Chapter 637

Several million.

Qin Huairu didn't even dare to imagine it—so much money, it would take until the Year of the Monkey and the Month of the Horse to spend it all. Surely, just the monthly interest alone would be more than He Yushui could ever spend.

If I had known earlier that He Yushui had this much money, even if Shazhu were paralyzed and had to relieve himself in bed, Qin Huairu would still have to treat Shazhu as a servant of the God of Wealth.

I resent Huaihua for not telling me this important matter sooner.

If it weren't for the Jia family's heated argument this morning, Huaihua would still have to keep He Yushui's several million yuan in bank deposits hidden from the Jia family.

This is Louxiaoe's dividend.

It is the result of befriending Louxiaoe.

Not only Qin Huairu regrets it, but Jia Zhangshi also regrets it.

Leaving several million untouched to go scheme over these worthless houses.

The Jia family committed the act of buying the case and returning the pearl.

On the way here.

Qin Huairu was still thinking about how He Yushui came by so much money, and how she herself could get closer to He Yushui, using Shazhu's funeral as an excuse to find a way to profit from He Yushui.

Who would dislike having too much money?

Amidst her wandering thoughts.

A woman whose charm still lingered pushed open the door from the villa and stepped out.

Although they had not seen each other for several years.

Qin Huairu still recognized her at a glance—this was the He Yushui she had long missed—and she squeezed out what she believed was a kind smile on her own face.

Qin Huairu knows full well what the Jia family did to He Yushui and how He Yushui views the Jia family, and all such matters.

Back then, just to have something to eat, Qin Huairu regarded He Yushui as an enemy, daily competing with him for Shazhu's lunchbox, and in the end, she literally starved He Yushui down to a skinny stalk.

He Yushui saw that he could not outmatch the widow.

Having no choice, she could only lower her head and admit defeat before the widow, by ingratiating herself with the widow, she reclaimed those things that originally belonged to He Yushui.

He Yushui's failure to enter university was closely related to Qin Huairu's争夺 Shazhu's lunchbox.

Starving, thinking about how to fill his stomach, how not to be drained by the beasts in the siheyuan.

Qin Huairu once did the thing of using Shazhu to drain He Yushui, forcing Shazhu to borrow grain from He Yushui to eat, thinking that as siblings, and since Shazhu had raised He Yushui, He Yushui surely couldn't really force Shazhu to repay the grain—this borrowing thus became a necessity.

Seeing the situation turn bad, He Yushui directly moved to live at school.

Thus breaking the widow's scheme.

After graduating high school, he did not attend college or vocational school, nor did he follow the policy for workers' children to return to the original factory and stay at Yagangchang; instead, he went to work at a textile factory very far from Yagangchang.

It was because he had been drained and feared it, worried that if he stayed at Yagangchang, he would end up just like Shazhu, and that the Jia family widow and Yi Zhonghai etc. would use Shazhu to continue draining He Yushui.

Holding the thought that he couldn't afford to provoke them but could avoid them, he went to work at the textile factory.

He originally thought he could live his own quiet life.

But he didn't expect that a Bangeng stealing chickens would cause such a commotion that He Yushui almost couldn't marry Liu Jianguo, and in the end, he could only thicken his skin, work all day at his in-laws' house, and save his marriage through concrete actions.

Louxiaoe brought her son He Hui back, and Yi Zhonghai and others said this was not Shazhu's son; at that time, it was the first time Yushui met Shazhu after marriage.

Two or three years ago, when they met Shazhu to transfer the house into the Jia family's name, that was the second time Yushui met Shazhu after marriage, things turned ugly, and it further confirmed the fact that Shazhu was a fool and the Jia family were beasts.

He Yushui is not stupid.

This is Qin Huairu's understanding.

Qin Huairu's tricks with Shazhu cannot possibly be hidden from He Yushui; now that He Yushui has money, and men are still divided into ranks, he is the second-in-command in his district, the kind of big figure the widow looks up to.

If he truly bore a grudge against Qin Huairu and made a big fuss over Shazhu's death, the Jia family would certainly have to send someone in.

The night before last.

Over this matter, the Jia family has already caused a commotion; the Jia family's three little white-eyed wolves hope Jia Zhangshi will bear the blame, while Jia Zhangshi hopes Qin Huairu will bear the blame.

Better to die than to live in disgrace.

Everyone wants to live.

On the way here, Qin Huairu was thinking about how to dispel He Yushui's resentment, and the explanations she had prepared vanished into thin air the moment she saw He Yushui.

