Courtyard House: Starting as an eighth-grade worker, with too many wives.

They were all so embarrassed that their faces turned red—as red as monkey bottoms.

The deaf old lady came out of the house with a cane.

He shouted with a stern face—his voice was sharp and shrill, like a knife cutting through glass.

"The Jia family! Enough already! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?"

Jia Zhangshi stopped.

He was panting heavily, like a bellows—huffing and puffing.

They can't hold back with their words.

"Old lady, look what this slut has done! My son isn't even dead yet and she's already—"

"Alright, alright."

The deaf old lady waved her hand.

The conversation turned.

"If you want revenge, you need to target the person directly responsible. Have you forgotten who caused your son's accident?"

Jia Zhangshi was taken aback.

He then turned to Li Jianguo's window with a livid expression—his eyes filled with hatred, venom, and a murderous intent.

"That bitch was the one who caused what happened last night!"

The deaf old lady nodded.

The wrinkles on his face concealed something indescribable—something called scheming, conspiracy, and using someone else to do the dirty work.

Two old women were standing in the yard.

The window facing Li Jianguo.

They started arguing back and forth.

"If that little bitch keeps causing trouble, will we ever have a good life?"

"We absolutely have to get that little brat out of here!"

"Why doesn't God take this scourge away?"

"..."

Foul language.

The more they insulted him, the uglier it got.

Sudden.

Li Jianguo's door opened.

The two old women stopped talking abruptly.

Like a chicken being choked—clucking halfway through, then suddenly falling silent.

Li Jianguo stood at the door.

The morning light shone on him, obscuring his expression—his face was in shadow, only its outline visible.

"Don't you want your mouth anymore?"

The sound wasn't loud.

It felt like a bucket of ice water being poured over my head—chilling me from head to toe, from the outside in.

The two old ladies froze.

Stiff as a stone.

I instinctively took a step back—my feet slipped, and I almost fell.

The curses were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word—it was like something was stuck in his throat, something he couldn't swallow or spit out.

Li Jianguo glanced at them.

He turned around and picked up a piece of coal.

I went back inside to make breakfast.

The door closed with a soft thud.

Only then did the two old ladies dare to breathe.

His breath was deep and long, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

They exchanged a glance.

They slunk back to their rooms.

They didn't even dare to turn their heads.

Just then.

A figure walked in from the courtyard gate.

He Yushui.

She wore a faded blue cotton jacket—washed so many times the color had faded. Her hair was tied in two braids—the braids were a bit messy, as if she'd been rushing.

He doesn't look well.

Some are white, some are blue.

She pushed open the door to her own house.

The place was a mess—the blankets weren't folded, clothes were scattered everywhere, and there were footprints on the floor.

But there was no one there.

stunned.

He turned and went to the front yard.

"Uncle, where's my brother?"

Standing at the door of Yi Zhonghai's house.

"Didn't you come back last night?"

Yi Zhonghai came out of the house.

He sighed when he saw it was her.

The sigh was very long, like a stretched shadow.

"Your brother..."

"What's wrong?"

He Yushui's heart tightened.

The string suddenly tightened—it was about to snap.

"My brother had an accident? Is he sick?"

"Not sick."

Yi Zhonghai shook his head.

"They were taken away by the police."

"What?!"

He Yushui cried out in surprise.

The cry was sharp and shrill, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

His face turned deathly pale—as white as paper, as white as plaster on a wall.

"What did my brother do? What could that idiot do that would get him taken away by the police? Sir, please explain yourself!"

Yi Zhonghai sighed.

His face showed a hint of heartbreak—the expression was so convincing, so genuine.

"It's all because of that little bastard Li Jianguo. He tricked your brother last night, saying he framed him, and he's already in jail."

He Yushui frowned.

It's very tightly wrinkled.

"impossible."

It came out without thinking.

"My brother isn't the type to frame someone. He doesn't have that kind of ability."

"If you don't believe me, ask someone else."

He Yushui turned and left.

I went directly to the home of the deaf old lady in the backyard.

The deaf old woman was taken aback when she saw her.

"Rainwater? Why is it back now?"

"Looking for my brother."

He Yushui stood at the door.

"An old man said he was taken away by the police because of that new Director Li. Madam, what exactly happened?"

The deaf old lady's face darkened.

A hint of resentment crept into his wrinkles—a deep resentment, as if etched into his bones.

"The old man wasn't wrong. Because your brother offended that Li Jianguo, he's been finding all sorts of ways to bully him, and last night he finally got your brother arrested! That bastard, he's ruthless! How could your brother possibly fare well in his hands?"

As she spoke, her eyes reddened.

His voice trembled—trembling like leaves rustling in the wind.

He Yushui listened.

His brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

I saw Li Jianguo last time I came back. I didn't think he was a bad person—he didn't talk much, didn't cause trouble, and seemed quite normal.

But both the old man and the deaf old woman said that…

He gritted his teeth.

He turned and went to the backyard.

Li Jianguo had just finished making breakfast.

Egg pancakes—golden yellow, oozing with the aroma of oil.

Millet porridge—thick and steaming hot.

A small dish of pickled vegetables—finely chopped and tossed with sesame oil.

The aroma filled the room.

I just sat down.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

"stop!"

Li Jianguo's voice turned somber.

His gaze shot out like a knife—it was cold, as cold as the winter wind.

He Yushui had one foot inside the door and one foot outside.

His shout froze them in place—they couldn't move, as if they had been frozen in place.

"I...I need to talk to you!"

I'm just barely holding on.

His face was taut—taut like a drumhead.

"What right do you have to put my brother in jail? What did he do to you?"

Li Jianguo stared at her for a while.

Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh.

