Courtyard House: In this life, I have a new home!

4

Fang Chengxuan looked around, his face full of disbelief: "Forget it? So, if I ever act like a hooligan and bully the other women in the courtyard, then so be it?"

His gaze swept over the married women and the young women who had just come of age.

The person being watched felt a chill run down their spine, and the image flashed through their mind.

"After that, does that mean anyone in the courtyard can sleep with Qin Huairu whenever they want? No one will know or care anyway?"

Fang Chengxuan scanned the people in the courtyard.

Xu Damao's eyes lit up as he sized Qin Jingru up and down, as if she were a piece of fatty meat. The other men in the courtyard followed suit.

Qin Huairu felt breathless and her scalp tingled from being stared at.

"No, absolutely not."

She seemed to already see her future days and shook her head desperately.

An elderly man named Yi Zhonghai yelled at Fang Chengxuan, "What nonsense are you spouting? Who the hell would do such a despicable thing?"

"Aren't you doing it right now? You're putting on a respectable act, and the whole hospital thinks you're a reliable, good-natured person."

Fang Chengxuan's face was as cold as ice.

Seeing that this courtyard was in the hands of these people and things were far from over, he took a step forward: "After something like this, who can sleep at night?"

"I'm giving you two options. First, call the police and let the law enforcement handle it; they'll decide how to sentence you."

"Secondly, isn't the older woman getting a divorce? She's already gone back to her parents' home, and the older man hasn't even gone to look for her. It's obvious they're planning to break up."

"Qin Huairu is a widow, so she might as well remarry."

Madam Jia exploded on the spot: "Bullshit! Qin Huairu is my daughter-in-law!"

"After you remarry, I'll give you ten yuan a month for your retirement. Jia Zhangshi, think it over carefully. These days, women remarry all the time. If Qin Huairu is really determined to leave, it won't matter if you die in front of her."

Fang Chengxuan rubbed his temples, his face full of disgust.

If he hadn't been forced to do this, he really wouldn't have wanted to get involved in this mess. He had already found out that the older woman's family was trying to set her up with someone, and apparently things were starting to look promising.

"I think this is a good idea. Anyway, the old man and woman were going to divorce anyway, so there's nothing wrong with them marrying Qin Huairu."

"Jia Zhangshi, what do you mean? Ten yuan a month, and you're letting Qin Huairu go."

They chatted amongst themselves in the courtyard.

Jia Zhangshi was tempted. Qin Huairu couldn't go to the steel mill now and wasn't earning a penny. She had five yuan from Yang Yuande, and if Yi Zhonghai gave her another ten, she could earn fifteen yuan a month.

"Ten yuan is for a beggar? Yi Zhonghai should give me at least fifty! As long as he doesn't divorce Qin Huairu, he has to give me this money without batting an eye."

Jia Zhangshi immediately demanded an exorbitant price.

Fang Chengxuan, after reading this, was too lazy to say anything more. He waved his hand at the people in the courtyard and said, "Forget it, it's your own business, you can make your own decisions."

"If you can't handle it, go to the neighborhood committee or report it to the police directly. Why are you acting this way? You're just making people hate you."

He turned and glanced at the old man whose face had turned blue with anger, then at Qin Huairu whose eyes were red-rimmed but filled with hatred, before turning and leaving.

Yang Yuande followed closely behind, muttering, "I don't care anymore, I don't care anymore, this is so annoying. Wife, let's go home."

"Your cousin is really something. If it weren't for what happened today, everyone would praise her as a deeply devoted and loyal widow."

Qin Jingru secretly glanced at Qin Huairu, her heart pounding with anxiety, before Yang Yuande pulled her away. How could she possibly understand that Yang Yuande was the one stirring up all this trouble?

"Fang Chengxuan is right. Anyway, it has nothing to do with us. Let's call it a day."

The group dispersed quickly after talking for a while.

Even though it's none of their business, they can't stop talking, and even after they've walked away, they keep turning back to mutter about it.

