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

After all, paper can't contain fire.

But in the magical land of the Siheyuan (courtyard house), sometimes paper can not only contain fire.

It can even make the fire burn even brighter.

Although Sha Zhu didn't dare to announce the news of having a child in a big way, he did.

After all, Qin Huairu was a widow and hadn't registered her marriage yet.

But within the small circle of the Intermediate People's Court, it's already an open secret.

These past few days, Sha Zhu has been beaming with health and walking with a brisk pace.

Even though my pockets were empty, I felt so happy, sweeter than if I'd eaten honey!

After work each day, he would not linger outside but would head straight to the market to buy food for Qin Huairu in various ways.

Old hens, brown sugar, and red dates were constantly being sent to the Jia family.

Seeing Sha Zhu's eager manner, some people were happy, some were worried, and some... saw through the trick.

......

Yi Zhonghai's family.

The room was cold and quiet, except for the enamel mug that had been used for decades, which was still steaming.

Ever since the older woman completely broke off relations with him and moved away.

This once bustling old man's house has become an ice cave.

Yi Zhonghai, holding a teacup, sat hunched over by the window.

Through the dusty glass, I watched Sha Zhu chopping firewood for the Jia family in the yard.

That energy seemed to be inexhaustible.

"Silly Zhu, silly Zhu..."

Yi Zhonghai narrowed his cloudy old eyes, a meaningful sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

He stood in the empty room, talking to himself.

"Pregnant?"

Yi Zhonghai blew away the tea dust floating on the water.

"That Qin Huairu, she was still washing those blood-stained strips of cloth in the yard last month."

"It's only been half a month, and they've already detected a pregnancy?"

"Is he still Sha Zhu's child?"

Thinking of this, Yi Zhonghai couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He's lived most of his life and has seen more salt than Sha Zhu has eaten rice.

Qin Huairu's little tricks could fool the lust-driven Sha Zhu, but they couldn't fool this old fox!

"Fake."

"It's definitely fake."

Yi Zhonghai put down his teacup, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

Logically, as an elder who watched Sha Zhu grow up, he should be the one to enlighten him at this time.

Don't let him get swindled until he's penniless.

but...

Yi Zhonghai turned his head and looked at the desolate scene in the room.

An elderly woman left, having lost all her savings and her job.

He is now a completely lonely old man.

If we don't catch Sha Zhu, who will take care of him in his old age and see him off when he dies?

Who smashed the basin and waved the banner for him?

"snort."

Yi Zhonghai's eyes gradually turned sinister.

"Tell him? What good would it do to tell him?"

"Let him fall out with Qin Huairu? Let him go back to being an unwanted, childless heir?"

"When he leaves, who's going to take care of this old geezer?"

Yi Zhonghai stood up and paced around the room with his hands behind his back.

Since the right path is blocked, let's take the wrong path.

"Shazhu is a sentimental person, but also stubborn."

"Once he's convinced that Qin Huairu is carrying his child, he's locked up by the Jia family for life."

Yi Zhonghai stopped in his tracks, his voice low and deep, "A locked-up idiot is a good idiot."

"When he's been drained dry by the Jia family, I'll step in to mediate the conflict, and he'll definitely side with me."

"They'll be devoted to taking care of me in my old age!"

"So, not only should we not expose this, we should also help cover it up!"

"Only by putting on a convincing show will Sha Zhu obey!"

......

in the afternoon.

Taking advantage of Sha Zhu's absence, Qin Huairu slipped into Yi Zhonghai's room.

She came to borrow money.

Although Sha Zhu gave a lot, Jia Zhangshi was a bottomless pit.

In addition, I still have to send money and goods to the people in the Northwest, so I'm short on cash.

Moreover, she was afraid that Yi Zhonghai would see through her disguise, so she wanted to test the waters.

"An old man..."

Qin Huairu stood at the door, looking at Yi Zhonghai, who was all alone in the room, and felt somewhat uneasy.

Yi Zhonghai looked at Qin Huairu, but didn't put on airs as usual.

Instead, he waved his hand, and a strange smile appeared on his wrinkled face.

"Huai Ru, come, sit down."

Qin Huairu sat down, about to bring up the matter of borrowing money, when Yi Zhonghai spoke first.

