Chapter 669: Qin Huairu Almost Strangled Bangeng to Death

Jia Zhangshi's panicked words did not shout to awaken Qin Huairu; her grip was even stronger than before, her face twisted with the intent to strangle Bangeng.

Bangeng, whose neck was being choked by Qin Huairu, struggled with all his might, his face flushed and ears red, his eyes beginning to roll white; he likely felt his end was near, and he shouted hoarsely.

"Mom!"

"Just shouting 'Mom,' I'll still have to kill you, Shazhu. If you won't let me, Qin Huairu, live, then I won't let you live either—die! I will make sure you, Shazhu, die! I know your death feels unjust, your heart feels stifled, but what does that have to do with me, Qin Huairu? It's you who insisted on listening to Yi Zhonghai's words, helping our Jia family; everyone knows a widow's gate invites trouble—could Yi Zhonghai not know? He just wants you to support him in his old age, so he deliberately prevented you from marrying."

Jia Zhangshi sensed something was wrong; from the meaning in Qin Huairu's words, it was clear she was fighting Shazhu to the death.

The problem is that Shazhu is dead, and moreover, his funeral arrangements are being handled by the Jia family.

What's more, the person Qin Huairu is choking right now is not Shazhu but Bangeng!

"Huairu, let go—take a good look, see who this is? It's not Shazhu, it's Bangeng!"

"No, he is Shazhu, deliberately disguising himself as Bangeng to deceive us; we can't fall for his trick. I know Shazhu even if he turned to ashes—he could never fool me."

"Huairu, if you keep this up, someone will really die! Let go!"

"This isn't causing a death, it's exorcising a ghost. Shazhu, grudges have origins, debts have collectors—this is the Jia family's responsibility; we accept it. If it's not the Jia family's responsibility, we deny it, so don't come to us, go to Yi Zhonghai, go to Long Laotaitai."

The tone shifted.

"The reason Yi Zhonghai took a liking to you, letting you support him in his old age, is because all of this was told to him by Long Laotaitai, who said you were honest and straightforward, without all the scheming of Xu Daming! Ask Long Laotaitai below whether she feels you've repaid Shazhu's care? Why, when Yi Zhonghai ruined your matchmaking, did Long Laotaitai know but say nothing? Because your kindness to her cannot compare to Yi Zhonghai's promise to support her in her old age and see her through to the end."

Jia Zhangshi beside her, seeing the situation turn serious, worried that Qin Huairu might really strangle Bangeng to death—the Jia family would then be the Jia family!

Without further thought, she raised her hand and slapped Qin Huairu's cheeks twice, worrying that her strength was too weak to rescue Bangeng; Jia Zhangshi's two slaps were made with all her might, so much that even her own palms ached.

After flexing her wrist, seeing Qin Huairu still straddling Bangeng with her hands still on his neck, she added two more slaps, still using great force.

After four slaps to her face, Qin Huairu felt as if her cheeks had been struck by an iron hoe, a burning, searing pain.

Instinctively, she covered her beaten face with her hands!

Her gaze fell on Jia Zhangshi; seeing Jia Zhangshi shaking her own wrist, she suddenly realized that Jia Zhangshi had slapped her four times, and her emotions instantly flared.

"Mom, you hit me?"

"I did hit you—if I didn't, you would have strangled Bangeng to death. He is your son, the flesh that fell from your body, Qin Huairu; even a tiger doesn't eat its young, so you can't just attack Bangeng because he was fired from work."

Jia Zhangshi, letting her imagination run wild, linked Qin Huairu's odd behavior to Bangeng being fired from his unit, and she blamed Qin Huairu with conviction.

Qin Huairu was left baffled, unable to make sense of her own thoughts!

When did I ever want to strangle Bangeng to death!

Seeing Qin Huairu still puzzled, Jia Zhangshi pointed at her and retorted sharply.

"Look at you, what are you doing? I've been calling you for a long time, but I couldn't wake you; your grip on Bangeng only grew stronger. I couldn't help it, but if you hurt Bangeng, you'll drag yourself down too—I slapped you four times, and the first two didn't snap you out of it. Qin Huairu, what's wrong with you?"

Qin Huairu lowered her head and saw that the person she had nearly choked to death beneath her was indeed Bangeng!

She was greatly startled!

He was clearly choking Shazhu—how did he suddenly become Bangeng!

Where did Shazhu go?

Qin Huairu's gaze fell on Jia Zhangshi!

After years as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and working together in the Siheyuan for so long, she knew exactly what that look meant!

She spoke up to explain.

"What Shazhu? It's always been Bangeng! Qin Huairu, hurry up and let him go—what has this become?"

Qin Huairu released Bangeng.

Bangeng, having escaped death, struggled free from Qin Huairu's hands and coughed hard a few times.

"Mom, I was about to see my father—what's wrong with you? Out of the blue you started shouting Shazhu's name, saying you wanted Shazhu to find the person truly responsible for his death without a burial place!"

"Huairu, are you having a nightmare? You dreamed of Shazhu—otherwise you wouldn't keep shouting his name! Mom knows you've sacrificed a lot for our Jia family, but who made our Jia family so poor! That damned Shazhu, even dead he won't let you go, still haunting you. When I, the old woman, go down there, I'll be sure to curse him!"

Qin Huairu looked at Jia Zhangshi, silent, but her heart suddenly felt empty, devoid of strength, like a deflated balloon.

Perhaps Jia Zhangshi was right—she really had had a nightmare.

She actually dreamed that Shazhu came to propose marriage!

Could anything be more terrifying than that?

Qin Huairu had never taken a liking to Shazhu.

Just seeing Shazhu's face made her nauseous; marrying him was purely because Bangeng needed a job, a house, and money—she felt that if she didn't give Shazhu some sweetener, he would walk away and refuse to work.

Moreover, given Shazhu's kindness to the Jia family, if she didn't marry him, the neighbors would harshly criticize her.

For all these reasons, she ended up marrying Shazhu.

In the dream, seeing Shazhu propose to her, she instinctively refused with various excuses.

Deep down, she felt nothing for Shazhu!

Their union was fundamentally based on interest!

After hearing Jia Zhangshi's words, Qin Huairu sighed, grabbed the large tea jar nearby, and drank its contents in one gulp.

Having something in her stomach, Qin Huairu slightly regained her strength, casually grabbed a nearby pillow, and covered her head with a blanket.

Jia Zhangshi said nothing, then refilled Qin Huairu's large tea jar.

Taking Bangeng's hand, she left the room.

A night breeze blew.

Her mind cleared considerably!

Just now, Qin Huairu's ferocious appearance truly frightened Jia Zhangshi—Bangeng had almost died!