Life in siheyuan era

Zhou Zhiyuan believed that Yu Li had value worth exploiting. Under Yu Li's guidance, he bought two silk scarves, both of which were Luo Sumei's favorite colors. After looking them over, he finally kept the pure blue one.

Then, he said regretfully, "As a teacher, it's better to keep things simple. I can't wear this one even if I keep it, so I might as well give it to your mother. She works in the factory's administrative office, and this scarf would suit her well."

From Luo Sumei's attitude, Zhou Zhiyuan knew that Yu Li had a good eye for choosing goods. Furthermore, based on the principle of 'foresight brings success,' Yu Li had value worth exploiting, and he should establish a good neighborly relationship with her.

Zhou Zhiyuan understood that social connections required exchanging favors. How to maximize the benefits of gift-giving was an art, and different gifts expressed different intentions.

Whether it was sincere affection, grateful tears, tender warmth, or some kind of hope... one could tell whether the gift-giver had put their heart into it from the gift itself, and showing sincerity was the key to gift-giving.

But this was his weakness. Even if he put his heart into it, he wouldn't know what to give.

He didn't know how to buy gifts, and neither did the people around him. Shen Lanbo was out of the question. Zhang Yong bought a pair of leather shoes for Guo Yanhong, which made Luo Sumei glare at him several times. If Han Xue and He Yushui hadn't been there, Zhang Yong would have definitely been scolded.

This greeting made a mistake. He shouldn't have used Lou Xiao'e's words to guess Yu Li's whereabouts.

So Yu Li paused for a moment, thinking, "How did he know I was going back to my parents' home?"

Then she asked in a low voice, "How did you know I was going back to my parents' home?"

Through this sentence, Zhou Zhiyuan immediately knew that Yu Li lacked flexibility, but he couldn't say that Lou Xiao'e had just said it. At this time, the wording could only be, "When I saw Sister Yu, I calculated it with my fingers and knew."

Yu Li asked in surprise, "Can you tell fortunes?"

Now he knew again that Yu Li had no sense of humor. She took even a joke seriously. He had to tell the truth at this time, "No, I was just joking. I just said you were going to your parents' home casually."

This sentence made Yu Li accept it. She nodded lightly and didn't ask any further questions. Then she heard Zhou Zhiyuan say, "Sister Yu's taste is really good. My teacher likes that scarf very much."

Yu Li replied, "Don't be polite. Come to the store to find me if you need anything."

Zhou Zhiyuan immediately seized the opportunity, "I'll have to trouble Sister Yu in the future."

"Don't be polite, we're all neighbors," Yu Li replied again. The two had nothing more to say.

At this time, in Zhou Zhiyuan's imagination, Yu Li should walk into the courtyard. He still had to wait a while before going in.

But Yu Li stood still, with a hesitant expression on her face.

Seeing her expression, Zhou Zhiyuan immediately understood that Yu Li wanted to ask him for help.

As a good neighbor, he should help, such as hinting at Yan Jiefang, making the older women suspect that Yan Jiefang had fertility problems.

"Is Yu Li facing the same problem as Lou Xiao'e?" He suspected, still waiting for Yu Li to speak, but he didn't expect Yu Li to walk into the door without saying a word.

Looking at her back, Zhou Zhiyuan made an evaluation: "This is a cautious woman."

Then he affirmed, "This personality is good, she won't go around spreading the word after helping me buy something."

For him, Yu Li had passed the preliminary interview, and he no longer considered this issue. He looked up at the due north to find the Greed Wolf Star.

After careful observation, he once again affirmed that the Greed Wolf Star in the sky had nothing to do with the orange. The star map would not appear because of the sky full of stars, and the orange did not flirt with the Greed Wolf Star in the sky.

The result of no reaction completely put Zhou Zhiyuan at ease. His own things were reliable. The star map was the result of his hard work in meditation, and the orange was a special existence cultivated through practice.

"Cultivation?" Thinking of this word, Zhou Zhiyuan shook his head gently. He had never thought of becoming an immortal, nor had he ever thought of dominating the world. He just wanted to do what he should do, and be worthy of his conscience whether it was for public or private reasons.

Having experienced the dream, he didn't have high demands for his life. After verifying the reliability of the orange again, he easily walked into the gate, turned a corner, but found Yu Li standing in the corner of the gatehouse, looking inside. Seeing him coming, she actually waved to him.

Zhou Zhiyuan was curious, and slid in with a snake-like step. He came to Yu Li's side and saw Yan Jiefang standing in the courtyard talking to Lou Xiao'e.

Seeing this scene, he was strange, turned to look at Yu Li, raised his left hand, bent his index finger into a question mark, and issued a silent question, "What's wrong with neighbors talking to each other?"

Seeing his gesture, Yu Li couldn't help but laugh, then put on a straight face, raised her hand and waved.

Zhou Zhiyuan understood what she meant, his feet slipped, and he stood behind Yu Li with a swoosh, keeping a distance of three steps from her.

This action startled Yu Li. She looked back and saw him standing silently behind her, and a look of surprise appeared on her face.

