Chapter 98

【3】

The neighbors were all there.

【6】

Upon hearing Jia Zhangshi shouting, demanding that Yi Zhonghai compensate for Jia Dongxu and Bangeng's dog's life, those who originally had nothing better to do and just came to watch the drama rushed into the central courtyard with a clamor.

Make sure it's one line.

【10】

It thrilled countless people.

【12】

The hypocrite, being a man, also a senior elder of the siheyuan, and additionally the master of Jia Dongxu and the direct person responsible for the incident where Jia Dongxu was arrested, naturally could not swing a big slap like Shazhu and wildly slap Jia Zhangshi; he generally belonged to the type who suffers losses.

【15】

Jia Zhangshi's attack was utterly unrestrained.

【19】

Yi Zhonghai tried to block them, but though he was willing, he lacked the strength; his face looked as if Jia Zhangshi had scratched several bloody gashes across it, and he was both miserable and grimy.

It was quite a thing to reminisce about.

【21】

This act is, not knowing whether it is the act of being angry at Yi Zhonghai for taking Jia Dongxu as a disciple, or whether the couple had previously discussed and prepared to stage this bitter-sacrifice plot in order to showcase Yi Zhonghai's grievance.

【25】

Then a mocking voice rang out.

【29】

Preparing to stage this bitter-sacrifice plot.

【34】

Combine: "This act is, not knowing whether it is the act of being angry at Yi Zhonghai for taking Jia Dongxu as a disciple, or whether the couple had previously discussed and prepared to stage this bitter-sacrifice plot in order to showcase Yi Zhonghai's grievance."

Amid the noise and clamor.

【36】

"Jia Family madam, how do you know Qin Huairu's belly contains a boy? And you keep calling him Bangeng; why don't you call him a club instead!"

【41】

Thus: "\"Jia Family madam, how do you know Qin Huairu's belly contains a boy? And you keep calling him Bangeng; why don't you call him a club? \""

Under such circumstances, anyone who dares to speak mockingly of Jia Zhangshi must be the siheyuan's two fools.

【43】

Shamao, whose full name is Xu Damao.

【46】

Xu Damao

Let's just output "Xu Daming"? I'm stuck.

Xu Damao

Thus we output: "Shamao, whose full name is Xu Damao."

Shamao, whose full name is Xu Damao.

The speaker turned out to be Xu Damao.

【59】

"The street blind fortune-teller told my old woman, the blind fortune-teller said my old woman could bear more than ten grandsons, so Qin Huairu's belly must contain a boy; what's wrong with calling him Bangeng? A humble name is easy to raise."

Thus: "\"The street blind fortune-teller told my old woman, the blind fortune-teller said my old woman could bear more than ten grandsons, so Qin Huairu's belly must contain a boy; what's wrong with calling him Bangeng? A humble name is easy to raise. \""

【63】

Whether in the city or the countryside, one can hear nicknames like dog egg, dog leftover, cow dung, stone, stick, and so on used for children.

【65】

Jia Zhangshi's reply.

【67】

But she underestimated the current situation; it's possible she thought of it in her mind, spoke without thinking, and said something she shouldn't have.

【69】

There are just two matters.

【71】

Second, oppose superstition and establish faith, encouraging residents to fire upon this superstition and faith.

【73】

She had someone calculate it.

【75】

Need to translate the long quoted speech and narration.

First quote: "\"Jia Family madam, you've got a lot of gall, openly carrying out superstition-and-faith, you damn well want face or not? \""

Then: Xu Damao turned his face and handed the knife handle to Yi Zhonghai, "\"Head Steward, you are the Head Steward of the big courtyard, Jia Family madam said the blind fortune-teller told him that Qin Huairu's belly contains a boy; will you manage it? If you don't, I'll go straight to the street office. \""

【86】

I'll go straight to the Jiēdào.

Thus final: "\"Jia Family madam, you've got a lot of gall, openly carrying out superstition-and-faith, you damn well want face or not? \" Xu Damao turned his face and handed the knife handle to Yi Zhonghai, \"Head Steward, you are the Head Steward of the big courtyard, Jia Family madam said the blind fortune-teller told him that Qin Huairu's belly contains a boy; will you manage it? If you don't, I'll go straight to the Jiēdào. \""

As long as Yi Zhonghai doesn't strike down Jia Zhangshi, Xu Damao will ride his bicycle to the Jiēdào to find the leader to preside over.

