Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

However, by then, He Yushui would probably be married long ago, and the house wouldn't be so cramped.

He went out early to fetch water, intending to boil more hot water so he could bathe Lou Xiao'e later.

Just as he was squatting by the pond in the central garden scooping water, Qin Huairu also pushed open the door and came out.

She was the earliest riser in the Jia family, busy with breakfast and taking care of the children every day. Little Dang was only a little over a year old and couldn't be left alone.

Seeing He Yuzhu also fetching water, her face suddenly flushed, and the noise she had heard last night involuntarily surfaced in her mind—the two houses were close by, and when she got up to use the outhouse at night, a suppressed groan came from the quiet courtyard.

She moved closer as if possessed, and then she could hear that the voice was coming from the He family's house.

Thinking that it was someone else's wedding night, Qin Huairu felt her ears burning. She hurriedly went to the toilet and returned to her room, but she couldn't fall asleep no matter what.

Not long after, I felt unwell in my stomach and had to get up again. As soon as I stepped out of the yard, the sound was still there—intermittent, yet continuous.

She was stunned: So long?

From the first time she heard it until now, it must have been more than an hour. What made her heart tremble even more was that Lou Xiao'e's voice was like a song, yet also like a sob, as if she was overjoyed and almost fainted.

At that moment, Qin Huairu stood in the cold wind, forgetting the cold and the time. Her feet seemed nailed to the ground, unable to move. Her legs felt weak, and her chest heaved.

Thinking of Jia Dongxu, he always ended things in just a few minutes, never with such lingering passion.

As she listened to those soft moans, she heard not weariness, but utter pleasure.

"Zhu Zi, so early..." She managed to steady her breathing and greeted him, her voice a little weak.

As Qin Huairu approached, she greeted him with a bright smile and a cheerful voice. Carrying a water bottle, she walked straight to the pool to fill it. Her gaze inadvertently swept over He Yuzhu—he was wearing thin clothes, and the lines of his strong, taut muscles were faintly visible under the fabric. Her throat bobbed, and her heart skipped a beat.

He Yuzhu only glanced at her indifferently, without even raising his eyelids, picked up the kettle, turned around, and went into the house.

This cold treatment ignited Qin Huairu's anger, and she gritted her teeth inwardly. "What have I, Qin Huairu, ever done to offend you? Just a few years ago, you were the one calling me 'Sister Qin'! And now, you're playing dumb?"

He Yuzhu was boiling water in the house, but his mind was racing—he suddenly remembered a magical device: an electric kettle.

This thing is incredibly simple in construction; a single heating element heats up and can boil cold water in thirty seconds. It's not yet available in inland areas, but in the north, it's an essential winter gadget. It saves coal, firewood, and time—just plug it in. Anyone who uses it knows how amazing it is.

"If I could add an automatic power-off function... it wouldn't be difficult, just a few wiring changes." He thought to himself, a slight smile playing on his lips. In his past life, he had survived countless cold winters thanks to it, and he was no longer afraid of his fingers cracking from the cold when washing clothes.

As soon as the water boiled, he pulled out a piece of paper and quickly sketched out a design. The structure was simple, requiring no elaborate details; he could do it easily.

After putting down the blueprints, he took out the Hong Kong-style breakfast he had stored from the Vitality Acceleration Space yesterday: shrimp dumplings, char siu buns, chicken feet with black bean sauce, steamed spare ribs, fish congee... He heated them all up at once, and the aroma immediately exploded in the room and wafted out.

The aroma woke up the entire alley.

The early risers in the courtyard sniffed and immediately recognized it—it was the He family again! Eating meat so early in the morning? And the kind that smelled deliciously meaty? They considered even eating cornbread with pickled vegetables a luxury, let alone dreaming of such a life!

Inside the room, Lou Xiao'e was also awakened by the fragrance. She groggily opened her eyes, found the space beside her empty, and immediately called out softly, "Yuzhu?"

"They're here!"

He Yuzhu entered in response, tossed aside the blueprints, and walked into the bedroom with a big smile: "You're awake? Hot water is ready, and breakfast is heated up too. We're just waiting for you, our young lady, to get up and start eating."

"Help me up... I have no strength at all..." Lou Xiao'e propped herself up to sit up, her voice as soft as cotton candy.

After her first sexual experience, she was like a flower branch soaked in spring water, her innocence fading, replaced by a captivating allure in her eyes. Her body was truly weak; last night's "exercise" had lasted too long, almost draining her dry.

He Yuzhu quickly stepped forward to help her up and fed her a small half-cup of medicinal wine. The warm liquid slid down her throat, and her blood and qi gradually returned to normal.

She had just sat up, lifting the covers, when large expanses of her snow-white skin were exposed, the lines of her shoulders and neck sliding down, arousing the imagination. He Yuzhu stared, his gaze lingering, thoroughly enjoying the sight.

Lou Xiao'e noticed his gaze, her cheeks instantly burning red, and she reached for her clothes to cover herself. But He Yuzhu stopped her with a smile: "We're an old married couple, why are you hiding? You wait here, I'll bring in some hot water, you can wash up, and then I'll go call Yushui for dinner, and we'll eat together."

"Hmm...Go ahead." She replied, head bowed, her ears bright red.

Although they had already shared a bed, she was still too embarrassed to be naked in front of him, so she covered herself with her clothes before leaving.

As soon as He Yuzhu left, Lou Xiao'e slowly got up, picked up the towel he had prepared, and carefully wiped her body.

While wiping, I secretly pondered: Marriage... doesn't seem so scary after all. It's just that last night was a bit too rough. Mom says newlyweds easily develop a taste for the forbidden fruit, but this lasted way too long!

