Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 693 Regretful Retribution and Delightful Revenge
next morning
For the first time ever, Qin Huairu slept until late morning, and at that moment she was full of energy and showed no signs of fatigue.

Although she went to bed very late last night and was woken up by Kuihua in the middle of the night wanting to nurse, Qin Huairu didn't have trouble sleeping at all with the huge sum of 100 yuan in her arms. On the contrary, she slept even more peacefully.

Qin Huairu divided 400 yuan into four pieces and hid them in different places in her house, unafraid of being stolen.

"Yeah~"

Stretching lazily, Qin Huairu opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling, recalling that she had gotten up so late before giving birth to Kuihua.

"Haa~" Qin Huairu yawned and turned her head to see Kuihua, who had just woken up, staring at her with her two big, round eyes.

"Kuihua~" Qin Huairu extended her index finger, and Kuihua smiled and grasped her hand.

"Ah ah~" After teasing her for a while, Kuihua patted her mouth, and Qin Huairu immediately realized that Kuihua was hungry, so she immediately fed her milk.

After feeding the baby, Qin Huairu got up and went to bed. Pushing open the curtain, she saw Jia Zhangshi hunched over, cooking porridge in front of the stove.

Banggeng was playing marbles at home, occasionally letting out cheerful laughter.

Madam Jia stole a glance at her grandson's smiling face, and was about to say something when Qin Huairu suddenly appeared behind her.

What should we make for breakfast?

Qin Huairu approached the stove and saw that it was corn porridge: "Who's going to eat this little bit of porridge? Just for you? Who are you trying to fool? Make it again, and add more!"

Startled, Jia Zhangshi quickly went to wash some more corn.

"He can't even make a simple porridge!"

After the meal, Qin Huairu didn't let Jia Zhangshi rest. She started directing Jia Zhangshi to do housework.

Madam Jia Zhang dared not disobey Qin Huairu's words in the slightest; she did whatever she was told.

Seeing this, Qin Huairu nodded in satisfaction and turned to look at the stick that was still playing.

"Hey, stop playing around! Get back to studying! Final exams are coming up soon, and you're still thinking about playing?"

Banggeng was stunned for a moment, looking at his mother's serious face, and felt a little scared.

Yesterday, his mother was all smiles and kindness towards him. How come she's acting like this today?

"Look at your midterm score, and then look at Bai Chi in the back building. He gets 100 every time. Why can't you?"

"I bet you failed your exams because you were too playful. Have you finished your homework? If not, do it now. From today onwards, I'm watching your studies!"

"What are you waiting for! Still playing? Get back to studying!"

Qin Huairu's words became increasingly harsh.

"What are you looking at me for! I have homework on my face! Go write it now, or are you looking for a beating?"

After saying that, Qin Huairu picked up a broom, which startled Banggeng so much that he immediately found his schoolbag, took out his homework, and started writing.

"Write well!" Qin Huairu commanded.

She had wanted to teach Bang Geng a lesson for a long time, but before, she was in a weak position and Jia Zhangshi doted on him, so she didn't dare to interfere too much, lest she be scolded.

Now the tables have turned. Banggeng is the only male in the family. He wasn't disciplined properly before, but now we must educate him properly no matter what.

Banggeng, doing her homework, sobbed inwardly: 'This isn't my mom, this is a fake mom, I want the mom I had yesterday.'

Seeing Qin Huairu's appearance, Bang Geng couldn't help but regret why he had said he wanted to go with Qin Huairu yesterday.

If you're lectured like this every day, how can you have any good days?

At this moment, Banggeng's heart was filled with deep regret; his future days were going to be terrible.
But it was too late.

After lecturing Bang Geng, Qin Huairu looked at Jia Zhangshi, who was like a turtle hiding its head.

"How long are you going to drag this out with all this housework? Do you not want to do any work?" Qin Huairu raised her hand.

Startled, Jia Zhangshi shrank back, thinking she was about to be hit: "No, no."

