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

7

Why should I sit here every day, fishing and then have to help you sell your catch?

Actually, everyone was already stuffed and had a lot of money in their pockets.

We should be content.

"Wang Aiguo!"

Some people just don't have brains.

Leaning on her cane, a tin bucket swaying against her chest, Jia Zhangshi shouted at the top of her lungs, "You dare not come?"

"No! We have to come!"

"I've told you all about that fishmonger in Dongdan—he sells at least ten jin (5 kg) of fish every day!"

"If you don't come, what am I supposed to use to fool him?"

"Work at least another six months! No, at least three months!"

"If you abandon it—you're worse than a dog!"

???

Wang Aiguo remained silent, but the people around him couldn't sit still any longer.

I've never seen anyone so willing to go all out!

It's only been about thirty days!

How many fish did he take away in thirty days?

The baby hasn't even been properly fed yet!

They say you should criticize the cook after you've eaten your fill.

But she was different; before the bowl was even empty and she was still holding her chopsticks, she started spitting everywhere!

Their skin is so thick it could be used as a city wall!

Fortunately, Qin Huairu separated from her family early on, otherwise she would have been dragged into the mud sooner or later!

Hmm... Come to think of it, why haven't I seen Qin Huairu scrambling for fish lately?

That's strange!

She has four kids, and her rice jar is always empty. Shouldn't she be waiting around every day for the free fish?

Could it be that you had a falling out last time and are just trying to save face?

Bullshit!

If she had any backbone, Banggeng wouldn't have stolen the cured meat from the neighbor's clothesline!

Everyone was wondering,

Wang Aiguo snorted and said lazily, "Teaching you to fish is to teach you a skill."

"Take it and sell it? Fine, I'll turn a blind eye."

"Is it possible to sign a 'dead-end contract' with outside vendors?"

"Isn't that going too far?"

"From now on, let's establish some rules!"

"Dongdan Market, who stepped inside today—"

"I'm just blocking the doorway demanding money!"

"All the fish from these past few days, every single one, will be sold at market price!"

Hey!

It was obvious that they were targeting Jia Zhang's family.

Everyone nodded in agreement:

This is something we really can't tolerate!

The fish belonged to Wang Aiguo, yet you signed the contract with the fishmonger the day before.

Where's your face? Don't you want it anymore?!

It wasn't just Jia Zhangshi who did this, but at least she knew how to be ashamed.

As soon as Wang Aiguo gave the order, the Dongdan vegetable market was completely shut down today.

It's okay!

Chaoyang Farmers Market is still open!

It's a bit far, a forty-minute bus ride, but judging from Wang Aiguo's tone, this batch of fish is probably the last one of the year.

Go over there, and you might be able to sell it for an extra two cents.

Walking a few more steps? No problem!

Everyone immediately put on smiles and exchanged pleasantries with Wang Aiguo:

My daughter is going back to her parents' home today!

"My mom's waiting to eat fish!"

They talk a good game, but their feet are already wading towards the bus stop.

As soon as the car drove away, laughter erupted.

"We'll set a uniform price later; no haggling is allowed!"

"We need to hold onto our profits tightly!"

When you arrive in Chaoyang, you have to walk through an old alley after getting off the bus.

I never come here on weekdays; the courtyard houses are too far away.

Today, a group of people squeezed into the narrow alley to sell fish.

"Ouch!"

Someone suddenly stopped.

Everyone looked in the direction she was pointing—

Jia Zhangshi's hands were trembling as she stared intently at the blue cloth jacket hanging on the clothesline in the opposite courtyard.

"That's...that's a jinx's clothes!"

What?

Who? Qin Huairu?

impossible!

When did she start working here? She doesn't look like it...

Qin Huairu has been appearing and disappearing mysteriously lately.

They wouldn't even accept fish given away for free, but they added sugar to the steamed buns at home.

Where exactly do people earn their money?

Could it be... that he really went to that kind of place?

