Chapter 111

The drugging incident.

It was probably the one thing Jia Zhangshi regretted most in her entire life.

According to Jia Zhangshi's plan, Yi Zhonghai was her son's master and also the Head Steward; all matters big and small in the Siheyuan were always handled internally, so even if the drugging incident came to light, with Yi Zhonghai as her backer, the worst that could happen was apologizing to Xu Damu.

The plan failed to keep up with the changes.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife ended up disgraced and ruined, losing their title as Head Steward of the Siheyuan, and kind-hearted people helped summon the public security; a series of unexpected events piled up.

Jia Zhangshi was taken away.

What Jia Zhangshi hadn't considered was that, because she drugged Xu Damu and the deaf old lady, she would have to serve a year in detention.

Taken away that night.

The punishment decision came out that night.

She was taken to the detention center that night.

Jia Zhangshi felt utterly bitter; she knew she had taken the fall for someone else, and the medicine she gave the deaf old lady was truly not hers. In detention, she rare enjoyed a hearty meal, ate and drank her fill, then leaned against the wall, slowly pondering whose blame she had taken. After thinking it over, she felt it was highly likely she had taken the blame for Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Zhonghai's hypocrisy might have fooled everyone, but not Jia Zhangshi—she knew too well what kind of person he really was.

Shazhu then leaked a series of Yi Zhonghai's various dissatisfactions with the deaf old lady, all treating the deaf old lady as a burden; in the matter of drugging the deaf old lady, Yi Zhonghai was highly suspect.

Jia Zhangshi speculated that, during her process of drugging Xu Damu, she was discovered by a big maid, who at noon told Yi Zhonghai about it.

With the deaf old lady bringing pork to find Shazhu and asking him to cook as a backdrop, she herself had already annoyed Yi Zhonghai, equivalent to slapping his face, implying Yi Zhonghai wouldn't let the deaf old lady eat meat, hinting at the deaf old lady solving her own meat-eating idea.

After weighing pros and cons, Yi Zhonghai was highly likely to want to use Jia Zhangshi as a scapegoat in a "misdirecting water to the east" scheme, taking advantage of her drugging Xu Damu to drug the deaf old lady; the deaf old lady's home was only frequented by Yi Zhonghai and his wife, giving him the opportunity to drug her.

Heaven pities the unfortunate.

The reason Jia Zhangshi went to loiter outside the deaf old lady's door in the back courtyard was that she wanted to check whether the deaf old lady still had any grain or such at home.

Preparing to use this reporting method, to report the deaf old lady, to vent the resentment from being beaten by the deaf old lady over the old hen incident earlier.

Never expected.

Jia Zhangshi unexpectedly took the fall for someone else.

Serve one year.

Conversely, released after half a year.

Laoqianpo secretly fumed in her heart; tonight's hearty meal would leave Jia Zhangshi with a memorable impression, likely to be remembered for a lifetime. She touched the scar on her face, hesitating as she went out, determined to give Yi Zhonghai and his wife a good look!

Let Jia Dongxu help support the elderly.

I spit.

……

The Yi family.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife looked at each other, eyes full of utter despair.

All along, they had relied on their persona to get by; in the Siheyuan, Yagangchang, Jiēdào—whenever anyone mentioned Yi Zhonghai and his wife, they would give a thumbs-up and say "good," loudly praising their taking in of the deaf old lady, who had no blood relation.

Donkey dung balls.

Surface shine.

Beneath the false mask of the old good person.

A belly full of male theft and female prostitution.

The series of events in the Siheyuan—behind the scenes, the black hand was actually the Yi Zhonghai couple, trusted by countless people, scheming against the deaf old lady and also against Shazhu.

Is this still the Head Steward of the Siheyuan?! Simply a beast in human skin, having fooled everyone in the Siheyuan!

The neighbors naturally would not show favor to the Yi Zhonghai couple.

The hypocrite couple breaking with Shazhu was to be expected; they had become beasts, and people certainly wouldn't want to play with you.

This situation was truly not what the Yi Zhonghai couple wanted to see.

Hypocrites never fight without certainty; using the reporting method to manipulate Shazhu, to show their strength while also currying favor with him—this was the Yi Zhonghai couple's plan, but it ultimately became a sword cutting at them, leading to Shazhu's break with them.

"Ah!"

Yi Zhonghai sighed, he had already gone numb and lost his composure.

On the contrary, the big maid was far calmer than Yi Zhonghai.

