Chapter 86: Stupid Pig and Stupid Cat join forces to deal a heavy blow to the Jia Family

Qin Huairu in the courtyard.

Gazing at Shazhu's back.

Her eyes showed a look of wistful loss, and she let out a helpless, low sigh.

Marry a man, marry a man, to wear clothes and eat.

Although she had become resigned to becoming a city dweller, Qin Huairu knew that when reality shattered her beautiful dream, she would face miserable days.

Jia Dongxu was good-looking, the most handsome man in the Siheyuan.

But being handsome can't fill your stomach.

At the moment Jia Dongxu carried her back yesterday, Qin Huairu's heart turned cold; the sewing machine was missing from home, and his explanation was that he feared someone would disturb the bridal chamber and ruin the sewing machine.

Only today did Qin Huairu learn the full truth: Jia Dongxu had thrown away the bicycle of the person opposite nicknamed Shazhu, and with no other recourse, he compensated Shazhu by giving him the sewing machine as collateral.

What left Qin Huairu most helpless was her mother-in-law, Jia Zhangshi.

Even in the village.

There was no mother-in-law who would force the new bride to wash dirty clothes the day after marriage.

In a wicked mother-in-law.

Even then, she had to pretend for two or three days.

Jia Zhangshi, however, had Qin Huairu wash clothes the very next day after the wedding, claiming it was voluntary, and said that Qin Huairu marrying into the Jia Family was a blessing for the Jia Family.

Jia Zhangshi, on the other hand, had Qin Huairu wash clothes the day after her wedding, outwardly claiming it was Qin Huairu's voluntary act, and also said that Qin Huairu marrying into the Jia Family was a blessing for the Jia Family.

All of them turned into heavy shackles on Qin Huairu's shoulders; feeling the water temperature, she unconsciously sped up her movements, because her mother-in-law was too lazy to boil water.

Everything turned into a heavy shackle pressing on Qin Huairu's shoulders; feeling the water temperature, she involuntarily sped up her movements, because her mother-in-law was too lazy to boil water.

Qin Huairu finished washing the clothes, hung them to dry on the iron wire inside the courtyard, and carried the metal basin into the Jia Family home.

Qin Huairu finished washing the clothes, hung them to dry on the iron wire inside the courtyard, and entered the Jia Family carrying an iron basin.

Sorghum rice porridge.

The day after the wedding.

Qin Huairu was still a new bride.

That's what they ate.

"Huairu, go over to Shazhu's place later and bring the sewing machine back for me, old lady."

"Mother-in-law, the sewing machine is what Dong Xu compensated for after he threw away someone's bicycle."

"Dong Xu threw away Shazhu's bicycle, but Shazhu found his bicycle and still occupied our Jia Family's sewing machine—how nice for him. Your uncle says your sewing skills are good, Dong Xu's hand was injured by an explosion, so he needs nutrition; you should do some sewing to supplement the household income."

"Dong Xu lost Shazhu's bicycle, but Shazhu not only found his bicycle, he also seized our Jia Family's sewing machine, looking pleased. Your uncle said your sewing skills are good, Dong Xu's hand was injured in an explosion and needs some nutrition, so you should do some sewing to help supplement the household."

Jia Zhangshi had already made Qin Huairu understand what a wicked mother-in-law is.

"Eat quickly, then go when you're done." Jia Zhangshi suddenly changed her mind: "Huairu, go now to Shazhu's place to demand the sewing machine; get it back before eating, and I'll slip you an egg."

"Hurry up and eat, then go after you finish." Jia Zhangshi suddenly changed her mind, "Huairu, go now to Shazhu's house to demand the sewing machine, get it back before eating, and Mom will give you a steamed egg."

She pushed open Shazhu's door.

The neighbors in the Siheyuan all found it strange.

The Jia Family's new daughter-in-law entered Shazhu's home.

Looking at Shazhu's house, Qin Huairu felt a mix of emotions.

Looking at Shazhu's house, Qin Huairu felt a mix of emotions.

