Courtyard House: My max-level medical skills specialize in treating beasts.

"Qiu Nan, there's not much to do at the infirmary this afternoon. You don't officially start work until tomorrow. If you don't have anywhere to go, you can go back and rest first." He Yudong straightened the hem of his white coat, looked up and smiled at Ding Qiu Nan.

Ding Qiunan, who was wiping the table with her head down, straightened up upon hearing this: "I'm fine, the dorm is locked, I can't go back. Brother He, what do you usually like to do in your spare time?"

"I'm planning to go fishing in the moat," He Yudong said, picking up his fishing tackle bag from the corner and shaking it. "I promised Uncle San in the courtyard a couple of days ago that he'd get me two big ones, and he's going to help my brother find a girlfriend."

"Fishing? I've never even held a fishing rod before!" Ding Qiunan's eyes lit up. "Can I come with you?"

Being alone with He Yudong was better than guarding the infirmary. If a few more chattering nurses came, she would definitely feel uncomfortable.

"Sure," He Yudong slung his tackle bag over his shoulder. "If I catch any, I'll make you braised fish for dinner tonight. But let me make this clear: if we can't finish the fish, you'll have to keep it in a big water tank at home."

"Raising fish? Why would you do that?"

"Silly girl, you can't just throw away all the fish you've caught, can you?"

The two locked the door to the infirmary, He Yudong hopped on the bicycle, and Ding Qiunan jumped onto the back seat, her arms naturally wrapping around his waist. As soon as the wheels started rolling, she realized her palms were sweaty, but she couldn't bear to let go, so she gently pressed her cheek against his back.

They soon arrived at the moat. It was a weekday midday, and only a few old men were strolling along the riverbank, willow branches drooping over the water, creating gentle ripples. He Yudong parked his bike, took two folding fishing rods from his bag, and handed one to Ding Qiunan: "Try this one, it comes with a lure, so you don't get snagged."

Ding Qiunan gripped the cold rod with trepidation: "How do I do this? It looks pretty high-tech."

"I'll teach you." He Yudong loaded the lure himself, flicked his wrist, and the fishing line flew far away with a "whoosh." "See? Just flick it like that, and then slowly turn the reel to retrieve the line. When a fish bites the hook, there will be movement." He demonstrated retrieving the line as he spoke, but just as he pulled halfway, the rod tip suddenly dipped down.

"Fish on!" He Yudong tightened his wrist, pulling the fishing line taut. Ding Qiunan leaned over to watch and saw him deftly use fish tongs to hold the fish by the mouth, then measure it on the scale: "Wow, a five-kilogram freshwater bass!"

"Wow, they're huge!" Ding Qiunan exclaimed, standing on tiptoe to peer at the fish in the net. Its scales shimmered silver in the sunlight. "I want to try too!"

He Yudong tossed the bass into the net and sat down next to her. "Don't cast it that far like I do at first. Just cast it closer." He held Ding Qiunan's hand to adjust her posture and guided her forward with the rod. But she didn't use her wrist strength evenly, and her body swayed, falling straight into his arms.

"Ouch!" Ding Qiunan's face flushed red instantly, and she hurriedly braced herself against his chest, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay," He Yudong steadied her, his fingertips brushing against her burning earlobe. "It's normal to be like this at first, relax." He stepped back half a step and showed her the technique twice more. Ding Qiunan gripped the rod, sweat beading on her forehead, but she couldn't cast the hook, instead kicking small pebbles from the bank into the water with a gurgling sound.

He Yudong continued fishing and caught three large, heavy fish in quick succession. Ding Qiunan stared at her motionless float, growing increasingly dejected: "What's going on? The fish aren't interested in me?"

As she was muttering to herself, the tip of the rod in her hand suddenly trembled. "It moved! Brother He, look!" She hurriedly pulled it up, but He Yudong quickly grabbed her hand and said, "Don't panic, follow me and turn the reel."