The laughter was cold, so cold it gave you goosebumps.

Why don't you ask your brother why he ended up in jail?

"The old man and the others said my brother framed you!"

He Yushui gritted her teeth.

They bit down so hard that their cheeks bulged out.

"But with my brother's brain, I don't believe he could do something like this! It must be you—"

"What about me?"

Li Jianguo interrupted her.

His gaze was as cold as the winter wind—stinging on my face.

"What are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at you because you're not too stupid, unlike your brother."

Li Jianguo put down his chopsticks.

He spoke slowly and deliberately—his tone was unhurried, like he was telling a story.

"Your brother tried to frame me, but he ended up getting himself into trouble. Now the police have taken him away, who's to blame?"

He paused for a moment.

His gaze turned downwards—as deep as water in a well, its bottom unseen.

"If you're going to cause me trouble over this, you can get lost now. Otherwise—"

He didn't finish his sentence.

But the meaning was already clear—otherwise you'd be in trouble.

He Yushui was stunned.

He opened his mouth.

He turned and ran.

We need to find someone to ask.

I ran into Lou Xiao'e as soon as I left the hospital.

"sister in law!"

He Yushui grabbed her tightly, as if she were grasping at a lifeline.

"I have something to ask you!"

Lou Xiao'e glanced at her.

He nodded.

"You want to ask about what happened last night?"

"right!"

He Yushui was panting – she had run too fast and was having trouble breathing.

"How exactly did my brother get arrested? The old man and the others say it was Director Li who caused it, but Director Li says my brother brought it on himself—what really happened?"

Lou Xiao'e sighed.

That sigh was very long.

"That old man and his friends really have the nerve to say that."

He pulled He Yushui to stand in the corner.

She recounted everything that happened last night in detail.

Qin Huairu lost her underwear—crying and sobbing, making a scene that the whole hospital knew about it.

They searched the house and found something—it was taken from He Yuzhu's house.

He Yuzhu recanted his testimony—sometimes saying it was Qin Huairu who caused it, and sometimes saying he was framed.

In the end, it was discovered that he had tried to frame Li Jianguo, but ended up digging his own grave.

He Yushui listened.

The expression on his face changed from anger to shock.

From shock to shame.

At last.

She covered her face.

He let out a long sigh.

"My brother... is such an idiot."

He cursed.

His voice carried an indescribable feeling—a feeling that was complex, helpless, and filled with disappointment.

"I've lived for over twenty years, and it's all been for nothing. Whose fault is that? I brought it on myself, I deserve it!"

Put your hand down.

She recalled how she had rushed into Li Jianguo's room earlier.

My face stung—like I'd been slapped.

"Thank you, sister-in-law. I understand."

"rainwater."

Lou Xiao'e grabbed her.

"Don't blame Director Li. He was wronged last night; it has nothing to do with him."

"Sister-in-law, I'm not the kind of person who can't distinguish right from wrong."

He Yushui shook her head.

Take a deep breath.

He took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress all his emotions.

He turned and walked towards the backyard.

This time.

She did not push the door open.

I stopped at Li Jianguo's door.

I knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened.

Standing at the door, I didn't dare to step inside—my feet felt rooted to the spot, unable to move.

"Director Li... I'm sorry."

Li Jianguo looked up at her.

"Have you figured out what happened?"

He Yushui nodded.

Her face was a little red—as red as the sunset.

"I've figured it out. It was all my brother's doing. He's a complete idiot, totally bewitched by Qin Huairu. But this matter..." He paused, "...I don't believe he was the only one."

Li Jianguo did not respond.

I just looked at her.

His gaze was calm, as calm as a still pond.

"Please...please don't take it personally."

He Yushui lowered her eyes.

I didn't dare look at him.

I acted impulsively just now.

I accept your apology.

He Yushui breathed a sigh of relief.

He let out a long sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

I hesitated for a moment.

Then she asked, "Is my brother... is this serious? When will he be able to get out?"

Li Jianguo shook his head.

"I don't know. You should go back now."

He Yushui opened her mouth.

I didn't ask anything more.

"Director Li, I apologize again. I'm leaving."

He turned and left.

We left the hospital.

The deaf old woman grabbed her tightly—like an iron clamp.

"Rain! You have to help your brother! You're his only sister!"

He Yushui shook off her hand.

It was swung very hard.

"How can I help him with the stupid thing he did?"

Done.

He walked away without looking back.

The deaf old lady stood still.

His face was ashen—ashen as rust.

"This little brat..."

Muttering to himself.

He walked back, leaning on his cane.

When I arrived at Li Jianguo's door.

I couldn't help but curse a couple more times.

"You little beast, you eat and drink the good life while turning our compound upside down—"

"A deaf old lady."

The door opened.

Li Jianguo stood at the door.

He was still holding a rice bowl in his hand—the bowl contained millet porridge, steaming upwards.

"You don't want your mouth? I'll grant your wish right now."

The deaf old lady froze.

The words of insult stuck in my throat.

He couldn't utter a single word.

His lips moved.

Finally, all that came out was a string of indistinct mutterings—no one could understand what they were muttering.

As dusk fell, the gray tiles of the courtyard house looked as if they were covered with a layer of thick, indissoluble ink.

The deaf old woman muttered as she moved toward her room, her withered fingers gripping her cane tightly, cursing under her breath—indistinct syllables leaking from her toothless mouth, all the anger she had suffered during the day.

"Woof woof woof—"

A sharp bark from a dog cleaved through the twilight.

A pug, barely taller than a person's calf, darted in from outside the gate.

Its fur was filthy and matted, but its eyes were eerily bright.

The deaf old woman paused in her steps.

Turning around, I saw the dog trotting towards me.