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

On Sunday morning, Nanluoguxiang was still bustling.

The winter sun was lovely, but it couldn't dispel the lingering smell of coal smoke and pickled vegetables in the courtyard.

The third uncle, Yan Bugui, was squatting at the door.

He was using a magnifying glass to figure out how to revive the two dying flowers.

Actually, I kept glancing towards the alley entrance, hoping to see if I could get some freebies from someone.

Suddenly, a deep engine roar broke the tranquility of the alley.

"Rat-a-tat-tat..."

The sound was deep and powerful, completely different from the trucks and buses I usually hear.

Yan Bugui looked up curiously and saw a gleaming black sedan slowly driving into the narrow alley.

Finally, it came to a steady stop at the entrance of courtyard number 95.

In an era when even bicycles are a luxury.

The appearance of a car is tantamount to the arrival of an alien spaceship!

"My goodness! A car!"

Yan Bugui was so frightened that he dropped the shovel in his hand, and his glasses almost slipped off.

This is a car that only high-ranking officials or foreign dignitaries can ride in!

What are you doing here in our dilapidated courtyard?

The car door opened.

First, a pair of spotless black leather shoes stepped onto the ground.

Immediately afterwards, a young woman wearing a beige cashmere coat and a tartan scarf came down.

Her skin was as white as snow, and her exquisite dress made her seem to glow.

It was none other than Hua Youlin, the eldest daughter of the Hua family.

"hiss!"

Yan Bugui gasped.

This girl's demeanor and attire are just like a Western lady who stepped out of a magazine!

They were a completely different species from the aunties and grandmas in the courtyard who wore bulky cotton-padded coats and looked dusty and dirty!

"Excuse me, sir, does Li Xuan live here?"

Hua Youlin walked up to Yan Bugui and asked him politely, her voice clear and pleasant.

"Huh? Looking for... looking for Li Xuan?"

Yan Bugui was stunned.

Immediately, a huge wave of bitterness welled up in my heart.

Why are they looking for Li Xuan again?

What incredible luck did this kid have?!

Not only did he recently make a fortune, but he also managed to get to know a young lady of this caliber?

"Yes, I'm here to deliver a book to him."

Hua Youlin smiled, holding an exquisite paper bag in her hand.

"Oh, yes, it's in the backyard!"

Yan Bugui's eyes darted around, his gaze landing on the paper bag, and he habitually began to calculate.

"Um... young lady, I am the third uncle in this courtyard, and also Li Xuan's elder."

"Are you his classmate?"

"Since you're already here, why not bring something... cough cough, I mean, come visit often in the future!"

He had intended to hint at a small gift.

But faced with Hua Youlin's clear yet somewhat aloof eyes, he didn't dare to utter the rest of his words.

"Thank you, Uncle San."

Hua Youlin nodded slightly.

There was neither excessive enthusiasm nor rudeness.

That refined upbringing and aloofness of a well-bred lady made Yan Bugui feel like a clown jumping around.

At this moment, Li Xuan, who had heard the commotion, came out from inside.

He was wearing a clean white shirt with a gray wool vest over it.

He exudes a scholarly air, yet maintains an upright posture.

"Youlin? What brings you here?"

Li Xuan was somewhat surprised and quickly went to meet him.

"The fruit you gave me last time was really sweet and delicious."

"My dad said he really likes it, so he asked me to bring you some of the medical books that are treasured at home."

Upon seeing Li Xuan, Hua Youlin's aloofness vanished instantly, replaced by a bright smile.

"And...I also want to see the place where you grew up."

"This is a big, chaotic courtyard. Hope it didn't scare you!"

Li Xuan smiled as he took the paper bag and then helped her straighten her scarf, which had been ruffled by the wind.

The movements were natural and intimate, yet not frivolous.

This scene was witnessed by Qin Huairu, who happened to be washing clothes by the pool in the courtyard.

"Clang!"

The washboard in her hand fell into the basin of water, splashing up cold, dirty water that soaked her old cotton trousers.

Qin Huairu, however, was completely oblivious, staring blankly at the perfect couple at the door.

That girl was so beautiful that she felt ashamed of herself.

That noble, elegant, and carefree temperament is something she could never possess in her lifetime.

Look at yourself again.

My hands are rough and swollen from being soaked in cold water for years.

Wearing patched old clothes, they still had to scheme and sell smiles for a few steamed buns.

They're both women, so why is there such a big difference?

What upset her even more was Li Xuan's attitude.

He smiled at that girl so gently, so sincerely.

But she is always cold and indifferent to herself, and even calls herself a "white lotus"!

"If only... if only I hadn't married Jia Dongxu back then."

"If Li Xuan were around my age..."

Qin Huairu felt a pang of sorrow, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"What are you looking at! Wash your clothes!"

A furious roar came from inside the house.

Jia Dongxu was slumped in a recliner when he saw the scene through a crack in the window.

In that instant, jealousy gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

"On what grounds?"

"Why should Li Xuan know a rich girl like that?"

"They even provide car pick-up and drop-off service!"

"In what way am I, Jia Dongxu, inferior to him?"

"Why can I only marry a country woman and suffer poverty every day?!"

Enraged, Jia Dongxu grabbed the teacup on the table and smashed it on the ground.

"Bang!"

"Damn it! They all deserve to die!"

"Li Xuan is definitely being kept by a sugar daddy! A gigolo! A freeloader!"

He cursed viciously, as if only in this way could he alleviate the distortion in his heart.

At the entrance of the courtyard.

"Would you like to come in and sit for a while?" Li Xuan invited.

Hua Youlin glanced at the neighbors in the courtyard, who were peeking around and looking at each other with different expressions.

Qin Huairu, who had been staring at him the whole time, frowned slightly.

She didn't like being surrounded by these complicated gazes.

"No, the driver is still waiting for me."

"I'm relieved that the book has been delivered."

Hua Youlin shook her head.

He then lowered his voice and said to Li Xuan in a somewhat playful tone, "Let's meet at Beihai Park next time."

"There are too many people here, it's not convenient to talk."

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Li Xuan smiled slightly.

"Then I'm leaving."

Hua Youlin waved and got into the car.

The car door closed, cutting off the prying eyes from the courtyard.

As the engine roared to life again, the black sedan slowly drove away.

All that remained was a trail of exhaust fumes and a yard full of astonishment and a sour smell.

Yan Bugui stood there, watching the taillights disappear, and clicked his tongue hard.

"Tsk tsk, this Li family lad, looks like he's destined for greatness!"

"No, we need to be more polite to him from now on."

"If this marriage goes through, they'll be a huge support!"

Despite his scheming, Yan Bugui was a pragmatic person.

Know who you can mess with and who you can't mess with.

And by the pool in the middle courtyard.

Qin Huairu mechanically scrubbed the clothes, tears dripping into the basin of water.

That deep-seated inferiority complex left her without even the strength to be jealous, leaving only a heart full of bitterness.

The entire courtyard, because of this distinguished guest's brief stay, seemed to have been filled with the sour smell of vinegar.

Only Li Xuan, carrying his book bag, hummed a little tune and walked briskly back to the backyard.

"This wave of hatred has been maxed out, so satisfying!"

......