Chapter 28: The Old Lady Locks the Door

Back in the room, He Yuzhu set down the gramophone, and the Symphony of Fate began to play.

He Yuzhu sat by the bed, staring blankly at the skill points he had obtained from signing in at the Big Leader's house.

Speaking of this system, aside from some miscellaneous things, it had only given him a few skill points in the novice gift pack; he hadn't expected to get one from signing in at the Big Leader's house as well.

He was hesitating about where exactly to use them.

Should he max out his Cooking first, or put them into something else?

If he put them into Cooking, with his current level, he could absolutely go participate in preparing state banquets, and he didn't intend to be a cook for his whole life, but if he put them into something else, it felt a bit like a waste.

While he was thinking about what to learn to develop a new skill, Lou Xiao'e suddenly burst in.

"Shazhu, what are you spacing out for? I've been in here for a long time and you didn't even notice." Lou Xiao'e waved her hand in front of He Yuzhu and sat down on her own accord.

While talking, she kept picking strands of hair off the bed, clicking her tongue and saying, "Which woman sheds so much hair?"

He Yuzhu rolled his eyes at her: "This is my sister's room, where do you think the hair came from?"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot..." Lou Xiao'e apologized hurriedly.

"It's fine, what are you doing here? Aren't you afraid Xu Damao will get jealous? He and I don't get along."

"We're divorced, I'm staying in the old lady's room now." After saying this, Lou Xiao'e's tone turned low.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know, don't be angry..." He Yuzhu stood up, scratching his head; he had forgotten about this matter. He hadn't expected that even though Qin Jingru was already with him, Xu Damao had still divorced Lou Xiao'e. It was obvious where Qin Jingru had gone.

He hadn't expected that even though he was already a Deputy Director, and Qin Jingru had stayed the night, she had still ended up with Xu Damao. He didn't know whether to call it fate or destiny.

"It's okay, where did you get this gramophone?" Lou Xiao'e forced a smile, then looked at the gramophone, tilted her head back, and closed her eyes; a crystal-clear tear slid from the corner of her eye.

Watching Lou Xiao'e with her eyes closed, He Yuzhu stealthily took a bottle of high-end women's perfume he had obtained from a sign-in and a large bar of Chocolate from his space, and placed them in her hands.

"What's this? Oh, perfume, and this is... dark chocolate? Where did you get these?" Lou Xiao'e looked at the items in her hands, her face full of surprise.

"Hey, I went to the Big Leader's house today, he lost them to me. They're all good things. And this gramophone, have you heard it? The Symphony of Fate. You, don't be sad, it's not worth it for Xu Damao. Eat some chocolate; when you're sad, eating chocolate will make you feel happy and blissful." He Yuzhu felt a bit embarrassed; after all, he was the one who had asked Qin Huairu to bring Qin Jingru from the countryside.

Furthermore, his initial plan had been to use Qin Jingru to make Xu Damao get a divorce, but through a twist of fate, he had taken the first bite himself, and in the end, they had still ended up together.

"Thank you, I didn't expect you, Shazhu, to know so much." Lou Xiao'e tore open the packaging, took a light bite of the chocolate, and lowered her head as tears streamed down.

To say she wasn't sad—how could that be possible?

Regardless of how the other person was, they had spent so many years together.

People are not made of grass or wood; how could they be without feelings?

Even if not for the other person, she felt sad for herself.

"How would I know these things? It's all what the leaders said, and I just remembered it. They said that when people are sad, this chocolate can produce little people that make you happy, jumping around in your head, and then you follow these little people and become happy."

"Pfft! You really are Shazhu, isn't that called dopamine?" Lou Xiao'e was amused by He Yuzhu until she was doubled over, still thinking about the little people in her head.

"Yes, yes, yes, you know more, how would I know that? Take a look at this perfume, I heard it's really good." He Yuzhu smiled and pointed at the pink perfume bottle containing gold dust that shimmered with golden light.

"Thank you, then I'll accept it, okay?"

