Courtyard House: The Thief System of All Realms

Chapter 29 The wine has been drunk and the matter is settled. Relatives and friends get up early to

As night fell, the drinking party in the courtyard gradually came to an end, and the boisterous clinking of glasses slowly faded away. Xu Damao, whose alcohol tolerance was never great, was now completely drunk, his head slumped against the table, mumbling incoherently, his whole body limp and unable to move. Sun Jingyuan glanced up at the courtyard gate and saw Yan Jiefang peeking in with curiosity, looking into the courtyard. He immediately grabbed a handful of freshly grilled meat skewers and handed them to him.

Yan Jiefang's eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward happily, took the meat skewers, thanked him repeatedly, and without hesitation helped the drunk Xu Damao up, carefully supporting him as he walked back to his house, saving a lot of trouble.

Qin Zhenbang, Qin Zhijun, and Qin Zhixue, father and sons, were thoroughly enjoying their drink, their faces flushed with intoxication and their eyes still gleaming with unfinished business, showing no sign of stopping. Qin Huairu and her mother, Zhao Xue, seeing this, quickly stepped forward to gently dissuade them, fearing that they might become too drunk and cause further gossip in the courtyard. But Sun Jingyuan paid no attention to any of this, reaching out to pry open another bottle of Moutai. As soon as the cork was removed, the rich, mellow aroma instantly filled the courtyard, wafting into everyone's nostrils. The eyes of the three men lit up instantly, their greed written all over their faces.

"Good wine! This wine is so fragrant, I've never tasted such authentic and good wine in my life!" Qin Zhenbang exclaimed in a drunken voice, his eyes still blurry. Drinking wine from large bowls, eating meat in large bites, and eating fresh and sweet fruit to his heart's content—he had worked hard in the countryside all his life and never dared to dream of living such a life.

Qin Zhijun and Qin Zhixue were in no better shape; they were already staggering and reeking of alcohol. Fueled by the strong alcohol, they started shouting and acting crazy in the courtyard, making quite a commotion. This immediately attracted many residents who were still awake to gather at the gate to watch, pointing and whispering among themselves.

"What a lack of manners! He's still from the countryside, yelling and shouting in someone else's yard—what kind of behavior is that!"

"That's right, he looks like he's never seen anything like this before. He's probably never eaten anything this good in his life, which is why he's acting so strangely."

"I'm also wondering why Dr. Sun, who seems so respectable, would let such a group of people eat and drink at his home, needlessly disturbing the peace and quiet of the hospital."

A series of sharp, sarcastic remarks drifted into the courtyard, each word piercing the ear. Qin Huairu, Zhao Xue, Qian Mei, Zhou Yu, and the other women instantly blushed crimson, their cheeks burning hot. Their heads drooped almost to their chests, unable to lift them at all. They were filled with embarrassment and awkwardness, wishing they could disappear into the ground.

Upon hearing this, Sun Jingyuan immediately put down his wine glass, slowly stood up, and spoke in a clear and powerful voice that echoed throughout the courtyard: "Everyone's words are misguided. Who was born into the capital? Go back a few generations, whose family wasn't a farmer toiling in the fields? To look down on rural people like this shows a serious problem with one's mindset, and we need to have a serious talk with them. Uncle, as the person in charge of this courtyard, you should take the lead and do some ideological work with everyone to correct this distorted thinking."

Yi Zhonghai, who was hiding behind the crowd, was caught off guard and called out by name. With no way to avoid it, he could only grit his teeth and step out of the crowd. He put on a stern face and sternly reprimanded the onlookers: "Sun Jingyuan is right. Your thinking is wrong. You are just making trouble out of nothing. Everyone, disperse and stop watching the show!"

The onlookers were indignant, and many secretly spat, but they didn't dare to openly contradict Yi Zhonghai. They could only suppress their dissatisfaction and slink away, and the commotion at the courtyard gate instantly dissipated.

Yi Zhonghai's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and he was burning with anger. Ever since Sun Jingyuan moved into this courtyard, his prestige as the old man in the courtyard had been declining day by day. No one listened to him anymore, and he was controlled everywhere, which made him feel extremely frustrated.

Seeing this, Sun Jingyuan immediately burst into laughter, his tone somewhat sarcastic, and said directly to Yi Zhonghai, "Uncle, it seems your position as the person in charge doesn't carry much weight. Nobody respects you at all; they don't see a shred of respect in you."

"Stop making sarcastic remarks and go drink your wine!" Yi Zhonghai was humiliated and, in a fit of anger, threw down the words. With a dark face, he turned and quickly went back to his house, unwilling to stay any longer.

