Chapter 640: with translation of chapter title

Thus: Thus: Mahua truthfully repeated what Qin Huairu had told him, and also selectively told Xu Damao his own opinions contained in those remarks about Qin Huairu.

He looked down on Xu Damao, thinking Xu Damao was not a good person.

But there was one thing.

Thus: Thus: Mahua could not help but admit it.

When it came to women, Xu Damao could leave Shazhu far behind by several streets.

Let alone other things, just say that the widow Qin Huairu, whom Shazhu regarded as a goddess, had several trysts in the warehouse with Xu Damao, and this could have happened before she married Shazhu.

Thus: Thus: Mahua bumped into it several times.

Out of respect for Shazhu's face, he pretended not to know and did not tell Shazhu.

He chose to conceal it.

This was because Thus: Thus: Mahua knew that even if he told Shazhu about Qin Huairu's warehouse encounters with Xu Damao, Shazhu would not only disbelieve him but would think Thus: Thus: Mahua was trying to ruin his relationship with Qin Huairu, begrudging Shazhu's happiness and Qin Huairu's as well.

At that time, Shazhu's sole criterion for judging right and wrong was Qin Huairu.

Those who helped Qin Huairu were good people; those who praised Qin Huairu's excellence were good people; those who said Shazhu should assist Qin Huairu were good people.

Conversely.

Those who did not help Qin Huairu were bad people; those who said Qin Huairu was flawed in various ways were evil; those who said Shazhu should not assist Qin Huairu, or claimed Qin Huairu lacked nothing and needed no man, were bastards.

Thus: Thus: Mahua worried that if he told Shazhu about Qin Huairu's warehouse trysts with Xu Damao, Shazhu would expel him from the master's door.

This stemmed from such a taboo.

He did not say it.

Initially unaware of the gravity, upon seeing Qin Huairu and Xu Damao in the warehouse, Thus: Thus: Mahua eagerly told Shazhu and even dragged Shazhu to catch the misbehaving Xu Damao and Qin Huairu.

Yet Shazhu slapped him and scolded him a few times.

After that.

Only then did Thus: Thus: Mahua realize Qin Huairu's unshakable position in Shazhu's heart.

Afterwards he watched step by step as Shazhu fell into Qin Huairu's trap, until his death and disappearance.

Looking at Xu Damao, as Shazhu's rival, he had Lou Xiaoe and Qin Jingru under his control, even got involved with Qin Huairu before Shazhu did, and almost snatched the factory belle Yuhaitang from Yagangchang.

One after another.

Item by item.

All were Xu Damao's glorious achievements.

Regarding women, the only thing that could let Xu Damao lose to Shazhu was that Lou Xiaoe bore Shazhu a son, while Xu Damao's line ended.

Yet Shazhu refused to acknowledge Hexiao as his son, and for years had no contact with him; even his own sister He Yushui, misled by Qin Huairu, kept her distance.

This is not something a person should do.

He died.

He did not even let his own son break a basin for him.

Xu Damao, knowing such things had befallen Shazhu, would surely laugh at him to death.

When a person dies, it is like a lamp going out.

If only one could laugh Shazhu back to life.

Thus: Thus: Mahua wholeheartedly agreed, a hundred and twenty percent.

He looked at Xu Damao and said, "The matter is simply this: whether you believe it or not, Qin Huairu blocked me, crying and whining about how He Yushui was this and that, saying the Jia Family was this and that, claiming she was beholden to Shazhu but indebted to the old Jia Family, and also saying that because He Yushui wouldn't give her a phone, she couldn't contact Lou Xiaoe, so there was no way for Hexiao to break a basin for Shazhu."

This was beyond Thus: Thus: Mahua's expectation.

Xu Damao spat a mouthful of thick phlegm fiercely onto the ground.

Still not satisfied, he ground it with his shoe.

"I knew this widow Qin Huairu meant no good, and indeed she does: your master suffered in life, in death, and even more so after death, yet Hexiao is supposed to break a basin for him—who originally refused to acknowledge Hexiao? I took your master's beatings, nine out of ten times because of Qin Huairu."

"That's because you and Qin Huairu had warehouse trysts."

"I admit I had several warehouse encounters with Qin Huairu, and you ran into them a few times too—so why didn't you tell Shazhu?"

Thus: Thus: Mahua was momentarily lost for words.

He did not know how to answer Xu Damao's words.

"I know what you're thinking." Xu Damao looked at Thus: Thus: Mahua and said, "We share the same thought: I've already had warehouse trysts with Qin Huairu, and as your rival Shazhu, you ought to get a lesson and stop dealing with the widow! Good fellow, Qin Huairu cries and whines a few nice words, and Shazhu pays no attention, instead accusing me of flirting with Qin Huairu, without considering that I'm from the publicity department while Qin Huairu is a workshop worker—one factory south, one north; if Qin Huairu is unwilling, how could she go to the warehouse with me?"

