Chapter 189

After saying goodbye to Zhonghai Yi, Qin Huairu returned to the Jia household, her mind brimming with thoughts.

Translation: After bidding farewell to Yi Zhonghai, Qin Huairu returned to the Jia Family with a heart full of thoughts.

Make sure to keep meaning. Use "Jia Family". Could also be "Jia household". Use "Jia Family". Keep single line.

Zhonghai Yi mentioned two feasible options.

Translation: Yi Zhonghai said there were two feasible methods.

One of them was a blood test.

Translation: One of them was a blood test.

He had someone help forge a fake blood test report.

Translation: He had someone help forge a blood test report.

That doctor, whom Qin Huairu also knew, was the one who performed the examination when Jia Zhangshi initially doubted Qin Huairu's virginity and had her checked.

Translation: That doctor, Qin Huairu also knew him; back when Jia Zhangshi didn't believe Qin Huairu was an unmarried young woman, she had dragged Qin Huairu for an examination, and it was this doctor who handled it.

It means "was the one who performed it," i. e., "was the one who conducted it."

Whether or not to find someone doesn't matter.

Translation: Whether or not to find someone doesn't matter.

Qin Huairu didn't care.

Translation: Qin Huairu didn't care.

Bangchui and Zhonghai Yi have no blood relation whatsoever.

Translation: Bangchui and Yi Zhonghai have no blood relation whatsoever.

Besides Qin Huairu, only Zhao Hongxia knew this secret; it was considered a mistake, yet unexpectedly it accidentally saved her own life.

Translation: Besides Qin Huairu, only Zhao Hongxia knew this secret; it was a mistake, but unexpectedly it ended up saving her own life by accident.

It was considered a mistake, but unexpectedly it accidentally saved her own life.

A relatively difficult matter.

Translation: The more difficult matter.

It is about how to persuade Jia Zhangshi to side with them.

Translation: How to persuade Jia Zhangshi to stand on their side.

Zhonghai Yi said.

Translation: Yi Zhonghai said.

At this critical juncture, we need to bring out Jia Zhangshi, the expert at causing a scene, because some situations can only be perfectly resolved by her making a fuss.

Translation: At such a critical juncture, we need to unleash Jia Zhangshi, this master of making a scene; some matters can only be perfectly resolved by her troublemaking.

The term should be translated as "expert at causing a scene".

However, figuring out how to get Jia Zhangshi to side with them without letting her know the truth makes things even more difficult.

Translation: However, making Jia Zhangshi stand with them without letting her know the truth makes things even more difficult.

The worry on her face.

Translation: The worry on her face.

It cannot be concealed.

Translation: Cannot be concealed.

Jia Zhangshi instantly noticed Qin Huairu's anxiety.

Translation: Jia Zhangshi instantly saw Qin Huairu's worry.

She let out a cold snort in her heart.

Translation: She snorted coldly in her heart.

A mouse's waist ache—a trivial matter.

Translation: A trifling matter, like a mouse's waist ache—just a tiny thing.

The idiom meaning "as trivial as a mouse's waist pain" means "a mouse's waist ache—a trivial matter."

With a thick skin, one can get anything.

Translation: With a thick enough skin, anything can be had.

"Huairu," Jia Zhangshi said, her voice turning grim and sorrowful, "Do you think I, an old woman, want to live like this? It's not that I have no choice—you're the sole breadwinner while our family of six, young and old, spends the money; in these tough times, if we don't act pitiful, how can we fill our stomachs? Compared to real benefits, face is worth nothing but a fart."

Translation: "Huairu." Jia Zhangshi shifted her tone, her voice becoming bleak and miserable, "You think I, an old woman, want to be like this? There's no choice—I'm the sole earner supporting six family members, big and small, in these times. If I don't act pitiful, how can we fill our stomachs? Compared to substance, face is just a fart."

Need to keep quotes exactly. Use quotation marks.

Qin Huairu saw that Jia Zhangshi had misunderstood her intention.

Translation: Qin Huairu saw that Jia Zhangshi had misunderstood her intention.

She didn't expose it.

Translation: She also didn't point it out.

She went along with Jia Zhangshi's line of reasoning and explained her point.

Translation: She went along with Jia Zhangshi's line of talk and reasoned.

That's the principle, but I still feel embarrassed; if it gets out, how will people look at us? In the future, how will Bangeng and the others find wives or get married?

Translation: "That's the principle, but I still feel embarrassed; if it gets out, how will I face people? How will Bangeng and the others ever marry in the future?"

