Chapter 264: Qin Huairu makes a move

Jia Zhangshi wore a gloomy expression.

Jia Zhangshi really didn't know how to express their feelings at the moment.

Speaking the truth.

Not believing.

Speaking falsely.

Also not believing.

Wanting to cause a scene, but then thinking of their own situation and the Jia family's predicament, they immediately dismissed the idea.

Jia Zhangshi had no savings of two thousand dollars.

The Jia family's reputation was also so bad.

In a few more years.

When Bangeng grows up, it's highly likely Bangeng won't be able to marry a working woman from the city.

Go to the countryside to look?

Jia Zhangshi also worried that Bangeng would follow in the footsteps of their father Jia Dongxu, marrying a woman who disregards wifely virtues and specifically gives the Jia family a green hat.

Eagerly looking at the villagers before them, trying as much as possible to feign pity on their face.

Actually, it's not feigned.

But truly pitiful.

One thousand five hundred dollars, not one point five dollars.

How much pork can this damn buy?

"Second Elder, First Elder, look at Jia Zhangshi's attitude—it's obvious they think they've got Huaihua figured out. When the eldest aunt left that day, the Jiēdào assigned us the task of watching over the Jia family and looking after Huaihua's upkeep, and we gave our guarantee by patting our chests. If we fail the task, we lose face; if it really doesn't work out, let's go to the Jiēdào."

"What Jiēdào to go to? \" Xu Daming gave a sentence, not minding making a big deal, saying: \"According to me, directly go to the public security bureau, let the public security bureau handle this matter. \""

Jia Zhangshi almost couldn't catch their breath and fainted outright.

What does the public security bureau do?

Specifically to catch bad people.

If the public security bureau really came, Jia Zhangshi figured that in just a few words they would expose their own affair of hiring a ghost‑catching expert to catch ghosts and then being cheated.

This is currently expressly forbidden.

Once enforced.

Jia Zhangshi would surely come to no good end.

Jia Zhangshi became anxious.

Jia Zhangshi, who did not want the public security bureau to intervene.

Had a hint of desperation, like a sick person grasping at any cure.

They proposed the solution of searching the residence and searching the person.

"Don't go to the public security bureau, don't go to the Jiēdào either—the money is really lost; if worse comes to worst, you can search, search the house as much as you like, and if you find it, I'll kowtow to you."

The villagers did not agree.

Mainly because Jia Zhangshi was too abnormal.

Jia Zhangshi, who would scold all day in the courtyard over losing a bowl of steamed bun, kept saying they had lost one thousand five hundred dollars and wouldn't let the villagers help look for the Jiēdào or report to the public security bureau—what else could this be if not a guilty conscience?

They inexplicably believed eighty percent of what Yan Fugui said, finding his words reasonable; Jia Zhangshi was using the pretense of lost money to scheme for wealth, and a hint of contempt flashed in their eyes.

"If you, Jia Zhangshi, hid the money elsewhere, we'd surely not find it; better to go to the public security bureau, the Jiēdào also needs to send people—one thousand five hundred dollars is no small sum."

"Guangtian, Guangfu, you two go to the police station, let your two brothers go to the Jiēdào; if someone is on duty, just say that something big happened in our courtyard—Jia Zhangshi embezzled the one thousand five hundred dollars that Yi Zhonghai gave for Huaihua's upkeep."

Liu Haizhong acted in the capacity of Head Steward.

Made specific arrangements.

There was no matter of Jia Zhangshi embezzling money.

The Siheyuan might still provide a refuge for the Jia family.

Embezzled one thousand five hundred.

Dog's courage reaches the heavens.

The Siheyuan's days are about to change.

The Jia family members might well be fired from the Yagangchang.

This house also became vacant.

Many villagers in the courtyard needed housing for marriage, marrying off daughters, and having sons; previously they had shunned the haunted house, but the Jia family moved in and lived there for several days, seemingly with no problems.

Thus.

Inside the Siheyuan, this amounted to three vacant rooms.

They couldn't profit from Huaihua's upkeep fees, but the solid house before them might possibly be rented by them.

This concerned their own interests.

