[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life":3,"chapter-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-164":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Courtyard House: A Salted Fish's Good Life",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2104452,3398,"Chapter 164: Paintings and siblings","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-164",164,"\u003Cp>Sihe Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>After dinner, He He Yushui followed Song Song Yulan to learn how to use the sewing machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo was preparing to go to the study when he ran into Xu Xu Damao just outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Xu Xu Damao said unhappily: \"Cao Weiguo, why did you help that dog Seeing Shazhu? He should have been locked up for ten days or half a month.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Hearing that Seeing Shazhu had been released, Xu Xu Damao was very disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>After asking around, he realized that Cao Cao Weiguo had been involved.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo denied it flatly: \"Don't talk nonsense. Whether Seeing Shazhu is released or not is the factory leaders' decision; it has nothing to do with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Deputy Factory Director Li was using Seeing Shazhu to strike at Factory Director Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He didn't want to be pushed out to take the bullet for Factory Director Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Xu Xu Damao snorted: \"Keep pretending. You definitely played a part in getting Seeing Shazhu out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo said with a serious expression: \"Brother Xu, you must not talk nonsense about this. I only took He He Yushui to visit Seeing Shazhu; I didn't do anything else.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Xu Xu Damao laughed: \"Is that so? Why don't I believe you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo said: \"Brother Xu, I'm not joking with you. Spreading rumors like this will cause problems.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Looking at Cao Cao Weiguo's serious expression, Xu Xu Damao couldn't help but chuckle: \"I know, I know, I won't talk nonsense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo sighed: \"That's good. I have things to attend to, so I won't chat with you anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>After saying this, Cao Cao Weiguo went straight to the study.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Xu Xu Damao stood in the courtyard and spat in annoyance.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He was convinced that Cao Cao Weiguo had helped, which was why Seeing Shazhu was released.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>If not for Cao Cao Weiguo's meddling, Seeing Shazhu would have definitely suffered for a few more days.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Xu Xu Damao returned home and felt even more depressed and irritable looking at the empty room.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lou Lou Xiaoe went back to her parents' house every few days, basically treating this place like a guesthouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Even when she occasionally came back to stay for two days, she didn't do a single thing at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He hadn't married a wife; he had married a princess.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Not only did she have the temper of a young lady, but she hadn't even given him a child yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Not wanting to spend the night alone, Xu Xu Damao took some money from the cabinet.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He closed the door and left the Sihe Academy to go find one of his lovers.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lou Lou Xiaoe was the daughter of a capitalist, but he wasn't a good bird either.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>When he went to the countryside to show movies, he had flirted with many young girls and married women.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He also had lovers in the city, though none of them were decent people either.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>If he wanted to relieve his loneliness, he couldn't just rely on his mouth; he had to rely on money.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>In the study, Cao Cao Weiguo was browsing the *Guangming Daily*.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lü Jinpeng came to the door carrying a bulging bag: \"Is Brother Cao Weiguo in?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Come in!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Hearing Cao Cao Weiguo's response, Lü Jinpeng carried the sack and pushed the door open.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Brother Cao Weiguo, these are the old items I collected recently.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Thank you for your hard work!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Brother Cao Weiguo, why are you being so polite with me? Without your help, my mother and children wouldn't have enough to eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lü Jinpeng was genuinely grateful to Cao Cao Weiguo and cherished this opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He simply collected some old items for Cao Cao Weiguo while he was working.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Just like that, he received a \"hardship fee\" from Cao Cao Weiguo every month.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>And the hardship fee was higher than his salary, allowing his whole family to stop worrying about food and drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lü Jinpeng took the items out of the sack one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>These items were wrapped in either newspapers or tattered cotton cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"This is a nice piece.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Opening a small package, Cao Cao Weiguo asked curiously: \"It must have cost a lot to collect this, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lü Jinpeng replied: \"I collected it from an old man's house. Because it's jade, it cost seven Brother Yuan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"That's not much; this is a good item.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"When you have time, go back to that old man's house and ask if he has any other old items.