Seeing that the old man in charge had left and there was no more excitement to be had, the onlookers immediately dispersed and went back to their houses. Only Jia Zhangshi in the middle courtyard remained at her door, muttering and calling out to the spirits, her words aimed directly at the third uncle, Yan Bugui. It was unclear when the two had become enemies, but the first disturbance was directed at Yan Bugui.

The courtyard finally fell completely quiet, without a trace of noise. The women of the Qin family didn't dare to delay, and quickly and efficiently tidied up the mess on the table, washed the dishes, moved the chairs and tables back together, and swept the floor. With clear division of labor, they tidied up the courtyard in no time. Sun Jingyuan turned around, went to the bathroom for a quick shower, changed into dry clothes, and went straight back to his bedroom to rest, without making any further noise.

The entire Qin family was exceptionally considerate; no one touched Sun Jingyuan's bedroom the entire time. They quietly squeezed onto the study floor, intending to make do for the night. It was the height of summer, and the nighttime temperature was quite high. Although the floor was hard, for the people who spent years doing heavy labor and enduring hardship in the countryside, this discomfort was nothing. In fact, it was a hundred times cleaner and smoother than the earthen kang (heated brick bed) in their rural homes, making it perfectly acceptable.

"Little sister, can we... take a shower before we sleep? We feel sticky and uncomfortable." Zhou Yu leaned close to Qin Huairu, lowered her voice, and asked with a embarrassed expression.

"I want to take a shower too. I've been busy all day and I'm all sweaty. I feel uncomfortable." Qian Mei nodded quickly and echoed softly.

They had traveled all day from Qinjiacun by car and were covered in sweat. In the evening, they were busy in the yard. Although they were not tired, they were sticky and uncomfortable.

"You guys wait here, I'll go ask him." Qin Huairu gritted her teeth, calmed herself down a bit, and got up to walk towards Sun Jingyuan's bedroom.

"Little sister, don't go! It's the middle of the night, it's not appropriate!" Qian Mei saw this and quickly reached out to stop her, but Zhao Xue quickly grabbed Qian Mei's arm and stopped her.

"Mom, why didn't you stop my sister?" Zhou Yu was extremely anxious, lowering her voice urgently. "My sister just got divorced not long ago, and Dr. Sun is a single young man who hasn't started a family. If word got out that a man and a woman were alone together late at night, my sister's reputation would be completely ruined!"

They knew in their hearts that, whether in the city or the countryside, gossip was the most hurtful thing. If a woman's reputation was ruined, she would find it difficult to move an inch in the world.

Zhao Xue sneered and spoke softly, her tone revealing a clear understanding: "Do you think Huai Ru doesn't understand this? She understands it better than anyone else. I saw it this afternoon. Sun Jingyuan may seem to be toying with Jia Dongxu and his mother, but in reality, he's been supporting and paving the way for Huai Ru at every turn. Why would he help her find accommodation and go to the trouble of arranging a formal job for someone she has no family or connection with? Isn't his intention clear enough?"

Zhou Yu and Qian Mei exchanged a glance, and suddenly realized that every word they said made sense. They were speechless for a moment.

"I think this girl is truly set on Sun Jingyuan," Zhao Xue said firmly.

"But Dr. Sun has such qualities, he's good-looking and capable, how could he possibly be interested in my sister who's divorced and has had children?" Zhou Yu's face was full of disbelief. It wasn't that she looked down on her sister-in-law, but the difference between the two was just too great. Sun Jingyuan's qualities were top-notch even in Beijing, how could he possibly settle for someone like that?

"Huai Ru knows this disparity better than anyone else," Zhao Xue sighed softly, lowering her voice. "But given her current situation, if she goes back to the countryside, what other way out is there besides marrying an old bachelor and being gossiped about for the rest of her life? It's better for her to stay in the city with Sun Jingyuan. Even without a formal title, it's a hundred times better than going back to the countryside to suffer and be looked down upon."

Zhou Yu and Qian Mei fell silent instantly. Putting themselves in Qin Huairu's shoes, they would probably be more proactive, since it was the best way out at the moment.

About half an hour later, Qin Huairu walked out of Sun Jingyuan's bedroom with a flushed face, carrying several brand-new, thick towels in her hand. They were soft and looked like high-quality goods.

"Huai Ru, how could you take someone else's things like that? Return them immediately!" Zhao Xue said urgently upon seeing this, her face full of heartache. Such a good towel was not cheap at the supply and marketing cooperative; how could she accept it so casually?

"Jingyuan specially gave this to you so you can take it with you on your return trip tomorrow," Qin Huairu explained with a slight smile.

"You're letting us take it back?" Zhao Xue and the others were stunned, their faces full of shock, completely unprepared for this.

