Chapter 649: He Yushui Meets Lou Xiao'e

Tang Yanling and Bangeng's divorce, Qin Huairu worried it would implicate the Jia Family, she hoped Bangeng could tell the truth. A pair of eyes, like scrutinizing a prisoner, fell on Bangeng.

Seeing Qin Huairu stare at him like that, Bangeng slightly shook his head, feeling it couldn't convey his meaning, and uttered a "no".

"Really not?"

"Huairu, you just said Bangeng was fooling around outside and had a child, which would ruin Bangeng's prospects." Jia Zhangshi, seizing the opportunity, retorted to Qin Huairu, "Bangeng already said no, why do you keep asking? Is it that only if Bangeng says yes would you, as his mother, feel at ease?"

Qin Huairu ignored Jia Zhangshi.

She continued to pay attention to Bangeng.

Seeing this, Bangeng could only repeat his answer again.

"Really not."

"Have you hit or scolded Yanling?"

"Huairu, I, an old woman, don't like hearing that—married life inevitably has arguments; the old saying goes, 'to beat is to be close, to scold is to love; not beating or scolding is what's bad.' Fighting is normal! As a man, Bangeng, don't even talk about scolding—if he really did hit Tang Yanling, what could she do?"

Qin Huairu's stern gaze.

It focused on Bangeng.

Making Bangeng feel a bit guilty.

"Does a married couple's quarrel count? I've argued with her, but I've never hit anyone—really not. You've lived with us for years; you know what we're like."

"Ah!" Qin Huairu sighed, glanced at those present, especially Jia Zhangshi, and voiced her speculation: "Yanling's sudden divorce from you—Mother's meaning: could you have someone outside, seen by Yanling? Or did you hit or scold Yanling, stimulating her to divorce you? After your account, none of those happened, so Yanling's divorce from you must be due to something else."

"What matter? Just boredom—given our Jia Family's current conditions, Bangeng could easily marry a young maiden; Tang Yanling divorcing Bangeng could still remarry a young fellow—who would want her?"

"I worry Yanling is divorcing Bangeng because she resents the Jia Family over Shazhu's affair."

Upon hearing Qin Huairu say that Tang Yanling and Bangeng's divorce...

... is because of Shazhu.

Jia Zhangshi's mind.

Instantly drifted toward that bad direction.

She thought Tang Yanling had taken a liking to Shazhu.

She burst out cursing.

"What a promiscuous Tang Yanling—what is she trying to do? Marry our Bangeng, is she lacking clothes or food? That dog Shazhu isn't a good person either—he's fooling around with his daughter-in-law, Tang Yanling is his daughter-in-law, how could he do such a thing? If he's dead, fine; if not, I'll give him two hard slaps no matter what, to keep him from messing around with Tang Yanling."

"I've never seen a grandmother like you, arranging a green hat for your own grandson."

"Wasn't that what you said?"

"Can you use your brain and think properly? Do I mean that Tang Yanling and Shazhu are fooling around to give Bangeng a green hat? My meaning is, Yanling feels the Jia Family's cold-blooded treatment of Shazhu makes us all bad, and she doesn't want to live in such a family."

Qin Huairu resented Jia Zhangshi.

"Still talking about green hats—I'll say something you don't want to hear: do you have a green‑hat fetish? When I first married Dong Xu, you followed me around like a little spy."

"Grandma, say a few less; if you don't want to hear it, go out first."

Bangeng's hand.

pointed toward the door.

in the tone of an order to leave.

Instantly, the defiant Jia Zhangshi fell silent.

After thirty‑odd seconds.

Jia Zhangshi muttered a sentence.

"You speak, I'm listening."

"Mom." Bangeng looked at Qin Huairu, "What do you mean?"

"Mom can't even be sure now whether Yanling wants to divorce you because of Shazhu; if so, Mom worries she'll say something bad outside, and then our Jia Family."

The rest of the words.

Although not spoken aloud.

Yet everyone present from the Jia Family understood the meaning in Qin Huairu's words.

One by one, they felt worry rise.

Tang Yanling is different from Yi Zhonghai; in some people's eyes, she is a Jia Family member, and a Jia Family member's words are naturally trustworthy.

The Jia Family's plan to whitewash their image with a grand spectacle amounted to no concrete effect.

Money wasted.

This is not what the Jia Family wanted to see.

"I'll go find her."

Bangeng rose from the sofa, making as if to head outside.

Jia Zhangshi spoke in a tone like adding fuel to the fire, also urging Bangeng to blow the matter up.

"Bangeng, listen to Grandma: when you find Tang Yanling, you must bear the demeanor of the Jia Family elders, and not let a woman manipulate you; if something happens, Grandma will be there."

