

"I remember now, wasn't it him who reported the tavern before? This kind of person doesn't know anything about business... What are you doing?" He Yuzhu was saying when he suddenly noticed that she was measuring his body and was taken aback.

Chen Xueru lifted her eyelids and smiled charmingly: "Making clothes, huh? Once they're done, let's see what excuse you can come up with to come here."

He Yuzhu grinned: "There are plenty of reasons, why make them up?"

After taking the measurements, she simply closed the shop and, arm in arm with He Yuzhu, headed straight for Donglaishun.

Three plates of hand-cut mutton, a dish of greens, and a bowl of hand-pulled noodles; the broth was clear yet incredibly flavorful. The two ate with great gusto, their mouths brimming with the delicious aroma, before leisurely riding away on their bicycles.

He had promised to take her home, and even gave her the address. But as He Yuzhu rode, he turned a corner and went straight back to his own courtyard house. Chen Xueru glanced at him, didn't scold him, and followed him inside.

This courtyard may not be great in other aspects, but it's convenient for taking a bath. She had just finished eating hot pot and was still smelling of meat, so it was the perfect time to boil water and take a good shower. This shower was tantamount to a clear message: she wasn't leaving tonight.

-

As night deepened, the bed shook so violently it seemed about to fall apart, but eventually it gradually calmed down.

He Yuzhu took a breath, reached for the teacup on the bedside table, and gently fed her a cup of tea. Chen Xueru sipped it, her breathing gradually evening out. After a while, she sat up, patted his chest a few times, and said coquettishly:

"This is terrible... He was acting like a bull just now, wasn't he afraid of flipping the bed off?"

He Yuzhu chuckled silently. Faced with such a charming and alluring woman, who could resist?

The two nestled together quietly for a moment, then he suddenly spoke: "Xue Ru, where you live now... is it a rather mixed bunch of people?"

"It's alright, my mom still has to take care of Hou Kui, and once the door is closed, it's just a small courtyard... What, you want to keep me as a sugar daddy?"

She looked up at him and asked, leaning against his chest. As she looked up, her collar opened slightly, revealing a snow-capped mountain range, a glimpse of spring in full bloom.

He Yuzhu pretended to be serious: "What nonsense are you talking about? I was worried that you wouldn't be comfortable staying here, so I was thinking about whether there was a suitable house for you to settle down in a quiet place."

"No need, my mom and Hou Kui are living there quite comfortably, and they've gotten to know all the neighbors."

After a moment's thought, Chen Xueru declined, but then changed the subject: "However, I really want to buy a courtyard house myself, whether to live in it or use it as a warehouse."

He Yuzhu immediately chimed in, "Then what are we waiting for? You buy one first as a warehouse, and then we'll pick out a better one for our retirement. I'll pay for it."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xueru's heart warmed, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but her words carried a touch of teasing: "Oh, my Director He, where did you get so much spare money? A courtyard house isn't like cabbage, something you can just take away casually."

"Money is no problem," He Yuzhu smiled. "It all depends on your fancy friend Elena. She's been eyeing the wine in my hand for a while now. If all else fails, I'll sell her a hundred pounds first—and I can get a two-courtyard house in return. If I'm really ruthless, a three-courtyard house isn't out of the question... but it'll be too conspicuous. To keep a low profile, a one- or two-courtyard house is the most suitable."

Mentioning Elena stirred a complex feeling within him. He had rejected that polar bear woman several times, yet today she was the one taking the initiative to come to his door to discuss business.

But he knew that once he opened his mouth, a hundred pounds wouldn't be enough to appease her. Elena was shrewd and would seize any opportunity to ask for an exorbitant amount. But he had already planned ahead—a maximum of three hundred pounds, not an ounce more.