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

"Zhang Ruhua! You old hag, get out here right now!"

A thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the main hall of the He family home, instantly piercing through the originally dull afternoon air of the courtyard.

The sound was filled with ice crystals and carried the smell of hot oil fresh out of the pan, making one's eardrums buzz.

The neighbors who were peeking out of the yard, ready to laugh at them, all shrank back.

He Yuzhu was turning over a sparrow that was sizzling and dripping with oil when he heard the shout. His movements suddenly stopped, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

This... is his usually gentle, virtuous, and even somewhat weak mother, Chen Lanxiang?

This art style is off!

In my memory, although my mother always protected him, she always tried to keep the peace. Why is she so angry today? It's even hotter than the embers in his stove.

"Who are you calling ill-mannered? Huh?" Chen Lanxiang's voice came again, accompanied by a series of hurried footsteps, and she had already lifted the curtain and come out.

She had her sleeves rolled up, and was even carrying the jujube wood rolling pin she usually used to roll out dough. Her eyes were sharp as knives as she stared intently at the entrance of the Jia family's house across the street.

"Your son has any manners? If he had any manners, would he have the nerve to come to my house like a starving ghost begging for food?"

Jia Zhangshi, who was on the other side, was startled by this sudden outburst.

But relying on her habit of being a bully in the yard, she immediately put her hands on her hips and retorted, "My son is just on good terms with Zhu Zi! What's wrong with him taking a couple of bites of his food? It's your Zhu Zi who's learned to be secretive at such a young age; he'll definitely grow up to be an ingrate!"

"Snapped!"

Chen Lanxiang slammed the rolling pin heavily against the stone mill beside her, making a crisp sound that startled several children watching the commotion.

"Ungrateful wretch? Still better than some people!" Chen Lanxiang sneered, her eyes full of contempt.

"I think it's because you haven't been disciplined in a long time, you're itching for a beating, aren't you? Today I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your dead man, and show you what proper upbringing is!"

As she spoke, she was about to rush forward.

He Yuzhu quickly put down his work and stepped over to stop his mother.

"Mother, Mother! Calm down. It's not worth ruining your health over someone like that!"

He was secretly overjoyed. This was the mother he'd always wanted! His domineering presence left the old hag speechless.

Xu Damao, who was standing nearby, was so excited that he clenched his fists tightly. When he saw He Yuzhu blocking Chen Lanxiang, he was so anxious that he stomped his feet.

"Brother Zhu, don't stop the old lady! Let her beat her up! Beat her until her face is covered in bruises!"

"Get lost, you little brat!" Although Chen Lanxiang was still angry, she couldn't help but laugh and scold Xu Damao when she saw his appearance. "Go away and don't cause trouble here."

Xu Damao wasn't angry at all; instead, he chuckled.

She sidled up to He Yuzhu, her face full of admiration, and said, "Brother Zhu, your mother is so amazing! She's practically our neighborhood's Mu Guiying!"

He Yuzhu slapped him hard on the back, annoyed: "You little rascal, you always want to stir up trouble, why weren't you up there earlier?"

Xu Damao rubbed the back of his head, grimacing as he said, "Hehe, I just couldn't beat him. Besides, with Brother Zhuzi here, how could I possibly lift a finger? My mom said that from now on, we'll stick with you in the yard, and nobody will dare bully us!"

"What else did your mother say?" He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow.

"And you also said..."

Xu Damao scratched his head, looking aggrieved. "He also said that yesterday he went to the Jia family to borrow vinegar, and that old woman scolded him so badly that his face was scratched all over, and he almost got hit with a shovel. Brother Zhu, you have to avenge my mother!"

He Yuzhu's eyes turned cold. He knew that although Xu Damao's mother was a bit gossipy, she wasn't a bad person. That Jia Zhangshi was indeed going too far.

"Don't worry," He Yuzhu patted Xu Damao on the shoulder, "I'll remember this grudge. But not now."

"When?" Xu Damao pressed.

"A gentleman takes his revenge, even after ten years."