"We can't leave the towels you used for him to use, so naturally you can take them with you." Qin Huairu smiled helplessly and explained the reason in detail.

"Dr. Sun's family is so well-off. He just gives away such a nice gift like that?" Qian Mei muttered to herself, looking completely astonished.

"His family is well-off; his father is a senior engineer, and his mother works at a university. I don't know much more about the specifics," Qin Huairu replied softly. "You can tell from his demeanor that he has never suffered any hardship."

Zhao Xue and the others nodded in agreement. Just by looking at Sun Jingyuan's generous spending, they knew he was definitely not from an ordinary family.

"You all need to go wash up quickly. Father and my brothers are completely drunk and can't be cleaned up. We'll deal with it when it's light," Qin Huairu urged hurriedly.

"One towel is enough for the few of us, we can't be so wasteful," Zhao Xue quickly waved her hand, unwilling to be extravagant.

"I've arranged everything, so please don't be shy and go wash up." Qin Huairu replied with a smile, and added, "Jingyuan originally wanted to bring new bedding to make your beds, but I was afraid of getting his things dirty, so I declined."

"No way! We're fine sleeping on the floor, but you absolutely can't bring in the bedding!" Qian Mei hurriedly waved her hand, her face full of anxiety.

"Yes, yes, we can't take advantage of others anymore," Zhou Yu quickly echoed.

They knew in their hearts that if they accepted such fine bedding, Sun Jingyuan would most likely let them take it with them, so they couldn't be greedy for the benefits.

"Alright, stop making excuses. It's getting late, hurry up and go wash up and rest." Qin Huairu urged with a smile. Zhao Xue and the others stopped refusing, took towels, and tiptoed to the bathroom.

As Qin Huairu watched their retreating figures, recalling the moments that had just transpired in the bedroom, her cheeks grew increasingly hot. However, she didn't dwell on it any longer and silently tidied up the scattered items and took care of the aftermath.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking and the sky was beginning to lighten, Sun Jingyuan got up and left his bedroom. The Qin family was already all up, each person neatly dressed and tidy. Qin Huairu had gone out early to buy fried dough sticks, soy milk, steamed buns, and mantou, filling the table with a generous spread. The whole family sat quietly around the table, waiting for Sun Jingyuan, and no one touched their food.

"You don't need to wait for me, just eat first." Sun Jingyuan waved his hand, casually gave a word of advice, and then turned to go to the bathroom to wash up.

When he finished washing up and returned to the table, the breakfast on the table was still untouched, and everyone was still waiting quietly, their eyes full of respect.

"Eat quickly, or your breakfast will get cold." Sun Jingyuan chuckled helplessly and picked up his chopsticks first. Only then did everyone start eating and quietly begin their breakfast.

"Dr. Sun, thank you so much for taking in our whole family yesterday and for your hospitality. We feel so bad about the expense," Qin Zhenbang said sincerely, picking up his glass of soy milk. "If you ever have the chance to visit Qin Family Village again, we will do everything we can to treat you well!"

"It was nothing, no need to be so polite. I'll definitely visit you when I have the chance." Sun Jingyuan smiled and nodded in agreement. Then he turned to Qin Huairu and instructed in a calm tone, "Later, take your uncle, aunt, brother, and sister-in-law to the long-distance bus station. After you've settled them on the bus, come directly to the steel mill to find me. I've already spoken to Yang Xugang in the security department, and he'll take you to complete your onboarding procedures."

"Are we doing it today? I haven't done any preparation, and I'm really nervous." Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu instantly tensed up, her fingertips unconsciously clenching the hem of her clothes as she whispered.

"I'll feel more at ease once I've secured a job. These days, permanent positions are extremely rare, so we can't delay," Sun Jingyuan said calmly, his tone resolute and without the slightest hesitation.

"Huai Ru, Dr. Sun has made all the arrangements for you, so just go with him without worry and get a job settled as soon as possible. That way, we can go back to the village with peace of mind," Qin Zhenbang quickly instructed.

"Little sister, once you're settled in at the factory, remember to send a letter home to let us know you're safe and sound," Qin Zhijun added.

"You're living alone in the city, so be careful in everything you do. Don't make yourself suffer, and if you encounter any difficulties, send a message home," Qin Zhixue said with concern.

The group chatted amongst themselves, offering heartfelt words of advice. As they spoke, their eyes gradually reddened, inevitably overwhelmed by the sadness of parting.

Sun Jingyuan could never bear to see such sad farewells. He immediately got up, picked up his briefcase from the table, pushed his bicycle over from the yard, gave a brief greeting to everyone, and rode straight out of the yard towards the steel mill to go to work.