Sometimes men are truly not as good as women.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai in utter mental disarray, the big maid sighed softly, "Do you think sighing can make everything come back? Do you think regret can solve all problems?"

"What do you suggest we do?"

Yi Zhonghai looked pleadingly at the big maid.

In outsiders' eyes, the Yi family's big and small matters were always decided by Yi Zhonghai; the big maid could never take charge of Yi family affairs. In fact, some matters, the person truly giving Yi Zhonghai advice was the big maid. When Yi Zhonghai couldn't extricate himself from a situation, the big maid would still help him cover his lies, making his lies flawless—for example, the late-night relief of Qin Huairu with cornmeal noodles.

"The deeper the scheme, the greater the backlash." The big maid analyzed precisely, her performance fully deserving the four words "dog-headed strategist," "At such a time, we must all the more stabilize ourselves; the people of the Siheyuan all want to see our jokes, so we must all the more not go along with their wishes."

The situation can still be salvaged.

Just need to pretend to be a grandson for a few years.

Time is the best helper; given time, who will still remember their disgusting deeds? Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea—these trivial matters will have already worn out the neighbors' energy.

Yi Zhonghai lost his title as Head Steward; among the twenty-plus households in the Siheyuan, twenty-one or twenty-two are workers from Yagangchang; among them, Yi Zhonghai holds the highest rank, and most of these people work in the same workshop as him, some even work under him.

This is the key to Yi Zhonghai's comeback!

Don't look at Liu Haizhong complacently giving Yi Zhonghai the nickname "hypocrite"; in fact, Liu Haizhong is just a ridiculous joke.

"First, we must not panic, must not lose our formation." The big maid kicked off a brainstorming session, racking her brains for solutions, while reminding Yi Zhonghai, "The deaf old lady in the back courtyard can also become our help, just as we did before, only it will be a bit harder; as long as we do it thoroughly, these people in the courtyard won't care how we are."

"I just thought of something." Yi Zhonghai seemed to have thought of a way to extricate himself, his complexion gradually improving, his flustered thoughts calming a bit, "Last time the back courtyard old lady shouted at me, saying the courtyard neighbors don't pay much attention to her, especially Shazhu, who doesn't even put the old lady in his heart; the old lady's meaning is that she wants to strengthen her own identity, for example!"

The following words.

Yi Zhonghai did not say it outright.

But the big maid still understood the meaning in Yi Zhonghai's words.

He frowned involuntarily.

If nothing had happened tonight, Yi Zhonghai and his wife might have taken the old deaf lady's idea as a joke to listen to.

This time.

That time.

The relationship between Yi Zhonghai and his wife and the deaf old lady is like two grasshoppers tied to the same rope—no one can escape.

This is a more polished way of saying it.

Using an unpleasant phrase to describe it.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife borrowing the deaf old lady to whitewash themselves far exceeds the probability of the deaf old lady wanting Yi Zhonghai and his wife to help her with elderly care and funeral arrangements.

The supply roles of both sides magically swapped positions.

Thus.

The deaf old lady's proposal, Yi Zhonghai and his wife cannot afford to ignore; if this matter is actually carried out, Yi Zhonghai and his wife would benefit without harm, and must pay attention to it.

"This matter is not easy to handle!"

In the tone of the eldest aunt.

With a hint of strong hesitation.

Pull one hair and move the whole body.

A slight mistake.

Is the outcome of losing one's head.

"So I want to ask your opinion, see how this matter should be handled."

After thinking for a moment, the eldest aunt shifted her gaze to the cloth shoes on Yi Zhonghai's feet, her mind stirred, and suddenly she had an idea.

"How is it?"

Yi Zhonghai smiled; this seemed like a feasible solution.

The deaf old lady is just an old woman with bound feet; she can make shoes without raising suspicion.

"If someone asks, what should we do?"

"I won't say, you won't say, the old lady won't say." The eldest aunt looked at Yi Zhonghai, "Who can do anything to us?"

After spreading the rumors, adopt the strategy of denying everything.

I just won't admit it.

What can you do to me?

What is required is not the fact of making shoes, but this process.

As long as Yi Zhonghai and his wife whitewash themselves in this process, the truth of making shoes has nothing to do with Yi Zhonghai and his wife.

At worst, in the future we'll push the chamber pot onto the deaf old lady's head.

"I know what to do now."

"And there's another matter, Jia Dongxu."

