The Jia family, including Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huai Ru, all looked towards the front yard.
They could see the deaf old lady coming back from outside, leaning on a walking stick. Beside her was a middle-aged woman supporting her.
The middle-aged woman was rather thin, but her complexion was good. As for her appearance, it could only be described as decent.
“Mom, is that the old lady's relative?” Qin Huai Ru turned to her mother-in-law and asked.
Jia Zhangshi squinted her eyes, curled her lips, and said, “She's a childless widow, what relatives could she have? I think she’s introducing someone to Yi Zhonghai!”
“Ah?” Qin Huai Ru was surprised upon hearing Jia Zhangshi's words.
Actually, Qin Huai Ru had an idea. Her mother-in-law was a widow, and the First Uncle was divorced. So, could they be a match?
But the First Uncle would certainly not agree, and neither would her mother-in-law.
If the deaf old lady introduced a partner to the First Uncle, and they got together, it might not be good news for the Jia family!
For a moment, Qin Huai Ru had many thoughts.
Jia Zhangshi didn't pay attention to Qin Huai Ru, her triangular eyes were fixed on the middle-aged woman supporting the old lady.
Jia Zhangshi didn't want to live with Yi Zhonghai, but she also didn't want to see him remarry. Therefore, it would be better for Yi Zhonghai to remain single.
The woman supporting the old lady looked fairly young, definitely under 40, maybe even under 35! She could probably still have children.
If Yi Zhonghai remarried and had children, then…
In the courtyard, the Third Aunt and others curiously asked the old lady.
However, the old lady didn't say much.
The Jia mother-in-law and daughter-in-law also pricked up their ears to listen.
They only learned that the woman supporting the old lady was surnamed Zhen, and her name was Zhen Dahua.
Zhen? True?
Jia? False?
This must be meant to oppose the Jia family!
Just like Yi Zhonghai was "Zhonghai," and Liu Haizhong was "Haizhong," and they were "enemies."
Jia Zhangshi's gaze towards Zhen Dahua was very unfriendly.
At this moment, Zhen Dahua also looked at the Jia family, while the old lady beside her said something to her.
Zhen Dahua frowned.
Next, the old lady didn't take Zhen Dahua to the back yard, but found a stool in the middle courtyard and sat down.
Apparently, she was waiting for Yi Zhonghai to come back from work.
The Za Gang Chang would also be getting off work soon.
The old lady hadn't discussed it with Yi Zhonghai, she had simply arranged it.
While waiting for Yi Zhonghai to return, the old lady chatted with Zhen Dahua.
Of course, the old lady had her own considerations for introducing Zhen Dahua to Yi Zhonghai.
From the old lady's perspective, Zhen Dahua was capable of bearing children, and she was caring. Although she was a widow, she had given birth to a child a few years ago, but unfortunately it had passed away.
If she was a widow with a child, Yi Zhonghai would definitely not accept her.
The old lady had also explained Yi Zhonghai's situation and the situation of the courtyard to Zhen Dahua.
Therefore, Zhen Dahua had some understanding of the situation in this courtyard.
It wasn't just the old lady and Zhen Dahua chatting, but the Third Aunt and others were also joining in on the fun.
Therefore, you could see a group of people in the courtyard chatting idly.
Zhen Dahua was not at all timid.
Time passed, and after about half an hour, Sha Zhu returned to the courtyard.
Actually, Sha Zhu had gotten off work a little earlier.
If Yi Zhonghai hadn't been working overtime at the factory, he should be on his way back.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, Sha Zhu was surprised.
A group of people were gathered in the middle courtyard, laughing and talking.
Upon closer inspection, there was a stranger present.
“Whose relative has come to visit?” Sha Zhu asked with a smile, also looking at the woman sitting next to the old lady.
“Sha Zhu, you're off work!”
“You got off work pretty early!”
…
“Zhu, if you have time, go buy some good wine and food,” the old lady said.