The forty-seven or forty-eight-year-old He Yushui, well-maintained, looks like a woman in her early thirties, radiating an air of nobility from head to toe, in stark contrast to Qin Huairu's memory of the yellow-haired girl who cried from hunger due to lack of food—so different that even a toad with sores would not compare.

The widow suddenly felt a bit inferior.

The atmosphere on site also became tense.

He Yushui, coming out from inside the house, looked at Qin Huairu across the iron railing, a hint of mockery appearing on his face, and let out a cold snort from his mouth.

"Ay yoyo, isn't this Qin Huairu from the siheyuan, the one who washes clothes day and night, summer and winter, called the Washing Clothes Goddess by people? What's wrong with you today, why did you come to find He Yushui? Let me guess—could it be that Shazhu can't support your whole Jia family, so you're thinking that I, He Yushui, as Shazhu's biological sister, have to help you, this nominal sister-in-law of mine?"

It was not intentional to talk back to Qin Huairu.

But rather, not saying it would be worse.

He Yushui worried that the look in his eyes—so full of hatred for the Jia family that he wanted to kill them—would be seen by Qin Huairu, thus ruining his plan to let the Jia family suffer family destruction and personal ruin.

Blood vengeance naturally demands blood repayment.

Having eaten so many benefits from Shazhu, and at the moment when Shazhu cannot move, to throw Shazhu away like trash—this is unacceptable.

As Shazhu's biological sister, she must, no matter what, seek justice for Shazhu.

Moreover, the sufferings that the Jia family widow once inflicted on He Yushui must, no matter what, be repaid to the Jia family.

This is what is meant by "the heavenly net is vast, yet it lets nothing slip through."

Out of consideration for concealing her true thoughts, she said some words that could be considered as pricking Qin Huairu's heart.

After being talked back to by He Yushui, Qin Huairu barely regained a bit of her charm, knowing that He Yushui hates her, hates the Jia family—who let the Jia family go too far back then, leaving no room for maneuver.

The tides of fortune have turned.

Now it's He Yushui's turn to be mighty.

Qin Huairu seeks something from He Yushui, fearing to provoke him.

The tone of speech carried a hint of pleading.

"Yushui, what you're saying — judging from Shazhu's side, we're family."

"Who says we're family with you?"

"Yushui, you're Shazhu's biological sister, I'm Shazhu's wife, you should call me sister-in-law, I should call you little aunt-in-law — if this isn't family, what is?"

"For so many years, you never said we were family, but today you showed up. I've been thinking — is it that you Jia family members have grown used to living off Shazhu's benefits, and now that you've left him, you realize you can't survive, so you're thinking that since I, He Yushui, am Shazhu's biological sister, I ought to support you Jia family members? Qin Huairu, you've got some nerve."

"Yushui, it's not what you imagine, truly." Seeing He Yushui full of resentment, Qin Huairu feared making things worse and hurried to explain, "I know our Jia family has done things that owe you."

"There are plenty of things I owe you — if it weren't for you back then clinging desperately to Shazhu, grabbing his lunchbox, even trying to collect his wages on his behalf, that wouldn't even count, but you also set your sights on me, He Yushui, wanting to bleed me dry through Shazhu."

"Yushui, there's no such thing — you've misunderstood Qin Sister."

"Still being stubborn?"

He Yushui's emotions.

Became agitated.

"Who took everything Shazhu had, including his rations and money, leaving him with nothing to eat, no money to spend, forced to come to me, He Yushui, to borrow — Qin Huairu, dare you say this wasn't your idea?"

Qin Huairu's steps.

Moved back several steps.

Gazing foolishly at He Yushui.

A look of utter disbelief and shock.

Never expecting that He Yushui also knew about this.

"Yushui, no matter how many mistakes, they're all my Qin Huairu's fault, but can this matter be blamed on me? I'm a widow, with a lazy, good-for-nothing mother-in-law at home who nitpicks me all day, plus three children who need food and drink constantly, and in the Siheyuan, so many people are watching, some even wanting to bully me — only your brother Shazhu never looked down on me, Qin Huairu, nor did he ever think of taking advantage of me. He gave me, Qin Huairu, the hope to keep living. Yushui, I still say: no matter how many mistakes, they're all my Qin Huairu's fault. Scold me, beat me — as long as it lets you vent your anger, He Yushui."

Qin Huairu presented herself as ready to be dealt with however you wish.

But because of the space between her and He Yushui.

Separated by an iron fence.

Making the situation seem.

More than a little strange.

"Qin Huairu, drop this act — I'm He Yushui, not Shazhu. I don't have the He family men's bone-deep liking for widows, that simp gene. I won't believe your words. You can't fool me. And honestly, I don't even want to see you. Really — looking at your face, Qin Huairu, so full of suffering, makes me nauseous. You, Qin Huairu, have ruined my He Yushui's whole life, and also ruined Shazhu."

