Chapter 420

"Jia Zhangshi, you insist on opposing us, don't you?"

"It's you who are opposing me."

"Then let's see who can make Er Da Ma realize her mistake more deeply."

"Bring it on; who's afraid of whom?"

"We have drawn up the following list of chores for Er Da Ma: in the morning, empty the chamber pot, wash it after emptying, sweep the courtyard after washing, and sweep the street after sweeping the courtyard."

"Er Da Ma felt dazed."

"She didn't know what the content was."

"She just remembered one word."

"Sweep."

"Keep sweeping nonstop."

"According to their arrangements, Er Da Ma had no free time at all."

"What made Er Da Ma even more frightened."

"It was one wave after another."

"The old women arranged a myriad of schedules for her, and Jia Zhangshi, not to be outdone, assigned her a pile of endless tasks."

"In the morning she had to do housework, tidy the rooms, help wash clothes, and wipe the glass of the twenty-odd households in the courtyard every day."

"Just thinking that she didn't even have time to use the toilet."

"She even felt like dying."

"Her eyelids drooped."

"She finally fainted in a dazed way."

"The Team Captains of the Siheyuan Reform and Supervision Brigade and the Siheyuan Mistake-Correction Inspection Brigade, seeing Er Da Ma faint, worried something might happen, had no room to act, each in their capacity as Team Captain ordered Liu Haizhong, who was hiding inside the house, to carry Er Da Ma to the hospital; then they each went home to find their own mothers."

…… => ellipsis. We'll translate as "……" maybe keep as "……". We'll output "【21】 ……".

"The next day."

"Sunday."

"Shazhu held Weiguo, Yu Li held Xianghong, and carrying two old people's books in hand, they walked toward He Yushui's home."

"Walking along, they looked around."

"Shazhu's mood inexplicably felt a bit off."

"Everything around, including those hurried passersby, gave Shazhu a feeling that he couldn't put into words."

"Only a soft sigh."

"Could express Shazhu's emotion."

"He suddenly understood why he wanted to stay in Warehouse No. 4: probably holding an attitude of 'out of sight, out of mind,' wanting to avoid as much as possible."

"Walk, stop, walk, stop."

"Stop, stop, walk, walk."

"A family appeared at Yushui's doorstep."

"They probably had gotten the news in advance."

"Yushui's father-in-law and mother-in-law had been waiting at the door long before."

"The two sides met."

"They exchanged pleasantries for a while."

"Shazhu immediately handed the old people's book he was holding as a gift to Yushui's father-in-law and mother-in-law."

"At that moment."

"They had to let outsiders see."

"Otherwise, even if they were in the right, they couldn't make it clear."

"He Yushui's father-in-law and mother-in-law took the book Shazhu offered with both hands, exchanged a few polite words, and invited Shazhu's family into their home."

"\"Brother, sister-in-law, how did you come? \""

"Yushui's voice."

"Coming from afar."

"She wore a set of home clothes, had cloth shoes on her feet, held a kitchen knife in one hand, and carried an old hen in the other."

"Shazhu had just answered,"

"Yushui's mother-in-law hurried over and immediately launched into a complaint."

"\"Yushui, didn't I tell you to stay still? You're not alone now; there's another in your belly—let your father do these chores. \""

"She snatched the chicken and kitchen knife from Yushui's hands."

"She casually handed them to Jianguo's father."

"\"Yushui's brother and sister-in-law have come; you go take care of the chicken, let Yushui chat with her brother and sister-in-law, and I'll tidy the house. \""

"Shazhu discovered a not-so-secret secret."

"The Liu family seemed to be run by the women."

"That is, the legendary fear of wives."

"Just seeing how Yushui's mother-in-law had Yushui's father-in-law well-behaved, one could tell Yushui's days at her in-laws wouldn't be too bitter; Shazhu, being well-informed, could see that Yushui's mother-in-law treated Yushui like her own dear daughter, doting on her, as long as Qin Huairu didn't fall into Jia Zhangshi's hands."

"It could be seen as hardship turning to sweetness."

"The family warmth that He Daqing had never experienced was felt in the in-laws' home."

"Shazhu had no intention to help; although he was a cook and could easily prepare that old hen, he had to avoid suspicion due to the old capital's rules."

Shazhu had no intention to help; although he was a cook and could easily prepare that old hen, he had to avoid suspicion due to the old capital's rules.

Following Granny Yushui's advice, I sat on the stool and then chatted with Yushui off and on.

It's an old, oft-repeated saying.

When did you get pregnant?

It's been almost three months.

Yushui waved Shazhu over for a drink and shoved a few sugar cubes into Weiguo's and Xianghong's hands.

Probably her pregnancy brought out her maternal instincts.

Four-year-old Weiguo.

He ended up suffering.

Held in the arms of Aunt He Yushui, he was overly fond; the mistreated Weiguo still turned to Shazhu nearby for help.

Shazhu furrowed his brow slightly.

Yushui, you're not favoring boys over girls, are you?

Weiguo, let your aunt dote on you for a while; after a few months, once she has her own child, even if you want her to dote on you, she won't.

No matter when, I always dote on our Weiguo. Weiguo, do you remember? The first time Aunt held you, you peed all over her, making her angry and she smacked your little butt.

Grandma, save me!

The small-but-cunning Weiguo called out for help to Yushui's mother-in-law.

Everyone immediately burst into laughter.

Yushui's mother-in-law deliberately made a teasing remark.

Weiguo, we'll have chicken later; if you let your aunt dote on you, Grandma will give you chicken to eat, otherwise your aunt will eat all the chicken.

Weiguo rolled his eyes.

He stopped speaking.

He had a resigned look.

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Yushui set Weiguo down, and Weiguo toddled over to Yushui's father-in-law on his short legs; one spoke in childish babble, the other in adult speech, and they actually started chatting.

Soon after.

Liu Jianguo returned.

He took off his clothes.

He joined the idle chatter.

Brother, how's it going at the steel mill?

Pretty good; I'm the warehouse keeper, and that warehouse usually has no one—I'm the only one going to and from work, enjoying the peace.

Peace and quiet.

Many people want peace and quiet but can't get it.

Shazhu basically made the right move.

"Right, how's the situation in your compound?" Liu Jianguo pointed at the big courtyard where they lived, murmured softly, "Things happen every day in the compound; someone who was fine today, you saw him yesterday, but tomorrow you see the whole family moved out overnight."

"It's all the same; just take our four-sided courtyard: earlier, when Liu Haizhong was team captain, it was utter chaos, intolerable; after Liu Haizhong stepped down, the compound set up the Rectification and Oversight Battalion and the Correction and Inspection Battalion, and when I went out today, those two battalions were still arguing, saying they'd violated their rights."

"Our compound is pretty much the same; we also set up a few makeshift troupes. Brother, sister-in-law, remember what your brother-in-law said: if you can stay silent, stay silent; definitely don't draw attention. A few friends of mine suffered disaster just for saying the wrong thing."