First Elder Yi Zhonghai no longer dared to morally coerce Lin Zhen.
At least, he did not dare to do it for the time being.
This silent loss left him stifled, yet he could not say a word about it.
Otherwise, the selfless, public-spirited image he had maintained for decades would come crashing down.
"Alas, from now on, I'd rather go to Lou Xiao'e if something comes up than ask Lin Zhen!"
Yi Zhonghai muttered to himself, stewing in frustration until the second half of the night before finally drifting off to sleep.
The next day was Sunday.
The workers in the Siheyuan were all off work.
After breakfast, Lou Xiao'e was tidying up in the kitchen.
Lin Zhen was outside the door, scrubbing his old bicycle.
His four sons played nearby with brushes in hand, creating a warm and happy scene.
"Hello, may I ask if someone named Qin Huairu lives in this courtyard?"
When Lin Zhen looked up, he saw a shy young girl standing before him.
Her big eyes flickered as she wanted to look into the courtyard, yet was too bashful to do so openly.
She wore two short braids, a floral padded jacket, and green cotton pants.
She carried a bag of local specialties in her hand.
In terms of looks, she was truly not much worse than his wife.
Qin Jingru?
Lin Zhen's heart stirred.
Wasn't this shy, wide-eyed look exactly how Qin Jingru had been when she first came to the city?
She looked even younger than the actress from the TV series.
That made sense.
Qin Jingru had appeared two or three years earlier than in the original story.
She was probably not even twenty yet.
Lin Zhen's home was the first one in the front courtyard, the first house one saw upon entering the Siheyuan.
That was why Qin Jingru had asked Lin Zhen as soon as she entered.
"Yes, she lives in the west unit of the middle courtyard. And you are?" Lin Zhen asked with a deliberate smile.
"My name is Qin Jingru. I'm Qin Huairu's cousin, and I came to help her look after the children."
"Oh? I heard Sister Qin say that her third uncle's family had a pretty younger sister. That must be you, right?"
"Mm! Since you know that much, you must be very close to my sister's family."
"Haha, of course. We're all neighbors, so we're very close. But you should be Sister Qin's paternal cousin, shouldn't you? How can you call yourself her maternal cousin?"
"Ah! Either way is fine. Call it whatever you like, big brother."
"Haha, Lin Guo, take your three younger brothers and bring Aunt Jingru to Bang Geng's home."
"Yes, Dad. Aunt Qin, we'll take you to Bang Geng's home."
Seeing a new person in the courtyard, the four boys happily tossed down their brushes and ran toward the back courtyard.
Lou Xiao'e came out and asked, "Lin Zhen, who were you talking to?"
"Qin Huairu's cousin. They probably sent word to the countryside and asked her to come help watch the children."
"Only a cousin came? Qin Huairu's parents didn't come?"
"Who knows? Maybe the production team is busy."
"She sounded quite young. She isn't very old, is she?"
"Probably no more than twenty. She's quite pretty too. Aren't you going to take a look?"
"Hmph! I'm not going. If she really is pretty, the three bachelors in this courtyard won't be able to sit still."
The two were still chatting.
Before long.
Three-year-old Lin Dong and Lin Liang came running back in tears.
"Dad, Uncle Xu is scolding big brother!"
Lin Zhen frowned. "What happened?"
"We were taking Aunt Qin to Bang Geng's home, but Uncle Xu kept stopping her to talk and wouldn't let her go. Big brother pulled Aunt Qin away, and Uncle Xu called him a little brat."
"Damn it! He's got some nerve!"
Lin Zhen sprang to his feet. "Third and Fourth, grab the rolling pins!"
Lou Xiao'e said, "Scaring him is enough. Don't beat him into the hospital!"
"Don't worry, wife. I know what I'm doing. That bastard Xu Damao has been blinded by lust!"
In the middle courtyard.
Xu Damao had been pushing his bicycle out, preparing to leave.
He was going to show a movie at a brother unit that evening.
Then he ran right into Qin Jingru.
Xu Damao, who had been single for years and was looking for a wife, was instantly transfixed.
The current Qin Jingru looked so tender she seemed as though water could be squeezed from her.
Her looks were no worse than Lou Xiao'e's or Qin Huairu's.
She was shy and bashful, looking like she could be lured home with a single meal.
Xu Damao's job was a cushy one. He had money in hand, so naturally his standards were high.
