Chapter 589: The Jia family woman weeps bitterly, clutching her head; Liu Haizhong in prison wants to see Liu

Jia Zhangshi, after saying a few words,

She patted her butt and left the Jia family, going to buy meat to celebrate Xiao Dang's return.

It's not mere politeness.

The words just spoken to Xiao Dang were Jia Zhangshi's heartfelt words.

Don't judge Xiao Dang's current down-and-out middle-aged appearance; Jia Zhangshi, who knows Xiao Dang's background, knows that if Xiao Dang is well cared for two years, her looks will improve greatly—by then, will the city's unmarried young men be unable to wed, or will they not wed those widowers?

And she could also collect a betrothal gift.

A dog can't change its habit of eating feces.

She is still scheming against Xiao Dang, preparing to profit from her.

However, because of the past incident where Xiao Dang abandoned the Jia family and ran away without regard, Jia Zhangshi knows this time she cannot be forceful; she must soften Xiao Dang's hardened heart as much as possible.

Xiao Dang also just said, she has been suffering down there.

This time she came back by sneaking away.

Jia Zhangshi fears nothing except Xiao Dang hating them; therefore this meal must be arranged, and she also has the idea of creating personal space for Qin Huairu and Xiao Dang.

She has always been the grandmother.

Not the mother.

Some words Xiao Dang would not say in front of her and Qin Huairu.

Jia Zhangshi, being tactful, left.

Not long after she left.

Xiao Dang entered the inner room, saw the woman with her back to her, and without a word knelt on the ground, just as she had kowtowed to Jia Zhangshi earlier, knocking her head three times with loud thuds.

I originally thought Qin Huairu would turn her head to look at me.

As it turned out, Qin Huairu seemed to be really asleep.

Perhaps to deceive Xiao Dang, she made a slight snoring sound from her mouth.

A flash of resentment crossed Xiao Dang's face.

She thought to herself, 'You still have the nerve to give me a cold face? You are my mother, I am your daughter, but I have been ruined by you all my life.'

She raised her hand.

She slapped herself twice hard with a pa-pa-pa sound.

She stared at Qin Huairu's back.

She shouted 'Mother!'

Qin Huairu moved; the woman with her back to Xiao Dang turned her face, sat up straight, and looked down at Xiao Dang kneeling before her.

"I am not your mother."

A contradictory tone.

Showing Qin Huairu's complex feelings toward Xiao Dang.

It's not that she hates Xiao Dang for leaving without saying goodbye; after experiencing those things with Bangeng, Qin Huairu has become utterly disappointed in Bangeng.

Precisely because Bangeng ended up with the fate of eating free meals for ten years, Qin Huairu feels she owes an apology to her two daughters.

Xiao Dang ran away, and Huaihua also ran away.

Before seeing Xiao Dang, Qin Huairu still consoled herself in an Ah Q manner, saying that Xiao Dang and Huaihua had inherited her shrewdness, that running away from home would not suffer loss, and could take good care of themselves.

Today, Xiao Dang returning to the Siheyuan is like a sharp knife that cuts off Qin Huairu's unrealistic fantasies about Xiao Dang and Huaihua, letting her know that the two daughters are actually not doing well, especially Xiao Dang's down-and-out state, her clothes obviously ill-fitting, her face weathered.

From Xiao Dang's ordeal one can glimpse Huaihua's outcome.

She regretted.

If I had known earlier that Bangeng was hopeless mud that can't support a wall, I shouldn't have spared no effort to save Bangeng.

These few days.

When there's nothing going on.

Also recalling those past events.

Bangeng sleeping with a widow is a trap; if not given that thousand dollars, the other party wouldn't dare do anything to Bangeng.

For a cold-blooded scoundrel, she made her two daughters alienated from her; this is what Qin Huairu considers her gravest mistake.

She knows Xiao Dang hates the Jia family and also hates her.

Just now at the doorway, when she saw that scene of Xiao Dang.

Qin Huairu was all resentful toward herself.

One can imagine what attitude Xiao Dang has toward the Jia family.

