Chapter 266: Bangeng, you hold the thunder for grandma

Everyone was chatting aimlessly.

Chatting wasn't the point.

Everyone wanted to see if Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu would return.

One thousand five hundred.

It's not a small amount.

Really lost?

Fake lost?

The Jia family must give a concrete explanation.

A crowd of people crowded into the central courtyard, chatting from nine to ten, still enthusiastic and not wanting to go back to sleep.

Don't know who.

Suspicion fell on Bangeng.

"Is it possible that Jia Zhangshi's money was indeed lost, but not as she said—lost on the way to the bank—but lost inside the house? Think about Qin Huairu's several children, the eldest one."

The Jia family has five members.

Jia Zhangshi, Qin Huairu, Bangeng, Xiao Dang, Huaihua.

Only Bangeng made a name for himself as the Thief Saint.

The neighbors in the courtyard also suffered greatly from Bangeng's mischief: the cabbages of someone in the front courtyard, the potatoes of someone in the central courtyard, the sweet potatoes of someone in the rear courtyard—all fell victim to Bangeng's wicked hands; even the households of Yan Fugui and Liu Haizhong were not spared, and it's said that someone saw Bangeng self-taught lock-picking skills.

The money might have ended up in Bangeng's hands.

The sound of sucking in cold breath kept flying out of the neighbors' mouths.

Stealing a five-mao coin, the neighbors thought it was already a big deal.

Stealing one thousand five hundred.

This would surely cause a huge uproar.

"You mean Bangeng?" Yan Fugui frowned. "Impossible, this isn't a small sum; Bangeng shouldn't have that much nerve."

"San Daye, you know you're a teacher, but you also know Bangeng's character—the Jia family's traditions have utterly deteriorated; isn't Bangeng just what Jia Zhangshi taught? If it were our family, if a child stole something, even half a steamed bun, I'd hit him with a feather duster until he dared not reach out again. Jia Zhangshi not only doesn't care, she even indulges him; Qin Huairu also ignores him, so the child's courage has grown, and there's nothing he wouldn't dare do."

"The more he steals, the less anyone cares; with the family indulging him, his nerve grows day by day. Jia Zhangshi is unfit to be a grandmother, Qin Huairu unfit to be a mother—this Bangeng kid is ruined."

"So you all think Bangeng stole the money?"

"Besides Bangeng, is there anyone else? Just now I secretly glanced at Jia Zhangshi—her expression really doesn't look like the money wasn't lost."

"I also think Jia Zhangshi isn't pretending."

"You say that, and I suddenly recall something: today I went to the supply and marketing cooperative to get soy sauce—guess what I saw?"

"Bangeng?"

"It was Bangeng—he was holding a string of candied haws in his hand and eating a piece of sesame candy in his mouth; at the time it seemed odd, but now thinking about it, where did he get the money for that sesame candy? Wasn't it stolen?"

"If Bangeng stole the money, guess where he hid it?"

Everyone instantly became interested, greed visible on their faces.

Shazhu saw clearly, some people even had drool at the corners of their mouths.

Indeed, that makes sense.

One thousand five.

If it really fell into their hands, not eating or drinking for several years would be enough; even Shazhu felt tempted.

"Could it be hidden at home?"

"Possible, but I think other places are more likely."

"That's wrong; the most dangerous place is often the safest. Stealing from the Jia family and then putting it back in the Jia family is also possible—this Bangeng kid isn't stupid."

"Let's stop chatting, I'm going home to sleep."

"We all have to work tomorrow, let's disperse."

The crowd dispersed one by one.

No one noticed that in the dark corner where the central and front courtyards meet, two people stood— the plumper one was Jia Zhangshi, the slimmer one Qin Huairu.

The two had just returned from the police station, walked into the central courtyard, heard the neighbors' heated discussion, and wanted to see how the neighbors viewed the matter, so they hid, worried about being discovered, and both crouched down.

Jia Zhangshi is also a tough person.

Knowing that telling the truth would lead to a bad outcome.

She gritted her teeth and held on to the end.

From beginning to end she stuck to one story: the money was lost; she lost it because she thought keeping money at home was unsafe, wanted to deposit it in the bank, and it disappeared on the way.

Qin Huairu also didn't have the initial scheming in her heart; outsiders might not understand the inner situation, but as Jia Zhangshi's daughter-in-law, she seemed to have learned some of the inner truth.

This money might really have been lost.

If it weren't for the presence of outsiders nearby, Qin Huairu really wanted to give Jia Zhangshi a few slaps.

Better not.

She was just looking for trouble.

One thousand five hundred—several years of Qin Huairu's wages, thrown away by Jia Zhangshi.

The money was lost.

How come you didn't lose your brain?

Without this one thousand five hundred, how would the Jia family make a living?

Is it Qin Huairu?

I earn money, you're losing it.

Thinking of it is beautiful.

Along the way.

Qin Huairu kept a sour face, ignoring Jia Zhangshi's inquiries.

Such an attitude.

This attitude made Jia Zhangshi fearful; Qin Huairu is the Jia family's mainstay—if she really decides to break away from the Jia family, who will feed Bangeng? Who will feed Xiao Dang?

More importantly, who will support Jia Zhangshi herself? How can Jia Zhangshi keep enjoying food and avoiding work?

In the Jia family, Qin Huairu has disgraced the Jia family and given Jia Dongxu a green hat, yet she lets Jia Zhangshi have no worries and eat every day.

Such treatment befitting an old Buddha is hard to find even with a lantern.

The Jia family cannot do without Qin Huairu.

As Jia Zhangshi pondered countermeasures, hesitating whether to kneel before Qin Huairu, the neighbors' words flew into her ears word for word, and she also heard their suspicion that Bangeng had stolen money; she instantly had an idea.

Bangeng has a habit of petty theft, and the neighbors also call him the Thief Saint.

Stealing cabbage is theft, stealing money is theft, stealing a penny is theft, stealing 1,500 is also theft.

Basically the same meaning.

Preparing to let Bangeng take the blame.

Bangeng is the Jia family's eldest grandson; having him take the blame is better than Qin Huairu leaving the Jia family and causing the family's ruin.

Even a vicious tiger does not eat its own cubs.

No matter what, Qin Huairu is Bangeng's mother, and Bangeng calls her Mom.

Moreover, there is someone who can testify—the person who saw Bangeng buying candied haws is the witness to Bangeng's theft.

Jia Zhangshi also isn't afraid of Bangeng acquiring a bad reputation.

What does a ten-year-old child know?

This is the excuse Jia Zhangshi has found for Bangeng to get off the hook.

Jia Zhangshi has had her shining moment.

No longer the humbleness from just now.

She muttered softly to Qin Huairu.

"You really have raised a good son for my Jia family, humph!"

She strode toward Hou Yuan.

Her figure was somewhat sturdy.

Qin Huairu watched Jia Zhangshi's retreating back.

She was dazed.

What happened? How is Jia Zhangshi no longer Jia Zhangshi? Just now along the way, Jia Zhangshi was utterly humble, constantly saying all kinds of flattering words to Qin Huairu: "I was wrong," "I shouldn't have done that," "I will definitely change," "Qin Huairu, you cannot leave our Jia family," "This old lady will repay you, Qin Huairu."

How in the time it takes to turn one's face?

Jia Zhangshi swapped her birdgun for a cannon.

And became overbearing again.

Why?

Could it be because of those words just then?