Chapter 435

The neighbours' grumbling voices.

It served as a reminder.

The other neighbours present instantly recalled that they, too, seemed to have heard such a rumor before.

The Jia family mother‑and‑daughter‑in‑law were naturally no exception.

At that time, Jia Zhangshi also comforted Qin Huairu, saying that it was definitely someone who took a dislike to Factory Director Yang and deliberately fabricated these groundless rumors, speaking with conviction that it was impossible for the Yagangchang factory housing to be given to the street office, letting Qin Huairu put her mind at ease.

If the rumor were true.

Indeed, that was not the situation Jia Zhangshi wanted to see.

No money!

This is the crux.

To settle the matter of Bangeng marrying a widow, the Jia family once and for all produced a thousand yuan.

At this point, the Jia family was not like in the previous life, when there was Shazhu, the sycophant who ungrudgingly fawned over the Jia family, and Yi Zhonghai, the Moral Heavenly Venerable, sincerely helping the Jia family; the Jia family's meagre savings from bleeding the Siheyuan neighbours, however, had been completely swindled because of Jia Zhangshi.

At most, there were only a few hundred yuan left in the house.

Otherwise, it would have been impossible to think of rescuing Bangeng by targeting Xiao Dang, which eventually led to Xiao Dang completely breaking with the Jia family, going to the countryside alone, and even having a child.

If money could buy a house, that would be outright terrible news for the Jia family mother‑and‑daughter‑in‑law.

Inside the Siheyuan.

Families needing a house for marriage were everywhere; in the front, middle, and rear courtyards, neighbours were constantly begging grandparents and grandmothers for a house.

If those families really set their sights on the Jia family's current house, Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu would just be throwing a tantrum, but to no avail; they could only watch helplessly as their house took another family's surname—how would Bangeng ever marry? How could Jia Zhangshi ever hold a grandson?

He/she became anxious.

Jumping on his/her toes, he/she began to refute the crowd.

"What nonsense are you spouting? How did the Yagangchang factory housing become the street's housing? And with money you can turn public housing into your own—what kind of reverse‑whatever speculation is that? The second son of Old Wang next door, just because he went to the black market to buy things, still hasn't come home."

After threatening everyone.

Again he/she started using nonsense to mess with Shazhu.

With a tone and appearance as if considering Shazhu's best interests.

"Shazhu, although our two families haven't had much contact, I, the old lady, still want to kindly remind you: the house matter is a big deal, you can't just act on a whim; you're not like before—you have a wife and children now; if you get involved, what will happen to Yu Li? What will happen to the children?"

Jia Zhangshi had something up her sleeve.

Always thinking up good deeds.

"Well then, since things haven't blown up yet, I, the old lady, genuinely want to help you out: we Jia family will live in this house; when people come knocking for an explanation, I'll naturally speak up for you—plus, our Bangeng needs a house to marry, so by then this house will belong to our Jia family's Bangeng. Shazhu, don't you think that makes sense?"

Just as the words fell.

All around rose the neighbours' teasing voices, afraid that the matter would not become a big fuss.

"Bangeng's grandma, are you trying to send Bangeng away? Bangeng has already settled in the Northeast, I've heard that educated youths who marry down there find it hard to return."

Jia Zhangshi's face changed.

Still thinking of not letting this matter get out.

By then, find a working young lady in the city for Bangeng to marry.

Who would have thought the neighbours all already knew.

My heart inexplicably grew a bit anxious.

If this gets out, Bangeng would become a remarried man—how could Jia Zhangshi's dream of Bangeng marrying a working young lady ever be realized?

Just about to throw a tantrum.

Then I heard the neighbours imitating each other, teasing Shazhu.

"Master He, what Bangeng's grandma said makes sense; if someone really comes to you demanding an explanation, I reckon it won't end well—Bangeng is now in the Northeast, nobody knows when he'll return, but our child is right here in the city, in the Siheyuan; not long ago the matchmaker introduced him to a prospect, everything was settled except for the house; I just applied to the Yagangchang factory a few days ago—you know, Factory Director Yang just arrived and everything's in chaos; I'm not as shameless as Jia Zhangshi to demand the house outright—I'll borrow it, get married, and whenever you need the house back I'll return it; I promise not to live in your house for free."

Jia Zhangshi's venomous gaze.

Like a killer's knife.

Directed straight at the speaking neighbour.

Really not something to joke about.

Actually competing with her for the house.

He opened his mouth, Jia Zhangshi wanted to curse the other's eight generations of ancestors, when she heard someone rush in from outside.

The person hadn't even stepped through the door yet.

The shout for the mistress of the house to go home and get money had already flown into everyone's ears ahead of him; just as everyone was stunned, a hurried figure ran from the front courtyard to the middle courtyard.

It was Old Wang from the rear courtyard.

Old Wang arrived before his wife, panting and muttering.

"Don't just stand there… go get… money… from the street office… over there… nowadays lots… of people are buying… houses…."

Along with his narration.

The onlooking neighbours were all greatly startled.

What Old Wang said turned out to be the same as what Shazhu said—he had his wife fetch money because he wanted to change their house from rented to privately owned.

The neighbours who already had a hint of belief in what Shazhu said grew even more convinced by his words; without anyone specifically urging them, they gathered around Old Wang of their own accord, asking questions all at once.

Old Wang, is what you're saying true or false?

Of course it's true.

So does that mean we don't have to pay rent anymore?

Not exactly—rather than not paying rent, it's a one‑time payment of however much money, after which the house becomes ours personally.

Old Wang, who did you hear this from?

Director Wang of the street office, you probably don't know, but someone has already bought the house.

"If it were a house like the Jia family's, and the Jia family folks have no money to buy it, could we neighbors buy it?"

Besides, someone, with the intention of stirring the pot, deliberately brought the topic to the Jia family's house, and while speaking, turned their gaze toward the Jia family's mother‑in‑law and daughter‑in‑law.

It might have been a joke.

But more often it was calculation.

On one hand, they genuinely need a house to improve their living conditions; on the other hand, Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu have truly become a disgrace to the siheyuan. If they really seized this chance to expel the Jia family from the siheyuan, for the neighbors it would also be a rare, excellent thing.

Feeling the hostile gazes of the crowd.

The Jia family's mother‑in‑law and daughter‑in‑law no longer had the idea of arguing with the neighbors, and even extinguished the plan to calculate Shazhu's house. With their own home about to be lost, they basically had no extra time or energy to scheme about anything else; they watched helplessly as the neighbors dispersed in a rush, and watched helplessly as Shazhu used his newly bought lock to lock the houses of Old Yang's family, Yi Zhonghai's family, and Long Laotaitai's family.