Chapter 527: Jia Zhangshi Gets a Beating

Jia Zhangshi, facing the woman's criticism, thought deeply for a moment, and chose the side currently most beneficial to the Jia family.

Today's exposed marriage swap fact.

In one move it exposed the Jia family's scheme of trying to have two options, and indirectly confirmed Bangeng's infamous reputation as a Chen Shimei; under these circumstances, plotting to win You Fengxia would be somewhat not worth the loss.

You Fengxia is clearly not someone easy to fool.

The Jia family is very likely to end up in a situation where the chickens fly and the eggs break.

In the choice between protecting the big and protecting the small, Jia Zhangshi chose the woman, i. e., protecting the small. These days, Jia Zhangshi also roughly understood the situation; her tricks and strategies, when facing You Fengxia, are about as useful as lice on a monk's head—clearly ineffective.

True words, false words—all are just words.

As long as it's not exposed, who knows she's lying?

In Huaihua's absence, Qin Huairu still resents Jia Zhangshi for driving away Huaihua, and Bangeng also doesn't really take a liking to that marriage-swap woman.

The Jia family has four members in total.

Three of them are not of one mind with Jia Zhangshi.

Jia Zhangshi feels weary.

For the Jia family, she willingly gave her all, yet the Jia family members bear a grudge against her.

She calmed her emotions a bit.

Jia Zhangshi seized the woman's remark and replied.

"Older sister, your words really hit the younger sister's heart. Although the new society cannot discard old traditions, we'll follow your heads-of-household's opinion: first let Bangeng marry Cuifen; after they marry, we'll immediately arrange Huaihua's engagement to Bangchui. This is double joy, double kinship."

Seeing the woman open her mouth.

She looked ready to speak.

Jia Zhangshi hurriedly spoke first, using words to block the woman's path.

"Bangeng is the older brother, Huaihua the younger sister; when counting, you have to count one, two, three—you can't count three and then go back to one and two. That would sound bad when spread, and it defies reason. So Bangeng marries first, then Huaihua gets engaged."

The woman fell silent.

The onlookers also furrowed their brows.

The initiative of the matter.

It seemed to be under Jia Zhangshi's control.

Just as the surrounding people were sighing over Jia Zhangshi's progress.

A sudden sound.

It instantly broke through everyone's defenses.

At the same time Jia Zhangshi's face changed dramatically, her eyes filled with strong disbelief, directed at the person who spoke up to undermine her.

She had thought of everyone.

Except she never imagined that the person who would undermine her would be her beloved grandson Bangeng, whom she constantly misses.

"When everyone thought the marriage-swap matter was settled, Bangeng spoke up: "Huaihua is gone, she ran away—alive no body, dead no corpse—what can we use to marry her off to someone else?""

"Jia Zhangshi, what does this mean?"

The woman pointed at Jia Zhangshi and questioned her.

Her face didn't look good.

Mainly because the woman realized she might have been schemed against by Jia Zhangshi; Jia Zhangshi's earlier words left her momentarily stunned—those words, those principles, simply shouldn't have come from the mouth of a brainless Jia Zhangshi, so she forgot to respond.

What a fellow.

A moment's carelessness.

She almost pushed her own daughter onto the Jia family's heated brick bed.

She also almost ruined her own son's marriage plans.

Looking at Jia Zhangshi, her gaze unnaturally carried a hint of coldness.

Seeing this, Jia Zhangshi put on a apologetic smile and said.

"Older sister, don't listen to Bangeng's nonsense; this is all baseless rumor. This kid is angry, resentful that we called him from the countryside to the city, delaying his putting down roots and building in the countryside. If it weren't that our Jia family only has Bangeng as a son, we'd have to support him no matter what; unfounded things shouldn't be taken as true."

While speaking, Jia Zhangshi's peripheral vision warned Bangeng: "Grandma I'm doing this purely for you; you not only fail to appreciate my good intentions, but you also speak up to undermine me."

This is intolerable.

Could it be that he wants to stay a bachelor for life?

Jia Zhangshi also knows Bangeng's intention in saying this is merely to show loyalty to You Fengxia, who has just returned to the Siheyuan.

Men, after all.

