Siheyuan (courtyard house): My name is Shazhu!

As expected, since no one died or was crippled, Jia Zhangshi's matter was downplayed.

The next morning, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong were released. Judging from their appearance, they had a terrible three days inside, and their former image was completely gone.

Back at the courtyard house, Yi Zhonghai still kept his head down, expressionless, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Liu Haizhong, on the other hand, must have been dealt with terribly. He returned to the courtyard and raged, vowing to punish Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi, demanding compensation, and saying that this matter would never be over.

Liu Haizhong is demanding an explanation, and the Jia family mother and son are going to suffer again. Perhaps Jia Zhangshi will be fine, but Jia Dongxu's days at the steel mill will not be easy.

Liu Haizhong has worked in the steel rolling mill for nearly twenty years and has a considerable network of connections among the veteran workers. Jia Dongxu, on the other hand, hasn't had a formal mentor since Yi Zhonghai went to the warehouse.

Getting it in your bangs will cause even more trouble.

Moreover, Yi Zhonghai finally spoke up, "No explanation, no compensation, we'll play this game with the Jia family mother and son until we see who dies first."

Yi Zhonghai's tone sent chills down the spines of the women at home; it sounded like he was determined to fight the Jia family to the death.

What's more frightening than Liu Haizhong's claims is that Liu Haizhong is just spouting nonsense and nothing to fear. Yi Zhonghai is telling the truth, and what he says is terrifying.

However, the two of them got away with it at the military control commission, so it was right for them to come back and demand an explanation from Jia Dongxu and his mother. Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. They sent us in, and while we're fine, you're in trouble.

After exchanging a few words, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong went home from the front yard. Liu Haizhong glanced at He Yuzhu's house a few more times from the middle yard.

"Don't look around recklessly. He has a grudge against Jia Zhangshi. He has neither the time nor the inclination to deal with Jia Zhangshi unless you can find a way to make him deal with her."

"We're already locked in a life-or-death struggle with the Jia family. Let's smash their pot first, as a reminder to Jia Zhangshi and her son that we're not dead." Yi Zhonghai's words were loaded with meaning.

"I might give it a try if I get the chance," Liu Haizhong said without thinking.

Yi Zhonghai looked at Liu Haizhong's back and smiled contemptuously.

When Qin Huairu returned to cook lunch, Liu Haizhong indeed appeared with a stone in his hand, and Yi Zhonghai also had a stone in his hand.

The two entered the Jia family home, smashing the pot of stir-fried potato shreds with the stones in their hands. Qin Huairu was also about to eat.

"Bang. Bang." Two loud noises. The wok was smashed, leaving a large hole in the bottom, rendering it unusable.

"Qin Huairu, we won't do anything to you for now. Tell Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi that if they don't give an explanation, this matter will never be over. From now on, our three families will be at odds with each other."

"Qin Huairu, you're still young. With the current policy on mobile household registration, you should change your registration to an urban one and remarry. We're just not going to make things difficult for you for now." Yi Zhonghai said before leaving.

"Hmph." Liu Haizhong followed.

The household registration system of the People's Republic of China underwent three key steps in the early days of the nation's founding:

Unified urban household registration:

On July 16, 1951, the Ministry of Public Security promulgated the "Provisional Regulations on Urban Household Registration Management," which for the first time unified the household registration system in cities nationwide, clarifying that household registration management was the responsibility of the public security organs, covering matters such as births, deaths, and migration.

Expanding to rural areas:

In 1955, the State Council issued the "Instructions on Establishing a Regular Household Registration System," requiring the establishment of a household registration system in urban and rural areas, market towns, and villages to achieve unified management nationwide.

Establishing a dual household registration system:

In January 1958, the "Regulations on Household Registration of the People's Republic of China" formally divided household registration into "agricultural household registration" and "non-agricultural household registration," forming a dual urban-rural household registration structure and laying the basic framework for the current system.

