Chapter 91

Watching Yi Zhonghai's retreating back.

Shazhu seemed to understand why, in his previous life, he hadn't married before Qin Huairu became a widow.

There were Shazhu's own reasons.

More of the reasons came from the hypocrite Yi Zhonghai.

It wasn't a scheme for old-age support, but Long Laotaitai had become too much for Yi Zhonghai to bear; his plan to shift the trouble onto Shazhu backfired, landing on Shazhu, who then had to help care for Long Laotaitai.

This both tested Shazhu's character and eased Yi Zhonghai's burden.

After Jia Dongxu's death, Yi Zhonghai promoted Shazhu from backup to main choice.

With Long Laotaitai as the precedent, Yi Zhonghai firmly believed Shazhu could support him in his old age. To control Shazhu and ensure his own old age would be secure, Yi Zhonghai had to find someone grateful to him who would not oppose Shazhu supporting him, to become Shazhu's wife.

As Jia Dongxu's widow, Qin Huairu naturally came into Yi Zhonghai's sight.

A super luxurious widow's package of three big and one small.

It made many people feel intimidated.

Ordinary people couldn't afford it.

Yi Zhonghai used moral blackmail to manipulate Shazhu, and eventually employed every means, forcing the older Shazhu to grit his teeth and indulge in the widow's extravagant feast.

Having understood all this, Shazhu.

It felt as if a huge stone in his heart had suddenly vanished.

He inexplicably felt a wave of relief.

Next door.

Yi Zhonghai's home.

The frowning Yi Zhonghai had just entered the doorway when the old lady rushed forward, helping him take off his coat while casually asking.

"Old man, how did your talk with Zhuzi go?"

Yi Zhonghai shook his head.

The old lady stood there, knowing Shazhu's nature; as long as she promptly brought up the matter, Shazhu would usually just laugh it off and act as if nothing had happened.

Where did something go wrong?

The old lady would never have imagined that what she said and what Yi Zhonghai said were clearly two different matters.

Yi Zhonghai said it was about shifting the responsibility of Long Laotaitai onto Shazhu, letting Shazhu take care of Long Laotaitai's meals, but the big aunt thought Yi Zhonghai was looking for Shazhu to explain the earlier matter of not letting Shazhu become an apprentice at the Yagangchang cafeteria.

Upon hearing that Yi Zhonghai hadn't settled the matter, the big aunt, who had imagined a scene on her own, hesitated about going herself that day to explain to Shazhu.

This Yi Zhonghai.

He cares about face.

Even if you go to explain, it's just putting on the pretentious airs of that Head Steward; originally you were wrong, yet you still look down on people from a high position—why would they rush to kiss your cold ass?

Furthermore, her husband Yi Zhonghai's old companion steps out, hoping Shazhu, considering they've been neighbors for many years, can give the big aunt some face.

Major issues are minimized, minor issues are settled.

Fortunately Yi Zhonghai is not a worm in the big aunt's stomach; he does not know the big aunt is about to reveal her own bottom; otherwise Yi Zhonghai would scold her mother.

Tonight's Siheyuan.

Destined not to be too peaceful.

Every household is busy with their own little calculations.

Until, in the silent night sky, a mournful wail suddenly rang out.

With a splashing sound.

The neighbors of the Siheyuan all rushed to the Siheyuan, looking at Shazhu's house with worried faces, guessing what had happened at Shazhu's house, why Shazhu was so angry.

"He Yushui, what are you looking at me for? Who let you look at me?"

Upon hearing that Shazhu was angry at He Yushui, Long Laotaitai and Yi Zhonghai actually exchanged a glance, which seemed to serve the interests of those two scoundrels.

Long Laotaitai has repeatedly suggested sending He Yushui away. Shazhu is dissatisfied with Yushui, and it seems not far off that He Yushui will be sent away.

"Zhuzi, keep your voice down, it's late at night." The hypocrite, in high spirits, raised the banner of moral kidnapping. "In the Qing dynasty, in Baocheng, Capital City, it's just you and Yushui depending on each other; you scolding Yushui like this, if outsiders hear it, it's not good; even if Yushui is completely wrong, she's still your sister."

"Zhonghai." Long Laotaitai immediately chimed in, "Yushui is Shazhu's sister, that's why Shazhu should criticize and educate her more strictly; she's a young lady, she needs education."

What scheme are those two scoundrels hatching?

Shazhu sees clearly.

He silently cursed in his heart.

"Head Steward, old lady, I'm not losing my temper; Yushui went too far." Shazhu stated the reason for his anger: "The day after tomorrow school starts; Yushui hasn't done her winter break homework."

