Siheyuan: If you ruin the reputation of the whole courtyard, I will move out

Zhang Yu did not seek any benefit from He Yuzhu, but often invited him to have a drink together to relieve boredom. Life was simple and plain at that time. Smart phones and tablets were not yet popular. Having an electrical appliance at home was a small improvement in the quality of life.

He Yuzhu also cherishes the moments of enjoying delicious food with Zhang Yu, because in this courtyard, he feels that Zhang Yu truly respects him. He said with a smile: "Because the factory has food for entertainment, I made some more, and we enjoyed it slowly together, just like a feast for appreciation."

Hearing this, Zhang Yu smiled bitterly, raised his eyebrows and looked at him and said, "Sister Qin, you came here because of the smell, right?" He said it in a joking way.

Qin Huairu, the hostess of the courtyard, is in her thirties, plump but not bloated, and exudes maternal charm.

Qin Huairu walked directly into the He family. When she saw the lunch box, her eyes lit up and she said with a little embarrassment: "Zhu Zi, you brought so much again? The children are almost crying with hunger! My food supply is almost empty!" Her eyes were focused on the lunch box, revealing her anxiety.

He Yuzhu was embarrassed about this: "This is actually just a snack for Xiao Zhang and I to have while drinking and chatting."

Qin Huairu turned to He Yuzhu with pleading eyes: "As a widow, it's not easy to take care of three children and that old man. Can you lend a hand and share some of the housework? At least I'll do the washing and cooking." At this point, her eyes were almost staring directly at the lunch box, full of anticipation.

He Yuzhu was in a dilemma and had to ask Zhang Yu for help: "You know it's not easy for Sister Qin, can you make the decision for me?"

Zhang Yu shook his head slightly and said calmly: "Your kindness lies in delivering food, not in handling it. Emotion is the most precious gift."

Hearing this, He Yuzhu felt relieved and suggested: "Since there is not enough for everyone, you can take a lunch box and give the rest to us." But seeing Qin Huairu's eager eyes and red chin, he felt pity: "You have a large family, one lunch box can't fill them all, right?"

Without thinking, Qin Huairu reached out and took the lunch box: "I'll help you clean it after you finish eating, don't disturb your conversation." Then, she turned and left. He Yuzhu was stunned, watching in place, wanting to speak but didn't say anything to stop him.

"Okay, everyone has left, why are you still standing there?" Zhang Yu urged, with a hint of complaint in his tone.

In this situation, He Yuzhu awkwardly found an excuse to sit down, looked at the simple dishes in front of him and smiled: "Such a meal is more than enough for us." His eyes were full of indifferent helplessness.

Hearing this, Zhang Yu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That is the result of Sister Qin's hard work."

He Yuzhu continued to explain: "It is really not easy for Sister Qin to take care of her grandmother and three children alone. I feel that I can show my greatest ability by being able to help a little." His words were full of sympathy and understanding.

Zhang Yu jokingly said, "Have you forgotten that Sister Qin once faced the pressure of being widowed? Don't you understand that widows and orphans are always plagued by trouble?"

He Yuzhu looked serious and said firmly: "Sister Qin is essentially a kind person, there is no need to say such gossip."

However, Zhang Yu shook his head and said, "Don't you think it's inappropriate for a widow living alone to come and go in the residence of a single man like you so recklessly?"

Facing the doubt, He Yuzhu responded with an infatuated look in his eyes: "What's wrong with that? Sister Qin sometimes helps clean up some of the debris in my house."

Zhang Yu poured a glass of wine and handed it to He Yuzhu, then revealed the truth: "You should also know that the neighbors are spreading rumors that your relationship is unclear, so much so that matchmakers dare not come to propose marriage to you."

He Yuzhu was shocked when he heard this: "What does this mean?"

Although he was already middle-aged, he was not in a hurry to get married. With two houses, his position as the canteen supervisor of the steel plant and a fixed monthly salary of more than 30 yuan, it should not be a problem for him to find a spouse.

Sometimes He Yuzhu also envies Zhang Yu's free and easy attitude towards life.

Under the influence of alcohol, Zhang Yu said: "Although you are not outstanding in appearance, you are reliable and trustworthy, far better than those rough and rude men. With such conditions, there is no shortage of opportunities for marriage."

He Yuzhu listened in confusion: "Even so, why haven't I met the right woman yet?"

Zhang Yu sneered: "Are you really stupid or do you know the truth but choose to pretend to be stupid? Every time the matchmaker visits, Sister Qin happens to come to clean. Is this a coincidence?" He questioned.

Hearing what he said, He Yuzhu was shocked: "Sister Qin is playing tricks? But I'm not rude to her!"

Zhang Yu shook his head slightly. "They call you 'Silly Zhu' for a reason. What she did was nothing more than to make you settle down. Once you get married, who can ensure that she will get meals delivered every day?"

