Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 1172 Ultimately, He Couldn't Escape
While eating stir-fried sausage with chili peppers, Yan Jiekuang was still bragging about what happened that morning.

When Yan Jiekuang woke up this morning, he didn't plan to go to school. After finishing the plain corn porridge at the Yan family's house, he hurriedly grabbed his schoolbag and ran out. Yan Bugui felt that his little brother was acting very strangely. He was usually slow and always wanted Yan Bugui to take him to school on his bike. What was wrong with him today? However, Yan Bugui just glanced at him and didn't say anything.

Yan Jiekuang had no idea that Shazhu's working hours were different from those of the steel mill's employees. He found an alley, squatted down there, and stared intently at the entrance of Mao'er Alley.

After a busy morning, the people in the courtyard gradually left their homes, some to go to work, others to go to school.

Yan Jiekuang came out early in the morning and waited for more than an hour, but he didn't even see a shadow of Shazhu. There were hardly any people coming out of the alley. When he saw an old woman carrying the deaf old lady's chamber pot, Yan Jiekuang knew that it was already past eight o'clock, because the old woman always served the deaf old lady breakfast before coming out to empty the chamber pot. This was the same routine every day.

Yan Jiekuang thought about it and realized he couldn't wait any longer. He had to show up at school this morning no matter what, otherwise Yan Bugui would definitely find out he hadn't gone to school.

Yan Jiekuang tiptoed towards his courtyard. When he reached the gate, he peeked out and saw that no one was there. He quickly ran inside and went straight to the lotus gate, but paused there for a moment.

Yan Jiekuang knew that Qin Huairu of the Jia family washed and rinsed herself by the pool every day. He wondered if she was there today. He peeked out into the middle courtyard and saw that the door to the west wing was open. Xiao Dang and Xiao Huaihua were sitting at their door, playing something. The doors to the east wing were closed, and it seemed that the old lady had gone to the backyard again.

Sha Zhu's house was also locked up tight, and it was unclear whether anyone was home or not. Yan Jiekuang was worried that Xiao Dang would see them, and he was also afraid that someone would come in or out of the yard. The Lotus Gate where he was was not safe. When Yan Jiekuang saw Xiao Dang holding Huaihua's hand and suddenly going home, Yan Jiekuang rushed to Sha Zhu's house in one stride and pushed the door open without knocking.

Sha Zhu hadn't locked the door, and it opened instantly. Yan Jiekuang went inside and quickly closed the door. After closing the door, Yan Jiekuang breathed a sigh of relief. He turned his head and saw Sha Zhu sitting on his bed, holding a sock in his hand, staring at him without moving.

Yan Jiekuang was a little embarrassed. Sha Zhu then realized what was happening, burst out laughing, and said, "Hey buddy, who are you playing hide-and-seek with so early in the morning?"

"Um, Brother Zhu, no, I have something to tell you, it's important," Yan Jiekuang said.

"Isn't this a big deal? You skipped school? Were you chased here by your dad?" Sha Zhu joked.

"No, sigh, no, never mind, I just wanted to tell you something about you, but..." Yan Jiekuang took a few steps inside and then said.

"What, are all of you Yan family members the same? You haven't even discussed the matter yet, and you're already asking for benefits. Fine, your brother Zhu will listen attentively today. If it's really important, see those two sausages on the table? You can take them." Sha Zhu put on his shoes, walked to the square table, sat down with an air of authority, poured himself a mug of water, and then gulped it down.

Yan Jiekuang knew Sha Zhu's temper; he was a man of his word. Looking at the two sausages on the sideboard, he felt it was worth the risk of reporting the news. Without any hesitation, he sat down opposite Sha Zhu, with his back to the door. After thinking for a moment, he told Sha Zhu what had happened last night.

Sha Zhu was drinking water. He had slept all night and was very thirsty. When he heard that the three old men were going to have a meeting that night to discuss what had happened to him the night before, he choked and spat out a mouthful of water, followed by a fit of coughing.