"Huai Ru, how have you been feeling lately?"

"I heard... the morning sickness is really bad?"

Yi Zhonghai looked at her with a half-smile.

Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat, and her palms instantly became sweaty.

She guiltily avoided Yi Zhonghai's gaze: "Yes...it's really uncomfortable, I can't keep vomiting whatever I eat."

"Yeah?"

Yi Zhonghai leaned forward, his old eyes fixed on Qin Huairu's belly, and lowered his voice.

"You seem so guilty you feel like throwing up, don't you?"

boom!

Qin Huairu's face turned deathly pale instantly!

She abruptly looked up at Yi Zhonghai, her lips trembling, "Uncle, what...what did you say?"

"Alright, it's just the two of us in this room, stop pretending."

Yi Zhonghai waved his hand, his all-knowing expression making Qin Huairu feel as if she had been stripped naked.

"You can fool idiot Zhu with your little scheme, but you think you can fool me?"

"You're still too green!"

"I've worked in the factory for decades, what kind of people haven't I seen?"

"Uncle, I..."

Qin Huairu panicked, she really panicked.

If Yi Zhonghai were to expose this, Sha Zhu would definitely kill her!

She wouldn't be able to survive in the yard!

"Don't be afraid."

Yi Zhonghai suddenly adopted a kind expression, his tone so gentle it was unsettling, "I have no intention of exposing you."

On the contrary, I think you did the right thing.

Qin Huairu was stunned, thinking she had misheard.

"Shazhu needs someone to keep him in check, someone to keep him occupied."

Yi Zhonghai said earnestly, "Look at me now, my aunt has passed away, and I don't have any children."

Life is tough.

"I also hope that Shazhu can have a home and settle down."

"Give him a 'child' and he'll have the motivation and know how to take care of his family."

"This is a good thing for you, for Shazhu, and for the harmony of our hospital."

Qin Huairu was an extremely shrewd woman, and she instantly understood Yi Zhonghai's subtext.

Yi Zhonghai didn't want Sha Zhu to escape his control; he needed Sha Zhu to support him in his old age!

Therefore, he was willing to help tell this lie!

"Uncle, what do you mean...?" Qin Huairu asked tentatively.

"My meaning is very simple."

Yi Zhonghai tapped the table. "This child must be real!"

"Even if she can't give birth later, or suffers a miscarriage, it'll be because Sha Zhu didn't take good care of her!"

"Or perhaps you've been working too hard for this family, you understand?"

Qin Huairu was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, "Understood! Understood!"

"Don't worry, sir, I know what to do!"

"besides."

Yi Zhonghai changed the subject, "In the future, you'll have to talk to Sha Zhu more often about his temper."

"Especially for an old man like me, they still have to treat me with the same respect as before."

"I'm all alone now, and if I have a headache or fever, or if I need something..."

"You two should help each other out."

These are the conditions.

I'll help you cover up the lie, and you'll help me control Sha Zhu and take care of him in his old age.

"Yes, yes, yes! Don't worry, sir!"

"From now on, you'll be our family's uncle!"

"If Sha Zhu dares to disrespect you, I'll be the first to object!"

Qin Huairu immediately expressed her opinion.

The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.

......

That evening, at the Jia family's house.

After listening to Qin Huairu's report, Jia Zhangshi's triangular eyes darted around.

"This old man, an old lady doesn't want him anymore, so he can only rely on these crooked ways."

"But it's good, with his mouth, even if that idiot Sha Zhu gets suspicious, he'll have to keep it to himself."

"Mom, from now on, how should we treat Uncle Yi..."

"Let them keep supporting us!" Madam Jia sneered. "Anyway, it's not like we have to spend any money on it."

"As long as we can keep Sha Zhu in check and let our Jia family eat meat, we'll call him 'Dad'!"

"Anyway, he doesn't have many years left to live!"

And so, the three most cunning, selfish, and shameless beasts in the courtyard came to be.

Driven by self-interest, they formed an unbreakable alliance!

Meanwhile, poor Sha Zhu was carrying a pot of freshly stewed chicken soup, happily walking into the Jia family's gate.

"Sister Qin! Mom! The chicken soup is here! Drink it while it's hot!"

......