Her voice was very small, hardly louder than a mosquito's hum.

Shazhu, butt in the air, stoking the coal stove, never imagined that this disaster Qin Huairu would show up at his door; his heart nearly jumped out of his chest from fright.

Shazhu, squatting and stoking the coal stove, never expected that Qin Huairu, this disaster, would show up at his door; he was so frightened his heart almost jumped out.

"Qin Huairu!"

His voice was loud yet sharp.

It had a bit of the air of a palace eunuch on duty.

"What are you doing?" Shazhu quickly changed his tone: "Get out, I want nothing to do with your Jia Family—go, go, go, don't make me angry."

"What are you doing?" Shazhu quickly changed his tone, "Hurry up and get out; I will have nothing to do with your Jia Family forever, go, go, go, don't force me to lose my temper."

Shazhu also stepped toward the doorway.

Who knows what the Jia Family is scheming.

It's also strange.

In his previous life, it seems Qin Huairu never kicked down Shazhu's door the day after their wedding.

Where did things go wrong?

"Shazhu, my mother-in-law told me to push the sewing machine back."

Don't even mention Shazhu.

The neighbors who rushed over to watch the spectacle were also shocked.

The sewing machine is the collateral the Jia Family gave for Shazhu's bicycle; with the Jia Family mother and son staying out of sight, letting the new bride demand its return, the Jia Family mother and son have high hopes.

The sewing machine is the collateral the Jia Family used to compensate Shazhu for his bicycle; the Jia Family mother and son stay out of sight, letting the new daughter-in-law make the demand, and the Jia Family mother and son have high hopes.

"Qin Huairu, say it again—I didn't hear you clearly. What did you say?"

Qin Huairu repeated what she had just said; since she had said it once before, this time her voice was much louder.

"The sewing machine? Sure. Bring my bicycle over and I'll return the sewing machine to your Jia Family. The Jia Family threw away my bicycle—it was a new one—and now they want the sewing machine back, meaning my new bicycle was wasted for nothing." Shazhu, ignoring Qin Huairu's feelings, said in a low voice: "Qin Huairu, you're a woman who just married into the Siheyuan; I won't make things difficult for you—just leave now, and I'll pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, don't blame me for hitting a woman."

"The sewing machine, sure. You bring my bicycle to me, and I'll return the sewing machine to your Jia Family. The Jia Family threw away my bicycle; it was a new bicycle, and now they want the sewing machine back, which would mean my new bicycle was wasted for nothing?" Shazhu, not caring what Qin Huairu feels, said in a deep voice: "Qin Huairu, you are a woman and have just married into the Siheyuan; I won't make things difficult for you. Leave now, and I'll pretend nothing happened; otherwise, don't blame me for hitting a woman."

He hurried out to mediate.

He hurried out to smooth things over.

Regarding Qin Huairu coming to ask for the sewing machine, Yi Zhonghai immediately saw it was Jia Zhangshi's doing.

Elder Yi, tell me about this: Jia Dongxu lost my new bicycle, he has no money to compensate, in front of the neighbors he compensated me with the Jia family's sewing machine, letting it stay at my house for two months, then letting Qin Huairu come ask for the sewing machine—what does the Jia family mean? Are they resentful that I gave less gift money yesterday? Resentful that I didn't cook for the Jia family? I bought the bicycle for 1,700,000; using the Jia family's sewing machine staying at my house for two months as compensation, is that all it takes to settle it? Elder Yi, I'm not angry at you, I'm angry—we're all neighbors, what does the Jia family want?

Jia Zhangshi, what are you hiding back there looking at? If you want the sewing machine, return Shazhu's bicycle.

Yi Zhonghai, his teeth itching, called out Jia Zhangshi who was hiding behind the crowd to come to the middle.

Yesterday's vegetarian feast.

Today Qin Huairu washes clothes.

One thing after another, they all prick Yi Zhonghai's heart; everyone knows Yi Zhonghai matched Shazhu and Xu Daming, and orchestrated Qin Huairu's request for the sewing machine—this is slapping Yi Zhonghai in the face.

