Siheyuan: Starting from the Old Society

"How dare you say that!" Yi Zhonghai was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, "Don't you see where we are! This is the courtyard! Where do you think we old neighbors can put our faces?!"

The crowd watching the fun began to whisper and point at Sha Zhu.

"That's right, Shazhu is too unreasonable. How can he just... in the yard..."

"Qin Huairu too, why did she let Sha Zhu..."

"Oh, it's really immoral..."

Qin Huairu was already ashamed by Sha Zhu's behavior, and now she was being watched and talked about by everyone, she wanted to find a hole to crawl into. She pushed Sha Zhu away, covered her face and ran home crying.

Sha Zhu looked at Qin Huairu's back, feeling angry and annoyed, and shouted at Yi Zhonghai: "Uncle, don't listen to their nonsense, Huairu and I are truly in love!"

"True love?" Yi Zhonghai sneered, "True love means you can cuddle in the yard? Where do you put Jia Zhang and Dong Xu? Where do you put the face of us old neighbors?!"

Sha Zhu wanted to explain himself, but was interrupted by Lin Yue'e: "Sha Zhu, stop quibbling! You are a shameless thing! Look at yourself, you are just a cook, why are you with Huai Ru!"

Lin Yue'e pointed at Sha Zhu's nose and cursed: "I tell you, Huai Ru is mine! No one can take her away from me!"

Sha Zhu was enraged by Lin Yue'e's words. He waved his fist and rushed towards Lin Yue'e: "You stinky woman, if you dare to talk nonsense again, believe it or not, I will tear your mouth apart!"

"Sha Zhu! How dare you!" Seeing this, Yi Zhonghai hurriedly stepped forward to stop Sha Zhu and pulled him aside.

"Silly Zhu, calm down!" Yi Zhonghai advised in a low voice, "Now is not the time to cause trouble!"

Sha Zhu panted heavily and glared at Lin Yue'e viciously, wishing he could eat her alive.

"Uncle, please don't worry about it!" Lin Yue'e said proudly, "This matter is not over today! I must make Sha Zhu pay the price!"

After saying that, Lin Yue'e turned around and left, not forgetting to give Sha Zhu a provocative look before leaving.

Sha Zhu looked at Lin Yue'e's departing back, a fierce light flashed in his eyes.

......

It was late at night and the courtyard was silent.

Shazhu lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

What happened during the day replayed in his mind over and over again like a movie, especially Qin Huairu's shy expression, which made him distracted.

"Qin Huairu..." Sha Zhu muttered to himself, and his love for Qin Huairu became stronger.

He got out of bed, took out an iron box from the cabinet, opened it, and saw that it was filled with money and tickets he had saved over the years.

"Huai Ru, just wait, I will definitely marry you!" Sha Zhu clenched his fists, his eyes full of determination.

He decided to buy a sewing machine tomorrow and give it to Qin Huairu as a gift to propose to her!

Early the next morning, Sha Zhu excitedly took the money and tickets to the department store.

However, when he arrived at the sewing machine counter, he was told that the sewing machines were sold out.

"What? Sold out?" Sha Zhu asked in disbelief, "How could it be sold out?"

The salesperson said impatiently: "If it's sold out, it's sold out. Why are you asking so many questions? Hurry up and leave. Don't delay my work!"

Sha Zhu was not discouraged and went to several other stores to inquire, but the result was the same: all the sewing machines were sold out.

"How could this happen..." Sha Zhu walked down the street in a daze, his heart filled with disappointment and frustration.

Just then, he suddenly heard someone talking:

"I heard that someone bought all the sewing machines in the department store at once yesterday!"

"Is this true? Who is so powerful?"

"Who else could it be? Of course it's Xu Damao!"

......

Xu Damao?

When Sha Zhu heard the name, he was stunned.

He never imagined that the person who bought all the sewing machines was Xu Damao!

Yi Zhonghai's appearance made Sha Zhu stop his movements. He let go of Qin Huairu, his eyes flickering, and explained in a panic like a child who had made a mistake: "Uncle, I... I..."

Yi Zhonghai scowled and glared at Sha Zhu, "What are you talking about! Why don't you let Qin Huairu go right now? How can you behave like this in public?"

Sha Zhu was scolded by Yi Zhonghai, his face turned red and he stammered and couldn't speak.

Qin Huairu straightened her messy clothes, lowered her head and said nothing.

"Okay, everyone, disperse, disperse. What are you looking at? You have nothing to do, right?" Yi Zhonghai waved at the onlookers, and the crowd gradually dispersed.

"Qin Huairu, come with me." Yi Zhonghai put his hands behind his back and turned into his room.

Qin Huairu looked at Sha Zhu, then at Yi Zhonghai's back, hesitated for a moment, and followed him into the house.

Sha Zhu stood there, looking at the closed door. He felt like his heart was filled with mixed feelings and he couldn't describe the feeling.

Inside the room, Yi Zhonghai sat on a chair with a gloomy face. Qin Huairu stood in front of him with her head down, like a child who had done something wrong.

