Chapter 174: Jia Zhangshi Wants to Borrow a Room

After He Yuzhu finished exchanging pleasantries with Yan Bugui, he strolled toward the Zhongyuan.

Just as he reached his own doorway, the smile on his face suddenly stiffened, and a breath caught in his chest, neither going up nor down.

On the newly paved blue-brick ground in front of the door, black coal balls were spread out densely, leaving not even a path to enter.

The windowsill was also a complete mess, piled high with gourd seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds, looking just like a grain-drying yard. Because of the drying seeds, many birds were drawn to linger, and there was bird droppings everywhere on the windows and eaves.

"No need to ask, it must be the good work of Jia Zhangshi," he sneered inwardly. "Her intentions are simply like the heart of Sima Zhao—known to everyone on the street: 'You have money to renovate? I insist on making things difficult for you.'"

He Yuzhu took a deep breath, put strength into his feet, and leaped up, vaulting over the nearly three-meter-wide coal pile as nimbly as a cat, landing steadily at the doorway.

He took out his key and opened the door.

A faint smell of paint still lingered in the room, not yet dissipated.

The renovated house was even more beautiful than he had imagined: the old house, originally two rooms inside and out, was now partitioned into three, with a bedroom on the east and west sides and a spacious living room in the middle.

Going up the stairs in the corner of the living room, there were two exquisitely furnished large bedrooms on the second floor.

Although the ceiling height was only 1.9 meters, it was more than enough for people to live in.

In this way, the whole house had four bedrooms, enough for a whole family to live comfortably.

He walked to a corner of the living room, opened the cellar door, and went down to take a look—it was about ten square meters, not large, but enough to store some vegetables.

Returning to the living room, a chill rushed toward his face; a house that has not been lived in for a long time always has an especially heavy cold air.

Seeing that the old coal stove was still in the corner, he collected some coal balls from outside the door, lit the stove, and the room gradually warmed up.

He took a baking tray from his space, spread the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds that were drying on the windowsill onto it, and placed it by the stove fire to roast slowly.

A unique charred fragrance gradually drifted through the air.

Just as he was happily cracking seeds, a wail suddenly came from outside the door: "Which heartless thing stole my coal balls? If I catch them, I'll definitely tear their mouth apart!"

He Yuzhu curled his lips and couldn't help but chuckle.

Before the laughter died down, with a "bang," the door was kicked open.

Jia Zhangshi rushed in with her hands on her hips, looking fierce. Upon seeing He Yuzhu, she froze, stepping back twice as if she had seen a ghost: "You, are you human or a ghost?"

"Old Lady Jia, it's your own heart that has a ghost, right? You see everyone as a ghost." He Yuzhu remained unhurried, continuing to stir the seeds in the baking tray.

"Are you He Yuzhu? Why don't you look quite like it... Didn't your whole family die out? How did you pop up again?"

"At your age, have you lived your life in vain? If you can't speak like a human, shut your mouth."

"You really are He Yuzhu, and you've grown taller... So your family didn't die out. Then, then why did you steal my coal balls?"

"Yo, so they were your coal balls? Then I have to ask, why didn't you dry them in front of your own door, but instead blocked my door completely? And occupied the windowsill too? Do you think even my house should be surnamed Jia?"

"Go to hell! Your house is empty anyway, so what if I use it?" Jia Zhangshi said righteously.

"Using it is fine, but you have to know when to stop." He Yuzhu pointed to the ground, "Look, these newly paved blue bricks are all stained black by coal ash. Do you think that's appropriate?"

"What's appropriate or not? Your doorway is public property anyway!" Jia Zhangshi's arrogance was overbearing.

"Fine then," He Yuzhu narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Then tomorrow I'll scoop out the excrement from the latrine and dry it in front of your door."

"You dare!"

"I mean what I say." His gaze was like a knife, and Jia Zhangshi's spirit suddenly weakened.

"Then, then I'll take the coal balls away in a while... But you burned my coal balls, you have to pay!" Her tone suddenly softened.

"Then you stained my blue bricks black, shouldn't you pay too?"

"Forget it, forget it, let's call it even."

"You say call it even and it's even? Just because you dried seeds, my pillars and bricks are covered in bird droppings. Shouldn't you clean them up?"

"Why? The birds did that, what does it have to do with me?"