"Yushui, Shazhu is your brother, he's a good man."

"Yes, yes, yes, he's a good man — good man he was, and then, just after he died, you came calculating against me, He Yushui."

Actually, He Yushui originally wanted to use Qin Huairu's way of addressing Shazhu to make a point.

But after thinking it over.

Felt it wasn't appropriate.

This remark shouldn't have come from her.

Some things, many people can see clearly — take Shazhu's title, for example: if it has utilitarian value, it's "Zhu"; if it has no benefit, it's "Shazhu."

To change outsiders' perception of Qin Huairu through her way of addressing him.

Stemming from this idea, He Yushui, mid-sentence, decisively switched the content.

"Qin Huairu, you say you came to find me, He Yushui, with no ulterior motives in your heart — dare you swear? Swear that if you're lying, Jia Zhangshi dies, Bangeng dies, Xiao Dang dies, Huaihua dies, leaving only you, Qin Huairu, alone and lonely — dare you swear such an oath?"

Screw you.

Qin Huairu won't go looking for trouble.

After thinking.

She changed the subject with another topic.

"Yushui, now isn't the time for you to throw a tantrum. I know Shazhu died, you're his sister, your heart is heavy, but some things simply can't be controlled — just like Shazhu's death: who could've imagined he'd suddenly die while perfectly fine? Things are like this…."

Qin Huairu repeated, in front of He Yushui, the very words Liu Lan had told her earlier on the road.

In the widow's narration.

Shazhu's death had nothing to do with the Jia family — it was Yi Zhonghai's fault. In this matter, the Jia family's only responsibility was being too good to Shazhu: they cared for the half-paralyzed, immobile Shazhu extremely well, ultimately allowing him, without burdening the Jia family's thoughts, to end his own life.

After finishing the narration.

Noticed He Yushui's facial expression now carried an even stronger air of disdain.

Qin Huairu was also out of options.

She spoke out the reasons she didn't want to say.

Namely, Shazhu's death — from Shazhu's perspective, wasn't a bad thing, but a good thing; Shazhu had essentially gone below to enjoy blessings.

The Jia family members, including He Yushui, should all stand from Shazhu's perspective and feel happy for him.

"Yushui, whether you believe it or not, things have already happened, and my view may differ from yours. As your sister, you can't bear to see your elder brother die like this, and I, Qin Huairu, as Shazhu's wife, share your view — I also don't want to see Shazhu just kick the bucket like that. Now life has improved, household conditions aren't bad, it's time to enjoy blessings — one should properly enjoy them."

Her face bore a hint of bitter sorrow.

She even deliberately turned this sorrowful face toward He Yushui.

"Illness comes like a collapsing mountain — gives you no chance at all. Your brother couldn't move, eating, drinking, defecating, urinating, sleeping — all done in bed. The living suffered, the lying down also suffered. Bangeng, Xiao Dang, Huaihua — all said they'd care well for Shazhu, and they truly did: every day, either wiping Shazhu's body or washing his clothes stained with feces and urine, changing them several times a day. Shazhu kept begging Bangeng to leave him alone, to stop bothering him."

Her voice suddenly rose considerably.

"I told Bangeng and them back then: if they didn't care well for Shazhu, I, Qin Huairu, wouldn't let them off. I thought that would be the end of it, but I never imagined your brother — that is, Shazhu — changed his approach, yelling at me all day, scolding Bangeng's grandmother, scolding Bangeng and them, scolding Yi Zhonghai. I know how he thought — whoever let me share his bed for all these years just wanted to curse us into abandoning him. I told Shazhu: let this thought die, I won't abandon you, and Bangeng and them won't either."

"But he died."

"You're absolutely right — he died. On a dark, windy night, not wanting to burden our Jia family, Shazhu crawled out of the house, out of the Siheyuan, reached the foot of the Chengnan Overpass, and finally met his end. For Shazhu, this was also a release — he no longer has to suffer. Yushui, we should think from Shazhu's perspective: imagine his wretched state of barely surviving — he didn't want to become like that."

"Well said — but what exactly do you want to do?"

"Yushui, no other meaning — just want you to know your brother Shazhu is dead, his aftermath — how should we arrange it? Logically, as his wife, I should handle his funeral, but I still have a mother-in-law, and you're his sister — I want to hear your opinion."

"He died — whatever, drag him out to feed the dogs, haul him to the wild graves, it's up to you, Qin Huairu, and has nothing to do with me, He Yushui."