All the heavens begin with the love in the courtyard.

Damn, I seem to have forgotten that I was planning to ask Uncle San for help to arrange a meeting with Teacher Ran tomorrow.

Never mind, let's talk about it tomorrow!

He Yuzhu drifted off to sleep. That night, many people in the compound talked about Xu Damao's situation in their blankets. Most of them were gloating, while others cursed God for being blind. It was like a farce.

Qin Huairu arrived at the hospital with personal items. She first went to see Xu Damao, who was still unconscious. Seeing Xu Damao's dark face, which resembled Guan Yu's, Qin Huairu remained calm and ignored him. She put down the blanket and went to Qin Jingru's ward.

Pushing open Qin Jingru's hospital room door, Qin Huairu looked inside. It was a double room, and she wondered if the hospital had arranged it this way because of Xu Damao's status.

However, Qin Jingru was the only one in the ward. She lay on the bed with her eyes closed, the fear on her face still lingering. Her face was tense, and tear stains were still faintly visible.

Qin Huairu gently closed the door and quietly walked to Qin Jingru's bedside. Her footsteps were light, as if she hadn't made a sound. She didn't turn on the light, but just squatted quietly in front of the bed, looking at Qin Jingru, using the dim light from the window.

As Qin Huairu squatted down on the bed, Qin Jingru's expression seemed to be struggling, as if a shadow in her dream was approaching her, getting closer and closer, until it slowly reached for her neck...!

Suddenly, Qin Jingru opened her eyes!

Chapter 59: Was I wrong?

Qin Huairu's hand was slowly reaching up to Qin Jingru's neck when suddenly Qin Jingru woke up with a start. Her eyes gradually focused, and when she saw Qin Huairu's expressionless face in front of her, she saw Qin Huairu holding a towel and wiping her cheeks.

Her face gradually changed from blank to terrified; the woman in front of her was the source of her nightmares.

Previously, because of Xu Damao's accident, she hadn't thought of this matter for a while. But now, seeing Qin Huairu's face, she remembered completely that the reason Xu Damao had an accident was because he drank the medicine Qin Huairu gave him.

Qin Jingru was filled with terror. Looking at the face before her, she recalled her faking pregnancy, then the fake miscarriage, and finally helping to betray Lou Xiao'e, leading to the downfall of her entire family…

Finally, she claimed it was a cure for childbirth, and then, in the end, she personally brewed poison for Da Mao to drink. These memories flashed through her mind.

Her eyes widened. The woman in front of her seemed to be the most terrifying thing she had ever seen in her life. She wanted to scream, but before she could make a sound, Qin Huairu covered her mouth and said coldly.

"Do you want everyone to know that you wanted to poison Xu Damao?"

Qin Jingru's face grew increasingly terrified. She struggled to speak, but Qin Huairu covered her mouth and continued speaking.

Are you trying to tell others that I gave you the poison?

Qin Jingru looked like she wanted to nod, but then she also wanted to shake her head.

Qin Huairu continued.

"Do you think anyone will believe this? Jingru, don't blame me, I'm just too tired. I need someone to lean on. I like Zhuzi, but with Xu Damao around, he'll definitely ruin things between me and Zhuzi. You saw what happened with Banggeng!"

Qin Jingru's terrified expression gradually turned into one of shock. She looked at the familiar face in front of her, yet it seemed so unfamiliar at this moment.

Qin Jingru's tears flowed uncontrollably, more and more until she started sobbing. Only then did Qin Huairu let go of her hand, but Qin Jingru cried even louder, as if she was telling her grievances.

Looking at Qin Jingru, who was in tears, Qin Huairu across from her saw a tear stain on her usually calm face, and tears seemed to flow uncontrollably.

One wept silently, the other wept with heart-wrenching sobs; the two women seemed to be engaged in an invisible contest in the dead of night.

Qin Jingru seemed to have cried herself to exhaustion, as if all the grievances in her heart had been released. She looked coldly at the woman in front of her, the woman she had called "sister" her whole life.

At this moment, she had turned all her grievances into hatred. Yes, no one would believe that the poison was given to her by the woman in front of her, nor would anyone believe how ruthless this woman really was.

Because of this woman's reputation in the compound—she was universally recognized as a good mother, a good daughter-in-law, and a good neighbor—how could such a model woman possibly poison her own brother-in-law for no reason?

Even Qin Jingru herself wasn't entirely convinced until just now that the poison was deliberately administered by Qin Huairu.