After Sha Zhu recovered, he looked at Yan Jiekuang and said, "Is what you said true? All three uncles agreed? That doesn't make sense. Your dad doesn't get along with the first and second uncles. Would he agree to hold a meeting?"

Yan Jiekuang didn't answer Sha Zhu's question, but turned his eyes to the sausages on the sideboard. Sha Zhu suddenly realized and said, "I get it. Your dad is just like you. He's been bribed."

"Hey, Brother Zhu, you'd better think about how to get out of this. If this gets to the big meeting, it'll be bad for you. You don't have three uncles to talk to, you'll definitely be the one who suffers in the end," Yan Jiekuang said. Just as Yan Jiekuang finished speaking, the door to Sha Zhu's house creaked open, and someone came in carrying an empty wooden basin. Yan Jiekuang immediately realized, "Oh no, Qin Huairu is here. She probably overheard everything I said."

Yan Jiekuang's eyes darted around; he'd already achieved his goal. He jumped off the chair, went straight to the sideboard, picked up two sausages, and said, "Brother Zhu, I've finished what I needed to do. I'm off now; I have to go to school."

After saying that, Yan Jiekuang didn't care whether Shazhu agreed or not, nor did he look at Qin Huairu's expression. He ran out of the house directly. He didn't even stop in the yard. He stuffed the sausage into his schoolbag and then ran out of the yard.

Qin Huairu did hear Yan Jiekuang's words, but she didn't place her hopes on the three old men at all, nor did she listen to Jia Zhangshi's words. She went to Shazhu's house on her own.

As soon as Sha Zhu saw Qin Huairu enter, he completely forgot about Yan Jiekuang and said with a smile, "Sister Qin, what brings you here?"

"I just saw you were home, and you're a single man with no one to take care of you. I was doing laundry right now, so I thought I'd wash whatever you need to wash," Qin Huairu said with a smile.

"No need, I'm a grown man, how can I let you wash my clothes? Besides, it's not even spring yet, the water's cold, it'll freeze your hands," Sha Zhu said with a grin.

Qin Huairu ignored what Sha Zhu said and went straight to the bedside. She picked up the pile of clothes at the foot of the bed and put them into the wooden basin one by one. Sha Zhu was a little at a loss.

Qin Huairu said, "Don't be so polite with me. Aren't we neighbors? Shouldn't we help each other out? By the way, wasn't that Yan Jiekuang just now? What's he doing here?"

Qin Huairu was asking a question she already knew the answer to, and Sha Zhu didn't think much of it. He then brought up the matter of the three old men planning to hold a meeting that night to criticize him. Qin Huairu then asked what exactly made those three old men go to such lengths to cause him trouble.

Sha Zhu was about to speak about what happened last night when he suddenly stopped. The whole thing was about helping the Jia family, and he couldn't tell Qin Huairu that he had refused Yi Zhonghai's offer to help the Jia family. That would be so unfair.

Sha Zhu opened his mouth but didn't say anything. Qin Huairu put the wooden basin full of Sha Zhu's clothes aside, sat down on a chair, sighed, and then tears started falling like they were free.

Sha Zhu was completely dumbfounded. He was a little at a loss and said anxiously, "Sister, what are you saying? Why are you crying? Say what's wrong and don't cry. If people see this, they'll think I'm bullying you at home."

"Zhu Zi, your sister is having a hard time. Dong Xu is gone, and I just took over the job. I only make so little money a month, and the grain tax has been reduced. How am I going to support my three children? Waaah," Qin Huairu cried.

Sha Zhu immediately understood and patted his chest, saying, "I'm here for you, don't worry, Sister Qin. As long as I have food to eat, the children won't go hungry. It's just a lunchbox, don't worry, from now on, all the lunchboxes are yours."

Qin Huairu was a little dazed that Sha Zhu agreed so quickly. She hadn't even mentioned the lunchbox yet, and Sha Zhu had already thought of it himself. It seemed that the nickname was really accurate. She pretended to decline a few times, and after getting Sha Zhu's assurance, Qin Huairu carried the basin out of Sha Zhu's room.

(End of this chapter)