Courtyard House: A Leisurely and Contented Life

Before leaving, the senior leader specifically instructed that Yang Jianye be escorted home. Yang Jianye didn't hesitate and followed along as they carried the cabinet into the yard.

Sha Zhu glanced at the phonograph case and beamed with joy, as if he were hugging his own wife. He carefully picked it up and said, "I'll do this!"

Upon entering the courtyard, Sha Zhu muttered to himself, "Hey, why is it so quiet today? Is nobody here?" Usually, before the car even reached the gate, they would hear noises inside, but today, after all that searching, they hadn't seen a single person. This was strange!

As soon as you enter the gate of the central courtyard, the answer comes through: Xu Damao's shout, his anger rising straight to the rafters: "...This matter won't be over without a hundred yuan!" Although he was a bit impatient, there was a certain confidence in his voice. No wonder he's always like he's on steroids; he's been holding back his anger!

The driver helping to carry the things had curiosity in his eyes, thinking to himself that he was in for a rough time: a big meeting late at night, and someone was asking for a hundred yuan—good heavens, that's two months' salary! Who had such a big mouth? But he didn't show it on his face. The chauffeur always said "observe more, ask less," meaning he needed to know whether to speak up and to whom. If he ran into a high-ranking official like a big shot, gossiping behind his back? He'd kick them away and never let them stay by his side again. Didn't Xu Damao in the original drama lose a good opportunity by talking about Sha Zhu behind his back?

"Slow down, driver, turn left, it's that side room." Yang Jianye and the driver carried the cabinet into the yard, acting as if they didn't see the neighbors peeking in. Wasn't it enough to make a fuss over such a trivial matter all night? Did they only care about the petty things in the yard?

"Jianye!" Li Ying, who was almost dozing off while guarding the door, suddenly perked up. Her husband was tinkering with such a big cabinet, and Sha Zhu was carrying a black box (crank handle, box, etc.). Wasn't this the phonograph that could make sound in the movies?

"Master He, is this a phonograph?" Li Ying remembered.

Silly Zhu chuckled sheepishly, "Of course! Don't worry, it's all yours." Seeing the envy in her eyes, Silly Zhu secretly rejoiced: Shouldn't I be the one envious? All these good things are yours!

"My family's?" Li Ying rubbed her hands together with delight and stepped forward to touch it. Sha Zhu quickly stopped her: "Wait a minute, I'll put it inside for you."

After Yang Jianye put the cabinet away and carefully placed it down, he breathed a sigh of relief as soon as the bottom touched the ground: If this treasure had been bumped or damaged, where would he have gotten compensation for Jianye?

"Yingzi, pour the driver a glass of water. Want a cigarette?" Yang Jianye took out a pack of cigarettes, feeling worried: the stock was almost gone again. If this happened twice more, he would have to go to the market again.

"No, no, no, Mr. Yang, I don't smoke." The driver waved his hand in refusal. The high-ranking official disliked the smell of cigarettes and had a rule for his driver: no smoking. He genuinely didn't smoke; it wasn't just politeness.

"Have some water, driver. You've worked hard." Li Ying handed him some water, and the driver took it, nodding and saying, "Thank you, sister-in-law." After all, she was a capable man, so she was still his sister-in-law.

After the driver finished his water and was about to leave, Yang Jianye noticed he didn't accept a cigarette. He turned back and opened the cabinet: "Yingzi, grab a bag." He grabbed two handfuls of sunflower seeds and a handful of milk candies, quickly wrapped them up, and said, "These are for the child. Don't be shy, we'll need your help again in the future!"

The driver hesitated for a moment, but still accepted the call, thinking to himself: Look at how well Master Yang handles things, no wonder he caught the leader's eye. I heard the leader was smiling all the way here today.

"Don't see me off, don't see me off, I have to report back!" The driver rushed out the door, giving no chance for a farewell, and turned into the doorway.

Now, the previously embarrassed neighbors all swarmed around, craning their necks to peer into the house from a few meters away:

"Dad, what's that rare thing?" Yan Jiefang asked curiously. Aside from publicly shown movies, he'd barely seen any, and he'd never even seen a gramophone before. Ordinary people only saw a movie two or three times a year; otherwise, how could Xu Damao, the projectionist, be so popular? He's just been flattered!

