Chapter 1198: Wouldn't that invite divine retribution!

"Xuewu is back," Liu Haizhong said, carrying two stools out from his home. Seeing Li Xuewu, he offered a greeting.

"You didn't bring the children back, did you?"

"No, just my mother and me, the two of us came back."

Li Xuewu replied, and just as he was about to step forward to take the stools from him, Sha Zhu, who was nearby, reached out to help.

"Sit for a while and rest your feet."

Liu Haizhong looked back at his house and, seeing his third son had also come out, ordered, "Go boil two kettles of water."

"Coming—"

Liu Guangfu was quite prompt; he set down the two stools he had just brought out and then hurried off to tend to the stove without a moment's delay.

Yi Zhonghai braced himself, moved to the edge of a stool, and sat down. He rubbed his legs and gestured for Li Xuewu to sit as well.

Li Xuewu was observant of etiquette; he waited for Liu Haizhong to sit before picking up a square stool and sitting down himself.

Seeing the "Big-Faced Cat" (Bang Geng) lurking hesitantly by the moon gate, he beckoned him over.

"We'll stop for the night today; the funeral procession will be tomorrow morning."

Yi Zhonghai chatted with Li Xuewu and the others, discussing the arrangements for the late Deaf Old Lady's funeral.

In this short time, the Third Master of the front courtyard, Yan Fugui, and Wang Laoqi and the others also walked in.

Following the same ritual Li Xuewu had just performed, they paid their respects—some kowtowing, some bowing.

Because the First Aunt and Di Liya had left, only He Yu Shui was crying in the mourning hall, while Sha Zhu knelt at the entrance to return the bows.

When Yan Fugui came over to bow, Yi Zhonghai moved forward to return the gesture, but was stopped by the other man, who supported his arm.

Regarding this matter, regardless of one's usual status, once it comes to a funeral, there are only the bereaved family and the mourners.

Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu were wearing mourning clothes, so they had to kneel to return the bows; naturally, those coming to mourn could not make things difficult for them.

Although the Deaf Old Lady's house was sitting right there, everyone living in this courtyard knew clearly in their hearts how the First Aunt had served the old lady for so many years.

"That's enough, that's enough, stop crying."

Wang Laoqi kowtowed before the mourning hall, then hurriedly reached out to help Sha Zhu, who was kowtowing in return, to his feet. He also said a word to He Yu Shui in the mourning hall before coming over to the group.

"Did you just get off work?"

"You said it—"

Wang Laoqi took out the cigarettes from his pocket, wanting to distribute them to everyone, but Sha Zhu pressed his hand down, and a cigarette was passed over instead.

He didn't mind, took Sha Zhu's cigarette, let the other man help him light it, and sat down beside Li Xuewu.

"We entered the courtyard right after the Third Master."

"Wasn't she doing quite well this morning?"

Yan Fugui took over the conversation, looked at the First Master, and said, "When Zhu Zi came out from the back courtyard, I even asked him, and he said they had chatted for a bit."

"The oil was exhausted and the lamp was dry; she had spent her last bit of heart's blood."

Sha Zhu held the cigarette in his hand, passed them around to everyone again, and replied, "Around noon, it must have been the 'return of the light' (a final burst of energy before death)."

Everyone knew this in their hearts; otherwise, Sha Zhu wouldn't have asked for leave and only worked half a day.

Yi Zhonghai was now a member of the factory's safety production standardization promotion working group and was no longer in the workshop.

Of course, he wasn't in an office either; he still held the status of a worker and participated in the work based on his professional technical skills.

The working group had quite a lot of business, guiding and helping various workshops complete their safety production standardization construction.

It was harder for him to ask for leave than for Sha Zhu; he had waited in the factory until he got the news from Sha Zhu before rushing back.

"It's fine, I'm quite content—"

Yi Zhonghai let out a long sigh and said in a hoarse voice, "She didn't suffer, she didn't endure hardship; it can be considered a life of fortune and longevity."

"That's true, a fortunate person indeed."

Yan Fugui had a cigarette tucked behind his ear; he hugged his left knee with both hands, nodded, and echoed, "If she had really been bedridden, let alone being served, she would have been miserable herself."

"She was strong-willed her whole life—"

Sha Zhu squatted on the ground and rummaged through his pockets, wanting to smoke, but all he pulled out was an empty cigarette box.

Li Xuewu threw the half-box of cigarettes from his pocket over; Sha Zhu caught it and stuck one in his mouth.

After lighting it, he wanted to throw it back, but seeing Li Xuewu wave his hand, he just tucked it into his pocket.

