Chapter 97

Shazhu, the Jia family mother and son are bullying people too much—we brothers must vent this anger, or else everyone in the courtyard will look down on us two.

Shazhu looked at Dama Xu.

He said nothing.

He recalled how, in his previous life, Dama Xu had someone put rotten shoes on Bangeng, and Qin Huairu used that as an excuse to drag him on for eight years.

"Don't drag it out."

"How is that dragging it out? Brother, I'm telling you the truth—the Jia mother and son must be taught a lesson; if not, I can't quell the hatred in my heart."

Dama Xu muttered to himself, staring at Shazhu with his eyes darting around, then suddenly slapped his thigh, startled, and blurted out his plan to deal with the Jia mother and son.

"Shazhu, brother, this move of mine will definitely make the Jia mother and son submit completely—we'll do it like this, like that, and if they still aren't honest, I, Dama Xu, will take your surname, Shazhu."

Truly the number one petty person in the Siheyuan.

A despicable method.

Just spouting nonsense.

It was also Shazhu's congratulatory words to Jia Zhangshi about the old tree blooming that reminded Dama Xu, prompting the turtle-grandson Dama Xu to devise this despicable method.

Marry off Jia Zhangshi!

That is, the widow remarrying.

This is Dama Xu's ultimate killing move to deal with the Jia mother and son.

Whether there are dates or not, strike three times.

If successful, Jia Dongxu gains another stepfather on his head, and Dama Xu and his group gain a pretext to attack and mock Jia Dongxu; if not, it still nauseates the Jia mother and son, making them tuck their tails and behave for a while—even the deaf old lady now behaves honestly.

Forcing Jia Zhangshi, the widow, to remarry.

This idea.

If you weren't lacking two taels of virtue, you couldn't have such a thought.

Shazhu stared straight at Dama Xu.

Turtle-grandson.

Learned bad habits.

"Shazhu, just say whether brother's idea works or not."

Shazhu nodded.

"Shazhu, just say whether brother's idea can deal with the Jia mother and son."

Shazhu couldn't bear to dampen Dama Xu's enthusiasm; the turtle-grandson rarely wanted to act against the Jia mother and son.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

He himself already gets along well with Dama Xu.

Shazhu would be happy to see such a thing happen.

The Jia mother and son are too disgusting.

Dealing with them would also be good.

"Shazhu, brother has one more thing."

"Shazhu, just tell me what it is—what are you staring at me for?"

Dama Xu lowered his voice, looking mysterious, as if he were an underground member making contact in a movie.

"It's still that matter—brother has already talked it over with the dean; this time it's a seven- or eight-year-old girl. Last time, Yi Zhonghai disliked the girl for being too old, so this time brother found him a younger one—I don't believe Yi Zhonghai won't adopt this child."

Shazhu felt his head swell.

Dama Xu, in collusion, still wants to continue helping Yi Zhonghai adopt children.

The current situation in the Siheyuan.

Is becoming clear.

Many people have figured it out: Yi Zhonghai, on one hand, treats Jia Dongxu as a disciple; on the other, he treats him as an old-age support to cultivate—he's also got a sewing machine, arranged a wife, and today even sent a radio.

Why does Dama Xu still keep thinking about getting Yi Zhonghai a child?

"Shazhu, do you think brother handled this matter well or not? When the time comes, will Elder Yi feel grateful or not toward me?"

Gratitude? More like a hammer.

I'd bet Yi Zhonghai has the heart to kill Dama Xu.

Shazhu is especially curious about what Yi Zhonghai's expression will be when Dama Xu brings the child to him.

Last time, he got away with it by using the excuse that Li Showzhi had no introduction letter.

This time.

How will Yi Zhonghai get away with it?

In the Siheyuan, those who don't want Yi Zhonghai to adopt children—aside from the Jia family, who have eaten his extinction-dividend, there's also the deaf old lady in the rear courtyard.

Shazhu raised his thumb.

He doesn't intend to stop him.

Just let Dama Xu cause trouble to his heart's content.

He even turned himself into this dog-headed strategist, giving Dama Xu advice—on the day of adopting the child, how to arrange things, such as greeting Director Wang of the street office to help as a witness, etc.

Facing Director Wang face to face, Yi Zhonghai is under moral blackmail and reverse-trap attack—he must think, whether he wants to or not; I reckon that hypocrite at that time would be the most tormented person.

……

"Dong Xu, on what grounds do you arrest our family's Dong Xu?"

Suddenly, Jia Zhangshi's piercing, extremely tragic scream echoed in the courtyard, interrupting the scheming, fake-virtuous Yi Zhonghai and the two fools of the Siheyuan.

Jia Dongxu has been arrested!