"Hurry up and finish this quickly, we still have to go to the match factory later."

"Huh?" Jia Zhangshi looked astonished.

"What do you mean, 'huh'? Did you think I forgot? Starting today, you'll be making money by pasting matchboxes. I won't charge you this month, but next month you'll have to pay 2 yuan, understand?"

"I heard it." Jia Zhangshi cried inwardly.

I had hoped that Qin Huairu would forget after a night's sleep, but now it seems there's really no hope.

After a short while, Jia Zhangshi finally finished cleaning, and Qin Huairu took her to the match factory.

There was still a large crowd, with most people carrying boxes and bags to exchange matchboxes.

"Hurry up and leave. You'll have to come here often in the future, so you can become familiar with the locals, understand?" Qin Huairu warned Jia Zhangshi.

"It's you." The person in charge had some impression of Qin Huairu.

"It's me, boss, I'm here again." Qin Huairu greeted with a smile.

The person in charge nodded: "What? Trying to flop again? Didn't you give up?"

“I didn’t give up, and here I am again. This time I’ll make a lot more, how about 1?” Qin Huairu asked tentatively.

“No way.” The person in charge refused without even thinking: “You couldn’t finish making 1 last time, and now you want 1 right off the bat? Do you think I’m some kind of turtle in a pond?”

"Haha~" Qin Huairu laughed awkwardly: "It wasn't the first time I did it last time, so I had no experience. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect."

"This time I'm calling my mom to help me make 10,000. We'll definitely be able to make 10,000."

The person in charge, seeing Qin Huairu's confident demeanor, still couldn't believe it; he had seen this kind of thing more than once.

He then noticed Jia Zhangshi's sour face, which made him even more certain that they couldn't possibly have accomplished so much.

"No means no. Everyone here starts from a thousand, and you are no exception."

"If you can finish this month, I can give you a chance to try 3 next month."

Knowing that things should be done step by step, Qin Huairu quickly agreed, "Okay, okay."

The person in charge nodded: "Take the things. Come earlier next month. There's not much work to do at the end of the month."

"Okay." Qin Huairu pulled Jia Zhangshi to get the materials and left the match factory.

"Alright, you can go back now. I need to go to the supply and marketing cooperative."

"What are you going to the supply and marketing cooperative for?" Jia Zhangshi asked hurriedly.

"What's it to you? Go back and hurry up and paste those matchboxes together. If I see you haven't moved them after you get back, believe me, I'll move out!"

These words startled Jia Zhangshi so much that she trembled: "I'll go back right now!"

After saying that, he hurriedly went home with the materials on his back.

"Hmph!" Qin Huairu watched Jia Zhangshi run home with her back hunched over, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips.

He touched the money in his pocket, his fingertips rubbing the edges of the banknotes, making a soft, rustling sound. A sense of vengeful pleasure welled up inside him, along with the satisfaction of having a large sum of money in his pocket.

"Hmph, you old hag, are you scared now?"

He turned and walked towards the supply and marketing cooperative, his steps light and quick, as if he were walking on cotton.

Qin Huairu hadn't forgotten what she had planned yesterday.

After buying two tickets for face cream from a scalper, Qin Huairu went into the supply and marketing cooperative.

"Comrade, I'd like two boxes of face cream." Qin Huairu straightened her back and spoke to the sales clerk, deliberately raising her voice to emphasize the word "two."

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the envious look in the eyes of the girl with braided pigtails next to her, her fingernails tapping out a light rhythm on the counter.

The saleswoman, a young woman, looked up upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "Okay."

Seeing the women around her glancing at her, Qin Huairu felt smug, but pretended to be indifferent on the surface.

A moment later, the salesperson brought out the two tin boxes printed with peony flowers.

Qin Huairu took the face cream, her fingertips gently stroking its smooth surface, thinking to herself, 'I wouldn't have dared to even glance at it before, but now I can buy it whenever I want!'