Naturally they should unite.

"Jia Zhangshi, you want to embezzle any money."

"When the public security bureau comes, the Jiēdào comes, let's see what you, Jia Zhangshi, will do."

"Searching the person—who knows what kind of person you, Jia Zhangshi, are; you might collapse after a touch, or we could wait for the public security bureau and the Jiēdào to come. The Capital City is so big—who knows where you've hidden the money—and still you let us search? This is like trying to hide silver but only revealing its absence."

Amid the villagers' accusations.

Qin Huairu strode forward and stepped in front of everyone.

Did not speak.

Knelt down directly.

"Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, neighbors, I, Qin Huairu, kowtow to you. This matter is my mother-in-law's fault; she shouldn't have been greedy for Huaihua's support fees. We've already talked about it. I, Qin Huairu, assure you—I assure you this won't happen again. If it does, you can blame me, blame me, this daughter-in-law of mine is incapable, can't let my mother-in-law eat well, dress well, live well, so she made this joke with the neighbors."

"Jia Zhangshi looked utterly bewildered."

"I never expected Qin Huairu to stage such a 'kick-while-down' drama for herself."

"That's what was said."

"Can't deny it anymore."

"\"Mom, what are you still looking at? You should show your attitude to the neighbors—basically, lower your head and admit your mistake. Given the nature of Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, and the neighbors, they definitely won't hold it against us ordinary folk, but from now on you can't keep causing such a scene; if it gets out, how will people see our Jia Family? How will Bangeng and them face others? If you can't let go of your pride, I, as your daughter-in-law, will apologize for you. Neighbors, sorry about that—it's all my mother-in-law's fault. \""

"Yan Fugui glanced at Jia Zhangshi, who looked deathly pale."

"They felt happy inside."

"But they also felt fearful."

"The happy thing was that Qin Huairu was scheming to ruin Jia Zhangshi."

"The meaning of these words, both overt and covert, was simply that Jia Zhangshi was pretending to lose money; no matter the outcome, her reputation will only get worse."

"Qin Huairu, however, earned the beautiful reputation of a filial daughter-in-law."

"He could fully imagine what fate awaited Jia Zhangshi."

"Being discarded."

"In other words."

"Qin Huairu, long suppressed by Jia Zhangshi in the Jia Family, will swap her birdgun for a cannon and instantly become the true head of the Jia Family."

"Qin Huairu only needs to cite Jia Zhangshi's reputation for greedily coveting Huaihua's support fees and not wanting Huaihua to be better off, and demand that the Street Office send Jia Zhangshi back to her rural hometown."

"The Street Office will surely be happy to agree."

"Yan Fugui also knew the neighbors' nature in the courtyard; they all had the potential to be little loudspeakers, and tonight's matter will be spread by them far and wide by tomorrow."

"Jia Zhangshi will be charged with the crime of harming the nation's future blossoms."

"Qin Huairu will also make a big fuss about this matter."

"Because Jia Zhangshi's usual all-purpose moral blackmail tactics are useless against Qin Huairu's ultimate move."

"The neighbors won't side with Jia Zhangshi."

"Just as Yan Fugui thought."

"Costing lives."

"That's a huge matter."

"Even if Huaihua is unharmed, Jia Zhangshi has now harbored greedy thoughts; no one can guarantee she won't do something even more outrageous afterward."

"This is what makes Yan Fugui happy."

"The fear still comes from Qin Huairu."

"\"Kneeling before them, ostensibly pleading for Jia Zhangshi, but actually scheming to crush her money‑grabbing ways. \""

"Can be considered a scheming person."

"\"Such a person, if she were to resolutely marry into the Yan Family, would very likely be schemed against by Qin Huairu, according to Yan Jiecheng's thinking. \""

"Jia Zhangshi's value suddenly came to light."

"These past two years."

"\"The reason she remains unmarried largely lies with Jia Zhangshi, who, like a miser, has clung to Qin Huairu, sparing no effort to smear her reputation and artificially create obstacles to her remarriage. \""

"\"Qin Huairu, is this really your mother‑in‑law's idea alone? I feel like you two are playing good cop and bad cop. \""