Chapter 233

Yi Zhonghai was counting the days.

Starting from today.

He had three days left.

Excluding the day of departure, that left only two days available.

Not wanting to leave with regret, he wished to, before departing, embrace Huaihua and hear her call him "father" once—only then could Yi Zhonghai depart without lingering attachments.

As someone about to leave imminently.

Yi Zhonghai still enjoyed many privileges.

First, he did not need to work.

Second, he did not need moral or ideological improvement—after all, he was a man about to die; what use was refining morality now? It was utterly useless.

He had the right to meet his relatives twice.

The first meeting was used for his meeting with Eldest Aunt.

According to the terms agreed upon earlier with Eldest Aunt, today was the appointed time for Eldest Aunt to come with Huaihua, or possibly also with Qin Huairu, to see him.

From morning onward, he had been hoping, then hoping into the afternoon, then hoping into the evening, then hoping into the next day, then hoping into the third day.

Eldest Aunt did not appear, and Huaihua, whom Yi Zhonghai had long awaited, also did not appear.

Until the third day.

That is, the day Yi Zhonghai was to depart.

Eldest Aunt finally arrived, late and deliberate.

Looking at the solitary Eldest Aunt.

A trace of painful expression appeared on Yi Zhonghai's face.

His dying wish might not be fulfilled; otherwise, at this moment Eldest Aunt would either be holding Huaihua or have Qin Huairu following behind her.

Neither was the case.

Naturally, it was because they did not come.

"They!"

After uttering that word, Yi Zhonghai did not know what to say next—his myriad words seemed to have been suddenly snatched from his mind.

His mind went completely blank.

He remembered nothing.

He knew nothing.

The only thing left in his memory was endless regret.

He had imagined himself dying with unresolved regrets, and had imagined the pain of such a death, but he had not expected that when the moment arrived, this pain would leave him unable to let go.

His fist clenched unnaturally.

Perhaps only this.

Could he ease the pain in his body.

How ironic that people misinterpreted his actions—comrades saw Yi Zhonghai's body restrained by binding objects, yet he remained dishonest, appearing as if he wanted to clench his fist and strike someone.

This would not do.

Thus.

They acted.

Yi Zhonghai's front binding state was altered into a rear binding posture; additionally, an iron binding was added early to his feet, or perhaps they feared he might bite his tongue to commit suicide, or shout some heinous vulgarities that would ruin certain people's futures—a delicate walnut was used to tightly block his mouth.

Now.

Yi Zhonghai could only listen.

But could not speak.

He struggled.

As if wanting to tear Eldest Aunt apart.

After the comrade left the reception room, Eldest Aunt gazed at Yi Zhonghai, firmly fixed to the chair, and finally a hint of smile appeared on her face.

She smiled with great joy.

It gave one the feeling of a spring breeze filling the face, as if this scene before her eyes was the beautiful vista she had long anticipated, her body and mind having undergone a qualitative elevation.

Unfortunately.

The person before her was Yi Zhonghai, a man who had suddenly seen through Eldest Aunt's tricks and had shared her bed and pillow for many years.

His body could not move.

Only his eyes could move.

His gaze, malicious, fixed on Eldest Aunt across the iron railing, like looking at a dying prey.

This was Yi Zhonghai's only means of expressing his anger—though his eyes could not kill, even if your gaze is vicious and full of curses, it remains ineffective, and instead makes one appear like a helpless dog barking in vain.

Eldest Aunt was very pleased with Yi Zhonghai's expression at this moment.

In her heart, the more Yi Zhonghai appeared frenzied, the more he seemed to want to devour her alive, the greater her revenge against Yi Zhonghai.

She lowered her voice.

Using a tone of calm composure.

Word by word, she fiercely probed Yi Zhonghai's heart.

"Yi Zhonghai, are you wanting to say that I did not convey your request to Qin Huairu? Congratulations, you guessed correctly—no wonder you are the Level 8 Technician at Yagangchang and the Head Steward of the Siheyuan; this mind is sharp—I said nothing, yet you already guessed the answer, not a single word wrong. Your request, I did not utter a single word to Qin Huairu, so Qin Huairu does not know your wish to see Huaihua, and thus you naturally cannot see the one you have long yearned for."

Yi Zhonghai struggled once more with his body.

Flesh and blood could not match steel—he not only failed to break free, but also caused his body to suffer some superficial injury.

Eldest Aunt shook her head, her eyes full of disdain.

"Why are you doing this to yourself? How can you think like this? It's not like you haven't seen your Jia family niece, is it worth getting so furious over?"

This doesn't sound like comfort.

On the contrary, it sounds like provocation.

Auntie Yi is indeed provoking Yi Zhonghai.

"If I were you, I would certainly sit there honestly and not move, because I know that even if you moved, it would be in vain."

Yi Zhonghai's vicious gaze swept back and forth over Auntie Yi.

"Ay, you little feeder, this gaze—do you want to kill me with your eyes? I guess you definitely want to kill me with your eyes, but I'm still fine so far."

