Courtyard House: A Prosperous and Joyful Life

Bang Geng pushed his palms forward, striking a pose like a peerless master in a TV series, looking quite imposing.

The people in the ward were all dumbfounded. When the patients and nurses from other wards heard that someone was using qigong to heal, they all craned their necks to squeeze in. In no time, the ward was packed with at least thirty or forty people.

Bang Geng was so happy. The treatment hadn't even started yet, and the show was already going on. That's how awesome Qigong practitioners are!

He decided to show everyone his ruthless skills and demonstrate what acupressure was all about.

With a straight face, Bang Geng said seriously, "Next, I'm going to use Qigong acupressure to stimulate the body's magnetic field. After that, the illness will be cured!"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt it sounded impressive and crowded forward, afraid they wouldn't be able to see it clearly.

"Qigong - Acupressure!"

Bang Geng shouted and jabbed two fingers into Jia Zhangshi's back.

Startled by this, Jia Zhangshi let out a scream, her body convulsing violently as if she had been electrocuted. The next moment, an extremely foul-smelling unidentified liquid gushed out, smearing the head and face of the stalked man!

Bang Geng couldn't even open his eyes. He screamed and scrambled into the bathroom, where he lay down by the sink and vomited uncontrollably.

The onlookers were completely dumbfounded, their expressions more varied than the last.

"Holy crap!"

"Is this what qigong healing is? He cured someone's diarrhea with just a tap of his finger? His skill is incredible!"

That's too intense...

"That young man got sprayed all over his face; he probably felt like he wanted to die."

"I don't think qigong is a very reliable way to cure diseases."

"you do not say."

"Hurry up, hurry up! Can't you smell that odor? What are you still standing here for!"

"Let's go, let's go, I feel like throwing up!"

In the blink of an eye, everyone in the ward had left, even the nurses covered their noses and slipped away.

Jia Zhangshi howled like a pig being slaughtered on the bed: "Ouch! It hurts so much! I can't breathe! Sha Zhu! Qin Huairu! What are you two standing there for? Quickly call a doctor!"

Sha Zhu rushed out to call for help. Qin Huairu ran into the bathroom, turned on the tap, and frantically rinsed Bang Geng's head and face, creating a complete mess.

The doctor, pinching his nose, cautiously approached, examined the patient, and frowned, saying, "The patient already had a back injury, and the recent acupuncture has worsened it considerably. Surgery now would probably cost five or six thousand. Whether you proceed or not is up to you. Just a reminder, it's best to have the surgery within two days; after that, even if it's done, it might not be effective."

Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu were struck dumb.

The surgery cost only three or four thousand before, but with just one finger from Banggeng, it's increased by two thousand! Where am I supposed to get five or six thousand?

Those who hadn't gone far outside the ward gasped in shock upon hearing this.

"My God, one finger strike adds two thousand yuan to the surgery fee. This qigong is too expensive!"

"Exactly! The doctors all told us to just have the surgery, but they insisted on doing this qigong thing. Now look what's happened, we'll have to pay an extra two thousand."

"Who can afford a surgery that costs five or six thousand?"

"If you can't afford it, then don't get treatment."

"It seems we'll have to give up on treatment."

"If there's no money, they'll have to carry you home and have you lie down. If your children are filial, you can manage for a while, but if they're not, you might not even last a month."

"Even if someone is filial, if they're bedridden all day and can't move, not even turn over, that kind of life is worse than death."

Every word of these words reached Jia Zhangshi's ears, and she was terrified. Paralysis? She absolutely could not be paralyzed!

Surgery is absolutely necessary!

Jia Zhangshi screamed hoarsely, "Doctor, I need surgery! I need to stand up! Sha Zhu! Qin Huairu! You two, hurry up and get me the money!"

Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu looked as bitter as bitter herbs; they couldn't even scrape together three or four thousand, let alone five or six thousand.

Sha Zhu sighed, "I asked the old man today, but he only lent me a thousand. I'll have to figure out the rest myself."

Qin Huairu also said with a bitter face, "Mom, we'll figure something out, but four or five thousand yuan is no small amount. We'll need some time."

How could Jia Zhangshi wait that long? The doctor said it would be two days at the latest, otherwise the surgery would be useless.

