Courtyard House: Inheriting the Restaurant, the Jia Family Wants to Get It for Free

It took her a long time to process this information.

Then, an indescribable feeling, a mixture of shock, absurdity, and ecstasy, welled up in her heart.

A strange smile appeared on her face, which was slightly distorted due to the stroke.

"Heh...hehe..."

She stammered out two dry laughs from her throat.

The laughter sounded particularly eerie in the quiet hospital room.

Qin Huairu felt uneasy at her laughter.

"Mom, what...what are you laughing at?"

Madam Jia did not answer her, but just laughed to herself.

In her mind, a crazy and vicious plan was slowly taking shape.

Yi Zhonghai is childless!

This is an indisputable fact!

He has no son. When he gets old and dies, won't his house, his money, and everything he owns become ownerless?

Although he has now taken in the Jia family and let them live in the small house in the backyard.

But what does that mean?

That's charity!

She, Jia Zhangshi, didn't want to live her whole life having to be subservient to others!

What she wants is the entire Yi family!

Didn't Yi Zhonghai always want Jia Dongxu to take care of him in his old age and see him off in his final days?

OK!

Once Dongxu comes out of the farm, we'll have him recognize Yi Zhonghai as his godfather!

No, I want to be a biological father!

Make him start calling me "Dad"!

Make him happy and willingly treat Jia Dongxu as your own son!

Once Yi Zhonghai passes away, everything he owns will rightfully belong to her son, Jia Dongxu.

She wants to move back to that spacious and bright house in the Central Court!

As for Cheng Shuhai...

A chilling glint flashed in Jia Zhangshi's eyes.

Once the Jia family inherits everything from the Yi family and gains wealth and power, the first thing she will do is kill that little beast!

The plan became clearer and more complete in Jia Zhangshi's mind.

The more she thought about it, the more excited she became, and the more feasible it seemed.

They'll eat up the family's wealth!

Correct!

She's determined to take advantage of Yi Zhonghai, that childless man!

"Heh...hehehe..."

Jia Zhangshi's laughter grew louder and more distorted.

She seemed to already see a bright future of lording it over others.

Qin Huairu looked at her mother-in-law, who seemed to have gone mad, and turned pale with fright. She took several steps back and dared not approach any further.

She didn't know what her mother-in-law was laughing about, but she instinctively felt a huge, unknown fear creeping over her.

"Mom, what...what's wrong? Don't scare me!"

Qin Huairu was terrified when she saw Jia Zhangshi's crazy appearance, crying and laughing at the same time.

She was genuinely afraid that her mother-in-law might have gone insane from the shock.

Madam Jia laughed for a long time before slowly stopping.

She was breathing heavily, her one still-moving eye fixed on Qin Huairu.

"Huai...Huai Ru..." she stammered, "Help...help me up."

Qin Huairu dared not disobey, so he quickly stepped forward and carefully helped Jia Zhangshi up, then placed two pillows behind her back.

Madam Jia leaned back against the pillows, took a breath, and then said to Qin Huairu in an unquestionable tone, "Wait...wait for Dongxu to come back...let him...let him go to Yi Zhonghai...kowtow...and recognize...recognize him as his godfather!"

"What?" Qin Huairu exclaimed in surprise, "Recognize a godfather?"

"No!" Madam Jia shook her head, her eyes becoming unusually resolute. "It's...it's my own father! Make him...change his address...and call me Dad!"

Qin Huairu was completely dumbfounded.

She didn't understand why her mother-in-law would suddenly make such an absurd request.

Make Jia Dongxu call his master "Dad"?

What's going on here?

"Mom, this...this isn't appropriate, is it?" Qin Huairu said softly, "Dongxu has his own father, even though he's gone..."

"Shut up!"

Jia Zhangshi shouted sternly. Although her voice was not loud, her fierce aura still startled Qin Huairu.

"You know...know nothing!" Madam Jia glared at her, saying each word clearly, "Yi Zhonghai...he's...childless! He has...no sons!"

"Our Dongxu... will be his son... and everything he owns... will be ours!"

"Houses! Money! All of them!"

boom!

Qin Huairu's mind was blown away once again.

She finally understood!

She finally understood why her mother-in-law had been laughing so strangely earlier!

So that's what she was planning!

They'll eat up the family's wealth!

The mother-in-law wants Jia Dongxu to become Yi Zhonghai's son in order to seize Yi Zhonghai's family fortune!

This idea is so audacious and so malicious!

"Mom, this...this won't do!" Qin Huairu's voice trembled. "Yi Zhonghai...will he agree? He already has a wife!"

"He has no choice but to agree!" A ferocious look appeared on Jia Zhangshi's face. "Haven't he always wanted Dongxu to... take care of him in his old age? Now... we'll grant his wish!"

"As for... that woman Tan Zhaodi... she's nobody!!"

"She might even die before Yi Zhonghai!"

Jia Zhangshi said with a cold smile.

Qin Huairu was terrified as she listened to Jia Zhangshi's vicious words.

For the first time, she discovered that her mother-in-law was not only shrewish and greedy, but also incredibly vicious.

She dared not argue further and could only nod meekly.

Seeing her obedient demeanor, Madam Jia nodded in satisfaction.

She knew that although her daughter-in-law Qin Huairu had some ulterior motives, she was ultimately a woman without much of her own opinion. As long as she had her under control, Qin Huairu wouldn't dare to disobey her.

"Remember this!" Madam Jia sternly instructed, "Don't... tell anyone! When Dongxu returns... I'll tell him myself!"

"Yes, Mom, I understand."

Qin Huai lowered his head, not daring to look her in the eye.

After giving her instructions, Jia Zhangshi felt completely exhausted and closed her eyes wearily.

But a smug, eerie smile always lingered on her lips.

Qin Huairu stood by the hospital bed, looking at her sleeping mother-in-law, but her heart was ice-cold.

She suddenly realized that marrying into the Jia family was a huge mistake.

The husband, who had just gotten married, got himself sent to a labor camp.

Now, there's another wicked mother-in-law who's paralyzed in bed and spends all her time scheming to eat the children of the deceased.

This home is like a huge quagmire; she's trapped in it, sinking deeper and deeper, with no hope in sight.

She even began to regret it.

If... if she had married Cheng Shuhai from the courtyard instead of Jia Dongxu, would her life be completely different now?

Although Cheng Shuhai seems cold, he is capable and courageous, supporting his family on his own and taking such good care of his younger sister.

The small restaurant was doing brisk business, and even the leaders of the steel rolling mill were eager to curry favor with it.

Looking at myself, I have a paralyzed mother-in-law and a husband who is in a labor camp. I live under someone else's roof and have to be mindful of their moods.

Why is there such a huge difference between people?

Qin Huairu's heart was filled with bitterness and resentment.