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

21

"Or—how about I make your newlywed marriage end in divorce right away?"

He spoke in a low voice, but his sinister aura was like a knife scraping bone.

On the surface, He Yuzhu and Lou Xiao'e have already gotten their marriage certificate, and it seems like their relationship is a done deal. But why did these two get together? Only a fool like He Yuzhu actually thought it was the deaf old lady who arranged it.

"Clang—"

There was a sudden noise in the deaf old lady's house.

Then the old lady's voice came out: "Shazhu, come in! Help me pick up my pillow."

He Yuzhu stood still.

"Silly Zhu!"

The deaf old woman raised her voice a fraction higher, "Are you ignoring what I, an old woman, am saying?"

He Yuzhu pouted, his belly full of anger, but in the end he turned around and walked into the house.

As soon as I entered the door, the deaf old lady raised her cane and started hitting me.

"You idiot Zhu! What did I tell you the day you came back?"

"I told you not to go and recruit Fang Chengxuan, where are your ears?"

"Do you still want to live a good life with Lou Xiao'e?"

He Yuzhu, dodging his cane, was embarrassed: "Grandma, Fang Chengxuan is a scoundrel! He's trying to ruin my marriage!"

"Pooh!"

The deaf old woman spat at it.

"If you don't provoke them, why would they bother with you?"

"Let me tell you, if you still want to continue your life with Lou Xiao'e, don't mess with Fang Chengxuan! Xu Damao is watching!"

"Do you want Xu Damao to laugh at you? To say you can't even keep a wife?"

He Yuzhu's lips trembled. He wanted to retort but was tongue-tied. His Adam's apple bobbed for a long time, but he couldn't utter a single word.

outside the house.

Fang Chengxuan looked at the door of the deaf old lady and sighed.

"Now I'm certain that He Yuzhu and Lou Xiao'e won't last much longer."

With that kind of brain, it's like he's missing a screw.

You might dodge Xu Damao's trap, but you can't dodge Qin Huairu's subtle but deadly attacks. The only problem is that Qin Huairu hasn't returned yet.

"Are you planning to make a move?"

Four Cold Questions.

Fang Chengxuan shook his head.

"Marriage is something that will play tricks on you if you treat it like a game."

"Do you really think you can get a wife for free without paying a dowry or spending a penny?"

"Yang Yuande, that street hustler, even knew to bring a second-hand radio as a betrothal gift when he married Qin Jingru. He begged me shamelessly to save up a bicycle for him—just so that Qin Jingru could hold her head high in her family's hometown."

"Let's take another look at He Yuzhu..."

"Putting aside whether they know etiquette or not, you can tell at a glance whether they care or not."

Fang Chengxuan spoke in a flat tone.

He didn't even need to lift a finger. Between the two of them, He Yuzhu was a fool—a fool who didn't deserve a wife and children.

"Lou Xiao'e doesn't have time to deal with these things right now. Wait until things get out of hand in the compound and Qin Huairu comes back, then you can see what happens."

When the argument broke out at the Intermediate Court, Fang Chengxuan was talking to Leng Si in a corner.

No one nearby could hear it.

Leng Si clicked his tongue: "Is this even feasible? When a man gets married, doesn't everyone just make do?"

Fang Chengxuan chuckled: "It may be passable, but no one is as 'passable' as He Yuzhu."

The moment the words were spoken, the Intermediate People's Court erupted in uproar.

Xu Damao's voice could cleave through the air even through the walls: "You want to thank me with candy? Lou Xiao'e, you shameless thing! You didn't ask for a single penny of betrothal gifts, you're practically throwing yourself at me! How blind I must have been to have fallen for you! Since you're so worthless, spit out all the betrothal gifts I gave you!"

"I must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes to pay money to marry such a cheap piece of trash like you! Give me back my money! Otherwise, I'll go to your parents' house and make a scene, letting everyone know that the Lou family has produced a worthless, money-losing daughter!"

Lou Xiao'e was furious, trembling like a leaf, pointing at Xu Damao, her voice trembling with sobs: "Xu Damao, don't push your luck!"

Fang Chengxuan and Leng Si exchanged glances.

He Yuzhu rushed out of the deaf old lady's house and headed straight for the central courtyard.

Leng Si asked, "Aren't you going to take a look?"

Fang Chengxuan didn't even lift his eyelids: "A bunch of rotten people and rotten things, nothing to see."

"Going to sleep."

He waved his hand dismissively and turned to go back inside.

After thinking about it, Leng Si couldn't resist and went to the Intermediate People's Court.

The next morning, Fang Chengxuan finished washing up and was about to leave with his bicycle when Yang Yuande, Leng Si, and Zhang Yangde came towards him.

Excitement was written all over their faces.

"Brother Fang, guess what? Sha Zhu beat up Xu Damao, and all three of them ended up in the police station. In the end, Lou Xiao'e paid Xu Damao's betrothal gifts and medical expenses to settle the matter."

Yang Yuande clicked his tongue twice.

"Sha Zhu used to be able to earn money, but Qin Huairu borrowed it all. Where would he get the money back?"

"I heard that Lou's parents paid for it and forced Lou Xiao'e to divorce Sha Zhu on the spot. They didn't even think much of that guy."

"They took her home that very day and made Sha Zhu pay the bride price: three turns and a radio plus 100 yuan. Not a penny less."

"Isn't it hilarious? Who gets married like this these days?"

The group walked and laughed.

As He Yuzhu passed by the Intermediate People's Court, he was walking out when he saw Fang Chengxuan and the others. His eyes were filled with hatred.

Fang Chengxuan was too lazy to pay attention.

Xu Damao also came out of the house, saw He Yuzhu, and sneered, "Silly Zhu, how about it?"

