Chapter 122: Yi Zhonghai: I slept with Qin (asking for subscriptions)

Yi Zhonghai: I slept with Qin (asking for subscriptions).

Jia Zhangshi saw Jia Dongxu agree with her opinion, opened the door, and stretched her head from inside the house to outside, looking just like a turtle sticking its head out of its shell.

"Head Steward, go inside, we'll talk inside."

Shameful matters naturally require careful handling, and are still whispered secretly.

However, Jia Zhangshi's calling Yi Zhonghai to the Jia family revealed a hint of self-incrimination. The people of the Siheyuan have constantly watched the affairs of Yi Zhonghai, Qin Huairu, and Jia Dongxu; every move of the Jia family and Yi Zhonghai is seen by the neighbors, and some people even secretly engage in shameful acts.

For example, Liu Haizhong, in order to gain the empty reputation of Head Steward, stays up late not sleeping, also keeps watch on Yi Zhonghai; he witnessed the entire process of Yi Zhonghai entering the Jia family's home, and after the Jia family's door was closed, Liu Haizhong, without a second thought, moved his two-hundred-pound bulky frame, tiptoeing toward the Jia family.

As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles.

Wanting to hear what the Jia family would say to Yi Zhonghai and to make a targeted response, Liu Haizhong moved to the outside of the Jia family's window and began to listen, propping up his ear.

It's truly difficult for Liu Haizhong; his two-hundred-pound bulky frame makes it hard for him to squat even when rushing to the toilet, and now, in order to eavesdrop on the secret between Yi Zhonghai and the Jia family, he forced his bulky body to curl up beneath the Jia family's window.

This posture—neither sitting nor kneeling, nor even properly squatting—makes Liu Haizhong uncomfortable and has caused him to suffer greatly.

Even so, the official-obsessed Liu Haizhong did not give up; he gritted his teeth and stubbornly persisted, determined at all costs to hear the Jia family's movements.

Such tactics—preferring that I, Liu Haizhong, die rather than let you, Yi Zhonghai, be at ease—were seen in full by Shazhu, who lay awake, randomly thinking about the Jia family's affairs.

He couldn't help but let out a cold snort in his heart.

The Siheyuan hides dragons and crouching tigers, but they're all scoundrels; they don't do good deeds, only wicked deeds, one after another in a frenzy, and everyone is busy with their own little schemes.

The likes of Yi Zhonghai.

The likes of Liu Haizhong.

The likes of Jia Zhangshi, etc.

To speak frankly.

Regarding how to resolve the entanglement among Yi Zhonghai, Qin Huairu, and Jia Dongxu, Shazhu and Liu Haizhong, who is currently crouched outside the Jia family's window eavesdropping, share the same thought: they both want to know what Jia Zhangshi meant by summoning Yi Zhonghai into the Jia family.

According to Shazhu's speculation, it should be that Jia Zhangshi or Jia Dongxu intends to use this matter to manipulate and blackmail Yi Zhonghai, forcing him to agree to some of the Jia family's demands.

Family disgrace should not be spoken of outside.

The master and the disciple's wife have gotten together.

Regardless of truth or falsehood, even if it's fake, people will treat it as true.

The parties involved will not have a good ending.

It's definitely an unsolvable riddle.

Yi Zhonghai will be torn between two options.

If he does not agree to the Jia family's conditions, Yi Zhonghai still has room for redemption.

There is an idiom: "rather die than submit."

I haven't done it, I won't admit it, I won't accept your blackmail.

Spread it abroad.

Good reputation.

Conversely.

If you truly bear the shame of having an affair with the disciple's wife, you, Yi Zhonghai, say it wasn't you—then why did you agree to Jia Zhangshi's demand and give things to the Jia family?

Just this alone could crush Yi Zhonghai.

How to choose is Yi Zhonghai's own business.

It has nothing to do with Shazhu; he's just a bystander. He watches the affair with a spectator's mindset, watching Yi Zhonghai's drama, the Jia family's drama, and Liu Haizhong's drama.

……

Yi Zhonghai.

All along, the cautious hypocrite in his heart had guessed the meaning of Jia Zhangshi's summons, and as he stepped toward the Jia family, he let out a long sigh.

The feeling of relief also came upon Yi Zhonghai at this moment.

Having something to talk about is fine.

The worst thing is having nothing to talk about.

After so many years as neighbors, knowing what kind of person Jia Zhangshi is, it's nothing more than her demanding some money and valuables.