Rumors had been flying all over the yard, and now look what's happened—the clothes are hanging right on the wall!

"Walk!"

"Let's go in and take a look!"

Shh—don't make a sound!

My eyelids are twitching; something's definitely up!

Wang Aiguo calculated it with his fingers, and it was as accurate as an alarm clock.

Yi Zhonghai was embracing Qin Huairu, lounging in the rented courtyard.

Jia Zhangshi unintentionally helped a lot today.

Wang Aiguo originally wanted to make up an excuse to stop everyone from going to Dongdan to sell fish.

Should we reroute to Chaoyang Vegetable Market? That narrow alley is inescapable.

With so many people around, if anyone saw the two of them sneaking in and out, wouldn't they immediately start shouting?

Even if no one caught them, Wang Aiguo had a backup plan—he would cough, give a look, and the matter would be over.

Right now, everything is going according to his plan.

"Old Yi..."

With the curtains drawn tight in broad daylight, Qin Huairu's voice was sweet, her tone rising at the end.

Uh!

Yi Zhonghai felt a tingling sensation on the back of his neck, and goosebumps erupted all over his body.

He suddenly understood what it meant to reap what you sow.

He chose the people, he paid the bill, he signed off on the yard, and he even thought of the child's name...

After almost a month of this, the baby is nowhere to be found, and I'm completely exhausted!

My back ached so much I couldn't straighten up, my calves were trembling, and even my hands shook when I tried to lift an enamel mug.

He rummaged through drawers and cabinets, thinking: Decades ago, when my wife was young, was she just as vigorous?

No, no, no! Not at all!

Qin Huairu's energy is like honey that bites, both sweet and scalding.

For the first few days, she was still hesitant, after all, she had accepted the money and was almost thirty years younger than him.

And then? I completely let go.

Having been widowed for almost a year, the young wife, whose mouth was so bland she could barely keep quiet, could no longer maintain her composure.

What about Yi Zhonghai? The more he worked, the weaker he became, so he secretly asked someone to inquire about a prescription.

Drinking tiger penis and deer antler will only make you feel hot and ineffective.

He smashed the wrench three times at the factory and was severely scolded by the workshop director.

It's the weekend, and the steel rolling mill is closed, but Qin Huairu's place is the busiest.

As soon as the curtain fell, she hummed half a sentence, and Yi Zhonghai shuddered.

hiss--

He took a deep breath, his heart pounding: Let's not rush in yet, let's chat for a bit? Make some jokes? Let us catch our breath?

She loved the tune, and he really needed a ten-minute break.

When the group of people from the courtyard house slipped into the courtyard with the gait of cats,

The two people inside didn't hear a thing.

I tiptoed as lightly as a mouse, afraid of startling the snake.

The heat inside the room, carrying a sweet fragrance, had already made them dizzy.

The door was ajar, with only a narrow crack.

The curtains were drawn tightly, blocking out all the light.

Someone tiptoed closer, peering through the crack—

Good guy!

Yi Zhonghai was lying face down on the ground with his butt sticking out, his hands trembling violently, and he was gulping down water from a glass.

Qin Huairu lay flat on her back, her face flushed red, her eyelids drooping, facing the doorway.

"It really is her!"

Some people in the crowd were itching to get rid of their teeth and were cursing under their breath.

No wonder her stove has been smelling so good lately, and even the bones are glistening with oil from being chewed.

It turns out they weren't going to earn extra money; they took this kind of job!

Tsk, their skin is thicker than the corner of a city wall.

That man... why is he an old man?

Sigh, these days, who cares about age? As long as the money's there, everything's negotiable.

More and more people gathered in the courtyard, but no one uttered a sound.

They all arched forward, trying to see why the person in front of them was grinning and glaring.

Don't keep this to yourself! Let everyone see for themselves!

But the crack in the door was so narrow that it could only fit four pairs of eyes at most.

Let's take turns! You look at mine, then I look at yours; it's perfectly fair.

The clothes are long gone; now we can only recognize people by their silhouettes.

