Siheyuan: At the beginning, I can integrate everything!

Xu Damao was forced into the drafty woodshed, and the atmosphere in the courtyard became strange.

Xu Damao, who used to love showing off in the yard, now acts like a thief even when going to the toilet, afraid of encountering the mocking looks from his neighbors.

Meanwhile, another prominent figure in the compound—Sha Zhu—is currently riding high on success.

Ever since that day by the pool when he completely broke ties with Qin Huairu and realized his identity as a "vampire," Sha Zhu seemed to have unlocked his full potential.

He stopped loitering around the Jia family's gate at the Intermediate People's Court.

They also stopped bringing back delicious food from the cafeteria to deliver to other people's rooms.

Most importantly, he started dressing himself up.

That morning.

Sha Zhu was unusually dressed in a brand new Dacron jacket and a pair of shiny black leather shoes.

Even her hair, which was usually like a bird's nest, was now combed smooth and shiny, and she even applied some hair wax.

"Hey, Zhu Zi, are you going on a blind date dressed like that?"

Yan Bugui was rinsing his mouth at the door with a broken enamel mug when he saw Sha Zhu's attire, and his beady green eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses immediately lit up.

Sha Zhu grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and seemed to be in a very good mood.

"Third Uncle, you were absolutely right!"

He leaned closer, lowered his voice, and spoke with barely concealed smugness.

"I asked Director Wang to introduce me to a teacher at Hongxing Elementary School a couple of days ago. Her name is Ran Qiuye."

"I heard she's incredibly beautiful and quite cultured!"

"We're meeting at the old teahouse at the entrance of the alley this afternoon!"

Upon hearing the name "Ran Qiuye," Yan Bugui's smile instantly froze.

Ran Qiuye, he knows her too well!

She was the school beauty of their Red Star Elementary School, young, beautiful, and with a scholarly air. Countless young teachers at the school had their eyes on her.

Sha Zhu, a rough man who just flips the wok in the cafeteria and can't read a single word, actually managed to climb up to Teacher Ran's high branch.

Jealousy, like a venomous snake, instantly and tightly coiled around Yan Bugui's heart.

"Hey, Pillar, this is great news!"

Yan Bugui gave a perfunctory reply with a forced smile, but his heart was bubbling with bitterness.

On what grounds?

Yan Bugui prided himself on being the most cultured intellectual in the courtyard. His son, Yan Jiecheng, married Yu Li, who was quite pretty, but compared to Teacher Ran, her temperament was far inferior.

Sha Zhu has the face of someone who will have no descendants, so how come he can find such a good wife?

Moreover, if Sha Zhu really marries Teacher Ran, how will Yan Laoxi continue to act like a big shot in front of Sha Zhu in this courtyard?

Thinking of this, Yan Bugui's eyes lit up, and a sinister plan emerged in his mind.

"Zhu Zi, go ahead, I wish you every success."

Yan Bugui watched Sha Zhu's departing figure and snorted coldly.

"Want to marry Teacher Ran? Keep dreaming!"

He turned around and went back into the house. Without even finishing his breakfast, he hurriedly pushed his old bicycle and headed straight for Hongxing Elementary School.

He had to sabotage the blind date before it happened that afternoon!

Teacher's office, Hongxing Primary School.

Ran Qiuye was sitting at her desk grading homework.

She wore a simple white shirt and had two braids, exuding a gentle and quiet temperament.

"Teacher Ran, are you busy?"

Yan Bugui walked in with a big smile on his face, carrying a thermos in his hand, pretending to be a senior caring for a junior.

"Good morning, Teacher Yan." Ran Qiuye looked up, smiled, and greeted him politely.

Yan Bugui pulled up a chair and sat down, then leaned closer to Ran Qiuye in a mysterious manner.

"Teacher Ran, I heard... Director Wang from the neighborhood office introduced you to someone?"

Ran Qiuye's cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded somewhat shyly.

"Yes, Director Wang said he's a very honest and reliable person. His name is He Yuzhu, and he works at the steel rolling mill."

"Honest and law-abiding?!"

Yan Bugui seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and suddenly raised his voice, looking shocked.

"Teacher Ran! Please don't be fooled!"

He slapped his thigh and said with great distress:

"I lived in the same courtyard house as He Yuzhu; I watched him grow up!"