"Accept it, go ahead."

The two were silent for a while, an unusual atmosphere enveloping them.

Lou Xiao'e awkwardly made small talk: "The Symphony of Fate, do you believe in fate?"

"I do, and I don't."

"How so?"

He Yuzhu lit a cigarette, his eyes filled with a luster that Lou Xiao'e could not understand.

"I believe everything is arranged by fate, but I will not bow my head to fate. In this life, I am going to struggle against fate; even if it costs me my own life, I will win half a move against the heavens! Everything I have lost, I will fight with my life to take back. No one can stop me!" He Yuzhu clenched his fist tightly.

Lou Xiao'e looked at He Yuzhu, who was radiating an imposing aura, and little stars lit up in her eyes.

Just like that, until the Symphony of Fate finished playing and stopped, He Yuzhu finally withdrew his aura and posture, and said awkwardly: "Ahem, this music, if it didn't stop, my pose would have given me a cramp."

"Haha, alright, thank you. I came here because I wanted to trouble you to cook a meal for me and the old lady. I'll treat you to a drink, how about that?" Lou Xiao'e laughed from ear to ear, liking He Yuzhu more and more; she hadn't expected him to be so witty and humorous.

As for teasing girls, whether for He Yuzhu or for Chief Qi, it was a piece of cake.

"Let's go, if you like this gramophone, move it to the Back Yard. My room is too small, it's in the way." Saying this, He Yuzhu carried the gramophone and walked toward the Back Yard.

Lou Xiao'e followed behind him like a young wife, holding the perfume and chocolate, her heart full of sweetness.

Soon, a meal was prepared by He Yuzhu, and the three of them smelled the fragrance, their faces full of satisfaction.

Lou Xiao'e, who originally had no appetite, couldn't help but swallow her saliva.

"Today, to celebrate my escape from the sea of bitterness, and also to thank Shazhu for the good meal, let's have a drink. It's good liquor, not the sorghum liquor you usually drink." Saying this, Lou Xiao'e took out a bottle of Moutai and opened it.

"Alright, then let's have some."

"I, the old lady, won't drink. You two go ahead, I'm going to eat first." Long Laotaitai smiled; she had no children, and all the children in this courtyard were her juniors. As long as the children were well, she was happy, especially Shazhu, whom she treated like her own grandson.

But after all, she was old; after eating a few bites and drinking two bowls of thin porridge, the old lady soon put down her chopsticks.

"Grandma, it's almost New Year's, how about we eat at your place this year?" He Yuzhu picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs for Lou Xiao'e and asked, looking up.

"Good, good, whatever my big grandson says goes. Grandma is old, I need to go out for a stroll after eating. You two go ahead and eat, eat more, E'zi." The old lady nodded, picked up her cane, and prepared to walk out.

"Grandma, it's dark out, why are you going out? What if you trip or bump into something?" He Yuzhu stood up and hurriedly supported the old lady's arm to stop her.

"It's fine, don't worry, I'm just strolling in the courtyard, it's fine. You two eat." The old lady shook her head, walked out, and then hung the lock.

"You two eat and drink more. You two are the destined couple; give me, the old lady, a great-grandson soon." The old lady's voice came from outside the door.

He Yuzhu was stunned, looked at Lou Xiao'e, who was shyly lowering her head, and sat down with a bitter smile.

The old lady chuckled to herself, leaned on her cane, and went to the front yard. After sitting for a while, she entered Yushui's room to rest.

Here, He Yuzhu looked at Lou Xiao'e, who was crying like a pear blossom in the rain, and was speechless: "This... haven't you two been married for so many years? Don't tell me you never shared a bed? Why are you acting like you're so experienced?"

"Hiss, no, that's impossible... we did share a bed." Lou Xiao'e wiped her tears, her face full of confusion.

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and asked: "Then Xu Damao's, how big is it?"

Lou Xiao'e hesitated for a moment, then recalled: "About half the size of a little finger..."

"......!"