All like pretty women.

However, You Fengxia doesn't take a liking to Bangeng; since no marriage-swap scandal has erupted, this matter can still be schemed a bit—but once a marriage-swap scandal breaks out, everyone will know the Jia family acts shamelessly.

How then to scheme against You Fengxia?

These days.

You Fengxia, upon seeing Bangeng, acts as if she didn't see him at all, or simply doesn't give him a proper look.

Moreover, in the front and back courtyards, there are many admirers of You Fengxia, whose conditions are far better than Bangeng's, and they don't bear the infamy of Chen Shimei.

Bangeng simply can't compete with them.

Unless he resorts to force.

The result of using force would be Bangeng's death and disappearance.

Regret would come too late.

The best choice is to marry Cuifen.

He cleared his throat.

"Bangeng is a child; what a child says shouldn't be taken as true."

The woman looked at Jia Zhangshi, then at Bangeng, then glanced at the crowd watching the excitement, suddenly realized, and silently cursed herself as foolish.

Terms: woman - generic, not a name; Jia Zhangshi - in glossary; Bangeng - in glossary; scene - generic; no other.

She never expected to be outwitted by Jia Zhangshi.

Terms: Jia Zhangshi.

A smile suddenly appeared on her face.

No names.

"Older sister, your words, as my sister, I naturally believe them; call Huaihua out here, let me see her and talk with her."

Terms: older sister (generic); Huaihua (in glossary).

Jia Zhangshi wore an aged countenance.

Term: Jia Zhangshi.

Swollen and bright red.

No.

Even a clever woman cannot cook without rice.

No.

Huaihua has run away.

Term: Huaihua.

How can she still meet the woman?

Term: woman (generic).

"Older sister, what are you doing? Don't you trust your younger sister?"

Terms: older sister (generic); younger sister (generic).

"It's not that I don't believe; I just want to see Huaihua. After all, an ugly daughter-in-law must eventually meet her parents-in-law. The same can be said the other way around: as Huaihua's future mother-in-law, I want to meet her and pass on the item my mother-in-law gave me, which is also a token of my goodwill."

Terms: Huaihua; parents-in-law (generic); future mother-in-law (generic); mother-in-law (generic); item (generic); no specific names.

In Jia Zhangshi's eyes.

Term: Jia Zhangshi.

A hint of greed flickered across.

No.

The item the woman spoke of is actually a gleaming gold bracelet, said to have been passed down from her great-grandmother's generation.

Terms: woman (generic); gold bracelet (item); great-grandmother (generic); no specific.

Jia Zhangshi has been eyeing that gold bracelet for a while; it's not just a matter of a day or two.

Terms: Jia Zhangshi; gold bracelet.

Initially, the Jia family still had a gold ring, which was a betrothal gift given to Jia Zhangshi by her mother-in-law when she married into the Jia family.

Terms: Jia Family (in glossary); gold ring (item); Jia Zhangshi; mother-in-law (generic).

They originally wanted to keep it as a family heirloom and pass it down.

No.

Who would have thought that a confiscation-of-property incident would actually cement the Jia family's siheyuan's reputation as the richest, and moreover, because Yi Zhonghai persuaded everyone to donate money and goods to the Jia family.

Terms: confiscation-of-property incident (generic); Jia Family; Siheyuan (in glossary); richest person (generic); Yi Zhonghai (in glossary); Jia Family again.

Amid the excited crowd.

No.

Amid the excited crowd.

No.

Thus the Jia family's gold ring no longer belonged to the Jia family.

Terms: Jia Family; gold ring.

Whenever she thinks of this, Jia Zhangshi feels a faint resentment welling up in her heart.

Term: Jia Zhangshi.

The reason for wanting to exchange spouses with the woman is, on one hand, concern that Bangeng might not find a wife; on the other hand, a desire to scheme for the woman's gold bracelet.

Terms: woman (generic); Bangeng; gold bracelet.

As long as they give Huaihua, Jia Zhangshi has a way to lure it into her hands.

Terms: Huaihua; Jia Zhangshi.

Who would have thought Huaihua would run away.

Term: Huaihua.

The spouse-exchange plan also fell through.

No.

