Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

But right now, the diagnosis report in black and white is right in front of me!

Isn't the implication obvious? The inability to conceive is most likely Xu Damao's fault!

Although in the past everyone only stared at women, the piece of paper in Yu Li's hand was stiff and heavy, leaving no room for ambiguity—the doctor of the First People's Hospital of Beijing was a man of his word, more powerful than an official seal.

Although no one looked closely at the list, Yu Li dared to show it in public, so who would believe she was forging it?

In an instant, several pairs of eyes swept towards Xu Damao, like searchlights fixed on him.

Unless he can produce an even more compelling medical report, the label of "infertility" will be firmly pinned on his head today.

"Yan Bugui, you still dare to lie?" Yu Li took a half step forward, her voice crisp and sharp, "Why don't we go to the hospital right now and have this report checked to see if it's real or fake?"

Yan Bugui's face turned pale, and he waved his hands repeatedly, retreating behind Yi Zhonghai and shrinking his neck: "I won't get involved, I won't get involved!"

He wanted to smooth things over for Yi Zhonghai, but he almost got himself involved – this deal was a huge loss, and he wasn't going to do it.

Yan Bugui shut his mouth, and Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask, "Yu Li, how do you plan to handle this?"

"Divorce! I'm determined to divorce Xu Damao!"

Yu Li spoke with unwavering resolve, without even blinking. She had just clearly seen Xu Damao's expression and remembered the veins bulging on his arm when he threw a punch—not leaving? Next time, he might really cripple her legs, making it impossible for her to hold a bowl of rice or a pen!

With no one from her family to back her up, if Xu Damao stubbornly denies it, this matter could drag on for a year or two without being resolved.

She had already planned it out in her mind: strike while the iron is hot and make a final decision.

Yi Zhonghai's face darkened. Zhang Shufen had just had this thought when Yu Li followed suit. He subconsciously turned his head to stare at Lou Xiao'e, cursing inwardly: It must be this woman who stirred up trouble!

Xu Damao let out a hoarse roar: "Yu Li, I'd rather die than leave you!"

Yu Li sneered, her words landing like hammer blows: "Xu Damao, whether you agree or not is up to me! If you keep arguing, I'll report you to the Women's Federation tomorrow!"

Yi Zhonghai quickly tried to persuade her, "Yu Li, calm down. This is a civilized compound; nothing like this has happened in decades. If you make a scene about divorce, what will outsiders think?"

"Sir, the leader spoke of freedom of marriage, and the law clearly states it. How come it's just a decoration when it comes to you?" Lou Xiao'e changed the subject, turning to Deputy Director Ma. "Director Ma, don't you agree?"

Deputy Director Ma's expression changed instantly. He immediately turned to Yi Zhonghai, his tone becoming more serious: "Old Yi, mediation must be conducted according to law and regulations, and according to the wishes of both parties. We can't just consider one side, and we certainly can't use the word 'face' to pressure the law!"

He sighed inwardly: He should have left long ago! Now he understood why Director Wang dismissed Yi Zhonghai, the steward—this man couldn't even grasp the basics of the law, he just spouted nonsense, good at fooling ordinary people, but who was Lou Xiao'e? A cadre from the street office!

A bead of sweat appeared on Yi Zhonghai's forehead as he quickly nodded and bowed, "Yes, yes, Director Ma, I understand!"

Turning around, he forced a smile and added dryly to Yu Li and Xu Damao, "You two should really think this over carefully, very carefully..."

After saying that, he panicked and just wanted to end the meeting as soon as possible. He didn't want to endure this situation for another second.

"Neighbors, if there's nothing else, let's call this meeting here. Let the Xu family discuss their family matters behind closed doors."

Yi Zhonghai is a very shrewd man—one minute he's trying to smooth things over, subtly and overtly trying to stop Yu Li from impulsively divorcing Xu Damao; the next minute, as soon as he sees the tide turning against him, he immediately packs up and leaves, not leaving a single harsh word, for fear that Yu Li will use the whole hospital to drive Xu Damao to the brink of despair.

As soon as he finished speaking, he quickly moved to Deputy Director Ma's side, leaning on his cane, and said with a big smile, "Director Ma, let me see you off!" The two of them walked straight towards the main gate, one after the other.

When the onlookers saw that Yi Zhonghai had left, they immediately felt that the excitement had ended and the show was over. So they scattered like birds and beasts, carrying enamel mugs, holding children, or carrying vegetable baskets, and went home in twos and threes.

In the blink of an eye, the courtyard was empty, with only a few withered leaves swirling in the wind.

Yu Li glared coldly at Xu Damao, then turned to Lou Xiao'e and said, "Xiao'e, can I stay at your place tonight?"

"No need to ask! You can stay as long as you want! Go back and pack your things first, I'll go make the bed and get the ointment to reduce the swelling."

Lou Xiao'e stared at the purplish-blue finger mark on Yu Li's face, her heart tightened, and she couldn't help but sigh—she used to be such a beautiful girl, with bright eyes and black hair, but now, after being tormented by domestic violence, her eyes were bruised, her lips were chapped, and even her posture exuded a stubbornness that seemed to be forcing her to stand up.

"Okay, I'll go back and move my things right away. If I get stopped on the way, just call 110 and then the Women's Federation hotline!"

She yelled these words at Xu Damao, enunciating each one clearly. Xu Damao's face paled, his fists clenching and unclenching—he wasn't afraid of Yu Li turning on him, but he was genuinely afraid she would call the police and alert the Women's Federation. These days, who dares to live with the label of "abuser"? He valued his life above all else; how could he dare to lay a hand on her again?

