Chapter 66: Used as a Donkey

Taking care of this for San Daye is still simple; He Yuzhu just said a sentence—Jia Zhangshi's trash-picking money isn't enough, did San Daye make up the shortfall for her?

San Daye could only agree to He Yuzhu's request and handed over that bamboo stick to him.

Winter early mornings are much colder and desolate; in the Courtyard House, aside from a wisp of honeycomb-coal smoke drifting, there's hardly any activity—everyone should be asleep, asleep with their wives.

He Yuzhu arrived at the central courtyard holding a big pancake roll, Qin Huairu's house already had lights on, and he pushed the door open and went straight in.

Inside, Qin Huairu was cooking with disheveled hair, wearing only a thin long-sleeve shirt; seeing He Yuzhu rush in like that, her face showed a hint of doubt.

Back when they were on good terms, He Yuzhu wasn't this casual either; if I was unhappy back then, he'd have to obediently go home.

"Zhuzi, what are you doing up so early, you broken horse Zhang Fei?" Qin Huairu glanced at the food in He Yuzhu's hand, "You're doing this on purpose to make people drool."

"Hurry up and get your mother-in-law up—what time is it, still not going to pick trash?" He waved the bamboo stick in his hand, "If you don't beat her, she won't know how to work."

Qin Huairu sighed; turns out it was about this matter.

At this moment, Jia Zhangshi had just gotten up; the first thing she saw was the big pancake roll, saliva pouring from her mouth—eating this early in the morning, she'd surely take off.

"Zhuzi, you came to deliver something?"

"I'm here to make you work; if you don't pick up trash worth fifty cents today, you don't have to come back."

Jia Zhangshi still wanted to say something, but He Yuzhu whipped her thigh, telling her to bring her things out in five minutes, or he'd whip her ten more times for each minute late.

The room rang with a crackling sound; Jia Zhangshi knew He Yuzhu really dared to strike—when he said ten lashes, he meant ten lashes.

In less than three minutes, Jia Zhangshi came out with her basket; He Yuzhu went up and gave her a hard hit, telling her to remember—she must be this fast from now on.

"We're out this early, what are we supposed to pick?" Jia Zhangshi still stared at He Yuzhu's pancake roll, "Can I have a bite of that? I haven't eaten, I have no strength."

"What to pick? After all these days, you still ask such a question—what have you been doing out with San Daye?"

Jia Zhangshi could only shut her mouth, trudging northward against the wind to the trash heap; it was a mess, with some torn cloth scraps and also slag and vegetable leaves.

"Zhuzi, it smells terrible here; go have a bowl of tea first, then come find me later."

Guarding the trash heap indeed makes it impossible to eat; He Yuzhu could only put away his food, then gave Jia Zhangshi a lash, telling her to hurry up and pick trash, no idle chatter here.

If we're talking about laziness, Jia Zhangshi is indeed a master—she looks like she's rummaging in the trash heap, but actually she exerts no strength; He Yuzhu saw her stay motionless in a palm-sized spot, as if she were welded there.

"If you don't fill a basket in half an hour, I'll whip you." He Yuzhu picked up a piece of coal slag and threw it at her, "If you keep slacking, I'll take you to the street to pick trash."

Jia Zhangshi hurriedly got to work; here in the trash heap there were some scraps of paper plus a bit of broken bone, and in a few moves she had a basket full.

"Fine, you're still playing these little tricks."

"The basket's bottom had a bit of broken bone, on top some waste paper, not even pressed down."

"I've told you—if you can't pick up fifty cents worth today, you don't have to go home; anyway I have the pancake roll, I don't know how long you can hold out."

"Zhuzi, I'm not slacking—I really can't carry it." Jia Zhangshi said meekly, "I'm an old woman; how could I compare to a young fellow like you?"

He Yuzhu took out the bamboo stick and whipped her thigh, telling her to keep loading.

Straining her old back, Jia Zhangshi panted as she carried the basket to the recycling station; this basket's worth was only a few fen.

Thinking about having to carry ten such baskets, Jia Zhangshi felt her legs go weak.

No! I must think of a way.

Jia Zhangshi carried her basket to another trash heap down the way, picking up wind-blown scrap paper along the route, when she suddenly spotted an iron drum in a wall corner.

This is definitely worth fifty cents.

"Zhuzi, look—there's a drum over there; go get it."

He Yuzhu chuckled, raised the bamboo stick and lashed her hard, scolding, "You thieving old woman, you've got guts—daring to take anything."

"Looks like no one's around; that must have just been left here—if we take it, nobody can say anything."

"That's still stealing." He Yuzhu raised the bamboo stick and gave her a thrashing.

Given Jia Zhangshi's petty scheming, He Yuzhu understood well—if he let himself take it, things would get unclear, and a thief's reputation would stick to him.

Seeing He Yuzhu not fall for it, Jia Zhangshi could only continue picking trash.

By afternoon, Jia Zhangshi was so tired her steps were unsteady; at that moment they were on a bustling street, with pedestrians coming and going in crowds.

"I can't, I can't, I can't walk anymore." Jia Zhangshi plopped down on the ground, "Otherwise just kill me—I really can't move."

He Yuzhu pulled out the pancake roll and told her this was prepared for her; eat your fill and then keep working.

Upon hearing that, Jia Zhangshi sprang up from the ground.

Arriving at a hutong entrance, He Yuzhu put away the pancake roll, took out the bamboo stick and gave her a thrashing—earning fifty cents a day is impossible, she really deserves a beating.

Jia Zhangshi bounced about like a kangaroo.

"I daren't, I really daren't—I'll go pick trash right now."

After He Yuzhu's thrashing, Jia Zhangshi finally managed to pick up fifty cents worth today, but the time had already reached past eight in the evening, the howling north wind making people dizzy.

"I'll go to San Daye's place; you go home first." He Yuzhu ordered, "From now on you have to work harder than today."

Jia Zhangshi had no strength left to argue.

"San Daye, I've brought this bamboo stick back." He Yuzhu said, "Jia Zhangshi just needs a beating—she did pick up fifty cents worth today."

San Daye's eyes seemed to flash with light.

He Yuzhu also realized that for San Daye he needed to give him an incentive policy; otherwise he probably couldn't wholeheartedly watch Jia Zhangshi pick trash.

"Like this—I'll discuss it with the old lady; from now on you can take a ten percent cut from it." He Yuzhu said with a smile, "No need to be polite with Jia Zhangshi—just treat her like a beast of burden."

San Daye's spirits were high; he was already calculating how much extra money his household could make this month.

"By the way, Zhuzi, I heard Xu Damao is moving; his back‑yard house seems to be going to the Steel Rolling Mill." San Daye sounded doubtful, "I don't know what medicine he's selling in that gourd."