Chapter 547

Upon realizing that the person behind him was Shazhu, joking with himself, Yan Fugui's heart, which had been suspended in midair, finally settled safely, and his whole body let out a heavy sigh of relief.

In that instant, Yan Fugui even had the illusion that he was going underground to see his parents; a dignified teacher from the senior grade of Red Star Affiliated Primary School, publicly urinating and defecating on the street, was caught by the Jiēdào people—it was a sure social death on the spot.

It was all a commotion for half a day.

It was Shazhu causing trouble.

Yan Fugui, having pulled up his pants, glared at Shazhu with hateful eyes.

He was almost scared to death by Shazhu.

"Oh dear." Shazhu looked at Yan Fugui's pants, furrowed his brow, changed the subject, "Did you really wet your pants? I promise not to tell."

"Still going on?" Yan Fugui said displeased: "Even jokes need a proper occasion; look at you, hey."

"Alright, alright, I was wrong; I apologized to you— isn't that enough? I made my beloved San Daye accidentally wet his pants; I accept punishment. I know you've been craving the spiced melon seeds at the Jiēdào entrance; I'll buy you two catties as my apology."

Shazhu pulled Yan Fugui.

They arrived at Red Star Jiēdào.

In the past half a year, the little stall that sold fried spiced melon seeds every day at the entrance of Red Star Jiēdào had mysteriously vanished; what made Shazhu feel even stranger was that at the original spot where the seeds were sold, scattered were a dozen or so melon seeds, and there were also some disordered footprints and charcoal ash scattered on the ground.

Something happened.

This was the only explanation Shazhu could think of.

He looked around at the surroundings.

He had a vague guess.

He was definitely set up by someone.

At that moment.

People unable to find work are everywhere, but you, a little fried-seed vendor, pull in ten bucks a day—about three hundred a month.

Shazhu works as the cafeteria head at Yagangchang, earning fifty bucks a month; that little seed vendor makes in a month what Shazhu earns in half a year.

That's bound to arouse envy.

Yu Li bought some once; the seeds were indeed tasty, not knowing what was inside—likely there's a secret recipe.

Also thanks to Jia Zhangshi's efforts.

After Bangeng returned, Jia Zhangshi tried to find him a job but to no avail; I don't know who she heard it from, but it sounded like the wife of the seed vendor said that her family had sold fried seeds for half a year, using the proceeds to get wives for their two sons, marry off their two daughters, and the sons and daughters alike all managed to acquire a sewing machine, bicycle, watch, and radio.

A sewing machine, bicycle, watch, and radio together would definitely cost a thousand bucks.

Four kids, that's four thousand bucks.

Jia Zhangshi was so jealous she wanted to jump up and down; hearing that there was a secret recipe for fried seeds, she thought if they got it they could also make big money, so she eagerly ran to the vendor's stall and shamelessly demanded the secret recipe.

After being refused, she threw a tantrum, saying the vendor had invested this and dumped that.

She had the vendor hit him with a spoon.

Jia Zhangshi called Bangeng to back her up, but Bangeng ignored her.

This is the love-hate grudge between Jia Zhangshi and the vendor; Shazhu, not seeing the vendor at the Jiēdào entrance, naturally assumed Jia Zhangshi had the vendor taken away.

But Yan Fugui, after inquiring, told Shazhu an answer completely opposite to what he thought: the vendor really wasn't taken by Jia Zhangshi; who exactly did it doesn't matter, anyway they confiscated the vendor's equipment, twenty catties of fried seeds, and thirty catties of raw seeds.

Rumor has it they also want to confiscate personal income.

As for that.

Shazhu could do nothing about it.

This is also the root reason he hasn't gone out on his own.

Let's wait a bit longer.

He told Yan Fugui, "You have no blessing," then they went back to the Siheyuan one after the other; upon entering the Siheyuan, they found everyone panicked inside, some packing up belongings, some locking their doors; the two, confused, learned through inquiry that Bangeng had died; the neighbors in the Siheyuan saw in the afternoon that public security called Jia Zhangshi to the police station to claim Bangeng's corpse.

Yan Fugui didn't care.

But Shazhu was thoroughly frightened.

Bangeng is dead!

How is that possible?

In his previous life, Bangeng, as the ultimate white-eyed wolf and thief saint, used the excuse that he looked down on Shazhu to have Qin Huairu keep Shazhu on a string for eight years; later, because he needed to find work and had no choice, he agreed to let Qin Huairu marry Shazhu.

Recently, Shazhu, having let go of his grudge against the Jia Family, still wanted to watch the Jia Family's jokes, to see Bangeng and those beasts in their miserable, unlucky state, to vent the resentment from his previous life of being schemed against by the Jia Family and driven out of his home to freeze and starve to death.

