Siheyuan: A journey of mountains and rivers

A few days later, He Yuzhu once again walked on the bluestone road of the courtyard, holding a piece of pork belly he had just bought from the market. Today was a special day, Qin Huairu's child's birthday. He Yuzhu wanted to give the children some gifts, but considering the actual situation, he finally decided to give some fresh pork belly, which was both practical and could add to the children's meal.

He Yuzhu walked to Qin Huairu's door and knocked gently. After a while, Qin Huairu opened the door and saw He Yuzhu, with a surprised smile on her face.

"Yuzhui, you're here, come in." Qin Huairu greeted warmly.

He Yuzhu walked into the house with a smile and handed the pork belly in his hand to Qin Huairu: "Sister Qin, today is the children's birthday. I didn't prepare any special gifts. I just bought some pork belly to add to the children's meal."

Qin Huairu looked at the piece of fresh pork belly, and a touch of emotion flashed in her eyes: "Yuzhu, thank you so much, it's so thoughtful. The children are just thinking about what to eat today. Now that they have your pork belly, they will definitely be very happy."

He Yuzhu smiled and waved his hand: "No need to thank me, it's all my duty. How can your family celebrate their birthday without delicious food?"

Qin Huairu nodded and took the pork belly into the kitchen. He Yuzhu walked into the living room and saw the children playing. When they saw him come in, they all ran over and surrounded him.

"Uncle Yuzhu, you're here!" the children cheered.

He Yuzhu squatted down, smiled and touched their heads: "Yes, today is your birthday, I came here specially to see you. Tell uncle what you want to eat today, and uncle will make it for you."

The children excitedly said all the dishes they wanted to eat, and He Yuzhu remembered them one by one, thinking about how to make the children have an unforgettable birthday. He looked at Qin Huairu in the kitchen, and felt a sense of warmth and responsibility in his heart.

After a while, Qin Huairu came out of the kitchen and said to He Yuzhu: "Yuzhu, I was planning to make braised pork, and this pork belly is really timely. Do you want to help?"

He Yuzhu readily agreed, rolled up his sleeves and walked into the kitchen, busying himself with Qin Huairu. The two of them worked well together in the kitchen, and soon, an enticing aroma wafted out of the kitchen.

"Sister Qin, how did you learn how to make braised pork? It tastes so good." He Yuzhu asked curiously while stir-frying the pork belly in the pot.

Qin Huairu smiled and said, "This is what my mother taught me. When I was a child, my family was poor and we could only eat this dish during the Chinese New Year. Now that conditions are better, I also make it for the children from time to time."

He Yuzhu nodded, feeling deeply for Qin Huairu's strength and hard work. He knew that as a single mother, Qin Huairu had to bear a lot of pressure, but she never complained and always tried her best to take care of the children.

"Sister Qin, you are really amazing. You can live such a good life by yourself with the children. I really admire you." He Yuzhu said sincerely.

Qin Huairu smiled slightly, tears in her eyes, "Yuzhu, thank you for your compliment. I am just trying my best. Fortunately, I have the help of good neighbors like you, otherwise I really don't know what to do."

He Yuzhu looked at Qin Huairu and felt distressed and admired. He knew that Qin Huairu had gone through much more hard work than she showed. He secretly decided to care for her and help her more in the future so that she and her children could live a better life.

Soon, the braised pork was ready, and He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu cooked a few more dishes that the children liked. The aroma from the kitchen drifted into the living room, and the children could not wait to gather around the dining table when they smelled the aroma.

"Dinner is ready!" Qin Huairu greeted with a smile.

He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu served the dishes to the table, and the children cheered and began to enjoy this delicious birthday banquet. He Yuzhu looked at the happy faces of the children and felt extremely satisfied. He knew that this moment of happiness and joy was the best reward for all his efforts.

After dinner, everyone sat together, He Yuzhu played games with the children, and there was constant laughter. Qin Huairu watched all this, and her heart was filled with gratitude and warmth. She knew that with a good neighbor like He Yuzhu, her and her children's lives would get better and better.

Time passed quietly in laughter and joy. As the night deepened, the children gradually became sleepy, and He Yuzhu was ready to say goodbye and go home. Qin Huairu saw him to the door and said softly, "Yuzhu, thank you so much today. The children had an unforgettable birthday."

He Yuzhu smiled and patted her shoulder: "You're welcome. Seeing them happy makes me feel satisfied. If you need anything in the future, just let me know. I will do my best to help."

Qin Huairu nodded, tears in her eyes: "Yuzhu, we are really lucky to have a good neighbor like you. Thank you."

Qin Huairu patted his shoulder gently: "You work too hard, you should pay more attention to rest, and don't always neglect yourself for work."

He Yuzhu felt her care and understanding, and his heart was warmed. He understood that no matter how busy he was at work, his health was the most important thing. He decided to pay more attention to the balance between life and work from now on, and no longer let himself fall into excessive tension and anxiety.

In the pharmacy, He Yuzhu carefully selected several cold medicines suitable for him and bought some vitamin supplements by the way. He realized that maintaining good health is not only for himself, but also for being able to better serve his family and career.

Back in the courtyard, he put away the medicine and sat quietly on a chair in the yard. Raindrops fell from the sky, making crisp sounds on the bluestone slabs. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm his inner anxiety.

Qin Huairu came over and handed over a cup of hot tea: "Yuzhu, come and have a cup of tea, don't think too much."

He Yuzhu took the teacup, smiled and nodded. He knew that no matter what challenges and difficulties he would encounter in the future, he had a warm and supportive family and a partner who could face the ups and downs of life together. He was determined to not only pursue career success in the future, but also cherish and protect his health and the warmth of his family.

One day, He Yuzhu passed by Dongdan Vegetable Market and saw that it was crowded with people and business was booming. He suddenly had a bold idea: Why not open a restaurant? He had a good cooking skill, which he learned from his mother. The taste of his cooking was always praised by people. He thought, why not use this skill to open a small restaurant, which can not only fill his stomach, but also make some money to supplement the family income.