Chapter 435

258. The raw rice is cooked! Jia Zhang Shi has succeeded!

He Da Qing went to Jia Zhang Shi's house, still carrying a roast duck in his hand; many people in the big courtyard saw it.

"He Da Qing actually went to find Jia Zhang Shi and even brought her a roast duck; there must be something fishy about this."

"These two old things, could they possibly be courting each other!"

"Jia Zhang Shi, that one-eyed old cripple, could He Da Qing really take a liking to her?"

"A Wang Ba looking at a mung bean—that's a match made in heaven! Besides, they're both the same kind of scum; neither is much better than the other!"

……

Lu Jianye saw it too.

"He Da Qing has taken the bait!"

"It's almost dark; the old widow and the rotten old man are alone in the same room~, hehehe."

……

Jia Zhang Shi is truly delighted now.

Ever since Qin Huairu married Xu Damao, Jia Zhang Shi no longer worries about her old-age support.

Xu Damao promised to support her in her old age; after eating and drinking her fill, the old witch wants even more.

Now that He Da Qing has returned, he scrapes together money by collecting scrap every day, earning at least fifty or eighty cents.

If Jia Zhang Shi marries He Da Qing, that money will belong to her, Jia Zhang Shi.

Although Xu Damao promised to support her in her old age, she still thinks she must have money in her own pocket.

Lu Jianye quickly prepared a small stool, along with watermelon and melon seeds, ready to watch the show.

Inside Xu Damao's house.

He Da Qing entered carrying the roast duck; he had originally planned to give the roast duck to Jia Zhang Shi and then go straight home.

For someone like Jia Zhang Shi, that one-eyed old cripple, He Da Qing truly did not take a liking to her.

But as soon as he stepped inside, Jia Zhang Shi grabbed his arm and threw herself against him.

The old widow had changed into a new outfit today, and her old face was painted like a ghost.

Blinking her single remaining eye, she kept batting her eyelashes at He Da Qing.

"Da Qing, since you're here, let's eat a meal together."

"I didn't do anything yesterday; you brought me a roast duck, and it would be awkward for me to eat it alone."

"You wouldn't be too shy to stay for a meal, would you?"

Jia Zhang Shi's terrifying old ghost face could indeed discourage quite a few men.

But her words were quite pretty.

Much prettier than her old face.

Besides, He Da Qing was quite craving roast duck.

Since Jia Zhang Shi had said so, he had no reason to leave.

"What's there to be shy about?"

"Don't think that because you're a widow, I've actually considered you."

An old straight man like He Da Qing: if he didn't take a liking, he didn't take a liking.

Back then, Jia Zhang Shi couldn't even be compared to the White Widow.

After all these years, the White Widow has eaten well, drunk well, and lived in comfort.

And now look at Jia Zhang Shi, who has become a blind old widow; who could possibly take a liking to her?

Even if He Da Qing was desperate, he wouldn't pick such an old thing.

Hearing him say that, Jia Zhang Shi immediately became displeased.

You old deadbeat!

With your looks, you still have the nerve to mock my ugliness.

Today I'll take you down; from now on, you'll be my old dog!

"Stop talking nonsense and come eat quickly."

Jia Zhang Shi didn't show it.

Xu Damao supported her in this matter, and Qin Huairu had specially prepared Bai Mianmantou and egg drop soup.

Paired with this roast duck, this little life was truly better than living like an immortal.

Jia Zhang Shi: "Da Qing, after all these years, you must have seen quite a bit of the world; tell me about it."

"I'm just a woman; I haven't seen anywhere."

He Da Qing ate the roast duck, drank the egg drop soup, and occasionally took a little wine.

He became completely dizzy and started bragging wildly.

"Zhang Dahua, I'm not bragging to you; I've seen quite a few big shots in Baocheng before!"

"I even cooked for a big shot; once, I directly received a five-yuan reward!"

"I've traveled north and south and seen countless beautiful Misses, but in my heart there is only one White Widow!"

……

The more He Da Qing spoke, the more he said.

Before long, his tongue grew thick.

Good heavens, it's obvious he's had too much to drink.

Jia Zhang Shi wolfed down the roast duck while pouring wine for He Da Qing.

Nine out of ten sentences were praising him.

So He Great Qing could earn money like that; in those days, a single day's reward was five yuan, nearly half a month's wages for an ordinary person.

Jia Zhang Shi felt some regret; if she had known He Great Qing was so formidable, she should have forced herself on him back then before he left.

Flattered by Jia Zhang Shi's praise, He Great Qing felt dazed, as if he were already invincible under heaven.

Qin Huairu, hiding outside the door and eavesdropping, was burning with envy.

"He Great Qing is far more formidable than his son, Sha Zhu."

"If I had known, back then I should have let Jia Zhang Shi marry him and keep him firmly in hand; now the Jia family's life would surely be the best in the courtyard!"

Qin Huairu thought these words but did not speak them.

Xu Damao, standing beside him, twitched at the corner of his mouth.

"That old thing He Great Qing is truly good at bluffing; with a little cat liquor, he can blow an old ox up into the sky!"

"Back when he was in Si Si Jiucheng, he couldn't even become a head chef; he just helped in other people's kitchens and earned such a tiny bit of money."

"After going to Baocheng, where he knew neither people nor places, which great lord would let him cook for them?"

"Truly unaware of the height of heaven and the depth of earth, daring to say whatever comes to mind!"

Qin Huairu was half-believing, half-doubting.

Xu Damao was simply the typical type who, unable to eat the grapes, called them sour.

Sha Zhu's culinary skills were learned from He Great Qing; if Sha Zhu could become the Rolling Mill's head chef, what couldn't He Great Qing do?

If He Great Qing had not left Si Si Jiucheng, perhaps he would be even more formidable than Lu Jianye now.

The moment she thought of Lu Jianye, Qin Huairu ground her teeth in hatred.

After Jia Zhang Shi secured He Great Qing, the Jia family could be said to have risen again from the ashes.

What sort of thing is Lu Jianye!

The Middle Courtyard.

Sha Zhu waited for a long time but did not see his father return.

He dared not speak up, fearing his wife would scold him.

Liang Ladi said, "Your father went to the Back Courtyard; why has he not returned for so long?"

"Could it be he is getting involved with Jia Zhang Shi?"

"Hurry over and check; if something seems wrong, pull him back."

An old widow finding a small old man to form a three-person household; she had seen such things often before.

Having lived in the courtyard for several years, Liang Ladi knew something about the people of the Jia family.

Not a single good person in that family.

For a single steamed bun, Qin Huairu would let a man take advantage of her.