Chapter 60: Jia Zhangshi's Extortion

Although Yan Butgui had returned home, the neighbors still gossiped about his not sleeping at night, running to the women's toilet and ending up falling into the cesspool, saying Yan Butgui must really be a pervert.

"You say you're fine, so why did you go to the women's toilet?" In front of outsiders, Third Aunt didn't dare ask. Now only Yan Butgui remained, and she finally voiced her doubt.

"I was already dizzy from defecating; wasn't it just a mistake made in a hurry? Who knew Jia Zhangshi would come out to use the toilet in the middle of the night?" Yan Butgui said with an innocent face.

"You, you, just wait for tomorrow's gossip from the neighbors." Looking at Yan Butgui shivering under the blankets on the bed, Third Aunt couldn't speak too harshly; frankly, this was all a misunderstanding.

But people's mouths are foul; who knows what it'll turn into by tomorrow.

"Why do you reek?" Li Qiang had just gotten home when Zhou Rong frowned and asked.

"Don't mention it—Yan Butgui fell into the cesspool; wasn't I splashed when I pulled him up?" Li Qiang also looked helpless.

"Quickly take them off and throw them at the door; I'll wash them for you tomorrow." Zhou Rong didn't blame him either.

"Okay."

"Tell me exactly what happened—how did Yan Butgui fall into the cesspool?" As they say, women have a gossipy heart; Li Qiang had just gotten into bed when Zhou Rong leaned over and asked.

"Who knows? And he fell in from the women's toilet." Li Qiang dropped another bombshell.

"You mean Yan Butgui fell from the women's toilet into the cesspool in the middle of the night?" Zhou Rong perked up immediately upon hearing that.

"Hmm, I heard they ate something that upset the whole family's stomachs, and the whole family tossed and turned all night." Li Qiang didn't know how to describe the Yan family.

"Besides, with this kind of weather, food doesn't spoil easily."

"Who knows? With Yan Butgui's stingy character, who knows how long he kept things before bringing them out to eat?" Li Qiang admired Yan Butgui's stinginess to the fullest.

"Who knows what they'll say about Yan Butgui tomorrow?" Zhou Rong said with a smile.

"This time he's embarrassed himself at his grandmother's house."

After a silent night, the next morning Third Aunt had prepared food and called Yan Butgui to get up and eat, but she couldn't wake him no matter what; when she touched his forehead, it was scorching hot.

"Jiecheng, quick, your father has a fever—hurry and send him to the hospital!" Third Aunt hurriedly called to Yan Jiecheng.

"I'll go borrow a cart," Yan Jiecheng said and ran out.

When Yan Jiecheng returned and intended to put Yan Butgui on the cart, he lifted the blanket—good grief, a foul stench hit him in the face.

"This dead old man, how did he end up on the bed?" Third Aunt was also nauseated beyond endurance.

Actually, it's clear if you think about it: Yan Butgui's digestion was already poor; plus he'd been frozen in the cesspool for so long, then doused with cold water, and when they first pulled him out he fell back in again, getting feces and urine all over his mouth—no wonder he couldn't get better.

Third Aunt found a clean set of clothes and, together with Yan Jiecheng, changed Yan Butgui into them before sending him to the hospital.

"Doctor, how is the head of the household now?" Third Aunt asked anxiously.

"Preliminary diagnosis is acute gastroenteritis, with a severe cold from wind-cold; first admit him for injections to reduce fever, give him some fluids, and observe."

"Okay, Jiecheng, quickly go handle your father's admission procedures." Third Aunt no longer cared about the money, she directly took out twenty yuan and handed it to Yan Jiecheng.

By noon, Yan Butgui's fever had subsided and he had regained consciousness.

"Good grief, where am I?" Yan Butgui asked, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Where else could you be? Of course you're in the hospital." Third Aunt said irritably.

"This time not only did we suffer a big loss, but we also lost face." Yan Butgui still clearly remembered what happened last night.

"Just rest and recover for now." Looking at Yan Butgui's weak state, Third Aunt felt a twinge of pity.

"Let's go home and recuperate; just have the doctor prescribe some medicine—hospitalization is too expensive." Yan Butgui could never change his stingy nature.

"Wait a moment, I'll go ask the doctor if you can be discharged." Third Aunt also started to worry about the cost.

Not long after, Third Aunt brought the doctor to Yan Butgui's bedside; the doctor examined him and still advised that Yan Butgui should stay in the hospital for observation for two days before discharge, but upon hearing he'd have to stay two more days, Yan Butgui insisted on leaving, and the doctor could do nothing; finally he had him sign a waiver proving Yan Butgui insisted on discharge, so that any further consequences would not be the hospital's responsibility, and only then did the doctor agree to let him go.

Yan Jiecheng pulled the flatbed cart and brought Yan Butgui back again.

"Old Stingy Yan, what's wrong with you?" Jia Zhangshi was chatting with several women when she saw Yan Butgui being pulled back, and she gloated as she asked.

"What's it to you?" Yan Butgui said angrily.

"Hey, you're still losing your temper—if it weren't for my family's Huai Ru calling people to pull you out last night, you might have frozen to death in the cesspool, and now you're talking to me like this, you're really heartless. Let me tell you, my family has done you a life-saving favor, so you ought to buy something to thank us." As for taking advantage, Jia Zhangshi was no less than Yan Butgui.

"You still want me to buy things to thank you—keep dreaming." Yan Butgui now hated her; if it weren't for her sudden shout last night, he wouldn't have been frightened into falling into the cesspool. Not demanding compensation from her was already enough, yet now she expects him to buy things to thank her for her family's life-saving favor.

"Old Stingy Yan, you're ungrateful." Jia Zhangshi jeered.

"Jia Zhangshi, since you say that, let's settle the accounts properly. Wasn't it you who frightened me into falling into the cesspool last night? You should compensate me." Yan Butgui was worrying about the medical expenses from his hospital stay, and now Jia Zhangshi had popped up again. He had to extort something from her to make up for his losses.

"Old Stingy Yan, you damn pervert, not sleeping in the middle of the night, running to the women's toilet—what are you doing there? Believe it or not, I'm going to report you to the police station for hooliganism!" Jia Zhangshi shouted, hands on hips, pointing at Yan Butgui's nose.

"You..." When Yan Butgui heard Jia Zhangshi say she'd go to the police station to accuse him of hooliganism, he immediately wilted; back then, a hooligan charge was extremely serious.

"Old Stingy Yan, if you're sensible, hurry up and buy something to apologize and thank my family's Huai Ru for the life-saving favor; otherwise, see how I'll deal with you." Seeing Yan Butgui's expression, Jia Zhangshi knew he was scared and saw a chance to manipulate him.

"Fine, I'll go buy it." Yan Butgui could only grit his teeth and agree.

"You little brat, trying to mess with me." Jia Zhangshi said triumphantly.

Yan Butgui turned away without saying a word and walked home, furious.