In this dark environment, Zhou Zhiyuan could still clearly see the expression on Yu Li's face, and couldn't help but regret it in his heart, "I was reckless."

His skill was too shallow, he wanted to hide himself but he exposed himself from time to time. He should have walked over with a square step just now.

Fortunately, Yu Li had never practiced martial arts, she was surprised by his speed but didn't think deeply about it. Seeing that he had hidden himself, she turned her head back to stare at the man and woman chatting in the courtyard, thinking about Zhou Zhiyuan's gesture just now.

Yu Li understood Zhou Zhiyuan's gesture, but she couldn't explain it. Zhou Zhiyuan didn't understand the inside story here. He thought it was normal for male and female neighbors to stand in the courtyard and chat, but she knew Yan Jiefang's thoughts very well.

Yan Jiefang suspected that there was something between Zhou Zhiyuan and Lou Xiao'e, but he exposed his own thoughts. It was useless for him to deny it, Yu Li just thought so, and she got the support of her sister Yu Haitang.

She had been thinking about this for a few days, and there was no one to discuss it with, so she decided to go home and talk to Yu Haitang about it.

Yu Haitang had a technical secondary school education, and was good at writing articles and doing publicity. She cared about politics in school and was busy participating in various activities. She had contact with many people and experienced many things, and she had her own set of methods for analyzing problems.

She didn't disappoint Yu Li's expectations and said decisively, "If there is something between Zhou Zhiyuan and Lou Xiao'e, it's unreasonable. He only came back two days ago, and his butt hasn't even gotten warm yet. How could the two of them have an affair?"

"But Yan Jiefang is different. You and Lou Xiao'e married into that courtyard one after another. He's eating from the bowl and looking at the pot. As a womanizer, it's inevitable. That Lou Xiao'e is a capitalist's daughter and she's also good-looking. How could he not have any ideas?"

"What he said was just jealousy of Zhou Zhiyuan, because Zhou Zhiyuan helped Lou Xiao'e out of the siege and he didn't have the guts to do it. It was also to divert everyone's attention so that it would be convenient for him to make a move."

"I told you, Yan Jiefang is quite frivolous, but you thought he was honest. At that time, you were just paying attention to his pretty face..."

Yu Haitang was a broadcaster at the steel mill, while Yu Li was a salesperson at the store, but she couldn't speak as well as her. The two sisters argued for a while, and Yu Li, who was at a loss for words, was defeated again. In a fit of anger, she didn't stay at her parents' home anymore. When she returned to the courtyard, she saw this scene.

But the cautious Yu Li wouldn't rush out at this time. She stood in the shadows of the gatehouse and watched Yan Jiefang and Lou Xiao'e whispering.

With the help of the light coming out of the room, she could see Yan Jiefang's face, seeing him talking excitedly, gesticulating with his hands.

But she couldn't see Lou Xiao'e's expression. Lou Xiao'e had her back to her. Yu Li could only see Lou Xiao'e nodding lightly, apparently agreeing with Yan Jiefang's words.

Yan Jiefang and Lou Xiao'e were talking happily. This opportunity should be quite rare for him.

Yu Li made a judgment, gritted her teeth and continued to persevere in watching, and then saw Lou Xiao'e walking inside. At this time, she looked back at Zhou Zhiyuan, saw him silent as if he was asleep, thought for a while, and walked towards Yan Jiefang, while Yan Jiefang was staring at Lou Xiao'e's back in a daze.

Yu Li walked over and said coldly, "Lost your soul?"

This voice rang in Yan Jiefang's ears, causing him to let out a terrified "Ah!" He quickly turned around and saw that it was Yu Li, and asked in surprise, "Why are you back?"

"If I didn't come back, I wouldn't have seen this scene. You were talking to Lou Xiao'e very happily!"

Yu Li's words made Yan Jiefang rush to explain, "I was talking to her about Zhou Zhiyuan. She hasn't been back these past two days, so she definitely doesn't know what kind of person Zhou Zhiyuan is. We are neighbors, and we have an obligation to inform her."

Yan Jiefang was eager to explain, and pointed directly at Zhou Zhiyuan. Yu Li wanted to stop him, but it was already too late. Zhou Zhiyuan, who was standing in the corner, must have heard it.

And her performance was also very strange. At this time, she didn't stop Yan Jiefang, but quickly turned to look at that corner, as if she saw a silent figure standing in the dark corner, and couldn't help but tremble in her heart.

She quickly turned her head back and said in a deep voice, "Lou Xiao'e is our neighbor, and Zhou Zhiyuan is also our neighbor. We should get along well with Zhou Zhiyuan. Don't say bad things about him in the future."

Yu Li said these words to make amends, pushed Yan Jiefang's shoulder and walked into the room, climbed onto the kang and pulled the curtains, blocking the gap in the middle.

The curtains were tightly closed, and Yan Jiefang wouldn't see Zhou Zhiyuan walking in.

This goal was achieved, and Yu Li was about to take the second step. Yan Jiefang must know how ruthless Zhou Zhiyuan was.

Next, she had something to ask Zhou Zhiyuan for help, and Yan Jiefang couldn't hold her back. As for the matter between him and Lou Xiao'e, she could put it aside for the time being.