He Yuzhu said calmly, "But I'm a petty person, and I'll take my revenge as soon as possible. Just you wait and see."

Xu Damao nodded as if he understood, then looked towards the kitchen with a hungry expression: "Brother Zhu, let's not talk about that. Are the sparrows... done roasting yet? I can smell the aroma."

He Yuzhu rolled her eyes at him: "All you ever think about is eating."

On the other side, seeing that Chen Lanxiang was being stopped by He Yuzhu, Jia Zhangshi didn't dare to rush up and fight, after all, she knew that the rolling pin in Chen Lanxiang's hand was no joke.

She glared fiercely at the He family mother and son, muttering foul language under her breath, and pulled the bewildered Jia Dongxu back into the house.

"Bang!"

She slammed the heavy wooden door shut, making the paper windows tremble.

Inside the house, Jia Zhangshi's cursing did not stop; on the contrary, it intensified.

"You useless piece of trash! You coward!"

Jia Zhangshi pointed at Jia Dongxu's nose, spitting everywhere.

"I always told you to get along well with He Yuzhu, but you wouldn't listen! Now look what happened! You can't even get a bite of meat! And that crazy woman pointed her finger at you and yelled at you! What's the point of you being alive?"

Jia Dongxu lowered his head, twisting the hem of his clothes with his fingers, his face full of grievance: "Mom, I didn't expect this either. Brother Zhu used to be so easy to talk to, always bringing me good food. I don't know what's wrong with him today, he's like a completely different person."

"A completely different person?" Madam Jia sneered, her eyes filled with malice. "It must have been that Chen Lanxiang who taught her! That little bitch, she never had good intentions!"

She paced back and forth in the room like an enraged she-wolf, her eyes gleaming with malice.

"No, I can't swallow this!" Madam Jia Zhang suddenly stopped and said to Jia Dongxu in a low voice.

"Dongxu, listen to your mother. We'll find a chance to teach those two little bastards a lesson!"

"Mother, I can't beat He Yuzhu." Jia Dongxu raised his head, looking troubled. "He's much stronger than me."

"Who told you to fight him head-on?" Madam Jia smacked him on the head in exasperation.

"Are you out of your mind? He Yuzhu is a troublemaker now, but what about Xu Damao? He's a pushover!"

"You mean..." Jia Dongxu's eyes lit up.

"Yes!" Jia Zhangshi's lips curled into a cold smile.

"When that little brat Xu Damao is alone, give him a good beating! Beat him to death! Break one of his legs if you can! Then let's see how Chen Lanxiang explains herself to me! Let's see if He Yuzhu dares to act tough in front of me again!"

"But..." Jia Dongxu hesitated, "What if someone sees us?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Madam Jia said, patting her chest.

"With Mom here, we'll just say Xu Damao started it, and you acted in self-defense. Everyone in this courtyard knows that Xu Damao is a troublemaker."

"Fine!" Jia Dongxu gritted his teeth, his eyes turning fierce. "Mother, I'll listen to you! I'll make that Xu Damao pay! He dared to steal my food and even dared to laugh at me. I'll kill him!"

The mother and daughter were inside the house, plotting how to deal with their two teenagers. Their viciousness was utterly appalling.

Leaving aside the vicious schemes of the Jia family mother and son, He Yuzhu had already returned to the kitchen.

By this time, the sparrows on the iron rack were roasted to a golden-brown, glistening color, their skins sizzling, and the oil dripping down their legs onto the charcoal fire with a crackling sound, sending up an enticing plume of smoke.

He Yuzhu took a deep breath, feeling his stomach rumble with hunger.

He started rummaging through the spice jars, wanting to add some flavor to the roasted sparrow.

"what?"

He Yuzhu's hand stopped on an inconspicuous earthenware jar. He opened the lid, and a rich, exotic fragrance wafted out.

"cumin?"

He Yuzhu was pleasantly surprised. He never expected that his family would still have such a good thing hidden in this day and age.

This is the soul of barbecue!

