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

"Ding, one patient treated, merit points +20."

"Ding, one patient treated, merit points +15."

As He Yudong stepped out of Grandpa Guan's house and headed towards the courtyard, the system notifications rang incessantly, sounding like a death knell. He counted on his fingers and realized that treating the old men had earned him at least 15 points each, totaling a full 108 points! This was a huge profit; his merit points soared to 628, bringing him one step closer to his next ten-pull.

The frustration of having his date with Ding Qiunan ruined by Yu Haitang has long since vanished.

It was already nine o'clock when we got back to the courtyard house. Sha Zhu's room was dark; he must have been cooking at the big boss's house again, and he was still chatting afterward. He Yushui's room was lit; hearing the noise, she opened the door with a creak.

"Brother, so late again today? Did you go on a date?" The little girl chuckled, clinging to the doorframe.

"You silly girl, don't you have anything else on your mind?" He Yudong flicked her forehead.

"Brother, I want to eat strawberries! Are there any left?" He Yushui's eyes sparkled.

"Wait here." He Yudong went back into the house, brought out a plate of bright red strawberries, and handed it over.

"Wow, there are more! They look like they were just picked. Where did you get them, bro?" He Yushui leaned in to smell them.

"Why ask so many questions? Go read your book." He Yudong pushed her into the house. "I'm going to rest."

As soon as he entered his room, he picked up the books he had borrowed from Uncle Guan and immediately immersed himself in them. He finished more than a dozen books in one night and actually memorized them all. He had a basic grasp of the ins and outs of antique appraisal, and was just short of going to the black market to practice. He had heard that wealthy young men often stole old items from their families to sell there, which suited his interests perfectly.

He glanced at his watch again; it was already past four in the morning. Had he unknowingly been watching for six or seven hours? He lay down for a while, then woke up as usual around six.

Arriving at the infirmary early in the morning, she bumped into Ding Qiunan as soon as she reached the door. The girl was initially delighted, but then her face flushed red. If it hadn't been for Yu Haitang's interference last night, the two of them would have almost kissed. If they had gone any further... She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, her eyes bloodshot, her mind filled with He Yudong's image, even thinking: if he really asked, she might have agreed.

"Qiu Nan, didn't you sleep well last night?" He Yudong asked.

"No, it's nothing, Brother He. I was just reading late." Ding Qiunan walked towards the infirmary with a flushed face, her voice trembling.

He Yudong followed him in and said, "Lie down on the bed first."

"Huh? This, this is broad daylight... Can we do it at night?" Ding Qiunan's ears were burning, thinking he was going to have their wedding night here, and she spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

He Yudong looked bewildered and didn't react: "I meant you didn't sleep well last night and were feeling sleepy at work. Pressing a few acupoints will help you get a few minutes of deep sleep."

"Huh? Is that so?" Ding Qiunan wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground; he had heard everything she said!

Seeing her so embarrassed, He Yudong finally realized what was happening, couldn't help but laugh, and didn't expose her: "Be good, lie down."

"Mmm." Ding Qiunan obediently lay down on the hospital bed, her eyes soft and gentle.

He Yudong first pressed her temples, then massaged her shoulders and pinched acupoints on the back of her neck. Ding Qiunan's previously tense heartbeat gradually calmed down, her whole body relaxed, and she fell into a deep sleep without realizing it.

When I opened my eyes again, I felt completely refreshed and all my fatigue had disappeared. He Yudong was still sitting next to me.

"Brother He, how long have I been asleep?" She felt it was at least seven or eight hours.

He Yudong checked his watch: "A little over five minutes, less than six."

"Huh? It's so short? But I feel like I slept for a long time!" Ding Qiunan's eyes widened.

"Deep sleep allows for rapid energy replenishment, which is why it feels like it lasts a long time," He Yudong explained.

"Really? Brother He, you're amazing! Can you teach me?"

"Okay, I'll teach you another day. When it comes to acupoints, we have to take it slowly."

"How about coming to my dorm tonight? I'll cook, and I'll teach you after we eat?" Ding Qiunan's eyes were filled with tenderness and a hint of anticipation.

"Okay, what do you want to eat?"

"Teach me how to cook fish, and I'll cook it for you when I have time."

