Chapter 39: Borrowing Meat

After getting rid of Xu Daminghu, Shazhu thought about going home to cook for Yushui.

Stepping out of the Yagangchang cafeteria circle, this greatly exceeded the expectations of the hypocrite Yi Zhonghai; following that hypocrite's kind of logical analysis, Shazhu was equivalent to flying away from his hands, and the hypocrite was certainly not pleased.

Shazhu pondered that the hypocrite would have no mood to make these dumplings tonight.

Thus.

It also saved him trouble.

Before anyone else had reached the door, the hypocrite poked his head out from next door; looking just like a turtle, his body stayed inside the room, and he stretched his head out as far as possible through this threshold.

All that was missing was a turtle shell.

Otherwise it would have been even more perfect.

It was even more like a turtle.

Zhuzi, come over later to wrap dumplings; we had previously agreed to make dumplings for the old lady to eat. Right, your eldest aunt forgot to buy meat today—I just saw you carrying half jin of pork.

Shazhu slightly narrowed his eyes.

He didn't know how Yi Zhonghai found out he had bought pork; to avoid giving himself away, Shazhu deliberately stuffed the pork wrapped in straw paper into this cloth bag.

Eldest uncle, your vision is absolutely superb.

Shazhu first praised Yi Zhonghai, then shifted tone and proposed borrowing meat.

It was not borrowing Yi Zhonghai's meat.

It was lending the meat to Yi Zhonghai.

The difference between returning it and not returning it.

Yi Zhonghai was mistaken; he thought a casual remark could make Shazhu's painstakingly bought pork just walk away.

What nonsense!

Shazhu clearly saw Yi Zhonghai's motive: he simply wanted to use the excuse of the deaf old lady eating dumplings to blackmail Shazhu's half jin of pork.

Under the guise of filial piety toward the deaf old lady, he realized the idea of drawing Shazhu closer to her.

Toward the deaf old lady.

Shazhu's attitude was one of respectful distance.

It wasn't that the deaf old lady had offended Shazhu; it was just her gluttonous habit, which Shazhu truly couldn't resolve. A few days ago, Shazhu was still an apprentice at the Yagangchang cafeteria, earning nothing, yet still had to support Yushui, and the deaf old lady actually looked down on Shazhu for not buying her meat to eat.

Want to eat meat.

Sure.

Bring the money.

Without spending a penny, just putting on airs about eating meat—where could Shazhu get her meat to eat?

Want to eat meat.

This was also a matter concerning Yi Zhonghai and his wife; by partnering with Yi Zhonghai and his wife, they gained reputation, benefits, and favors, while Shazhu honorably earned the nickname Shazhuzi.

Bullshit!

Facing Yi Zhonghai's smiling cheek, Shazhu retaliated with a moral blackmail slam dunk.

I originally wanted to buy some pork to render oil, so that in the future when cooking I could just scoop out a bit. Eldest uncle brought it up, and it's also about the old lady—I couldn't possibly spoil eldest uncle's face no matter what I said. The pork totals half a jin two qian; I'll discard the small change. I'll first lend it to eldest uncle, and eldest aunt will return half a jin of pork to me tomorrow or the day after.

Yi Zhonghai paused.

What Shazhu said was absolutely not what Yi Zhonghai wanted to hear; in Yi Zhonghai's mind, this pork was the food you, Shazhu, were offering as filial piety to the deaf old lady.

Above there is policy.

Below there is countermeasure.

They wanted to use the excuse of not buying meat to scheme against Shazhu, but Shazhu responded with a loan of meat and even set the date for Yi Zhonghai to return the meat.

The voice was loud again.

The neighbors heard the sound.

This meat must be returned.

Zhuzi, if you don't say this, eldest uncle will also have to return this pork; why are you distancing yourself from eldest uncle? Eldest aunt will return it to you tomorrow.

Yi Zhonghai laughed and gave a hearty har har.

Eldest uncle, it's not that I'm distancing myself from you; it's just that this pork is hard to buy. I waited in line for about forty minutes, and by the time it got to me, there was only this much left, and people behind were still calling out, asking me to save some for them.

Shazhu, who was speaking,

He pushed the door and entered Yi Zhonghai's home.

I don't know if it's because of the lighting.

Shazhu noticed a faint displeasure flicker across the deaf old lady's face.

He also couldn't be bothered to deal with it.

Smiling, he nodded at the deaf old lady, carried the pork into the kitchen; the eldest aunt was kneading dough, and Shazhu waved her away.

Eldest aunt, yesterday you and eldest uncle agreed that I would make all the dumplings tonight so the old lady could try my cooking; you just go sit and chat with the old lady.

The eldest aunt hesitated.

Eldest aunt, listen to me: go out and chat with the old lady and eldest uncle; staying here will affect my performance.

Just before the eldest aunt left,

Shazhu added a sentence.

Eldest aunt, the child has no mother—long story—but you need to go next door to greet Yushui, so she can come over to eat dumplings in forty minutes.

The deaf old lady who was making eye contact with Yi Zhonghai,

Her face suddenly turned bad.

Shazhu instantly stared, not knowing what He Yushui had done to offend the deaf old lady, or why mentioning He Yushui changed her expression.

He didn't ask that.

Understanding in your heart is enough.

He bowed his head and worked hard.

Trample the meat filling, stir the filling, knead the dough, wrap the dumplings.

That saying came true.

Those who know find it easy.

Those who find it hard cannot do it.

Under fifty minutes.

Just over two hundred meat-and-egg dumplings came out fresh from the pot.

As long as the big aunt brings the water to a boil, these dumplings just go into the water.

All set.

"Shazhu, you can let the big aunt handle making the dumplings; you've been working so long, take a rest." Long Laotaitai smiled and called out to Shazhu: "You play chess with the big uncle, and Grandma will be the referee for you."

"It's just that the old lady cares about me." Shazhu laughed hehe: "The key is I'm no good at chess."

"I'm also a clumsy chess player."

Yi Zhonghai set the chessboard on the table.

Looks like.

This should have been something Yi Zhonghai and Long Laotaitai had arranged beforehand.

It's completely a brainwashing session.

Soldiers come, generals block.

Water comes, earth covers.

Who fears whom?

"General." Shazhu used the pawn as a cannon, directly wiping out Yi Zhonghai's old general.

"Shazhu, this isn't how you play chess; the big uncle tells you, you do it like this, like this."

"I was just saying, if you really play like that, it's too easy, jump the horse."

"I'll move the chariot."

While Shazhu and Yi Zhonghai were playing chess, Long Laotaitai, whether intentionally or not, somehow steered the conversation onto Shazhu's marriage, asking him what he wanted in a wife.

Shazhu recalled the matchmaking attempts Yi Zhonghai had made for him in his previous life.

All of them were aimed at preventing Shazhu from getting married.

Either they were Zhu Bajie's second aunt or third sister, or a widow with a child; the key was that this widow wasn't as good-looking as Qin Huairu.

Now, thinking about it.

Yi Zhonghai's mind is malicious.

This bastard, through comparison, is gradually deepening Qin Huairu's impression score.

"Old lady, big uncle, I won't hide it from you two—I have indeed thought about this. Aside from anything else, I only have one requirement: good-looking. This appearance must be good-looking no matter what, so that Xu Daming won't look down on me."