Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He Yuzhu knew in his heart: in his previous life, Lou's father died of illness in Hong Kong, the root cause being the severe beating he suffered in prison, which left him with a fatal internal injury; in this life, he would never let that calamity repeat itself. In his previous life, he fled in a panic, empty-handed, and naturally faced great difficulties; this time, he was going with his family's wealth and his brains, and He Yuzhu trusted Lou's father's abilities—from now on, he would probably really have to rely on his wife to support him.

He got up to say goodbye, and his figure had just disappeared outside the courtyard gate.

Mr. Lou wiped his face, silently went upstairs, and pushed open Lou Xiao'e's door. Mrs. Lou sat quietly on the edge of the bed, while Lou Xiao'e's eyes were red, and she was twisting the hem of her clothes with her head down.

They weren't there when he spoke—there were some things a father couldn't bear to say in front of his daughters. But the words "sweeping the whole country" had already relieved him of all his worries.

Upon seeing her father's tear-filled eyes, Lou Xiao'e also burst into tears: "Dad...did Shazhu say something that hurt you? I'm not getting married! I don't want you to be sad!"

Mr. Lou gently patted the back of her hand, his voice gentle yet unusually solemn: "Silly girl, Zhu Zi meant it, he would protect you, cherish you, and guard you for the rest of his life. He's a good boy. Dad's crying isn't because of that... These next words, in this lifetime, unless you see your mother and me with your own eyes, you can't mention them to anyone—except Zhu Zi, understand?"

Lou's mother didn't speak, but just stared intently at her husband, waiting for him to speak.

Mr. Lou took a breath and turned to his daughter: "Xiao'e, do you still remember your Uncle Wang?"

Lou Xiao'e nodded: "I've heard a little about it..."

Lou's father's voice trembled, his eyes red-rimmed: "He's probably never going to get out of here. I wanted to take you with me, but the storms there are too fierce, and people are too cunning. I can't even protect myself, let alone guarantee I can protect you... From now on, it'll just be you and Zhuzi, wading forward step by step." He paused, his throat bobbing, "Today at the neighborhood committee, we have to put on a show—my dear daughter, this matter concerns your life for the rest of your days, we absolutely can't let it slip. I know you're in turmoil, but your mother and I are really leaving, going to Hong Kong. We won't leave a single letter; and we can't turn back. When the clouds clear and the winds change, we'll definitely come back to see you."

Before he could finish speaking, he choked up and lost his voice. The feeling of abandoning one's own flesh and blood to go far away from home was like a dull knife cutting into one's heart again and again; even taking a breath was painful.

Lou Xiao'e clutched the hem of her clothes, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "Dad, can't the three of us... go with Sha Zhu?"

Father Lou gently shook his head: "Zhu Zi has burdens he can't let go of, and a roof that will collapse if he can't hold it up. He's already planned everything out, so you have to stay calm too—from now on, you have to discuss everything with him, big or small. You can't act impulsively or throw tantrums anymore, understand?"

Lou Xiao'e threw herself into her mother's arms, biting her lip until it bled, but she couldn't make a sound. Her heart felt hollowed out and filled with ice water, cold and numb with pain—her dearest person was turning away and walking into the fog, never to be seen again.

Lou's mother gently stroked her back, her hands trembling slightly: "Girl, you've grown up and become sensible. Mom can't accompany you on your future journey, but you must remember: there are people to share the hardships and people to share the joys. As long as Zhuzi is here, you are here too. Don't cry, there will always be a time when we meet again."

Lou Xiao'e clutched her mother's clothes tightly, managing to squeeze out only one sentence: "Mom, I can't bear to part with you..."

The room was so quiet that only sobbing could be heard. The three people were in tears, and none of them looked up.

Lou's father wiped his face, his voice hoarse: "If we don't leave now, we won't even be able to squeeze through the door later. I trust Zhuzi. Listen to him more, ask him more questions, understand?"

……

The three of them silently rehearsed tomorrow's scene, going over the lines again and again, chewing them down and swallowing them.

Early in the morning, the sky was overcast and the fine snow fell silently, a thin layer floating on the eaves, walls, and bicycle handlebars, as if heaven and earth were quietly wiping away tears.

The Lou family had already packed everything, their luggage light, but their hearts felt as heavy as lead. The air was still, even their breath was heavy with the sorrow of parting.

The courtyard gate creaked open, and Lou's father carried an old cloth bag, while Lou Xiao'e held a neatly folded cotton quilt and pushed the old bicycle that had accompanied her as she grew up. Her face was still wet with tears, and snowflakes still clung to her eyelashes.

The three of them walked slowly toward the neighborhood office, their steps as slow as if they were walking on cotton.

As soon as they entered, Director Gao greeted them with a broad smile: "Director Lou, you're here so early? Please tell me what instructions you need!"

Lou's father sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping: "Alas... our family has suffered a misfortune, a shameful incident has occurred. I beg the organization to help us resolve this." As he spoke, he handed over the cloth bag.

Director Gao was taken aback: "We're all family, can't we just discuss this behind closed doors?"

Lou's father turned his head and gently raised his chin at Lou Xiao'e—it was the first time in her life that she had crossed the threshold alone, and he could no longer reach out to help her.