Just then, a worker from the machine repair shop knocked on the door and came in: "Director He, the machine repair shop delivered a piglet today. We're bringing you and Dr. Ding meal tickets. You can use the tickets to eat pork stew in the canteen."

"Okay, thank you for your hard work." He Yudong smiled as he took the two tickets.

"It's no trouble at all, you're busy." The staff member turned and left.

The clinic at Hongxing Factory was directly managed by the factory. The steel rolling mill and machine repair shop were both under the Hongxing Group. Whenever employees had a headache or fever, they would go to He Yudong's clinic.

He Yudong's medical skills had long been known throughout the factory, and most people treated him with great respect. Of course, there were also a few who hoped he would suffer a setback, such as Cui Dake, Yang Weimin, Xu Damao, and even his second uncle, Liu Haizhong.

He handed two meal tickets to Ding Qiunan, who took them with some confusion: "Brother He, what are these tickets for...?"

"Nothing special. There are thousands of people in the machine repair factory, and only one 200-pound pig. Each person won't even get half an ounce of meat, just enough for a taste of meat. But we can't waste food, so let's all go and join the fun." He Yudong smiled. He still had a ton of pork belly in his little world, so why would he care about these meal tickets? But for ordinary people, it's not easy to eat meat these days. For those who aren't as well-off as him and have a system to rely on, meal tickets are a real treasure.

The meal tickets were originally meant for lunch, but around 10 a.m., the loudspeaker suddenly announced that the pigs at the machine repair shop had escaped, and the entire factory was being called upon to search for them, with a reward for finding them. He Yudong's heart skipped a beat: it was like the opening scene of the Chinese folktale "Man is Iron, Food is Steel"—the pigs had been lost by Cui Dake, who was too afraid to slaughter them, hence the commotion. They wouldn't be able to have the pig-killing feast, so he arranged to meet Ding Qiunan at her dormitory after get off work that evening to teach her how to cook fish.

There were a few fish left in the dormitory. He Yudong picked one up and taught her how to kill it. Ding Qiunan accidentally cut her finger with the knife and cried out, "Ouch!"

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" He Yudong quickly grabbed her hand. The wound wasn't deep, and he breathed a sigh of relief, instinctively putting the finger in his mouth to stop the bleeding. Ding Qiunan felt a surge of warmth in her heart, her eyes softening like water as she quietly gazed at him.

The bleeding stopped quickly. He Yudong took out a small medicine bottle from his pocket, sprinkled some powder on the wound, and quickly bandaged it. It was a wound medicine he had made using herbs from Baicao Garden, and its effect was even stronger than Yunnan Baiyao.

Just then, he felt Ding Qiunan's face press against his, her lips warm and fragrant. His first kiss was gone just like that. He Yudong was a little surprised, but quite pleased, so he reciprocated. Ding Qiunan's eyes were soft, her palms sweaty, her heart pounding with nervousness, but the person before her was the one she loved, and she was willing.

Just as the fire was about to start, a loud banging on the door erupted: "Open the door! Open the door!"

He Yudong was furious. Yesterday, Yu Haitang had messed things up, and now who was causing trouble today? The two quickly separated and straightened their clothes. He strode over and opened the door. Several security guards with red armbands were standing at the door, followed by Cui Dake.

Cui Dake was covered in blood from scratching, still incessantly scratching himself, looking utterly ferocious. He Yudong felt sorry for him; how could this guy cause trouble in this state?

"What are you doing? Which part are you from?" He Yudong's tone was as cold as ice.

Chief Wang of the security department spoke up: "Someone reported that you two are having illicit relationships."

"Bullshit!" He Yudong roared. "What nonsense?"

Cui Dake said sarcastically, "Isn't this Dr. Ding's dormitory? Is it proper for a guy to sneak into a girl's room at night?"

"Open your dog eyes and look! Is it dark yet?" He Yudong glared back. Ding Qiunan also came out and said, "Brother He, the fish is ready. What are you all doing?"

Section Chief Wang spoke in an official tone: "Director He, a man and a woman alone in a room together will damage the factory's reputation if word gets out. We're doing this for the factory's sake, so we have to go in and investigate." With that, he tried to barge inside.

"Bang!" He Yudong kicked him in the stomach, and Section Chief Wang flew backward, clutching his stomach and screaming in pain.