Those words woke those lost in dreams.

There are many people in the Siheyuan.

They realized.

Not only did He Yushui not finish her winter break homework, the children in their family also didn't finish theirs.

The Siheyuan fell into chaos; the front, middle, and rear courtyards all echoed with the cries of brats and the scolding of adults disciplining children, all related to homework.

"Zhuzi, you also need to have a good talk with Yushui."

"Head Steward, ladies and gentlemen, look." Shazhu held up Yushui's arithmetic homework, letting the onlookers look, pointing at the arithmetic problem, angrily saying: "This is Yushui's homework: a plate with five apples, she ate three, asking how many apples remain; Yushui said two apples remain."

"The answer is correct."

"Big aunt, I wasn't talking about this problem; it's the next one, exactly the same type, only the contents changed, from apples to people: on the playground there are five kids playing a game, three hid in the bushes, asking how many kids are not hidden; He Yushui said one."

Everyone laughed.

"Moreover, the essay: on New Year's Eve night, I played games with my little companions, and the Sun God kept smiling at us."

Shazhu turned his face and saw He Yushui leaning on the doorframe looking at himself.

His heart stirred.

"Yushui, if you don't want to study, tomorrow come with me to the scrap yard; we two siblings will collect scrap together, okay?"

It was originally a ploy to goad someone.

But they mistakenly thought the person opposite was He Yushui.

The little girl, aside from not wanting to go to school or do homework, will do anything you let her.

Sure.

"What do you mean, 'sure'?" Shazhu glared, "Hurry back and do your homework."

Around several Dayuans, the shout 'Homework, school starts soon!' rang out, the anger in the words surpassing even Shazhu's.

In the end, it was only after Shazhu pleaded with Yan Fugui to step in that the matter of He Yushui not doing his winter vacation homework was resolved.

Older brother.

Not effective.

Teacher Yan.

Effective.

Yan Fugui said nothing, stepped up to He Yushui, who then patted his little chest and promised Yan Fugui that he would do his homework properly.

In a rush, the little girl finally finished her homework before school started.

She was much better than those kids who dragged their feet, crying and whining that their homework wasn't done.

He sent He Yushui to school.

Shazhu rode his bicycle to the scrap yard.

Just as he entered the gate.

He was stunned by the huge pile of old clothes before him, only later realizing it was Wen San's doing—he had spent ten thousand yuan to fill two flatbed trucks with ragged clothing.

The scrap yard workers were dumbfounded.

They didn't know how to deal with the mountain of old clothes before them.

Shazhu's first thought.

was that the braggart Wen San had been tricked.

After working at the scrap yard for about four months, Shazhu's biggest impression was that everyone there, from top to bottom, dealt with recyclable scrap metal.

Due to a weak foundation and various human-caused damages.

Now the scrap yard's main job is to recover precious metals—from large iron blocks and broken pots to small toothpaste tubes—sorting them and sending them where they belong.

Collecting old clothes, Wen San was the first to initiate this at the scrap yard.

New for three years, old for three years, mended and patched for another three years; after three years comes another three years, wearing year after year—this folk song clearly explains how people use clothing. A piece of clothing is only treated as scrap cloth when it's too worn to wear; it's not about discarding it, but turning that scrap cloth into material for making cloth shoes, which is also the fundamental reason why the scrap yard does not collect old clothes.

This pile of clothes.

This posed a problem for the station.

From the station chief overseeing the work down to the gatekeeper Shitou, everyone wondered how exactly to deal with this pile of old clothes.

They couldn't figure it out.

How could Wen San have collected such a useless pile of old clothes, not to mention how dirty they were, and they even gave off that pungent smell.

All those present.

You look at me, I look at you—we all have that bewildered, clueless gaze, each probably wanting the other to decide, after all, these are the materials Wen San bought back for ten thousand yuan.

Just throw them away.

What a pity.

Besides, they pollute the environment.

Let's make use of them.

Not knowing how to use them, just that pungent smell already eliminates any chance of reuse.

Put in plain terms:

This heap of rags—you could even pay people to take them, and they'd still refuse.

Wen San, full of confidence and intent on dropping a big bombshell, now looks about as defeated as a boiled crab.

Wilted.

Seeing that the scrap yard had never collected old clothes, he thought he could break new ground.

But the harsh reality came like a bucket of cold water, dousing Wen San completely.

Ten thousand yuan bought this pile of old clothes.

That proved the saying.

He came in high spirits and left in disappointment.

He also realized he had messed up the task.

