Chapter 59: Counter-lecturing Yi Zhonghai

Had breakfast.

Shazhu shoved aside Xu Damao, who wanted to keep mooching meals, and took He Yushui to the mall.

The New Year is coming soon.

Need to buy clothes for the little girl.

Underwear and pants, outerwear and pants, I prepared a set inside and out, also bought some peanuts, sugar cubes, and such, returning to the Siheyuan with big and small bags.

Just entered the Siheyuan.

Guard Commander Yan Fugui then told Shazhu what had happened in the courtyard.

In the Hou Yuan, the deaf old lady was unhappy again.

Didn't eat breakfast.

Didn't eat lunch either.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife weren't around, so no one was cooking.

The deaf old lady came looking for Shazhu, but Shazhu wasn't there either; the deaf old lady trembled with anger, saying that nobody in the Siheyuan cared about her life or death.

Shazhu didn't take it to heart.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife teamed up with the deaf old lady.

Even when settling scores, they couldn't find anything to blame Shazhu for.

Shazhu guessed that Yi Zhonghai would soon come looking for him, nothing more than the usual moral blackmail—stuff like the old lady being old and needing care, etc.

He prepared to strike first.

Yi Zhonghai had just entered the door.

Shazhu then started swinging the big stick of moral blackmail.

"Eldest Uncle, I heard Third Uncle say the old lady hasn't eaten all day?"

Yi Zhonghai froze.

This was originally Yi Zhonghai's line.

Taken by Shazhu for his own use, without saying.

Shazhu even applied this line to Yi Zhonghai.

"Eldest Uncle, as a junior I shouldn't really say these things, but I'm straightforward, mean no harm, I say what I think, good or bad, don't take it personally with me. The old lady lives with you, Eldest Uncle, how can she go a day without eating? How can you not feed her for a day?"

The tone shifted.

A tone as if considering Yi Zhonghai's reputation.

"Going a day without eating, those who know the situation understand you were busy with Eldest Aunt today; those who don't think you and Eldest Aunt are deliberately starving the old lady. You're the Siheyuan's steward and a senior technician at the Yagangchang; if this gets out, how bad will your reputation become? You and Eldest Aunt should be careful, don't let petty people find an opening."

Yi Zhonghai's head buzzed.

Who am I?

Why am I here?

He suddenly realized that the lines he used to routine Shazhu were coming out of Shazhu's mouth.

Is this still the Shazhu that Yi Zhonghai knows?

He's learned bad habits.

He learned to flip the big hat onto Yi Zhonghai.

"Shazhu, Eldest Uncle is also busy muddling, Eldest Uncle thought that since he's not around, the courtyard still has you, Shazhu; you're a good kid, you could even let the old lady go hungry."

A hypocrite is a hypocrite.

He sensed the situation was bad.

He immediately rebutted.

He further seized the moment to propose that Shazhu take care of the deaf old lady's daily life.

Although not explicitly said, the meaning hidden in his words everywhere suggested letting Shazhu take over caring for the deaf old lady.

"Eldest Uncle, let me say a few words—how could you have such an idea? This idea is dangerous! If you and Eldest Aunt pass away and go underground, with no one to care for the old lady, I'll help look after her—fine! Elders have said we must rely on ourselves, never pin our hopes on others."

"Shazhu."

"Eldest Uncle, you are my role model; I'm ready to learn from you properly."

Yi Zhonghai sensibly shut his mouth.

Shazhu's moral blackmail knocked Yi Zhonghai's head senseless.

Now Yi Zhonghai just wants to escape Shazhu's clutches.

Go back inside and think it over.

The always clueless Shazhu—how did he get so smart?

"Shazhu, Eldest Uncle has nothing else; just came to see that you've prepared the New Year goods, and thinking that Eldest Uncle also needs to go get some soon."

"Eldest Uncle, the New Year goods aren't urgent; the old lady's matter is important. As a junior I must talk with you—you starved the old lady for a day today, that's a bad start."

Shazhu turned into a lecturing king.

Taking the moral high ground, he counter-lectured Yi Zhonghai.

"Once there's a first time, there'll be a second, then a third and fourth. Outsiders may not say it, but among us in the courtyard, many think you're an eyesore—be careful. The old lady hasn't come to any harm from not eating, but if she faints from hunger or something happens, your situation will get much worse."

He looked up.

Yi Zhonghai moved to the doorway.

He saw Shazhu's gaze directed at him.

The hypocrite fled, feeling guilty.

Ptooey.

Shazhu spat at Yi Zhonghai's retreating back.

Want to trick you, silly grandpa?

You're still naive.

After this.

Yi Zhonghai didn't appear in front of Shazhu for several days.

Shazhu also managed to get a few days of peace.

As the saying goes:

Kid, kid, don't be greedy. After Laba it's the year; Laba porridge, drink for a few days, blah blah twenty-three. Twenty-three, sticky candy; twenty-four, clean the house; twenty-five, frozen tofu; twenty-six, go buy meat; twenty-seven, slaughter the rooster; twenty-eight, let the dough rise; twenty-nine, steam buns; on the thirtieth night, stay up all night; on the first and second days, walk the streets.

The twenty-fourth of the twelfth month.

There are still six days until the New Year.

Shazhu started cleaning the house.

Why choose to clean the house today?

Just follow the crowd.

In the siheyuan, every household is cleaning today; the lake window folks are cleaning lake windows, the glass-wipers are wiping glass, the bedding-washers are washing bedding.

The Jia family across the way.

Also busy.

Qin Huairu came specially early this morning, helping the Jia family tidy up as the future wife of Jia Dongxu, and busily worked all morning.

Watching Qin Huairu's figure.

Shazhu inexplicably thought of He Yushui.

In the previous life, I only looked after helping Qin Huairu, didn't pay much attention to He Yushui; marriage and other matters were all handled by He Yushui herself.

I guess back then He Yushui was just like Qin Huairu now, desperately trying to please her husband's family.

My gaze involuntarily turned toward the deaf old lady in the back courtyard.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife are now helping the deaf old lady tidy up the house.

This old lady.

Is poisonous.

This is also something from the previous life.

The deaf old lady lost to Qin Huairu in the struggle over Shazhu's lunchbox; to satisfy her gluttonous desires and live a bit better, she set her sights on Lou Xiaoe.

Have Lou Xiaoe buy shoes; Lou Xiaoe was too embarrassed to ask the deaf old lady for money, and the shoes ended up on Shazhu's feet.

At that time, Lou Xiaoe was the wife of Xu Daming.

Fortunately, this matter didn't blow up.

If it had blown up.

Lou Xiaoe really didn't have a good ending; even her parents suffered.

The deaf old lady definitely knew the consequences, yet still did this, simply because Lou Xiaoe had money and could satisfy her gluttony.

Shazhu remembers this very clearly.

The deaf old lady told Shazhu, 'As long as you marry Lou Xiaoe, you won't have to worry about supplies!'

Shazhu, turning back to the house, was preparing to write a report letter!