The eldest aunt was also decisive, knowing the current situation of the Yi family; originally not optimistic about Jia Dongxu helping with elderly care, but after tonight's series of incidents, she decisively chose to side with Yi Zhonghai.

In short.

Knock out your teeth and swallow them.

Although clearly not the best choice for elderly care, the eldest aunt also had to grit her teeth and pretend, feigning that Jia Dongxu was the best choice for Yi Zhonghai and his wife's elderly care and funeral arrangements.

Out of spite.

With the intention of competing with Shazhu.

To make Shazhu feel strong envy and jealousy toward Jia Dongxu!

The eldest aunt proactively proposed, increasing investment in Jia Dongxu.

"I know what to do now."

"Jia Dongxu is really not as good as Shazhu; it's a pity. Our relationship with Shazhu—you, Jia Dongxu, should be disciplined, should be given sweet dates, sweet dates—too much jumping around won't do." The eldest aunt, who had been instructing Yi Zhonghai, suddenly shifted the topic to Qin Huairu, "As for that Qin Huairu, I hope you stay far away from her; if you provoke disaster and ruin your own future, that would not be good."

Yi Zhonghai had nothing to say.

Jia Zhangshi's little tricks, some people see them very clearly.

Qin Huairu had a miscarriage.

It's a pity.

"When there's no one around later, you go tell the old lady about the shoe matter, so she has a mental preparation."

"Hmm."

"Dead old lady, you've caused such a big mess, really thinking you can just stand by and watch?"

The eldest aunt's tone was very unfriendly.

The misfortune of the Yi family.

If we truly want to trace the real cause, this cause can only be found on the deaf old lady.

The deaf old lady resented Yi Zhonghai for not giving her meat; she spent her own money to buy meat, had Shazhu help cook it, ate half a jin of pork entirely, then had diarrhea and fell into the toilet; Yi Zhonghai went down to rescue the deaf old lady, and only then did his body get stained with those filthy substances, then went to the bathhouse to wash, and subsequently the incident of the leprous woman blocking the door demanding an explanation occurred, and afterward came the exposure of the Yi family scandal, etc.; Yi Zhonghai and his wife's years of painstaking effort were ruined just because of the deaf old lady's half jin of pork.

Success because of the deaf old lady, failure because of the deaf old lady.

By reason and emotion.

The deaf old lady cannot possibly remain uninvolved; she must take part.

This matter both helps Yi Zhonghai and his wife and also helps the deaf old lady herself.

The shoe matter.

As long as the parties involved do not admit it, who can clarify the details? What is wanted is to muddy the waters, the more muddy, the more convenient for Yi Zhonghai and his wife to profit.

……

Siheyuan.

Shazhu, who had just woken up early in the morning, suddenly discovered that the siheyuan was unusually quiet today, to the extent that the idiom "silent as a grave" could be used to describe it.

He couldn't help but glance at the Jia family opposite.

I never expected that Jia Zhangshi would have such a commotion in the siheyuan; whenever Jia Zhangshi was around, the siheyuan was always filled with her scolding and shrewish noises.

Jia Zhangshi is gone, and I'm still not used to it.

Shazhu turned his head to look at the Yi Zhonghai family next door.

At this moment, the Yi Zhonghai household was still in disarray; fortunately, it's the transition between spring and summer now, and the weather isn't that cold. If it were winter, I reckon the Yi Zhonghai couple would surely be driven to desperation.

What happened last night completely tore apart the hypocritical mask of the Yi Zhonghai couple, turning them into mice scurrying with their tails between their legs.

Jia Zhangshi was arrested.

The Yi Zhonghai couple have become listless again.

The siheyuan has also changed; it's no longer a siheyuan, and even Liu Haizhong of the Hou Yuan, who always took pride in beating children, has rarely interrupted the Liu family's daily routine of beating children.

Shazhu stretched his arms and legs vigorously, then moved his wrists and ankles a bit.

He pushed his bicycle out of the house.

He was preparing to go buy breakfast.

The body is the capital of revolution; only with a full stomach can one have the energy to do this thing of adding bricks and tiles for the collective.

Not long after.

He bought three bowls of old tofu and three youtiao and came back.

Why three portions?

One of them is for Xu Damai.

Shazhu doesn't know whether it's due to the influence of his past life memories, but during this period of contact with Xu Damai, he constantly thinks of repaying Xu Damai's past-life kindness of collecting his corpse and handling posthumous affairs, so he wants to take Xu Damai as his adopted son, placing himself in the role of Xu Damai's adoptive father, to help and support Xu Damai and correct his bad habit of philandering from his previous life.

