Siheyuan: Starting from the Old Society

"What do you mean by 'I'? Did I say anything wrong?" Qin Huairu sneered, "If your son was really capable, why would he let an old woman like you come out to beg for food? In the final analysis, it's all because of your poor parenting!"

"You...you..." Jia Zhang was so angry that she couldn't speak. Suddenly, her eyes rolled back and she fell straight to the ground.

"Mom!" Banggeng was so scared when he saw this that he burst into tears.

Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu were also shocked by this sudden change. Sha Zhu hurried forward to check on Jia Zhang's condition, but found that she was unconscious.

"Huai Ru, this...what should we do?" Sha Zhu looked at Qin Huai Ru at a loss.

Qin Huairu forced herself to remain calm, took a deep breath, and said, "Don't panic, carry her back to the house first!"

Sha Zhu nodded, and together with Qin Huairu, carried Jia Zhang back to the backyard.

However, no one noticed that in the corner of the crowd, a pair of cold eyes were staring at them intently, with a sinister sneer on the corner of his mouth...

Qin Huairu's tears fell, wetting the warm jade pendant. Seeing this, Sha Zhu felt heartbroken as if being cut by a knife. He wiped her tears in a hurry and comforted her clumsily: "Huairu, don't cry, when you cry, I feel uncomfortable..."

"Shazhu, you are such a fool!" Qin Huairu said while choking up, "How can I feel at ease in the future if you sell such a valuable thing?"

"As long as you are fine, that's more important than anything else!" Sha Zhu said anxiously, "I've been fed up with this broken table for a long time. I'll buy you a new one tomorrow. And it's time to replace your bed with a sturdy one..."

As Sha Zhu was talking excitedly, Jia Zhang's sharp curse once again exploded in the yard like a thunder: "Qin Huairu! You jinx! Money-loser! I tell you, if you don't pay me five dollars today, I will never let you go!"

When Sha Zhu heard this, he immediately flew into a rage, rolled up his sleeves and rushed out: "You are so good, Jia Zhang, I..."

"Silly Zhu!" Qin Huairu grabbed him and shook her head, "Don't go. Don't bother with her."

"Huai Ru, you are too kind, that's why you are bullied by them!" Sha Zhu said angrily, "Don't worry, no one can bully you with me here!"

"Shazhu, don't be impulsive. Listen to me and don't go out yet." Qin Huairu held his hand tightly with a pleading look in her eyes.

Sha Zhu looked at Qin Huairu's pleading eyes, and his heart softened, so he had to give up. He lowered his voice and said viciously: "Jia Zhang, you wait! This matter is not over yet!"

Qin Huairu sighed, put down the jade pendant in her hand, stood up, walked to the door, opened the door, and looked coldly at Jia Zhang who was standing in the yard.

Jia Zhang put her hands on her hips and said with a shrewish manner: "Qin Huairu, you finally came out! I tell you, if you don't compensate me five dollars today, I will go to the street office and sue you for abusing the elderly!"

Qin Huairu sneered: "Jia Zhang, don't think I don't know what you are planning! Your precious grandson Banggeng was caught stealing things, and now he wants to pay compensation, and you want me to clean up your mess? No way!"

"Qin Huairu, stop slandering me!" Jia Zhang said angrily, "Banggeng is your nephew, how can you say that about him? He is still a child and doesn't know much. You..."

"You are ignorant?" Qin Huairu interrupted her. "You are over ten years old and have done a lot of sneaky things. You still dare to say you are ignorant? Jia Zhang, let me tell you, I am not you. I can't spoil your precious grandson!"

"You...you..." Jia Zhang was speechless after being retorted by Qin Huairu, and her face turned pale and blue.

"Ms. Jia Zhang, I'll say it one last time, I won't give you any money! If you dare to harass me again, I will go to the street office and sue you for extortion!" Qin Huairu said, and slammed the door.

Jia Zhang stood there, shaking with anger, but she could do nothing about Qin Huairu. She glared fiercely at the closed door of Sha Zhu's house, turned around and walked away, cursing.

Inside the house, Sha Zhu heaved a sigh of relief when he heard Jia Zhang's cursing voice gradually fade away. He turned to look at Qin Huairu, only to see that she looked pale and haggard, and it was obvious that she had consumed a lot of energy in the argument with Jia Zhang.

Sha Zhu pulled Qin Huairu to sit at the table with concern, poured her a glass of water, and said softly: "Huairu, don't be angry. It's not worth getting angry for that kind of person..."

Qin Huairu took the cup of water but did not drink it. Instead, she stared at Sha Zhu with a complicated look in her eyes.

"Silly Zhu," Qin Huairu's voice was a little hoarse, "Why are you so nice to me?"

Sha Zhu was stunned for a moment, then scratched his head, smiled naively and said: "Huai Ru, what are you talking about? We are all neighbors, and we should help each other..."

"Shazhu, you know I don't mean that..." Qin Huairu put down the cup, stood up, walked to Shazhu, and looked him straight in the eyes, "You know in your heart that the person I like is not you."

The smile on Shazhu's face froze. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

Qin Huairu's tears burst out again, and she choked and said, "Shazhu, you deserve someone better. I don't deserve you to give so much for me..."