"The hardest thing to say is asking for help; when she was dying, she still said she only owed the First Master and First Aunt."

"Owed what? I never thought of it as owing."

Yi Zhonghai said in a low voice, "It's been so many years; if she wasn't my own mother, she was as good as one."

The Big-Faced Cat seemed a bit afraid of the atmosphere here; seeing Wu Shu beckon, it took a long while before he moved over.

"Wu Shu—"

"Are the chickens all fed?"

Li Xuewu looked at the chubby boy leaning against him and rubbed his big head.

Bang Geng secretly peeked at the candles and the coffin in the mourning hall, his face unable to hide his curiosity and solemnity.

"Do you know where I keep the tea leaves in my room?"

Seeing him only nod without speaking, Li Xuewu turned his head in the other direction, gesturing toward the house opposite.

"Pick out the chairs and stools you can carry and bring them over, then help me bring the tea leaves and the cigarettes from under the tea table."

Being ordered about by him gave the Big-Faced Cat a bit of courage, and he ran off to the opposite side.

By now, a few boys from the front and back courtyards had brought over an Eight Immortals table, while Di Liya had brought some teacups and rice bowls.

There weren't that many formalities in the big courtyard; even if drinking tea, with so many people, they could only make do with rice bowls.

This was only because Li Xuewu had brought out his own tea leaves; otherwise, everyone would only be drinking hot water.

It wasn't that the First Master and Sha Zhu hadn't prepared, but when the funeral was imminent, there weren't enough hands to help.

Especially since it was just after work, neighbors from the front and back courtyards, left and right, had all returned.

After tidying up at home, they were all coming over to pay their respects before dinner.

Regardless of whether they were relatives or whether they usually interacted, if they didn't come today, then when their own family had an event tomorrow, others wouldn't come either.

Seeing that the time was about right, Sha Zhu and the First Master knelt back down.

Di Liya was busy over here, and the First Aunt, wiping away tears, also returned from home to the mourning hall.

Several groups of people from the courtyard came, all kowtowing.

Those who were thoughtful brought a few sheets of paper money; those who didn't have that intention just paid their respects, said a few words to the First Master and Sha Zhu, and then turned to leave.

The Big-Faced Cat was obedient; by now, he was huffing and puffing as he moved a few stools out from Li Xuewu's house.

He ran back and came out again, holding a box of tea leaves and a carton of cigarettes in his arms.

Li Xuewu took the cigarettes, opened a box, and threw it on the Eight Immortals table, then casually tossed the rest to Sha Zhu.

As for the tea leaves, he called for Bang Geng to hand them to Liu Guangfu, who had come out carrying a large kettle.

"Guangfu, put in plenty of tea leaves!"

Yan Fugui saw Liu Guangfu hesitate to put tea leaves into the large kettle after receiving the container, so he called out.

Everyone looked at him, their eyes full of disdain.

But everyone in the courtyard knew what kind of character he was, and since Li Xuewu, who had provided the tea, didn't mind, no one said anything to him.

Furthermore, this was a funeral; even a slight quarrel would be an insult to one's own age.

So, hearing him speak, everyone just treated it as if he were passing wind.

Ever since Liu Guangfu returned, he had spoken less; when his father ordered him about, he would just respond and go do it.

Speaking less didn't mean he was stupid; his mind was still quite sharp.

When the Third Master spoke, he listened as if he hadn't heard.

With such a large kettle, he knew how much tea to put in; he wouldn't just waste it recklessly.

These tea leaves belonged to the person opposite, not to an enemy.

Besides, Li Xuewu was sitting right here; could he fall for the Third Master's trick?

If he put in too much, Li Xuewu might not care, but he didn't know what he might be thinking.

When the time came, would he blame the Third Master, or would he blame him?

The Third Master might be shameless, but he couldn't be brainless.

Once the large kettle had steeped the tea, he carried it and poured tea into the bowls and rice bowls on the table.

The First Master and Sha Zhu were both kneeling there returning the bows; without the host's invitation, those who wanted tea just helped themselves.

After experiencing last year's incident and the changes after his sons grew up, Liu Haizhong also understood quite a bit.

This time, he didn't sit and watch the excitement like Yan Fugui, but stood beside the First Master, acting as a helper.

When someone brought paper money, he would inform them where to put it; when neighbors from the courtyard or the street came, he would invite the men to come to the table for tea.

When people came to pay respects and kowtow, he would act as the responder, remind the filial daughter in the mourning hall, and help the First Master and Sha Zhu.

Because men had arrived, Sha Zhu had to get up to light cigarettes, and the First Master had to be polite.

