Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He Yuzhu took a bite and nodded, saying, "Not bad, much better than most women. Looks like you've had your fill of physical labor."

"That's right!" she smiled smugly. "Who doesn't cook for themselves these days? Come on, let me toast you!"

She eagerly filled her glass, clinked glasses with him, and her face quickly flushed.

The more they drank, the softer their words became.

She moved closer slowly, her eyes hazy, and murmured softly:

"Rain Pillar... I really want to... rely on someone right now... Thankfully, you're here..."

"Drink, another one..."

His head bobbed little by little, until it almost rested on his shoulder, his voice barely a whisper:

"Yuzhu... I'm so tired... help me inside... to rest for a while..."

As soon as Chen Xueru was helped into the house and sat down on the edge of the bed, she grabbed He Yuzhu's clothes and wouldn't let go. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were glazed, her meaning was all too clear. He Yuzhu was already restless from the alcohol, and seeing her so alluring, his heart warmed, and he could no longer move his feet.

A night of passionate lovemaking, clouds swirling and rain pouring, swords drawn with dragon's roar, winds raging and waves crashing...

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, He Yuzhu woke up. He stared at the ceiling, his mind still a little foggy, unable to tell whether the previous night's dream was real or not.

But the warm body beside him lay quietly, breathing evenly—reality slapped him hard in the face, bringing him back to reality: the deed was done.

As the effects of the alcohol wore off and reason returned, regret crept in. That night's indulgence had been exhilarating, but now it felt like a fishbone stuck in his throat. He still had Lou Xiao'e; the two had been engaged long ago, almost ending up together in their past life, and even had a son. In this life, their bond was even stronger, from the traditional Chinese medicine shop to the restaurant layout, from logistics to mechanical design—which aspect could do without his involvement?

He cannot extricate himself from this situation.

But last night… I couldn’t control myself. Alcohol was one factor, but ultimately, I couldn’t resist Chen Xueru’s face and her charm. In a moment of impulsiveness, I took a wrong step.

However, He Yuzhu wasn't one to shirk responsibility. He wouldn't shift the blame to the alcohol, nor would he blame anyone for tempting him. He accepted the responsibility he had to bear. It was just that how things would proceed next needed to be discussed properly.

If Chen Xueru wanted to rely on him, he could support her; but if it came to marriage—sorry, he couldn't. He was already on the deck of the Lou family's ship, and there was no going back.

He gently nudged the person beside him: "Xue Ru, Xue Ru?"

"Don't make a sound... let me sleep a little longer..."

Chen Xueru responded vaguely, her voice as soft as cotton candy. Last night was too intense; she even woke up several times in pain, the alcohol had even startled her awake, but her body couldn't take it. She was completely exhausted and still felt weak all over.

Seeing that he couldn't wake up, He Yuzhu looked out the window. It was only a little past five o'clock, which was indeed a bit early. He carefully lifted the covers and tiptoed to the bedside to get dressed. As soon as he got up, the bed creaked, startling him so much that he held his breath.

I remember Manager Huang saying that this bed was made of willow wood, very sturdy, and could last for decades. But after he tossed and turned it around all night, it looked like it had been run over by a heavy truck, teetering on the verge of collapse.

"This bed needs to be replaced, or at least reinforced with iron bars."

His mind was filled with fragmented images, but just by looking at the bed, he knew that there had been quite a commotion last night.

After getting dressed, he slipped out of the room and practiced his boxing a few times in the yard, gradually calming his turbulent emotions. While stretching his muscles, he pondered how to confront Chen Xueru next.

Just then, the kitchen stove was lit, and he took out ingredients from his personal space and quickly got to work. He prepared breakfast items from both the north and south: steamed buns, fried dough sticks, jianbing guozi (Chinese crepes), and several authentic Cantonese dim sum dishes—rice noodle rolls, shrimp dumplings, chicken feet, and glutinous rice chicken—the aroma wafting out in layers.

The aroma finally roused Chen Xueru from her dream.

She reached out and touched the space beside her; it was empty. A whiff of fragrance wafted towards her, and it became clear to her instantly: it was him.

I tried to get out of bed, but my legs wouldn't obey me at all. My knees buckled and I almost fell, but luckily I managed to catch myself on the edge of the bed.

"Rain pillars! Rain pillars!"

She called out twice, her voice filled with a coquettish tone and weakness.

He Yuzhu immediately entered the room: "What's wrong?"

Seeing her swaying unsteadily, he quickly stepped forward and scooped her up in his arms. Her body was soft and supple, wrapped in a gossamer-thin silk nightgown, her curves faintly visible, making his heart race. But he gritted his teeth and steadied himself, carrying her to the dining table in a few steps.

"Wow, so many?" Chen Xueru's eyes lit up. She teased him, but her eyes were full of dependence.

"It's to make it up to you." He smiled and handed over the chopsticks. "These are Cantonese dim sum, have a taste."

She picked up a shrimp dumpling, and as she bit into it, the juice burst out, and a smile appeared in the corners of her eyes.

Chen Xueru couldn't resist the aroma and immediately grabbed her chopsticks to start eating. He Yuzhu's breakfast was all perfectly prepared, every bite was a flavor explosion, and even just a small taste made her feel full quickly.

