Courtyard House: The Frog Boy Brings Back a Genetic Potion at the Start

Whether people believed it or not, no one argued anymore.

Since the old lady has spoken up herself, we should at least give her some face.

But when they dispersed, the gazes they cast toward Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai always carried a hint of something indescribable.

Hao Jianguo didn't linger and turned back into the house.

What just happened was even more exciting than what was being performed on stage.

In the days that followed, Hao Jianguo's life went smoothly.

He was quick and efficient in the workshop, and his work was meticulous, often earning him praise from the foreman.

Gradually, rumors began to circulate that the higher-ups intended to promote him to deputy director.

When these words reached Qin Huairu's ears, they made her feel sour, and when she looked at Hao Jianguo again, her eyes showed a hint of unconcealed annoyance.

Yi Zhonghai, who used to be quite prestigious in the workshop, has been making mistakes lately. Rumors are also circulating that he has an ambiguous relationship with Qin Huairu, which has made the leaders frown and suspect that he has lost his mind.

If it weren't for the rarity of his eighth-grade fitter skills, he would probably have been kicked out of the factory long ago.

Hao Jianguo's life after get off work is quite fulfilling.

He often invited Yu Li for walks and chats, and the two grew closer day by day.

"It's so cold, why are you dressed so lightly?"

Seeing that the girl's lips were white from the cold and her breath turned into mist, Hao Jianguo naturally took her hand and held it in his palm.

Although it wasn't the first time they had held hands, Yu Li's cheeks still flushed, and her heart felt sweet.

The streetlights cast a dim yellow glow, and snowflakes drifted down. She quietly moved closer to his side.

Hao Jianguo looked down at her; everything was as quiet and natural as snow falling on a winter night.

He gently kissed those cool, soft lips.

……

As they spent more time together, the two grew increasingly close and understanding.

One day, Yu Li mentioned softly that her parents wanted to meet him.

Hao Jianguo smiled and agreed.

These days, marriages happen quickly; if two people like each other, it's a natural progression.

He was genuinely satisfied with Li.

Of course, not everyone is as successful as Hao Jianguo.

After that night, although Uncle Yi still retained his title, he had lost most of his face.

Feeling stifled at the factory and uncomfortable in the yard, Yi Zhonghai was in a daze all day. After get off work, he would retreat into his room, afraid of being stared at by others.

As for the Jia family, he avoided them at all costs, fearing further gossip—after all, he still retained some sense of shame.

What worried him even more was Sha Zhu's strange situation.

From that day on, Sha Zhu was listless all day long, and sometimes his legs would give way and he would stumble and fall while walking.

I went to the hospital for a checkup, and they only said I was weak, with no other symptoms.

But when the diagnosis was sent back to the hospital, after much speculation and deliberation, it took on a completely different meaning—

Why did I suddenly feel weak?

As a bachelor, he naturally had no physical deficiencies.

Before long, everyone's attention turned to Qin Huairu.

Many unfounded rumors gradually spread, saying that Qin Huairu was a vixen at heart, otherwise why would Sha Zhu have been supporting the Jia family year after year?

They were all bewitched by her. The way Sha Zhu looks now, she's probably drained his life force.

Even Jia Dongxu's paralysis in bed was supposedly caused by this vixen in secret.

The rumors grew increasingly absurd, and in these times of cultural and entertainment scarcity, such shocking gossip was all the more entertaining.

These words eventually reached Qin Huairu's ears, making her so angry she almost fainted.

She tried to explain to Jia Dongxu, but he just glared at her with resentful eyes, clearly not believing a single word.

She didn't really care about Sha Zhu's condition; she was only worried about one thing: after this incident, she wouldn't be able to get close to Sha Zhu again for a while.

With this source of aid cut off, the family's food supplies visibly declined, causing Qin Huairu great distress.

"That damned Xu Damao, it's all your fault!"

She cursed viciously in her heart.

"The end of the year is fast approaching, the old man is in jail, and the eldest is bedridden. How are we going to get through the rest of the year!"

A child's upbringing is greatly influenced by their family education.

Through Jia Zhangshi's daily "teaching by words and deeds"

Below, the stick has long since gone astray in its character.

He never considered whose fault it was that his family had ended up in this state; instead, he vented all his hatred on others.

He hated Hao Jianguo; if it weren't for that meddlesome man, his grandmother wouldn't have been arrested.

