Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

Hearing Qin Huairu's words, Aunt Wu was so angry she laughed.

"Qin Huairu, the hospital fee is 3.8 yuan, your family has to pay for it no matter what. You think you can get me to forgive Bang Geng with half a pound of White Rabbit milk candy? Let me tell you, you're dreaming."

After saying that, Aunt Wu said to the two police officers, "Officers, I know that Ya Ya's injuries this time are not serious, but my Ya Ya, we can't let them beat her for nothing. If we hadn't taken Ya Ya to the hospital in time, she might have died."

"I request that the police handle this matter impartially. Even if Banggeng is arrested and sent to a juvenile detention center for a few days, I am willing to accept it."

Upon hearing this, the two police officers exchanged a glance, and the younger officer said:

"Jia Dongxu, go and call Jia Geng over quickly. We're taking him back to the police station for investigation on charges of robbery and intentional assault."

"Yes, yes, police officer, Banggeng even stole two White Rabbit milk candies from my Yaya."

If the police hadn't brought it up, Aunt Wu would have completely forgotten about it.

"No! You can't catch the hamster! The hamster is still a child!"

Qin Huairu cried her heart out, blocking the door tightly to prevent the police from entering the house to arrest Bang Geng.

Suddenly, Qin Huairu noticed Qin Jingru next to Aunt Wu. She quickly grabbed Qin Jingru's arm and pleaded:

"Jingru, I know you and Aunt Wu are close. Please, I'm begging you, plead with Aunt Wu for me. Banggeng is your nephew. If he goes to juvenile detention, his life will be ruined!"

Qin Jingru shook her head and said, "Sister, it's not that I don't want to help you, but this is Aunt Wu's family's business. My relationship with her is only that of neighbors. Do you think she'll listen to me, an outsider?"

Jia Dongxu sighed, walked up to Aunt Wu, and said, "Aunt Wu, we are willing to compensate you with twenty yuan. Please forgive Bang Geng. I promise that I will educate Bang Geng properly in the future."

Jia Dongxu was also stunned by the police. He didn't expect that just stealing two White Rabbit milk candies and beating Ya Ya into the hospital would escalate to such a serious matter as reporting to the police.

Now the police want to take Banggeng to the police station. Shazhu beat Xu Damao so many times before, but he never reported it to the police. What's going on lately? Why is he reporting it to the police so easily?

Aunt Wu scoffed when she heard about the twenty yuan, not even glancing at Jia Dongxu.

Qin Huairu broke down in tears. Suddenly, she saw Yi Zhonghai standing in the crowd, not stepping forward to defend Bang Geng. She immediately shouted at Yi Zhonghai:

"Master, please say something! Banggeng is about to be taken away."

Yi Zhonghai originally came to watch the show, and he was now eager to make Qin Huairu suffer. However, now that he had been named, he had to put on a show, otherwise it would arouse Jia Dongxu's suspicion.

"Master, please think of a solution!"

When Jia Dongxu saw that Aunt Wu was determined to send Banggeng to the juvenile detention center, he became anxious.

"Cough cough."

Yi Zhonghai cleared his throat, walked up to Aunt Wu, and said:

"Aunt Wu, look, Ya Ya is fine now. Why don't you just let Dong Xu pay you a hundred yuan? It's a small matter. Even if Bang Geng is sent to a juvenile detention center, he won't be locked up for more than a few days. We're all neighbors. If things get too tense, it won't look good for anyone. It's better to let them pay some money so that Ya Ya can eat more nutritional supplements to help her recover. What do you think?"

Upon hearing the price of one hundred yuan, both Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu's eyes widened.

"Master, I...I don't have a hundred dollars."

"Shut up."

Yi Zhonghai gave Jia Dongxu a cold look and spoke in a deep voice:

"If you don't have a hundred dollars, you can use your sewing machine as collateral. Do you want Banggeng to be sent to juvenile detention? Banggeng is your own son!"

When Yi Zhonghai said the words "my own son," he shouted them out.

"Aunt Wu, I'll give you a hundred yuan, or I'll give you the Jia family's sewing machine. Would that make you forgive Bang Geng?"

After thinking about it for a while, Aunt Wu nodded in agreement.