"Ah!" Thus: Thus: Mahua sighed, "Who says it isn't? He's been poisoned by Qin Huairu."

"Thus: Thus: Mahua." Xu Damao pointed at Thus: Thus: Mahua, "Your remark is correct—your master truly was poisoned by Qin Huairu. Yi Zhonghai schemed against him, yet he took Yi Zhonghai as a saint, listened to Yi Zhonghai's words to pursue the widow, without considering that even Dorgon couldn't manage such a thing—could a mere cook really pull it off? He deserves to be drained for life."

Thus: Thus: Mahua acknowledged that Xu Damao's words made sense.

Biesun was not wrong at all.

Even Dorgon couldn't handle a widow with children—could Shazhu manage it, or is it a widow burdened with three kids and a mother-in-law?

No less difficult than finding a needle in the sea.

Ending up with no son to break a basin for him.

He deserved it.

Thus: Thus: Mahua then shifted to ask about Shazhu's cause of death, since Xu Damao had just said he knew Shazhu's situation.

He did not know why.

At this point, Thus: Thus: Mahua would rather believe Xu Damao, Shazhu's rival, about Shazhu's death than believe Qin Huairu, Shazhu's widow.

He must have felt deep down that Qin Huairu bore great responsibility for Shazhu's death.

"Xu Damao, how did my master die? Qin Huairu said he was paralyzed half‑body, bedridden, having to eat, drink, defecate, urinate, and sleep in bed, feeling he burdened the Jia Family, so he crawled out to end himself. How could I not believe that? I still know the Jia Family's nature! If my master truly had to do all those bodily functions in bed, the Jia Family would only feel endless contempt for him."

"Just as you imagine." Xu Damao looked at Thus: Thus: Mahua, "Imagine your master's death as fully as you can."

Thus: Thus: Mahua's emotions.

He suddenly became excited.

After Liu Lan told Thus: Thus: Mahua about Shazhu's death, Thus: Thus: Mahua has remained doubtful, suspecting that Shazhu's death is not as simple as it seems.

A mighty war god.

They haven't seen each other for several days.

He died.

It is filled with too many regrets.

I'm going to tell them right now—do you really think nobody will stand up for Shazhu?

Thus: Thus: Mahua was about to leave.

He looked angry and puffed.

It doesn't look fake.

Xu Daming felt a mix of emotions, suddenly feeling a bit envious of Shazhu. Shazhu died under the Jia family's scheming, spending his whole life doing odd jobs for the Jia family widows, but he possessed several qualities that Xu Daming lacked.

Hexiao!

Shazhu's biological son.

Or it is the son born to Xu Daming's former wife, Lou Xiaoe, for Shazhu, giving Shazhu a continuation of his lineage; regardless of whether Hexiao acknowledges it, half of Shazhu's blood flows in him.

Thus: Thus: Mahua!

As Shazhu's disciple, he trusted Shazhu unconditionally, and after Shazhu's death he actively investigated the cause of death, hoping to speak up for Shazhu.

On the contrary.

Take a look at him, Xu Daming.

Apart from his youth, he put on a grand performance that made Shazhu extremely envious—'the red flag at home never falls, the colorful flags outside flutter'—and now he has nothing else; the capital for his current business is still what Shazhu originally gave him.

Xu Daming was prosperous for only a few years.

The key is he has no son.

A faint bitter smile appeared on Xu Daming's face; seeing that Thus: Thus: Mahua really intended to go find Qin Huairu to seek justice for Shazhu, he quickly reached out and grabbed Thus: Thus: Mahua's arm.

Xu Daming, let go.

Thus: Thus: Mahua's voice.

With a hint of coldness.

Whoever stops him from seeking justice for Shazhu becomes his enemy and will not be given any face.

Don't delay my important matter with He Yushui.

Xu Daming knew his own status; in Thus: Thus: Mahua's eyes he was nothing, so he immediately brought up He Yushui, who, as Shazhu's close sister, carried more weight than Xu Daming.

As expected.

As soon as he heard that there was still something about He Yushui involved...

Thus: Thus: Mahua's face cleared of its previous displeasure.

His emotions gradually calmed down.

Looking at Xu Daming, he had a bewildered expression.

Regarding Shazhu's death—how he died, how tragic it was—Yushui knows all about it, yet she pretends not to know and even handed Shazhu's funeral arrangements over to the Jia family. The Jia family will make Shazhu wear mourning clothes; this is a debt the Jia family owes Shazhu, and they must repay it no matter what. As for Shazhu dying under the Jia family's scheming, if you think about it, causing a fuss now will surely result in the Jia family pushing someone out to take the blame.

Thus: Thus: Mahua fell silent.

Xu Daming hit the nail on the head.

Which is more important?

He knows the difference clearly.

