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

Xu Damao's words were reasonable, well-founded, and righteous.

Everyone still remembers the incident a while ago when Yan Bugui urged Xu Damao to treat everyone to a meal. In the end, Yan Bugui was forced to treat everyone and ended up in the hospital because of the meal. Everyone should take this as a warning and not ask others to treat them to meals so casually.

You'll offend people and embarrass yourself.

Xu Damao deliberately raised his voice so that everyone in the courtyard could hear him clearly. He looked at Yan Bugui's face, which was gradually stiffening, and felt extremely pleased. Using Yan Bugui's usual favorite words, "scheming" and "rules," to shut him up was like killing him in the heart.

Indeed, no one in the compound ever said that officials had to treat others to meals—Liu Guangqi didn't, did he?

There was no mention of buying a house and hosting a banquet. Didn't the Jia family just buy a connecting room in the front yard? They didn't host a banquet, did they?

No one said they would treat everyone to a meal after buying a car. Liu Guangqi, Xu Damao, and Zhang Dabiao all have bicycles, and they didn't say they would treat everyone to a meal either.

Today, Yan Bugui, what makes you think Zhang Dabiao has to treat us? Tell us your story!

Yan Bugui's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. He wanted to refute, but Xu Damao's words were all reasonable, completely returning to what he usually taught his son and neighbors. All his calculations and all his plans to "mooch" meals were completely shut down by Xu Damao's words, leaving him speechless.

His old face turned pale and then red, and in the end he could only snort sullenly.

"Yes, yes, Da Mao is right. I'm getting senile and didn't think things through." He forced a smile that looked worse than a grimace, then turned around and slunk back to his room.

The moment he left the central courtyard, he seemed to hear even louder laughter coming from the east wing. It was the laughter of the victors, while he was just a loser, a loser who couldn't even get a meal. He sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), staring blankly at the teacup in his hand, his heart filled with unspeakable bitterness.

If you don't get a free meal, you've lost a lot of money—

孽 孽!

Now that I've become a third-generation patriarch again, I still can't get a free meal?

What do I take him for?!

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

Inside the courthouse, Yi Zhonghai shook his head, ignoring the matter. He was preparing to wait for Sha Zhu to have dinner so he could have a proper chat with him.

It's not about his close relationship with Zhang Dabiao, which Yi Zhonghai can no longer control, but about his introduction of a potential partner to Sha Zhu.

It's all arranged. He and Liu Cheng's daughter, Liu Yuhua, from the same workshop, have agreed to meet and have a meal tomorrow.

If this deal goes through, Sha Zhu will be ecstatic. He'll have a wife, kids, and a warm bed. Isn't that what everyone wants these days?

So Yi Zhonghai stayed home drinking tea, ignoring Yan Bugui's attempt to freeload a meal—how could Yan Bugui possibly get that?

Meanwhile, at the Jia family's house, Jia Zhangshi was peeking through the window at what was happening outside.

"You damn shrew! You can't even get a free meal, what kind of big shot are you?" Jia Zhangshi's anger intensified when she heard Yan Bugui's sheepish departure. She rushed out of the house, grabbed Qin Huairu who was huddled in a corner wiping away tears, and instinctively pinched her—Jia Zhangshi's usual way of venting her frustration.

"What are you crying for! You've been watching me and Banggeng go hungry, and you still have the nerve to cry!" Jia Zhangshi's voice was sharp, like a knife, cutting through the silence of the courtyard.

Qin Huairu was already starving, and exhausted from days of work, she was extremely weak. Her baby was growing larger and heavier, making every step difficult. However, her belly wasn't very noticeable, and she was dressed warmly in winter, so no one paid much attention. After all, this was her third pregnancy.

She had hoped to benefit from Zhang Dabiao's treat and improve her family's meals. But now it seemed he had no intention of hosting a banquet at all. Meanwhile, Sha Zhu's family had completely stopped receiving financial support, making their situation even more difficult.

