Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

The logic is simple: if something doesn't happen to you, anyone can stand back and talk without feeling the pain, and they can slap a moral label on you that's heavier than an iron pot.

Last time, Banggeng was instigated by Jia Zhangshi to steal two thin steamed buns. He Yuzhu gritted her teeth and didn't say a word, assuming it was just a child being greedy. She probably thought she could get away with it this time too.

He smirked, turned around and went back into the house, where he ate two steamed buns dry, crunching them crisply, and then slammed the door shut.

He crawled into the space, filled the pig trough, put the tools away, polished the stove, and then fell asleep immediately.

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

He had already left the courtyard and was walking briskly towards the black market grain store.

……

He Yuzhu got up earlier than the rooster; he had a mountain of things to do today, so he had to get up early.

As soon as I pushed open the door, before I even wet my toothbrush, I saw Qin Huairu already squatting by the sink.

She was brushing her teeth with her head down, white foam still clinging to the corners of her mouth. When she looked up and saw He Yuzhu approaching with a porcelain jar, she immediately stepped aside, quickly rinsed her mouth, and mumbled, "I'm done washing."

Her voice was as soft as cotton wool, her eyes were timid, and her face showed three parts apology and seven parts weakness, just like a frightened little rabbit shrinking in the corner.

Is this acting skill truly innate?

Just that hesitant expression, with slightly lowered eyes and a furrowed brow, coupled with a touch of misty mystery—it's the quintessential Chinese white lotus template!

Even if someone else knew she was struggling to support her family, they might not be completely open with her, but at least any hostility they might harbor would be completely dispelled by her appearance.

Who could bear to criticize a woman who is thin and frail yet has to shoulder the burden of her entire family?

It must be said that Qin Huairu has mastered the art of "showing weakness" to perfection.

But He Yuzhu just wouldn't have it.

She was still gathering her emotions when her peripheral vision suddenly froze: Where is he?

I was standing right here a moment ago, and the porcelain jar was even placed by the pool. How come I've vanished in the blink of an eye?

Oh dear, this perfectly healthy person, could it be that someone just casually took him away?

She was in a daze when she suddenly saw He Yuzhu walk out of the house, waving a blue cloth towel in his hand.

Oh, so he went to get a towel!

She quickly regained her composure, her eyelashes trembled, her eyes reddened instantly, and her voice immediately dropped eight octaves, like a piece of paper crumpled by the wind: "Silly Zhu... I'm sorry, I came back too late, I really didn't know Bang Geng... would do such a thing..."

Tsk, these tears are so precious—she always knows exactly how to control them, neither letting them actually fall nor letting anyone see her aggrieved expression, so that Sha Zhu can see clearly: she is neither an indulgent nor the mastermind behind it all.

But...where are they?

It was right in front of me, and then it was gone?

This guy is harder to catch than a spark in a stove.

Just as Qin Huairu was about to speak again, she caught a glimpse of Jia Zhangshi leaning against the courtyard gate, hands on her hips, her gaze sharp as a knife.

Her heart tightened, and she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

After washing his face, He Yuzhu draped a towel over his shoulder and turned to leave.

I went back inside and locked the door. After feeding the pigs in the space, I exchanged a few pleasantries with the Third Uncle at the door before heading out. I then stopped by the pharmacy, made a detour to the black market, and finally went to the factory.

Once inside the cafeteria, I was busy all day long, my feet barely touching the ground!

The steel rolling mill has over a thousand employees, but the kitchen only has about twenty workers.

Preparing ingredients for lunch takes up the entire morning!

Although He Yuzhu was the class monitor, he had no room to relax—nor dared he relax.

Nowadays, people say that labor is the most glorious thing, so he, as the cook, has to be at the forefront in everything!

Kneading the dough was the job of the workshop master; steaming the buns was the responsibility of Ma Hua and Liu Lan; steaming the cornbread was done by Xiao Pang with a temporary partner; as for the main dish in that big iron pot? He had to personally toss, stir-fry, and season it!

They don't rest for a moment until the mealtime bell rings!

They give you two hours for lunch, and then you continue with the same routine in the afternoon.

Learning skills? It all came down to when we were getting meals—the master would cook for us separately, and the apprentice would squat beside him, eyes wide and ears perked, not daring to miss a single thing.

After get off work, instead of going home, he went to the black market and carried away 100 kilograms of corn.

Including the corn sold this morning, a total of two hundred jin (100 kg) of corn was bagged.

Clutching twenty yuan in my hand, my heart felt like it was pounding with a lively little sparrow, light and warm.

First, I went to the grain and oil supply and marketing cooperative and bought five jin of snow-white, chewy high-gluten flour.

Then they went to the local supply and marketing cooperative, picked out a few plump cabbages, and collected ten round and firm eggs.

Steamed buns today! Hot and fragrant, they're coming out of the steamer!

Sigh, what can I do? I'm a neighbor you all trust. I've always been honest and open with you, and I've never had a single ulterior motive!

Not to mention taking care of people—that's 120% attentive!

He Yuzhu busied himself, steaming out ten firm vegetarian buns the size of fists, which were neatly stacked on a steamer cloth.

A white mist carrying the aroma of wheat wafted over, and the fresh scent of egg drop soup also wafted out, swirling and dispersing in the room—the neighbor's kids were probably already craning their necks against the wall, drooling!

He took a bite while it was still hot. The dough was soft and fluffy, and the filling was sweet and refreshing. He kept exclaiming, "It's so satisfying!" This skill is such a waste to use it for a meal!

After downing four in a row, my belly bulged, and a loud burp escaped my lips.