Sha Zhu was taken aback at first, then he reached out for money.
Good wine and food didn't come free, and it would cost quite a bit.
Although Sha Zhu had the money, he didn't want to pay.
Seeing Sha Zhu asking for money, the old lady glared at him angrily.
Then, the old lady got up, pulled Sha Zhu aside, and whispered to him.
“Let me front the money? Introducing a partner to the First Uncle?” Sha Zhu was not without surprise.
Since it was for introducing a partner to the First Uncle, Sha Zhu was willing to pay a little. With the First Uncle's character, he wouldn't refuse to repay.
It's just that this old lady was really cunning. Didn't she have any money?
While he didn't know exactly how much the old lady had in savings, she definitely had some.
Out of curiosity, Sha Zhu asked a few more questions.
The old lady was somewhat helpless, but she satisfied Sha Zhu's curiosity and simply explained Zhen Dahua's situation.
“Introducing a widow to the First Uncle?” Sha Zhu was full of surprise.
At this moment, Sha Zhu exclaimed internally, “Good heavens!”
“This is why I have to criticize you. Your thinking is wrong. What's wrong with a widow? Do you look down on widows?” The old lady's face darkened.
Sha Zhu was immediately frightened.
Looking down on widows? Such a big hat could crush someone to death.
“I've never looked down on widows, in fact, I admire them. Widows are the smartest people in the world…” Sha Zhu became increasingly nonsensical.
The old lady was too lazy to listen to Sha Zhu's nonsense, and raised her walking stick as if to hit him. Of course, she was just pretending.
Sha Zhu cooperated by being “scared” and running away immediately.
Since it involved the First Uncle's blind date, Sha Zhu naturally had to do his part.
It wasn't too late, so Sha Zhu planned to go buy a chicken. He wanted to show off his cooking skills.
Besides, he'd also buy some stewed meat, and a good bottle of wine.
With the money in Sha Zhu's pocket, it should be enough.
…
Just as he walked out of the alley, Sha Zhu saw Zheng Dama.
Zheng Dama was carrying a cloth bag, with Zheng Aimin lying inside, his little head sticking out.
At this moment, Zheng Aimin was sleeping.
Babies spend most of their time sleeping.
At the factory, Zheng Aimin had woken up a few times, but around the time of getting off work, he had fallen asleep again, and hadn't woken up until now.
“Zhu, where are you rushing off to?” Zheng Dama asked casually.
“Going to buy some vegetables,” Sha Zhu's face was a little unnatural. He didn't tell her about the old lady introducing a partner to the First Uncle.
But Sha Zhu didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
Zheng Dama had remarried, so what was wrong with the First Uncle finding a partner?
But if Zheng Dama knew, she might feel a little uncomfortable!
After parting ways, Sha Zhu ran to the vegetable market.
There were quite a few vegetable markets, big and small, in the capital city now.
Sha Zhu ran all the way to the closest vegetable market to Nan Luo Gu Xiang. It was a small vegetable market.
There weren't many vegetables left, but there were two chickens.
Both were roosters. Hens were usually kept for laying eggs, and few people were willing to sell them.
Many families kept a hen, relying on the eggs to raise their children.
It was easy to raise children in this era, as long as they had food to eat.
When the children were older, the older ones took care of the younger ones, making it even easier to raise children.
Sha Zhu bought a rooster, then went to buy other things.
When he had spent all the money in his pocket, Sha Zhu went home.
Besides a live chicken, everything else was cooked food.
“Chicken stewed with mushrooms takes a little time, it's not suitable…” Sha Zhu pondered in his heart.
On his way home, Sha Zhu had already figured out what dish he wanted to make with this chicken.
When Sha Zhu returned to the courtyard with the wine and food, many neighbours saw him, and some asked about it.
Sha Zhu answered honestly when the neighbours asked.
When Sha Zhu returned to the courtyard, he learned that Yi Zhonghai hadn't come back yet. It seemed he was working overtime at the factory.