Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

Turn the corner at the street corner to the main road.

He Yuzhu looked up and spotted the brightly lit grocery store; the storefront was open, clearly still open.

He paused, glancing first at the shop entrance.

Not seeing the black dog that always squats on the steps, my heart sank a little.

As for whether there are any loitering people hiding in corners or behind trees pretending to be spying, etc.

With his small frame, he couldn't possibly see it.

I could only tense up and move two more steps toward the shop entrance.

Only after confirming that there was nothing unusual did I breathe a sigh of relief.

It's good that you're alright.

These days, the world is not peaceful, and being a swindler is not an easy thing to do.

He glanced down at his clothes; they were patched in several places, but clean.

His cuffs and collar were neatly rolled up, and his hands were empty, so he didn't look like a beggar on the street, which saved him from the trouble of being bothered.

Without further delay, He Yuzhu turned and walked quickly toward No. 95 Courtyard, keeping a close eye on the movements behind him.

After a brisk journey, we finally arrived at the gate of the courtyard house.

He stopped abruptly the moment he pushed open the door, quickly scanning the yard left and right. The yard was quiet, without a single person in sight, before he finally felt completely at ease.

He touched the cool jade pendant in his pocket with his fingertips.

With a thought, I imagined a cradle, a thick cotton coat, a new cotton quilt, a tiger-head hat embroidered with tiger stripes, a red lacquered rattle drum, and several soft cotton bibs.

They took everything out of the space at once and piled it up in a small heap under the porch.

He Yuzhu first stuffed the thick cotton clothes and quilts into the cradle, filling it to the brim, even sealing the gaps in the cradle tightly, for fear that they would be worn off on the way.

He tried lifting the cradle by the handle, but he hadn't grown up yet, his arms and legs were small, and the cradle was heavy with things stuffed in it.

It started wobbling after a couple of steps, so I simply bent down, hoisted the cradle onto my shoulder, and carried it steadily into the yard.

As soon as I entered the central courtyard through the hanging flower gate, I caught a glimpse of the Jia family's direction out of the corner of my eye.

Jia Dongxu was crouching by the kitchen window, his back to him, his body curled up, his head peeking out the window, acting suspiciously, no one knew what he was doing.

He Yuzhu paused, holding his breath and watching intently. He saw Jia Dongxu's hand reach through the window crack, then quickly pull it back, clutching something in his hand. He hurriedly stuffed it into his pocket, his movements as fast as a thief.

Is this okay?

How dare they steal from the He family in broad daylight!

Suppressing his anger, He Yuzhu gathered his energy in his dantian and let out a loud shout that shook the snow in the courtyard, causing it to fall in a flurry.

"Jia Dongxu! What are you doing, sneaking around my kitchen window?"

The shout caught Jia Dongxu off guard, startling him so much that he jumped.

His hand trembled, and the thing he was going to put in his pocket fell out of his hand. In his haste, he actually stuffed it into his crotch and turned to run towards the Jia family.

But as soon as his feet touched the snow, his shoes slipped, and he lost his balance.

With a "thump," he landed squarely on his bottom.

The shockwave sent snow flying everywhere, and he winced in pain, unable to recover for a long time.

Immediately afterwards, the voice of Yi Lishi, Li Guihua, came from the He family's kitchen, carrying a hint of doubt and dissatisfaction.

"Jia Zhangshi! You've been dawdling in the kitchen, not even bothering to go inside and see Da Qing's wife, what are you doing peering through the window?"

"It's okay! It's okay! No need to look anymore! I'm going back now!"

Jia Zhangshi's voice was flustered. As soon as she finished speaking, she rushed out of the He family's kitchen, opened the door and tried to run away, forgetting to close it.

She was even more unlucky than Jia Dongxu; she was so panicked that she didn't notice her own son sitting on the ground.

As she ran over, her ankle tripped over Jia Dongxu's leg.

With a cry of pain, he lurched forward and fell flat on his face, almost touching the snow. He lay there groaning for a long time, unable to muster any strength in his arms and legs.

He Yuzhu stood there with the cradle on his back, staring at the chaotic scene before him for a few seconds, wondering to himself.

What exactly did this mother and daughter steal from my house that they're in such a panic?

Just then, footsteps came from the direction of the backyard.

Xu Damao dashed out, shouting as he ran, "Brother Zhu! You're finally back! I've gone to your house twice already, but I couldn't find you!"

He was half right, but the other half was out of guilt.

He had just wanted to go out and find He Yuzhu, but he saw Jia Dongxu blocking the entrance to the He family's kitchen, looking fierce and menacing.

Xu Damao didn't dare leave the backyard at all, fearing that Jia Dongxu would catch him and beat him up.

Only after hearing He Yuzhu's loud shout, and knowing that his backer had returned, did he dare to leisurely run over.

Xu Damao had just run out of the hanging flower gate when he saw Jia Dongxu sitting on the ground.

Jia Zhangshi, who was lying on the ground, immediately clutched her stomach and burst into laughter, laughing so hard that she almost cried.

