Courtyard House: Starting by inheriting the tradition and suppressing the barbarians.

After Banggeng left, the Jia family felt as if half of their sky had collapsed.

For the next few days, Qin Huairu seemed to have lost her soul, sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) in a daze all day.

Jia Zhangshi suffered a severe blow from the loss of her grandson and went insane for a time.

He lies in bed all day, whimpering and moaning.

He would curse Li Xuan one minute, then Xu Damao the next, and when he was starving, he would curse Qin Huairu for being useless.

The rice container at home was already empty.

When Banggeng left, he took with him the last of the family's food coupons and money.

The Jia family is now truly at its wit's end.

"Qin Huairu! You jinx!"

"Are you trying to starve me to death?"

Jia Zhangshi tapped the edge of the bed with her cane, the light in her triangular eyes dimming.

But the viciousness hadn't diminished at all; "Hurry up and get some food!"

"Do you want to watch this old man starve to death in bed?"

Qin Huairu numbly turned her head, looking at this wicked mother-in-law who only knew how to suck blood, her heart filled with disgust.

But this was quickly replaced by a deep sense of powerlessness.

She also has two daughters to raise.

Life goes on.

But how will we get through this?

Xu Damao is a wolf who eats people without spitting out the bones; he has already turned his back on everyone.

Mr. Yi Zhonghai, an elderly man, is now in dire straits.

As for Li Xuan... he's a god high above, and he wouldn't even glance at them.

Qin Huairu's gaze passed through the window.

Finally, it landed on the house across the street where wisps of smoke were rising from the chimney.

There lived the biggest "idiot" in the entire compound.

Although Sha Zhu's attitude towards him changed noticeably after that night.

She knew that Sha Zhu might have overheard something outside the warehouse.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have been avoiding her these past few days.

But Qin Huairu knew Sha Zhu too well.

This man has a bad temper and a sharp tongue, but he has a fatal weakness.

That is—to have no offspring!

He dreams of having a child, of having offspring of his own.

Qin Huairu touched her flat stomach, her eyes flickered a few times, and then she gritted her teeth.

To survive, and for the sake of the Jia family, she had no choice but to take another gamble.

......

Evening, at the Silly Pillar House.

Sha Zhu was drinking alone, eating half a plate of peanuts.

The room was cold and quiet, and not even a fire was lit in the stove.

He's been living in a daze these past few days.

Everything I heard outside the warehouse that day felt like a thorn in my side!

It was deeply embedded in his heart, impossible to pull out or swallow.

He hated Qin Huairu for not valuing herself, but he hated himself even more for being incompetent.

"Knock knock knock".

A knock came at the door.

Very light, very hesitant.

Sha Zhu paused for a moment as he held the wine glass.

He knew who it was.

Qin Huairu was the only one in the entire hospital who knew how to knock on doors like that.

"Get out! I'm going to sleep!"

Sha Zhu roared to cover up his inner panic.

"Pillar...it's me."

The door wasn't locked, and Qin Huairu pushed it open and walked in.

She washed her hair today, even though she looked pale and had red, swollen eyes.

But that pitiful, broken feeling only intensified the man's protective instincts.

What are you doing here?

Sha Zhu turned his head to the side and said coldly, "Go find your Xu Damao!"

"Why would you want to talk to a lousy cook like me?"

This sentence is full of jealousy and resentment.

Qin Huairu did not offer any explanation.

Instead, he quietly walked to the table and placed a stack of sewn shoe soles on it.

"Zhu Zi, I know you hate your sister."

"I don't blame you."

Qin Huairu's voice trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Sister is dirty. I don't deserve to be in your room."

"I came here today to give you this shoe sole."

"By the way... I'd like to say goodbye."

"Saying goodbye?"

Sha Zhu's heart skipped a beat, and he whirled around. "Where are you going?"

"I'm too ashamed to stay in this courtyard anymore."

Qin Huairu gave a bitter smile, "Bang Geng is gone, and we're starving."

"I'm planning to take Xiaodang and Huaihua back to my hometown in the countryside..."

"Even begging is better than being talked about behind my back here."

As she spoke, Qin Huairu clutched her chest, her expression suddenly changing as she made a disgusted face.

"vomit!--"

She bent over and gagged violently a few times, as if she were about to vomit up her gallbladder.

Sha Zhu couldn't sit still any longer.

Although I was angry, that was Sister Qin!

He immediately stood up and helped Qin Huairu up, asking, "What's wrong?"

"Are you sick? Are you hungry?"

Qin Huairu leaned weakly against Sha Zhu's chest, her face pale, but her eyes were somewhat evasive.

