Courtyard House: A Leisurely and Contented Life

With a tap of your finger, you'll instantly be transported to the exciting world of Chapter 33, where one person convinces the other.

He Yushui finally arrived.

I changed into a new outfit and tidied myself up neatly. These days, ordinary families don't have that many cosmetics; clam oil or face cream is the best they can get. So, making sure you're clean and dressed smartly is considered dressing up.

"Brother Jianye."

Sitting at the round table, He Yushui's gaze towards him was rather strange. They were both experienced people; how could she not understand? Li Ying had vaguely sensed it when she greeted her earlier. Whenever her identity was mentioned, He Yushui seemed distracted, and her eyes held a hidden hostility.

Yingzi was watching closely! Moreover, alarm bells were ringing in her mind, as if a voice was screaming, "This is a rival in love! This is a rival in love!"

A woman's sixth sense is mysterious and illogical, yet it truly exists; it's simply amazing!

So, seeing He Yushui's expression, Li Ying reached out and took her husband's arm, a gesture of asserting her dominance. No matter how unassertive a woman may be, she wouldn't back down on this. A normal woman who gave in would be considered seriously ill. Unless there's some special reason, what woman would willingly relinquish her man? In the past, in the deep courtyards of mansions, all the scheming, the life-or-death struggles, the ruthlessness, the final transformations into something unrecognizable—wasn't it all for this? Even in those times, few families enjoyed peace and tranquility, let alone now, with new ideas being promoted everywhere.

Sensing Yingzi's nervousness, Yang Jianye placed his hand on the back of her hand and patted it gently. He stood up, looked at Yingzi, and smiled, "I'll go see how Zhuzi's preparations are going. You two chat."

As soon as Yang Jianye left his seat, He Yushui's gaze drifted away.

Yingzi understood and said, "Yushui, your clothes are really nice, where did you buy them?"

Startled by her call, He Yushui, preoccupied with her own thoughts, turned around in a fluster, awkwardly tugging at her sleeve to show her: "It's worthless, my brother took me to buy it at the Dong'an Market."

Before the Wangfujing Department Store opened, Dong'an Market was the busiest place. On weekends and holidays, it was packed with people, so crowded that you couldn't even squeeze through a crack. The counters were so crowded that they would break in the process. It was just like the Wangfujing Department Store today, where the shoe and hat counters are supported by a row of iron poles to prevent them from being completely blocked by crowds on weekends and holidays.

Although Wangfujing has stolen some of the customers, Dong'an Market is still developing quite smoothly. After all, no one can run to the department store every day; no matter how rich you are, you can't collect that many customers. So, Dong'an Market's business is still pretty good, but Wangfujing has taken away the high-end goods and consumers.

"That's great! When are you free? Let's go to Dong'an for a stroll!"

Yingzi's enthusiasm left He Yushui speechless. After all, she was just a schoolgirl, and she really couldn't handle Yingzi... With just a few words, Yingzi had her all smiles, calling her "Sister Yingzi" over and over again, treating her even more affectionately than her own brother.

"Hey, we didn't even know each other a moment ago, and now she's all over us." Sha Zhu brought the dishes to the table.

He Yushui, sitting up straight after Yingzi, retorted, "You don't understand a girl's thoughts."

"Yes, I don't understand, only you do." Sha Zhu laughed and scolded, "Hurry up and get the chopsticks."

He Yushui wasn't annoyed and happily ran to the stove to get chopsticks. She bumped into Yang Jianye right in front of her, and her smile immediately faded, replaced by a slight embarrassment. She understood now that he was already married and belonged to someone else. No matter how unwilling she was, it was impossible for them in this lifetime.

Ultimately, He Yushui didn't have Qin Jingru's ulterior motives. If it were her, and she were to get involved with someone like Yang Jianye, she might actually be thinking of breaking up his life so she could marry him off. That girl, like the former Qin Huairu, wasn't exactly innocent either!

"Brother Jianye, congratulations on your marriage."

