Courtyard Houses: Starting with the principle of hard work paying off

Chapter 79 Bicycle

"Dongxu, Sister Zhang, I've already brought the girl over, what are you still doing cooped up inside? Hurry up and come out to greet her!"

"I'm coming."

"Dongxu, this is Xiao Qin, Qin Huairu."

"Xiao Qin, this is Jia Dongxu, whom I told you about before."

"What are you doing standing still?"

"Dongxu, quickly invite Xiao Qin inside!"

"Oh, please...please come in quickly..."

"..."

Despite being prepared, Jia Dongxu was completely captivated the moment he saw Qin Huairu.

nice!
So beautiful!
If it weren't for Matchmaker Sun's reminder, he would still be in a daze.

When Qin Huairu saw Jia Dongxu, although Jia Dongxu was a little infatuated, her first impression of him wasn't bad.

To be fair, Jia Dongxu's appearance is not bad.

Before coming, Qin Huairu had already learned about the Jia family's situation and was quite satisfied. She already had a preconceived notion that as long as Jia Dongxu's performance wasn't particularly bad, there wouldn't be any major problems.

The initiative currently lies primarily with the Jia family, not with Qin Huairu.

"Hey, you silly Zhu, what are you looking at? The pot's burning, you know?"

When Jia Dongxu belatedly invited Qin Huairu into the house, Jia Zhangshi glared fiercely at Shazhu, who was cooking, and warned him sternly, "What are you looking at? This is Dongxu's blind date. If you look again, I'll gouge your eyes out."

It wasn't just Jia Dongxu who was captivated by Qin Huairu; Sha Zhu, who was cooking for the Jia family today, was also there.

Although they looked down on Qin Huairu for coming from the countryside, they still paid a matchmaker to introduce her to them. Regardless of whether they liked her or not, they wouldn't allow anyone else to make a move.

Sha Zhu's actions clearly violated Jia Zhangshi's taboo.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Sha Zhu didn't dare to utter a word, but Qin Huairu's image was still stuck in his mind, and he couldn't shake it off.

He's seventeen this year, which is pretty much the age for blind dates. When he sees a young woman on the street, he can't help but glance at her a few more times, let alone someone as pretty as Qin Huairu.

Xu Damao, Sha Zhu's mortal enemy, saw this scene and immediately started to jeer with a wicked grin.

"Hey! Aunt Jia, your future daughter-in-law has been targeted by Sha Zhu!"

"You'd better be careful, don't let Sha Zhu get the idea to steal your Jia family's betrothed."

"Xu Damao, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"What nonsense am I spouting? Tell me yourself, were you tempted just now?"

"I...Xu Damao, you're asking for it!"

"You're itching for a beating after three days, aren't you? You stop right there!"

"Oh, silly Zhu has fallen for Jia Dongxu's blind date!"

"Damn it! Xu Damao, you stop right there!"

"..."

After being disturbed by Xu Damao, the guilty-looking Sha Zhu immediately lost face and forgot about cooking. He immediately grabbed a spatula and chased Xu Damao all over the yard.

To say that Sha Zhu had his eye on Qin Huairu and wanted to steal Jia Dongxu's blind date wouldn't be that far-fetched.

However, when Sha Zhu saw Qin Huairu for the first time, he was indeed moved and felt his heart race.

Xu Damao's actions undoubtedly touched on some of Sha Zhu's thoughts.

Regardless of whether it's true or not, Xu Damao's loud rant is clearly extremely disadvantageous to Sha Zhu, who simply can't sit still.

"Silly Zhu, come back here! Your food is still on the stove!"

As Sha Zhu relentlessly chased after Xu Damao and beat him, Jia Zhangshi, who was originally extremely dissatisfied with Sha Zhu, was completely dumbfounded.

She wasn't interested in arguing with Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, but why would she abandon the dish halfway through cooking?

Helpless, Jia Zhangshi had no choice but to temporarily take over, lest this pot of good food be ruined. Inside the house.

Jia Dongxu invited Qin Huairu to sit down and, at the prompting of Matchmaker Sun, poured her a glass of water.

Hearing the commotion outside, Jia Dongxu pretended to be indifferent and said to Qin Huairu, "That idiot Zhu has something wrong with his head, you don't need to pay attention to him."

"Why would someone like him be called 'Silly Pillar'?"

Qin Huairu was somewhat curious.

Earlier, when they were outside, Matchmaker Sun had given her a brief introduction to Sha Zhu, so Qin Huairu knew a little about him and couldn't help but feel a bit gossipy.

In their rural area, having the word "stupid" in a name is considered an insult.

"Hey! That's what we all call him, even Sha Zhu himself doesn't think there's anything wrong with it."

Jia Dongxu didn't take Sha Zhu and the matter to heart, and couldn't help but joke, "You'd never guess that the person who gave Sha Zhu that nickname was none other than his own father..."

"Really? These days, there are still fathers who give their sons nicknames like that."

Upon hearing Jia Dongxu's words, Qin Huairu was even more confused.

Intending to impress Qin Huairu, Jia Dongxu, seeing her interest, immediately began to speak eloquently: "Speaking of which, there's a story behind this."

Years ago, before Beijing was liberated, Sha Zhu was just a little boy, selling steamed buns on the street with his father. Later…

Jia Dongxu quickly started showing off, telling Qin Huairu the origin of the nickname "Silly Zhu".

Qin Huairu found it very interesting after listening to it.

When Jia Dongxu started talking about Sha Zhu's embarrassing moments, he became quite interested and suddenly became very talkative, recounting all of Sha Zhu's other embarrassing moments and his grudges with Xu Damao.

Seeing that Qin Huairu was listening with great interest, occasionally covering her mouth and giggling, Matchmaker Sun, who had originally wanted to steer the conversation and enhance the atmosphere, gave up on that idea.

Things went even more smoothly than she had planned.

As for the struggle between Sha Zhu and Xu Damao outside, it quickly subsided after Yi Zhonghai intervened, and Sha Zhu had no choice but to obediently go back to cook for the Jia family.

……

forecourt.

Li Hongbing, who was cooking, naturally heard the commotion caused by Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, and also heard about what had just happened. He couldn't help but sigh.

Qin Huairu's first appearance in the courtyard almost caused chaos; she was truly extraordinary.

Although Li Hongbing knew that while Qin Huairu was somewhat involved, it wasn't really her fault; it was mainly due to Sha Zhu and Xu Damao's own actions.

He doesn't have the time or inclination to deal with these things right now.

Today is the day the Zhao family is coming to propose marriage; this is the most important matter that he should pay attention to.

Just as Li Hongbing was finishing the last dish, Aunt Yan suddenly ran in from outside and excitedly shouted at Li Hongmei and her brother Li Hongbing.

"Hongmei, Hongbing, go out and take a look quickly."

"Aunt Yan, what happened?"

“Zhao Weiguo… Hongmei, your boyfriend, he and his father have come to present betrothal gifts.”

"Aunt Yan, how could I not know about this? It was arranged in advance, why are you so agitated?"

"No...no, oh dear! You'll see when you go out and take a look."

"..."

The fact that the Zhao family came to propose marriage today was no secret in the courtyard. Li Hongbing couldn't understand why Aunt Yan was reacting this way.

But soon.

Li Hongbing understood.

Just as Li Hongbing was about to go out to greet him, Zhao Weiguo pushed a bicycle decorated with a big red flower and walked in from outside.

(End of this chapter)