Chapter 153: Jia Dongxu is heading toward a dead end

After scaring Yi Zhonghai away.

Shazhu truly lived up to the words "lack of virtue"; he deliberately aimed at those who either cupped their ears at home to listen closely, or stood like wooden statues in the courtyard watching Shazhu and Yi Zhonghai leave, and specially added a cutting remark.

"Neighbors, whether we can have pork stew and white flour steamed buns really isn't up to me; it depends on the abilities of our Siheyuan Head Steward, the Level 8 Technician at Yagangchang, Yi Zhonghai. After I left for five years and suddenly returned, it really fits that saying: unfamiliar with the place, completely in the dark—I don't have the ability to procure pork and white flour."

Kill and excise the heart.

Simply not human.

Shazhu returned indoors, satisfied.

The words were already spoken in front of the neighbors, meant for Yi Zhonghai to hear.

Yi Zhonghai also heard Shazhu's and the neighbors' blame-shifting words.

The good reputation went to Shazhu.

The bad reputation and responsibility, however, fell on Yi Zhonghai's head.

This is the tactic Yi Zhonghai used to manipulate people in the past.

Now Shazhu has copied it exactly and applied it to Yi Zhonghai.

If he can't procure things, he can't invite the neighbors to a feast, and the neighbors won't blame Shazhu; they'll only resent Yi Zhonghai, saying he lacks the ability to let them enjoy Shazhu's feast.

Thus the effect of borrowing a knife to kill someone quietly formed.

If he can't procure things, Yi Zhonghai gets slapped in the face, loses face before the neighbors; if he can procure things, it doesn't matter—it's a situation where Shazhu profits.

Shazhu is a cook.

How much meat to put in, how much food to make—Shazhu decides; even a catty of pork can make stew for over thirty people, half a catty works, two taels also work.

As for the remaining pork,

it naturally ends up in Shazhu's hands.

With meat in hand, some people rush to curry favor with Shazhu.

Whether he procures things or not, Shazhu is always the one who profits.

In high spirits.

He involuntarily hummed a little tune.

"I sit on the city tower watching the mountain scenery; in the distance comes Sima's troops…."

After singing a few lines of opera.

Outside the door, the long-awaited knocking sounded.

This time Shazhu didn't get up, but shouted "Come in."

The door was pushed open.

A figure entered Shazhu's view.

The short-lived ghost, Jia Dongxu.

Neither spoke.

They just stared at each other.

Finally Shazhu made way and invited the short-lived ghost into his home.

The door was also closed by Jia the short-lived.

Shazhu frowned, seeing the short-lived ghost's demeanor; clearly something was up, some kind of shameful big matter.

Neither sat down; Shazhu didn't invite Jia Dongxu to sit either; there were no pleasantries, each went straight to the point—their relationship was already bad, so why bother with polite small talk?

One asked about the cause.

The other stated his purpose.

Shazhu felt a feeling of "damn it".

The reason Jia Dongxu came to find Shazhu is that the Jia family and Shazhu's family are enemies.

Precisely because of this enmity, Jia Dongxu believes Shazhu has no need to deceive him on certain matters, and thinks Shazhu will confide in him.

Holy crap.

This logic.

This thinking.

If you weren't crazy, you couldn't imagine such a method.

Seeking answers from an enemy will get you killed, you bastard.

Shazhu stared, as if he had seen the ultimate bastard; besides shock, only incredulity remained.

"Shazhu, I ask you, what do you think of Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai?"

Shazhu almost couldn't catch his breath.

Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu.

What the hell relation does he have?

Obviously suspicious.

Otherwise Jia Dongxu wouldn't have asked like that, and still directed the question at me, the Jia family's enemy.

Shazhu stared blankly at Jia Dongxu, whose face showed eagerness for the truth, and thought: Why are you asking me? You should ask Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu—they're the parties involved.

"What do you think their relationship is?"

A vague answer.

Answering amounted to not answering.