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, his palm resting on the back of her hand as he guided her to reel in the line. Ding Qiunan's back was pressed against his chest; she could hear his steady heartbeat. Her face flushed crimson to her ears, and even her breathing became shallow. When the fish was pulled to the surface, she exclaimed, "It's huge! Even fatter than the last one!"

Although He Yudong helped reel in the line, Ding Qiunan caught the fish herself. Holding onto the fish tongs tightly, she refused to let go, her lips curling into a wide smile that almost reached her ears: "I can catch big fish too!"

"Absolutely," He Yudong said with a smile, ruffling her hair. "With this level of aptitude, you'll be a fishing expert in less than three months."

"Then I want to go fishing!" Ding Qiunan carefully placed the fish into the net, her eyes shining like honey. "I'll fill a bucket, so you can give two to Uncle San too!"

The two chatted and laughed while fishing for a while. He Yudong wasn't very focused, but he still caught several large fish. Under his guidance, Ding Qiunan also caught three. The bait was specially made so that the smaller fish couldn't bite it at all, and the ones they caught weighed at least seven or eight pounds.

Seeing that their buckets were piled high with over a dozen fish, Ding Qiunan couldn't help but ask, "Brother He, how can we possibly finish all of this?"

He Yudong laughed: "I told you to prepare a water tank at home. If you can't finish eating, just keep the food. There are also big water buckets in the dormitory, which you can use later."

He glanced at his watch; the sun was already setting in the west. "It's four o'clock. Let's call it a day."

Ding Qiunan's gaze fell on the watch on his wrist, and she was secretly surprised. Her family was well-off; her father was a medical doctor who had returned from studying abroad. She had seen many watches, but she had never seen one so exquisite. None of the watches sold on the market were as beautiful as this.

Just then, a desperate cry came from the riverbank: "Help! Please help my grandson!"

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw an old man standing on the bank waving, while a seven or eight-year-old child was splashing around in the river. Without saying a word, He Yudong threw down his fishing rod and ran off, with Ding Qiunan getting up and chasing after him.

He quickly stripped off his coat and trousers and plunged into the icy river. It was freezing cold, and the river would freeze over in a month, but he didn't hesitate for a moment. He swam to the child in a few strokes and grabbed him. The child struggled in fright, but he steadied himself and swam back.

A crowd had already gathered on the shore, all clicking their tongues in amazement. To dare to go into the water to save someone in this cold weather—the courage was extraordinary. In those days, acts of bravery were the most respected.

Ding Qiunan stared at He Yudong's retreating figure, her heart feeling as if it had been gently bumped. Capable, handsome, and kind-hearted—a man like that is hard to find even with a lantern; missing out on him would be a lifelong regret.

The child was pulled ashore, and the crowd quickly hauled He Yudong up as well. Ding Qiunan's breath caught in her throat when she saw the strong lines taut beneath his bronze skin. Upon closer inspection, she noticed several old scars crisscrossing his body, along with a few bullet-hole-like marks. Her nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes.

He quickly picked up the clothes and handed them over, saying, "Brother He, put these on quickly, don't get cold."

He smiled; the cold meant nothing to him. But seeing her red eyes, he reached out and wiped away her tears: "I'm fine, why are you crying?"

"Mmm," she replied, her voice strained.

The old man thanked him repeatedly, saying, "Young man, I'm so grateful to you, otherwise my grandson would have been dead."

An older woman nearby chuckled and joked, "This young man is really good-looking and has an even better character. Young lady, you have a sharp eye; you've found a great partner."

Ding Qiunan's face flushed, and she stole a glance at He Yudong. He had just put on his clothes, but his underwear was still wet, and he would have to go back to change.

Just then, several police officers arrived after hearing the news.

"Comrade, may I ask your surname? Which unit are you from? We need to report your act of bravery today and apply for commendation for you later."

The lead policeman grasped He Yudong's hand, his palm still slightly chilly from the winter: "To plunge into an icy river in this freezing weather to save someone—that's a precious act of kindness! People like that deserve to be commended."

