Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

The sound of hushed conversation drifted in from outside, as if afraid to disturb the cold night.

"Old Zhao, where did this car come from?"

The woman's voice carried a hint of surprise and wariness that was barely perceptible.

Zhao Qingshan leaned against the side of the cart, clutching the wound on his chest. His face was as pale as paper, and he waved his hand while panting heavily.

"Stop asking questions, hurry up and move the stuff upstairs, let's get out of here! We can't stay here any longer."

"That……"

The woman hesitated for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the corpses on the ground.

"Should we... take these guys' gear and stuff?"

"You still have time to worry about these things?"

Zhao Qingshan interrupted her, his voice weak.

It exudes an unquestionable determination.

"Let's go! These things were originally that friend's spoils. We're lucky to have escaped with our lives."

"oh."

The woman responded with a sound of agreement and said no more.

Then came heavy footsteps and the dull thud of things being loaded onto a truck.

There were several boxes of medicine and a radio, quite heavy, causing the old rickshaw axle to creak under the weight.

The wheels rolled over the snow, making a dull screech, which gradually faded into the distance along with the sound of their footsteps.

He Yuzhu stood behind the door, taking in everything through the crack.

He nodded to himself, a satisfied smile curving his lips.

That old bastard...

They still have a bit of chivalry.

Knowing that all this "equipment" was mine, I didn't dare to touch it.

Once the rickshaw had disappeared about ten meters from the alley entrance, He Yuzhu slipped out the door.

His movements were as swift as a black lightning bolt, cutting across the snow without leaving a trace.

On the road, corpses lay scattered about, along with stray guns and ammunition, and even a few silver coins that hadn't been picked up in time...

He swept away these things like autumn leaves with a single touch, leaving only clear human-shaped indentations in the snow.

"receive!"

With a thought, the bicycle that the system rewarded him with appeared between his legs.

He stepped on, pedaled, making a soft "click" sound, and slowly followed.

He needed to make sure the two had arrived safely, and by the way...

They also had to take back their rickshaws.

It has to be said that they were really lucky tonight.

In those days, the nights in Beiping (Beijing) were dark.

The burst of gunfire had terrified the local residents, who kept their doors tightly shut and dared not even turn on their lights, let alone come out to watch the commotion.

The rickshaw headed east, weaving through streets and alleys, deliberately choosing to venture into those secluded lanes.

Finally, we stopped in front of a shop with a sign that read "Xiangrui Cloth Shop" at Jiaodaokou.

The woman looked around warily, and only after confirming that no one was around did she step forward and knock on the door.

"Thump, thump, thump—thump, thump."

Three short and two long.

A moment later, the door opened a crack just wide enough for one person to pass through, and a pair of eyes peered out warily. After recognizing who it was, the eye quickly opened the door again.

Two people darted out, deftly took the boxes from the car, and helped Zhao Qingshan inside.

Throughout the entire process, a man dressed in shorts stood guard at the door, his eyes scanning the street like a hawk, not missing a single movement.

Once everyone and their belongings were safely inside, the door closed again.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a man dressed as a waiter slipped out through the side door.

He skillfully pulled the rickshaw and jogged all the way, eventually reaching the wide Gulou East Street.

Seeing that no one was around, he casually threw the rickshaw next to a snowdrift by the roadside, turned around and ran back, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

He Yuzhu, who was in the shadows, saw everything clearly and let out a cold laugh.

Trying to destroy the evidence?

no way.

He ignored the runaway lad, rode his bicycle over, and with a flick of his wrist, the rickshaw vanished instantly, disappearing back into his spatial storage.

This thing is a real lifesaver; it can save your life in a pinch. Didn't it just come in very handy?

After parking his car, he saw several figures at the end of the street, busy sweeping and shoveling in the snow.

They worked quickly, covering the bloodstains and footprints left from the fight with snow and sweeping them away. In no time, they had completely concealed all traces.

Upon seeing this, He Yuzhu thought to himself: It seems they are one of our own.

Their professional skills are good; I don't need to worry about the follow-up.

He turned his car around, got on his bicycle, and headed home.

This time, he didn't dare take the same route he came by. Instead, he deliberately took a long detour and went back through another secluded alley.

As for what professionals would think when they see bicycle tracks suddenly appearing on the ground...

That's their business; he has a clear conscience anyway.