【88】

Typical brainless.

【90】

One could also go on foot.

【92】

Originally, I really didn't want to let Xu Damao go by bicycle.

【94】

But since Jia Zhangshi said that, if we really don't let Xu Damao go by bicycle to file a complaint, people will mistakenly think Shazhu beat Jia Zhangshi.

【96】

Jia Zhangshi's back teeth ached.

【98】

The remaining people all watched the show, not minding a big matter.

【100】

Jia Zhangshi, in a fuss, was about to launch an attack on Shazhu.

【102】

Upon seeing Shazhu's attitude, Jia Zhangshi realized Shazhu wouldn't spare her face, would really dare to whip her; Jia Dongxu had been arrested, Qin Huairu lay in the hospital, and she had also fallen out with Yi Zhonghai.

【104】

Only Jia Zhangshi could suffer losses.

【106】

Jia Zhangshi halfway bumped into Yi Zhonghai, after which followed a period where Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhangshi mutually pulled at each other, each saying they were in the right.

【108】

One squeezed out a wronged expression on his face.

【110】

Thus no Chinese. We'll output "【110】" alone.

The money was spent.

They didn't appreciate it, and the relationship between the two families inexplicably worsened considerably.

A scene of them bickering.

It filled Shazhu with doubt, and he couldn't help recalling Jia Zhangshi's unconscious push of Qin Huairu from last night.

That push.

Analyze it carefully.

It's definitely not an unconscious push by Jia Zhangshi.

On the contrary.

It actually contains a certain intentional element.

Jia Zhangshi is no fool; Laoqianpo is quite shrewd, and Qin Huairu's successful rise to becoming a scheming white lotus after her widowhood owes much to Jia Zhangshi's instruction.

That can be said.

The scheming white lotus Qin Huairu was personally taught by Jia Zhangshi, who instructed her on how to be a proper widow, how to keep Shazhu hooked, and how to exploit her widow status to bleed everyone dry.

Such a shrewd person.

Yet now she puts on a show before the Siheyuan folk, demanding Yi Zhonghai compensate her for her eldest grandson Bangeng, tearfully accusing him of destroying her precious good grandson and leaving the Jia line without heirs.

It feels a bit like a weasel paying New Year's respects to a chicken.

The more fiercely Jia Zhangshi wails, the more she appears to be in pain, and the less people doubt her.

Shazhu suspects that all of this is Jia Zhangshi's doing.

Intentionally pushing Qin Huairu, intentionally causing her to miscarry.

Why do this?

The reason is simple.

Now the whole Siheyuan is gossiping about Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu; Yi Zhonghai also showed extra enthusiasm for Jia Dongxu's marriage to Qin Huairu, giving a sewing machine on the engagement day and a radio yesterday, ostensibly to celebrate Jia Dongxu's regular employment and Qin Huairu's pregnancy, but this truth may well be the latter.

That is, Qin Huairu is pregnant.

Jia Dongxu's master, upon hearing that Jia Dongxu's wife was pregnant, hastily sent a radio to Jia Dongxu.

This melon.

It's big.

No wind, no waves.

What Qin Huairu is doing now is very likely what Jia Zhangshi did back then.

In Jia Zhangshi's mind.

What Qin Huairu is carrying is not Jia Dongxu's child of the Jia family, but the child of Jia Dongxu's master, Yi Zhonghai.

She wants to substitute a peach for a plum.

No way.

Thus, taking advantage of Jia Dongxu's arrest, she deliberately shoved Qin Huairu, using that push to make her miscarry, thereby extinguishing Yi Zhonghai's plan to rely on the Jia family to raise his own child.

In Jia Zhangshi's eyes brimming with tears, there was no genuine heart-wrenching grief over losing her biological grandson, giving Shazhu the feeling that she was acting.

The Holy Thief Bangeng wants to appear.

It's not just ordinarily difficult.

