Chapter 54: As it turns out, the sewing machine was bought by Yi Zhonghai

Perhaps they could see the doubt on Shazhu's face.

Yi Zhonghai gave an explanation, saying Qin Family Village was relatively far; when returning there was no car, and rushing back at night made it easy to run into bad people.

After some persuasion, Qin Huairu agreed to stay one night in the Siheyuan.

Where exactly would she stay?

Yi Zhonghai arranged for Qin Huairu to spend the night with Long Laotaitai in her hut in the back yard.

This explanation also makes sense.

But why is Jia Zhangshi pulling such a bitter face!

This bitter face is somewhat interesting.

There was none of the excitement a father feels when his son is about to marry, nor the joy of becoming a mother-in-law; the whole Jia family was shrouded in a strange atmosphere.

Such a thing is rare under heaven.

When the son takes a wife, the mother wears a bitter gourd face.

Shazhu thought for a moment.

He indicated his understanding.

Disagreeing to marry Qin Huairu is one reason.

Another reason is that Jia Zhangshi has no room to intervene.

Although it is Jia Zhangshi's son Jia Dongxu's wedding, Jia Zhangshi herself no longer has the authority to intervene; the betrothal gifts are provided by Yi Zhonghai, the betrothal date is set by Yi Zhonghai, and Yi Zhonghai also acts as matchmaker for Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu, making Yi Zhonghai effectively the head of the Jia family.

This enthusiastic zeal.

If it were the Shazhu of his previous life.

He would surely praise Yi Zhonghai as looking like a true master, anxiously exclaiming with envy, lamenting that Jia Dongxu could encounter a master like Yi Zhonghai who both spends money and exerts effort.

There's the matter of Xiao Dang taking the blame.

Shazhu just gave a hollow laugh.

Offering zeal for no reason.

Either treachery or theft.

Yi Zhonghai is a bit overly enthusiastic.

Only a fool would spell it out.

"Eldest Uncle, no problem, I'll take responsibility for everything; you just know I owe Xu Damu twenty meals, and Xu Damu was the first to bring it up just now—this meal will be made at my place, not interfering with your business with Xu Damu, Eldest Uncle. Tell me if it works; if it does, we'll do it this way; if not, I'll accept being split in half."

Shazhu made his request in a joking tone.

Yi Zhonghai considered it.

This matter really is his fault.

He then agreed to Shazhu's suggestion.

Just as he was about to leave.

Shazhu called out to stop him.

"Eldest Uncle, wait a moment, I still have something I haven't told you; lately I've been busy with work at the station and haven't tended to the old lady in the back yard; in over ten days it will be New Year's, you have wide connections, great prestige, and considerable ability."

Shazhu has learned to be bad.

Beneath his honest, simple cheeks.

Lurks a sinister, wicked heart.

One big hat after another was placed on Yi Zhonghai's head.

Yi Zhonghai has also had doubts.

But just looking at Shazhu's honest, simple cheeks.

The doubts in his heart disappeared.

In the Siheyuan, Shazhu is the only honest person.

"On New Year's Day I want to make authentic Tan-family cuisine, sunflower duck, for the old lady; you know she likes to eat, and some ingredients will need you, Eldest Uncle, to procure."

While Shazhu was speaking.

He handed the ingredients list to Yi Zhonghai.

Since we intend to use this dish to probe Long Laotaitai's identity, the dish must be made as authentically as possible.

Yi Zhonghai took it, looked it over, saw that he could still obtain the ingredients, agreed to Shazhu's request, then, on the pretext of having business, rolled off to the back yard.

Shazhu guessed that Yi Zhonghai was going to report the situation to Long Laotaitai.

As expected.

Indeed it is.

Yi Zhonghai walked into Long Laotaitai's hut with an excited expression.

"Old lady, it's done!"

"Is it the matter of Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu's blind date?"

"It's about Shazhu."

"You want to betroth Qin Huairu to Shazhu?"

"It's not the matter of Qin Huairu and Shazhu's blind date." Yi Zhonghai patiently repeated Shazhu's earlier words in full to Long Laotaitai.

Upon hearing that Shazhu would make her sunflower duck,

Long Laotaitai's saliva flowed out.

A trace of longing for the past appeared in her eyes.

The next day.

Shazhu, busy all day.

Just got off work and went home.

He was stopped by Yan Fugui.

Yan Fugui had an envious, contemptuous weird expression.

"San Daye, that expression of yours."

"Shazhu, San Daye isn't aiming at you; San Daye wants to tell you the truth: our Siheyuan now has two families doing well."

"San Daye, that's not right; it should be three households: the front courtyard is your family, the middle courtyard is the Eldest Master's family, and the rear courtyard is the Second Master's family."

"Shazhu, just have fun teasing your San Daye!" Yan Fugui said to Shazhu: "Your family now has a bicycle, and the Jia family has a sewing machine!"

Isn't it just a sewing machine?

In the previous life.

The Jia family also had a sewing machine.

Later, no one knew what happened.

People just forgot that the Jia family had a sewing machine.

It seemed as if someone was deliberately covering up this matter.

"San Daye, we're not jealous."

"You're not jealous, but San Daye is jealous."

Yan Fugui turned into the Siheyuan's little loudspeaker, detailing to Shazhu everything that happened that day in the Siheyuan.

The Jia family did have a sewing machine.

But this sewing machine was purchased with money paid by Yi Zhonghai.

It was said to be a wedding gift for Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu.

This is the first oddity.

Today is the day of the blind date.

Yi Zhonghai, however, had prepared the wedding gift for Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu in advance, and it was still a sewing machine that caused countless people to sigh and be shocked.

Everyone said that Yi Zhonghai, this master, was not bad.

They also praised Jia Dongxu for having good fortune.

They had taken on a master willing to spend money.

This is the second oddity.

Jia Zhangshi pulled a long face, as if she didn't much care for this sewing machine!

This is the third oddity.

The son of the Old Yangtou family in the front courtyard, Little Yangtou, is getting married; he is marrying a reformed prostitute assigned by the Jiēdào, to be wed tomorrow; this prostitute is also called Qin Huairu, differing from the Jia family's daughter-in-law Qin Huairu only in the middle character.

Jia Zhangshi, having heard this news from somewhere, rushed to the Yang family's house in a fury, blew up at Old Yang, then went to find Yi Zhonghai, once again insisting that she opposed Jia Dongxu marrying that Qin Huairu from Qin Family Village, while Jia Dongxu was dead set on marrying Qin Huairu, and Yi Zhonghai also chimed in, so the matter was left unresolved.

No wonder, as soon as Shazhu entered the Siheyuan.

He found that something in the Siheyuan was off.

It turned out to be because of this matter.

He turned his head.

He saw Old Yangtou and his son Little Yangtou holding some vegetables and a bit of pork, and Shazhu guessed this was for tomorrow's wedding feast.

Yan Fugui's scholar's mindset acted up, looking down on the reformed prostitute and also on the Yang family for marrying one; he left a remark of scholar's pride and turned back home.

Shazhu's relationship with the Yang family was still okay, so he smiled and offered a few congratulatory words to Old Yangtou and his son.

Kind words cost nothing.

No need to be stingy.

Shazhu was the first person in the Siheyuan to learn of the Yang family's marriage to a reformed prostitute and to go congratulate them.

Such an attitude.

This made both Old Yang and Little Yang feel warm in their hearts.