Chapter 356

A tumultuous autumn.

He had just dealt with Xu Damao's worries.

Shazhu hadn't even had time to take a sip of water.

We'll go line by line, translate, and also collect named entities.

But first, we need to produce translations for each line.

Let's translate each line faithfully.

The courtyard immediately erupted again.

Meaning: "A tumultuous autumn." or "A time of many troubles." Natural: "A tumultuous autumn." Keep as single line.

Then an angry roar rang out.

"Qin Huairu, get out here!"

Without anyone needing to tell them, the courtyard residents who'd even throw an extra leg on a corpse for excitement, with a clamor, all rushed out to the courtyard at once.

Last night.

Led by Jia Zhangshi, with Bangeng and Xiao Dang as assistants, the Jia Family's white-eyed wolf performance troupe teamed up to put on a splendid scheming drama for the neighbors.

Still savoring it.

Upon hearing that Qin Huairu had caused trouble,

They had to come out and see what was going on, no matter what.

The reason they were so certain the other party meant harm.

It's simple.

As long as one wasn't deaf, nearly everyone heard that shout full of gritted-teeth anger and couldn't help thinking.

What big trouble has Qin Huairu stirred up this time?

Otherwise, how could this scene of settling scores be explained?

Following the crowd into the courtyard, as those figures came into view, Shazhu, like countless neighbors, sucked in a breath of cold air.

"Hiss!"

The crowd on scene.

There was one.

Counting one.

They all regretted coming to the courtyard to watch this show.

"Eyes sting!"

Seven or eight women, led by a stout, big-waisted woman in her forties, swaggered as they blocked An Jiahe's door, shouting at Qin Huairu, who was either lying dead or hiding inside.

"Qin Huairu, get out here! You dare to act but not to take responsibility—now you know fear? When you did those disgusting things a few days ago, why didn't you think of the consequences?"

Her voice, like a broken gong, shook the neighbors' ears painfully.

Damn, is this a woman?

She's more manly than any man.

Her only difference from a man might be the lack of a beard beneath her nose; otherwise, her figure, bearing, voice, and face all surpass those of any man.

Her body looks even more robust than Liu Haizhong's.

Short hair.

A face full of ferocity.

Having a bit of a butcher's air.

Standing there, she exuded an aura of majesty without anger; the bold could barely keep their composure, while the timid would be dazed at first glance.

Qin Huairu really is a damn deity, able to provoke even such disgusting things.

Today is another day Qin Huairu loses face.

Sunday.

The neighbors were all resting.

This racket—never mind their own courtyard—would even draw residents from several nearby big courtyards, who, upon hearing the noise, would come running to watch the fun.

"Qin Huairu, I know you're inside; hurry up and get out, or I'll smash your windows."

Hiding in the crowd.

Shazhu, who wanted to watch the fun as a bystander,

He felt someone shove his lower back hard; caught off guard, his body involuntarily leaned forward with the push's momentum—if he hadn't steadied himself in the nick of time, Shazhu would really have been knocked to the ground; turning his head, he saw behind him a string of innocent faces unrelated to them.

Now isn't the time to blame who pushed him out of the crowd.

Because the neighbors' gazes gathered on Shazhu, and the few troublemakers' eyes also fell on him.

This feeling of being watched by ten thousand people.

Unpleasant.

There's a head steward in the courtyard; if there really were business, you couldn't find him, Shazhu.

What's more, given this situation, it's best to avoid standing out if possible.

As a result, he didn't know who had ambushed him.

They shoved Shazhu into the crowd.

Then came this awkward yet not awkward situation.

"Are you the head steward of this courtyard?"

The leading woman, mistaking Shazhu's identity, thought he was the courtyard manager appointed by the street office, and asked.

Facing the head steward, she stated her purpose clearly, so as not to be mistaken by these courtyard neighbors as coming to cause trouble unreasonably.

The facts and truth were spoken.

The one losing face is also Qin Huairu.

"You coming out is just right, saves us sending someone to call you; I'm the wife of Guo Da Piezi, a worker at the Second Slaughterhouse."

The facts and truth were spoken.

The one losing face is also Qin Huairu.

"You coming out is just right, saves us sending someone to call you; I'm the wife of Guo Da Piezi, a worker at the Second Slaughterhouse."

Shazhu felt relieved.

No wonder, this gentleman.

No no no.

The woman would wear a murderous expression; she is indeed a butcher who specializes in slaughtering pigs and sheep, doing the daily job of harvesting livestock lives.

Second Slaughterhouse.

It's genuinely a good unit that makes the neighbors envious; to say nothing of other perks, just the slaughterhouse's internal offal from butchering livestock lets the staff eat until their mouths run with oil, and with the hidden benefits it's truly a job worth a thousand gold that no one would trade—even during the toughest period several years ago, the slaughterhouse workers never worried about filling their stomachs.

