In 1952, when He Da Qing ran off with the White Widow, Sha Zhu was still an apprentice at Feng Ze Yuan, earning no wages. The two siblings nearly starved to death in the courtyard.
Thankfully, Yi Da Ma lent a hand, taking care of He Yu Zhu and He Yu Shui several times.
He Yu Zhu was a man who repaid kindness. Seeing Yi Da Ma with a small bundle heading towards the west wing, he couldn't help but act as a righteous champion, defending Yi Da Ma.
Yi Zhong Hai's face turned black. These days, Sha Zhu was always hanging around Liu Hui Zhen, clearly less manageable than before!
"My business, none of your concern!"
Sha Zhu, thumbs cocked out, said, "Hey, Yi Da Ye, this isn't right. Look, in our courtyard, we have three generations – old, middle, and young. You, you are the middle generation, right?
You usually manage the whole courtyard! And me, I'm the young generation, the future of this courtyard. One day, when you're old, this courtyard will be in my hands!
You and Yi Da Ma getting a divorce, this affects the reputation of the whole courtyard. As the future Yi Da Ye of the courtyard, how can I not take care of it?"
Yi Zhong Hai's face was dark, knowing Sha Zhu's rebellious nature. If he didn't reveal the truth, Sha Zhu would keep pestering him: "She's blinded by infatuation, insisting on a divorce. What can I do?"
Sha Zhu: "Yi Da Ye, not to say, you know Yuan Chao is a really good kid. If you don't adopt him, you'll definitely regret it!
I'm baffled, you're childless anyway, why can't you adopt Yuan Chao?"
"Who's childless?"
Yi Zhong Hai's face instantly turned grim. Normally, his status put him above gossip, but no one had dared to say that directly to his face!
But Sha Zhu openly called him childless, and Yi Zhong Hai naturally became angry!
Sha Zhu: "You deny being childless? So what's being said outside is true then? You really want to remarry and have a biological child?
That's not very righteous of you, Yi Da Ma can't have children, but she takes care of you and the old lady every day. She has no merit, but she has hardship!
You can't just think about yourself! You can't be so selfish..."
"You..."
Yi Zhong Hai didn't expect Sha Zhu to use the same words he used to lecture Sha Zhu, to lecture him?
He used those words to morally bind Sha Zhu, not for Sha Zhu to use them back on him!
Sha Zhu: "Yi Da Ye, I still advise you, go see Yuan Chao, that kid. If you meet him, you'll definitely regret not adopting him!"
Yi Zhong Hai, face ashen, snapped: "Get out of my sight!"
Shen Yuan Chao! Shen Yuan Chao!
Now, every time Yi Zhong Hai heard those three words, he wanted to explode!
Because of a little baby's appearance, not only had his hard-earned reputation been tarnished, but now his wife was also demanding a divorce.
He had suffered so much from Shen Yuan Chao, and yet, Shen Yuan Chao was just a nursing infant. Even if he wanted to retaliate, he couldn't!
Yi Zhong Hai was increasingly depressed!
He had never felt so humiliated in his life!
Sha Zhu turned and left. "Get out, you say? Fine, I'll get out!"
He never realized this "good man" Yi Da Ye had this side to him, a little unreasonable!
But before leaving, Sha Zhu shouted, "Yi Da Ye, I've calculated it for you. Raising Shen Yuan Chao won't be a loss, but not raising him, you'll definitely regret it for life!
Don't believe me? Ask San Da Ye to calculate it for you again!"
"Get out!"
Yi Zhong Hai's face was flushed with anger. Old Lady Lou had said that Sha Zhu could take care of him in his old age? With that stinking mouth, how could he take care of anyone?
In the backyard, Old Lady Lou, hearing Sha Zhu's commotion, shook her head and sighed, "Lao Yi probably didn't realize, that kid Zhu, he might be foul-mouthed, but he's kind! It's Zhu who'll take care of you in your old age!"
