Chapter 43: Lou Xiao'e Comes to the Courtyard

Lin Shaowen, in high spirits, began a shopping spree with Qin Huairu, buying her four sets of spring and autumn clothes along with two pairs of small leather shoes. He also bought several outfits and pairs of shoes for himself, all of which Qin Huairu was left carrying.

Although she knew Lin Shaowen earned good money, Qin Huairu was still utterly terrified.

What pushed her closer to a breakdown, however, was Lin Shaowen purchasing three electric fans in one go.

This shopping trip practically cleared out nearly five hundred yuan.

Consequently, no matter what, Qin Huairu refused to eat out again. Left with no choice, the two of them headed back to the courtyard.

Nanluoguxiang.

"My word, Qin Huairu, are you completely done living within your means?"

Yan Bugui winced slightly as he looked at Qin Huairu laden with numerous large and small bags.

"Well over half of this belongs to Lin Shaowen," Qin Huairu retorted irritably. "I ran into him at the supply and marketing cooperative, and he asked me to help carry his things, only for him to take off and leave me nearly dead from exhaustion."

"That punk Lin Shaowen is utterly despicable," Pillar denounced angrily.

"Ain't that the truth?" Qin Huairu sighed. "I'm heading back to rest; I'm completely worn out."

With that, she walked toward the inner courtyard.

As she passed through the middle courtyard, she saw Qin Peiru chatting and laughing with Mrs. Jia.

Mrs. Jia lacked her usual arrogant and overbearing demeanor, appearing gentle and amiable instead. Jia Dongxu stood close by with a flattering smile, while stick-boy directly called out to Qin Peiru as "Mom." The family of four looked entirely harmonious.

The moment the group caught sight of Qin Huairu, their expressions shifted instantly.

"Figures, someone with a regular job just splurges like there's no tomorrow," Mrs. Jia remarked sarcastically.

"Evil woman, loose hussy," Stick-boy muttered under his breath.

Jia Dongxu remained silent, merely casting a disdainful glance at Qin Huairu.

Qin Peiru looked somewhat worried; she had known before coming that Jia Dongxu was Qin Huairu's ex-husband. Yet she truly had no other choice. If she failed to marry out now, she might genuinely have no option left but to throw herself into the river.

The gossip in rural areas could easily kill a person.

Too lazy to bother with them, Qin Huairu walked straight on to the inner courtyard.

Not long after.

Lin Shaowen returned leisurely to the courtyard, carrying several takeaway food containers.

"Little Lin, you're finally back. Qin Huairu was just giving you a proper earful," the Third Master said cheerfully.

"She has the nerve to complain?" Lin Shaowen glared. "I asked her to help carry my things for a second, and when I turned around, she had vanished. I almost went to file a police report."

"What gives you the nerve to make Sister Qin carry your things?" Pillar stepped forward to defend Qin Huairu.

"None of your damn business," Lin Shaowen curled his lip. "You live in the inner courtyard, so why are you constantly loitering around the front courtyard? Have you set your sights on Jia Dongxu's new bride again?"

"Lin, stop spreading malicious slander!" Pillar's face instantly turned crimson.

"Who knows?" Lin Shaowen looked up at the sky. "A grown man, ignoring proper business and whining 'Sister Qin, Sister Qin' all day long—who knows what he's actually plotting."

"Lin Shaowen, don't get too full of yourself. There will come a day when you'll be crying."

Having his true intentions exposed, Pillar panicked and bolted away in a flash.

"Hmph."

Too lazy to deal with Pillar, Lin Shaowen was just about to head home when a cry of surprise rang out behind him.

"Why are you here?" Lou Xiaoe covered her small mouth in astonishment.

"Who are you talking to?" Lin Shaowen frowned.

"You... don't you remember me? We've met before!" Lou Xiaoe took a couple of steps forward, making Xu Damao's eyelids twitch furiously.

"Never met, don't know you, goodbye."

Although Lin Shaowen wasn't afraid of Xu Damao, he didn't care to offend him either.

After all, among everyone in this courtyard, Xu Damao was the one he got along with best. Giving up a drinking buddy for a woman who wasn't even his was something only a fool would do.

