Courtyard House: In this life, I have a new home!

173

They didn't investigate further, just smiled and congratulated each other, then went back to their dormitory together.

"Brother, why are they all congratulating us?"

The little goldfish tilted its head back, its eyes full of confusion.

Figure it out yourself.

"I won't guess, you guess first."

"Then you guess whether I'll guess or not!"

Lou Xiao'e overheard the childish back-and-forth between the brother and sister, which made her smile and laugh out loud.

Noticing the gaze, the two siblings looked over.

Lou Xiao'e's cheeks flushed slightly, and she awkwardly looked away.

At this moment, Xu Damao interjected, which conveniently blocked Zhou Jimin's view.

"Jimin, you're here too? Where's Qiunan? I haven't seen her."

Who are you familiar with?

Zhou Jimin frowned slightly, then relaxed, gave a few perfunctory words, and then turned and left with the little goldfish in his hand.

After taking only a few steps, Lou Xiao'e's voice came from behind:

"Xu Damao, do you really know them?"

Xu Damao was overjoyed; finally, they were willing to talk to him.

"Of course, didn't you just see? His family used to live in the middle courtyard, and mine was in the back. We were neighbors..."

Upon hearing this, Lou Xiao'e felt a wave of nausea and vomiting.

"Don't try to get close to me! If you dare to ruin my reputation again, I'll have my brother beat you up!"

「让你哥揍我没意思，你亲自上手还行，打是亲骂是爱，我不介意。」

Sure enough, thick skin can feed you.

Given Xu Damao's shamelessness, it's no wonder he lives a comfortable life.

"Get away from me, you disgust me."

Lou Xiao'e spat in disgust.

Xu Damao is truly one of a kind, capable of making this refined young lady feel so disgusted.

She took a few steps back before lowering her voice and tentatively inquiring about Zhou Jimin's situation.

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao's face instantly turned extremely ugly, as if he had swallowed a fly.

What do you take him for?

The rival's informant?

Xu Damao went to great lengths to win over Lou Xiao'e.

He belittled Zhou Jimin to the point of being worthless.

He turned all sorts of high-profile troublemaking and disturbances in the courtyard into jokes.

Neighborhood offices and police stations are commonplace for Director Wang; everyone in the police force dreads seeing him.

He was spitting as he spoke, as if he wanted to perform a stand-up comedy routine on the spot.

"Ever since that family moved to Nanjianzi Hutong, it's become much quieter here, and life here is so harmonious."

Her throat was practically parched. When she looked up, Lou Xiao'e's eyes darted around, as if she were pondering something.

Xu Damao thought he had it in the bag, so he quickly pressed his advantage and continued to embellish his attack.

But he had no idea that Lou Xiao'e's mind was filled with the opposite logic when she heard this.

You think eating meat is high-profile?

Their family eats meat at every meal, with plenty of fish and meat every day. How come they haven't been reported by their neighbors?

It's clearly the Jia family who's been dishonest, yet they have the nerve to play the victim?

Pitiful?

A fifteen-year-old girl surviving with four younger siblings—that's truly hellish difficulty.

Lou Xiao'e's maternal instincts erupted instantly, and her curiosity about Zhou Jimin, whom she had never met before, exploded completely.

I heard they moved to Nanjianzi Hutong.

To be able to buy a property with a yard there, Zhou Jimin must have quite the spending power.

If he knew what Lou Xiao'e was planning, he'd probably be so angry he'd vomit blood on the spot.

Upon reaching the door, Lou Xiao'e politely thanked her.

He turned and closed the door swiftly, effectively silencing Xu Damao's attempt to enter the house.

Trying to sneak in in the middle of the night?

Go dream!

The living room was brightly lit, and Lou Jizhong, Lou Bianshi, and Lou Dongsheng were all waiting.

The outcome of a blind date is of paramount importance.

Lou Bianshi found Xu Damao's sleazy appearance annoying; his face was full of wrinkles that concealed scheming, and he exuded a petty, despicable aura.

This kind of guy wants to marry his own daughter?

A toad wants to eat swan meat, but it doesn't even look in the mirror.

Lou Jizhong thought the marriage was a good match, as it would be beneficial to have more connections in the business world.

But seeing the expression on her daughter's face, her heart sank; the deal was probably off.

An old fox is an old fox; he may appear calm on the surface, but he knows everything perfectly well.

He asked a couple of questions, and seeing that Lou Xiao'e didn't say much, he sent her upstairs to rest.

Back in her room, Lou Xiao'e was about to wash up.

He reached into his pocket and felt something hard.

I took it out and saw that it was an envelope.

The words "To Lou Xiao'e" were written neatly on it.

.

Who did it? A prank?

Xu Damao?

He's good with words, but this kind of romantic charade isn't really his style.

Who else could deliver the message at this time besides him?

Upon opening the letter, the contents were quite surprising.

The entire article is filled with dirt on Xu Damao.

The time, place, and people are all listed clearly.

It's practically a piece of evidence for court; all it needs is an official seal to send him to jail to work on a sewing machine.

Social scum, truly a cancer.

Scroll down, and you'll find that the other party not only revealed the truth but also thoughtfully provided investigative leads and contact information.

He even specifically instructed: Don't be foolish and go to investigate alone. Remember to change your clothes and be careful not to alert the enemy.

The author has considered every aspect of the text.

Lou Xiao'e's palms burned as she looked at it, her heart raced, and an impulse rushed to her head.

I want to take immediate action and uncover all of this.

Lou Xiao'e's dislike for Xu Damao was originally directed at him.

