Chapter 647

Bangeng was young and hot-tempered, and after being frightened by He Yushui, he was seething with anger; at this juncture, Yi Zhonghai came to cause trouble, still shouting arrogantly at Bangeng not to dare hit him.

What can be tolerated, what cannot be tolerated.

The thief saint waved his fists, about to give Yi Zhonghai a good show, to let Yi Zhonghai know that Bangeng's fists are not just for show.

The worldly-wise Qin Huairu sensed something was wrong and grabbed Bangeng's arm.

Under the gaze of the crowd.

He struck someone.

After all, it's wrong.

Besides, Yi Zhonghai has nothing now; he's a barefoot man who fears no one in shoes.

If all this is Yi Zhonghai's scheme, trying to extort the Jia family under false pretenses, then Bangeng striking Yi Zhonghai would be falling right into Yi Zhonghai's trap.

But we must not lose the big picture over small gains.

Qin Huairu whispered a few words to Bangeng, and Bangeng relaxed his clenched fists.

Seeing this, Yi Zhonghai's heart skipped a beat; he hadn't expected his scheme to be seen through by Qin Huairu, coming to cause trouble at the memorial hall—if he had indeed been provoked by Xu Daming.

The words Xu Daming spoke to Yi Zhonghai.

Every word cut like a knife.

Every sentence pierced like a sword.

It left Yi Zhonghai feeling ecstatic agony.

Regardless of what happens to Shazhu, at least someone will help settle his posthumous affairs.

To whitewash their reputation and avoid gossip, the Jia family gritted their teeth and gave Shazhu a lavish funeral, complete with paper effigies, paper horses, mountains of gold and silver, even a brick phone and a small car—all sorts of miscellaneous items; who knows which divine being's masterpiece, they even made a paper-mache tavern for Shazhu named Shazhu Tavern, and it's a chain.

These things made Yi Zhonghai extremely envious.

He wasn't even sure he would ever possess such things in the future.

Even more unbearable for Yi Zhonghai was the breaking of the basin; in his plan for his old age, Shazhu was the sole person chosen to break the basin for him—who would have thought Shazhu would die before Yi Zhonghai, so Shazhu's fire basin would either be broken by his biological son He Xia, or if He Xia didn't break it, then the adopted son Bangeng would break it.

No basin breaking.

That is truly the extinction of the line.

Yi Zhonghai harbored ill intentions, specifically coming to the Siheyuan on the day of Shazhu's funeral to cause trouble under pretense, he also cursed Qin Huairu as Pan Jinlian, cursed Bangeng as Ximen Qing, and said Jia Zhangshi was Wang Po, all to provoke Bangeng to strike him.

A few days earlier.

Having been beaten by Bangeng, he still hadn't accepted Qin Huairu's goodwill of letting Bangeng take him to the hospital.

Yi Zhonghai regretted.

He made up his mind: as soon as Bangeng's fist struck him, Yi Zhonghai would collapse, shouting the slogan 'Bangeng beats the old man', go to the hospital for a check-up, ultimately forcing Qin Huairu to negotiate with him.

There is only one condition.

Return Yi Zhonghai's former house to him; Yi Zhonghai will rely on the house for his old age, and whoever dresses him in mourning and breaks his fire basin will inherit the house.

One oversight in a hundred careful plans.

Qin Huairu saw through Yi Zhonghai's scheme and stopped Bangeng.

This left Yi Zhonghai's plan with no room to be executed.

Looking at Bangeng, he howled again.

"Grandpa knew you wouldn't dare hit; come on, hit me—do you really think I, Yi Zhonghai, have beaten you for nothing?" Yi Zhonghai goaded Bangeng, "A petty chicken thief, if it weren't for your mother Qin Huairu using her looks to ensnare Shazhu, you wouldn't even talk about marrying; you'd likely be doomed to remain a bachelor. Your family's house, your job, the dowries of Huaihua and Xiao Dang—none of these were not arranged with Shazhu's help. Without Shazhu, your Jia family is worth nothing!"

Yi Zhonghai's goading.

It had no effect at all.

Even the dullest person could see what scheming Yi Zhonghai was up to.

Qin Huairu kept a tight grip on Bangeng's arm.

"Yi Zhonghai, don't waste your efforts; I, Bangeng, won't fall for your tricks. As for what you said, the neighbors around have seen my silly dad's medical records; what you claim is nonsense. Do you really think things are still like before, when you could cover the sky with one hand in the Siheyuan? Times have changed; your tactics no longer work, and no one believes your nonsense."

"The medical records are true, but what I say is also true. As the saying goes, the net of heaven is vast, though sparse, it lets nothing slip. You Jia family really thought that matter was foolproof; I, Yi Zhonghai, have laid down my words—if I had no evidence, I wouldn't have come today." Yi Zhonghai looked around at those people and said, word by word, "Shazhu's death has another hidden truth; he was killed by the Jia family."

