Chapter 12: with translation of chapter title

After Shazhu left.

The eldest aunt, doubtful, muttered something to the deaf old lady.

Yi Zhonghai heard the deaf old lady say that, in the whole Siheyuan, the person most suitable to support him and his wife in old age was actually Shazhu, frankly stating that Shazhu was filial to the elders, far more trustworthy than Jia Dongxu.

But Shazhu's act of giving steamed buns to his own sister while letting the deaf old lady gnaw on coarse cornbread made the eldest aunt put a question mark after the few words the deaf old lady had said about Shazhu's filial piety.

Between the deaf old lady and He Yushui, there were two choices.

Shazhu clearly leaned toward He Yushui.

One is close.

One is not close.

That's all.

The deaf old lady watching Shazhu's departing back.

Helpless.

Regarding Shazhu's change, she couldn't pinpoint the exact reason, only attributing it to "He Daqing's departure stimulated Shazhu to become an adult overnight."

Time quickly passed six hours.

In the blink of an eye, evening arrived.

Everything was packed up.

Pulling He Yushui, they prepared to go to Dong Lai Shun to eat, as Xu Daming had invited Shazhu.

Just as they stepped out the door.

They were bumped squarely by the hypocrite Yi Zhonghai.

After work, Yi Zhonghai returned, having washed up, and heard the eldest aunt say that Shazhu had cooked for the deaf old lady at noon, but it wasn't meat and vegetables—just two dry, hard cornbread loaves plus a bowl of cabbage soup clear enough to use as a mirror.

His heart sank.

I told you to make cornbread for the deaf old lady.

You just made cornbread for the deaf old lady!

My cornbread refers to meat and vegetables!

Especially hearing that Shazhu had steamed two kinds in one basket: one was white-flour steamed buns for He Yushui to eat, the other was cornbread for the deaf old lady.

Such blatant favoritism.

Do you still have any respect for the elderly and love for the young in your eyes!

Just wanted to lecture Shazhu.

"Shazhu, it's about mealtime—what are you taking Yushui to do?"

This morning's bet between Shazhu and Xu Daming to eat mutton at Dong Lai Shun was artificially ignored by Yi Zhonghai.

"Elder, ah."

Shazhu understood Yi Zhonghai's intent; seeing his confrontational posture, he realized Yi Zhonghai was speaking up for the deaf old lady.

The Siheyuan's great miraculous combination.

The deaf old lady manipulated everyone with her status as a lonely old widow, while Yi Zhonghai leveraged her lonely widow image to establish his own persona.

Later, Shazhu was added with the nickname "Siheyuan War God."

That was from a previous life.

In this life, it's impossible for the Siheyuan War God to ever join Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old lady's group again.

"Do you have business?"

"Shazhu, it's about the old lady."

Just as Yi Zhonghai raised the big stick of moral blackmail, before he could swing it, Shazhu snatched it away and smashed it backward into Yi Zhonghai's head.

Never eaten pork.

Never seen a pig run?

After experiencing so many rounds of moral blackmail tactics, I've seen them all.

"Elder, I also wanted to tell you about the old lady. This morning, in front of the neighbors, you said the old lady craved my cooking and asked me to make two cornbread loaves for her. At noon I steamed two cornbread loaves for her and sent over a bowl of vegetable soup; the eldest aunt was there and can vouch for me. But I think the old lady doesn't seem to like cornbread; I wonder if she's ill. Elder, illness strikes like a collapsing mountain—you are the elder of our Dayuan, the old lady treats you well; if you have time, take her to the hospital for a check-up, then we'll be reassured. If tomorrow the old lady doesn't want cornbread but wants sorghum millet porridge, I'll make that too."

Cornbread.

Sorghum millet porridge.

You can't have white flour.

Yi Zhonghai's head was foggy, leaving him only embarrassed.

Alright.

I haven't said a word.

You keep chattering on and on.

The key is Yi Zhonghai still can't refute.

On one hand, Yi Zhonghai really said that cornbread; on the other, Shazhu's youthful face leaves Yi Zhonghai unable to find any fault.

Young and clueless!

Didn't catch the exact meaning of Yi Zhonghai's cornbread!

"Shazhu, the elder saw that your chimney wasn't smoking, and since the old lady was also there, he thought to have you siblings come over for a bite."

Yi Zhonghai made up an excuse on the spot.

Whether you believe it or not doesn't matter.

Anyway, Yi Zhonghai himself believed it.

"Elder, it's unfortunate, but today I really have to save face for you. Earlier this morning I had agreed with Xu Daming to go to Dong Lai Shun to eat mutton—whoever doesn't go is a grandson. In this life I can lose to anyone, but I cannot lose to Xu Daming; I'll make Xu Daming call me grandpa, and then you'll be Xu Daming's dad."

Yi Zhonghai finally understood where that feeling of wrongness came from.

Shazhu's statement is wrong; Xu Daming calls Shazhu grandfather, Yi Zhonghai has become Xu Daming's father, so Yi Zhonghai must call Shazhu dad.

He's angry.

He hasn't found a way to vent this anger.

Shazhu's expression was one of confident solemnity, looking down on everything.

Let Yi Zhonghai imagine an answer on his own.

Beardless and unreliable in his work.

After all, he's still young.

"Is Yushui going too?"

Yi Zhonghai, settling for second best, asked He Yushui; he realized some things need to be handled slowly, cannot be rushed, otherwise he might hurt himself.

Take Yushui along to see things, big uncle—I won't chat with you anymore, we're not in a rush, let's meet again.

Shazhu took Yushui's hand, greeted Yi Zhonghai, and headed straight for Dong Lai Shun.

As they were about to leave.

He deliberately said something loud enough for Yi Zhonghai to hear.

"Xu Daming, Grandfather's here—get ready to call me Grandfather!"

……

The Yi household.

Yi Zhonghai returned empty-handed, having been verbally outwitted by Shazhu, and walked in with his head drooping.

Long Laotaitai looked at Yi Zhonghai.

The big aunt also looked at Yi Zhonghai.

How did he end up listless like a wilted eggplant?

When they were leaving.

He wasn't that confident, was he?

"Zhonghai."

"Lao Yi."

Long Laotaitai calls him Zhonghai, while the big aunt calls him Lao Yi.

"Shazhu took He Yushui to Dong Lai Shun to eat mutton."

"That matter!"

Yi Zhonghai glanced at the big aunt, then at Long Laotaitai.

"That matter—we're still working it out. Besides, the old lady's judgment of people is still quite accurate; Shazhu is more suitable than Jia Dongxu to support us in our old age. He Daqing is gone, but Jia Dongxu still has his wife Jia Zhangshi. I'll talk to Shazhu in a few days."

A seventeen-year-old who just had New Year's, Yi Zhonghai is confident he can handle him.

This afternoon Yi Zhonghai already contacted the head of the cafeteria under his jurisdiction, and even gave him a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes; the other party agreed to extend Shazhu's apprenticeship by six months.

Once Shazhu spends the money He Daqing left him, finds that the steel mill cafeteria can't become an apprenticeship again, he'll surely come begging me.

Adding icing on the cake is nowhere near as good as giving charcoal in the snow.

At Shazhu's most difficult moment, I will appear before him as a savior, and I cannot believe he won't be moved to tears of gratitude.

Naturally, Yi Zhonghai.

A smug smile appeared on his face.

"Let's eat."

"Old lady, here's a steamed bun for you."