Chapter 37: Snatching Cabbage Leaves

The Jia Family's original house could be said to be the largest one in the Siheyuan, aside from Shazhu's home. This was because Lao Jia had been capable in the past, but unfortunately, his descendants were good for nothing, and by the time it reached his son's generation, it had all been squandered.

Ever since they moved houses, the Jia Family's fortune has been in a straight downward spiral.

Just like a mouse digging a hole, the further they go, the deeper they sink.

In just a few short months, they went from being one of the big households in the Siheyuan to now, almost reaching the most destitute level.

Although Jia Zhangshi is gone, Bang Geng is at an age where he is growing, and with Jia Dongxu constantly sick and taking medicine, the family can't even find a single ten-yuan note.

Moreover, Qin Huairu is naturally clumsy and can't learn the skills of a Locksmith; most importantly, she is always slacking off during work hours, so it's no wonder her wages get deducted.

That two-yuan subsidy had already been transferred to Zhao Gangzi.

Now, her wages are deducted every now and then.

Getting around 20 yuan a month has already become the norm.

Because of this, she hasn't suffered any less of Jia Dongxu's brutal beatings.

"Shazhu, that brat, why hasn't he brought you a lunch box these past few days? I haven't seen a scrap of meat in a long time."

"This Shazhu isn't a good thing either. Working in the Canteen, he doesn't even know how to properly help out our Jia Family, just bringing back those leftovers from the Canteen every day..."

Jia Dongxu lay flat on the bed, cursing with a look of annoyance.

"Dongxu, you don't know, but recently someone reported Shazhu for bringing food, and it's fortunate that they didn't sell me out..."

"Sigh, they even deducted half a month of his wages."

Qin Huairu also felt a bit embarrassed.

But Jia Dongxu didn't think so. After all, he couldn't walk, and news from the outside couldn't reach him; who knew if what she said was true or false?

It's just bringing a bit of food, how big of a deal could it be?

Could it really lead to half a month's wages being deducted?

Watching the Jia Family's life become increasingly impoverished, and with the Small Shed Room in the Back Courtyard being so small, there was almost no room left in the house to even stand.

Qin Huairu watched as life became harder and harder, to the point where even the rotten leaves of a cabbage had to be boiled to be eaten.

It was fortunate that last time Zhao Gangzi treated the laborers to a meal, their family picked up quite a few bones from the side, and they had to put them in to boil for a while every time they ate.

Now, those few bones in the pot are damn near boiled into ash.

Seeing the weather getting colder and colder, Bang Geng didn't even have a thick coat, wearing the green overcoat left behind by Lao Jia all day long; from a distance, he looked just like a Tibetan Mastiff dyed green.

"Mom, Mom!"

Late at night, little Bang Geng rushed in draped in the green overcoat, panting as he said, "Zhou Bapi's family threw out cabbage leaves again, let's hurry and go pick them up!"

"Really? Keep your voice down, hurry up, don't let anyone else pick them away!"

Qin Huairu was full of joy.

As for the Zhou Bapi that Bang Geng mentioned, it naturally referred to Zhao Gangzi, who now lived in the Middle Courtyard.

Taking advantage of the dark, they immediately tiptoed toward the Middle Courtyard. A while ago, the neighborhood office brought in several large pickup trucks of autumn cabbage. Their Jia Family couldn't even produce a single cabbage coupon, and in the end, it was the First Uncle who showed kindness and sent them five or six heads.

Yet Zhao Gangzi didn't know where he got a whole stack of cabbage coupons; he was extremely lavish, immediately ordering 20 yuan worth of cabbage, and even spent money to have someone build a cellar in the Middle Courtyard.

The entire cellar was filled with cabbage, stacked to the brim, enough that they couldn't finish it by the following spring.

Just because of this, when Zhao Gangzi stir-fried cabbage, he didn't want the rotten leaves on the outside and threw them directly into the trash basket at the door.

These days, the Jia Family has been living far too difficultly.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have set their sights on these rotten cabbage leaves.

"It's such a waste, so many cabbage leaves, it would be enough for our whole family to eat for a whole day!"

Just as Qin Huairu arrived, she saw someone else gathered at Zhao Gangzi's door picking up cabbage leaves; it was so dark she couldn't see who it was.

She saw that the person was wearing glasses, had a buzz cut, and had a rag wrapped around their mouth, but listening to the voice, it sounded a bit like Yan Laoxi...

And Yan Laoxi was the nickname for Third Uncle Yan Bugui, meaning he was very stingy and loved to take advantage of small gains, so everyone called him Yan Laoxi.

"Could this be the Third Uncle?"

"No way, the cabbage leaves are all being picked up by him, what will our family eat?"

Qin Huairu immediately grew anxious.

Carrying a bamboo basket, she and Bang Geng rushed up immediately and started frantically grabbing the cabbage leaves discarded by Zhao Gangzi with that person.

She even tried to snatch back a few leaves that the other person had already put into their own basket. Seeing this, that person also got anxious and hurriedly hissed, "Qin Huairu, can you not snatch mine? Our family is damn well not having an easy time either, get lost!"

Soon, these two forces formed a hostile stance, snatching cabbage leaves from each other, almost coming to blows.

"Don't you dare snatch our family's, watch me bite you to death!" Bang Geng opened his mouth and bit toward that person.

"Ouch, my leg!..."

"You damn brat, who did you learn to bite people from? Damn it," that old thing kicked out, and immediately kicked Bang Geng onto Zhao Gangzi's door.

With such a loud commotion, Zhao Gangzi was immediately startled awake from his sleep.

He sat straight up and cursed, "Who the hell is this? Are they not letting people sleep?"

"Picking up my family's cabbage leaves is one thing, but making such a ruckus now—do they really think I, Zhao Gangzi, am a sick cat?"

Zhao Gangzi put on his clothes, grabbed a broom, and pushed the door open. Bang Geng, who was still stuck to the door without reacting, was sent flying three meters away in one go.

His newly grown front tooth was instantly knocked out.

"Damn, you guys are working as a gang, right? I want to see who you are!"

As soon as Zhao Gangzi pushed the door open, he saw two people scrambling for cabbage leaves. Thanks to his skill bonuses, even though it was night, he could see clearly; one was definitely Qin Huairu.

The other one wasn't very clear, with a rag blocking their face, revealing only two eyes, but it seemed only the Third Uncle's family wore black-rimmed glasses in the whole Siheyuan...

Damn, this old thing really doesn't let any advantage slip by, even picking up their family's rotten cabbage leaves here.

He immediately started beating both of them with the broom, and Zhao Gangzi pretended not to see who they were, just swinging the broom wildly.

As soon as these two saw the owner come out, they were so scared that they ran off with the cabbage leaves. Especially Qin Huairu, who didn't even notice the bottom of her bamboo basket had fallen out, and she scooped up Bang Geng and bolted toward the Back Courtyard.

After returning home, she realized there wasn't a single cabbage leaf in the basket; they had all leaked out.

Bang Geng was even more miserable; his mouth was covered in blood, and he didn't even know where his teeth had flown off to.

"Sob sob sob, it hurts so much!"

"Mom, am I going to have to eat at my own funeral? I feel so awful, it hurts so much!" Bang Geng covered his mouth, and a layer of skin had even been scraped off the corner of his mouth.

"Don't cry, my good son, it's all Mom's fault for not being able to provide you with a better life."

Qin Huairu was already crying.

In the middle of the night, not only had they failed to pick up any vegetable leaves, but they had also been beaten up.

In his current state, there was no telling how much money it would cost to get medical treatment for Bang Geng outside, and if things went on like this, they might not even have the northwest wind to drink.