Chapter 172: If even this can be fooled, then she deserves it

Yu Haitang nodded and said,

"If you don't have that kind of relationship, he still helps you this much."

"That's really kind-hearted."

"Thinking about it, I seem to like him more and more."

He Yushui laughed and said, "It's useless, Shengli Ge and Zheng Juan's relationship is really good."

Yu Haitang: "So what? It doesn't stop me from liking him."

He Yushui: "Alright, let's eat."

Yu Haitang nodded, picked up her chopsticks and started eating.

"Yushui, your cooking is great; it's definitely passed down from your family's ancestors."

He Yushui: "You guessed right."

"Our family has been cooking since my great-grandfather's generation."

"Passed down to males, not females."

"My dad didn't teach me."

"Actually, just by looking, you can get about eighty or ninety percent right."

"I just don't want to be a cook."

Yu Haitang thought for a moment and asked:

"How does your brother treat you?"

He Yushui shook her head: "Just like that."

"We've always just gone our separate ways."

Yu Haitang: "No, your family only has you two siblings; why do you still live separately?"

He Yushui: "Anyway, I don't want to speak ill of him."

"But if he falls for someone, he'll surely give his all."

Yu Haitang: "Really?"

He Yushui nodded.

Yu Haitang: "Then what do you say about me and your brother?"

He Yushui smiled and said nothing.

Yu Haitang: "I, I was just saying it casually."

"Your brother looks too anxious; if I were with him, people might think we're father and daughter."

He Yushui laughed: "Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"

Yu Haitang: "Actually, if your brother weren't sent down to clean toilets, it would of course just be temporary."

"Your brother's cooking is so good; the factory leaders would still let him return to the canteen."

He Yushui: "You won't fall for my brother, will you?"

"You just seemed to say you liked Shengli Ge earlier."

Yu Haitang: "I didn't say I like your brother."

Meanwhile.

Lin Shengli and Zheng Juan were also eating at Yi Zhonghai's house.

Xu Damao had been waiting outside the door.

Seeing them finish eating, he hurriedly called Lin Shengli out.

"You have something?"

"It's like this, Shengli, I... I want to date Yu Haitang. What do you think?"

Hearing this, Lin Shengli laughed:

"You can date whoever you want; no need to ask me."

Saying that, he wiped off his smile and said seriously:

"But Xu Damao, I warn you: if you dare let Xiao'e suffer again next time, don't blame me for forgetting old ties."

Xu Damao hastily said: "Shengli, sorry, the situation is really... you know, if I don't cut ties with Lou Xiao'e, I might not be able to keep my position."

"Rest assured, I've divorced Lou Xiao'e now; I definitely won't have any conflict with her."

"By the way, Shengli, do you have a thing for Yu Haitang?"

"If you do, then I won't dare to covet her."

Lin Shengli: "Xu Damao, everyone in the courtyard now knows you can't have children, including Yu Haitang's sister Yu Li."

"Are you trying to deceive Yu Haitang?"

Xu Damao: "Shengli, I, I really can't help it."

"Even if I'm not with Yu Haitang, I can't let her be with Shazhu."

"Now she's staying at Yushui's place."

"I've heard she often runs over to Shazhu's place, whether she has something to do or not."

Lin Shengli shook his head and turned away.

"If Yu Haitang can be deceived by Xu Damao even like this, then it's her own fault."

After dinner, Yu Haitang took her bowl and chopsticks and walked out of the house.

Qin Huairu was washing bowls and chopsticks in the courtyard when she saw Yu Haitang also about to wash them, and asked:

"You're washing dishes too?"

Yu Haitang: "Hmm, eating and drinking for free, living for free—if I don't do some work, what would that be?"

"Qin Huairu, what would you think if I married Shazhu?"

Qin Huairu heard that, couldn't help but knit her brows and let out an instinctive "ah".

Yu Haitang laughed, "Don't be startled, don't be nervous; I'm just asking casually."

Qin Huairu: "I'm not nervous."

"I have nothing to be nervous about; if you want to marry Shazhu, that's up to you, it's your freedom, you don't need to ask me."

Having said that, Qin Huairu lifted her bowl and chopsticks and left.

Although she said so outwardly, Qin Huairu quickly formed a plan.

If Yu Haitang really wants Shazhu to be fine, she'll sabotage it.

Just the fact that Shazhu has been rendered infertile—maybe unable to have children—would make a woman like Yu Haitang run away.

Soon after Qin Huairu returned home, Xu Damao came over.

"Yo, I was wondering who it was."

"Isn't this the one‑in‑a‑hundred broadcast announcer from our factory?"

Yu Haitang laughed, "Xu Damao, didn't expect that, huh?"

"I've transformed, now I'm one of the people in your courtyard."

Xu Damao thought for a moment and said:

"Yu Haitang, no matter what, we both belong to the factory's publicity department, right?"

"Consider us part of the same department."

"Tell me a truth."

"Why did you run here to wash dishes?"

Yu Haitang: "What's wrong with washing dishes?"

"I don't just wash dishes; I also intend to marry into your courtyard."

Xu Damao furrowed his brows and asked:

"Who?"

Yu Haitang: "How about Shazhu?"

Xu Damao exclaimed, "Shazhu? You've already reached the point of discussing marriage with him?"

Yu Haitang: "Haha, look how scared you are."

Xu Damao looked around and asked, "Is it real or fake?"

Yu Haitang: "It's neither true nor false."

"I just had a sudden whimsical thought."

Xu Damao thought again and said:

"Haitang, could you step outside the courtyard for a moment, okay?"

"I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

Yu Haitang asked, "Is it important?"

Xu Damao, with a serious face, said, "Very, very important."

Yu Haitang: "Alright, after I finish washing, I'll come over."

A dozen minutes later.

Outside the Siheyuan Da Men.

Yu Haitang frowned and said:

"Xu Damao, what you're saying is wrong."

"Shazhu and the Qin widow basically have nothing."

"I've already verified it from many angles."

"By saying that, you're wrong about Shazhu."

"The way you speak of him is essentially insulting yourself."

It turns out Xu Damao told Yu Haitang that Shazhu and Qin Huairu have something.

Xu Damao: "How does that equal insulting me?"

Yu Haitang: "That baseless matter, the way you spin it, isn't it a criticism of your own character?"

"Everyone in the factory knows you're mortal enemies with Shazhu."

"The more you speak of him, the more you prove your own character is flawed."

"Besides,"

"I might not even regard Shazhu highly."

"I'm just observing him."

"What I like is Lin Shengli."

"But he's already married."

"What can I do?"

"For me to become a concubine is simply impossible."

"Of course, Lin Shengli might not have such thoughts."

"Anyway, if Lin Shengli doesn't work out, I'll have to look for another target."

"You still don't understand my temperament?"

"My stomach can't hold a few ounces of oil; I'm straightforward and direct."