I am Jia Dongjin in the Siheyuan (Courtyard House)

Chapter 67 Sordid

A young woman met her boyfriend at the cairn. Young people are easily tempted, and the gatekeeper, Uncle Mao, is watching closely from a distance, worried about potential indecent behavior.

Suddenly, a dispute broke out between the two young men. The old man, not knowing what had happened, hurriedly peeked into the repair shop.

Before saying goodbye, Jia Dongjin had already made up his mind.

Even if Zhang Qin spoke carelessly and unintentionally, just by looking at her attitude towards Qin Huairu and her two children, Jia Dongjin knew that Zhang Qin would not respect or treat Qin Huairu and her two children kindly.

He would not accept a life of constant turmoil at home, nor would he accept a wife like that, no matter how beautiful she is.

Beauty is a bonus, but not the deciding factor. In his previous life, Jia Dongjin had seen far too many beautiful women; he wouldn't be so easily captivated by them.

Since this life has started smoothly, Jia Dongjin believes he has been saved. He has the advantage of foresight, and this life is about to be comfortable. Of course, he wants to live a carefree life. A life full of ups and downs with Zhang Qin is not what he wants.

If you see top-tier beauties every day, they're really not that special; to put it simply, they all look the same with the lights off.

Moreover, Jia Dongjin is different from others. He values ​​inner feelings more. He is a person with strong inner desires, which can be described as having lofty ambitions. Carnal desires are only a small part of his life. He values ​​the spiritual resonance between husband and wife more.

Before the two developed feelings for each other, Jia Dongjin proposed breaking up, believing that the sooner they broke up, the less damage it would cause to both of them.

"Fine, we're breaking up. You said it, so don't regret it!"

Zhang Qin uttered a few polite words, then ignored Grandpa Mao's attempts to stop her and ran out of the street office gate crying.

Old Man Mao, the gatekeeper, wanted to persuade him again, but Jia Dongjin waved his hand, his face ashen, and ended his first relationship in this life.

Even so, he was distraught. Back at the courtyard house, just as Jia Dongjin was about to have dinner, Banggeng said from the side, "Uncle, my mother hasn't come back yet. I feel uneasy. Could you go and pick her up?"

"What's the big deal? Your uncle is exhausted. Your mother just passed away not long ago. With your uncle by your side, he'll be back soon."

Although Jia Zhangshi disagreed, she still told Jia Dongjin what had happened.

"Liu Hong's son came over and said that Liu Hong was seriously ill and asked Huai Ru to come and help. Huai Ru publicly said that she would not marry Liu Hong. Liu Hong's eldest son hugged his younger brother, knelt on the ground and cried. Yi Zhonghai used a big hat to pressure her. Huai Ru could not persuade him and went to Liu Hong's house with Yi Zhonghai."

"Yi Zhonghai!"

When Jia Dongjin returned home, he saw Yi Zhonghai, but the latter did not mention the matter.

He knew something was wrong as soon as he heard this. Since Qin Huairu had publicly said she wouldn't marry, she definitely wouldn't go to Liu Hong's house. Even if she did, she would return immediately and would never linger there. Since Yi Zhonghai was involved, Jia Dongjin felt like he was being pricked by thorns.

Without giving it a second thought, Jia Dongjin immediately went out and rushed into the Yi family's house.

Ignoring Yi Zhonghai's evasive gaze, Jia Dongjin didn't waste any words. He directly asked for Liu Hong's address, got on his bicycle, and left the courtyard.

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Liu Hong is a typical man from Beijing. Since his wife passed away, he has three sons to feed. During the day, he has to go to work, and after get off work, he has to take care of the four of them, doing laundry, cooking, and cleaning.

Sometimes he also had to work the night shift, and the past year had been incredibly difficult for him.

Liu Hong was exhausted when he suddenly spotted a beautiful woman in the cafeteria. He took a liking to her at first glance and started chatting with her.

Although he got a good beating from He Yuzhu, Liu Hong thought it was worth it. In fact, there was another reason for the fight in the cafeteria. Liu Hong deliberately provoked it, with the aim of making a big fuss.

Liu Hong's plan worked.

After he patted his chest and promised to treat Qin Huairu well for the rest of his life, sure enough, Zhang Youde, the head of the security department, spoke to Qin Huairu and personally acted as her matchmaker.

Everyone offered their blessings, and the marriage proposal went smoothly. Even the legendary, persistent old widow, Jia Zhangshi, did not object to the marriage. Only the two children she had to take care of made things difficult for Liu Hong.

Liu Hong was initially hesitant, but now that the ration has been reduced, his hesitation has been swept away by the lack of food.

But if she doesn't raise a child, the young widow won't remarry, and the problem seems to have come full circle, back to square one.

As negotiations dragged on, news spread that Liu Hong was unwilling to raise his child, and his colleagues looked at him with strange eyes.

Even worse, Director Zhang Youde smashed a teacup in his office, causing Liu Hong great anxiety.

Liu Hong was handsome and his work was not to be underestimated, but his salary was low. The young widow firmly disagreed with his marriage, which gave him his first serious sense of frustration.

How can I win the heart of my beloved?

Thinking of Qin Huairu's graceful figure, Liu Hong felt a surge of passion.

His eyes darted around, and a crazy idea flashed through his mind. Back then, he had used the same method—force himself on his wife—to marry her.

"Women will always be women. Once it's over, they're obedient. At worst, you can just coax them a little more. This time should be the same."

"Yes, that's what we'll do!"

