Courtyard House: The Frog Boy Brings Back a Genetic Potion at the Start

Sha Zhu was startled, thinking he had said something wrong again and upset the old lady—he had felt guilty ever since she broke her leg.

"wrong,"

The old lady then added, "I think this matter is probably related to Hao Jianguo."

These words stunned Sha Zhu and the others, who exchanged glances.

Although they disliked Hao Jianguo, they still threw all sorts of dirty water on him, which Sha Zhu felt was a bit far-fetched.

He experienced it firsthand, while Hao Jianguo had no involvement whatsoever.

"Grandma, are you... sure?"

Sha Zhu hesitated and said, "Hao Jianguo has that ability? I don't think it has anything to do with him."

Yi Zhonghai was also confused: "Yes, old lady, you can't just say things carelessly."

Hao Jianguo is no good, but this is ultimately a matter between Sha Zhu and Jia Zhangshi; how could he possibly be involved?

He Yushui nodded in agreement, knowing that it wasn't her place to interrupt.

The old lady smiled slightly, as if she had expected them to ask that question.

"Zhonghai, Shazhu and Yushui are young and can't see through appearances. How come you're confused too?"

She spoke slowly, her expression revealing understanding.

Yi Zhonghai looked a little embarrassed: "Then please explain."

The old lady stopped beating around the bush: "Think about when Wang Daoren came—why did he suddenly become afraid to enter Hao Jianguo's room, and even go crazy with fright? Hao Jianguo is definitely not a simple person. I think he has been hiding his sorcery all along without revealing it."

"The way Sha Zhu acted the other day must have been because Hao Jianguo secretly used some tricks."

"If Jia Zhangshi knew these things, why didn't she use them before?"

She had barely finished speaking when He Yushui suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!"

He let out a soft gasp, as if he had remembered something.

"Yes, I just realized that too. The old lady is right."

Who else could it be besides Hao Jianguo?

He Yushui spoke urgently, her eyes gradually filled with resentment, "Brother, think about it carefully. Before you lost control, we mocked him to his face."

He must have been holding a grudge to use such a vicious method to harm you.

She became increasingly angry as she spoke, digging her nails into her palms.

If that's really the case, then wasn't I also partly responsible for putting Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu in this predicament? If she hadn't provoked Hao Jianguo first, perhaps none of these disasters would have happened.

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu's forehead veins bulged, and he slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups clang. "So it was that bastard who was behind this!"

He was panting heavily when he turned and rushed toward the door, but He Daqing blocked his way with his arm.

"Where are you going?"

He Daqing frowned as he looked at his son.

"Find him and settle the score! Get to the bottom of this!"

Sha Zhu stared wide-eyed, his chest heaving.

He Daqing left the hospital early and didn't know much about Hao Jianguo's background, but he pieced together some clues from his children's fragmented words over the past few days—a person who could turn his life around and stand firm in a short time was definitely not simple.

If Sha Zhu could really handle him, that man should have been expelled from the compound long ago, how could he be so smug today?

"Pillar, stay calm."

He Daqing pressed down on his shoulder, "Going there without any evidence is just reckless."

Yi Zhonghai nodded slowly.

Lately, Sha Zhu has been acting too conspicuously, and he's always worried that this hothead will suffer another setback. "Right now, it's all speculation; you need to stay calm."

If I'm sent back in, I don't know when I'll be able to get out.

He looked at Sha Zhu with concern and added, "As the old saying goes, 'A wise man takes ten years to learn.' We were too hasty in the past, which is why we were always on the defensive."

He Yushui was filled with resentment. Her teeth ached from clenching her teeth; she felt Qin Huairu should have been her sister-in-law long ago, but Hao Jianguo had ruined everything. "Am I just supposed to let my brother suffer for nothing?"

Her voice trembled, and her clenched fists shook slightly.

Yi Zhonghai looked at the brother and sister and shook his head helplessly.

Ultimately, they were too young and lost because they couldn't keep their composure.

In the corner, a deaf old woman slowly rubbed her right leg, her cloudy eyes filled with icy coldness.

She didn't blame Sha Zhu—although it was Sha Zhu who did the dirty work, the root of the problem was clearly Hao Jianguo.