"You're full of shit—how could Shazhu have been killed by our Jia family?"

"Jia Zhangshi, was Shazhu killed by your Jia family? You Jia family people don't know? Qin Huairu, tell us, was Shazhu killed by you?"

"Elder Sir, I don't know how Shazhu offended you, but you insist on causing trouble on the day of his burial; I remember Shazhu treated you well."

"Qin Huairu, you still say Shazhu wasn't killed by your family, but when Shazhu was alive and earning money for your Jia family, you kept calling him 'pillar'; when Shazhu became paralyzed, eating, drinking, defecating, urinating, sleeping—all done in bed—you Qin Huairu thought he was a burden, and you kept shouting 'Shazhu'; this shows that in the Jia family's heart, Shazhu was merely a tool to be used; I truly feel it's a waste for Shazhu."

Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat.

The corner of her eye.

It swept over those present.

Many were neighbors of the Siheyuan or nearby residents of the Dayuan; they knew something about the Jia family and Shazhu's affairs; Yi Zhonghai wasn't mistaken, and Qin Huairu's address for Shazhu shifted from 'pillar' to 'Shazhu' following his death.

Don't underestimate a small title.

But at this moment it produced the effect of a pawn that has crossed the river.

The Jia family members all say they are especially grieved over Shazhu's death, constantly expressing their reluctance and remembrance, but this way of addressing Shazhu overturns all that.

This highlights the Jia family's ruthlessness and coldness toward Shazhu.

Qin Huairu was anxious as if on fire.

Bangeng was also dumbfounded.

Jia Zhangshi remained Jia Zhangshi.

Looking at the flustered Jia family, Yi Zhonghai hummed a few times, just about to beat the drowning dog, when he saw He Yushui walking up from behind.

It was as if he had grasped the last straw of salvation.

He began to question Yushui.

"Yushui is also here; ask Yushui—she is Shazhu's biological sister—how the Jia family initially treated Yushui, and how they treated Shazhu; Yushui, you say, in front of the gathered neighbors, with an elder present and the neighbors there, don't be afraid of the Jia family."

Beyond Yi Zhonghai's expectation.

Even though Yi Zhonghai made a huge scene at Shazhu's spirit hall, leaving the Jia family embarrassed for a moment, He Yushui still had no intention of seeking justice for Shazhu.

Instead, she directed her disdainful gaze onto Yi Zhonghai, letting out a soft, cold snort.

"Your words, Yi Zhonghai, could they possibly be more precise than a hospital's diagnosis? I don't want to know the cause of Shazhu's death; I only know that all of this is your doing, Yi Zhonghai. You're unwilling to spend money, yet you don't want to lose your reputation, letting people point at your back. You deliberately arranged for the unmarried Shazhu to help the widow Qin Huairu, saying it's a good thing for neighbors to help each other, letting Shazhu walk the path of helping widows and not listen to outsiders' talk. In the end, Shazhu married Qin Huairu, good or bad, Shazhu died."

He Yushui mercilessly retorted at Yi Zhonghai.

Hypocrite.

Really not a good thing.

He schemed against Shazhu his whole life, not even letting go of Shazhu's funeral, wanting to take advantage of the commotion at Shazhu's funeral to firmly grasp the Jia family.

Seeing He Yushui appear, he still plotted against her, trying to force her to state her position.

He Yushui couldn't stand the Jia family, nor could she stand Yi Zhonghai; her resentment toward Yi Zhonghai far exceeded that toward the Jia family.

"You've also enjoyed Shazhu's filial support for so many years; Shazhu may have no merit, but he also put in hard work. Now that he's dead, you don't remember the kindness he showed you by serving you. At his funeral, you staged this farce—what exactly are you trying to do? Let me guess: is it still about the old-age support?"

She extended her hand.

She pointed at Yi Zhonghai's nose.

"You, cleverness backfired— for old-age support, you schemed your whole life, ending up with a bamboo basket drawing water— all for nothing. Initially, they let you adopt a child, you wanted to reap the benefits without effort, with everyone in the Siheyuan scheming to support you in your old age. Now you have nothing. Yi Zhonghai, I truly feel sorry for you. Shazhu's death— whether it's to drag the Jia family into trouble or that he married the widow from Upper Ring, at least Shazhu has a biological son, the Jia family helps handle the aftermath, a grand funeral, Bangeng even kicked over the brazier for him. What do you have? You have nothing! You don't even have someone to kick over the brazier!"

Yi Zhonghai stepped back several steps with a thudding sound.

A pair of cloudy eyes.

He looked at He Yushui in horror.

Shazhu's death dashed his hopes for old-age support, and He Yushui's words were like pressing Yi Zhonghai completely into the mud.

Whispers rose from the surroundings.