"If you hadn't dried those sunflower seeds, would they have attracted so many birds? You have a windowsill too, why didn't you dry them at your own place?"

"You little bastard, you're getting worse and worse! Isn't it just drying some things on your windowsill, is it worth it? Even your father wouldn't dare talk to me like this!"

"If you don't clean up the bird droppings at my place, tomorrow it will be human excre drying on your windowsill. Don't believe me? Try it." He Yuzhu's tone was icy.

"Fine, fine, I'll wipe your windows in a while." Jia Zhangshi's attitude changed rapidly, which He Yuzhu found a bit strange.

She suddenly leaned over, sat on the stool beside He Yuzhu, and lowered her voice: "Zhuzi, let me discuss something with you. Doesn't your house have several more rooms now? Can you lend that Erfang used for storage to my family? Dongxu is grown up and needs to get married; he can't keep squeezing into one room with me."

"It's not dark yet, and Auntie Jia is already starting to dream?" He Yuzhu snorted coldly.

Seeing that he wouldn't even agree to this small matter, Jia Zhangshi became furious: "You little beast! Your father's life was saved by our Lao Jia; he owes us a life! You won't even lend a room? Lao Jia, come out and judge this! The person you risked your life to save won't even lend a vacant room!"

"Auntie Jia, don't play the victim here; it's useless. If you think my father owes you, go find him, don't come to me!"

"You heartless little beast! If it weren't for our Lao Jia, you would have lost your father long ago! Lao Jia was a fool, saving nothing but ungrateful wolves..."

"If you howl one more time, I'll kick you out!" He Yuzhu's eyes darkened.

Just as the two were arguing intensely, Jia Dongxu arrived upon hearing the noise and hurriedly tried to smooth things over: "Zhuzi, I'm sorry, I'll take the coal balls away right now."

Ignoring Jia Zhangshi's continued shouting, he forcibly pulled her out.

The neighbors in the courtyard had long been attracted by the noise and gathered around to watch the show, discussing it in a hubbub.

After Yang Ruihua entered, she was like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden; she rushed upstairs with muddy feet and exclaimed while touching the brand-new stair railing: "This renovation is truly amazing, two extra rooms out of thin air! Zhuzi, even if your mother gives birth to two more younger brothers for you, there's enough room!"

Amidst the laughter, He Yuzhu just smiled and didn't respond.

After the crowd dispersed, he took rice and canned food from his space and cooked a pot of fragrant meat porridge.

After eating and drinking his fill, he wiped his mouth and started the truck, heading straight for Liugongguan.

He Yuzhu parked the car at the entrance of the small building, and as soon as he knocked, Pingping opened the door. Her expression was poor, and she said coldly: "The young lady is throwing a tantrum! You'd better be careful."

"Why?"

"Don't ask, you're on your own."

He Yuzhu walked into the living room and saw broken porcelain shards all over the floor. He asked with a smile: "Sister, who made you so angry?"

"You said you'd be gone for three days, but you were gone for half a month. What were you doing?" Liu Rusi said indignantly.

"Wasn't there a war? The roads were blocked, and there were straggling soldiers everywhere. Even if I wanted to leave, my parents wouldn't let me."

Liu Rusi nodded, clearly not wanting to talk more about this matter, and pulled him upstairs to the second floor, where she poured a glass of red wine.

He Yuzhu took the wine glass and downed it in one gulp.

Liu Rusi lit a cigarette, took a puff, and said, "This time, you must do me a favor, but this matter is very troublesome!"

"Your business is my business; we're family!" He Yuzhu said with a grin.

"My father and my godfather have had a falling out, and the two of them have reached the point where they are like fire and water."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu was startled and hurriedly asked, "What for?"

Liu Rusi shook her head, "After my godfather became mayor, he really seemed like a different person. My father wanted to arrange for a few people to enter key departments, but they were all rejected by him. My father thinks he is ungrateful—if it weren't for us assassinating that man surnamed Wang, he would never have had the chance to rise to power."

"If I'm not mistaken, your godfather must have defected to someone with greater power."

Liu Rusi nodded, "The most critical thing is that my father has now bypassed me and is directly commanding my subordinates."

"Is it because your father suspects you won't take action against your godfather?"

Liu Rusi nodded, "I received news that he has already ordered one of my subordinates to eliminate my godfather! You hurry up and think for me, what should I do?"