He could only watch helplessly as Yu Li carried her bundles, making trip after trip, carrying clothes, an enamel basin, and a sewing kit to Lou Xiao'e's house. He even managed to squeeze out a few conciliatory words, like "I was wrong," and "I won't do it again," but Yu Li didn't even lift an eyelid. The beating he'd just received still burned on her arm; now she wanted to smile apologetically? Not a chance.

"Xu Damao, see you this Saturday at the Civil Affairs Bureau! I mean what I say—if you don't go, I'll take your injury report to the Women's Federation!"

After saying that, she slung the last bag of clothes over her shoulder and walked towards the He family's house in Zhongyuan without looking back.

On the blue brick road outside the courtyard, Deputy Director Ma suddenly stopped: "Master Yi, wait a moment. You need to study more policies and regulations in the future, otherwise you might not be able to hold onto this 'big boss' position."

"Yes, yes, Director Ma is right, I will definitely learn from him!"

Yi Zhonghai nodded hurriedly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead—his retirement paperwork hadn't been approved yet, and this status was his source of confidence in the nursing home; he couldn't afford to lose it, he really couldn't afford to lose it.

"Director Ma, what's going on with Lou Xiao'e at the subdistrict office? Wasn't Director Wang, who used to take care of her, transferred to the district? Why did she act like that when she saw you..."

Before he could finish speaking, he noticed that Deputy Director Ma's face had darkened, so he immediately braked.

Deputy Director Ma already had a plan in mind: Director Wang has been promoted, not retired. He was so protective of Lou Xiao'e back then; if she really came to his door crying and complaining of being wronged, wouldn't Director Wang intervene? This matter should be handled by Director Qian first!

After Yu Li moved into Lou Xiao'e's house, she lived in the half of the main house closest to the living room—the room that had originally been reserved for He Daqing during the Lunar New Year. The bed had a folding iron frame; once unfolded and covered with a thick quilt, she could get a good night's sleep.

This time, she was determined to leave. She could clearly see the malice and ferocity in Xu Damao's eyes, like a knife scraping at one's bones. She wouldn't dare drink a bowl of hot soup from such a person.

Actually, if he had apologized earlier, accompanied her to the hospital to check her injuries, and then coaxed her a little, she might not have been so unforgiving. After all, they had been married for two years, sharing the same meals and living together, and there was always a lingering warmth in their relationship.

But Xu Damao refused to do that—not only did he steal her job, but he also hit her hard and cruelly.

Now, the medical examination report is tucked in her pocket, and her work unit's letter of introduction is under her pillow. No matter who tries to persuade her in the courtyard, even if her parents stood at the door crying, they couldn't pull her back.

So what if she's remarried? She's healthy, has a stable job, and no children to worry about. Frankly, these days, a stable job title carries more weight than a first marriage. Even though Qin Huairu remarried with three children, people were still eager to arrange marriages for her—as long as she could receive a monthly salary, there was hope for the future.

The next morning, Yu Li neatly folded the quilt and saw Lou Xiao'e just open the door, so she smiled and said, "Xiao'e, I'll make breakfast."

"That's great!" Lou Xiao'e was busy dressing He Xiao when she heard this and breathed a sigh of relief. "Just push open the door and then open the small door to the kitchen."

Her room was separated from the kitchen by two doors, and He Yuzhu had installed a metal exhaust pipe next to the stove, so not a single bit of cooking smoke could get into the room.

As soon as Yu Li stepped into the kitchen, she was almost stunned—the cured meat and chicken hanging on the beams were shiny with oil, and there were several rough earthenware jars on the ground, some filled with snow-white flour, some filled with golden cornmeal, and a few pickled vegetable jars. Lifting the lid, she smelled the sour, fragrant, crisp and tender aroma, which made her mouth water.

A warmth welled up in her heart: Lou Xiao'e's good fortune truly did not come out of thin air.

Then, following Lou Xiao'e's instructions, she scooped a small ladle of flour, made two crispy scallion pancakes, cooked a pot of thick cornmeal porridge, and chopped two plates of crisp mustard greens—a meal so plentiful it made her feel at ease.

While most families eat a couple of cornbread buns with dried radish for breakfast, the He family's breakfast is filled with the aroma of white flour before dawn.

During the meal, Yu Li picked up a piece of pickled vegetable and asked softly, "Xiao'e, if Xu Damao still refuses to go this Saturday, could you come with me to the Women's Federation?"

Lou Xiao'e put down her chopsticks and said decisively, "You absolutely have to go! Aunt Zhang, who used to mentor me, is now the deputy director of the Women's Federation. Given your situation, she'll definitely take charge!"

If Lily explains the reason clearly and shows the hospital's diagnosis, the Women's Federation will definitely support her.

Women hold up half the sky? That's no joke these days!

"Xiao'e, thanks... Um, I really don't want to go back to my parents' house right now, I'm afraid they'll nag me about it again. Could I stay at your place for a few days?"

"Of course! You can stay here and keep me company—it's been so empty at home since I started boarding school during the rainy season, and there are hardly any people to talk to."

Lou Xiao'e agreed readily. With Yu Li around, there would be someone to help with the housework and someone to take care of the children; besides, a newly divorced woman going back to her parents' home would inevitably be criticized and gossiped about, so it would be better to stay here in peace and quiet.