Chapter 68: Running into Old Jia

"Ouch... what are you doing..."

Shazhu couldn't help but yell in pain, then hurriedly asked, "I say, Godfather, what's wrong with you again? Suddenly acting all jumpy..."

"I don't know, I just feel like something is about to happen, my back feels a bit itchy."

Yi Zhonghai felt like he couldn't catch his breath in his chest, and even the world before his eyes turned a bit yellow, just as if someone had cast a curse on him.

However, his state returned quickly, and he didn't take it too seriously; after all, he was getting on in years, and it was quite normal to have some minor physical ailments.

And the current time was in the afternoon, when the Yang energy was at its peak, so the Talisman Zhao Gangzi had cast could not exert its power; it would only bring warmth to First Uncle once night fell.

"Sleep early today, and wait until tonight to watch a good show!"

Zhao Gangzi chuckled; at this moment, he felt he was becoming more and more like a villain. He pulled the quilt open, dove inside, and soon a series of snoring sounds began.

Now, let's talk about Xu Damao on the other side.

A perfect plan had already formed in his mind, which was to go find Lou Bancheng and report that Zhao Gangzi was infertile.

Although he understood this was false, given Lou Bancheng's naturally suspicious personality, even if he didn't believe it entirely, he would at least believe half of it.

When the time came, this matter would likely fall through, and he could then take advantage of the situation; wouldn't Lou Xiaoe still be his for the taking?

The Lou Family.

Lou Bancheng sat on the sofa, looking at the sleazy man before him, slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, and said slowly, "Xu Damao, is what you say true? Is that Zhao Gangzi really infertile?"

Beside Lou Bancheng, Mother Lou and Lou Xiaoe were both standing at his side, especially Lou Xiaoe, who made no effort to hide the look of disgust in her eyes—how was it that this guy was everywhere!

He had even followed them home today, and the moment he walked in, he started saying Zhao Gangzi was infertile; wasn't this deliberately trying to disgust people?

"Xu Damao, please leave my house immediately!"

Lou Xiaoe was trying her best to restrain her emotions.

Yet Xu Damao sat down shamelessly, fawningly pouring tea and water for Lou Bancheng, while saying, "Uncle, don't you disbelieve this; who doesn't know that Zhao Gangzi used to be a fool?"

"And he's still a bachelor to this day, all because he's no good in that department!"

"Better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't! Uncle!"

Lou Bancheng glanced at Xu Damao; the man before him looked even older than himself, and these repeated calls of "Uncle" sounded so unpleasant to his ears.

As for Xu Damao's words, Lou Bancheng didn't believe them at all. Such a clumsy lie wouldn't even fool a dog, and even if it were true as Xu Damao claimed, his Lou Family would never choose Xu Damao.

"Hurry up and get out, our house doesn't welcome you! You bad person!"

Lou Xiaoe was anxious, fearing that Lou Bancheng might believe this nonsense, and even Mother Lou's face showed a look of disgust.

"Don't be like that, Ezi, I, Xu Damao, am much stronger than Zhao Gangzi; look at my big backside, I can definitely father a son!"

"When the time comes, the son can take your Lou Family's surname..."

"I've even thought of a name, let's call him Lou Dian!"

Xu Damao kept babbling as if he had gone insane, and Mother Lou could no longer sit still; she picked up the broom and beat Xu Damao out of the house.

"What kind of person is this? How can someone be so devoid of character? It's simply a disgrace to decency!"

Even Mother Lou, a highly cultured and educated woman, couldn't help but let out a curse.

As for Lou Xiaoe, she couldn't help but burst into tears; this pervert followed her every day, and if she hadn't wanted to avoid making a scene, she would have reported him to the authorities long ago.

She hadn't expected this Xu Damao to actually push his luck and come straight to their home.

"Alright, stop crying; don't you think I understand what this means now?"