There was no music, no mourning songs or firecrackers, and no meal to entertain; there were only the tables and stools gathered by everyone, and a bowl of hot tea.

However, those who came to pay respects were very understanding; after all, this wasn't just anyone's elder.

Those who could come did so out of sincerity.

Sha Zhu and the First Master hadn't prepared a meal, but they hadn't accepted any gift money either, so no matter how far they went, no one would find fault.

Sitting in the courtyard before the mourning hall, with a 200-watt lightbulb hung up in the afternoon, the men drank tea, smoked, and chatted; some came, some left.

Finding a moment when no one was before the mourning hall, Li Xuewu patted the Big-Faced Cat on the back and said, "Let's go, young man, go kowtow to the Old Lady."

The Big-Faced Cat looked up at him in surprise and confusion, wanting to say his mother and grandmother would be here in a while.

But out of trust and respect for Wu Shu, he didn't say a word and just did as Wu Shu had taught him.

Li Xuewu put his arm around his shoulder and brought him before the mourning hall.

At this moment, everyone in the courtyard fell silent, looking at the two figures, one tall and one short, their eyes filled with varied expressions.

Li Xuewu led Bang Geng, teaching him step by step how to cup his hands, how to kowtow, and how to bow.

The First Master and Sha Zhu also solemnly performed the full rituals, without a single step missed, including the final offering of a cigarette.

Bang Geng didn't yet understand why he was doing this, nor did he understand what these rituals represented.

He just did as Wu Shu taught him, earnest and respectful.

Wu Shu told him to kowtow three times, and he honestly kowtowed three times with a thud-thud-thud.

Wu Shu told him to stand up and first help the First Master, then help Uncle Sha, and say "please restrain your grief," and he followed each instruction.

Finally, under Wu Shu's reminder, he took the cigarette offered by Uncle Sha with both hands before returning to the tea table with Wu Shu.

In his ignorance, he hadn't figured out why the adults' gazes toward him were different than before.

Looking back and seeing his mother standing not far away, her eyes full of gratification, he felt that what he had done was right and correct.

Before kowtowing and bowing, he was a child; after kowtowing and bowing, he was an adult.

At this moment, Bang Geng only knew he had done a very meaningful thing and learned some adult ways of doing things.

As for what the gratification in his mother's eyes represented, he hadn't figured that out yet.

Qin Huairu understood clearly; when she and her mother-in-law entered the back courtyard, they saw Li Xuewu teaching her son to bow.

At that moment, she was completely stunned.

Even her mother-in-law, who was usually long-winded and unreasonable, was stunned there without a word.

Such personal instruction and demonstration—neither her mother-in-law nor she could have taught or demonstrated it personally.

But it was precisely the rules that the only male descendant of the Jia family needed to learn to stand on his own.

What it means to be an adult, what it means to be acknowledged.

Only when you have rules in your actions will you be acknowledged as a person.

If you want to receive the same courtesy and treatment as an adult, you must do what an adult should do and keep the rules an adult should keep.

You cannot expect an adult to do things with a child who is playing in the mud.

You also cannot require a child to promise to take on the responsibilities an adult should bear.

Therefore, when Li Xuewu taught Bang Geng to help and pay respects to the deceased with adult etiquette, everyone in the courtyard saw his purpose.

Looking at Bang Geng again, their eyes naturally treated him with caution and respect.

This was precisely the emotional value Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi needed; they urgently longed for the pillar of the family to stand tall and support this home.

A man can only reveal his most authoritative side through actions.

There are some things women cannot do and cannot achieve.

If Bang Geng had a father, or even an uncle, such guidance would not be missing.

What happens if it's missing?

People will look down on him, and he will inevitably face discrimination during his growth, affecting his outlook on life.

Therefore, Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu stood quietly at the courtyard gate, looking gratefully at Li Xuewu teaching Bang Geng.

At this moment, Qin Huairu only felt that whatever she did for Li Xuewu was worth it.

Jia Zhangshi felt the same; ever since her son passed away, she had been watching her daughter-in-law like a thief, but at this moment, she was finally relieved; it was such a sense of achievement.

After guarding against so many sycophants, she finally waited for a "lecher" with a conscience; it really wasn't in vain that she had worked so hard.

Ever since Qin Huairu became a cadre, the family's conditions had improved, life was better, and there were always people looking to introduce her to a partner.

There were a bunch of good and bad ones, and one couldn't tell if Qin Huairu was willing or not.

It was just that when someone introduced them, Qin Huairu would go to meet them, would go to see them.

