Yi Zhonghai's Siheyuan

Yi Zhonghai cleaned up the dishes and looked at his watch. It was almost eight o'clock in the evening and the yard was quiet.

Just when he was about to go back to rest, Yi Zhonghai, with his master-level physique, sensed that there was someone under the courtyard wall. Yi Zhonghai did not alert the person but approached quietly.

When he was almost next to the man, he kicked him to the ground, pulled off the black cloth on his face and found that it was Sha Zhu's cheap father.

Yi Zhonghai was about to speak when he was interrupted by He Daqing with a hushing gesture.

The two men walked into Yi Zhonghai's house. Huang Yulan saw a man who looked older than Yi Zhonghai coming and thought he was some relative of Yi Zhonghai, so she quickly made a cup of tea for He Daqing.

He Daqing looked at Huang Yulan and said to Yi Zhonghai, "Who is this, Old Yi? Where is Wu?"

Yi Zhonghai smiled bitterly and said, "They are divorced. They have no children and their relationship is not harmonious! They took the money and left."

He Daqing showed an understanding look, and after a while he said, "Old Yi, we haven't seen each other for a few years, right? How are my children? I heard from my daughter that Sha Zhu got married, and it was you who introduced him to her. I came back specially to see my son and daughter-in-law."

Yi Zhonghai: "Then why can't you come back openly? Why do you have to be so sneaky?"

He Daqing: "You know I have a bad background. That's why I went to Baoding with the White Widow. Isn't it because of this problem?"

Yi Zhonghai: "Your son is doing well now, and your daughter-in-law has been pregnant for several months."

He Daqing happily took a sip of tea and said, "Oh, thanks to Lao Yi for helping in the yard."

From these words, Yi Zhonghai knew that the Sha Zhu siblings had not told He Daqing that they had embezzled his money, otherwise He Daqing would definitely not have spoken so kindly.

Yi Zhonghai paused and said, "Why don't you stay there forever? You can work now, but you will need to take care of yourself when you get old, right?"

He Daqing patted his bulging purse and said to Yi Zhonghai, "Oh! How can that be possible? I have eaten everything of those white widows and the two free wolves. I saved some money from time to time when I was working. This time I came back to leave some money for Sha Zhu. After all, I didn't come back when they got married."

Hearing this, Yi Zhonghai understood He Daqing's plan. In the TV series, He Daqing was taken back by Xu Damao. Based on He Daqing's personality, if He Yushui hadn't written to him, he would have thought that Sha Zhu and his sister hated him.

Yi Zhonghai: "Then Daqing, what are your plans now? Should I go and ask He Yuzhu to come over for you or should you go back in person?"

He Daqing said, "Please, Lao Yi, call them over. I'm afraid I'll make too much noise and someone in the yard might notice me." As he said this, he looked at the backyard, probably at Liu Haizhong.

Yi Zhonghai said, "Wait for me, I'll be there right away." Then he and Huang Yulan went to Sha Zhu's house and knocked on the door softly.

Soon there was a noise in the house. Sha Zhu opened the door sleepily and saw Yi Zhonghai, so he said, "Uncle Yi, what happened so late at night?"

Yi Zhonghai: "Zhu Zi, put on your clothes and bring your wife to my house. Remember not to make too much noise."

Sha Zhu responded in a daze, wondering in his heart, and walked into the room to wake up Yang Yuhuan who was sleeping soundly. The two of them put on their clothes and tiptoed to Yi Zhonghai's house.

As soon as Sha Zhu opened the door, he saw a very familiar person sitting at the table. Feeling the suppression of his blood, Sha Zhu became honest and said, "Dad, why are you back?"

Yang Yuhuan was shocked by Sha Zhu's "Dad". Is this her father-in-law whom she has never met? Sure enough, he has an old face just like her husband, so she quickly called him "Dad".

Yi Zhonghai hurriedly welcomed the two in, pointed at Yang Yuhuan and said, "Daqing, this is your daughter-in-law, Yang Yuhuan."

He Daqing carefully looked at Yang Yuhuan under the dim light. Seeing that Yang Yuhuan's belly was slightly bulging, he smiled and said, "Oh, this is my daughter-in-law. She is good-looking and a good fertile woman."

After looking at Yang Yuhuan, he turned around, put away his smile, looked at Sha Zhu and said, "Sha Zhu, why are you still so carefree now?"

Sha Zhu scratched his head and said unconvincedly, "Dad, what's wrong with me? Why don't you go home after you come back?"

He Daqing told Sha Zhu and his wife about his bad background. They understood why He Daqing came back so late at night and asked Uncle Yi to notify them to come here.

