Siheyuan: Starting from the Old Society

As he spoke, he glanced behind Sha Zhu and asked, "Why don't you see your precious sister? Doesn't she like chatting with the aunties in the courtyard the most?"

Sha Zhu's heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition came over him. He pretended to be calm and said, "My sister is not at home. What do you want to see her for?"

"Nothing, I just want to ask her if she still remembers my wife Lou Xiao'e?" Xu Damao said, hugging Lou Xiao'e's shoulders with a wicked smile on his face, "My wife said that when they were in the hospital, your sister had the best relationship with her. This time she came back, she specially asked me to bring her a gift!"

Lou Xiao'e smiled cooperatively, took out a delicate little box from her bag, handed it to Sha Zhu, and said, "Sha Zhu, this is the perfume I brought back from abroad. I'm giving it to your sister. I hope she likes it."

Sha Zhu looked at the perfume in front of him and felt a chill running from his feet to his heart. He suddenly realized that Xu Damao's target this time was not Qin Huairu...

Sha Zhu looked at Xu Damao's receding back, feeling mixed emotions. How come this kid has become a different person after not seeing him for a few years? His previous shifty, timid and cowardly look was gone, replaced by a righteous and majestic aura that made people dare not look directly at him.

Could it be that being a soldier can really change a person? Sha Zhu scratched his head, puzzled.

The crowd gradually dispersed, but Qin Huairu was still standing there, staring blankly at the direction where Yi Zhonghai was taken away, her eyes red, as if she was about to cry. Sha Zhu hated to see a woman cry, let alone Qin Huairu. He walked up to her and comforted her clumsily: "Huairu, don't cry, that old man deserved it! No one will dare to bully you in the future."

Qin Huairu raised her head and looked at Sha Zhu gratefully: "Sha Zhu, thank you for today, if it weren't for you..."

She was halfway through her speech when she suddenly choked up and tears fell like beads from a broken string.

Sha Zhu was immediately panicked: "Oh, Huairu, don't cry, your crying makes me feel so sad..."

He hurriedly took out a crumpled handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu took the handkerchief, wiped her tears, and said gratefully: "Shazhu, you are such a good person."

The word "good man" was like a small hammer, hitting Sha Zhu's heart. He scratched his head a little embarrassedly and smiled honestly: "Hey, we all live in the same courtyard, it's only natural for us to help each other."

Qin Huairu looked at Sha Zhu's silly look, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. Over the years, only Sha Zhu treated her well sincerely.

"Shazhu, I...I'll treat you to a meal. Thank you for helping me today." Qin Huairu lowered her head and said softly.

When Sha Zhu heard this, he was immediately delighted: "Really? That's great! What do you want to eat? It's my treat!"

Qin Huairu smiled and said, "Eat whatever you want. I'll listen to you."

Sha Zhu thought about it and suggested: "How about we go eat mutton hotpot? I know a time-honored restaurant with authentic taste!"

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Qin Huairu looked at Sha Zhu gently, her eyes flowing like a pool of spring water.

Sha Zhu was so distracted by her look that he wanted to take her to eat mutton hotpot right away so that they could enjoy their time alone.

However, at this moment, there was a sudden commotion at the gate of the courtyard.

"Xu Damao! Why...why are you back again?!" There was a cry of surprise from the crowd.

Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu were both stunned. They turned around and saw Xu Damao coming back, followed by several men in uniforms, holding...guns?!

After Xu Damao left, the courtyard was completely silent, like the calm after a storm, but also filled with a sense of depression as if a storm was about to come. Everyone looked at each other, and no one dared to speak first, for fear of getting into trouble.

Sha Zhu stood there blankly, replaying everything that had just happened in his mind like a movie. Yi Zhonghai's terrified expression when he was taken away, Xu Damao's meaningful smile before he left, the tears in Qin Huairu's eyes... these scenes intertwined together, making him feel mixed emotions.

He couldn't help but secretly glance at Qin Huairu again. She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, and she obviously hadn't recovered from the shock just now. Sha Zhu suddenly felt an urge to go over and comfort her, but he didn't know what to say.

After hesitating for a long time, Sha Zhu finally plucked up the courage and took a few steps towards Qin Huairu.

"Sister Qin..." He just opened his mouth, but saw Qin Huairu suddenly raised her head, staring at him with red and swollen eyes, gritting her teeth and saying: "Silly Zhu, you still have the nerve to call me Sister Qin? If you hadn't been meddling in my business, would I have been so frightened?!"

Sha Zhu was stunned. He didn't expect Qin Huairu to react like this, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.

"I... I just can't stand it..." He stammered, but his heart felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over it, chilling him to the bone.

