Siheyuan: Starting from Building a Village

The fast-moving car brought up a gust of cold wind, and Cui Dake's thin body trembled involuntarily.

Standing at the gate of No. 95 Courtyard, Cui Dake was feeling uneasy.

This is where dreams begin and where dreams break.

"Comrade, who are you looking for?"

Looking at the person who had been standing at the door for a long time, Yan Bugui couldn't help but ask. He didn't seem to recognize Cui Dake. Originally, Cui Dake was not familiar with the people in Yard 95. No one would have thought that Cui Dake would come to the courtyard again after coming out.

"Teacher Yan, it's me, Cui Dake, do you remember me?"

Cui Dake bent his body slightly, with his usual nagging smile on his face, but his thick black hair was now only stubble.

"Cui Dake?"

Yan Bugui was in disbelief and looked him up and down for a long time, but still couldn't confirm.

"Yes, I'm Cui Dake, I'm out."

Cui Dake smiled, with an inexplicable light in his eyes.

"Oh, it's you, that's not right," Yan Bugui became alert and a little nervous. In the past two years, many places in society have been in chaos, and some prisoners from the labor camp have escaped. So he asked, "Cui Dake, if I remember correctly, you were sentenced to ten years, right? Your time is wrong?"

"Forehead.."

The smile on Cui Dake's face faded, and his eyes dimmed. Carrying the reputation of being a labor reform student, his future was bound to be tortuous.

In this age where reputation is highly valued, it is difficult for released prisoners who have been released from labor camps to be accepted by the people around them.

Cui Dake has experienced this personally. He went home on the first day after he was released, back to his rural hometown. It is said that home is a warm harbor and the concern of those who are away from home.

But when Cui Dake returned home, he did not feel any warmth at all. Instead, he was greeted only by cold eyes.

He had never thought that the eyes of his relatives could be so cold, as cold as the biting wind in the cold winter.

He, who was once the pride of his family, has now become the shame of his family and the laughing stock of the village.

His family didn't listen to his explanation, and the villagers didn't care about it at all. All everyone cared about was him, Cui Dake, the shame of his family and the whole village.

So, he was cut off from his marriage in front of the whole village.

He was driven out of his home and out of the village.

Helplessly, he thought of Courtyard No. 95. After all, he had lived here for several months and had a relationship that he was not very willing to have. Maybe he could find a place to stay here.

"Teacher Yan, this is my release certificate, please take a look."

Cui Dake knew that without proof, Yan Bugui would not only not let him into the hospital, but would also ask someone to take him to the police station.

"Oh, it's true. It's good that you're out. It's good that you're out. You must keep this release certificate safe."

After reading Cui Dake's release certificate, Yan Bugui felt relieved. However, he didn't understand why Cui Dake came to their hospital. You know, Cui Dake had lost his job and his house was taken back. The only person he knew well was Qin Huairu. Could it be that Cui Dake came to Qin Huairu for help?

"Teacher Yan, I'm here to see Sister Qin."

Cui Dake's words verified Yan Bugui's idea.

"Then you have to wait a while. Qin Huairu hasn't come home yet since she just got off work. Do you want me to move a stool for you?"

"Thank you, Teacher Yan. I'll stand here and wait for a while."

Cui Dake could naturally tell what was the truth and what was just politeness.

"Okay, you wait here. I still have to go home to grade homework."

Yan Bugui caught the initial spring breeze of rectification and was recalled to the school to continue being a teacher.

Cui Dake leaned against the wall and waited patiently.

People who had gone to work came back one after another. When they saw Cui Dake at the door, they just thought he was someone's relative and did not come up to talk to him like Yan Bugui did.

However, what made them curious was that this person always smiled and nodded to everyone he met, as if he knew them.

Out of politeness, they just nodded in response without saying anything.

It's a storm now, so it's better to mind your own business. Nodding to a stranger is the greatest kindness you can show.

"Who are you? Why are you in front of our yard? What do you want to do?"

Liu Haizhong, with his hands behind his back and his head raised, naturally came over to ask questions in order to show his presence.

"Master Liu, I'm Cui Dake. I'm back."

Cui Dake didn't know many people in the compound and couldn't remember most of their names, except for some "influential" figures like Liu Haizhong, Yan Bugui, and Sha Zhu.

"Cui Dake? Now that you're out, live a good life. I'll keep an eye on you at all times. Don't let me catch you."

Liu Haizhong looked at Cui Dake arrogantly, and went straight into the yard without stopping. Liu Haizhong always looked down on prisoners like Cui Dake.

Liu Guangqi looked at Cui Dake without saying a word, and thought to himself: He is not as handsome as me, and his Zhongshan suit does not have the same style as mine. I don't know what Qin Huairu likes about him.

Liu Guangqi shook his head and walked into the yard. This Cui Dake was not worthy of his attention.

The smile on Cui Dake's face remained, but his eyes had turned cold. The lecturing tone and disdainful look deeply hurt his sensitive heart.

The good thing is that not everyone is like Liu Haizhong. Some people who recognize him will greet him with a smile.

Cui Dake waited patiently at the door until the familiar figure appeared at the entrance of the alley.

Qin Huairu's figure is still as plump and attractive as ever, but the smile on her face has changed, becoming more sincere.

Although almost five years have passed, Cui Dake still clearly remembers that the look in Qin Huairu's eyes when she looked at him was full of "desire", which was the pursuit of material life and the yearning for a better life.

The smile on his face seemed more like an act.

Now the smile on Qin Huairu's face was calm and came from the heart, even her eyes revealed a smile.

When he saw Sha Zhu beside Qin Huairu, Cui Dake's excited heart calmed down again. There was a hint of anger in his calmness, just like the feeling when his favorite toy was taken away by another child when he was a child.

Even though he had never had any feelings for Qin Huairu and only had physical desires for her, Cui Dake did not want to see Qin Huairu talking and laughing with other men, her laughter was so sincere and so moving.

A sincere smile is always touching.

Cui Dake couldn't help but wonder, are Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu together?

He clearly remembered that five years ago, the relationship between Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu was not very good, if not as bad as fire and water. Looking at their current appearance, it seemed that something had happened in between that improved their relationship. The smiles on their faces showed that their relationship seemed to have taken a step forward.

"Qin, Sister Qin."

Cui Dake's voice was trembling, full of expectation and uneasiness.

"Cui Dake?"

The smile on Qin Huairu's face disappeared. She had thought more than once about how she would face Cui Dake if she met him again after he came out. She didn't expect that this day would come so soon and so suddenly.

"Sister Qin, I'm back."

Cui Dake's heart was boiling again when Qin Huairu recognized him at a glance. This showed that Qin Huairu had not forgotten him and her feelings for him were real.

Sha Zhu didn't say anything, but the shock in his eyes said it all.

"It's good that you're back. Let the past be the past. Remember to live a good life in the future."

Qin Huairu herself did not expect that she could be so calm and face the man who almost became her second husband without any ripples.

Cui Dake felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over his head. The fire in his heart was extinguished and his hope was shattered.

He didn't dare to think about whether Qin Huairu was willing to take him in now, taking in this "poor man" who was already homeless.