"Oh my god! That's hilarious! It's so funny! Jia Dongxu! Did you poop your pants because of Zhu Zi's shout? Ugh—you even have diarrhea! Hahahaha! I can smell it all over here!"

"Xu Damao! You want a beating, don't you?! I didn't undress!"

Jia Dongxu was so angry that his face turned red. He struggled to stand up, but when he reached under his buttocks, his fingertips were covered in a sticky, yellowish substance. He was instantly stunned.

He wasn't just pulling out his pants pocket; he and Jia Zhangshi and her son had secretly stolen a few eggs from the He family's kitchen.

The two eggs he had just stuffed into his crotch shattered instantly when he sat down on them with such force, and all the yolk seeped out.

"Hahaha! Still denying it! I saw it with my own eyes! You really did poop your pants! And you were scared by Brother Zhu! From now on, we'll call you 'Poop-Pooping Xu' in the neighborhood!"

Xu Damao laughed even harder, hands on his hips, teasing Jia Dongxu with a mouth sweeter than honey, deliberately poking at Jia Dongxu's sore spots.

"You're asking for it! You're the one who's shitting your pants! Your whole family is shitting their pants!"

Jia Dongxu became completely enraged, suddenly stood up from the ground, and was about to chase after Xu Damao.

After taking only two steps, the egg yolk from his trousers started dripping down his calves, staining the snow and leaving noticeable yellow puddle.

"Heh heh heh! Still being stubborn! Look at those yellow stains under your feet, they're practically a river! Who's going to believe you didn't poop in your pants!"

Xu Damao made a face at him, then turned and ran towards the backyard, his feet barely touching the ground, as if afraid of being caught by Jia Dongxu, rushing into the Xu family's gate.

With a loud bang, the door was bolted shut, and no matter how much Jia Dongxu shouted from outside, he refused to open it.

Jia Dongxu took two steps and was about to kick down the Xu family's door when he suddenly heard Jia Zhangshi's heart-wrenching scream from behind.

"Dongxu! My son! Come back quickly and help your mother! Ouch...it hurts so much! My old bones feel like they're going to break!"

"Mother! Are you alright?"

Jia Dongxu suddenly remembered that he had tripped his mother and made her fall flat on her face. He was so busy arguing with Xu Damao that he had completely forgotten about his mother in the snow.

The main problem was that the fall on his butt was so hard that his head was buzzing, and then Xu Damao ridiculed him again, which made him angry and he couldn't care less about anything else.

He hurriedly turned back and reached out to help Jia Zhangshi up from the ground.

As soon as I helped her up, I noticed that Jia Zhangshi's front was also covered in a yellowish stain, and it was dripping sticky—clearly, Jia Zhangshi had hidden the stolen eggs in her bosom, and they had all been crushed by the fall.

The owner of the lost item, He Yuzhu, stood not far away, carrying the cradle, watching the mother and child with a half-smile. His eyes were like a mirror, clearly indicating that he had seen everything.

Jia Dongxu's face instantly turned red to his ears, and he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. He helped Jia Zhangshi and ran towards the Jia family.

He didn't dare look back. The snow under his feet was covered with yellow stains from egg yolk, making him look extremely disheveled.

Watching the Jia mother and daughter scramble away, He Yuzhu smiled silently, feeling incredibly relieved. They'd gotten their comeuppance for stealing from him.

He looked up and saw Yi Li's wife, Li Guihua, standing at his front door, staring at him.

"Good evening, Aunt Yi."

He Yuzhu called out respectfully and politely.

"Even a pillar is fine."

Li Guihua smiled and agreed, her gaze falling on the cradle he was carrying on his shoulder. A clear look of envy flashed in her eyes, and she reached out to take it.

"Where did you get this cradle? It looks very heavy. Can you lift it with your small frame? Let me help you put it in."

She wasn't envious of the cradle itself, but rather of Chen Lanxiang having such a capable and excellent son.

With He Daqing away, the household and all the work is being done by this teenager.

These baby supplies were obviously brought back by Zhu Zi himself. This child is so capable at such a young age, even better than the adult men in the yard.

Thinking back to when Zhu Zi's mother gave birth to Zhu Zi, the child was only a tiny little thing, but he already knew how to protect his mother.

Li Guihua felt incredibly envious. If her sons were even half as capable as Zhu Zi, she would be burning incense in gratitude.

"No need, Aunt Yi, I can carry it myself, it's not heavy."

He Yuzhu smiled and waved his hand, declining her offer, though the cradle on his shoulder was heavy.

But this was prepared for his sister Yushui, and he didn't feel tired at all.

"Quickly, come inside, your auntie will open the door for you."

Seeing that he refused to let her help, Li Guihua didn't force him. She quickly stepped forward and opened the He family's gate completely so that he could easily go in.

He Yuzhu thanked him and carried the cradle quickly into the house.

Li Guihua closed the door behind her and followed him inside, wanting to see just how much stuff the child had brought back.

Once inside the room, He Yuzhu placed the cradle on the kang (a heated brick bed) and breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned to look at Chen Lanxiang sitting by the kang (a heated brick bed), a bright smile spreading across his face.

