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

The old lady leaned against the door frame, glanced towards the central courtyard, and her cloudy eyes revealed a shrewdness. She turned to He Yuzhu beside her and said in a deep voice, "Since you're here, then accompany me to the central courtyard. I'm going to see my eldest granddaughter."

"Alright! Take your time, I'll help you." He Yuzhu quickly stepped forward and steadily supported the old lady's arm.

He knew perfectly well that the old lady's summons must be for something important. He walked slowly, inwardly praising himself: "My mother is so perceptive; she saw right through Old Zhao. It's probably that woman named Wang Cuiping; she has too many flaws that the old lady noticed."

An old woman and a young girl slowly walked into the courtyard. He Yuzhu helped the old lady into the house, but before he could even sit down, his mother, Chen Lanxiang, called out to him, "Zhuzi, you're strong. Go and fill the water vat for your Aunt Wang. Don't make a girl from out of town do all that herself."

"Okay, I'm going right now!" Without saying a word, He Yuzhu grabbed the water bucket and carrying pole from the corner of the wall and headed outside.

Wang Cuiping happened to come out of the house and saw this, so she quickly waved her hand: "No need, no need, sister-in-law, I have the strength myself, how can I trouble Zhuzi's child!" As she spoke, she was about to step forward to grab the water bucket. Her neat short outfit and decisive movements were unlike those of an ordinary country girl.

"You're a guest from out of town, how can we let you do any work?" Chen Lanxiang said with a smile, pressing her down. "Zhuzi is as strong as an ox, what's the point of keeping him around if not to do some work? Just relax and rest."

Wang Cuiping declined repeatedly, but Chen Lanxiang was adamant. He Yuzhu had already carried the empty buckets and strode out of the yard, so she had no choice but to give up and thanked her repeatedly. Li Guihua also came out from the next room, carrying a rag to help wipe the table and windows. She worked quickly and efficiently, without saying a word, only giving Wang Cuiping a gentle smile.

This scene was witnessed by many neighbors, some nodding, some grimacing, each with their own thoughts.

Around noon, the men in the courtyard returned home one after another. The wives of each family simply whispered to their husbands that a strange young woman had come to the courtyard; she was a relative of Old Zhao.

They were all shrewd people; they knew it wasn't appropriate for an unmarried young woman to let men come and peek at her, lest unpleasant gossip spread.

Before long, the sound of a cart wheel rolling came from outside the courtyard gate, mixed with the clanging of pots and pans.

Old Zhao hired a porter to haul a cart full of things into the yard: brand-new iron pots, rice bowls, ladles, bags of grain, and large chunks of pork and vegetables, piled up like a small mountain.

He Yuzhu was helping to pick vegetables in the kitchen when he glanced outside unintentionally and his eyes narrowed slightly—wasn't that the man pulling the cart an acquaintance, Lao Fang?

He had saved Old Fang's life back then. This man was no ordinary citizen; he was a true daredevil. Not only had he eliminated traitors, but he had also personally killed two Kuomintang agents. He was a ruthless man with blood on his hands.

Old Zhao brought out so many pots, pans, grains, meat, and vegetables; in those days of food and clothing shortages, it was dazzling to everyone in the courtyard.

As expected, the first to lose her temper was Jia Zhangshi in the front yard.

This old woman, who had been sharp-tongued and loved to stir up trouble all her life, nearly popped her eyes out when she saw how much wealth Old Zhao had acquired. She hid by her front door and, in a voice just loud enough for everyone around to hear, gossiped, "Oh my goodness, did he bring back a young girl from the countryside? At his age, still trying to seduce a young woman? Doesn't he fear his tongue will get twisted in the wind?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the front and back yards instantly quieted down, with many people peeking out and glancing suggestively at the middle yard.

Wang Cuiping was tidying up her things in the room when she heard these words. Her face turned red instantly, and a surge of anger rushed to her head.

She suddenly grabbed a rolling pin from behind the door, gripped it tightly, and turned to rush out, her eyes wide and fierce, radiating a murderous aura: "I'll tear her mouth apart! Where I'm from, anyone who dares to spout such nonsense would have been dealt with long ago!"

