Chapter 37: Lingering Affection

He shouted while relentlessly pounding on He Yuzhu's door, as if he intended to smash it to pieces.

"He Yuzhu, open this door! If you don't open it now, don't blame me for being impolite. My feet aren't blind, and if I end up kicking the door down, don't blame me!"

Xu Damao’s noisy commotion succeeded in drawing the entire courtyard’s residents. Men, women, the elderly, and the young all gathered at He Yuzhu's doorway, buzzing with speculation.

"Oh my, what’s going on? Has He Yuzhu caused trouble again?"

"Indeed. He Yuzhu is always bickering with someone; who knows how he offended Xu Damao this time."

"I reckon it’s because of Yu Haitang. You all know how pretty she is—who in this courtyard isn't eyeing her? Yet, both He Yuzhu and Xu Damao have had their run-ins with her."

"Tsk, tsk, things are getting interesting. If Xu Damao really marries Yu Haitang, it’ll be so awkward whenever they run into He Yuzhu!"

This remark stirred up even more commotion and chatter in the courtyard. People leaned in to whisper to one another, their eyes filled with curiosity and gossip.

"My goodness, it seems He Yuzhu still has feelings for Yu Haitang!"

"That’s hard to say. Didn't Yu Haitang make it clear earlier? She only acted that way with Xu Damao to make He Yuzhu jealous."

"Even so, look at how frantic He Yuzhu is. It’s obvious he still has thoughts about her!"

"Then what about Xu Damao? He’s staked everything on pursuing her this time."

"Heh, now we’re in for a show. With three people involved, there’s never a dull moment in this courtyard."

The wind carried the whispers into the room. Yu Haitang’s expression flickered like shifting clouds, turning from pale to flushed; her emotions were clearly in turmoil. By contrast, He Yuzhu appeared unusually calm, his face set in an impenetrable mask that left Yu Haitang unable to guess his thoughts.

This silent confrontation was agony for Yu Haitang. Unable to bear it any longer, she was the first to break the heavy silence.

"If you have nothing to say, then I won’t disturb you any further." Her gaze remained locked on his face, filled with longing, as if silently pleading for him to ask her to stay.

However, He Yuzhu’s reply was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the faint spark of hope in her heart.

"Haitang, we have already broken up. Who you choose to be with is your business." His words were calm, yet each syllable acted like a sharp blade, cutting into her heart. "However, Xu Damao is a man of questionable character. If you are with him, you will likely get hurt." There was a trace of concern in his voice, but it was overshadowed by helplessness.

Yu Haitang’s heart stung. She only wanted to find a shred of evidence in his words that he still cared.

"By saying that, do you mean you have no regrets about us breaking up?" Her voice trembled, and her eyes grew slightly red. "I thought about it all night, and I still don't understand. My talk of breaking up was just a moment of anger; how did we really reach this point?" Her words were filled with deep grievances, and two lines of hot tears rolled down her cheeks like broken beads.

Watching this, He Yuzhu felt a pang of guilt. He took a deep breath, trying to soften his tone. "Haitang, we didn't break up because of that argument. The truth is, our personalities had already drifted apart; it was only a matter of time."

"Are you intimidated by my family’s conditions? Are you afraid to marry me, so you were in such a rush to break up?" Yu Haitang suddenly wondered aloud. She felt as though she had found the real reason, as if that would make her feel better.

Yet, He Yuzhu’s reply was even more wounding. "Haitang, you’ve misunderstood. That is not the reason we broke up." His voice held a hint of weariness, as if he were exhausted by the entanglements of their relationship.

Seeing this, Yu Haitang wept even harder. She choked out, "If you are willing to make up with me, I will break up with Xu Damao immediately. And I promise, my family won't force you to marry me anymore."

Saying this, her heart was filled with humiliation. But she knew that one must know when to bend, especially in this courtyard. In her mind, a man like He Yuzhu was rare to find. Thus, she was willing to lower her pride to salvage their relationship.

However, He Yuzhu remained silent for a long time. He tried to speak several times, only to swallow his words back. He knew that once he spoke, he would hurt her again. After struggling with himself, he finally gathered his courage and spoke slowly.

"Little Yu, to be honest, I have someone else in my heart now. There is truly no chance for us anymore."

Upon hearing this, Yu Haitang gritted her teeth in anger and retorted sharply, "You have some nerve! We’ve only been broken up for a few days, and you’re already looking for a new love?" She added with bitter disappointment, "Hmph, I really misjudged you. That fellow Xu Damao was right—your character really is lacking!"

Facing her accusations, He Yuzhu could only remain silent. He watched as she pushed the door open and walked out without a backward glance. Xu Damao, meanwhile, had his arm around her waist, casting a triumphant look at He Yuzhu as if showing off his victory.

He Yuzhu watched this scene, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. He managed a faint smile, but it was bitter. Xu Damao misinterpreted the smile as mockery and rolled his eyes before leaving. He did not realize, however, that He Yuzhu was actually mocking himself.

At that moment, He Yuzhu was filled with regret. But he did not regret breaking up with Yu Haitang; he regretted ever starting the relationship in the first place.

To be fair, Yu Haitang had many advantages—she was beautiful, had a good figure, and many men pursued her. At the beginning, He Yuzhu had been full of joy. He felt that finding such a beautiful girlfriend was like winning the lottery. He had entered the relationship with a sincere intention to spend his life with her.

However, as time passed, He Yuzhu discovered that the chasm between them was growing wider. Their values were fundamentally incompatible, leading to constant quarrels over trivial matters. Yu Haitang’s vanity and pragmatism had become increasingly difficult for him to endure.