Chapter 426

Over these years, the Jia family and Shazhu in the siheyuan have always been in a state of dead‑end non‑interaction, and what's more, five years ago when Qin Huairu tried to mess with Shazhu's family, Jia Zhangshi even acted as Qin Huairu's enforcer, offering advice and schemes from the sidelines as a strategist.

If it weren't for the astonishing effect of Shazhu's ruse.

He might have been dealt with by Qin Huairu.

Shazhu truly couldn't figure out who gave Jia Zhangshi the nerve to aim her scheme at him, and he had no reason to step in for Bangeng's going to the countryside.

Other families' children can go to the countryside, so why can't your Jia family's Bangeng go?

Can't endure hardship.

That's not a reason.

Even if Shazhu thought with his toes, he could guess what Jia Zhangshi would say—nothing more than the same old clichés.

He ignored Jia Zhangshi, just as he used to dodge her when they met, intending to go around her and head home, but he didn't expect Jia Zhangshi to grab his arm in one swift move.

Shazhu's face changed, and he said coldly, "Let go of my hand!"

Jia Zhangshi didn't loosen her grip on Shazhu's arm just because of his aloof tone.

Shazhu is now Jia Zhangshi's only hope.

For Bangeng.

She can do anything, including shamelessly asking Shazhu to step in.

"Shazhu." Jia Zhangshi tried to soften her tone as much as possible, saying, "This old woman has something to ask you."

"Your business has nothing to do with me, and I don't want to bother with it, nor can I be bothered." Shazhu pointed at Jia Zhangshi's claw gripping his arm and said, "Let go—my not losing my temper doesn't mean I have none."

"I can let go, but you can't leave, or I'll follow you home."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Shazhu, our Bangeng is about to be sent to the countryside. This old woman's idea is that, since you're on good terms with Deputy Factory Director Li and still friends with Xu Daming, you talk to them—if they can get our Bangeng a job at the steel mill, then our Bangeng won't have to go to the countryside."

According to the relevant policies.

Only sons are exempt.

Those who have work are exempt.

Back then, to keep Yushui from going to the countryside to do aid work, Shazhu even went begging grandparents and grandparents, and in the end he managed to keep Yushui in the city.

One reason is that the conditions down there are truly harsh, far worse than in the city.

The other reason is purely man‑made disaster.

It's about food and lust.

The better‑looking the female comrades, the more likely they are to attract this bad person's attention, leading to unfortunate incidents—for example, the pattern of one person going out and two coming back, or sometimes three coming back.

Moreover.

Some people also left their lives there.

Many people turn pale at the thought of going to the countryside.

Jia Zhangshi is no exception.

Bangeng is the Jia family's sole heir; if anything happened to him, the Jia family would collapse. These days, Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu have been busy with Bangeng's affairs.

In these five years, An Jiahe disappeared mysteriously, and Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi fell back into their former mother‑in‑law/daughter‑in‑law relationship. They moved back into the original Jia family home, the room of Long Laotaitai in the rear courtyard, which the street office then reclaimed.

After all, Bangeng is flesh that fell from Qin Huairu's body.

We must consider Bangeng's situation.

Qin Huairu couldn't get a word in with Deputy Factory Director Li, and Xu Daming didn't take Jia Zhangshi seriously, so the Jia family mother‑in‑law and daughter‑in‑law finally set their sights on Shazhu, asking him to intervene with the Jia family for a job, never once considering whether Shazhu would actually help them.

Perhaps in the Jia family's view, this is them giving Shazhu face.

Such face.

Shazhu won't want it.

He chuckled.

"Jia Zhangshi, you've got a lot of nerve—what relation do I have to you, and on what basis should I go ask Deputy Factory Director Li for a job for your Jia family? What does your Jia family even amount to? With that self‑entitled tone and expression, what do I owe your Jia family?"

"Shazhu, how can you talk like that? Even though we don't see each other head‑on, we're neighbors after all, and after all these years of camaraderie, you're asked to do a small favor and you won't even do it—are you still human?"

"Am I even human? I know that, but I know you Jia family people are definitely not human— the old ones are shameless, the young ones are shameless." Shazhu cursed: "Do you think the steel mill is mine, that whatever I say Deputy Factory Director Li will obey?"

"If worse comes to worst, give your job to our Jia family's Bangeng—our Bangeng will take your position, and then he won't have to go to the countryside."

Jia Zhangshi seemed to have grasped the last straw of salvation.

She shouted at Shazhu with all her might.

Those words.

They really made Shazhu laugh.

Unless your head is filled with two catties of donkey dung, you couldn't have such an idea.

Let Bangeng take Shazhu's post.

What's the difference between this and using a steamed bun to hit a dog?

"Jia Zhangshi, go home and quilt two thick blankets, sleep well—you'll have everything in your dreams. What the hell am I to your Jia family? What relation is Bangeng to me? My son? Saying that is sheer arrogance, and you still want our Bangeng to take over your job! Why doesn't Qin Huairu give her work to Bangeng? I gave my job to Bangeng—what will my wife and kids eat? There are plenty of people with work in the courtyard, why don't you let them give work to your Jia family? Get lost, or I'll fucking slap you to death, you damned old shrew!"

Seeing Shazhu lose his temper.

Jia Zhangshi didn't dare to stop him anymore.

She muttered a few curses under her breath.

Angered, Shazhu turned back the way he came.

Jia Zhangshi was overjoyed, thinking Shazhu had agreed to give the job to Bangeng, and was about to utter some hollow pleasantries when she saw Shazhu raise his palm and slap her three times—pa, pa, pa—then, after finishing, he flicked his sleeves and walked away toward his own home.

The beaten Jia Zhangshi covered her face and howled on the ground for a while; seeing no one pay her any mind, she also gave up on causing trouble—Old Yi Zhonghai has been dead for years, and fundamentally no one would back her up.

……

Indoors.

Yu Li took Shazhu's satchel.

They said a sentence.

"Jia Zhangshi came to discuss with me then; I said I'm not in charge, let her find you."

"If Jia Zhangshi gives you trouble later, just give her two slaps; Laoqianpo responds to force, not softness—the more you speak nicely to her, the more she insists."

"What's wrong?"

Shazhu angrily told Yu Li the whole story of what had just happened, then silently fell into contemplation alone.

It mainly was in his mind.

He involuntarily recalled those memory fragments from his previous life.

In his previous life.

Yi Zhonghai didn't die.

He himself was again a sycophant.

Jia Zhangshi didn't really put much heart into the matter of Bangeng going to the countryside.

With Yi Zhonghai and Shazhu helping out, Bangeng did a countryside stint in a suburb not far from the Capital City, and Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi even went by car to visit him.

After returning to the city.

Qin Huairu had someone find a street‑sweeping job for Bangeng.

Because Bangeng was unwilling, Shazhu instead helped introduce a good driving job.