Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 167

Unexpectedly, Chen Xueru came directly to him, and now He Yuzhu couldn't hide from her.

"I've been too busy these past few days!"

“You’re just making excuses,” Chen Xueru said.

Seeing that Chen Xueru looked like she was about to get angry again, He Yuzhu quickly said, "I was just afraid you'd see me get angry."

"Who's angry with you? I'm not that petty."

He Yuzhu finally felt relieved. He had been living in fear for the past two days, afraid that Chen Xueru would cause some trouble, regret their previous agreement, and want to get a marriage certificate with him.

He Yuzhu said sincerely, "Xueru, you are so kind."

"So you now realize how good I am?"

He Yuzhu nodded vigorously, then hugged Chen Xueru tightly and whispered, "I'm not good enough for you."

Chen Xueru no longer harbored any resentment, but felt somewhat guilty. She had schemed against He Yuzhu, and although the process was somewhat sordid, Chen Xueru felt that she had acted sincerely that day, and the process was not important.

"I'm not good enough for you, after all, I'm a married woman."

"Silly girl, don't I know what happened to you? That doesn't count at all."

Although He Yuzhu doesn't usually like to chat, he still managed to make Chen Xueru very happy.

At noon, He Yuzhu personally cooked several of his signature dishes and treated Chen Xueru to red wine. In the afternoon, he sent her back home.

Not long after they returned, the master's wife and her group also returned, and they successfully passed the test of the Great Vajra.

Two days later, Xu Damao, with a bruised and swollen face, entered his home in a daze and burst into tears.

Xu's mother rushed forward, her face pale. Wiping the blood from her nose, she anxiously asked, "What happened to you? Did you get into a fight?"

Then he turned to his youngest daughter and shouted, "Hurry up and get your brother's medicine kit!"

Xu Damao was heartbroken and cried, "I don't know what happened. Suddenly someone put a sack over my head, and then several people pinned me to the ground and beat me up. They almost beat me to death. Look at how badly I was beaten; my face is covered in blood."

Xu's mother and younger sister brought a medicine packet and carefully cleaned the wound on her forehead with iodine. They also cleaned her body, all the while muttering curses.

When Xu Wude came home from get off work, the mother and daughter complained. At first, he didn't think much of it and asked them carefully. Xu Damao had never seen what the other party looked like and couldn't give any useful clues.

Suddenly, Xu Wude had a thought and said, "Do you think it's possible that Sha Zhu did this?"

"It must be him," Xu Damao said angrily. "I'm going to settle the score with him."

"Can you beat him?" Xu Wood asked rhetorically.

Xu Damao, who had only taken two steps, suddenly stopped. Yes, he was no match for Sha Zhu.

Xu Wude said, "Besides, they had already covered it with a sack. Did you even see who did it? What makes you think it was Sha Zhu who did it?"

"This is definitely him getting revenge on me, it's all because of what happened last time..."

"Alright, don't bring that up again."

The last time I schemed against Sha Zhu, if things had gone well, everything would have been fine. But things went wrong. Fortunately, Sha Zhu didn't make a fuss about it, so of course, this matter can't be brought up again.

Xu's mother said, "I thought that once you apologized, the matter would be over. But I didn't expect that Sha Zhu would actually have someone beat up Da Mao, and that Sha Zhu would still hold a grudge."

"Sigh. Who knew he was so vengeful? But he's probably vented his anger this time."

"He's happy, but look how badly he beat Da Mao. He's disfigured, and we don't know if he'll have any scars later."

Xu Damao angrily said, "Father, Mother, you must stand up for me! This is going to kill him!"

"What are you doing? Are you richer or stronger than him?" Xu Wude questioned.

"Father, what do you mean by that? Do you mean I was just beaten for no reason?"

"What can we do? If things blow up and they bring up what happened last time, it'll be even more embarrassing. The main issue is, will your sister still be able to get married?"

Xu Damao was speechless.

At this time, a girl's reputation is the most important thing. If that matter gets out, Xu Zhaodi's reputation will be ruined, and she will not be able to find a husband.

She's already 20 years old. If we don't find a husband soon, it will be too late in a year or two. We can't keep Xu Zhaodi at home forever.

Xu Damao was furious. So he had been beaten for nothing?

Xu Damao's face was bruised and swollen from the beating, which could be seen by the people in the courtyard. He Daqing knew that Xu Wude had schemed against Zhuzi once, so he guessed that it was Sha Zhuzi who had done it, and therefore did not ask any further questions.

The last hurdle before the wedding is the delivery of the dowry, which usually takes place one or two days before the wedding date.

Because Xu Huizhen's home was too far from the capital, if she got married in her hometown, there wouldn't be enough time to hold a ceremony on the same day. Fortunately, Xu Hui had bought a three-room house, so the Xu family decided to hold the wedding in that house.

After letting Da Ding go, Xu Hui brought his parents over just before the wedding.

He Daqing personally showed his in-laws He Yuzhu's shop and new house, and then the father and son cooked a feast in the courtyard.

The Xu family repeatedly praised him, their eyes filled with kindness as they looked at He Yuzhu, thinking he had truly found a good son-in-law.

Soon it was the day before the dowry was to be delivered, and Xu Huizhen specially called He Yuzhu to the east wing room.