For Shazhu and Dama Xu, who had just suffered from the Jia family's arrogance, this is absolutely a great joy—both came one after another into the courtyard.

Watching the show.

The scene that came into view.

It made Shazhu and Dama Xu both suck in a breath of cold air.

Director Wang of the street office, accompanied by two street office workers and two public security officers, was dragging Jia Dongxu out of the Jia family house, while the Jia family matriarch clung desperately to the leg of the street office worker who was holding Jia Dongxu's arm.

Qin Huairu was not idle either, her eyes brimming with tears as she watched everyone, her pitiful appearance truly making one feel heartbroken beyond words.

In my previous life.

Shazhu fell for Qin Huairu's pitiful and scheming act, and ended up sacrificing his entire life for it.

The night was not particularly deep.

The people of the Siheyuan had not gone to sleep.

Another topic of conversation arose: the Jia family and Shazhu's family had both acquired radios.

Everyone was chatting idly.

Upon hearing Jia Zhangshi shout like that, a clamor erupted and everyone surged out, quickly surrounding the central courtyard.

Just like Shazhu and Dama Xu, they harbored the intention to kick someone when they're down, watching the Jia family's drama unfold.

The hypocrite also revealed himself.

As Jia Dongxu's caretaker for his old age, the hypocrite could not possibly remain uninvolved in this arrest, whether by emotion or reason, and must step forward.

"Jia family matriarch, what are you doing? Get up quickly!" Yi Zhonghai first rebuked the Jia family matriarch, then turned to Director Wang and said: "Director Wang, what happened to Jia Dongxu?"

One of the accompanying street office workers snorted coldly.

"Radio."

The crowd exploded in an uproar.

It turned out they had all been mistaken—it wasn't Jia Dongxu stealing chickens and dogs, but because of the radio.

If I remember correctly.

This radio was a gift from Yi Zhonghai to the Jia family for their double happiness.

Jia Dongxu was arrested over the radio, yet the one who gave the radio was Yi Zhonghai, and everyone knows Yi Zhonghai had been planning for Jia Dongxu to support him in his old age—there's no way he would have sent Jia Dongxu to prison.

Upon further thought.

Yi Zhonghai seems to have a motive.

In recent days, I've inexplicably heard some rumors about romantic entanglements.

I don't know where it started, but rumors spread that Yi Zhonghai had an affair with Jia Dongxu's wife, Qin Huairu, claiming Jia Dongxu was taking the blame for Yi Zhonghai, that Yi Zhonghai went to Qin Family Village last year to carry out support construction and ruined Qin Huairu's dream of moving to the city.

Qin Huairu, fearing Yi Zhonghai wouldn't marry her, forced him to write a pledge, and Yi Zhonghai used his means to get Jia Dongxu to marry Qin Huairu.

The evidence is that sewing machine, said to be something Yi Zhonghai used to block Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu.

The reason Jia Zhangshi opposed Jia Dongxu marrying Qin Huairu, often making faces at Yi Zhonghai and making things difficult for Qin Huairu, is because Jia Zhangshi knew about the secret between Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai.

It must be said.

These people's imaginations are truly vast.

So vast that one cannot help but believe them.

All doubts have been explained away.

There is another theory.

That Yi Zhonghai took a liking to Jia Zhangshi and wanted to make her his later-life companion, Jia Dongxu disagreed, so the hypocrite deliberately bought a radio to get Jia Dongxu arrested.

Compared to the previous rumor, this later one.

Is not very convincing.

But Jia Dongxu was indeed arrested because of the radio.

This is what happened before the neighbors' eyes, an undeniable fact that cannot be falsified.

The people's gazes.

With a clamor, they focused on Yi Zhonghai.

Feeling the hostile gazes of the crowd.

The hypocrite inwardly groaned, unaware why Jia Dongxu was arrested over the radio. There are two radios in the Siheyuan—Jia Dongxu has one, Shazhu has one. Why arrest only Jia Dongxu and not Shazhu? If arresting, arrest both, or only Shazhu. Arresting Jia Dongxu but not Shazhu leaves the hypocrite in an awkward position, as if he had used the radio to dig a pit for Jia Dongxu.

Unintentionally lending credibility to certain rumors, truly believing Yi Zhonghai is deaf, those gossip about him and Qin Huairu, him and Jia Zhangshi, never reached the hypocrite's ears.

"Director Wang, the radio is my gift to Jia Dongxu—could there be some misunderstanding?"

"No misunderstanding—we arrested him."

"Director Wang, Shazhu." The Jia family matriarch, clutching the street office worker's leg like a last straw, pointed at Shazhu and wailed: "Shazhu also bought a radio—why arrest our Dongxu and not Shazhu? It must be Shazhu; our Dongxu is a good boy."