Where she used to work, these foul-mouthed old women wouldn't even need her to lift a finger; the women's director would have already come to teach them a lesson. Who would dare gossip about her? None of her comrades in her unit were easy to mess with.

Seeing this, Old Zhao quickly stepped forward, grabbed her wrist tightly, pulled her back, and said in a low voice, "Don't be impulsive! This is the city, not your old place! This kind of gossip is commonplace in this courtyard, just bear with it."

"Tolerate? Why should we tolerate it!" Wang Cuiping's chest heaved violently, her voice trembling with anger. "She's slandering me out of thin air!"

"We'll be living here for a long time, and there will be much more hurtful things to say than this," Old Zhao sighed, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "If you always rush in, life will be unbearable."

Wang Cuiping was pinned down in the house by Lao Zhao, unable to move. Listening to the faint whispers outside, she truly felt for the first time that the courtyard house in the city was even more stifling and restrictive than she had imagined.

She's a woman who's daring, fierce, and never admits defeat, but now she's left speechless and frustrated by a few idle words.

When the night was deep and quiet, she was the only one left in the room. Lying on the unfamiliar kang (a heated brick bed), she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

She stared at the dark roof with her eyes wide open, repeatedly telling herself: be patient, adapt, and obey.

But the confusion in her heart was like a tidal wave, making it hard for her to breathe.

At a single command from the organization, she was assigned a man she had never met before; she didn't even know what he looked like or what his personality was. No matter how bold she was or how many storms she had weathered, she was, in the end, just an unmarried young woman.

This feeling of being powerless was even more unbearable for her than risking her life outside.

The next morning, Old Zhao had to go out on some errands and told Wang Cuiping to stay home and not worry.

Alone in the empty room, Wang Cuiping felt extremely uncomfortable. She understood all too well the looks in the eyes of the people in the courtyard—there was contempt, jealousy, amusement, and malicious probing.

Of all the people in the courtyard, only Chen Lanxiang, who had been so gentle and polite to her yesterday, made her feel somewhat close to her.

After hesitating for a moment, Wang Cuiping straightened her clothes and walked towards the He family's house.

The He family's gate was ajar. She pushed it open gently and went inside. As soon as she entered, she saw little He Yuzhu standing in the middle of the main room, his bright black eyes staring straight at her without blinking, as if he were looking at some strange object.

Wang Cuiping found his gaze both amusing and perplexing.

She stepped forward, raised her hand, and gently waved it in front of He Yuzhu's eyes, a cheerful smile playing on her lips. She teased, "Yuzhu, why do you stare blankly at your Aunt Wang? Are you already thinking about a wife at such a young age?"

He Yuzhu immediately snapped out of her daze, frowned, pouted, and snorted disdainfully, "Tch, I'm only ten! I don't want to think about those things!"

His mature-looking manner made Wang Cuiping burst out laughing.

She bent down and leaned closer, carefully examining herself. She straightened her clothes and asked suspiciously, "Is there something wrong with Auntie? Or do you look scary? I noticed you were staring at me strangely."

Children are very perceptive and would never stare blankly at someone for no reason. Wang Cuiping felt a little uneasy. Had she given herself away somehow, and a child had seen through her?

He Yuzhu's small eyes darted around, and she deliberately tilted her head back, feigning innocence, and asked, "I heard from my mother that you're here to get married? What's your fiancé's surname? What's he like? Is he good to you?"

That's a very direct question, not something a ten-year-old should say.

Wang Cuiping was taken aback for a moment, then reached out and lightly flicked his forehead, laughing and scolding, "You little brat, you're not even fully grown yet, why are you asking about adults' affairs! Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

Just then, footsteps came from the inner room. Chen Lanxiang had just finished feeding He Yushui and coaxed the child to be well-behaved. As soon as she heard the voices from the outer room, she immediately came out with a smile: "Cuiping is here! Come in and sit down, it's cold outside."

"Okay, Sister-in-law He." Wang Cuiping withdrew her hand, affectionately rubbed He Yuzhu's head, and then followed Chen Lanxiang into the inner room.

Inside the room, on the kang (heated brick bed), He Yushui was wrapped in a small quilt. Her face was delicate and round, like a white and tender little dumpling.