"A phonograph is just a box that makes sound." Yan Bugui craned his neck, feeling a pang of regret: Such a treasure given to Yang Jianye, this roughneck? Does he even know anything about music? In his eyes, Yang Jianye was just a worker who dealt with lumps of iron every day; how could he understand art? What a waste! What a waste!

Xu Damao leaned closer and caught a glimpse of the overflowing envy in Qin Huairu's eyes. His eyes darted around, and he said sarcastically, "Widow Qin, are you envious of Jianye's success? Perhaps you're thinking of having something with him?"

Qin Huairu turned around and glared at him fiercely, but didn't retort. Arguing with Xu Damao? He's getting more and more excited!

But those words struck a chord with her: she was genuinely envious. If Yang Jianye had any feelings for her and gave her a hint, she didn't know if she could resist.

"He probably won't be able to hold on." Qin Huairu knew perfectly well that Yang Jianye's eyes were only on Li Ying, how could he tolerate a widow with three children like her? She was only relying on refusing to admit it, leaving behind a last bit of stubbornness.

"Hey, who gave it to you? Why did they even bring it back? I just saw it; they came in a car!"

"That must be a high-ranking official! What low-level leader would be entitled to a driver?"

"An old man said that Sha Zhu cooked for the big boss today. Looks like Jianye went too?"

"Oh, could he be the big boss's guest?"

"Wow, this is amazing! They're going to be incredible from now on!"

"Forget about the future, right now it's the 'thumb'!"

There was a commotion outside, and Yang Jianye shouted from inside, "The meeting is in progress, are you canceling it?"

Everyone was stunned. They turned around and saw something amazing!

Yi Zhonghai managed to keep a straight face and remain silent. His face, framed by bangs, was a vibrant color, like the moss that had grown for years on the coast of Shichahai.

"Look at the state of you all!" Liu Haizhong scolded the crowd with great distress. "Is this a hospital-wide assembly for you to watch a spectacle? It's just a broken phonograph, it only makes a little noise, what's there to watch and see? Can this assembly even continue?!"

After helping to put the gramophone away, Sha Zhu, unwilling to be a third wheel, slipped out of the house. Upon seeing Liu Haizhong's face, he chuckled, "Hey, Second Uncle, why is your face so rosy?"

"I..." Liu Haizhong grabbed the teacup and was about to raise it. Sha Zhu hid behind him, shrinking his neck and forcing a smile: "Oh, don't be angry with me, I'm just telling the truth."

"He Yuzhu! Stop messing around with me! This is a big meeting, be serious!" Liu Haizhong said angrily.

"Yes, yes, you're right, I was wrong, I apologize." Sha Zhu immediately admitted defeat. "This is serious, serious!" He covered his mouth with his hand, and air leaked out from between his fingers, "poof poof," like a deflated balloon.

Liu Haizhong was at his wits' end with him. This silly Zhu, keep talking nonsense! Sooner or later he'll take care of Yang Jianye and him together!

"Jianye is back, let's call him to the meeting!" Yan Bugui was thinking about the phonograph and wanted to borrow it from Yang Jianye for a couple of days. Anyway, he was a roughneck and wouldn't care about this foreign gadget!

Hearing Yan Bugui's shouts from inside, Yingzi turned to leave. Each family had to send one person to the meeting, and her husband must be exhausted from just getting back. She should let him rest; besides, she couldn't be bothered to listen to this endless gossip.

Yingzi didn't want to come today in the first place. She kept repeating the same old trivial things, which was making everyone sleepy... Besides, Jianye had just brought back this precious phonograph, and she wanted to listen to some songs and broaden her horizons! But every family has to send someone, so her family couldn't be absent, could they? When life gets better, one should be more humble. Look at those who flaunt their power, how many of them end up well?

Those with power and money should be even more low-key and amiable. People should live a fulfilling and open life, unlike petty people who, after achieving success, put on airs, flaunt their power, and satisfy their vanity.

Take the top leader, for example. His most lavish lunch of the day consists of only four dishes, including a side of pickled vegetables!

Yang Jianye grabbed her: "Where are you going? I'll go! You stay inside and listen to music."

"I'll go instead. You don't care to hear this anyway."

"I'll tell you! I don't care to hear it because I want to think about work. Let them argue, you just stay put!"

He put a vinyl record in Yingzi's ear, turned the crank a couple of times, and briefly explained the principle of the phonograph. He said that if the sound was weak and intermittent, just turn the crank a couple of times; don't turn it too much, or you might break the mechanism. After adjusting the machine, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, "Fate," flowed from the small box, echoing softly in the side room.

