Chapter 49

Jia Zhangshi not only refused to admit it, but also turned around and put the shit basin on Xu Damiao's head, saying Xu Damiao was lecherous, had taken a fancy to Qin Huairu, and that was why he ran to Qin Family Village to intercept Qin Huairu.

Xu Damiao was no match for the Jia family ladies, which is why this courtyard meeting came about.

Seeing Shazhu return.

Xu Damiao then seemed to grasp at a lifeline, immediately calling out to Shazhu for help.

"Shazhu, bear witness for me."

"When Xu Damiao left this morning, he ran into me. I saw Xu Damiao dressed up nicely, and I asked him if he was going to a grave visit. Xu Damiao said that Jia Damu did not approve of Qin Huairu and Jia Dongxu's marriage, and had sent Xu Damiao to cause trouble."

"Shazhu, it's none of your business, stop talking nonsense."

"Jia Dongxu, I don't have a habit of lying—one is one, two is two. Xu Damiao told me exactly that. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."

Seeing Jia Dongxu clench his fists.

A flicker of contempt crossed Shazhu's eyes.

Talking about fighting.

In the courtyard, truly no one is a match for Shazhu.

"Jia Dongxu, what do you mean? Want to practice?"

Seeing the two start to grapple.

Yi Zhonghai couldn't bear to watch.

One is the choice for elder care, the other is the elder-care backup; neither can afford the slightest slip.

He tapped the table.

"We'll talk about your matter later; now let's discuss Xu Damiao and Jia Dongxu."

"Exactly, let's first talk about the interception."

Liu Haizhong also spoke up.

His gaze also swept over Shazhu's new bicycle.

Because he had wanted to buy a bicycle for a long time.

He thought that in the steel mill, Yi Zhonghai had no rival, and in the courtyard he was suppressed by Yi Zhonghai, so he planned to buy a bicycle to turn the tables on Yi Zhonghai.

As it turned out, the first person to buy a bicycle was actually Shazhu.

From Shazhu buying a bicycle, everyone thought that He Daqing had left him a fair amount of wealth when he passed away, and the head chef of Tan Family Cuisine was never short of money.

This thought was kept to himself and not spoken.

Yan Fugui, however, had no such reservations; his relationship with Shazhu improved leaps and bounds, thanks also to helping He Yushui with tutoring.

"Shazhu, this bicycle."

"Third Elder, I understand your meaning; I state my position: if anyone in our courtyard encounters the happy event of taking a wife or marrying off a daughter and wants to borrow a bicycle, no problem—I will support it uniformly."

What a great attitude.

Excellent beyond compare.

Just that statement of Shazhu's instantly earned him many favor points.

There are plenty of young people in the courtyard—Jia Dongxu, Liu Guangqi, followed by Xu Damiao, Shazhu, Yan Jiefang, etc. —and they really do use Shazhu's bicycle.

It can be borrowed.

But precautions are also needed.

Shazhu's next words were like a preventive shot.

"To avoid such a dispute, just like today's dispute between Xu Damiao and the Jia family, this bicycle will be handled by the three elders. I will inspect it thoroughly in front of the three elders, confirm it's intact, then hand it over to them. The person taking a wife or marrying off a daughter will receive the bicycle from the three elders, and when returning it, must follow the same procedure. If a tire is punctured, that's no problem—I can fix it myself. But if the axle is bent or the frame is warped, the three elders must take responsibility. Do you three elders agree?"

Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Fugui paused.

Each felt something in their hearts.

Shazhu handles things flawlessly.

"I'm not making things difficult for you; this afternoon I told Director Wang the same thing."

"Shazhu's consideration is also correct; a bicycle is a big item. Whoever in our courtyard needs a bicycle should find their own overseer elder. Next we'll move on to the second item."

The second item of the meeting.

Xu Damiao's ordeal item.

Apart from Shazhu, basically no one in the whole courtyard believed Xu Damiao.

An eight-year-old brat running to the women's toilet to peek at people using it is a despicable thing that has ruined this atmosphere—even dogs wouldn't trust his character.

"Jia Dongxu is the disciple of the First Elder, so I'll chair this meeting." Liu Haizhong then started putting on airs, saying, "I think this matter is extremely vile—intercepting a marriage—is our courtyard still a courtyard?"

"Second Elder, this time you can't blame me—I really went to the countryside after listening to Jia Zhangshi's words. For the Jia family's sake, I lost a shoe, my clothes were torn, and I even got beaten. We can't just let it go like that; give me an explanation."

Xu Damiao felt angry inside.

Trying to steal a chicken but ending up losing the rice used to lure it.

He truly believed Jia Zhangshi's ghost.

"Xu Damiao, don't put the shit basin on my mother's head. Last night, in front of the neighbors, my mother agreed to my marriage with Huairu, and at noon she even went with the neighbors to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy cloth."

Jia Dongxu understood perfectly.

He knew that behind the interception lay Jia Zhangshi's shadow.

Only a fool would drag his own mother into trouble.

A smart person would use this matter to make Jia Zhangshi suffer a dumb loss.

First bring Qin Huairu home as a wife, then talk.

Jia Dongxu also understood Jia Zhangshi's idea—nothing more than wanting him to find a working city girl, so that dual incomes could change the Jia family's poverty.

This matter of marriage.

It really can't be forced.

When has a forcibly twisted melon ever been sweet?

The girls Jia Dongxu fancies, their families look down on the Jia family; the girls whose families do look up to the Jia family, Jia Dongxu again despises them for being ugly; the pretty girls from wealthy families, Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi despise them for having a lowly background, being what rich people or capitalists—marrying into the Jia family would be tantamount to dragging the Jia family's name through the mud.

The girl named Qin Huairu introduced by Yi Zhonghai, although she is from the countryside, has a proper appearance, and Jia Dongxu took a liking to her at first sight.

Because Jia Zhangshi disagreed, Jia Dongxu used the matter of the street's prostitute remarrying to fiercely pressure Jia Zhangshi: either marry Qin Huairu, or Jia Dongxu will bring back a prostitute as his wife.

Xu Daming also knows he is no match for the Jia family; in the whole siheyuan, only Shazhu believes in him.

"Alright, alright, alright, I admit my bad luck; from now on, the Jia family and I, Xu Daming, will have nothing to do with each other till death."

"Just admitting bad luck isn't enough? Xu Daming, no matter how you say it, this matter is your fault; you apologize to the Jia family, then this can be considered settled—after all, it's an affair of the courtyard; if it gets out, the loss will be yours, Xu Daming's, so do you still want to become a regular?"

Truly a hypocrite.

We had agreed to avoid suspicion.

Yet he seized every opportunity to threaten Xu Daming.

"Jia Dongxu, today I, Xu Daming, will give the three elders face; I'll swallow this dumb loss."

Xu Daming, feeling unwilling, could only seize the chance to back down, angrily uttering an apology, while in his heart he swore a vicious oath unknown to outsiders.

Even if Jia Dongxu marries Qin Huairu, Xu Daming will still make Jia Dongxu wear a green hat.

This grudge.

No matter what, it must be repaid.

Qin Huairu.

His doom is sealed.

"What are you waiting for? Everyone's waiting!"

Jia Zhangshi anxiously urged him on, telling Xu Daming to hurry up and apologize.