She slapped her thigh.

Translation: She slapped her thigh.

A sudden realization appeared on her face.

Translation: On her face appeared a sudden realization she had just thought of.

Just now, Elder Yi came to me and said he wants to keep his distance from our Jia family from now on.

Translation: "Just now the eldest uncle found me and said he wants to keep distance from our Jia Family from now on."

Jia Zhangshi's heart turned cold.

Translation: Jia Zhangshi's heart turned cold.

The Jia family now lives by sucking the blood of Zhonghai Yi.

Translation: The Jia Family now lives by sucking Yi Zhonghai's blood.

If Zhonghai Yi truly kept his distance from the Jia family, they would only be able to improve their meals every few days with fine wheat flour and meat dishes, but without that, they would have to rely on the cornmeal steamed buns and sorghum millet porridge that Jia Zhangshi dislikes; these coarse grains would become regular fare on the Jia table, eating too much would make their throats hoarse and sometimes they couldn't even defecate, forcing them to work manually.

Translation: If Yi Zhonghai truly kept his distance from the Jia Family, every few days they would have to improve a meal with fine wheat flour and meat dishes, but that would be gone, replaced by the coarse sorghum millet porridge and cornmeal steamed buns that Jia Zhangshi always despised; these coarse grains would become regular fare on the Jia Family table, eating too much would make their throats hoarse and sometimes they couldn't even defecate, needing manual assistance.

The terms refer to fine wheat flour, meat dishes, cornmeal steamed buns, and sorghum millet porridge respectively.

Going from frugality to extravagance is easy.

Translation: Going from frugal to extravagant is easy.

Going from extravagance to frugality is hard.

Translation: Going from extravagant to frugal is hard.

A life of constant cornmeal steamed buns and sorghum millet is not the kind of life Jia Zhangshi wants.

Translation: A life of daily steamed buns and sorghum rice is not the kind of life Jia Zhangshi wants.

Let me say something unpleasant.

Translation: Let me say something unpleasant.

Thanks to Zhonghai Yi's support, the Jia family's living standard has risen sharply over the past few months; they now can eat white flour and meat dishes every three or four days, and even have extra money to buy cloth for new clothes.

Translation: Thanks to Yi Zhonghai's support, the Jia Family's living standard has risen straight up these past months; previously unattainable white flour and meat dishes are now enjoyed every three or four days, with leftover money to buy cloth and make new clothes.

Even Jia Zhangshi benefited—her underwear is now new, unlike other families where undergarments are patched, lice hide in the seams and can't escape; people would grind a bowl back and forth to crush them, the crackling sound of killing lice echoing like a hymn in their ears.

Translation: Even Jia Zhangshi benefited; her undergarments are all new, unlike other families where underwear and pants are patched, lice hide in the seams and can't get out, and the sound of smashing them with a bowl back and forth—crackling like a lice‑killing chorus—floats in people's ears like a hymn.

The onomatopoeic term should be rendered as "crackling".

Such a good life was something Jia Dongxu never experienced while alive.

Translation: Such a good life is something Jia Dongxu never had while alive.

The Jia family has essentially replaced the previous generation's blood‑sucking fool, Zhu, with Zhonghai Yi in this generation.

Translation: The Jia Family is essentially exchanging the previous generation's blood‑sucking burden, Shazhu, for this generation's Yi Zhonghai.

Jia Zhangshi's way of thinking differs from ordinary people's, and she also considers the interests of the Jia family.

Translation: Jia Zhangshi's way of thinking differs from ordinary people's, also considering the Jia Family's interests.

Before, they wouldn't let you help, but you insisted on helping; now they can't do without your help, yet you refuse to help.

Translation: Before, you wouldn't let me help, but you insisted on helping; now I can't do without your help, yet you refuse to help.

Zhonghai Yi.

Translation: Yi Zhonghai.

What do you want to do?

Translation: What do you want to do?

Jia Zhangshi sprang up from the bed and jumped to the ground.

Translation: Jia Zhangshi sprang up from the bed and jumped to the ground.

She prepared to go find Zhonghai Yi to get a clear answer.

Translation: Getting ready to go find Yi Zhonghai to ask for clarification.

On what grounds are you refusing to help?

Translation: On what grounds do you refuse to help?

Qin Huairu, who had been silently observing Jia Zhangshi's reaction, felt a surge of excitement; her little trick had worked, successfully stirring Jia Zhangshi's anger.