He Yuzhu instantly became excited: "Not really!" He stood up, his face slightly tipsy, and pointed directly at Zhang Yu: "Sister Qin is not that kind of person, she won't trade with people's hearts!"

In response to this argument, Zhang Yu could only sigh helplessly: "Brother, let me tell you the truth, do you really hope to have a result with Sister Qin?"

These words were like a needle piercing He Yuzhu's heart.

"Sister Qin still has to raise the child, how could I do something that goes against my conscience?" At this point, He Yuzhu seemed a little confused, "How could I..."

Seeing that He Yuzhu was tough on the outside but soft on the inside, Zhang Yu realized that continuing to argue would only cause more trouble. Everyone has some things that are hard to tolerate.

Perhaps He Yuzhu was aware of the role Qin Huairu played in his life, and mixed his own thoughts. For these bystanders, it was nothing more than guessing their backbone.

It is not easy to wake up a person pretending to sleep. As the winter night fell, everyone in the yard noticed that He Yuzhu had fallen into a deep sleep. Zhang Yu considerately covered him with a thick quilt, added firewood to keep him warm, and then put on a coat and prepared to return. At this moment, a shrill scream suddenly came from the silent courtyard.

It came from the darkness of another house, mixed with the panicked cry of a child. Although they were far away, everyone in the yard could still deeply feel the sadness and helplessness.

"What happened?" everyone asked in unison, trying to find the child who was crying for help.

What happened? Did a thief break into the backyard and cause trouble? "The residents hurriedly dressed and walked out of the door, heading straight for the crying and chaos. Facing He Yuzhu who was sleeping soundly, Zhang Yu did not wake him up, silently helped to close the door, and then followed the shouting to the scene of the incident. When they got there, they saw many people gathered outside Xu Damao's house.

"Oh, lollipop, what's wrong with my dear grandson!" The crying voice of an old woman came from a distance, which made Zhang Yu tighten his mouth corners with a little worry.

When he got closer, Zhang Yu saw a short and fat old woman holding a crying boy on the ground, with the boy's right hand firmly grasping a mousetrap. "My dear grandson, who would do such a wicked thing to hurt you!" Jia Zhang cried, but she didn't shed too many tears, as if she was holding back.

As time went by, the crowd gradually grew larger, and her voice became more and more miserable. The old woman was Qin Huairu's mother-in-law, Jia Zhang, and the one in her arms was her only grandson, Banggeng.

Bang Geng was in great pain, his hair soaked with sweat, and he leaned tightly against Jia Zhang's arms and cried out in pain. Seeing that everyone had gathered around him, Jia Zhang shouted at the door: "Xu Damao, you lunatic, why did you place a mousetrap for no reason and hurt my grandson's life!" Her question echoed in the crowd.

Standing in front of him was Xu Damao, Zhang Yu's lifelong rival. He was wearing a cotton coat and had a determined look on his face. His wife Lou Xiao'e was extremely indignant at what Jia Zhang said.

"Auntie, please stop messing around. Our mousetraps are placed in the chicken coop. They won't be touched unless Banggeng steals your eggs, right?" Xu Damao had no intention of backing down.

Jia Zhang shook her head stubbornly, "You are lying! How could my well-behaved grandson steal eggs! Your traps are really harmful." Her dissatisfaction attracted the whispers of the people around. Xu Damao finally couldn't help but defend his family: "Please listen patiently. When I was showing a movie in the countryside before, I brought back the rooster and the hen. Later I found that the eggs were missing. I thought it was a mouse, so I set a mousetrap. It wasn't a mouse that stole the eggs, but a thief in my house."

Xu Damao explained the whole story in detail, and Zhang Yu understood what happened: it turned out that Qin Huairu's son Banggeng accidentally triggered the mousetrap when he tried to steal Xu Damao's eggs. Jia Zhang felt sorry for her grandson's pain and tried to ask for medical expenses; but Xu Damao was convinced that it was his family's loss and refused to admit it, so the dispute between the two escalated. This situation made Jia Zhang sit on the ground with the crying child, and she seemed a little too excited.

As the number of onlookers continued to grow, the three old men in the courtyard, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui, were also urgently recalled. Their duties meant that they could not sit idly by and watch such neighborhood disputes.

"How is your grandson injured? He must be sent to the hospital immediately. Make sure no vital parts are injured." Upon seeing the situation, Yi Zhonghai immediately became concerned about Bang Geng's condition.

Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui tried to mediate the dispute and calm the situation down, but they were unable to dispel the noise. Xu Damao resisted the crowd's request to leave, and the conflict became increasingly intense. "I was injured before I even confirmed that it was Banggeng who stole the egg. I didn't hurt him on purpose." He stubbornly stood his ground.