Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

She walked into the kitchen with a smile. The house was warm and cozy, and she had a brother who always protected her. She felt very at ease.

Okay, go wash up quickly and eat it while it's hot.

okay!

In a short while, He Yushui sat down at the table, picked up her chopsticks, and started eating.

Brother, are you going to work at the factory later?

Yes, we're leaving now.

"Okay, I'll clean the house thoroughly later, and wash your clothes too. You can go to work without worry!"

He Yushui's eyebrows curved, and her tone was light and cheerful.

My brother takes such good care of me, so of course I should share more of the housework. After all, it's not easy for a grown man to live a normal life.

"Silly girl."

"By the way, how's your schoolwork lately? What's your ranking in the class and grade?"

He Yuzhu suddenly asked.

He had never inquired about his sister's studies in detail, but her current grades were crucial to whether she could secure a stable job in the future, with the factory assigning jobs so she wouldn't have to search for work on her own.

For girls, this is a truly stable and secure path to success.

"Well……"

He Yushui's face fell instantly, like she had just taken a bite of an unripe green apricot.

Actually, her grades were just average; they weren't outstanding, but they weren't exactly dragging the class down either.

But she was at a loss for words.

Seeing her like this, He Yuzhu knew what was going on.

His face darkened, and his tone became serious:

"Little sister, you can't be careless about your studies, and don't let your mind wander."

"The most important thing right now is to study hard and try to get into a decent university. That's what I really hope for."

"I only went to primary school. If you can really get into university, that will be a momentous occasion for our He family, a time when we can finally hold our heads high. You need to think carefully about how important that is."

"Okay, bro!"

He Yushui nodded vigorously, her throat tightening slightly.

She could tell that her brother truly cared about her deeply. She clenched her fists secretly: she would study hard when she returned to school and never let her brother down.

"Okay, you can eat it!"

"I have to go to the factory now. Here, this is the key. Remember to lock the door properly when you go to school."

"Huh? Okay!"

He Yushui readily agreed. Although she hadn't quite grasped the meaning behind her brother's words, she knew that doing as he said would be the right thing to do.

Moreover, she suddenly felt that her brother seemed to have changed recently. He was more composed, efficient, and had a convincing quality that made her admire him.

Seeing her nod, He Yuzhu turned and left, heading briskly towards the factory.

……

As he reached the alley entrance, he ran into a few acquaintances. He raised his hand to greet them. They all lived in the same compound, so he couldn't be too polite.

But just as he turned onto the main road, a voice called out from behind, "Silly Zhu! Silly Zhu!"

He Yuzhu frowned. He was annoyed by the nickname; it was too beneath him.

Looking back, it was indeed Liu Lan.

"What's up?"

His voice was neither warm nor cold.

Liu Lan was taken aback. Why was Sha Zhu speaking so stiffly today? It was different from usual.

But she didn't think about it too much, and smiled as she took a few steps closer: "Oh my, I heard you've made connections with Master Qin? Did it work out?"

"ha?"

"Which Master Qin?"

He Yuzhu was taken aback, then remembered Qin Huairu and immediately shook his head: "What nonsense! It's completely unfounded!"

Liu Lan rolled her eyes and poked his arm with a grin: "Still pretending? It's already spread throughout the factory! You're just being coy."

"Tell me quickly, what stage has it reached?"

As he spoke, he winked and gestured with his fingers, making his meaning crystal clear.

"What?!"

He Yuzhu's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

These days, people talk so fast? Something's not right...

Wait a minute, isn't Liu Lan getting close to Deputy Factory Director Li?

It wouldn't hurt to lend her the tools.

"Ding! Host has triggered a new task: Explain to Liu Lan the truth about Qin Huairu being like family, and completely sever ties. Reward: six yuan."

Alright, Qin Huairu, you can't blame me this time. You screwed me over badly in my past life, so it's time to collect some interest.

He sighed, his shoulders slumped, and his voice was muffled: "Sister, you have no idea how much I've suffered... Now, when I see Qin Huairu, I wish I could avoid her altogether."

"what?"

Liu Lan was taken aback, not expecting him to pour out his troubles. She thought to herself, "Did the sun rise in the west today?"

"What's wrong, silly Zhu? Just tell me, I'll make a decision for you!"

"What else can I do? It's so annoying!"

"Hurry up and tell me! You're driving me crazy!"

Liu Lan was impatient. Seeing that he only sighed and didn't tell the truth, she slapped her thigh repeatedly.

Women love to gossip, it's the same no matter the era, you can tell just by looking at Liu Lan's attitude.

He Yuzhu glanced around, pulled her to a secluded spot by the wall, and whispered, "Sister, I'm only telling you this, you'd better keep it to yourself."

"Don't worry! I'm very tight-lipped!"

She patted her chest and assured him.

But He Yuzhu knew in his heart that Liu Lan's mouth was more effective than the radio station; everything that happened in the factory, except for her own, had already spread far and wide.

"You must know Xu Damao, right? The projectionist from our factory."

"Nonsense! What happened to him? Could he be involved with Qin Huairu? That's impossible!"

He Yuzhu almost choked on his breath. Before she could even open her mouth, she had already started making up a story.

