Chapter 668

Urine was splashed onto Long Laotaitai's photo.

Yi Zhonghai's depressed mood suddenly felt much better.

He was like a deflated balloon, lazily slumping onto the ground, looking at the filth he himself had created before him, and couldn't help laughing.

"Hahaha!"

In his voice.

Carrying a hint of intense desolation.

The mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole waits behind; the shrewd Yi Zhonghai, all his life, has always been a puppet in Long Laotaitai's hands.

What a heinous Long Laotaitai!

"Pah!"

A mouthful of thick phlegm.

It flew from Yi Zhonghai's mouth, landing squarely on Long Laotaitai's tombstone; the tombstone bore a photo of Long Laotaitai with a kind smile, which to Yi Zhonghai was nothing short of mockery.

The depression he had just vented surged back into Yi Zhonghai's heart; pointing at Long Laotaitai's photo, he burst into a roar.

"What are you laughing at? What's funny? I know what you're laughing at—nothing more than laughing at me, Yi Zhonghai, for being clever but out-clevered, for being schemed against by Long Laotaitai all my life; I really hate it—not that I hate you for making me childless, without that bowl of hot soup from you, I, Yi Zhonghai, could not have lived to this day."

Check we kept all clauses. Yes.

At the same time, his tone shifted.

He also gave himself a big slap.

"I hate that I believed Long Laotaitai's nonsense and got into this scheme of finding help for my old age; if I had adopted a child and given him the Yi surname, I wouldn't have ended up like this. After scheming all my life, the result is just a bamboo basket drawing water—useless. I sent Long Laotaitai off in grand style, but who will see me off, Yi Zhonghai? Shazhu died, and my house and savings that Shazhu gave me were taken by the Jia Family; I am now penniless. Do you know what I rely on to survive? I pick through trash. This is all Long Laotaitai's fault."

"I hate that I believed your deceitful words, Long Laotaitai, and took on this scheme of finding someone to help support my old age. If I had adopted a child and given him the surname Yi, I wouldn't have ended up like this. I schemed all my life, but it was all for nothing—like trying to fetch water with a bamboo basket. I sent you off in grandeur, Long Laotaitai, but who will see me off, Yi Zhonghai? Shazhu died, and my house and savings, which Shazhu left to the Jia Family, now leave me penniless. Do you know what I rely on to survive? I survive by picking through trash, and this is all Long Laotaitai's fault."

A belly full of bitterness.

It poured out.

Now produce as single line with quotes? The source includes 「」 at start and end. We'll keep English double quotes. So: ""I hate that I believed your deceitful words, Long Laotaitai, and took on this scheme of finding someone to help support my old age. If I had adopted a child and given him the surname Yi, I wouldn't have ended up like this. I schemed all my life, but it was all for nothing—like trying to fetch water with a bamboo basket. I sent you off in grandeur, Long Laotaitai, but who will see me off, Yi Zhonghai? Shazhu died, and my house and savings, which Shazhu left to the Jia Family, now leave me penniless. Do you know what I rely on to survive? I survive by picking through trash, and this is all Long Laotaitai's fault.""

Check we didn't add extra. Good.

"The Jia Family won't support me in my old age, treating me like trash, and He Daqing looks down on me, knowing that living is harder for me than dying—this is all Long Laotaitai's doing."

It poured out.

"The Jia Family won't support me in my old age, treating me like trash, and He Daqing looks down on me, knowing that living is harder for me than dying—this is all Long Laotaitai's doing."

Anger reached its peak.

Yi Zhonghai's foot.

He fiercely kicked Long Laotaitai's tombstone.

Huaihua returned to the Jia Family looking down-and-out.

"……" This is ellipsis. Keep as "……" or "..."? We'll keep as "……". So translation: "……"

After entering the door.

Huaihua lazily lay on the sofa.

Jia Zhangshi inferred from Huaihua's bad complexion that she must have encountered something; otherwise she wouldn't be wearing a face like someone who owes money and won't pay.

She then asked a question.

Unexpectedly, Huaihua suddenly embraced Jia Zhangshi and burst into loud sobs.

In her intermittent weeping.

Jia Zhangshi finally learned what had happened to Huaihua.

Like Bangeng, she also ended up being fired.

Jia Zhangshi's heart, had it not been blocked by her throat, might have flown out from fright.

Bangeng was fired first, and Huaihua quickly followed in his footsteps.

Is the Jia Family going downhill?

Jia Zhangshi had intended to comfort Huaihua with a few words, but when the words reached Jia Zhangshi's lips, Jia Zhangshi truly couldn't utter them, not knowing what to say, so Jia Zhangshi could only feel Huaihua's cheek with a hand, muttering unintelligible sounds.

"Child, let's not mention the past; at home we aren't lacking this bit of food you eat—with my share you won't go hungry, Huaihua. All right, stop crying; if you keep crying you'll turn into a spotted cat."

Not comforting would have been better.

Check we kept all. Use Huaihua. Good.

"Stop crying; your mother has also returned, saying nothing more. Grandmother will now go to the vegetable market to see if there's any meat for sale, and tonight we'll cut some meat to give you a good nourishment."

