Chapter 177

Qin Huairu never would have thought.

Jia Zhangshi's way of handling things and methods were entirely not her own creation; she was plagiarizing Jia Dongxu's grandmother.

Some words.

Cannot be taken as true.

Just as Jia Zhangshi told Qin Huairu, I, for Dong Xu, have not remarried.

Bullshit.

It was Jia Dongxu's grandmother who deliberately created an impression that Jia Zhangshi was not a proper woman, causing Jia Zhangshi's reputation to suffer.

Jia Zhangshi employed this method on Qin Huairu.

"Mom, I."

What followed.

Qin Huairu ultimately did not say it.

Her mind in turmoil, she chose to evade.

She had considered various possibilities.

But she never thought that Jia Zhangshi would actually manipulate her, this widowed daughter-in-law, to seduce Yi Zhonghai across the way.

None of them are foolish.

Some implications amounted to being spelled out.

"Don't blame me for being harsh as a mother-in-law; some things we really have no choice about. Before Dong Xu was around, Yi Zhonghai might have looked favorably on our Jia Family out of respect for Dong Xu, but now that people have left and the tea has gone cold, Dong Xu is gone—how long this mentor‑student relationship can last, even I, this old woman, can't say. Our family is many, and you, a country girl who came here, took over a post midway and went to work at Yagangchang—you surely won't earn much."

Jia Zhangshi thought far ahead, her perspective on matters far surpassing Qin Huairu's.

Her age is what it is.

"In a few years, Bangeng and Stick Hammer will grow up, marry and need a house; Xiao Dang and Huaihua, when they grow up, will need dowries—all of that costs money, and it's up to you, a single woman, to manage it. So we must now, while you're young and have some capital, save as much as possible for our Jia Family. Yi Zhonghai and his wife are the last of their line; when they die, their estate will naturally become our Jia Family's. Bangeng will marry in our Jia Family's house, Stick Hammer will establish a household in Yi Zhonghai's big house, and I and you will live in the back wing of Long Laotaitai's house."

The tone changed.

She lavishly played the sympathy card.

"Why should we give other people's things to our Jia Family? Why should we hand everything over to our Jia Family? These people in the courtyard are no good; they begrudge others' happiness. That's why we must maintain the mentor‑student bond with Yi Zhonghai. I know this person, Yi Zhonghai, has always wanted a child of his own; the eldest aunt cannot bear children, but you can."

Qin Huairu covered her face with her hand and rushed out of the Jia residence.

Jia Zhangshi instinctively gave chase.

……

In the courtyard.

Several idle women were chatting and gossiping; when they saw Qin Huairu covering her face and running out of the Jia house, they mistakenly thought she had been beaten by Jia Zhangshi.

The leading Third Aunt immediately stepped in to stop Qin Huairu.

"Qin Huairu, what's wrong? Did your mother-in-law give you a hard time again?"

Several other background aunts.

They all spoke up.

They were doing their best to persuade Qin Huairu, urging her to empathize with Jia Zhangshi: you lost your husband, while Jia Zhangshi lost her son; your pain is losing a man, hers is the agony of an elderly parent burying a child.

Which is more serious?

It seems Jia Zhangshi's situation is a bit more serious.

Her only son died—how could she not be devastated?

"Third Aunt, my mother-in-law didn't give me a hard time; I just feel somewhat vexed."

Qin Huairu's hand.

It slid down from her cheek.

Her flawless cheek became evidence that Qin Huairu had not been mistreated by Jia Zhangshi.

Third Aunt and a group of unnamed background aunts instantly changed their tone, comforting Qin Huairu in various ways—telling her to look ahead, that better days lie ahead, to look forward, etc.

Following behind Qin Huairu, Jia Zhangshi, who had just rushed out the gate, flashed a hint of triumphant relief in her eyes as her scheme succeeded!

Qin Huairu.

She had it figured out.