"Damn it, who do you think you are? You can't just barge in like that. Even the police need a search warrant. What do you think you're doing, a security chief?" He Yudong roared.

Section Chief Wang had never been treated like this before. He was always the one beating people up; no one ever got a chance to fight back. "He Yudong, how dare you hit me! Brothers, let's go!"

Several security guards rushed forward, but they were used to being arrogant and their skills were mediocre. How could they be a match for a professional soldier and martial arts master? He Yudong slapped them a few times, and they all fell to the ground.

"He Yudong, you've gone too far! You just wait!" Section Chief Wang scrambled to his feet, only to find that Cui Dake had already slipped away. Seeing how capable He Yudong was, the guy had made a quick getaway.

He Yudong grabbed Section Chief Wang by the collar and lifted him up like a chick: "I don't think I've done anything to you, yet you come looking for trouble tonight. I won't hold it against you this time, but if you do it again, I'll break your legs. If you want revenge, come at me openly or secretly, I'm ready, but you'll have to bear the consequences."

Section Chief Wang trembled with fear: "Director He, I was wrong. It was all Cui Dake's instigation. I'll never dare to do it again!" He never expected He Yudong to be so strong, lifting him up with one hand. This time, he really kicked a hornet's nest.

He Yudong casually tossed him aside, and Section Chief Wang fell to the ground with another scream: "You... He Yudong, this isn't over!"

Section Chief Wang abruptly distanced himself from He Yudong, uttering the harsh words, "You just wait and see," before slinking away with the security personnel.

He Yudong stared at their retreating figures, a cold smile playing on his lips. He'd just sprinkled itching powder on that guy; he'd known he wasn't a pushover. Want revenge? We solemnly recommend this book to you: *The Courtyard: My Max-Level Medical Skills Treat Beasts*, reading address: [link missing]. Then let you itch until you cry for your parents for days. "Ding, one bad guy taught a lesson, reward 30 merit points." "Ding, one bad guy taught a lesson, reward 25 merit points."

The system notification that popped into his head left He Yudong stunned for a moment, then delighted. The security team had actually contributed 140 merit points? Were all six of them really that "bad"? He wondered if this was just the reward for beating them up. What if the itching powder kicked in later and they started "harvesting" him again?

"Reporting to the host, this merit point includes the effect of itching powder." The system replied instantly.

"So you've got everything bundled up?" He Yudong chuckled. He'd accumulated 768 merit points, and with another 132, he could do a ten-pull. He was thrilled.

When they returned to the house, Ding Qiunan's gaze towards him was noticeably different, as if she were holding a small flame within her. Although they weren't "cooked into a meal" yet, at least they were ready to be "put into the pot."

"Qiu Nan, shall we make dinner first? Your hand is injured, I'll cook, you just watch from the side," He Yudong said as he tied his apron. His mood had just been ruined by those scumbags; he had no interest in "making babies." Besides, the dormitory was really inconvenient; who knew what kind of monsters might appear? He'd have to find a chance to take her to the clinic courtyard later, a place where a man and a woman could be alone, that would be more reassuring.

Seeing him intently chopping vegetables in his apron, Ding Qiunan smiled sweetly. After the meal, the two ate, chatting and laughing. He Yudong didn't leave immediately afterward; he stayed with her, studying her medical notes and explaining the complex technical terms.

"Brother He, how do you know everything?" Ding Qiunan's eyes sparkled with admiration.

He Yudong smiled, looking at her rosy cheeks, and pulled her into his arms, giving her a light kiss on the forehead: "Brother He." "Mm."

"I...I'm not ready yet, could you..." Ding Qiunan's voice was barely audible, and her ears were red.

He Yudong pinched the tip of her nose: "No rush, let's find a place where no one will bother us next time."

"Brother He, you're so naughty!" Ding Qiunan said shyly as she pushed him away, feeling so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground, but her heart was filled with sweetness.

"Just kidding, I'll take you out this weekend," He Yudong coaxed. "Okay! Then I won't go home this weekend!"

It wasn't until nine o'clock that He Yudong returned to his room. Sha Zhu's door was wide open, the light was on, and the sound of jars of liquor clinking could be heard from inside.

"What's wrong? You look so gloomy." He Yudong asked, peeking out.