Before, she really didn't have the heart to block it; anyway, Bang Geng was older, and in a few years, he would be getting married and starting a career.

At that time, even if Qin Huairu found someone, she wouldn't shortchange herself or Bang Geng.

As for Li Xuewu, even an ignorant old woman like her knew that he was a high branch, unreachable.

Qin Huairu had been ruthless and early in her actions, and with her support and encouragement, they had today.

Think more? Wouldn't that invite divine retribution!

Therefore, Qin Huairu wanted to leave Li Xuewu and find a proper man to live with; she had no opinion.

But at this moment, she figured it out; her head buzzed, and she became sharp.

Even if Qin Huairu found a man, could he take care of Bang Geng like Li Xuewu?

Even if a stepfather were good, could he gain the respect of Bang Geng, who was already half-grown?

Although she didn't understand what a "rebellious phase" was, she knew that half-grown boys don't obey their fathers.

Bang Geng didn't even listen to her and Qin Huairu now; could he listen to a stepfather's discipline?

Standing at the gate watching Li Xuewu teach Bang Geng, countless thoughts flashed through her mind.

Recalling the things Li Xuewu taught Bang Geng, thinking about the skills Bang Geng learned from Li Xuewu.

Thinking about how much Bang Geng listened to Li Xuewu, and how much care and guidance he could get from Li Xuewu in the future.

At this moment, Jia Zhangshi's gaze shifted to Qin Huairu beside her, and she secretly made a decision that went against her ancestors.

Want to find another man?

Give up that idea!

Even if you find a suitable one, I'll stir it up and ruin it for you!

You can only be Li Xuewu's!

Even if Li Xuewu doesn't want you, you have to stay empty; only if you stay empty will Li Xuewu take care of Bang Geng.

Hey! You tell me if Jia Zhangshi is smart or stupid; I can only say she's sometimes smart and sometimes stupid.

Only she could come up with such bizarre logical thinking.

When women perform rituals and pay respects, the posture of cupping hands and kneeling is different from men's.

Sometimes the men from the courtyard and the street came to pay respects together, and sometimes the women from the courtyard came together.

There were absolutely no men and women paying respects together.

If only the men from the family came, the men brought the paper money; if both the men and women from the family came, the women brought the paper money.

If there were elders in the family, usually the mother-in-law came; young girls and daughters-in-law wouldn't come, or they would be led by their mothers or mothers-in-law.

Li Xuewu didn't understand the specific reasons; it might have to do with the deceased being an old lady, or it might have to do with women managing the household and money.

Like Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu, they knelt one after another below the steps to pay respects, while the First Aunt, Di Liya, and He Yu Shui returned the bows.

The First Master and Sha Zhu retreated to the side.

From then on, there were basically no men; they were all women coming in groups, family by family.

And the three of them—the First Aunt, Di Liya, and He Yu Shui—became the main force for returning bows.

The men in the courtyard sat at the tea table, and there wasn't one who didn't praise the First Master and Sha Zhu for their righteousness.

Just for this filial piety, just for this sincerity, one had to praise them a few times in their hearts and with their mouths.

Especially in terms of sincerity, it made people unable to find any fault.

The mourning cloth at this time wasn't as extravagant as in later generations; the bereaved family just wore it.

The First Master and Sha Zhu discussed it and, besides using the money the Old Lady left behind for the funeral, took out a portion to purchase mourning cloth.

Of course, it wasn't given to everyone who came to pay respects, but to every family that had children.

What can mourning cloth be used for?

To make diapers for children—pure cotton cloth, comfortable to pad with, and good at absorbing water.

According to tradition, the older the deceased elder, the more blessings the mourning cloth represents, and the better it is for children to use.

Li Xuewu didn't ask exactly how old the Deaf Old Lady was, but she was at least over seventy, which is considered a long life.

So this mourning cloth was a token of the Old Lady's heart for the people in the courtyard, all given to the children.

Yan Jiefang, who came to pay respects, got a share.

Ge Shuqin didn't come; firstly, the child was still young, and secondly, she didn't want to embarrass her mother-in-law, and she didn't have the heart to let outsiders see a joke.

Hou Qinghua would absolutely not call her to come together; if she came alone, the people in the courtyard would surely talk about the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship.

So she simply didn't come, just let Yan Jiefang buy two more sheets of paper money; when she gave birth, the Deaf Old Lady had sent gift money.

On Li Xuewu's side, it was his grandmother, who came leading Liu Yin, Zhao Yafang, and Li Xue.

Ji Yuxiu couldn't come; she wasn't married, and if she came, she would be laughed at, and there was no such close relationship.