At first, seeing Qin Huairu cover her face and rush out of the Jia house, Jia Zhangshi worried that Qin Huairu would tell the neighbors that she herself had been manipulated by Jia Zhangshi into seducing Yi Zhonghai and then plotting to seize his property.

A mother-in-law manipulating her daughter-in-law to do such a shameful thing.

Spread abroad.

The loss would be the Jia Family's.

Jia Zhangshi wouldn't fare well either; she had even worked out how to explain it, and would not hesitate to make her eat feces if necessary.

What matters most is staying inside the siheyuan.

But with Qin Huairu's explanation, "My mother-in-law didn't give me a hard time; I just feel somewhat vexed," Jia Zhangshi's worry vanished in an instant.

Not exposing Jia Zhangshi's tricks, and even showing a protective attitude, indicates that Qin Huairu does not want to break ties with Jia Zhangshi.

That said.

If Qin Huairu recklessly seized the opportunity to blow things up, Jia Zhangshi would surely give her a thumbs‑up—an excellent chance to break free from the Jia Family and stand on her own—but Qin Huairu just let it slip away.

The daughters-in-law had already pushed the plot into its second act; as a mother-in-law, Jia Zhangshi could not remain a bystander and had to step in and play a leading role herself.

"Ah!" A sigh escaped her lips, and at the same time a few drops of crocodile tears welled up in her eyes. Before the several aunts could react, Jia Zhangshi launched into a litany of complaints: "Dong Xu is dead; I urged Huairu to remarry while she's young, but this stubborn daughter-in-law—she says Bangeng is only eight, Xiao Dang six, Stick Hammer and Huaihua have just turned one month old, and this old woman of mine is a lazy good-for-nothing. If she leaves, the Jia Family will collapse. I said a few things to her, but she's not pleased; she's angry with me, and I don't know what to say anymore."

A tall hat.

Just like that, it was placed on Qin Huairu's head.

The perfect image of a good daughter-in-law who supports her mother-in-law and raises her children without remarrying instantly became clear in the minds of Third Aunt and the assorted background aunts.

The elderly women also, just as Jia Zhangshi had guessed, loudly praised Qin Huairu's glory as a widowed, filial daughter-in-law who supports her mother-in-law and raises her children.

Jia dama, why are you still angry? Qin Huairu marrying into your Jia family is a blessing your family cultivated; if I were you, I'd be secretly pleased.

Qin Huairu as a daughter-in-law is truly not bad; in our Siheyuan, the only one who can rival her in drama is Shazhu's wife Yu Li.

Our Siheyuan still benefits from Jia dama's good fortune; she got such a fine daughter-in-law as Qin Huairu. Jia dama, your understanding of Qin Huairu—she is also worried about you.

Precisely because Qin Huairu is good, I cannot let her suffer alongside our Jia family.

Jia Zhangshi, who holds Qin Huairu in high esteem.

Exactly like a fox that has lost its fur.

Once this good reputation gets out, even if Qin Huairu later wants to remarry, she must bring Jia Zhangshi and the Jia family's four children with her; otherwise she wouldn't be considered a good daughter-in-law.

Whoever marries Qin Huairu had better weigh things carefully.

……

Hou Yuan.

The deaf old lady returning from Yi Zhonghai's home suddenly felt an unprecedented fear, as if some fierce beast had fixed its gaze on her.

She thought back a moment.

Her whole body went limp like mud and she collapsed onto the bed.

She realized she seemed to have done something wrong; just now she shouldn't have used the club and Huaihua matter to threaten Yi Zhonghai.

That would backfire.

Besides failing to meet the deaf old lady's demands, it might also force Yi Zhonghai to make some mistaken decisions.

One is the master.

One is the disciple's wife.

Two people who originally should have had no interaction ended up interacting, and even bore fruit.

The aftermath of the incident.

Yi Zhonghai understands.

The deaf old lady understands even more.

Everyone says a cornered dog will jump over the wall.