Wanting the sewing machine is fine.

Return the bicycle.

Even if this lawsuit goes before the elders, Shazhu is in the right.

Jia Zhangshi, did you have Qin Huairu come ask for the sewing machine?

Jia Zhangshi paid no heed to what meaning lay behind Yi Zhonghai's sullen face; she just wanted to pick a quarrel on some pretext, so that everyone in the siheyuan would know Jia Zhangshi is not to be messed with.

Shazhu has found his bicycle, so why are you still holding onto our Jia family's sewing machine?

Jia Zhangshi, who said I found my bicycle? Shazhu snorted, "On the day the bike was lost, Jia Dongxu went to file a report; they let me go on the grounds that Jia Dongxu wasn't the owner, and now the bike is still impounded at the police station. If you don't believe me, go ask there yourself—don't slander an innocent person here."

Weren't you just riding a bicycle back?

Hearing Jia Zhangshi's self-righteous tone about how wronged the Jia family felt...

Shazhu then realized Jia Zhangshi had misunderstood.

In effect, Laoqianpo treated the bicycle assembled from the scrap yard as the one Shazhu originally bought.

No wonder she spoke that way.

Exactly, I rode back on a bicycle, and the neighbors all saw me riding back.

Yi Zhonghai froze.

Shazhu's riding back on a bicycle—he really had no idea about it, being preoccupied with his resentment toward Jia Zhangshi at home, he missed this whole drama.

Shazhu, did you really come back riding a bicycle?

Lu Yuan, I borrowed money to buy a used bicycle that looks about seventy percent new; I figured Jia Zhangshi's eyes were bad, so she mistakenly thought I had retrieved my bicycle.

What do you mean 'old eyes dim'? Clearly you found your bicycle. Jia Zhangshi, disregarding everything, just wanted to get the sewing machine back so Qin Huairu could supplement the household: "You found your own bicycle, yet you still occupy our Jia family's sewing machine—I see, you're eyeing our Jia family's sewing machine, using the excuse that the bicycle isn't yours to say this deliberately. Elder Yi, you must decide for our Jia family; Dongxu is your apprentice."

Yi Zhonghai's heart felt extremely uneasy.

When needed, Yi Zhonghai is Jia Dongxu's teacher; when not needed, he is the Jia family's enemy, and Jia Zhangshi looks at him with displeasure a hundred ways.

Third Elder, please push the bicycle over.

Actually, no need for Shazhu to instruct.

Yan Fugui then pushed the bicycle into the crowd.

People's eyes fell on the bicycle.

They really looked at it.

This isn't the bicycle Shazhu originally had; his original was a Phoenix, while this one is a Flying Pigeon, and it's badly damaged.

The truth came to light.

The bicycle is Shazhu's, but it's not the one Jia Dongxu lost.

I don't believe it; surely you, Old Yan, swapped Shazhu's bicycle—don't think I don't know, you Old Yan and Shazhu are in cahoots, and Yushui sometimes eats lunch at your place.

Because Shazhu worried he might not return on time at noon, possibly leaving Yushui hungry, he told Yan Fugui to let Yushui eat lunch at Old Yan's house.

At month's end, accounts are settled together.

Unexpectedly, this became evidence of Yan Fugui and Shazhu colluding in disgrace.

Jia Zhangshi, what are you crazy about? This is Shazhu's bicycle; many people just saw it—I couldn't switch it right in front of the neighbors, a bicycle is a big item, try swapping one yourself.

I don't care; anyway, since Shazhu found her bicycle, he can't keep occupying our Jia family's sewing machine—I'm going to go push our Jia family's sewing machine back.

Seeing that soft tactics won't work.

Then we'll go hard.

Jia Zhangshi keeps saying this is Shazhu's bicycle, while in her heart she knows it clearly; but now that it's come to this stalemate, she thinks to seize the moment and push the Jia family's sewing machine back, and as for any future trouble from Shazhu, she'll have to go through Yi Zhonghai—thus scheming against Yi Zhonghai, letting the Jia family reap the benefits of his extinction, and also finding a way for Qin Huairu to supplement the household.