He rummaged through the jar again and, sure enough, found finely ground chili powder in another jar.

"Perfect!"

He Yuzhu was overjoyed.

With these two ingredients, the taste of this roasted sparrow will definitely be elevated several levels.

"Brother Zhu, what are you looking for?" Xu Damao came over, his little head sticking out high. "Give me some to eat, I'm starving."

"What's the rush?" He Yuzhu rolled her eyes at him. "Can you handle spicy food?"

Xu Damao shook his head vigorously, looking terrified, and said, "No, no! That stuff is too spicy. Last time I took a bite, tears and snot came out of my eyes."

"What a coward," He Yuzhu said with a laugh.

He found a small bowl, poured in some salt, dissolved some salt water, and used a brush to apply it to the sparrows.

Although time was short and there wasn't enough time to marinate thoroughly, this method still gives the meat a basic flavor.

Then, he picked up the cumin powder and sprinkled it evenly on each sparrow.

"Sizzle—"

The moment cumin touches the scalding hot bird skin, it instantly releases a domineering aroma that hits you right in the head, making you feel intoxicated by its fragrance.

"Wow...it smells so good!" Xu Damao sniffed, his mouth watering and drool almost dripping from the corner of his mouth. "Brother Zhu, is it ready yet? Is it really ready yet? Give me one, just one!"

"What's the rush?" He Yuzhu picked up a skewer of the most charred sparrows and handed it to him. "Take this to your aunt first. Let her have a taste."

"Okay!"

Xu Damao took the sparrow, and although he was extremely hungry for it, he obediently turned around and ran into the house.

As he ran, he kept drooling, his eyes fixed on the meat in his hand, as if afraid it would grow wings and fly away.

"Auntie! Auntie! Come out quickly! It's time to eat something delicious!"

Chen Lanxiang was sitting in the room, angry, but her expression softened when she heard Xu Damao's voice.

She took the roasted sparrow from Xu Damao and, looking at its tempting golden color, couldn't help but praise, "Did Zhuzi roast this? It's really good. Damao is so good, still thinking of his aunt."

"Hehe, Auntie, eat up, it smells delicious!" Xu Damao scratched his head and smiled broadly.

Feeling pleased with the praise, Xu Damao ran back to the kitchen with his short legs.

"Brother Zhu! Where's mine? Where's mine?" he asked impatiently as soon as he entered the door.

"Here you go." He Yuzhu casually handed over a skewer. "Eat slowly, don't burn yourself."

"I know, I know!"

Xu Damao agreed verbally, but his hands didn't slow down at all. He snatched the sparrow, not even bothering to blow on it to cool it down, and took a big bite.

"Awooo!!!"

The next second, Xu Damao let out a piercing scream.

"It's hot! It's burning me!!!"

He suddenly threw the sparrow on the table, covered his mouth, and jumped up on the spot, tears instantly streaming down his face and welling up in his eyes.

He Yuzhu, watching from the side, burst into laughter: "I told you to eat slowly, but you wouldn't listen. Now you know it's hot, right? Serves you right!"

"It smells so good... I couldn't resist..." Xu Damao said tearfully, his voice filled with grievance, his breath still panting in the air.

"Alright, sit down." He Yuzhu handed him a glass of cold water. "Rinse your mouth and calm down."

Xu Damao took the water glass, gulped down two mouthfuls, and felt the burning sensation in his mouth lessen slightly.

He then sat back down on the stool, looking at the tempting sparrow on the table with longing in his eyes, but this time he dared not act impulsively again.

He carefully picked up the sparrow, blew on it repeatedly, then tore off a thin leg and tentatively took a small bite.

"Um……"

Xu Damao's eyes lit up instantly.

It was a taste I had never experienced before.

The outer skin is crispy and fragrant, while the meat inside is tender and juicy, with a subtle charcoal flavor and a wonderful aroma of cumin that explodes in your mouth—it's simply divine!

"Delicious! So delicious!"

Xu Damao no longer cared about the heat. Although he still slurped his food because it was hot, he ate with great relish.

