Chapter 617

Listening to He Yushui's sobbing tone.

Bangeng felt as if someone had drained all the strength from his body, his whole person going limp, and fortunately there was a pillar behind him, barely supporting him so he didn't collapse to the ground.

He Yushui's crying for Shazhu shattered the last lingering hope in Bangeng's heart with ruthless cruelty.

Anyone can lie.

Only He Yushui would not admit fault.

After all, he was the older brother who raised her.

Deep remorse surged in Bangeng's heart; he had never felt such panic before, and the joy he felt when the Jia family drove Shazhu away had been replaced by the fear of being shot.

Being on the scene, seeing He Yushui and her husband come in person, and seeing He Yushui's attitude toward Shazhu, and He Yushui's husband's attitude toward He Yushui.

Heart-wrenching sobs.

Heart-wrenching care.

It cannot be faked.

Bangeng really wanted to give Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu a few big slaps; this is what the Jia family widow said—that Yushui and Shazhu would have nothing to do with each other until death? Saying that Shazhu is just a burden, with no value?

Not interacting while alive doesn't mean He Yushui will still ignore Shazhu after his death.

If one really intervenes in this matter.

The matter has really blown up.

The house in the Hou Yuan of the Siheyuan belongs to Bangeng, and most of the houses in the Zhong Yuan also belong to Bangeng; just based on these houses, one could easily exchange them for a dozen or so apartment buildings.

Sell them off.

A lot of money.

Enough for Bangeng to eat and drink for a lifetime.

Money in hand, not spent, person dead—what's the difference between this money and waste paper?

Bangeng does not want such a terrible thing to happen to him; he suddenly realized the situation is far more terrifying than Tang Yanling said, and it's completely a consequence the Jia family cannot bear.

This is still with only one He Yushui appearing; if Louxiaoe were added, the Jia family would be even more unable to provoke.

If I had known driving out Shazhu would lead to such consequences, I should have kept him a few more days back then.

Why didn't I think of Louxiaoe? Why didn't I think of He Yushui?

One could completely fool Qin Huairu into divorcing Shazhu, then give Shazhu to He Yushui or Louxiaoe, and even cover Shazhu's medical expenses for a month, thereby demonstrating the Jia family's gratitude and repayment.

None.

None at all.

As Shazhu's death and disappearance came to pass, all of this became illusory.

Bangeng wanted to leave, but his body couldn't muster even a bit of strength, so he could only lazily lean against the pillar.

The old brother who had taken a puff of Bangeng's cigarette, seeing Bangeng so weak, couldn't help but frown and utter a sentence that made Bangeng both laugh and cry.

"Exercise restraint."

"It's not what you imagine; I'm just feeling a bit panicked in my heart."

"Is this the first time you've encountered such a situation?"

"Yes."

"It's fine; anyway, it has nothing to do with us."

Bangeng nodded.

But in his heart he was cursing, "It's related to me."

As his thoughts wandered, voices of people discussing came from nearby.

"I just heard someone say that this Shazhu is paralyzed on one side, lives in the Red Star Courtyard, married a widow in her forties with three children and a mother-in-law, and wholeheartedly supported the widow in raising the children and sustaining her mother-in-law. Look—this is the result of mutton not growing on a dog's body."

"You mean Shazhu was abandoned?"

"Definitely. How far is the Red Star Courtyard from here? Over ten li. How could a paralyzed half-body come here on his own? Someone must have driven him over and abandoned him. Abandoning someone is shameful, done in secret, not to be known by outsiders—this person can only be from the Jia family."

"That's right. Even one's own son can't be relied upon, let alone someone with no blood relation."

"If it's confirmed that Shazhu was abandoned by someone, what fate awaits that abandoner? Will they have to go to jail?"

"What good thing are you thinking? One life—just go to jail and it's over. I reckon they'll get shot—*bang*—and go report to the underworld."

Bangeng's heart.

Jumped once.

He felt that the *bang* sound the crowd member mentioned really was like a bullet hitting his body, taking her life.

Someone is going to die.

What to do?

He doesn't want to die.

"I've heard the latest news: this person really is Shazhu. His wife is Qin Huairu, who has three children named Bangeng, Xiao Dang, and Huaihua, plus a mother-in-law named Jia Zhangshi. This family is not human; Shazhu was abandoned by them. As long as there's evidence, none of them will escape."

