Ignoring her foot injury, Jia Zhangshi limped over to Qin Huairu.
“Slap!”
With a resounding slap, she struck Qin Huairu's face. “It's all your fault, you good-for-nothing! If you hadn't kicked me at home, I wouldn't be injured like this. If you had the ability to get fish soup from Er Shaozi, I wouldn't have stepped on a nail! I wouldn't have been so muddled as to let our family fortune slip away.”
Qin Huairu was furious inside; whenever things didn't go her way, she was met with punches and kicks. Why didn't she just die?
She felt wronged. If she had really kicked her, she would have accepted the beating, but she clearly hadn't laid a hand on her. Yet, time and again, she was accused of hitting her. This old hag controlled the household, and despite having so much money, she forced Qin Huairu to go out and beg for money and food, while all the good things went into her own mouth, making her plump and well-fed.
When something went wrong, she was the one who ended up taking the blame.
Jia Dongxu was also very dissatisfied with his mother. After all, she was his wife. Although she came from the countryside, she was beautiful, and many people in the courtyard and factory envied him for marrying such a pretty wife. But what about his mother? She would either hit or scold him, forcing his wife to show her face in front of the neighbors and act pitiful.
But he had been raised by Jia Zhangshi since childhood, and the ideology instilled in him by Yi Zhonghai was one of blind filial piety. Parents were never wrong; all the mistakes lay with the children. Having an elder in the family was like having a treasure—parents would never harm their children; they only wanted the best for them.
Jia Dongxu had been thoroughly brainwashed. Even though he knew the trouble was caused by Jia Zhangshi, he didn't dare to refute her!
After taking a puff of smoke, Jia Dongxu left the house and went straight to Yi Zhonghai's home, wanting to ask him what to do next, as he was completely at a loss!
At the Jia family, Bang Geng was also at home. When Qin Huairu cried, Xiao Dang cried too, and after Xiao Dang cried, Bang Geng also cried. Plus, Jia Zhangshi was heartbroken over money, causing a chaotic scene.
In He Yucheng's room, He Yushui wore a radiant smile and said to He Yucheng, “Second Brother, today I saw a grand performance. The Jia family cries poor every day, but who would have thought they were actually wealthy! The Jia family really knows how to scheme, keeping everyone in the courtyard in the dark.”
He Yucheng also knew that his big fool of an older brother was probably feeling heartbroken for Qin Huairu, so he decided to give him a wake-up call, letting him know what kind of people the Jia family and Qin Huairu really were.
Using his mental power, he amplified his thoughts so that the big fool could hear him!
He Yucheng then said, “Using your own money to support the family isn't a skill. This is where the Jia family exploits others' money to fill their own pockets; that's real skill.”
He Yushui nodded in agreement, “Second Brother, that's true. You don't know, when Jia Zhangshi was causing a scene today, I was so nervous. Moreover, Uncle Yi even said that you were at fault too, saying we ate fish without serving a portion to the Jia family. I was so angry! When I went to borrow tuition, he didn't say anything about lending!”
“Haha, Yi Zhonghai and the Jia family are in cahoots. Everything he does is just for his future retirement. All those words he says, just treat them as nonsense and ignore him.”
Hearing what his younger brother and sister said, the big fool wondered if what Uncle Yi said was true.
But with limited capacity for thought, he felt that every word Yi Zhonghai said made sense. Isn't it right to lend a hand when someone in the courtyard is in trouble? That's not wrong, right?
And how pitiful is Qin Huairu? Every day she is busy at home, while Jia Zhangshi doesn't lift a finger, not even helping when the oil bottle falls. Just like today, clearly it was Jia Zhangshi's fault, clearly she was the one who let the family fortune slip away. Why should Qin Jie be beaten? Qin Jie is such a good woman.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Qin Huairu was wronged by marrying into the Jia family. If she had married him, she would have been treated like a treasure.
On the other hand, He Yushui also spoke up, “Ah, it's such a pity for Qin Huairu to have such an unreasonable mother-in-law.”
He Yucheng scoffed, “Haha, is Qin Huairu really pitiful? Yushui, remember this saying: ‘Not a family, not a door.’ Is Qin Huairu really pitiful?”
“Isn't it pitiful?”
“Knowing a person’s face but not their heart, you can't judge someone just by their appearance. You'll understand in the future. Now, hurry back to your own room and rest.”
……”
Jia Dongxu arrived at Yi Zhonghai's house, knowing that Yi Zhonghai was sulking. Plus, after being beaten up last night, when Aunt Yi asked Jia Dongxu to help take him to the hospital, Jia Dongxu ignored him. Yi Zhonghai was already fed up, and today at the factory, he didn't pay Jia Dongxu any mind!
Anyone who wasn't a fool could read the room. Jia Dongxu also knew that Yi Zhonghai was still angry, so he spoke up, “Master, please don't be angry. My mom doesn't know what's wrong with her; her brain seems to be malfunctioning. Please don't take it out on her.”
It's easy to say not to take Jia Zhangshi seriously, but after losing so much face, everyone in the courtyard knew he was in the wrong. How could he manage things in the future?
Seeing Yi Zhonghai silent, Jia Dongxu unleashed his big move again: “Master, I know everything you do is for the good of the Jia family. Don't worry, in the future, I will treat you like my own father. Please don't let your health suffer. You'll still enjoy my blessings in the future. And Bang Geng, Xiao Dang, they are your own grandchildren!”
Hearing Jia Dongxu say this, Aunt Yi didn't believe a word. Damn it, your master was beaten up last night, bruised and battered, and you, as his disciple, just turned around and went home after your mom lightly pulled you. You expect him to rely on you for retirement?
Aunt Yi didn't believe it. After knowing what Jia Dongxu did last night, Yi Zhonghai didn't believe it either. But he didn't really see Jia Dongxu as a retirement option. Just thinking about how he had raised children for himself and how he was acting like a grandson in front of him, being so respectful, Yi Zhonghai's mood improved instantly.
“Dongxu, your family will have to rely on yourselves in the future. This time, your family has let everything slip out. There are still five or six hundred yuan left, and it will be impossible to expect the people in the courtyard to support your family in the future.”
Jia Dongxu understood. Everyone knew his family had money, but that money was in Jia Zhangshi's hands, and he couldn't get it.
Jia Dongxu sighed, “Master, you know what kind of person my mom is. Once the money is in her hands, I really can't get it back. She cries, makes a scene, and threatens to hang herself. I really have no way to deal with her.”
What Jia Dongxu said was the truth; he was no match for Jia Zhangshi at home.
He heard Yi Zhonghai sigh, “Ah, if it weren't for today's incident, I could still help you in the courtyard. But today, look at what your mom has done. I originally planned to let He Yucheng go to the countryside, and after He Yushui got married, I would find a way to give you those two rooms. At that time, you and Huairu could share one, and Bang Geng could have his own. But now, that seems impossible.”