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

He Yuzhu closed the door and turned back into the house.

He Yushui stood by the table, her face pale, her chopsticks trembling slightly. She was clearly terrified by the commotion she had just witnessed. The sounds of beating and cursing in the courtyard, Jia Zhangshi's wailing, and Yi Zhonghai's reprimands instilled in her a natural fear of those people.

"It's alright now." He Yuzhu walked over, his tone softening. "Sit down and keep eating. The food's getting cold."

"But brother, you hit Aunt Jia and cursed at Uncle..." He Yushui bit her lip, "Won't they cause you trouble?"

"What trouble could there be?" He Yuzhu sat back down, picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth. "Don't worry, it's good enough that my brother won't cause them any trouble."

He Yushui stared blankly at her brother. Was this really the same honest, simple-minded brother who was always being fooled? Before, her brother had always been incredibly accommodating to the Jia family, and completely obedient to Yi Zhonghai. Even when he occasionally showed a temper, he never dared to truly turn against them.

But today, her brother not only physically assaulted her, but also verbally abused Yi Zhonghai mercilessly. She hadn't even dared to imagine such a thing happening before tonight.

"What are you standing there for? Eat." He Yuzhu frowned when he saw her still standing there. "I've already put all the meat in your bowl."

He Yushui finally came to her senses and slowly sat down. She looked down at the meat in her bowl, then secretly glanced at her brother.

My brother seems to have really changed.

Her older brother, though he loved her, was often oblivious. Most of the lunchboxes he brought back ended up in the Jia family's stomachs. She only got to eat soup and broth. Her brother knew this, but every time Qin Huairu shed a tear, his heart softened.

But now, the coldness and ruthlessness in her brother's eyes as he looked at the Jia family made her a little scared, though she also felt a little secretly pleased.

"Eat up, you'll have meat every day from now on," He Yuzhu said, pouring himself some wine. "As long as you're obedient and study hard, I promise you'll have a good life."

He Yushui nodded, picked up the piece of meat, and put it in her mouth.

The two ate their meal in silence. He Yushui ate slowly and carefully, as if she wanted to remember every bite. This was the most satisfying and comfortable meal she had eaten in many years.

She didn't have to worry about being scolded for eating too much, or about others taking away the good food, nor did she have to worry about anyone's attitude. She and her brother could just close the door and quietly eat their own meals.

After eating two steamed buns, I still felt unsatisfied, so I reached for more, only to find there were only two left, and then withdrew my hand.

"Take whatever you want," He Yuzhu said. "The rest is all yours; I've had enough."

"Really?" He Yushui's eyes lit up.

"real.."

He Yushui immediately grabbed another steamed bun and started eating it heartily. As she ate, she thought to herself that her brother seemed to have really changed. Before, although her brother would give her food, he was always absent-minded, as if he was just going through the motions. But now, her brother genuinely cared about her.

After finishing her meal, He Yushui took the initiative to clear the table. She stacked the dishes and chopsticks, carried them to the stove, and began washing them. Her movements were practiced and efficient, clearly indicating she was used to chores. After washing the dishes, she picked up a rag and wiped the table clean.

He Yuzhu sat watching, his heart filled with mixed emotions. In his past life, he had spoiled this younger sister in the beginning but neglected her later, ultimately ending up isolated and abandoned by everyone. In this life, he didn't want to repeat the same mistake. He would give her what she deserved, but he also needed to establish clear rules.

"Rainwater," He Yuzhu said.

"Hey." He Yushui quickly responded, put down the rag, and ran over.

"Go back to your room and do your homework after you're done tidying up," He Yuzhu said. "Study hard, and I'll give you three yuan a month for pocket money."

"Three yuan?" He Yushui's eyes widened. Three yuan was a huge sum of money for her. Before, her brother would only give her a few cents a month at most.

"Okay, three yuan." He Yuzhu nodded, "But there's a condition. You have to be in the top three in the class in the midterm exam. If you do that, you'll get an extra five yuan."

"Top three?" He Yushui asked nervously. "Brother, I don't know if I can get in."

"Whether you can pass or not, you'll only know after you try," He Yuzhu said calmly. "If you really try and still can't pass, then that's fine. But if you fail because you didn't try hard enough, you won't get your allowance. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" He Yushui nodded vigorously. "Don't worry, brother, I'll definitely study hard!"

"Go ahead," He Yuzhu waved his hand.

He Yushui skipped and hopped back to the side room. After closing the door, she could still hear her own heartbeat. Three yuan of pocket money, and five more if she did well on the test! She had never imagined she could have so much money.

She sat down at the small table and opened her textbook. She had wanted to study hard before, but her house was always a mess, and sometimes she went hungry, so she couldn't concentrate. Now it was different; a full meal gave her the motivation, especially with meat included.

He Yushui clenched her fists. She was determined to get into the top three and not let her brother down.

In the backyard, in the deaf old lady's house.

Yi Zhonghai recounted everything that had happened that day, from Sha Zhu not letting anyone call him by his nickname, to not bringing his lunchbox, to refusing to lend him his house, and finally to hitting and verbally abusing people. His hands trembled as he spoke.

"That kid's gone crazy today, he completely disregards me!" I'm his elder, the oldest man in the neighborhood, and he dares to talk to me like that! He even said I'm nobody! Grandma, you have to stand up for me!"

The deaf old woman frowned after hearing this. She remained silent for a while before slowly saying, "That silly Zhu has changed."

"That's right!" Yi Zhonghai immediately chimed in, "Someone outside must have bewitched him, otherwise why would he suddenly act like this? Old lady, you have to help me think of a way to bring this kid back to the right path."

"Zhonghai," the deaf old woman sighed, "tell me the truth, are your feelings for Shazhu genuine or feigned?"

Yi Zhonghai was taken aback: "What does the old lady mean by that?"

"Don't play dumb," the deaf old woman snorted. "What are you up to? Do you think I don't know? You want Sha Zhu to be your dog, but you're unwilling to be truly loyal. You let him help the Jia family while you enjoy your retirement. If the boy had remained oblivious, it would have been fine, but now that he's figured things out, you still want to use the old tricks?"

Yi Zhonghai was rendered speechless.

"That kid, Shazhu, is a good cook, honest, and filial. He used to be completely fooled by you guys. I, as an old woman, saw it all but didn't bother to care. I just wanted to be able to eat a few more bites of Shazhu's cooking when I got old, and that would be enough. This courtyard should be peaceful and quiet."

"But now that he's unwilling, you can't use the old methods anymore. Honesty is the right way. If you treat him well, he will treat you well in return. After all, you are his elder, someone who watched him grow up. In time, Shazhu will listen to you."