"Brother, you're a real one."

Seeing Lin Shaowen's indifference, Xu Damao secretly gave him a thumbs-up.

Lou Xiaoe bit her lower lip slightly. Watching Lin Shaowen's retreating figure, she followed him impulsively as if guided by some unseen force.

"Xiaoe, my house is that way..." Xu Damao called out anxiously.

Though he and Lin Shaowen both lived in the inner courtyard, their places were in completely different directions.

"I have something to talk to Dr. Lin about. You go on back first, I'll come find you later."

Dropping those words, Lou Xiaoe ran off after Lin Shaowen.

Passing through the middle courtyard, Lin Shaowen once again laid eyes on the Jia family of four.

"Eating good food every single day, why hasn't it choked you to death?"

Mrs. Jia muttered under her breath as she looked at the lunchboxes in his hands.

"Jia Dongxu," Lin Shaowen suddenly called out.

"What?" Jia Dongxu replied irritably.

"Did your old man choke to death?" Lin Shaowen asked with curiosity.

"Little bastard, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

Mrs. Jia's temper flared up instantly.

"Don't get excited, don't get excited." Lin Shaowen immediately pressed his hands down in a calming gesture. "I was just wondering out loud. You're always talking about people dying this way or that way, and it's got me all confused about how Old Jia actually kicked the bucket."

"Little bastard, you won't come to a good end..." Mrs. Jia sprang up instantly.

"Lin Shaowen, are you looking for trouble?" Jia Dongxu's face darkened as well.

Qin Peiru glanced between Lin Shaowen and her mother-in-law and husband, choosing to remain silent.

"See, you guys don't appreciate a kind heart," Lin Shaowen said with a heartbroken expression. "Mrs. Jia, you'd better hide your household registration booklet carefully... And Sister-in-law Jia, if Mrs. Jia ever tries to merge your household registration with hers, you must never agree to it."

"Little bastard, I'll fight you to the death!"

Mrs. Jia lunged forward with claws bared.

Jia Dongxu's face flushed crimson, and he instinctively grabbed the kitchen cleaver by the doorway.

But Lin Shaowen was far too quick; by the time the two of them charged out, he had already scampered far away.

Jia Dongxu chased him all the way to the inner courtyard with the cleaver, intending to slash Lin Shaowen's front door, only to be stopped simultaneously by Qin Peiru and Mrs. Jia.

"Son, you can't chop that," Mrs. Jia cried out in alarm.

"Why not?" Jia Dongxu asked with a gloomy face.

"That door cost two hundred yuan. If you put a single slash in it, that little bastard will definitely shake us down for every penny." Whenever money was involved, Mrs. Jia possessed razor-sharp intelligence.

"Dongxu, forget it. Don't lower yourself to that kind of person's level," Qin Peiru also advised gently.

"Hmph."

Jia Dongxu let out a cold snort and turned to head back, only to see Lou Xiaoe standing there prettily, dressed in a small Western-style outfit.

"Excuse me, does Dr. Lin live here?"

"Ain't no person like that in this courtyard," Jia Dongxu snapped impatiently before turning and storming back into his room.

"Miss, let me warn you, Lin Shaowen is no good man," Mrs. Jia added with a sarcastic tone.

"Thank you, I understand."

After politely expressing her gratitude, Lou Xiaoe looked at the copper-reinforced door, hesitated for a moment, and finally knocked on it.

"Who is it?"

Lin Shaowen, currently tinkering with an electric fan, let out an irritated roar, assuming it was someone from the Jia family coming to stir up trouble.

Qin Huairu scurried quickly back to her own home, peering out through the window to see a pretty young woman standing gracefully at the front entrance.

"I... I am Lou Xiaoe."

"Oh."

Frowning, Lin Shaowen pulled the door open. "Why are you here? Where's Xu Damao?"

"I... I want to talk to you," Lou Xiaoe said timidly.

Lin Shaowen remained silent for a moment before stepping aside to let her into the courtyard.

Since she was already here, as for Xu's misunderstandings—well, some things could never be explained clearly anyway, so he might as well let it be.