The people at the Daozuofang recycling station came on their own; Shen Guodong did not join the crowd, but instead took the initiative to promise that he would call people to help with the funeral tomorrow morning.

Those who should provide manpower will provide manpower, and those who should provide vehicles will provide vehicles.

Li Xuewu's Great Aunt sat here for a while before getting up to go back; he was impatient with this sort of thing, as he was getting on in years, after all.

"That's about enough, tidy up and go eat."

He called over the First Master and Seeing Sha Zhu, and then greeted Liu Haizhong, Yan Fugui, and the others, saying: "Let's go, let's go, Chinese cabbage stewed with tofu, let's go to the front courtyard and have a bite."

"Everyone, please help out more tonight, and thank you for your hard work."

The Daozuofang had nothing to do with the Deaf Old Lady, and neither did the recycling station; why invite everyone to eat, and why use the meal as an excuse to ask everyone to help keep watch tonight?

This counts as a gesture of goodwill, and it is also for Shen Guodong's sake.

Shen Guodong has been busy running around, providing manpower and vehicles; as they are all in the same courtyard, he is also responding to the neighborhood committee's call.

It is not just for the Deaf Old Lady; if any of the lonely elderly people in this neighborhood have an emergency, he would go over to help with people before the neighborhood committee even asked.

He just did it this way, not asking for repayment or rewards, but it was all seen by the neighbors and the neighborhood committee.

Why can a down-and-out person, a scrap collector, be examined and valued by the organization? The key lies right here.

The recycling station and the Daozuofang can afford this meal; wanting this reputation is also a way to look after the First Master and Seeing Sha Zhu.

Seeing Sha Zhu's whole family lives in the Daozuofang, and now that something has happened, naturally they have to lend a hand.

Just as Great Aunt said, Chinese cabbage stewed with tofu—there are no fancy dishes, but it fits the significance of today's funeral.

After eating this meal, then tonight and tomorrow morning, everyone will have to work a bit harder and help out more.

It just so happens that today is Saturday, and tomorrow is Sunday.

Those still sitting here are either young lads or the men of each household.

Those who could contribute effort and wanted to do their best followed Great Aunt's call and walked toward the front courtyard.

Those who were incapable or didn't want to do their best also walked forward following the call; whether they went home halfway or walked out of the courtyard gate, they all understood what was going on.

If you eat this meal and then can't be found tonight or tomorrow morning, then you are finished on this street.

If something happens to your family, see if anyone goes!

"Xuewu, you go eat first, don't wait here—"

Seeing Sha Zhu dropped the cigarette butt in his hand, and seeing everyone walking out while Li Xuewu was still sitting there, he called out to him.

Li Xuewu, however, waved his hand and said: "Hurry up and go greet the people in the front courtyard; I'll eat later."

He gestured toward the mourning hall and reminded him: "Go help the First Aunt."

Seeing Diliya helping the First Aunt out, Seeing Sha Zhu hurried over to assist.

With the Old Lady gone, the First Aunt was crying the hardest.

"There's nothing left to do tonight; after you eat, don't come back over."

Li Xuewu gave instructions to the First Aunt and Diliya, and then pointed at Diliya to remind her: "Especially you, you still have to look after the child; it is enough to have fulfilled your filial duty."

Seeing Sha Zhu also persuaded the First Aunt, asked about Yushui, and seeing his younger sister say she wanted to stay and keep watch, he went to the front courtyard first.

The back courtyard finally quieted down for a moment.

The Second Master and Liu Guangfu were called to go to the front courtyard to eat; before leaving, Liu Guangfu notified his mother to wait for him to bring some back, so the Second Aunt just sat in the room listening to the radio.

The lights were on in the homes of the residents on both sides of the mourning hall; the men had gone to the front courtyard to eat, and the women and children at home had also set the dinner table.

The lights were on in Li Xuewu's home too, but there was no one there.

Quiet—it was only a relative quiet; a funeral cannot delay the business of living, so life goes on as it should.

"I'll keep you company—"

Big-Faced Cat looked around, then looked at Wu Shu sitting there and nodded earnestly.

Li Xuewu glanced at him, smiled lightly, rubbed his big head, and gestured to the tea table for him to tidy up.

Big-Faced Cat was very obedient to Li Xuewu, doing whatever he was told; he picked up the tea bowls and rice bowls left over by the crowd, poured out the tea, and carried them over to the stove.

Li Xuewu found a washbasin from home to hold them, took a kettle without tea leaves from the stove, and scalded the cups with hot water.