Jia Zhangshi's scheme to obtain the gold bracelet also came to nothing.

Terms: Jia Zhangshi; gold bracelet.

Upon hearing the woman say that, Jia Zhangshi suddenly had a brainwave and thought of continuing to scheme for the woman's gold bracelet.

Terms: woman (generic); Jia Zhangshi; gold bracelet.

"Older sister, your words make me a bit ashamed; our Huaihua marrying into your family is also her fortune; but regarding this matter, how to put it, Huaihua isn't here—not because she ran away from home, but because she responded to the street office's call and went to the countryside; our Jia family does have this little merit, actively responding to the street office."

Terms: older sister (generic); Huaihua; street office (in glossary); Jia Family.

Believe it or not.

No.

It doesn't matter.

No.

The key is to cover up the fact that Huaihua is missing.

Term: Huaihua.

But things don't go as one wishes.

No.

Jia Zhangshi had just fabricated the excuse that Huaihua went to the countryside when a street office staff member came running to see her, and one sentence mercilessly exposed her lie.

Terms: Jia Zhangshi; Huaihua; street office (in glossary); staff (generic).

"Grandma Bangeng, we've received notice that a girl's corpse aged about sixteen or seventeen was found at Red Flag River. You didn't go to the street office a few days ago to report that Huaihua had run away from home? Director Wang's intention is to have me bring you to Red Flag River to identify the body and see if it's Huaihua. If yes, we'll proceed accordingly; if not, we'll continue mobilizing efforts to search for Huaihua."

Terms: Bangeng's grandmother; Red Flag River; street office; Director Wang; Huaihua.

Other terms: Red Flag River (place name); street office (in glossary); Director Wang (in glossary); Huaihua.

"Jia Zhangshi, since you said Huaihua responded to the street office's call and went to the countryside, why did you then go to the street office and say Huaihua ran away from home?"

Terms: Jia Zhangshi; Huaihua; street office.

The woman grabbed Jia Zhangshi, who was trying to leave, with one hand.

Terms: woman (generic); Jia Zhangshi.

The expression on her face.

No.

Beyond doubt.

No.

Seeing her lie exposed by the staff member and her arm being pulled by the woman, Jia Zhangshi forced a smile at the woman and called out "older sister".

Terms: staff (generic); woman (generic); Jia Zhangshi; older sister (generic).

Upon hearing Jia Zhangshi call her "older sister", the woman felt as if she had eaten two pounds of dead flies, feeling extremely depressed, and retorted: "I'm not your older sister, you're not my younger sister; you, Jia Zhangshi, really have a knack for scheming, trying to use Huaihua's going to the countryside as an excuse to fool our family into exchanging spouses with you—bah!"

Terms: Jia Zhangshi; woman (generic); Huaihua; older sister (generic); younger sister (generic).

A mouthful of thick phlegm.

No.

It flew toward Jia Zhangshi.

Term: Jia Zhangshi.

The distance between them was close.

No.

Jia Zhangshi was again unprepared.

Term: Jia Zhangshi.

The woman's spit, neither left nor right, hit the target squarely.

Term: woman (generic).

Instantly, a glob of disgusting spit appeared on Jia Zhangshi's face, sickening to the core.

Term: Jia Zhangshi.

Having succeeded with the spit, the woman didn't think of stopping; feeling eager to strike while the iron's hot, she swung her right hand hard at Jia Zhangshi.

Terms: woman (generic); Jia Zhangshi.

The onlookers then heard a crisp "slap" sound.

No.

Jia Zhangshi's face then bore a visible large palm print.

Term: Jia Zhangshi.

After being hit, Jia Zhangshi touched her stung cheek, dazed for over ten seconds, anger flickering in her eyes, no longer caring about sisterly affection.

Term: Jia Zhangshi.

Mainly, Jia Zhangshi suddenly realized the situation; the staff member's words left her with no chance at all of exchanging spouses with the other party.

Terms: Jia Zhangshi; staff (generic).

Thus.

No.

There's no need to give the woman a pleasant look.

Term: woman (generic).

In her heart, she also worried that Huaihua might be dead.

Terms: heart (generic); Huaihua.

The anger piled up.

No.