Talking to these women is such a waste of breath; you can't spare a single word.

"Sis, it's not what you think. The chicken that Xu Damao lost yesterday was simply stolen."

"what?"

"What? Xu Damao's chickens were stolen? Who's so bold as to touch his things?"

Liu Lan was taken aback.

These days, stealing chickens is no small matter; at best you'll get a scolding, at worst you'll be sent to the police station.

He Yuzhu said that someone really stole Xu Damao's chickens. Her first reaction was: Who did it? They are too bold.

You probably won't believe it if I tell you.

"Yesterday, on my way home from get off work, I passed under the bridge and saw Qin Huairu and her two kids squatting there gnawing on chicken bones. Their mouths were greasy, and they were clutching chicken legs in their hands. Do I even need to ask who did it?"

He Yuzhu raised the corners of his mouth, his meaning all too clear.

"Oh My God!"

"How dare a child so young steal someone's living creature? What will they do when they get older?"

Liu Lan's eyes widened in disbelief.

But judging from He Yuzhu's determined expression, he didn't seem to be joking.

She had met those children before; they were usually quiet and well-behaved, but she never imagined they were so wild behind the scenes.

If I get caught on the spot, I'm afraid I'll get a severe beating.

"Sis, this isn't the worst of it. There's something even more infuriating coming up."

He Yuzhu seized the opportunity to continue his story.

"What? There's something even more infuriating?"

Liu Lanxin's heart leaped into her throat. She was already surprised enough, but she didn't expect there to be more to come.

"Please don't rush, I'll explain slowly."

He took a breath before continuing:

"The most frustrating thing is that I specially asked MCA to buy a big rooster yesterday to make soup to nourish my body. But coincidentally, Xu Damao was short of a hen that day, and he insisted that the one I made was from his family. He even called a meeting of the whole institute and asked several senior members to scold me to my face."

"That's absurd. I'm a cook, and my salary is higher than many people's. Do I have to steal to buy a chicken?"

This is true.

He never even considered such a thing. Besides, the cafeteria food was plentiful, and when leaders entertained him, he would taste the food first and take the meat first; there was never a shortage of meat.

Is it worth ruining your reputation and losing your job for a chicken?

"No way?"

"Is that really true? Has Xu Damao lost his mind? He doesn't even have any evidence, yet he's making baseless accusations. That's utterly despicable."

Liu Lan's impression of Xu Damao was originally okay, but now it has completely changed.

"And then what? How did it end?"

She couldn't contain herself any longer and had to hear the result.

"later?"

"I have naturally been cleared of the injustice. I bought a rooster, while Xu Damao lost a hen. Their plumage, size, and calls are all different. How can they be confused?"

"Then...who took his hen?"

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu almost rolled his eyes. How come this woman didn't understand a thing? He glanced down at the base of her neck, and sure enough...

I've already made myself perfectly clear, but she still hasn't grasped it.

Liu Lan immediately raised her hand to cover the small area below her collarbone, and glared helplessly at He Yuzhu. This guy had misunderstood again.

"Silly Zhu, do I look like that kind of person?"

"I'm asking, did Qin Huairu end up losing the chicken?"

"Compensation? Don't even think about it."

"I stared at her for a while, but my face didn't move at all; I acted like nothing was wrong."

He Yuzhu shook his head. This shamelessness has truly been cultivated.

"Oh……"

"Then I'd like to ask, when Xu Damao pointed his finger at you and started yelling, what was her reaction? Did she panic?"

Liu Lan stared at him expectantly, her curiosity fully piqued.

"Sis, how come your memory is so bad?"

"Her face remained completely calm, as if she were watching a play."

"Besides, if your own child's mouth is covered in grease and they smell like chicken, wouldn't you be able to smell it? Wouldn't you be able to feel it?"

"In our yard, only her three children are the right age to climb, run, and hide. Everyone knows what's going on. Anyway, I don't believe it was someone else who did it."

He Yuzhu spoke calmly, yet each word was clear.

"Shazhu, you're right. Qin Huairu is really good at pretending; she hides it perfectly. No wonder everyone says she's the most formidable widow in the steel mill."

After listening, Liu Lan nodded, feeling that what he said was very true.

So,

"From now on, I'm completely cut ties with her. She can go her own way, and I'll go mine. We'll keep to ourselves."

"If we don't draw a clear line, I'll really be doomed for life."

"Silly Zhu, you've finally figured it out today."

"I wanted to remind you earlier, but seeing how close you two are, I didn't want to interfere."

Liu Lan responded with a smile.

She had noticed something amiss earlier, but since He Yuzhu didn't speak up, she didn't say anything; now that he had spoken up himself, she could take advantage of the situation.

He Yuzhu listened and gave a bitter smile:

"What's wrong with you! I used to be soft-hearted, seeing how pitiful they were, as orphans and widows, I always wanted to lend a hand."

"Looking back now, I really shouldn't have spoiled her. If it weren't for her stopping me, I'd still be single at over thirty. It makes me so angry just thinking about it."

He became more and more depressed as he spoke: "I have a decent salary, a house, and excellent skills, but I'm all alone. What's the point?"