Back at the courtyard house, He Yuzhu didn't go through the main gate, but instead skillfully climbed the ladder at the base of the wall and vaulted into the courtyard.

It was still dark, and the courtyard was quiet.

He tiptoed back to his side room and locked the door behind him.

He took off his cotton-padded jacket and trousers, which were soaked with sweat and frozen stiff, and hung them by the stove to dry.

I crawled into the blankets, where the warmth still lingered.

His consciousness sank into his mind, and he opened the system panel.

[Ding! Escort mission successfully completed.]

[Rewards: 1 Good Citizen Certificate, 1 Health Certificate, 1 City Exit Permit.]

He Yuzhu looked at these three items and immediately swore.

"Damn it... what kind of reward is this?"

A certificate of good conduct? Who doesn't have one?

Health certificate? Who cares about that these days?

A permit to leave the city? Although this is a rare thing, it also means that the system may be sending him on a long trip.

He had a strong premonition that something bad was hiding behind this reward.

The reward made him lose all interest in checking the guns, ammunition, and supplies he had acquired that night.

He irritably pulled the covers tighter around himself and forced himself to close his eyes and sleep.

When I woke up the next day, it was already broad daylight.

He Yuzhu habitually lay on the bed for a while before silently saying, "System, sign in."

[Sign-in successful! Congratulations, host, you have received: Tiger Head Hat x1, Rattle Drum x1, Cradle x1, Bib x5.]

He Yuzhu almost laughed out of anger when he saw this series of rewards.

"System, thank you so much! I'm here to coast along and make a fortune, not to babysit! I'm still a 120-month-old baby myself!"

He was internally ranting and raving.

You could give me some roast chicken or duck, or even braised pork offal or peanuts! If all else fails, some snacks or steamed buns would be fine too!

The intense exercise last night made him wake up hungry in the middle of the night, and his stomach is still empty.

Just then, his father He Daqing's voice came from outside: "Zhuzi! Get up, wash up, and eat!"

He Yuzhu responded and slowly got up.

After washing up and eating breakfast, He Daqing hurriedly went out to work again.

These past few days, it seems like everyone else in the courtyard left earlier than his father—in any case, He Yuzhu didn't see many neighbors when he woke up in the morning.

"Mother," He Yuzhu said, wiping his mouth after finishing his meal.

"I heard from my dad that the streets aren't as chaotic lately. So... shouldn't we send the consultation fee to Dr. Lin?"

He didn't have high hopes, after all, these days, people only feel secure when they have money in their own hands.

To everyone's surprise, Chen Lanxiang thought about it and actually nodded.

"Yes, it's time to send it over."

Chen Lanxiang got up, walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), took out a small cloth bag wrapped in a handkerchief from under the pillow, and handed it over.

"Zhu'er, here are ten silver dollars. Take them to the doctor today. If we delay too long, it will make our family seem impolite. If you see a lot of black dogs on the way, or if anything seems amiss, come back immediately, understand?"

It seems she had prepared the cloth bag a long time ago, but just hadn't had the chance to have it delivered.

"I understand, Mother." He Yuzhu took the cloth bag, weighed it in his hand, and found it to be heavy.

"I'm not stupid, I'm definitely clever."

The silver coins jingled in the bag, a sound that sounded like the most beautiful music to He Yuzhu's ears.

Chen Lanxiang looked at her son and suddenly hesitated. She held her forehead, as if she was worried about something.

Only a fool would constantly say "I'm not stupid," right?

Could it be that my son's brain, which had only been working for two days, has started acting up again?

"or……"

Chen Lanxiang hesitated.

"You shouldn't go. Why don't you wait until your father has time and have him go?"

"I can manage on my own!"

He Yuzhu patted his chest and guaranteed.

"Have you forgotten? I had to bite the bullet and beg Dr. Lin to come back. Besides, I'm just a kid, who would pay attention to me? It would be more noticeable if my dad went—didn't he say that some scoundrels have died in that area? He's a grown man, he'd be easily questioned."

"Your ears are pretty sharp; you heard that too." Chen Lanxiang glared at him, but her worry lessened somewhat. "Alright, then be careful on the road! Be alert!"

"Okay!"

He Yuzhu tucked the small cloth bag into his arms—in reality, he simply put it into his spatial storage with a thought.

Then he deliberately jumped around twice on the spot.

There was no sound coming from him.