"This kid, people call him 'Silly Pillar'!"

"He's illiterate, just a roughneck who flips the ladle in the cafeteria, has a terrible temper, and gets into fights at the drop of a hat!"

Ran Qiuye frowned slightly upon hearing this, as it seemed to differ somewhat from what Director Wang had described.

"Teacher Yan, really? Director Wang said he's a very helpful person..."

"enthusiastic?"

Yan Bugui sneered. Seeing that Ran Qiuye was wavering, he quickly added fuel to the fire and used his trump card.

He leaned close to Ran Qiuye's ear, lowered his voice, and spoke with disdain and contempt.

"Teacher Ran, you have no idea, that idiot Zhu's reputation in our courtyard is absolutely awful!"

"He's always having an affair with a widow in our compound named Qin Huairu, who has three children!"

"That silly Zhu's entire monthly salary, plus the food he smuggles from the cafeteria, goes to support that widow!"

"The neighbors are all talking about him behind his back, saying things like, tsk tsk tsk, they just don't say it to his face because they're too embarrassed to admit it!"

boom!

These words were like a bolt from the blue for Ran Qiuye, who was simple-minded and had a strict upbringing!

Being uncultured and having a bad temper is one thing.

He's having an affair with a widow and even using his salary to pay her off?

How could Ran Qiuye possibly go on a blind date with someone so morally questionable and unethical?!

Ran Qiuye's face turned deathly pale instantly, and she gripped the red pen tightly in her hand.

"Teacher Yan, are... are you telling the truth?"

"I, Yan Bugui, am a teacher, a role model for others. Would I lie to a young girl like you?"

Yan Bugui patted his chest and guaranteed, "If you don't believe me, just go to Nanluoguxiang and ask around. Everyone knows about Sha Zhu and that Widow Qin's scandalous affair!"

"Teacher Ran, you're so outstanding, you can't jump into a fire pit!"

Ran Qiuye took a deep breath, a hint of determination and relief flashing in her eyes.

Fortunately, Teacher Yan reminded her, otherwise she would have been disgusted if she had gone today.

"Teacher Yan, thank you for reminding me. I know what to do now."

Ran Qiuye put down her pen, her tone icy, devoid of any of her previous expectations.

Two o'clock in the afternoon, at an old teahouse in Nanluoguxiang.

Sha Zhu arrived early, ordered a pot of fine jasmine tea, and even bought two plates of exquisite pastries, which was unusual for him.

He nervously rubbed his hands together, occasionally adjusting his collar, his eyes fixed longingly on the entrance of the teahouse.

This was the first time in his life that he had gone on a blind date in such a formal way.

She is also a beautiful and cultured elementary school teacher.

Sha Zhu felt that his spring was finally coming.

but.

An hour has passed.

2:30, 3:00...

Customers came and went in the teahouse, and the tea on the table was refilled three or four times.

However, Ms. Ran, the gentle and quiet teacher with braided pigtails, never appeared.

Sha Zhu's heart sank little by little.

The expectation on her face gradually turned into anxiety and doubt, and finally into deep disappointment.

The teahouse was about to close at 5 p.m.

Sha Zhucai walked out of the teahouse looking like a wilted eggplant, completely dejected.

The north wind howled, making his newly bought Dacron coat flutter loudly.

He didn't know why Teacher Ran hadn't come.

Did they look down on him because he was just a cafeteria cook? Or was something else came up and they were delayed?

With red eyes, Sha Zhu walked back to the courtyard house in a daze.

I just stepped through the front gate.

He then saw Zhang Huaimin sitting on a small stool under the window of the Yan family's house, holding a bamboo pole, idly "fishing" at an empty basin.

Zhang Huaimin wore a bright red cotton-padded jacket with a front opening today, looking very cheerful.

And in the window opposite Zhang Huaimin.

Yan Bugui was holding a teacup, looking at the distraught Sha Zhu through the glass.

On that wrinkled old face hung an extremely sinister, gloating, and triumphant smile.

Although Yan Bugui quickly concealed it, he still couldn't escape Zhang Huaimin's eyes.

Zhang Huaimin looked at Sha Zhu, whose face was full of anger and resentment.

He glanced again at the smug abacus-wielding man behind the window.

A sharp, penetrating glint flashed in his large, clear eyes.