I became a poor little sophora japonica in the courtyard

On the second day of the first lunar month, Qin Huairu stayed at her mother's house for one night, and early the next morning, she took Qin Jingru, who was fooled by her again, back to the courtyard in the city.

"Last time I was worried that Shazhu might be too stupid!"

Qin Jingru met her cousin's mother-in-law. She was a little embarrassed and explained awkwardly.

"Oh my! Shazhu is not stupid. When he was twelve or thirteen years old, he was helping his father sell steamed buns on Dongdan Street. He happened to encounter a wounded soldier who was robbing. Shazhu carried the steamed buns on his back and ran all the way from Dongdan to Dengshikou. Later, he met a businessman who bought all his steamed buns. He took the money home, but it was found to be all fake. His father said, you Shazhu. So, the name Shazhu became popular!"

In order to continue to have food and drink in the future, Jia Zhang actually patiently explained to Qin Jingru the origin of the name Sha Zhu.

"Haha! This Shazhu is really stupid enough." Qin Jingru was amused by her story and laughed.

"Aunt, where is your Xiao Huaihua?" Qin Jingru looked around but did not see Xiao Huaihua, with whom she had slept for a night, so she asked Jia Zhangshi.

"She! She was taken out to play by Lou Xiao'e in the backyard." Jia Zhang became furious when she mentioned her little granddaughter.

This morning, Lou Xiao'e and Xu Damao went back to her parents' home in Lou Mansion, Dongdan, to pay New Year's greetings. But Xu Damao refused to go no matter what!

He learned from Sha Zhu yesterday that Qin Huairu was going to bring Sha Zhu's blind date back today. If he left like this, wouldn't Sha Zhu be getting the advantage for nothing?

Lou Xiao'e was so angry that she ran away! As soon as she left the backyard, she ran into Xiao Huaihua who came to wish her a happy new year.

She then had the idea of ​​taking little Huaihua back to her parents' home to celebrate the New Year. It would be more lively with more children at home! She went to the Jia family in the middle courtyard to inform them, and then took Huaihua back to the Lou Mansion in Dongdan.

"Your Huaihua is really a little smart girl. She is so capable at such a young age." Qin Jingru said enviously.

At this time, there was a knock on the door of the west wing. Sha Zhu asked outside the door: "Excuse me, is there anyone in the room?"

"He's coming, he's coming." Qin Huairu hurriedly whispered to her cousin.

"Haha! Why does he talk like that? Like a teacher." Qin Jingru couldn't help laughing out loud.

Qin Huairu went over and opened the door, and Sha Zhu walked in wearing new clothes and holding a gift in his hand.

This was the first time the two met, and Qin Huairu hurriedly introduced them to each other. Before they could say a few words, Sha Zhu suggested that Qin Jingru go to his room and sit down.

Qin Jingru followed Sha Zhu to the main house. Sha Zhu's main house in the middle courtyard was the largest in the entire quadrangle. Qin Jingru looked at this big house and immediately fell in love with it.

The two of them sat in the room chatting, and Qin Jingru even helped Sha Zhu make the bed. In order to avoid suspicion, the door was not closed.

At this time, Xu Damao came out from the backyard to investigate the situation. As soon as he stepped onto the corridor in the middle courtyard, he heard the voice of a girl talking in the main room.

He quietly walked along the corridor to Sha Zhu's door and secretly peeked in. He saw the beautiful girl who watched the movie last time chatting with Sha Zhu. He quickly turned his head back!

Back in the west wing of the backyard, Xu Damao began to dress himself up. He put on his most fashionable black woolen coat and a red scarf. After thinking for a while, he took some money from the drawer and put it in the pocket of his coat.

He closed the door and left the No. 95 courtyard. He waited on the road leading to the public toilet. He just saw Sha Zhu making a cup of tea for Qin Jingru, and he didn't believe that Qin Jingru would drink tea without going to the toilet.

Seeing that it was almost noon, Sha Zhu was going to the Jia family kitchen in the west wing to cook for his blind date, while Qin Huairu was helping him.

Qin Jingru sat in the main room of the Jia family, watching the two people interacting in the kitchen. I don't know what kind of witty remark Sha Zhu made, but Qin Huairu hit him affectionately with her hand. Qin Jingru saw it all and felt a little uncomfortable.

She stood up and told Jia Zhang that she was going to the public toilet. When she came out of the public toilet across the alley, she was blocked by Xu Damao.

"Aren't you the projectionist who showed the movie that day? Are you here to use the bathroom too?" Qin Jingru recognized Xu Damao at a glance.

"I'm not going to the bathroom. I'm here waiting for you." Xu Damao went straight to the point without any hesitation.