Without a word, she brought Xiao Dang back to the Jia family, then hid in the inner room pretending to sleep; not because Qin Huairu was truly weary, but because she didn't know how to face the down-and-out Xiao Dang, feeling great heartache, believing she had ruined Xiao Dang's future, thinking that if she had persisted a little back then and refused to sell Xiao Dang, Xiao Dang would not have become like this.

Her saying 'I am not your mother' carries a hint of self-reproach toward Qin Huairu.

Xiao Dang understood Qin Huairu's meaning and replied.

"You are my mother; no matter when, you are my mother. In the world there are no bad parents, only unfilial children."

She blurted out the catchphrase of Moral Heavenly Venerable Yi Zhonghai from her previous life.

"Without you, there would be no me; you gave me life, I perhaps didn't understand that back then. Becoming a mother, I know how hard it is. Heart and back of hand are both flesh, that's correct. But we still need to prioritize; my brother's life hangs by a thread, yet I'm still being petty. Life is of utmost importance! If I were to encounter such a situation, mother and grandmother would surely save me as they saved my brother."

Qin Huairu cannot let Xiao Dang kneel for a lifetime without rising.

After a sigh.

Let Xiao Dang rise.

Xiao Dang didn't move, still kneeling.

Seeing Xiao Dang unmoving, she reached out and pulled Xiao Dang up from the ground, without a word sizing up the maiden before her, a youthful lass, yet her face covered with wrinkles, hair dry like straw, an unhappy marriage that has truly pushed Xiao Dang's real age back by over ten years.

This is her, Qin Huairu's daughter.

The belle of the Siheyuan.

Slap slap slap.

Qin Huairu gave herself three slaps.

Xiao Dang saw Qin Huairu slap herself, her face showing utter shock; seeing Qin Huairu still about to continue slapping herself, she hurriedly grabbed Qin Huairu's arm.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"Xiao Dang, let go, it's Mom who's sorry to you, Mom ruined your whole life."

"Mom, I said, I don't blame you, it's fate, my life is bitter."

"Mom didn't protect you, only cared about your older brother." Qin Huairu's sobbing voice rang in Xiao Dang's ears: "If back then Mom had stood up for reason, you wouldn't have ended up like this; it's Mom's fault, Mom doesn't deserve to be your mother, Mom knows you hold a grudge, you can hit Mom, you can scold Mom, Mom will willingly accept it—who let Mom mess up this matter."

"Mom, I still say the same thing: it's not the parents' fault, only the children who made mistakes."

"That's how it is, but Mom can never get past that hurdle in her heart; you probably don't know, after you left, you took Mom's heart with you; Mom, facing your father, apologizes to you—Mom was wrong."

Qin Huairu under the watchful gaze of Jia Dongxu's portrait.

With a plop, she knelt down on the ground.

She knocked her head three times toward Xiao Dang.

Xiao Dang seemed frightened, stood stunned in place for over ten seconds before realizing, then hurriedly pulled Qin Huairu up from the ground.

She muttered a complaint.

"Mom, what are you doing? I said, I don't hate you, it's fate, my life is tough, and I've become a mother myself; after my child caused trouble, I understand how you felt back then, and no one blames anyone."

"Xiao Dang."

The speaking Qin Huairu.

She wiped away a tear with her hand.

She pulled Xiao Dang into her arms in one go, sobbing loudly.

"Mom's good child, you've finally come back; Mom misses you, wondering how you're doing out there, whether you've been bullied, what kind of life you're living, Xiao Dang, Mom was wrong, I shouldn't have pressured you, Mom owes you an apology."

The sound penetrated the glass.

It flew into the neighbors' ears.

Listening to Qin Huairu's sobs, through the glass they vaguely saw Qin Huairu and Xiao Dang mother and daughter embracing; the neighbors each shook their heads.

If only I had known today would come, why bother back then?

Ah!

Don't blame anyone, just blame the Jia family for being too troublesome.

They simply spoiled Bangeng into a good-for-nothing who can't accomplish anything but causes trouble.

