Siheyuan (courtyard house): My father, Li Yunlong!

Shame, anger, fear... a mix of emotions.

but……

Her gaze involuntarily fell upon the piece of meat, its rich and tempting aroma seemingly already filling her nostrils.

The image of Banggeng crying and fussing when he craved meat, his mother-in-law's harsh scolding, his husband's incompetent and furious face, and the blandness in her own belly that had never tasted oil... flashed before her eyes like a revolving lantern.

She knew better than anyone how difficult it was to get something to eat outside.

Right in front of us was a good seven or eight pounds of meat!

The price... is just...

Qin Huairu's heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.

She bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled.

On one side is propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame; on the other side is real meat that can satisfy the cravings of the whole family, especially the children.

This choice was cruel yet realistic for this woman, who was overwhelmed by poverty. Time ticked by.

Li Zhenhua didn't urge him, but quietly drank his water, as if waiting for an answer he had already anticipated.

Finally, after a long and painful internal struggle, Qin Huairu suddenly raised her head.

Her eyes were filled with struggle and humiliation, but in the end, a do-or-die determination prevailed.

She seemed to have used all her strength to squeeze out a few words through clenched teeth, her voice trembling uncontrollably.

"...Do you...keep your word?"

Li Zhenhua put down his teacup, looked at her, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

"I, Li Zhenhua, always keep my word."

Qin Huairu closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then suddenly opened them again. She stopped looking at Li Zhenhua, instead quickly walked to the door, and with trembling hands gently pushed the slightly ajar door shut.

With a soft "click," the bolt fell.

The atmosphere in the dimly lit room instantly became ambiguous and tense.

Qin Huairu leaned against the door, her chest heaving violently.

She dared not look at Li Zhenhua, but stared intently at the ground, as if there were a crack there she could crawl into.

Li Zhenhua put down his teacup, stood up, and walked closer step by step.

His shadow loomed over Qin Huairu, bringing an invisible sense of oppression.

"Dong... Dongxu... he'll be back from get off work soon... at most... at most ten minutes..."

Qin Huairu's voice was barely audible, tinged with sobs and an uncontrollable tremor; it was her last struggle and a final reminder.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhenhua chuckled softly, reached out and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

His eyes were sharp and aggressive, yet his tone carried an air of complete composure.

"Ten minutes? That's enough."

Before he finished speaking, he lowered his head and kissed her, with an irresistible force.

Qin Huairu froze, instinctively wanting to push him away, but her hand fell limply halfway down.

She finally closed her eyes.

When the time came, Li Zhenhua released her as promised, his expression returning to normal, as if everything that had just happened was just an illusion.

He walked to the cutting board, and with a swift stroke, cut off a large strip of meat weighing over a pound, perfectly balanced between lean and fat. He casually wrapped it in an old newspaper and handed it over.

"Give."

Qin Huairu hurriedly took the heavy piece of meat, still warm from her body, without daring to look at Li Zhenhua. She turned around, frantically unlatched the door, and rushed out of the small house as if fleeing.

The cool evening breeze on her burning face helped her regain some clarity.

She looked around suspiciously, thankfully finding the backyard deserted.

She quickly turned her back, hurriedly tidying her somewhat disheveled clothes and hair, and then vigorously wiping her slightly swollen lips.

Thinking back on the absurdity of those ten minutes, she cursed Li Zhenhua a thousand times in her mind, calling him a "bastard" and "shameless."

Taking a few deep breaths and trying to remain calm, Qin Huairu lowered her head and quickly passed through the moon gate, returning to the Jia family's residence in the central courtyard.

As soon as she pushed open the door, Jia Zhangshi, who had been waiting impatiently, immediately jumped up from the stool, her gaze fixed like a hook on the package wrapped in newspaper in her arms.

"You got it? You really got it?"

Jia Zhangshi snatched the paper package and eagerly opened it. When she saw the white, fragrant pork, her small eyes instantly lit up with ecstatic joy. But then, suspicion sprouted like a poisonous weed.

She suddenly looked up, her triangular eyes suspiciously scrutinizing Qin Huairu, whose cheeks were flushed and whose eyes were darting around. Her voice suddenly became sharp.

"So much meat? He just gave it all to you for free? Qin Huairu! Tell me the truth! Did you...did you do something to betray Dongxu? You shameless little hussy!"

As Jia Zhangshi spoke, she reached out to pinch Qin Huairu's arm.

Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat.

Fortunately, she was prepared. She first dodged Jia Zhangshi's attack by turning to the side, and then her face was instantly filled with grievance and exhaustion. She said with a sob in her voice.

"Mom! What nonsense are you talking about! Do you think I'm that kind of person? I... I begged him for ages, and finally he agreed... agreed to do his laundry, clean his house, and tidy up for a month, and that's how he gave me this little bit! Do you think this is so easy to get?"

As she spoke, she secretly pinched her thigh, and the pain immediately brought tears to her eyes, making her look even more realistic.

"I...I've lost all face for this family, and you're still wronging me like this..."

Jia Zhangshi was skeptical, but seeing Qin Huairu crying so sadly, and considering that Li Zhenhua was, after all, a cadre, and might really care about face, making Qin Huairu work to pay for the meat seemed reasonable.

Looking again at the heavy piece of meat in his hand, greed finally overwhelmed his doubts.

"Alright, alright, stop crying! At least you're still somewhat useful!"

Madam Jia's expression softened, and her attention immediately returned to the meat, which she weighed with delight.

"Hmph, washing clothes for a month in exchange for such a big piece of meat, it's worth it! This meat is really good, lots of fat, enough to render a lot of oil!"

At this moment, Bang Geng, who was doing his homework in the inner room, was also startled. He ran out and saw that there was meat, and immediately cheered and pounced on it.

"Meat! Grandma, there's meat! I want braised pork!"

"Oh, my dear grandson, don't worry, don't worry, Grandma will make it for you right away! We'll eat it tonight!"

Jia Zhangshi hugged the stalk of the stick, her face full of wrinkles, and smiled broadly. She was already considering whether to stew it all and eat it to her heart's content, or to eat it sparingly, rendering the fatty parts into oil and using the lean parts to satisfy her cravings.

Qin Huairu breathed a slight sigh of relief as she looked at her excited mother-in-law and son.

She silently walked to the water vat, scooped up a ladle of cold water, and drank it in large gulps, trying to suppress the dryness in her throat and the inexplicable unease in her heart.

She knew that some things, once started, could never be undone.

As evening fell, Jia Dongxu dragged his tired body back to the courtyard house, smelling of rust and sweat from the workshop.

As soon as he stepped into the courthouse, a long-lost, mouthwatering aroma of meat wafted into his nostrils.

Jia Dongxu was stunned at first, then his face lit up with joy, and he quickened his pace as he pushed open the door while sniffing.

"Mom! What's the occasion today? Are you cooking stew?"