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

What does it mean to be as beautiful as a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without any artifice?

The figure in the gray dress had an incredibly slender waist, standing there like a stalk of bamboo.

Another one, putting everything else aside, just a side profile was enough to almost make Xu Damao drop what he was holding.

He worked as a projectionist in the steel rolling mill for many years, and he screened quite a few films.

Neither the moviegoers nor the actresses in the film can compare to the woman in front of them.

Even though Zhao Pan'er simply gathered her hair behind her head, the cool and elegant aura between her brows and eyes made her seem like a fairy who had stepped out of an ancient painting. Standing in this dusty courtyard, she made the surrounding brick walls appear even more antique.

Seeing Xu Damao's slightly ingratiating expression, Zhao Pan'er and Sun San Niang had no intention of paying him any attention.

They've run a shop in Qiantang for so long, they've seen so many people.

With just one glance, the two women could already guess what the guy in front of them was thinking.

Not to mention that they are now empresses and imperial concubines, even when they were running teahouses in Qiantang, people like Xu Damao were despised by them.

However, this was not their own world after all. In order not to cause trouble for Zhou Feng and Bai Ling, Zhao Pan'er simply took a step back without making a sound and turned slightly to the side: "No need, we sisters are here to find someone."

"Who should I look for?"

Xu Damao's eyes lit up: "Just tell me directly. There's no one in this courtyard that I, Xu Damao, don't know, no matter who..."

"Zhou Feng, we are Zhou Feng's relatives."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Pan'er calmly announced Zhou Feng's name.

Before they came, Zhou Feng had already told them that his name was quite intimidating in this world, and now it was a good time to test it out.

Xu Damao, who was about to continue boasting, suddenly froze, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily for a few seconds.

This name had been a nightmare for him before; whenever he got involved with Zhou Feng, he would suffer a major setback.

Whether it was losing face at the steel mill, collapsing in jail, or marrying Qin Huairu, a widow with four children, it was all the same!

However, he really hadn't seen Zhou Feng recently and didn't know where that guy had gone. He hoped that he would never come back!

Thinking of this, Xu Damao's eyes lit up.

Zhou Feng isn't here!

This is fantastic news!

Since he's not here, haven't those two women just come up empty-handed?

Then don't blame Xu Damao for seizing this opportunity to curry favor and poach talent!

After clearing his throat, Xu Damao's smile returned, and his tone softened: "Oh dear! You came looking for Zhou Feng? What bad timing! He hasn't been back for quite a while. I'm guessing you're relatives from afar? Why don't you come to my place, have some tea and rest, and I'll try to find out if Zhou Feng has sent any news back!"

Xu Damao turned to the side, made a gesture of invitation, and his gaze swept quickly across Zhao Pan'er's face. The anger in his heart suddenly rose up and he couldn't suppress it.

What kind of lesbian is this?

She's clearly a fairy!

Feeling Xu Damao's gaze, Zhao Pan'er's expression instantly darkened.

She looked up at Xu Damao without saying a word, just staring at him, which made Xu Damao feel uncomfortable. Cold sweat poured down his back, and standing in the yard, he felt as if the wind blowing over him had cooled him down.

Under these circumstances, Xu Damao naturally couldn't bring himself to say the polite words he was about to utter.

"Thank you for your kindness, we'll just wait for him here."

Zhao Pan'er's voice was somewhat cool, yet also very beautiful. Xu Damao, however, dared not speak further and continue to pester her.

Even though Zhao Pan'er had only been trained for a short time, the majesty emanating from the Empress was something Xu Damao couldn't withstand.

"They're just waiting for me to change my clothes. Where are you taking them?"

Just as Xu Damao stood there, somewhat at a loss, a voice that was almost a psychological trauma to him came from Zhao Pan'er's side, causing his back to stiffen instantly and his body to unconsciously remain upright.

"Comrade Zhou... Comrade Zhou Feng, when did you get back?"

Xu Damao's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and beads of sweat streamed down his forehead.

He took half a step back, then another half step back, until his back was almost pressed against the wall of the passageway before he finally stopped.

Zhou Feng put a hand on Zhao Pan'er's shoulder, tilted his head and looked at Xu Damao: "I don't need to report to you when I'm coming back. I'm just asking where you're taking them? To your house?"

At this moment, Xu Damao's voice was trembling, and even his legs felt weak.

If he had known that these two women were brought back by Zhou Feng, he would have gone to great lengths to avoid them. Why would he bother to chat with them?

Now look what's happened, we've really messed with the King of Hell!

"No... how could I dare? I was just thinking that your relatives were coming to visit, and I didn't know if you were back yet, so I was thinking of helping you entertain them! Now that you're back, you should entertain them yourself!"

Xu Damao's expression looked like he was crying, and his voice was slightly choked with sobs. He wanted to slap himself hard.

At home, isn't all you do to listen to Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi's rambling?

What is it?

As long as you don't take it to heart, isn't it just like a scene from a play?

Why bother coming out here to let in some random breeze?

Now look what's happened, we've messed with Zhou Feng, we won't need to keep quiet anymore.

Just then, Qin Jingru and Lou Xiao'e skipped and hopped out of the room.

"Sister Pan'er, Third Sister, we're ready, let's go!"

People like Zhao Pan'er and Sun San Niang naturally brought gold and silver, but people in this era don't accept gold and silver. Even if you go to exchange them, you have to explain the source of the gold and silver, otherwise there will still be problems if someone reports it.

So Bai Ling simply handed over a large portion of the cash in her house to Lou Xiao'e, asking her to take Zhao Pan'er and the others out and be responsible for their spending.

As for why it wasn't given to Qin Jingru?

The lesson she learned from the money taught her that no matter how much pocket money she gave Qin Jingru, the other party had the ability to turn all of it into snacks!

"Jing...Jingru, are these two really your relatives? Please help your brother-in-law and Comrade Zhou Feng put in a good word for you. Your brother-in-law doesn't mean any harm; he was just joking."

Qin Jingru scratched her head, whistled, and glanced at the sky as if there was some kind of Western spectacle up there.