"It sounds so good!" Yingzi touched the cover of the gramophone, thoroughly enjoying it.

Yang Jianye then picked up his teacup and went out. Why did he go to the meeting alone?

His wife was tired and didn't want to get involved, which made him feel sorry for her, so he wanted her to listen to some music to relax. Besides, the big boss taught him a lesson today. When he first came here, he encountered difficulties and no one helped him. Whether he resented it or not, it was a favor if someone helped him, and it was their right not to.

Every family is struggling financially, so why should someone who's not related to you help you?

It's normal to feel angry, but when you think about it, they didn't take your needlework or lack your food, so there's no question of holding a grudge; it's just a superficial friendship.

As for the rest...

The words of the top leader enlightened him: to be an advanced individual and a driving force, one must have courage and magnanimity.

"If you're surrounded by bad people, you must have a problem yourself."

"To run fast, it all depends on the engine."

"The train is tilting, the front carriages need to work together to stabilize it. Everyone must stick together as one, otherwise the train will overturn!"

Stepping outside and settling onto a long bench, Yang Jianye placed his teacup aside. Remembering his superior's words, he couldn't help but mutter, "A true man must have a broad vision and an even broader mind. He must look far ahead, see the world… Even ten fingers are not all the same length! Only by embracing all rivers can one support the sun and moon! Don't you think so? Haha…"

Recalling the leader's magnanimous smile, he felt a sense of relief.

Demeanor and courage—perhaps this is what growth is all about?

Yang Jianye's absent-mindedness was perceived by others as "You can say whatever you want, I'm too lazy to get involved."

Some people were annoyed, some were helpless, some were disappointed, but some were happy, like Yi Zhonghai.

Yang Jianye's lack of involvement in the courtyard's affairs meant he posed one less threat to Yi Zhonghai. Yi Zhonghai valued this old man's position highly!

He's been doing this for so many years, and now when people in the compound see him, they call him "Uncle." If they really changed how they address him, he'd probably lose sleep.

People always need something to look forward to in life, right?

"Alright, let's get back to what we were talking about." Yi Zhonghai spoke up, raising his eyelids to look at Widow Qin, "Widow Qin, your family definitely has to pay for this. If you don't have money right now, write an IOU, specifying the date, how much you'll pay today, how much you'll pay tomorrow, there needs to be a plan. Don't try to renege, Sister-in-law, Damao's husband is still around!"

These two sentences left Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi speechless.

Yi Zhonghai then looked at Xu Damao: "Damao, you know the situation of Widow Qin's family. Even if you kill her, she wouldn't be able to get a hundred yuan."

Xu Damao knew perfectly well that Qin Huairu had no money.

The Jia family has money, but it's not in her hands. That old hag Jia Zhangshi holds onto money tightly; she might not let go even if you buried her.

Forcing Qin Huairu to pay 100 yuan in compensation wasn't just about the money. Heh heh, let's settle the details today, tomorrow…

He spread his right hand behind his back, rotated it counterclockwise, and then clenched it into a fist. This fox was sure to be caught in his grasp.

"I'll write it," Qin Huairu said softly.

Qin Huairu's eyes reddened, and her jaw ached from clenching her teeth: "Xu Damao, I'll give you five yuan a month now."

"Once I get a raise and become a full-time employee, I'll give you ten yuan a month, and then you can pay back that hundred yuan, okay?"

Her voice was choked with sobs, tears welling in her eyes but refusing to fall. She earned only eighteen yuan and fifty cents a month, supporting a large family, and scraping together five yuan each month felt like tearing flesh from her bones. But this was the first and last time she forced back her tears; no one could tell what turmoil was churning inside her.

Even Yang Jianye, who was sitting on the bench in front of his house and had just come to his senses, was dumbfounded: Why is this widow acting like a completely different person today?

"Alright." Xu Damao slapped his thigh, full of confidence. "Write a note and put your fingerprint on it now. Give me five yuan first, and I'll trust you, Qin Huairu."

Qin Huairu suddenly raised her chin, forcing back her tears, and walked a few steps to the table, asking Yan Bugui to write a note. Yan Bugui was just worried about not having a chance to show off his calligraphy, and seeing that it was a note for someone else, without mentioning "writing fee" at all, he immediately asked for the details and quickly wrote it down.

