Chapter 4

According to Yi Zhonghai's plan, He Daqing running off with the widow will maximally provoke Shazhu; Shazhu taking Yushui to Baocheng to find He Daqing is also part of Yi Zhonghai's scheme, for only Shazhu taking Yushui to Baocheng can some of Yi Zhonghai's plans continue to be carried out, such as vilifying He Daqing in front of the two children and other despicable tactics.

translation

Shazhu wasn't there.

He went to He Yushui's room again to take a look.

He discovered that He Yushui wasn't there either.

The stone in his heart dropped instantly, thinking that Shazhu had taken He Yushui to look for He Daqing.

Jia Zhangshi shouted.

She said that Shazhu, early in the morning, gave He Yushui a bowl of noodles and then forced He Yushui to go to school.

Yi Zhonghai instantly felt something was wrong.

Yi Zhonghai wanted to have a good talk with Shazhu.

He Daqing still needed to go see.

It won't do if they don't meet.

"Elder Grandfather!"

Shazhu, following his habit, called out "Elder Grandfather."

In order to prevent sabotage by enemy agents and to strengthen control over residents in the district, every siheyuan had appointed this household manager elder to assist the Jiēdào director or residents' committee head with daily administrative work, handling trivial matters like these within the compound.

At this point, Yi Zhonghai had not yet reached the later stage where his word carried great weight.

Yi Zhonghai was merely a level-four worker.

Liu Haizhong was a level-three worker.

"Second Elder Grandfather is here too; I just went to the toilet."

"What about Yushui?"

"Yushui has gone to school, little girl; as soon as school is mentioned, she becomes unhappy. We've suffered from being uneducated, and we can't let Yushui remain uneducated. Elder Grandfather, do you have any business?"

Yi Zhonghai was a little worried.

Shazhu employed a round of moral blackmail.

This left Yi Zhonghai speechless, not knowing how to rebut.

Having no choice.

He turned the topic to He Daqing.

"Shazhu, seeing that you're all right, Elder Grandfather is relieved; yesterday your look truly frightened Elder Grandfather—you looked like you wanted to eat someone, insisting on taking Yushui to Baocheng to find Daqing; as long as you figure it out, that's good."

Give it some thought.

The meaning inside clearly hints that Shazhu is taking Yushui to Baocheng.

If it were the previous Shazhu.

He might have fallen into Yi Zhonghai's scheme.

The present Shazhu, having lived another life and having suffered from Yi Zhonghai's schemes, naturally won't repeat the same mistakes.

"Yesterday was yesterday, today is today; I really can't understand why I would leave me and Yushui to follow that widow."

Shazhu took a big breath.

"Later I figured it out: I'm 16 now, soon to be 17; my father, at age 16, established our He Family's gate, treating me as an adult; all these years he's also suffered; it's time for him to enjoy his own happy old age. As for Yushui, she's my sister; as her brother I must support her. I've already talked with Yushui: from now on I'll support her until she marries, which will fulfill my merit."

A flicker of loss passed through Yi Zhonghai's eyes.

The idea is not bad.

But too many changes have occurred.

Your going to Baocheng.

"If you don't go to Baocheng, how can we show He Daqing's heartlessness, and how can I, Yi Zhonghai, use He Daqing's heartlessness to display my own moral superiority?"

"Shazhu, being able to think like this, Elder Grandfather is relieved."

"You may be relieved, but I'm not; I'll definitely have to go to Baocheng in a few days. I'll ask our family's old master—I've grown up and can support myself, but Yushui is still small, only nine years old, and he just ignores her like that."

Yi Zhonghai's defenses broke again.

A few words from Shazhu.

Like a dagger, it pierced Yi Zhonghai's body.

What He Daqing said when he left, any instructions—Yi Zhonghai knows.

For example, this money.

Yi Zhonghai's idea is very simple.

Using He Daqing's money to buy favors for Shazhu and Yushui is the only way to establish Yi Zhonghai's glorious image as a savior.

As a result, Shazhu must go to Baocheng to confront He Daqing.

Scheming everywhere.

All the scheming comes to nothing.

"Shazhu, what if Daqing hides and refuses to meet?"

There's an element of probing in it.

Yi Zhonghai is certain that He Daqing will not see Shazhu.

This is the condition they agreed upon.

Shazhu deliberately picks out things Yi Zhonghai doesn't want to hear and spouts nonsense.

Specifically aiming to stab Yi Zhonghai in the heart.

"Elder Grandfather, speaking of this matter, it's simple: if our family's old man hides and refuses to see me, I'll go to the authorities and have them give me an explanation; if that really doesn't work, I'll report our family's old man to the authorities as a missing enemy—nowadays it's popular to destroy family for justice, so I'll treat our family's old man as an enemy and eliminate him."

Shazhu also deliberately, in front of the two elders, made a hand gesture of beheading.

Yi Zhonghai was startled.

Liu Haizhong was also scared enough to be snarky.

All right.

At the slightest disagreement, they're after He Daqing's life.

Are you He Daqing's son?

In a moment's notice.

Yi Zhonghai felt a bit doubtful, wondering if it was wrong to treat Shazhu as a retirement backup.

He's really a ruthless person.

They'd even attack his own father.

"Shazhu, how could you do this?" Yi Zhonghai gazed at Shazhu with piercing eyes, shifting his tone as he began to work on Shazhu's thoughts: "What is Daqing saying? He's also your father; no matter what, you can't do this."

"Eldest Uncle, isn't there nothing we can do? Since my grandfather was killed by the Japanese when he was seven, my father and I have been living hand to mouth."

"Shazhu, that's not right; your grandfather was killed by the Japanese when he was seven—how could you even exist?"

"Eldest Uncle, do you also think this is nonsense?" Shazhu drew out his tone, with a gloomy air of 'I didn't kill Botren, yet Botren died because of me,' "Honestly, it's just nonsense. I acknowledge he's my father, but he hasn't acknowledged me as his son, so I don't care. The key is that Yushui is still young; rather than have her bear the stigma of running off with a widow's husband later, I'd rather send him away."

"Shazhu."

Yi Zhonghai, looking miserable, truly had no ideas left; after calling out 'Shazhu,' he didn't know how to continue working on Shazhu's thoughts.