Finally, the yard was empty.

Jia Zhangshi stared at the two naked people on the ground, then turned to Qin Huairu and began to curse: "You shameless slut, you couldn't hold on any longer?"

"Tell me, how should we settle this score?"

Qin Huairu burst into tears: "Mother-in-law, my husband and I were scammed! We didn't know anything!"

"Snapped!"

Jia Zhangshi slapped him hard across the face, the sound ringing out: "Stop playing the victim here. Go ask the people on the street, who would believe you were scammed?"

"You two, how are you going to clean this up today?"

Jia Zhangshi frowned deeply, her little abacus already clicking away.

Should we force Qin Huairu to remarry Yi Zhonghai and pay her a monthly allowance? Or should we keep her from leaving?

She stared at Qin Huairu, her eyes darting around quickly.

Remarry? Then Qin Huairu would become an outsider, and what if she lost her source of income? Don't remarry? She can't go to work now, she's just a useless person who only knows how to eat, it's a waste of money to support her.

Jia Zhangshi completely forgot that the grain in the house was basically borrowed by Qin Huairu, who shamelessly borrowed it.

Qin Huairu lowered her head, secretly calculating in her mind.

Yi Zhonghai remained silent.

Suddenly, the two spoke at the same time.

"I will not marry Qin Huairu."

"I won't marry an old man!"

The next day, just as dawn broke.

Fang Chengxuan washed up quickly, pushed his bicycle out of the courtyard gate, and could still hear the people in the courtyard gossiping about what happened yesterday.

Over at the Intermediate Court, an elderly man named Yi Zhonghai stood face to face with Qin Huairu, both of them glaring at each other with fury.

"Fang Chengxuan, you!"

Qin Huairu gritted her teeth, tears streaming down her face, filled with both hatred and grievance.

Fang Chengxuan's eyes were icy cold as he stopped and turned to look at her: "A shameless woman like you hasn't suffered any retribution, so what am I afraid of?"

Mind your own business and stop watching others. If you don't cause trouble, who cares about you?

He meant it sincerely.

Qin Huairu sneered, "You've ruined me like this, and you're still pretending nothing happened? Fang Chengxuan, you wait, I won't let you get away with this."

Fang Chengxuan's gaze darkened as he watched her challenge him.

"Then give it a try."

After saying that, he pushed the cart and left.

As soon as he left, Qin Huairu squatted on the ground and wailed, crying and shouting, "What sins did I commit in my past life to deserve this?"

"Fang Chengxuan, you're a scoundrel!"

An old man named Yi Zhonghai glanced at Qin Huairu, and with all the gazes around him pressing down on him, he didn't dare to say anything and turned away.

The people in the courtyard were in an uproar.

"From what she said, Fang Chengxuan was behind what happened last night?"

"Nonsense! Could Fang Chengxuan force those two to do that kind of thing?"

"It's strange, but whenever something happens in the courtyard, whether it's Sha Zhu's family, Uncle Yi's family, or Qin Huairu's family, even though they have absolutely no connection to Fang Chengxuan, everyone thinks it was him."

"Fang Chengxuan is so unlucky!"

"Maybe there really is some connection. Anyway, I've noticed that no one who messes with Fang Chengxuan ends up well."

"Those who are good to him benefit from it all. Last time he treated Zhang Yangde to dinner and even gave him fish. And Yang Yuande, who used to be a lazy bum, now has a bicycle and a job."

As they talked, the topic took a turn.

Qin Huairu cried for a while, but no one paid any attention to her. Her face darkened, and her eyes turned sinister.

Lin Qinqin, who was supposed to go to work today, packed a bag, carried some grain, left the courtyard, and headed towards the labor camp.

It got dark.

After having dinner at Rong Xinrui's house, Fang Chengxuan chatted with his brother-in-law for a few minutes, and then walked back with Leng Si into the night.