Yi Zhonghai is now caught between a rock and a hard place; he finds that whether he agrees to Jia Zhangshi's demands or refuses Jia Dongxu's proposal, both are utterly harmful and bring him no benefit.

The initiative of the matter lies in the hands of the Jia family.

That's all.

Reputation is Yi Zhonghai's biggest shackle, and also the Jia family's means and treasure to manipulate him; burdened by reputation's restrictions, Yi Zhonghai seems to have only one path left: to agree to the Jia family's demands.

Agree.

Give some things.

Exchange for reputation benefits.

This is the result Yi Zhonghai had already calculated in his mind before entering the Jia family.

Money and valuables.

External possessions.

You don't bring them when you're born, and you can't take them when you die.

If the Jia family wants it, just give it to them.

The only thing I worry about is that the Jia family will make exorbitant demands, asking Yi Zhonghai to meet conditions he cannot possibly fulfill.

Meet force with force, meet water with earth.

First listen to the Jia family's conditions, then speak.

After entering the door.

Yi Zhonghai did not speak; he adopted the strategy of "if the enemy does not move, I do not move," silently staring at Jia Zhangshi.

Nobody spoke.

The atmosphere inexplicably became somewhat tense.

Yi Zhonghai wanted to wait for the other party to speak first; he was afraid that if he spoke first he would say something wrong, ask for too little and it would be irrelevant, ask for too much and it would be bad, which amounted to delivering himself into the tiger's mouth.

Jia Dongxu believed Bangeng was Yi Zhonghai's son, and that Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai had jointly put a green hat on him; not only could he not take revenge, but he also had to swallow his anger and help Yi Zhonghai smooth things over, feeling heavily repressed.

The two thus remained in a stalemate.

Jia Zhangshi sensed something was off, she took the lead in breaking the room's silence, slowly presenting her demands to Yi Zhonghai—she mentioned neither Qin Huairu nor Bangeng, nor did she say that Yi Zhonghai had slept with Qin Huairu, let alone that Bangeng was Yi Zhonghai's son; Laoqianpo used Jia Dongxu as a pretext to kick off the negotiations between the two sides.

"Elder Uncle, you are Dongxu's master; Daxu left early, and while he was alive you got along well with him—it's not me, an old woman, talking nonsense; you could take our family's Dongxu as an apprentice, which is a blessing for our Dongxu and also for our Jia family; this child, I don't know what's going on—it's been over a year and he still hasn't been promoted to first-level worker."

Yi Zhonghai knew this was the first request raised by Jia Zhangshi.

He felt a slight sense of relief, relieved that he had not spoken up first to help Jia Dongxu get promoted to first-level worker; even if Jia Zhangshi didn't mention it, and even if tonight's incident hadn't occurred, Yi Zhonghai would still assist Jia Dongxu internally, trying to find a way to get him promoted to first-level worker.

As Yi Zhonghai's disciple, Jia Dongxu's delay in promotion was not a loss for Jia Dongxu himself, but a loss of face for Yi Zhonghai.

This matter is easily handled.

Yi Zhonghai had already arranged everything; he nodded at Jia Zhangshi.

"Dongxu, hurry up and thank your master." Jia Zhangshi wasn't really asking Jia Dongxu to thank Yi Zhonghai; she merely wanted to show a cooperative attitude, and took the opportunity to put forward demands for money and goods. "Bangeng has been born; your master generously gave our family two million and a brand-new sewing machine. Elder Uncle, look how embarrassing this is, and you've also let him incur expenses."

"That's right, Dongxu is my disciple, and Bangeng is my grandson."

Yi Zhonghai agreed with a smile.

Jia Zhangshi's these proposals were barely within Yi Zhonghai's acceptable range.

Give wealth to ward off disaster.

As long as Yi Zhonghai's reputation can be preserved, this amount of money is nothing to him.

Terms agreed.

Qin Huairu no longer had any reason to stay at the Yi household.

Jia Zhangshi wanted to create an opportunity for Yi Zhonghai and his wife to make money.

In today's circumstances, every household hides money at home; places like kang cavities, beams, and wall holes often become the best spots for neighbors to stash cash.

Comrades from banks and credit unions went door to door, urging neighbors to deposit money in banks; even so, people still habitually hide cash at home.

Does the Yi Zhonghai household have money?

Jia Zhangshi knows.

Yes, there is money.

It is hidden in the jars and vats at Yi Zhonghai's home; with Qin Huairu staying at someone else's house, how could Yi Zhonghai feel comfortable taking money out of the hiding place in front of her?

Not revealing wealth is one consideration.

Worrying that prolonged delay might bring changes, Yi Zhonghai's possible regret is another reason.

