Chapter 645: Regretful Yi Zhonghai, Shazhu's Funeral

Seeing Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui a bit dim-sighted, failing to recognize her, Qin Huairu, while stating her name, also couldn't help but strengthen her tone.

Her careful thoughts were not in vain.

Finally, she got the two to recognize her.

Afterwards, worried they might be hard of hearing, she deliberately repeated it once more.

"Both elders, I am Qin Huairu."

"Who did I think it was, coming to us with something?" Yan Fugui fully exemplified what it means to ask and answer oneself, not giving Qin Huairu a chance to reply, and went on saying to himself, "There must be something; if there weren't, you wouldn't come to us two old fogies, Qin Huairu. Things aren't like before now—even if you have business with us, we can't help; young people these days don't go for that old stuff."

Recalling the past.

The Head Steward was the master of the Siheyuan, as far as the neighbors were concerned.

What he said went.

Now it's the Jia family's world: the front, middle, and rear courtyards— the rear courtyard entirely surnamed Jia, the middle courtyard mostly belonging to Jia, and the Jia family are the ones who hold absolute sway in the Siheyuan.

Just now, Bangeng's vicious beating of Yi Zhonghai was seen clearly by Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui; they really went all out, showing no regard for neighborly ties—if it weren't for Yi Zhonghai arranging for Shazhu to support Qin Huairu, could the Jia family have their present good days?

Ridiculous!

They saw it clearly.

This is actually a struggle of interests between the Yi and Jia families.

In the contention.

The Jia family gained the upper hand.

Regarding the affairs of the Jia, He, and Yi families, Yan Fugui and Liu Haizhong both want no part; it's hardly their concern, so it's best to stay out of it.

Yi Zhonghai's death had little impact on Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui; at most they'd sigh and say that life is unpredictable.

The Jia family members going to jail also involves no entanglement with Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui; anyway, the Jia family's houses won't go to them.

They don't want to deal with Jia family affairs.

"Third Elder, I really don't like hearing you say that; as the old saying goes, a family with an elder is like having a treasure." Qin Huairu heaped flattery on Yan Fugui and Liu Haizhong: "You, Third Elder, are well-informed and experienced; you, Second Elder, are old and crafty— together you are the Siheyuan's Divine Needle that Calms the Sea."

"Qin Huairu, your flattery—I dare not accept it; have Old Liu come." Yan Fugui kicked the ball to Liu Haizhong beside him: "Old Liu, it's yours."

Time rewinds several decades.

Liu Haizhong might actually have fallen for Yan Fugui and Qin Huairu's flattery scheme.

Times are different now.

Liu Haizhong is no longer the Liu Haizhong of before; his three sons all pay him little heed— his spoiled eldest son, and the second and third sons disciplined with rods, all bear him grudges.

His old partner died.

His business lost money.

The house he lived in was lost as well.

He could only rent Yan Fugui's small house by paying.

Life's hardships let Liu Haizhong see reality clearly.

Too bad.

He's old.

Only in his eighties did he finally understand life.

He glanced at Qin Huairu, then gave Yan Fugui a look, and chuckled.

"Qin Huairu, don't try to crown me with flattery—the Divine Needle that Calms the Sea refers to Long Laotaitai; I, Liu Haizhong, am nowhere near her. Third Elder was right just now: it's not the world of us old fogies anymore; even if you have business, we can't help—go find someone else."

"Second Elder, what you say isn't right—I, Qin Huairu, haven't said anything, yet you claim you can't help; that's not the Second Steward I know. And Third Elder, I also have a few words for you: you're old, but you still have a place to put your remaining energy to use."

Qin Huairu shifted the conversation.

She quickly stated the matter.

"Shazhu's funeral will be held in three days; I am a widow."

Yan Fugui and Liu Haizhong reckoned it up in their minds.

What Qin Huairu said is not wrong at all.

Indeed, she is a widow.

Jia Dongxu died, turning her into a first-hand widow.

Shazhu died, making her a second-hand widow.

A widow, no matter how things change!

"I don't understand anything; I just want Second Elder to help arrange things, take full charge of Shazhu's funeral—I want nothing else, just one request: a grand funeral. Shazhu toiled like an ox and horse for our Jia family all his life; in death he must be splendid, so no one can gossip."

Liu Haizhong gave it a brief thought.

He nodded.

"Handling this as host, he's done it before; moreover, according to the old Capital City's rules, the host family won't let the host's effort go unrewarded—some payment must be given."

This also counts as income.

