I painted an aircraft carrier on the courtyard house for Dongda University.

"Snap"

A loud bang.

It hit Qin Huairu directly in the face.

This slap caused half of Qin Huairu's face to swell up.

Madam Jia pointed at Qin Huairu and cursed, "You heartless slut! Why haven't you brought me any food or drink all these days? Dongxu goes to work every day, while you stay home all day ignoring me. What are you trying to do? I think you just want me to die sooner so you can take charge! You're dreaming! Qin Huairu, let me tell you, even if I die, it's not your place to call the shots in the Jia family! Look at the mess you've made of this house! All you do is pretend all day long, I spit on you!"

After saying that, she picked up a broom from the side and started whipping Qin Huairu with it, muttering, "I told you not to ignore me! I told you not to ignore me!"

Instead of helping to persuade him, Jia Dongxu glanced at him as if it were nothing and went straight to bed to sleep.

What was most surprising was that Qin Huairu's own son, Banggeng, actually clapped and said, "Grandma did a good job hitting me! Hit me harder! Qin Huairu, you deserve it. Who told you to bully me? Who told you to force me to kowtow to that childless man? My grandma said that only she and my dad are worthy of my kowtowing."

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi's face instantly darkened, and she lashed out at Qin Huairu with even greater force: "You wretched slut, how dare you bully Banggeng while I was away! You're asking for death! Tell me, why did you make my precious grandson kowtow to that person?"

Qin Huairu was beaten until tears streamed down her face, but she still didn't dare to get up and run away. She said painfully, "Mom, that was... that was Uncle Yi's idea. He told me to take the stick and plead for you, to get Zhou Weiguo to release you."

Madam Jia Zhang swung the broom forcefully, panting heavily, glaring fiercely at Qin Huairu: "You bitch, I'll teach you to use that childless Yi Zhonghai as a shield! I'll teach you to make my precious grandson kowtow to others! I'll beat you to death!"

He slapped her several more times, I don't know if he got tired of it or if he finally understood why.

Madam Jia said viciously, "Qin Huairu, I'll let you off this time! If there's a next time, I'll skin you alive!"

She slammed the broom down, plopped down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and yelled, "Qin Huairu, I want meat! Go buy me some meat, and also some flour, I want dumplings!"

Covered in red welts from being whipped, Qin Huairu said with a wronged expression, "Mom, where are we going to get meat and flour to make dumplings?"

To everyone's surprise, Madam Jia stood up again, pointed at Qin Huairu, and said, "Qin Huairu, I don't care! I just want to eat meat! If you don't get me some meat, you'll see if I don't whip you!"

Qin Huairu was terrified and quickly ran out of the house.

Jia Dongxu, lying on the bed, didn't move an inch, as if he had already gotten used to it.

Qin Huairu stood in the courtyard, her head down, her eyes filled with hatred for Jia Zhangshi.

He touched the little over a dollar he had found in his pocket during the day and pondered for a long time.

She dared not use the money to buy food for Jia Zhangshi—it would be better not to buy anything, because if she did, Jia Zhangshi would accuse her of hiding money, and she would inevitably get another beating.

She knew in her heart that her mother-in-law had probably been bullied at the police station these past few days.

On ordinary days, Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu would occasionally beat her, especially after she had been bullied by others. She remembered that whenever her mother-in-law was beaten by the deaf old woman in the backyard or bullied by outsiders, she would take it out on her.

But she didn't expect that Jia Zhangshi would be so ruthless this time.

Feeling the pain in her body, Qin Huairu couldn't help but shed tears.

Just then, He Yuzhu came out of the side room carrying a bowl of braised pork and was about to enter the main room.

Seeing Qin Huairu's swollen face, disheveled clothes, and tearful, distressed expression, He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat. He was about to go over to check on her when he suddenly remembered his uncle's "lecture" from earlier. He hurriedly lowered his head, muttering, "You can't see me, you can't see me." Then he pushed open the door to the main room and went inside.

The main house was too close to the Jia family's house, and besides, He Yuzhu had been standing at the door for a while with meat in his hands.

Jia Zhangshi and Bang Geng have noses as sensitive as dogs.

Then, Jia Zhangshi's raspy voice rang out: "Qin Huairu, you get back here right now!"

Seeing Qin Huairu stagger back, looking weak and unsteady, Jia Zhangshi scolded again, "Qin Huairu, who are you pretending for? Where did that meaty aroma come from?"

Qin Huairu said weakly, "He... He Yuzhu did it."

Upon hearing this, Madam Jia's eyes lit up, and she immediately cursed, "He Yuzhu is a damn good-for-nothing son of a widow! Why should he eat braised pork? He should be eating coarse grains and wild vegetables! Go, bring all his meat over here, I want to enjoy it properly with my son and grandson!"

Upon hearing that there was meat to eat, Banggeng immediately shouted excitedly, "I want to eat meat! I want to eat meat! Qin Huairu, you bitch, hurry up and get me some meat to eat!"

Qin Huairu's face fell at the harsh words. She glanced at Jia Zhangshi, who was glaring at her, and stammered, "Mom, this isn't appropriate..."

Before she could finish speaking, Madam Jia grabbed a shoe sole from the edge of the kang (heated brick bed) and threw it at her, hitting her squarely: "What's inappropriate? He Yuzhu is just hogging the food and doesn't respect the Jia family at all! If you're not going, get out and stay out tonight!"

Banggeng shouted again, "Qin Huairu, hurry up, hurry up! I want to eat meat! If you obey and give me meat, I won't call you a slut!"

Qin Huairu bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes.

At this moment, Jia Zhangshi threw another shoe at Qin Huairu's head.

She yelled like a shrew, "Qin Huairu, are you sick in the head? Go when I tell you to go! What are you pissing about here for! Go get our bowls, bring back everything you can!"

Lying in bed, Jia Dongxu smelled the aroma of braised pork, and his stomach rumbled loudly.

Thinking about how Zhou Weiguo had swindled 50 yuan from her during the day, she felt a surge of resentment.

He actually sat up abruptly and said, "Qin Huairu, Mom's right, hurry up! Bring up our big bowl, and it would be best to bring back all the food from the He family!"

Qin Huairu stood motionless. She really didn't dare to provoke Zhou Weiguo. If it were just He Yuzhu, she would have gone up and taken him back herself. She thought to herself, "Zhou Weiguo, why do you have to help He Yuzhu?"

Seeing that Qin Huairu didn't move, Jia Zhangshi became enraged. Grabbing a wooden bed broom from the foot of the bed, she rushed to Qin Huairu and struck her leg hard: "You've gone too far! You dare disobey me? If you don't bring the meat back today, I'll break your leg!"

Banggeng jumped over and shoved Qin Huairu, yelling, "Hurry up! I'm starving!"

Jia Dongxu, standing to the side, impatiently urged, "What are you dawdling for? If we don't go soon, we won't even get to drink the soup!"