Siheyuan (courtyard house): My name is Shazhu!

At 10 a.m. the next day, Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhangshi began formal 'negotiations'.

Tan Guilan was present, while He Yuzhu and Jia Dongxu went to work; there was no one else at the Intermediate People's Court.

"Mrs. Jia, let me tell you clearly, it's impossible for you to get ten million. You're not worth it, and neither is your son," Yi Zhonghai said with a smile.

"Yi Zhonghai, aren't you afraid I'll go outside and let people judge this?" Jia Zhangshi was anxious when she heard that she wouldn't be given money.

"Don't worry, your son is my apprentice. Go outside and judge for yourself. Do you know how many legs ten million is worth? Including other people."

"You think you can extort money from me? You're not worthy. You're an old shrew. Go outside and ask for justice. How many people will believe you? We have mouths too. Go ahead and try, and you'll bear the consequences."

When Jia Zhangshi heard Yi Zhonghai's words, she felt a chill in her heart. She knew Yi Zhonghai's character very well; he was threatening her with the lives of herself and her son.

Let alone ten million, even if you offer ten thousand, plenty of people will come and break the legs of the mother and child, or throw them into a mass grave.

Jia Zhangshi didn't think Yi Zhonghai would dare to do that. After liberation, so many people were willing to do anything to survive. Besides, Yi Zhonghai was a kind-faced but wicked old man who had no descendants.

Madam Jia immediately tried to come up with a solution, but couldn't think of a good one. Ten million could indeed do many things, including saving their lives. Even if they died ten times over, they would still be rich.

Jia Zhangshi was unwilling, extremely unwilling. For the past few days, she had been dreaming of having ten million and living the life of a wealthy and powerful family. She still wanted to try and get the compensation.

"Five million, at least five million, and we'll settle this. I won't speak ill of you outside."

"One million. I'll offer a maximum of one million to settle this matter. I don't care if you speak ill of me or not. I'm only giving you one million out of respect for Dongxu."

"You've given too little; it should be at least four million."

The two began a heated debate, while Yi Zhonghai remained smiling throughout, confidently handing over one million.

In the end, Jia Zhangshi, in a fit of rage, had no choice but to accept a compensation of one million yuan, ten times the difference, which broke her heart. She vowed in her heart that she would definitely make Yi Zhonghai pay if she had the chance.

Yi Zhonghai, who outwardly seemed indifferent to Jia Dongxu, finally 'defeated' Jia Zhangshi in this confrontation.

He felt that he might be caring too much about Jia Dongxu. This time, he was very successful in using Jia Dongxu to threaten Jia Zhangshi.

Perhaps we should change our approach to dealing with Jia Dongxu in the future, and take complete control of the situation.

The old lady is right. If you want Jia Dongxu to live out his old age in peace, you have to control Jia Zhangshi.

Yi Zhonghai has taken another big step forward in his thinking on the path to controlling others.

After the memorandum of understanding was written, both parties signed it, the money was exchanged, and the matter of the limp came to an end.

They went their separate ways.

"Old Yi, don't be too nice to Jia Dongxu in the future. I've figured it out today. Jia Zhangshi is just taking advantage of your good reputation and being too nice to Jia Dongxu, that's why she dares to ask for an exorbitant amount."

"I've also noticed some problems. Jia Zhangshi is trying to control me in these two areas. I know how to deal with her in the future."

Jia Dongxu will be an important pawn in my hands in the future, and I will keep him under control.

As for my reputation, I haven't done anything wrong, so I'm not afraid of her spreading rumors. I'm going to start dealing with her too.

"Still using pillars? Do you have any ideas?"

"Not yet. We need to think things through slowly and wait for the right opportunity to act."

"It's your decision." Tan Guilan didn't want to stop him, but she didn't stop him either, so she can't be considered a good person.

The Jia family!

"Dongxu, today that old bastard Yi Zhonghai only gave me one million to settle this matter."

Mom is not reconciled. He actually used our lives to threaten me. You should be careful first and treat him better on the surface.

