Courtyard House: Inheriting the Restaurant, the Jia Family Wants to Get It for Free

But when he saw the fat girl following Sha Zhu into the room, the smile on his face froze instantly.

The girl in front of him was indeed as Wu Cuilan had described—sturdy and robust. Her arms were thicker than Xu Damao's thighs. Standing there, she looked like a small mountain.

"Da Mao, let me introduce you. This is Fatty... oh no, I mean Comrade Zhang Cuifang." Sha Zhu suppressed a laugh and introduced her in a serious tone.

"Comrade Xu... Hello." Fatty wasn't shy at all and extended her hand generously.

Xu Damao forced a smile and shook her hand; it felt like he was holding a pair of pliers.

After the three sat down, Fatty was even more direct, not beating around the bush at all.

"Comrade Xu, I'm a straightforward person, so I'll start by asking a few questions."

"You...you ask." Xu Damao's face turned green.

"How much do you earn a month? Do you have enough ration coupons?"

"I...I earn 450,000 a month, and my salary...I'm doing alright."

"Hmm, it's alright." The chubby girl nodded, then asked, "Is this house yours, or do you live with your parents?"

"With my parents."

"If we get married, how will the housework be divided? Can you cook?"

"I...I'm not very good at it."

"Oh." A hint of disappointment flashed in Fatty's eyes. "Then I'll ask one last question. I have a big appetite; I can eat three steamed buns in one meal. I'm also very strong; I can carry a 100-pound sack of flour by myself. I hope that if we really get together, we can live fairly. You can't complain about how much I eat, and I won't let you get an advantage in physical labor. Is that okay?"

Xu Damao's face turned pale after hearing this.

Eating three steamed buns in one meal? Carrying a 100-pound sack of flour by yourself?

Is this about finding a wife, or someone to do all the work?

His disdain was written all over his face without any attempt to hide it.

Fatty was a sensible person; seeing his expression, she also felt angry.

"What? You don't like me?"

"No...no," Xu Damao stubbornly insisted.

"Alright, stop pretending." Fatty stood up, pulled out a few pieces of wedding candy she'd brought from her pocket, and shoved them back into Xu Damao's hand. "Here's your candy! I don't even want a picky, womanizing man like you! I'm leaving!"

After saying that, she turned and left without looking back.

Sha Zhu, who was standing next to him, couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing.

"You idiot Zhu! You bastard! You tricked me!"

Xu Damao jumped up in anger, grabbed the feather duster on the table, and chased after Shazhu, running around the yard.

"Hahaha! Xu Damao, it's your own fault for being incompetent and unable to keep that girl. What does it have to do with me!" Sha Zhu laughed breathlessly as he ran.

Now, Xu Damao's blind date has become the laughing stock of the entire hospital.

Although he was furious, he realized that he was indeed in the wrong this time and could no longer seek justice from Cheng Shuhai.

But he couldn't swallow this insult.

The next day, Xu Damao's eyes lit up, and he came up with another wicked plan.

He found a large sheet of white paper and used a brush to write eight large characters on it in a crooked manner: "Master He's Enthusiastic Matchmaking Office".

Then, he pasted the paper directly on the front door of Sha Zhu's house.

Not only that, he also approached several unmarried young men in the courtyard and encouraged them, saying, "Go find Master He! He's changed careers and become a matchmaker now; he'll definitely introduce you to good potential partners!"

So, the next morning, when Sha Zhu opened the door, he found that his door was blocked by seven or eight young men.

"Master He! Can you introduce me to someone?"

"Master He, I want one too! A pretty one!"

Sha Zhu was completely bewildered by the commotion. He looked at the paper on the door, then at Xu Damao, who had led the disturbance, and was so angry that he almost fainted.

He was trapped at home by this group of people and couldn't even go to work.

In the end, it was Wu Cuilan who intervened and persuaded the person to leave.

Back inside, Wu Cuilan, with a stern face, gave Sha Zhu an ultimatum.

"He Yuzhu, look at the mess you've made! Are you satisfied now?"

Knowing he was in the wrong, Sha Zhu could only bow his head and admit his mistake.

"Honey, I was wrong. I just wanted to make him jealous."

"Get angry at him? I think you've gotten yourself worked up!" Wu Cuilan pointed at his nose. "I'm punishing you—no drinking for a month! Also, you have to personally apologize to that Comrade Zhang Cuifang! Do you hear me!"

"I heard you, I heard you." Sha Zhu hung his head, like a defeated rooster.

Xu Damao, who was listening outside, finally felt relieved.

Although he didn't gain any advantage, he still made Sha Zhu suffer a great loss.

He shouted triumphantly towards Sha Zhu's door, "Sha Zhu, you just wait! I, Xu Damao, will find a wife who's prettier and better off than yours, Wu Cuilan! Then I'll bring her out in front of you every day!"

The farce in the courtyard has finally come to a temporary end.

Both sides had their wins and losses, and neither side gained a clear advantage.

Cheng Shuhai watched all this, simply smiled, and didn't interfere further.

He knew that Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, these two sworn enemies, would never have a moment of peace in this lifetime.

As long as they don't cause any trouble, let them be. This can be considered as adding a little "fun" to the mundane life in the courtyard.

However, just as the turmoil in the courtyard subsided, problems from the factory came knocking.

That afternoon, Li Weimin, the logistics director of the steel rolling mill, personally drove to Cheng's Restaurant.

As soon as he entered the door, he hurriedly found Cheng Shuhai.

"Director Cheng, something terrible has happened! You have to help right away!"

Seeing Li Weimin's anxious expression, Cheng Shuhai ushered him into his office.

"Director Li, please speak slowly, what happened?"

"Sigh, it's all about the new equipment in the factory!" Li Weimin plopped down and took a big gulp of tea. "Didn't our factory import a few new production lines from the Soviet Union? They sent some experts over to help us debug the equipment, and they'll be staying here for a while."

Cheng Shuhai nodded; he knew about it.

"This is a big deal!" Li Weimin said solemnly. "Factory Director Yang said these experts are all invaluable assets. Whether they are comfortable in the factory directly affects the progress of our technical cooperation and the factory's production targets for next year! Especially their food and accommodations are of paramount importance!"

"You know how the factory's kitchen is; it's okay for simple home-style dishes. But when it comes to entertaining these Soviet big brothers, the quality is simply not up to par," Li Weimin said with a bitter face. "I discussed it with Director Yang, and we unanimously decided that this first formal welcome banquet must be held here!"

Cheng Shuhai understood.

This is not just a meal, but a political mission.

"No problem," Cheng Shuhai immediately agreed. "When?"

"The day after tomorrow night," Li Weimin said, "the standards must be high! Money is no problem, the factory will reimburse everything! You must show your best skills and make sure those experts are well-fed and entertained, and feel our hospitality!"