Chapter 662 Xu Damao wants to go on a blind date again 5
In this slightly lively courtyard, the sun shines warmly on the mottled walls, as if covering this old courtyard with a veil of time. He Yuzhu is standing in a corner of the courtyard, next to the old locust tree. The breeze blows gently, and the leaves of the locust tree rustle, as if whispering something.
He Yuzhu raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and the arc of his mouth was full of sarcasm, and a contemptuous smile was revealed without any cover. At the same time, he curled his lips slightly, and the action was full of disdain, as if he had heard something extremely ridiculous. And in his eyes, which were originally small, it was like a flash of lightning, and a trace of obvious disdain flashed across them. The contempt in his eyes was almost written on his face and announced to the world.
He lowered his voice slightly, and his voice was low and mysterious. He turned his head and muttered to his sister He Yushui who was standing next to him: "Huh! Will Xu Damao's blind date be successful this time? In my opinion, this matter is very mysterious!"
As he spoke, he frowned slightly, and the disdain in his eyes seemed to increase a bit. "Think about it, he is a slippery person from the bottom of his heart, and that slipperiness seems to have penetrated every inch of his skin. No matter when, as long as he opens his mouth or does something, that slippery feeling comes to you. Moreover, he is full of little calculations and little thoughts, and his thoughts are as numerous as the bees in the hive, densely packed. How can such a temper be changed so easily? If Lou Xiao'e is really fooled by his sweet words for a while, she will suffer in the future! You see, the Lou family is a good family, and Lou Xiao'e is a simple and kind girl. If she falls into Xu Damao's trap, I don't know how much suffering she will have to endure in the future."
When He Yushui heard her brother's ruthless evaluation of Xu Damao, her heart skipped a beat and she became a little worried. She knew her brother's temper well. He was a straightforward person who said whatever he thought. But if her brother really got involved in this matter, the consequences would be disastrous. She subconsciously reached out her hand, and her slender fingers gently tugged at He Yuzhu's sleeve, with a hint of pleading in her eyes, full of anxiety and uneasiness. She also lowered her voice and said, "Brother, you'd better say less. No matter what, Xu Damao really wants to make some changes this time. During this period, I saw him getting up early and staying up late to help the factory do this and that. His enthusiasm doesn't seem to be pretended. And he must especially hope to leave a good impression in front of Lou Xiaoe. After all, who doesn't want to show his good side in front of the person he likes? If you go over and deliberately make trouble now, or keep saying these sarcastic words on the side, if you make Xu Damao angry on the spot, then everyone's face will be lost. In this courtyard and outside the courtyard, everyone is a neighbor who sees each other every day. It would be bad if it was too stiff. It would be so awkward to get along with each other in the future."
When He Yuzhu heard this, he immediately became unhappy. The expression on his face was like a cat whose tail was stepped on. He snorted with disdain, and the snort was particularly loud, as if he was announcing his dissatisfaction to everyone. Then, he loudly retorted: "I'm making trouble? You really have no problem talking! I'm just being realistic." As he spoke, he stamped his feet angrily, and the dust he raised fluttered in the sunlight. "Think about it carefully. Just look at his arrogant and domineering behavior on weekdays. He walks with his nose in the air and looks at everyone as if they are inferior to him. Suddenly he starts to pretend to be a good person. Who can believe it easily? To say that the Lou family knew nothing about this is simply to be kept in the dark! How could I not know about Xu Damao's tricks? His little thoughts are like transparent glass beads. I can see through them at a glance. I couldn't bear to see the girl from the Lou family jump into the fire pit, so I gave her a kind reminder. Why do you say it's making trouble? Humph, my kindness is really taken for granted!"
He became more and more excited as he spoke. The veins on his neck bulged slightly, and his face flushed slightly because of anger. He looked as if he had suffered a great injustice and had to pour out all the words in his heart. The air around him seemed to become tense because of his excited speech. The old locust tree, which was originally swaying comfortably in the breeze, seemed to sway less, as if it was also quietly listening to He Yuzhu's words.