Wang Cuiping took a liking to her at first sight; her eyes lit up, her steps became lighter, and she whispered with delight, "Sister-in-law He, your little girl is so beautiful! She's so adorable, may I hold her?"

"Yes, of course!" Chen Lanxiang nodded with a smile, then added, "But you have to be careful. This little guy is a bit shy around strangers, and he has a really loud voice. If he starts crying, don't be scared."

"How could that be? I love children the most." Wang Cuiping quickly reached out and carefully took He Yushui from Chen Lanxiang's arms.

Her posture in holding the child was steady and skillful, which made Chen Lanxiang nod in approval. She didn't seem like someone who had never held a child before.

But when He Yushui was suddenly hugged by a stranger, her little brows immediately furrowed, her big eyes blinked, and she looked at Wang Cuiping. When she realized that Wang Cuiping was a stranger, her little mouth pursed, her cheeks puffed up, and she looked like she was about to burst into tears.

Just at this critical moment, He Yuzhu's clear voice rang out from the side: "Yushui, look here!"

He Yushui was immediately drawn to her brother's voice. She turned her head sharply and saw He Yuzhu standing not far away, making faces and making funny faces. He would grimac and glare, looking both comical and ridiculous.

The little girl instantly forgot her grievances and started giggling, kicking her little hands and feet excitedly.

Wang Cuiping couldn't help but turn around and look. When she saw He Yuzhu's funny expression, she burst out laughing. The frustration and unease she had felt earlier dissipated considerably.

She hugged He Yushui, turned to Chen Lanxiang and smiled, "Sister-in-law He, is Zhuzi always this funny? I think he has a lot of clever ideas."

Chen Lanxiang shook her head helplessly yet indulgently: "How could that be? He only does this at home with his sister. If he dared to do this outside, wouldn't people laugh at him like a fool? He only cares about rain the most."

Wang Cuiping nodded, looking at the little girl laughing happily in her arms, and casually asked, "Is Zhuzi in school yet? I think he's quite clever."

"They're here now, it's winter break, isn't it?" Chen Lanxiang chimed in. "Another kid is coming over later, his name is Xu Damao, he lives in the backyard, the two of them always play together."

Wang Cuiping looked around and asked, "What about the front yard? Aren't there any kids around the same age there? Why aren't they playing together?"

Chen Lanxiang's smile faded slightly, and her tone became more serious as she said softly, "Yes, there are some, but we just don't get along. Cuiping, listen to your sister-in-law's advice: you're unfamiliar with this place, so you'd better avoid associating with those people in the front yard."

Wang Cuiping narrowed her eyes slightly, immediately sensing the underlying meaning in his words, and pressed further, "Why is that? Are the people in the front yard difficult to get along with?"

Although she is illiterate, she has seen many people and can tell at a glance whether someone is good or bad after wandering around for so many years.

Chen Lanxiang didn't like gossiping, but seeing that Wang Cuiping was a sensible person and they got along well, she said a few words, just enough: "The people in this courtyard are complicated. They say one thing to your face and another behind your back. They're always trying to take advantage, but they'll suffer if they're wronged. You're an outsider, so don't get entangled with them."

Without needing to say more, Wang Cuiping understood instantly.

She was secretly alarmed. The intricate web of relationships and social dynamics within this small courtyard house in the city was comparable to that of an entire village in her hometown.

Her face remained expressionless; she simply nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, I understand, sister-in-law. Thank you for reminding me; I know what I'm doing."

Seeing that she was calm and quick to understand, Chen Lanxiang liked her even more, feeling that this girl was no ordinary country girl. She then smiled and chatted casually: "Cuiping, did you always farm back in your hometown? Looking at your hands and feet, you don't seem like someone who worked in the fields all year round."

Wang Cuiping's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't show it on her face. She casually made up a lie she had already thought of: "Where would I get land to farm? My family is poor, so I do odd jobs for landlords and rich people everywhere, washing, cleaning, mending, and barely making ends meet."

"Sigh, it's been tough times," Chen Lanxiang sighed, then asked, "Was the journey easy? Were there many checkpoints?"

"It's not easy to get through!" Wang Cuiping immediately looked indignant. "There are so many checkpoints and inspections everywhere. My cousin must have secretly bribed someone to get me through, and I barely managed to get through."

