Siheyuan: Rebirth of Liu Ergou

As night fell, the moonlight was like water, sprinkling on the bluestone road of the courtyard. The young and old men in the courtyard of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang were chatting on the side of the road when they suddenly saw a figure staggering not far ahead. When they got closer, they found that it was Xu Damao, with a swollen nose and face, disheveled clothes, and a miserable appearance.

When He Yuzhu saw Xu Damao like this, he couldn't help but feel contempt for him. He thought of all the evil things Xu Damao did every day, and he felt even more disgusted. He couldn't help but sneer, "Hey, isn't this Xu Damao? How did he get drunk like this? And he got beaten up black and blue, he really deserved it!"

Xu Damao was furious when he heard He Yuzhu's ridicule. He wanted to teach He Yuzhu a lesson, but was stopped by Liu Rui. Liu Rui looked at Xu Damao and asked, "What happened? How did you get so drunk? And you got into a fight?"

Xu Damao's anger subsided a little after hearing Liu Rui's words. He panted and said, "I was in a bad mood today, so I went to drink some wine. As a result, I met a man in the Zhengyangmen Tavern, and he accidentally spilled wine on me. I asked him to apologize, but he refused and even hit me. I was so angry that I fought with him."

Liu Rui felt helpless after hearing what Xu Damao said. He knew that Xu Damao had a bad temper and was prone to conflicts with others. He sighed and said, "You are really something. You don't know who you are after drinking a little. You should drink less in the future and stop causing trouble."

Xu Damao was a little dissatisfied after hearing Liu Rui's words, but he didn't say anything. He knew that he had indeed gone too far today and shouldn't have had a conflict with others over a small matter. He lowered his head and walked back to his room silently.

Xu Damao returned home, exhausted both physically and mentally, as if all his strength had been drained away. He lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, tears streaming down his face unconsciously. He had experienced too much injustice and humiliation that day, and the grievances in his heart surged like a tide, making it difficult for him to calm down.

At this time, there was a soft knock on the door, followed by the gentle voice of my younger sister Shanshan: "Brother Damao, Brother Liu Rui has made a lot of delicious food, including braised beef, braised pig's trotters, braised pig ears, and many other dishes! He asked you to come over and have a drink together, saying that he has something good to discuss."

When Xu Damao heard this, a warm feeling welled up in his heart. He knew that Liu Rui had always been his strongest supporter. He wiped his tears, forced a smile, and followed Shanshan to Liu Rui's home.

As soon as he entered the room, Xu Damao was attracted by the sumptuous dishes on the table. The braised beef was attractive in color, the braised pig's trotters were fragrant, and the braised pig ears were mouth-watering. He was so moved that he could not speak, but just looked at Liu Rui silently, with a grateful light in his eyes.

Seeing this, Liu Rui laughed and patted Xu Damao on the shoulder: "Don't just stand there, sit down and have a drink! Let's not go home until we are drunk today!"

After a few drinks, Xu Damao started to talk. He angrily recounted how he was beaten, his tone full of resentment and anger. Liu Rui listened, comforted him, and promised to help him deal with those guys.

After three rounds of drinking, the two decided to take action. They covered their faces with scarves and hid in the alley next to the Zhengyangmen Tavern. As the night deepened, noisy sounds came from the tavern. Soon, three drunk guys staggered out.

Xu Damao and Liu Rui looked at each other, their eyes flashing with determination. They knew that this moment had finally arrived. The two of them rushed out of the alley and pounced on the three guys like a tiger descending from a mountain. After a good beating, the three guys fled with ghosts howling.

Xu Damao and Liu Rui smiled at each other, their hearts filled with joy and satisfaction. They knew that this night's action was not only to vent their anger, but also to prove their dignity and courage.

After beating up the three guys, Xu Damao and Liu Rui returned to the courtyard. Xu Damao deliberately boasted loudly about his bravery. At this time, all the men in the courtyard gathered around and asked what happened.

Xu Damao narrated their heroic deeds at the Zhengyangmen Tavern with a proud look on his face, and everyone praised him.

He Yuzhu also came over. He looked at Xu Damao and said with a smile, "Okay, Xu Damao, I didn't expect you to be so brave!"

Xu Damao chuckled and said, "This is all thanks to Liu Rui. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have the courage."

Liu Rui waved his hand and said, "We are all brothers, and it is only natural for us to help each other."

At this time, the younger sister Shanshan brought a plate of steaming dumplings and said with a smile: "Brothers, come and eat dumplings to celebrate!"

Everyone sat down, eating dumplings and chatting, and the yard was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Xu Damao picked up a dumpling and put it in his mouth, nodding with satisfaction: "Well, the dumplings made by Shanshan are so delicious."

Shanshan smiled happily when she heard the compliment.

At this time, Yi Zhonghai also came over. He patted Xu Damao on the shoulder and said, "Da Mao, you did a good job this time. You made your parents proud. In the future, if you encounter others bullying the young and old men in our compound, you must stand up."

Xu Damao quickly stood up and said respectfully: "Uncle, you are right. We will definitely continue to work hard."

Liu Rui also smiled and nodded to show his agreement.

More and more people came into the yard. They sat together, eating, chatting and laughing.