"He Yushui is right; Yi Zhonghai clearly caused a scene at the spirit hall just for old-age support. Shazhu treated him well, yet in Shazhu's final journey, he neither saw him off nor said a word, and even made it hard for Shazhu to pass— what kind of person is he?"

"Earlier, the Jia family killed Shazhu; then Bangeng produced the hospital's diagnosis. Moreover, we now live in a lawful society, not the Water Margin world— do you really think killing someone carries no consequences? You must pay with your life! Yi Zhonghai, seeing that the old-age dependent Shazhu died with no one to support him in his old age or see him off, grew anxious and wanted to threaten and lure the Jia family using Shazhu's death!"

"For old-age support, they'd do anything— truly despicable."

"Why didn't he adopt a child back then?"

"I haven't heard He Yushui say it, but they say Yi Zhonghai wanted to enjoy a free meal, unwilling to contribute, scheming to have others support him in old age."

"Disrespectful to the elderly!"

While the neighbors whispered among themselves.

He Yushui, however, lowered her voice, using a tone only she and Qin Huairu could hear, quietly discussing terms.

"Our family's ancestral home— both I and Shazhu have inheritance rights; you, Qin Huairu, should understand what I mean."

"I understand; after Shazhu's funeral arrangements are settled, I'll go through the procedures with you."

"I just like dealing with smart people."

He Yushui walked past Yi Zhonghai, and when she reached him, she gave him a meaningful cold smile.

Swaying her hips.

She left the Siheyuan.

Watching He Yushui's retreating back, Qin Huairu let out a long sigh; the He family's ancestral home could not be kept, and He Yushui was right— even if He Daqing died, this house still belongs to He Yushui.

What's more, He Daqing is still alive!

The Jia family also isn't lacking houses; this is one factor, and on the other hand, Qin Huairu hopes to use the matter of returning the He family's ancestral home to ease relations with He Yushui as much as possible.

He Yushui has money.

Lou Xiaoe has money.

Thus she agreed to He Yushui's request; besides, He Yushui today helped the Jia family enormously, so Qin Huairu, both emotionally and logically, owes He Yushui a favor.

As for Yi Zhonghai on the scene.

He ignored it.

He turned his head and walked toward the central courtyard.

He Yushui's earlier words have already settled the matter; the surrounding neighbors also blamed Yi Zhonghai, and with the situation settled, Yi Zhonghai could hardly make any waves.

He stood there for a while.

Yi Zhonghai left the Siheyuan like a defeated rooster, head hung low and spiritless; his stooped figure made him look as if he had suddenly aged several years.

He seemed not far from death.

Not long after Yi Zhonghai left, an unexpected surprise fell on the Jia family: Lou Xiaoe, whom they had long missed, appeared in the Siheyuan.

Qin Huairu, Jia Zhangshi, Bangeng, and others— each and every one— rushed toward Lou Xiaoe at once, hoping to greet her with an exclamation.

But they didn't expect that they weren't even qualified to shake hands with Lou Xiaoe.

At a distance of about one meter from Lou Xiaoe, they were blocked by her bodyguards.

Jia Zhangshi was somewhat dissatisfied, thinking, 'In our Jia family Siheyuan, what airs are you putting on, Lou Xiaoe?'

She also wouldn't accept a lesson.

She still wanted to cause a scene, and in her heart she still regarded Lou Xiaoe as the Lou Xiaoe that the Jia family had previously driven out of the Siheyuan.

Just as she was about to utter a few rude words leaning on her old age, Bangeng suddenly changed expression, grabbed Jia Zhangshi to the side, and said the person accompanying Lou Xiaoe is the superior of his unit's leader.

Worried about Bangeng's future, Jia Zhangshi swallowed back the words wishing Lou Xiaoe's eight generations of ancestors, forced a smile onto her face, and nodded toward Lou Xiaoe from afar.

Lou Xiaoe wore sunglasses; Jia Zhangshi couldn't see her facial expression nor know her mood, but she saw Lou Xiaoe, surrounded by a group of bodyguards, walk to the spirit hall, crouch down, pick up the joss paper the Jia family had bought from the ground, and toss it into the brazier.

Then she bowed three times before Shazhu's portrait, nodded to Qin Huairu kneeling before the portrait, and turned to walk outward.

From start to finish.

She didn't give the Jia family any chance to speak or greet Lou Xiaoe.

This made the Jia family very unhappy.

The reason for giving Shazhu a grand funeral was, on one hand, to whitewash, and on the other hand, to lure Lou Xiaoe out, using Shazhu's widow identity, to have a good talk with Lou Xiaoe.

Unexpectedly, after appearing with several bodyguards, they finished burning paper for Shazhu, then left the Siheyuan, and quickly drove away in a Red Flag brand small car.

The Jia Family members staying in the spirit hall soon heard some news about Lou Xiaoe, with rumors flying everywhere and all kinds of talk, which made the Jia Family members feel as if they had lost several million.