His little hands tore at the bird meat quickly, his mouth stuffed full, like a greedy little hamster.

In the blink of an eye, he devoured a sparrow, even chewing up the bones and swallowing them.

After finishing one, Xu Damao licked his fingers with lingering satisfaction, his gaze involuntarily drifting to the remaining skewers in He Yuzhu's hand.

He Yuzhu was about to eat when he saw Xu Damao's greedy look and teased him, "What are you looking at? There's nothing left."

"Huh?" Xu Damao's face instantly fell, and tears welled up in his eyes again. "That's it? I'm not even full yet..."

He Yuzhu chuckled inwardly at his pitiful look, then pointed to the side and said, "There are two more in the pot, meant for my dad to have with his drinks. If you dare touch them, I'll break your legs."

"Oh..." Xu Damao lowered his head in disappointment, his eyes filled with dejection.

Just as He Yuzhu was about to enjoy his share, Xu Damao suddenly looked up and handed over the half sparrow he had been reluctant to eat.

"Brother Zhu, here, have this."

He Yuzhu was stunned for a moment.

He could tell that Xu Damao really wanted to eat it; his eyes were practically glowing with greed. But he still gave up the little bit of food he had.

This kid, although he's usually a bit sly and likes to cause trouble, is actually quite loyal when it matters.

"You eat it, I'm not hungry." He Yuzhu smiled and pushed the sparrow back.

"Those two in the pot were left for my dad, but I can go catch more. As long as you want to eat them, Brother Zhu will grill them for you every day from now on."

"Really?" Xu Damao's eyes lit up. "Brother Zhu, are you serious?"

"Of course it's true," He Yuzhu said, patting his chest. "When have I ever lied to you?"

"Great!" Xu Damao cheered, snatched the half sparrow, and wolfed it down.

Seeing Xu Damao eating so heartily, He Yuzhu's mood improved as well.

He picked up his skewer, sprinkled some chili powder on it, and prepared to taste the spiciness.

He Yuzhu took a bite of the sparrow meat sprinkled with chili powder.

"hiss--!"

A strong, stimulating sensation instantly spread from the tip of my tongue throughout my body, a burning feeling shooting straight to my head. After all, this was the first time my body had eaten something so spicy, and it simply couldn't handle it.

"Cough cough cough!!!"

He Yuzhu coughed violently from the spiciness, tears and snot streaming down his face, which turned bright red.

"Brother Zhu, what's wrong with you?" Xu Damao was startled by his appearance and didn't even bother to chew the meat in his mouth.

"N-nothing..." He Yuzhu coughed and waved his hand, "This chili...it's too spicy..."

Upon seeing this, Xu Damao couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Brother Zhu, you're such a wimp! You can't even handle this little bit of spice? You're not even as good as me!"

"Shut up!"

He Yuzhu glared at him, picked up her water glass and gulped down several mouthfuls of cold water before she recovered.

"That's called having flavor! Don't you understand? Eating like that is no different from chewing wood chips!"

"Hehe, I just love chewing wood chips."

Xu Damao chuckled, then curiously leaned closer, "Brother Zhu, is this chili powder really that delicious? You're so spicy, yet you're still eating it."

"That's right." He Yuzhu wiped his mouth, a smug look on his face. "This is what they call experiencing pain and pleasure simultaneously. Do you dare to try it?"

"I..." Xu Damao hesitated for a moment, looking at the bright red chili powder, feeling a little apprehensive. But under He Yuzhu's provocative gaze, he still gritted his teeth and said, "I'll try! When have I, Xu Damao, ever been afraid?"

"Good! That's backbone!"

He Yuzhu gave a thumbs up, tore off a bird leg covered in chili powder, and handed it over, saying, "Here, have a taste."

Xu Damao stared at the bird leg, took a deep breath as if he were going to his execution. He closed his eyes, snatched the bird leg, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it fiercely twice.

One second.

Two seconds.

Xu Damao's expression suddenly froze.

Immediately afterwards, his face turned red at a visible speed, his neck also turned red, and fine beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.