Ever since Xiangcao got married, this has been Xu Huizhen's boudoir, and He Yuzhu has hardly ever stepped into it.

He Yuzhu came in, smiled, and pulled the person into his arms. Then, he asked with a smile, "The wedding is still a day away. Are you missing me?"

Xu Huizhen's pretty face immediately flushed red. Although He Yuzhu had a history of touching her inappropriately, Xu Huizhen always felt shy and said reproachfully:

"What nonsense are you talking about? I called you here to talk about serious business."

"Thinking of me is the most important thing in the world."

"Pah, shameless! Who misses you? I don't miss you at all!"

"Really? Then let me see if your conscience hurts." He Yuzhu smiled and unbuttoned the third button, then put one hand inside his clothes.

Xu Huizhen closed her eyes shyly and buried her head in He Yuzhu's neck, her small mouth slightly open, exhaling puffs of hot breath.

Feeling a surge of heat coursing through her body, she pleaded softly, "Brother Zhu, let's talk about serious matters first, okay?"

"You say your piece, I'll do mine." Although He Yuzhu said something shameless, his movements became much gentler.

Xu Huizhen was already weak and sore all over. She leaned on He Yuzhu to feel better and found herself sitting on He Yuzhu's lap.

Xu Huizhen then slowly said, "Brother Zhu, my brother has made a lot of money selling wine in the past two years, but he used it all to buy a house and get married, so I have to give all the money I've earned in the past two years to my family."

After she finished speaking, she looked up at He Yuzhu's face, hoping he wouldn't be angry.

If He Yuzhu had just transmigrated, he would have been angry, but now he knows what life was like in the 50s.

Unlike later generations, where most families had only one child, nowadays a family may have three to five children, or even seven to eight.

The parents' meager salaries were simply not enough to provide a comfortable life. Even if the unmarried children started working and earned a salary, most of them had to hand it over to their families to share the burden of life.

A few dollars of pocket money in the comments is enough.

This is not a phenomenon unique to one or two households, but rather a normal part of life in the whole society.

He Yuzhu is special; he earns a lot of money, so it's impossible for him to hand it over to He Daqing.

In addition, He Daqing did not have any financial pressure, his family was not large, and he earned enough to live on with some surplus.

Like Yan Jiecheng, the eldest son of the Yan family, after starting work, he only kept a few yuan for living expenses and gave all the rest of his money to Yan Bugui. This is the norm in society.

Although the Xu father and son were skilled in making liquor, they had previously worked in private distilleries, so they didn't have much wealth.

It was only after Xu Huizhen opened the tavern that things became a little easier. The money Xu Huizhen earned from the tavern was accounted for separately. Apart from daily expenses, most of it was given to Xu's father. Previously, He Yuzhu suggested that she buy a bicycle, but Xu Huizhen was reluctant to buy one. In the end, He Yuzhu bought her a 26-inch bicycle.

Of course, when getting married, He Yuzhu bought two brand new bicycles, as well as a sewing machine, a watch, and other items.

It was only when Xu Huizhen was about to get married that she talked to He Yuzhu about her dowry.

"The house near the front gate was part of my dowry that my master provided. I'll bring it with me tomorrow, and then there's the rest..."

Before he could finish speaking, He Yuzhu interrupted, "Don't talk about that. I won't have any objections to the dowry amount. It's your family matter. I'll be overjoyed just to marry you."

He Yuzhu had enough means to make money, so he didn't care at all how much dowry the Xu family could provide.

As for Xu Huizhen leaving all the money she has earned in the past two years at his home without taking it out, that's normal, since that's the custom at this time.

He Yuzhu was pleased that the Xu family didn't covet the house left by their master. The dowry was all Xu Huizhen's family fortune, and He Yuzhu wasn't envious.

Xu Huizhen was also worried that He Yuzhu would mind since most of the money she had earned in the past two years had been left to her family and only a small portion had been used as part of her dowry. That's why she came over to explain the situation first.

Xu Huizhen hummed in agreement and said, "You're so kind."

He Yuzhu lowered his head and kissed her ear, then whispered, "I'm so nice to you, so why don't I stay here instead of going back today?"

"No, you're so mean, I don't want to."

Xu Huizhen was shocked after that; all this Brother Zhu knew how to do was bully people.

Just two days ago when I went back home, my mother called me into the house and then, haltingly, told me how a married couple could have a baby.

Xu Huizhen blushed and felt utterly ashamed. She hadn't realized that men and women could do so many things after the lights were turned off.

I originally thought that after getting married, the two of us would have a child because we would sleep in the same bed.

Upon hearing He Yuzhu say that he wanted to stay, she blushed and her heart pounded. Thinking of those embarrassing things, she felt hot all over and her legs involuntarily squeezed together.

He Yuzhu said, "Anyway, there are only two days left, so it doesn't matter if it's two days earlier."

"Nonsense, you're a big bad guy who only knows how to bully me."

Although Xu Huizhen was willing in her heart, the remaining 30% of her rationality told her that everything had to wait until the wedding day to consummate the marriage.

He Yuzhu wasn't that lustful; these days he just liked teasing Xu Huizhen and watching her shy demeanor.