No wonder Guo Da Piezi dared back then to casually chat with Qin Huairu using supplies.

They have family wealth!

Guo Da Piezi, this person.

Shazhu, as the cafeteria head of Yagangchang.

Understood.

In his previous life, thanks to Qin Huairu, Shazhu suffered a secret loss at Guo Da Piezi's hands, but he still hadn't done anything to Guo Da Piezi.

In this life, bolstered by Shazhu's experience from living again, he truly didn't take Guo Da Piezi to heart.

Deep in his heart.

He felt a tiny bit of sympathy for Guo Da Piezi.

Having taken a wife who could rival his brother, Guo Da Piezi's married life is surely in dire straits; no wonder even the famed cleaning goddess Qin Huairu of Yagangchang drools over her.

Shazhu understood why Guo Da Piezi's wife was blocking Qin Huairu's door.

Speaking of which.

Indeed it is Qin Huairu's responsibility.

A few days ago.

With few people in the cafeteria, Shazhu was serving dishes and rice to his coworkers when he unintentionally saw Qin Huairu standing in front of Guo Da Piezi; when it was her turn to get rice, although she faced Shazhu, she showed not the slightest embarrassment, openly speaking to Shazhu, who had to temporarily help serve dishes due to the staff shortage, saying several phrases that made Shazhu feel very familiar.

"Ten big white-flour steamed buns, two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, Guo Da Piezi will pay my bill."

"Chief He, Qin Huairu is right—I paid her meal fee."

This is the past conversation between Qin Huairu, Guo Da Piezi, and Shazhu.

Someone helped pay the bill.

Shazhu naturally had no reason to stop them from paying.

Yagangchang has no explicit rule on this matter.

Just after taking advantage,

then right away someone comes knocking.

And it just happens to be Sunday.

Shazhu certainly doesn't think there's no ulterior motive; after sizing up Guo Da Piezi's wife a few times and seeing a hint of resolve in her eyes, he realizes she came specially on Sunday to cause trouble, aiming to utterly ruin Qin Huairu's reputation.

The question is, does Qin Huairu still have any reputation left?

I had thought that after being transferred to the Cleaning Section she would behave honestly for a while, but I didn't expect Qin Huairu to throw caution to the wind, scheming against anyone she could.

This is their family matter.

Shazhu certainly won't get involved.

Even an honest official finds it hard to settle family matters.

Moreover, he isn't even an honest official.

"Are you Old Guo's wife?"

"Who are you?"

Shazhu was about to speak up to identify himself, saying he wasn't the steward, when a kind-hearted person in the crowd helped him state his identity.

"He is Chief He of Yagangchang, in charge of the ten cafeterias."

No matter what department he oversees.

As long as he's a chief.

He's stronger than Guo Da Piezi.

The leading woman put away her doubtful expression and became serious.

Shazhu silently sighed.

People rely on clothes, horses rely on saddles.

A mere little chief can make Guo Da Piezi so honest.

"I am He Yuzhu."

"Chief He."

"This isn't the factory, and you're not my subordinate—just call me by name."

"Then I'll call you Comrade He; I'm telling you, Comrade He, we didn't come to cause trouble—I simply can't swallow this anger. My family's Old Guo this month earned forty-six yuan wages; I told him to turn it over to the public fund, but he didn't give me a single cent. When pressed, he said he ate and drank, ate and drank, and couldn't possibly have consumed his entire month's wages—indeed he not only spent his own wages but also stole mine to spend."

In the crowd.

A teasing laughter came through.

Everyone was startled by Guo Da Piezi's maneuver.

Many neighbors work at Yagangchang and have seen Guo Da Piezi; from his eating and drinking, it really wouldn't cost that much money.

Of course.

Helping others pay the bill.

That's another matter.

Who let Qin Huairu scheme Guo Da Piezi's meal ticket money, not hiding it from coworkers, openly in front of them letting Guo Da Piezi pay her bill?

"Old Guo is still stealing your money?"

Shazhu subconsciously glanced at the opposite door.

Qin Huairu actually bolted the room door with a latch.

This scheming bitch.

Is she scared?

"Director He, I didn't know at first, but today when I used money, I opened the money box and found that the money inside was short by over twenty yuan."

"Has it not been dealt with?"

Shazhu's meaning.

Did it alarm the Security Section or the police station?

Twenty yuan.

That's not a small amount.

But I didn't expect Guo Da Piezi's wife to misunderstand Shazhu's question and seize the moment to retort.

