Looking at the three people leaving, the deaf old lady glanced at Yi Zhonghai with a gloomy expression and said, "Zhonghai, what can I say about you? Look at the trouble you've caused! How are we supposed to manage the courtyard in the future?"
Yi Zhonghai also glanced at He Yuzhu and sighed, "Old lady, enough already. This time it's a complete disaster. Shazhu, don't blame Uncle Yi. When I saw how much you hated Old He, I privately withheld the letter. Moreover, the money was all for Yucheng and Yushui; you were never mentioned. I thought it would be useful for you when you got married, but who would have thought that after all these years, you still don't have a partner! Anyway, no matter what, this matter was handled poorly by Uncle Yi! Uncle Yi apologizes to you!"
"Shazhu, I'm sorry!"
He Yuzhu had long been brainwashed by Yi Zhonghai, and seeing how sincere Yi Zhonghai was, he didn't mind saying, "Uncle Yi, we don't need to be like this. I never blamed you. Besides, you didn't do anything wrong. Didn't you say that when they come of age, you'll give them the money?"
Hearing Shazhu actually speak up for him, Yi Zhonghai cursed the big fool in his heart!
The deaf old lady kept muttering to herself, this is truly foolish~ Shazhu, when will you become a bit smarter? Otherwise, when the old lady is gone, what will you do!
Seeing Yi Zhonghai still trying to fool Shazhu, the deaf old lady paused her cane and said, "Zhonghai, didn't you just come back from the hospital? Go home and rest well. I'll talk to my good grandson for a while!"
Yi Zhonghai quickly nodded in agreement and then turned to leave the room!
At this moment, the old lady told Shazhu to close the door and pointed at his head, saying, "Tell me, how can you be so easily deceived? You believe whatever others say. All these years, you've only grown taller, not smarter!"
"Old lady, I... I'm not foolish!"
"You're not foolish? You lent money to the Jia family? Don't think the old lady doesn't know anything. The Jia family doesn't lack money. If you didn't lend that thousand yuan, would you have more money than the Jia family?"
He Yuzhu fell silent again; indeed, he didn't have more money than the Jia family!
"Alright, from now on, if Qin Huairu asks to borrow money, just say the money is with me, and I'll keep it safe for you. Let them come to me!"
"Hey, old lady, that's unnecessary, right?"
The deaf old lady tapped her cane and said sternly, "You are the old lady's good grandson. The old lady won't trick you. From now on, just say that. Did you hear me?"
He Yuzhu naturally nodded in agreement!
...
The Jia family! Upon learning that He Yucheng and He Yushui had received two thousand yuan from He Daqing, Jia Zhangshi said to Qin Huairu, "Huairu, now the He family is a big household. In the future, you should go over there more often; we might be able to benefit from it."
Qin Huairu had already cursed this old woman’s ancestors in her heart! Just a moment ago, she had been beaten up by Jia Dongxu because she went to Shazhu's house! Now that she knew they had money, she wanted her to go over more often.
And she was still pregnant! If she went over, wouldn't Jia Dongxu scold her to death!
"Mom, I'm not going. I'm never going again. I worked hard to ensure this family has enough to eat and wear, and I went to get close to Shazhu. But what about you? You just think about me messing around and doing something to betray the Jia family, making Dongxu hit me and letting everyone in the courtyard laugh at me. If the family runs out of food, we'll all starve together. I'm the Jia family's daughter-in-law; I was born into the Jia family and will die as a ghost of the Jia family. I can't ruin the Jia family's reputation!"
Jia Zhangshi, hearing Qin Huairu's words, secretly cursed this little vixen. If it weren't for Shazhu's family having so much money, and if only you, Qin Huairu, could borrow money and grain from Shazhu, would I need to say nice things to you?
"Qin Huairu, whatever I say, you do. Do you dare to talk back? That money was originally withheld by Yi Zhonghai. Yi Zhonghai's money will eventually be ours, which means that money was originally ours. If we want our own money, who dares to gossip? If someone really dares to say you messed around, I’ll curse them to death."
Jia Dongxu was also thinking about what had happened today. Perhaps in Yi Zhonghai's heart, he wasn't that important. Because of family matters, Yi Zhonghai's prestige had taken a serious hit, and now no one in the courtyard respected him. If his mother caused any more trouble, Yi Zhonghai might really abandon him!
He was just a bully relying on power. With Yi Zhonghai's status as an eighth-level fitter at the steel factory, Jia Dongxu had been bossing around colleagues with higher ranks than him.
In the courtyard, Yi Zhonghai was still Uncle Yi. Even if he did something excessive, Yi Zhonghai would cover for him. But now that Yi Zhonghai's prestige was gone, life in the family would likely be hard in the future! It would be impossible to continue relying on the people in the courtyard for support like before.
Jia Dongxu took a puff of his cigarette and said, "Mom, from now on, you should keep a low profile in the courtyard. My master is now almost a target for everyone to hit. If you keep causing trouble, they might really call the police and have you arrested. Don't blame your son for not being able to save you!"
Jia Zhangshi was already a person who made a fuss over trifles. Plus, with Yi Zhonghai's previous indoctrination that courtyard matters should be resolved within the courtyard, she had come to believe that her unreasonable behavior was just a small matter, and no one would take her seriously!
She didn't think that if it weren't for Yi Zhonghai, she would have been beaten up countless times in the courtyard already.
"Alright, you listen to me, you won't go wrong. Do you think my master can still suppress the people in the courtyard from calling the police? I've already said what I needed to say. Whether you listen or not is up to you. I’ll go comfort my master first!"