Shazhu had a heaven-defying, damnable thought.

Dongxu is a good boy.

This damn thing is Jia Zhangshi's catchphrase.

After the Bangeng theft incident, Jia Zhangshi spoke this way to defend Bangeng, saying over and over that Bangeng is a good boy.

"Jia Zhangshi, do you think we're three-year-olds? You say something and it becomes truth? He Yuzhu bought a domestically made Red Star radio, registered with the street office and police station, but yours—what brand is it?"

The deed is done.

Jia Zhangshi could only direct her anger toward Yi Zhonghai.

Who let Yi Zhonghai give the radio? If Yi Zhonghai hadn't given the radio, or given something else, Jia Dongxu wouldn't have been arrested. According to the street office's statement before leaving, Jia Dongxu will face serious consequences this time.

The enraged Jia Zhangshi.

She flew into a rage.

It's all the hypocrite's fault.

Thrusting her head forward, she charged at Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Zhonghai was thinking about how to wrap things up; the elderly person being arrested meant a loss for Yi Zhonghai, who had spent a large sum of money but ended up offending someone.

Why bother?

Yi Zhonghai couldn't help but glance toward Shazhu beside him.

At the very moment he was looking at Shazhu, Jia Zhangshi charged at Yi Zhonghai like a young calf.

Right on target.

He struck the mark squarely.

Yi Zhonghai felt as if he himself had been struck hard by a large hammer, his breath caught in his chest, unable to rise or fall.

Jia Zhangshi paid no heed to Yi Zhonghai's fate; after knocking him to the ground with a head-on blow, she began to wail and complain, her words all meaning one thing.

Let Yi Zhonghai accompany her son, or else she would not let him off.

Jia Zhangshi still had some sense; she did not recklessly rage and spew nonsense that would bring shame to both the Jia family and Yi Zhonghai.

"Shazhu, you're the only one in the courtyard with a bicycle—go to the street office and inquire, find out what happened."

Actually, there was no need for Yi Zhonghai to remind him.

Shazhu himself also wanted to go to the street office to inquire.

As it turned out, Jia Dongxu had been arrested.

Good.

Because the radio had been confiscated.

Shazhu happened to have a radio.

It was as if Jia Dongxu had taken the fall for him.

He remained silent.

Turning, he pushed his bicycle out of the siheyuan.

Seeing Shazhu leave, Xu Daming also quickened his steps, caught up outside, leapt up, and sat on the rear rack of the bicycle.

The bicycle gave a slight wobble under the weight.

"Xu Daming, what are you doing?"

"Brother, I'm protecting you."

"Virtue."

"Clack-clack-clack."

Shazhu rode off toward the street office, carrying Xu Daming.

Behind them was the scene of Yi Zhonghai comforting Jia Zhangshi.

"Jia family woman, don't panic."

"Can't you stop lying? It's my son who was arrested, not your son, Yi Zhonghai—you don't even have a son, so you can't understand how I feel as a mother."

Yi Zhonghai and his wife both looked grim.

Jia Zhangshi kept picking at their hearts.

The elder lady glared at Yi Zhonghai, a rare show of anger.

As for Jia Dongxu and Shazhu, the elder lady still favored Shazhu; during their last falling-out, Shazhu had still been mindful of Yi Zhonghai and his wife's dignity, refraining from saying anything in front of outsiders that would embarrass them.

The Jia family and Shazhu.

Two extremes.

One good.

One bad.

Earlier, he had cheerfully accepted the radio bought by the Yi family, saying Jia Dongxu had found a good master, now turned cold-hearted, claiming Yi Zhonghai was harming their family's Dongxu.

"Zhonghai, what good can I say about you to my old mother? I told you not to buy the radio, but you insisted, saying it was a gift for the Jia family—now, well."

The deaf old lady, who had not appeared before the crowd for a long time.

She had come alive.

The implication was: it would be better to give this money to my old mother to buy meat.

Yi Zhonghai paid no attention to the deaf old lady; his thoughts were now entirely focused on rescuing Jia Dongxu.

In his thoughts, Yi Zhonghai entertained a notion that even frightened himself—should he just abandon Jia Dongxu? Without saying more, just Jia Zhangshi, this old shrew, was enough to give Yi Zhonghai a headache; the hypocrite now doubted whether, with Jia Zhangshi around, Jia Dongxu would help Yi Zhonghai and his wife with their elderly care and end-of-life arrangements as Yi Zhonghai wished.

Using you.

Is Dongxu's master.

No need for you.

You are nothing but a dead end.

In the siheyuan, there are only two people who could support him in his old age: Jia Dongxu and Shazhu. If he gives up on Jia Dongxu, he must promote the backup, Shazhu, to the main position.

