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

Yan Bugui stood there, his small eyes behind his glasses wide open, and it took him a long time to recover!

"What kind of attitude is that?!" Yan Bugui watched He Yuzhu's figure disappear behind the hanging flower gate. He pushed up his glasses, feeling that his authority had been challenged.

"Call me Teacher Yan? You don't even call me Uncle San anymore? You have no manners!" Yan Bugui paced back and forth, his anger rising. "You've grown wings and dare to talk to the old man in the courtyard like that?" What do you mean by undermining the country? Who are you talking about?

"No, this can't be left like this. I have to talk to Lao Yi! This idiot Zhu is in trouble today. Lao Yi needs to teach him a lesson. He can't break the rules of this compound!" He muttered to himself as he continued his duty at the gate, waiting for Yi Zhonghai to come home from get off work so he could complain.

As He Yuzhu entered the courtyard, he saw a heavily pregnant woman emerge from the Jia family's house, wearing the same kind of fake smile that He Yuzhu had seen for decades in his previous life, only realizing its true nature shortly before his death. Upon seeing He Yuzhu, her eyes lit up, and she immediately approached, her steps slow but perfectly positioned to block his path back to his house.

"Zhu Zi, you're back?" As always, her voice was gentle, her gaze habitually glancing behind He Yuzhu and into his hands, searching for the same lunchbox she brought for his family every day.

But she didn't see anything today.

He Yuzhu's soul trembled; overwhelming hatred nearly drove him mad! This was the woman who had drained him of his lifeblood, scheming relentlessly against him. In the end, it was she who tacitly approved, even indulged, her children, on that New Year's Eve, driving him out of the house like a dead dog, leaving him to freeze to death under a bridge! He Yuzhu still remembered the words Qin Huairu said to him when he was driven out of the courtyard house:

"He Yuzhu, I have never loved you. Every time you came near me when we were young, it disgusted me. Don't think we are heartless. I have endured so much humiliation and stayed with you for decades. Isn't this what I deserve? This is the price you should have paid."

His fingernails dug tightly into his fingers, the stinging pain from the cut he'd just made with the kitchen knife barely managing to maintain his composure. Now wasn't the time. The child in that wicked woman's womb was probably Xiao Dang. Jia Dongxu was far from dead; Huaihua hadn't even been born yet. Let things take their course, let the entire Jia family live, intact. Death was too easy for them. They needed to watch helplessly as everything they depended on rotted away, dragging each other down into the mud, making their lives a living hell, letting them suffer an even more miserable end than in their previous lives to vent their hatred.

He Yuzhu forcibly suppressed his surging bloodlust. The smile on his face, which he used to fawn over Sister Qin, was gone. He took a small step back, avoiding Qin Huairu's attempt to get closer.

"Yeah, I'm off work."

Qin Huairu's face stiffened; she keenly sensed that He Yuzhu was acting strangely today. Gone was his usual hidden joy and fawning when she called him; his eyes were cold, and most importantly, where was the lunchbox?

"Shazhu, the factory's been busy today, isn't there anything left?" she couldn't help but ask again, her hand unconsciously touching her bulging belly.

"Oh, you mean lunchboxes. We can't bring them starting today."

"Not bringing any?" Qin Huairu exclaimed in surprise, her voice rising slightly. "Why? It's all perfectly good food. Are we just going to throw it away? That's such a waste!" For the past few years, her whole family had gotten used to the boxed lunches He Yuzhu brought back. Two boxes full of juicy leftovers were far beyond what Jia Dongxu's meager 30-odd yuan salary could buy. Every few days, the lunchboxes even contained leftover chicken, duck, and fish from special meals. The whole family had become quite plump thanks to this, especially Jia Zhangshi, whose weight had skyrocketed to over 200 jin (approximately 100 catties). How would they survive if this stopped?

"The factory has been cracking down lately, emphasizing discipline and prohibiting us from bringing food home from the canteen. They say it's undermining the country's interests. From now on, Sister-in-law Jia, you'll have to find your own way to get food."

Qin Huairu was completely stunned, staring at He Yuzhu in disbelief. "Silly Zhu, what did you call me?"

"Sister-in-law Jia," He Yuzhu said calmly, "Jia Dongxu is older than me, and we're neighbors. He's been calling you 'sister' without thinking, but I've heard some bad things being said about it lately, so from now on, I'll just call you 'Sister-in-law Jia.' Also, I'm 20 years old now, and you guys still call me 'Silly Zhu,' is that appropriate? From now on, you can call me Zhuzi or He Yuzhu, but if we hear you call me 'Silly Zhu,' we'll all lose face."

What's wrong with Sha Zhu today? Did he take the wrong medicine? Or did he hear some gossip?

Qin Huairu opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but He Yuzhu didn't give her the chance. He nodded as a greeting, then walked around her and headed towards his house, leaving Qin Huairu standing there with her pregnant belly, her face turning pale and then flushed, her heart filled with confusion and panic after her scheme had failed.

Just as He Yuzhu reached his front door, it creaked open from the inside. A small, thin figure peeked out—it was his younger sister, He Yushui.

At this time, Yu Shui was only twelve years old. He was sallow and thin, with dry and yellow hair. He wore an ill-fitting old cotton-padded jacket and stared at He Yuzhu with his big eyes, which held a habitual timidity and a trace of dependence.

"Brother, you're back." Her voice was soft.

Seeing his younger sister, who hadn't been completely spoiled in her youth but was timid due to long-term malnutrition and lack of care, He Yuzhu's feelings instantly became extremely complicated.

In his past life, he felt guilty towards this younger sister, believing he hadn't taken good care of her and caused her much suffering. But after merging with those soul fragments, he saw more clearly that He Yushui had also become selfish and cold-hearted as she grew up. Especially in the final moments of his life, when he was driven from his home and suffering from cold and hunger, his own sister didn't even show her face, let alone bother to collect his body!

He admitted that he had mistreated He Yushui later on because of the widow and those ungrateful widows, and he blamed no one for his fate; he could only blame himself for being blinded by greed and folly. But He Yushui was someone he had raised single-handedly. Back then, he had no idea about child support; every penny he spent was earned with his own blood and sweat. Wasn't it too much to ask for help in collecting his corpse in return for such kindness?

His eyes began to redden again as he met He Yushui's timid, somewhat humble eyes.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions. In his previous life, both sides were at fault, and he didn't want to dwell on it anymore. This time, he would do his best to raise his sister, but if she still showed any signs of being an ingrate, even the slightest hint of it, he would abandon her without hesitation. At most, he would let her marry someone peacefully, and then they would part ways amicably.

"Yes, you're back." He Yuzhu's tone wasn't particularly warm, but it wasn't cold either. He stepped into the house.