"Mom, please don't do this... I'll go cook right now." Qin Huairu tried to comfort Jia Zhangshi, her voice tinged with pleading.

"What are you cooking? Zhang Dabiao is eating and drinking well, and you're going to cook? Make cornbread? Is cornbread all we Jia family can eat?" Jia Zhangshi completely ignored Qin Huairu's words. She pushed Qin Huairu forcefully, and her resentful words came out like a barrage of bullets.

"You're a daughter-in-law of the Jia family! You have to think about the Jia family! Didn't you used to be with that Zhang Dabiao? Go beg him! Go ask him! You're heavily pregnant, I don't believe he dares not give it to you!" Jia Zhangshi lost control of her emotions, completely disregarding Qin Huairu's increasingly protruding belly.

Qin Huairu stumbled from the push, her footing giving way. She staggered a few steps, letting out a low cry of pain. Her face turned deathly pale, and her body convulsed violently. A warm current suddenly surged from deep within her body, soaking her cotton trousers.

"Ouch..." Qin Huairu's body went limp. She clutched her stomach, her voice filled with unbelievable pain.

"What's wrong? Don't play dumb with me! Go now!" Jia Zhangshi was still angry and didn't realize the seriousness of the matter. She reached out to push Qin Huairu again.

However, Qin Huairu's pain was too real; her expression was contorted, and cold sweat slid down her forehead.

"Mom... my stomach hurts... my water broke... my water broke..." she managed to squeeze out a few words before her body slowly collapsed onto the cold ground.

The noise in the courtyard came to an abrupt halt. Bang Geng, who had been secretly watching from the doorway, was also startled when he heard Qin Huairu's scream.

"mom?!"

"Huai Ru!?" Madam Jia finally came to her senses. She looked at the wet ground and her face showed panic.

Just then, the door to the east courtyard suddenly opened. Yi Zhonghai, hearing the noise, came out. Bang Geng rushed out immediately, calling for help—"Grandpa...my mother—"

"Huai Ru!" Yi Zhonghai exclaimed and rushed over in three strides. He looked at Qin Huai Ru lying on the ground, then at the wet ground, and his face turned ashen.

"What are you all standing there for! Hurry! Get her to the hospital!" Yi Zhonghai yelled at Jia Zhangshi.

Madam Jia was also terrified and at a loss. Her eldest grandson hadn't been born yet, and she couldn't afford any mishap! She looked frantically towards the east courtyard and saw Zhang Dabiao and the others who had come out to watch the commotion.

"Zhang Dabiao! Zhang Dabiao! Your motorcycle! Quick! Get Huairu to the hospital!" Jia Zhangshi screamed as she rushed towards Zhang Dabiao, as if grasping at a straw.

Yi Zhonghai also came to his senses. Ignoring Jia Zhangshi's unreasonable behavior, he shouted, "Da Biao! This is a matter of life and death! Quickly, get the motorcycle moving!"

Zhang Dabiao stood at the entrance of the east courtyard, looking at the chaotic scene before him and at the self-righteous faces of Jia Zhangshi and Yi Zhonghai, and felt nothing but amusement.

He scratched his head and said impatiently, "Yi Zhonghai, Jia Zhangshi, are you out of your minds?" He asked back, his voice not loud, but everyone around him could hear him clearly.

"Is that sidecar motorcycle for carrying people? It's not an ambulance."

"Don't you know how spacious the sidecar is? In her current condition, can Qin Huairu even lie down inside?"

"Even if you manage to squeeze in, without anyone to support you, who will be responsible if something happens during the bumpy ride?"

"Besides, I'm still a novice. I only started riding this motorcycle today, and my skills aren't up to par yet. If something goes wrong on the road and it delays rescue time, who can bear the responsibility?"

"Just tell me, are you all out of your minds?"

"What are you waiting for? Borrow the cart!"