Translation: Qin Huairu, who had been silently observing Jia Zhangshi's reaction, felt a stir of excitement; her little trick had worked, successfully stirring Jia Zhangshi's anger.

She reached out her hand.

Translation: She reached out her hand.

She grabbed Jia Zhangshi's arm.

Translation: She grabbed Jia Zhangshi's arm.

Mom, don't go looking for Elder Yi; I asked him what was going on, but he was too embarrassed to tell me. Later I overheard someone spreading rumors that our Jia family is involved with Elder Yi.

Translation: "Mom, don't go look for the eldest uncle; I asked him what's going on, he was embarrassed to tell me, but later I overheard by chance that someone was spreading rumors about our Jia Family and the eldest uncle."

Jia Zhangshi's gaze.

Translation: Jia Zhangshi's gaze.

It fell on Qin Huairu like a knife.

Translation: It fell on Qin Huairu like a knife.

The rumor about the Jia family and Zhonghai Yi.

Translation: Rumors about the Jia Family and Yi Zhonghai.

Besides Qin Huairu and Zhonghai Yi, there was no other source for the rumor.

Translation: Besides Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai, there was no other source.

A widow.

Translation: A widow.

A childless person.

Translation: A childless person.

A perfect match made in heaven.

Translation: A natural perfect match.

What are you looking at me for? I didn't say this; people are spreading the rumor that you and Elder Yi are involved, claiming that Dongxu shouldn't call Elder Yi 'master' but 'father,' and that Bangeng, Xiao Dang, Huaihua, and Bangchui don't actually bear the Jia surname but the Yi surname—they are Elder Yi's true grandsons—and that only you and Elder Yi know the truth.

Translation: "What are you looking at me for? This isn't something I said; people are spreading rumors that you and the eldest uncle are involved, saying Dong Xu shouldn't call the eldest uncle 'master' but 'father', saying Bangeng, Xiao Dang, Huaihua, and Bangchui are not really Jia surname but actually Yi, being the eldest uncle's grandchildren, his own grandsons, and that only you and the eldest uncle know about this.

Need to keep quotes.

In order to help Bangeng and the others recognize their ancestors and return to their clan, you and Elder Yi privately devised a plan: by forming a sworn brotherhood, you successfully got them to call Zhonghai Yi 'grandfather.' Later you'll work to drop the 'dry' character so they simply call him 'grandfather,' and then change the Jia surname to Yi, making them Yi Gang, Yi Dang, Yi Huaihua, and Yi Bangchui.

Translation: "In order to let Bangeng and the others return to their ancestral roots, you and the eldest uncle privately discussed a plan, successfully making Bangeng and the others call Yi Zhonghai 'grandfather' through a sworn kinship arrangement; later we'll try to drop the 'dry' character so they just call him 'grandfather', and then change the Jia surname to Yi, becoming Yi Gang, Yi Dang, Yi Huaihua, Yi Bangchui."

The names should be rendered as Yi Gang, Yi Dang, Yi Huaihua, and Yi Bangchui.

Jia Zhangshi's brain

Buzzzz, it kept buzzing.

It went numb.

It also became sore.

I originally thought Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai had something going on.

In the end, the gossip landed on my own head.

Me and Yi Zhonghai.

How could those people spread all kinds of nonsense—could I possibly be related to Yi Zhonghai?

Jia Zhangshi couldn't make sense of it no matter how she thought.

She was a bit unable to understand.

"You don't believe it, I don't believe it either, but I can't stop those people spreading rumors with vivid details. They say my father-in-law was on night shift one day, Elder Father came to our house to borrow something, coincidentally Elder Mother went back to her parents' home, you kindly let Elder Father stay for a meal, and then it became the scene of you two setting fire to dry wood—i. e., an affair. They say someone saw Elder Father running out of our house in the middle of the night naked, and after calculating the dates, ten months later you gave birth to Dong Xu."

Qin Huairu grew more excited as she spoke.

Her emotions also grew more intense.

She inexplicably fell into an unprecedented excitement.

"You think that's it, but there's more: they say Elder Father outwardly is childless, but actually has a son, Jia Dongxu! That's why he securely sits on the fishing terrace. Why, among so many people, he doesn't take any as disciples, but specifically takes Jia Dongxu as his disciple, is because Elder Father knows Jia Dongxu is his son."

"They're talking nonsense."

Jia Zhangshi swore.

She became anxious.