Under these circumstances, Jia Zhangshi, in the name of a kind mother-in-law, stuffed a cloth plug into Qin Huairu's ears, wrapped her in a blanket, and helped her move from the Yi household to the Jia household.

The door was shut.

The true nature was revealed.

She looked at Qin Huairu, who had just lain sideways on the kang, with a hostile expression.

"Qin Huairu, I ask you, is Bangeng ultimately the son of our family's Dongxu, or the son of Yi Zhonghai?"

Qin Huairu stared, thinking originally that only Jia Dongxu disbelieved her, and had hoped Jia Zhangshi would help explain, but Jia Zhangshi also didn't believe her.

"Mom, I really have no relation to Elder Uncle; Bangeng is Dongxu's child, the incense of the Jia family."

"Whether it was done or not, Dongxu couldn't not know?" Jia Zhangshi lectured Qin Huairu, trusting Jia Dongxu but not believing Qin Huairu. "Dongxu told me he had been at the Security Section those days; don't think just because you, Qin Huairu, gave birth after a ten-month pregnancy, I also was a mother—I carried Dongxu for three hundred days and gave birth to him."

……

The Yi household.

After reaching an agreement with Jia Zhangshi, and after Jia Zhangshi took Qin Huairu away.

Yi Zhonghai looked at the elder aunt.

The elder aunt let out a cold snort, a hint of a mocking smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"Have the terms been settled?"

"Mm."

"What terms?"

"Help Jia Dongxu get promoted to first-level worker, and also deliver a sewing machine to the Jia family."

"That's it? No way."

The mocking smile on the elder aunt's face grew wider; she knew how greedy the Jia family were, as a long-time resident of the siheyuan she naturally knew this, wishing she could gulp them down in one bite like a fat person; Jia Zhangshi was even more the type who would consider it a loss if she couldn't pick up something for free on the road.

"They also wanted two million."

"Did you agree?"

Yi Zhonghai nodded.

This counted as his response to the elder aunt.

"Yi Zhonghai, I have a question for you—tell me the truth." The elder aunt looked at Yi Zhonghai and asked solemnly: "After all these years of our marriage, what exactly is your relationship with Qin Huairu?"

"You don't believe me?" Yi Zhonghai glared, "How can you not believe me?"

"Should I believe you?"

The elder aunt's counter-question.

This left Yi Zhonghai stunned on the spot.

"You haven't done it? You've given the Jia family all this? Is it really not done? It's money and goods, and helping with promotion—those who know realize Jia Dongxu is your disciple, while those who don't think he's your son."

The elder aunt continued to question Yi Zhonghai, her tone full of strong dissatisfaction; perhaps she thought Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu were colluding, giving her a sense of betrayal and depression.

She felt like she was about to explode.

I have been made unable to become a mother by you, unable to experience the joy of motherhood, nor enjoy the happiness of children surrounding my knees. You, Yi Zhonghai, the one who made me unable to bear and raise children, are instead playing the trick of 'secretly moving Chen Cang'—your scheming is truly high!

the ploy of substituting a peach for a plum

Being proper is a good strategy.

Qin Huairu is your disciple's wife, and you can really bring yourself to do this.

Shameless.

No shame at all.

Yi Zhonghai fell silent, knowing what consequences his actions would bring, which amounted to implicitly confirming the rumor of his affair with Qin Huairu.

You can't say that.

And how should we wrap this up?

Among these people in the Siheyuan, they will spread the news to everyone in no time, and then Yi Zhonghai's reputation will be ruined.

The only way is to silence Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi, using the mouths of the Jia family mother and son to prove to Yi Zhonghai that Bangeng is Jia Dongxu's son.

After careful consideration, Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to adopt the expedient of treating a dead horse as if it were alive.

If there were another way.

Yi Zhonghai also did not want to be the subject of gossip.

This isn't without a solution.

"Answer me, did you sleep with Qin Huairu? When you went to the countryside to support, you stayed at Qin Huairu's house—wasn't that when you got together? The price of your affair was that you, Yi Zhonghai, helped Qin Huairu marry into the city, and Jia Dongxu is taking the blame for you."

The eldest aunt stepped closer to Yi Zhonghai, her eyes like knives fixed on him, urgently pressing him for the truth.

She knew this was embarrassing, and her voice was very low.

"Don't say I don't believe you—you could do something like this. Just now Qin Huairu told me you're a good person, a good person; using those words for you is practically an insult to them."

