Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Something's up in Chapter 1176

"She acted like she didn't see anything, her eyes were fixed on the road ahead, her face was completely expressionless, and she didn't even stop for a moment." Ran Qiuye frowned, her tone full of confusion. "Isn't it strange? Her own man was flirting with another woman in broad daylight, walking so close, and she wasn't angry at all? I was worried for her, thinking she would go up and ask, 'Who is this food for?' But she didn't even glance at him."

Ran Qiuye paused, her tone becoming more indignant, "I never expected He Yuzhu to be such a scoundrel! Lu Jia is pregnant at home and has difficulty moving around, but instead of staying home to take good care of her, he's busy bringing food to Qin Huairu and acting all ambiguous. It's truly heartbreaking!"

Gu Nan nodded silently. He had long observed He Yuzhu's character; seemingly warm-hearted, but actually lacking in discernment, especially regarding Qin Huairu's affairs, where he always appeared unusually "concerned." However, this was ultimately someone else's business, a marital dispute, and outsiders shouldn't interfere. He wondered to himself: Was Lu Jia truly indifferent? Given her usual temperament, she had grumbled for ages about He Yuzhu forgetting to buy her brown sugar after their argument, so why was she so calm today? Was this scene something she deliberately orchestrated for him to witness? Or was there something else going on?

Ran Qiuye was still muttering, "I was thinking, shouldn't I have a good talk with Lu Jia soon? It's not easy for her to be pregnant, so she needs to keep her emotions in check. If He Yuzhu really can't be relied on, she needs to make plans as soon as possible. She can't just suffer in silence."

Gu Nan rubbed his temples and said in a deep voice, "Don't rush. Every family has its own problems. Let's just live our own lives." He looked at the old locust tree at the gate of the courtyard and said thoughtfully, "If Lu Jia knows what's going on, she'll handle it herself; if she doesn't want to talk about it and has her own plans, your rash intervention and bluntness might just make her disliked and do more harm than good." He always felt that this matter was probably not as simple as it seemed on the surface, and that Lu Jia might be hiding deeper thoughts beneath her calm expression.

Gu Nan looked at Ran Qiuye, his brows furrowing slightly. He knew his wife's temperament all too well; she was as soft-hearted as cotton, unable to bear seeing others in trouble, especially the neighbors in the courtyard, always wanting to lend a hand whenever possible. But this matter was different, involving the inner quarters of He Yuzhu's family, especially that newcomer Lu Jia. Beneath her seemingly gentle exterior lay a certain inexplicable strength, far more complex than she appeared. He absolutely could not let Ran Qiuye get dragged into this mess.

“Qiuye,” Gu Nan’s tone deepened, carrying an undeniable seriousness, “You may feel sorry for Lu Jia, but this is ultimately He Yuzhu’s family matter. As the old saying goes, ‘Even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes.’ As outsiders, we can’t interfere or manage this. You absolutely must not get involved in this matter any further, understand?”

Ran Qiuye paused for a moment, the small clothes she was folding in her hand hanging in mid-air. She had originally planned to take some time in the afternoon to visit Lu Jia and ask about yesterday's physical examination. Hearing Gu Nan's words, although she was a little puzzled—he never stopped her from helping her neighbors—she still nodded: "Okay, I understand. Don't worry, I won't say anything or interfere."

Gu Nan was still unsure. Ran Qiuye was always warm and friendly to everyone in the courtyard, young and old. A while ago, when Aunt Zhang's chickens went missing, she was worried for days, dragging Gu Nan along for half the night. He secretly thought that this matter needed to be handled more carefully. His eyes darted around, and he thought of the local policeman, Hei Zi—that guy was sharp-eyed, meticulous, and reliable. Having him secretly keep an eye on Lu Jia's movements would be more reassuring.

"Okay, I'm glad you understand." Gu Nan didn't reveal his plan, but simply patted her shoulder and softened his tone, "The baby should be waking up soon, go check on him, I'll go cook."

Ran Qiuye responded and turned to go into the inner room. The little one was kicking his chubby little legs and humming in his swaddling clothes, his face rosy. When he saw her come in, his eyes lit up and he grinned, his toothless mouth wide open. Ran Qiuye smiled and bent down, gently pinching the child's soft cheeks. The doubts in her heart had long been forgotten—this was her daily routine: taking care of her child and her home, simple and reassuring.

Gu Nan tied on a blue apron and entered the kitchen. The "whoosh, whoosh" of the bellows echoed in the courtyard, and fine white steam gradually rose from the pot. As he shredded potatoes, the knife clinking crisply against the cutting board, he pondered—Lu Jia, that woman, seemed docile and spoke softly, but a ruthless glint lurked in her eyes; she was far more complex than she appeared. He'd better keep a close eye on her, lest she set her sights on their home and disrupt their peaceful life.

Meanwhile, He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu were unaware that Lu Jia had already seen and remembered their affair. The two walked side-by-side through the alley, talking in hushed tones, their voices carrying an intimacy that no one else could intrude upon. Qin Huairu carried the brown sugar He Yuzhu had just bought for her; the oil-paper bag was printed with a bright red "福" (fortune) character. A faint blush rose to her cheeks, and she would occasionally glance up at him, her eyes revealing an undisguised dependence.

As they approached the courtyard gate, He Yuzhu stopped and said in a low voice, "Sister Qin, you should go back first. Let's go in one after the other so that the people in the courtyard don't see us and gossip."

Qin Huairu didn't care about the gossip. After so many years in the courtyard, she was used to people pointing fingers and talking behind her back. But she knew He Yuzhu was different. Now that he was close to Director Zhu at the factory, he was concerned about his reputation and couldn't let anyone use this as leverage against him.

"Okay, I'll head back now." Qin Huairu nodded, picked up the brown sugar, turned and went into the courtyard. Before leaving, she turned back and waved to him, a smile in her eyes.

He Yuzhu stood at the door for a moment, waiting for Qin Huairu's figure to turn into the middle courtyard before straightening his clothes and slowly walking inside. As he passed the Jia family's courtyard, he subconsciously glanced over and saw that the courtyard was quiet, with only a few pots of roses swaying in the wind on the windowsill, before he felt relieved and went home.

Inside the room, Lu Jia was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) sewing shoe soles. The hemp thread made a soft "hissing" sound as it passed through the thick cotton cloth. Seeing him come in, she immediately put down her needle and thread, forcing a gentle smile on her face: "Brother Zhu, you've been busy all day, are you exhausted? I've saved some hot water for you, would you like to wash your face?"

He Yuzhu was still thinking about what he had just said to Qin Huairu, and nodded absentmindedly: "That's right, we helped Director Zhu's family with the banquet today. We've been busy since this morning, and my arms are almost too sore to lift."