Yi Zhonghai saw that they had something to say, so he said, "Zhu Zi, listen to what your father has to say. Yulan and I will go to your house first!"

Yi Zhonghai was about to leave after he finished speaking, but He Daqing stopped him and said, "Hey, Old Yi, don't go either. I have something to trouble you with." As he spoke, He Daqing took out an envelope from his mending pocket and then took out another envelope from his inner pocket.

He Daqing opened the two envelopes and said, "Shazhu, Yuhuan, your father didn't come back for your wedding, so this is the wedding money for both of you, a total of 1000 yuan. Also, this is 600 yuan for Yuhuan to save for Yushui as a dowry for her when she grows up." As he said that, he pushed the two envelopes over to them.

Sha Zhu's eyes turned red and he said, "Dad, how can I take your money..."

He Daqing stood up, patted Sha Zhu on the shoulder and said, "Sha Zhu, don't rush to refuse. This money is for my daughter-in-law and future grandson. Now you are about to become a father, so don't be so reckless. When you encounter problems, ask your uncle Yi for advice."

Seeing that Sha Zhu didn't say anything, He Daqing took out a box from his other pocket and said, "Yuhuan, this is Sha Zhu's mother's bracelet, a family heirloom of our He family! Now I'm giving it to you."

Yang Yuhuan also said with red eyes, "Dad, I can't accept this money and things that are too valuable, you can leave it to Yushui."

He Daqing said with a serious face, "Take it if I tell you to. This is our He family's heirloom! You must pass it down to our He family from generation to generation!"

He Daqing then looked at Yi Zhonghai and said, "Old Yi, I'll have to trouble you when Shazhu stays in the yard from now on! When my daughter-in-law gives birth, I'll have to trouble your wife."

Yi Zhonghai: "Daqing, that's what you said! We are all old neighbors and we will naturally help each other if there is any problem."

After hearing Yi Zhonghai's affirmative answer, He Daqing said to Sha Zhu, "Sha Zhu, you must listen to your uncle Yi in the future and give birth to more big fat boys for our He family!"

Sha Zhu nodded vigorously, and Yang Yuhuan, holding Sha Zhu's hand, also nodded.

He Daqing: "Tell me about the changes in the courtyard over the years."

So Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai talked to He Daqing about the changes in the courtyard over the past few years. He Daqing was surprised to hear that Jia Dongxu had passed away and that Liu Haizhong's eldest son had run away after getting married. Finally, when he heard that Xu Damao had given birth to three boys, He Daqing looked at Sha Zhu angrily and said, "Sha Zhu, you have to give birth to four boys for my He family in the future. I, He Daqing, have been fighting with Xu Wude all my life and I don't want to be outdone by their family!"

Sha Zhu nodded, and then He Daqing continued, "I heard that you helped the greedy Jia family a lot in the past few years? Let me tell you, their family is not a good character! Especially that Jia Zhang, she is a smart character. Don't be fooled by her unreasonable appearance. Old Yi and I have suffered a lot from their family in the past!"

Yi Zhonghai also echoed, "Well, try to cut off ties with the Jia family as much as possible! I didn't have any children before, so I thought of taking Jia Dongxu in as my apprentice so that he could take care of me in my old age! That's why I have been exploited by the Jia family, they really sucked the marrow out of my bones!..." Then Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing recounted the past events of the Jia family.

After hearing this, Sha Zhu broke out in a cold sweat and thought to himself that it was a good thing he didn’t get too close to the Jia family!

After a pause, Yi Zhonghai said, "Zhu Zi, if you don't get married now! After Jia Dongxu passed away, according to your personality, you will be taken advantage of by the two widows of the Jia family sooner or later, and eventually they will help you to exterminate your family for the rest of your life!"

He Daqing nodded in agreement and said, "Old Yi, the one who has changed the most is you! Now you are the leader of the engineering department of the steel mill, and you have married and had children!"

Yi Zhonghai: “It’s all fate.”

He Daqing chatted for a while and then said goodbye. Sha Zhu said, "Dad, where are you going so late? Where can I stay now? Even if I go back to Baocheng, it will be dawn!"

He Daqing: "Do you think I am you? I have many friends in Beijing. It is not convenient to live in the courtyard! Besides, if I live here, I won't be able to go back tomorrow."

After chatting for a while, He Daqing instructed Sha Zhu to take good care of Yang Yuhuan, especially during her pregnancy, and then gave Sha Zhu several recipes of medicinal food and asked him to make them for Yang Yuhuan on time.

Sha Zhu nodded and watched He Daqing climb up the courtyard wall in the dark and jump out. He didn't say goodbye to Yi Zhonghai until he could no longer hear the footsteps and returned home.