Courtyard House: I fish in the heavens, a professional bird abuser.

Sha Zhu's smile froze instantly, like a poorly made mask cracking open.

A surge of anger rushed to his head. The good stuff he had worked so hard to bring back had been called "pig swill"?

He's being compared to that bastard He Yuanchao? Saying he's useless?

Just as he was about to lash out, Qin Huairu quickly stepped forward, blocking the stick, her face showing guilt and exhaustion, and said softly:

"Zhu Zi, don't listen to the kids' nonsense! They're young and don't understand! These steamed buns are great, made of white flour! And they even have minced meat! I thank you on behalf of the children!"

"Quick, Bang Geng, stop fooling around, quickly thank Uncle Zhu!"

Qin Huairu's gentle words were like a basin of warm water, slightly extinguishing Sha Zhu's anger.

He was about to back down and say, "It's okay, kid."

"No need to thank me!"

A sinister voice came from Jia Zhangshi, who sat cross-legged, her triangular eyes fixed on Sha Zhu like a venomous snake.

"Was he wrong? He Yuanchao, that widow, buys TVs without batting an eye! He lets people drink soda as they please! And what about you?"

You think two scraps of steamed buns and leftovers are treasures?

If you're so capable, why don't you get a TV for my precious grandson to watch? Or get him a case of soda to satisfy his cravings?

Don't take on a job you're not qualified for! Who are you trying to fool with this little bit of skill? Do you think our Jia family are beggars?

This barbed and merciless ridicule was like a series of resounding slaps to Sha Zhu's face!

It shattered his last shred of self-respect and forced smile!

Sha Zhu's face turned from red to green, then from green to white, his chest heaving violently, and his knuckles turned white as he gripped the oil paper package tightly.

He stared intently at Jia Zhangshi's mean old face, then glanced at Banggeng, who was hiding behind her mother with a defiant look on his face, and then at Qin Huairu, who looked troubled and hesitant to speak...

A tremendous surge of frustration and anger welled up inside him, making him feel like he was about to explode!

He felt like a complete clown! He was hated by everyone!

"Fine! Fine! You think I, Sha Zhu, am useless, right? You think what I brought back is pig swill, right?"

Sha Zhu's voice trembled slightly with extreme anger. He slammed the oil paper package in his hand onto the broken table next to him with a loud thud, and a steamed bun rolled out of the container.

"Soda, huh? Just you wait! I, Sha Zhu, will show you today whether I can make it or not!"

After uttering these harsh words, Sha Zhu turned around abruptly, filled with boundless rage, and slammed the door shut as he left! The door slammed against the frame with a loud bang, causing dust to fall from the roof beams.

Qin Huairu watched Sha Zhu's angry departure, then looked at the steamed buns that had rolled onto the table and the food that had spilled out.

Looking at her mother-in-law sneering on the kang and her son with his neck stiff next to her, she felt an overwhelming sense of despair engulf her.

She leaned weakly against the door frame and closed her eyes.

Is this family really going to drive away everyone they can rely on?

Like a bull that had been completely enraged, Sha Zhu, panting heavily, rushed out of the courtyard gate.

The night breeze calmed me down a little, but the burning desire for proof only intensified.

He felt his pockets and thankfully, he still had some change left from the hundred yuan Xu Damao had lost yesterday.

He strode straight to the small shop at the alley entrance, gritted his teeth, and pulled out his money: "Boss! Beibingyang soda! Three bottles, please!"

He originally intended to buy one bottle to shut Banggeng up, but when he thought of Xiao Danghua's longing look and Jia Zhangshi's harsh words, he gritted his teeth and bought three bottles!

Carrying three cold, heavy glass bottles in a net bag, Sha Zhu was filled with determination: Let me show you! I, Sha Zhu, am not useless!

When he walked back into the courtyard with his jingling soda bag, he saw his younger sister, He Yushui, coming out of her little house with an empty bowl in her hand, seemingly about to get water from the public tap.

He Yushui's face was pale and her lips were bloodless, clearly indicating that she hadn't eaten well that evening.

When she saw Sha Zhu, especially the three bottles of Arctic Ocean soda he was carrying, still emitting a faint chill, her eyes lit up instantly, with a hint of anticipation.

She licked her slightly chapped lips, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke softly, her voice carrying a hint of timid grievance:

"Brother...you're back? This...this soda...could I have a bottle? I...I only had some porridge for dinner...my mouth tastes bland..."

She thought, "Three bottles? Give two to those ungrateful wretches in the Jia family, and surely one can be spared for my younger sister, right?"