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>This was a Brother Yuan Dynasty jade dragon hook, relatively wide, pipa-shaped, with the hook button made into a rectangular ring hole...\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Placing the jade dragon hook gently on the table, Cao Cao Weiguo began to examine the other items.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>A Ming Dynasty Chenghua doucai scholar's cup, a late Ming Dynasty Xuande censer...\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>There was even a Sui Dynasty *Travel in Spring* by Zhan Ziqian, which made Cao Cao Weiguo widen his eyes in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Suppressing the surprise in his heart, Cao Cao Weiguo organized all the items.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Then, he reached into his pocket and pretended to pull out five ten-Brother Yuan notes.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Brother Lü, you've worked hard during this time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lü Jinpeng quickly declined: \"Cao Weiguo, there's still a lot of the money you gave me last time left.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Half a month ago, Cao Cao Weiguo had given him another hundred Brother Yuan in funds.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He had only used forty-some Brother Yuan to this day, and the remaining money would easily last him more than half a month.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>After all, old items weren't found everywhere, and many were collected as scrap.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo didn't hide it: \"That painting is a good item and worth a lot of money. This isn't funds; it's my reward. You must accept it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Hearing it was a reward, Lü Jinpeng wanted it even less.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He received a hardship fee every month; how could he be embarrassed to take an extra reward?\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lü Jinpeng insisted on not accepting it, so Cao Cao Weiguo couldn't force it on him:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Since you don't want the money, come to my house for a drink tomorrow. Call Mother Du, your sister-in-law, and little Fei.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Let's have a meal together and liven things up. That's no problem, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Lü Jinpeng smiled: \"Deal. Then we won't cook at my place tomorrow night.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>After Lü Jinpeng left, Cao Cao Weiguo transferred all the old items to the farm.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Middle Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>As soon as He He Yushui returned home, Seeing Shazhu rushed in angrily to question her:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Did you go to Cao Cao Weiguo's house just now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He He Yushui frowned: \"Yes, I even had dinner at Brother Cao Weiguo's house. What's wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"What's wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Seeing Shazhu raised his eyebrows and shouted: \"Cao Cao Weiguo is my enemy! I wish I could beat him to death! And you're eating with him!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>If not for Cao Cao Weiguo getting in the way, he wouldn't have ended up in this state.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Therefore, Seeing Shazhu viewed Cao Cao Weiguo as an enemy!\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>His own sister was actually sitting and eating with his enemy, which made Seeing Shazhu both angry and furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He He Yushui said angrily: \"Brother, are you really stupid or just pretending? How is Brother Cao Weiguo your enemy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"If not for Brother Cao Weiguo's help this time, would we have been able to see you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Would you have been able to get out so quickly?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"You don't thank Brother Cao Weiguo, and yet you treat him as an enemy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"You are returning kindness with enmity!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Seeing Shazhu was so angry his face turned blue, and he pointed angrily in the direction of the Cao house:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"I'm returning kindness with enmity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Bullshit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"If not for that villain Cao Cao Weiguo snatching my position as head chef.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"If not for that villain Cao Cao Weiguo squeezing me out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Would I be on a downward slope?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Would I have been caught for taking a little meat?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Before Cao Cao Weiguo became deputy director, I had been taking things from the cafeteria for years.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"When was I ever caught? When was I ever this humiliated?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Tell me, isn't that villain Cao Cao Weiguo my enemy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Just you wait! Sooner or later, I'll finish off this despicable villain and take back everything that belongs to me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Looking at her brother, who seemed somewhat deranged, He He Yushui was completely stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>She truly couldn't imagine that her brother could be so unable to distinguish right from wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo becoming deputy director was due to his own ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>You were caught because you stole things.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>How could you blame the cause on Cao Cao Weiguo?\u003C\u002Fp>",1444,"2026-06-16T06:53:26.533Z","2026-06-17T08:52:03.356Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","3c472a33f62064a0dd722c9a646821c5c6458a16444e3e9501d5cedb790215f8","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-165","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-163",843,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsiheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life-cover.jpg"]