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

He Yuzhu greeted everyone with a smile: "Hello, teachers! Thank you all for taking care of my Song Ran." After saying that, He Yuzhu took out a bag of assorted candies from his bag, gave each of the teachers present a handful, and then handed the rest, along with the cloth bag in his hand, to Song Ran.

Song Ran put the things on her desk, then pulled He Yuzhu out of the office, saying, "I'm going home with Yushui after get off work today."

"Okay! I'll cook you something nice tonight!" Then He Yuzhu changed the subject and continued, "Your third brother has been assigned to our station as deputy director. The station has arranged a house for him. It's in the east wing of the courtyard at No. 99 Nanluoguxiang. On his first day at work, your third brother tried to take advantage of me, asking me to help him clean the house. I didn't agree. You shouldn't agree either. Let him go to his girlfriend to clean the house. After all, that will be their wedding home."

Song Ran asked with a smile, "Aren't you afraid my third brother will make things difficult for you later?!"

He Yuzhu replied, "Who's going to make things difficult for whom is still uncertain! Don't forget, I decide what everyone in the station eats. If they try to make things difficult for me, I'll make sure everyone eats poorly, and we'll see who can outdo whom then!"

Song Ran saw He Yuzhu off at the school gate, then turned around to see He Yushui and Xu Xiaoling smiling at her. Song Ran asked, "When did you two get here?! Why didn't you make a sound?!"

He Yushui said in a serious tone, "Teacher Song, you only have eyes for my brother. How could you possibly notice us?!"

"You little brat, all you do is talk nonsense. Just wait and see how I deal with you!" With that, Song Ran pounced on He Yushui. Then, laughter from He Yushui, Xu Xiaoling, and Song Ran echoed across the school playground.

It was a little past 12:30 PM. Xu Damao and Yu Li came out of Quanjude Restaurant after finishing lunch. Xu Damao asked, "Li, when is your next day off?!"

Yu Li replied, "The factory is very busy right now. We're on a rotating shift system. Your next day off is next Tuesday." Then she asked, "What's wrong?!"

"It's nothing! I was just asking!" With that, Xu Damao led Yu Li and continued walking forward.

After walking for a while, Yu Li asked, "This doesn't seem to be the way home?!"

Xu Damao said, "I think it's still early, so I'd like to take you to Wangfujing Department Store. Your clothes are getting old, and I'd like to get you some new clothes."

Yu Li quickly said, "I have clothes. No need to buy new ones!"

Xu Damao said, "You have it, you have it. I bought it for you as a token of my affection. Consider it my first gift to you." Without waiting for a reply, Xu Damao grabbed Yu Li's hand and headed towards the Wangfujing Department Store. Yu Li struggled a couple of times, but seeing that she couldn't break free, she stopped struggling.

It was a weekday, and the department store wasn't very crowded. Once inside, Xu Damao, familiar with the layout, led Yu Li to the wardrobe counter. Xu Damao immediately spotted a floral print dress and a purple wool coat. Pointing to the clothes hanging behind the sales clerk, he said, "Excuse me, could you please help me pick out one of those dresses—that floral print dress and that purple wool coat—that would fit my partner?"

The saleswoman glanced at Yu Li beside Xu Damao, then, as Xu Damao requested, took out two garments and placed them on the counter. Xu Damao first had Yu Li try on the wool coat, then held up a dress. Seeing that both garments fit Yu Li perfectly, Xu Damao readily took out his money and receipts, saying, "I'll take both of them. Please wrap them up for me!"

The saleswoman quickly wrapped the two garments, then calculated the price and said, "The dress is five dollars plus nine feet of cloth ration coupons. The wool coat is 26 dollars and 8 cents plus thirteen feet of cloth ration coupons. The total is 31 dollars and 8 cents, plus 22 feet of cloth ration coupons."

Xu Damao quickly counted out three ten-dollar bills and two one-dollar bills, plus two 10-foot cloth coupons and two one-foot cloth coupons, and handed them to the saleswoman.

The saleswoman took the money and tickets, counted them, then wrote out a receipt and clipped the receipt, money, and tickets together into a clip. With a gentle push, the clip slid swiftly down the thin wire to the cashier. The cashier removed the items from the clip, counted the money and tickets, stamped the receipt, clipped the change and receipt together into the clip, and pushed the clip back.

After buying clothes, Xu Damao took Yu Li to the shoe counter and bought her a pair of women's leather shoes.

A little after 3:30 p.m., Xu Damao escorted Yu Li to her doorstep. He handed her the things he was carrying, watched her enter the courtyard house, and then reluctantly headed home.

"Yu Li! You're back?!"

"Yes!" Yu Li replied, adding, "Is Aunt Zheng busy?"

Upon hearing her daughter's voice, Jin Caifeng immediately came out of the house. As Yu Li approached, Jin Caifeng asked, "Where have you been?! Why are you back so late?!"

After Yu Li entered the house, she said, "We went to see a movie first, and then had lunch at Quanjude. After that, he took me to Wangfujing Department Store and bought me clothes and shoes." After saying that, Yu Li put the things on the table.

Jin Caifeng looked at the items on the table and asked, "How much does this cost?!" Then she looked at Yu Li and said, "He wants to buy it, so you just let him?! Why didn't you stop him?!"

Yu Li replied, "I tried to stop him! It was no use! Da Mao said he earns money for me to spend!" Then Yu Li picked up a package of oil paper and said, "This is the roast duck he asked me to bring back. We'll have an extra dish tonight." Then she asked, "Where's my dad?!"

Jin Caifeng took the oil paper package and said, "Your father went to the factory."

Yu Li took the clothes and shoes into the room she shared with Yu Haitang. A short while later, Yu Li came out of the room wearing the new clothes and asked, "Mom, do I look good in this?!"

Jin Caifeng looked Yu Li up and down, then said, "My daughter looks good in everything. But speaking of which, Xiao Xu has really good taste!" She then asked, "Xiao Li, what do you think of Xiao Xu?"

Yu Li blushed slightly and said, "It's fine!"

Jin Caifeng continued, "Xiao Li, you're still young, we're not in a rush to get married. Get to know younger people better. Don't regret it later!"

Yu Li said, "Mom, don't worry! I know what I'm doing!"

Jin Caifeng continued, "Keep your clothes safe and don't let Haitang see them. Otherwise, she'll make a scene again."

Yu Li said, "Mom, Haitang won't cause trouble, don't worry! I'll put the clothes away and then go get Dad a bottle of wine. We're having roast duck today, let him have a good drink."