If it weren't for that person's interference, why would the child she raised herself throw a punch at her?

After a long silence, the old lady suddenly spoke softly, her voice like a dull knife scraping against rough stone: "I still stand by what I said... I can only have one of us, that man surnamed Hao, in this lifetime."

In this courtyard, it's either him leaving, or me dying.

Yi Zhonghai smiled bitterly.

Who wouldn't want to get rid of Hao Jianguo? But if it were that easy, why would they have ended up in such a sorry state?

"Grandma, who doesn't want him to get out? But... how do we get him out of here?"

He let out a long sigh.

Sha Zhu and He Yushui both looked at the old lady, their eyes burning with hope.

However, the old lady slowly turned to He Daqing.

When that sinister gaze fell upon him, a chill suddenly ran down He Daqing's spine, and he involuntarily shivered.

That gaze was so sharp, like a needle chilled to the bone.

The deaf old woman lowered her voice, her tone tinged with coldness: "He Daqing, if I remember correctly, the room Hao Jianguo is living in now was one you sublet to his father, wasn't it?"

Sha Zhu and He Yushui, brother and sister, were both startled and turned to He Daqing with their eyes full of astonishment.

"Father, is it really true?"

"The house Hao Jianguo lives in is actually ours? How come we've never heard of it?"

Sha Zhu immediately spoke up, a wave of regret washing over him.

If he had known this earlier, he would have kicked Hao Jianguo out and taken back the house long ago, instead of suffering like this until now.

Sha Zhu was filled with regret—he should have found out more about the properties in the courtyard before his father left.

If he had known this back then, how could he have ended up in such a passive position now? In his view, this news was a trump card that could turn the tide.

However, it may not be too late to know now.

He sneered inwardly: Hao Jianguo, what are you so proud of? Promotion, marriage, and financial security, so what? As long as we take the house back and stop letting you live there, you'll still have to pack your bags and leave.

Thinking of this, Sha Zhu couldn't help but grin.

No, he won't easily kick people out.

He wanted Hao Jianguo to come and beg him, to humbly plead to continue renting the place.

At that time, no matter how capable Hao Jianguo is, won't he have to bow down to Sha Zhu?

When people are successful, they easily become arrogant and lose sight of their own situation.

At this moment, Sha Zhu was clearly immersed in this illusory imagination.

He had even begun to picture Hao Jianguo pleading with him—a scene that made him feel exhilarated just thinking about it.

He was already getting impatient.

Sha Zhu stared expectantly at He Daqing, waiting for his father to nod so that things would be easier afterward.

Given his talent for causing trouble, with this pretext, how could he not deal with Hao Jianguo?

He Yushui's thoughts were similar to her brother's.

What she disliked most was Hao Jianguo's nonchalant attitude.

In addition, she blamed Hao Jianguo for Qin Huairu not becoming her sister-in-law.

She was determined to vent her anger.

"Father, is it really true? Please tell me!"

He Yushui urged him anxiously, her face full of impatience.

He Daqing wasn't stupid; he had seen the expressions on his children's faces and naturally understood what they were up to.

He was somewhat hesitant at first, but after the two kept pressing him, he finally nodded.

"That's right, that house did indeed used to be ours."

Hao Jianguo's father had been kind to me back then, and seeing that they had nowhere to stay, I let them live in my house.

He Daqing paused, then added, "So, it was given to them, not rented."

But Sha Zhu and He Yushui wouldn't listen to the second half of that sentence.

To them, the house belongs to the He family; what is there to "give"?

The term "rent" is meaningless.

As soon as He Daqing finished speaking, Sha Zhu and He Yushui looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Sha Zhu slapped his thigh excitedly, his face beaming with a smug look of certainty, as if Hao Jianguo was already in his grasp.

"Grandma, why didn't you tell us about something so important sooner?"

Sha Zhu seemed to be complaining, but his eyes were shining.

He Yushui nodded vigorously, her tone urgent: "If you had told us about this sooner, how could Hao Jianguo have taken such a big advantage of us? We should have made him move out long ago!"

Although their words carried a hint of complaint, the siblings' expressions had brightened considerably.

The deaf old lady smiled and said, "I just remembered this myself—I saw He Daqing come back and it suddenly came to mind."

