Courtyard House: Starting by inheriting the tradition and suppressing the barbarians.

Qin Huairu first went to Xu Damao's house, but found that he was not home.

After making some inquiries, they learned that Xu Damao worked in the logistics warehouse of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

Qin Huairu didn't think much of it and hurriedly left the courtyard.

The logistics warehouse of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

It is usually deserted, especially at night, when only the patrolling security team occasionally passes by.

But at that moment, in an office deep inside the warehouse, the stove was burning brightly.

Xu Damao sat with his legs crossed in the leather chair that originally belonged to the logistics director.

He was twirling two walnuts in his hand, squinting his eyes, and humming a little tune he'd picked up from who-knows-where.

As the deputy director of the Revolutionary Committee, he now wields immense power!

Those who used to look down on him now bow and scrape before him, calling him "Director Xu".

"Knock knock knock".

There was a slight knock on the door.

Xu Damao's lips curled into a lewd smile; he knew his prey had come knocking.

Ever since the Down to the Countryside Movement began, he had anticipated that Banggeng would be selected.

In the vast courtyard, besides Li Xuan, he was the only one capable of saving Bang Geng.

Although Xu Damao married Qin Jingru, Qin Huairu's cousin.

In Xu Damao's mind, Qin Huairu's beauty far surpassed that of his good-for-nothing wife!

"Enter."

The door was pushed open a crack.

Qin Huairu, with her head wrapped in a headscarf and her head down, slipped in like a thief.

Then, he quickly closed the door behind him.

She removed her headscarf, revealing a face that, though aged, still retained its charm.

But at this moment, his face was full of weariness and pleading.

"Da Mao..."

Qin Huairu's eyes reddened, and her voice was soft and sweet, "I had no other choice but to come and beg you."

Xu Damao did not get up and remained seated in his chair.

His gaze swept over Qin Huairu without restraint, as if he were looking at a commodity waiting to be sold.

"Oh, isn't this Sister Qin? What a rare guest!"

Xu Damao said sarcastically, "What, you have time to come see me today?"

Why don't you go find Sha Zhu?

Qin Huairu bit her lip, forcing herself to endure the shame as she walked to the table: "Da Mao, I was wrong before."

"But this time, Bang Geng really can't go to the Northwest!"

"With his physical condition, going there would be certain death for him."

"I know you're very capable now, and you're well-connected with the educated youth office. Could you... could you help me get a spot?"

"Allocate quotas?"

Xu Damao chuckled and stood up.

He walked around the table to Qin Huairu and reached out to lift her chin.

"Qin Huairu, do you think this is child's play?"

"That's a political task! Crossing out a name means someone else's child will have to be added to the list!"

Do you realize just how great the risks are?

"I know, I know..."

Tears streamed down Qin Huairu's face. "If you can help me this once, I'll do anything for you from now on..."

"To be treated like a beast of burden?"

Xu Damao suddenly laughed, a laugh that sent chills down your spine.

He leaned close to Qin Huairu's ear, his hot breath brushing against her neck: "Sister Qin, I have no shortage of servants, I have plenty of people to do my bidding."

"But you should know what I lack."

As he spoke, Xu Damao's hand wandered to Qin Huairu's waist and gave it a hard squeeze.

Qin Huairu trembled and instinctively tried to dodge, but Xu Damao grabbed her and pulled her close.

"What are you hiding from?"

Xu Damao's face darkened. "Qin Huairu, have you thought this through?"

"With just one phone call from me, Banggeng can avoid going to the Northwest, and can even be assigned a temporary job at the factory."

"But if you step out that door... hehe, you can expect to be collecting your son's corpse!"

Qin Huairu froze.

On one side is her son's life, and on the other is her own innocence.

Although she usually moves around men with ease, she would even let them touch her hand for a few steamed buns.

But if it really comes to that...

"Have you thought it through?"

Xu Damao urged impatiently, "If you're going to be a prostitute, don't try to pretend to be virtuous."