We must deal with him whenever we have the chance, preferably ruining his reputation and leaving him with nothing. We must also sabotage him behind the scenes and prevent him from having his way. "Jia Zhangshi only remembers grudges, not kindness."

"Mom, we should be content with the million dollars we've received. If we really anger my master, it won't do our family any good."

Especially since I was his apprentice and worked for him, I suffered a great loss just because he didn't teach me fitter skills.

He didn't speak up for our family in the courtyard, and the people in the compound won't let us off the hook either. This matter ends here; we can't let it escalate any further.

"All right."

The negotiations between Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhangshi were not widely known within the courtyard, and thus did not cause a major uproar.

But will they get what they want?

No secrets stay hidden forever. A month later, whether intentionally or unintentionally, Jia Zhangshi still didn't know that she had revealed the matter.

In Nanluoguxiang, this sparked a minor controversy, and gradually, the focus shifted to Yi Zhonghai.

It's not that Yi Zhonghai is wrong, but his high salary makes too many people envious and jealous.

Their men only earn around 100,000 to 200,000 yuan a month, or they do odd jobs. How can you, Yi Zhonghai, an old man without descendants, earn 400,000 yuan a month?

I feel unbalanced, extremely unbalanced!

Thus, Yi Zhonghai became a heartless and ruthless man. He took responsibility for Jia Zhangshi's broken leg and threatened her to settle the matter with a small amount of money, and forbade her to tell anyone.

This is Yi Zhonghai's true face—the true face of a man with a little money, a hypocrite who usually acts virtuous but is actually a scoundrel. No old, childless man can escape a terrible death.

The rumors spread from Nanluoguxiang to the steel rolling mill, and then to Yi Zhonghai, who was recuperating at home. The rumors grew louder and louder, and the content became increasingly unfavorable to Yi Zhonghai.

The deaf old woman didn't realize that ordinary people resented the rich and had a mentality of not being afraid of scarcity but being afraid of inequality.

Because the outcry against Yi Zhonghai was so loud, a few days later, the Women's Federation of the Steel Rolling Mill and the Women's Federation of Nanluoguxiang came to the courtyard on the same day to demand an explanation from Yi Zhonghai.

After learning the facts, the two leaders of the Women's Federation believed that Yi Zhonghai's handling of the matter was appropriate and that the rumors were not credible.

The reason for giving one million yuan was because of her lameness. During Jia Zhangshi's two hospitalizations, another 600,000 yuan was given for medical expenses and nutritional supplements.

A total of 1.6 million yuan, which is no small sum. Jia Zhangshi only has a slight limp, which is not serious and will not affect her future life.

The Women's Federation did not punish Yi Zhonghai, but instead told everyone in the vicinity the truth.

But it was all for naught; it was completely useless. Ordinary people didn't care about the Women's Federation's claims; they had their own ideas.

The arrival of the Women's Federation not only failed to stop the rumors, but the condemnation of Yi Zhonghai grew louder, with the addition of the claim that money could secure protection.

Tan Guilan was pointed at and ridiculed even when she went out to buy groceries, and was labeled a heartless landlady.

People in the courtyard, from the front and back yards, also went to the middle yard to ask Yi Zhonghai if he had any conscience and whether it was appropriate to treat a lame woman like this.

One should have a conscience. Money is just an external thing. Don't learn from the heartless landlords. They are all old people and neighbors. Be generous and upright.

It's so ironic!

Yi Zhonghai was furious and helpless at home, unable to quell the rumors.

Even without the support of the Women's Federation, the Military Control Commission could still deal with him and parade him through the streets.

Yi Zhonghai harbored a deep hatred for Jia Zhangshi. Once the storm had passed, he was determined to deal with her. This old shrew had gone too far, ruining all the reputation he had worked so hard to build.

After starting work, first make things difficult for Jia Dongxu, so that Jia Zhangshi will understand the reality.

Tan Guilan was hated by both Jia Zhangshi and her son, especially Jia Dongxu. If he had stopped his mother from acting like a rogue, this whole thing wouldn't have happened.

Jia Zhangshi is a shrew!

Jia Dongxu is not!