"Officer, really, there's no need." He Yudong waved his hand. "I was just passing by. How could I ignore a child falling into the water? Let's skip the commendation."

It wasn't that he thought he was so great; he just disliked these empty titles and honors from the bottom of his heart.

"Look at that awareness!" the policeman chuckled. "Then we should definitely take note of it."

"His name is He Yudong, the director of the medical clinic at Hongxing Factory," Ding Qiunan interjected. Seeing that it was a good thing, she didn't think much before saying his name and workplace.

He Yudong's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything in the end.

The policeman noted down the information, praised the man a couple more times, and said he would definitely report it and receive a reward before leading him away.

"Ding! You have saved a child from drowning, demonstrating bravery and promoting a virtuous atmosphere. You are awarded 100 merit points."

He Yudong stopped abruptly, his ears ringing: "Holy crap? Saving a child earns more merit points than treating someone? A hundred points, enough for a lottery draw."

He has now saved up 275 points, and he's not far from his next 10-pull.

"Qiu Nan, let's go back."

"Okay," Ding Qiunan replied. The two packed up their fishing gear, picked up the dozen or so lively fish from the bucket, and hopped on their electric bicycles to head back. He Yudong first took Ding Qiunan to her dormitory, poured the fish into a large water tank to keep them alive, and since his underwear was mostly wet, he needed to go back and change into dry clothes before cooking for Ding Qiunan. The dormitory had a small kitchen, which was quite convenient.

Carrying the two largest fish, He Yudong rode his bicycle into the courtyard house, where he bumped into Grandpa San squatting by the wall watering his flowers. Grandpa San's eyes lit up when he saw the fish thrashing in He Yudong's hands: "Yudong's back?"

"Uncle San, please keep these two fish. They both weigh over ten pounds each. Please remember my brother's matter." He Yudong handed over the fish.

"Hey, what are you saying!" Grandpa San caught it. He hadn't finished the two yesterday, and today he got two more big ones. He felt as sweet as honey. No one would complain about having too much good food.

"I went to talk to Teacher Ran before dawn this morning, and I said all the nice things about your brother. Teacher Ran agreed, and we'll meet this weekend. Tell your brother to get himself ready."

"Alright, your Uncle San is the most reliable!" He Yudong readily agreed.

"Then...then..."

"Don't worry," He Yudong lowered his voice, "once the two kids really get together, ten pounds of top-quality pork belly is yours. If they really live together in the future, you'll get plenty of benefits. Just make sure this is kept a secret, don't let the other side find out and ruin it."

"Understood!" Uncle San patted his chest confidently. "Uncle San is reliable! Who else could it be but Widow Qin? If she dares to cause trouble and cut off my livelihood, I'll fight her!"

Grandpa San was perfectly aware of the benefits he was getting, and he wouldn't let anyone else interfere.

"Okay, then you go ahead with your work." He Yudong turned around and went back into the house. He changed into a pair of dry pants, took out a pound of pork belly from his personal microcosm, and went to the mall to exchange for a bag of fragrant rice and some spices and seasonings. Only then did he turn his car around and head towards Ding Qiunan's dormitory.

From afar, Ding Qiunan leaned against the doorway, looking like a young wife eagerly awaiting her husband's return. As soon as her car arrived, her face lit up with a beaming smile, and she waved, "Brother He, why did you buy so much stuff?"

He Yudong put the things on the ground: "You just moved here, and you have to go a long way to the grain store and the butcher shop. You can't eat in the canteen every weekend, right? I brought you some rice to keep in mind."

"How much will this cost? I'll pay you." Ding Qiunan felt a warmth in her heart.

"Don't be shy, it's just some odds and ends. You can treat me to a meal when you get paid," He Yudong said with a smile as he picked up the bag of rice.

In those days, food coupons and meat coupons were precious, but for someone like He Yudong who had a system, he could get whatever he wanted with a few points of merit.