I don't believe you and Qin Huairu are innocent; from the moment you introduced Qin Huairu to Jia Dongxu, I've suspected you slept with Qin Huairu, were forced by her to have no choice, and dumped the blame on Jia Dongxu.

The sewing machine is something to shut Jia Dongxu up, the radio is a gift you celebrate having a son with, Yi Zhonghai—don't you feel a little disgusted? I want to hear from your mouth the truth that you slept with Qin Huairu or she slept with you—did you sleep together?

"No!"

"What do you mean, no? Is it that you didn't sleep with Qin Huairu, or that the child in her belly isn't yours, Yi Zhonghai? You might have fooled others, but you can't fool me." The eldest aunt pressed him relentlessly, "Do you know what you said in your sleep last night?"

Yi Zhonghai raised his head.

Gazing at the eldest aunt.

"You begged your father not to scold you, saying you would find a way to continue the Yi family line."

These words.

They broke down Yi Zhonghai's psychological defenses.

By day we think, by night we dream; dreams often reflect our truest thoughts.

Son!

Daughter!

The continuation of a civilization spanning thousands of years.

Without children, is marriage still marriage?

"If there's anything, wait until I return to talk about it." Yi Zhonghai made a promise to the eldest aunt: "I will definitely give you an explanation."

"Okay."

Yi Zhonghai turned and walked to the wardrobe, opened the door, took down a small wooden board from the top, reached inside, fumbled around for thirty-odd seconds, and an adult-palm-sized iron box appeared in his hand.

The iron box is Yi Zhonghai's money-saving piggy bank.

In front of the eldest aunt, he opened the lid; inside were only ten-thousand and five-thousand denomination bills.

He counted over two hundred sheets.

He turned and walked outside.

Before 1955, the largest denomination bill was 100,000 yuan per note, the smallest was 100 yuan; in 1955 new currency was issued, with an exchange rate of 1:10,000 between new and old money—old 10,000 yuan exchanged for one new 1-yuan note issued in 1955.

Later generations often see on TV or in newspapers that someone finds a deposit slip from decades ago at home, showing savings of hundreds of thousands or even millions, excitedly imagining a wealthy life, goes to the bank, learns the truth, and the dream of wealth instantly shatters.

Although the face value looks large, its actual purchasing power is truly insufficient.

Over two hundred bills were taken, emptying the iron box, but it's fine—Yi Zhonghai's home still has two more boxes like this.

With a monthly income of four to five hundred thousand yuan, the couple, having no children, lived frugally and could save about three to four million yuan a year.

The family's finances were quite ample.

Spending over two million to silence the Jia family—others would have to suffer broken bones, but for Yi Zhonghai it's hardly worth mentioning.

……

Outside the Jia family's window.

As Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhangshi bargained and set conditions, Yi Zhonghai converted the money and sewing machine into cash, added a little extra, and handed it to Jia Zhangshi; Liu Haizhong heard every word, and a sense of triumph rose in his heart.

This amounted to grabbing Yi Zhonghai's weakness.

Although Jia Zhangshi and Yi Zhonghai did not mention who Bangeng's father was in their conversation, Yi Zhonghai's act of spending money to buy peace cemented the rumor that Bangeng bore the Yi surname.

Moreover, Jia Zhangshi's scolding of Qin Huairu provided further accompaniment.

The matter of Bangeng bearing the Yi surname.

To Liu Haizhong, that was as solid as a nail in a board, firmly proven.

The official enthusiast gritted his teeth, carefully withdrawing his body, worried that any movement would alert those people and ruin Liu Haizhong's plan.

As for this leverage, Liu Haizhong would not tell outsiders outside Yi Zhonghai's circle, since it's common knowledge, it cannot be considered a secret, let alone leverage.

Furthermore, due to Liu Haizhong's long period of lurking, his body went numb, making it impossible to support his idea of eavesdropping on the Yi family's wall base.

Bent at the waist.

Moving step by step to the junction of the rear and central courtyards, Liu Haizhong finally put his mind at ease and straightened his back.

Waist sore.

Liu Haizhong used his hand to pound hard on his sore, aching, numb waist.

Gaze turned toward the Yi family.

Hesitated a moment.

Finally dismissed the idea of eavesdropping and walked toward his own home.

Liu Haizhong probably didn't realize that, due to Liu Haizhong's momentary laziness, the genuine leverage that could have been used over Yi Zhonghai was let slip.

Pushed the door.

Entered the house.

Turned the body.

Closed the door.

Done in one go.

After that came taking off clothes to sleep, seeing Zhou Gong, etc.

……

Yi family.