Liu Hong slammed his fist on the dining table, sending bowls and chopsticks crashing to the floor.

Liu Hong appeared honest and kind, but he actually had a fiery temper. The three children were so frightened that they hid at the end of the kang (a heated brick bed), afraid of being beaten again. The second son, Er Mao, had a fever and was trembling with fear.

"Da Mao, I'll give you three cents. Go to courtyard number 95 and find an aunt named Qin Huairu. Tell her that Dad suddenly has a fever, and Er Mao also has a fever. They're both lying on the kang (heated brick bed) unable to move. You and San Mao are crying from hunger. Please ask the aunt to come to our house to help."

Seeing that he could earn three cents, Da Mao excitedly rushed over, grabbed the three cents, sniffed, and left himself a way out, "What if Auntie doesn't come? I can't drag her away."

Liu Hong stroked his chin, pondered for a while, and then came up with a plan: "You take Sanmao over there. If she doesn't come, pinch her bottom and make her cry. If she still doesn't come, kneel down and beg. If she doesn't agree, don't leave. Someone will naturally speak up for you."

Seeing Da Mao hesitate, Liu Hong threw over two more cents and cursed, "If you can't call your aunt, don't go home, or I'll skin you alive."

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Liu Hong's home wasn't far away. It was springtime, but the evening breeze still carried a chill. Jia Dongjin rode very fast and arrived at Liu Hong's hospital in just a few minutes.

As he walked and asked questions, Jia Dongjin arrived at Liu Hong's house and saw that the door was tightly closed and three boys were standing outside. The eldest boy seemed to be trying to stop him.

"Liu Hong, open the door quickly!"

Jia Dongjin shouted and shoved the children who were trying to stop him aside.

Seeing that Liu Hong wouldn't open the door, he rushed forward and kicked the door open.

Liu Hong, who was struggling on the kang (a heated brick bed), froze instantly. Qin Huairu, who had been struggling all along, took the opportunity to jump off the kang. Without bothering to straighten her clothes, she threw herself into Jia Dongjin's arms and burst into tears.

When they saw someone causing trouble in the courtyard, the people in Liu Hong's courtyard immediately surrounded him, ready to teach Jia Dongjin a lesson, but what they saw left them speechless.

"Everyone saw it clearly, right? Liu Hong is a beast. How could he do something like this? This is a crime! Please report it to the police immediately."

Jia Dongjin's eyes were blazing with anger. He kept a close eye on Liu Hong while comforting Qin Huairu, who was crying in his arms.

"It wasn't me, it wasn't me, I didn't do it. Everyone knows that Qin Huairu and I are dating. I was drunk, that's why I acted like that. We are dating."

Liu Hong started shouting frantically. As a security officer, he was well aware of the consequences.

Everyone knew that Liu Hong was indeed dating Qin Huairu, and some people tried to persuade him to stop, while others chimed in.

Jia Dongjin is an outsider after all, and rape is a serious crime. He might get into trouble, so no one is willing to report it to the police, especially since the person involved is his girlfriend.

Liu Hongyuan also had a colleague from the security department. Seeing that Jia Dongjin was unresponsive, this man quickly rode his bicycle to the steel mill's security department to report the incident.

"Sister-in-law, don't be afraid. Just tell the truth. I'll take responsibility for whatever happens."

When the security personnel from the steel rolling mill came over, Jia Dongjin remained unmoved, insisting on reporting the matter to the police and refusing to go to the mill's security office. "We must report it to the police; this is a crime! If we don't report it, you're protecting someone!"

His reasoning was sound: Liu Hong was a security officer at the steel rolling mill, and the security department had to recuse itself from any conflict of interest. This was a crime and should be reported to the police for handling.

Jia Dongjin spoke with absolute certainty, and the security personnel had no choice but to take the three of them to the police station.

The wind in early March always carries a somewhat unpredictable nature; the mornings still carry the chill of late winter, while the afternoons bring a touch of spring's languor. He Yushui lay on the desk by the window, her cheek pressed against the cool wooden surface, her eyelashes like butterfly wings glistening with morning dew.

The willow trees at school had just sprouted tender yellow buds. When the wind blew, the branches swayed softly, just like the short hair that fell across his forehead when he smiled with his head down that day.

She remembered that it was also on a similar afternoon when he was explaining composition, smiling with his head down, carrying a faint scent of soap. From that moment on, she could never forget that smile.

The unfinished homework lay spread out on the table, with circles and dots she had unconsciously drawn at the bottom of the pages. Those crooked lines were just like her chaotic thoughts at that moment.

He Yushui is already 15 years old. The girl's thoughts, like fine rain, silently seep into her entire heart.

When it was time to leave work, people in the compound gradually went home, but He Yushui remained slumped over the table, unwilling to move.

With her eyes closed, the scene from that day replayed repeatedly in her mind: his profile when he looked down, the corners of his eyes curving when he smiled, and the slight tremor when his sleeve brushed against the pen.

"Rain, wake up, it's time to eat."

After an unknown amount of time, He Yuzhu's shouts startled the girl.

He Yushui followed her brother to the main room, watching his back being stretched long by the setting sun, the sunlight shining on his hair, giving it a light golden glow.

The drowsiness in her heart suddenly dissipated, replaced by a firm determination to fight for it.

"Brother, do you want a wife?"

Thinking of the way Qin Huairu looked at someone, and the possible consequences of a hero saving a beauty, He Yushui suddenly grabbed He Yuzhu's hand, a madness beyond her years appearing on her face.