This consolation.

Huaihua cried even harder.

Jia Zhangshi handed Huaihua over to Qin Huairu, patted her buttocks, and left the Jia Family to go buy meat.

We need to keep all. Use "Grandmother". Could be Jia Zhangshi. We'll keep as "Grandmother". So: ""Stop crying; your mother has also returned, saying nothing more. Grandmother will now go to the vegetable market to see if there's any meat for sale, and tonight we'll cut some meat to give you a good nourishment.""

I don't know whether the shocking fact of Shazhu's tragic death gave Jia Zhangshi infinite shock; the originally male-preferring Jia Zhangshi suddenly changed her nature, feeling that Huaihua and Xiao Dang, though female, were also the continuation of Jia Dongxu's bloodline, and thus members of the Jia Family.

One cannot write two Jia characters in a single stroke.

This meal must be arranged, and there's also the idea of creating personal space for Qin Huairu and Huaihua; some things Huaihua feels embarrassed to say to her grandmother, but she can open up to Qin Huairu.

Jia Zhangshi left tactfully.

One cannot write two Jia characters in a single stroke.

Liu Haizhong's heart became unbalanced.

Having a son or not makes no difference; Yi Zhonghai has no son and seeks help for his old age, while Liu Haizhong has a son yet still doesn't know how to provide for her own old age.

"……" Ellipsis again. So: "……"

Liu Guangqi said he would give his brothers Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu a chance to show themselves, not participating in Er Da Ma's funeral; he would only handle the mourning attire.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu retorted that they had been beaten since childhood, many of the blows taken for their eldest brother Liu Guangqi; when Liu Guangqi married, he even drained the family's savings, leaving Liu Guangfu with no choice but to marry into the family as a son-in-law.

They said that Liu Haizhong and his wife have favored the eldest since childhood, refusing to take responsibility for Er Da Ma's funeral, and not wearing mourning clothes.

The funeral turned into a joke.

The three sons passed the buck to each other, leaving Liu Haizhong with no place to live; with no alternative, he could only rent a small house from Yan Fugui's family to stay in.

Shazhu's funeral, Liu Haizhong actually felt a bit envious.

He guessed that he too would end up dying without a burial place.

The three sons passed the buck to each other, leaving Liu Haizhong with no place to live; with no alternative, he could only rent a small house from Yan Fugui's family to stay in.

Shazhu's funeral, Liu Haizhong actually felt a bit envious.

He guessed that he too would end up dying without a burial place.

Yan Fugui signaled several times openly and secretly to Liu Haizhong, saying that his house would no longer be rented to Liu Haizhong, and if necessary, he could also return one month's rent to Liu Haizhong.

Liu Haizhong knew what Yan Fugui was thinking — just that he saw Liu Haizhong was old and feared Liu Haizhong would die in his own small house.

It somehow gave rise to a bit of misfortune.

The problem was Liu Haizhong didn't know where to go; Yi Zhonghai lent his house through Shazhu to Qin Huairu, while Liu Haizhong, having fallen for Xu Daming's scheme, also lost his own house.

……

Yi Zhonghai held Long Laotaitai's ashes.

He left the cemetery.

Initially, to let himself enjoy a grand funeral like Shazhu's after death, he single-mindedly wanted to set an example for Shazhu, making this a moral benchmark.

He took full charge of Long Laotaitai's funeral arrangements, buried her in the most expensive private cemetery, and paid the fees for five years.

Thinking about five years later.

This money would be paid by Shazhu.

He, Yi Zhonghai, had both fish and bear's paw — best of both worlds.

He hadn't expected Shazhu to die before him, leaving Yi Zhonghai without support for his old age; just then, when he smashed Long Laotaitai's tombstone, the cemetery caretakers saw him, saw they were going to be hard on him, Yi Zhonghai decisively revealed his identity, saying he was the one who buried Long Laotaitai; the cemetery checked the records and found his name and contact, finally confirming his identity, and only then gave up pursuing liability against him.

Yi Zhonghai also gave himself a way out, saying he had buried Long Laotaitai here because he couldn't find her husband, but now he had found her husband and was preparing to rebury her together with him.

Under this pretext, he took out Long Laotaitai's ashes.

Walking on the road.

He had only one thought in mind.

He wanted to crush Long Laotaitai's bones and scatter her ashes.

He was truly a wicked person, not knowing what he was thinking; he found an outhouse, scattered Long Laotaitai's ashes inside, and wanted her to stay forever with the feces and maggots.

……

The Jia family.

In her sleep, Qin Huairu faintly heard a familiar voice.

"Qin Huairu!"

Following the voice, Qin Huairu nearly scared to death; the deceased Shazhu suddenly stood before her, glaring at her with hateful eyes.

"Are you Shazhu?" Qin Huairu's voice trembled with strong guilt, "Aren't you dead?"

"Qin Huairu, what do you mean I'm dead? It's not that cruel of you; I'm fine, how did I just kick the bucket? Let me tell you, I think you're a widow raising three kids, and you still have a lazy, gluttonous mother-in-law; I think you're having a tough time, and I want to take care of you."

