Siheyuan: A journey of mountains and rivers

One evening, He Yuzhu was about to go to the market to buy some fresh vegetables when he ran into Xu Damao. Xu Damao greeted him with a smile, "Yuzhu, where are you going?"

"Oh, go buy some vegetables." He Yuzhu replied, but he was thinking about how to start the conversation.

Xu Damao seemed to see through his thoughts and took the initiative to say, "You and Qin Huairu have been getting close recently. I think you two are a good match."

He Yuzhu smiled and asked tentatively: "Da Mao, what do you think of Huairu and I?"

Xu Damao touched his chin and said seriously, "I think it's good. You are a good person, Huairu is also a good girl, you two are suitable for each other. But, you know, some people in this courtyard are gossipy and may gossip. You have to be more careful."

He Yuzhu nodded, but he felt a little complicated. He knew Xu Damao was doing this for his own good, but he also felt that there seemed to be something else behind Xu Damao's words. "Thank you, Damao. I'll pay attention."

After He Yuzhu and Xu Damao separated, he couldn't help but ponder Xu Damao's words. He knew that the human relationships in the courtyard were complicated, and some things were easy to say, but the waves they caused were unpredictable. He didn't want his affairs to become the topic of conversation for others after dinner, but he also understood that many times, things were not as simple as they seemed on the surface.

At night, He Yuzhu lay in bed, thinking about everything. He thought of Qin Huairu's gentle smile, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart. No matter what others said, he decided to stay with Qin Huairu firmly, protect her, and not let her suffer any grievances again.

The next day, He Yuzhu decided to find an opportunity to talk to Xu Damao. He wanted to know what Xu Damao really thought of him, and also hoped to resolve the doubts in his heart.

On a sunny afternoon, He Yuzhu found Xu Damao, and the two sat on a stone bench in the yard. He Yuzhu said straight to the point: "Damo, I want to talk to you about something."

Xu Damao smiled and said, "Tell me what our relationship is. If you have something to say, just say it."

He Yuzhu looked directly into Xu Damao's eyes and said seriously, "I know you care about Huairu and me. I want to know if you have anything to say to me?"

Xu Damao was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, "Yuzhu, you are really straightforward. Actually, it's nothing. I just think that you and Huairu are good together, but you should also pay more attention to some details. For example, you should be careful with some words and be sensible with some things. After all, there are many people in the courtyard who talk a lot."

He Yuzhu nodded, "Thank you for your reminder, Damao. I will pay attention to it. But I also hope that you can pay more attention to our own affairs instead of just caring about other people's opinions."

After hearing this, Xu Damao's smile faded slightly and he nodded seriously, "You are right, Yuzhu. I understand too. In the future, I will mind my own business and pay more attention to my own life."

The two smiled at each other, and the barriers in their hearts disappeared. He Yuzhu felt much more relaxed, knowing that his relationship with Xu Damao had become closer, and his future with Qin Huairu would be more solid and beautiful.

As the days passed in the courtyard, the relationship between He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu continued to grow in their ordinary lives. They faced all kinds of trivial matters in life together and shared each other's joys and sorrows. Whenever night fell, the two snuggled together and looked at the starry sky, their hearts filled with longing and confidence for the future.

As time went by, He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu's relationship gradually became public in the courtyard. However, people in the courtyard had different opinions on their relationship. Some people gave their blessing, while others were reserved. Jia Dongxu, Qin Huairu's ex-fiancé, seemed particularly dissatisfied.

Jia Dongxu was a hot-tempered man. He was upset about Qin Huairu's regret for breaking off the engagement, and felt that his face was completely lost. Seeing the increasingly close relationship between He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu, Jia Dongxu's anger became increasingly difficult to suppress. One day, he finally couldn't help it and went to He Yuzhu.

That evening, He Yuzhu was watering flowers in the yard when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw Jia Dongxu walking towards him angrily.

"He Yuzhu, I have something to tell you!" Jia Dongxu's voice was filled with undisguised anger.

He Yuzhu put down the kettle in his hand, frowned slightly, "Dongxu, what's the matter?"

Jia Dongxu stood in front of He Yuzhu, his eyes spitting fire, "Everyone is talking about you and Qin Huairu. Do you know what you are doing?"

He Yuzhu's heart tightened, but he tried to remain calm, "Dongxu, I know you are unhappy, but Huairu has the right to choose her own life. I just hope she can be happy."

Jia Dongxu sneered, "Happiness? Do you think you can give her happiness? She's been with you since she broke off the engagement, don't you think this won't cause gossip among others?"

He Yuzhu's expression also became serious, "Dongxu, I don't care about gossip. What's important is Huairu's feelings. She deserves respect and should not be hurt again."

Jia Dongxu waved his hands angrily, "Respect? What respect are you talking about? Do you know what people say about me? They say that you stole my fiancée and that I can't even keep a woman!"

He Yuzhu felt a sharp pain in his heart. He knew how much resentment was hidden in Jia Dongxu's words, but he could not back down. "Dongxu, Huairu cannot be blamed for this. You also know what you did in that relationship. She chose to leave you because she felt hurt."

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Jia Dongxu's eyes, but it was quickly covered by anger. "That's easy for you to say! You care about her so much, but have you ever thought about my feelings? Have you ever considered the feelings of someone like me who has been abandoned?"

He Yuzhu took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. "Dongxu, I understand your pain, but I can't give up Huairu because of your feelings. She is the one I love, and I will do my best to protect her."

Jia Dongxu's face turned livid, and he almost gritted his teeth and said, "Okay! Since you all say so, then I want to see how long you can protect her!"

After saying that, Jia Dongxu turned and left, leaving He Yuzhu standing there with mixed feelings. He knew that this quarrel was not only because of Qin Huairu, but also because of Jia Dongxu's self-esteem and frustration. He also understood that he and Qin Huairu might face more pressure and challenges in the days to come.

He Yuzhu looked at Jia Dongxu's departing back, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew that it was not easy to protect Qin Huairu and make her happy. But he decided that no matter what, he would stand firmly by her side and accompany her through every stormy day.