"Huai Ru, stop talking..." Sha Zhu wanted to reach out to wipe Qin Huai Ru's tears, but she dodged him.

"Silly Zhu, listen to me," Qin Huairu took a step back and distanced herself from them, "There is always someone in my heart, and I can't forget him..."

Sha Zhu's heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and it became difficult to breathe. He knew who Qin Huairu was talking about, and he also knew that no matter how hard he tried, he could not replace that person's place in her heart.

"I...I understand..." Sha Zhu's voice was very hoarse, like the voice of a person walking in the desert, squeezed out from the throat with difficulty.

"Shazhu, I'm sorry..." Qin Huairu's tears fell like beads from a broken string.

"Don't say sorry," Sha Zhu suppressed the pain in his heart and forced a smile, "As long as you live well, I will..."

Before Sha Zhu could finish his words, there was a sudden knock on the door, followed by a man's voice: "Huai Ru, are you home? I'm Xu Damao, I have something to talk to you about!"

"Qin Huairu, you are a jinx and a money-loser. Get out of here right now!" Jia Zhang's roar was deafening, as if it was going to blow the roof off the house.

Sha Zhu's face darkened. This old hag was throwing a tantrum again! He was about to go out to argue, but was stopped by Qin Huairu.

"Shazhu, don't go. Don't bother with her." Qin Huairu's eyes were red, and she was obviously upset by Jia Zhang's dirty words.

"Huai Ru, don't be afraid. I'm here. I don't think she dares to do anything to you!" Sha Zhu rolled up his sleeves, looking like he was ready to fight Jia Zhang to the death.

"Shazhu, don't be impulsive!" Qin Huairu grabbed his arm tightly, preventing him from leaving.

Outside the house, Jia Zhang was still yelling and cursing, her voice was sharp and piercing, like a knife stabbing Qin Huairu's heart.

"Qin Huairu, you are a jinx. It's not enough that you killed my son, but you also want to kill my grandson, right? Get out of our Jia family right now. We don't welcome you!"

"That's right, you unlucky star, get out of here! Don't be an eyesore here!" Bang Geng, who was behind Jia Zhang, also joined in the fun, spitting out melon seed shells and making faces at Qin Huairu.

Sha Zhu couldn't bear it any longer. He shook off Qin Huairu's hand and rushed out angrily.

"Jia Zhang, you old hag, watch your mouth! Who is the jinx? Who is the unlucky star? Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself to see what kind of person you are!" Sha Zhu pointed at Jia Zhang's nose and cursed.

"Oh, who was it? It turns out to be you, Shazhu! What's the matter? Are you worried about your little lover? Let me tell you, Qin Huairu is a jinx. Whoever gets involved with her will be unlucky! You'd better stay away from her as soon as possible, or she will kill you!" Jia Zhangshi showed no weakness. She put her hands on her hips and spit everywhere.

"Ms. Jia Zhang, you..." Sha Zhu was so angry that he was shaking all over. He clenched his fists and really wanted to punch that old man in the face.

"Shazhu, don't be impulsive. She is not worth your anger." Qin Huairu chased out, grabbed Shazhu's arm, and advised softly.

"Huai Ru, don't worry, I will teach this old hag a lesson for you today!" Sha Zhu said, and was about to step forward to grab Jia Zhang.

"Silly Zhu, how dare you!" Seeing this, Jia Zhang was so scared that she stepped back and hid behind Bang Geng.

"Shazhu, if you dare to touch my grandma, I will go to the street office to report you for bullying the elderly!" Banggeng poked his head out from behind Jia Zhang and threatened viciously.

Sha Zhu was immediately furious. This Jia family was simply a bunch of scoundrels!

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger in his heart, pointed at Jia Zhang's nose and said, "Jia Zhang, I tell you, today for Huai Ru's sake, I won't bother with you. But you remember this, if you dare to bully Huai Ru again in the future, I will never let you go!"

After saying that, Sha Zhu took Qin Huairu and turned away.

"Shazhu, stop right there! You haven't explained yourself clearly yet, and you want to leave? You..." Seeing that Shazhu was about to leave, Jia Zhang started shouting again.

Sha Zhu turned a deaf ear and pulled Qin Huairu into the backyard without looking back.

After returning to the room, Qin Huairu could no longer hold back her tears. She threw herself on the bed and sobbed.

"Huai Ru, don't cry. It's all my fault. I made you suffer." Sha Zhu comforted her helplessly.

"Shazhu, do you think I am really a jinx and a disaster like Jia Zhang said?" Qin Huairu raised her head and looked at Shazhu with tears in her eyes.

"Huai Ru, don't listen to her nonsense. You are not a jinx or a death star! You are the best and kindest woman in the world!" Sha Zhu looked at Qin Huai Ru with heartache and reached out to hug her in his arms.

Qin Huairu buried her head in Sha Zhu's chest, feeling his warm embrace, with mixed feelings in her heart.

At this moment, Sha Zhu suddenly felt a burning sensation in his chest. He looked down and saw that the jade pendant he had given to Qin Huairu was emitting a dazzling light...