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

He looked at He Yushui's tear-streaked face, filled with disappointment and determination, then glanced at He Yuanchao's cold, mocking gaze, as if watching a clown's performance...

An unprecedented surge of emotion, a mixture of rage, shame, and panic, raged through his chest! He abruptly shook off He Yuanchao's grip—this time He Yuanchao seemed to have used little force, letting him shake him off.

"Fine! Fine! He Yushui! You've really grown up! You're willing to abandon your own brother for a meager living!"

So you're recognizing a thief as your father? Fine! You'll stay here! Stay with this heartless, rotten, childless bastard! Let's see what kind of good thing he can give you!

From now on, I'm not going to get involved in your affairs anymore!

Sha Zhu practically roared these words, his voice hoarse and full of bluster.

He dared not look into his sister's eyes again, much less into He Yuanchao's all-knowing gaze.

He turned around abruptly, like a completely defeated and fleeing wild beast, filled with unvented rage and dishevelment. He shoved aside Yan Jiecheng, who was still standing at the door peeking out to watch the commotion. Yan Jiefang had already slipped away, stumbling out of He Yuanchao's hut and disappearing into the darkness of the courtyard.

That silhouette was filled with loneliness and a sense of utter dejection.

Inside the room, only the sound of the television and He Yushui's suppressed, intermittent sobs could be heard.

He Yuanchao stared indifferently in the direction where Sha Zhu had disappeared.

He withdrew his gaze and landed on He Yushui, who was still shedding tears, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

He didn't say anything comforting, but simply turned around, walked to the stove, picked up the thermos, poured some hot water into the basin, added some cold water, and tested the temperature.

Then, he wet and wrung out a clean towel and handed it to He Yushui.

"Wipe your face. Crying won't solve anything, it will only make those who want to laugh at you even happier."

His voice was still cold, but the way he handed over the towel carried an undeniable, almost commanding concern.

He Yushui paused for a moment, looking at the steaming clean towel in front of her, then at He Yuanchao's calm face.

The resentment and anger in my heart were strangely suppressed by this tough attitude.

She silently took the towel, and the warm, dampness on her face seemed to truly take away some of her fatigue and heartache.

She wiped her face haphazardly a few times, folded the towel, and placed it on the corner of the table.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Brother Yuanchao...I've made such a mess of you..."

She looked at the few drops of soup that had splashed on the ground from their earlier scuffle, and at her own tears, her voice thick with nasal emotion, filled with apology.

"It's alright. Sit down and finish your meal."

He Yuanchao interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for argument. He then sat back down on his small stool, picked up his chopsticks, and continued eating as if the fierce conflict had never happened.

Looking at his calm demeanor, He Yushui's inner turmoil gradually subsided.

She silently sat back down on the stool and picked up the bowl again.

The rice and braised pork in the bowl had cooled down a bit, but when I ate them, they tasted even more complex than before.

She ate in small bites; although her tears had stopped, her eyes were still red.

After silently finishing the last bite of rice in her bowl, He Yushui put down her chopsticks, took a deep breath, and looked at He Yuanchao as if she had mustered up a lot of courage: "Brother Yuanchao... thank you."

I... I can't just eat your food for free.

I'm just drinking your soda for free... How about... how about I wash your clothes for you? Or maybe I can clean the house?

"I...I'm very efficient at my work!"

She was eager to do something to repay this kindness, which she felt was too heavy a burden.

He Yuanchao put down his chopsticks, picked up the soda bottle on the table, took a sip, looked up at her with a scrutinizing gaze, and then shook his head.

"Need not."

"what?"

He Yushui was somewhat at a loss.

"My house is tiny, I don't have much housework."

He Yuanchao's tone was as calm as if he were stating a fact: "Sweeping the floor and wiping the table, I did it myself without thinking."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over He Yushui's fingers, which were twisted together in nervousness. A faint, ambiguous smile seemed to flicker across his lips as he slowly added, "Or perhaps, you're asking me to wash my underwear?"

boom!

He Yushui's face instantly turned bright red!

Like a ripe tomato, it was red all the way down to her neck! She suddenly lowered her head, wishing she could bury her head in her chest, so embarrassed that her toes curled up.

The tears I had just managed to suppress seemed to be welling up again.

"I...I..."

She "I"

After struggling for a long time, he couldn't utter a single complete sentence. His mind was a complete mess, and a thought even flashed through his mind inexplicably:

Washing...washing underwear...it seems...not impossible...The moment this thought popped into her head, she was startled, and her face turned even redder.