When she could no longer eat, there was still a lot left on the table, but He Yuzhu didn't even frown and swept it all up in a whirlwind.

After the meal, he swiftly cleared away the dishes, his movements as crisp and fluid as flowing water, without the slightest hesitation. Chen Xueru watched his retreating figure, her eyes flickering slightly, her heart warming even more.

When he returned after finishing his work, she immediately said, "Yuzhu, I'll take care of these things from now on. You're a manager at the steel mill now; we can't always let you do these chores around the house..."

Her words already carried a tone of practicality, and she had even begun to plan for married life. But after only a few sentences, He Yuzhu's expression changed slightly, and he hesitated before speaking:

"Xue Ru, I... actually have a fiancée."

The air seemed to freeze.

Chen Xueru froze on the spot, forcing a smile: "But we're like this... Will you marry me? From now on, I'll be in charge, and I'll give you control of all the money in the silk shop..."

"Xueru, the Lou family... it's not something you can just leave as easily as you think, it involves too many things. But I promise, if you ever need anything in the future, I'll definitely help you to the end. Or, how about I take you to Hong Kong Island someday?"

He tried to explain, but with each word he spoke, Chen Xueru's face grew paler.

She knew the Lou family, of course—they were a family that even her father addressed as "Master" with utmost respect. She never imagined that He Yuzhu would be the Lou family's prospective son-in-law.

My heart felt like it had been squeezed tightly.

She had finally met a man who satisfied her from head to toe—he was outstanding in every way, from his abilities and temperament to his courage. Even during their intimate moments last night, he had supported her when she was most helpless. She had already decided in her heart that this was the one.

In the end, however, it still fell short by one step.

"Even if we can't get married, I will never abandon you. With me around, no one will dare to touch you."

She had initially wanted to grit her teeth and break off all pretense of civility, forcing him to make a clean break, but upon hearing these words, her heart softened, and she couldn't utter any harsh words. After all, among all the men she had ever met, He Yuzhu was always the one and only number one.

"I have to go now……"

She struggled to her feet, her mind a jumble of thoughts, but her legs gave way and she nearly collapsed. Fortunately, He Yuzhu reacted quickly and caught her.

"Don't push yourself now. Rest a bit longer and wait until you have the strength."

With that, he picked her up horizontally and gently placed her back on the bed.

She didn't say anything, lay down, pulled the blanket over herself, turned her face inward, and stopped looking at him.

"Last night... I was too impulsive, aren't you going to scold me a bit?"

He Yuzhu climbed onto the bed, wanting to hug her and talk. The first time, his hand was violently flung away; the second time, it was pushed away again; but the third time, she didn't resist and let him embrace her.

A moment later, she suddenly turned over and took the initiative to wrap herself around him.

He was embraced by her warm, soft body, and his breathing instantly became heavy.

Around 7 a.m., the smoke from the chimneys in the courtyard had dissipated, and most people had finished breakfast, some of whom were preparing to leave for work.

He Yuzhu returned from outside just then, drawing several glances from the courtyard. However, he often came home late, and since he hadn't returned last night, no one found it strange, assuming that the steel mill had called him away for overtime work again.

As soon as he stepped into the house, He Yushui was sitting at the table eating breakfast. Seeing him return, her eyes lit up, and she jumped up, asking, "Brother! You're finally back! Where did you go last night?"

Before she could finish speaking, her nose suddenly twitched—she caught a faint, familiar scent from He Yuzhu, as if she had smelled it somewhere before, but couldn't quite place it.

"Something came up and I was held up." He Yuzhu said calmly, "I'll give you more food coupons and money in the future. If you're too lazy to cook, just buy food outside."

As he spoke, he quickly pulled out a few grain coupons and some change and stuffed them into her hand, successfully diverting her attention.

He Yushui took the money and immediately beamed with joy, her mind filled with only one thought: how much money could she save if she ate at home every day?

He Yuzhu changed his clothes and went out with her.

On the way, He Yuzhu's mind was still churning over yesterday's events—he had quelled Chen Xueru's pent-up frustration with a few words, but he would have to meet her a few more times to figure out how things would go next.

Asking Li Wangcai to sell ginseng? It wasn't a sudden inspiration at all. Ever since the Life Space was upgraded, the time flow speed has skyrocketed to "one year inside is ten years outside," and ginseng cultivation has been like laying golden eggs. If he really went all out, he would be more secure than anyone else on the throne of the richest man in the medicinal herb industry.

But having been given a second chance at life, his ambitions have changed. Looking at those industry tycoons being interviewed and surrounded by fans on TV, he now thinks—it would be quite pleasing to the eye if I were in their shoes.

Trading ginseng for gold jewelry? That's easy. These days, ginseng is for keeping you alive, while gold is for emergencies; families with a little savings and many elderly members would rather grit their teeth and buy a ginseng root than hold onto gold until they die.

The old ginseng he had accumulated in the space was piled up like a mountain. If he sold it all, it would be enough to exchange for tens of thousands of grams of gold jewelry. With the goods brought by Lou's father, he would have a stronger backing than steel bars in Hong Kong.

Once inside the factory, I routinely swept around the canteen and greenhouses—perfectly normal, no problem.