Chapter 232: Jia Dongxu Gets Jealous

"I'm coming with you this time," Zhao Ying said. "We have to meet up to split the harvest from the ship in half."

Zhao Ying had originally intended to take the train to Hong Kong, but upon hearing that He Yuzhu was going to follow the cargo ship, she immediately changed her mind; she knew He Yuzhu's capabilities and wanted a piece of the action.

"My sister has to have a share too!" He Yuzhu said.

"I know you think of your sister in everything!" Zhao Ying curled her lip.

"Where do our cargo ships dock?" He Yuzhu asked.

"Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan," Zhao Ying replied.

He Yuzhu asked again, "How long are you staying in Hong Kong this time?"

"It's hard to say. I have to get the company there up and running first. Looking at the way things are now, who would dare dock a ship at Tianjin Port? It's likely going to be difficult for your Bicycle Factory to get supplies in the future!" Zhao Ying sighed.

He Yuzhu nodded. "It seems we'll have to treat Hong Kong as our base of operations from now on. We'll ship the goods from the United States to Hong Kong first, then find a way to transship them to Si Jiu Cheng."

After leaving Liu Rusi's house and greeting Chen Qingshan at his shop, He Yuzhu headed straight for the Ninety-five Courtyard.

The June weather was already very hot, and the few locust trees in the courtyard were in bloom, filling the air with a fragrant scent.

As soon as He Yuzhu stepped into the Siheyuan, he saw Yan Bugui tending to his pots of Chinese roses.

He Yuzhu didn't want to engage with him and walked straight toward the Zhongyuan.

Hearing footsteps, Yan Bugui turned his head and saw He Yuzhu, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

He stared fixedly at He Yuzhu and asked in disbelief, "Zhuzi, you're still alive?"

He Yuzhu smiled. "How are the people in the courtyard spinning tales about me this time?"

Yan Bugui finally came to his senses, pulled He Yuzhu to the side, and lowered his voice: "Zhuzi, you're finally back! If you had been a few days later, your house would likely have belonged to the Jia family..."

Yan Bugui wasn't wrong this time.

Jia Zhangshi had listened to the instigation of Li Yong from the Houyuan and was planning to find a matchmaker to propose a marriage for Jia Dongxu.

After Li Yong's father, Li Laoer, died, he grew to hate Chen Qingshan, but his capabilities were limited and he couldn't touch a hair on Chen Qingshan's head, so he went to find Xu Damao for a solution.

Xu Damao didn't have any good ideas either, he just wanted to stir up trouble between Chen Qingshan and the He Family. He casually gave Li Yong an idea: go incite Jia Zhangshi by saying that the He family members were all dead, and if Jia Dongxu married Qin Huairu, who was looking after the house, the He family's house would belong to the Jia family.

Jia Zhangshi actually believed such a hole-ridden lie.

Jia Zhangshi immediately changed her attitude toward Qin Huairu.

He Yuzhu sneered, "She really dares to think that?"

Yan Bugui leaned in closer, his voice even lower: "Jia Zhangshi used to curse Qin Huairu as a little harlot every day, but I don't know where she heard some things... her attitude changed completely, and she wanted to marry Qin Huairu into the family. I thought it was strange at the time! I only found out after coming back that she heard people say your house now belongs to your Siqiang, and it's to be given to Qin Huairu as a dowry..."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu laughed: "Jia Zhangshi can even believe such things; she's quite a 'talent'."

Yan Bugui shook his head and sighed: "Now, this Jia Zhangshi is spreading rumors everywhere, saying that there's no one left in your family..."

He Yuzhu gave a scoff and asked, "Has Qin Huairu already agreed to marry into their family?"

"That's exactly what this is about!" Yan Bugui slapped his thigh. "It seems Qin Huairu doesn't think much of the Jia family at all!"

Yan Bugui wanted to continue, but He Yuzhu didn't want to listen anymore.

After entering his home, He Yuzhu found it kept quite clean, practically spotless, even tidier than when his mother and He Yushui lived there.

He was wandering around the house when he heard someone knocking at the door.

As soon as He Yuzhu pulled the door open, he saw Jia Dongxu standing at the entrance, stunned.

The moment the other party saw him, it was as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight; his eyes widened, and he blurted out, "Zhuzi? How... how is it you?"

He Yuzhu raised the corners of his mouth in a half-smile: "Brother Dongxu, that expression of yours... you wouldn't happen to have thought it was Qin Huairu coming to open the door, would you?"