Someone said Bangeng died.

Shazhu wasn't the first to disbelieve it.

As the old saying goes, good people don't live long, while scourges last a thousand years.

Bangeng is a fighter jet among beasts; he wouldn't just die so easily.

Yan Fugui thought the same, telling the neighbors not to speculate wildly; Bangeng is fine—maybe the public security got wind of Bangeng and notified Jia Zhangshi to go find him.

Just as his words fell.

Jia Zhangshi walked in from outside.

The neighbors' gazes instantly gathered on Jia Zhangshi—her heavy steps, hesitant demeanor, gloomy face, depressed eyes already explained the problem.

Seeing Yan Fugui, Jia Zhangshi plopped down on her knees before him without a word, first kowtowing three times; by the time Yan Fugui responded, she could no longer run, her legs tightly embraced by Jia Zhangshi; without waiting for Yan Fugui to ask, Jia Zhangshi explained the whole story in a tearful manner.

"San Daye, you are currently the Siheyuan's sole steward; this old woman begs you, please help our Bangeng. If you don't help Bangeng, he'll be taken away. He is the Jia Family's only male descendant, and the Jia Family relies on Bangeng to continue the incense. If he's taken in for a few years, once out, not only will he be unable to find work, but no girl will marry him. San Daye, this old woman truly has no other recourse—I can't find anyone else. Those past things were my fault; I shouldn't have acted up against you, nor quarreled with Third Aunt. San Daye, please save our family's Bangeng."

Yan Fugui tried to struggle a bit.

But because he is now Jia Zhangshi's only lifeline, fearing he'd escape and she couldn't save Bangeng, Jia Zhangshi used all her strength, tightly clutching Yan Fugui's thigh; in the end she simply switched from kneeling to sitting, wrapping both hands and feet around Yan Fugui's right leg, posing as if she wouldn't let go unless he agreed.

Yan Fugui secretly groaned; just now he'd been scared by Shazhu into wetting his pants—maybe he could get some compensation from Shazhu; the seed vendor had been arrested, returned to the Siheyuan, and then Jia Zhangshi extorted him, saying something like "as the only remaining steward, save Bangeng."

Steward, that's just a fart.

Before, Shazhu was the cafeteria head at Yagangchang, his brother-in-law was the station chief—with such connections, why not use them instead of coming to me, a mere Siheyuan steward?

This isn't something a strong person would find difficult.

He looked toward Shazhu beside him, his gaze pleading for help.

Shazhu waved at Yan Fugui, looking unable to help.

"Jia Zhangshi, tell me what's going on with Bangeng." Yan Fugui, also worried and out of options, asked: "You want me to help save Bangeng; I need to know what trouble he's gotten into. If it's murder or arson, even ten Yan Fuguis couldn't save him."

Jia Zhangshi, seeing Yan Fugui made sense, tearfully explained why the police had called her.

My old lady followed them to the police station, where inside I saw Bangeng, handcuffed. I asked what happened, and they said Bangeng had committed a crime. These days, Bangeng hasn't shown up at the Siheyuan, nor returned home at night. I thought he had found a job, but only at the police station did I learn that Bangeng sleeps in the park or on the streets at night, has no money, is hungry, and went to someone's restaurant to eat a free meal, doing so for seven or eight days, and today he was caught. My old lady said I would pay Bangeng's meal bill, but they said no, saying this is typical. When we were leaving, I asked how many years Bangeng would get, and they said that for someone like him, he'd definitely get ten or more years.

Countless exclamations of amazement.

Flew out from the mouths of the neighbors.

Ten or more years.

Bangeng was born in 1953; now it's 1977. After serving ten or more years in there, he'll come out at age thirty-seven or eight, with Chen Shimei's hat on his head and the burden of having eaten free meals and gone to prison on his back—how could he marry a wife, how could he carry on the family line?

No wonder Jia Zhangshi has the look of someone whose parents have died.

Shazhu's thoughts, however, differ from theirs—now that Bangeng is in jail, it's as if his life has been saved; this lifetime is different from the last, because without Yi Zhonghai backing the Jia Family and without Shazhu pulling strings for the Jia Family, Bangeng, unable to find work, can only end up as a drifter.

In a few years.

That's just it.

Bangeng truly cannot escape death.

This is probably fate.

Without Shazhu introducing him to a driving job, how could Bangeng renew his relationship with Tang Yanling?

The Jia Family is just the Jia Family.

Shazhu turned his head and walked toward his own home.

Yan Fugui saw Shazhu about to leave, and also saw Jia Zhangshi clinging to his right leg refusing to let go; he became anxious and shouted at Shazhu, "Shazhu, are you really just going to leave like that?"

