Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

Seeing that Lou Xiao'e's eyes were red again, Qin Jingru, who was still eating her meal, suddenly panicked.

"Sister Xiao'e, what's wrong? Didn't Brother Zhou Feng say he'd already rescued your parents?"

"No...no, it's not about my parents!"

Lou Xiao'e sniffed, raised her sleeve to wipe away the tears streaming down her face.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from the side and precisely grasped her wrist.

Zhou Feng handed over a neatly folded handkerchief: "You should use this to wipe yourself. You finally got these clothes clean, don't get them dirty again."

Lou Xiao'e's tears stopped instantly, and her entire face turned red from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears.

She usually pays a lot of attention to her image, and it's not common for her to wipe away tears with her clothes like this.

It's just that she had experienced too much yesterday, and then that happened last night, which made her a little dazed, so she couldn't care less about her usual rules!

Unexpectedly, Zhou Feng pointed it out directly, right in front of Qin Jingru!

Qin Jingru didn't care about Lou Xiao'e's behavior at all; instead, she smiled and moved closer to Lou Xiao'e.

"Sister Xiao'e, no matter what the reason is, we don't need to shed tears, right? Now that you're with Brother Zhou Feng, we're family. Just tell him what's wrong, and Brother Zhou Feng will handle it for you!"

Hearing what Qin Jingru said, Lou Xiao'e was already extremely embarrassed. She took the handkerchief Zhou Feng handed her, wiped her face haphazardly a couple of times, and her voice was somewhat muffled.

"You guys eat, I...I'm going to wash my face!"

This morning, in the short time it took to eat breakfast, she almost destroyed the values ​​she had cultivated over such a long period of time.

How dare Zhou Feng raise a child in front of Bai Ling?

How could Qin Jingru so comfortably place herself in such a low position?

After what happened last night, how should Zhou Feng treat her from now on?

With so many things weighing on Lou Xiao'e's mind, she practically fled the house.

"Sister Xiao'e, that green enamel plate outside was specially brought back by Brother Zhou Feng for him and Sister Bai Ling. You can use that one too!"

Qin Jingru shouted from behind, but Lou Xiao'e pretended not to hear.

She ran to the edge of the pool in one breath, squatted down, and splashed the cold water on her face, which finally relieved the burning sensation a little.

But when Lou Xiao'e looked up and saw her reflection in the water, it wasn't what she had imagined.

The person in the water had a rosy complexion, bright eyes, and a slight smile that she didn't even notice.

Is this her?

Last night she cried her eyes out, begging Zhou Feng to save her parents.

She got out of someone else's bed this morning and still has that smile on her face. It feels a bit strange no matter how you look at it.

"Are they able to get up at this time?"

"I think it should be about the same, but I don't know which room they live in. I'll ask them when I run into them later."

Lou Xiao'e heard a familiar voice coming from the courtyard gate and looked up sharply. She saw her parents walk through the hanging flower gate and into the front yard.

Lou Zhenhua's face showed no expression, but his haggard appearance and white hair were impossible to hide.

Lou's mother's eyes were swollen like peaches, clearly indicating that she hadn't slept well all night.

The moment the two saw Lou Xiao'e, Lou's mother burst into tears.

"E'zi!"

Lou's mother staggered towards her, hugged her tightly, and cried uncontrollably, "E'er! I've been watching you so closely! After I was taken away yesterday, I thought we'd never see each other again!"

Lou Xiao'e, who had been holding back her emotions all morning, broke down instantly with her mother's sobs.

She leaned on her mother's shoulder, crying so hard that her whole body trembled and her voice became distorted.

"Mom, I thought you wouldn't make it out yesterday too! Those people were so fierce, how could you and Dad, at your age, have stood a chance!"

The mother and daughter hugged each other in the yard and cried together.

Lou Zhenhua stood in the middle of the courtyard, his lips trembling slightly, but he didn't go over in the end.

His gaze shifted to his right, where Zhou Feng was leaning against the doorframe, holding a half-eaten bowl of rice porridge.

With everyone outside crying like this, how could he and Qin Jingru possibly eat anything inside?

"Comrade Zhou Feng!"

Lou Zhenhua took a deep breath, strode over, stopped at Zhou Feng's door, and bowed deeply: "My wife and I came here specifically to thank you. Our Lou family will forever remember your great kindness!"