Seeing her looking like she wanted to disappear on the spot, the almost imperceptible smile in He Yuanchao's eyes seemed to deepen a little.

He stopped teasing her and instead asked, "Can you read?"

The topic changed a bit too quickly. He Yushui was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening. She blushed and answered softly, "I know...I know some of them."

I attended a literacy class in the neighborhood for a while before, so I know a few characters and can write my own name... but it's very bad.

She was a little embarrassed.

"Would you like to learn more?"

He Yuanchao looked at her, his tone serious.

He Yushui suddenly raised her head, her eyes instantly flashing with disbelief:

"Learn...learn to write? Brother Yuanchao, would you...would you be willing to teach me?"

These days, cultural knowledge is extremely valuable. Who would be willing to teach someone to read for no reason? Her brother, Sha Zhu, himself can barely read a few characters.

"Um."

He Yuanchao nodded, offering no further explanation, "You seem quite interested in learning. Anyway, I don't have much to do tonight."

Overwhelmed with joy, He Yushui was instantly overwhelmed! She was so excited she almost jumped up, nodding vigorously in agreement.

"I want to! I want to learn! Brother Yuanchao, I... I will definitely study hard! I... I won't study in vain! I..."

She was eager to express what she could do in exchange.

"Alright."

He Yuanchao interrupted her again.

"I already told you there's not much housework for you to do. You don't need to do laundry or sweep the floor."

He hesitated for a moment, then his gaze fell on the empty cardboard box in the corner that had once held a television. "Well then," he said, "I'm planning to go fishing by the river outside the city this weekend."

"If you really want to repay this favor, how about you help me carry buckets, watch my things, and do some odd jobs?"

Carrying buckets? Watching things? What kind of job is this? He Yushui simply couldn't believe her ears!

Compared to the "repayment" she had envisioned, this was as easy as taking care of her!

"Yes! I do!"

She nodded hastily, afraid that He Yuanchao would change his mind. Finally, the brightest, most genuine smile she had shown since entering the room appeared on her face, her eyes shining like the stars in the sky.

"Don't worry, Brother Yuanchao! I'll definitely carry the bucket steadily! And I'll keep a close eye on the contents!"

Seeing her expression, which was both afraid of being rejected and full of expectation, He Yuanchao nodded almost imperceptibly: "Mm."

It's settled then.

From now on, every day... well, around 7 pm after I get off work and have dinner, you come over.

I'll teach you for an hour. How much you learn depends on your own brain.

"Okay! Okay! I'll definitely be there on time! Thank you, Brother Yuanchao!"

He Yushui nodded vigorously, the gloom in her heart seemingly completely dispelled by this sudden surprise, leaving only overflowing gratitude and an indescribable joy.

She secretly glanced at He Yuanchao's profile, which appeared exceptionally clear under the light, and her heart began to beat faster involuntarily.

"Alright, it's getting late, let's go back."

He Yuanchao began clearing away the dishes and chopsticks, signaling the guests to leave.

"Hey! Brother Yuanchao, well... I'm leaving now! Shall I wash the dishes for you?"

He Yushui quickly stood up, wanting to do something else.

"Leave it there, I'll wash it myself."

He Yuanchao didn't even look up.

"Oh...well...goodbye, Brother Yuanchao! I...I'll be there on time tomorrow night!"

He Yushui looked back every few steps, reluctantly holding the empty Arctic Ocean glass bottle. She carefully put the cap back on and walked briskly out of He Yuanchao's small house.

The door closed gently behind her, shutting out the light and warmth inside.

The cool air from the courtyard rushed towards her, but He Yushui felt no cold at all.

She held the empty glass bottle, still slightly cold to the touch, as if it were some rare treasure.

With a lingering blush and an irrepressible smile on her face, she walked briskly toward her cold little house.

The moonlight shone on the bluestone slabs, reflecting her light and nimble figure.

In my heart, something seemed to be quietly sprouting, carrying a hint of sweetness.

Pushing open the creaking, dilapidated wooden door of my little house, a familiar, slightly musty, and desolate atmosphere rushed out.

But He Yushui's mood was completely different from when she left, and her steps were much lighter.

However, the scene before her eyes stunned her for a moment.

On her small kang table, there were actually several bowls and plates, which was unprecedented!