He nodded in satisfaction.

This space is truly an essential tool for home life, travel, murder, and robbery.

Chen Lanxiang finally felt a little relieved when she saw her son's appearance.

These days, life is tough for everyone. She asked her son to deliver the money mainly because she didn't want to owe anyone a favor, nor did she want people to think that the He family was reneging on their debts.

Besides, judging from his son's skills and cleverness, it seems that even Jia Dongxu in the courtyard is no match for him.

Even if you encounter beggars or thugs, you shouldn't suffer any losses.

"Go quickly and come back soon," she instructed.

"Otherwise, when that kid Da Mao wakes up, he'll come looking for you to play again. That kid's been following you around like a shadow ever since."

"Okay, I'm leaving!"

He Yuzhu responded and turned to leave.

Just as he stepped out of the house, he ran into Yi Li, who was carrying a basin to pour out dirty water.

He Yuzhu greeted her proactively, "Aunt Yi, would you like some water?"

"Oh, Zhuzi." Madam Yi stopped and looked at him.

"Where are you going so early in the morning?"

"It's nothing, I'm just going out for a walk to get some fresh air," He Yuzhu casually made up a reason.

"It's not safe outside, you can't go too far," Yi Li said with concern.

"Things haven't been peaceful in the city lately."

"Okay, Auntie. It's cold outside, you should go back inside."

After He Yuzhu finished speaking, he ran out of the courtyard in a flash.

Yi Li watched his retreating figure, shook her head, and planned to go to the He family later to talk to Zhu Zi's mother—it's so chaotic outside, how can you let a half-grown child go out alone?

After leaving the gate, He Yuzhu did not go directly to Dongtangzi Hutong to find Doctor Lin.

There were already some pedestrians on the street, but not many.

He didn't dare take the bicycle out of the storage space—it was too conspicuous, something not every ordinary family could afford.

He didn't go to Dongtangzi, but instead walked towards Dong'anmen.

There was a market over there, and he had never seen what a bustling market in old Beijing looked like.

By the way, you can also see if you can get rid of those "baby-care gadgets" that the system gave you.

Humming a little tune, He Yuzhu strolled slowly toward the Dong'anmen market.

Most of the shops along the street had their doors half-closed, and the owners were hunched over, trying to attract customers.

Occasionally, pedestrians would pass by, but they would hurry along, their clothes wrapped tightly around themselves.

Only He Yuzhu looked leisurely, glancing around.

It was as if this turbulent world had nothing to do with him.

As soon as you arrive at the market entrance, a strong sense of lively atmosphere hits you.

The shouts, the sounds of bargaining, and the cries of livestock mingled together, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

It instantly dispelled the boredom that He Yuzhu felt due to the system reward.

The market was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder.

Stalls lined both sides of the street, one after another.

The fabric vendors—colorful fabrics fluttered gently in the cold wind.

The farm tools for sale—brand new hoes and sickles, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen in the sunlight.

The vendors sold a wide variety of trinkets—rattle drums, clay figurines, windmills, and more.

Looking at the stalls selling trinkets, He Yuzhu couldn't help but think of the system's ridiculous daily sign-in rewards.

His gaze was quickly drawn to a stall selling sugar figurines.

The stall owner was a master craftsman with skillful techniques.

He scooped up a spoonful of hot, golden-brown sugar syrup and tossed it up and down on the smooth marble slab, strands of sugar falling with each flick of his wrist.

In the blink of an eye, a lifelike little rabbit took shape.

This craftsmanship is far superior to that of machines made in later generations.

He Yuzhu was so engrossed in watching that he subconsciously touched his pocket—in fact, he didn't have a single penny in his pocket; all his money was in his spatial storage.

I feel a strong urge to eat it.

Seeing his greedy look, the stall owner smiled and called out:

"Hey buddy, wanna have one? These sugar figurines are pretty and delicious, so sweet, kids love them."

"How much is one?"

He Yuzhu swallowed and asked.

"Five copper coins each."

The stall owner smiled and held up five fingers.

"copper?"

He Yuzhu paused for a moment, actually frantically searching his mind for any copper coins.

The copper coin was not found.

They did find a few silver coins smaller than silver dollars.

"Yes, copper coins."

The master sugar maker, thinking he thought it was too expensive, added another sentence.

"If you don't have copper coins, half a silver coin will do."

"..."