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

Late autumn, 1982.

Hongxing Courtyard—or rather, it should now be called "Li Family Residence".

Yan Bugui passed away some time ago.

In order to divide the family property, Yan's children sold the front house and several side rooms to Li Xuan.

In addition, Li Xuandu also bought the houses previously owned by Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu.

Even the house that Xu Damao had seized and auctioned off eventually ended up in Li Xuan's hands.

This traditional courtyard house, which once housed so many families, is now 90% owned by the Li family.

Today, this place is witnessing an unprecedented major event.

"Start construction!"

At Li Xuan's command, a professional team of ancient building restoration workers moved into the courtyard house.

This isn't your average renovation team; it's the team that worked on the Forbidden City.

"Clang! Clang!"

The haphazardly constructed coal sheds, chicken coops, and storage rooms in the front yard collapsed with a deafening roar from the bulldozers.

Instead, a hanging flower gate and covered corridors were restored according to the specifications of Ming and Qing dynasty princely mansions.

The front yard has been transformed into an elegant living room and garden.

Artificial hills and flowing water, koi carp playing among lotus leaves, and several century-old locust trees that have been carefully pruned and adorned with antique palace lanterns.

The Intermediate People's Court has undergone a complete transformation.

Sha Zhu's main room, which used to be filled with the smell of cooking oil, has been opened up and transformed into a spacious study and tea room.

Yi Zhonghai's scheming room has been transformed into a showroom for his collection of antiques.

Even the ground, which was originally covered with pitted mud bricks, has been replaced with neat and uniform bluestone slabs.

The entire courtyard house has been completely renovated and is now magnificent.

Walking inside feels like stepping back into a royal mansion from a hundred years ago, exuding an air of nobility and profound heritage.

......

however.

Right in the center of this exquisitely beautiful mansion, like a painting.

In the most conspicuous location of the Intermediate Court, there stands a dilapidated little house that looks extremely out of place.

That's the Jia family.

It's like a moldy scar, stuck tightly to the face of an unparalleled beauty.

It's like a rusty nail, stubbornly stuck to the brocade.

Half of the roof tiles were missing, and they were barely covered with tarpaulin, which rattled loudly in the wind.

The window paper had long since rotted away, and the dark, gaping window resembled a toothless old mouth, emitting a nauseating musty smell.

"Dean Li, this..."

The foreman of the ancient building team pointed to the dilapidated house, looking troubled. "It's such an eyesore."

"How about...we try to give it to..."

The foreman made a "flatten" gesture.

Li Xuan stood under the covered walkway, toying with a purple clay teapot in his hand, and glanced indifferently at the room.

"Need not."

Li Xuan's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "Keep it."

"Keep it?"

The foreman was puzzled. "This really affects the appearance!"

"It's like a rat dropping in a pot of good soup."

"You don't understand."

Li Xuan took a sip of tea, his eyes deep and unfathomable. "This is called a constant warning."

"I keep it to constantly remind me of just how greedy and ugly the human heart can be."

"and..."

Li Xuan looked at the figure huddled in the sun at the entrance of the dilapidated house.

"That was her last stronghold, and also the cage she drew for herself."

"If I demolish it, wouldn't I be letting her get away with it?"

......

At the entrance of the dilapidated house.

Qin Huairu was wearing a tattered cotton-padded jacket that hadn't been washed for who knows how many years and had hardened into a crust.

He was sitting on a small stool with a missing leg.

Her hair was gray and messy, like a bird's nest, and her face was covered in dirt.

Only those eyes occasionally flashed a hint of neurotic light.

She held half a moldy cornbread in her hands, gnawing on it while grinning foolishly.

His gaze swept over the workers around him and the increasingly luxurious courtyard.

"Building a house...building a house..."

Qin Huairu mumbled indistinctly, "Silly Zhu... is this the new house you built for us?"

"How impressive!"

"Hehe... I knew you were capable..."

"We'll move into a big house from now on... let that poor bastard Li Xuan be envious!"

She's gone mad.

They were living entirely in their own fantasy.

In her world, all the carved beams and painted rafters in this courtyard were built by Sha Zhu to marry her.

She was still that glamorous and charming widow, about to become a wealthy lady.

"Hey, move aside! Don't block the way!"

A worker carrying a large red-painted pillar passed by, disdainfully avoiding Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu wasn't angry; instead, she gave the worker a flirtatious wink.

Then, she said in a sweet voice, "Go slowly...don't damage my floor."

"I'll have my silly Zhu treat you to some food later..."

The worker was so disgusted he got goosebumps and spat, "Pah! Crazy woman!"

"Give your house back? This is Dean Li's house!"

"You think you're worthy?"

"Li Xuan?"

Upon hearing this name, Qin Huairu's expression suddenly changed.

She suddenly stood up, slammed the cornbread in her hand down on the worker, and screamed hysterically:

"Nonsense! This is my home! It's the Jia family's home!"

"Li Xuan is childless!"

"He can't afford such a nice house! This is mine! Mine!"

She was like an old dog guarding its food, baring her teeth and claws as she pounced on everything around her, trying to assert her dominance.

But nobody paid any attention to her.

The workers looked at her like she was a monkey, their eyes filled with contempt and mockery.

Not far away, under the covered walkway, Li Xuan simply watched this scene quietly, as if he were watching a farcical clown show.

"Heh, but how pathetic."

"Unfortunately, no one will come to save you."

"You will live in endless suffering until you die."

Li Xuan actually has a hundred ways to forcibly demolish Qin Huairu's house.

But he didn't want to do that at all.

Keeping this house will only torment Qin Huairu more!

This is the fate that this greedy woman deserved!

Followed by.

Li Xuan turned and walked into the warm, cozy study filled with the aroma of tea.

Behind them came Qin Huairu's mournful and frantic shouts.

It looked especially desolate in the cold autumn wind...

......