Her eyes reddened with desperation: "I don't care about any of that! I just want the surgery! Sha Zhu, Qin Huairu, if you have any conscience at all, just let me have the surgery right now—"

Then came another barrage of harsh words, so severe that neither of them could lift their heads.

Sha Zhu was filled with mixed emotions. If only he could find a wife and settle down on his own! She was a great cook, the head chef at the factory; life would be wonderful, and all these troubles wouldn't have happened. After marrying Qin Huairu, his salary card was confiscated, and he was even stingy when eating out. Not to mention Bang Geng and Jia Zhangshi, each one more troublesome than the last, causing trouble every other day, leaving him to clean up their messes—he was miserable beyond measure.

But now that things have come to this, he's already tied to Qin Huairu's family, and it's too late for regrets.

He glanced at Jia Zhangshi and said in a muffled voice, "You should rest now. No matter how much you scold us, we can't conjure up any money anytime soon."

Qin Huairu chimed in, "Mom, the surgery is too expensive; we really need time."

Jia Zhangshi screamed, "I don't care! You have to raise the surgery fee within two days, or I'll haunt you even as a ghost!"

After hurling a few insults, she realized that simply cursing wouldn't work and that she had to come up with a solution herself.

Sure enough, after her eyes darted around a few times, Jia Zhangshi actually came up with a solution!

"Shazhu, Qin Huairu, you two come here."

Jia Zhangshi waved to them.

Qin Huairu leaned forward: "Mom, what's wrong?"

Jia Zhangshi chuckled, "We're worried about the surgery fees, aren't we? I've come up with a solution. You two should listen."

Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu exchanged a glance and were both stunned.

The surgery cost four or five thousand yuan, and even they themselves were at a loss. How could Jia Zhangshi say she had a solution? This is like the sun rising in the west!

Qin Huairu bluntly expressed her disbelief: "Mom, what can you possibly do? That's four or five thousand yuan! There aren't many people in the entire courtyard who can afford that."

Sha Zhu didn't believe it either, but since listening wouldn't cost anything, he said, "What idea do you have, sir? Tell me."

Madam Jia smiled smugly, her face crinkling into a deep wrinkle: "My method is very simple—sell that wretched girl Huaihua to Wang Jun!"

That's right, Jia Zhangshi's method was to sell her daughter.

In her eyes, Huaihua was a money-loser, a spoiled brat who always said things that hurt her deeply. Selling her for some money was the best deal she could get.

As for why it was sold to Wang Jun? There's only one reason—he's rich! Wang Jun is so wealthy, he can definitely afford a high price.

Having grown up in the old society, Jia Zhangshi had witnessed countless instances of daughters and wives being sold. When she was fifteen, her own sister was sold to a blind man surnamed Li, and the family ate meat that very night. Therefore, she felt no resentment whatsoever about selling the locust flower.

After hearing this, Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu both doubted their ears.

This is a new society, and Jia Zhangshi still wants to sell people? She's incredibly audacious!

Besides, even if the law allowed it, Qin Huairu wouldn't be willing. After all, she had raised Huaihua herself, and she had some affection for her.

Sha Zhu had a similar idea and also felt that it was not feasible.

Seeing that the two remained silent, Jia Zhangshi's face immediately darkened: "Why can't you understand? When Huaihua marries, the dowry is at most one or two hundred. But if you sell her to Wang Jun, you can get several thousand or even tens of thousands! Think about it yourselves!"

"People in ancient times even sold themselves into servitude to bury their fathers. I sold locust flowers to save my life, what's wrong with that!"

"If you don't sell her, where will you get the money for the surgery? We can't count on Yi Zhonghai."

Who in the compound would lend you money? You, Sha Zhu, could try borrowing from the leaders, but why would they lend you four or five thousand yuan?

"But if we sell the locust flowers—we'll have the surgery fees covered, and we can use the rest to start a business!"

It must be said that Jia Zhangshi was really quick-witted; after her analysis, both Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu were tempted.

Yes, if we don't sell locust flowers, where will the money come from?

On the contrary, the locust flowers are quite good, and they're priced at seven or eight thousand, which Wang Jun might be happy to pay. They could even go for more. With this money, the family's difficulties would be completely resolved, and after paying the surgery fees, they could even open a restaurant.