Sha Zhu glanced up at him, sighed, and remained silent. He Yushui rushed out from next door and pounced on He Yudong as soon as she saw him: "Brother! You're finally back!"

"Rain, what's going on here? Why is Sha Zhu so listless?" He Yudong pointed at his cheap older brother.

"Today, Teacher Ran went to the Rujia Hotel in Qinhuai to collect tuition fees. That widow started spouting nonsense to Teacher Ran, saying that my brother was having an affair with her. Teacher Ran got angry and left. My brother chased after her and came back like this." He Yushui stomped her feet anxiously.

"That widow Qin is truly despicable!" He Yudong's anger flared up instantly. He had gone to great lengths to bring Sha Zhu and Ran Qiuyue together, and this widow had ruined it all with just a few words! He had to remember this grudge.

"Brother, don't worry, I've already talked to Uncle San. He'll definitely explain things to you when he gets to the school," He Yushui said.

"Forget it, let nature take its course." Sha Zhu hung his head, not that he didn't want to get angry, but he just couldn't bring himself to be ruthless towards the orphan and widow.

"Leave this to me," He Yudong patted his chest. "Uncle San won't ruin his reputation for such a small amount of money; he'll definitely do his best. Tomorrow at noon, you bring lunch to Teacher Ran and find a chance to explain things clearly. If all else fails, with your salary of seventy-odd yuan a month, you're sure you can find a good wife!"

Meanwhile, Qin Huairu was overjoyed. Her face was constantly crinkling with laughter. Today, she'd been gossiping about Sha Zhu in front of Teacher Ran, saying how close they were, how she treated him like her own son, even washing his underwear… Seeing Teacher Ran's livid face, she felt as sweet as if she'd eaten honey. Peeking through the window at Teacher Ran slamming the door as she left, she knew her plan had succeeded: Sha Zhu was just a tool for her to leech off; finding a wife? No way!

The situation at Xu Damao's house was also chaotic. Xu Damao had just "cracked open" Qin Jingru's head, although it only lasted three seconds, but Qin Jingru, being a novice, didn't know anything about such things. He half-heartedly let him succeed.

"Da Mao, when are you going to divorce Lou Xiao'e? I'm yours now." Qin Jingru snuggled into his arms and acted coquettishly.

"Don't worry, once Lou Xiao'e returns from her parents' home, I'll divorce her and marry you," Xu Damao vowed confidently.

"That's wonderful! I'll give you a bunch of sons in the future, so the Xu family line will never end!" Qin Jingru was so happy that she swung her legs.

Little did she know, Xu Damao was a eunuch; although he had some "ability," his sperm were all dead, making him completely infertile. Xu Damao planned to "sow the seeds" as many times as possible in the next few days, hoping Qin Jingru would get pregnant quickly. But the thought of bumping into He Yudong and Ding Qiunan at the mutton shop yesterday made her heart feel like it was stuffed with rotten cotton. Ding Qiunan was the real gem; this country girl in her arms was far inferior. However, if she could give birth to a son, she could make do.

The next morning, Lou Xiao'e returned to the courtyard house. He Yudong's words were like a thorn in her heart. She was worried about going back to her parents' home, so she rushed back before dawn.

As soon as she opened the door, she froze on the spot. Lying next to Xu Damao was a woman, who turned out to be Qin Huairu's sister, Qin Jingru!

He Yudong is telling the truth!

The courtyard erupted in chaos, the noise waking everyone. The old woman, supporting Lou Xiao'e whose face was streaked with tears and bruised, leaned on her cane and poked Xu Damao, yelling, "You heartless Xu Damao! Xiao'e poured her heart out to you, and you did this despicable thing! Are you even human?!"

"What's going on here?" The old man and his wife were the first to come out when they heard the noise, and they were completely dumbfounded when they saw the mess in the house.

He Yudong and his two siblings got up early and were walking towards the back of the yard when they spotted Xu Damao and Qin Jingru, who were disheveled. Xu Damao had several nail marks on his face, while Qin Jingru huddled to one side, her face as white as paper and her whole body trembling.

Qin Huairu followed over and, seeing Qin Jingru's appearance, knew exactly what was going on: she had been caught cheating on Xu Damao by Lou Xiao'e!