"Sigh, I'm getting old, my memory isn't what it used to be."

She also felt a pang of regret.

If I had thought of this earlier, how could my prestige have been damaged because of Hao Jianguo?

This was originally her trump card.

Even the deaf old lady's eyes showed a hint of joy, but a shadowy look swept through the depths of her gaze, making one feel a chill.

He Yushui was secretly pleased, but refused to back down. She turned to He Daqing and said, "Dad, are we really going to just give the house to them like this? It's ours to begin with, why should we give it to them? We have to take it back."

She put her hands on her hips, looking every bit the part of someone in charge.

"We shouldn't let our own things go to a dog, let alone a heartless wretch like Hao Jianguo! He lives in our house for free and acts so arrogantly, even using underhanded tactics on my brother—how can someone like that deserve our kindness?"

She became increasingly angry as she spoke, almost unable to sit still, wishing she could rush out immediately and take the house back.

The thought of Hao Jianguo possibly ending up on the streets filled He Yushui with a sense of satisfaction.

When the old story was brought up, Sha Zhu's face instantly turned angry.

"That's right! Hao Jianguo's family are ungrateful wretches. We've been good enough to them, and how have they repaid us? Bah!"

Sha Zhu spat fiercely, sparks flying from his eyes.

The incident with Jia Zhangshi a while ago still feels like a thorn stuck in his flesh, an indelible shame in his heart.

"Dad, we should repay the life-saving grace. We are not like people like Hao Jianguo. We know how to be grateful."

"But if anyone's going to report this, it should be to his father. What does it have to do with Hao Jianguo?"

Sha Zhu's eyes darted around, and he continued, "His father is long gone now. We've let Hao Jianguo live here for so many years, we've already repaid the debt of gratitude, and we've even paid back a lot more! This house must be taken back."

He spoke with absolute certainty, leaving no room for negotiation.

He Daqing, however, still hesitated.

If it weren't for Hao Jianguo's father back then, I probably would have lost my life.

Hao Jianguo's wife is currently pregnant, and he feels guilty about kicking her out at this time.

How can I hold my head up in front of my neighbors after doing this?

Sha Zhu, however, didn't care about any of that.

Seeing his father hesitate, he immediately guessed what the other was thinking.

"Dad, you don't mean you still want to lend the house to them, do you? No way! We have to get the house back."

Hao Jianguo's father has been dead for so many years, his bones have probably all turned to dust by now, right? Once the person is gone, the relationship is severed. Why would we let that kid have a good time?"

Sha Zhu got carried away and raised his voice a few notches.

He Yushui was equally agitated and very dissatisfied with her father's indecisiveness.

"Dad, my brother is right this time."

Why should we give our stuff to Hao Jianguo for nothing? If he knew how to be grateful, that would be one thing, but how has he treated us? His conscience has long since been fed to the dogs!

She grew angrier and angrier as she spoke, and even developed some resentment towards her father.

"Dad, you used to always say my brother was stupid, and you called him 'Silly Pillar'."

If you ask me, you're the one who's truly foolish—you actually gave the house to that ungrateful wretch.

Hearing his children's repeated scolding, He Daqing felt embarrassed and could only smile awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.

The deaf old lady glanced at He Daqing and frowned slightly when she saw that he had not yet expressed his intention to take back the house.

She had intended to use this incident to her advantage, and if He Daqing backed down now, she would absolutely not accept it.

"Great Qing, though the child's words are unpleasant to hear, they make some sense."

Ultimately, a house should be in one's own hands.

The Hao family has lived here for so many years; it's time to return the belongings to their rightful owner.

The old lady spoke slowly and solemnly.

He Daqing's expression was still not good. He moved his lips but couldn't say anything.

"Old He, I'm not trying to be mean, but I understand that you're kind-hearted and hesitant to ask for help because you remember that Old Master Hao saved your life."

Yi Zhonghai took over the conversation, his tone smooth—he was always good at mediating disputes.

"But have you ever thought about how they repay you for your dissatisfaction with them? That Hao Jianguo has repeatedly caused Zhu Zi to end up in the police station, accumulating a stack of criminal records. He's ruining Zhu Zi's future!"