Laoqianpo rushed toward Shazhu's house without regard.

Angered, Shazhu flared up and kicked Laoqianpo in the butt.

With tremendous force, Jia Zhangshi was kicked like a football, flying out with a thud, landing flat on her limbs on the ground.

Where she fell, the people around faintly sensed a tremor in the ground.

Shazhu, you hit my mother—I'll fight you to the end.

Qin Huairu faced him.

Jia Dongxu couldn't just sit back like a turtle.

Knowing he wasn't a match for Shazhu, he still gritted his teeth and went forward.

Even with both hands he's no match for Shazhu, let alone now that he's injured one hand; if Shazhu weren't too lazy to bother with someone like the disabled Jia Dongxu, Jia Dongxu might have ended up like Jia Zhangshi.

Shazhu's this retreat.

This let Jia Dongxu mistakenly think Shazhu didn't dare do anything to him.

Mother and son instantly joined forces, intending to jointly teach Shazhu a lesson.

Too late to speak.

Then it was fast.

Just as the Jia mother and son attacked Shazhu from front and back, Xu Daming arrived.

Seeing the Jia mother and son beating Shazhu, Xu Daming didn't care who was right or wrong, whether the one being hit was Shazhu; as long as someone opposed the Jia mother and son, that person was Xu Daming's ally.

He launched a kick, thrusting his foot at Jia Dongxu.

Seeing Xu Damao help share the burden, Shazhu no longer held back; he went in, left hand grabbing Jia Zhangshi's hair, right hand slashing out a fierce slap.

By the time Yi Zhonghai and the others reacted and pulled them apart, Xu Damao had already landed several punches on Jia Dongxu, and Jia Zhangshi had also taken several hard slaps from Shazhu.

"Report to the public security, find the Security Section, see who beat my old lady, and also our family Dong Xu."

"Jia Zhangshi."

Yi Zhonghai let out a fierce shout.

The Dayuan meeting that had just opened the day before yesterday, which called for active participation in the Civilized Siheyuan evaluation activity; a few days after the meeting ended, the Siheyuan saw the incident where Xu Damao and Shazhu teamed up to fight the Jia family mother and son.

It spread.

What was lost was the Siheyuan's face.

It would make the three managing elders look incompetent.

"Xu Damao, Piglet, what are you doing? Even if Jia Zhangshi is completely in the wrong, you cannot hit her; his age is about the same as your parents, he is an elder."

Xu Damao had been on par with Shazhu, but upon hearing Yi Zhonghai's words, he decisively stepped back a step, a typical move to make Shazhu bear the blame.

Shazhu went numb.

Still, my brother Mao is sharp.

If there's an advantage, take it.

Seeing that trouble had been caused, he hurriedly ran away.

Damn it!

"First Elder, you can see clearly how this started; this is just the Jia family mother and son making unreasonable trouble, Jia Zhangshi isn't really going to report to the public security and find the Security Section—I think it's fine; when the public security and Security Section come, we'll see whether they arrest me or the Jia family mother and son."

Jia Zhangshi spoke stubbornly: "What's the matter, I've been slapped several times by you, and you still think you're in the right?"

"Do you want to go in and seize the sewing machine?"

"That's our family's sewing machine." Jia Zhangshi, lifting her face swollen from the blows, looked around at everyone, "It was seized by you, Shazhu, and the neighbors can all attest."

"Why seize it?" Shazhu's voice rose higher, "It's not because Jia Dongxu lost my new bicycle; you Jia family have no recourse, you compensated me with the sewing machine, and the neighbors can all attest; from that day on, the sewing machine has taken the surname He, it's my sewing machine—right in front of me you ran to seize the sewing machine, Jia Zhangshi, I tell you, when the public security and Security Section come, they'll also arrest you; that's called stealing, understand?"