Qin Huairu's hand trembled slightly as she held the pen, her knuckles turning white as she pressed her fingerprint. Then she pulled out money from the inside pocket of her cotton-padded jacket, a few loose bills, with two one-yuan notes wrapped inside. She first laid the two one-yuan notes flat on the table, then counted the coins and small bills, stacking them into a pile once she had enough for one-yuan notes.

As she counted, her vision blurred, and her nose stung with tears. Eight cents short—that was all the money she had in her pocket. She abruptly wiped her face with her sleeve, her eyes red and brimming as she looked up, pointing to the money on the table: "It's all here. I'll make it up to you with my wages when I'm eight cents short."

Xu Damao stared at her stubbornness and felt a little uneasy: Had he angered this pretty widow?

"Fine, eight parts it is, I'll let it go this time." He raised his hand to wipe the bill, but he wanted more than just this amount of money. If he really angered Qin Huairu, he would never have another chance.

Xu Damao was shrewd; he would never stubbornly resist when it was time to back down. It was just eight cents, after all. Did Xu Damao think he was so stingy?

"That doesn't count!" Qin Huairu's voice suddenly rose, decisive and firm. "I'll make up for those eight points with my salary, everyone here can be my witness!"

The men and women in the courtyard looked at each other in bewilderment. Only today did they realize that Widow Qin had a fiery temper.

Qin Huairu gritted her teeth and accepted the 100 yuan compensation, finally bringing this "criticism session" to an end. As she turned to go back into the house, Granny Jia, her eyes darting around, obediently followed her in.

As everyone carried their stools home, they all wondered: Had Widow Qin taken the wrong medicine today? One hundred yuan! She only earned eighteen yuan and fifty cents a month as an apprentice; it would take her more than five months to save up one hundred yuan! Was she really going to accept it like that?

But Tiao'er was beaten in front of the three old men, her fingerprints were put on, and witnesses were invited. If she tries to renege on her debt, how will she ever be able to hold her head up in the courtyard again?

Actually, everyone still harbored a thought: Had Qin Huairu changed her personality? But no one wanted to believe it; how could she just change like that?

As for Sha Zhu? It's not that he's changed his ways, it's that he's woken up. Before, Yi Zhonghai kept urging him to help Widow Qin, but he stayed far away. Now that Sha Zhu has figured things out on his own, and I don't know what benefits he promised Yi Zhonghai, but Yi Zhonghai is now busy arranging blind dates for him and has stopped encouraging him to take care of Widow Qin.

However, Yi Zhonghai returned today with a pale face, so something must have gone wrong again.

The wind swirled the coal dust in the yard, and the murmurs of the crowd drifted on the wind. Qin Huairu's figure shrank behind the door, and no one saw the deep-seated ruthlessness on her lips after she wiped away her tears. She accepted the hundred yuan, but she didn't admit defeat.

"Are you done talking?"

As soon as Yang Jianye stepped through the door, Yingzi, who had been humming a tune with her eyes closed on the kang (a heated brick bed), suddenly jumped down, her heels clicking loudly on the ground.

"Yes, Widow Qin accepted a hundred yuan, and that's it." Yang Jianye replied with a smile, his hands in his cotton-padded jacket pockets, his breath forming small puffs of white vapor in front of his eyes.

Yingzi smacked her lips and stuck out her tongue: "Then her days are going to be tough."

Yang Jianye shrugged: "Who knows? We just need to live our own lives." If Widow Qin could squeeze some money out of Jia Zhangshi, she could easily afford a hundred yuan, but it's not his place to worry about that.

Yingzi thought it made sense, nodded and said "Mmm", picked up the enamel basin and walked out of the yard: "I'm going to fetch water. We didn't buy a stove today, so I still need to clean myself for a few more days."

Yang Jianye touched his nose, which was numb from the cold, and felt a strong urge to get warm inside. He imagined that once the stove was bought and a fire was lit, he and Yingzi would be able to stay cozy and warm in the house. That would be the real life...

"Jianye!"

Suddenly, Yingzi's shouts erupted in the courtyard, her voice distorted. Yang Jianye's heart skipped a beat; he rushed out before he could even put his shoes on properly, but just as he reached the door, a figure blocked his way.

Widow Qin knelt upright at his door, her cotton trousers stained with mud at the knees, her hair disheveled, looking like a blade of grass struck by frost.

"Trying to extort money?" Yang Jianye frowned, his face so dark it could drip water.

