The Courtyard House: He Yuzhu Returns with Boundless Hatred for Revenge

With a thud, Yi Zhonghai knelt down, tightly hugging Zhang Guifen's legs with both hands. "Guifen! Guifen! Please, I can't get a divorce! If I get a divorce, I'm really finished! For the sake of our childhood sweethearts and decades of marriage! For the sake of how long we've been together, please forgive me this time! I'll listen to you in everything from now on, really!"

Zhang Guifen was enraged by his hug and slapped Yi Zhonghai twice across the old face!

"Slap! Slap!"

"How dare you mention childhood sweetheart?" Zhang Guifen roared through her tears. "My parents raised you like their own son! They taught you a trade, fed you, and even married their only daughter to you! How did you treat them?! You pointed your finger at my father and cursed him, making him vomit blood! Before they passed away, I just wanted to go back and see them one last time, but you wouldn't let me! Isn't it because you resent them for forcing this barren hen on you, causing your Yi family line to end?"

The more she spoke, the angrier she became. She stood up and began punching and kicking Yi Zhonghai. Yi Zhonghai dared not dodge or fight back, letting the blows fall on his body. He knew that any explanation at this moment would only add fuel to the fire. Only by completely giving in and letting Zhang Guifen vent her pent-up resentment might there be a glimmer of hope.

"Now you realize you're an old castrated rooster? Scared now?! Let me tell you, Yi Zhonghai, it's too late! This divorce is final! I don't want to spend another day with you!"

While stubbornly resisting, Yi Zhonghai kept pleading, "Guifen, I really know I was wrong, it's all my fault, I'm not human! Hit me, hit me as hard as you want, as long as it calms you down, as long as we don't get a divorce, I'll do anything! From now on, you're in charge at home, I'll listen to you, I just beg you not to leave me..."

Zhang Guifen was, after all, a woman, and her strength was limited. After a few punches and kicks, she was exhausted. With the alcohol taking effect, she staggered back two steps, plopped back into her chair, grabbed the bottle, and took another gulp.

Zhang Guifen never even considered divorce. She was over forty, childless, and her parents had long since passed away. Because of Yi Zhonghai, she had completely severed ties with several relatives. If she really got divorced, where could she go? Would she just sit around and eat her meager savings and half a house?

Even though Yi Zhonghai was demoted three ranks, he still earns nearly fifty yuan a month, which is definitely upper-middle income in Beijing. He may have made a lot of mistakes, but he was right about one thing: he and Yi Zhonghai were childhood sweethearts, a couple from a young age, supporting each other through decades. If they divorced, he would truly have no one to rely on.

He sat there, his chest heaving, his face showing signs of intoxication, but his mind was racing, weighing the pros and cons.

Seeing that Zhang Guifen had stopped and was staring blankly, Yi Zhonghai knew his chance had come. He quickly knelt closer and said, "Guifen, I know I'm a bastard, I'm not human! I've made you suffer for so many years, and I've even made you take the blame. I'm not a man! It's all right for you to hit me and scold me. But we've been husband and wife for decades, through thick and thin. Now that I've become like this, if you still don't want me, I really have no way to live."

He burst into tears, "I swear, from now on, you'll be in charge of everything in the family, big or small! You'll manage the money, you'll make the decisions, and if I ever dare to raise my voice at you again, you can beat me with a rolling pin! If I, Yi Zhonghai, ever act recklessly again, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death! Guifen, please, give me another chance, let's live together again."

Zhang Guifen didn't speak, but took another sip of wine. After a long while, she slowly spoke, "Yi Zhonghai, remember this, you said those words yourself today."

Yi Zhonghai perked up and nodded quickly, "I'll remember! I'll remember! I'll remember for all eternity!"

"From now on, I'll be in charge of all major family matters. I'll manage the money. I'll make the decisions. Every month, you'll hand over your entire salary, except for a little money for cigarettes. Even if the deaf old lady comes back, don't expect me to take care of her for another day! If you want to be filial, figure it out yourself, but don't touch the family's money or food. As for the Jia family's affairs, you can get involved if you want, but don't expect me to lend a hand, and don't even think about taking a single penny from the family to subsidize them. Do you understand?"

"Understood! Understood! I'll do whatever you say!" Yi Zhonghai replied hastily, feeling like he'd been granted a pardon. As long as they didn't get divorced, he'd agree to any conditions for now. As for the future, they could talk about that later.

Seeing him like this, Zhang Guifen felt a surge of relief, though mostly anger, but even more so, sorrow. This was the man she had been married to for decades. She wearily waved her hand, "Get up, don't kneel in my way."

Yi Zhonghai then carefully got up, hunched over, and stood to the side, tentatively asking, "Guifen, can I eat something? I haven't eaten all day..."

Zhang Guifen glanced at the mostly uneaten dishes on the table and gave a curt "hmm."

Yi Zhonghai felt a sense of relief, which meant that Zhang Guifen still had feelings for him, at least not to the point of being heartless. He didn't even bother to pick up his chopsticks and bowl, grabbing a piece of braised pork with his hands and stuffing it into his mouth, wolfing it down. He was truly starving and didn't care about his image.

Looking at his emaciated state, Zhang Guifen felt a mix of emotions. There was disgust, pity, but mostly resignation.

That's it. What else can we do?

The most difficult ordeal for the long-suffering couple has temporarily passed. However, what they don't know is that an even greater calamity awaits them in a month.

. . . . . .

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. The courtyard seemed to have returned to its former tranquility on the surface, but the internal layout and everyone's situation had long since changed.

The turmoil at the steel rolling mill gradually subsided. The official announcement was made that Director Yang Weiguo had been transferred to a much smaller machinery factory on the outskirts of Beijing as deputy director. Everyone with a discerning eye knew that his political future was completely over.

He Yuzhu was also heartbroken upon hearing the news. To be honest, he really didn't intend to do anything to Yang Weiguo, after all, he was still waiting for Old Yang to introduce him to a high-ranking leader. In his previous life, he and the high-ranking leader were true friends despite their age difference, and there was really not much self-interest involved. Putting aside helping the Lou family, just the fact that he arranged for Bang Geng to be a driver in the ministry later on—who but his own nephew would do such a favor? That's a huge favor, not to mention that he also arranged jobs for Xiao Dang and Huaihua later on.

It's a pity that all the benefits went to those three ungrateful wretches. Thinking about this, I felt even more guilty towards He Yushui. Later on, neither Yushui nor her children gained any advantage over me. I truly failed as both an older brother and an uncle.

Now that he'd ruined the person who introduced him and got banished to the outskirts of Beijing, what should he do? Should he bring some gifts to Old Yang's house sometime to mend things? He thought better of it; it was too absurd. He was afraid that if he went there with gifts, Old Yang would come out with a cleaver and chop him up.