"How could such a horrible thing happen in our hospital!" Uncle Yi Zhonghai slapped his thigh. "Quickly, call everyone for a hospital-wide meeting!"

Uncle Er and Uncle San rushed over upon hearing the news. Xu Damao panicked and hurriedly went up to him: "Uncle Yi, this is our family's private matter. There's no need to hold a meeting, is there? We can handle it ourselves." He knew very well that in these days, having illicit affairs would result in being paraded through the streets as a form of public humiliation, and if it got out of hand, there would be no good outcome.

"Yes, Uncle Yi, don't make a fuss." Qin Huairu also tried to smooth things over. That was her younger sister who had brought her along, and now that she had caused this mess, her own reputation would be ruined too. She stole a glance at Sha Zhu and saw that his eyes were as cold as ice, so she quickly shrank back.

"No way!" Uncle Er sternly said, "Xu Damao, your conduct is questionable. Not only did you seduce people, but you also beat up Lou Xiao'e! You..."

"Second Uncle!" Xu Damao quickly gave him a meaningful look, and Second Uncle swallowed the rest of his words. Third Uncle immediately chimed in, "We must hold a meeting! This concerns the harmony of the compound. How shameful would it be if word got out? Xu Damao and Qin Jingru are having an affair, seriously damaging the moral atmosphere. I suggest they be arrested and paraded through the streets!"

"Yes! Parade them through the streets! These shameless scoundrels!" someone shouted.

He Yuzhu then realized that his brother's earlier prediction that Xu Damao would be caught cheating had actually come true. He glanced at the Qin Huairu sisters and thought to himself that these two were definitely not to be underestimated. They had even wanted to introduce Qin Jingru to him before? Wouldn't that have resulted in Xu Damao cuckolding him?

"He Yudong, stop spouting nonsense!" Xu Damao exclaimed angrily. "Qin Jingru and I are truly in love. What do you mean by 'cheating'? Don't make false accusations!"

"Oh, so you're truly in love?" He Yudong sneered. "You're a married man, and you're 'truly' in love with another woman? Get a divorce first! Getting involved before the divorce is just cheating, isn't it?"

"You..." Xu Damao was speechless after being rebuked.

"Everyone's here." Old Man Yi tapped the table. "Xu Damao's conduct is improper. Let's discuss what to do."

"Protect them! This is blatant promiscuity, deal with it according to the law!" He Yudong slammed his hand on the table. "Yushui, go call the police!"

"Okay, bro!" He Yushui turned around and was about to run away.

"Wait!" Uncle Yi quickly stopped him. "Yu Dong, this is a matter for the courtyard. Don't alarm the police. Let's ask Lou Xiao'e what she thinks first."

Lou Xiao'e was still wiping away her tears when the old lady patted her hand and comforted her, "Xiao'e, don't be afraid, Grandma will stand up for you! Tell me how you want to deal with these two scoundrels."

"I want a divorce from Xu Damao," Lou Xiao'e said through gritted teeth.

"Fine, let's get a divorce! You barren old hen, I've had my eye on you for a long time!" Xu Damao blurted out.

"Xu Damao, you bastard!" Lou Xiao'e cursed. As a lady from a respectable family, she couldn't bring herself to say anything even more hurtful, and could only watch anxiously.

"Did I say something wrong?" Xu Damao retorted, his neck stiff. "We've been married for five years. If you could give me a son, would I be acting like this?"

"Is it my problem that I can't have children?" Lou Xiao'e cried out.

He Yudong had no intention of defending Lou Xiao'e. If Xu Damao knew that Lou Xiao'e wasn't infertile, he might not have divorced her, since Lou Xiao'e's family was much wealthier than Qin Jingru's. He wanted Xu Damao to divorce her. His older brother had just broken up with his girlfriend, so wouldn't it be great to pair Lou Xiao'e with him? In the original story, Lou Xiao'e even gave birth to a son for his older brother.

The moment he had this idea, the people in the courtyard echoed: "Divorce is a must, but being paraded through the streets is unavoidable! Divorce them first, then send Xu Damao and Qin Jingru out for a public denunciation!"

"Yes! That's exactly what we should do!"

"agree!"

"No objections!"

Xu Damao glared venomously at He Yudong, gritting his teeth as he said, "He Yudong, I have no grudge against you, what do you want?"