She picked up the face cream, held it to her nose, and gently inhaled its fragrance, which made her even more intoxicated.

Immediately, Qin Huairu took out a ticket and pulled out 5 yuan.

A box of face cream costs 2.5 yuan. In the past, she wouldn't have dared to buy it even if she wanted to, because it was too expensive. Now she has plenty of money and can buy it however she wants.

After giving the money, Qin Huairu didn't go back. Instead, she wandered around the supply and marketing cooperative, looking left and right.

In the past, when I came to the supply and marketing cooperative, I would buy something as soon as possible and go back, not daring to look around too much, for fear of being attracted by the goods. Now I have plenty of money, so I can look around as much as I want, as long as I want.

'That's good too'

"This one is good too."

"And this one is also quite good."

As she looked at it, Qin Huairu even picked it up to look at it. In the past, she wouldn't have dared to pick it up, for fear of breaking it and not having the money to pay for it.

After wandering around for a while, Qin Huairu didn't buy any tickets because there were none available.

After strolling around for a while, Qin Huairu felt better, but she hadn't forgotten about something she needed to do.

"Comrade, weigh me three ounces of meat!" He pointed to the fattest piece on the cutting board, his voice so loud it seemed he was deliberately trying to make sure someone could hear him.

"Alright!" The butcher looked at the beautiful Qin Huairu and quickly cut the meat and wrapped it up.

Qin Huairu took out the ticket, paid the money, and took the pork home.

"Comrade, I want that piece of pork belly too," the old lady immediately said.

"Don't make any demands of me, just take whatever meat you have!" the butcher said rudely, turning around to cut up some lean meat.

"I don't want lean meat, I want fatty meat."

"It's all cut up, take it or leave it. If you don't want it, move aside and don't block the people behind you."

With meat additives being expensive these days, what kind of meat you want to eat depends not on what you ask for, but on what the butcher is willing to give you.

"How can you be like this? You gave that woman pork belly and me lean meat. Do you have a crush on her?"

"Bullshit! Don't you dare talk nonsense! Are you looking for trouble?! Someone, throw her out!"

"I won't buy it unless you kick her out!"

"Auntie, it's good that there's meat at all. Take the meat and go home quickly! Don't delay your family from having meat."

"Yes, we're all waiting."

Immediately, passersby tried to persuade her, but the old woman didn't care about being outnumbered.

"I want that piece of pork belly. I'm not leaving until you give it to me."

"Hey! You're getting tough with me now? I'm not buying from you if you don't leave!" The butcher put down his cleaver and began preparing the pork, looking like he wasn't going to sell it.

This only fueled everyone's criticism of the old woman, and ultimately, unable to withstand the overwhelming force of the crowd, she gave in.

Qin Huairu had no idea that such a thing would happen later, and happily took the meat home.

"Now it's my turn to be in charge! We won't give any meat to Jia Zhangshi at lunchtime, let her be so hungry!"

Qin Huairu still remembered the time when Jia Zhangshi didn't give Xiaodang meat. This time, the tables have turned, and she'll get to taste what it's like to be favored.

When she got home, Banggeng was doing her homework at the table. When she saw her mother come in, her eyes lit up: "Mom! What did you buy?"

"Want some pork belly?"

Qin Huairu deliberately held the pork belly high, and Bang Geng's gaze followed the meat up and down, his throat involuntarily bobbing.

"I want to eat! I want to eat! There's meat for lunch!"

Qin Huairu narrowed her eyes. "You can eat it if you want, but have you finished your homework?"

Bang Geng lowered his head guiltily, twisting the hem of his clothes with his fingers: "Almost there."

Qin Huairu snorted coldly: "Almost done? If you don't finish writing, you can watch Xiao Dang eat meat at noon! Hurry up and start writing!"

Banggeng's face fell instantly. He didn't dare to talk back and could only continue writing in silence.

"Mom, can I eat meat?" Xiao Dang asked incredulously.