Suppressing her unrealistic little thoughts, He Yushui congratulated him. Although she was still somewhat reluctant, she had finally figured things out and had a clear understanding of the situation, which was a good omen.

Yang Jianye nodded and smiled, "Thank you, I'll get you some wedding candy later."

We still have those milk candies and melon seeds from before, so let's grab a handful for her and make up for it. After all, she did congratulate us, didn't she?

"Um."

As they brushed past each other, He Yushui couldn't help but sigh. She could only blame herself for being born too late! Otherwise, she wouldn't have ended up with an outsider. However, Yushui was also quite ambitious! So what if she missed out? Once she graduated, she was sure she could find someone good, no worse than Yang Jianye.

"However, he seems to be doing quite well these days?" He Yushui wondered. Why did Yang Jianye and her silly brother seem to have changed so much since they came back? Was there something she didn't know about?

Once everyone was seated at the table, Yang Jianye opened the jar.

"The rice wine is homemade by the villagers."

Upon hearing it was rice wine, He Yushui insisted on having some too. Yang Jianye turned to look at Sha Zhu. Damn it, he's the one who calls the shots here.

Sha Zhu nodded and said, "Jianye, give her a cup."

"Just one cup!" Sha Zhu specifically instructed that he shouldn't drink too much. Although this rice wine doesn't have a high alcohol content, it's quite potent. If you drink a few more cups, you'll be lying down.

After pouring a drink for all three of them, Yang Jianye looked at Yingzi and asked with a smile, "Why don't you drink a little too?"

Yingzi nodded: "Okay, drink less, I'm happy today."

They emptied the jar completely and put it down. Sha Zhu, He Yushui, and Yingzi had already picked up the jar.

"Come on, let's have one together."

Wishing everyone all the best and a prosperous life.

"Good, may your business prosper more and more."

The glasses clinked crisply, and after downing the wine in one gulp, a feeling of comfort washed over me, and my appetite naturally returned.

The table was laden with six dishes, a pleasing sight to behold!

The first dish was deep-fried peanuts, golden brown and crispy—this was Sha Zhu's absolute favorite. No matter when he was drinking, these were always a must-have. That's why, last time, he couldn't even finish half a drink before having to run back to his room to get them, only to bump into Bang Geng, who was acting like a big shot in his room.

The second dish, braised chicken with mushrooms, was cooked to perfection! The dried shiitake mushrooms, after being handled by Sha Zhu, absorbed the rich chicken broth. One bite, and the juices burst forth, even more satisfying than eating meat.

The third dish is braised fish. If you steam this carp, the muddy taste is really unpleasant. But braising it with plenty of seasonings eliminates the fishy smell, leaving only tenderness, smoothness, and fragrance. Perfect!

The fourth dish is "Three Whites in Fermented Rice Wine Sauce". The proper way to make it is with sliced ​​chicken breast, sliced ​​mandarin fish, and sliced ​​winter bamboo shoots. But today, we didn't have the ingredients, so Sha Zhu improvised. The chicken breast was from a freshly killed chicken, incredibly fresh; the fish was replaced with cabbage stalks, paired with winter bamboo shoots. The ingredients were downgraded, but the skill was undeniable, and the taste was just as good as a restaurant's.

To be honest, Sha Zhu is a true genius when it comes to cooking. If he didn't have these skills, he wouldn't have been able to keep a whole yard of vampires sucking his blood for two or three decades while still being so healthy and living a comfortable life. If it were someone with a weaker constitution, the grass on their grave would probably be five meters high by now.

Finally, there were two light vegetarian dishes: stewed cabbage with tofu and stir-fried shallots.

To be honest, today's meal was a bit too extravagant... Not to mention, even a year ago, we might not have eaten this well during the Lunar New Year.

He Yushui never put down her chopsticks once she picked them up, and her mouth never stopped moving. Yingzi wasn't much different; if she weren't a stranger and felt a little embarrassed, she probably would have eaten even more than He Yushui.

However, this caught Yang Jianye's attention. Yingzi's appetite had indeed increased significantly since she first married into the family, and she was eating more and more, while also constantly complaining of fatigue and wanting to take a nap every now and then.