"It's so spicy...so spicy...it's killing me!!!"

Xu Damao let out an even more piercing scream than before, covered his mouth and frantically circled around the kitchen, tears and snot streaming down his face, completely distraught.

"Water! Give me water! Help!!!"

He Yuzhu laughed so hard he almost passed out: "Hahahaha! Xu Damao, weren't you fearless? Why are you chickening out now? This is what you call reaping what you sow!"

"Water... Waaah... Brother Zhu, I was wrong... Give me water..." Xu Damao cried and shouted, his voice hoarse from the burning sensation.

"Zhu Zi! What are you doing? Why are you making such a racket?"

Hearing the commotion, Chen Lanxiang hurriedly came out of the house. Seeing Xu Damao's disheveled appearance, she was startled. "Damao, what happened? Why are you crying?"

"Auntie...it's so spicy...it's killing me..." Xu Damao cried.

Chen Lanxiang then noticed the chili powder on the table and immediately understood.

She glared at He Yuzhu, annoyed. "You brat, you know Da Mao can't eat spicy food, why did you tease him like that? Look how spicy it is for him!"

"Mom, I didn't expect him to be so sensitive to spicy food." He Yuzhu scratched his head, looking innocent.

"Alright, stop joking around." Chen Lanxiang quickly poured a bowl of cold water and handed it to Xu Damao. "Quick, drink some water and rinse your mouth."

Xu Damao, as if he had seen a savior, snatched the bowl and gulped it down in one go.

After drinking a bowl of water, the spiciness in his mouth finally eased a little. Xu Damao slumped into a chair, panting heavily, tears still streaming down his face, his eyes filled with resentment as he looked at He Yuzhu.

That look was as if he were looking at a heinous villain.

"Don't look at me like that." He Yuzhu felt a little uneasy under his gaze. "You insisted on eating it yourself. I didn't force you."

"Brother Zhu, you definitely did this on purpose," Xu Damao said, feeling wronged. "You just didn't want me to eat roasted sparrows, so you used chili peppers to spiciness me up."

"Do I really need to?" He Yuzhu rolled her eyes. "There are still two left in the pot. I didn't say you couldn't have any."

"Really?" Xu Damao's eyes lit up, and he instantly forgot the pain he had just been in.

"Of course it's true." He Yuzhu stood up and started cleaning the stove. "But grilling like this is too much work and produces too much smoke. Tonight I'll make you some stir-fried sparrows and a soup, I guarantee it'll taste even better than this grilled one."

"Stir-fried? In soup?" Xu Damao licked his lips. Although his mouth was still a little spicy, his stomach growled again at the mention of delicious food. "Then... is it as fragrant as grilled?"

"You'll find out when the time comes." He Yuzhu smiled mysteriously. "Alright, go inside first. Don't get in the way. By the way, those two in the pot are for my dad, so don't even think about taking them."

"Oh... okay."

Xu Damao glanced at the stove with lingering reluctance before leaving the kitchen, looking back every few steps.

Watching Xu Damao's retreating figure, He Yuzhu shook his head helplessly. That kid, he's a real character.

However, today's ordeal put him in a great mood. He not only gave Jia Zhangshi a good scolding, but also won over his little follower Xu Damao.

He glanced at the two sparrows left in the pot, then looked out the window.

As the sun sets, its golden rays bathe the courtyard, adding a rare moment of tranquility to this place filled with scheming and quarrels.

But He Yuzhu knew that this tranquility was only temporary.

The Jia family, mother and daughter, will definitely not let this go.

The days ahead are unlikely to be peaceful.

However, He Yuzhu was not afraid.

Now that God has given him a second chance at life, he will not be as pathetic as he was in his previous life.

People don't offend me, I don't offend people.

If anyone offends me, I will retaliate tenfold!

He picked up the skewer of roasted sparrows that he hadn't finished eating and took a big bite.

Spicy! Really spicy!

But the spiciness made him feel incredibly happy.

This is life!

It is full of challenges, but also full of hope.