Shazhu suddenly lost interest in watching the show, he turned back to his room, packed up a bit, went out, locked the door, and greeted He Yushui.

The people of the Siheyuan were all a bit dazed.

The drama between Jia Zhangshi and Yi Zhonghai.

Shazhu, you don't want to watch anymore?

"Shazhu, what are you up to?"

"On Sunday, take Yushui to the park for a stroll."

The so-called stroll.

It can also be understood as taking Yushui to improve their livelihood.

The Siheyuan residents.

Who wouldn't envy Shazhu?

A monthly salary of over 400,000, just to support Yushui alone, it's obvious that Yushui is being raised like a pig; He Daqing left half a year ago, and He Yushui has become a happy little fat pig who doesn't want to go to school or do homework.

"Shazhuzi."

Long Laotaitai greeted Shazhu, after being educated and sent back for a couple of months, Long Laotaitai has always kept a low profile, eating cornbread and cabbage soup for about sixty days.

Their mouth has long become bland.

Seeing Shazhu about to take Yushui out to improve their livelihood, Long Laotaitai immediately thought of herself, mistakenly believing that if she greeted Shazhu, even if he couldn't take her out for meat, at least he could bring her a bowl of non-vegetarian dish in the evening.

There are policies from above.

There are countermeasures below.

Long Laotaitai's thoughts.

Shazhu is very clear-minded.

He turned back.

He replied to Long Laotaitai.

"Granny, rest assured, I and Yushui will be careful."

Seeing Shazhu not taking her bait, with so many people around, Long Laotaitai couldn't possibly say to Shazhu, "Pack me a bowl of Fengzeyuan's dishes," or "Bring me a few sets of Dingxiang Lou's donkey meat fire bread," and the like.

She ended up hitting a soft nail, gaining nothing but boredom, and watched helplessly as Shazhu took Yushui's hand and walked out of the courtyard, her gaze involuntarily falling on Yi Zhonghai and his wife.

As usual.

Shazhu suffers a loss on this end.

Long Laotaitai had to get some compensation from Yi Zhonghai and his wife, but all she saw was Yi Zhonghai being slapped by Jia Zhangshi in his miserable state.

She sighed inwardly.

Granny, I'm eating a meat dish.

How can it be so difficult!

Watching Long Laotaitai's embarrassed, ugly face.

Xu Daming secretly exclaimed.

Society, my brother Zhu!

Awesome.

Long Laotaitai is truly the tyrant of the Siheyuan—even Jia Zhangshi dares not provoke her, yet Shazhu leaves her bewildered and fuming, with nowhere to vent her anger.

Xu Daming looked at the bicycle Shazhu had left for him, chuckled, and pushed it out of the Siheyuan.

He had been eyeing Shazhu's bicycle for a long time.

He had just started moving.

Jia Zhangshi then lay down in front of the bicycle's front wheel.

It was as if she were saying, 'You, Xu Daming, are about to trample over me.'

Laoqianpo also overthought it, worrying that Xu Daming would go to the Jiēdào to report her for engaging in superstitious practices, which would leave Jia Zhangshi unable to get away with it.

Is Long Laotaitai awesome?

She's been educated several times.

Honest and straightforward.

Jia Zhangshi certainly didn't want to become another Long Laotaitai; she just wanted to use this trick of lying in front of the bicycle to force Xu Daming to comply.

She overestimated herself.

And she underestimated Xu Daming's shameless bottom line.

Xu Daming didn't pay Jia Zhangshi any heed at all, pushing the bicycle over her head.

Visible to the naked eye.

Jia Zhangshi's head now bore two black tire marks.

……

Xu Daming, riding his bicycle.

On the road he saw a beautiful woman waiting for a bus.

He immediately struck a pose to show off, stopping in front of her.

He said earnestly to the beauty: 'Comrade, hello, I see you're wearing Yagangchang work clothes—you must be a worker there, right?'

'Who are you?'

'Have you heard of He Yuzhu?' Xu Daming straightened his clothes and said, 'I am He Yuzhu!'

His face didn't flush.

He wasn't out of breath.

He put on the air of being the genuine He Yuzhu.