"Back in the canteen, didn't you let that Deputy Factory Director Li touch you just for five steamed buns?"

"What, you're playing the heroine when it comes to me?"

This sentence completely tore away Qin Huairu's last fig leaf.

So, he knew all along.

It turns out that in these people's eyes, I was already rotten to the core.

Qin Huairu closed her eyes, and two lines of clear tears slid down her cheeks.

For the sake of the pigeon, for the sake of the Jia family...

"Da Mao... let's go inside, it's cold here."

Qin Huairu's voice was barely audible, filled with a resigned despair.

Xu Damao laughed wildly, grabbed Qin Huairu around the waist, and kicked open the small door of the warehouse next to him, which was filled with miscellaneous items.

"That's more like it!"

"Don't worry, as long as you take good care of me, I'll handle the rest!"

......

Outside the warehouse.

A furtive figure was standing close to the wall.

It's Sha Zhu.

He discovered that Qin Huairu had left the courtyard alone late at night.

Sha Zhu was really worried, so he secretly followed them all the way.

Originally, I wanted to protect Sister Qin, fearing she might do something rash or encounter bad people.

But when he followed her to the warehouse entrance, he saw Qin Huairu enter Xu Damao's office and not come out for a long time.

His heart... jumped into his throat.

Sha Zhu mustered his courage and tiptoed to the window, wanting to hear what was being said inside.

As soon as he approached, he heard that unforgettable sound coming from inside.

"Da Mao...be gentle..."

"Hehe, Sister Qin, your skin is still so tender..."

"Hmm...don't forget about the stick joke..."

"Don't worry! Who am I? I have a nice voice!"

boom!

Sha Zhu felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and his head exploded with a "buzz".

That's Sister Qin's voice!

That's Xu Damao's voice!

What are they doing?

Even a fool knows what they're doing!

Sha Zhu gripped the windowsill tightly, his fingernails snapped, and blood seeped out.

His eyes were wide open like copper bells, filled with bloodshot veins, and his teeth were clenched so tightly they were grinding together.

"You two scoundrels! I'm going to kill you!"

In that instant, Sha Zhu wanted to rush in, kick the door open, and cripple that bastard Xu Damao!

Ask Qin Huairu again why she treated him this way!

He Yuzhu has been so sincere with him for so many years, yet they've barely even held hands a few times.

But for the sake of her son, she turned around and climbed into her mortal enemy's bed!

however.

Just as Sha Zhu's hand touched the doorknob, he stopped.

If you rush in, you'll break through that barrier.

Sister Qin's reputation was ruined.

The plan to send corn stalks to the countryside will probably fall through.

And... if things escalate, will Sister Qin still talk to him in the future?

Shazhu remembered the words Banggeng had said to him: "You're childless" and "You want to sleep with my mom."

He remembered Qin Huairu crying her eyes out in front of him.

A deep sense of powerlessness and inferiority overwhelmed him like a tide.

Who is he?

He was just a powerless and incompetent cook.

He couldn't help Qin Huairu, nor could he save Banggeng.

Xu Damao is able to.

"I'm a piece of trash..."

Sha Zhu loosened his clenched fist, as if his spine had been removed.

Above my head, it seemed as if a vast grassland of Hulunbuir was growing wildly, so green it was radiant and dazzling.

As the sounds inside grew increasingly offensive, Sha Zhu covered his ears.

Turning around, like an old dog with a broken leg, he hunched over and slowly shuffled into the wind and snow.

"I didn't hear anything... I didn't hear anything..."

"Sister Qin did it for the child... she had no choice..."

"It's all my fault for being incompetent...it's all my fault..."

As Sha Zhu walked, tears streamed down his face, and he kept trying to convince himself of his own existence.

They tried to use this method to numb their wounded heart.

The wind and snow grew stronger and stronger, quickly covering Sha Zhu's footprints.

But some things, once broken, are broken forever, and can never be put back together...

......