Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Qin Huairu slowly began, "Mom, a month ago, you stole Shazhu's cornbread and gave it to Banggeng—do you remember that?"

Madam Jia froze, her throat bobbing, and she couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

Qin Huairu sneered and pointed her finger twice in the direction of Sha Zhu: "See? Anyone who gets involved with him ends up in trouble. I'll only give you a heads-up today—if you steal again, you'll have to swallow it yourself! If you dare to feed it to Bang Geng, hmph..." She paused, raised an eyebrow, and slowly stretched a cold smile onto her lips as she stared straight at Jia Zhangshi.

Jia Zhangshi's throat tightened, her whole body stiffened, and even her fingertips trembled.

Her heart felt like it was being squeezed: if He Yuzhu really drugged her, Bang Geng's frail body probably wouldn't be able to withstand a second time; and her own old bones couldn't take the strain either. These past few days, she hadn't dared to even breathe loudly, and she had long since stopped letting Bang Geng and Xiao Dang go to Sha Zhu's place for meals, let alone instigate them to steal anything—the thought had barely crossed her mind when a chill ran down her spine: from now on, she'd stay at least three feet away from that jinx!

The old man didn't get involved in the farce in the courtyard. After things calmed down, he carried a bowl of hot soup into He Yuzhu's house.

"Silly Zhu, don't blame your old man for not standing up for you." He sighed, placing the bowl on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed). "I advised you not to mess with Hong Jingqiu, but now... I really don't dare to confront her head-on. Jiye and Fangfang are still young; they can't withstand her interference behind the scenes!" He rubbed his rough hands. "You'll probably need to rest for a few days. I'll get you a day off. When I get back at noon, I'll resign from this foreman's job."

He used to be fearless, acting according to his conscience, and standing up to anyone who dared to challenge him. In the past, he would have confronted Hong Jingqiu and reasoned with her using such tactics. But now, with two children in his arms, a thin string hangs in his heart, ready to snap at the slightest touch.

He Yuzhu helped the old man find his child out of two reasons: first, out of gratitude for the old man's kindness in taking care of him and his sister in their younger years; and second, out of concern for his future caregiver and his endless lectures. Now that even the old man himself has backed down, what will he use to lecture others in the future? Even if he manages to hold back this time, what about next time? People are ultimately made of flesh and blood; no matter how close an adopted child is, they can't be as close as one's own flesh and blood—this is a fact that doesn't need to be calculated.

"Lie down properly. Your auntie cooked some congee for lunch and brought it over to you." Before the words were finished, the old man had already turned and left.

He Yushui rubbed her eyes and stumbled in. She had gone to bed early yesterday, but she still had to rush to her tutoring class today. The exams were fast approaching, and the days were suffocating her.

"Brother, the yard was in an uproar yesterday, what happened?"

Ever since He Yuzhu told her to mind her own business, she hasn't joined in the fun. She's afraid that her brother will be like before, his eyes as cold as frost, unwilling to say a word.

The rules of Qin Huairu's family taught her a valuable lesson: obeying her brother was the key to survival. No matter how close others were, they were still strangers.

He Yuzhu waved his hand: "Don't get involved in this. If you run into anyone on the street, pretend you didn't hear anything. Xu Damao and his wife set up a trap to invite me to dinner, and they put laxatives in my bowl—but they ended up suffering the consequences themselves. When you see them outside, you still have to smile and greet them as usual. Remember, don't let a single word slip out."

He Yushui clenched her fist and turned to rush out to settle accounts with Hong Jingqiu.

"Stop right there!" He Yuzhu's voice suddenly turned cold. "Are you deaf to what I'm saying? How are you going to survive on your own in the future?"

"Brother, I can't swallow this!"

"It's all written on your face. When will you finally grow up?" He stared at his sister's reddened eyes, his heart sinking.

"If you really want revenge, you have to hold back first—hold back until the other party is relaxed, until he forgets to guard against you, and then you can make your move without him even having a chance to fight back."

"I understand..." She lowered her head, her nails digging into her palms, but she couldn't suppress her anger.

"Smile for me." He Yuzhu reached out and ruffled her hair. "Don't rush into things in the future. It's your own business, good or bad, don't utter a single word. There's no such thing as a 'good person' walking around with the word 'good' written on their forehead, nor is there anyone with 'bad' written on their forehead. Open your eyes wide, listen carefully, and live with a bit of caution. I can't be with you forever, you have to walk your own path. When a fledgling bird's wings are strong enough, it has to fly out—the sky is where it belongs."

His wedding date with Lou Xiao'e was drawing ever closer. Ever since He Yushui had that fight with Qin Huairu's family, that silly girl had finally come to her senses. Now that she's awake, she needs to be taught; it's better to avoid a few setbacks than to suffer a bloody defeat.

"Brother, then...I'm going to class." She replied, but her brows were still furrowed, not relaxing at all.

He Yuzhu knew this wasn't something that could be changed with a few words. Life is a journey, and you only learn through experience. The university of life doesn't issue diplomas, but every scar is a lesson. The wisdom of the elderly is like a lamp—it can't illuminate the entire journey, but it can help you see the pitfalls beneath your feet.

In the cafeteria—

Director Zhang called out loudly, "He Yuzhu is sick and can't come today, so Mr. Liu, you'll fill in!"