Yang Jianye's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but ask, "Yingzi, have you been eating more lately?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ying, who was engrossed in eating fish, blushed. She looked up at Sha Zhu and He Yushui, and nudged her husband with her elbow in embarrassment and annoyance: "What are you saying! Who can eat this?"

"Haha..." Sha Zhu and He Yushui laughed along.

Yang Jianye laughed, but still lowered his voice to explain, "No, I didn't mean you ate too much, I was just thinking..."

He sat up straight, his eyes gleaming with excitement, and lowered his voice: "Are you pregnant?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ying was stunned. Pregnant?

Thinking about it carefully, I realize my appetite has indeed increased, and I've been sleeping a lot lately. My head hits the pillow and I fall asleep instantly, and even though I sleep soundly, I still feel sleepy in the morning. This does seem a bit like…

Yingzi was pondering to herself, which made Yang Jianye so anxious that he squirmed back and forth in his chair, wishing he could stand up and spin around.

"Wife, say something!"

Seeing his restless state, He Yushui chuckled and called out, "Sister Yingzi, say something! If you don't say anything, my brother's chair seat will be worn down!"

Looking up at Yang Jianye's tense and anxious expression, Yingzi covered her mouth with the back of her hand and laughed. After laughing enough, she comforted him, "Alright, don't worry, it's not certain yet!"

"Well... how about we go to the hospital for a checkup?"

"No need to investigate," Yingzi shook her head in refusal. "What's the point of investigating this? We'll know whether my period comes or not in a couple of days, won't we?"

She hadn't thought about it before, but now that he reminded her, Yingzi had a general idea. If nothing unexpected happened, she should be pregnant.

Are Yang Jianye and Li Ying going to have a child? Although it's not 100% certain, judging from their behavior, it's pretty much a done deal.

"Jianye, Yingzi, congratulations to you both!" He Yushui clasped her hands in a fist salute and shook them.

Sha Zhu also raised his glass: "Brother Jianye, Sister Yingzi, I also wish you all the best."

"Thank you, but that's not necessarily true!" Yingzi said modestly, but she couldn't hide the smile on her face, and her hand unconsciously went to protect her stomach.

Her little belly was a bit bulging, probably from eating too much. Yingzi's cheeks flushed slightly, but she pretended nothing was wrong.

Meanwhile, Yang Jianye poured the wine in front of Yingzi into his own jar, his face beaming with a smile that never stopped.

Seeing his expression, Sha Zhu was happy for him, but he still gave him a special reminder: "It's best not to tell anyone about this yet. Let's wait until the first three months are over."

Sha Zhu's reminder made Yang Jianye realize that this was an old rule: the pregnancy was unstable in the first three months, so it couldn't be publicized. It was best to keep it to oneself, as talking about it too much was considered unlucky.

Yingzi had also heard her mother say that before the wedding, she was specifically told not to tell anyone about her pregnancy, and to go back to her parents' home to ask her mother if she had any questions or felt uneasy.

"Jianye, after work tomorrow, I want to go home." After all, it's the first time a young woman has married a man, and Yingzi is unsure of herself. She feels it's better to go back and tell her mother to put her mind at ease.

"Okay, I'll go with you," Yang Jianye replied cheerfully.

Yingzi chuckled softly, "No way, I'll go back by myself."

Yang Jianye was taken aback for a moment, then realized what she meant. She was going back to her mother-in-law for advice and reassurance; if he went with her, it would make it inconvenient for the two of them to talk.

"Alright, then be careful. And bring back ten catties of flour while you're at it." Yang Jianye was wealthy and generous. With Yingzi managing the household, their daily expenses had decreased significantly. They still had more than half a bag of the refined flour they had previously rewarded him with.

"No need. Who brings all that stuff home every time they go back? I'll just buy some groceries and snacks myself." Yingzi had a plan. Bringing lavish gifts during holidays was a way for a man to show his love for his wife and to bring honor to her family. But if they brought so many gifts on ordinary days, it wouldn't look good to outsiders. Besides, if they got used to taking things, they might turn into enemies if they ran out of things one day.