Jia Dongxu, however, seemed to have obtained the explanation he wanted, let out a breath, and muttered, "They really have a problem."

He suddenly lifted his head.

Looking at Shazhu, he asked the second question.

"The child in Qin Huairu's belly?"

"Jia Dongxu, this question you shouldn't ask me; I haven't returned in five years, I don't know, I also can't tell you, but I believe you already have the answer in your heart."

"What you said is also true."

Jia Dongxu turned his head and walked toward the door.

He's about to leave.

Shazhu stared blankly.

Just leaving like that?

Weren't there three questions?

Only two questions have been answered, one remains unanswered.

"Jia Dongxu!"

The short-lived ghost turned his head, looking at Shazhu, "You want to ask the third question, right? It's already meaningless; I know what I should do, how to handle it—I've already sent the white flour, what else do you want?"

Inside.

Soon only a utterly confused Shazhu remained.

I know what to do and how to handle it.

What the hell do you know!

I didn't say anything.

Shazhu's mind was a chaotic mess; his originally calm thoughts were tangled into a knot by Jia Dongxu, and the mood that had become happy from tricking Yi Zhonghai also turned not so happy.

Qin Huairu is eight months pregnant.

Ten months pregnancy.

In the previous life.

Jia Dongxu died before Huaihua was born.

That is to say.

Starting from now, Jia Dongxu can live at most sixty days.

Someone sounded the death knell for the short-lived ghost.

How did Jia Dongxu die?

Shazhu isn't entirely clear; he vaguely recalls that Yi Zhonghai arranged some livelihood for Jia Dongxu to do, and during the process Jia Dongxu either misoperated the machine or died for other reasons at the processing site; afterward Jia Zhangshi caused a big scene at the steel mill, Yi Zhonghai then spoke as a Level 8 Technician, the steel mill out of some concerns compensated part of the funeral expenses, and then arranged for Jia Dongxu's wife Qin Huairu to take over the short-lived ghost's position.

After this incident, rumors gradually spread that Jia Dongxu was killed by someone.

The person who killed him is Jia Zhangshi.

Jia Zhangshi ate Jia Dongxu's steamed corn buns, causing him to go to work on an empty stomach, lacking strength, and when the accident happened he couldn't run.

Another version is that Jia Zhangshi scolded Jia Dongxu severely, making him go to work with resentment and anger.

Two versions.

Both versions say Jia Zhangshi killed Jia Dongxu.

But Shazhu now has another speculation.

Jia Dongxu's death.

Or it may be related to Jia Zhangshi, but not necessarily her fault.

Even a vicious tiger does not eat its cubs.

How could Jia Zhangshi be so ruthless as to kill Jia Dongxu?

This is one.

This is two.

Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu.

Just now Jia Dongxu's two questions.

This showed Jia Dongxu's suspicion of Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai; if they really had something going on, it's highly likely they joined forces to kill Jia Dongxu.

Kill to silence.

An idiom surfaced deep in Shazhu's mind.

Yi Zhonghai!

Qin Huairu!

Thus, the act of secretly giving cornmeal noodles at midnight, actually giving white flour, has a logical explanation.

Jia Zhangshi would rather eat the steamed corn buns Shazhu sent, not eat the white flour buns from Yi Zhonghai, and even said the white flour buns were unclean; this also got explained, she knew the truth.

Knowing full well that helping Qin Huairu would give him a reputation of being involved with a widow and prevent him from marrying, Yi Zhonghai still consistently gave him ideological work, letting him start helping Qin Huairu; Shazhu also found the hidden secret behind it.

The truth is so terrifying.

Shazhu suddenly thought of Eldest Aunt, who died mysteriously in his previous life; the hypocrite's excuse was that she died of a sudden heart attack at midnight.

A person capable of killing even Jia Dongxu would find killing Eldest Aunt no difficulty.

Need to be on high alert against Yi Zhonghai.

Pull together twelve percent of spirit.

Who knows what tricks Yi Zhonghai has waiting for oneself.