Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

Yan Bugui said, "Since Third Master has said so, I will go back and tell my son first, and also close the gate and keep a close watch on it so that no outsiders know."

Yi Zhonghai said, "Alright, Lao Yan, you go ahead."

"Alright, Third Master, I'll go and make the preparations now."

After Yan Bugui finished speaking, he went out the door.

Third Master said calmly, "Go."

Yi Zhonghai looked at Sha Zhu, "Zhu Zi, take Third Master to the backyard to see Lin Tian. I have some things to discuss with Qin Huairu."

"What are you talking about?"

Sha Zhu asked instinctively.

Qin Huai thought for a moment and said, "My mother-in-law asked me to come and inquire about Dongxu's funeral arrangements."

Sha Zhu stopped talking and looked at the deaf old lady, asking, "Grandma, are you going or not?"

"Me? Let's go then. I'll go see the Lin family boy too. Cuilan, help me."

"Okay, ma'am."

Sha Zhu led Third Master outside, with Xu Damao following behind.

Once everyone had left, Qin Huairu immediately adopted a pitiful appearance, her eyes reddening and tears welling up in her eyes.

"Uncle, Dongxu is gone. What are we going to do? Banggeng is still so young, Xiaodang is only two years old, and Grandma is like that... Waaah..."

Yi Zhonghai sat in the chair, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He felt a surge of unease when he recalled how Jia Zhangshi had publicly splashed him with dirty water and accused him of causing Jia Dongxu's death.

"Huai Ru, ah,"

Yi Zhonghai sighed, his tone neither warm nor cold, "Dongxu is gone, and I'm very sad too, but it's already happened, so try to take it easy."

As for the funeral arrangements... you should discuss it with your mother-in-law. She's Dongxu's biological mother, and she'll make the decisions.

He paused, then added, "As for the succession at the steel rolling mill... the factory has a rule that if an employee dies, their family can take over the job. You just need to go and handle the formalities when the time comes."

This statement was impeccable, but its meaning was very clear.

I'm no longer involved in the affairs of your Jia family.

But that's not what Qin Huairu wants.

Qin Huairu's heart sank.

She understood the meaning behind Yi Zhonghai's words: with Jia Dongxu dead, his responsibility as his mentor had come to an end.

She married into the city hoping to escape the hardships of rural life.

Now that she has finally gained a foothold in the city, her husband has suddenly died.

She knew all too well the character of the people in the courtyard.

The Lin family is the best example. As soon as Lin's father died, the Lin family was wiped out.

Lin's mother, a single woman with two children, was unable to protect the family property and ultimately lost her life.

Her current situation is no better than Lin's mother's.

The mother-in-law, Jia Zhangshi, is shrewish and mean-spirited, only good at causing trouble. She's still young, and her son is even younger.

If she, a widow, didn't have a powerful backer, the Jia family would be the next Lin family.

And in the entire courtyard, the only one who had the ability and the reason to take care of them was Yi Zhonghai.

"An old man..."

Qin Huairu bit her lip, her voice so low it was almost inaudible, "As the saying goes, a teacher for a day is a father for life."

Dongxu and I are husband and wife, and you are my mentor... In the future... I will take care of you...

She looked up at Yi Zhonghai with tearful eyes and said, "I will take care of you in your old age."

She emphasized the words "elderly care".

Yi Zhonghai's eyes flickered.

If it were in the past, he would have been very happy to hear this.

Jia Dongxu was the caretaker he had chosen, and now that Jia Dongxu is dead, it's perfect that Qin Huairu is willing to take his place.

But now...

A wave of irritation washed over me.

Furthermore, today, in front of the entire courtyard, Madam Jia pointed her finger at him and cursed him for causing Jia Dongxu's death.

Even if this matter can be resolved, the seed of resentment has already been sown.

"Huai Ru, no, no!"

Yi Zhonghai waved his hand, "I know the Jia family is in trouble. I have two jin of cornmeal here, I'll lend it to you for now. As for the rest... we'll talk about it later."

He took a cloth bag out of the cupboard; it contained half a bag of cornmeal.

Is this meant to appease beggars?

Qin Huairu sneered inwardly, but her face showed even more sorrow.

She suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Yi Zhonghai's hand.

Yi Zhonghai was taken aback: "Huai Ru, you..."

Before she could finish speaking, Qin Huairu took his hand and placed it on her chest.

"An old man..."

Qin Huairu's voice was soft and gentle, tinged with tears, "I truly want to take care of you in your old age... I'll grow up strong enough to be your grandfather... Can't you see my sincerity?"

As she spoke, she took Yi Zhonghai's hand and gently pressed it down.

Yi Zhonghai froze completely.

The touch from my palm was soft, full, and warm...

Qin Huairu sensed his reaction, inwardly sneering, but outwardly appearing even more sorrowful:

"Uncle... Dongxu is gone, and I'm a widow with two children... How will we survive without your help?"