"I say, why is the name Shazhu so familiar to me? Turns out he's Bangeng's stepfather. You guys said this Bangeng—I know him; he's no good, stealing chickens and dogs as a kid, and Shazhu took the blame for him. When there was no food at home, it was Shazhu who fed them. This is a great lifesaving kindness, yet they now ignore Shazhu. What's the difference between this and beasts?"

"No difference—aren't they all beasts? Bangeng initially opposed Shazhu marrying Qin Huairu, dragging it out for eight years. When he came back, unemployed, Qin Huairu asked Shazhu to help Bangeng find a driving job. With a job, he found a partner—Xiao Dang and Huaihua—whose dowries were all arranged by Shazhu. Now that he can't move, they kicked Shazhu out of the house. What kind of person is this?"

"Don't spout nonsense without evidence. Who proves that Bangeng and them abandoned Shazhu? Bring out the evidence."

"Damn it, I'm a neighbor next to the Red Star Courtyard—I still wouldn't know? When Shazhu could walk, work, and earn money, Bangeng and them called him 'stupid dad' all the time, and outsiders thought he was their real father. Jia Zhangshi kept calling Shazhu her other son, Qin Huairu said Shazhu was her greatest reliance in this life. When he fell ill and couldn't move, eating, drinking, defecating, urinating, sleeping—all done in bed."

"No filial son before a long sickbed—if that's true, I know why Shazhu was abandoned. Who spends all day carrying Shazhu's chamber pot?"

"Listen to me: during the days Shazhu was ill, he constantly dealt with feces and urine, eating only one steamed bun and a bowl of clear water a day, and still had to manage everything himself. No one changed his clothes or fed him; they just let him live or die on his own. Shazhu couldn't take it and cursed the Jia family as a bunch of beasts."

"What did he curse?"

"He cursed Jia Zhangshi as inhuman, Qin Huairu as ungrateful, Bangeng, Xiao Dang, and Huaihua as white-eyed wolves, and also cursed a man named Yi Zhonghai."

Bangeng's throat.

It felt as if something was blocked, suffocating him to the point where he couldn't breathe.

The words of the onlookers.

All reached his ears.

He had thought the matter was done discreetly.

He hadn't expected everyone to know.

What should be done now?

At the moment Bangeng was panicking, a remark from an onlooker only intensified his terror—how could this still be tied to Wu Dalang, and Qin Huairu had even become Pan Jinlian.

"Shazhu's health has always been fine; in his youth, he was unbeatable in the Siheyuan, and even in old age, several young men couldn't match him. You tell me—how could someone so capable suddenly become paralyzed? And these past few days, there hasn't been any bad weather."

"You mean the Jia family poisoned Shazhu?"

"I think it's possible. Think about it—the Jia family have become cold-blooded beasts; what wouldn't they do? Poisoning is normal. 'Old Lang, get up and take your medicine—I'll serve you.' One bowl of medicine, and Old Lang is dead and gone. This Shazhu is none other than He Dalang."

"Why poison? There must be a motive."

"The Jia family's current house—it's all Shazhu's. Two or three years ago, Shazhu had his brain kicked by a donkey and transferred the house to the Jia family, but the property bureau has it on record; word is the house can be transferred back. Hearing this, the Jia family hardened their hearts, stamped their feet, and gave Shazhu poison."

"What kind of person is this?"

What did those people behind say?

Bangeng had no interest in finding out; he only knew this matter would keep growing and wouldn't turn out as the Jia family had originally imagined.

To drive Shazhu away—dead is dead.

It won't end like this.

The real outcome is that the Jia family must pay with their lives.

Those who weren't present have already labeled Qin Huairu as Pan Jinlian, administering poison to Shazhu, this Wu Dalang.

They've invited death upon themselves.

A major incident has occurred.

Bangeng clung to his breath, stumbled over to the minivan, shoved the door open, and plopped down inside.

Xiao Dang and Huaihua in the back seat weren't blind; seeing Bangeng's expression and body language, they knew things weren't looking good—especially since they'd just seen Yushui arrive and heard some unfavorable remarks about the Jia family.

The three siblings said nothing.

The atmosphere inside the car.

Turned eerie.

After a long while.

Huaihua spoke, breaking the silence in the car.

"Brother, sister, how should we handle this?"

"How do you want to handle it?"

"I don't want to die."

Listening to Huaihua's words, Xiao Dang and Bangeng each let out a cold snort—well said. Not wanting to die? Then don't die. They don't want to die either.

"So what do you mean?"

"My meaning is, if someone must step forward to take the blame for this, I hope it's Grandma." Huaihua looked at Xiao Dang, then at Bangeng, "Not us, because we're still young."