Qin Huairu looked at the broken pot and tears streamed down her face again. Her lunch was gone, and she would go hungry. Why wouldn't they let her eat?

Are you going to smash the pot after I've cooked and served the dish?

Stepping out of the house, I leaned against the doorframe, my lifeless eyes staring at the courtyard, feeling utterly miserable.

I just wanted to marry into a good family; I didn't want to live a life of backbreaking labor in the countryside. I did nothing wrong. Sigh, maybe I chose the wrong family.

There was a lazy, good-for-nothing mother-in-law who had nothing better to do than cause trouble everywhere, and this time the matter had escalated into a huge mess.

I've lived in the countryside for eighteen years, and this is the first time I've ever seen someone come and smash my pot. I've heard that this is a sign that the two sides are locked in a life-or-death struggle, with no room for negotiation.

Dongxu wants to give them an explanation. He won't accept less than the agreed amount of compensation. My good mother-in-law won't stand for it. There will be even more trouble to come.

Yi Zhonghai talked about household registration. Should I change my household registration and then find someone to marry into the family? This time, I need to choose a good family.

Qin Huairu looked towards He Yuzhu's house and murmured to herself, "He's not bad. He's very good to his younger sister now, and he won't be bad to his future wife either."

I heard his salary is very high, more than five times that of Dongxu. It will be even higher after he completes his apprenticeship. He hasn't completed his apprenticeship yet because he hasn't reached the required number of years. He will complete his apprenticeship before May Day next year. How much will he earn in a month?

If he earns money outside and supports both me and his sister... Qin Huairu began to have her own fantasies.

After a long silence, Qin Huairu sighed, "Sigh, I'm older than him, and I've been married before. He still has three years before he can get a marriage certificate, so he won't marry me."

Actually... actually, being a concubine isn't so bad, it's not like it's impossible.

As for the other people in the courtyard, none of them are suitable for me. They have feelings for me, but they won't treat me too well. They'll just use me as someone else's wife.

He Yuzhu and my family have a very bad relationship, which is another troublesome matter. My mother-in-law has enemies all over the courtyard, which is annoying. I hope to have the opportunity to get to know He Yuzhu in the future.

Oh no, Dongxu has to go to work, and I have to go back to the hospital. I'm starving, and I need my lunch. Qin Huairu finally thought of a practical problem.

Qin Huairu locked the door and rushed to the hospital. She also needed to tell Jia Dongxu about what Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong had said and done.

"At the hospital, I quietly called Jia Dongxu out of the ward and told him about Yi and Liu."

"What did you say? Those two smashed our pots and pans." Jia Dongxu knew things were serious; if not handled properly, it could lead to a life-or-death struggle with both families.

Jia Dongxu was in a state of confusion. He hadn't expected things to escalate to this point. He had only suspected them, which was why he had said that the two were highly suspicious.

"Huai Ru, you take care of Mom first. I'm going to work. There are some things I need to think about. Right now, my mind is a bit of a mess, and I can't think of a solution."

"Dongxu, go to work. I'll take care of things here." Qin Huairu was always good at controlling her emotions.

Looking at Jia Dongxu's expression as he left the hospital, there was a hint of complexity in his eyes.

After the Lunar New Year, restaurants experience a relative 'off-season,' with only two-thirds of the customers per day compared to the previous few days, which is normal for restaurants.

Even if the restaurant across the street were closed, I would have even fewer customers.

When he had time, He Yuzhu would repeatedly look at the recipes. He found that looking at the recipes was just like cooking himself; it could repeatedly increase his experience and improve his cooking skills.

In the afternoon, both the fourth senior brother and Master Ma were there. He Yuzhu took his sister back to the house in Zhengyangmen. He stayed home to study cooking, while He Yushui went out to play with her friends. Elementary school students usually come home early after school.

He Yushui can play with other children here, and she eats a very good dinner, which she really enjoys. She doesn't even mention saving money for her brother.