Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Lou Xiao'e feigned complaint: "Mom, don't spoil her. That girl is very resilient!"

Lou's mother smiled and retorted, "Even more mischievous than you were when you were little?"

Lou's father laughed heartily, "Children should be spoiled! Come here, Xiaoyue, Grandpa has prepared a big gift for you!"

The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is especially tender. When Lou's parents see Lou Yue, their eyes light up, and they wish they could hold her in their arms all the time, not even allowing Lou Xiao'e to say a harsh word to them.

Just then, a series of clattering footsteps came from outside the courtyard. Lou Mancang burst in, carrying his schoolbag, and shouted as he entered, "Mom! You haven't given me yesterday's wages yet! Didn't we agree on daily payments? It's been two days already!"

He stepped into the living room, then suddenly stopped, saw the room full of people, immediately shut his mouth, and stood there stunned.

Lou Xiao'e waved and called out, "Mancang! Come here quickly—this is Grandpa and Grandma! This is your fourth brother, Lou Mancang, greet them! You silly goose, all you do when you see your elders is stare? No wonder your brother chases after you to beat you every day!"

Lou Mancang rolled his eyes—He Aijun beat him up, really just to call for help? Clearly, he was after his old bicycle and wanted to borrow some pocket money! Could he really agree to that? He'd just been beaten up; did he expect him to pretend nothing happened?

Lou Mancang quickly went to greet them: "Grandma, Grandpa, please sit down! I'll make you two a pot of hot tea—my mom was so happy to see you that she forgot to make the tea!"

Before the words were even finished, she had already darted into the kitchen, deftly boiling water, washing cups, and carrying out the kettle, emerging with two steaming cups of jasmine tea. Being filial to elders brings sweets; keeping the elderly happy ensures a steady stream of pocket money. Although it's only a dollar or two each time, it's all earned from repairing radios for neighbors and writing Spring Festival couplets for the old man at the alley entrance—it's a substantial sum.

The digital watch on Lou's father's wrist had only been a few days since he gave it to him; the strap still gleamed with the shine of new plastic. He had just taken a couple of sips of tea when He Yuzhu pushed open the door and entered the living room.

Lou Mancang immediately straightened his back: "Dad! This morning He Aijun robbed me of my money and even pinned me to the ground and beat me up at the front gate! Aren't you going to do anything about this?"

He Yuzhu, however, only focused on his parents: "Dad, Mom, when did you arrive? Have you eaten yet?"

Lou Mancang pursed his lips and stared expectantly at his father, waiting for him to slam his fist on the table and demand justice for him.

Lou's father waved his hand: "I just got off the train and haven't even touched my chopsticks yet. Let's go out for a meal together in a bit."

He Yuzhu shook his head: "It's easier to cook at home. Comrades, please don't stand on ceremony. It's just a simple home-cooked meal, nothing fancy."

Several people from the United Front Work Department waved their hands repeatedly: "No, no, we still have to take the two elders back to the guesthouse later."

The stove was lit, and He Yuzhu tied on an apron and got busy. Lou Mancang stayed close by, sticking to him like a little tail.

"Why do you look like a wilted eggplant?" He Yuzhu asked without turning his head.

"Dad!" Lou Mancang's voice rose a half-octave, "Didn't I just say? He Aijun robbed us and even attacked us!"

"Oh... I was so busy greeting the guests that I got distracted." He Yuzhu flipped the shovel over. "When he gets back tonight, I'll settle the score for you."

After the meal, the United Front Work Department staff, seeing it was almost time to leave, quickly took Lou's parents away. The rules were clear—any private conversation without their presence would likely cause a huge mess. Before leaving, Lou's parents stuffed the wrapped gifts into He Yuzhu's arms. The United Front Work Department staff carefully checked the seals before letting them go.

Lou's father patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder: "We'll shop for another day tomorrow and then set off. Once we've finished our business there, we'll come back and stay for a while."

He Yuzhu nodded: "Okay! Write more letters and make more phone calls in the future, so that your family won't worry."

The figure had just disappeared at the gate when He Aijun pushed the door open, humming a little tune, his face beaming – he had just gone to see "Romance on Lushan Mountain" with his beloved female classmate, and even his walk felt bouncy.

Lou Mancang stared at him coldly, then turned and bumped into He Yuzhu sitting on the sofa, his gaze sweeping over him heavily. His heart skipped a beat: Oh no, he was probably going to get a scolding tonight. But he couldn't help but smile—the movie ticket stub was still warm in his pocket.

He Yuzhu raised an eyelid: "What are you standing there for? Trying to show off that you're a head taller than me?"

He Aijun knelt down with a "plop," his back straight, and the smile on his face vanished.

"How have I always taught you? How should you treat your siblings?"

"Unity and mutual assistance, brotherly love and respect; protecting younger sisters, cherishing younger brothers, not fighting or grabbing, not deceiving or hiding anything."

"Then tell me, what kind of 'protection' is it to pin Xiao Si to the ground and beat him up?"

Before the words were finished, He Yubing and He Aidang pushed open the door and peeked in. Seeing their brother kneeling, they immediately shrank back and hid inside, not daring to even breathe.

Lou Xiao'e sighed, "The child is all grown up now, don't make him kneel all the time. Let him explain himself clearly, it's better than beating him."

He Aijun hung his head: "I really wanted to borrow it. I promised to pay him back next month when I got my paycheck... He absolutely refused to give it to me, so I shoved him—he slipped and fell, I didn't touch a single penny of the money!"