A plate of stir-fried potato shreds glistening with oil, a plate of stir-fried cabbage with a dark color, and two steaming white steamed buns!

Although it couldn't compare to He Yuanchao's braised pork in terms of appearance, it was definitely considered "sumptuous" in the He family.

Sha Zhu was sitting on a small stool on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), his back hunched over, smoking a hand-rolled pipe. Smoke swirled around him, obscuring his expression.

Hearing the door open, he looked up, his face displaying a complex expression—a mixture of exhaustion, regret, and forced awkwardness.

"You're back?"

Sha Zhu's voice was a little hoarse, with a deliberate softening, completely different from his usual loud voice.

He stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, pointed to the kang table, and said, "Are you hungry? I made you something to eat. Come on, eat it while it's hot."

He Yushui looked at the food on the table, which had clearly been prepared with care, and then at her brother's face, which was full of unease yet trying hard to express "goodwill."

The slight joy and sweetness that rose in her heart because of He Yuanchao were instantly replaced by a more complex and bittersweet emotion.

She was reminded of her childhood.

Their parents died early, and although Sha Zhu was a bit of a simpleton, he genuinely cared for his younger sister.

If there's anything good to eat at home, she'll always be the first one served.

Although life was hard, the brother and sister relied on each other for survival, which brought them genuine warmth.

My nose tingled, and my eyes felt a little hot.

She silently walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and sat down.

"Eat up! What are you standing there for?"

Sha Zhu picked up a steamed bun and shoved it into her hand, his tone urging her on, but his eyes darted away.

"I know... I've been bad lately, there's been a lot going on at the factory, and... I've been so stressed, I've neglected you."

He awkwardly explained, trying to excuse his previous behavior.

He Yushui took the steamed bun and took a bite.

The steamed buns were warm, but the texture was a bit hard, far from the soft and sweet rice that He Yuanchao had eaten.

The shredded potatoes were unevenly salted, and the cabbage was overcooked and had a burnt taste from the iron pot.

The taste... was very average, even a bit hard to swallow.

This skill is far inferior to He Yuanchao's braised pork, which is perfect in color, aroma, and taste.

He Yushui silently compared them in her mind, but said nothing. She just kept her head down and ate in small bites.

Seeing his younger sister eating with her head down, and not rushing over to him with emotion as he had expected, Sha Zhu felt a little uneasy.

He cleared his throat, trying to regain some of his elder brother's authority, or rather, his sense of control.

"Um...rainwater,"

Sha Zhu's tone became serious, with a serious tone, "Brother has something to tell you."

From now on... stay away from He Yuanchao.

That kid... he's no good!

He's so wicked! Look at him putting on this act today, who knows what evil schemes he's up to?

He ruined your brother so badly, tricked an old man like that, and even got your Aunt Jia arrested. This man is so vicious!

You're just a young girl, so naive. Don't be fooled by his little favors! Listen to your brother, okay?

He Yushui abruptly stopped chewing.

She looked up at Sha Zhu's face, which was full of "I'm doing this for your own good," and the warmth and bitterness that had just risen in her heart were instantly shattered by a strong sense of disgust and disappointment.

It's happening again!

It will always be like this!

He can never see his own mistakes! He always shifts the blame onto others! He always thinks everyone else is bad, and only he, Sha Zhu, is a "good person" who was "forced into it"!

He Yushui put down the steamed bun in her hand, looked directly into Sha Zhu's eyes, and spoke in a low but unusually clear voice, carrying a calmness and detachment that Sha Zhu had never seen in her before:

"Brother, He Yuanchao isn't as bad as you think."

"What?"

Sha Zhu was stunned, thinking he had misheard.

I said,

He Yushui emphasized her words, repeating them slowly and deliberately.

"He Yuanchao isn't that bad. He just... spoke up for you."

"Speak up for me? Him? He'd love for me to die!"

Sha Zhu scoffed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"It's true!"

He Yushui's voice rose slightly, tinged with urgency, "He told me, 'Your brother still cares about you, don't make things too awkward.'"

He's just blinded by lust right now. Brother,

They didn't do what you said—deliberately trying to sow discord between us siblings!

These words struck Sha Zhu like a blow to the head! He Yuanchao... spoke up for him? Saying that Sha Zhu was "blinded by lust"?

This was even more humiliating than being directly insulted! A strong sense of shame—being seen through, pitied, and given charity by an "enemy"—suddenly surged into his heart!