He then scooped up cold water from the water bucket to mix it, and told Banggeng to scrub the tea cups and bowls; Big-Faced Cat rolled up his sleeves and worked very hard.

Li Xuewu stepped into the mourning hall, replaced the candles and incense that were about to go out, and burned a stack of paper in the clay basin.

"Come out and sit for a while; you've been kneeling all afternoon."

Looking at He Yu Shui, who was dressed in white mourning clothes and kneeling there with her head bowed, he called out to her.

Yushui raised her head to look at him, smoothed the hair scattered by her ears, and without saying anything, she stood up, leaning on the stool beneath the coffin.

Perhaps it was because she had been kneeling for so long that her knees were a bit stiff; it took a good while for her to stand steady.

Li Xuewu was hard-hearted; fearing he would be tainted, he simply waited at the doorway without stepping forward to help her.

The two walked out of the mourning hall one after the other; Banggeng raised his head to glance at them, then moved his body to face away from them as if he were hiding from something.

Regarding Aunt Yushui, who "almost" became his wife and "almost" got him killed, Banggeng couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Li Xuewu gestured to the side of the tea table for Yushui to sit, then went to Banggeng to get a half-clean tea cup, poured a cup of hot tea from the kettle, and handed it to her.

Yushui raised her head to glance at this hard-hearted yet warm-hearted smelly man, and only then did she reach out to take it.

"Banggeng? Why aren't you going to the front courtyard to eat?"

"I'm not hungry yet," Banggeng replied without raising his head while continuing to wash the tea bowls: "I'm waiting for Wu Shu."

Hearing Aunt Yushui's attempt to strike up a conversation, he felt completely unwilling; he didn't really want to talk to her.

After all, the two of them "almost" had that kind of relationship, and at twelve years old, he felt a bit awkward.

I don't want to marry you! And don't you come bothering me on your own initiative!

You're being so proactive, and I'm so handsome, plus the arrangements Uncle Seeing Sha Zhu made a few days ago—let's not have any rumors spread about us!

You might not care, but for me to get you would be an old cow eating tender grass, and I still have to worry about my reputation!

So! Can you please stop asking me things!

Yushui didn't know what had happened, let alone what Banggeng was thinking.

Asking Banggeng a question was just her way of trying to break the awkwardness when she and Li Xuewu were alone together.

Facing Big-Faced Cat's awkwardness and impatience, she just took it as a child's eccentric personality.

She never imagined that this little boy had once wanted to kill her.

"Who told you to do this?"

Yushui looked at the chubby boy working, smiled slightly, and teased him: "Is it hard work? Are you tired?"

"I'm not tired; I'm doing it because I want to."

Banggeng didn't know how to wash dishes; he just stuck his little hand into the tea cup, swirled it around, rinsed it with warm water, and called it a day.

Hearing his "rumored girlfriend's" prying question, he answered without thinking: "I'm taking the initiative to help work now so that when my grandma dies one day, there will be people to help me too."

"Cough—cough cough—"

Yushui didn't spray out the tea she was drinking, but it all choked her throat; she almost couldn't breathe.

She pounded her chest hard, and only then did she catch her breath; her tears and nose were both filled with the taste of tea.

"Cough cough—"

Yushui cleared her throat, glanced at Li Xuewu, and asked coquettishly: "Did you teach him that?"

But seeing Li Xuewu's mouth twitch, and seeing him looking at Big-Faced Cat with eyes full of surprise and amusement, she knew it wasn't him.

"You really are your grandma's good grandson!"

After Li Xuewu finished his dinner in the front courtyard, he came to the back courtyard.

There were quite a few fewer people keeping watch than there were people drinking tea before the meal.

After all, there were those who didn't want to do this, so they didn't go to eat.

There were also those who had eaten and were arranged by the First Master and Seeing Sha Zhu to help tomorrow morning, so they went home to rest.

The First Master and Seeing Sha Zhu sat in the mourning hall, and the tea table was moved to the doorway of the mourning hall so as not to disturb everyone from drinking tea and chatting.

Li Xuewu found half a bag of melon seeds from home—he didn't know if they had gone stale or not—and threw them on the table for everyone to snack on while they talked.

A stove was burning by the tea table; the weather in late September was truly a bit chilly.

In just this short while, dew had formed on the Eight Immortals table; he didn't know if it was because of the damp weather.

If that were really the case, there should be rain in the next few days.

Keeping watch is the most exhausting, especially in the second half of the night; it's better when there are many people, but when there are few, the mental pressure is quite high.

The elderly generally can't hold out; the Third Master said in advance while eating that he would only keep watch for the first half of the night, and everyone didn't hold it against him.