"Okay, I'll help you." Ding Qiunan rolled up her sleeves and followed her into the kitchen.

He Yudong picked up a large carp, casually grabbed the knife Ding Qiunan had just washed, and deftly began to prepare it. He was a skilled surgeon, and his hands, which were good with scalpels, were even more adept with kitchen knives. He scaled, gutted, and deboned the fish with fluid movements, and in no time, he had cleaned the fish thoroughly, leaving only a whole piece of snow-white fish meat piled on the cutting board.

Ding Qiunan clutched the hem of her clothes, staring intently, her eyes wide: "My God, this isn't just killing fish, it's like the legendary butcher Ding carving up an ox!"

He Yudong didn't reply. He turned around and cut the pork belly into cubes, blanched them to remove the foam, and then put them into a clay pot to braise the Dongpo pork. Only then did he heat oil in a pan to fry the fish. The two of them were busy for half an hour. The sweet aroma of rice mixed with the savory aroma of Dongpo pork and the fresh aroma of braised fish wafted out, filling the room and making people feel uneasy.

This tastes just as good as Sha Zhu's, not to mention the rice and meat are top-notch. The rice is steamed until each grain is translucent, the Dongpo pork is stewed until tender and juicy, and even the fish skin is fried until crispy and fragrant.

"Brother He, you're amazing!" Ding Qiunan sniffed and leaned closer. "Not only are you a great doctor, but your cooking is incredible too?"

He Yudong rubbed his hands and laughed, "My ancestors were chefs. I've been watching since I was a kid, so I only know a little bit. Why don't you try it and see if it suits your taste?"

"It's delicious! So delicious!" Ding Qiunan picked up a piece of fish and stuffed it into her mouth, her eyes curving into crescents. "This is the most delicious fish I've ever eaten! What will I do if I can't eat it anymore?"

"Silly girl," He Yudong tapped her forehead, "If you want something to eat, just tell me, and I'll make it for you. Do you think I'd let you go hungry?"

"It's a deal then!" Ding Qiunan sat up straight, counting on her fingers seriously, "From now on, whenever I want to eat it, you have to make it for me!"

"Okay, I agree."

After spending the last two days together, He Yudong had already developed feelings for this girl. She was as innocent as a blank sheet of paper, and her eyes would light up when she smiled. Who wouldn't like her?

The courtyard door creaked open, and Qin Huairu came in carrying a bag of local specialties; she was alone.

Madam Jia Zhang was peering through the doorframe when she saw this and quickly approached: "Where's your cousin? Didn't she say she came with you?"

They were still thinking about ruining Sha Zhu's blind date and were keeping a close eye on Qin Jingru's every move.

"Hey, I'm trying to find her a boyfriend," Qin Huairu said, putting the bag on the table. "I told her that if she wanted to come, she'd have to pay for the transportation, but as soon as she heard that, she turned around and said, 'I'll go back first, and I'll take the bus myself tomorrow.'"

"That wretched girl, she's quite the schemer!" Madam Jia spat, pursing her lips. "A country girl should be grateful to marry into the city, yet she's so stingy. If she really marries Sha Zhu, who knows if she'll even be willing to help our family!"

"Mom, Shazhu's back, but he didn't bring his lunchbox!" Banggeng suddenly shouted as he rushed out from the inner room.

"What?! That heartless idiot Zhu!" Jia Zhangshi jumped up. "We even went out of our way to find him a wife, and he doesn't even bring his own lunchbox! No way, I'm going to find him! This is outrageous!"

"Mom, can you please calm down?" Qin Huairu frowned and grabbed her arm. "Don't keep causing me trouble!"

She knew perfectly well that the most important thing right now was to ruin Sha Zhu's marriage so that she could reap long-term benefits. This was called sustainable exploitation, and she had to look at the long-term "permanent meal ticket." She couldn't just focus on one or two meals and cause trouble.