"Can't stand it?" Qin Huairu sneered, "Who do you think you are? What qualifications do you have to care about my business?"

She became more and more excited as she spoke, her voice getting louder and louder: "If you hadn't been hanging around in front of me all day, attracting all kinds of people, would he have fallen in love with me? Would he have pushed me to this point?!"

Sha Zhu was speechless due to her series of questions. He opened his mouth but found that he was unable to refute.

Yes, who am I? Why should I care about her business?

Seeing that he remained silent, Qin Huairu thought that he agreed with what she said. She felt even more aggrieved and her tears fell like beads from a broken string.

"Go away! Get out of here! I don't want to see you again!" She pointed at the door and yelled hysterically.

Sha Zhu's heart felt like it was cut by a knife. He looked at the woman in front of him, whom he once had a crush on. At this moment, she was like a wounded little beast, full of defensiveness and hostility.

He really wanted to explain, really wanted to tell her that he didn't mean it, that he just wanted to help her, but he knew that nothing he said now would help.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and left Qin Huairu's house silently.

As night fell, the courtyard returned to peace again, but beneath this peace, there was a more eerie atmosphere hidden.

Sha Zhu returned home and lay on the bed, but he couldn't fall asleep. Qin Huairu's words kept echoing in his mind, like needles, piercing his heart and causing pain.

He suddenly felt very confused and helpless. He didn't know what he had done wrong, nor did he know what to do in the future.

Just then, he suddenly heard a slight knock on the door...

Sha Zhu stared blankly at Xu Damao's back as he left, feeling mixed emotions. This kid seemed to have become a different person after going out, with an indescribable aura emanating from his body, which made him feel creepy.

"Isn't it possible that Xu Damao has made a name for himself out there?" someone in the crowd whispered.

"Who knows? He might find someone powerful and show off his power when he comes back!"

People around were talking about it, their words were full of speculation and jealousy. Sha Zhu felt even worse after hearing these words. He turned around and wanted to go back to the house.

"Shazhu, wait a minute!" Qin Huairu suddenly called him.

Sha Zhu paused and turned around, only to see Qin Huairu looking at him pitifully with red eyes, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

"Sister Qin, what are you doing..." Sha Zhu's heart softened, and his tone unconsciously became concerned.

"Silly Zhu, I... I'm scared..." Qin Huairu said, tears falling down her face. "Yi Zhonghai has been taken away. What will happen to this hospital in the future..."

When she cried, the anger in Sha Zhu's heart immediately disappeared. He hated to see women cry, let alone a beautiful woman like Qin Huairu who made him feel pity.

"Sister Qin, don't be afraid, I'm here!" Sha Zhu patted his chest and assured, "That old man Yi Zhonghai is gone, I will protect you in this courtyard from now on!"

Qin Huairu looked at him gratefully when she heard this, but she still looked worried: "But...but Xu Damao..."

"What's wrong with him?" Sha Zhu frowned, "Can he eat you?"

Qin Huairu bit her lip and hesitated to speak.

Seeing this, Sha Zhu became even more curious: "Sister Qin, just say whatever you want to say. We are friends now!"

Qin Huairu hesitated for a moment, then leaned close to Sha Zhu's ear and said in a low voice: "I heard... I heard that Xu Damao came back this time to find a wife..."

"Looking for a wife?" Sha Zhu was stunned for a moment, then he burst into laughter, "Him? Looking for a wife? What kind of girl is so pessimistic!"

Qin Huairu was anxious and angry when she saw his heartless look: "Silly Zhu, I'm talking to you seriously! I heard that Xu Damao brought several girls with him this time, and they are all beautiful, like..."

"Like what?"

"It's like... like walking down from a painting..." Qin Huairu said, her voice getting lower and lower, and a blush appeared on her face.

When Sha Zhu saw her expression, his heart suddenly skipped a beat and a bad premonition came to his mind.

"Sister Qin, you are not..."

Qin Huairu didn't say anything, but just lowered her head and silently twisted the corner of her clothes.

Sha Zhu looked at her like this and immediately understood about 70% of what was going on. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but found that he couldn't say anything.

Just then, a hearty laugh came from the gate of the courtyard.

"Hahaha, Sister Qin, I'm back!"

Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu looked up at the same time, and saw Xu Damao in military uniform, standing at the gate of the courtyard with an imposing manner. Behind him were several young and beautiful girls, all of whom were dressed up beautifully, like a hundred flowers competing for beauty.

Xu Damao's gaze was now on Qin Huairu, with a hint of amusement and... passion.

After Xu Damao left, everyone in the courtyard was afraid to speak, fearing that they would get into trouble. Sha Zhu looked at the direction where Xu Damao left, feeling mixed emotions.