Sha Zhu was furious, his mind filled with Jia Zhangshi's ridicule and Bang Geng's disdain. He was thinking of quickly taking the soda back to shut them up and prove that he was "useful".

Upon hearing He Yushui's words, without even thinking, he almost reflexively roared in an impatient and angry tone:

"What are you drinking! This is for the Koreans! How old are you that you still crave soda? Go back inside! Don't get in the way!"

Without even glancing at He Yushui's instantly dimmed and wounded eyes, he picked up the soda and, without looking back, lifted the curtain of the Jia family's house again, as if eager to prove something.

He Yushui stood frozen in place, clutching the cold, empty bowl tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white from the force.

She watched her brother's resolute figure disappear behind the curtain at the Jia family's gate, listening to the faint, deliberately raised voice of Sha Zhu coming from inside.

"Bang Geng! Look what Uncle Zhu brought you! Arctic Ocean soda! Iced!" And there might be a not-so-enthusiastic cheer from Bang Geng...

A chilling coldness instantly shot through my body from the soles of my feet, a thousand times colder than the empty bowl in my hand.

The last glimmer of hope for family affection was completely extinguished.

It felt like a huge hole had been ripped out of my heart, and cold wind was rushing in.

She bit her lip hard, tasting a slightly metallic, sweet flavor, which prevented the overwhelming grievances from turning into tears.

She turned around, looking lost and disoriented, and walked back to her little house like a wandering ghost.

His steps were unsteady, one foot deep and one foot shallow.

Just then, an even more domineering and enticing aroma of meat, mixed with the fragrance of rice, unexpectedly and forcefully entered her nostrils!

Glug glug...

Stimulated by the intense aroma, the empty stomach uncontrollably emitted a loud, embarrassing roar!

He Yushui abruptly stopped in her tracks.

She then realized that she had unknowingly walked to the window of He Yuanchao's side room.

Bright lights shone through the cracks in the windows covered with old newspapers, illuminating a small patch of the floor.

The powerful music that ended the evening news broadcast on the television set could be faintly heard, along with the suppressed gasps of the Yan brothers and the sound of He Yuanchao gently tapping the rim of his bowl with his chopsticks.

The irresistible, soul-stirring aroma of meat wafted continuously from this door!

Hunger surged like a tidal wave, instantly overwhelming all her defenses.

The immense grievance, the cold indifference of being ignored by loved ones, and the irresistible aroma of food...

Intertwined, they formed an irresistible torrent that nearly overwhelmed her.

She lowered her head abruptly as if burned, a blush of shame instantly spreading across her pale face.

She couldn't stay any longer and just wanted to escape this place that made her feel so ashamed, escape the alluring aroma and the warmth of the house, and run back to her cold and lonely little house.

She almost staggered, turned around in a panic, and tried to escape.

squeak-

Just as she turned around, the tightly closed wooden door behind her, which was filled with the aroma of meat and warm light, was suddenly pulled open from the inside without warning.

The dim, yellow light poured out like a warm tide, illuminating He Yushui's flustered, tear-streaked profile.

It also illuminated the small patch of cold bluestone in front of her feet.

A calm voice, devoid of much emotion, rang out clearly behind her. It wasn't loud, but it was like a pebble thrown into a still, deep pool:

"What rain?"

The voice paused, carrying a hint of barely perceptible inquiry.

Have you eaten yet?

He Yushui seemed to be nailed to the spot by the sudden sound.

She whirled around, her back ramrod straight, her fingers digging into the rim of the cold, empty bowl in her arms, her knuckles turning bluish-white from the force.

The dim light spilled out from the open door, warmly enveloping her, but it couldn't dispel the paleness and embarrassment on her face.

She didn't even dare to look up at He Yuanchao standing in the light and shadow. She felt her face burning, and the loud, inappropriate rumbling in her stomach was still echoing in her ears. She was so embarrassed that she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"I...I've already eaten..."

Her voice was barely audible, trembling noticeably, and completely lacking in confidence.

He Yuanchao didn't speak, but simply turned slightly to make room for the doorway.

The bright lights inside poured out without reservation, clearly illuminating He Yushui's downcast face, with tiny teardrops still clinging to her eyelashes.

And the old coat she was wearing, faded from washing and with frayed cuffs.

Inside the door, on the dining table sat a plate of glistening, reddish-brown braised pork, trembling slightly, along with a few vibrant green bok choy and a bowl piled high with perfectly separated grains of white rice.