Seeing that she was determined, Yang Jianye stopped talking and just drank and laughed foolishly.

He Yushui, sitting opposite, was stunned. What were these two talking about? What was going on? Why were they offering up ten jin of refined white flour? What, did they own a flour factory?

"Look at you, scared out of your wits?" Sha Zhu chuckled to himself at her adorable, bewildered expression. If he weren't used to hearing that, he would have been dumbfounded too.

He Yushui nodded: "He was frightened, silly brother, what happened?"

Sha Zhu glared at him and grinned, "How dare you talk to your brother like that? From now on, don't call me 'Silly Brother,' call me 'Brother'!"

"Didn't you tell me to call him that?" He Yushui was even more dumbfounded.

"You were the one who patted your chest and said you'd call me 'Silly Brother,' and I've been calling you that for so many years. What, are you trying to renege on your promise now?"

He Yushui looked at Sha Zhu with suspicion, wondering to herself, "What's going on? Did I come to the wrong house? Could this guy be He Daqing's secret child with Widow Bai?"

"That was before, you don't call someone that anymore." Sha Zhu rolled his eyes at her, picked up a piece of food, and said, "Your brother still needs to find a wife! Calling someone 'idiot' all the time, what good girl would want to marry an idiot?"

Hearing this, He Yushui's gloom instantly vanished. Her eyes darted around, and she leaned forward, asking, "Brother, are you going to find me a sister-in-law?"

"Yes, we've met."

"Tell me quickly! What do you look like? What do you do for a living? How's your relationship going?" He Yushui's mouth was like a machine gun, spewing out words one after another.

Sha Zhu took a sip of his drink and chuckled, "You're asking so many questions at once, how am I supposed to answer?"

He Yushui ignored his teasing. Her gaze drifted and fell on Yang Jianye and Yingzi, who were being affectionate across from her. A pang of sadness shot through her heart. Well, she had only been to school for a short time, and now her yard was filled with lemon trees? And they were growing so lushly.

"Let's talk about Jianye first, what's the situation?" she asked casually.

Sha Zhu was both amused and annoyed. He thought to himself, "I'm about to find a wife, and you're already concerned about someone else's precious flour. Fine, you're really my sister!"

"Jianye is really something now..." Sha Zhu put down his chopsticks and embellished his account of Yang Jianye's performance at the factory recently. He mentioned how Yang Jianye was being called upon to learn from others, how he had improved technical solutions multiple times, how he had been summoned by high-ranking leaders, how the factory director valued him, and he even mentioned the changes at home.

At this point, Sha Zhu turned to Yang Jianye and said, "Jianye, after the New Year assessment team comes down, you should be promoted again, right?"

Yang Jianye smiled and nodded: "Yes, I plan to try taking the CET-6 exam this time."

Specialized job assessments are conducted on fixed dates, with top experts from higher levels traveling to nearby factories to conduct advanced assessments. Companies like Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, which wouldn't normally qualify for such a special trip, only got this exception thanks to Director Yang's persistent and persistent pleading.

Since Yang Jianye joined the factory, the focus has shifted from solely rolling steel to manufacturing components. Why would a level-four riveter become a foreman in a special workshop? Just for the novelty!

After reaching level six this time, Yang Jianye doesn't plan to aim for any higher. Firstly, he hasn't fully mastered the technology, and secondly, he hasn't been at the factory long enough. Level six can be attributed to his exceptional talent and the guidance of his mentor, but going higher requires real experience and practical skills; simply reading books and drawing diagrams won't suffice.

More importantly, Yang Jianye was also a little apprehensive. He'd been promoted seven levels; who knew when a phone call would come and he'd be gone? Which of those classified projects didn't need these highly skilled special workers? Back during the level four assessment, he'd almost been taken away by the top expert because he'd performed too steadily. If he hadn't refused, and if Director Yang hadn't used the factory's transformation as an excuse, would he be living such a peaceful life now?