Most girls who took the initiative to propose marriage to him did not catch his eye.
Especially with two great beauties like Lou Xiao'e and Qin Huairu in the courtyard.
Xu Damao was even less willing to lose to Lin Zhen and Jia Dongxu.
And not just him.
Silly Zhu and Guang Tian were also looking for wives by the standards of Lou Xiao'e and Qin Huairu.
As a result, despite being of marriageable age, they were still bachelors with no prospects at all.
If Yan Jiecheng had not found Yu Li, he would have been a bachelor too.
The moment Xu Damao saw Qin Jingru, he made up his mind—he would marry her!
"Oh my, who... who is this?" Xu Damao smiled so broadly that his eyes vanished.
"Hello, I'm Qin Jingru. I came to find my sister, Qin Huairu," Qin Jingru said shyly.
"Oh my, hello, hello. My name is Xu Damao. I'm a projectionist at the factory."
"Mm, I came to help my cousin look after the children. She and my aunt are too busy working day and night shifts."
Xu Damao said sympathetically, "That's right. Grandma Jia came back this morning and immediately went inside to rest. It hasn't been easy for her."
"Mm, I won't chat with you anymore. I need to find Master He Yuzhu from your courtyard. My sister said the children are with him."
"Oh my, little sister, don't go! You absolutely must not go to Silly Zhu's home!"
"Why not?"
"Ah, you don't know..."
Five-year-old Lin Guo saw Xu Damao chatting without end, but he did not dare interrupt him.
Yet his father had told the four of them to lead Aunt Qin there, and he was afraid of failing the task.
So he could only lower his head, grab Qin Jingru's sleeve, and start walking.
Xu Damao was already anxious when he heard Qin Jingru was going to Silly Zhu's home.
When Lin Guo pulled her away like that, he got so angry that he opened his mouth and cursed.
"Where did this little brat come from? Stop getting in the way!"
Only after venting did he realize that the boy he had cursed was Lin Zhen's son.
Xu Damao instantly wilted.
Silly Zhu, who had just stepped out of his house, saw the scene as well and immediately fanned the flames.
"Hey! Looks like you're itching for a beating. Lin Dong, Lin Liang, Xu Damao called you little brats. Why aren't you running back to tell your dad?"
Lin Dong and Lin Liang's eyes reddened, and they hurriedly ran back to the front courtyard.
This left Xu Damao frantic and Silly Zhu delighted.
Everyone in the courtyard knew how fiercely Lin Zhen protected his children.
"Silly Zhu! Don't stir up trouble! I didn't see clearly that they were my nephews!"
"Heh, grandson, if you dared call all four of them little brats, just wait to get beaten up!"
Hearing the voices in the courtyard, Jia Zhangshi hurried out and brought Qin Jingru toward her home.
When Lin Zhen arrived in the middle courtyard with his two younger sons.
Xu Damao was grinning as he tried to coax Lin Guo and Lin Jia.
"My dear nephews, my little ancestors! I really didn't see clearly that it was you four brothers!"
Lin Guo and Lin Jia pouted without saying a word.
Qin Jingru covered her mouth at the doorway and giggled.
Jia Zhangshi stood at the door with Bang Geng and Xiao Dang, watching the excitement.
The moment she saw Lin Zhen come into the middle courtyard with his two sons carrying rolling pins.
Jia Zhangshi quickly pulled Bang Geng back inside.
"Get inside! The great villain is here. This is outrageous, is he trying to beat someone to death..."
Seeing the situation, Silly Zhu immediately moved a small stool to his doorway and sat down to watch the show.
Xu Damao forced a fawning smile. "Brother Lin Zhen, hey, hey, don't get worked up. My dear brother, it's a misunderstanding!"
Whoosh!
Lin Zhen darted forward and swung his rolling pin in a move called Splitting the Mountain with Force.
The stick came crashing down from above with a fierce gust, aimed straight at Xu Damao's crown.
Yet it stopped abruptly less than a centimeter from Xu Damao's forehead.
The gust from the rolling pin blew Xu Damao's side-parted hair into a slicked-back style.
It blew so hard that Xu Damao could not open his eyes.
His whole body trembled, his legs went weak, and he nearly dropped to his knees.
Lin Zhen demanded angrily, "What did you call me just now?"
"Grand... Grandpa!"
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