I have remained chaste for Old Jia all these years.

It looks like I'm about to go into the coffin.

As a result, this rumor came up, saying I and Yi Zhonghai are fooling around, and he damn had Jia Dongxu—this is pure nonsense.

What surname does Jia Dongxu have—whose son is he?

Jia Zhangshi knows.

He is Old Jia's son, and has no relation to Yi Zhonghai whatsoever.

Those people aren't human.

They gave me, an old woman, this ordeal.

"Those people also say, if Jia Dongxu isn't Elder Father's son, why was Elder Father happier when Jia Dongxu married me than when his own son married a wife? On the matchmaking day, Elder Father sat in the main seat reserved for the groom's family, and gave a sewing machine. On the wedding day, he gave a radio. On the day I gave birth to Bangeng, seeing our sewing machine broken, he compensated Shazhu and bought a new one to send to our home. If he weren't a biological son, could he spend money on us so wholeheartedly?"

"That's Yi Zhonghai wanting Dongxu to help him support his old age and see him through to the end."

Jia Zhangshi cried.

She cried from the heart.

Qin Huairu handed a towel to Jia Zhangshi; after marrying into the Jia family for so many years, this was the first time she had seen Jia Zhangshi so flustered.

Her heart stirred.

She seemed to understand something.

"Mom, don't cry. I think I know why Elder Father wants to keep distance from our Jia family. Now people are spreading rumors that you and he have a child. At the factory, I don't understand anything, can't read blueprints, can't operate machinery, I've dragged down the team and workshop, and the coworkers are angry. It's Elder Father who's helping me bear it; if it weren't for his status as a Level 8 Technician, I would have been kicked out of the workshop long ago and assigned to clean toilets. Going on like this, I guess people will stop spreading rumors about you and Elder Father, and start spreading rumors about me, Qin Huairu, and Elder Father."

Having done all this groundwork.

Qin Huairu could finally speak the truth, half true and half false.

If it weren't for those previous false rumors.

Jia Zhangshi really dared to grab Qin Huairu's hair and slap her left and right with big slaps.

Because it concerned her decades-long chastity reputation, Jia Zhangshi was frightened into losing her composure.

"They say I, Qin Huairu, have a relationship with Elder Father; I'm a widow, Elder Father is childless, Elder Father deliberately stonewalls me, forcing me to comply, saying Huaihua and Bangeng are his bloodline—besides you, I'm angry too; in old age, having stirred up such a reputation, even clay figures would be angry, let alone Elder Father. Mom, tell me, are we still following your plan to have Elder Father help us open a Dayuan assembly? If I were Elder Father, I would surely use the Dayuan assembly to distance ourselves from the Jia family, unless we could prove the Jia family has no relation to Elder Father."

Jia Zhangshi didn't make a sound, not knowing whether she was considering it or had some other thought.

Qin Huairu also wisely didn't press.

Matters always have priorities.

We must not press step by step.

We should appropriately ease up.

This is the proper way.

……

The Yi family.

Yi Zhonghai sat silently on a stool, thinking about things.

A couple of many years.

At first glance, this hypocrite's conduct.

Elder Mother immediately knew Yi Zhonghai had something on his mind.

She sighed inwardly.

Some things.

She wisely chose not to ask.

Not speak.

Doesn't mean Elder Mother doesn't know the inside story.

Recently, Yi Zhonghai has completely changed, becoming a stranger even Elder Mother barely recognizes, his manner cold-blooded and heartless, causing Elder Mother to feel a slight worry.

Perhaps outsiders all think that Deaf Granny was arrested because Xu Damao reported her.

Elder Mother, who knows Yi Zhonghai's character well, realizes this is his doing, using Xu Damao's knife to kill Deaf Granny.

If it were someone else.

The eldest aunt might not be so full of feeling.

Who let that person be the deaf old lady?

The relationship between the two.

It cannot be explained clearly, and still cannot be made clear.

It has a hint of a love‑hate flavor.

It is because they dislike the deaf old lady's gluttony; for the sake of eating they do some improper things, but this is also where the eldest aunt and the deaf old lady are entangled.

So many years of care.

The eldest aunt truly treats the deaf old lady as a mother‑in‑law, and the deaf old lady's appearance fills the emptiness of the eldest aunt having no children.

This feeling is something Yi Zhonghai has never experienced.

Along with the deaf old lady being taken away, it seems as if the eldest aunt's spirit and all her spiritual reliance are taken away.

The whole person is declining, not knowing what to do.