Having his thoughts laid bare, Jia Dongxu couldn't keep his composure and gave a dry laugh.

"I just came back to take a look. I'll be going out again for a few months, so I won't be staying here for now," He Yuzhu said.

Jia Dongxu hesitated for a moment before speaking: "My mother has recently... been busy trying to arrange a marriage between me and Qin Huairu. About this, you... you don't object, do you?"

"She is my Siqiang's niece, and it has nothing to do with me. Why would I object?"

Jia Dongxu's tone became more sincere: "My mother, that person... she speaks and acts without thinking. If you hear any gossip, don't take it to heart."

Hearing him say this, He Yuzhu felt that Jia Dongxu was actually quite straightforward, at least without so many ulterior motives. He nodded: "Since it's groundless, let people say what they want. I don't care."

Only then did Jia Dongxu breathe a sigh of relief and say in a low voice, "That's good."

He Yuzhu gave a faint response and said nothing more.

Just as the two were talking, Qin Huairu returned from outside.

She saw Jia Dongxu standing in the courtyard, but her face remained expressionless; she just glanced at him indifferently and ignored him.

But when she turned and saw He Yuzhu, her eyes lit up instantly. She walked over quickly and, without a word, pulled him into the room.

"Zhuzi, your Siqiang saw you come to this courtyard without even putting on a disguise, and asked me to remind you; he's afraid someone might snitch."

He Yuzhu smiled upon hearing this. "That matter is long over. Tell my Siqiang to set his mind at ease and just focus on his business."

Only then did Qin Huairu pat her chest and let out a long sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good..." She then seemed to remember something and asked, "When is your family coming back? I'll move out immediately."

"Probably not until December or January. I'll have to trouble you to keep looking after the house for me for a while."

"Speaking of the house..." Qin Huairu's voice softened. "I've saved up some money recently. I heard there's a room for sale in the Houyuan, and I want to buy it. Zhuzi, do you think that's okay?"

He Yuzhu was a bit surprised; he hadn't expected Qin Huairu to have the ability to buy a house on her own. It seemed his Siqiang treated her well. He nodded and said, "Buying a house is a good thing. If you can buy it, do it. You have a job now, anyway."

"Actually, what I want most is to buy a small courtyard and bring my parents here to live with me. It's just that I don't have that much money."

"You should ask my Siqiang to help you buy it; he's earned plenty of money anyway. In a couple of years, there won't be anywhere to spend that money," He Yuzhu said.

Qin Huairu was a bit stunned by these words. She shook her head, her voice even softer: "That wouldn't be appropriate... after all, he is only my uncle-in-law, not my own father."

He Yuzhu nodded, feeling that Qin Huairu still had a sense of propriety at this time.

Qin Huairu immediately walked toward the stove and said, "Since you're back, let me cook you a meal? I've learned a few dishes in the kitchen during this time. Help me taste them and give me some feedback!"

"Don't bother, I'm not hungry!" He Yuzhu waved his hand. "I'm just sitting for a bit before I leave."

Qin Huairu twisted the corner of her clothes, as if she had something bottled up inside.

She hesitated for a while before saying softly, "A lot of things have happened in the courtyard recently... I want to tell you about them and hear your thoughts."

Seeing her serious expression, not like she was just making idle chatter, He Yuzhu nodded: "Alright, then go ahead and say it."

Qin Huairu began: "Jia Zhangshi next door sent a matchmaker to my home to propose; my father actually wants me to marry into the city, but I am unwilling. That Jia Zhangshi is just a shrew..."

He Yuzhu was actually taken aback, and after thinking for a moment, he said: "There are many things I shouldn't say, but the Jia Family's fortune is indeed a bit poor."

No sooner had He Yuzhu finished speaking than the door was kicked open by Jia Zhangshi.

Upon seeing He Yuzhu, she cursed: "You heaven-forsaken little beast, you're badmouthing my family behind our backs, what is your intention? My Dongxu hasn't provoked you, has he? Why must you ruin my Dongxu's wonderful marriage!"

He Yuzhu was also stunned on the spot; he really shouldn't have revealed the secrets of heaven, but in this lifetime, because of Siqiang, he was closer to Qin Huairu and didn't want to let her jump into a pit of fire again.

At this moment, Jia Dongxu also turned red-eyed and said hatefully: "He Yuzhu, I already told you I like Qin Huairu, yet you are still undermining me behind my back; you really are a damn piece of trash!"