"Take care of me?"

"I still haven't taken a wife; whenever I ask a matchmaker about marriage, people just talk about your affairs, saying how I'm involved with you. Rather than let others pin labels on us, we might as well make it true: marry me, I'll be your husband, and I'll treat Bangeng, Xiao Dang, and Huaihua as my own children—how about that?"

"Zhuzi, why are you suddenly saying this?"

"It was Elder Yi who told me; today he found me and said I'm over forty and still can't find a partner. In the past, you've been good to me, helping tidy the house, wash clothes, especially my underwear. I remember several female comrades I went on blind dates with who, because you washed my underwear, refused to date anyone. I've already prepared the introduction letter; let's go get the marriage certificate now."

"Get the marriage certificate?"

Qin Huairu now wasn't sure if it was a dream.

Or reality.

Or perhaps Shazhu's death was the dream, and what's before her eyes is reality.

They could get the marriage certificate.

But what about Jia Zhangshi?

These years, Qin Huairu has been held back by Jia Zhangshi; Jia Zhangshi doesn't forbid Qin Huairu from remarrying, but wants her to bring Jia Zhangshi along, so even if Qin Huairu remarries, she must still support Jia Zhangshi.

Other men want a young widow who can manage the household and bear children, not an old widow treated as a matriarch.

That's why it's been delayed until now.

Suddenly hearing Shazhu say he had already prepared the marriage certificate, Qin Huairu's heart jumped, and she instinctively glanced toward the Jia family.

As expected.

Jia Zhangshi stood at the door with a grim face, still holding Jia Dongxu's posthumous photo.

Qin Huairu's heart.

Sank.

Here comes that trick again.

"Mom, it's Shazhu who said we should get the marriage certificate; I didn't agree, I didn't agree."

"Qin Huairu, what do you mean?" Shazhu pointed at Qin Huairu's nose and questioned, "If you won't marry me and won't let me marry, what's your motive? The people at the steel mill say you're a black-hearted widow—I didn't believe it, but you really are a black-hearted poisonous widow."

Hearing Shazhu's voice, Qin Huairu's heart instinctively rose with a hint of fear.

The Jia family can't do without Shazhu.

Bangeng is still unmarried and jobless; all these hopes are pinned on Shazhu—he takes Shazhu's position, spends Shazhu's money, lives in Shazhu's house.

If Shazhu quits, what will Qin Huairu use to get Bangeng a wife?

He became anxious.

"Shazhu, it's not what you imagine, really."

"If it's not what I imagine, then tell me: why use Bangeng's disagreement as an excuse, stringing me along for eight years? In those eight years, I, Shazhu, went on a blind date once, and you, Qin Huairu, sabotaged it—not by telling people to my face how good I am to you or how good I am to Bangeng and them, but by using my underwear as an excuse, shamelessly showing up at their door, saying you and I have become a couple, we're husband and wife, just without the marriage certificate."

"Zhuzi, it's not like that; listen to my explanation—things aren't what you imagine. I truly want to be with you; I remember your kindness to me, Qin Huairu, and I really want to bear your children. But my mother-in-law, well, you know, my mother-in-law won't allow it, so I Qin Huairu dare not marry. All I have now is thanks to the Jia family's efforts; we can't, for our own benefit, do something that lets down the Jia family. Would you like this Qin Huairu?"

Qin Huairu began to explain.

She even turned the tables on Shazhu.

"Qin Huairu, you really can talk—turning bad into good, and all for the Jia family—bah, I still remember the kindness I showed you, Qin Huairu, which you've kept in mind; how can I not believe this? Today you did something at the second cafeteria—you surely know what it was."

"What did I do?"

"You're still pretending—you know Xu Daming is my rival, you know the steel mill rumors about me and you, you know I bring lunchboxes to help the Jia family, but why did you cut in line in front of Xu Daming, with an older sister and a younger brother, Xu Daming paid your meal ticket, and then you told me Xu Daming harassed you; Qin Huairu, if you just stood still, Xu Daming would fly over to harass you."

"Shazhu."

Qin Huairu, I'll ask you just one thing today: will you marry me or not?

Shazhu, don't push me; I will definitely marry you, but I need to work on my mother-in-law's thinking—I can't let my mother-in-law stab me in the back, can I?

Cut the nonsense—marry or not, give me a definite answer, or else I won't let this go.

I can't give you a definite answer; let's talk about it in a few years, in a few years.

Qin Huairu, you really take me for an idiot—I'll smash you to death, you damn shameless wretch.

Shazhu took his lunch box, used it as a weapon, and threw it at Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu, unable to dodge, was hit on the forehead, blood flowing continuously; driven to desperation, she thought she couldn't just wait for death, and she grappled with Shazhu.

During the struggle.

Qin Huairu gained the upper hand.

She straddled Shazhu, clutching his throat with both hands, involuntarily increasing her force.

Huairu.

Mom, don't interfere—I will definitely choke Shazhu to death; he won't let me live, and I won't let him live either.

What Shazhu? It's Bangeng—quickly choke Bangeng to death.