Courtyard House: Inheriting the Restaurant, the Jia Family Wants to Get It for Free

"Hey Lao Yi, did you hear? Liu Haizhong's son is going to work in your factory cafeteria!"

A worker who usually didn't get along with him deliberately started shouting loudly.

Yi Zhonghai paused in his steps.

"Liu Haizhong is out of a job, but his wife has stepped in! What kind of situation is this? They're a couple, one fell down, the other got back up, and they still live their lives! Unlike some other people..."

The worker didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

A burst of laughter erupted in the courtyard.

These words were like a knife, stabbing precisely into Yi Zhonghai's heart.

Liu Haizhong is finished, but he has a wife and children, and his wife can take over the job and support the family.

What about Yi Zhonghai? He's ruined himself, and his adopted son is still so young; he can't be relied on.

The Jia family was also eyeing him covetously. He felt as if his world had collapsed even more completely than Liu Haizhong's.

His face was ashen, his fists clenched, and he practically ran home, slamming the door shut.

"Hahaha, look at Lao Yi's face, it's as black as the bottom of a pot!"

"Serves him right! Who told him to always act so high and mighty!"

The workers in the yard laughed even harder when they saw Yi Zhonghai's disheveled appearance.

Not long after, Cheng Shuhai returned from the restaurant with his younger sister Ling'er.

"Brother, the yard is so lively today!"

Cheng Ling'er looked curiously at her neighbors who were chatting together.

Cheng Shuhai patted her head and said with a smile, "They have nothing better to do, let's go home for dinner."

As soon as he arrived at the Intermediate People's Court, he overheard his neighbors' conversations and learned about Sun Dali's succession and Yi Zhonghai's humiliation at the factory.

He just smiled and didn't take it seriously.

This is all their own fault.

Cheng Shuhai led his younger sister into the house to prepare dinner.

He had just put the rice into the pot when he heard a series of sharp curses coming from the Jia family next door.

"Cough cough... Ugh! What kind of pig slop is this?! There's not a drop of oil in it! Are you trying to choke me to death?!"

It was Jia Zhangshi's voice.

After her paralysis was cured by "qi", her vital energy became stronger and stronger.

Immediately following was Qin Huairu's voice, barely containing her anger: "Mom! We only have this much stuff at home, what am I supposed to cook? The rice jar is almost empty!"

"I don't care! I want to eat meat! I want to eat the best!" Madam Jia started throwing a tantrum. "When did I ever suffer such humiliation in the Jia family? Now, I can't even get a decent meal!"

Hearing that there was something interesting to see, the neighbors in the courtyard all gathered around the Jia family's door.

Cheng Shuhai also opened the door, crossed his arms, and looked on with great interest.

Jia Zhangshi was sitting on a small stool, pointing at Qin Huairu and cursing. Qin Huairu stood there with a dark face, his lips tightly pursed.

"Qin Huai, let me tell you, if you make me eat this kind of thing again tomorrow, you can go back to your parents' house!"

Jia Zhangshi threatened viciously.

Qin Huairu's body trembled, and her eyes instantly reddened.

The neighbors who were watching couldn't stand it anymore.

"Sister-in-law Jia, that's a bit unreasonable of you."

"Yes, Huai Ru has it tough too. What can she do given her family's situation?"

"Dongxu isn't home, and you... she's a woman all alone, where is she going to get you meat to eat?"

Everyone chimed in, speaking up for Qin Huairu.

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi became even more excited. She slapped her thigh and started howling.

"My God! What terrible things have I done?! Everyone is bullying us, a widow and her orphan!"

"Old Jia, please come back and visit!"

As she wailed, she glared at everyone with a venomous look, finally fixing her gaze on Yi Zhonghai, who had just come out of the house.

As if she had found an outlet, she suddenly stood up, pointed in the direction of Yi Zhonghai's house, and cursed, "It's all your fault! Yi Zhonghai! You heartless bastard! My son Dongxu is your only apprentice! He's not home now, and you, as his master, are just going to stand by and watch us starve? Have you no conscience?!"

Jia Zhangshi's shout drew everyone's attention to Yi Zhonghai.

Having just been ridiculed by his neighbors and had a lot of anger at the factory, Yi Zhonghai came out to get some fresh air, but unexpectedly became Jia Zhangshi's target.

His already unattractive face was now so black it looked like ink could drip from it.

The neighbors in the courtyard all craned their necks, waiting to see what would happen.

Everyone knows what Jia Zhangshi is up to. Her plan to "eat the childless" has failed, and now she wants to use moral blackmail to force Yi Zhonghai to help her family.

"Yi Zhonghai! Speak up! You coward!" Seeing that Yi Zhonghai remained silent, Jia Zhangshi cursed even more fiercely. "Dongxu became your apprentice back then, and now? He's in jail, and you haven't uttered a single word! You just watched us, mother and son, starve! How could you face Dongxu?"

She wanted to put Yi Zhonghai in a very difficult position.

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that he trembled all over.

He recalled the vicious plan that the deaf old lady had told him about Jia Zhangshi's "eating up the childless" scheme, and her wicked intention to have Qin Huairu steal her son Jiefang. New and old grudges surged into his heart.

Treat him like your own son? Or are you just taking advantage of him and trying to drain his family's savings?

Yi Zhonghai could no longer contain himself. He took two steps forward, stood in the center of the courtyard, pointed at Jia Zhangshi, and his voice was distorted with anger.

"Jia Zhangshi! Shut up!"

His shout silenced the courtyard instantly.

Madam Jia was also stunned. She didn't expect that Yi Zhonghai, who always cared about his reputation, would publicly break off relations with her.

"Let me tell you!" Yi Zhonghai pointed to his chest and said, word by word, "I, Yi Zhonghai, took Jia Dongxu as my apprentice to teach him skills so he could have a living! I fulfilled my responsibility as a master!"

"My relationship with him is merely that of master and apprentice! Not father and son! I have no obligation to support you and your mother!"

These words caused an uproar throughout the entire college.

"My God, Lao Yi has completely abandoned all pretense of civility!"

"That's right, they've already said it out loud, showing no mercy whatsoever."

Xu Damao, always eager to stir up trouble, clapped his hands and cheered, "Well said! Master Yi! That's exactly what you should say! What's the point of master-disciple relationships if nothing beats real money!"

Jia Zhangshi's face flushed red and then turned pale. She hadn't expected Yi Zhonghai to be so disrespectful and to say such harsh words.

All her calculations were based on Yi Zhonghai's "concern for face" and "care about his reputation." As long as she grasped this point, she could force him to comply.

But now, Yi Zhonghai has completely abandoned all pretense of decency!

"You...you bastard!" Jia Zhangshi was furious and started throwing a tantrum again. "I don't care! You're Dongxu's master! A teacher for a day is a father for life! You have to take care of us!"

As she spoke, she tried to pounce on Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Zhonghai took a step back in disgust, and Tan Zhaodi quickly ran out of the house to protect her husband.