He pulled a long face.

He lowered his head.

"Hey everyone, don't just stand there—throw out some ideas!"

"No use value—just throw them away."

"What are we here for? As scrap yard workers, our job is to deal with scrap; if we throw it away, who gives us the right to discard? The organization's funding must not be wasted."

"If we really can't, just deduct the money from my wages."

Wen San had a hint of daring and responsibility.

"Would the organization really miss this ten thousand yuan?"

"Station chief, if we throw it away and you disagree, I'll compensate; if you still disagree, we have no way to use it—keeping this junk just ruins our mood."

"That's why we need to think of a solution—blaming others won't help; doing our old line of work, collecting scrap, you all just stare at each other, how did I end up with such a useless bunch?"

One brave soldier makes a whole den of brave soldiers.

Wen San is right, a den of brave soldiers, one brave soldier. Old He, who had just realized, stared at Wen San: "Wen San, you say who's incapable? You bunch of garlic heads, think of a way!"

Everyone racked their brains for a solution.

A flash of inspiration crossed Shazhu's mind.

It seemed he had an idea.

This pile of old clothes probably can't be washed clean; even if cleaned, no one would dare wear them—they're basically trash—why not make them into mops to sell?

He proposed the idea.

The comrades at the station all beamed with joy.

Some volunteered to chop branches for the mop's wooden rake; others bravely attacked the stinking pile of old clothes, preparing to cut them into strips with scissors; still others went to procure the iron wire.

The usually listless scrap yard instantly sprang into action; everyone was busy, even Shazhu was running around dizzy, and none returned to the Siheyuan for lunch at noon.

Shazhu kept working until evening, then rode his bicycle back to the Siheyuan.

Upon entering the Siheyuan, Shazhu was stunned by the imposing scene before him, mouth agape, as if what he saw made him think his eyes were playing tricks.

The people of the Siheyuan who weren't eating gathered to watch the commotion; those who could come out from the front, middle, and rear courtyards did so, while those who couldn't pressed against the glass to watch everything happening in the Zhong Yuan.

It was mainly because they were bored.

People of this era lacked such entertainment, so everyone had to find ways to pass the time; this is also why everyone eagerly participated in the Dayuan meetings.

Boredom is the original sin.

Seeing the deaf old lady whom Director Wang wanted to take away.

Shazhu felt his mind wasn't up to the task.

What exactly had happened to the deaf old lady, and why was Director Wang taking her away for a lesson again?

Director Wang's demeanor wasn't that of someone taking the deaf old lady to give a heroic report; behind him followed three Jiēdào workers, with one person on each side of the deaf old lady and the remaining one gripping a weapon at the rear, its dark muzzle aimed at her back.

If the deaf old lady showed the slightest sign of resistance or noncooperation, that brother holding the weapon would without hesitation pull the trigger.

Too brutal.

When Shazhu was idly speculating.

The deaf old lady who had been taken away felt utterly wronged, not knowing what taboo she had broken or whom she had offended.

Two consecutive complaint letters had been filed against her.

The first complaint letter led to the deaf old lady being taken away by Director Wang for several days of education, during which fifty catties of white flour and fifty catties of rice were found in her home.

A label of hoarding was pinned on the deaf old lady's head, and to this day the four words "deaf old lady" remain a well-known synonym for backwardness.

She had thought she'd enjoy a few easy days after the New Year, but those easy days never came, and then a second complaint letter appeared.

The deaf old lady was weary.

She also knew her reputation could not suffer any further loss.

She thus fixed her hopes on Yi Zhonghai, hoping he would step forward voluntarily to help her out of the predicament.

Every few days she was reported and taken away for investigation.

As the deaf old lady, the reputation of the Dayuan's ancestor would be unearned.

Even if Yi Zhonghai didn't want to, he still had to steel himself and come.

Director Wang, what's wrong with the old lady?

The one asking was Yi Zhonghai.

It's because in the Siheyuan only Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old lady live close to each other.

As long as something happens to the deaf old lady,

Yi Zhonghai will surely be suspected.

He didn't run away.

We received a complaint saying the deaf old lady has the attitude of a family patriarch.

Received the complaint.

Upon learning that the deaf old lady of the Red Star Courtyard had been reported again, Director Wang dared not delay, and that night led the Jiēdào workers to her door.

As the old saying goes,

"One or two times is fine, but not three or four."

The deaf old lady had been reported two times in a row.

Moreover, there is evidence of the deaf old lady hoarding goods; her reputation among the Jiēdào is poor, far worse than Shazhu's.

It all stinks.