Chapter 27

It is beneficial to oneself.

Director Wang also couldn't be bothered to point it out.

They even secretly hoped for it.

As long as someone was willing to marry this prostitute, Director Wang opened the way for her to remarry.

He reached out and took the application to cut ties with He Daqing that Shazhu handed over, glanced at it, and saw that it was filled with the names of the Siheyuan residents and stamped with their handprints.

They couldn't help but think more highly of Shazhu.

They are young.

But they handle things flawlessly.

With this application, He Daqing's past messy affairs had nothing to do with Shazhu and Yushui anymore; Director Wang first signed, stamped, and filed Shazhu's application, then, via written documents, reported the matter of Shazhu cutting ties with He Daqing to the police station.

It counts as a special feature of this era.

Both the street office and the police station provide proof of your identity.

Shazhu's heart also settled.

Whether it's the ongoing anti-bandit suppression campaign or the later Three-Antis and Five-Cleans, none of it has anything to do with Shazhu and Yushui anymore.

The story behind Shazhu's nickname—selling buns and encountering rebellious soldiers—also gets an explanation.

In some people's eyes, selling buns is actually a petty trader's business, not something you could make a living from by hiring farm labor for three generations, and it might be equated with that deceitful organization.

Just one sentence.

First, preserve your own life, and nip in the bud any threat that could affect Shazhu's personal safety.

After handling this severance matter, Shazhu felt refreshed, as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted from his shoulders, instantly making him much happier.

He left the Jiēdào, pretended not to see the Jia Family ladies, and headed straight for the nearby supply and marketing cooperative.

The people of the Siheyuan gave him a big help.

It's a favor.

Shazhu had to repay that favor, so he bought some melon seeds, peanuts, and sugar cubes from the supply and marketing cooperative, mixing them together to amount to about half a washbasin.

The amount doesn't matter.

He just wanted to thank the neighbors.

Yushui was conscripted by Shazhu for labor and served as the little maid holding the basin.

Upon hearing that they didn't have to study.

The little maid was overjoyed, excitement visible on her face, and she began to cheer.

Shazhu glared at her, and the little maid instantly became obedient.

He Yushui held the washbasin containing the melon seeds, peanuts, and sugar cubes, starting from Yan Fugui's house in the front courtyard, going door to door to express thanks.

Not much.

Each household got just one spoonful.

The kind of spoon used to scoop rice in the cafeteria.

"Shazhu, what are you doing?"

"San Daye, you didn't just sign the application today, did you? I mean no harm—I just wanted to thank you, a small gift, don't think it's too little."

"You child, you're really thoughtful."

"It's only right." Said Shazhu, scooping a spoonful from the basin and pouring it into the small bowl that Yan Jie handed to the little maid.

When he was about to leave.

He saw Third Aunt altering clothes.

A saying involuntarily came to mind.

New for three years, old for three years, and another three years of mending and patching.

The eldest gets new, the second gets old, the third gets mended, the fourth gets altered.

He hesitated about whether to also go buy some cloth.

Shazhu didn't care.

The key is that He Yushui must wear new clothes for the New Year.

When he gave these to Long Laotaitai in Hou Yuan, she didn't want Shazhu's melon seeds and peanuts, saying her teeth were bad, so Shazhu had He Yushui kowtow three times to her.

Raising a foster sister for a thousand days.

Using her for a moment.

Faced with Long Laotaitai's request that Shazhu stay and keep her company, he refused on the grounds that he needed to deliver something to Xu Daming, saying he could let He Yushui stay and keep her company instead.

Perhaps Long Laotaitai also had a bit of that preference for sons over daughters, didn't much like He Yushui, and her expression was a little unhappy.

Shazhu chuckled, turned and left Long Laotaitai's room, and strode into Xu Daming's room.

"Shazhu, what are you doing? Are you a bandit?"

"Shamao, you little brat, what shady thing are you up to?"

"You come into my house and still act so righteous?"

"I've come to bring you a gift."

Xu Daming glanced at Shazhu's two empty hands.

His face fell.

"Shazhu, are you stupid or am I? You've got two empty hands—how are you bringing me a gift? Where is it? Let me have a good look."

He Yushui came in, carrying the basin on her short legs.

Only a little remained of the half‑basin of melon seeds and peanuts.

"I can still fool you." Shazhu pointed at the melon seeds and peanuts in the basin and said, "Take a look—what is this?"

Xu Daming narrowed his eyes, glanced at the melon seeds and peanuts in the basin where the bottom was faintly visible, then turned his gaze to Shazhu; the look on his face was the kind that Xu Daming could see through Shazhu's tricks at a glance.

Measuring a gentleman's belly with a petty person's heart.

Just looking at Xu Daming's expression.

Then you know what Xu Daming is thinking.

He simply thought Shazhu would again stand him up, hoping to use a few melon seeds and peanuts to dash Xu Daming's idea of having Shazhu treat him to a meal.

This stuff is worth at most a thousand.

Xu Daming had taken out twenty-three thousand five hundred yesterday.

In between, there's a gap of over twenty thousand.

Don't try to fool me.

I, Xu Daming, won't fall for your act, Shazhu.

"Shazhu, don't try to fool me—I, Xu Daming, won't buy your act; I've got tonight's Liu Bi Ju dinner locked in."

"It's not what you think; this is thanks for you signing for me this afternoon."

Shazhu's honest words.

Xu Daming didn't believe it at all.

He still thought this was Shazhu's trick to deceive him, Xu Daming.

The stuff is in hand.

He threatened Xu Daming with the pace of turning raw rice into cooked rice.

No way.

"That matter, I, Xu Daming, am broad‑minded—I won't quarrel with you; I don't want these things, tonight at Liu Bi Ju I'll just eat a few more dumplings and that'll be enough."

"Really don't want them? Don't regret it later."

"Whoever regrets it will be their own grandson's fault—Shazhu, drop this act; I, Xu Daming, won't fall for it."

"Then I'm leaving."

Shazhu took Yushui's hand, left Xu Daming's house, and step by step walked toward their home in the central courtyard.

Indoors, Xu Daming.

Through the glass, he watched Shazhu's retreating figure.

He inexplicably felt a bit regretful.

Could it be that I really misjudged Shazhu's grateful gesture!

Couldn't get the upper hand.

He felt an itch in his heart.

"Brother." He Yushui, walking at the junction of the central and rear courtyards, turned her head toward Granny Long's place in the rear courtyard and asked Shazhu, "Does Granny Long in the rear courtyard not like me?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"Just now she asked you to stay and chat with her, but you had something to do and had me keep her company instead, and she wasn't happy about it."

Shazhu lowered his head, looked at Yushui's tense little face, flicked her nose, and said, "We don't care about others; you just need to know that you, He Yushui, are the little fairy in my brother's heart."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you!"

"Then could you not have San Daye give me extra lessons?"

He Yushui's small face showed bitterness as she discussed with Shazhu.

Just didn't want extra lessons.