Lou Xiao'e suddenly looked up, tears welling up in her eyes, but her voice rose sharply: "New era, new rules! Marriage is not a business transaction, much less something you can dictate! Why is it called 'arranged marriage' when I've chosen the right person? I'm happy to live with a man who earns his living with his skills and shoulders responsibility, so what? Your condescending tone makes me feel nauseous!"

She cried so hard that she trembled all over. No one could tell whether her tears were for the farewell, for the play, or... the two were already mixed up.

Director Gao was taken aback and subconsciously glanced at Lou's father—what could a rich family's daughter possibly want? But Lou Xiao'e's words hit the nail on the head regarding policy, and he dared not be ambiguous.

Lou's father stood up abruptly, his face ashen: "I'm doing this for your own good! You've met Comrade Wang; he's upright, hardworking, and in no way does he not deserve you. Today, I only have one sentence—break up completely with that cook and marry into the Wang family! Otherwise, I don't have a daughter like you!"

Lou's mother immediately chimed in, her voice shrill: "What future does someone who toils by the stove have? Is it worth causing such a commotion for the whole family?"

The words had barely left his lips when the office erupted in a cacophony of voices—several middle-aged female workers clutched the corners of their aprons, the old accountant adjusted his glasses, and the young clerk slammed his notebook shut: "Working people earn their living with their own hands, that's something to be proud of!" "Freedom of marriage is written into law, who dares to trample on it?" "So what if he's a cook? Every single hot bun in our bowls, wasn't it steamed by him?"

Lou's father and mother exchanged a glance and secretly breathed a sigh of relief—this was exactly the measure that He Yuzhu had repeatedly instructed them to take.

Lou Xiao'e straightened her back, tears still streaming down her face, but her tone was resolute: "I want the person I chose, the path I picked myself. Labor is glorious, freedom is priceless—you cannot dictate my fate!"

Lou's father slammed his hand on the table: "Good! You have guts! Even if you starve to death on the streets, don't ever set foot in my house again!"

Lou Xiao'e raised her face and said, enunciating each word clearly, "If we don't log in, we'll never log in again!"

Lou's mother sneered, "Then let's sever all ties! We're not relatives anymore, no more contact! Want to come back and freeload? No way!"

Lou Xiao'e opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing. She buried her face in her palms, her shoulders heaving violently.

Director Gao felt a tightness in his chest, and shoved the cloth bag back into Lou's mother's hands, his face as black as the bottom of a pot: "Fine! I'll be the witness! Xiao Li—hurry upstairs and get the official seal! Draft the document, stamp it, and sign it immediately! Comrade Lou Xiao'e, the organization is on your side!"

"We're on your side!" More than twenty people shouted in unison, their voices hitting the walls and making the window paper vibrate.

Mr. Lou pointed to the bicycle and the quilt, his voice cold and hard: "Apart from these two items, everything else belongs to the Lou family—she is not allowed to take any of them." He turned and urged Xiao Li to quickly write down the list.

Director Gao stared at the couple, his heart filled with contempt—how could parents be so heartless?

He quickly turned to Lou Xiao'e, his tone softening: "Comrade Xiao'e, if you don't find a job later, come find us anytime. The neighbors are all your support!"

Lou Xiao'e nodded through her teary eyes, then, with tears still in her eyes, signed her name on the paper, the pen tip tearing through the back of the paper.

Several women surrounded her, gently putting their arms around her shoulders and whispering, "Good girl, don't be afraid... It's a tragedy to have parents like these."

The letter of severance was made in triplicate, and each copy was carefully kept before the ink was dry.

Mr. Lou walked to the door, glanced one last time at the blanket in his daughter's arms and the bicycle behind her, and said in a hoarse voice, "Have you brought everything? From now on, you are not allowed to step into the Lou family's gate."

After saying that, he turned and stepped into the wind and snow without looking back.

Back in their empty house, the couple finally broke down and wept bitterly. All the composure they had maintained shattered the moment the door closed.

After crying her fill, Lou's mother asked in a hoarse voice, "Is everything settled?"

Lou's father wiped away the remaining tears from the corners of his eyes: "Take the important items and go to Jinshi Wharf to wait for me today. I'll wait for Zhuzi to come tomorrow night, explain things, and then rush over to meet him."

Lou Xiao'e pushed her cart, trudging alone through the snow, the wheels crunching softly as they rolled over the thin layer of snow.

When they arrived at the courtyard house, she raised her hands, which were red from the cold, and gently knocked on He Yuzhu's door.

He Yuzhu had no idea that the person he cherished most would be pushed out of his home today—at this moment, he was squatting in front of the factory boiler room, wiping the greasy wok with a rag.

He Yushui was at home on winter vacation when she heard a knock on the door. She slipped on her cotton slippers and went out to look.

There stood a strange girl at the door, her eyes red and swollen, holding a quilt in her arms, and an old cloth bag hanging on the handlebars.

He Yushui was taken aback and asked warily, "Comrade, who are you looking for?"

Lou Xiao'e: "I'm looking for He Yuzhu, my boyfriend—you're his sister, right? Your features are practically identical!"

Upon hearing that it was her brother's girlfriend, He Yushui's heart pounded like a little bird, but she kept a tight rein on her emotions—her brother had already made it clear: don't show your emotions, and before things are settled, keep your mouth shut, stand on tiptoe, and be on guard. She simply nodded slightly, her voice calm: "My brother will be home from get off work soon, please come in and sit down, the kang (heated brick bed) is nice and warm."