She used her head as a weapon, lunging forward to headbutt the woman.

Term: woman (generic).

The scene instantly turned into a brawl, with Jia Zhangshi striking the woman and the woman attacking Jia Zhangshi, both spewing profanity.

Terms: Jia Zhangshi; woman (generic).

"Shameless Jia Zhangshi."

Term: Jia Zhangshi.

You really have no shame.

Huaihua has left home for several days, and you still came to my door yesterday trying to persuade me, letting me agree to exchange marriage with your Jia Family's Bangeng. With that kind of conduct of your Jia Family's Bangeng, he's already a Chen Shimei, still wanting to marry? Go be a lifelong bachelor—I pah, what nonsense, you bastard who won't die well.

You say our Bangeng is no good, as if your daughter were any better—look at her appearance, that intelligence; if a man wants her, that's already not bad, yet you're picky. I, the old woman, have laid down my words: besides our Jia Family, who could possibly take a look at your foolish girl? Letting her marry our Jia Family's Bangeng is our Jia Family pitying you; you're not only ungrateful, you're putting on airs—what do you think your family is?

I pah, saying no one wants our daughter, as if your Jia Family's Bangeng had a bride—going together to the countryside, how did your Bangeng end up marrying a widow? It's not that he's lusting after her deep down; to return to the city he abandoned the widow—he's not human, just a thing.

Our Bangeng is fine.

If your Bangeng were really good, why did he come back and drive Huaihua away? Jia Zhangshi, the reason you're quarreling with me wouldn't be because you're guilty and dare not identify the corpse, would it?

Jia Zhangshi grabbed the woman's hands.

Suddenly she stopped.

The woman grappling with her took advantage of Jia Zhangshi's momentary daze, slapped her a few times, and quickly broke free from their entanglement.

Jia Zhangshi weighs two hundred catties.

The woman weighs only ninety catties.

One force can overcome ten—this is not without reason. In the scuffle with Jia Zhangshi just now, the woman did suffer a slight loss; realizing that continuing to grapple would only bring her more harm, she decisively chose the side most advantageous to herself.

I won't fight you anymore.

I'll provoke you with words.

Jia Zhangshi, if you truly cared about Huaihua, you wouldn't be fighting and arguing with me; you would have gone with the street office staff to identify Huaihua's corpse. You didn't go, but instead used the chance of me pulling you to linger at the scene. Jia Zhangshi, Jia Zhangshi, at your age, having done so many wicked deeds, aren't you afraid Huaihua will come back to settle scores?

Jia Zhangshi trembled all over.

The woman's words.

Like a sharp needle prick.

It precisely pierced Jia Zhangshi's body, making every inch of her skin suffuse with an anguish that words cannot describe.

She really panicked.

If that person really is Huaihua...

Jia Zhangshi dares not imagine her future life.

These past few days.

Because Huaihua left home, Qin Huairu hardly speaks to Jia Zhangshi anymore.

Just thinking of those past events, Jia Zhangshi's heart leapt to her throat.

Why would this be so?

She stepped back with her body, trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and the woman.

Jia Zhangshi, speak up—why don't you dare to identify Huaihua's corpse? Is it because your conscience is utterly corrupt?

You're talking nonsense.

I'm talking nonsense? What nonsense? If you were guiltless, you wouldn't dare not claim Huaihua's body—Huaihua was driven to death by you, Jia Zhangshi, no, no, by your Jia Family. Think of Xiao Dang before, and now think of Huaihua.

Huaihua, grandmother is sorry to you, my Huaihua.

Jia Zhangshi's wailing cry rose.

Around also rose the murmuring whispers of the neighbors.

At the same time.

Inside the Bai Xu restaurant.

Led by Shazhu, the Bai Xu leadership began their recruitment drive; the newly arrived Director Wang paid close attention to this, and in a rush introduced Shazhu to several unemployed youths.

Following the principle of men and women working together without tiring, Shazhu kept ten people—five men and five women. Three were assigned to the first-floor hall, with Yu Li fully responsible; three to the second floor, with You Fengxia in charge; the remaining four, after assessing their character, Shazhu arranged them in the back kitchen, under Liu Lan's responsibility.