He hated Xu Damao even more. In his heart, Xu Damao was ten times more despicable than Hao Jianguo—he not only slandered his mother but also prevented his family from ever eating the greasy lunchboxes that Sha Zhu brought back again.

These past few days, he's been eating cornbread that stings his throat every meal. How could he possibly put such coarse food in his mouth?

Nope!

He absolutely had to get his revenge!

Influenced by Jia Zhangshi's domineering and shrewish nature, Bang Geng never considers the consequences of his actions.

So that night, Banggeng, his eyes burning with resentment, quietly slipped away to the vicinity of Xu Damao's house.

It was pitch black all around, the night was deep and quiet, and there wasn't even a shadow of someone getting up in the middle of the night.

Banggeng took out the box of matches from his pocket and tiptoed to the pile of firewood and straw at the base of Xu Damao's house.

"Hmph, that damned Xu Damao, burning you to death would be the best revenge!"

A sinister mutter escaped from the mouth of the boy.

The light in his eyes was no longer the look a child should have.

……

Xu Damao himself has been suffering greatly these past few days.

The essence that Hao Jianguo forcibly poured into his body was completely incompatible with his already weak body, making him feel as if he were being roasted over a fire, hot and restless from the inside out.

This situation won't last long. After some time, the unabsorbed essence will slowly dissipate, but every moment before it dissipates is torture.

Xu Damao tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

"Is he really possessed? Could it be that he's really just craving women?"

He suddenly sat up on the kang (a heated brick bed), scratching the back of his head and muttering to himself.

Just then, a burnt smell suddenly entered his nose.

"What happened?"

Xu Damao was startled and rushed out of the house barefoot.

Banggeng was squatting by the woodpile, his hand holding a match that had just ignited a clump of dry grass, and the flames were leaping upwards.

"Hey, you little brat, what are you doing?!"

Xu Damao's shout startled Banggeng, who was feeling guilty. He trembled and slipped, and a burning twig bounced right off his crotch.

Flames instantly erupted from the fabric.

"ah--"

A piercing scream shattered the silence of the night.

Banggeng's crotch was still raw from a poisonous frog bite, and now it was burned again, causing him so much pain that he almost fainted.

He rolled around on the ground desperately, finally managing to extinguish the fire in his crotch, but the smell of burnt flesh already permeated the cold air.

Xu Damao had no time to care about Bang Geng's miserable state.

He kicked the child aside and quickly turned to put out the flames.

If the flames were to truly erupt, not only would your own house suffer, but the entire courtyard house in the alley would be reduced to ashes.

Hearing the commotion, several neighboring households rushed out of their houses.

Everyone knew that extinguishing a fire was no joke, so everyone immediately pitched in to help pour water and extinguish the fire.

Fortunately, the fire was extinguished shortly after it was lit, and it turned out to be a false alarm.

"Xu Damao, what happened?"

The three uncles in charge of the courtyard also strolled over at this time.

Yi Zhonghai was actually reluctant to show his face—the shameful incident from before still lingered—but as the person in charge of the institute, he had no choice but to inquire about it.

Xu Damao glared fiercely at the groaning stick on the ground, but before he could open his mouth, he was interrupted by a sharp cry.

"A great joke!"

Qin Huairu's heart clenched when she saw her son writhing on the ground, clutching his groin.

Upon seeing the bright shoe print on the child's clothes, she immediately concluded that Xu Damao was responsible.

"Xu Damao, are you even human?! How could you hurt such a young boy like Bang Geng?!"

"Everyone, come and see! This guy is completely out of control! Isn't anyone going to do anything about him?"

She cried as she looked into the crowd.

If Sha Zhu were here, he would definitely be the first to rush out to protect her and grab Xu Damao to beat him.

But now Sha Zhu himself is still paralyzed in bed and can't get up.

Unable to rely on that simpleton, Qin Huairu had no choice but to turn her attention to Yi Zhonghai.

To everyone's surprise, Yi Zhonghai simply turned his face away.

Since that incident, he has never dared to get involved with the Jia family again, for fear of getting himself into trouble once more.

The other neighbors in the courtyard also stood there with their hands folded, and no one wanted to talk to them.

Qin Huairu's reputation is already ruined; getting involved with her will only bring bad luck.

How a child grows up largely depends on how they are raised at home.

Under Jia Zhangshi's tutelage, Banggeng's skills were completely distorted.