The eldest aunt knows the consequence of ruining someone's marriage: the deaf old lady won't die but will at least lose a layer of skin.

This is one.

This is two.

The eldest aunt, who knows Yi Zhonghai's character well, is horrified to discover the reason Yi Zhonghai dares to recklessly use Xu Daming's hand to exterminate the deaf old lady.

Because he has already made thorough preparations.

Yi Zhonghai never fights a battle he is not sure of.

After the deaf old lady.

Who will it be next?

Is it me?

For the Jia family.

Can one really do anything?

No evidence.

Doesn't mean nothing happened.

The eldest aunt sees Yi Zhonghai's attitude toward the Jia family; before Jia Dongxu died, out of consideration for old age, he variously cared for Jia Dongxu; after Jia Dongxu died, Huaihua and Bangchui were born, and the eldest aunt clearly felt that Yi Zhonghai's concern for these two children far exceeded that for Jia Dongxu.

Really because of the posthumous child?

Impossible.

Among Bangeng, Xiao Dang, Huaihua, and Bangchui, Yi Zhonghai clearly looks down on the first two; why does this biased listening and believing situation arise!

The eldest aunt's gaze fell on the mirror.

Instantly a chilling terror arose.

Through the mirror's reflection, she saw Yi Zhonghai's pair of eyes, red like a beast's; at this moment, those eyes stared straight at her.

"Old Yi, are you worried about the old lady?"

The eldest aunt's words.

Plain but with a hint of concern.

She is using the deaf old lady to conceal her panic toward Yi Zhonghai.

"You say this old lady, every day she shouts about wanting meat but it's not enough, and she's even set her sights on Lou Xiaoe; outsiders don't know what she's thinking, but I couldn't not know—it's surely because she saw Lou Xiaoe's natal family is rich and wants to covet their property. Old Yi, when I speak of the old lady's affairs, we'd better be mentally prepared."

"You're right, this old lady—ah, you say, we've taken good care of her, and now she's done such a disgusting thing; I'm the senior elder of the courtyard, and also a Level 8 Technician at Yagangchang. Regarding the old lady's affairs, we must treat her fairly, wait for her to come back, I'll find time to talk to her—from now on, our two families will just be ordinary neighbors." Yi Zhonghai glanced at the eldest aunt and added, "It's not that we're heartless and refuse to care for her; it's that this old lady has done something wrong."

The eldest aunt felt the feeling of 'the rabbit dead, the dog cooked' coming over her.

Helpless.

Probably after a while, the dignified eldest aunt will likewise be ruthlessly swept out by Yi Zhonghai, just like the deaf old lady.

"Wouldn't this be bad? I'm mainly worried about you."

"She's already ruined Xu Daming and his wife's marriage, yet she won't let us draw a clear line with this bad old lady." Yi Zhonghai, in a moment of carelessness, let slip, "We'll have to wait until she comes back alive."

"Then as you say."

……

Xu Daming.

He sat dazed by the roadside.

In his hand.

He was gripping a report.

In his mind.

The doctor's words to him surfaced.

You have a very rare worm‑death disease; this disease doesn't do much harm to your body, but you'll never be able to become a father in your lifetime; if you're married, it's advised you adopt a child.

A faint bitter smile appeared on Xu Daming's face.

He vaguely recalls that back then, he and Shazhu together were up to no good, planning to force Yi Zhonghai to adopt a child, and he even went out on the street specifically to find a girl who had come to rely on relatives; he remembers that girl's name was Li Xiuzhi, but Yi Zhonghai didn't acknowledge the child, and he himself laughed wickedly.

Retribution!

It's because he himself did too many wicked deeds, causing him to never have his own child.

Xu Daming inexplicably thought of Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old lady; these two are famous childless households in the courtyard, spending their lives scheming for old age.

Once upon a time.

He also followed in their footsteps.

He became the new generation of childless households in the courtyard.

The old, middle, and young three generations are childless.

Just thinking about it feels exciting.

And there's Shazhu.

For Shazhu there is only endless envy; daughter-in-law Yu Li is a capable homemaker, a well‑known good daughter‑in‑law, now pregnant again, and in a few months the child will be born.

Glance at oneself.

Greedy for the Lou family's property, he married Lou Xiaoe, but ended up marrying an ancestor; sometimes when he comes back from watching a movie, he still has to tidy up the house and help cook.

Lou Xiaoe's parents look down on me, despising me for being a petty bourgeois.