Auntie Yi's tone.

Became heavier.

"Yi Zhonghai, you don't want to die like this yourself, you want to fulfill your wish and leave, letting Huaihua come see you. Don't think I don't know what you're planning—you just want Huaihua to call you 'dad,' and you want to leave with the joy of being called 'dad' by your niece. I haven't told Qin Huairu, I said you're doing quite well in there."

As if suddenly remembering something.

A face full of teasing.

"Qin Huairu did mention to me once, saying you are ultimately Huaihua's father, and as her father, you're about to leave, so Huaihua should come see you no matter what. If conditions allow, you can even hug Huaihua. I have to say, you two lovebirds are a perfect match, utterly shameless."

Yi Zhonghai's heavy breathing echoed in the room.

His heart rose to his throat.

"Since you think glaring won't kill me, now you're trying to anger me with your snorts—again disappointing me. I'm fine, I have nothing wrong with me. What did I just say? I said Qin Huairu, Qin Huairu wants to hold Huaihua to come see you. I told her, Yi Zhonghai is my man, she is the Jia family's daughter-in-law—on what grounds does she come see you? What qualifications does she have to come see you?"

Her tone turned gritty with hatred.

The hatred toward Yi Zhonghai.

Was completely mixed into these words.

"Yi Zhonghai, I just want you to die with unresolved resentment. Do you know why I'm saying these things to you now? Because you can't refute me—you can only listen."

The voice lowered again.

His head also stretched toward the iron railing.

"The deaf old lady was my doing—she deserved to die. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have lost my son, and I wouldn't have ended up in this situation. I hate her, but I hate you more. We clearly agreed to walk the path of extinction together, and you even wrote me a pledge, but you pulled a lantern-in-the-dark trick—truly a clever scheme, the apprentice's wife. I have to admit, I'm impressed by you."

Auntie Yi's peripheral vision kept scanning the surroundings.

She didn't want to capsize in the gutter and become Yi Zhonghai's second.

"After killing the deaf old lady, I still thought about making you take the blame, but I didn't expect Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu to inadvertently help me—one smashed a pillar in public, the other changed her story publicly. From that moment on, I knew you couldn't survive, Yi Zhonghai. Blame me? No, blame yourself—you're too scheming, and in the end, you schemed yourself into this situation. You look down on Liu Haizhong, saying he lacks ambition, saying his descendants won't be filial."

Auntie Yi's self-mocking tone, mocking Yi Zhonghai.

"You yourself are an extinct line, with no children—where do you get the nerve to say a man with three sons is unfilial in the future? Even if unfilial, they're still better than you, they have sons and grandsons, you have nothing—only Huaihua, and she only counts when she grows up."

Is Liu Haizhong's merit just having sons?

Is Yi Zhonghai's flaw just having no children?

"You say Yan Fugui is stingy and scheming, wasting affection on scheming, yet you've schemed away your own life. And there's Zhuzi—after He Daqing left, you started scheming against Zhuzi, but you didn't expect Zhuzi to see through your scheming. He lives his own good life now, while you have nothing—you once had reputation, but now it's ruined."

After saying such a long passage.

Auntie Yi seemed to have vented her inner depression completely.

The person became noticeably more relaxed.

The voice, for some unknown reason.

Suddenly rose.

"Yi Zhonghai, what you've done is simply beyond description—this idiom I learned from asking Yan Fugui. You also have no face to enter your family's ancestral grave. After your death, I'll scatter your ashes randomly in some corner, because you owe everyone. Moreover, after your death, I will publicly make a confession report in front of the neighbors, and the Yagangchang factory will also hold one. You care most about reputation—I will surely speak of your repentance down to the bone for everyone to hear."

Yi Zhonghai cares about face.

This heart-killing killing method, which took Yi Zhonghai's life and left him with eternal infamy, cannot be called anything but ruthless.

Yi Zhonghai has lost his temper.

Whether it's from lack of strength or facing reality.

No longer struggling.

The curse toward Auntie Yi is also gone from his eyes.

Replaced by a faint pleading.

Auntie Yi's heart.

Is aching.

Yi Zhonghai's pleading—she, as his daughter-in-law, how could she not know?

At death's door, he still worries about Huaihua, still pines for Qin Huairu, fears Qin Huairu and her mother will be bullied by Jia Zhangshi, begging Auntie Yi, for the sake of their many years as husband and wife, to help them when necessary, to help Qin Huairu, to help Huaihua, so Huaihua won't be bullied by Jia Zhangshi and Bangeng and them.

After all, they are all surnamed Jia.

Huaihua is surnamed Yi.

"Yi Zhonghai, I will not agree to your request."

The trick was seen through.

Seeing Auntie Yi ignore his plea.

Yi Zhonghai's bitter expression turned ferocious again.

"Do you still have any way now? Do you still want to threaten me? Too late—everything is too late. Do you know why I came at this time? Just to see you helpless before me. I tell you, Yi Zhonghai, after your death, I will make a public confession before the Siheyuan residents and Yagangchang workers, then return to my hometown. Guess whether I'll take Huaihua with me when I leave, guess whether the neighbors agree or disagree with me adopting Huaihua, guess whether I raise Huaihua—will Huaihua be happy?"