But this time there's no need to worry; the steel mill can't function without him these days. Unless the steel mill decides to shut down, the higher-ups won't abandon the factory just to poach one person.

Let the experts worry about those high-level projects; it's good enough for me to stay at the grassroots level and be a competent cog in the machine.

After listening to their conversation, He Yushui's mind went blank; she was completely dumbfounded. Her mouth hung open, but she couldn't utter a single word for a long time. All the confidence she had felt earlier vanished into thin air.

Will I really be able to find someone like Jianye in the future?

She stole a glance at Yang Jianye's smiling yet resolute face, her heart filled with even more resentment. Where could she find such a good man?

The meal lasted until late at night before Yang Jianye and Yingzi got up to say goodbye.

Slightly tipsy from a few drinks, He Yushui insisted on going along: "I just want to take a look! Sister Yingzi, you can't kick me out, can you?"

Seeing her cheeky attitude, Yingzi smiled and said, "No rush, come on, I'll take you to see it."

Yingzi understood perfectly well that this was a case of "the less you try to stop her, the better." They lived in the same courtyard and had a good relationship; if He Yushui wanted to see, could she really stop her? Since she couldn't stop her, she might as well let her see as much as she wanted. After she saw it, she might have some lingering thoughts, but after a few days, she would come to terms with reality and the feeling would pass.

Besides, she'll have to go back to school after the New Year, and by the time she graduates, it'll be two years, and she'll already have her own child. Who knows, she might meet someone good by then, and they might even be engaged.

For her, her own man was the best, but others might not be. Moreover, she trusted her own man so much that her eyes only had eyes for her, just like Li Ying. Apart from him, even the sun and moon would become mere background.

He Yushui left, carrying with her a bellyful of resentment and regret.

As soon as she entered the room, she collapsed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), her eyes glazed over and unfocused.

Yingzi's voice drifted from next door: "Look, that's where you add water. The water flows around the house and then to the other side."

"Then it was stored in this tin box, with hot water constantly flowing from it, keeping the water inside warm."

"When you want to take a shower, just turn this on, and hot water will come out."

"Jianye feels sorry for me. Even when washing dishes or clothes, he won't let me touch cold water; he insists on using warm water."

"It's good, but burning coal is heartbreaking..."

He Yushui, who had been staring blankly, suddenly rolled her eyes, and the corners of her mouth slowly drooped down.

"Ugh—this is so annoying, waaaaah..."

She buried her head in the blankets and couldn't sleep a wink that night.

……

Inside the room, Yang Jianye dried his feet and climbed onto the kang (heated brick bed). Looking at Yingzi, who had returned with water, he asked, "Aren't you worried?"

Yingzi remained calm as she tidied up the basin and towel, saying, "What do I have to worry about? What's not yours, you can't take even if you steal it; what's yours, no one can take away."

She looked up at him, her eyes smiling, and said, "You're mine, and I can't take you away."

Hearing this, Yang Jianye's eyes welled up with tears. He threw off the covers, got off the kang (a heated brick bed), reached out and hugged her, intending to lift her up.

The next moment, the person was rooted to the spot as if they were made of lead.

"What's wrong?" Yingzi, who had been startled and embarrassed, turned around curiously.

"Slow down, slow down, you still have a baby in your belly!" He carefully let go of her hand, holding her with the same tender care as if she were a precious treasure, which made Yingzi both amused and touched.

"Even if you are pregnant, it's only been less than a month. There's no need to be so delicate. My mom was pregnant with me for eight months, and she did all sorts of work."

It's normal to be eight months pregnant while taking care of a large family. In the countryside, it's common to see women eight months pregnant working in the fields, carrying loads of twenty or thirty pounds for miles.

"That applies to other people, not our family," Yang Jianye said seriously.

He doesn't care what others do, but it's different in his own home. While it doesn't have to be as extreme as not allowing any movement at all, caution is still necessary. Especially in the first three months, and towards the time of delivery, it's best to take about half a month off in advance.