Before the movie started tonight, this man's loose tongue and the few words he casually uttered completely wiped out any remaining goodwill.

Now, even outsiders can't stand his behavior.

It seems that the Xu family member is truly rotten to the core.

After the initial excitement subsided, Lou Xiao'e carefully read through the letter several more times.

I only fell asleep while holding the book when my eyelids started to droop.

This was unprecedented; she was completely captivated by the words.

In the past, reading was just a pastime for her; she had never been so engrossed in it before.

That night, I truly experienced what it meant to work late into the night.

The next day at dawn, she followed the instructions in the letter meticulously.

The most urgent task is to find out what Xu Damao is doing and seize on his weaknesses.

Isn't there always someone hoping she'll marry into the Xu family?

Why try to pressure people with the idea of ​​arranged marriages and parental consent?

Bah! Don't even think about it.

Today, I'm going to make a scene.

We must send that bastard Xu Damao to jail and make him spend a few years there before we feel satisfied.

The morning sunlight shone brightly through the clouds.

The weather has been clear for more than half a month since the floods subsided.

Looking at the white clouds floating in the sky, it will probably rain again in a few days.

At 5:45, the four youngest children in the family, along with Pandi and Laidi, all got up.

After washing up, the sound of morning reading filled the air.

After the start of summer, it gets light very quickly in the capital.

As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm, and our family has been making the most of that time lately.

Zhou Shuqing led the three younger children in reading silently, while the group with the little goldfish recited in unison.

The youngest, Zhou Qingxian, also held a book in her hand, following behind her aunt and babbling away.

However, most of the time they were just causing trouble, with numerous mispronunciations.

Expecting a toddler with perfect pronunciation is simply asking the impossible.

Amidst the sound of students reciting their lessons, occasional cries of distress could be heard.

That's because the sleepyhead and the little one woke up, unhappy with the early morning noise.

In the kitchen, Huang Xiaohua was busy cooking porridge.

She would occasionally peek out and catch a glimpse of the children reading, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

She was naturally satisfied with the performance of her two younger sisters.

It seems that both of them have the right attitude and are quite qualified.

Although it is currently far behind the goldfish, as long as it is willing to keep trying, there is a great chance of catching up.

When school starts in September, she plans to send her two younger sisters to school as well.

Tuition fees are not expensive now, at most two or three yuan per semester.

Unfortunately, she had to drop out of school in the fifth grade. She was eleven years old then and could help her family earn work points.

The future of studying is uncertain, but earning work points can help support the family and pay for his younger brother Xiaohu's schooling.

As the saying goes, emperors love their eldest sons, while common people cherish their youngest.

As the only male in the family, Xiao Hu naturally carries a heavier burden of expectations.

Zhou Jimin, holding the baby who had just finished drinking milk, strolled to the kitchen door.

"Xiaohua, how much longer until we have the preserved egg and lean pork congee?"

"Brother Zhou, it'll be ready in a minute."

Huang Xiaohua kept working, "I'll put it in ice water to chill it later, and then take it out after it's completely cooled."

The morning sunlight streamed through the window and fell on the tender little face.

Just as Huang Xiaohua coaxed the little guy who was still yawning out, Zhou Jimin went over to him.

The aroma of milk mixed with a faint fishy smell wafts over you.

Others might find the smell pungent, but Zhou Jimin was already used to it and even felt a sense of peace in his heart.

Compared to the cold, impersonal perspective of space, this sense of realism, full of everyday life, is what he craves most at this moment.

Thanks to Huang Xiaohua's cover-up, otherwise, this secluded life would have aroused Ding Qiunan and the others' suspicion sooner or later.

"It's my turn to feed them today."

Ding Qiunan glanced at her husband, her tone tinged with bitterness.

The two chubby little ones in her arms, whom she had carried for ten months and gave birth to, why are they closer to that man?

Zhou Jimin didn't reply, but took a step back, which gave him some peace and quiet.

Soon, the four children put down their books and rushed to the dining table like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey.

The clatter of bowls and chopsticks filled the air, a frighteningly strong appetite.

Suddenly, a soft cough broke the noise.

Little Goldfish and the third brother covered their mouths, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"What's wrong? Is your throat sore?"

Zhou Jimin frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the two children.

It's the change of seasons, and the dry wind carrying dust can easily make people feel irritable.

How could someone cough like this after only a few days of sunshine?

"It's nothing, just an itchy throat."

The little goldfish hurriedly waved its hand, its eyes darting around.

The last time I got sick was last winter, because I ate too much hot pot and got a sore throat.

That pot of dark, shiny herbal tea became the deepest shadow of her childhood.

Even though her older brother drank the whole cup without batting an eye, she could only pinch her nose and force herself to swallow the bitterness.

That bitter taste still makes her scalp tingle when she thinks about it.

To avoid that suffering again, she vowed never to let similar symptoms recur.

The third brother chimed in, saying it was due to the weather and would be fine in a couple of days.

The two of them looked at their older brother in unison, their eyes filled with pleading: Don't force us to drink the medicine.

Zhou Jimin almost burst out laughing when he saw their pitiful appearance.

"Want to heal yourself?"

He tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Either go to the hospital for an injection, or go back to the kitchen and drink some herbal tea."

"Big brother, can't we just get through this ourselves?"

The little goldfish looked miserable, its voice barely audible.

"How long will you keep carrying it?"

Zhou Jimin stood up and pointed in the direction of the vegetable cellar.

"If the condition worsens, it will be too late to regret it."

"You don't want a shot, right?"

A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"Then go and drink your medicine obediently."