Although she had wondered before if there was something wrong with the medicine, she kept reassuring herself that her cousin had given it to her, thinking that maybe her cousin had also been deceived by the old master. Despite her unease, her trust in Qin Huairu never wavered.

But now the truth is out: the poison was deliberately administered by this woman. She really wanted to poison Xu Damao and her husband!

Qin Jingru felt her whole body trembling. Fear and hatred accompanied her, making her look at the woman in front of her with a complicated expression.

Qin Huairu sensed Qin Jingru's hatred. She turned away from Qin Jingru's gaze, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and then turned around to pick up the towel that had just been placed on the hospital bed. She silently wiped Qin Jingru's face.

Qin Huairu's face returned to normal once again, as if the woman wiping away tears had never existed.

In this world, one's own weakness is worthless. All the grievances and sorrows can be cried out. Life is merciless, and tomorrow will still come. Rather than silently shedding tears every night, it is better to rely on one's own hands to strive for one's own happiness!

Qin Jingru was like a puppet, letting Qin Huairu wipe her down. After wiping her down, Qin Huairu took out all the personal items and placed them by the bedside before speaking in a calm tone.

"Xu Damao survived this time; it's his luck. I won't lay a hand on him again. You'd better think about how to explain this to Xu Damao! Even if you say that I gave you the medicine, Xu Damao won't believe you, and neither will the people in the compound. Besides, Xu Damao will kick you out of his house. If he doesn't believe you, just wait and see!"

After saying that, Qin Huairu didn't say anything more. She turned around and walked towards the door. When she reached the door, she stopped again. She paused as she opened the door, and then continued.

"Let me give you another piece of advice. You've been together for so long and haven't gotten pregnant. Xu Damao won't think the problem lies with him; he'll only shift the blame onto you. Actually, if Xu Damao dies this time, your life will be easier from now on. Once he comes to his senses, you'll suffer!"

After saying that, Qin Huairu did not linger any longer. She opened the door and disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a blank and bewildered Qin Jingru.

Qin Jingru, this silly girl, is clearly outsmarted by Qin Huairu. The silly girl and the scheming bitch who has evolved into a complete scheming woman are simply not on the same level.

Even knowing that the poisoning attempt had failed, she still calmly and collectedly brought daily necessities to visit the two at the hospital, and before leaving, she left Qin Jingru with a significant psychological scar.

Lying in bed, Qin Jingru's inner turmoil was rapidly expanding, leaving her increasingly bewildered and terrified.

From her initial desire to marry into the city to her current status as Director Xu's wife, Qin Jingru has gradually lost herself in this comfortable living environment.

However, this kind of life is obviously based on her status as Xu Damao's wife, and the only way to consolidate her position is to give Xu Damao a child.

But this wish has remained unfulfilled for a year, and Xu Damao's poisoning has shattered her illusions completely.

Qin Huairu's reminders and threats made her think more and more. No one would believe that Qin Huairu was behind Xu Damao's poisoning. Even if she explained that she didn't buy the drugs herself, no one would believe her.

Yes, no one would believe it, not even Da Mao. Qin Jingru became more and more terrified as she thought about it, hiding under the covers and trembling. Her little brain was obviously at a loss, and she could only leave it to fate.

Qin Huairu walked alone on the road, letting the north wind blow her long hair and her heart in turmoil. Facing the north wind, tears welled up in her eyes.

At this moment, all her pretense crumbled. She wanted to cry out loud, but she couldn't shed a tear. Beneath her strong exterior, it was as if a layer of frost had formed.

Is it wrong for me to just want to find someone to rely on and raise my three children properly?

Is it wrong to just want someone to stand behind you and shield you from the wind and rain in this cold wind?

Was I wrong?

Under the dim light, Qin Huairu's figure appeared even more hunched, as if life had bent her back. She bent over, as if searching for her footsteps, as if wondering where her next step would lead...!

Chapter 60: A Chill Runs to My Scalp

This winter seems to have arrived exceptionally early. The cold wind is biting. When He Yuzhu got up and opened the door, he felt the chill around him and quickly went back inside to put on another layer of clothing.

After his hospitalization experience, he's not as indifferent as he used to be. Even though it's just a dream, he still wants to enjoy his life in this dream.

Besides, he hasn't even gotten married yet, which is a huge loss for him.

Speaking of his wife, He Yuzhu suddenly remembered that there was something he hadn't done last night, so he quickly washed up and ran to the front yard.