At this moment, the courtyard, which had been bustling with activity, suddenly became like a powder keg that had been lit. Everyone started talking at once, and the sound was like the waves at high tide, rising one after another, one higher than the other, filling this small courtyard space.
Uncle Wang, with gray hair, held an old pipe in his hand, tapped it lightly on the ground, blew out a puff of smoke, and then spoke slowly: "I think that although Xu Damao has done a lot of stupid things in the past, a prodigal son who returns is more valuable than gold. We should give him a chance to start a new life. Everyone makes mistakes. As long as he can reform and be a good person in the future, we should be more generous, right?" Uncle Sun on the side listened and nodded continuously, echoing: "That's right. It seems that he really wants to make some changes recently. Let's believe him this time."
But there were also many people who shared the same view as He Yuzhu, and they were always skeptical about Xu Damao's transformation. Aunt Zhao, who was always outspoken, frowned and said in a loud voice: "Hmph, don't be too naive! Don't we know who Xu Damao is? How can he change all the bad things he did in the past? I think he is just pretending, and who knows what bad intentions he has." Several aunts nearby also echoed, and they listed Xu Damao's past faults one after another, and their words were full of distrust.
Aunt Zhang, Uncle Li and others expressed some expectation in their words, hoping that Xu Damao could really change his ways and make up for his past mistakes this time. Aunt Zhang was holding the soles she was sewing in her hand, and while threading the needle, she said: "No matter what, we still hope that he can change for the better. If he can really settle down, marry the girl from the Lou family, and live a good life in the future, wouldn't there be less trouble in our yard?" Uncle Li sat on a stone bench, stroking his beard, squinting his eyes slightly, and continued with expectation: "Yes, we just hope that he is serious this time, and don't let everyone down again."
However, Liu's wife seemed worried. She felt that things might not be that simple. After all, Xu Damao's past "glorious deeds" had long been spread throughout the courtyard and known to everyone. Liu's wife held her child in her arms, patted the child's back gently, frowned, and said worriedly: "You guys, don't be too optimistic. His past deeds have deceived many people in the courtyard. I always feel uneasy in my heart. How can I believe that he has changed for the better so easily? I think there must be something fishy here."
As time went by, the sky, which was originally bright, was slowly covered by a huge black curtain, and the sky gradually darkened. The lights in the courtyard gradually lit up, first the dim light bulb in the east room, emitting soft light, and then the west and south rooms also lit up. The lights, like stars, dotted in this ancient courtyard, covered this slightly old courtyard with a warm gauze, adding a bit of warmth and tranquility to it, as if isolating the outside noise and disturbance from this small light.
At this moment, He Yushui slowly walked out of the house, wearing a washed-out floral shirt, the hem of which swayed gently as she walked. She was holding a bowl of steaming, fragrant porridge steadily in both hands. The steam from the porridge blurred the air in front of her eyes, but also made her face look softer in the misty heat.
She walked lightly, each step seemed to be on clouds, and came to He Yuzhu silently, then raised her head slightly and said in a soft and gentle tone: "Brother, as the saying goes, 'No gold is pure, no man is perfect', everyone may make mistakes, but also have the opportunity to correct mistakes. If Xu Damao really wants to settle down and live a down-to-earth life, it may not be a bad thing for our courtyard. Why do you always hold on to his past? Learn to be more tolerant and give others a chance, in fact, it is also accumulating merits for yourself. Look at this courtyard, everyone sees each other every day. If we keep fussing about it, it will be so awkward to get along with each other in the future. We should look at the long-term, right?"
After listening to his sister's words, He Yuzhu frowned slightly, and his expression was quite complicated. Although there was still a trace of unwillingness and dissatisfaction in his heart, as if an invisible hand was pulling him hard, making him unable to let go of the stubbornness in his heart, he swallowed the rebuttal words that were on the tip of his tongue and did not say anything to refute. After all, he knew very well that what his sister Yushui said was not without reason. If a person always clings to the past and stubbornly immerses himself in the memories of the past, it is tantamount to tying himself up in a cocoon, which will only trap himself in the right and wrong grievances of the past and add to his troubles.
