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

Liulichang, this ancient street that carries the cultural heritage and elegance of Beijing for hundreds of years, appears particularly tranquil and profound under the afternoon sun.

The blue brick pavement has been worn smooth by time, and the shops on both sides of the street, whether they are century-old establishments with flying eaves and brackets or simple stalls, all exude a rich fragrance of ink, the musty smell of ancient books, and the sandalwood aroma of old wood.

People come and go: there are elderly gentlemen in long gowns walking leisurely; there are collectors with eager eyes searching for treasures; and there are also groups of young people coming to experience the cultural atmosphere.

The air is filled with a variety of sounds: hushed bargaining, exclamations of admiration when appreciating calligraphy and paintings, and the rustling of turning the pages of old books, all of which together create a unique and leisurely melody that belongs to this place.

He Yuanchao pushed his heavy-duty paddleboard out from behind the heavy threshold of Rongbaozhai, feeling quite pleased with himself. The money in the envelope was not only recognition of his skills but also a crucial foundation for his future plans.

Just then, a slightly hesitant gaze fell upon him.

He looked up following his instincts and met a pair of bright but slightly flustered eyes.

It's Lou Xiao'e.

He Yuanchao and Lou Xiao'e's eyes met briefly in the air, like two pebbles thrown into a still lake, creating an invisible ripple, before they both looked away somewhat awkwardly.

The air was filled with the scent of old books and ink, and a faint, peculiar atmosphere called awkwardness.

He Yuanchao remained calm, but he already understood.

A chance encounter?

In this vast capital city, on this special street dedicated to antiques and calligraphy, at this precise moment when he had just finished selling his calligraphy?

That's too much of a coincidence.

He didn't point it out, but just quietly watched the other person, wanting to see how this deputy factory director's daughter was going to start.

Lou Xiao'e broke the silence first.

She took a deep breath, as if she had mustered up tremendous courage, and her face showed just the right amount of surprise, as if it were truly a perfect, serendipitous encounter.

Her voice was clear and melodious, with a touch of the sweetness unique to young girls: "Master He... what a coincidence, you're also visiting Liulichang?"

She was clearly dressed up carefully today.

A pale yellow dress perfectly accentuated her beautiful figure, making her already fair skin appear almost translucent in the sunlight. Her long, smooth, black hair cascaded naturally over her shoulders, the ends swaying gently with her movements. A light layer of powder was applied to her face, and a touch of pale lipstick adorned her lips, making her look like a jasmine bud, fresh and elegant.

Those bright, large eyes, filled with a deliberately suppressed curiosity and inquiry, were carefully scrutinizing the man before them, inch by inch.

He was still the same, dressed in clean and neat work clothes, tall and handsome, with eyes as deep as an ancient well, revealing no emotion.

"Comrade Lou." He Yuanchao nodded, acknowledging the greeting, his tone as indifferent as if asking a stranger for directions. "Just wandering around."

His voice wasn't loud, but it had a unique magnetism that penetrated Lou Xiao'e's ears, making her heart skip a beat.

He showed no sign of flattery, nervousness, or flattery just because she was the deputy factory director's daughter. His composure and calmness, his seemingly innate aloofness, stirred even more ripples in Lou Xiao's heart, who was already full of curiosity about him.

This man is so different.

"You...you're here to buy books and paintings too?" Lou Xiao'e tried to find a topic to talk about, hoping to prolong this "chance encounter." Her gaze unconsciously drifted to the bulging brown paper envelope that He Yuanchao had clipped to the crossbar of his bicycle.

The thickness inside made her even more certain.

"No, I sold a piece of calligraphy." He Yuanchao's words were concise and to the point, without the slightest hint of boasting, as if he were merely stating a trivial matter.

"Selling calligraphy?" Lou Xiao'e feigned surprise, raising her voice slightly, though she felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey.

really!

Of course she knew He Yuanchao was there to sell his calligraphy. She had deliberately timed it perfectly today; she had even begged her father to find out the basic rules and procedures for Rongbaozhai's acquisition of calligraphy and paintings, calculating that he should be coming out around the same time, and thus orchestrated this carefully planned "chance encounter."

"Hmm." He Yuanchao didn't want to talk about this topic anymore; he could feel the curious glances from passersby. He pointed to his bicycle. "I have something to do, I'll be going now."

"Hey! Wait a minute!"

Seeing that he was about to get into his car and leave, Lou Xiao'e became anxious and, disregarding any semblance of modesty, quickly stepped forward and almost ran to block his car.

Her face showed a hint of urgency and pleading, and her tone softened: "Master He! I... can I ask you for a favor?"

He Yuanchao frowned slightly and stopped what he was doing: "What is it?"

His gaze made Lou Xiao'e's cheeks slightly flush. She subconsciously avoided his gaze and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"My grandfather is turning 70 next week. He's loved calligraphy his whole life, especially the kind with a strong and vigorous style. I... I'd like to ask you for a piece of your calligraphy as a birthday gift for him. Is that alright?"

As she spoke, she nervously gripped the strap of the exquisite calfskin bag in her hand, her palms already damp with a fine layer of sweat.

