Chapter 81: Determination

Yi Daye heard He Yuzhu's mockery, felt he had lost face, he was about to give him a piece of his mind, but over there Jia Zhangshi had already shut the door.

"Off to a bad start," San Daye stomped his foot, "How can we deal with this?"

Nowadays no family is well-off; if the Jia family doesn't chip in, surely other families will lean on them—if two or three families don't pay, then there's no point holding this meal.

Yi Daye felt a headache coming on, and his gaze toward the Jia family turned unfriendly—he had actually helped them a lot, yet they treat him this way.

Not a shred of conscience.

He was about to consider what measures to take when Qin Huairu came out of the room, looking apologetic at Yi Daye and said, "My mother-in-law is just like that—don't take it to heart."

I feel pity.

"We can't keep doing this—we've had the meal every year, it's not the first or second time. Does she not understand the rules, or does she think she's smarter than everyone else?" San Daye snapped.

A glance at San Daye made Qin Huairu's tears spill from the corners of her eyes, crystal beads like a snapped string of pearls.

"Why cry? Let's discuss again." Yi Daye saw that the person nearby wasn't making any big move.

San Daye turned and left.

"He shows no remorse, or is it just lack of education?" The onlooker He Yuzhu also turned and went home—what a drama queen, impressive; the tears flow as soon as they're mentioned.

No need to wipe eye drops.

Qin Huairu, heading home, thought something was off—if her family didn't chip in, would the meal be called off? She was also thinking about it, and her stomach was awaiting this meal's greasy goodness.

"We'll probably have to pay this time, otherwise we really won't get to eat." Qin Huairu sighed, "Now it seems no one will help us."

Jia Zhangshi sat on the kang and launched into a tirade: "I've earned so much money for the courtyard house; if they don't give it to me, fine, but why should I still have to pay? There's no such reasoning anywhere in the world."

"Qin Huairu, if you dare to secretly chip in, I'll break your dog legs." Jia Zhangshi said angrily, "Let's see who dares to stop us from eating."

Qin Huairu shook her head, wondering if Jia Zhangshi thought she had a lot of money. She's just a cleaner at the steel rolling mill, needing to feed her kids—where would she get money?

"If we don't pay, they really won't hold the meal? What about that old lady's money over there—are we supposed to save it for having kids?"

"That's only a little money; I think they might really not hold it."

"Someone like Yi Daye—I don't believe he has this resolve; words have already gotten out, can he really swallow them back? No, no."

Yi Daye here is also in a painful dilemma—this year's meal really is tough; He Yuzhu said he'd be the last to pay, and if anyone else doesn't chip in, he won't either.

The key is we mustn't offend them, otherwise where would we find a cook to make the food?

If the Jia family pulls this again, with two families not paying, the shortfall is too huge to possibly fill.

Could it really have to be halted?

"I am the Yi Daye of the courtyard house; returning to the courtyard I must show the bearing of a Yi Daye." Yi Daye encouraged himself at home: "We can't do it like this."

He was thinking about what to do when Qin Huairu came in.

"Yi Daye, I'm thinking we shouldn't hold this meal this time; the people of the courtyard house aren't united—if conflict breaks out, wouldn't that be even uglier?"

Reverse goading tactic.

Yi Daye immediately stood up and said, "If people aren't united, that's exactly why we need this event; neighbors with conflicts also need resolution—we must hold it."

"I really have no money on hand," Qin Huairu told Yi Daye. "If we wait until next month's salary, I can make it up—could we first put it on account?"

This method has been used many times before; in the end, there's always some fool who can give her the money.

"This time I'm afraid it won't work out—San Daye handles the money; if the accounts don't match, when trouble breaks out it'll be even uglier, and your family certainly wouldn't have just a few pennies."

Qin Huairu began to cry again.

On and off.

"Don't cry, let's think of another way—there must be a solution." Yi Daye lightly placed his hand on Qin Huairu's shoulder, "There are still children at home—don't cry and ruin your health."

"I only earn a little each month, not enough to spend—where would there be any spare money?"

The eldest aunt coughed once, the two instantly separated; Qin Huairu wiped her tears and left Yi Daye's house. Yi Daye hurried over to San Daye's place, needing to think of a way to help the Jia family.

"Sigh, you're having your old problem again, right? We all agreed—you might as well go back to your garbage disposal station and be a waste there."

Yi Daye chuckled, saying he just felt the Jia family was too pitiful—let San Daye think of a solution and just waive their fee.

"Alright, isn't that simple? Just like before, you could chip in the money yourself and be done with it; besides, it wasn't your money before—otherwise you could go persuade He Yuzhu to chip in."

That sarcastic remark has gone too far; Yi Daye doesn't want to pay, and he also lacks the guts to go find He Yuzhu—otherwise if he spoke up, I'm afraid Character could beat him until he's spitting teeth.

"You're bringing emotions—our work can't have personal emotions."

"Get lost! I'm the one bringing emotions, and you're again getting all tangled up with a widow—I truly regret going to the garbage disposal station to find you."

A single meal has stirred up all this trouble; San Daye's heart is also beginning to grow weary—if we had initially gone to find He Yuzhu, there wouldn't be all this trouble; if you don't pay, you don't need to come eat.

How simple.

After pacing around the room twice, San Daye said, "Maybe you should just not get involved; I'll go discuss this with He Yuzhu—you have zero resolve, your ears are too soft."

Yi Daye's face turned black as could be; that San Daye could say this is something he hadn't expected—what gall! He's still a Yi Daye, not a cat or dog.

"What resolve, what cherishing fragrance and jade—it's just about extorting money; now the courtyard house has become so realistic, not the mutually helpful courtyard house of before."

"I lack resolve; if you have resolve, you go demand it—talk is cheap, when it comes to action you never see you charging forward, you just hide at the door to watch the fun."

San Daye blinked his eyes twice; he also knew the chance of getting money from the Jia family side was low, and if he went to demand it, there wouldn't be a good outcome.

"You're dumbfounded, saying I lack resolve—you go."

San Daye slapped the table and said, "I'll go, I'll go—this time, with me here, no one can get a free ride; don't even think about it."

If we let the Jia family do this, it damages our own interests; this time I'm in charge, and those things San Daye has had his eye on—how could we just let them go for nothing?

Where there are interests, there is San Daye.