With his cerebral blood vessels, even if Seeing Sha Zhu let him eat this meal, he wouldn't dare let him keep watch.

Seeing Sha Zhu had already said he didn't need him when they were eating, but he still came anyway.

He felt embarrassed, but Seeing Sha Zhu was sincere.

He sincerely didn't want him to come, fearing that if the Deaf Old Lady had a sudden thought and took him along with her, it would be a real mess.

"This old lady, really, hey!"

Liu Haizhong took a sip of tea and looked at his own third son and Banggeng sitting by the stove.

He shook his head slightly and muttered: "The young ones and the little ones, they really don't dislike her."

"Banggeng tidied up the tea bowls, right?"

Seeing Sha Zhu sat in the mourning hall hugging his knees, looked past the doorway of the main room at Banggeng, and said: "Good lad, when we're done with this, Uncle will buy you candy to eat."

"Forget it! I don't dare eat your candy—"

Banggeng reached out to pinch a piece of wood and stuff it into the stove, curled his lip, and didn't say what was in his heart.

Seeing Sha Zhu, who was teasing him, also shut his mouth, his face full of helplessness and annoyance.

This smelly kid, how is he still holding a grudge?

And also, is my younger sister really that unpresentable, to the point where you dislike her so much?

Everyone didn't know what was going on; they just felt it was very strange—how did the usually kid-teasing Seeing Sha Zhu get shut down by Banggeng?

Only Li Xuewu, who had been secretly glared at by Seeing Sha Zhu, knew what was going on; he smiled and kicked Big-Faced Cat lightly.

Banggeng didn't mind and shifted his butt, continuing to watch the stove.

Just now, when they changed shifts and went to the front courtyard to eat, he had been following Li Xuewu.

Passing by his own doorway without seeing his mother and grandma calling him, he felt even more like he was an adult.

It was just that when eating in the front courtyard, he had to sit at the same table as Aunt Yushui, because they were the only three left who hadn't eaten.

At the table, Aunt Yushui kept stealing glances at him with a smile on her face; he highly suspected that Aunt Yushui had ulterior motives toward him.

When out and about, a boy must protect himself well.

After finishing dinner, he wandered behind Wu Shu; without Aunt Yushui staring at him, he felt much more at ease.

Especially right now, listening to everyone's praise, he was truly happy, thinking to himself: "I'm already this excellent; when my grandma dies, you will definitely come to help, right?"

"Guangfu is doing well now," Yan Fugui glanced at the silent boy and asked with a smile: "You must have made quite a bit at the sewing cooperative, right?"

"It's alright—"

Hearing the Third Master ask, Liu Guangfu stood up and carried the kettle to refill the thermos with hot water.

He knew what the Third Master was getting at, but he was also sharp enough to know what could be said and what couldn't.

Yan Fugui, however, didn't want to let him off, and praised him with a chuckle: "I've heard it from more than one person!"

He said to the Second Master: "Your Guangfu has ability; his workload alone is equal to that of three women."

"Hi, he's young, so he has a bit of ability."

Liu Haizhong was most conflicted about this point; he didn't want to hear people mention it, yet he was proud that his son could earn money to support the family.

The conflict lay in the fact that this ability to earn money was learned in the detention center; it wasn't right to praise it, and it wasn't right not to praise it.

Hearing others praise it always felt like being mocked, and earning money always felt embarrassing to talk about.

That was exactly what Yan Fugui meant; he didn't want Liu Guangfu to outshine his own son.

Although that was a rebellious son, a rebellious son who didn't even return home.

"Having a craft is better than having no craft," he looked at Liu Guangfu and said: "This is much better than us going to work for a salary; you must make five a month, right?"

"Hehe—"

Liu Guangfu chuckled and said: "Where did you hear that? How could I make more than you?"

As he said this, he squatted down beside Banggeng again, looking like: "You're asking a nonsense question, so I'll give you a nonsense answer."

Yan Fugui tilted his head and said: "Our salaries are fixed, so how can they compare to the sewing cooperative."

"Are you on leave? How many days can you take off?"

"These two days."

"When are you going back to work?"

"In two days."

"Do you have a partner?"

"I'm looking."

"Where does your sewing cooperative take on jobs?"

"Outside."

"What do you do at the sewing cooperative?"

"Work, and sometimes I sit in as a dealer."

"You've saved up money, right?"

"Not much."

"Oh my, you have to save money, otherwise what will you do when you're old."

"Like you, asking around everywhere..."

"You little brat, is that any way to talk!"