"As for that Zhao Gangzi, I have also investigated him; he is the son of the former Level 8 Fitter at the Rolling Mill, Zhao Dehan. He can be considered the child of a hero, with a solid, upright background."

"It's fine to have more contact with him..."

Lou Bancheng's words clearly showed he had softened his stance, and Lou Xiaoe heard it too; the dark clouds on her face instantly cleared. After so many years, she had finally met someone she liked, and it had almost been ruined by someone else.

As for Xu Damao, who had been kicked out, he thought that the old fox Lou Bancheng likely wouldn't believe this matter too much, but he had other methods. He didn't know which wire in his brain had crossed, but he actually started spreading rumors in the factory.

Of course, that is a story for another time.

The Siheyuan.

Lying on the bed, Yi Zhonghai couldn't sleep no matter how he turned, tossing and twisting his body, even waking up his wife, First Aunt.

First Aunt sat up groggily, fumbled to turn on the light, and saw that Yi Zhonghai's forehead was covered in sweat.

"Old Yi, what's wrong with you? You aren't having a relapse of your illness, are you?" First Aunt asked with some concern.

Yi Zhonghai had been poor since childhood, often missing his next meal, and in times of extreme poverty, he had even eaten Guanyin clay. He had suffered from stomach problems since he was young, and as he aged, the condition became more pronounced.

First Aunt was flustered and was just about to grab a towel to wipe the sweat from Yi Zhonghai, when Yi Zhonghai spoke up, "Old woman, don't bother with that. I might have had a nightmare; it's all that Zhao Gangzi's fault!"

"Phew, now that you mention it, I really do feel a bit of a stomach ache. No, I have to go to the toilet..."

Yi Zhonghai wiped away a cold sweat and put on his clothes, preparing to go outside. In this weather, it was bitterly cold at night, so cold that even wild dogs had to tuck themselves away in their dens.

"Alright then, Old Yi, you must be careful..."

"I know, you go back to sleep!"

Yi Zhonghai's eyelids drooped, and he had even put on two or three layers of coats, but even so, he felt a chill down his spine as he walked outside.

Recalling the nightmare he had just had, he couldn't help but quicken his pace.

What Yi Zhonghai didn't notice was that at this moment, strands of black Qi were constantly swirling around him.

"In the middle of the night, why is someone still awake?"

Yi Zhonghai held his hands inside his sleeves, and just as he arrived at the Middle Courtyard, he saw an old man sitting by the base of the wall. In the middle of the night, not only was he not sleeping, but he was also fanning himself with a cattail-leaf fan in the cold wind.

The back view looked quite familiar, but he couldn't recall who this person was. Yi Zhonghai couldn't help but be curious, and since he was very concerned about his image, he walked up to remind him, "I say, old brother, why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night? You look quite familiar, whose family are you from?"

"I'll send you back, and you can say a few good words about me in the courtyard."

"I am the night-soil collector of the Back Courtyard, Yi Zhonghai, remember that!"

Yi Zhonghai was afraid the old man was hard of hearing, so he deliberately raised his voice.

Seeing that the old man didn't react, Yi Zhonghai couldn't help himself and reached out to pull him, but the moment he saw the old man's face, he froze instantly.

The old man had a deathly pale complexion, was thin as a skeleton, and had a mouth full of yellow teeth. Most importantly, this was a person he couldn't be more familiar with.

"Old... Old Brother Lao Jia, you... you haven't you been dead for so many years, how did you... come back!!!"

The hairs on Yi Zhonghai's body stood on end instantly; he absolutely could not be mistaken about the person in front of him, it was definitely Lao Jia, the long-dead husband of Jia Zhangshi, and also the biological father of Jia Dongxu!

As a staunch materialist, Yi Zhonghai also panicked; when had he ever seen such a scene, and in the middle of the night, in this kind of setting, no less.

Furthermore, Lao Jia had passed away in the summer, and when he left, he was wearing a white undershirt and holding a cattail-leaf fan in his hand.