Zhou Feng waved his hand unhurriedly: "You're exaggerating. Given our relationship, it's only right that I help. Let's come inside and talk. Don't stand in the yard; it's too noisy and distracting."

Lou Zhenhua felt a chill run down his spine and immediately understood Zhou Feng's meaning.

He glanced back at his wife and daughter, who were still embracing and weeping, and lowered his voice: "Let's go inside. What kind of behavior is this outside?"

Lou's mother was brought back to her senses by his shout. She quickly wiped away her tears, put her arm around Lou Xiao'e, and walked inside.

As she passed by Zhou Feng, her gaze lingered on her daughter's face for a moment, then looked at Zhou Feng again. Her lips moved slightly, but she didn't say anything.

But at this moment, Lou's mother already understood perfectly.

When I first saw Lou Xiao'e, she was somewhat out of control and I didn't notice.

But now that she's calmed down, how could she, as someone with experience, not notice the seductive look on her daughter's face?

Their brows and eyes were filled with spring fever, their complexions were unnaturally flushed, and their gait was somewhat awkward. It seems that they weren't the only ones who couldn't sleep last night!

This made Lou's mother's heart clench.

If this had happened in the past, she would have definitely made a scene on the spot and demanded an explanation from Zhou Feng.

Their daughter is perfectly fine. So what if she's divorced from Xu Damao?

Before getting married, she went to someone else's house and spent the night there, and this kind of thing happened. How is Lou Xiao'e supposed to face people after this?

But now…

Lou's mother held Lou Xiao'e's hand tightly, hiding all her thoughts.

After yesterday's commotion, she finally understood that the world is no longer the place where she was a wealthy lady or young mistress.

The couple was able to get out of the detention center unharmed thanks to Comrade Zhou Feng, who was standing right in front of them.

They can make them come out with a single word, and they can also make them go back with a single word.

Remembering what her husband had said the night before, she resolutely chose to remain silent.

Zhou Feng entered the room and naturally instructed, "Jingru, go and prepare two more dishes; we have guests."

"Why!"

Qin Jingru gave a crisp reply and ran off to the kitchen.

The Lou couple were overwhelmed by the variety of household appliances in Zhou Feng's home; they had never seen anything like them before!

Since they met Zhou Feng last night, this young man has been shattering their previous understanding.

Lou Zhenhua's gaze followed Qin Jingru's retreating figure as she ran to the kitchen, then fell on Zhou Feng, a knowing glint in his eyes.

This Comrade Zhou Feng and that female comrade are clearly not simple people.

A young woman, so early in Zhou Feng's house, and so obedient, entering the kitchen as if she were in her own home—can this relationship be ordinary?

Moreover, the way that woman looked at Zhou Feng just now clearly showed intimacy and dependence, like…

Just like my own daughter!

Lou Zhenhua took a deep breath in his heart.

He had heard Lou Xiao'e mention at home that Comrade Zhou Feng was going to marry Comrade Bai Ling, and that Comrade Bai Ling also lived in this courtyard.

In such chaotic times, this young comrade not only lived a comfortable life, but also kept more than one woman in his house.

Moreover, it seems that even Bai Ling, who comes from the Municipal Bureau, has no objections. How much ability does that take?

While this may sound disrespectful to women, a man's status can often be judged by the women around him.

Lou Zhenhua certainly couldn't afford to offend someone like that, but he could cling to his coattails!

Just then, a figure passed through the passageway and entered the front yard.

"Who was that just now? Crying and sobbing in the yard so early in the morning, what kind of behavior is that? Don't they know where people live in the yard..."

Liu Haizhong was about to leave when he heard someone crying outside as soon as he entered the Intermediate People's Court, which annoyed him.

But halfway through his sentence, he saw Lou Zhenhua, who hadn't even had a chance to enter the house yet, and his voice suddenly stopped.

This... isn't this someone from the Lou family?

Why did they come out?

Liu Haizhong looked at Lou Zhenhua with a blank expression, his mind going blank.

He personally reported the Lou family's matter, and he was even present when the guards dragged the Lou couple away, though he didn't show his face.

This matter should be a done deal, and his credit should be rightfully his.

