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

The door slammed shut, and everyone knew that the demon king would never come out again. No one wanted to provoke the tiger's whiskers. Jia Zhangshi, lying on the ground with her eyes rolling back, was the perfect example.

The courtyard was now a mess: a broken table with missing legs, scattered table legs and wood fragments, chipped enamel cups, a faint stench of excrement and urine in the air, and the scattered, hurried footsteps of the crowd.

The deaf old woman, leaning on her new cane, had already fled back into the depths of the backyard without looking back, at the fastest pace her bound feet could manage, while He Yuzhu dragged Jia Zhangshi to hang herself. Her retreating figure perfectly embodied the idiom "fleeing in panic."

Supported by an older woman, Yi Zhonghai staggered towards his home. His face was now completely swollen, resembling a pig's head, and the burning pain was nothing compared to the utter despair in his heart. His once straight spine was now hunched over, like a broken-backed old dog, and he seemed to have aged ten years overnight.

His prestige, painstakingly cultivated over many years in the courtyard, and his moral principles of respecting the elderly, caring for the young, and helping each other, were uprooted and collapsed under He Yuzhu's double attack of violence and sharp words, leaving not even a trace.

From now on, in the eyes of everyone in this courtyard, Yi Zhonghai will probably just be an ordinary level-six fitter, and a... childless old man at that. An older woman, supporting his arm, trembled slightly, tears still wet on her face. Besides heartache, she felt guilty for not bearing her husband a son or daughter, and an unspeakable instinctive fear.

. . . . . .

Inside the He family's house.

He Yuzhu bolted the door, turned around, and saw He Yushui standing by the table, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. Her little face showed little fear, but rather excitement.

"Brother! You're amazing! There were so many of them, and they couldn't do anything to you. You're like Zhao Zilong from the comic books, charging in and out seven times!"

He Yuzhu paused for a moment, then chuckled. He'd worried for nothing; he'd thought he'd terrified his sister. He ruffled her hair. "What Zhao Zilong? That's just a ridiculous analogy. Did you get scared?"

"I was a little scared at first." He Yushui nodded honestly, then shook her head vigorously. "But after seeing how strong you are, I wasn't scared anymore! Brother, when did you become so good at fighting? You used to fight people too, but you weren't this, this..."

"So fierce?" He Yuzhu said it for her, his tone flat. He walked to the washbasin stand and washed his face with the cold water in the basin. The icy feeling invigorated him.

"Hmm." He Yushui nodded, then asked cautiously, "Brother, after beating them up like that, won't you really get into trouble?"

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. They only got superficial injuries, maybe a few lost teeth, and it'll hurt for ten days or half a month. They were the ones who started this, being unreasonable and trying to gang up on our family and take over our house. I was just defending myself, and I'm in the right no matter where I fight! Besides, didn't you see that no one dared to say a word in the end? These people are just bullies who pick on the weak and fear the strong."

He put down the towel, walked over to his sister, and his expression turned serious. "Rain, remember this: in this courtyard, and even in the days to come, reason is often given to those who are reasonable. To deal with these unreasonable beasts who only want to take advantage of you and bleed you dry, you have to be even more ruthless and aggressive than them! If you back down, they'll take ten steps forward until they've devoured you until there's nothing left but bones. If I don't go all out today, this house, and our future together, will be completely ruined."

"Brother, I've got it. I'll do whatever you say!"

"Good girl." He Yuzhu's face softened. "Get ready and go to bed early. I'll make you some fried eggs tomorrow morning."

The backyard, the Xu family's residence.

Xu Fugui sat at the table with a gloomy face as his mother brought over a cup of hot tea. Xu Damao, on the other hand, seemed restless. He felt that Shazhu was like a different person today; something just felt off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Did you see clearly?" Xu Fugui picked up his teacup and blew on it.

"I saw it clearly, Dad. That idiot Zhu, he's inhuman! So many people, and he chopped them up like vegetables..."

"Shut up!" Xu Fugui slammed down his teacup, interrupting his son. "You still call him 'Silly Zhu'? From now on, keep your mouth shut! Don't go looking for trouble with him again!"

"Haven't you figured it out yet? He was just messing around with you before, his men were holding back so much! Look at tonight, everyone was being beaten to a pulp. With Jia Zhangshi and Liu Haizhong's weight, he could have slapped them away with one hand. You want to go and cause trouble for him? How did I end up with a son like you? Looks like Sha Zhu isn't stupid, you're the real fucking idiot."

Xu Fugui had his grievances against He Yuzhu's beatings of Xu Damao several times before; after all, no one would be happy if their only son was beaten. However, he often knew his son was just causing trouble, so he stopped interfering. Besides, he had a good relationship with He Daqing in the past, and considering it was a matter between the younger generation, he didn't say much unless he was seriously injured.

Now it seems that He Yuzhu was very measured and lenient with his actions. Furthermore, he saw the shadow of He Daqing in He Yuzhu in his younger days, even more violent and ruthless, and his cunning was so deep that even Xu Fugui was wary of him.

Although Xu Damao still looked somewhat unconvinced, he was actually quite insecure. After all, He Yuzhu had been terrifying today. He made up his mind to stay far away from him in the future. He was a promising young man, aspiring film projectionist, and there was no need to lower himself to the level of a simpleton.

Madam Jia lay sprawled on the ground, her eyes glazed over, her body trembling violently; she was clearly terrified. Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu, one lifting her head and the other her feet, used all their strength to drag this rotten mess into the house. As soon as the door closed, the air stopped circulating, and the stench emanating from the old fat pig exploded, assaulting everyone's senses.

"Ugh!" Qin Huairu, who was already pregnant, couldn't stand the smell of this. Her stomach churned violently. She turned and rushed out the door, leaning against the wall and vomiting until she was dizzy and faint. She even vomited bile. Her vision blurred and she almost died.

Jia Dongxu was also choked by the fumes, but seeing his mother's distraught appearance, he could only endure it. He scooped up a ladle of cold water and splashed it fiercely on Jia Zhangshi's fat face.

"Cough! Cough cough cough!" Jia Zhangshi gasped for breath, choking as the cold water hit her. Her eyes finally came back to their senses, and she looked around blankly. When she realized she was in her own room, and remembered being hung from the door frame, the fear and suffocation she felt instantly returned.

"We're doomed! We're doomed! Old Jia, come quick! Our whole family has been wiped out by that little bastard..."

The following words were muttered in a barely audible voice. She was truly terrified, terrified to the core. Just thinking of He Yuzhu's name made her heart tremble with fear, and she dared not even cry out loudly, for fear of summoning that living devil again.