"Third Elder, this also concerns you—you are the Siheyuan's eldest cultured person, with excellent calligraphy; your livelihood is writing and calculating; no one else fits. And you two have watched Shazhu grow up; surely you can't refuse this small request of mine, Qin Huairu?"

Yan Fugui nodded.

He agreed to the request for writing and calculating.

……

After receiving a barrage of Bangeng's iron fists.

Yi Zhonghai especially missed Shazhu's goodness.

He had thought Shazhu's death would simply mean losing hope for his old age, but he hadn't expected that Shazhu's death would cause Yi Zhonghai's proud face to fall completely into the mud— Bangeng even dared to strike him, this benefactor Yi Zhonghai.

Asking himself, without Yi Zhonghai, could the Jia family have what it has today?

This is all thanks to Yi Zhonghai's efforts.

After being beaten, Yi Zhonghai left the Siheyuan and walked onto the street. Watching the people coming and going, his mood became extremely terrible.

He regretted it.

Remorse surged in Yi Zhonghai's heart; after being beaten by Bangeng, Qin Huairu said she would have Bangeng take him to the hospital for a check-up.

Why did he refuse then?

Why couldn't he just stay in the hospital?

After being beaten, he at least needed an explanation; perhaps he could even extort some money under a pretext, and upon deeper thought, maybe he could reclaim the Yi family house under some excuse.

Should he go to the hospital now or not?

Yi Zhonghai hesitated.

He found a secluded corner, sat on a bench, and alone recalled everything—from Long Laotaitai to the eldest aunt to Shazhu—suddenly realizing that it all seemed to have been orchestrated by Long Laotaitai herself.

After learning he could not have children, Yi Zhonghai thought of adopting a child to help with his old age; the eldest aunt also agreed, saying the adopted child could take the Yi surname to continue the family line.

Yi Zhonghai went to discuss with Long Laotaitai; she analyzed the matter from all angles and concluded that adopting a child was unsafe, advising Yi Zhonghai to find a reliable person within the Siheyuan to support him in his old age. Yi Zhonghai chose Jia Dongxu, but Long Laotaitai insisted on Shazhu.

With Jia Dongxu's death, Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to list the previously despised Shazhu as his top candidate for old-age support; worried that Shazhu's wife might refuse to care for him, Yi Zhonghai felt he needed to find a wife for Shazhu who would agree to support him, and Qin Huairu entered his view under these circumstances.

A faint bitter smile.

appeared on Yi Zhonghai's face.

He never expected that this widow Qin Huairu would be so ruthless—using Shazhu, she amassed a huge property, then killed Shazhu, and even made him die before Yi Zhonghai's eyes.

In one move she ruined Yi Zhonghai's old-age plan, forcing the ninety-year-old Yi Zhonghai to still struggle for his livelihood.

If he had not listened to Long Laotaitai back then and adopted a child to take the Yi surname, Yi Zhonghai would not be in such a destitute state now.

Although he had been beaten by Bangeng, he could say nothing; no one stood up for him, and some onlookers even cheered Bangeng's violent assault on Yi Zhonghai.

His cloudy eyes.

Tears of regret streamed down.

A single misleading word from Long Laotaitai let Yi Zhonghai understand why she opposed his adopting a child; at bottom it was about self-interest harming others—if Yi Zhonghai and his wife had adopted a child, they would not share Long Laotaitai's goals: a family with a child would lack the energy to care for Long Laotaitai, and their limited resources would inevitably tilt toward the adopted child.

Adopting a child would have given Yi Zhonghai and his wife a means of support in old age, but it would have infringed on Long Laotaitai's vital interests; for her own gain she decisively opposed Yi Zhonghai, using her influence over him to claim he was seeking old-age care, which ultimately led to today's tragedy.

All mistakes, myriad errors, are Long Laotaitai's fault.

Yi Zhonghai sighed.

Long Laotaitai has been dead for how many years? What's the use of resenting her now? The problem facing Yi Zhonghai is how to support himself in old age.

The Siheyuan is no longer an option to return to.

If Bangeng can hit him once, he can hit him a second and third time.

Xiao Dang and Huaihua clearly took Bangeng's side; as for Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi, needless to say, they certainly helped Bangeng deal with him.

How to support himself in old age?

Yi Zhonghai fell into deep thought.

…

Yan Fugui and Liu Haizhong threw themselves into work.

One became the acting host.

One became the accountant.

With their full devotion, three days passed in a flash, and before they knew it, the day of Shazhu's funeral arrived.