Liu Haizhong felt incredibly satisfied inside, but on the outside, he scolded his son with feigned dissatisfaction.

He turned to look at Yan Fugui, who was about to be angered to death, put on a smiling expression, and said: "I don't even know what he's doing now; he won't tell me even if I ask."

"I heard your Jiefang is doing pretty well now?"

"Hi, just muddling through—"

Yan Fugui let out a long breath; Liu Guangfu's words just now had almost choked him to death.

His eyes blurred, and he even saw the Deaf Old Lady.

"Can't starve, but can't get rich either."

He took a sip of hot tea and said pretentiously: "I can't control him anymore, and I don't have the ability to control him."

"There are still two little ones at home; they're growing up fast, and if they can't finish their schooling, they'll have to find work."

When he said this, his eyes glanced in Li Xuewu's direction, and seeing that the Deputy Director didn't pay him any mind, he felt quite dejected.

They're all in the same courtyard, but he really doesn't show any consideration.

"Finding work is one hurdle, and getting married is another."

Yan Fugui put down his tea cup, sighed, and said: "You can't find a partner without a job, and you need a house to find a partner; you can't get married without a house."

"Right now, I'm finding every hurdle difficult to pass."

He tapped the Second Master with the back of his hand and said: "The Red Star Factory established a new school, and we were cast aside."

"I was assigned to the Dongcheng 37th Primary School, which used to be the Red Star Primary School."

"Oh! Even someone like you was cast aside!"

Seeing Sha Zhu asked with feigned surprise from the doorway: "Then the criteria for the teacher qualification screening must be too strict, right?"

"Tsk—"

Yan Fugui had just put down Liu Guangfu, and now he was being poked in the lungs by Seeing Sha Zhu again.

He made up for it himself: "Who do you think I'm competing with? The factory is recruiting outstanding teachers from the whole city!"

"That's really a pity then—"

Seeing Sha Zhu leaned against the threshold, looked at the Third Master, and asked regretfully: "Then you're under the city's jurisdiction now, and have no relationship with the Red Star Factory?"

"Sigh, isn't that just how it is—"

Yan Fugui sighed and said: "I was very confident, but my luck was just bad!"

"You all know about my teaching ability!"

Under the suspicious gazes of the crowd, he earnestly emphasized: "Look at Banggeng; he's now been admitted to middle school with what I taught him."

Banggeng was called out by name; he raised his head abruptly, looked at the Third Master, and said helplessly: "Can we two stop hurting each other?"

"Hahaha—"

Hearing the crowd burst into laughter, Yan Fugui got anxious; he glared at Banggeng and said: "Sss! You kid! If it weren't for me, could you have been admitted to middle school?"

"Mm-hmm, that's right, I'm confused about it too!"

Banggeng squatted there, curling his lip, and said indignantly: "I learned from you, and I was still able to get into middle school! It's truly bizarre!"

"Hahaha—"

Seeing Sha Zhu laughed until snot came out, lying on the threshold and laughing foolishly.

Yan Fugui glared with anger; his gaze swept over Li Xuewu, and he curled his lip, saying: "I said my luck was bad. It's not that my teaching ability isn't good; it's that I didn't meet the right people."

"Sigh, I also blame myself for not being sharp enough back then."

He looked at Seeing Sha Zhu in the mourning hall and said: "That Teacher Ran you had your eye on—she's now the principal of Red Star Primary School!"

"You tell me, you tell me about the things I did for you back then—could she not hold a grudge against me?"

"Hey! Third Master, you really know how to talk nonsense!"

Seeing Sha Zhu was laughing, but he didn't expect the blame to be dumped on his own head; he shouted angrily: "I haven't even settled this account with you yet, and you're already complaining about me!"

"If you hadn't swindled me out of my gifts back then and had properly introduced me to a partner, could things have turned out like this today?"

"Just you—"

Yan Fugui curled his lip, looking at Seeing Sha Zhu with eyes full of disdain, and snorted: "She's a primary school principal, an intellectual—could she like you?"

"Hey! Just for those few words you said just now, hey," Seeing Sha Zhu pointed at the Third Master and said: "I think it was inevitable that you wouldn't be selected!"

"And also, I feel truly sorry for you."

He deliberately angered the other party by saying: "You tell me, back when Red Star Primary School wasn't much, you were jumping up and down trying to get transferred to the city, but you couldn't get in."

"Now that the Red Star Factory's benefits have just gotten better, hey! You've been transferred to the city."

"Hahaha—"

"Oh! Third Master! What's happened to you!"

"Don't move! I think I saw the Old Lady!"