Widow Qin looked up and saw him, then quickly tried to get up, saying, "Master Yang, I didn't come here to borrow money!"

Yang Jianye didn't say a word, just stared at her with eyes as cold as ice in winter. Qin Huairu's heart tightened, but since she had made up her mind to come, she couldn't just slink away like this. She took a deep breath, swallowed the grievances that were about to come out, and said in a hoarse voice, "Master Yang, I want to learn your skills."

Yang Jianye chuckled. "Learn a skill from me? You, Qin Huairu, are only after the craft? You're probably up to something else again." "I don't take female apprentices. Go back." He refused without hesitation, then turned and called to Yingzi, who was standing blankly by the sink, "Wife, come inside, it's cold outside!"

"Ah... um!" Yingzi, carrying the basin, moved into the house, looking back every few steps.

"Master Yang, please listen to me!" Qin Huairu moved forward, her forehead hitting the ground with a thud, splattering mud onto her temples. "What I did before was wrong, I apologize!"

Yingzi's heart softened; the basin in her hand trembled slightly. Qin Huairu had it tough too. Everyone in the courtyard said the same thing: a widow with three children, plus her widowed mother-in-law, Jia Zhangshi—how could it be easy? It truly wasn't easy. But did Yang Jianye look down on her for that?

"I know you don't believe me." Qin Huairu raised her head, the mud on her forehead making her eyes look red. "People say there are several hurdles for an apprentice to enter the door. You set a rule, and if I can't do it, then this matter will be as if it was never mentioned." Her voice trembled, but every word was forceful. "I just want to rely on myself to make a living."

These words struck Yang Jianye's heart like hammer blows. He sighed, stepped aside to let Yingzi enter the house first, then moved a stool from the wall and sat down with an air of authority: "Really want to learn?"

"Yes!" Qin Huairu nodded vigorously, tears falling "plop" onto the muddy ground. "This hasn't been on my mind for just a day or two..."

What brought her to this point was her daughter, Xiao Dang. That girl ran wild in the courtyard all day, and no one specifically taught her any grand principles. But one day, when Qin Huairu was complaining to Jia Zhangshi about how hard life was, Xiao Dang, who had just entered the room, suddenly stood up straight, her voice, though still childish, completely serious:

"Mom, labor is glorious, and hard work leads to wealth! Uncle Yang used to be so poor he couldn't even afford to eat, but now he has more meat than he can eat. Mom, why don't you go to work too, and learn from Uncle Yang?"

Jia Zhangshi immediately berated Xiao Dang, calling her an ingrate and heartless wretch, saying, "How can a woman compare to a man? What does this good-for-nothing know?" Xiao Dang, however, cried out, "Women hold up half the sky! That's what the great man said!"

That childish voice pierced Qin Huairu's heart like an awl. She suddenly froze. Why couldn't she be like Yang Jianye, supporting herself with her own hands? Who doesn't want to live like a human being, so that others would give her a thumbs up and say, "This woman is amazing"? Was she really just born with a masculine nature?

No! Qin Huairu is also very capable. She manages the household inside and out, goes to work and does chores, and never neglects anything.

But once the man is gone, the family collapses. A widow and her child are left alone, and even though she's beautiful, she attracts unwanted attention. Dealing with all those messy affairs every day is exhausting enough, but then there's Jia Zhangshi at home, always scheming and manipulative, a relative who's more ruthless than a stranger.

Later, an old man said he would help her learn a skill and take care of her. She thought she had found a lifeline, but instead, he gave her a "meal ticket" like Sha Zhu. Who wouldn't be happy to have something so good for free? Isn't that how all the widows outside live?

A woman who can support her entire family is praised as "an extraordinary woman".

Qin Huairu's enthusiasm gradually dissipated.

But now, seeing Yang Jianye go from having nothing to living a life that the whole courtyard envies, how could she not feel a spark of anger? It was Xiao Dang's words that ignited that fire.

Yang Jianye was a fourth-level riveter, and in principle, he wasn't qualified to take on apprentices. However, he was highly skilled, valued by the factory manager, and had even received two commendations. The factory had long wanted to arrange an apprenticeship for him. But he was always busy, had high standards, and had Hua Zi to serve him, so the matter was put on hold.

Why didn't Qin Huairu come before? Wasn't it because she'd been worn down by life and held back by Jia Zhangshi and the old man's "kindness"? But today, she really wanted to try, to make a living on her own.