He never felt there was anything wrong with his family's current predicament; instead, he blamed everything on others.

He hated Hao Jianguo—if it weren't for this man, his grandmother wouldn't have been arrested.

He hated Xu Damao even more; in his mind, Xu Damao was even more despicable than Hao Jianguo.

He not only framed his mother, but also prevented his family from ever eating the leftovers that Sha Zhu brought back again.

These past few days, he's been eating coarse, hard cornmeal every meal. The harsh taste in his throat is something he shouldn't have to endure.

No!

He got it!

Influenced by Jia Zhangshi's unruly and irresponsible behavior, Bang Geng never considers the consequences of his actions.

So that night, blinded by resentment, he secretly slipped away to the vicinity of Xu Damao's house.

It was pitch black all around, and there wasn't even anyone getting up in the middle of the night.

Banggeng took out a match and tiptoed to the corner where Xu Damao had piled up firewood and straw.

"Damn Xu Damao, burning you to death would be the best revenge!"

Vicious curses were squeezed out from between the teeth of the boy.

The fierceness in his eyes was something he shouldn't have at his age.

……

Xu Damao himself has been feeling quite unwell these past few days.

The spiritual energy that Hao Jianguo forcibly poured into his body was not originally his, and Xu Damao's constitution was already extremely weak, so he couldn't withstand this kind of "replenishment".

I felt like I was being roasted on a hot stove, so hot and restless that I couldn't sleep.

Of course, this momentum won't last long; if it can't be digested in a few days, it will naturally dissipate.

But the torment before the separation was real.

Xu Damao tossed and turned in bed, finally throwing off the covers and sitting up.

"This is really weird... Could it be that I've developed a mental problem from holding it in?"

He scratched the back of his head and muttered something in confusion.

Just then, a burnt smell suddenly entered his nostrils.

"Huh? Where's that smell of smoke coming from?"

Xu Damao's heart tightened, and he immediately rushed out of the house.

Banggeng was squatting beside the woodpile, holding a lit match in his hand, a flame already climbing up the dry firewood.

"Bang! What are you doing, you bastard?!"

Xu Damao's angry shout startled Bang Geng, who was doing something wrong, so much that he trembled all over.

He stumbled, and a burning piece of firewood was kicked into the air, hitting him squarely in the crotch.

Flames erupted from the fabric in an instant.

"ah--!"

A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air.

The pheasant, who had been bitten by a poisonous frog before, was severely injured again, and the intense pain almost made him faint.

He rolled frantically on the ground, barely managing to extinguish the fire in his crotch, but...

A pungent smell of burnt flesh filled the air.

Xu Damao had no time to pay attention to the miserable state of Banggeng.

He kicked aside the stick blocking his way and hurriedly tried to put out the fire in the woodpile.

If the fire were allowed to spread, not only would their own home be in danger, but the entire courtyard house could be reduced to ashes.

The neighbors were startled by the noise and rushed out of their homes.

Knowing the severity of the fire, everyone immediately joined in the firefighting efforts.

Fortunately, the fire was only in its early stages and was quickly extinguished by everyone working together, so it was a close call.

"Xu Damao, what's going on?"

The three stewards in charge of the courtyard also rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

Yi Zhonghai was reluctant to show his face at this moment, fearing that he would cause more trouble, but as an elder, he had no choice but to step forward and intervene.

Xu Damao glared hatefully at the groaning stick on the ground.

Before he could speak, a shrill scream came from behind the crowd.

"A stick-shaped gimmick?!"

When Qin Huairu saw her son rolling on the ground clutching his groin, her heart clenched. Her first thought was that Xu Damao had hit him—there was a half-shoe print clearly visible on his shirt.

"You bastard Xu Damao! Are you even human? How could you hurt such a young boy like Banggeng!"

"Everyone, please be the judge! Xu Damao is bullying the child like this, isn't anyone going to do anything about it?"

She cried and shouted as she scanned the crowd.

In the past, at times like this, Sha Zhu would have been the first to jump out and protect her without distinguishing right from wrong, while also punching Xu Damao a few times.

But now Sha Zhu is bedridden and unable to move.

"I can't rely on Sha Zhu anymore," Qin Huairu turned her pleading gaze to Yi Zhonghai.

To everyone's surprise, Yi Zhonghai simply turned his face away.

After what happened before, he dared not get involved with any more trouble from the Jia family, for fear of getting himself into trouble again.