"I don't believe you, you're trying to scare my old lady."

"If you don't believe me, ask the neighbors around, ask the First Elder, ask the Second Elder, ask the Third Elder, see if that's not the reasoning; if you go in, Jia Dongxu's confirmation, raise in rank, etc., will be affected, or else let's give it a try."

"It's just a bicycle, you have a bicycle now, why give the sewing machine to our Jia family? You're a grown man, you don't even know how to use a sewing machine, Yushui is still young, our family Qin Huairu has no job, Jia Dongxu alone supports our family of three; if there are difficulties, my old lady's opinion is to return the sewing machine, let Qin Huairu do some needlework to supplement household income."

The people around.

They all looked at the speaking Jia Zhangshi as if seeing a ghost.

Such a shameless Jia Zhangshi.

First time seeing this.

Having lost someone else's bicycle, seeing that person again bought a used bicycle, they thought to return the sewing machine and let Qin Huairu do some needlework to supplement household expenses.

What good thing are they thinking?

Since you know Jia Dongxu earns money with difficulty, why don't you, Jia Zhangshi, go to the Street Office to find work?

"Jia Zhangshi, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"First Elder, it's you who said Qin Huairu is knowledgeable and cultured, that having a bit of culture means one can write the three characters 'Qin Huairu', and that's what a cultured person is."

In a hurry.

Jia Zhangshi exposed Qin Huairu's illiteracy.

And exposed the fact that Qin Huairu is illiterate.

On the day of the engagement, many people watched the Jia family's drama, and Yi Zhonghai had said that Qin Huairu was cultured.

"Jia Zhangshi, you're truly shameless—Shazhu's family has it, yours doesn't, so Shazhu should give his stuff to your Jia family; what kind of bullshit logic is that?"

"Xu Damao, it's none of your business; what right do you have to hit my son?"

"You mother and son beating Shazhu—I'm worried Shazhu will be hurt by you, I'm just doing a good deed."

Xu Damao, this bastard.

His mind is quite active.

Just one sentence.

He turned himself from an aggressor into a rescuer.

"Shazhu, will you give the sewing machine to our Jia family or not? Just say a word; anyway you don't need it, let our Jia family use it."

Shazhu moved up to Jia Zhangshi.

Frightened, Jia Zhangshi stepped back.

Worried that Shazhu would hit her.

That big slap just now still makes Jia Zhangshi's face hurt.

"Aunt Jia, I won't hit you, I also want to discuss something with you." Shazhu suddenly lowered his voice, using a tone only Jia Zhangshi and he could hear: "Your family has Qin Huairu, mine doesn't; why not let me use it? Anyway you won't lose out."

Using Jia Zhangshi's spear.

Piercing Jia Zhangshi's shield.

Angry, Jia Zhangshi's tone changed.

"Shazhu! Say it again to my old lady."

"You're angry? Then you're human too? I thought you were a beast. Recently, when people came to inquire about my situation, you, Jia Zhangshi, hated to send me away; the next day you were all over the alley spouting bad talk about me, saying I have a father who made meals for the Japanese puppet regime during the puppet era, and saying I'm descended from a traitor; do you know why I refuse to cook for your Jia family? This is the reason: I recall that back then you, Jia Zhangshi, seemed to have eaten the lunch boxes the old man brought back several times—what kind of behavior is that? You eat traitor's rice; if that's not enough, I'll go turn myself in tomorrow and say what you, Jia Zhangshi, said—how about that?"

"Jia Zhangshi." Yi Zhonghai seized the opportunity; he wanted to make the Jia Zhangshi who remembers to eat but forgets being beaten feel some pain: "I introduced a match for Dongxu because I think highly of Dongxu and also of Huairu; if you, Jia Zhangshi, disagree, tell me straight out; if you secretly pull tricks, today I, Yi Zhonghai, will break off with Jia Dongxu; as for Huairu, divorcing Dongxu, I don't believe that with just my three words 'Yi Zhonghai' I couldn't find someone else for her."