Courtyard House: Is Xu Damao a childless man? Let me help.

(This is the fifth update today. The author has to go out this afternoon, so the remaining five updates will be released at 1 a.m. However, the author will definitely keep his promise to release ten updates today, so please rest assured, everyone~~~~).

Chapter Sixty-Six: Qin Huairu's Educational Irony, Jia Zhangshi's Family Arrives

However, after this incident, Sha Zhu and Ye Jianchuan haven't cooked anything extra for the past two days. Sha Zhu went to visit his 'friends' in the culinary world, since he still needs to find someone to get fish lips and sea cucumbers.

Although Ye Jianchuan still ate at home, he basically only cooked for himself, and at most he would cook a little more for He Yushui. Qin Huairu didn't even have a chance to come over and collect the leftovers, let alone eat them together.

So for the past two days, apart from the cornmeal porridge that Ye Jianchuan provided, Qin Huairu's family could only eat vegetable soup made from wild vegetables that Qin Huairu herself had picked up from who-knows-where during the day when she had nothing to do.

If you eat this kind of thing once or twice, the hamster might be able to tolerate it, but if you eat it every meal, then the hamster will find it hard to stand the "120".

"Mom, can't you go next door and get some other dishes? This is cornmeal porridge again, it's making my throat sore."

What could Qin Huairu say? She hadn't seen Sha Zhu much at home these past two days. Ye Jianchuan was there, but all he gave her was cornmeal. What could she do?

Could she possibly ask for something else? Although that little pervert Ye Jianchuan was indeed lusting after her body and had been making advances these past two days, he was fine with her eating it himself, but he wouldn't let her bring it home. It was obvious that he still had a problem with the bang gong.

Or... should I really teach Bang Geng a lesson, beat him until he cries?

To put it bluntly, Qin Huairu was actually reluctant to hit her son. Moreover, despite her efforts to educate him, she didn't actually impose any punishment on him. Wasn't that tantamount to tacit approval?

So Qin Huairu could only comfort Banggeng with a few words: "Good boy, Banggeng, just bear with it for a couple more days. In a couple of days, Mom will be able to go to work and bring back some delicious food from the factory for you to eat."

But Bang Geng suddenly threw a tantrum, throwing his chopsticks on the ground and shouting, "No!! I want to eat something delicious right now! I want roast chicken! I want stir-fried meat!"

Go to that jinx's house and get it for me! Otherwise, I'll disown you as my mother!

Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu was furious and immediately stood up, slapping Banggeng across the face.

"You're getting bolder and bolder. Do you think I can't control you anymore? You don't even recognize me as your mother anymore? Fine! You don't want to eat, huh? Then you won't eat today!"

After saying that, Qin Huairu picked up the bowl in front of Banggeng, took out the mixed vegetable soup inside, and distributed it to Xiaodang and Huaihua next to her.

This made Banggeng even more unhappy. "You...you hit me!! When Grandma was alive, you never dared to hit me!"

Qin Huairu became even angrier after hearing this and slapped Banggeng across the face again. "How dare you mention your grandmother?"

It's because your grandma has always spoiled you that you've become like this! If I don't discipline you, you'll really be ruined!

What did I tell you before? You're not allowed to call Uncle Ye a jinx anymore! Did you just ignore me?

While talking, he still felt unsatisfied, so he simply picked up the wooden spoon next to him and slapped the buttocks of the stick twice.

After being slapped twice by Qin Huairu and then given a few hard spankings on his buttocks, Banggeng felt so wronged that he struggled to jump up.

"You...you actually hit me for a stranger?! Waaaaah!!! You're not my mom!! I don't want to acknowledge you as my mom anymore!! I'm going to sue my grandma!!"

Qin Huairu thought Banggeng was just saying things out of anger, so she picked up the wooden spoon and hit Banggeng twice more, saying through gritted teeth as she did so.

"You don't want me as your mother anymore, huh? You want to sue your grandma? Fine! Go ahead and sue! Then you can live with your grandma! And don't come looking for me again!"

As they were talking, Banggeng dodged twice in succession, then suddenly pushed Qin Huairu aside with force, and then turned and ran out the door.

Qin Huairu was still yelling, "You brat! If you've got the guts, then don't ever come back!"

