Chapter 8: with translation of chapter title

Qin Huairu returned home in a daze; Lou Xiaoe, who was usually easy to talk to, was also extremely angry this time. She didn't even want money, she wanted to send Bang Geng straight away.

"How did things go? Did Shazu promise to pay, or did Xu Damao promise not to pursue?" Jia Zhangshi held Bang Geng and asked, "Or did you manage both?"

Qin Huairu sat there silently, tears falling.

Seeing this state, Jia Zhangshi also knew that neither had been accomplished; Bang Geng in her arms had already turned deathly pale—having stolen a chicken, he was about to go to the Juvenile Detention Center, and it seemed his life was over.

"Trash! Making such a scene for whom to see." Jia Zhangshi thought it over, but still couldn't bear to part with her money: "Go cry to Yi Daye, hurry up and get lost."

Jia Zhangshi was fuming at home, while He Yuzhu was also a bit dumbfounded.

The chicken-stealing incident was quite important, but this time the system gave him fifty jin of grain, plus a few bottles of canned fruit, which was very different from the reward he had imagined.

"This incident, you only got yourself out of it, with no real punishment for others, so that's all you get. If you want a big reward, you still have to steel yourself."

He Yuzhu understood; this was the system disliking his leniency.

"Merchants value profit—this is your hint. If you don't make more money, how can you upgrade the system!"

Watching Qin Huairu go to Yi Daye's house in tears, He Yuzhu followed closely behind.

Seeing He Yuzhu approach, both of their faces lit up with surprise; they thought He Yuzhu had seen the error of his ways and would return to those happy days of before.

"Yi Daye, what do you plan to do about Bang Geng's matter? Is Xu Damao unwilling to relent?" He Yuzhu asked, though he actually understood that Xu Damao would never relent.

"Sigh." Qin Huairu let out a heavy sigh, "He's trying to drive me to death, Yuzhu—you really need to think of a way."

"What exactly do you plan to do?"

Yi Daye helplessly told him that Xu Damao was unmoving, so he could only compensate him, but the Jia Family had no money, so he could only advance it himself first.

"Still, Yi Daye is rich and generous." He Yuzhu exclaimed with a laugh, "Just how much compensation are we talking about?"

Thirty yuan!

Qin Huairu thought He Yuzhu was asking with a laugh, so she boldly asked if he could also chip in a share; when she got her salary she would definitely repay him.

"Right, Yuzhu, our Courtyard House still needs neighborhood solidarity."

These two were still dreaming they'd change their minds; I'll just turn that dream into a nightmare.

"Let's not talk about that for now." He Yuzhu shook his head, "I came this time because the Jia Family owes a debt; since Yi Daye has already covered Xu Damao's share, her family's debt to me should be included as well."

"Five hundred."

Qin Huairu's eyes widened; what was He Yuzhu saying? Having to repay what she owed him was utter nonsense—when she borrowed the money, she never intended to pay it back.

Yi Daye was also dumbfounded; five hundred yuan is no small sum—who knows when Qin Huairu will be able to repay it.

"Yuzhu, do you only want me dead before you'll be satisfied? When did I ever borrow that much?" Qin Huairu said through tears.

"Debts don't disappear with death, after all—borrowing money naturally incurs interest; what's the big fuss?"

He Yuzhu knew they had no intention of repaying, so he also directly told them that if Xu Damao could get Bang Geng into the Juvenile Detention Center, he could do the same.

Because Bang Geng stealing his stuff is worth far more than a single chicken.

Hearing He Yuzhu's unsparing words, a flicker of something unusual appeared in Yi Daye's eyes; he had originally planned to spend money to win favor from Qin Huairu, then figure things out later.

But now that He Yuzhu demanded money, his plan fell through—he certainly couldn't come up with five hundred himself, and the little goodwill from lending money would likely be gone.

However, having Bang Geng taken away was also advantageous.

His second plan could still be carried out.

Having said that, He Yuzhu went home; this time he definitely couldn't be soft-hearted—nothing anyone said would help.

At home, just after taking a few sips of tea, he saw the door pushed open—his cute sister He Yushui, acting all mysterious, came in from outside.

"You have the day off today, so why are you coming back so late? What have you been up to outside?" He Yuzhu asked, putting on a stern face.

He Yushui wasn't frightened; she walked up to He Yuzhu's side and quietly told him, "I saw Qin Huairu crying as she left Yi Daye's place—did something happen at her home?"

"Nothing major, don't worry about it."

He Yushui had no intention of letting it go; she kept pestering He Yuzhu to find out exactly what was going on.

"That brat Bang Geng is no good—he stole Xu Damao's chicken, and on top of that I'm demanding she repay me; I guess she's just panicking." He Yuzhu said in a low voice, "Don't worry about them."

"Isn't that kicking someone when they're down?"

He Yuzhu shook his head; Xu Damao's money could be compensated, so why couldn't his own be given? If she didn't repay the money, he would really go to the police and have Bang Geng arrested.

"You don't need to worry about all that—tonight's braised pork and rice, eat a bit more to nourish yourself." He Yuzhu went to bring over the meal.

The braised pork was stewed until incredibly tender; a light bite and it went down smoothly. He Yushui was genuinely hungry, ate two bowls of rice, then rubbed her stomach and said she was full.

With this meal as a foundation, He Yushui also began to imagine that future days would improve, and she wholeheartedly agreed with He Yuzhu's effort to get that money back.

Hearing that her brother had inherited the Wen Family Grocery Shop, she was even more excited than He Yuzhu, because when they were kids they often drooled over the candy in the grocery shop.

Now that it's their own, of course they'll have enough to eat.

"You don't have school tomorrow—perfect time to come watch the shop for me; you can eat whatever you like inside." He Yuzhu said with a laugh; he had originally planned to clear out some stock, as some items had obviously been sitting for a long time.

Now there's no talk of discarding them; if someone else saw them, it would be quite troublesome.

He told He Yushui to hurry up and go to sleep, then he went out to stroll around the central courtyard. Qin Huairu was hysterical at home, seemingly because Jia Zhangshi wouldn't produce the money.

Adults shouting, children crying—quite lively.

Jia Zhangshi still didn't realize her own ferocity; perhaps she thought this was her own deception, hoping that when she cried tomorrow, she'd also be this loud.

Looking at the system's upgrade requirements, relying solely on this grocery shop would probably take till the Year of the Horse and Month of the Monkey; besides needing to hassle Qin Huairu for that money, Yi Daye's side also had to come up with something.

For someone like Yi Daye, the goal is to ruin his reputation and status; otherwise he'll keep taking the moral high ground to blame others. All the benefits from what I've done before have ended up with him.

In the factory, too, I need to stand tall—at least become a leader, so I won't be bullied; if it's like those TV dramas, then coming over here would have been pointless.

As for what basis?

Besides his cooking skills, he also has a wholesale department from the future.