As for letting Yingzi stay at home and be cared for, that's definitely out of the question. She wouldn't agree, and he wouldn't do it either. Keeping a pregnant woman on the bed is something only a fool would do; if that were the case, even a healthy child would develop health problems.

During the first three months and the month of your due date, you and your family should pay close attention to your baby. Otherwise, just go about your normal routine, avoid overexertion, and focus on taking care of your belly.

"We've got a deal, you'd better be careful at work, or I'll have to step in. But I'll ask Sister Fu to talk to the union and women's federation over there and ask them to keep an eye on things for me."

Upon hearing that he also wanted to contact the labor union and the women's federation, Yingzi was both amused and exasperated: "No need, really no need. Don't try to make an exception for me, what will my coworkers think of me? Besides, you don't want me to fall behind, do you?"

For every "advanced" unit, there must be a "backward" one. Some units evaluate them monthly, some quarterly, and at most every six months. Whoever is recognized as an advanced unit shines in the factory, and everyone greets them with a smile and praises them.

If you're labeled a "backward element," your neighbors will gossip about you when you get home.

"This guy's lazy; he got labeled a 'backward employee' by the company?"

"Really? Then let's stay away..."

"Let's go, hurry up, don't linger here, it's bad luck!"

If someone gives you a cold shoulder to your face, you can only suffer in silence. That's how realistic our attitude is towards those who are backward.

Yang Jianye chuckled, "How can we be considered backward? With your working hours, how are you any worse than anyone else?"

"I'm no better off than anyone else, we're all the same." Yingzi put the stool against the wall, making the room much more spacious, and then she sat on the kang (heated brick bed) and snuggled in his arms.

"Jianye, I know you care about me, don't worry, I'll definitely take care of myself. But the child is ours, not someone else's, so why should you worry about him? Don't you think so?"

She looked up, gave him a reward, and said happily, "Listen to me, your wife isn't that delicate."

Okay, Yang Jianye has been rendered speechless by her. We'll do whatever you say, alright?

"Yes, don't worry."

Yingzi happily lowered her head and touched her belly: "This child is destined for good fortune."

……

Early in the morning, before Yingzi had even gotten up, she heard some noises coming from inside the house.

When I opened my eyes in a daze, I saw a figure standing by the stove with its back to me.

brush--

Yingzi sat up and looked closely before recognizing her husband. She turned around and touched the bed, and sure enough, it was him.

"Jianye, why are you up?" Yingzi asked, walking down the street while still dressed.

Ever since he bought the cast iron coal stove, the water pipes in the house have been burning hot, with several loops around the corners and beams, making the whole house warm and cozy. You'd break a sweat even if you were just wearing a light shirt and walking around the house for a few steps.

"Make breakfast, go back to bed and sleep a little longer."

Yang Jianye put down the beaten eggs and then stirred the soaking flour paste. To make the flour paste smooth and with lumps smaller than grains of rice, it had to be stirred, soaked, and stirred again and again until the dough was smooth and sticky, then slowly pulled into strands and dropped into boiling water.

The cooked noodles are smooth and delicious. Add a scrambled egg and a sprinkle of salt.

Tsk tsk—

"I'll do it, don't bother." Yingzi tied her hair up and immediately took over the job.

Yang Jianye turned around to dodge, then chuckled and said, "Don't try to take this from me. I'm going to show you what I can do today. You usually do it, I just want to have a go once in a while, okay?"

Seeing her still somewhat reluctant, Yang Jianye continued, "Your husband's cooking skills can't be wasted, can they?"

Yingzi chuckled, covered her mouth with her hand, and spat, "You're so glib; I can't argue with you."

Yang Jianye raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Hey, who can out-argue whom between us? Yesterday, he was left speechless."

"Okay, you do it, I'll tidy up the room." Yingzi turned back and started folding the quilt and sweeping the kang (a heated brick bed).

After finishing, he sprinkled water on the ground and swept it clean with a broom. Once he was done, he crumpled up Yang Jianye's towel and hung it on the top section of the pipe at the base of the wall to dry.

Yang Jianye was even busier than when he got up early to cook breakfast.