If you really push Yi Zhonghai to that point, he is very likely to take desperate measures.

She only knows one thing has already formed, and there is no remedy left. From the moment the deaf old lady threatened Yi Zhonghai to get meat for herself, the alliance between Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old lady formed for old-age benefits quietly developed a rift; Yi Zhonghai will guard against the deaf old lady, just as the deaf old lady will guard against Yi Zhonghai, both scheming against each other with hidden motives.

Yagangchang eighth-level worker.

Siheyuan Head Steward.

With his dual identities, Yi Zhonghai carries more weight than the deaf old lady's so-called Dayuan ancestor.

Old in age.

This is the root.

This is also the final outcome.

The deaf old lady grew afraid; she raised her hand, wanting to give herself a big slap to properly teach that greedy, gluttonous mouth a lesson—if she were to lose her life over gluttony, it would truly be a laughingstock.

But her hand ultimately did not land on her face.

At the last moment.

She retreated.

This is one aspect.

On the other hand, the deaf old lady discovered that even if she slapped herself, it would have no effect whatsoever on easing the matter; Yi Zhonghai should still guard against her, should still scheme against her.

Rather than doing that.

It would be better to save oneself.

How to save oneself?

Looking around, the whole Dayuan is full of enemies; the more than a hundred people in the Siheyuan, upon seeing the deaf old lady, all address her as 'you' and speak earnestly of her as the Dayuan ancestor, the divine needle that stabilizes the sea.

Nonsense.

In their hearts they might be cursing the deaf old lady's eight generations of ancestors.

Forming an alliance with these people to save oneself—this idea the deaf old lady herself can't believe; she fears that if she speaks it out, the next moment people will have passed the words to Yi Zhonghai's ears.

After thinking it over.

I don't know why.

The deaf old lady unexpectedly thought of Xu Damai's wife Lou Xiaoe.

That girl, she furtively glanced at her several times; truly she is no less than a young lady from a wealthy family, in terms of culture, cultivation, quality, etc. —I don't know how many streets ahead of the Siheyuan neighbors she is.

What's even rarer.

Lou Xiaoe's father is a shareholder of Yagangchang; although he now only retains the right to dividends, after all he is a Yagangchang shareholder, and his contacts are all leaders.

Yi Zhonghai is just an eighth-level worker.

Can play a certain suppressive effect.

More importantly.

Lou Xiaoe's family lacks nothing; as long as Lou Xiaoe is won over, even without Yi Zhonghai, the deaf old lady can rely on Lou Xiaoe to live her later years without worry about food and clothing.

The only thing that's relatively difficult.

Is that Lou Xiaoe's husband is Xu Damai.

When Xu Damai is mentioned, the deaf old lady is full of anger, just like Shazhu; both are scoundrels of the Siheyuan. Other families, when they have something good, also make a show of giving her something, for fear of gaining a bad reputation.

Xu Damai, however, does the opposite.

When they make something delicious at home, they not only don't send any to the deaf old lady, but they deliberately open the windows to waft the indoor aroma into her room, making the deaf old lady, who is drinking cabbage soup and eating steamed corn buns, lose her appetite due to the tempting smell, so she can only go look for Yi Zhonghai.

The deaf old lady does not hope to turn conflict with Xu Damai into peace and friendship.

Xu Daming, like Shazhu, is a bastard who doesn't respect her, the ancestor of the big courtyard.

If we could set Lou Xiaoe up with another man, that would be even better.

This man must also stay in the Siheyuan.

Other siheyuan have their own big courtyard ancestors; if Long Laotaitai goes there, what gives you the right to boss her around?

Shazhu married Yu Li.

Without Shazhu, nothing happens.

They thought about it.

Long Laotaitai still feels that Shazhu is the perfect match for Lou Xiaoe; that Yu Li is no good, having married into the Siheyuan for so long yet never coming to pay her respects.

Shazhu has cooking skills; Lou Xiaoe has supplies.

