Chapter 68: Jia-Qin Marriage Inspection

The most unexpected thing happened in the Siheyuan.

The hypocrite known for moral blackmail in the Siheyuan, rarely, in front of countless neighbors, began this self‑critique.

The hypocrite is not someone who easily admits defeat; he successfully turned the words of self‑critique into a means to clear his own suspicion.

Now we must talk about Liu Haizhong's foolishness.

He also spoke a few words on Yi Zhonghai's behalf to show Yi Zhonghai's innocence; Liu Haizhong's intention might have been to display his own magnanimity, but it backfired, instead giving Yi Zhonghai a chance to extricate himself.

Under Yi Zhonghai's lament that he too was a victim, everyone believed Yi Zhonghai had nothing to do with the rice and flour from Long Laotaitai's home.

The self‑critique ended.

Yi Zhonghai returned to his room with a calm face, bewilderedly sizing up Shazhu who had followed him in.

In that brief moment just now, Yi Zhonghai had doubted Shazhu, thinking Shazhu would dig another pit for him.

Upon further thought.

The 'fool' in Shazhu's name already says it all. For a bun he'd rather run chased by rebel soldiers; after escaping them, someone bought all his buns with counterfeit money, and Long Laotaitai also said Shazhu is honest and simple, not knowing how to scheme, the most down‑to‑earth person in the Siheyuan.

What moved Yi Zhonghai most was that, after the rice and flour were exposed, among the hundreds of people in the Siheyuan, only Shazhu cared about his health, fearing Yi Zhonghai would fall, and supported him with his hand.

Think of Jia Dongxu.

Fearful of bringing disaster upon himself.

Nobody wanted to deal with Yi Zhonghai.

Shazhu.

Honest kid!

Yi Zhonghai steered the topic toward retaliation.

It's mainly because Long Laotaitai was arrested.

Too strange.

If Long Laotaitai hadn't been arrested, they wouldn't have searched the house and found all this stuff, and Yi Zhonghai wouldn't have been implicated.

The real culprit who reported Long Laotaitai is the one who made Yi Zhonghai lose face.

If Yi Zhonghai weren't shrewd, he'd have fallen today.

"Shazhu."

"Elder, I just can't let it go—how you treated the old lady in the past, everyone in the Siheyuan saw it; how could they suspect you?"

Shazhu didn't know that Yi Zhonghai had once doubted him.

He smiled.

With a simple‑minded smile.

This dispelled Yi Zhonghai's doubts about Shazhu, believing Shazhu's lavish spending and reckless talk were all due to Xu Daming leading him astray.

"Maybe there's a misunderstanding here." Yi Zhonghai changed his tone, "Your father's name, He Daqing, was actually given by that old lady."

Daqing!

This name.

Really fucking taboo.

You could have been called Daqing or Daqin, but you were called Daqing.

That's why they came knocking.

"Elder, nothing else—I'm going back to my room."

"Wait."

Shazhu turned to Yi Zhonghai and said, "Elder, rest assured—I won't fight Jia Dongxu; I'll just reason with him. He's your disciple—what kind of disciple is this? As long as the master is safe, he hides far away; when trouble really comes, who can you count on?"

Yi Zhonghai felt warm inside.

If he hadn't already sunk his retirement funds into Jia Dongxu, he'd really want to make Shazhu a regular worker.

This kid.

Straight‑shooter.

Easy to control.

Not like Jia Dongxu.

Behind him stood Jia Zhangshi.

"Shazhu, for the elder's sake, you must not cause trouble for Dong Xu."

"Since the elder said that, I'll definitely comply."

"You know the temperament of the Jia family matriarch—she won't let…"

Shazhu noticed those few words Yi Zhonghai said afterward.

With a hint of explanation!

The matter is simple.

Jia Zhangshi was deliberately stirring trouble, saying the condition for Qin Huairu to marry into the Jia family was to get a medical check‑up at the hospital; otherwise, if Jia Dongxu wanted to marry Qin Huairu, he'd have to step over Jia Zhangshi's body.

"Elder, I can't do this; if you said to sell Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu as scrap, I could—after all, we're scrap dealers—but for the sake of your face, giving me a few hundred extra, I, a scrap collector, can't manage the inspection!"

"Shazhu, don't joke."

Amused by Shazhu, Yi Zhonghai put on a stern act, scolded Shazhu briefly, then slowly put forward his request.

This bastard borrowed a bicycle for Jia Dongxu.

But the meaning behind it wasn't that simple.

Because the Jia family and Shazhu had had this unpleasant incident earlier, the Jia family feared Shazhu would bear a grudge and refuse to lend a bicycle, so they asked Yi Zhonghai to step in and help.

Shazhu didn't refuse; he readily agreed to Yi Zhonghai's request and handed over the bicycle keys directly.

There might be a chance to get a new bike.

Catch him!

The two, each harboring ulterior motives, chatted idly for a while.

Shazhu left Yi Zhonghai's home to go to the toilet.

After finishing the drainage, he leisurely returned to the Siheyuan.

As expected.

The Siheyuan's eternal gatekeeper, Yan Fugui, appeared once more in his usual spot.

"San Daye, what time is it now? Why aren't you asleep yet?" Shazhu joked casually, "Did you drink some of your own homemade liquor-spiked water and can't sleep?"

"You little Shazhu, teasing San Daye like that." Yan Fugui lowered his voice, "Old Yi took your bicycle—where did he go?"

Shazhu was stunned!

The hypocrite rode his bicycle out in the middle of the night!

Wasn't he supposed to borrow a bicycle for the Jia family?

It's already past eight at night, and he's gone out!

Shazhu was utterly confused!

"San Daye, you said Elder Yi rode my bicycle out?"

"You're still young, too trusting."

Shazhu realized he had somewhat underestimated the Siheyuan's residents.

They're all sly.

"San Daye, let's not speak in riddles."

"Old Yi going out this late—what else could he be doing?" Yan Fugui flashed a mysterious, inscrutable smile, "He's surely busy with Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu's affairs. San Daye, let me tell you something you don't know: after the New Year, on the fifth day of the first lunar month, Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu will hold their wedding banquet—one is eighteen, the other twenty-one."

"Getting married on the fifth?"

"After the New Year, everyone's eaten well and has some extra money; the Jia family is hosting a banquet, people can't eat much, yet they can collect gift money!"

Lao Kou turned and went back inside.

Shazhu also returned home.

Lying in bed.

He began to idly daydream.

Thinking about his own affairs.

Thinking about the old lady in the rear courtyard.

If the gluttonous, greedy deaf old lady, because Xu Damu helped Yi Zhonghai adopt a child, were to propose partnering with me, then these bastards in the Siheyuan would surely pressure me.

And Yi Zhonghai.

Going out late at night to handle Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu's premarital checkup.

In a hazy daze.

Shazhu fell asleep.

By the time he woke up, it was already the next day, having slept all night without even taking off his shoes.

Saved him the trouble of getting dressed.

Upon leaving the house, he saw Lao Kou, who said that Yi Zhonghai didn't return until after eleven at night.