Chapter 2: The Mysterious Courtyard

The following days passed peacefully.

Tao Yu dutifully drank the soups and broths Li Juan prepared for her but remained silent.

Her once bloodless face began to regain a hint of vitality after a few days of rest.

Every day, she climbed to the high roof, a place no one knew how she got to.

The only difference was that Tao Yu now estimated the time of Li Juan’s return and made sure to climb down before her mother came home, likely to avoid her nagging.

Today, after cleaning herself thoroughly and tidying the small wooden house, she climbed back up to her usual spot to enjoy the breeze.

The wind lifted her coarse, lackluster hair, and the white scarf—now freshly washed—revealed the faintly faded bruises on her neck in the sunlight.

She stood and looked down at the large courtyard below.

The area was a mix of old courtyard homes and quickly built buildings, crowded with people. Shacks filled every corner between the walls.

In truth, most of the buildings were old and rundown, yet densely inhabited.

In winter, there was no heating system. Each family used coal and firewood to stay warm.

Everywhere, blackened piles of coal dust and debris were visible, adding to the dirt and chaos. This was the place where the original Tao Yu had lived for over a decade.

Tao Yu turned her gaze toward the other side of a few alleyways.

The scene there was entirely different.

That area was surrounded by greenery, with clean streets and imposing high walls. Guard posts stood at the entrance, staffed around the clock.

Inside the walls, tall pine and cypress trees were neatly trimmed, hiding any view of what lay beyond.

All she could glimpse were slivers of sunlight reflecting off the polished tiles behind the foliage.

That was the certain district courtyard that everyone envied.

Yes, a courtyard. But not like the chaotic slums she lived in.

Both were called “courtyards,” but they were worlds apart—one in heaven, the other on earth.

It’s said that only very important people live inside, and ordinary folks can’t easily get in.

Tao Yu stared at the greenery, her eyes calm and distant, lost in her own thoughts.

Li Juan hurried home, pushing her cart. As she walked through the alley, she greeted neighbors with smiles, clearly feeling much better.

Li Juan was genuinely happy.

It had been years since she felt this way—she couldn’t even think about how tough the past few years had been.

Back then, Yu’er would often sit silently like she’d lost her soul, not talking or reacting. Sometimes, she wouldn’t eat or drink for days, like she might drift away any moment. It broke Li Juan’s heart as a mother.

She had taken Yu’er to the hospital, and the doctor said it was a psychological problem. The treatment required expensive imported medicine, but the doctor warned about strong side effects and didn’t recommend it. He suggested taking care of her at home and avoiding stress.

Li Juan didn’t fully understand, but even though Tao Lijun (her husband) disagreed, she insisted on getting the medicine. However, once home, Yu’er refused to take it, and forcing her only made her worse.

Li Juan didn’t dare push her again. She could only follow Yu’er’s lead, trying to find ways to make her happy.

Even while juggling work to make ends meet—and unable to rely on Tao Lijun—her daughter was always her top priority.

But even so, Tao Yu had tried to end her life several times.

Now, seeing her daughter eat three proper meals a day and even help around the house, Li Juan’s heart felt at ease.

Sure enough, when she heard the cart enter the yard, Tao Yu came out of her small room. Quietly, she took the groceries from Li Juan and helped organize the items on the cart.

Seeing her daughter slowly get better, more vibrant and alive, Li Juan felt hopeful. She knew Yu’er would recover in time.

Once inside, Tao Yu handed Li Juan a bowl of water. Li Juan smiled as she took it, then, as usual, started chatting about the day.

“Mom heard some big news today. Want to hear it, Yu’er?”

Tao Yu stayed calm but nodded quietly.

Li Juan got even more excited.

“I heard that a few closed mechanical factories nearby have been bought! They’re going to hire lots of workers soon!”

“When the time comes, I’ll try to get a job there too. If I can earn more, I’ll buy you more meat and fabric for new clothes…”

Mechanical factories? Tao Yu thought for a moment.

Yes, those factories were once among the best in the country, but poor performance caused them to shut down last year.

Now someone had bought them all?

Tao Yu’s calm expression flickered with a hint of surprise.

Mechanical factories weren’t like textile ones. The costs to buy and run them were much higher. Plus, without technical expertise, the machines were just scrap metal.

This was a bold move.

It gave Tao Yu an idea—if they were hiring, maybe she could apply.

She couldn’t let Li Juan carry the burden alone. Tao Yu had always been independent. She believed in earning her way, no matter where she was.

The next day, after Li Juan left for work, Tao Yu combed her hair into neat braids. Her long bangs still covered most of her face.

She tied on the light apricot scarf Li Juan had recently bought for her and stepped out.

Walking through the alley, she didn’t greet anyone, and no one noticed her much either.

As she passed, an older neighbor whispered, “Was that Tao’s daughter? She looked quite tidy today.”

“Yeah, that was her. So quiet, I almost missed her. Hasn’t she lived here for over ten years? I still don’t know what she really looks like. Is she better now? No more suicide attempts?”

“I heard from Li Juan that she’s improving. But wasn’t it some kind of mental illness? Hard to cure, isn’t it?”

The older woman sighed. “Poor girl. Sick for so long and stuck with a father like that. At least she has Li Juan to rely on. If she gets better, their future might be brighter.”

Tao Yu kept walking steadily toward the mechanical factory.

The factory’s gates were newly renovated. A new sign read Ling Tian Machinery Factory, with another bold sign that said Ling Tian Machinery Group.

Outside, about a dozen military-green trucks were parked in neat rows. Beneath their tarps, shiny new machines were visible.

It was clear the new owner had strong financial backing. As Li Juan said, the factory was about to reopen.

After observing for a while, Tao Yu headed to where Li Juan usually set up her stall.

It wasn’t far—just across from the big compound. Li Juan probably chose the spot to stay close to home, worried about her daughter.

From a corner, Tao Yu saw Li Juan’s cart.

It had some vegetables she’d bought early in the morning and a few candied hawthorns.

The selection was small. Tao Yu guessed the vegetables weren’t selling well, so Li Juan didn’t dare stock too much.

As expected, Tao Yu stood there for a while and only saw one or two customers. They picked through the vegetables and bought a little. The candied hawthorns hadn’t sold at all.

Tao Yu didn’t approach her mother. Instead, she turned to head back home.

When she passed the gates of the compound, she slowed down, glancing at the guard post.

That one moment of distraction nearly caused an accident.

A sharp screech of brakes broke the silence.

Tao Yu turned just in time to see a flash of green in the corner of her eye. A gust of wind brushed her face as a black car screeched to a halt right in front of her.