Watching Banggeng run off into the distance, Qin Huairu shook her head helplessly. It seemed that her journey of educating her child was truly long and arduous!

But she didn't realize that although she had just said some angry words, Bang Geng couldn't distinguish between angry words and kind words at all...

. . . . . .

Meanwhile, things were quite lively at the Jia family's place. The day after the family division, Jia Zhangshi packed her things and went back to her parents' home.

She hadn't been back for at least six or seven years, and her family wasn't particularly welcoming. But after hearing the reason for Jia Zhangshi's return, her brother's attitude changed instantly.

Not only did they set up a feast to give Jia Zhangshi face, but they even killed a rooster that they had been reluctant to eat and cooked it.

After staying at home for two days, Madam Jia Zhang finally returned to the courtyard house with her nephew.

On this occasion, they happened to run into Banggeng, who was wiping away tears as he ran out of the courtyard. Banggeng finally had an idea and immediately ran pitifully to Jia Zhangshi.

"Grandma, you're finally back! I don't want to live with my mom anymore. We eat cornmeal and vegetable soup every day. I don't want to eat vegetable soup anymore, it hurts my throat."

I asked my mom to go next door to get some food from that jinx, but instead of getting me anything, she hit me! Waaah!

As for Jia Zhangshi, she was somewhat forgetful and had forgotten how her "good grandson" had treated her a few days ago. Upon hearing Banggeng's complaints, she immediately felt sorry for him.

"What! Qin Huairu actually dared to hit you! Where did she hit you? Did it hurt you?"

Oh, my dear grandson, Grandma told you before that you wouldn't get anywhere with your mother, and now you know why, right?

Come on, come on, let's go home with Grandma. Grandma will make you something delicious!

As she spoke, Jia Zhangshi led the stick back home. After arriving home, Jia Zhangshi remembered that she should introduce her nephew.

"Hey Banggeng, this is your grandmother's nephew. You should call him your cousin. He's here to take over your mother's job at the steel mill."

Your mother wasn't very capable before. She worked for so long, but her income was only 27.5 yuan. She also had to support those two money-losing kids, so of course you didn't get to eat anything good.

But your uncle is much better than your mom. He'll work there for a couple of years, and his salary will definitely go up. Then you'll have a good life.

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Bang Geng Wants to Live with Jia Zhangshi

Jia Zhangshi said these words directly to her nephew without feeling embarrassed at all. In Jia Zhangshi's eyes, this nephew was someone she had brought from the countryside.

Then I'd be doing him a huge favor, so it would be only right for me to continue eating and using his things.

But she didn't know that her nephew didn't think that way at all.

Although all the conditions had been agreed upon beforehand, after taking over the job, his nephew did indeed have to provide meals for Jia Zhangshi every month, and also give Jia Zhangshi ten yuan every month.

However, whether the food served to the Zhang family was good or not was another matter entirely. Working at the steel rolling mill meant that, apart from breakfast, lunch and dinner could be eaten at the factory.

I eat my fill at the factory, and when I get back, I just give my annoying aunt a couple of steamed buns or something, and that's basically it.

As for breakfast? Who has a big feast of meat and fish for breakfast?

27

But the situation is different now. If I need to raise another half-grown boy, and judging from his tone, it seems like I need to eat fish and meat every day, then I can't afford to raise him.

So while Jia Zhangshi was still bragging, her nephew spoke up, "Auntie, will this corn stalk be eating at home from now on?"

Madam Jia didn't seem to mind, and nodded happily, "Yes, my grandson will be eating with me from now on. Don't worry, he'll definitely not be short of food here with Grandma!"

"Auntie, this is not quite what we agreed on before. We agreed that I would only take care of your food and drink. Now that there is another person, do we have to change the terms we agreed on?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi immediately became displeased. "Zhang Xiangdong, what do you mean by that? Our Banggeng is just a half-grown child. How much more money do you expect to spend on his food each month?"

I brought you out of the countryside so you could have a stable job in the city and establish yourself there. What? You're unhappy about eating a little more of my food?

Zhang Xiangdong, Jia Zhangshi's nephew, didn't take it seriously and said, "Aunt, that's not how it's said."