They ruined the Jia family.

……

Liu Guangtian's home.

The prison warden came to find him.

It wasn't because Liu Guangtian had done something wrong.

It was because Liu Haizhong, after being visited by Er Da Ma last time, became psychologically unbalanced and somewhat negative.

Liu Haizhong, imprisoned, glanced at Er Da Ma and knew she wasn't doing well.

She had given birth to three sons, but none of them paid any attention to Er Da Ma.

The eldest told Er Da Ma to live with the second or third son; the second said Er Da Ma had favored the eldest since childhood, lived with the eldest, and not to seek him—either go to the eldest or the third; the third thought the same, refusing absolutely to support Er Da Ma.

The three sons passed the buck to each other, leaving Er Da Ma with no place to stay, relying on relatives who made things difficult for her in every way.

These matters were told to Liu Haizhong.

Liu Haizhong was so angry his gums itched.

He found the warden and expressed his thoughts.

The warden, out of responsibility for Liu Haizhong and at his request, said he wanted to see his three sons, to talk with them about things like taking care of Er Da Ma, and to have a proper discussion with all three.

Being unfilial to parents is unacceptable.

He entrusted the warden to pass a message to Liu Guangqi, Liu Guangtian, and Liu Guangfu, asking the three children to come see him.

Whether to bring things or not.

It doesn't matter.

As long as they come, that's fine.

The warden took the address Liu Haizhong gave and went to find Liu Guangtian.

Seeing the uniform, Liu Guangtian was startled for a moment, mistakenly thinking he'd done something wrong, his heart panicking, he flung himself flat on the ground.

The warden, seeing the situation was bad, revealed his identity, saying he was the prison warden; Liu Guangtian, as Liu Haizhong's son, had not come to visit him, affecting his rehabilitation, and hoped Liu Guangtian could find time tomorrow to go to the prison to visit Liu Haizhong, saying family affection and care are crucial for Liu Haizhong.

Liu Guangtian fell into contemplation.

It wasn't about reminiscing whether to see Liu Haizhong, but pondering whether not going would get him seized by others.

He thought for three or four minutes.

Finally, he mustered the courage to ask a question.

"Leader, I don't understand, so I'm asking: just like Liu Haizhong's situation, if we don't go, will it affect us?"

On the warden's face.

A flicker of dim surprise passed.

Not stupid.

Liu Haizhong is Liu Guangtian's father, Liu Guangtian is Liu Haizhong's son; the father-son relationship and terms of address are still clear to him—some places call him 'dad', some 'da', city folks call him 'baba'.

Liu Guangtian, in front of the warden, kept calling Liu Haizhong, his tone showing a hint of disdain, indicating their relationship isn't good.

【123】

"It's not a problem if you don't visit your father; it won't affect your job much, and we won't force you to go. It's just that reputation-wise, it doesn't sound good—people will say so-and-so never goes to prison to see his dad, and that so-and-so is a bit of a cold-blooded beast."

【127】

But we need to be concise, not add extra. The original Chinese: "No, it won't affect your job if you don't visit your father, and we won't force you to go. It's just that people might talk badly, saying so-and-so never visits his dad in prison, calling him cold-hearted and beastly." Let's translate literally: "No, if you don't go see your father, it won't affect your work much, and we won't force you to go see him; it's just that reputation-wise, it's not very nice to say, saying that so-and-so doesn't go to prison to visit his dad, saying that so-and-so is a bit cold-blooded beast." We'll produce something like that.

【129】

Liu Guangtian came up with an idea.

【131】

Back then, Liu Haizhong beat Liu Guangtian to a pulp, as if he had caught a dog traitor, beating Liu Guangtian so badly several times that he couldn't get out of bed, and he has always hated Liu Haizhong.

【133】

He admires him.

【135】

He replied in a gnashing-teeth tone: "Leader, you don't have to worry about laughing at our family; since I can remember, aside from being beaten by Liu Haizhong, it's still being beaten by Liu Haizhong; the feather duster broke, so we switched to a belt whipping, and my mom on the side even egged him on, cheering Liu Haizhong on."