After their recent falling-out, Yi Zhonghai wanted to pressure Shazhu a little, but Shazhu doesn't work at the steel mill, and besides, Shazhu is the renowned god of cooking at the steel mill.

Let me say something unpleasant.

At the steel mill.

Yi Zhonghai still doesn't have as much face as Shazhu at the steel mill.

So Yi Zhonghai trying to pressure Shazhu is nothing but a pure joke.

Bicycle—Shazhu bought it; radio—Shazhu bought it; sewing machine—the Jia family compensated Shazhu for it, and he also bought a camera, earning him the title of Advanced Individual for the first quarter at the scrap yard.

Yi Zhonghai noticed.

Ever since He Daqing ran off with the widow.

Shazhu, living with his sister Yushui, has been living a life that grows more prosperous and vibrant, so prosperous it makes Yi Zhonghai envious.

Now, Shazhu.

Nothing is lacking.

Only lacking a wife.

If it weren't for the fact that his age hasn't reached the legal marriage age, Yi Zhonghai would have no doubt that Shazhu would bring a wife home, living a blissful life with wife, children, and a warm kang bed, closing the door to enjoy his peaceful days.

Alas.

The hypocrite suffering inwardly.

He turned his gaze toward the outside.

In the distance.

Faintly, the street appeared empty.

……

Coming with the wind.

Going with the rain.

Shazhu carried Xu Daming back from the street.

Just as he entered the door.

Yi Zhonghai was the first to come forward to greet him.

"Zhuzi, how did things go?"'

Xu Daming, standing beside Shazhu, was deliberately ignored by Yi Zhonghai.

Among the children of Shazhu's age, the hypocrite, for unknown reasons, simply cannot stand Xu Daming.

"Let Xu Daming speak, I need to catch my breath."

Shazhu deliberately gave Yi Zhonghai eye drops, clearly knowing Yi Zhonghai dislikes Xu Daming, yet he insisted on forcing the two to interact.

"Elder Yi, I went with Shazhu to inquire at the street, and the situation is very bad."

"Xu Daming, just tell me what's going on with Jia Dongxu."

"When we went to the street, we heard Jia Dongxu had already been taken to the police station; as for the specific consequences, we all think it definitely won't end well."

Xu Daming glanced sideways at the dazed Jia Zhangshi nearby.

Really a pig.

Pretending to care about Jia Dongxu.

You're actually the first one rushing over to inquire about news.

Jia Zhangshi sat foolishly on the ground.

On the contrary, Yi Zhonghai got ahead of him.

"My son." Jia Zhangshi wailed, slapping her thigh as she cried: "How could your life be so miserable?"

"Xu Daming, stop alarming people, okay?"

Yi Zhonghai's head felt as big as a dou.

He stared at Xu Daming.

His eyes were almost spitting fire.

If things were truly as serious as Xu Daming said, Yi Zhonghai seemed to need to promote Shazhu early as a backup.

"Elder Yi, at this point, would I joke with you? Jia Dongxu has gotten into trouble at this critical juncture—could there possibly be a good outcome?"

"Yi Zhonghai, return my son, return my son."

Grievances have a head.

Debts have a master.

The misfortune Yi Zhonghai brought upon himself.

Must be sought from Yi Zhonghai to repay.

"Yi Zhonghai, you exterminator of lineages, you didn't act with good intentions, you are an exterminator of lineages, and you also want to make our Jia family exterminated lineages—poor Dongxu, just gone like that."

"Mom, don't blame Elder Yi either; Elder Yi also meant well."

Qin Huairu was persuading Jia Zhangshi.

It would be better if she didn't appear.

At least Jia Zhangshi wouldn't vent her anger on Qin Huairu's head.

Looking at Qin Huairu's charming, flower-like face.

Jia Zhangshi instantly thought of the consequences: if Jia Dongxu died, Qin Huairu would become a widow, and such a delicate widow would attract many men.

I don't know whether it was sincere or if she truly fainted from anger.

Jia Zhangshi pushed her aside casually.

Qin Huairu was then pushed to the ground by Jia Zhangshi.

Just then came a cry of "ai you."

Looking again at Qin Huairu's pant leg, faint traces of blood were seeping out.

Forget about Jia Dongxu.

First, attend to Qin Huairu.

Yi Zhonghai organized the neighbors of the siheyuan, pushed a cart, and after a few pushes took Qin Huairu to the hospital; the next day, when Shazhu woke up, he learned from Xu Daming that Qin Huairu had a miscarriage, and Jia Zhangshi was now causing trouble for Yi Zhonghai, demanding he compensate for her son Jia Dongxu and her grandson Bangeng.