While getting lunch, Liu Haizhong rummaged through his food container, spitting as he recounted how Xu Damao had schemed against Sha Zhu, adding at the end, "Those two made a huge mess, the stench was unbearable!"

Worker A frowned: "Wait a minute, Mr. Liu, isn't there a toilet in the factory? Do we have to squat on the bed?"

Liu Haizhong shrugged: "Sigh, don't even mention it. Judging by the way he acted, he was probably doing it on purpose!"

Worker B scoffed, "Such a big guy, surely he doesn't need to be?"

Liu Haizhong patted his chest and said confidently, "We live in the same courtyard. Go back and ask around! I guarantee every word is the truth!"

Before the meal was even finished, even the old ladies sweeping the floor were shaking their heads and sighing by the stove: "What a tragedy, those two..."

afternoon--

Xu Damao dragged his leaden legs into the propaganda department.

Section Chief Sun shrugged: "Xu Damao! Does this factory belong to your family? You think you can just come and go as you please? No notice, no leave requests—a classic case of disorganization and lack of discipline!" He slammed a ticket down his shoulder. "Absent-from-work this morning, five yuan deduction. Sign here!"

Xu Damao glanced down, his hand trembled, and he quickly signed his name.

Section Chief Sun raised his voice: "Notify everyone, from now on, any unexcused absence will result in a fine of eight yuan! A five-hundred-word self-criticism must be submitted to my desk, not a single word can be missing! Xu Damao is the first and last case—next time, no one will get away with it!" After saying that, he glared at Xu Damao with a knife-like gaze: Xu Damao had no respect for him as section chief, he was utterly arrogant!

His coworkers pointed fingers and called him a "troublemaker," causing everyone else to be criticized as well.

He wanted to explain, but his lips moved and he swallowed the words back—if word got out about what happened in his crotch, he'd never be able to hold his head high again.

But the news couldn't be kept secret any longer. His colleagues scolded him while giving him sidelong glances, as if he were looking at a pathetic, dim-witted wretch…

night--

Ma Hua, Liu Lan, Liu Songmin, and Liu Songgui carried snacks into the courtyard and headed straight for He Yuzhu's house.

He Yuzhu was leaning against the kang (a heated brick bed).

Ma Hua: "Master, there's a lot of talk going around the factory. Is it true that Xu Damao is secretly sabotaging you?"

He Yuzhu waved his hand, his voice still a little weak: "I was kept in the dark about this myself. The couple looked like that—vomiting and having diarrhea, their faces were all green. They probably didn't wash the vegetables properly and ate something bad. You guys shouldn't meddle. Director Hong always says that neighbors should stick together."

Liu Lan gently placed the thermos on the bedside table and said softly, "Master He, please take care of yourself first. Drink this chicken soup while it's hot; it'll replenish your energy and warm your stomach. Everyone is looking forward to your return to the team soon; the stove can't function without you!"

Liu Songmin and Liu Songgui also joined in, chatting away, their conversations all the same, warm and friendly, without a trace of formality.

He Yuzhu grinned, a few shallow wrinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes: "Once I can get out of bed, I'll invite everyone over for a feast! The cured pork is still hanging from the rafters, a full pound, perfectly marbled with fat and lean, glistening with oil—I'll remember who doesn't come!"

After exchanging a few pleasantries and agreeing to a dinner, the four of them smiled and left.

He Yuzhu leaned against the pillow, gazing at the swaying shadows of the trees outside the window, a warmth rising in his heart: after living in this courtyard for so many years, he had finally established some real connections with people, which felt reassuring and comforting.

……

The moment Xu Damao stepped into the courtyard, the air went still for a moment.

All eyes turned to them—not with disdain, but as if watching a pantomime: their gazes held three parts pity, four parts astonishment, and the remaining three parts were unclear whether they were suppressing laughter or feeling apprehensive.

Banggeng, as if smelling fish, came running over, her little arms wrapping around his waist: "Uncle Xu! Uncle Xu!" Her voice grew clearer and clearer, and her kisses gave him goosebumps.

He staggered back into the house, still wearing his shoes, and slumped onto the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

Hong Jingqiu was sewing shoe soles when she looked up and stopped her needlework: "Da Mao? What's wrong? Did you get into a fight with someone?"

Xu Damao's throat was dry, and he spilled out all the rumors circulating in the factory.

Hong Jingqiu pursed her lips, her fingertip tracing a shallow mark on the sole of her shoe: "Shazhu hasn't shown up at all these past two days, so he's out; Uncle Yi was listless back then, clearly not wanting to get involved; Qin Huairu? She's very tight-lipped, never gossips; as for those two taciturn types—you could poke them three times, and they might utter a sound, let alone go around shouting. After going through all that, only Liu Hai is the most suspicious: yesterday he forced you to drink 'golden soup,' and this morning he jumped out to defend Shazhu, what's he up to?"

The seven steel mill workers in the courtyard all knew exactly what was going on.

Xu Damao rubbed his temples: "Wait... I'm completely out of it about what happened last night! We had a huge argument this morning, I didn't hear a thing you were saying."

Hong Jingqiu put down the scissors and said calmly, "After dinner last night, all three of us had churning stomachs, remember?"

Xu Damao nodded.

"Shazhu ate the most and was the first to rush to the toilet; then the two of us couldn't hold it in either and rushed to the outhouse together—and you? You squatted down by the door and did your business right there, without even pulling your pants up, right?"