【137】

So I won't go see Liu Haizhong, no matter what people around say about me, whether they curse me as a beast or a bastard, I won't go see Liu Haizhong; I feel only hatred toward him. My younger brother once said to me, "Second brother, are we really Liu Haizhong's biological sons?"

【139】

The eldest made a mistake, but instead of disciplining the eldest, he beats me and the third brother, saying it's to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys; you give him a message, just say I, Liu Guang's, he Liu Haizhong can live or die as he wishes, don't come bother me, Liu Guangtian; as for whether the eldest and the third brother will go see, I'm not sure, anyway I won't go, sorry, I still have to work, I'm not chatting with you anymore.

【141】

He left in a bit of a hurry.

【143】

Moral blackmail!

【145】

Better to leave first.

【147】

Liu Guangfu, like Liu Guangtian, also worried that not going to see Liu Haizhong would cause trouble; after getting a clear answer, he immediately turned hostile and denied knowing them.

【149】

Liu Guangfu is a bit more slick than Liu Guangtian; he uses the fact that he is a son-in-law living in the wife's home as a talking point, repeatedly saying that Liu Haizhong owes him.

【158】

Now after all lines, output names list.

We need to list each character (including protagonist & minor ones), place, sect/clan/faction/people, official & sect rank/title, technique, item/artifact, beast, and realm that appears in these lines.

From the lines we have:

- Liu Haizhong → Liu Haizhong (character)

【160】

- Liu Guangfu → Liu Guangfu (character)

Also maybe "supervisor" is a title (supervisor) but it's a generic role, not a specific name; rule says exclude generic forms of address (not ranks). "supervisor" is a role, maybe considered an official title? It's a job title, but it's generic. The rule says: "official & sect rank/title" should be included. So "supervisor" could be considered an official title (like supervisor). However they said exclude generic forms of address (not ranks). "supervisor" is a rank/title? It's a job title, maybe considered an official title. But we need to see if we should include it. The glossary didn't provide it. The instruction: "List every character (incl. the protagonist & minor ones), place, sect/clan/faction/people, official & sect rank/title, technique, item/artifact, beast, and realm that appears in these lines." So we should include official titles like "supervisor" and "leader". However they also said: "EXCLUDE common words/objects, generic forms of address (not ranks), real-world brands/apps/celebrities, internet slang, and bare generic genre words." So "supervisor" is a rank/title (supervisor) so we should include. "leader" is also a title (leader). Should we include? It's a generic term for leader, but it's a rank/title. The rule says generic forms of address (not ranks) are excluded. "leader" is a rank/title (leader). So we should include it. However we need to output the exact English forms already in the glossary above. The glossary only gave three names. For other terms we need to translate them into English (not keep pinyin). So we need to provide English translations for those titles. The glossary list expects entries with raw_term (EnglishName) and original_term (ChineseChars). For titles we need to provide the English translation as raw_term, and the Chinese term as original_term.

Thus we need to list:

- Liu Haizhong (raw_term) original_term Liu Haizhong

- Liu Guangtian original_term Liu Guangtian

- Liu Guangfu original_term Liu Guangfu

- Supervisor (or maybe "Supervisor") original_term Supervisor

- Leader original_term Leader

Also maybe "eldest", "second", "third" are generic forms of address (not ranks) so exclude.

Also "son-in-law living in the wife's home" is a term meaning "son-in-law living in the wife's home". That's a social role, not a rank. Should we include? It's a specific term, but it's a description. The rule says exclude generic forms of address (not ranks). "son-in-law living in the wife's home" is a specific term for a man who marries into his wife's family. It's not a rank, but it's a social role. I'd say exclude as it's not a rank/title, but it's a specific term. However the instruction says list "official & sect rank/title". So only those. So we exclude "son-in-law living in the wife's home".

Also "feather duster" (feather duster) is an object, exclude.

Also "belt" (belt) exclude.

Thus our list includes the five entries.

We need to output after all lines: