All the heavens begin with the love in the courtyard.

He Yuzhu continued to go to and from get off work every day, but he was no longer as noisy as before. He also rarely got angry and scolded others, as if his soul had been temporarily taken away by Lou Xiao'e.

Qin Huairu resumed her usual routine, occasionally helping with laundry and tidying up the house. He Yuzhu, who had been feeling down lately, acquiesced to this.

Lou Xiao'e's departure made Xu Damao happy for a while. He thought it was good that Lou Xiao'e was sensible and ran away, so she wouldn't be able to come back.

In Xu Damao's view, the Lou family's behavior was self-destructive. This act of betrayal meant they would never be able to return and would forever bear the identity of traitors.

What he didn't know was that just over ten years later, the person would return as an honored guest. So, life is unpredictable, and no one can foresee what the future holds.

However, Xu Damao's joy didn't last long. As the saying goes, excessive joy leads to sorrow. One day, Qin Jingru was returning home from grocery shopping when she tripped on the threshold and ended up having a miscarriage!

The child is gone!

Xu Damao felt as if the sky had fallen. In that moment, it was as if all his hopes in this life had suddenly vanished, and his already narrow heart seemed to shatter at that moment.

Just like that song says, listen, that's the sound of a heart breaking...

Outside the ward, Xu Damao, like a helpless child, leaned against the wall, slowly squatted down, his eyes reddening.

At this moment, a figure appeared in front of him. Xu Damao looked up and saw Qin Huairu with a somber expression and red eyes.

"Xu Damao, is this how you treat Jingru? You know she's pregnant and shouldn't do too much work, yet you still make her get up early and work late to serve you."

Xu Damao lowered his head, unusually not refuting anything. At this moment, he truly regretted his actions immensely; all the blame lay with him.

When Qin Huairu saw Xu Damao's appearance, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and a hint of smugness appeared imperceptibly.

Looking at the dejected Xu Damao in front of her, she thought to herself, whether it's Qin Jingru, Xu Damao, or even that silly Zhu who used to be wary of her, haven't they all been dealt with by me now?

You will get back everything you've lost, one by one!

"What are you still daydreaming about? You have to go back after the surgery. Hurry up and go home to get a thick quilt, find a tricycle, and remember to put a quilt underneath. Xu Damao, remember this: women are meant to be cherished, not used as servants! Now get going!"

Xu Damao was like an obedient mule at this moment, completely disoriented. He nodded in agreement, stood up quickly, and ran out of the hospital.

Qin Huairu watched Xu Damao's retreating figure in the distance, then expressionlessly turned her gaze away and strode towards a medical room.

Upon entering the infirmary, Qin Jingru was seen sitting on a bed, eating an orange. When she saw Qin Huairu enter, she quickly looked behind her and cautiously said...

"Sis, did Da Mao find anything?"

Qin Huairu said irritably.

"What else could he possibly find out? He's currently overwhelmed with grief. Remember, don't walk with a limp these next few days, and stay in bed for a while. If he has even the slightest suspicion, just bring up the matter of the child, understand?"

Qin Jingru nodded. She looked up at her cousin with some fear. The changes her cousin had undergone in recent times made her feel like she was facing a ferocious tiger.

My cousin would always appear suddenly from behind when no one was around and ask me to do something.

Especially after what happened to Lou Xiao'e's family a few days ago, she felt terrified when she thought about it. Everyone else was afraid of Xu Damao, but Qin Jingru was even more afraid of her cousin, whom she had grown up with since childhood.

Qin Huairu also noticed the change in Qin Jingru's gaze towards her, and then, with a cold face and a tone that seemed devoid of any emotion, she said.

"Qin Jingru, remember this: we are sisters. In that compound, only I am truly helping you. This fake miscarriage can only fool you for a while. Xu Damao likes children more than you. The child is his only lifeline right now. If you want to keep him, then find a way to have a child for him as soon as possible. Otherwise, you will be exposed sooner or later. At that time, given Xu Damao's personality, he will definitely not give you a good look!"

Qin Jingru's face turned pale when she heard this. To be honest, Xu Damao had treated her quite well during the time she had lived with him.

She didn't need to work; she was given money and coupons every day. Every morning, she happily went to the market to buy groceries. For the sake of the children, Xu Damao made sure there was stewed chicken at home every few days, with meat and vegetables constantly available. Compared to before, this kind of life was like heaven and hell.

Now that the child is gone, will Xu Damao still treat me well in the future?

Everything was uncertain. She looked at Qin Huairu with pleading eyes once again, but Qin Huairu pretended not to see it. A fake pregnancy could only be done once. As for whether Qin Jingru would be able to enjoy a good life in the future, that was up to her.

At that moment, the door was suddenly opened again, and Qin Jingru was so frightened that she quickly lay back down on the bed.

Qin Huairu turned her head and saw that it was Dr. Liu walking in wearing a white coat. A smile immediately appeared on her face, and she expressed her gratitude.