"The fee... I... I will definitely pay it! At Rongbaozhai's price... no, even higher!"

He Yuanchao looked at her nervous yet expectant expression and understood perfectly well what was going on.

This young lady's true intentions are not what they seem.

It's true that she wanted to wish her grandfather a long life, but her deeper purpose was probably to use this opportunity to get closer to him.

However, his impression of Lou Xiao E wasn't too bad.

In that chaotic era, in that courtyard full of beasts, although she had a bit of a spoiled princess temper, she was not a bad person at heart, had sound values, and could distinguish right from wrong. She was one of the few who could be called a "human being".

Moreover, she is the daughter of Lou Zhenhua, the deputy director of the steel rolling mill.

From both a moral and logical standpoint, we must give them face. Establishing a positive relationship is entirely beneficial for our future plans.

"Okay." He Yuanchao nodded decisively.

Lou Xiao'e was surprised that he agreed so readily. The huge surprise made her forget her nervousness instantly, and her eyes lit up like the brightest star in the night sky.

"Really...really? That's great! That's great!" She was somewhat incoherent, unable to hide the joy on her face.

"The content... let's just write 'May you live as long as the Southern Mountains and have as much happiness as the Eastern Sea'! No, no, that's too cliché... let's just write a line of poetry, 'May the crane live a thousand years, may the pine tree live ten thousand years'! Yes, that's it!"

"The font... shall we use the same 'Slender Gold' style you used on the factory bulletin board the other day? Is that alright?"

She was deeply impressed by He Yuanchao's slender, elegant calligraphy style, which was sharp, powerful, and imposing.

"Okay." He Yuanchao nodded again, still with that calm and collected expression. "Give me the address, and I'll write it down and send it to you."

"No, no, no! There's no need to trouble you like that!" Lou Xiao'e quickly waved her hand, as if afraid he would change his mind at any moment. Her face showed a hint of shyness and even greater anticipation. "I... I happen to be free tomorrow afternoon. I'll go to your... your courtyard house to pick it up, is that alright? By the way... I'd also like to see you write again and learn from you."

Is this a sign that they're about to enter the inner sanctum?

He Yuanchao glanced at her, and the expectation in the depths of his clear eyes was almost overflowing.

He did not refuse.

"what ever."

After saying that, he didn't say anything more. He took a long stride, mounted his bicycle, and with a light push of his foot, he nimbly disappeared into the crowd like a fish, amidst Lou Xiao'e's ecstatic and infatuated gaze.

Lou Xiao'e stood there, watching He Yuanchao's departing figure, feeling her heart still pounding wildly, and an uncontrollable bright smile on her face.

She felt that she was one step closer to that mysterious and fascinating world.

……

……

The next afternoon, as He Yuanchao rode his bicycle into Nanluoguxiang, he sensed that something was amiss.

Before I even reached the gate of the courtyard, I saw a large crowd gathered in front of me.

He rode over slowly and saw a brand-new, gleaming black sedan parked at the gate of the courtyard.

It was a Volga, with sleek lines and a black sheen in the sunlight. Just sitting there, it exuded an extraordinary air.

These days, cars are rarer and more precious items than televisions and refrigerators; you might not be able to find a single private car in the entire Nanluoguxiang area.

Almost all the adults and children in the yard ran out and surrounded the car in layers, craning their necks, pointing and whispering, their faces full of curiosity, envy and awe.

"Goodness! Whose relatives are visiting? Such a high-ranking official!"

"Look at this cart, it's so shiny and has four wheels! It's much faster than a horse-drawn carriage, isn't it?"

"Don't touch it! Can you afford to pay for it if you break it?" An older woman slapped away her child's hand that was reaching for the car logo.

He Yuanchao raised an eyebrow. Before he could figure out whose distinguished guest it was, he saw the car door open and a beautiful figure step out of the car.

It was Lou Xiao'e.

Today she changed into a more figure-flattering blue and white checkered dress, and her long hair was tied into two braids that hung down in front of her chest, making her look both stylish and innocent.

She was also carrying an exquisite net bag filled with bright red apples and Daoxiangcun pastries wrapped in oil paper—clearly expensive and high-quality items.

"Master He!" Lou Xiao'e spotted He Yuanchao outside the crowd at a glance. Her eyes lit up as if she had found her pillar of support, and she quickly walked over to greet him.

"Is this your car?" He Yuanchao's gaze lingered on the impressive sedan for a moment.

"Um...it's from my dad's workplace...I begged the driver for ages before he agreed to take me here," Lou Xiao'e explained somewhat embarrassedly, her cheeks slightly flushed.

He Yuanchao nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

The two walked into the courtyard one after the other, instantly becoming the focus of everyone's attention.

When the neighbors realized that the beautiful, fairy-like girl who stepped out of the car was actually there to see He Yuanchao, and that she was carrying such an expensive gift, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

The three older women, in particular, stared wide-eyed at the net bag in Lou Xiao'e's hand, their minds racing with calculations.