Jia Zhangshi's eyes lit up.

Looking at Shazhu, it was as if a thug had seen an unparalleled beauty.

He silently cursed himself for being foolish.

How could I ask Yan Fugui for help, yet be unwilling to let go of him, having already bowed my head—I can't just bow for nothing.

Shazhu, help me, help my old lady; my old lady only has this one grandson; the Jia Family cannot let its incense die out; that matter was my fault—I shouldn't have been jealous of you, shouldn't have cursed you; your children beating my old lady was her just deserts, they did nothing wrong; help me save Bangeng; as long as Bangeng is saved, I guarantee our Jia Family will no longer make things difficult for your family; I beg you, Shazhu.

Shazhu wordlessly pointed at Yan Fugui.

Yan Fugui also knew his behavior was underhanded, and embarrassedly squeezed out a bitter gourd face.

Jia Zhangshi, how am I supposed to save your grandson Bangeng? You just said it's typical—do you even know what typical means? Don't say I lack the ability to save your Jia Family's Bangeng; even if I had the ability, I couldn't let your Jia Family's Bangeng cause countless people to suffer misfortune; I can't help you with this.

Seeing that Shazhu wouldn't help.

Jia Zhangshi's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.

If looks could kill.

Shazhu doesn't know how many times he's died.

"Hehehe." A mocking laugh flew from Shazhu's mouth as he pointed at Jia Zhangshi and said, "Look, look—you let the neighbors see, just a second ago you were earnestly saying you wouldn't cause trouble with our family, the next second you wanted to devour me—is this the Jia Family's tradition? White-eyed wolf!"

The surrounding neighbors were all shaking their heads.

It was clear as day.

Jia Zhangshi's gaze at Shazhu was the kind that devours someone alive.

Jia Zhangshi, I'm telling you, don't blame anyone for this; if you must blame someone, blame yourselves, blame Jia Zhangshi, blame Qin Huairu, petty theft, grand theft—this principle I don't believe you don't understand. Bangeng stole the old hen from Xu Daming's family, you helped cover it up, claiming the hen was something Bangeng picked up in the courtyard, but how could you pick up a hen when the coop had hooks? There were two hens, one ran away, the other remained inside—is that what you call picking up? Even if you had merely educated Bangeng a little, he wouldn't be in this state; rather than saying he was caught eating a free meal, it's more accurate to say that you, Jia Zhangshi, and Qin Huairu personally sent Bangeng to prison.

Words of reprimand.

It struck Jia Zhangshi like a heavy hammer.

No longer any resentment toward Shazhu.

Only sorrow remained.

For some matters, Jia Zhangshi actually knows the truth, but has merely pretended not to.

Shazhu's factual account tore away Jia Zhangshi's fig leaf.

Was I the one who harmed Bangeng?

Bangeng's grandmother, though the words are rough the reasoning is sound—this child Bangeng is smart, but your family has delayed him; if you had properly disciplined him back then, he wouldn't be like this.

I, Bangeng.

The Siheyuan echoed with Jia Zhangshi's wailing.

When she was halfway through her crying.

Qin Huairu walked in from outside.

Jia Zhangshi lunged at Qin Huairu like a cannonball.

Qin Huairu, give me back my Bangeng.

What does Bangeng have to do with me? Did I corrupt Bangeng? Bangeng made a mistake, I gave him a few words of advice, and you protect him like a hen protecting her chick, saying Bangeng is the Jia Family's sole heir and must not be struck; I obliged your wish, now Bangeng has gone in, and you resent me, Qin Huairu—do you even have the right to?

Qin Huairu.

It's not that whoever shouts loudest is right; I went to work at the factory, finished my duties there, returned home, and still had to manage the household livelihood; in the bitter winter I washed clothes outside—when would I have time to discipline Bangeng? If I slip up even a little, you launch a campaign, accusing me of being unfilial, either shouting for Old Jia or Little Jia, and you even get the overseers to call a Dayuan meeting, forcing me to apologize to you; now Bangeng is in jail, Xiao Dang is gone, Huaihua has run away from home, and you come to me, Qin Huairu, demanding justice—what kind of justice are you seeking? Do you think only the Jia Family is right in the world?

I don't care; you had better bring Bangeng back, or I won't let this rest.

I have no way; I can't bring Bangeng back. If you have the ability, go save him yourself—don't come to me, for I, Qin Huairu, don't have that kind of ability.

I'll fight you to the end.

Smack!

You dare hit me?

It's you I'm hitting, and I feel the strike is too late—otherwise the Jia Family wouldn't be like this.

Come on, Qin Huairu is unfilial—she struck her mother-in-law, Bangeng, Old Jia, and Dong Xu.