"No...it's nothing..."

"I've been feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit for the past few days, and I always feel tired..."

At this point, she deliberately lowered her head.

She placed her hand almost imperceptibly on her stomach and muttered something under her breath.

My period... doesn't seem to have come this month either...

boom!

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu was completely stunned.

Immediately afterwards, his eyes widened as he stared intently at Qin Huairu's stomach, his breathing becoming rapid.

She even stammered, "Sister Qin...you...what did you say?"

"My period hasn't come? Disgusting? This...this couldn't be..."

Qin Huairu blushed and shyly pushed Sha Zhu away: "Don't talk nonsense... I'm probably just tired."

"impossible!"

"I've seen it before in the cafeteria; those pregnant female workers looked like that!"

Sha Zhu was trembling with excitement, grabbing Qin Huairu's shoulders, "Sister Qin, tell me the truth!"

"Are you...are you pregnant?"

Qin Huairu bit her lip, looking at Sha Zhu with teary eyes.

After a long while, he finally nodded slightly.

"who!"

"Whose child is this?!"

Sha Zhu felt all the blood rushing to his head, and his face turned red!

At that moment, the first person he thought of was... Xu Damao.

Qin Huairu sensed his doubts, steeled herself, and put on a full performance.

She burst into tears and threw herself into Sha Zhu's arms, pounding her fists on his chest.

"He Yuzhu! You heartless bastard!"

"You're still asking whose it is?"

"You were drunk that night... in the cellar... you forgot?"

Actually, there was no such thing, or it was just some back and forth.

But Sha Zhu often has memory lapses, so Qin Huairu is betting that he won't remember.

"And what happened between me and Xu Damao isn't what you think!"

Qin Huairu cried her heart out, "That day I went to beg him, and he tried to take advantage of me..."

"But the thought of possibly carrying your child in my belly made me refuse even if it meant death!"

"But I'm not as strong as him, so I can only pretend to obey for now, and then try to resist!"

"Finally, I managed to grab the scissors and force him to his feet, which allowed me to escape."

"Waaaaah..."

"Pillar, if you don't believe me, I'll die right now!"

"I'll take my child with me to die! This is my pledge!"

As Qin Huairu spoke, she was about to bang her head against the wall.

Sha Zhu had never seen anything like this before.

His mind was completely consumed by the thought that "I have an heir," and his rationality vanished.

Furthermore, Qin Huairu's tearful confession perfectly explained what happened in the warehouse that day.

It turns out Xu Damao's plan failed!

Sister Qin is innocent!

She loves me!

"Sister Qin! No! I believe you! I believe you!"

Sha Zhu hugged Qin Huairu tightly, tears streaming down his face—tears of joy.

"I have an heir! I, He Yuzhu, have an heir!"

"I have a son!"

"Hahaha! Thank God!"

"Anyone who says I'm childless will have their life cut off, I'll kill them!"

At that moment, Sha Zhu felt like the happiest man in the world.

What Xu Damao, what Li Xuan, what being sucked blood...

He completely forgot about it.

He had only one thought: Qin Huairu was pregnant with his child!

He's a father now!

Qin Huairu nestled in Sha Zhu's arms, pretending to cry, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

"But Zhu Zi... now we don't even have cornmeal left at home."

"I'm so weak, I'm afraid I won't be able to save this baby..."

"Bullshit! Who dares to touch my son!"

Sha Zhu instantly exuded an aura of dominance, the presence of a "God of War" returning.

He released Qin Huairu, turned around and rushed under the bed.

They pried open a loose floor tile and pulled out an iron box.

That was his savings for his funeral, accumulated over many years; he had originally intended to keep it for his retirement.

Whoosh!

Sha Zhu poured all the money and tickets from the box onto the table, forming a thick stack.

"Sister Qin! Take this money!"

"Take them all!"

With red eyes, Sha Zhu shoved the money into Qin Huairu's hand, saying, "Buy whatever you want to eat!"

"We must raise our son to be healthy and chubby!"

"From now on, your affairs are my affairs, and the Jia family's affairs are my affairs!"

"If anyone dares to bully you and your daughter, I, Shazhu, will fight them to the death!"

Looking at the huge sum of money in her hand, Qin Huairu finally felt relieved.

The blood pack not only recovered, but it's also more stable than before.

"Pillar...you're so kind."

Qin Huairu's eyes sparkled as she tiptoed and kissed Sha Zhu's stubble-covered face.

That one bite completely captivated Sha Zhu.

"Hehe...hehehe..."

Sha Zhu touched his face and laughed like a 300-pound child.

I had no idea about any of this; it was all a lie!

......