Xu Damao, standing in the crowd, saw his dream girl, whom he had boasted about to his parents countless times, getting so close to He Yuanchao, his mortal enemy, and smiling so sweetly. The flames of jealousy instantly ignited within him.

He felt like he was being cuckolded, and the humiliation and anger made him lose his mind instantly.

He squeezed through the crowd in a few steps, approached them with a sarcastic tone, and blocked their path.

"Oh, isn't this Comrade Lou? What brings you here today, esteemed sir?"

He glanced sideways at He Yuanchao, his words laced with sarcasm: "What's this? Came to inspect our poor place? Or... to flirt with some of our pretentious 'calligraphy masters'?"

That's a sarcastic and venomous remark.

Lou Xiao'e had never heard such vulgar language before. Her face turned pale as she was spoken to, her beautiful eyebrows furrowed tightly, and she subconsciously took a half step back.

He Yuanchao's eyes instantly turned cold.

However, before he could even speak, a crisp, angry voice rang out from the side.

"Xu Damao! Watch your mouth! What nonsense are you spouting!"

He Yushui suddenly appeared out of nowhere, like a little hen with all her feathers raised to protect her chicks. She spread her arms and blocked He Yuanchao and Lou Xiao'e's way, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, glaring angrily at Xu Damao.

"Comrade Lou is a guest invited by my brother who aided Korea! If you dare to utter another word of nonsense, believe me, I'll tear your mouth apart!"

Xu Damao was taken aback by the retort from the blonde girl he'd watched grow up, then flew into a rage: "You little brat! What business is it of yours here! You…"

"Whose mouth are you going to tear apart?"

A louder, more unreasonable voice, like a broken gong, came from the side.

Sha Zhu, his face dark, walked out of his house with his hands in his pockets. He had recently lost his job at the canteen and was seething with resentment. Although he was no longer working for the Jia family, seeing He Yuanchao, whom he considered a "scoundrel," "hooking up" with the deputy factory director's daughter, his envy, jealousy, and hatred surged up again.

He stood between Xu Damao and He Yuanchao, his broad shoulders and thick waist making him look like a fierce and menacing door god.

He glared at Xu Damao and said, "Xu Damao, if you, the movie projector, dare to buzz around like a fly again, believe me, I'll stuff you into a latrine for a bath tonight!"

Then, he turned his head and glared at He Yuanchao with his bull-like eyes, his face full of disdain and contempt: "And you, He Yuanchao! Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror! Stay away from Comrade Lou! A toad trying to eat swan meat, dream on!"

The atmosphere in the courtyard instantly became tense and chaotic.

The neighbors who were watching the spectacle not only didn't try to dissuade them, but actually enjoyed watching it with great interest.

Lou Xiao'e had never seen anything like this before, and her face turned even paler with fright.

He Yuanchao looked at the two clowns jumping around in front of him and felt extremely disgusted.

Trying to reason with this kind of person is a waste of breath.

Too lazy to waste words, he slowly pulled a piece of chewing gum wrapped in wax paper from his pocket, which he had bought at the Friendship Store with foreign exchange certificates.

He slowly peeled it open, tossed the white sugar slice into his mouth, and chewed it gently.

The coolness of mint instantly spreads throughout the mouth.

Then, he looked at Sha Zhu, who was stubbornly sticking out his neck and preparing to continue his tantrum, and said calmly:

"Hey Shazhu, I heard you've been looking for a job lately? Perfect timing! I know a latrine cleaner; they need a temporary worker, paid daily. Want to give it a try? You seem pretty experienced."

"puff--"

Finally, someone in the crowd couldn't hold back any longer and burst into suppressed laughter.

The three words "experienced" were like three sharp knives, piercing Sha Zhu's heart!

Falling into the latrine was the greatest humiliation of his life! It was an open secret laughingstock throughout the entire compound!

Sha Zhu's face instantly turned a deep purplish-red, his blood rushing to his head, and the string of reason snapped with a "pop"!

"He Yuanchao! I'll fuck your grandpa!"

Sha Zhu roared furiously and swung his fist, which was as big as a casserole dish, at He Yuanchao's face.

However, he had only taken two steps when something tripped him up—a small pebble? or something else?—and he instantly lost his balance, falling face-first into the dirt with a loud "thud!"

Even more coincidentally, the place where he fell was right where someone had spilled leftover soup yesterday, a sticky, greasy mess that covered his face and mouth.

The rancid smell made him want to vomit.

"Hahahahaha!"

This time, the entire audience could no longer contain themselves and erupted in thunderous laughter.

Sha Zhu lay on the ground, listening to the merciless laughter around him, feeling utterly ashamed and indignant, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into or simply die.

He Yuanchao didn't even glance at him.

He said to Lou Xiao'e and He Yushui, who were completely stunned, "Let's go inside and write."

After saying that, he led the two girls, one big and one small, and calmly walked into his hut amidst the complex gazes of the crowd, a mixture of awe, schadenfreude, and curiosity. He then slammed the door shut.

Only a foolish Zhu, lying on the ground questioning his existence, and Xu Damao, trembling with anger but too afraid to approach He Yuanchao due to his strange methods, were left behind.