She pulled Yi Zhonghai's hand down again, this time with even more force.

Yi Zhonghai's breathing became rapid.

He is forty-five years old this year, in the prime of his life.

Wang Cuilan was in poor health, and the couple had no children, so their sex life had long since faded.

Now, being teased like this by Qin Huairu...

"Huai Ru..."

Yi Zhonghai's voice was dry, "The old man thinks...you're right...I can feel your sincerity too..."

But he still had some concerns.

Qin Huairu noticed his hesitation and cursed inwardly: "You old bastard, you won't act until you see the big white rabbit."

She gritted her teeth and decided to go for it.

"An old man..."

Qin Huairu raised her head, looking at him with teary eyes, her voice soft and gentle, like a feather tickling her heart.

"Tonight... tonight we'll go to the cellar... I'll let you... see my true heart... okay?"

As she spoke, she grabbed Yi Zhonghai's hand and pressed it down firmly.

Yi Zhonghai felt a surge of heat rush to his head.

"well..."

He nodded repeatedly, then grasped Qin Huairu's hand and squeezed it firmly. "Huairu, I will take good care of you and your child... Dongxu is my apprentice after all..."

As he spoke, his other hand became restless.

Qin Huairu felt a shiver run through her body, but quickly softened, leaning into Yi Zhonghai's arms: "Uncle...you're so kind..."

As Yi Zhonghai held the soft body in his arms and smelled the faint scent of soap on the woman, all his worries vanished.

Who is Jia Zhang?

She's just an old pious woman.

Qin Huairu is young, beautiful, sensible, and even willing to take care of him in his old age and raise birds...

This is the kind of elderly person he wants.

"Huai Ru..." Yi Zhonghai lowered his voice, "See you in the cellar tonight."

"Um..."

Qin Huairu nodded, blushing, and stepped out of Yi Zhonghai's arms, straightening her clothes.

"Uncle... I'll head back now... Grandma's still waiting for me at home..."

Let's go together.

Yi Zhonghai's eyes remained fixed on Qin Huairu.

……

backyard.

Sha Zhu led Third Master and the deaf old lady quietly to the Lin family's gate.

"This is it," Sha Zhu said in a low voice.

Third Master stood outside the door, not going in immediately.

He took out a palm-sized bronze mirror from his pocket, looked at it in the moonlight, and then looked at the Lin family's door.

The image of the west wing in the bronze mirror was somewhat blurry, as if shrouded in a layer of mist.

Third Master frowned and said in a low voice, "There is indeed something there."

"What should we do then?" Sha Zhu asked.

"Let's go in and take a look."

Third Master put away the bronze mirror, pushed open the door, and went inside.

Inside the house, Lin Tian was holding his younger sister as she slept.

Hearing the noise, he opened his eyes and saw the group of people entering; his gaze turned cold.

Tangtang was also woken up and, frightened, burrowed into her brother's arms, crying, "Brother..."

"Don't be afraid." Lin Tian patted his sister's back, sat up, and looked at the people who had come in. "You... need something?"

His voice was calm, but the coldness in his eyes sent a chill down their spines.

Third Master stared at Lin Tian for a while, then took out a yellow talisman from his pocket, chanted incantations, and waved it at Lin Tian.

The yellow talisman did not react at all.

Third Master's brows furrowed even more.

He then took out a handful of glutinous rice and sprinkled it on Lin Tian.

The glutinous rice fell on Lin Tian and rolled onto the ground, but nothing seemed amiss.

"Strange..." Third Master muttered to himself.

The deaf old woman walked over, leaning on her cane, and stared at Lin Tian: "Boy, are you a human or a ghost?"

Lin Tian looked at her and suddenly laughed: "Grandma, what are you saying? Of course I'm a person. I'd like to ask you what you're doing?"

Yellow paper and glutinous rice—are they treating me like a vengeful ghost? Let me tell you, this is promoting feudal superstition, which is illegal.

He smiled innocently, but the coldness in his eyes sent a chill down the spine of the deaf old woman.

Third Master checked the room again but found nothing unusual.

Finally, he looked at Lin Tian: "Kid, have you noticed anything strange lately?"

Lin Tian shook his head: "No, I just have a bit of a headache. I got beaten up yesterday."

As he spoke, he pointed to his head.

Third Master and the deaf old lady exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.

Could it be... not possession by an evil spirit?

It's too strange that two people died in the hospital in one day.

"Alright, you've finished watching, let's go," said the deaf old lady.

Third Master nodded, glanced at Lin Tian again, and turned to leave.

Sha Zhu followed behind, and before leaving, he glanced at Lin Tian with a complicated look in his eyes.

After everyone left, Lin Tian closed the door, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips.

Exorcising evil spirits?

That's it?

I'd like to see what you're up to.

Immediately, the ghostly figure followed.

……