If these two agreed to support me in my old age, why would I still be anxiously threatening Yi Zhonghai?

Whether there are dates or not, still strike three poles.

First, satisfy the craving.

Long Laotaitai saw Lou Xiaoe come out of the room and immediately let out a mournful sigh.

Ay yo!

Her body immediately lay down on the bed.

My old lady has fainted, yet you, Lou Xiaoe, won't even come in to see me? As long as you come in, I'll greet you kindly.

……

Yagangchang

Ershitang

Completely unaware that the back courtyard caught fire, Xu Daming, whose wife was being eyed by Long Laotaitai, was also picking fights with Shazhu for no reason.

"Shazhu, buddy, I advise you: don't gamble your future; it's no good for you. I've lived nearly thirty years, and this is the first time I've heard that tree leaves can be eaten. Eating tree leaves? That's for livestock; we're humans, not livestock. On my way here, I already heard people muttering, saying you, Shazhu, are feeding your coworkers like livestock."

Unfamiliar breeds contempt.

"Shazhu, you say who's unfamiliar and strange? Explain yourself clearly, or I won't let this go."

"Shamao, you're still not done with me? Don't you see what place this is? This is our Ershitang, it's He Yuzhu's turf."

Shazhu gave a shameless grin.

That proved the saying.

You learn from whoever you associate with.

After frequent contact with Xu Daming, Shazhu also learned his shameless, utterly base smirk.

"Believe it or not, with my command, my underlings will have you watching the show!"

"How could I not believe it?" Xu Daming said stubbornly, "Watch melons? Try watching one."

"Thus: Thus: Mahua, Fatty, brothers, grab Xu Daming for me!"

Accompanied by Shazhu's command.

The Ershitang crowd, who had long been ready and eager, all rushed at Xu Daming.

Two fists can't fight four hands.

A hero can't withstand many opponents.

Within a minute, Thus: Thus: Mahua and the others had pressed Xu Daming onto a specially cleared large table, making him look like a fat pig awaiting slaughter.

"Shazhu, we're brothers, but watch out—I'll go tell Yu Li."

"Precisely because we're brothers, I think of you first when there's something good."

Shazhu waved his hand.

Liu Lan charged out.

He headed straight for Xu Daming's vital point.

"Liu Lan, I'm a man, I'm not responsible."

"Pah, still want to be responsible for me? Dream on, you're talking nonsense!" As Liu Lan spoke, she shoved the leaves in her hand into Xu Daming's mouth.

Xu Daming mistakenly thought it was for him to watch the spectacle, not realizing they were feeding him leaves; he felt both pleased and annoyed, "Hey, watch the spectacle for me, you damn fool, feeding me leaves—this is what cattle and horses eat, I won't eat it."

A classic face‑slapping scene unfolded.

The Xu Daming who had just said he'd rather die than eat leaves suddenly felt a sour taste in his mouth, with a hint of oily residue.

He instinctively rolled the leaf with his tongue to his teeth and began chewing up and down.

The more he chewed,

the sourer the flavor became.

Sourer.

The more he found it flavorful.

There was none of the leaf's usual bitterness.

After chewing it to a pulp, the sensation of swallowing was even smoother than swallowing steamed corn buns.

"Shazhu, you really gave me leaves to eat?"

"Nonsense, don't believe me? Look." Liu Lan grabbed another three or four leaves, waved them in front of Xu Daming, and shoved them into his mouth.

As the leaves entered, that sour‑refreshing taste once again filled Xu Daming's mouth.

He chewed,

and swallowed.

After two mouthfuls, the compulsive feeling of hunger was greatly relieved.

Hearing is believing.

Seeing is believing.

After Thus: Thus: Mahua and them loosened themselves, Xu Daming personally grabbed a leaf, after confirming it repeatedly, placed it into his mouth, the sour and refreshing sensation once again wandered over Xu Daming's body up and down.