"Dr. Liu, thank you for helping me again!"

Dr. Liu shook his head helplessly, glanced at Qin Jingru, and said with a sigh.

"I'd better do this less often in the future. If I get caught, I'll have to take responsibility. But I don't think any man would be stupid enough not to realize it was a fake pregnancy or a fake miscarriage a second time!"

Qin Huairu nodded quickly, a guilty expression on her face.

"I know, I know, thank you Dr. Liu. I'll definitely have Jingru bring a gift next time, but it's not convenient today!"

"Alright, don't be so polite. We're all relatives. It's not easy for you to raise a child and support your mother-in-law all by yourself. You silly little sister, it's a good thing you have an older sister like me. Otherwise, with Xu Damao's current status, how could he possibly marry a country girl!"

Qin Jingru glanced at the two of them somewhat embarrassedly. Thinking about what Dr. Liu had said, Qin Jingru also felt that it made a lot of sense. Although what her cousin had done was a bit wrong, her cousin had indeed been very good to her.

Qin Huairu thanked Dr. Liu. After waiting for a while, Xu Damao hurriedly brought a thick quilt and a tricycle driver. The group carefully helped Qin Jingru onto the quilt and then lifted her onto the tricycle.

Xu Damao held Qin Jingru's hand the whole way, his eyes red as he apologized repeatedly, promising to take good care of her from now on and to make sure she got some rest. He also said he would take care of all the housework during this time.

Qin Jingru, that silly girl, was moved beyond words. At this moment, her guilt towards Xu Damao reached its peak, and she secretly vowed to give Xu Damao a child as soon as possible!

Chapter 43: The Petty Man Gains Power

"Promotion and wealth, but the death of one's wife," or, for Xu Damao, it should be more accurately described as "promotion and wealth, but the death of one's son."

He always felt that Qin Jingru was pregnant with a son this time. The loss of his son left him heartbroken for a long time, and he couldn't get over it for a month.

This kind of pain is something others can't understand; only you can truly comprehend it.

However, with the arrival of August, a powerful wave of the times swept in, and the steel plant was officially changed to a certain committee, and Director Li became Director Li.

Xu Damao could no longer dwell on his past grief. He turned his sorrow into strength and stood firmly behind Director Li. He quickly secured a position and became one of the seven deputy directors of the steel plant, as well as one of the eight pillars of the steel plant!

He Yuzhu, on the other hand, remained a slacker; even without Lou Xiao'e's laughter, life had to go on.

After Director Li took office, he indeed began to employ the personal chef. Every three days there was a large feast, and every two days there was a small feast. The lively atmosphere quickly returned to what it was before, and even surpassed it.

He Yuzhu didn't offend this person; he just did what he was supposed to do and fulfilled his duties as a cook. He Yuzhu's performance was well received by Director Li.

So, Director Li tacitly approved of He Yuzhu's fine tradition of bringing out lunchboxes every day.

He Yuzhu was quite decisive, taking care of others and enjoying drinks as usual, living his life to the fullest each day.

It's too chaotic outside. The steel mill is a small society, and the compound is an even smaller one. Everyone has been much more well-behaved lately. After all, who doesn't have a few wealthy relatives? Every few days, we hear that someone has gotten into trouble, and everyone is afraid.

Xu Damao was the only one in the courtyard who walked with a swagger after taking office. In the past, when he saw the elders in the courtyard, he would at least greet them, and he would occasionally fawn over a few of the old men.

But now, he has a stern face and finds fault with everyone. When he sees his second uncle, Liu Haizhong, walking in front of him, he rushes up and gives him a good scolding, making Liu Haizhong act like a grandson, meekly and submissive, not daring to utter a single word in rebuttal.

Passing by the outer courtyard, he saw the Third Uncle watering the flowers. He walked up with a cold face, kicked aside a pot of orchids blocking his way, and pointed at the Third Uncle's nose while cursing.

"Yan Shuzhai, I'm warning you, don't leave these flowers and plants by the roadside again. And that jar you use to hold excrement, move it right now. If I come back and see it there, I'll stuff you, you old geezer, into it and feed you shit, you believe me?"

The old man adjusted his glasses, a fawning smile on his face. He was about to say something nice to defend himself when Xu Damao pointed his finger at him and berated him. He immediately bent over and bowed his head in agreement.

After Xu Damao left, the Third Uncle stopped smiling and spat at Xu Damao's retreating figure!

There's a saying, "A petty person gains power," which describes someone like Xu Damao, who spent his whole life being a sycophant and opportunist, only to suddenly discover that certain things are so easy to obtain, and that those who were once high and mighty can be easily dragged out and criticized.

The times made Xu Damao who he is, and also created many inexplicable things.

Besides Xu Damao himself, there was another person who was happy for Xu Damao's rise to power, and that was naturally the silly girl Qin Jingru.

