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

After being instigated by Yi Zhonghai, he lost contact with his sect. At the beginning of last year, his master and fellow disciples came to help him heal his wounds and beat up Yi Zhonghai.

But he was too embarrassed to admit it, and he had always been just an eighth-grade cook, which he felt was shameful, so he rarely contacted his master.

I did visit them during the Chinese New Year this year, but I didn't mention the steel mill's grading exam. At that time, the notice hadn't been issued yet, and neither of us knew about it!

Sha Zhu's face immediately darkened: "Holy crap! The factory allows applications, did that guy surnamed Ma sabotage me?!"

"Isn't this bullying?!"

"I'll go find him!"

After saying that, Sha Zhu ran off in a hurry. He was determined to beat that Director Ma until he was green with rage.

Everyone looked at Sha Zhu's expression, then at Yi Zhonghai who was pretending to be unaware, and shook their heads helplessly.

Although Yi Zhonghai was a little guilty, he had confessed everything he needed to last year and paid all the compensation he was owed. The factory hadn't dealt with Director Ma because he had powerful connections. What did that have to do with him?

Sha Zhu and I are already even!

I didn't pay much attention to Sha Zhu's matter. Without elders watching over him, he was indeed easily schemed against and suffered losses.

However, this is also related to his carefree and easygoing personality. People aren't your parents; they can't plan your career path for you all the time, right?

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

During this time, some people from the factory came and briefly explained the factory's handling of the situation and that the funds had already been in place. After they finished explaining, they left. The factory didn't want to get involved in the Jia family's affairs any further.

The hospital also sent people to check the body and instructed that it should be kept for no more than three days. Otherwise, in this weather, without the low-temperature environment of a morgue, bacteria could easily grow and cause infectious diseases, so the funeral must be carried out as soon as possible.

After the factory and hospital staff left, Xu Damao also came forward and gave a gift of five yuan.

"When Grandpa Zhang passed away the year before last, our family gave him 5 yuan as a gift. Isn't that quite a lot?"

"Teacher Yan, please write this down for me."

With Sha Zhu absent and no one arguing with him or pressuring him to donate money, Xu Damao's gift-giving went smoothly.

These few gave quite a lot; others gave between one and two yuan. Giving one or two yuan as a gift was considered quite good in those days.

But donations?

Apart from Yi Zhonghai's 50 yuan donation, everyone else gave gifts as a gift!

Moreover, each family only contributes one portion.

For example, although Liu Guangqi is married, he has not separated from the family. If Liu Pangpang gives, then Liu Guangqi does not need to give.

No matter how much Jia Zhangshi throws a tantrum, she still has to accept these old customs.

The downside was that Yan Jiecheng also had to give a gift of 1 yuan, which made him feel bad for a while.

Zhang Dabiao reiterated his stance: no donations, no following, no participation—because that's exactly what the Jia family did when his father, Zhang Banxian, passed away two years ago.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is appropriate, and Director Wang couldn't find a reason to persuade him otherwise.

Final donation: 50 yuan to Yi Zhonghai;

The total amount given as a gift was only 30 yuan from the entire ward. Even the deaf old lady sent two yuan through someone. Only Zhang Dabiao didn't give a gift. As for Qin Jingru, she was a relative of the Zhang family...

Unable to bear seeing this any longer, Yi Zhonghai added another 5 yuan as a gift, making him the only person in the entire hospital to both donate and give a gift...

She thought that the Jia family should at least have some sympathy for her.

Naturally, the Jia family was not satisfied.

Jia Zhangshi yelled at all the neighbors in the courtyard, "Is this all the money we have? How much will be left after this funeral feast? Don't you have any conscience?! How are we supposed to live?!"

Qin Huairu was also there, sobbing pitifully, "Yes, our whole family is now registered as rural residents, so we don't have grain rations, and grain prices are so high now..."

As Zhang Dabiao smoked his cigarette, he casually remarked, "Isn't that easy to solve?"

"Qin Huairu took over the job and changed her household registration to urban. Then the children followed their mother and naturally all changed their household registration to urban."

"Your family of four already has three urban household registrations, so the baby in your belly will also have an urban household registration after birth."

"At that time, four out of five people will have fixed rations, and they'll also receive subsidies and wages from the factory. How can they not survive?"

Everyone suddenly understood—[Oh yeah, that solves the problem!]

Moreover, four out of the five people have fixed quotas, workstations, and wages, and the factory also provides subsidies.

The Jia family lives like a dual-income family! What could they possibly not do? They're living much better than several other families in the courtyard!

[Jia Dongxu died a worthy death!]

Director Wang also thought this was a good idea, so he clapped his hands and said, "Everyone, whether it's donations or gifts, that's all for now."

"Jia Zhangshi, don't say you can't go on living. Zhang Dabiao's idea is very good. Let Qin Huairu take over the job, and all the problems will be solved."

Madam Jia was immediately displeased: "How can this be?! This work position belongs to the Jia family; how can it be given to an outsider?"

Qin Huairu's face turned pale instantly—[I've borne children and toiled like a slave for your Jia family for so many years, and now you still treat me like an outsider?]

"If she remarries, taking her job with her, wouldn't our Jia family be left with nothing?"

"This won't do, absolutely not! This workstation belongs to the Jia family!"

"We absolutely cannot give her the surname Qin!"

Yi Zhonghai couldn't sit still after hearing this. This useless teammate, even if you have such thoughts, don't say them now!

"Aunt Zhang, you and Huai Ru can discuss the workstation issue when you get back. We're talking about donations and gift-giving here!"

Director Wang also stopped Jia Zhangshi from continuing to complain: "Your family's matter can be discussed when you get back. The donation and the gift have already been completed. The factory hasn't shortchanged your Jia family by a single penny."

"We just received a message from the hospital that, in principle, a body cannot be kept in the hospital for more than three days."

"So we have to get the funeral arrangements sorted out first thing tomorrow morning."

"If I come here tomorrow at noon and still see Jia Dongxu's coffin here, I'll have someone come and enforce it."

Director Wang made the final decision; she didn't want to waste any more time with Jia Zhangshi.

After giving his instructions, Director Wang led his staff back home and said they would come back for inspection the next day at noon.

If the Jia family continues to cause trouble, then they will have no choice but to take drastic measures. It won't be about money anymore; it will be about forced cremation!

So the Jia family had no choice but to hold the funeral tomorrow morning.

After Director Wang left, Jia Zhangshi, who had originally intended to argue with Qin Huairu, thought, "Qin Huairu, keep your petty schemes to yourself!"

"Your workspace is reserved for Bang Geng; don't even think about it!"

A glint of light flashed in Qin Huairu's eyes. Becoming a worker was something she had always dreamed of!

Moreover, it can solve the household registration and quota issues for three children, so why not?

But now is not the time to talk about this. She pulled Jia Zhangshi back from her tantrum again: "Mom, the workstation issue isn't urgent. Let's talk about it when we get back."

"There's still one important issue we forgot to address."

"Dongxu's funeral is tomorrow..."

"Who will carry the coffin?!"

Madam Jia was completely taken aback by this question: "Huh?"

I was only thinking about donations and my workspace; I didn't even consider the funeral arrangements!

"No, Director Wang—"

"This isn't over yet!"