Just as he was pondering this, Banggeng came in from outside with a gloomy face.

Upon hearing that locust flowers were to be sold, he not only didn't object, but wholeheartedly supported it!

That brat Huaihua is always going against him, her words are so cutting they're spitting out his tongue. To be honest, Banggeng has wanted to kick her out for a long time.

"I agree!" Bang said, his neck stiff. "Silly Dad, Mom, our family is in such a state now; we can't get through this without selling the locust flowers. Selling them to Wang Jun to get some money is worth it!"

For Banggeng, selling the locust flowers has at least three advantages.

First of all, Huaihua mocked him every day. Selling her would be a great way to vent his anger, and just thinking about it made him feel good.

Secondly, with a large sum of money in hand, the immediate difficulties would be resolved immediately, and there might even be a large sum left over. Now that reform and opening up have been implemented, it's impossible to move an inch without money.

Thirdly, he planned to swindle Wang Jun. The thought of getting a large sum of money out of Wang Jun's pocket filled Bang Geng with immense joy.

Qin Huairu's heart swelled even more when she saw that Banggeng also agreed. In her heart, Banggeng was far more important than Huaihua; now that her son had nodded in agreement, her mind began to waver.

However, since she is his own daughter, he still had some hesitation.

After waiting for a long time without her speaking, Jia Zhangshi grew impatient: "Qin Huairu, if you don't want to sell locust flowers, that's fine, but from now on, when I'm bedridden, you'll be taking care of me! Moving my excrement, feeding me, you'll handle it all by yourself. Think it through!"

Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat.

Serving Jia Zhangshi at home every day? Just thinking about that makes my scalp tingle.

To avoid such an outcome, Huaihua had no choice but to compromise. Anyway, Wang Jun was handsome and wealthy, so Huaihua wouldn't be at a disadvantage by being with him. If she were twenty years younger, she might have been tempted by a younger man like Wang Jun too.

"I agree." Qin Huairu gritted her teeth.

Sha Zhu remained silent. Huaihua wasn't his own daughter; whose side was he supposed to take? Besides, if he objected, Jia Zhangshi would definitely force him to raise the money—where was he supposed to get that kind of money?

Seeing that Qin Huairu had relented, Jia Zhangshi's face immediately lit up with a smile: "Since you've all agreed, let's discuss the price. What do you think is a suitable price?"

At the mention of money, Bang Geng's eyes lit up, his greed overflowing. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Fifteen thousand! We want fifteen thousand!"

Although Banggeng looks down on locust flowers, he's heard people praise them, saying they're beautiful. Since that's the case, the price can't be low!

Although Banggeng looks down on locust flowers, he's heard people praise them, saying they're beautiful. Since that's the case, the price can't be low!

Jia Zhangshi and Bang Geng huddled together and whispered for a long time before finally making up their minds and setting a minimum price for the locust flowers: at least 15,000!

"It'll cost at least fifteen thousand!" Bang Geng's eyes lit up as he rubbed his hands greedily. "That kid Wang Jun is so rich, we're definitely going to rip him off this time!"

Madam Jia nodded repeatedly, deeply agreeing: "That's right! With Wang Jun's net worth, ten or twenty thousand is just a drop in the ocean for him. We must squeeze as much as possible out of him!"

Sha Zhu, standing nearby, frowned deeply, his heart sinking. These two didn't treat Huaihua like a human being at all; what difference was there between them and selling a piglet? "That bastard Bang Geng, he'd even sell his own sister for money! He's an ungrateful wretch! Expecting him to support me in my old age? He can only dream about it! Looks like I'll have to rely on myself for retirement; I need to get the restaurant up and running as soon as possible!" Sha Zhu had completely seen through Bang Geng, and his heart was cold. He secretly vowed never to rely on the kid again. At the same time, he longed even more for a son, thinking that he had to work harder tonight to get Qin Huairu pregnant as soon as possible.