As you probably know, even after I take over this job, I still have to start as an apprentice, earning only fifteen yuan a month.

You're taking ten yuan right off the bat, leaving me with only five yuan. If it weren't for the fact that the factory provides employee meals that don't cost much, I wouldn't even have enough for my own food!

Now, with the five dollars I have left, I not only have to support you, but also a half-grown child.

There's an old saying that goes, "A half-grown boy can eat his father alive." Tell me, do you really think I have enough money to support the three of us?

Although Madam Jia wanted to use the same method she had used against Qin Huairu—shrug it off and pretend she knew nothing—she also knew that her nephew was right.

So she could only concede slightly, "Then... Xiang Dong, what are your thoughts?"

Zhang Xiangdong smiled and said, "It's simple. Before I'm officially hired, I won't give you that ten yuan. Fifteen yuan a month will definitely be enough to cover the food and drink for the three of us."

"I'll start paying you back that ten yuan after I'm officially hired. That shouldn't be too unreasonable, right?"

After listening, Madam Jia nodded. She couldn't find any fault with it, so after thinking for a moment, she could only agree in the end.

However, she didn't know that her nephew wasn't so kind-hearted. After all, they shared the same blood of ingrates and grew up the same way. How could he possibly be so 'kind'?

The job isn't fully in hand yet, so I still need to play along a bit. As for the future? Once the money is in my own hands, I'll have plenty of reasons and excuses to slowly skimp on it.

. . . . . .

What followed was naturally another argument. After discussing their own affairs, Jia Zhangshi angrily kicked open Qin Huairu's door with a stick.

Once inside, Jia Zhangshi proudly boasted to Qin Huairu, "Qin Huairu! I'm telling you this today! From now on, Banggeng will be living with me!"

This sentence completely baffled Qin Huairu. What was going on? Her son had only been gone for less than ten minutes and had already betrayed her? Didn't he say he would never acknowledge this grandmother again when he was with her?

While Qin Huairu was still in a daze, Bang Geng had already started rummaging through the closet at home, and soon found all of his own clothes.

Clutching the clothes, she returned to Jia Zhangshi's side, then glared at Qin Huairu with a smug look, saying, "You're not my mother anymore! You can go back to living with that jinx!"

Qin Huairu was stunned when she heard this, because she never expected that her own son would say such a thing to her!

However, this also made Qin Huairu realize that her son was indeed, as Ye Jianchuan had said, an ungrateful wretch who could never be raised.

Since that's the case, then there's no need for her to be reluctant anymore. However, thinking about what Bang Geng said earlier, Qin Huairu was still a little angry.

So she wanted to go up and give Qin Huairu a couple more whacks, but with Jia Zhangshi, who was always fiercely protective of her own, Qin Huairu couldn't possibly hit her!

On the contrary, Madam Jia unleashed her full fury, immediately launching into a tirade against Qin Huairu: "Qin Huairu! How dare you lay a hand on my grandson?"

"I think you really are having an affair with that little jinx, aren't you? Just because my grandson said one thing about him, you're willing to hit him? Are you even a mother?"

Fortunately, Lou Xiao'e, who lived nearby, ran out and separated the group. Otherwise, with most of the men in the compound away, there would have been very few people who could have stopped Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi from fighting!

These two women, mother and daughter-in-law, ended up exchanging another round of attacks from afar, and then... that was it.

After all, they are people who care about their reputation. When men are around, Qin Huairu might be willing to pretend to be pitiful or something.

But at this time of day, all the men in the compound had gone to work, and the only people coming out to watch were old women. Qin Huairu couldn't bring herself to do it in front of a bunch of gossipy women, so the matter ended abruptly.

Actually, just the number of 'rest days' in this era has already made Ye Jianchuan a little dizzy. First of all, there are only four statutory holidays in the whole country.

New Year's Day and Labor Day are only one day off, while National Day is two days off, and the Spring Festival, which everyone looks forward to the most, is only three days off.

So, aside from public holidays, what about regular rest time? The answer is that only Sunday counts as a 'weekend,' meaning you can only rest on Sundays.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: A Second Visit to Liang Ladi

But... does Sunday really mean we can rest? Not entirely, because on this day, there's another saying: 'voluntary labor day'.