The Scholar in the Courtyard

Chapter 8: Rumors

At that moment, Ryan Williams lay on a hospital bed with an IV drip attached to his arm.

His injuries had already been examined. The fluid dripping into his veins wasn't medicine—it was glucose. His body was simply too weak, so the nurse had arranged for him to receive nutritional support.

After confirming that he was stable, Director Brooks and the others left. Before departing, they specifically instructed the nurses to take good care of him and even paid the three dollars required for his hospital stay.

In truth, Ryan Williams already had fifty dollars in compensation money—a considerable fortune in this era.

Still, since Director Brooks insisted on paying, Ryan Williams didn't refuse. Accepting the favor would give him a legitimate reason to maintain contact in the future.

Lying on the bed, he glanced around the ward.

The walls were whitewashed but worn, and the wooden windows were tightly shut against the cold. If not for the sunlight that came through during the daytime, the room would feel more like an icebox than a hospital ward.

There was no central heating in these days. Patients were simply given a stiff cotton quilt and expected to endure the cold.

Looking at the empty beds around him, Ryan Williams couldn't help but sigh.

Being hospitalized in this era wasn't just uncomfortable—it was a luxury.

Unless absolutely necessary, no one wanted to stay in a hospital. Most people would rather save their money and recover at home beside a coal stove.

But Ryan Williams planned to remain here for a few more days.

His body was still weak, and more importantly, he had just offended nearly every troublemaker in the courtyard.

Going back now would only invite more headaches.

Besides, the hospital cafeteria provided decent meals. If he was willing to spend money, he could even get meat.

After resting for a while, the glucose infusion made him drowsy, and he gradually drifted off to sleep.

When dinner time arrived, the nurse on duty came over and asked what he wanted to eat.

Ryan Williams didn't hold back.

After asking about the available dishes, he ordered a plate of braised pork, a plate of shredded potatoes, and three steamed buns made from mixed grain flour.

The entire meal cost only one dollar and didn't require food coupons.

That was one of the hidden advantages of being hospitalized.

After all, patients needed proper nutrition.

Ryan Williams cleaned every last bite from his plate and finally felt full.

Searching through his memories, he realized he hadn't enjoyed a truly satisfying meal since his father became bedridden.

Even during the month he had spent living with Elysia Smith, he had rarely eaten his fill.

The original Ryan Williams had believed Elysia Smith was simply frugal.

But the current Ryan Williams understood things differently.

That so-called "kind and virtuous" image of hers might have been nothing more than a carefully crafted act.

Now that he thought about it, the food and household supplies at home had disappeared far too quickly.

At the time, he hadn't paid much attention.

Looking back, however, something definitely seemed off.

After finishing dinner, he spread his padded coat over the quilt, rested his head against the cold pillow, and closed his eyes once more.

Night gradually descended over the courtyard.

One household after another began preparing dinner.

In an era with almost no entertainment, the dim glow of kerosene lamps only encouraged people to finish their meals and go to sleep early.

Meanwhile, in the backyard, Andrew Fletcher was busy at the Deaf Old Lady's house.

He prepared a bowl of fine wheat noodles and carefully placed a poached egg on top before setting it on the table.

The old lady had only attended the Parker family's wedding banquet earlier that day.

After returning home, she heard the details of the incident from Jason Holt's family next door.

The news had surprised her.

Ryan Williams's sudden transformation was completely unexpected.

She realized she had misjudged him.

But so what?

In her heart, there were only one and a half people who truly mattered.

At that moment, she looked at Andrew Fletcher with a warm smile, her eyes filled with the affection of a grandmother looking at her beloved grandson.

"Andrew," she said cheerfully, "you're not getting any younger. It's time for you to settle down and start a family."

Andrew Fletcher smiled sheepishly.

An aggrieved yet beautiful face suddenly appeared in his mind.

The Deaf Old Lady immediately caught the change in his expression.

Her eyes brightened.

Her silly grandson had finally started thinking about women.

To her, that was wonderful news.

Unfortunately, she had no idea that the woman occupying Andrew Fletcher's thoughts was already married.

Nor did she know that she would one day become a famous widow.

Not far away, in Jason Holt's house, the atmosphere was completely different.

