Chapter 570: Drugging

After finishing the corn bun, Jia Zhangshi felt her stomach churning, and before long, she couldn't hold it in any longer; she ran all the way to the public toilet, and as soon as she squatted down, she had a massive bout of diarrhea.

After squatting for a long time, she managed to stand up, feeling weak all over. What on earth was going on? Jia Zhangshi couldn't figure it out; wasn't it just some leftovers from the children? How could she have such a severe case of diarrhea? Could the corn bun have been too cold?

Just as she stepped out of the public toilet, her stomach rumbled again, and she had to hurry back in.

After being tossed back and forth like this for over half an hour, Xu Damao's wedding banquet had already begun, while Jia Zhangshi was shuffling toward the courtyard with a deathly pale face.

As soon as she entered, she bumped into Yan Bugui.

Seeing her complexion was off, Yan Bugui quickly stepped forward and asked, "Old sister-in-law, what's wrong with you?"

Jia Zhangshi shook her head weakly: "I ate something that upset my stomach."

Seeing Jia Zhangshi's pale face and smelling a strange odor as she approached, Zhao Yingzi also hurried forward: "Mother, why is your face so white?"

Jia Zhangshi raised a hand and snapped unpleasantly: "Go eat your food, don't worry about me!"

Zhao Yingzi rolled her eyes, grabbed Bang Geng, and turned to leave.

Jia Zhangshi walked toward her home, trembling, while the guests at the banquet cast sidelong glances at her.

Yan Jiefang and Liu Guangtian exchanged a look and secretly chuckled.

No sooner had Jia Zhangshi returned to her room than she felt the urge to run out again, but she tripped over the threshold and fell flat on her face, landing right on a basin of soup.

The entire basin of soup splashed out with a "whoosh," and quite a bit of it splattered onto her.

"Ah!" Jia Zhangshi cried out in pain from the scalding.

At that moment, she lost control and soiled her pants.

Jia Zhangshi stopped pretending altogether, sat on the ground, and wailed: "Which bastard put medicine in the food! That is just too wicked!"

The diners, smelling the foul stench coming from her, picked up their bowls and dishes and fled to other areas.

Yan Jiefang and Liu Guangtian couldn't eat anymore either; they picked up their bowls and ran toward Xu Damao's bridal chamber.

Xu Damao was taking Xiaomei around to toast the table where Yi Zhonghai was sitting. Yan Jiefang leaned in close to him and whispered: "Brother Damao, Jia Zhangshi soiled her pants, and everyone at the table by her door has run off."

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongxu couldn't sit still and quickly asked: "Jiefang, what exactly happened?"

Yan Jiefang said with a cheeky grin: "Your mother ate something that upset her stomach. When she came out of the room, she knocked over a basin of seaweed and egg drop soup, got it all over herself, and in her panic, she soiled her pants."

Jia Dongxu's expression changed; he quickly put down his chopsticks and ran toward the Zhongyuan.

Xu Damao waved his hand: "Jiefang, go tell the people at that table to go eat at He Yuzhu's East Cross Courtyard; there's a table reserved there."

"You got it!" Yan Jiefang took off running.

Jia Dongxu ran back to the Zhongyuan and saw that Jia Zhangshi had already overturned the entire banquet table, with cups and plates scattered all over the floor.

Zhao Yingzi was trying to persuade her from the side, but she wouldn't listen at all, continuing to smash the unbroken bowls and dishes on the ground with her hair disheveled, while cursing incessantly:

"Xu Damao, you little bastard, it must have been you who drugged me! And Yan Jiefang, you little brat, it was definitely you! I'm going to report this to the police station!"

It must be said that although Jia Zhangshi was a shrew, she was not stupid at all.

She quickly figured it out; it must have been Xu Damao's dirty trick, with Yan Jiefang and Liu Guangtian doing the dirty work. When she fell just now, those two brats had run to the Houyuan to tip him off, and she had already guessed most of it.

Just then, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Bugui also walked over.

The commotion of smashing plates and bowls in the Zhongyuan was too loud; the three masters had to come out to handle it.

Ever since Liu Haizhong returned from the aid-construction project and was promoted to Deputy Director of the Third Forging Workshop, his weight in the courtyard was much greater than Yi Zhonghai's.

Furthermore, now that Yi Zhonghai had a son, he was unwilling to get involved in matters that would offend people.