"Mother, I'm back."

Chen Lanxiang had already heard the commotion outside. When she saw her son return safely, carrying such a large cradle, her eyes instantly filled with joy.

Yet, with an undisguised worry in her eyes, she held her son's hand and looked him up and down, asking him three questions in a row.

"How much stuff did you bring back? You look exhausted! Did you run into any bad people on the way? Did anyone bully you?"

"Mom, I'm fine. The journey was smooth sailing. I didn't encounter any bad people, and no one bullied me."

He Yuzhu patted his mother's hand to comfort her.

"There's a lot of stuff, so it's a bit inconvenient to carry, but it's not tiring."

"Sister-in-law He".

Standing behind He Yuzhu, Li Guihua smiled at Chen Lanxiang with a hint of undisguised sourness in her voice.

"Your son Zhuzi is really capable. He's so young and already so competent. Look at all this stuff he brought back—it's all for the newborn Yushui, isn't it? He's such a loving older brother to his little sister."

"His father arranged all of this in advance. He just went to run an errand; it's nothing."

Chen Lanxiang felt a sweet warmth in her heart, but pretended to be modest. She even winked at He Yuzhu as she spoke, knowing full well that this was her son's own ability. He Daqing hadn't left these things behind before he left, but he didn't want to be too ostentatious in front of outsiders, so as not to arouse envy.

He Yuzhu understood immediately, chuckled, and patted his chest, saying, "It's just running errands, no trouble at all. I'm all grown up, this little thing is a piece of cake!"

As he spoke, he began taking things out of the cradle, starting with several neatly folded thick cotton-padded coats.

Next came the soft tiger-head hats, the rattles that jingled when shaken, and several clean cotton bibs, one after another, filling half of the kang (heated brick bed).

Li Guihua originally thought there would only be a cradle and a quilt, but she was surprised to find so many things. Her eyes widened in amazement.

He stood there stunned for a long time without saying a word, secretly thinking to himself: He Daqing is really capable!

In these times, resources are so scarce. Cloth and cotton are in high demand and you can't buy them even if you have money. How could he manage to get so much of it, and all of it is ready-made? How much money did he spend and how many connections did he pull?

Chen Lanxiang was also slightly surprised. She knew her son was capable, but she didn't expect him to be able to get so many things.

He reached out and touched the thick cotton quilt; it was soft to the touch and he estimated it to weigh three or four pounds of cotton.

The outer fabric was also made of fine cotton, not the rough linen, and the smile in her eyes deepened.

"The Qing Dynasty is truly capable; everyone in the courtyard envies you."

Li Guihua snapped out of her daze and could only awkwardly utter this one sentence, her envy practically overflowing.

Chen Lanxiang didn't want to bring up He Daqing anymore; she was already unhappy about Yi Zhonghai asking her to help buy things last night.

He immediately changed the subject, looking at Li Guihua: "By the way, I think I heard your voice just now. Was it Jia Zhangshi who left my house?"

"That's right." Li Guihua nodded, not hiding anything.

"That mother and daughter were sneaking around, and it seems they even stole a few eggs from your kitchen. But when Zhu Zi shouted, they panicked and fell flat on their backs. All the eggs were broken, and they were covered in yellow stains. They were in a terrible mess."

"How can Jia Zhangshi be so incorrigible!" Chen Lanxiang immediately frowned, her tone full of anger.

"She's never changed her petty thieving ways. We live in the same courtyard, we see each other all the time, doesn't she feel ashamed? Does she really think I'm easy to bully? Once I'm out of confinement, I'll slap her a few times and teach her a lesson!"

"Hey...you know her personality, she never learns from her mistakes, and this isn't the first time she's stolen something."

Li Guihua sighed, her face full of helplessness.

Everyone in the courtyard knew that Jia Zhangshi loved to take advantage of others and had done plenty of petty theft, but no one wanted to stoop to her level, lest they get into trouble.

"We can't let this go this time. She's stolen from my house. If we don't teach her a lesson, she'll take advantage of us next time."

Chen Lanxiang smelled strongly of smoke.

"I'll talk to the old lady in the backyard later and let her judge. This courtyard doesn't belong to the Jia family, so why should she be allowed to do whatever she wants!"

"We don't need to tell the old lady, do we...?"

Li Guihua hesitated for a moment, then tugged at Chen Lanxiang's arm.

"The old lady has always favored the Jia family. Even if you speak up, she might say a few words to Jia Zhangshi, but it won't make any difference. What if she protects the Jia family again and kicks that family out? Where will those three go in the dead of winter? We can't just let them sleep on the streets, can we?"

He Yuzhu stood to the side, listening to his mother and Aunt Yi's words, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

There's no point in just talking about Jia Zhangshi's problem; she needs to suffer some real loss to learn what rules are.

He looked down at the numerous baby items laid out on the kang (a heated brick bed), his eyes filled with tenderness. These were all prepared for his younger sister, Yushui.

No one is allowed to make a move. Anyone who dares to lay a finger on the He family's possessions will have to pay the price.