Shazhu's funeral arrangements were not held at the funeral home but were set to take place in the Siheyuan.

The Jia family told outsiders that Shazhu had never left the Siheyuan in his life, and all his lifelong efforts remained there.

Born in the Siheyuan.

Died in the Siheyuan.

A proper beginning and end.

They wanted Shazhu to leave the Siheyuan in grandeur.

Inside the Siheyuan, a memorial hall was set up, with Shazhu's black-and-white portrait hung above, his urn placed behind, and before it two bands specializing in playing music for the dead were performing.

Qin Huairu, dressed in mourning clothes, gaunt-faced, knelt before Shazhu's portrait; before her lay a brazier for burning paper money, into which she occasionally tossed cut paper money.

As an elder of the Jia family, Jia Zhangshi need not observe mourning for Shazhu; to keep up appearances and show the Jia family's gratitude, she sat silently before the portrait, tears streaming down her face, occasionally advising Qin Huairu to look after her health.

Qin Huairu said nothing, continuing to burn paper money.

Seeing the onlookers, Jia Zhangshi suddenly raised her voice.

"Aiyo, Shazhu, my good Shazhu, how could you just leave like this? Our Jia family's current good life is entirely thanks to your efforts, Shazhu. Thinking that you would one day be old and immobile, we Jia folks wanted to compensate you well, but I never expected your black-haired self to precede my white-haired self. Poor my Shazhu, your departure even tugged at my old heart. Heaven, why did you take such a good person as Shazhu?"

Perhaps it was because she saw someone coming.

Or maybe she was infected by Jia Zhangshi's emotion.

Qin Huairu, who had been busy burning paper money,

also spoke up.

"Shazhu, my Shazhu, you've left—what am I to do, Qin Huairu? This lifetime I have failed you, Qin Huairu; in the next I will toil as an ox or horse to repay your kindness in aiding our Jia family. Shazhu, you've gone—what am I to do, what am I to do?"

"My good Shazhu, Mother's dear son, I miss you."

"My Shazhu, I, Qin Huairu, cannot bear to part with you; I truly wish to follow you in death."

"Shazhu."

"Shazhu."

Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi, taking turns singing and crying, lamented Shazhu; outsiders thought the Jia family had done well, enabling Shazhu to depart in grandeur.

Death leaves a name behind.

A passing swallow leaves its sound.

Although Shazhu spent his life pulling rickshaws for the Jia family, to be sent off so splendidly by them is not bad; it can be considered fulfilling his wishes, at least he did not end up exposed in the wilderness.

Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui, who were busy handling Dong's affairs and bookkeeping on the side, did not think so; their silence did not mean they were unaware of what was happening.

This spectacle before them.

It was purely an act for outsiders to watch.

Could they not know whether the Jia family treats Shazhu well?

Being able to work and earn money is good; being unable to work and earn money is bad; otherwise Shazhu would not have died under the overpass.

The two exchanged a glance, each turning their attention to work.

Not far away.

Inside the spirit hall.

Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu's lament for Shazhu had reached its most intense climax; Xiao Dang, Huaihua, and Bangeng each appeared beside them and began to urge them to stop.

Mom, look after your health; my foolish father, even in the afterlife, would not want you to ruin your health by crying for her. Stop crying—it's my foolish father's lack of fortune.

Grandma, you're getting on in years; look after your health. If anything happens to you, I think my foolish father down below won't rest easy.

Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu turned their gaze to the three youngsters of the Jia family.

Bangeng and the others were dressed in the attire of filial sons and grandsons.

In their hands they still held mourning sticks.

Outsiders saw them urging Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi, but this was merely a pretense; Bangeng, Xiao Dang, and Huaihua, under the guise of urging Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi, were speaking murderous, heartless words.

He Yushui did not come.

Lou Xiaoe and Hexiao also did not come.

Whether He Yushui comes or not doesn't matter; what matters is that Lou Xiaoe and Hexiao must appear, for Lou Xiaoe decides whether the Jia family can seize the Lou family's property, and Hexiao decides whether Bangeng will smash a basin for Shazhu.

Speaking frankly.

Bangeng truly did not want to smash a basin for Shazhu; since childhood he has looked down on Shazhu, considering him a great fool; for his mother Qin Huairu, he could even neglect his own sister He Yushui, giving food boxes and money to widows, making the Jia family's life more lavish than when Jia Dongxu was alive.

Bangeng's father is Jia Dongxu.

Not Shazhu.

The matter of smashing a basin is naturally not Bangeng's responsibility.