The Courtyard House: The story begins with He Yuzhu beating up the White Widow.

Song Ran looked at He Yuzhu with a curious gaze.

He Yuzhu coughed twice and said, "It's not that I don't want to be a chef in a restaurant. It's just that I feel being a chef isn't suitable for me. Besides, if there are better options, why would I want to be a chef? And besides, if I become a chef, who will cook at home?!"

Song Ran asked, "What kind of life do you yearn for?!"

He Yuzhu frowned instantly, as if deep in thought. After a while, he said, "There's an old saying: men are responsible for external affairs, women for internal affairs, and a warm bed with wife and children. But I think times have changed. It doesn't have to be the man working outside and the woman staying at home. It can be the other way around. I think as long as the family is happy, that's all that matters."

After hearing He Yuzhu's words, Song Ran's satisfaction with him increased considerably. Song Ran then asked, "If you don't become a chef yourself, will you force your children to become chefs in the future?!"

He Yuzhu replied with a smile, "I'm not a chef myself anymore, how could I force my child to become one?! But, our culinary skills are a family tradition. My child doesn't have to be a chef, but they must learn culinary skills. It's always good to have an extra skill."

He Yushui asked, "Brother, do you prefer boys or girls?!"

Without a second thought, He Yuzhu blurted out decisively, "Daughter!" He then added, "A daughter is like a warm cotton-padded jacket. And she's here to collect a debt."

Upon hearing this, Song Ran couldn't help but laugh and said, "Everyone else is biased towards sons, so why is it biased towards sons when you're the one doing it?!"

He Yuzhu said, "Daughters are not only considerate, but they always think of their parents' family. What about sons?! To put it nicely, they can carry on the family line. To put it bluntly, they're a real money-loser. Don't you believe me? If they're capable, they can earn their own money, which is a little better. But if they're not capable, they still have to rely on their parents! If the wife they marry is filial, that's fine. But if she's not, then life will be tough. You can tolerate one son, but if you have many sons, and they're making a scene in front of you every day, can you stand it?! They'll argue about dividing the family property, and then there'll be a big problem with the house."

He Yushui said, "Brother, if I don't get married, will people gossip?!"

He Yuzhu replied, "Let others say what they want. They can say whatever they want, it's none of my business. As long as I'm comfortable, that's all that matters. Besides, you're different from others. You have a house, and you'll have a job after you graduate from vocational school or university. You can even find a son-in-law to live with you then. Anyway, our family isn't short of houses or money."

Xu Xiaoling said with a hint of envy, "Yushui, your brother is so good to you!"

He Yushui said, "Xiaoling, your brother treats you well too!"

Xu Xiaoling said, "That's true, but that's because I didn't infringe on his interests! I know my brother better than you do." Then she asked, "Rain, can we switch?!"

He Yushui replied, "I can't exchange it. But I can give you some."

"Hey! Hey! Hey! You two think I don't exist?!" He Yuzhu said, picking up a piece of chicken and putting it into He Yushui's bowl. "Eat up! The food won't taste good if it gets cold!"

Song Ran lived in a compound and had seen all sorts of children from there. But she felt most at ease with He Yuzhu, without having to worry about anything. Although He Yuzhu didn't talk much, he did a lot. After dinner, He Yushui and Xu Xiaoling, as if they had planned it, said goodbye to He Yuzhu and Song Ran, and then ran off. And they were the kind of people who couldn't be stopped even if called.

Seeing that He Yushui and Xu Xiaoling were being so "respectful," He Yuzhu naturally accepted. He Yuzhu said, "Xiao Ran, let me take you home!"

"Okay!" Song Ran readily agreed.

He Yuzhu said somewhat embarrassedly, "I don't even know where you live?!"

Song Ran replied, "On my days off, I go back to my parents' place; they live in a large compound near Gongzhufen. The rest of the time, I stay in the school dormitory."

He Yuzhu asked, "Are you going back to Gongzhufen, to your parents' place, or back to your dorm today?!"

Song Ran replied, "I'm going to my parents' place."

"Alright! Come with me!" With that, He Yuzhu led Song Ran toward the police station not far away.

After walking for a while, Song Ran asked, "Where are you taking me?!"

He Yuzhu stopped and said, "Wait here for me a moment, I'll be right out!" With that, he ran into the police station. A short while later, he emerged on his hunting tricycle. He pulled up beside Song Ran and called out, "Get on!"

Song Ran sat in the sidecar and asked, "Where did this car come from?!"

He Yuzhu said, "It's a procurement service assigned to me by my company. However, today's situation is special, and the leader agreed to let me use it. Don't worry! There won't be any mistakes!"

An hour later, guided by Song Ran, He Yuzhu drove his three-wheeled motorcycle to the gate of the compound. He stopped the vehicle, looking somewhat dejected, and said, "We're here!"

Song Ran got out of the car and said with a smile, "Thank you!"

He Yuzhu paused, hesitated for a moment, and then asked the question that had been on his mind for a long time: "Would you be my girlfriend?!" He then added, "The kind where we're aiming for marriage!"

Song Ran stared at He Yuzhu for two or three minutes, then asked, "Have you thought it through?!"

He Yuzhu nodded emphatically and replied, "I've thought it through!"

Song Ran didn't hesitate and readily agreed, "I agree!"

"Xiao Ran!" Just then, Song Ran's mother, Xu Wenya's voice reached He Yuzhu and Song Ran's ears. Song Ran turned her head to look at the woman standing not far away and called out, "Mom!"

Xu Wenya walked up to Song Ran, looked at the blushing He Yuzhu, and asked, "You're He Yuzhu?!"

He Yuzhu greeted her somewhat shyly, "Hello, Auntie!"

Xu Wenya sized up He Yuzhu with the look a mother-in-law would give her son-in-law, muttering, "This kid's not bad!" Then she said, "Since you're here, don't just stand outside! Come in and sit down!"

He Yuzhu said, "Auntie, it's getting late today, and besides, I'm not prepared, so I won't visit you! I'll definitely come next time!"

Xu Wenya glanced at He Yuzhu, then at Song Ran, and agreed, "Okay! But you must come next time!"

"Yes!" He Yuzhu responded, looked at Song Ran, and said, "I'll come to the school to find you tomorrow!"

"Okay!" Song Ran responded and followed her mother.

He Yuzhu watched Song Ran enter the courtyard gate, then breathed a sigh of relief and started his three-wheeled motorcycle to leave.