Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Jia Zhangshi, Qin Huairu, and Yi Zhonghai felt as if they had been struck by lightning.

Yes, if they had done just one thing, Jia Dongxu wouldn't have died. They themselves forced Jia Dongxu to his death!

Yi Zhonghai's eyes turned red, and he roared at Zhang Dabiao—

"Zhang Dabiao!"

Zhang Dabiao also reacted instinctively—

"Your grandfather is here!"

"...?!"

Couldn't you have reacted differently?

Then Yi Zhonghai coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground.

Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu were also completely overwhelmed by the shock and fainted.

"Hey, hey, hey... Hurry and save them!"

"Oh, Da Biao, give Aunt Wang some face, just don't say anything."

"Save Qin Huairu first; she's pregnant!"

"..."

------------

That evening, everyone returned to the courtyard house, and the matter was considered settled.

Zhang Dabiao was completely innocent; he neither practiced feudal superstition nor failed to help someone in distress.

It can be said that he had warned them since the beginning of last year, but for nearly a year and a half now, the Jia family and Yi Zhonghai have simply ignored it.

The last time Zhang Dabiao reminded them, the Jia family falsely accused him of being a hooligan. Because of this, Zhang Dabiao slapped himself countless times and even beat up Sha Zhu.

Furthermore, Zhang Dabiao and Qin Jingru genuinely helped the Jia family raise a young child.

It can be said that they have done everything they could, and there is not a single reason to criticize them.

No one in the courtyard blamed Zhang Dabiao; instead, they unanimously lamented that Jia Dongxu had died unjustly, driven to his death by his own family and his godfather. What was even more chilling was the reputation of "Zhang the Fortune Teller," which, after this incident, became even more renowned—Zhang Dabiao's ability to defy fate and determine life and death with a single word had been proven true. The near extinction of Xu Damao and Yan Jiecheng's lineage, coupled with Jia Dongxu's current fate, meant that every word Zhang Dabiao relayed about his father was accurate. The neighbors now looked at Zhang Dabiao with a mixture of apprehension and awe.

The Jia family and Yi Zhonghai were still busy at the factory handling Jia Dongxu's funeral arrangements; his body hadn't been transported back yet. Everyone else in the courtyard was preoccupied with their own affairs, except for Xu Damao, who, preoccupied with his own thoughts, sneaked into Zhang Dabiao's small courtyard under the cover of darkness. Carrying a bag of snacks, he asked anxiously, "Dabiao, what your dad said… that my wife would divorce me and end up having a son with Shazhu, is that true?!"

He was really scared!

Zhang Dabiao looked at him speechlessly—[Can I guarantee it's authentic? And can I guarantee it's ripe?]

"Hurry up and marry your wife and have a child. Keep a close eye on Lou Xiao'e and make sure she stays away from that old deaf man. That should solve everything."

"You've indirectly had your fate reversed, so don't mess it up, or I can't save you."

Xu Damao nodded frantically, still terrified and covered in cold sweat.

"So, if... if it really is as your father said before, what will happen to me when I get old?"

Zhang Dabiao didn't dare to mention Qin Jingru's affair, because that would be blatantly admitting that he had already stolen Qin Jingru's wife. However, he still revealed some information to Qin Jingru: "You were childless your whole life, and ended up as a prostitute... well, you had a terrible end, and you even angered your father to death. When you were down on your luck, it was Sha Zhu who saved you and taught you cooking skills so you could have a way to support yourself."

They've already come to this point, they believe whatever Zhang Dabiao says, all because Zhang Banxian "calculated" it back then.

If you're so capable, dig him out and confront him.

Xu Damao was stunned: "Huh?"

"Silly Pillar?"

"He saved me?"

Zhang Dabiao nodded: "Well, that's what my dad originally said, but now, you never know what fate has in store."

"Anyway, if you have a baby soon and keep an eye on Lou Xiao'e, your fate can be changed."

Xu Damao nodded frantically: "Definitely, definitely!"

