Siheyuan: Xu Damao's New Life

The Jia family in the middle courtyard.

Jia Zhang was sewing shoe soles. Bang Geng came home from school and passed by the front yard and smelled the aroma of Yan's stewed meat. When he got home, he shouted to Qin Huairu who was cooking, "Mom, the Yan's stewed meat in the front yard smells so good. I want to eat meat too!"

"Great, wait till next time. Your silly uncle said he has been transferred back to the cafeteria. There's your silly uncle's lunch box tonight."

"No, I want to eat it now! I haven't eaten meat for a long time."

"Oh, grandma's good grandson. Next time I buy meat, I won't eat it and leave it for my eldest grandson. Our Banggeng has been smart since he was young. He will definitely have a great future. By then, we will eat meat every day and I won't let them eat it." Jia Zhang said.

"Huai Ru, go buy some meat for Bang Geng tomorrow. He is still growing and needs nutrition."

In fact, Jia Zhang wanted to ask Qin Huairu to go to the Yan family to ask for some meat, but when she thought of Yan Laokou's character, she gave up the idea.

Just like that, after the Jia family finished their meal, Banggeng went back to school, and Xiaodang was playing by himself on the kang.

"Huai Ru, how many meat tickets are left at home?"

"Mom, wait for me to look for it," Qin Huairu walked to the drawer where she kept change and receipts and rummaged through it. "There's still a pound and two ounces of meat coupons. Luckily the factory gave us the funeral expenses for Dongxu's incident last time, otherwise we wouldn't be able to keep the coupons."

"Huai Ru, doesn't the compound have a housing provident fund now? Do you think our family can apply for some subsidies?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible. Everyone knows that we just received Dongxu's pension. How can we spend it all so quickly?"

"That's not possible. When the time comes, you can say that the money is all mine. This is my retirement money and I won't spend a penny. First, go to that old man Yi Zhonghai and cry about his poverty and see if you can trick him into doing something good. Then ask him to help apply for a general meeting to donate to our family."

"Will this work? The people in the compound are not fools. Right now, Xu Damao and his gang have the final say in the compound."

"Okay, but you have to bear with it."

"Mom, it doesn't matter if I suffer a little for the sake of the Jia family and Banggeng!"

"Okay, then come here!"

Qin Huairu walked over obediently, and Jia Zhang slapped her on the fair face. Immediately, a red and swollen slap mark appeared on Qin Huairu's face, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"You can't do that. You haven't cried enough. Go to the kitchen and get some garlic or ginger juice or something to rub on your face. Cry in a humiliating way so that those men will want to protect and help you when they see you."

Qin Huairu went to the kitchen and found some garlic. She crushed it and smeared it on her eyes, and tears began to flow.

"Okay, that's it. Cry more pitifully and show your weakness so that men will unconsciously want to protect you!"

"Okay, remember this feeling, and be careful with your tone of voice. Play the emotional card more. Yi Zhonghai's Achilles' heel is his retirement and reputation. That deadbeat didn't go to the factory this afternoon, so go to him first to practice!"

I have to say that this old widow Jia Zhang still has some good points. She is teaching Qin Huairu how to use her own conditions to gain sympathy and gain benefits.

The death of Jia Dongxu cast a shadow over the Jia family. In order to survive and live a better life, the old widow Jia Zhang unsealed herself without caring about her own face. The young widow Qin Huairu also began to evolve towards the direction of the White Lotus Mother under the guidance of Jia Zhang.

Qin Huairu came to the pool in the middle courtyard with a basin of clothes, lowered her head and cried while washing. Wang Sufen, who was also washing dishes, saw her. Although she had running water at home, it was basically used in winter. At other times, she preferred to wash clothes and dishes outside, where she could not only work but also chat with others.

"Huai Ru, why are you crying so hard?"

"It's okay, godmother." Qin Huairu raised her head.

Wang Sufen saw the bright red slap mark on Qin Huairu's face at a glance.

"You were beaten by your mother-in-law. Why?"

Qin Huairu carefully glanced at Jia Zhang, who was sitting at the door of the Jia family sewing shoe soles, and shook her head.

"Don't be afraid, come with me and tell him at home." Wang Sufen didn't even wash the dishes and took Qin Huairu back to her home.

Yi Zhonghai is reading books on fitter. He has been reinstated as a worker now, and wants to take the exam at the end of the month to see if he can pass the eighth level. Not only will his salary increase, but his status will also be far higher than that of a seventh-level worker.

"Old lady, why are you back so soon? Huairu? What happened to you?"

Qin Huairu pretended to be shy for a while before telling the story.

Yi Zhonghai slammed the table and said, "This Jia Zhang is too outrageous. How could she beat you just because you have no meat to eat? Not to mention that you are pregnant with Dongxu's child. I'm going to find her!"

"Godfather, don't go, or my mother-in-law will beat me again. She said that I died in Dongxu and she wants to drive me back to the countryside!"

"This, this can't be possible. If you leave, who will take over the steel mill?"

As soon as Qin Huairu saw Yi Zhonghai's expression, she realized that she had used too much force, so she hurried to make amends.

"My mother-in-law disliked that I ate too much and couldn't make good food, so she planned to let me go back to the countryside to take care of my pregnancy, and then come back to take over after I give birth."

"Alas, Jia Zhang is indeed capable of doing such a thing." Yi Zhonghai also remembered the period from the death of Old Jia to the time Dongxu became an adult. Jia Zhang really used every possible means to cheat and deceive people. During that period, the entire compound and alley were in turmoil because of Jia Zhang.

"Well, old lady, go get some noodles and meat tickets to nourish Huairu. After all, they contain Dongxu's flesh and blood. Let's help her first." Yi Zhonghai said.

Wang Sufen agreed and went to the kitchen in the corner. After a while, she came back carrying about five pounds of noodles and half a pound of meat.

"Huai Ru, take these things back first and take care of yourself. Your mother-in-law is just like that. She might be upset just after Dong Xu left and is deliberately irritating you. Don't take it to heart."

"I understand, godfather and godmother. Can you help our family apply for provident fund subsidies? It will take me a few months to go back to work, and I can't just sit there and live off my savings!" Qin Huairu took the things and continued.

Yi Zhonghai felt that Qin Huairu was a little greedy. Her family had just received the pension. Besides, he was no longer a big boss. This would make things difficult for me, Pang Hai!

But when I saw the bright red slap marks on her face and her crying, pitiful look, my heart softened.

"Okay, I'll talk to Lao Liu and Lao Yan, but it may not work." Yi Zhonghai sighed.

"Thank you, godfather. I will always remember the help you gave me. Although Dongxu is gone, I am still here. I will definitely take care of you in your old age. Even if I am gone, you still have your godson Banggeng."

Hearing this, Yi Zhonghai's face looked much better. Fortunately, Huairu was not like Jia Zhangshi, she was sensible. But after thinking about it carefully, there was something wrong with this statement, "What do you mean she is gone but there are still sticks? You, Qin Huairu, are twenty years younger than us. How can we still be here without you?"