Holding a piece of cornbread in his hand, Jason Holt couldn't stop thinking about Elysia Smith's curvy figure.

The more he thought about it, the darker his mood became.

The thought that two men had already enjoyed what he never could made jealousy burn inside him.

His long face looked even gloomier than usual.

Across from him, Father Holt sat smoking quietly.

Thin streams of smoke drifted into the air as he remained lost in thought.

Suddenly, he spoke.

"Jason, have you memorized everything we've been teaching you?"

The cold voice startled Jason Holt.

He immediately turned toward his father.

"Uh... only about half of it."

He understood exactly what his father meant.

His parents had worked tirelessly to secure his future.

They had pulled strings, called in favors, and exhausted countless connections.

But connections alone weren't enough.

He still needed to master projection equipment and earn an official projectionist certificate.

Without the necessary skills, even the strongest connections wouldn't help him.

Father Holt frowned.

"Then stop running around outside."

"Spend more time studying."

"I'm off work for the next few days. I'll take you out and teach you personally."

Jason Holt blinked in surprise.

He couldn't understand why his father suddenly seemed so anxious.

After dinner, he returned to his room and lay down.

A short while later, Mother Holt finished cleaning and sat beside her husband.

"The Rodriguez family's daughter isn't getting any younger," she said.

"Our Jason needs a respectable job as soon as possible. Otherwise, how are we supposed to propose marriage?"

Mother Holt had once worked as a maid for the Rodriguez family and maintained a good relationship with Madam Rodriguez.

Meanwhile, Father Holt had visited the Rodriguez household several times to show films and was somewhat familiar with the family.

In the past, people like them would never have dared dream of becoming connected to the Rodriguez family.

Back then, the Rodriguezs stood at the very top.

But times had changed.

This was now an era where workers and peasants held power.

The social status of capitalists had declined dramatically.

To many people, families like the Rodriguezs could fall from grace at any moment.

For Father Holt, that created an opportunity.

As long as his son could establish a relationship with the Rodriguez family, his future would be secure.

Their family background was acceptable.

The only thing Jason lacked was a respectable career.

Father Holt nodded slowly.

"Once Jason becomes a certified projectionist, keep in touch with the Rodriguez family."

"Put in a few good words for him whenever you can."

Thinking about the Rodriguez family's wealth and influence, Mother Holt immediately nodded.

"Don't worry. I know what to do."

Father Holt's eyes narrowed.

"The Rodriguez family still has influence in the steel mill."

"As long as we build a good relationship with them, the ten dollars we lost today will come back to us tenfold sooner or later."

Mother Holt snorted.

"Tenfold?"

"That's not enough."

"We should get it back a hundredfold."

The couple exchanged meaningful glances.

Neither of them had forgotten today's humiliation.

The Parker household in the middle courtyard should have been overflowing with joy after the wedding.

Instead, the atmosphere felt suffocating.

The house was shrouded in silence, heavy as smoke before a storm.

No one came to tease the newlyweds or stir up the bridal chamber. It was as though the entire courtyard had forgotten the ceremony even existed, leaving Kevin Parker and Elysia Smith alone with the humiliation of the day.

Elysia Smith sat on the edge of the bed, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes between her fingers. Conflicting emotions flashed across her face—frustration, grievance, anger, and unease.

Kevin Parker looked even worse.

Ever since Samantha Parker had been taken away, the resentment in his heart had only continued to grow.

Toward Ryan Williams.

Toward the people laughing behind his back.

Even toward Elysia Smith.

Today should have been the proudest day of his life.

Instead, he had become the biggest joke in the courtyard.

How could he possibly swallow that humiliation?

What happened today was unlike anything he had ever witnessed.

Even his master, Thomas Carter, had been suppressed.

Since childhood, Kevin Parker had always believed that Thomas Carter could solve any problem in the courtyard.

Yet today, even Thomas Carter had been rendered powerless.

The more Kevin Parker thought about it, the more ashamed he felt.

The whispers.

The strange looks.

The mocking expressions.

Every single one felt like a knife stabbing into his pride.

This time, he had truly lost face.

"Damn that little bastard!"

His furious curse shattered the silence.

Elysia Smith trembled.

After a brief hesitation, she slowly stood up and walked toward him.

Tears immediately welled up in her eyes.

