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

Li Huaide stared blankly at Xu Damao, the words Zhou Feng and Qin Jingru had just spoken echoing in his mind: they wanted to see Xu Damao and Qin Huairu get married in the courtyard, and that old lady was causing trouble.

Then... he should take the initiative to make this happen!

Thinking of this, Li Huaide smiled at Xu Damao: "Come to my office first, I'll go get your signature."

"what?"

Xu Damao was taken aback by his words, but Li Huaide's lips curled up slightly: "Didn't you say you were going to marry Comrade Qin Huairu? I'll sign for you both, and then you can get it stamped by the labor and personnel department. Otherwise, how can you get married?"

"what?"

The two gasped simultaneously, and Qin Huairu unconsciously took a few steps forward: "Me...me too?"

"Nonsense! How are you going to register today if you don't sign?"

Li Huaide's words made Qin Huairu, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, instantly jump into her throat again.

Are they really going to register their marriage?

As if seeing through Qin Huairu's thoughts, Li Huaide's gaze swept across their faces, his tone laced with a mocking laugh: "Don't you two want to get married? Then things will be complicated today."

To be honest, Li Huaide didn't care whether the two of them would be convicted of hooliganism or what the consequences would be.

What he cared about was not letting Xu Damao and the other two affect Zhou Feng's mood.

As long as Zhou Feng is in a good mood, I'd do anything, even let Xu Damao and Qin Huairu get married, let alone...

No, he can't do that. Even if it meant getting his bodyguard to marry Qin Huairu, he would still do everything in his power to make it happen.

Xu Damao nodded with a complicated expression, and watching Li Huaide walk ahead, he turned back and tugged at Qin Huairu: "Let's go!"

He never dreamed that one day he would actually get a marriage certificate with Qin Huairu.

The widow's reputation was well-known among their circle of playful people.

Once this marriage is finalized, who knows how much people will laugh at us!

However, the threat of being exiled to the frontier had not been eliminated, and Xu Damao dared not cause any further trouble.

The two followed Li Huaide to his office, where the signing went exceptionally smoothly. After signing, Li Huaide even personally escorted them to the labor and personnel department to get the official stamp.

He then sent his secretary to use the factory's car to take Xu Damao and Qin Huairu back to the courtyard house, where they retrieved all the household registration books.

It didn't even take an hour from start to finish; the couple had all the necessary documents for their wedding.

At the entrance of the Civil Affairs Department, Xu Damao and Qin Huairu got out of the car. Li Huaide's secretary, sitting in the passenger seat, waved to them expressionlessly: "You've prepared all the materials. Hurry up and register, then go back and do what you need to do. Don't forget what Director Li instructed: prepare the self-criticism report for next week's factory-wide meeting in advance."

"Don't worry, we'll definitely prepare in advance."

Xu Damao pulled Qin Huairu along, responding repeatedly until the other car drove away, at which point he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The two walked along the path toward the entrance of the Civil Affairs Department, neither of them speaking.

Qin Huairu kept her head down and took small steps; she truly did not want to marry Xu Damao.

Xu Damao, standing in front of her, looked extremely uncomfortable, as if he had just swallowed a bitter pill.

"Xu Damao..." Qin Huairu suddenly called out from behind.

Xu Damao, who was walking ahead, stopped, turned around, and frowned at her: "What is it now?"

Qin Huairu bit her lower lip, hesitating for several seconds before squeezing out, "Could we...not go public yet? At least...not let my mother-in-law know. I'll think of a way to tell her later..."

"hehe…"

Xu Damao sneered, staring at Qin Huairu in front of him: "Slowly? Why do you think Li Huaide signed so readily? Are you really stupid or just pretending?"

"He just wants to curry favor with Zhou Feng, he's practically begging to make Zhou Feng laugh! Didn't you hear what your cousin said when Zhou Feng left, that she wanted to see us make a scene? If we don't go through with the wedding, and that old lady starts causing a ruckus in the yard, how will Li Huaide explain it to Zhou Feng?"

"Damn it, isn't that your sister? How come you're getting along with her?"

Xu Damao was cursing under his breath. If it weren't for what Qin Jingru said before she left, there might have been room for things to be resolved!

Qin Huairu's face paled even more. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something in rebuttal, but couldn't find a point to refute.

In this whole affair, she and Xu Damao were treated like fools from beginning to end.

Qin Jingru wanted to watch the excitement, and Zhou Feng tacitly approved. Li Huaide set up the stage, and she and Xu Damao were the two monkeys on the stage!

"But... but we can't do it today..."

Her voice trailed off, but Xu Damao's voice suddenly rose: "What the hell can't you do? If you want to be sent to the frontier, then keep dragging your feet. I'll just run away! You'll see who takes care of your son after you're sent down. Will that old hag of your mother-in-law be able to raise him?"

Qin Huairu immediately fell silent.

Seeing Xu Damao continue walking forward, she silently followed behind.

The registration process was much faster than I expected.

The couple had complete letters of introduction from their employers, accurate proof of marital status, and correct identity information. The clerk in the civil affairs department didn't ask any questions, simply stamped and signed the documents, and handed them two bright red marriage certificates.

Xu Damao, with a gloomy face, didn't even glance at the marriage certificate before stuffing it into his pocket.

Qin Huairu also sighed, unconsciously clenching the marriage certificate in her hand until it became slightly deformed.

This was certainly not her first marriage, but with Jia Dongxu, a matchmaker brought them together, and the two families sat down for a meal to discuss the matter before finally settling on it.

Unlike this time.

In a daze, I got the marriage certificate. I felt no joy at all. Instead, I was filled with anxiety about what I would have to do with my old, shrewish wife.

"Go away, the sooner you die, the better. Even if your mother-in-law is powerful, what can she do to me? I have nothing to do with her!"

Xu Damao reached out and tugged at Qin Huairu's arm, his tone softening.

Now that the two have already registered their marriage, the die is cast, and no matter how unwilling he is, he has to continue living his life.

Qin Huairu nodded and followed behind Xu Damao with her head hanging low.

When passing by the supply and marketing cooperative, Xu Damao even took out a few small bills from his pocket and bought a pound of steamed rice cake and a bag of fruit candy.

"What are you doing...?"

"To shut your mother-in-law up!"

Xu Damao shoved the candy into her arms, a smirk playing on his lips. "You believe it or not? This one bag of candy will keep that old lady happy for half a day. What can she do to us? I, Xu Damao, am still a factory worker, no matter what. Does some penniless old woman really dare to bang on the table with me?"

Qin Huairu didn't reply, but sighed softly to herself.

If that old hag Jia Zhangshi could be appeased with a few pieces of candy, why has she lived such a miserable life all these years?