But if you've lived in a neighborhood for decades, you could tell who has the back of their head even with your eyes closed.

Just as the second group approached, the wind suddenly lifted a corner of the curtain.

A beam of light slanted in and shone on his hunched back—

"Uncle Yi!"

The young man couldn't hold it in and blurted out.

She hurriedly covered her mouth, but it was too late.

The two people inside the room sat bolt upright as if struck by lightning.

They grabbed the blankets and clothes, frantically wrapping them around themselves.

People were still crowding outside, shoulder to shoulder, toe to toe, desperately trying to pry open the door.

The old wooden door creaked a few times and then fell apart with a snap!

The moment the door collapsed, eyes met fiercely inside and outside the room.

Qin Huairu screamed and burrowed into the covers, burying her face completely.

This isn't hiding; it's pure self-deception.

Yi Zhonghai frantically grabbed two pieces of clothing to cover himself, then his legs gave way and he sat down on the ground.

My head was buzzing and my vision was going black.

It's over, it's over.

All the face I've built up over decades has been squandered today.

The entire courtyard house was surrounded; not a single one was missed.

Only Old Wang, who was bedridden, and Aunt Li, who was going to the early market, were not seen.

An older woman, her voice hoarse from shouting, yelled, "Yi Zhonghai! Why don't you look in the mirror?!"

Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she poked his nose with her finger.

"So it was you who was incapable! You kept it from me for thirty years!"

"Were you mute when my mom scolded me for not being able to lay eggs?"

"I washed your smelly socks, brought you medicine, massaged your legs in the middle of the night... and this is what I got in return?"

She suddenly choked, her chest heaving violently, her hands trembling like withered branches in the wind.

It's all fake! It's all a lie!!

You've already used all that money in the house to buy people's hearts!

He practically bought his way into the title of "Grandpa" with money!

The neighbors all praise you for being selfless? Ha!

I know very well—you don't have any kids or daughters, so this is the only thing you can rely on to save face!

Look at Yan Bugui, he has three sons and a daughter, a very happy family!

Even if Lao Liu's son is unfilial, you'd still be so envious you couldn't sleep, right?

Haha! I should have seen through you a long time ago!

You're so eager to know that Wang Aiguo can cure infertility!

I tried to stop them, I tried to persuade them, I cried until my voice was hoarse!

You've finished your medicine, gotten better, and now you're coming to me?

How many nights have we argued? I've cried all my tears, and you've never even asked if it hurts?

In the end, I still couldn't stop you.

You don't just want a child, you're determined to have a boy!

"My health is failing, so you're looking for someone else?"

When I was able to have children, why didn't you think of giving me a break and letting me find a reliable person?

What old man? Bah! The stingiest and most calculating guy in the courtyard!

You've practically torn your payslip in half!

They're even making up stories about the factory not being able to pay its employees?

Open your eyes and look around; how many veteran steel mill workers are in this yard!

The most amazing thing is—he stuffed all the money into Qin Huairu's pocket?

Yi Zhonghai! Are you even human?

If you really want to be a father, can you please stay away from the people in the compound?

Even rabbits know not to eat the grass near their burrows!

You watched Jia Dongxu grow up, how dare you lay a hand on his wife?

Let's not even talk about Jia Dongxu! Just talk about Lao Jia—everyone knows who Bang Geng's father is!

Why do you have to use this method to get closer to Lao Jia, calling him brother?

Yi Zhonghai! You're not human! You deserve retribution...

An elderly woman cried so hard she almost choked, digging her nails into her palms.

The courtyard was so quiet you could hear the cicadas chirping.

Some people quietly shifted their feet, while others bent down to pick at their trouser seams.

Yi Zhonghai slumped on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), his shirtless body trembling like a leaf: "Shut up! Shut up!"

His voice was as hoarse as a broken gong.

But who listens to him anymore?

Yi Zhonghai used to speak as if it were an imperial edict; who in the courtyard dared to disobey him?