After living with Xu Damao for a few months, Qin Jingru realized that this kind of life was like paradise, although she didn't know what paradise was.

She has no worries about food and drink, no worries about clothing and food, no need to work, and her husband has suddenly become a highly capable person that everyone envies. They can even eat meat every day at home.

Every day when she goes out to buy groceries, people hear that she is Director Xu's wife and they flatter her with a fawning tone. Even the vegetable vendor, who used to have a bad temper, is now very polite to her. Whenever there are any fresh vegetables, she prepares them for her immediately, making sure they are the right weight and quantity, and sometimes even more!

This kind of life caused Qin Jingru, a simple-minded girl from the countryside, to quickly become arrogant. She learned what skills and what people she followed, and naturally, she was unconsciously influenced by Xu Damao.

However, Qin Jingru's good days and Qin Huairu's difficult days formed a stark contrast.

Leadership changes came one after another, severely impacting production. Workshop workers like Qin Huairu were among the first victims. The steel mill started defaulting on wages, now only paying half of the agreed amount each month.

This was only a temporary hardship for other workers, but for Qin Huairu, who relied entirely on this meager salary to support her family, it was devastating news.

Now, let alone meat and vegetables, even white flour buns have completely disappeared from her family's dining table. Even if her uncle gives her some white flour, she has to exchange it for coarse grains. Even if she spends every penny in two parts, and tries to be thrifty, she still can't make ends meet very quickly.

However, none of this affected He Yuzhu at all. On the contrary, after Director Li resumed normal banquets, his life improved a lot. The depression he had originally felt because of Lou Xiao'e's departure was quickly cured by the daily small amounts of wine and meat, and his complexion became rosy. As for his salary, he hadn't used it for a long time and had saved it all.

He Yuzhu knew about Qin Huairu's family situation, but he rarely brought food back home anymore. He preferred to eat with Ma Hua and the others in the canteen every day rather than bring the food home.

In truth, people are all made of flesh and blood. Given Qin Huairu's family situation, if he brought food back every day and those ungrateful brats were standing at his door, should he chase them away or not?

Most importantly, Qin Huairu hasn't been flirting with him much lately. Occasionally, when he's home, she helps with laundry and sweeping, seemingly without any ulterior motives. This makes He Yuzhu's heart gradually melt with this woman's affections.

That's how men are. When a woman seems willing to make changes for you, even the most hard-hearted man will feel a little touched.

He Yuzhu originally planned to wait for Qin Huairu to ask so that he could send her family some cornmeal. Although it wouldn't be as lavish as before, sending twenty or thirty catties of cornmeal a month would be easy.

However, He Yuzhu never expected that this wait would last until October. Seeing that the steel mill had only paid half of the wages for the past few months, He Yuzhu also heard from the neighbors in the compound that Qin Huairu's family was not doing well.

He Yuzhu couldn't hold back any longer, so he found an opportunity. That day, instead of eating or drinking in the cafeteria, he carried two lunchboxes back to his room and happened to see Qin Huairu collecting clothes. He Yuzhu quickly went up to greet her.

"Sister Qin, have you eaten yet?"

Qin Huairu shook her head bitterly, without answering.

Upon seeing this, He Yuzhu quickly held up the lunchbox from his net bag.

"Sister Qin, I got two dishes from the cafeteria. Please take them home and add some extra food for your child!"

Qin Huairu glanced at the lunchbox in He Yuzhu's hand, but still shook her head and said casually.

"Zhu Zi, don't do this. We agreed that I won't accept your charity for no reason in the future!"

He Yuzhu felt a little embarrassed by what Qin Huairu said, so he quickly stepped forward and stuffed two lunch boxes into Qin Huairu's hands.

"Sister Qin, this isn't charity. Just think of it as me adding two extra dishes for the child. I don't do this every day, do I?"

Qin Huairu stiffly accepted the lunchbox, her eyes slightly moist. Seeing this, He Yuzhu guessed that Qin Huairu's family had truly reached the end of their rope recently, and then continued to ask.

"Sister Qin, tomorrow I'll bring you twenty catties of cornmeal. The kids at home are growing, so..."

Before He Yuzhu could finish speaking, Qin Huairu tried to shove the lunchbox she had just handed him back into his hand, but He Yuzhu quickly stepped back to stop her.

"Pillar, if you're just pitying us, then you really don't need to. I don't want to leave you with a bad impression!"

As she spoke, the bitterness in Qin Huairu's eyes became even more pitiful, and He Yuzhu felt increasingly uncomfortable, wondering if he had gone too far earlier.

Chapter 44: The Third Uncle Comes to the Door

He Yuzhu quickly stuffed the lunchbox into Qin Huairu's hand and said helplessly.

"Sister Qin, if you really have any difficulties, you can tell me. I did misunderstand you a bit before. Even if we're neighbors, it's only right to help each other, isn't it?"

Qin Huairu glanced at He Yuzhu, then took the lunchbox, went inside, and remained silent.