"Can……"

"But Jia Dongxu just died, and his funeral hasn't even been held yet. My wedding banquet is the day after tomorrow. What am I going to do?"

Xu Damao was so anxious that he kept scratching his head. Not only was this unlucky, but he also figured that the Jia family might not even hold a funeral by then.

Oh, the Xu family is holding their wedding banquet in the backyard, while the Jia family is holding their funeral in the middle courtyard. How disgusting!

"What should we do? Go talk to your dad or your father-in-law. They know a lot."

"You're asking me what to do?"

Xu Damao immediately understood and ran out quickly. He needed to talk to his father and father-in-law that very night, and he also needed to have a good talk with his father-in-law about what Zhang Dabiao had said.

We need to keep a close eye on that silly moth.

As he was leaving the small courtyard, he ran into Sha Zhu. The two of them initially disliked each other and snorted at each other. That was about it, but Xu Damao suddenly remembered something and stubbornly said, "Sha Zhu, considering you'll teach me your skills in the future, I owe you a favor."

"That's all, I'm leaving!"

Sha Zhu looked completely bewildered.

What does it mean to teach him Xu Damao's skills in the future?

I will teach Xu Damao his skills in the future.

Teach him to cook?

That can't be!

Is Xu Damao suffering from hysteria?

He didn't drink tonight either?

Sha Zhu scratched his head, turned around, and saw that Xu Damao had just come out of Zhang Dabiao's small courtyard.

So he walked over there in a daze.

I've only walked a few steps when I go back to get some gifts. This is a visit to ask about something important, a major life event, so I can't come empty-handed, right?

But after searching the house thoroughly, they couldn't find anything good. In the end, they went to the alley and bought two bottles of wine, a portion of peanuts, and, after a lot of effort, half a pound of pig's head meat. They managed to sneak past Yan Bugui's dog-like nose and stealthily knock on the door of the small courtyard.

"Hey, Da Biao... I have a question for you."

"Has your father, Uncle Zhang, ever mentioned me before?"

Zhang Dabiao didn't say he deliberately left Sha Zhu outside. He set up a small table for him to sit down, and the two ate and chatted.

"Yes, I said that at the beginning of last year."

"Huh? What you said back then, was it true?"

"Absolutely. Look what I said. Your father was tricked away by Yi Zhonghai and the old deaf man. When your father left, he left behind money and a work position. Yi Zhonghai also embezzled the living expenses that your father sent to Yushui every month."

"Which of my statements failed to come true, and which one was a lie?"

Sha Zhu broke out in a cold sweat, and asked tremblingly, "Then what about when I'm old...?"

Zhang Dabiao rolled his eyes at him: "According to your original fate, you were just a sycophant to help the Jia family, and in the end you'll have nothing."

"I'm too lazy to talk about the middle part, but in the end you froze to death under the bridge and were eaten by wild dogs. It was Xu Damao who collected your body."

Sha Zhu was so startled that he lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"Me? I froze to death under the bridge? And was eaten by wild dogs? Or was it Xu Damao who collected my body?"

"This is impossible, this is absolutely impossible!"

Zhang Dabiao took another sip of wine: "Believe it or not, my fate has already been changed."

"Since I woke up and said those words, your fates have all been changed. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Of course, what you want to become in the future is also up to you."

Since we've already reached this crucial juncture, it doesn't matter whether we say more or less.

Because everything that needed to be said had already been said last year.

Sha Zhu remained silent for a long time, finally walking out dejectedly. Just as he was closing the gate, he awkwardly asked, "Um, Da Biao, so...so I'll go with..."

Zhang Dabiao was truly speechless. Damn it, Jia Dongxu just died and you're already eyeing his widow?

"Yes, you married Qin Huairu and also had a son with Lou Xiao'e. You're so lucky to have two women fighting over your husband!"

Just as Sha Zhu was about to laugh awkwardly, Zhang Dabiao added insult to injury—

"And then you'll still freeze to death under the bridge and be eaten by wild dogs."

"You can decide for yourself!"