Upon entering the courtyard, it was brightly lit.

Two law enforcement officers were standing in the courtyard. Seeing him enter, they immediately asked, "Fang Chengxuan, have you seen He Yuzhu?"

"He Yuzhu?"

Fang Chengxuan was taken aback. "Isn't he in a labor camp?"

"He's run away. This is a very serious matter. We're worried he might retaliate against you, so please be extra careful lately."

The law enforcement officers gave them a few words of advice.

Fang Chengxuan nodded: "Okay, law enforcement officer, I've got it."

Send the person away.

Second Uncle Liu Haizhong waved his hand: "Don't go, everyone. Let's have a court-wide meeting at the Intermediate People's Court and talk about Sha Zhu's matter."

"The law enforcement officers said that Sha Zhu escaping from the labor camp is no small matter; no one should even think about hiding him!"

As Liu Haizhong spoke, he turned to look at the elderly man Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu: "Especially you two."

Fang Chengxuan also glanced at the two men. They were frowning, and it seemed that He Yuzhu's escape was indeed giving them a headache.

"Have you searched the yard?"

Fang Chengxuan asked.

"We searched. We checked every house in Sha Zhu's family."

Liu Haizhong replied.

"Since we've searched, there's no one here. Everyone says they haven't seen He Yuzhu, and I believe them. Uncle, we can't handle this; let's leave it to the law enforcement officers."

Fang Chengxuan felt that this conference wouldn't amount to anything.

Liu Haizhong has little ability but a big ego; all he talks about is nonsense and a waste of time.

The others chimed in, "That's right, Second Uncle, we all said we've never seen Sha Zhu, so we really haven't, let alone seen him."

"Alright, you've had a long day, go get some rest."

Someone tossed out a comment, turned, and walked away, muttering as they went, "What was Sha Zhu thinking, running away from the labor camp all this time?"

Lin Qinqin chimed in, "I went to visit my man in prison today. Could it be that Sha Zhu stumbled upon Qin Huairu and that old man's affair, which is why he took the risk and ran away? But what does he have to do with those two?"

"Exactly! It's impossible for Sha Zhu to be having an affair with Qin Huairu too, otherwise why would he be so crazy?"

The group chattered amongst themselves, their minds full of gossip, and no one could come up with a definitive answer.

Fang Chengxuan also turned and walked home, thinking to himself: He Yuzhu made quite a fuss, actually daring to sneak out of the labor camp.

I washed my face and changed my clothes.

He had just finished tidying up when he saw Ying lean out from the second room, her lips moving as if she had something to say but couldn't bring herself to say it.

"What is it?"

"Chengxuan, I think I'm overthinking it. This noon I went to deliver lunch to the deaf old lady, and when I was collecting the dishes I noticed she ate every last bit of the food she never touches. Could it be that He Yuzhu... is hiding in her room?"

Ying felt a pang of anxiety for him, her fingers twisting together as she spoke in a low voice.

Fang Chengxuan glanced at the room where the deaf old lady was, then looked away, saying in a calm tone, "I know what I'm doing. Just take care of Lianyun and don't meddle in anything else."

Inside the deaf old lady's room, He Yuzhu pressed himself against the window frame, staring intently at Fang Chengxuan outside through the window crack, his back taut like a bowstring.

Seeing his expression, the deaf old woman sighed, "Fang Chengxuan won't come in."

He Yuzhu turned his head to look at her.

"As long as you don't provoke him, he won't provoke you."

The deaf old lady, wanting to give him some pointers, waved to him.

"I know you ran back after hearing about what happened between Uncle Yi and Qin Huairu. Sha Zhu, even if someone sabotaged things and locked them in a room, they can't just strip them naked and force them to do *that*, can they?"

The deaf old lady's words carried a hint of persuasion.

"You should hurry back to the labor camp and admit your mistake. Once you're released, with your skills, finding a wife won't be difficult. Why are you so fixated on Qin Huairu?"