However, even though he said no more, how could the knot deep in his heart be resolved so easily? The knot was like a tangled mess, tightly wrapped around his heart, and every thread was tied to the unpleasant memories of the past. The things Xu Damao had done, one by one, kept replaying in his mind, as if they were marks engraved in his heart. How could they be erased all at once? This undoubtedly requires more time and various experiences in life to slowly heal the wound and solve the mystery. It's like a deep wound. Even if it has stopped bleeding, if you want it to heal completely and return to its original state, it will take a long time to recuperate, and it will have to rely on the years to nourish it little by little, to let it grow new skin, until only a faint scar is left in the end, or even disappear completely.
At the same time, on the other side of the courtyard, the blind date between Lou Xiao'e and Xu Damao was still progressing in an orderly manner.
At first, they just stood at the door and exchanged a few simple greetings. Lou Xiao'e was wearing an elegant floral cheongsam. The material of the cheongsam looked soft, and the floral pattern on it was delicate and fresh. As she moved, the hem of her skirt swayed gently, as if it was a flower dancing in the spring wind. She had a faint smile on her face, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, revealing two beautiful dimples, and said softly: "Mr. Xu, the weather today is quite good." Xu Damao was wearing a straight Zhongshan suit and his hair was combed sleekly. He hurriedly bowed slightly, with a smile on his face and responded: "Yes, Miss Lou, this weather is just right for going out for a walk. It is my honor to meet you today." The two of them said some polite words in this way, and then moved to the small stone table in the middle of the yard and sat down together.
There were two freshly brewed teacups on the stone table. The teacups were made of blue and white porcelain, with elegant landscape patterns painted on them. Under the light, they glowed softly. Wisps of hot air rose from the mouths of the cups, and the hot air floated upwards like a group of smart elves dancing in the air, accompanied by a faint tea fragrance that was not strong, but had a unique charm that seemed to calm people's hearts and immerse them in this cozy atmosphere.
At this moment, Lou Xiao'e was talking and laughing freely. Her clear and pleasant laughter echoed throughout the courtyard from time to time. Her laughter was like the sound of a clear stream in the mountains, crisp and pleasant, making people feel particularly comfortable. Sometimes she tilted her head slightly to listen to Xu Damao's words, and sometimes she gently waved her handkerchief in her hand and responded elegantly. Every move revealed the demeanor of a lady from a noble family. Xu Damao, who was sitting opposite, tried his best to maintain his so-called elegant demeanor. Even if he occasionally showed some nervousness, such as unconsciously speeding up his speech or rubbing his hands on the corners of his clothes, he could cleverly cover it up with his extraordinary wit. He was always able to adjust his state quickly, and continued to talk with Lou Xiao'e with that gentle and confident smile, from poetry and songs to interesting things in life, trying his best to show his erudition and humor.
In this way, time passed quietly, and the setting sun, like a shy little girl, slowly hid behind the western hills. The sky became darker and darker, and before we knew it, the night had become deep and heavy. The originally noisy courtyard gradually returned to its tranquility and peace. The lights of each household sprinkled in the courtyard through the windows, forming soft light and shadows, and occasionally you could hear the chirping of crickets, as if playing a unique movement for this quiet night.
Judging from the current situation, Lou Xiao'e and Xu Damao's blind date seems to be going much more smoothly than initially expected, at least on the surface. However, no one can accurately predict how their relationship will develop in the future. After all, love and marriage have always been a mysterious journey full of variables and elusive. Who can really understand the mystery? Perhaps only time can give the final answer...
He Yuzhu stood at the door of his house, looking in the direction of the Lou family, feeling mixed emotions. He hoped that Xu Damao could really reform, but he was also afraid that it was just a short-lived disguise. But no matter what, life must go on, and the story in the courtyard is still being written page by page.
It was late at night, and the courtyard was immersed in silence. Only the occasional chirping of insects seemed to put an end to this ordinary yet extraordinary day. Whether Xu Damao and Lou Xiao'e's blind date was a new beginning or a brief episode, time would tell. And He Yuzhu could only silently wish them well in his heart, hoping that everything would develop in a good direction.