"I told you, even if I sent your wife to your bed, you still wouldn't be able to keep her!"

He Yuzhu was furious. He rushed to Xu Damao and kicked him.

Xu Damao backed away in fright, but retorted defiantly, "Silly Zhu, if you dare touch me, I'll immediately report you to the police and continue causing trouble!"

"I'd like to see if the Lou family still acknowledges you as their son-in-law, and when you'll be able to bring Lou Xiao'e back!"

He Yuzhu clenched his fist and paused for a moment.

But before the anger subsided, he kicked Xu Damao directly in the crotch.

Xu Damao's face instantly contorted in pain, his teeth chattering. He pointed a finger at He Yuzhu, his eyes filled with venom: "You idiot, you wait, I won't let you get away with this!"

Fang Chengxuan stood to the side, watching this scene, his brows furrowed.

He knew perfectly well that Xu Damao's inability to have children was most likely due to He Yuzhu's frequenting of that area. Did this fool He Yuzhu really not know that a man's private parts shouldn't be touched?

"Tsk, that idiot Zhu is too ruthless. Who hits someone specifically in that area when beating them up? Xu Damao can't have children, maybe it's because he kicked him out."

Someone suddenly blurted out a sentence.

Fang Chengxuan was stunned, thinking that he had accidentally said it. He turned his head and saw that it was Leng Si who was speaking.

Leng Si, feeling awkward under everyone's gaze, scratched his head sheepishly.

"Back in the army, there was a guy who liked to use dirty tricks. The old army doctor mentioned this to us when he examined him."

The two people next to him nodded in agreement, and then looked at Xu Damao with a hint of sympathy in their eyes.

Xu Damao froze on the spot, forgetting even the pain.

He Yuzhu was also stunned, his tone a little hesitant: "How was I supposed to know that hitting that spot would make someone infertile? I always thought childbirth was a woman's job."

He met Xu Damao's piercing gaze.

He Yuzhu's voice lowered: "I won't touch that part of your body anymore!"

Xu Damao stared intently at him, his voice chilling as if squeezed out from between his teeth: "Silly Zhu, you just wait and see. If I, Xu Damao, am without an heir, you'll never have a single day of comfort!"

Done.

Xu Damao dared not take it lightly like before. Enduring the pain, he staggered out, intending to go to the hospital.

He Yuzhu watched his retreating figure, his face grim: "What does this have to do with me? I didn't know it would turn out like this!"

Done.

He Yuzhu turned and glared at Leng Si, her anger flaring up again: "Leng Si, did you do this on purpose? And you, Fang Chengxuan, did you two conspire to say these things to make Xu Damao hate me!"

"Fang Chengxuan, you are truly vicious!"

"You just wait, if I don't have a good time, you won't have one either!"

He Yuzhu didn't think of this at all and assumed that Fang Chengxuan was plotting against him behind his back.

Fang Chengxuan glanced at him and smirked.

"idiot."

After uttering two words, the group went back to work.

He Yuzhu said he wasn't afraid of Xu Damao, but after all these years of fighting with Xu Damao, he hadn't gained much advantage.

The thought of really going head-to-head with Xu Damao, to the death, made him a little scared.

She asked around the factory, "Hey, if a man gets a serious beating down there, does that mean he can't have kids?"

My colleague grinned and said, "Is that even a question? The important parts are completely ruined; they'll be castrated!"

He Yuzhu felt a tightness in his chest.

Then she quickly tried to justify herself: "With Xu Damao's character, he's slept with a bunch of women outside, his thing is definitely fine. If he can't have children, it's probably his own problem, what does it have to do with me?"

Thinking about it that way...

He straightened his back again. After finishing a day's work, he started thinking about how to make money, raise the dowry, bring Lou Xiao'e back, and live a life with a wife, children, and a warm bed.

Life at the factory was uneventful.

As soon as the get off work bell rang, Fang Chengxuan rode his bicycle to Rong's house to spend time with his girlfriend. He Yuzhu, on the other hand, inquired everywhere about where a cook was needed.

It got dark.

The courtyard was so quiet that only the chirping of insects could be heard.

Fang Chengxuan pushed the cart into the courtyard. Leng Si sat in front of his house with Fang Lianyun. When he saw Fang Chengxuan come over, he said, "I thought Xu Damao would come back and cause trouble after the examination. It seems that nothing serious happened."

Fang Chengxuan glanced at him but didn't reply.

In the original story, Xu Damao never had children in his life, and that can't be changed.

No more fuss now.

They're probably holding back a big surprise.

"Maybe."

He replied casually.

Leng Si didn't quite grasp the meaning, and asked again, "It seems like Uncle San hasn't returned the money."

Fang Chengxuan said indifferently, "Third Uncle is stingy and loves to take advantage of others. In the past, he relied on his status in the courtyard, so everyone gave him face and no one cared."

"He seems to think that outsiders will buy into his act."

Leng Si frowned: "He's probably going to get into trouble like this."

"So? You want to get involved?"

Fang Chengxuan raised an eyebrow, glanced at Leng Si, and thought that sympathy should be given selectively; some people were simply not worth pitying.

Moreover, this kind of person will cling to you and refuse to let go once you reach out.

Leng Si hesitated for a moment: "But I know that if he does this, he'll definitely suffer a terrible fate."

Fang Chengxuan stared at him, put down the cup in his hand, and said seriously, "We're all adults now. Adults have to take responsibility for their own actions."

Changing the subject: "Of course, if you really want to get involved, then go ahead and do it."

Leng Si looked up at him: "Won't you be unhappy if I really get involved?"

"What's bothering you?"

Fang Chengxuan smiled.

Leng Si saw his attitude, pursed his lips, and said nothing more.

Fang Chengxuan didn't say anything more.

As darkness fell, the two returned to their respective rooms.