The implication.

Jia Zhangshi has lived long enough.

Even if she dies, it won't be a loss.

Xiao Dang's heart stirred.

She isn't particularly interested in Jia Zhangshi.

Whether she lives or dies is fine.

Of course.

If Jia Zhangshi steps forward to take responsibility for this, she wholeheartedly agrees.

Over these years.

She has never forgotten Jia Zhangshi's ugly face, constantly calling her a money-losing burden, refusing to let Xiao Dang and Huaihua eat their fill, saying no matter how much they eat, they're still someone else's family.

Huaihua's suggestion.

Good.

She nodded at Bangeng.

"I think Huaihua's idea is not bad."

Bangeng, at his core, isn't worth much—he has no compassion; Shazhu could easily abandon him, let alone Jia Zhangshi.

Don't be fooled by Jia Zhangshi protecting Bangeng on all sides, offering him tasty food—she always puts him first, yet Bangeng doesn't even regard Jia Zhangshi as a scallion.

In Bangeng's subconscious, whoever has value, whoever can bring him benefit, he leans toward.

After returning from the countryside, unable to find work, he followed Daming to learn film projection; during that time, he obeyed Daming's every word—whatever Daming told him to do, he did.

Moreover, because of the medicine jar incident, he struck Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, creating an opportunity for Daming to attack those two women.

That incident was also Bangeng's shining moment.

Not only did he hit Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, he also shoved the hypocrite Yi Zhonghai to the ground and cursed him a few times as a hypocrite.

After Daming framed Bangeng and got him expelled, the Holy Thief swept the streets; Shazhu got him a license to learn driving, letting Bangeng drive for others.

Upon hearing this, Bangeng immediately shifted his attitude toward Shazhu—from opposing Shazhu's marriage to Qin Huairu eight years ago, to now agreeing to let Qin Huairu move in and live with Shazhu.

Simply put, he saw that Qin Huairu couldn't bear children.

He himself needed work, a house, and money for marriage.

The Jia family had none of these, but Shazhu did—so he let Qin Huairu drain Shazhu like a vampire.

A person who would throw out their own mother for profit—you guess what status Jia Zhangshi holds in his heart; surely she also agrees with Jia Zhangshi's method of resisting thunder.

He hesitated for a moment.

On one hand, he was thinking about how to make this matter more perfect; on the other hand, he wanted to leave an impression in front of his two younger sisters that he still had humanity.

After the purpose was achieved.

He nodded.

A faint sigh escaped his mouth.

Afterwards, he showed a regretful expression.

"Grandma is eighty-two this year, exactly the age to enjoy life—you say we let Grandma come out to resist thunder for us, that feels a bit hard to justify."

One is born of the same parents.

Who doesn't know who?

What are you pretending for?

Xiao Dang comforted him with a sentence.

"Brother, Grandma is eighty-two; she has now gone below, which is enough repayment, but we are still young, we still have plenty of youth to enjoy—we can't possibly let Grandma do the thing of a white-haired person sending off a black-haired one, that would break Grandma's body; as grandchildren, we must consider Grandma's health."

Pretending to consider others while actually scheming against them.

Despicable.

"Brother, my sister says it makes sense—Grandma is the best person to come forward and resist this matter; we all have children, we can't leave them with the bad reputation that their parents are murderers."

"You all make sense, I hear what you're saying, but Grandma says she did this—will people believe her?"

"If they don't believe, what can be done? Once we believe, it's done."

"Alright, alright, alright—I'll listen to you, sit tight, I'll drive back."

Perhaps having the idea of letting Jia Zhangshi resist thunder, Bangeng, who believed he had saved his life, recovered somewhat physically; he struck a match, started the car, and left this place of right and wrong.

Perhaps Bangeng didn't know that, at the moment he drove away, He Yushui, who had been crying for a long time lying on Shazhu's body, suddenly turned her tear-streaked face toward the direction the car was going, her eyes filled with strong hatred.

Just now.

Liu Jianguo reported the result to He Yushui.

Shazhu's body was covered in feces and urine filth, which was the main factor causing his death, greatly taking away his body heat; as for whether there was food in the abdominal cavity, further autopsy is needed to know.

Seeking He Yushui's opinion.

Whether to autopsy.

He Yushui, whose eyes were blinded by hatred, agreed without thinking to the autopsy request; she wanted to prove, to prove the circumstances of Shazhu's death.

She silently cursed Qin Huairu in her heart.

Really a shameless, scheming bitch.