Sha Zhu's voice was loud enough for the whole courtyard to hear. People pointed fingers at Yi Zhong Hai. Sha Zhu, in a flash, returned to his own room, hands behind his back, standing at the door, looking like a managing lord.
Xu Da Mao: "Aiyo, you rascal, provoking Yi Da Ye!"
Sha Zhu: "Hey, you rascal! If you don't get beaten for three days, you'll climb the roof and tear it off. You, a jobless bum, what right have you to talk to me? See this?
This is my monthly salary. Your pockets are probably emptier than your face, huh?"
Sha Zhu's words greatly angered Xu Da Mao, his face turned ashen. "Aaaaah, Sha Zhu, I'll get you!"
He stormed back to his room.
"Dad, I'm not going to school anymore. This year, you have to arrange a job for me, one even better than Sha Zhu's, uuhu...."
Xu Da Mao thought of Sha Zhu's arrogant attitude. He'd been compared to Sha Zhu since they were kids, and because of He Da Qing, Sha Zhu always overshadowed him!
He'd finally been happy for a while after He Da Qing left, with Sha Zhu struggling with He Yu Shui every day. But then, Sha Zhu actually became a chef and even a kitchen supervisor!
How could he bear it?
Yi Da Ma sat on the kang, wiping tears at Liu Hui Zhen. "Hui Zhen, I really can't do it anymore. I can only beg you to take me in for a while!"
Liu Hui Zhen: "Yi Da Ma, you've helped me so much, how can it be begging? There's space at home, you can stay as long as you want!
Just, Yi Da Ma, are you really sure you want to divorce Yi Zhong Hai?"
Yi Da Ma sighed: "Originally, I didn't want a divorce. Without Lao Yi, I don't know if I could have lived this long!
But, since Yuan Chao came, I've realized Lao Yi has changed, he's not the same anymore!
I didn't understand why he was so stubborn, refusing to adopt Yuan Chao!
He clearly liked him.
But these past few days, listening to the gossip in the courtyard, I understand. He still wants a biological child. What if an adopted child doesn't turn out well?
I understand him. He might be wrong, but he didn't choose to divorce me when he knew I couldn't have children, it proves he's a good person!
I can't bear to drag him down anymore. Let's just get a divorce!"
Shen Yuan Chao lay in bed, sighing inwardly. As expected, Yi Da Ma is a kind woman!
Even at this point, she's thinking of fulfilling Yi Zhong Hai's wishes.
He heard some of the commotion in the courtyard earlier. Yi Zhong Hai talking about divorce was probably to make Yi Da Ma desperate, then go back to her. At least, now, Yi Zhong Hai doesn't want a real divorce!
He wants to scare Yi Da Ma a bit!
But Yi Da Ma is willing to leave for the sake of fulfilling Yi Zhong Hai's wishes!
You have to say, the difference between humans and animals is really quite large!
Liu Hui Zhen: "I never expected Yi Da Ye to be so devoted. Yi Da Ma, Yi Da Ye is a good man. You're doing the right thing. Let him have his own child, as repayment for their marital bond.
We'll just live together as partners, you can just stay at my place from now on!"
Shen Yuan Chao: "....."
Two kind women, getting together to say that Yi Zhong Hai is a good man, repaying Yi Zhong Hai, so they let Yi Da Ma divorce him and let him have a biological child?
How does he feel that his stupid bun-like mother is not only weak, but also a bit slow-witted? Luckily, her memory is still pretty good, otherwise that literacy class would be a waste of time!
Also, Yi Zhong Hai and Yi Da Ma, how does he feel that Yi Zhong Hai is the one who can't have children?
Shen Yuan Chao always felt that his foolish bun-like mother would somehow make the courtyard develop in strange directions!
If it weren't for his system, with its sharp perception, confirming that Liu Hui Zhen is truly sincere and genuinely thinks Yi Zhong Hai is a good man, Shen Yuan Chao would have suspected that Liu Hui Zhen was part of the beastly scheme!