Qin Huairu felt conflicted, but she was also concerned about saving face, and she knew that Yang Jianye had always disliked her, so she couldn't bring herself to actually speak to him.

First, her mother-in-law abandoned her, ignoring her every time she went to see her, her gaze growing colder each day. Then, Sha Zhu turned on her without warning, extinguishing her last hope. After two consecutive hospital-wide assemblies that completely blocked her way, she finally gave up hope; she realized she couldn't rely on anyone else.

When my heart gave up, a long-suppressed energy rekindled: Why can't I earn a living with my own two hands? Am I missing a hand, or am I crippled?

With that thought in mind, she came.

Filled with grievances and resentment, he knelt down at Yang Jianye's door with a thud.

Yingzi was genuinely terrified. In the pitch black, a dark figure suddenly darted past her from behind, followed by a "thump" as it knelt down at her doorstep, its hair disheveled. Anyone would be startled. And those eyes, like they were on fire, stared straight at her.

Yang Jianye spoke, his voice flat: "Take one hundred yuan from your mother-in-law and give it to Xu Damao as compensation."

The first condition sealed Qin Huairu's fate.

"If you do something wrong, you have to admit it. She scratched your face, so she has to pay for it."

"To learn a skill from me, first learn how to be a good person."

"If you don't learn how to be a person, it's all for nothing to learn anything else."

"Work in the special workshop is tough, tiring, and time-consuming. If you can't even manage your own job, don't even think about it."

Regardless of her response, he continued, "I treat everyone equally, regardless of gender."

"Carrying iron, loading materials—you have to do what others do, and you also have to do what others don't do."

"Slacking off, dragging your feet, expecting others to do the work for you, and then leaving."

"From this day forward, I will not take a single penny except what I earn with my own two hands."

"Taking a widow as an apprentice is bound to cause trouble, but as long as you act uprightly and honestly..."

"Anyone who causes you trouble is slapping me in the face, but if you go astray and ruin my reputation... you won't be able to stay at the steel mill anymore."

"When you go out, don't mention my name unless it's for official business. If I find out even once, you're out of here."

Seeing that she still held her head high and refused to back down, Yang Jianye simply stated bluntly: "If you want to graduate from my tutelage, it's difficult for others, but even more difficult for you. Have you thought it through?"

After saying that, he got up, put away the stool, hooked his foot and closed the door with a "click".

It was a freezing cold night, with the wind howling. Qin Huai knelt alone in the courtyard, looking like a dazed man.

"Squeak," she heard a noise behind her and looked up sharply. She saw Sha Zhu standing at the doorway, looking at her with a complicated expression.

Qin Huairu turned around, slowly stood up, supporting himself on the icy ground, and was about to go inside when Sha Zhu spoke from behind: "If you really think like you just said, following Jianye will surely make you successful."

"If you have any other thoughts, I'm afraid you won't be able to stand firm in this courtyard from now on."

"Jianye is magnanimous and doesn't like to fuss over trivial matters."

"But if you provoke him, his methods are something that, let alone you, no one in this 5.9 courtyard can withstand."

Qin Huairu trembled, and without turning her head, she said, "It's none of your business."

As soon as she entered the room, whispers quickly filled the air, followed by the clattering of chests and cabinets being rummaged through, interspersed with Jia Zhangshi's suppressed sobs.

Having lived to this age, this is the first time Sha Zhu has felt that Qin Huairu is not bad.

The next day, Yang Jianye was awakened by the aroma of food. As soon as he opened his eyes, his wife was bending over to set the table. He lifted the covers and tiptoed over, saying, "Oh, you scared me! You're up so early in the morning..." After cuddling for a while, he was urged by Yingzi to take a basin and go out to wash up.

Just as he put down the basin at the sink and picked up the mug to brush his teeth, the curtain of the Jia family's room was lifted, and Qin Huairu came out. His face was pale, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept well last night. In fact, he had heard the commotion from inside the room; he recognized Jia Zhangshi's voice, her wailing in a strained voice, which she had been howling for quite a while last night.

"Master Yang, here is one hundred yuan. I would like to ask you to be my witness and take back the note given to Xu Damao."

Qin Huairu opened her hand, which was clenched with ten ten-yuan bills, and handed it to him.

"The Courtyard House: A Leisurely Life" is currently being serialized and is not to be missed!