"Qin Huairu, Qin Huairu, tell me, why are you..." Yi Zhonghai sighed, and hesitated to speak.

"Uncle, I..." Qin Huairu bit her lips, her eyes red.

"You are too soft-hearted and trust people too easily!" Yi Zhonghai said angrily, "Don't you think about who Sha Zhu is? Can he be sincere to you? He was just attracted by her beauty and acted on impulse!"

Qin Huairu remained silent, but the domineering yet gentle kiss from Sha Zhu just now emerged in her mind, and ripples appeared in her heart.

"You are just too naive and don't understand men's minds." Yi Zhonghai said earnestly, "Men always say one thing and do another. Shazhu looks honest, but he is actually full of bad intentions! If you really get together with him, you will suffer in the future!"

Qin Huairu raised her head and looked at Yi Zhonghai, her eyes full of confusion and helplessness: "Uncle, what should I do?"

Yi Zhonghai looked at Qin Huairu's pitiful appearance, and a bold idea came to his mind.

"Huai Ru, listen to the uncle and stop getting entangled with Sha Zhu. Don't worry, the uncle will definitely find a good family for you."

Qin Huairu was stunned. She didn't understand what Yi Zhonghai meant, and asked doubtfully: "Uncle, you...what did you say?"

Yi Zhonghai stood up, walked to Qin Huairu, and said in a low voice: "Huairu, marry me."

"What?!" Qin Huairu exclaimed, as if she had heard something incredible, and looked at Yi Zhonghai in disbelief.

Yi Zhonghai grabbed Qin Huairu's hand and said with burning eyes: "Huairu, I know you are suffering, don't worry, I will treat you well and give you a warm home!"

Qin Huairu felt dizzy, and before she could react, Yi Zhonghai had already hugged her into his arms...

Qin Huairu was struck by lightning. She pushed Yi Zhonghai away, her eyes filled with fear, and she stepped back repeatedly until her back hit the cold wall, where she finally stopped.

"Uncle, you...how could you..." Qin Huairu's voice trembled, her eyes full of disbelief.

Yi Zhonghai took a step forward and tried to hold Qin Huairu's hand, but she dodged him.

"Huai Ru, don't be afraid. I really want to take care of you." Yi Zhonghai said sincerely, his eyes full of pity. "Sha Zhu is unreliable. If you follow him, you will suffer in the future."

"Uncle, I..." Qin Huairu felt mixed emotions and didn't know how to answer.

Seeing that she seemed to be a little shaken, Yi Zhonghai struck while the iron was hot and said, "Huai Ru, if you marry me, you will be a big aunt in the future. Everyone in this courtyard will have to respect you. You don't have to work hard anymore. I will support you!"

"But..." Qin Huairu bit her lip, struggling in her heart. She knew that what Yi Zhonghai said was true. Although Sha Zhu was good to her, Yi Zhonghai's conditions were indeed better.

"Don't say but, Huairu, just promise me!" Yi Zhonghai said, reaching out to pull Qin Huairu's hand again.

Qin Huairu subconsciously wanted to dodge, but at this moment, the door was suddenly pushed open.

"Stop!" An angry roar sounded at the door, like a thunder, shocking the two people in the room.

Sha Zhu stood at the door angrily, his eyes red, like an enraged beast. He pulled Qin Huairu behind him, pointed at Yi Zhonghai's nose and cursed:

"You are so shameless, Yi Zhonghai! I respect you like my own father, but you actually do such a dirty thing behind my back! You are such a shameless old man! Aren't you afraid of hurting your back?"

Yi Zhonghai was shocked by Sha Zhu's sudden anger. He didn't expect Sha Zhu to appear suddenly, and he didn't expect him to be so disrespectful to him.

"Shazhu, what nonsense are you talking about!" Yi Zhonghai was furious and pointed at Shazhu's nose and cursed, "What does it have to do with you that I'm talking to your sister Qin? Get out of here!"

"Get out? This is my courtyard, why should I get out?" Sha Zhu refused to give in and yelled with his neck stiff, "But you, old man, get out of here right now, as far away as you can, don't let me see you again!"

"You..." Yi Zhonghai was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at Sha Zhu and couldn't say a word for a long time.

"Shazhu, talk less!" Qin Huairu pulled the corner of Shazhu's clothes, signaling him to stop talking.

Sha Zhu shook off Qin Huairu's hand and said angrily: "Qin Huairu, whose side are you on? This old man wants to take advantage of you, and you are still speaking for him?"

Qin Huairu was hurt by Sha Zhu's words. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes and she ran out covering her face.

"Qin Huairu!" Sha Zhu wanted to chase after her but was stopped by Yi Zhonghai.

"Shazhu, stop right there!" Yi Zhonghai pointed at Shazhu angrily, "If you don't give me an explanation today, I will go to the factory and sue you!"

"Sue me? Go ahead! I'm not afraid!" Sha Zhu grabbed Yi Zhonghai by the collar and said viciously, "I will teach you a lesson today on behalf of your parents, so that you will know what it means to respect the elderly and love the young!"

After saying that, Sha Zhu raised his fist and hit Yi Zhonghai hard in the face...