On the other side, Jia Zhangshi was so excited she couldn't sit still. The thought of selling the locust flowers and the pile of money that would fill her pockets made her eyes crinkle with joy. If she sold them for the astronomical price of 15,000, she'd still have 10,000 to 20,000 left after paying for the surgery. She could pocket 2,000 or 3,000, enough for a torrent of headache pills, and she could buy any snacks she wanted on the street! Thinking of the comfortable life she'd have with money, Jia Zhangshi impatiently gave orders to Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu: "You two, go find Wang Jun tonight and finalize the deal on the locust flowers, you hear me?"

Qin Huairu nodded; she had actually come to terms with it. The Jia family was now destitute. If they couldn't raise the money for the surgery, and Jia Zhangshi was truly bedridden, life would be utterly hopeless. She would have to endure the drudgery of caring for her constantly, and she didn't want to live that kind of life for even a single day. Besides, giving Huaihua to Wang Jun wasn't exactly throwing herself into a fire pit. Wang Jun was handsome and wealthy; even if Huaihua became his concubine, she would never have to worry about food or clothing.

Once the matter was settled, Banggeng pushed open the door and went out, intending to go back and change his clothes. His clothes were so dirty and smelly that he was practically unpresentable.

Outside the door, the patient's family members were gathered in a gossip huddle. When Banggeng came out, they all laughed so hard they were doubled over.

"Look, that's the kid. He just got sprayed all over his head and face! He even bragged that he was a qigong master, but instead of getting better, his illness got worse."

"That's right! The doctor said the surgery would normally cost three or four thousand, but with that acupressure point treatment, it'll cost at least five or six thousand!"

"What qigong master? A complete fraud!"

"Serves him right for getting sprayed in the face, hehe, I was right there, it was quite a sight!"

"Tsk tsk, if a camera had taken a picture of this, it would definitely be on the front page of the newspaper!"

"That was terrifying! I was actually thinking of finding a qigong master to check my back, thank goodness I didn't call him, or he would have ruined my life!"

Hearing these sarcastic remarks, Banggeng's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He quickly lowered his head and hurried away. "Hmph, you bunch of ordinary people, what do you know about Qigong! Qigong is omnipotent. As long as I continue to practice, I will eventually develop special abilities! This time, treating Grandma was purely accidental, otherwise Grandma would have been cured long ago!" Despite this setback, Banggeng still firmly believed in Qigong, thinking that his skills were just too shallow, and that after practicing for another month or two, treating illnesses would be a piece of cake.

After Banggeng left, Shazhu and Qin Huairu also left the hospital. Shazhu was seething with anger, pedaling his bicycle very fast, keeping a long face and not saying a word the whole way.

Qin Huairu could easily see through his thoughts, and gently advised, "Shazhu, I know you're upset, but we're desperate. If we don't give away the locust flowers, and Mom really becomes paralyzed, our whole family will suffer." Jia Zhangshi is usually quite shrewish; if she were bedridden, wouldn't her sharp tongue lash out for three days and three nights without stopping? At that point, Qin Huairu wouldn't have a good life, and everyone else in the courtyard would suffer as well.

Qin Huairu paused, then added, "Actually, it's not a bad thing for Huaihua to be with Wang Jun. Wang Jun is handsome and rich, so Huaihua won't lose out by being with him. Besides, I think that girl is quite fond of Wang Jun. If we let her go, she'll probably be more than happy to."

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu finally felt a little relieved.

……

That evening, Wang Jun was watching TV in his room when he suddenly heard a knock on the door. He opened it to find Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu standing there.

Wang Jun knew perfectly well that these two coming to his door so late at night couldn't be anything good; they were most likely there to borrow money. The fact that Jia Zhangshi needed three or four thousand yuan for surgery was already common knowledge in the courtyard.

"If you're here to borrow money, I don't have a single penny. That old hag Jia Zhangshi is only peaceful when she's bedridden," Wang Jun thought to himself, but still politely ushered the two into the house.

After exchanging a few casual words, Qin Huairu tentatively asked, "Jun, what do you think of Huaihua?"

Wang Jun was taken aback, unsure of what this woman was up to, so he casually replied, "Huaihua is quite proactive at work and ambitious, not bad."

Qin Huairu's face instantly lit up with a smile: "It seems you're quite satisfied with the locust flowers! In that case, we're thinking of selling them to you, what do you think?"

Sell ​​him the locust flowers? Wang Jun was petrified on the spot, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.