Auntie Yi began using Huaihua as a metaphor.

To provoke Yi Zhonghai.

"Or perhaps Qin Huairu accidentally pulled Huaihua's blanket away while sleeping at night—do you think she won't turn into a simpleton? If she really becomes a simpleton, your Yi family's face will be completely lost—whose silly daughter, Yi Zhonghai's silly daughter—at that time, can your coffin lid even cover it?"

The expression on Yi Zhonghai's face is contradictory.

That tragic feeling of wanting to be fierce toward Auntie Yi but having to hold back something.

Let the eldest aunt feel a bit more at ease.

Her body felt utterly comfortable.

Every pore on her body was radiating joy.

"The secret you told me—I left the clues for Zhuzi."

In Yi Zhonghai's eyes.

A flicker of expression with unclear meaning passed through.

"As neighbors in the siheyuan, I feel I should tell you this: Zhuzi has a son now, and He Li gave birth to a boy named Weiguo, He Weiguo, nicknamed Shitou."

The eldest aunt suddenly fell into deep thought.

She began to mutter to herself.

"Weiguo, defending the nation—if the child were still alive, he would bear this name, Yi Weiguo, nicknamed Shitou, Yi Shitou, healthy and free from illness or disaster, as solid as a stone, with nothing left, all because of that damned deaf old lady—she took everything away. Yi Zhonghai, I ask you: do you regret it? Do you regret listening to the deaf old lady's words, causing your own son to bring about his own demise? In the next life, we shall never meet again."

Yi Zhonghai's mind.

Went numb.

He had only one thought.

You listened to the deaf old lady's words, causing your own son to bring about his own demise—do you regret it?

We ask ourselves.

Do we truly not regret it?

Tears welled up and streamed down Yi Zhonghai's cheeks.

Perhaps it was because death was near, or perhaps the eldest aunt's words had awakened Yi Zhonghai; in the instant when comrades led him away, Yi Zhonghai turned his body, his knees buckled, and he knelt before the eldest aunt, bowing three times with loud thuds.

The eldest aunt did not dodge; she watched Yi Zhonghai bow his head in apology before her, saw him depart, until the wailing alarm sounded.

Only then did she let out a long sigh.

"Ah!"

Awakening, awakening, awakened—yet also mistaken, regret comes too late.

Several hours later.

The eldest aunt left a certain place.

Unlike when she arrived.

In her hand was an extra small cloth bag, containing some powder resembling flour.

As she neared the siheyuan.

The eldest aunt entered the toilet carrying the cloth bag.

When she emerged, the cloth bag in her hand had vanished without a trace.

At the same time.

In the toilet's pit, the very cloth bag the eldest aunt had been carrying now lay mingled with feces.

This is Yi Zhonghai's final resting place.

The eldest aunt kept her word—she left Yi Zhonghai in the dung pit.

Yi Zhonghai, who murdered Jia Dongxu, seized Qin Huairu, and committed such vile acts, fulfilled that saying: infamous for ten thousand years. If he did not remain in the dung pit, how could he truly achieve being accompanied by stench?

After this incident.

The eldest aunt also mysteriously disappeared.

Until three days later.

The Yegang chang baowei ke arrived with personnel to clear and seal off the houses.

Only then did the neighbors in the compound regain their senses.

Unbeknownst to them.

The siheyuan inexplicably lost two households.

The deaf old lady in the rear courtyard.

Yi Zhonghai in the central courtyard.

Consequently, it also meant two additional rooms became available—unlike the deaf old lady's room in the rear courtyard or Yi Zhonghai's room, the neighbors eyed them eagerly.

The central room in the middle courtyard, with good lighting on one hand, also had a small annex beside it.

Tidied up.

Could serve as two rooms.

Yan Fugui's three sons: the eldest had passed marriageable age, the second had reached the age for matchmaking.

Previously, they had plotted to drive the Jia family to the deaf old lady's rear courtyard, so the Yan family could occupy the Jia family's house.

Now that they had the Yi family's house, naturally they no longer needed to scheme against the Jia family.

Yan Fugui eagerly expressed his identity to the Security Section: a teacher at the Yegang chang affiliated primary school, and also a worker at the Yegang chang.

Liu Haizhong was Yan Fugui's strong rival.

The officialdom-obsessed plotted to seize the Yi family's house—not for Liu Guangtian, but for the eldest son, Liu Guangqi.

In the officialdom-obsessed's mind, the eldest son had moved out with his wife to live elsewhere, never returning to the siheyuan year-round, never seeing them as a couple, because there were no extra rooms in the compound, and the eldest son did not live with them in the same siheyuan.

If Liu Haizhong could secure the Yi family's house through lease, he too would have both sons and daughters, no longer desperately hoping his eldest son would bring his wife and child back to the siheyuan to visit him.