"Kevin..."

She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest.

"You have to believe me."

"You're the only man in my heart."

"Yes, I was with Ryan Williams before, but I swear nothing happened between us."

"I'm innocent."

"Kevin..."

Her voice was soft and trembling.

The anger inside Kevin Parker gradually weakened.

As Elysia Smith leaned against him, the warmth of her body softened his rage.

"It's late."

"We should rest."

A spark ignited inside him.

Then it became a fire.

The cold bridal chamber quickly warmed.

A few minutes later, Elysia Smith lay quietly against his chest.

"Kevin."

"You really have to believe me."

"You're the only one in my heart."

Kevin Parker nodded.

"Of course, I believe you."

"I was just overthinking."

"This isn't your fault."

"It's all Ryan Williams's fault."

"If you weren't such a decent woman, things wouldn't have become so complicated."

As she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks.

The drops landed on Kevin Parker's chest.

The winter night was cold.

But those tears melted the last of his resistance.

"Wife, don't cry."

"Aren't we doing fine now?"

"It's all because of that little bastard."

His eyes filled with hatred.

"Don't worry."

"I won't let him get away with this."

To outsiders, the stain on his reputation remained.

No matter how much he explained, people would still laugh behind his back.

After all, explanations only made people more suspicious.

"Kevin..."

"What are you planning to do?"

Kevin Parker sneered.

Then he lowered his voice and revealed his plan.

Elysia Smith listened carefully.

As she listened, her eyes flickered thoughtfully.

After a moment, she shook her head.

"No."

"Just spreading rumors in the courtyard isn't enough."

Kevin Parker frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"We should spread them at the steel mill too."

"But we can't tell the entire story."

"If we reveal too much, it'll hurt us as well."

"We only need people to believe Ryan Williams is the problem."

A smile slowly appeared on Kevin Parker's face.

Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek.

"Elysia, you're brilliant."

"I'll do exactly as you say."

"This time, I'll make sure that bastard suffers."

"Make sure he can't survive in the courtyard."

"Have Master force him out."

"That's right."

Kevin Parker laughed coldly.

"Once he's gone, those two rooms will become available."

"They'll be perfect for our future son."

Elysia Smith rolled her eyes.

"What son?"

"We haven't even gotten that far yet."

"Why not?"

Kevin Parker grinned.

"Wife, let's work harder for our son."

"You're so annoying..."

Her embarrassed protest was soon swallowed by laughter.

The next morning, the courtyard came alive before sunrise.

Neighbors greeted one another.

People exchanged jokes while heading to work.

And with every conversation, a new rumor spread.

The target was Ryan Williams.

"What?"

"He ruined someone else's wedding?"

"That's disgusting."

"Just because the woman didn't choose him?"

"How twisted can a person be?"

"Stay away from people like that."

"Exactly."

"I was actually thinking about introducing my niece to him."

"Good thing you didn't."

"Otherwise, you'd have ruined the girl's future."

"Seriously."

"You can know a person's face, but never their heart."

The rumors spread rapidly through the surrounding streets and alleyways.

Like wildfire.

Every retelling made the story uglier.

Every version painted Ryan Williams as the villain.

Standing near the entrance of the alley, Thomas Carter listened to the discussions.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

Then he turned and headed toward the street office.

By the time he returned to the courtyard, the rumors had grown even larger.

Some families had already warned their children to stay away from Ryan Williams.

The effect was even better than expected.

As for who was responsible?

Thomas Carter had a pretty good idea.

Kevin Parker was definitely involved.

The Cooper family and Jason Holt's family had likely added fuel to the fire as well.

As for Richard Collins?

He probably wouldn't participate directly.

But he certainly wouldn't stand up to defend Ryan Williams.

"Hmph."

Thomas Carter folded his hands behind his back.

His expression remained righteous and dignified as always.

Yet a trace of coldness flashed through his eyes.

"Let's see what you do now, Ryan Williams."

"If you're smart..."

"You'll come begging sooner or later."

"Otherwise..."

He left the threat unfinished.

Then he calmly walked back into the courtyard, wearing the same upright appearance everyone had come to trust.

Meanwhile, the storm surrounding Ryan Williams continued to grow.

And he knew nothing about it.

Not yet.