"What are you waiting for me for? I won't listen to your tricks."

Qin Jingru knew that the two of them didn't get along, and Xu Damao had nothing good to say about Sha Zhu. She bypassed Xu Damao and was about to go back to the courtyard, but was so shocked by what Xu Damao said next that she couldn't move.

"Do you know that your sister and Sha Zhu have an improper relationship? Ever since your brother-in-law died, your sister has been in love with Sha Zhu."

Qin Jingru was a little confused! The scene just now immediately appeared in her mind. The two were flirting in the kitchen, and Qin Huairu even punched Sha Zhu in the chest with her little fist.

"I didn't want to say this, but I was afraid you would be deceived. If you don't believe me, you can ask the neighbors around here. This is an open secret, and you are the only one who has been kept in the dark."

Seeing Qin Jingru's expression wavering, Xu Damao was secretly happy. He then added, striking while the iron was hot.

"How could they be like this! My sister is such a fool! Since they are together, why did they call me over?" Qin Jingru stomped her feet and hated her sister Qin Huairu.

"This is not the place to talk. If you want to know why, then follow me."

Xu Damao saw that he was about to succeed, but this place was crowded with people coming and going and was not the right place to talk like that, so he invited Qin Jingru to talk somewhere else.

Xu Damao took Qin Jingru to a pavilion in Ditan Park. It was cold and there were no tourists, which was a good opportunity for them to talk.

"This idiot Zhu is two years older than me, but why hasn't he gotten married yet? It's because he has been dating your sister for a long time, but your sister's mother-in-law doesn't agree. Their improper relationship has been a big deal, and in order to cover up their affair, they are using you as a shield."

"What should I do now?" Qin Jingru almost cried. How could her cousin be like this? She even treated Qin Huairu as her own sister.

"Why is this so difficult? You are here just for a blind date today. Whether it will work out depends on your opinion. Come on, I will take you around the city and I will take you to the station in the afternoon."

Xu Damao took Qin Jingru to Wangfujing Street in Dongdan by bus and bought her a bright red woolen coat and a pair of brown cotton leather shoes in a department store.

At lunch time, Xu Damao took her to Donglaishun in Dong'an Market and treated Qin Jingru to mutton hotpot.

Xu Damao was very generous, which impressed Qin Jingru, who had never seen the world.

"This is no big deal for me! I'm a level 7 projectionist, earning 49.5 yuan a month. I also have to pay for travel expenses when I go out to show movies." Xu Damao was boasting, and he didn't forget to step on Sha Zhu.

"And Shazhu entered the factory five years earlier than I did. He is now only an eighth-level cook, and with a two-yuan squad leader allowance, he only makes thirty-seven yuan and fifty cents a month. Do you know why?"

"Shazhu is not popular in the factory and he always offends the leaders. Most importantly, he takes advantage of his privilege of serving food in the cafeteria and always has affairs with young widows and girls in the steel mill. So his reputation is so bad that his salary has been stuck and cannot be increased."

"This idiot Zhu is so mean! Thank you, Xu Damao. If it weren't for you today, I would have been badly hurt by them!"

Qin Jingru was still frightened after hearing what Xu Damao said. Even if Sha Zhu was not in a relationship with her cousin, she would not agree to marry him now.

"Then what should I do next?" Qin Jingru regarded Xu Damao as her backbone and had no idea what to do.

"Come sit over here and I'll tell you."

Qin Jingru moved from the opposite seat to sit next to Xu Damao. Xu Damao put his arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ear.

"Write a letter when you go back this afternoon and I'll bring it back to the courtyard for you. Now, let them worry at home."

The two of them ate mutton hotpot for two hours. It was the first time in Qin Jingru's life that she had eaten all-you-can-eat mutton. She now had great respect for Xu Damao.

This man is polite and well behaved! He has a good job and is very rich. If I make friends with him, wouldn't I be like Xiao Huaihua?

At 4pm, Xu Damao sent Qin Jingru to the bus to Changping. While waiting for the bus, Qin Jingru left her commune phone number so that if Xu Damao needed to find her, he could call and have someone pass on the message.

Xu Damao also left the phone number of the publicity department of the steel rolling mill. If Qin Jingru wanted to come to Sijiucheng to play, she could call him.

When Qin Jingru got on the bus and just sat down, Xu Damao stuffed five yuan into her hand through the window. Qin Jingru was about to refuse when the bus started moving.

This man is so thoughtful! He was afraid that I would refuse, so he stuffed it into my pocket through the car window.

It was the first time that Qin Jingru fell in love with a man. She had already begun to imagine the scene of the two meeting again.