And the bottle of Arctic Ocean soda on the corner of the table, its cap open and its walls condensed with icy water droplets, created a scene that was fatally tempting to He Yushui, who was starving at the moment.

The rich aroma of meat mixed with the sweet fragrance of rice, like countless invisible little hands, forcefully entered her nostrils, teasing her empty stomach.

Then came another, clearer, longer "gurgling..." sound.

A sound, uncontrollably emanating from her stomach, seemed particularly abrupt and loud in the quiet courtyard gate.

He Yushui froze, lowered her head even further, and was so ashamed and indignant that she almost cried.

He Yuanchao's lips seemed to twitch slightly upwards, not in mockery, but more like a knowing look.

His voice remained steady, revealing little emotion.

"You've eaten? Your stomach is quite full."

Alright, stop being so hesitant, come in. It's a waste to throw away the extra rice.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over He Yushui's tense shoulders and reddened ears, his tone softening almost imperceptibly, or rather,

It was a blunt, almost cruel, clarity: "Your brother and I have a history, but that's between him and me."

His blunders are his own problem, and have little to do with you, a young girl.

Don't worry, I won't eat people.

These words were like a needle, gently piercing He Yushui's instinctive defensiveness and embarrassment caused by her brother.

She suddenly raised her head and unexpectedly met He Yuanchao's eyes.

Those eyes were deep, and under the light, they didn't hold the disdain or mockery she had expected. Instead, they held an almost indifferent calm, like a pool in late autumn, reflecting the light but without warmth, and with no bottom in sight.

In the one or two seconds she was stunned, He Yuanchao had already turned and gone back into the house, leaving only a sentence that brooked no refusal floating at the doorway:

"The door is open, come in and get your own food. The bowls and chopsticks are by the stove."

His domineering yet natural tone suggested he was certain she would follow.

He Yushui stood at the intersection of light and shadow at the doorway. Inside, there was an enticing aroma of food and warmth, while outside, there was a quiet and deserted courtyard and her own cold little house.

Her stomach let out another long, mournful groan, a clear reminder of her body's urgent need.

She remembered Sha Zhu's impatient scolding, the cold cornbread and pickled vegetables on the Jia family's table, and Bang Geng's disgust at the "pig slop."

Brother Shi's embarrassed expression...

A tremendous sense of grievance mixed with a craving for food surged like a tidal wave, instantly overwhelming her pitiful hesitation and self-esteem.

"...Thank you, Brother Yuanchao."

She almost murmured those words, her voice so soft it was barely audible.

Then, as if she had finally made up her mind, she moved her leaden legs and stepped over the threshold that was of great significance to her.

The house looks brighter and cleaner inside than outside.

The small space was tidy and organized; the brick floor was swept clean, and the quilts on the kang (a heated brick bed) were folded neatly.

The only long table that doubled as a dining table was spotless. Besides the food, it also had a brand-new Peony brand television set on it. The screen was dark, but the telescopic antenna was still standing out conspicuously.

Besides the aroma of food, there was also a faint, clean scent of soap in the air.

He Yushui stood awkwardly by the door, unsure of what to do with her hands and feet.

He Yuanchao had already sat back down on the small stool and picked up her chopsticks to continue eating, seemingly unconcerned that her intrusion had caused any inconvenience.

He pointed towards the stove with his chopsticks: "The bowls and chopsticks are over there, help yourself to your rice. The dishes are on the table, help yourself to your food."

He Yushui quickly responded and moved to the stove in small steps.

The stove was also clean and tidy, with a small pot of white rice still warm on the edge of the stove.

She picked up a rough porcelain bowl that had been washed until it shone, and filled it to the brim with rice.

The snow-white rice grains glistened enticingly in the bowl. She picked up the bowl and walked to the dining table.

Looking at the plate of braised pork with its tempting color and rich sauce, my throat involuntarily bobbed.

"I...I'll just eat a little bit..."

She spoke softly, but hesitated to reach for the rice with her chopsticks, only picking up a small piece of greens and placing it on top of the rice.

He Yuanchao glanced at her, said nothing, picked up the chopsticks on the table, and took a piece of meat from the plate—a marbled piece of fat and lean meat, trembling and dripping with oil.

With a "thud," it was placed on top of the pile of rice in He Yushui's bowl.

The movement was swift and decisive, carrying an unquestionable air.

"Why are you dawdling over your meal? Meat is for people to eat, not for worship."

His tone was indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger, yet strangely, it eased He Yushui's tense nerves a little.