"Can we not handle it? I grabbed Old Guo, beat him up, and under interrogation he confessed: he saw a widow named Qin Huairu in the factory living a hard life, and out of a desire to help, he gave her this money."

"That's a good thing—your Old Guo is kind-hearted, doing good deeds."

"Director He, don't whitewash our Old Guo—he's full of tricks; saying it's aid, but really they're just fooling around. I didn't come to cause trouble; I came specifically to see whether this Qin Huairu is some vixen, otherwise he wouldn't have been so bewitched by our Old Guo, handing over his wages in full and even stealing my money to give her."

The onlooking neighbors.

They all wore a knowing, tacit understanding expression.

Qin Huairu is like a dog that can't stop eating feces.

She's again using her looks to scheme against some people.

While wanting to see Qin Huairu's joke, they also felt a twinge of sympathy for Guo Da Piezi—let alone him, if they themselves married a woman as domineering as a man, they'd surely cry more than they urinate.

For so many years.

Guo Da Piezi has been wronged.

"Qin Huairu, did you hear? Come out." Guo Da Piezi's wife asked Shazhu, "Director He, is it okay if I shout like this?"

Could Shazhu say there's a problem?

After all, it's Qin Huairu who acted improperly.

Also blame Guo Da Piezi, who, like Shazhu in his past life, would go so far as to deplete his own savings to aid Qin Huairu, even stealing money to do so.

"Old Guo's wife, I can't say you're wrong; it's like this: I'm not the courtyard's head honcho, I'm having people call them over. If you have something to discuss, talk to them; if you can't reach an agreement, then do what you ought to do."

"Director He, I'll give you face and wait a bit for them."

Shazhu got things moving.

Liu Haizhong.

An official-obsessed man.

When Yi Zhonghai was around, he wished the courtyard would have big events every day so he could constantly organize meetings to show off. After the hypocrite died, Liu Haizhong finally got his wish, but when something happened he acted like an ostrich.

With such a commotion, I don't believe he didn't hear it.

Shazhu guessed Liu Haizhong was deliberately staying out of sight.

And there's Yan Fugui.

He also needs to be called out.

While sending people to notify Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui, Shazhu glanced at the crowd and didn't see Jia Zhangshi's figure.

He silently cursed again in his heart.

That shameless old hag, when something happens, she hides.

He doesn't believe the steamed buns and non-vegetarian dishes that Qin Huairu supposedly sucked from Guo Da Piezi; Jia Zhangshi wouldn't eat a bite.

There's profit in it.

Charging to the front.

When disaster strikes.

They don't come out.

What nice things are they thinking about?

"Guangtian, go to the back courtyard and shout for Jia Zhangshi; tell her that Qin Huairu's having Guo Da Piezi provide aid has been learned by Guo Da Piezi's wife, who's bringing a group to the courtyard to demand justice."

Liu Guangtian was just about to leave.

Shazhu urgently added a sentence.

"If Jia Zhangshi pretends to be deaf or mute, tell her that if she doesn't come out, they'll directly take people to the back courtyard to find her, and if her windows get smashed or her home ransacked, don't go crying poor in the courtyard."

Liu Guangtian took off running toward the back courtyard.

Not long.

About five or six minutes.

Liu Haizhong in front.

Jia Zhangshi behind.

One ahead, one behind, they walked toward the central courtyard.

From a distance, Shazhu could see the expressions on both their faces at a glance; he disliked them greatly, especially Jia Zhangshi, who wore a ferocious look.

That makes sense.

Something happened.

They were forced to come out and deal with it.

Even if it were Shazhu, he wouldn't be very happy inside.

"Second Elder, you probably know about the matter between Guo Da Piezi and Qin Huairu—his wife has come to the door."

As a member of Yagangchang.

The matter of Guo Da Piezi and Qin Huairu.

Liu Haizhong naturally knows.

Exactly because he knows, he hides and refuses to come out; unexpectedly, he was called to the scene by someone sent by Shazhu.

"I am the manager of this courtyard, my name is Liu Haizhong, I have a decent relationship with your family's Old Guo; this matter, isn't there some misunderstanding?"

Liu Haizhong has made progress.

This is the tactic of advancing by retreating.

Has some skill.

"Second Grandpa, what misunderstanding? It's just that little thing between a man and a woman. Earlier, Director He gave our Old Guo a gold star on his face, saying he was doing good deeds. I've been married to Old Guo for over twenty years; when he sticks his butt out, I know what kind of shit he's taking. Saying it's relief, it's actually just the two of them fooling around together."

The tone shifted.

Turning to Jia Zhangshi, who was hiding behind Liu Haizhong, he said: "Is this Qin Huairu's mother-in-law, Jia Zhangshi? All this fat must have been raised by our Old Guo; maybe even my wages are in there."