Liu Haizhong immediately shouted: "Jia Zhangshi, stop right there!"

Jia Zhangshi stopped, and when she saw it was Liu Haizhong, she sneered: "Liu Haizhong, you judge this for me today! Xu Damao, Yan Jiefang, and your second son colluded to drug me! Tell me, what should be done? Today it was a laxative, tomorrow they could poison someone!"

Liu Haizhong was stunned when he heard this and looked at Liu Guangqi: "Call your brother over; I want to ask him."

A flash of hatred crossed Liu Guangqi's eyes.

Back then, he had been plagued by laxatives for a year. Although he was now in high school and doing quite well, the anger in his heart hadn't dissipated at all. He was determined to make Xu Damao's wedding go wrong.

Liu Haizhong looked at Jia Zhangshi again: "Sister-in-law Jia, you need evidence to speak. Why would they drug you?"

"I..." Jia Zhangshi was momentarily speechless.

Liu Haizhong immediately perked up: "If you can't explain the ins and outs of this, and you're making such a scene at someone's wedding and smashing so many things, if they report you to the police, you'll have to pay for the damages."

Because his own child was involved, Yan Bugui also chimed in: "Sister-in-law Jia, you must have evidence to speak; explain yourself clearly."

Just then, Xu Damao walked over with Yan Jiefang and Liu Guangtian.

Xu Damao looked at Jia Zhangshi's disheveled state and said in a deep voice: "Auntie Jia, you've been crying and making a scene since early this morning. I asked Sister Yingzi to keep an eye on you, and you cursed me for a long time. Now you've overturned my wedding banquet, making a whole table of people unable to eat. This table of food and the dishes will cost eight yuan. I could tolerate that, but you turning around and falsely accusing me of drugging you is just too unreasonable. I said this morning not to let you eat at my wedding banquet, and many people heard it. Even if you have no shame and insisted on eating, everyone else is fine, so why are you the only one with diarrhea?"

When Liu Haizhong heard this, he understood everything. He knew Jia Zhangshi had fallen into Xu Damao's trap, but since this matter involved his own son, he was naturally happy to play dumb.

Liu Haizhong nodded: "Damao is right. Sister-in-law Jia, what else do you have to say?"

When Jia Zhangshi heard this, she stopped caring about her reputation and shouted on the spot: "Just a moment ago, I saw a few children eating meat there, and they had quite a bit left over. I thought it was a waste to throw it away, so I ate a few bites!"

Liu Haizhong understood even more clearly now; this was obviously a scheme set up by Xu Damao.

He looked at Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Zhonghai sighed: "Sister-in-law, I think I understand now. If you ask me, if this really blows up, it won't sound good when word gets out. Let's not argue about who's right or wrong; let's both take a step back. You don't have to pay for this table of food, and you stop making a scene. Let's just leave it at that."

Yan Bugui rolled his small eyes and quickly chimed in: "Sister-in-law Jia, I agree with Lao Yi's suggestion. Even if it really goes to the police station, you stole that meat; nobody said they were giving it to you."

"Mother, stop making a scene!" Jia Dongxu said with a flushed face.

Over the past three months, his mother had driven him crazy.

Fortunately, he had earned quite a bit of money during his two years of aid-construction, and Zhao Yingzi was now working at the labor union with the status of a Cadre, earning a higher salary than him.

The two of them had already bought three rooms in the back courtyard and didn't live with Jia Zhangshi, which was the only way they could find some peace.

He hadn't expected his mother to start acting up again today.

He quickly stated his position: "Siqiang, I agree with your way of handling this!"

Xu Damao, however, wouldn't agree: "I don't care about anything else, but this table of food and the dishes must be paid for."

Jia Zhangshi immediately got anxious: "I'm going to the police station right now! You little bastards, don't think this old woman doesn't know about the shady things you've been doing! I'm going to report you right now!"

Jia Dongxu hurriedly pulled her back: "Mother, if what you did today really gets out, it won't sound good."

Just at this moment, He Daqing's family returned.

They had gone to Cai Quanwu's house today to attend the full-month celebration for his younger brother's son.

As soon as Yi Zhonghai saw He Daqing return, he immediately spoke up: "Deputy Factory Director He, something has happened in the courtyard, you must come out to uphold justice!"