Why are they out today?

And they even went to Zhou Feng's house!

Liu Haizhong's gaze unconsciously drifted over Lou Zhenhua's shoulder and peered into the room, where he met Zhou Feng's eyes.

Zhou Feng, still sitting in his chair, had no expression on his face, but it sent a chill down his spine.

"Master Liu, is there something you need?"

Zhou Feng's voice came from inside the house, indifferent but making Liu Haizhong shudder. He quickly waved his hand, "No! What could I possibly need? I was just passing by! You all go ahead with your business!"

As he spoke, he turned and walked outside, his steps quick and swift.

Lou Zhenhua frowned slightly as he watched Liu Haizhong's hurried departure.

This fat man is the second eldest uncle in the courtyard. He had dealt with Lou Xiao'e when she got married, but not in great detail. He only knew that she was a power-hungry official.

Why does it feel like this person is avoiding them?

Noticing that Liu Haizhong had left, Zhou Feng asked with interest, "Mr. Lou, do you know who ordered food from your house?"

Lou Zhenhua was taken aback, then shook his head: "We really didn't know that. The guards didn't mention it either. We just know that someone reported it."

Zhou Feng nodded but didn't speak. He simply raised his chin in the direction Liu Haizhong had left.

Before Lou's mother and Lou Xiao'e could react, Lou Zhenhua suddenly gripped the armrest of the chair, his eyes filled with disbelief and anger.

"Him? Why him?"

Lou's mother finally understood. Her eyes widened, and her voice trembled slightly: "He reported us? We have no grudge against him, why would he want to harm our family?"

Lou Xiao'e also gritted her teeth, her chest heaving violently.

She used to live in the backyard and had a lot of interaction with Liu Haizhong, but she never offended him.

Unexpectedly, the person who reported her parents to the police was actually her second uncle!

"He's now Team Leader Liu, and he also oversees the security department of the steel rolling mill. Guess what his promotion level is?"

Zhou Feng spoke softly, but the Lou family instantly understood Liu Haizhong's purpose.

Lou Zhenhua took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down.

In the past, if Liu Haizhong wanted to deal with the other party, it would have been a simple matter of saying a word, but things are different now.

Their family is barely able to take care of themselves right now, how could they possibly have the ability to retaliate against others?

Moreover, Liu Haizhong is in charge of the security department of the steel rolling mill. They would probably have to avoid him if they saw him, let alone retaliate against him.

"Mr. Lou, do you have any thoughts?"

Zhou Feng's curious voice came over. Lou Zhenhua shook his head, his voice a little hoarse: "No, our Lou family has remembered this person, but it's not the right time to deal with him yet."

Zhou Feng looked up at him and nodded slightly.

Fortunately, Lou Zhenhua remained clear-headed and did not ask for his help.

Many people's personalities and behaviors change during periods of great ups and downs.

If Lou Zhenhua loses his composure because of this matter, then Zhou Feng should reconsider whether to let him run the things he has arranged.

As they were talking, Qin Jingru had already brought the dishes over.

Zhou Feng's refrigerator is full of pre-made dishes carefully prepared by chefs from this world. They only need to be heated up and are delicious and convenient.

Lou Xiao'e quickly got up to help set out the bowls and chopsticks.

Lou's mother wanted to lend a hand, but the two girls had already done all the work. She had never seen those appliances before, so she didn't know what to do and could only stand awkwardly to the side.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lou, please don't stand on ceremony. Make yourself at home here, and don't be shy with anyone."

Zhou Feng waved to him, but there was a deeper meaning in his words.

Lou Zhenhua's heart stirred, and he unconsciously glanced at his daughter before slowly sitting down at the table.

Lou's mother was the same, but she was much more perceptive than Lou Zhenhua. Upon careful observation, she even noticed a red mark on her daughter's neck!

Although part of it was covered by the collar, the edges and corners were still visible.

In Zhou Feng's own world, this situation would be called... planting strawberries.

Lou's mother almost burst into tears.

Her daughter, without any official status or recognition, just followed a man like that.

It feels like those young people who were dismissed by Lou Zhenhua more than ten years ago. At home, they don't even have human rights; they're more like servants to the couple.

Only those who lived through the old society know what it was like to work as a servant for such a master!