When necessary, it really is as Xu Daming said: they push someone out to bear all this. According to the news Thus: Thus: Mahua heard, Jia Zhangshi of the Jia family is still alive, in her eighties. If the Jia family pushes Zhangshi out to take the blame, Thus: Thus: Mahua and the others can only sigh in despair.

There are some things.

It needs evidence.

But evidence needs time to be found.

Moreover, to take revenge on an enemy, only by casting him down to the mundane world can one exact the fullest revenge.

Just how wealthy the Jia family is now, Thus: Thus: Mahua has heard from Liu Lan that it's all thanks to Shazhu's efforts: the three‑entry siheyuan house, the entire rear courtyard belongs to the Jia family, while the middle courtyard only has a few households, none of whom bear the Jia surname.

Based on property.

The Jia family is at least a real‑estate tycoon with property worth 200,000.

I heard that the Jia family rents out the houses they can't sell; just from that rent they can cover the Jia family's monthly expenses and still have plenty left over.

What He Yushui said is correct.

What Xu Daming said is also correct.

Only by restoring the Jia family to its original state can one exact the fullest revenge on the Jia family.

Someone died.

Nothing is left.

The living are most important; we must let the Jia family members live to taste that destitute flavor.

I know what to do; whenever the funeral is, I'll go burn paper money.

It's just these few days; the Jia family will also have to do some ideological work on Lou Xiaoe and Hexiao, no more than five days.

I'm leaving first.

Thus: Thus: Mahua strode off.

Watching his back.

Xu Daming let out another helpless sigh.

Having figured out the direction, he walked toward the Siheyuan, still teasing Qin Huairu.

……

"What do you want to do about big brother's matter?"

Liu Jianguo looked at He Yushui.

He asked hesitantly.

To Yushui

Only sympathy—having such an unreliable brother made the widow more important than her own sister; if it weren't for Yushui coming home all day to help with chores—sweeping, washing clothes, helping cook, repairing the house, working tirelessly like a little maid—

It got to the point where Liu Jianguo couldn't not marry He Yushui.

Not marrying would make him a Chen Shimei.

It also affected his career.

On the wedding day, He Yushui had no dowry; she simply carried a quilt and sent herself off to marry, feeling utterly wronged.

After marriage.

The couple lived harmoniously.

Life was happy.

Liu Jianguo experienced He Yushui's hardship, so he no longer resented her; sometimes he even took her perspective and said a few words to his own mother, saying it wasn't He Yushui's fault, it was all because Shazhu couldn't tell good from bad people, insisting on being intimate with the widow; he had seen Shazhu and Qin Huairu flirting openly in the siheyuan, while she was washing clothes, Shazhu deliberately joked with her, just like lovers.

To tell the truth.

He also looked down on Shazhu.

But all that, with Shazhu's tragic death, has turned to dust; you can't treat it as if you're dealing with an unlucky ghost who helped the widow draw lots for thirty years, only to be kicked out and die miserably.

He let go of those worries.

According to the autopsy results.

Shazhu's death wasn't as simple as the Jia family's claims, yet there was nothing to investigate deeply—no surveillance cameras, no relevant witnesses.

The Jia family widow's claim that "Shazhu didn't drag down the Jia family; he crawled out and ended himself" has a certain logical feasibility.

Moreover, the answers from the surrounding neighbors prove that Shazhu truly trusted Qin Huairu unconditionally, and they also saw Bangeng and them helping Shazhu wash his feces and urine pants.

In other words.

There is no evidence proving that the Jia family dragged Shazhu out and then let him freeze to death under the overpass.

Thus.

In this matter, the room for maneuver is very small.

Liu Jianguo worried that He Yushui had a grudge, feeling that he hadn't sought justice for Shazhu, which could cause trouble between them.

So he asked a question.

Unexpectedly, He Yushui glanced at him and gave an answer with a blank expression.

"Today Qin Huairu came to see me and said a lot; I said Shazhu is my brother, but also your husband, Qin Huairu. He has helped your Jia family for so many years—shouldn't you Jia family handle his funeral? The funeral is the Jia family's responsibility; at most I'll just go burn a paper offering on the day of the funeral."

"If you think that way, that's good; I'm just worried about you."

"I'm fine; back then it was so tough, I got through it; now it's not some insurmountable obstacle—if I die, that's fine, at least I won't have to keep helping the Jia family draw lots."

"What about Hexiao's matter? Should we notify him? After all, he's the eldest brother's biological son; according to old custom, the basin‑breaking duty falls to Hexiao."

"If we don't notify him, let Bangeng do the basin‑breaking; don't think I don't know what Qin Huairu is thinking—after Shazhu's death, she feels the Jia family has lost its income and wants to bleed Hexiao through Shazhu; what nerve!"

"Lou Xiaoe won't be notified either?"

"As for Lou Xiaoe, let's just forget it."