He then carefully packed a bowl of smooth egg drop soup, along with five steamed buns, to give to the deaf old lady.

Can't finish it? It's fine to leave it for a couple of days. It's cool enough that it won't freeze solid on the windowsill.

Madam Jia was baring her teeth and glaring, looking exactly like He Yuzhu had just stolen the offerings from her family's Kitchen God.

Actually, he just steamed a pot of buns and boiled a bowl of egg drop soup at home, and ate his fill.

Some people treat helping others as an ironclad contract, acting as if the other person owes them a debt for life after just one act of charity!

"Bang Geng! Go check if there's anything left, and bring it all back!" Jia Zhangshi's voice was shrill.

As she watched He Yuzhu enter the backyard, her heart skipped a beat—

If Sha Zhu really brought the leftovers to share with his family, that would be fine;

But their meals are always greasy and oily, with meat in every dish.

They completely ignored the kindness shown to them by their family!

Instead, they would bring good things to that lonely old woman's house in the back every day—

An elderly woman with hearing and poor eyesight eats more refined food than her own grandson? Is it more precious than corn stalks?

"Is Sha Zhu even human?!" Jia Zhangshi's anger grew with each passing thought, her face turning red.

But as soon as he turned his head, a smile immediately spread across his face as he coaxed Banggeng, "Go get it yourself. The adults haven't shown up, what can that idiot Zhu do to you? I'll stand at the door and wait. If he dares to utter a single curse, I'll yell at him!"

Banggeng nodded vigorously, wiping his nose as he did so—last night, when they returned the pot, Shazhu had patted him on the shoulder and said, "If there's anything good to eat in the future, just come and get it!"

"Xiao Dang!" Madam Jia's eyes lit up with a sudden idea. "Go with your brother! If Sha Zhu tries to stop him, just start crying at the top of your lungs!"

The moment the child makes a sound in his room, she immediately blocks the doorway, slaps her legs, rolls around, and cries out, "We're being bullied, you widow and your child—Silly Zhu is hitting the child!"

"Mmm." Xiao Dang responded softly, her little hands clutching the hem of her clothes, but her eyes were unusually calm—she was already very familiar with this matter.

The two brothers, one after the other, headed straight for He Yuzhu's house.

Bang Geng raised his hand and pushed the door open, bursting inside with a loud bang.

The house was empty; there was no one in sight.

He went inside with practiced ease, lifted the pot lid—it was upside down, and there was nothing left!

But I clearly saw Sha Zhu steam buns with my own eyes!

He turned around and started rummaging around in the corner. Just as his fingers brushed aside a few broken bricks, he touched a cold steamed bun.

I picked it up and brought it close to my nose; the fragrance filled my nostrils: "It smells so good!"

He took a deep breath, without wiping or blowing, and bit off half of it, his cheeks bulging as if he had stuffed two walnuts in them.

"Brother...I want some too!" Xiao Dang stared at the oil on her brother's lips, her saliva quietly dripping down her cheeks.

"Dream on!" Bang Geng said without even lifting his eyelids, his tone stiff and unyielding.

With his mother not around and no one watching him, he always fills his stomach first when it comes to the good stuff at home!

After finishing eating, they clapped their hands, strode off, and walked back.

Xiao Dang followed behind, sobbing, her face covered in tears and snot...

Suddenly, the third uncle rushed into the backyard, his voice booming like thunder: "Uncle! That couple upstairs is fighting again!"

Yi Zhonghai grabbed his coat and rushed outside, shouting, "What happened?"

The third uncle took a breath: "I thought it was just a quarrel between husband and wife, and I would just go and say a few words to make it go away. There was no need to trouble you and the second uncle."

But this time—the two of them beat Xu Damao up! They accused him of harassing his wife! Even his parents were there, and now it's complete chaos!

"Let's talk as we walk!" The old man kept walking.

After taking a few steps, he turned back and called out, "Silly Zhu! There's a big meeting later, so carry the deaf old lady on your back and bring her to the front yard!"

He Yuzhu carried the old lady to the front yard. When they passed their own front door, he subconsciously peeked out.

When they arrived at Qin Huairu's house, he gently set the old lady down, knocked on the door, and asked, "Auntie, those buns I put on the ground are gone. Your child... didn't go to get them, did they?"

Madam Jia caught a glimpse of the deaf and blind old woman on his back, and swallowed the words she was about to say.

If Sha Zhu had come alone, she would have thrown a tantrum long ago; but now that the old lady was in front of her, she dared not make a scene openly, no matter how fierce she was.

"No! My two children are very well-behaved. They never barge into other people's homes, and they would never steal food." Her voice was firm and straight.

As soon as I stepped into the front yard, I heard Xu Damao's mother yelling, "You think you can just let it go after hitting my son? No way! You have to pay at least five yuan!"

The neighbor immediately retorted, "He's foul-mouthed and harassed my wife, who else should I beat up if not him?"

The scene froze, the air was thick, and neither side was willing to give an inch.

Both sides have their own reasons, and neither can prevail over the other.

Uncle Er slapped his thigh: "Xu Damao, pay them two yuan, and we'll call it quits! Otherwise—you'll have to clean the toilets every day for a month!"

The three old men immediately decided: the atmosphere in the compound must not be corrupted, and frivolous remarks are unacceptable!

Suddenly, He Yuzhu slapped his forehead and shouted, "Grandpa! Everyone's here—my rat-poison buns are gone! I usually don't bother with losing one; but this time…"

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd: "I asked Aunt Jia first, and she said no one from her family had been to my house."