Thankfully, Mom hasn't left yet. I must quietly ask her about it on the day I see her off.

After wiping herself down and washing up, her small face was smooth and radiant, as if it could be broken with a touch.

Just as she changed her clothes and came out, she bumped into He Yuzhu setting breakfast on the table.

He Yushui was already so hungry she could hardly sit still. Seeing her come out, she immediately shouted, "Sister-in-law, come quick! The shrimp dumplings will get cold if we don't eat them soon!"

The table is laden with a variety of colorful dishes: translucent shrimp dumplings, glistening and fragrant char siu buns, tender and juicy chicken feet with black bean sauce, rich and flavorful steamed spare ribs, and a bowl of steaming hot fish congee.

The aroma is irresistible; just looking at it makes your mouth water.

He Yushui picked up a shrimp dumpling and put it in her mouth. The outer skin was soft and chewy, and the filling was fresh and tender. She bit into it, and the scalding hot soup burst on her tongue. The freshness made her eyebrows twitch.

Lou Xiao'e couldn't resist trying a chicken foot. With a gentle suck, the bone came off easily, and her mouth was full of gelatinous, soft, and flavorful meat. She simply couldn't stop eating it.

The three sat around the table, eating heartily, the room filled with the sounds of blissful chewing.

Halfway through the meal, He Yuzhu suddenly spoke up: "Xiao'e, rest after you finish eating, don't wander around. If you get bored, take a walk around the neighborhood. After you graduate, I'll go to the Nanluoguxiang Subdistrict Office and ask around to find you an easy job, close to home, not tiring."

He didn't say much, but every word he spoke was heartfelt.

Okay! Then I'll bring rainwater with me to school, and when I graduate, I'll transfer the bicycle directly to her?

Lou Xiao'e tilted her head and looked at He Yuzhu, her eyes smiling. That women's bicycle was a dowry gift from Lou's mother. It was shiny and brand new, with slightly tapered handlebars and a slightly lower crossbeam, making it a bit more elegant than the "older brother's bicycle"—it was just in time for the rain to make it grow taller, and as soon as the third day of the new year arrived, she straddled it and rode it steadily.

If she really got a job in the neighborhood office, wearing a uniform and sitting in an office, she wouldn't need to ride her bike around so conspicuously.

He Yushui's ears immediately perked up, her eyes shining like lamps as she stared intently at the two of them, her face tense, even her breathing becoming soft—she had her eye on this car since yesterday, it was stylish and expensive; according to the original agreement, they would only get one after graduating from high school, but now they could ride it in the third year of junior high? It was like money falling from the sky!

She wished she could kowtow to He Yuzhu on the spot and beg him to nod his head.

He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Do as you please. Yushui, thank you, sister-in-law."

He Yushui instantly transformed into a docile kitten, fluttering her head and saying in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Thank you, sister-in-law! You're so kind!"

With that greedy look, she'd recognize anyone who gave her candy as her parents. He Yuzhu never skimped on her allowance, and now the money in her pocket was probably more than all the jars and pots in the Jia family's three rooms combined.

Fortunately, she's good at saving money—if she dares to squander it recklessly, He Yuzhu will take her wallet in no time.

Lou Xiao'e doesn't have class today. She just took two days off yesterday, and her body hasn't recovered yet, so she plans to take a nap. She ate her fill, but she still feels lazy and limp, unable to muster any energy.

He Yuzhu put down his rice bowl and immediately took on the chores: in ten minutes, he swept the floor, wiped the table, emptied the trash, and cleaned the spittoon in the inner room spotless. Before leaving, he casually left his lunch on the stove to simmer—she could wake up to find it warm and eat it right away.

"Xiao'e, I'm going to work."

"Okay, ride slowly, don't cut in front!"

Lou Xiao'e leaned against the doorframe, her voice soft yet crisp, perfectly befitting a capable housewife. As soon as they left, she jumped back onto the bed, giggling.

My mother gave me a long lecture the other day: once you're married into the family, you have to be quick-witted and nimble-fingered; a daughter-in-law must be observant and attentive to tasks. And what happened? She barely blinked before He Yuzhu had swiftly and efficiently finished all the work, as fast as a whirlwind.

This life doesn't feel like everyday life; it feels more like going back to my parents' home—except for the cramped house, it's just as nice as the Lou family compound.

As for the fuss at night... it was really tiring, but He Yuzhu cooked every meal during the day, and even the oil smelled delicious. All things considered, she was definitely making a profit.

The thought had barely crossed her mind when her eyelids drooped. Before leaving, He Yuzhu had already lit the stove for her and left a crack in the window—to prevent gas leaks and, more importantly, to prevent her from falling into a deep sleep.

A warm breeze carried the scent of charcoal; she turned over and instantly fell asleep.

"Director He is here!"

Congratulations to Director He on your marriage!

"Master! Congratulations!"

"Uncle-Master! May you have a son soon and live a long and happy life together!"

As soon as I stepped into the canteen kitchen, congratulations rained down like popping beans. Everyone had chosen the date early on, but the wedding was a low-key affair with no banquet; they were just waiting to offer their congratulations in person today.

He Yuzhu laughed heartily and waved his hand, "Come on, come on, plenty of wedding candy! Share in the joy!"

He wasn't stingy at all—each person received ten milk candies and five fruit candies, all high-quality goods air-freighted from Hong Kong. With over forty people in the three canteens in the back kitchen, everyone got some, the candy wrappers rustling and flashing, and the praise immediately rose eight octaves.

He then plunged back into the greenhouse for his routine inspection—a sloppy job, but one of the few "serious tasks" he did each day.