'I heard He Yuzhu's face isn't that long.'

'Comrade, that's pure rumor about me, He Yuzhu. Let me tell you, I am the genuine He Yuzhu—everyone who ate the Lantern Festival reunion meal on the fifteenth of the first month said it was good.'

Xu Daming patted his chest.

'It's all my cooking—my family's Tan cuisine. I'm not boasting as He Yuzhu; in the whole Capital City, when it comes to cooking, I'm the one.'

Xu Daming proudly raised his thumb.

'Comrade, if you want to eat my He Yuzhu's dishes, tell me your name, which workshop you work in, and where you live; I'll bring it over when it's ready—I guarantee you'll want seconds. Anyway, I'm free, so why not let me ride my bicycle and take you home? What do you think?'

……

At the park entrance.

Shazhu was being repeatedly lectured by a female comrade.

'Comrade, how can you just spit anywhere?'

'Sorry, my throat's a bit itchy—I really apologize.'

'Just saying sorry isn't enough; this is a matter of quality. I'm not going to argue with you—what unit are you from? What's your name? How old are you this year?'

'Comrade, I'm Xu Daming, a film projectionist in the publicity section of Yagangchang.'

'A film projectionist? Does being a film projectionist let you spit anywhere in the park?'

'Sorry, my apologies.'

……

At night.

Shazhu, carrying his sister He Yushui, returned to the Siheyuan.

Back home, he was busy tidying up the house.

Then Xu Daming came running in from outside, acting mysterious.

The door was shut heavily.

The bolt was also slid home by Xu Daming, who wasn't taking any chances.

Biesun looked like he was up to no good.

'Xu Daming, what are you up to?'

Xu Daming raised his right index finger to his lips, making a shushing gesture at Shazhu, then, under Shazhu's puzzled gaze, reached into his pocket and pulled out a table drawn with a ballpoint pen.

Using the dim indoor light.

Shazhu took a rough glance.

The form's heading conspicuously read this sentence.

Red Star Street Single Mother Brave Pursuit of Happiness Ranking Table.

He didn't even think about it.

Shazhu immediately linked this form with what Xu said last night about marrying off Jia Zhangshi, thinking Xu Daming was just talking casually, just satisfying his urge.

Looks like Xu Daming really treated this matter as the top priority in his life.

Widow remarriage.

She is still marrying Jia Zhangshi.

Simply absurd beyond belief.

Just thinking about the scene of Jia Zhangshi remarrying.

Shazhu felt overwhelmed in an instant.

Xu Daming's move is clearly forcing a duck onto a shelf.

Damn it.

Purely a despicable thing.

"Where did it come from?"

"I took advantage of Director Wang not paying attention today and secretly stole it."

"To take is to steal."

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

If this matter really blows up.

Xu Daming will definitely have to go in and stay for a few days.

"Only you and I know about this." Xu Daming said indifferently: "We are doing a good deed; the Jia Family matriarch constantly laments how hard it is for the Jia Family's orphans and widows, and by helping her find a later-life spouse we are solving the Jia Family's predicament, which is accumulating virtue."

"Xu Daming, this matter you handled has nothing to do with me."

"Fine, fine, fine, I knew you'd say that; this matter is just the buddy doing it himself, unrelated to you. By the way, I've also settled the adoption matter."

Xu Daming held up two fingers.

"One boy, one girl; the buddy has already taken care of this matter in the past few days, and when the time comes Yi Zhonghai will be overjoyed."

Looking at the elated Xu Daming.

Shazhu also couldn't bear to pour cold water on Xu Daming.

The entire Siheyuan.

Only Xu Daming still hasn't seen the situation clearly, single-mindedly wanting to help Yi Zhonghai and his wife solve this old-age problem.

"You came to me not just to talk about these things, right?"

"Buddy, let me borrow the table for a moment."

Xu Daming lay on the table and earnestly began filling out Jia Zhangshi's remarriage application form.

Not stupid.

He knows how to write with his left hand.

Jia Zhangshi was inexplicably remarried; if Director Wang of the Jiēdào brings people to propose to Jia Zhangshi, the chaos in the Siheyuan will surely reach its peak.