Chapter 1: Awakening as Silly Zhu—No Longer Bearing These Debts!

He Yuzhu jerked upright, his waist aching from the hard kang bed. A pungent mix of coal dust, old timber, and pickled cabbage assaulted his nose.

He looked around in bewilderment.

The walls were patched with old newspapers, the wooden cabinet was chipped and peeling, an enamel basin with a cracked rim sat on the floor, and outside the window loomed the dingy eaves of the courtyard's back house.

“Where... am I?”

Buzz—!

A flood of images, names, and voices crashed into his mind: He Yuzhu... nicknamed Fool Zhu... Grade Eight cook at the Red Star Steel Mill... the canteen... the Jia family... Qin Huairu... Banggen... Xu Damao...

“Damn! I've transmigrated into Fool Zhu from ‘A Courtyard of Affection’?!”

He Yuzhu—no, he was He Yuzhu now—slammed a fist down on the unyielding edge of the kang. A surge of the original owner’s resentment, frustration, and the numbness of being taken for a constant sucker rose within him.

“Thirty-seven and a half yuan a month, living like a lackey!”

The original owner’s memories were crystal clear: the lunchboxes brought back from the canteen almost always ended up in the Jia household; as soon as he got his wages, Qin Huairu would tearfully complain, and three or five yuan would evaporate; the three old men in the courtyard would guilt-trip him with “Fool Zhu, show some spirit” at every turn; and that scoundrel Xu Damao was always tripping him up...

Worst of all was the Jia family—Jia Zhang with her sharp tongue, and that little ingrate Banggen, who’d steal from him and act as if he had every right!

“No way! I’m not living like this anymore!” He Yuzhu sprang to his feet, his eyes cold and sharp. He was no longer that fool who only wanted to please Qin Huairu. Inside this body was the soul of a modern man, shrewd and ruthless, unwilling to be taken advantage of.

“You want to suck me dry? Not a chance!” He Yuzhu took a deep breath, forcing down the turmoil within. First things first: figure out the exact date and his current circumstances.

He quickly pulled on his faded work clothes, scooped a ladle of cold water from the vat, and splashed it on his face. The icy sting jolted him fully awake.

Just as he was drying his face, a cautious knock sounded at the door.

“Zhuzi? Are you awake?” It was Qin Huairu.

He Yuzhu narrowed his eyes and opened the door. Qin Huairu stood on the threshold, looking weary, clutching an empty mesh bag, her eyes darting evasively.

“Zhuzi... today’s payday at the factory, and... Banggen hasn’t been feeling well these past days, I wanted to get him some medicine, but at home we really...” Qin Huairu’s voice quivered, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her coat.

This routine—He Yuzhu had seen it countless times in the original owner’s memory. Before, Fool Zhu would have melted immediately and handed over the money.

He Yuzhu said nothing, staring at her with a blank expression.

Qin Huairu grew uneasy under his gaze, lowering her head. “Zhuzi, I know it’s not right to keep asking you for money, but... but we’re just a widow and orphans...”

“Qin Huairu,” He Yuzhu’s voice was calm, giving nothing away, “last night the canteen had a last-minute reception. There was only one lunchbox, and since I was on the night shift, I ate it myself.”

Qin Huairu froze, her head snapping up. Lunchbox? She hadn’t even mentioned the lunchbox yet!

“No, Zhuzi, I mean...”

“You’re after my wages, right?” He Yuzhu cut her off, pulling out his wage envelope. The crisp thirty-seven yuan fifty cents hadn’t even warmed up in his pocket. “Qin Huairu, I was just looking for you. The five yuan you borrowed last time, and the three from the month before—shouldn’t you pay them back? I bought meal tickets yesterday, and I’m down to change myself.”

Qin Huairu was utterly stunned, her mouth agape as she stared at He Yuzhu like a stranger. This... was this Fool Zhu? Demanding his money back?

“Zhuzi... Zhuzi, I... my family...” Qin Huairu stammered.

“I’m struggling too.” He Yuzhu tucked the wage envelope back into his pocket, his tone sincere yet brooking no argument. “You see, my blind date fell through again this month. I need to save up for a bride. No rush on the debt—just pay me by the end of the month.” He glanced at the empty mesh bag in her hand. “Is it urgent to get medicine? Want me to have a word with Aunt Jia, see if she can scrape some money together?”

His words stabbed right into Qin Huairu’s sore spot. Her face flushed bright red, flustered and embarrassed. “No... no need, Zhuzi, I’ll... I’ll think of something else...” Clutching the bag, she turned and hurried away, her steps unsteady.

Watching her retreat in such haste, He Yuzhu let out a cold chuckle. A little tough love, just to let you know things have changed.

He was about to close the door when a short, stout figure appeared, hands on hips, blocking the entrance—it was Jia Zhang!

“Fool Zhu! Why did you make my daughter-in-law cry?!” Jia Zhang glared at him, her triangular eyes spitting fire, flecks of saliva spraying his face. She’d been eavesdropping from her room just now.

“Aunt Jia, that’s a strange thing to say.” He Yuzhu took a small step back, out of range of her spittle. “Qin Huairu wanted money for Banggen’s medicine. I sympathized and was about to lend her some change from my meal ticket money. Maybe she was embarrassed and left. What brings you here?”

Jia Zhang’s sharp eyes darted. “Don’t try to fool me! She didn’t look right just now! Did you skimp on Banggen’s lunchbox?!”

“There was no reception at the canteen last night, so no lunchbox.” He Yuzhu spread his hands.

“No reception? Who do you think you’re fooling! You’re the cook in the canteen, how could you not bring anything home?!” Jia Zhang didn’t buy it, raising her voice so the whole courtyard could hear. “Fool Zhu, you should have a conscience! Our Banggen’s growing, he relies on the meat you bring. But you keep it all for yourself? Ungrateful wretch!”

Some neighbors poked their heads out, curious.

He Yuzhu’s face darkened. So you want to be unreasonable?

“Aunt Jia,” his voice was soft but carried clearly, “if you say I’m withholding Banggen’s share, let’s set the record straight. I, He Yuzhu, bring food home out of kindness, not obligation! And it’s factory property, I can only bring leftovers. After all these years helping your family, I haven’t taken a single thing from you, yet I end up the bad guy?”

Jia Zhang balked, then blurted defensively, “Well... well, isn’t it only right for you to help us...?”

“Only right?” He Yuzhu’s voice suddenly rose, full of challenge. “Why should it be right? Am I Banggen’s father, or your family’s son-in-law?!”

That was harsh. It exposed the ugly little truth in Jia Zhang’s heart. Several neighbors at the gate drew in cold breaths.

“You... you...” Jia Zhang pointed at He Yuzhu, her face purple with rage, trembling all over.

“Aunt Jia, if you think I’m abusing my position in the canteen to ‘help out the neighbors’ or stealing public food,” He Yuzhu took a step forward, his eyes icy, “you’re welcome to take it to the neighborhood committee, or report me to the factory. Have them investigate me!”

With that, he slammed the door shut with a bang.

The door almost hit Jia Zhang in the nose.

Outside, Jia Zhang’s furious curses echoed, mingled with the neighbors’ whispered gossip.

He Yuzhu leaned against the door, exhaling a long, heavy breath.

The first step of his counterattack was a success! If you don’t want to be a fool, you have to bare your fangs.

But he knew all too well, this was only the beginning. The vortex of this courtyard ran deep. The real battle today would be in the canteen.

He grabbed the cornbread and pickled vegetables from the table and wolfed them down.

“Time for work!”