"Of course, Xiao Dang, we'll have meat for lunch," Qin Huairu said matter-of-factly, patting her head.

"Great! Great! I can eat meat now!" Little Dang jumped up and down happily.

Seeing her daughter gesturing excitedly, Qin Huairu felt a pang of heartache. How long had it been since Xiaodang had eaten meat?
Watching Banggeng bury himself in his homework, I instantly hardened my heart. Just thinking about how Banggeng's midterm exam paper was covered in red X's, I thought, "If I don't take care of him now, he'll be ruined later!"

Jia Zhangshi heard everything clearly from outside the house. If Qin Huairu bought meat, wouldn't she be able to eat it for lunch? She couldn't help but swallow hard.

He was somewhat distracted while pasting matchboxes.

Qin Huairu placed the pork belly next to the stove and then went to see Jia Zhangshi's work.

Noticing that Jia Zhangshi was doing the work half-heartedly, he suddenly flew into a rage: "Mom! Are you saying that a thousand matchboxes are not enough?"

"You're so slow at doing this. I think we should set a daily quota for how many you need to make, and you're not allowed to eat until you finish."

"No," Jia Zhangshi's lips trembled as she tried to argue, but she immediately deflated when she met Qin Huairu's gaze.

"I'll go paste it right away." Jia Zhangshi immediately became efficient.

Seeing this, Qin Huairu turned around with satisfaction to see if Kuihua needed to be breastfed.

"Little sister~"

But then she saw Xiao Dang looking after Kuihua and whispering to her, "Little sister, I'm having meat for lunch today. The meat is so delicious."

"You need to grow up quickly, so you can eat meat when you grow up."

"Ah ah~" It's unclear whether Kuihua understood or not, but she waved her little hands and cried out "Ah ah".

The two sisters smiled, their eyes crinkling.

Qin Huairu felt a lump in her throat as she looked down at Xiao Dang's cloth shoes—there was a small hole in the left shoe.

"I'll go buy some fabric later and make new shoes." She clutched the remaining money in her pocket. "Now that I have money, I'm going to spend it all!"

"Prepare everything, so you won't be short of money to buy things later."

This time, Qin Huairu was clever. Even if she hid the money in three places, it was still hard to guarantee that Jia Zhangshi wouldn't find it.

The best way is to convert money into physical goods, so that even if you run out of money, the goods will still be there.

Soon it was noon.

Qin Huairu personally cooked the pork belly.

"Banggeng, come and serve the dishes!"

"They're here!" Banggeng immediately brought out the dishes upon hearing the call.

This time, we were finally able to get him to move.

A table full of dishes, but all four of them stared intently at the pot of pork belly.

"Hey, have a piece first."

Qin Huairu first put meat on the stick, then immediately put it on Xiao Dang's plate: "Xiao Dang, have a piece too."

Then he picked up a piece for himself: "Mom, have one too."

Seeing that all three of them had meat, Jia Zhangshi couldn't sit still and also put a piece on her plate.

"Smack!" Qin Huairu swiftly knocked Jia Zhangshi's chopsticks away.

"What are you eating for? Have you finished your work before you eat?"

Jia Zhangshi immediately felt wronged.

"I'm asking you a question! Speak up! Are you done yet?" Qin Huairu scolded.

The two boys, Banggeng and Xiaodang, were terrified and became very nervous.

"It's not finished yet," Jia Zhangshi said hesitantly.

"You're not allowed to eat until you finish your work! It's already a favor that you're allowed to sit down and eat, and you're giving me meat first? You can only eat meat when you finish your work! Do you hear me?!"

"I heard you." Madam Jia shrank back, not daring to resist.

Seeing Jia Zhangshi's timid and hesitant appearance, Qin Huairu felt a sense of satisfaction and a desire for revenge welled up within her.

"Hmph!" Qin Huairu snorted coldly, her expression instantly changing as she looked at Bang Geng and Xiao Dang:
"Eat! Eat!"

(End of this chapter)