Chapter 25

The Jia family women were, after a few insincere flattering words from Shazhu, left dazed and deceived; they didn't even look at the content, and signed hastily, pressing their handprints.

Seeing Jia Zhangshi mending this happiness-character pillow.

Having guessed the answer, Shazhu, after receiving the application form, pretended not to know and asked a question.

"Jia Dame, what are you doing with this?"

Jia Zhangshi gave Shazhu a white-eye, then took the opportunity to show off.

"A household without a mother just won't do—your father's the same, he ran off with a widow, so we can't stay in the Siheyuan; I'm trying to find a wife for you, Shazhu. Our Dong Xu is twenty-one, about to turn twenty-two. As this widow, I want to find him a wife; once he has a wife and children, I can face his father in the afterlife."

Only three words appeared in Shazhu's mind.

Qin Huairu!

Qin Huairu, who is two years older than Shazhu, is eighteen this year, and will be nineteen after the New Year.

A country girl.

Wants to marry a city person.

Heaven.

Surely the plot won't repeat itself, right?

Jia Dongxu's wife is still Qin Huairu.

Should we steal Qin Huairu?

Shazhu lowered his head and looked at his own hands.

Forget it.

I have two hands.

Whether it's Qin Huairu or not doesn't really matter.

How can we prevent Qin Huairu from marrying into the Siheyuan?

This is the key.

There are only two solutions to keep Qin Huairu from marrying into the Siheyuan.

Someone will marry Qin Huairu!

Jia Dongxu married someone else!

Anyone who marries Qin Huairu is fine.

Only Jia Dongxu cannot marry her.

Shazhu truly worries that if Qin Huairu marries into the Siheyuan, he himself will be unable to restrain his hatred and will kill Qin Huairu.

All the things from his past life, especially when Bangeng drove him out of the house and Qin Huairu showed that indifferent expression, truly gave Shazhu a feeling of defying heaven.

Think about it.

Thus the only viable path left is for Jia Dongxu to marry someone else.

Leaving the Jia Family.

Shazhu, his mind full of this thought, stared fixedly at the donkey-faced man walking in from outside the courtyard.

It's not that enemies don't meet.

Seeing Shazhu.

Xu Daming felt very angry in his heart.

Clearly Shazhu was the one hosting, yet the bill ended up being paid by himself, and he even had to beg Shazhu like a grandson, asking Shazhu to treat him to a meal.

It's all because of money.

Xu Daming saw Shazhu looking at him, and instead of thinking about this good thing, he only dwelled on the bad.

"Shazhu, you little brat, you're not planning to refuse to treat me to dinner tonight, are you? I'm telling you, Shazhu, you must treat me; how can you eat my treat and then not treat me back?"

The chitter-chatter called back Shazhu's soul that had flown to the ninth heaven.

Shazhu, with his soul returned to his body.

Looking at Xu Daming.

He smiled.

What was he thinking?

What did he come for?

"Xu Daming, if you keep spouting nonsense, do you believe I really won't treat you to a meal?"

Xu Daming instantly changed his expression to a smile.

"Can't I just keep quiet? Let's discuss anything after we've eaten."

"Give me a signature."

Xu Daming dubiously took the application form Shazhu handed over, and the expression on his face visibly burst with endless shock.

That's quite something.

Just because your father ran off with a widow, you, Shazhu, are supposed to cut ties with your father.

This is totally a white-eyed wolf, damn it.

His mouth slightly opened.

He was about to shout out.

Having already guessed what Xu Daming would say, Shazhu jumped in first: "Xu Daming, if you don't want to eat the treat tonight, just shout; anyway, yesterday's money was paid by you, Xu Daming, so I won't lose out."

Under the eaves, one has no choice but to bow one's head.

Money became Shazhu's magic weapon for controlling Xu Daming.

Xu Daming wrote his name neatly on it, then respectfully handed the application back to Shazhu.

"Shazhu, I've signed; please keep it safe."

Shazhu glanced, confirmed that Xu Damao wasn't up to any tricks, then put the application in his pocket, and then stared at Xu Damao's big donkey face and fell into deep thought.

Such a long face can't be an even longer donkey face.

In his previous life, he actually married Lou Xiaoe.

He took Lou Xiaoe's opening red.

Where can he go to reason?

Xu Damao, I went to the Jiēdào this morning, Director Wang told me that the Jiēdào has seen several girls, they're extremely beautiful, looking like fairies from a painting, but unfortunately we're too young to have reached the marriageable age.

Xu Damao frowned.

He's a bit puzzling.

Why did Shazhu suddenly bring up such a matter with him?

His gaze unintentionally flicked to the Jia Family behind Shazhu, and he faintly saw Jia Dongxu's cheek on the glass.

It seemed he understood Shazhu's intention in saying that.

Surely it was when Shazhu went to the Jia Family to sign, and the Jia Family gave him embarrassment, making Shazhu want to trip the Jia Family.

Last night while drinking, Shazhu apparently mentioned to Xu Damao in passing that those people all came from the Eight Great Alleys.

If the Jia Family were to take such a daughter-in-law.

It would become a laughingstock of the Siheyuan.

Shazhu, if you didn't bring this up, I wouldn't be angry, but as soon as you mention it, I'm filled with rage. I also went to the Jiēdào today and saw those girls, just as you said, like fairies from a painting. Director Wang told me that you, Xu Damao, are too young to have reached the marriageable standard; if you want a wife, wait a few more years.

The expression on Xu Damao's face.

It wasn't the kind of expression that indicates lying.

Combining Director Wang's remarks about inquiring into Xu Damao's age, one can speculate.

The donkey-faced man Xu Damao actually went to ask people.

If this bastard were old enough, he wouldn't need Director Wang to worry; he'd rush up on his own.

This isn't because the age hasn't been reached.

Only Jia Dongxu can be made to bear this thunder.

Xu Damao, what do you mean by wanting to go in?

How did I just go in, Shazhu? Explain clearly—I wouldn't throw myself in just for a few catties of white flour; I'm not that stupid.

Isn't there still edible oil?

Xu Damao sucked in a breath of cold air.

Shazhu's surprise for him is really fucking big.

All along.

Xu Damao had always regarded Shazhu as a simpleton, but after today's few sentences of conversation, he realized things were somewhat different from what he imagined.

Shazhu is terribly sneaky!

The white flour was something Xu Damao made up, a deliberate lure to entice the Jia Family members.

The purpose was just to trip up the Jia Family.

He wanted to tempt the Jia Family with those few catties of white flour to marry that person from the Eight Great Alleys.

Who let Jia Zhangshi these past few days keep showing off to Xu Damao and them, saying Jia Dongxu had entered the Yagangchang, making him a higher-class consumer of city grain compared to Xu Damao and them, and also saying that for Jia Dongxu to marry a wife, she Jia Zhangshi had only restrained her shrewishness a bit!

Xu Damao wanted to suppress the Jia Family's arrogant vigor.

Let Jia Dongxu marry someone from the Eight Great Alleys!

If the Siheyuan were to encounter a benefactor, the scene would be unimaginable.

Xu Damao thought he was bad enough.

Shazhu is even worse than him.

They even made up the edible oil.

Xu Damao didn't refute Shazhu's nonsense, instead going along with it and echoing, "Shazhu, how do you know there's still edible oil?"

Nonsense, if you can go, I can't.

Based on what we just said, let's look around to see who else wants to marry a wife, and we'll earn a little hard-earned money.