"Just cut it out, back when Shazhu was around you said the same thing—when trouble came, you ran faster than anyone."

Qin Huairu grabbed the Jia Zhangshi who was urging Bangeng to get rough with Tang Yanling, pulled her aside, glared at her with a murderous look, turned her head, and began to work on Bangeng's thoughts.

"Don't listen to your grandma, and don't go look for Yanling either—you're not in a position to see her now. I understand this child; she could leave you the agreement, showing she's already made up her mind—whatever you say, she won't change. Or else let me go; I'm her mother‑in‑law and treat her well. I'll sound her out: if we keep quiet, the divorce stands; otherwise, I'll give her some money."

Qin Huairu picked up her clothes.

She put them on.

She stepped toward the outside.

As she was about to leave, Jia Zhangshi thought of something and reminded Qin Huairu.

"Huairu, divorce is divorce, but little Geng—this child must stay in the Jia Family no matter what; he is the Jia Family's incense, we can't give her up."

Qin Huairu ignored Jia Zhangshi, twisted her big butt and left the Jia Family, at the Siheyuan gate she hailed a minivan taxi and drove toward Tang Yanling's home.

When she got on the minibus, out of the corner of her eye she seemed to see Yi Zhonghai sitting alone quietly on the curb, staring fixedly at the siheyuan.

Because she was worried about Tang Yanling's matter, she didn't really care about Yi Zhonghai.

To Qin Huairu, Yi Zhonghai was already a thing of the past, hardly worth worrying about.

After causing a scene at Shazhu's memorial hall and then being publicly dressed down by He Yushui, Yi Zhonghai's reputation was utterly ruined; a ninety-year-old hypocrite, there was nothing to fear.

The widow's current focus is Tang Yanling—how to successfully build a relationship through He Yushui and Lou Xiaoe; even if no profit can be made, they want to turn swords into jade and silk, bringing bodyguards to have Lou Xiaoe burn paper for Shazhu, which puts immense pressure on Qin Huairu, who fears Lou Xiaoe will bear a grudge over past events and settle accounts with the Jia Family.

Everything has been figured out.

They pushed the responsibility onto Yi Zhonghai's shoulders.

Shazhu died, and Yi Zhonghai lost his backing.

According to the widow's thinking, Yi Zhonghai could contribute his last bit of strength to the Jia Family, which is also the blessing he cultivated in his previous life.

……

Yi Zhonghai saw Qin Huairu get on the minibus.

Regarding that.

There was nothing he could do but feel helpless.

Nowadays, his physical strength, abilities, energy, and all aspects are insufficient to support him in finding a new person to care for him in his old age.

Looking at the crowds of people around, it seemed as if everything had nothing to do with Yi Zhonghai anymore, and her heart felt cold as well.

Full of bitterness.

Didn't know how to explain it.

Suddenly, a sentence that Xu Damao had once said to him popped into his mind.

You, Yi Zhonghai, have schemed your whole life; cleverness backfired, and the person you had planned to care for you in old age died before you.

Shazhu had a lavish funeral; some people put mourning clothes on her, others smashed a fire basin for her.

In contrast, Yi Zhonghai.

He was truly a lonely widower, without even a place to dwell.

"Ai!"

A heavy sigh.

Issued from Yi Zhonghai's mouth.

Many emotions were present.

He regretted it.

He wished he had not done it in the first place.

If back then he hadn't listened to Long Laotaitai's words and had decisively adopted a child, now Yi Zhonghai would also be enjoying the happiness of having children and grandchildren surrounding his knees, and wouldn't need to run around for old-age care; having schemed against Shazhu his whole life, Shazhu has a biological son, although his death is somewhat pitiable, he nevertheless achieved the enviable state that Yi Zhonghai envied—a grand funeral, and even someone smashed a basin for him.

His cloudy eyes.

Tears flowed out.

Beside him was a child wearing a red scarf; seeing Yi Zhonghai's kind eyes yet tears streaming down his face, the child thought Yi Zhonghai had encountered something sad and kindly came over to ask.

"Grandpa, are you feeling unwell?"

The child's mother recognized Yi Zhonghai.

She was greatly startled.

She walked over.

She pulled the child away, and at the same time recounted Yi Zhonghai's glorious past deeds.

"Doggy, don't talk to him; remember, if you ever meet him again, don't pay him any attention—he's no good person. He has no children, refuses to adopt one, yet schemes to have outsiders support him in his old age. The person who agreed to support him died, and for his own old-age care he caused a scene at the mourner's hall on the day of the person's funeral, calling that person Wu Dalang, poisoned by Pan Jinlian, and saying the widow's son was Ximen Qing, an inhuman object that gets worse with age, worrying he'll extort us."

