Chapter 307

Jia Family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are about to have a falling out.

Some private words hidden deep in their hearts.

All were spoken out in front of the neighbors by the two of them.

They said it out without any reservation.

"You're working hard!" Qin Huairu mocked Jia Zhangshi, "You eat and laze around all day, that's your hard work. Look at you, you've gotten as fat as a big pig. Look around at the neighbors—who's as fat as you?"

"I'm just puffy fat."

"You call 200 catties of puffy fat? Do you really think the neighbors don't know anything? Recently someone weighed you specially—200 catties exactly—and that's your so-called puffy fat?"

"Qin Huairu."

"All day long, you do nothing, pretending to be busy making shoes, but over a year you barely make ten or so pairs of cloth shoes. I don't ask for anything else—I just hope you'll help me a little, give me some time to think about work matters. It's been three years, exactly three years; if you helped me, I could end up sweeping toilets at Yagangchang. Do you know how many people are laughing at me, Qin Huairu, today?"

"How am I not helping you? Didn't I find you An Jiahe? Without me, could you, Qin Huairu, have married An Jiahe? With a mother-in-law like me, you, Qin Huairu, should be secretly glad."

Jia Family matters.

The neighbors in the courtyard all know.

Just as Jia Zhangshi said, having a mother-in-law like her, Qin Huairu should be happy—though it's only finding joy in bitterness.

Who doesn't know who?

They're all damn uniformly bad reputations.

"An Jiahe, you just watch your wife be unfilial?"

"An Jiahe, you're my man, yet you just watch me being bullied by my former mother-in-law?"

"Who is An Jiahe? When did Qin Huairu become An Jiahe's wife? Jia Zhangshi didn't agree to Qin Huairu remarrying—what's going on?"

The sound of rapid-fire questioning.

It flew from behind into Shazhu's ear canal.

No need to turn around.

Just listen to the sound.

You immediately know the speaker is Xu Daming.

"You're back?"

Xu Daming, who had parked his bicycle outside Shazhu's door, had no mind to answer Shazhu's question; all his attention was on the Jia Family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

At first.

Thought he had misheard.

He focused his mind and listened carefully.

Making sure he hadn't missed a thing.

In the vulgar insults exchanged between Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, the fact that Qin Huairu had remarried An Jiahe was clearly mentioned.

He was as confused as an eight‑foot‑tall monk who can't scratch his head.

He couldn't figure out his own thoughts.

What a fellow.

He had gone to the countryside to show films for seven or eight days.

Just returned.

The Jia Family then dropped such a bombshell.

"Shazhu, what are you staring at? Go on, say something—when did Qin Huairu remarry? Jia Zhangshi didn't agree to her remarrying—did you change your mind?"

"You went down to the countryside to show films, and then a new household moved into the courtyard—called An Jiahe—living in the Jia Family's old house, and Qin Huairu married him; this match was even arranged personally by Qin Huairu's mother‑in‑law, Jia Zhangshi."

Xu Daming stood frozen, pulling a long face, glancing now at Shazhu, now at the Jia Family people, utterly bewildered.

Strange things happen every year.

This year there are especially many.

Jia Zhangshi, who had always kept a tight watch on Qin Huairu and refused to let her remarry under any circumstance, not only agreed to her remarriage but also personally found her a later husband.

This isn't Jia Zhangshi's style!

Yesterday she match‑made Qin Huairu and An Jiahe; today, in front of An Jiahe, she scolded the former daughter‑in‑law like a shrew, not caring at all about losing face.

A perfectly standard Jia Zhangshi‑style tantrum!

"Want to hear an even hotter topic?"

Shazhu became interested.

To amuse himself, he looked at Xu Daming.

"Speak."

"Qin Huairu left Workshop Nine; the other workshops at Yagangchang didn't want her. Today she reported to the Cleaning Section, and all day long the Yagangchang workers went crazy, a surging crowd rushing specifically to the toilet she was responsible for, exhausting her. Because of this, Yagangchang erupted in an uproar, and the Jia Family mother‑in‑law and daughter‑in‑law started fighting."

"I thought Jia Zhangshi regretted marrying Qin Huairu to An Jiahe, and that Qin Huairu was speaking up for An Jiahe." Xu Daming turned his curious gaze toward the crowd, "Who is An Jiahe?"