This is Shazhu's own idea.

In Xu Damai's heart, his feeling toward Shazhu is brotherly affection; sometimes when he sees Shazhu bringing back breakfast, he doesn't treat himself as an outsider and just eats it himself.

If Shazhu really bought only two portions, he himself would have to estimate that he'd go hungry.

Over time.

Shazhu got used to buying three portions of breakfast.

Just as he reached the Zhong Yuan.

The turtle-grandson Xu Damai promptly appeared at Shazhu's doorstep.

Really not polite.

He snatched a youtiao and started eating.

"Damn, you're really not polite either." Shazhu had a thought he didn't dare to say out loud: when a son is in front of his father, he's always this righteous and confident.

"What's our relationship? Brothers!" Xu Damai, who didn't know Shazhu wanted to adopt him as a godson, took advantage and acted cute, pointing at the half-eaten youtiao and saying, "Shazhu, how come this youtiao tastes so off?"

"Forgot to tell you, I just finished using the toilet."

"Disgusting." Xu Damai turned his face and called out to He Yushui: "Yushui, hurry up and eat."

Shazhu's heart.

Suddenly rose to his throat.

He took a healthy step and stood between Xu Damai and He Yushui, glaring with a pair of fierce eyes, fiercely staring at Xu Damai.

As of today.

Shazhu has always remembered Xu Damai's words about wanting to be his brother-in-law.

With your big donkey face, you still want to be my brother-in-law? You might as well be my son.

Seeing through Shazhu's thoughts, Xu Damai pointed at Shazhu, turned his face, and ran toward the courtyard exit.

"Where are you going?"

"To the toilet."

"You're really something, holding half a youtiao in your mouth while going to the toilet, Xu Damai."

Xu Damai left behind a image of himself clutching half a youtiao as he went to the toilet for Shazhu.

Shazhu recalled Xu Damai's very bad habit: this guy has a huge appetite, eats exaggeratedly, and Shazhu has seen Xu Damai urinating in the toilet while chewing food in his mouth.

Shazhu wondered if Xu Damai ate something bad, which is why he's been childless his whole life.

Shazhu handed the youtiao and tofu nao in his hand to the little girl, and while doing these things, he unintentionally glanced at the Jia family opposite.

In Qin Huairu's eyes gazing at Shazhu, there flickered a hint of unknown strangeness, while Jia Dongxu openly displayed his resentment toward Shazhu without concealment.

You damn bastard.

The reason for Jia Zhangshi being taken away and sentenced to a year in prison was pinned on Shazhu's head!

Facing Jia Dongxu's provocative gaze, Shazhu waved his fists and gave a warning to Jia Dongxu; if Jia Dongxu really didn't know what's good for him and came to cause trouble for Shazhu, Shazhu wouldn't mind giving him a few hard slaps.

Without Yi Zhonghai as his backing, Jia Dongxu is nothing!

Return Qin Huairu's man.

I spit.

Shazhu spat a mouthful of thick phlegm onto the ground.

On purpose.

Jia Duoming must seize the time to vent his anger, otherwise he won't make it in time.

"Jia Dongxu, your mother is in prison, look at your expression—you're so happy, as if you also despise that shrewish old mother of yours who isn't shrewish enough."

"Shazhu, believe it or not, I'll tear your mouth apart."

Jia Dongxu said this with a fierce expression and tone.

The expression on his face was ferocious and terrifying.

But his movements were rather comical.

While saying.

While stepping back with his body.

After walking two more steps, he retreated inside the house.

This coward.

Earlier, he actually went so far as to chase and hack Jia Gui with a kitchen knife in hand.

"Jia Dongxu, I really don't believe it anymore—come on, come on, try tearing one for me."

"Shazhu, I can't be bothered with you." Jia Dongxu turned and went back into the house, dragging Qin Huairu in with him, then slammed the door shut loudly, and the sound of his cursing came from inside: "I'm not going to stoop to your level—I'd lose face."

"Creak"

The door of the hypocrite's house opened.

The listless hypocrite lowered his head, came out of the house, and was carrying a tool bag in his hand.

It seemed.

That he was going to work.

Shazhu turned his head to the side.

Unable to be bothered with Yi Zhonghai.

But the hypocrite hurried over to confront him; last night he had already discussed it with the elderly woman, and decided to clear his name—the first step being to apologize to Shazhu.