He Yuzhu slowly turned his face, his gaze like a ruler, making Lou Mancang's neck tense.

"Alright. From now on, if you need money, ask your mother for approval. She won't hold back money that's necessary. Xiao Si, go back to your room and go to sleep. You, you stay here kneeling until dawn, and think carefully about what you did wrong."

Lou Xiao'e quickly advised, "Kneeling for two hours is enough; you have class tomorrow morning."

He Yuzhu's voice lowered, but became even more somber: "Kneel until dawn. If you can't go to school, then don't go. Does the school teach you to tattle and snitch? I'd like to ask, who did you get this temperament from?"

……

At three in the morning, the living room light was still on. He Yuzhu walked in and saw that Lou Mancang's knees were red from being pressed down, but his body was straight, like a stubborn little pine tree.

"Now, do you understand why I made you kneel?"

"Understood."

Tell me about it.

"Brothers are a wall connected by blood, not bricks used to undermine each other; one cannot only think of oneself, and even less can one pour cold water on the elder brother behind his back."

He Yuzhu was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Son, tell me, what is the closest kind of love in the world?"

"It's our parents who love us."

"Not entirely." His voice softened. "It's your brothers and sisters. After we're gone, the only ones in this world who can shelter you from the wind and rain, and protect you from the storm, are them. When you were little, you were surrounded and cursed by those kids in the alley. Who grabbed a shovel and rushed out? It was your brother. Who carried you down from the tree branch, scraping your knee and holding it up so you wouldn't cry? It was your sister. People can have selfish desires, but they can't be without conscience—you're not a five-year-old anymore. Some truths you have to understand and accept. If I explain too much, you'll find it tedious; if I hit you too hard, you'll be filled with hatred. But we must reason with each other, and we must establish rules. Understand? Go back to your room and sleep."

Educating children isn't just about slapping them or lecturing them. You need to instill fear in them, but also build trust; you need to give them time to think things through, and also pull them back when they're stuck in a rut. Forcing their personality will only make things worse; it's better to gently guide them, like a heart-to-heart talk with an old friend, to have a deep, honest conversation—that's more effective than ten scoldings. He's selfish? Fine, let him be as stingy as he wants with outsiders—but with family, you need to show some warmth and understanding.

He Yuzhu pushed open the bedroom door.

Lou Xiao'e asked softly, "Are you still awake? Is Xiao Si asleep?"

"No. He was still kneeling when we went down. We chatted for a while, and then we just laid him down."

"This child was spoiled by his older siblings when he was young. He is not a bad person. He is respectful to the elderly and generous to his second and third brothers. He just competes with his eldest brother, like two little roosters fighting."

"Take it slow." He Yuzhu blew out the kerosene lamp. "We'll treat all the children equally—unlike Yan Bugui, who haggles over two cents; and unlike Liu Haizhong, who slaps people indiscriminately and treats them differently based on their status."

As dawn broke, Lou Xiaosi tiptoed into He Aijun's room, took off his shiny digital watch, gently placed it beside his brother's pillow, and bowed deeply. The two brothers didn't say much; one ruffled the younger brother's hair, and the other rubbed against the older brother's arm. In the morning light, they became side by side, their shadows intertwined.

The digital watch on He Aijun's wrist gleamed faintly, and he looked radiant—these things were quite rare these days. He grabbed Xiao Si's shoulder and excitedly headed outside. He Yuzhu stood by the door without stopping them, only nodding slightly. The brothers' affairs should be sorted out by themselves; all parents could do was act as a mediator, maintain order, and offer a few words of advice if mistakes could still be corrected. If everything was always one-sided, the other side would eventually harbor resentment, and when that resentment finally pierced through, the blood ties would be severed completely.

He Yubing's eyes were glued to Lou Yue's wrist, staring intently at the watch.

"Mom, do you still have this watch at home? I want one too."

Lou Xiao'e smiled as she wiped her hands: "Your maternal grandfather only brought four pieces in total. He gave one to your father, and he was just about to put this one on you."

He Yubing's lips immediately curled up. He Aidang, however, pursed his lips, staring longingly at his father, and quietly moved behind He Yuzhu, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes.

He Yuzhu stubbed out his cigarette, looked up at him, and said, "This watch is very valuable now, you can't buy it. Do you want this new one, or take this old pocket watch I have?"

He Aidang scratched his head and chuckled, "Dad, I like both! But I know you won't give me both—so let's choose the digital watch."

He Yuzhu glanced at him sideways, shoved the watch into his hand without a word, and then took off the old watch from his wrist and handed it to Xiao Si: "Go to the department store tomorrow to get a new one." He Aidang got on his bicycle and sped off towards the school with He Yubing on the back.

Lou Yue was still lazing in bed when Lou Xiao'e pulled the covers off and dragged her out of bed: "The sun's already high in the sky, why aren't you up? You sleep like a little piglet all day!"

Lou Xiao'e, hands on her hips, scolded, "What did I owe you in my past life? I chase after you to feed you, urge you to go to school, and wipe your butt—you don't care about anything. You're neither as efficient as me nor as reliable as your father."

He Yuzhu lowered his head and drank his porridge, ignoring the words. After finishing, he wiped his mouth and said he was going to accompany Lou's parents for a stroll. This parting might mean not seeing them again for another year or two.

Lou Yue ate a couple of mouthfuls of rice, then suddenly looked up and said, "Mom, I went to my aunt's house today, and she said she'd make me a new dress."