My happy life in a courtyard house with triplets.

Chapter 248: Lou Xiao'e and Ding Qiunan Meet

Seeing this, Zhang Lei was so embarrassed he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet. Lou Xiao'e looked at Ding Qiunan's expression and instantly understood everything, then glared fiercely at Zhang Lei again.

Ding Qiunan felt extremely uncomfortable under her gaze, sensing only hostility in her eyes. Zhang Lei quickly smoothed things over, saying, "Ding Qiunan, this is Lou Xiao'e. Xiao'e, this is Ding Qiunan."

The scene instantly fell into a deathly silence, extremely awkward. Seeing this, Ye Shuqin quickly stepped in to defuse the situation, pulling Lou Xiao'e aside and saying with a smile, "Xiao'e, come, come, let me see what gifts you brought us."

Zhang Lei helped Ding Qiunan over, and soon the four of them sat around the table. Lou Xiao'e opened the gift box and took out three exquisite emerald green pendants: "These are for the three of you. I had the craftsmen make them exactly the same, except the patterns inside are different. Sister Shuqin's is a book, Sister Shuqi's is a chessboard, and Sister Shuhua's is a painting."

Holding the pendant, Ye Shuqin beamed with joy: "Lou Xiao'e, you've gone to so much trouble." Zhang Lei, seeing Ye Shuqin's enthusiasm, felt something was amiss. Just as he was about to explain, Ye Shuqin interrupted him: "Honey, you don't need to say anything, I know. Our family has gained another sister."

Upon hearing this, Ding Qiunan looked at Zhang Lei with a surprised expression: "Zhang Lei, you..." Before she could finish speaking, Lou Xiao'e interrupted her: "What's wrong? I knew Zhang Lei before you did, and Zhang Lei even saved my life."

Ding Qiunan was momentarily dazed. She looked at Zhang Lei and saw him nod awkwardly. Then she looked up at Lou Xiao'e and said with a hint of disdain, "You're still a virgin, aren't you? I'm already Zhang Lei's woman. We had a great time last night."

Lou Xiao'e's face flushed red with anger. Just as she was about to explode, Ye Shuqin stopped her sharply: "Alright, are you two ever going to stop? My husband and I are still here. Is this how you two behave?"

Lou Xiao'e and Ding Qiunan were stunned and dared not speak. Ye Shuqin looked at the two of them and said in a deep voice, "I am the eldest in this family, and you will both have to listen to me from now on. Didn't the head of the family tell you? The first rule of our Zhang family is that harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things. If you want to be women of the Zhang family, you must be obedient and live in harmony."

Lou Xiao'e and Ding Qiunan exchanged a glance and finally nodded. Zhang Lei looked at the domineering Ye Shuqin and was overjoyed. He never expected his eldest daughter-in-law to be so capable.

Ye Shuqin rolled her eyes at him and said, "Honey, go outside and buy some meat. I need to have a good chat with Qiu Nan and Xiao E."

Upon hearing that he could escape this awkward situation, Zhang Lei quickly agreed and hurriedly ran out, not forgetting to close the door behind him. The three women inside looked at each other, remained silent for a few seconds, then one of them burst out laughing, followed by all three of them bursting into laughter.

Ye Shuqin looked at the two of them and said softly, "You two shouldn't be so hostile. From now on, we'll all be family. Besides, you're both ranked after me, Shuqi, and Shuhua. One of you is the fourth child, and the other is the fifth. What's there to argue about?" Ding Qiunan nodded, "Oh, I understand."

Lou Xiao'e looked at Ye Shuqin and said helplessly, "I don't have any hostility towards Ding Qiunan, but I feel that Zhang Lei is too unfair. I've known him for so long, why doesn't he make a move on me, but instead lets her cut in line."

Upon hearing this, Ding Qiunan burst out laughing: "So that's what you wanted to know! You should have said so earlier. I thought you were trying to steal something from me."

"I knew Zhang Lei wouldn't have only one woman, and I never intended to have him all to myself. I just felt there should be a first come, first served order," Lou Xiao'e muttered. Ding Qiunan also said helplessly, "I didn't expect it to turn out like this, after all, I didn't even know you before."

And so, the three women opened up and chatted, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up. Taking advantage of this time, Lou Xiao'e sent a message home, saying that she would be staying at a friend's house that night and wouldn't be going back.

In the He family compound at the Central Court, He Yuzhu looked at He Daqing and Qin Huairu, his heart filled with mixed emotions. After all, he used to call Qin Huairu "Sister Qin," and now she was his stepmother, which he couldn't accept for the time being. He Yushui, on the other hand, seemed carefree and didn't seem to be thinking much about it.

He Yuzhu looked at He Daqing and asked, "Dad, are you saying that you two have already moved into the backyard?"

He Daqing nodded: "Zhuzi, Huairu and I now have our own house, and this house in the middle courtyard is reserved for you."

Hearing this, He Yuzhu was at a loss. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Dad, how about we leave the house in the middle courtyard to you?"

He Daqing shook his head: "Zhuzi, don't worry, I've already tidied up the house in the backyard. We're just waiting for you to come back so Huairu and I can move in."

Looking at the clean and tidy house, He Yuzhu asked, "Dad, you haven't eaten yet, have you?"

He Daqing replied with a smile, "Of course we'll eat together. The four of us will eat here at the Intermediate People's Court."

Hearing He Daqing's words, He Yuzhu nodded in agreement: "That's good."

Qin Huairu, standing to the side, was overjoyed. Seeing He Daqing and He Yuzhu getting along so harmoniously, and thinking about the future, she felt that this family's prospects were sure to be good. Suddenly, she remembered something and asked, "By the way, Zhuzi, you haven't been to work for so long, is everything alright at work?"

He Yuzhu shook his head: "There's nothing wrong at the factory canteen. I've already asked for leave. Besides, I'm taking leave because I'm injured, so no one will say anything."

Upon hearing this, He Daqing suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "By the way, Zhuzi, if you go back to work, you'd better watch out for Director Yang at your factory."

He Yuzhu frowned upon hearing this: "Dad, what happened to Factory Director Yang?"

He Daqing then recounted in detail how Director Yang had pleaded for Yi Zhonghai.

He Yuzhu was very surprised after hearing this and looked at He Daqing: "Dad, why didn't you agree back then?"

He Daqing looked at his son and said in a deep voice, "Zhuzi, Yi Zhonghai has caused you and your sister so much suffering over the years. How can I forgive him so easily? If I just let it go like this, would I still be worthy of being your father?"

Hearing He Daqing's words, He Yuzhu felt a surge of emotion and nodded, "Dad, I understand. Don't worry, Director Yang treated me well before, he shouldn't make things difficult for me."

After thinking it over, He Daqing was still worried and instructed, "Zhuzi, if Director Yang really makes things difficult for you, just tell your dad, and I'll take you to the textile factory. I'm the canteen manager there now, so you can work under me. We'll be father and son, working together. When I retire, this canteen manager position will be yours."

He Yuzhu shook his head: "Dad, I'm doing quite well at the steel rolling mill. If it really comes to the point you mentioned, we can discuss it then."

Seeing He Yuzhu's insistence, He Daqing didn't press the matter further and nodded, "Alright then."