"That guy in the middle, the mild‑mannered man." Shazhu pointed at the wooden‑figure‑like man standing there, wearing a strange expression as he looked at Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi's An Jiahe, "That's An Jiahe."

"From the looks of it, he seems like an honest man!"

Shazhu recalled an old joke from later times.

Having played enough.

Having tired himself out.

Find an honest man to marry!

An honest person is tantamount to a scapegoat, which is tantamount to a second‑hand recycling station.

"Shazhu, brother, I'll tell you this: An Jiahe isn't any good; from now on try to keep your distance, or else only you'll end up unlucky."

"Xu Daming, you." Shazhu changed his tone, "I believe you."

"I knew you'd say that."

Xu Daming pushed his bicycle and walked toward Hou Yuan.

Yan Fugui, who had been waiting for an opportunity on the side, took the chance when everyone's attention was drawn by the Jia Family's mother-and-son quarrel, and quietly tugged at Shazhu's sleeve.

"Shazhu, San Daye has something to ask you; are you available?"

"San Daye said, 'Even if it's inconvenient, you have to make it convenient.'" Shazhu pointed to his own home: "Let's talk inside."

"Okay."

Ignoring the lively Jia Family drama behind them, the two pushed the door and entered Shazhu's home.

Under the light.

Shazhu saw Yan Fugui's face full of difficulty.

He guessed that whatever Yan Fugui wanted from him would be difficult.

"There are no outsiders here—just my wife and San Daye. Tell me what you need, say whether I can do it, and you must first speak it out."

Yan Fugui hesitated for a moment.

He lowered his voice.

"Shazhu, San Daye really has something to ask you—do you have any fish-liver oil coupons? San Daye wants to buy!"

Shazhu still thought it was some major difficult matter.

He felt embarrassed for a long while.

It turned out to be just one fish-liver oil coupon.

He asked yesterday.

He would definitely say there wasn't any.

He asks now.

He actually has some.

Last evening, in front of the neighbors, Shazhu gave Deputy Factory Director Li a round of high praise, even calling him a saint of Yagangchang; these words, passed through the mouths of some Yagangchang workers, reached Deputy Factory Director Li's ears word for word.

The leader was pleased.

As a subordinate, he naturally wanted some tangible benefits.

Deputy Factory Director Li summoned Shazhu to his office and gave him several vouchers; it was quite a coincidence that among them was a fish-liver oil coupon.

He had it, but...

but he couldn't just take it out directly.

He needed to be more tactful.

He needed to show his hard work in this matter.

"San Daye, I won't ask why you need the fish-liver oil coupon; surely you have a need. Give me three days—I'll go to the factory, ask around, see what price they're selling at, and collect what you owe me; if I really can't find any, you can't blame me."

"As you wish."

"Anything else?"

"The Jia Family matter—San Daye thinks he'll soon call a meeting at the Dayuan; you've been busy all day, rest at home, and San Daye will go out to sort things out with Old Liu regarding the Jia Family."

Yan Fugui pushed the door and went out.

His steps grew much lighter, as if someone had lifted the thousand-jin weight off his shoulders.

The matter of the coupon.

He was sure Shazhu could help him; for others it might truly be difficult, with no connections, but for Shazhu it was as trivial as a mouse's waist ache—a tiny matter.

The Yagangchang Deputy Factory Director Li, who wielded supreme power, had always favored Shazhu; as Li's confidant and benefactor, handling vouchers and such was just a matter of reaching out.

Seek Shazhu's help.

That's right.

After Yan Fugui left, Shazhu took several vouchers from his pocket and handed them to Yu Li.

Yu Li didn't ask anything, turned and placed them in the cabinet, while preparing food for Shazhu and quietly giving him advice.

"I'll hand over the fish-liver oil coupon to San Daye in three days?"

"Give you the item, you decide; as for the price, based on the market purchase price, give him a little less."

Shazhu himself probably never imagined that, with his broadening experience, knowledge, and connections, he would gradually become more smooth in dealing with people and matters.

Using Xu Daming's own words, the honest-looking Shazhu has actually turned bad.