Truly a heart‑killing deed.

Yi Zhonghai wanted to cry but had no tears.

His eyes, which had been shedding tears from sorrow, now poured tears like rain.

How did I, Yi Zhonghai, end up in this state?

……

Northern Hill Cemetery

It was famed as a noble burial ground.

After Shazhu died, he was laid to rest here.

Going through the motions, to show the Jia Family's gratitude for Shazhu's efforts, they spared no expense, spending a huge sum to buy a small plot in Northern Hill Cemetery for Shazhu.

Because the intended purpose wasn't achieved, harboring some resentment, after interring Shazhu's ashes, the Jia Family members hid themselves inside the siheyuan.

They adopted an attitude of 'out of sight, out of mind.'

Little did they know.

While Qin Huairu rode in a minibus to Tang Yanling's house, two people in black clothing appeared before Shazhu's tombstone—one was He Yushui, the other Lou Xiaoe.

They had, in a way, thought of a solution.

Upon seeing each other at Shazhu's tombstone,

each gave a faint smile.

Without speaking, they exchanged a look of mutual understanding, gazed at each other for a few moments, then turned their heads aside and stared intently at the pitch‑black tombstone.

It bore Shazhu's birth and death dates, also his photograph, but the name of the person who erected the stele had been deliberately omitted by the Jia Family.

It seemed.

Bangeng felt strong resistance to the idea of becoming Shazhu's son.

At the base of the tombstone.

There were some traces of burned paper.

There were also some sacrificial foods.

Lou Xiaoe realized she had perhaps underestimated Shazhu; she had thought no one would come to warm his grave, but unexpectedly, besides them, a third person had come to pay respects to Shazhu.

He Yushui and Lou Xiaoe appeared one after another here; the person warming the grave could not be He Yushui.

Who could it be?

Thus: Thus: Mahua!

Lou Xiaoe quickly shook her head; it couldn't be Thus: Thus: Mahua, nor could it be Liu Lan—warming the grave is something only juniors can do.

Who is this person.

Watching Lou Xiaoe's mind wander and speculate wildly.

He Yushui's tone shifted, and he spoke the answer.

"Stop guessing; even if you guess again you won't get it—it's Tang Yanling."

"Tang Yanling? Who is she? Is she related to Shazhu?"

"Can't you stop thinking the worst of people? Tang Yanling is Bangeng's wife; their marriage was arranged entirely by Shazhu."

"Are there any good people in the Jia family?"

Lou Xiaoe said that.

There were reasons for that.

Since she moved into the siheyuan, Jia Zhangshi has looked down on Lou Xiaoe, using her background as a pretext, trying every means to profit from her; because of Xu Damiao, they ultimately couldn't exploit her, held a grudge, and used Lou Xiaoe's inability to bear children to provoke her, forcing her to divorce Xu Damiao.

When Xu Damiao and Qin Jingru were together, Jia Zhangshi helped cover it up; by the time everyone in the siheyuan knew, Lou Xiaoe was still kept in the dark.

More than ten years ago.

Lou Xiaoe brought Hexiao to the siheyuan, both to show defiance toward Xu Damiao and to challenge the Jia family.

She wanted those in the siheyuan who called Lou Xiaoe an egg‑less old hen to see.

Who is the one who ends the family line?

He Yushui also knew this past; his attitude toward Lou Xiaoe was not unfamiliar, and after looking at her, he gave an explanation.

"Tang Yanling is not a member of the Jia family; her surname is Tang."

"She married into the Jia family."

"Let's not talk about the Jia family; let's talk about you—how did you come here?"

"Why you came, that's why I came."

"You!"

"I know a bit about your brother's situation; the Jia family are inhumane, Yi Zhonghai is also a scoundrel, and you just stood by and watched, even though he was the one who raised you."

"Do you think there is a way, better than making the Jia family revert to their original state, to vent Shazhu's anger?" He Yushui's tone carried a hint of resentment: "They eat what Shazhu eats, drink what he drinks, wear what he wears, use what he uses—these things must be taken back in full."

"You've changed."

"You too have changed."

"I have a plan; let me know."

"You, a big boss busy with myriad affairs, actually have time to play these little tricks?"

"No matter how much money, it's just numbers; to me, revenge against the Jia family is most important. Back when I lived in the siheyuan, you know this—I brought Hexiao back, and Qin Huairu and the Jia family truly treated me as a mortal enemy, as did Yi Zhonghai, who worried I would take Shazhu away and did everything to work on Shazhu's thoughts, putting labels on me, saying this is wrong, that is wrong—think about it, truly fucking damn it."