Upon hearing this, Chen Lanxiang was surprised: "Is it even stricter than when I was pregnant? I was thinking that once things are more peaceful, I would ask Brother He to accompany me back to my hometown." She hadn't left the city for many years and knew nothing about the situation outside.

Wang Cuiping casually replied, "That's not true. Back then, the checks were strict, and people were arrested all the time. Now it's different. They don't arrest people randomly, but they take a lot of money and skim off the top layer by layer."

As she spoke, she didn't even realize that her words carried a kind of anger that only someone who had experienced it could have.

Chen Lanxiang then asked, "Is it like this in your hometown too?"

Wang Cuiping almost blurted out, "It's not like that in my hometown," but she swallowed the words back, breaking out in a cold sweat.

She's from Shaanxi, and she's completely different from people here. If I let that slip, I'll be in big trouble.

She quickly changed her tune, her tone becoming somewhat ambiguous: "Back in my hometown... it's pretty much the same, everyone has a tough time."

How could Chen Lanxiang not notice the inconsistency in her tone?

Her eyes flickered slightly, and she immediately understood—this girl must be hiding a secret.

But Chen Lanxiang was a smart woman; she saw through it but didn't say anything. Everyone has their own difficulties that they can't tell outsiders, right? She smiled, changed the subject, and didn't press the matter further.

He Yuzhu, who was standing to the side, took in all of this, a sly smile playing on his lips.

He knew perfectly well that Wang Cuiping's little lie was full of flaws in his eyes. Looking at his mother and Wang Cuiping's expressions, he almost burst out laughing.

He Yushui was held in Wang Cuiping's arms, her little eyes fixed on her brother as she secretly smiled, and she also babbled happily.

Wang Cuiping looked down at He Yushui, who was happily in her arms, and then glanced back at He Yuzhu, who was secretly laughing. She felt a little uneasy.

That kid's smile is so sly!

By any measure, it looks like he's laughing at himself for letting something slip!

But she had no evidence whatsoever, and she couldn't very well argue with a ten-year-old child, so she could only suppress her doubts.

Chen Lanxiang also noticed her son's unusual behavior. She found it both funny and helpless, and glared at He Yuzhu, signaling him to stop causing trouble.

He Yuzhu immediately stopped smiling, straightened up, and shouted, "Mom, I'm going to find Da Mao to play!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and ran outside, his short legs moving incredibly fast, as if afraid of being caught and questioned by his mother.

"You brat! Slow down!" Chen Lanxiang shouted at his retreating figure. "Come back early and help with the cooking. Your Aunt Wang is eating at home today, so don't play outside for too long!"

"Yes, Mother! I promise I'll be back on time!"

He Yuzhu's clear voice came from outside the courtyard gate, but he had already disappeared.

Inside the house, He Yushui couldn't see her brother, so she pouted and let out a couple of dry cries. But as soon as Chen Lanxiang reached out to hug her, she immediately stopped crying and nuzzled her head against Chen Lanxiang's chest, behaving herself obediently.

Wang Cuiping stood aside, watching this heartwarming scene. Her heart warmed, but she also felt a little guilty. She quickly said, "Sister-in-law He, how can this be? How can I eat at your house right away? These days, no one has enough food. I can't cause you any trouble."

She started to walk out, saying, "I'll just go back to my place and cook something myself, anything will do."

"Alright, don't be so polite with me." Chen Lanxiang grabbed her arm, her tone brimming with unyielding enthusiasm. "Your brother He is the cook, the factory often provides meals, my family doesn't need your meal. You eating one meal won't bankrupt my family, will it?"

She patted Wang Cuiping's hand and said sincerely, "I felt an instant connection with you the moment I saw you. If it were someone else who wanted to come to my house for a meal, I wouldn't be happy to let them stay! Just relax and eat here."

Wang Cuiping was deeply moved, and her eyes welled up with tears. In all her life, apart from her comrades in the organization, very few people had been so sincere to her.

She quickly replied, "Then...then I'll cook! I'm strong and efficient, I definitely won't let my sister-in-law get tired!"

Seeing her cheerful demeanor, Chen Lanxiang smiled even more happily.