Qin Huairu searched for Sha Zhu in the crowd, but Sha Zhu had a dinner party at the factory that night and hadn't returned yet.

Jia Dongxu walked up to Yi Zhonghai and said somewhat awkwardly, "Master, I only have forty yuan on me. How about you lend me sixty yuan first, and I'll pay you back when I get my salary next month?"

Yi Zhonghai's face darkened, and he said coldly, "Dongxu, I already lent you 500 yuan last time because of your mother and Banggeng's matter. Before that, I lent you another 1500 yuan because of Shazhu's matter. I have no money left now. You'd better figure out a way yourself."

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongxu was somewhat disappointed, and at the same time, a trace of hatred arose in his heart towards Yi Zhonghai.

He knew Yi Zhonghai was wealthy, but he just wouldn't lend him the money.

Jia Dongxu was somewhat helpless. He looked at Aunt Wu and said, "Aunt Wu, I only have forty yuan left. Can I pay you back slowly with the remaining sixty yuan?"

Aunt Wu scoffed, "When has your Jia family ever paid back the money you borrowed?"

"Yes, Qin Huairu has borrowed meat from our family several times. When will she return it?"

"Mrs. Jia borrowed a needle from me, and it's been twenty years, and she still hasn't returned it."

"Ten years ago, Jia Zhangshi borrowed five cents from me to buy cornmeal, and she still hasn't paid it back."

Qin Huairu grabbed Qin Jingru's arm, her eyes pleading, "Jingru, could you lend me sixty yuan first? Don't worry, I'll pay you back as soon as Dongxu gets his salary."

Qin Jingru shook her head and refused without even thinking.

"Sis, I told you before, I don't have a single penny on me. Brother Wang Feng bought everything we need for the house, what would I need money for?"

Qin Huairu looked at Qin Jingru with disappointment, then turned her gaze to Yi Zhonghai. She believed that Yi Zhonghai would definitely not ignore Bang Geng, but unfortunately, she was disappointed. Yi Zhonghai retreated directly into the crowd, clearly not intending to care anymore.

Qin Huairu was somewhat bewildered. How could Yi Zhonghai possibly disregard Bang Geng? Did he not want a son anymore?

No, she had to find an opportunity to ask Yi Zhonghai why he didn't care about Bang Geng.

Left with no other option, Jia Dongxu had to borrow money from the people in the courtyard. But everyone in the courtyard knew who the Jia family was. Even though Jia Dongxu said he would pay it back as soon as he got his salary, and even pay interest, the people in the courtyard still didn't believe him.

"Sewing machine, 150 yuan, anyone want it?"

Jia Dongxu has no choice but to sell the sewing machine first and then compensate Aunt Wu for the 100 yuan. He bought the sewing machine for 174 yuan, so it should be worth about 150 yuan. It would be too much of a loss to use the sewing machine to offset the 100 yuan.

"I'll take it for 60 yuan, no more."

"Yes, Jia Dongxu, your sewing machine is almost eight years old. It only cost 174 yuan when you bought it. How about this, I'll pay a maximum of 80 yuan," Yan Fugui said.

"No, no, back then you didn't need a ticket to buy a sewing machine, but now you need a sewing machine ticket to buy one, at least 120. Otherwise I might as well give it to Aunt Wu as a discount," Jia Dongxu said in a deep voice.

"120 yuan? You might as well sell it slowly. Your sewing machine has been used for so long, and you still want to sell it for 120? With that money, I might as well go to a trust store. I'll only offer 90 yuan at most, and if you don't want to sell it, that's fine too."

In the end, Jia Dongxu had no choice but to give the sewing machine to Aunt Wu for 100 yuan.

There was no other way; Yan Fugui offered the highest price, but it was only 90 yuan. Selling it to him was less worthwhile than giving it directly to Aunt Wu.

Aunt Wu took the sewing machine and said to the police officers, "Officers, thank you so much this time."

The police nodded and threatened Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu: "Since you have obtained the victim's forgiveness, we will not arrest Jia Geng this time. However, I advise you to educate your child properly. This matter is not very serious. If he commits it again, even if the victim forgives him, we will still arrest Jia Geng."

"Yes, yes, thank you, officers. We will definitely educate Bang Geng properly in the future."