Uncle San always gets up early, mainly to take care of the flowers and plants in the yard. Don't underestimate these flowers and plants; for Uncle San, they are also a source of income for his family.

No matter the era, there are always some people who have a particular fondness for certain flowers and plants. Uncle San was a man who loved to calculate everything, so he used old bowls and ceramic jars to plant a lot of orchids and the like in front of his door.

Fertilizer and other fertilizers are all produced and sold by ourselves. What a great job!

Every year, they can earn thirty to fifty yuan by planting these flowers and plants. All their calculations are for the sake of this family. Otherwise, with Uncle San's family income level, they wouldn't even be able to compare with Qin Huairu's family in this compound.

However, some time ago, Xu Damao warned him about his plant cultivation, and he had no choice but to sell some of the plants. Now he only keeps a dozen or so orchids under the eaves.

When He Yuzhu arrived at Uncle San's house, he saw him holding a watering can, humming a little tune, watering the flowers. He was clearly in a good mood today.

He Yuzhu naturally knew why the Third Uncle was in a good mood. If there were a ranking of people in this courtyard who hoped for Xu Damao's early demise, the Third Uncle would definitely be on the list.

The Third Uncle, a man who loved to scheme, never gained the slightest advantage over Xu Damao. Instead, he was taught a lesson by Xu Damao countless times, like a grandson.

"Good morning, Uncle!"

"Hey, Sha Zhu! Good morning, good morning, are you going to work?"

"It's still early for work, but Uncle San wants to ask you something!"

"Tell me, tell me!"

Uncle San was clearly in a great mood today. After speaking, he hummed a little tune and started working.

"Uncle, it's like this. A while ago, I made an appointment with Teacher Ran, but it fell through because I was hospitalized. Teacher Ran hasn't come to see me since. I was hoping you could help me find out something and ask her to come over again. I'm wondering if there's been any misunderstanding!"

He Yuzhu spoke very sincerely. He really wanted to meet with Teacher Ran. He felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He had a vague feeling that someone was up to something, and it might be Qin Huairu again.

However, Qin Huairu's behavior over the past year was so deceptive that He Yuzhu couldn't figure out what went wrong for a while.

Deep down, his impression of Qin Huairu was that of the widow Qin in the original novel, who liked to take advantage of him and flirt. But it seemed that she had changed all of that in the past year.

Take taking advantage of someone for example. I offered to help, but she refused forcefully. This is nothing like before.

The same goes for flirting. Now she behaves properly, just like a friendly older sister next door. After cleaning the floor, she never stays in her room to create any ambiguity.

Given this behavior, what could they possibly be plotting? He Yuzhu thought about it for a moment, and honestly, he couldn't figure it out.

After hearing He Yuzhu's question, the Third Uncle did not answer him immediately. Instead, he slowly watered the flowers. Seeing that He Yuzhu was still staring at him blankly, the Third Uncle shook his head and sighed.

"Silly Zhu, I think you should just settle down and live a peaceful life. Don't bother looking for a wife. Don't take your blessings for granted!"

He Yuzhu was a little confused. What was going on?

"Wait a minute, Uncle, what do you mean by that? What do you mean by 'I'm a blissful old bachelor who doesn't know how good I am'? Where is the good fortune?"

"Silly Zhu, do you know why Teacher Ran is ignoring you anymore?"

Why?

"That day, Madam Jia made your affair so clear in front of the whole courtyard. She's a widow, and she doesn't even care about her reputation anymore. You, a grown man, are still hiding it. What's the point? Every girl in these surrounding streets knows about it! You're eating what's in your bowl while eyeing what's in the pot...!"

He Yuzhu barely heard what the third uncle said after that. He felt a chill run down his spine, as if someone had injected a freezing agent into his mind, leaving him feeling cold all over.

The saying "the onlooker sees more of the game than the player" is known to many, but no one truly understands it.

But at this moment, He Yuzhu felt that he was gradually detaching himself from the role of the person involved, and many things that he couldn't understand suddenly became clear.

His mind was filled with the words Qin Huairu's mother-in-law had said that night, and the strange looks he'd received. Was this the reason everyone had misunderstood?

But that doesn't make sense, does it?

For example, regarding Teacher Ran's matter, it happened when she was sick. Also, did Qin Huairu know about this?

If she knew

Why is it still defaulting?

Wait, she said that day that she could still have children.

Could it be that Widow Qin still harbors those feelings for me?

So she always tacitly accepted her mother-in-law's rumors about their relationship.