Yi Zhonghai, who had returned from the Jia family to the Yi family, confessed to an elder aunt, detailing the specific process of how Yi Zhonghai first met Qin Huairu and later ended up sharing a room.

Yagangchang had the task of going to the countryside to support rural villages.

As the Team Captain of the tenth support unit for rural construction, Yi Zhonghai appeared punctually in Qinhuai Village.

Qin Huairu's grandfather, as the village chief of Qinhuai Village, welcomed Yi Zhonghai and their support construction efforts.

At that day's mobilization meeting, Yi Zhonghai met Qin Huairu.

At that time, Qin Huairu still served as the Team Captain of Qinhuai Village's Young Women's Assault Team, and some jokingly said that Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai were a double-team meeting.

Eighteen-year-old Qin Huairu met forty-year-old Yi Zhonghai.

One old.

One young.

In the most perfect, flawless stage of life, even though the coarse cloth clothes might be patched, they could not hide Qin Huairu's invincible youthful beauty.

As a renowned village belle, Qin Huairu's doorstep had been trampled broken by matchmakers from all around; those young men who came to express love, commissioning matchmakers to propose and mediate, were either skilled at farming, competent at agricultural work, or adept at herding sheep and cattle.

Farmer.

What they took pride in was their farming methods.

To others, the person they would marry was often someone skilled at such agricultural work; but to Qin Huairu, this was not the kind of person Qin Huairu wanted to marry.

Being good at farm work, being adept at caring for livestock, etc. —these all annoyed Qin Huairu.

In Qin Huairu's mind, no matter how well the farm work is done, how well livestock are cared for, or how abundant the grain yield, spending a lifetime in the village, facing the loess soil with back to the sky, enjoying the service of Father Sun, never becoming a city dweller—this is not the life Qin Huairu wants.

From beginning to end.

Urban conditions have always been better than rural ones.

In terms of food, medical care, education, and so on.

They have all become obsessed.

As long as one can get into the city and eat city grain, who would care about your relation to a widow? Not to mention someone like Yi Zhonghai, an old man; even a person missing an arm or a leg, as long as unmarried and male, would still have suitors rushing to marry them.

In a previous life, Shazhu went on a blind date, Qin Huairu caused trouble, Qin Huairu brought a basin over, helped Shazhu tidy up the scattered clothes, pulled out the underwear from inside, showing the abnormal ambiguous relationship between Qin Huairu and Shazhu, which could make people angry and leave.

Try swapping in a rural person.

They are all rural women who have moved to the city; how could they not understand each other's thoughts?

Qin Huairu's tricks don't work at all in front of rural girls; when encountering a fiery girl, she anxiously slaps Qin Huairu with a big palm.

In order to get into the city.

Will stop at nothing.

The primary point.

Not marrying.

If married, how to get into the city?

Qin Huairu now holds this view; those who personally expressed affection to Qin Huairu, saying they wanted to form revolutionary friendship with Qin Huairu, and the young men who asked matchmakers to propose to Qin Huairu, all returned empty-handed under Qin Huairu's intention to marry into the city.

Qin Huairu disagrees.

Even if Qin Huairu's parents agreed, Qin Huairu would still not agree.

In Qin Huairu's heart lies a dream unknown to outsiders: a dream of marrying into the city. Qin Huairu's position is very clear: it is the city; all of Qin Huairu's starting points are to realize the dream of marrying into the city, including Qin Huairu's current role as the Team Captain of the Youth Women's Assault Team, which is also aimed at earning Qin Huairu points and increasing Qin Huairu's chances of entering the city.

There are opportunistic ideas.

Only then did the meeting between Yagangchang support unit Team Captain Yi Zhonghai and Qinhuai Village Young Women's Assault Team Team Captain happen.

This meeting.

Good and bad are mixed.

There are good impressions, and there are bad perceptions.

On the good side, Yi Zhonghai is a sound person, still the Team Captain of Yagangchang, somewhat old in age, but valuable for being honest and reliable.

On the bad side, it's still the age; Yi Zhonghai's age differs greatly from that of the neighboring village's Team Captain, who became a Team Captain at just over twenty years old.

Qin Huairu's primary goal is not Yi Zhonghai, but that neighboring village's Team Captain, who is just over twenty years old, roughly matching Qin Huairu's age.

Qin Huairu had someone inquire, and their reply was that the young Team Captain was married.

Also unknown whether true or false.

However, Qin Huairu guesses this is probably nonsense.

Not only Qin Huairu wants to marry into the city; many girls in the neighboring village share exactly the same idea as Qin Huairu.

I guess they want to digest it internally.