Courtyard House: A Prosperous and Joyful Life

Just as Yi Zhonghai and Widow Zheng disappeared around the street corner, Bang Geng emerged from the shadows, staring at the direction the two had gone, his face so gloomy it could wring water out of it.

Last night, Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu discussed it and both felt that since Yi Zhonghai always dressed so well before going out, he was probably having affairs. Bang Geng became suspicious and secretly followed him for a day.

Sure enough, Yi Zhonghai really did have a woman hidden away! What happened just now was even more outrageous; he spent 676 yuan to buy that woman three expensive outfits.

676 yuan!

Bang Geng had long considered Yi Zhonghai's fortune as his own, and it pained him to watch that money being spent on other women.

"That old bastard Yi Zhonghai is really senile!"

"Spending 676 yuan on three pieces of clothing? That's extravagant!"

"If he keeps spending like this, he'll squander all the money he has sooner or later!"

Bang Geng stared intently at the two figures as they walked away, wishing he could rush up and pull them away.

"No, we must separate Yi Zhonghai and this woman!"

"Otherwise, the money he has will have absolutely nothing to do with me!"

Banggeng was extremely anxious.

……

Evening, in the courtyard house, in the middle courtyard.

Sha Zhu, Qin Huairu, Jia Zhangshi, and Xiao Dang all returned home and sat around the table to eat. Bang Geng recounted the details of their daytime surveillance.

When everyone heard this, they were stunned.

Xiao Dang clicked his tongue in amazement: "Uncle Yi is really rich! He spends six or seven hundred yuan on a woman in one go. That woman must be so touched."

She thought to herself, "If someone spends six or seven hundred on clothes for me, I'll marry them in a heartbeat."

Sha Zhu was also shocked. He ran a restaurant and only earned two or three hundred yuan a day, which was already considered quite good. Yi Zhonghai, on the other hand, casually spent six or seven hundred yuan on clothes for women, which was equivalent to three days' profit from his restaurant!

Sha Zhu sighed, "It seems Uncle Yi really likes this woman, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to such lengths."

He had no ulterior motives towards Yi Zhonghai; it was purely a matter of reminiscing. Back then, he had also gone to great lengths to please Qin Huairu, buying her all sorts of nice things and even handing over his salary.

Jia Zhangshi then realized what was happening and immediately started scolding, "Yi Zhonghai is really senile! At his age, what's he doing looking for women! Buying clothes for 676 yuan, isn't that a waste of money? He should help our family out, why does he have to spend it on women? What a lewd old man!"

Over the past twenty years, Yi Zhonghai had helped the Jia family quite a bit, and Jia Zhangshi was somewhat grateful. But as soon as she heard that he was spending money lavishly on women outside the home, that gratitude vanished instantly.

Qin Huairu also thought Yi Zhonghai was being foolish. 676 yuan! That could buy two or three fat pigs, slaughter them, and eat meat every day—the whole alley would be green with envy. Now, instead, he's using it to buy clothes; she doesn't know what he's thinking.

Qin Huairu said in a deep voice, "If Uncle Yi is willing to spend so much money buying clothes for this woman, he's probably planning to marry her."

Jia Zhangshi and Bang Geng's expressions changed instantly.

The Jia family had originally planned this meticulously—they would support Yi Zhonghai in his old age, and once the old man passed away, all his savings and the house would belong to the Jia family. Yi Zhonghai's savings were no small sum, at least 20,000 yuan. Adding to that his large and valuable house, the Jia family would now own three properties in the courtyard house.

That's right, the Jia family now owns two properties. After the deaf old lady passed away, the house in the backyard fell into their hands.

But once Yi Zhonghai marries the woman and starts a new family, she'll have her own little family, so why would the Jia family need to support her in her old age?

In this way, Yi Zhonghai's savings and house will have absolutely nothing to do with the Jia family anymore.

"no!"

"We absolutely cannot let Yi Zhonghai marry a woman!"

"Otherwise, this old man's savings and house will all be gone!"

"It absolutely has to be ruined!"

A cold glint flashed in Jia Zhangshi's triangular eyes; she was already plotting how to cause trouble. Qin Huairu and Bang Geng shared the same thought, and all three of them felt uneasy.

However, no one said a word in front of Sha Zhu. Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai were best friends, and they definitely wouldn't agree to ruin someone else's good time; they couldn't let him know about this.

After finishing his meal, Sha Zhu went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Jia Zhangshi, Qin Huairu, and Banggeng went into the inner room, closed the door, and sat down together.

Madam Jia's triangular eyes darted around, and she smiled sinisterly, "I've got an idea. We'll spread the word that Yi Zhonghai is seeing other women, let everyone in the courtyard know. With all the gossip, they'll drown him in their spittle. Would he dare marry a woman then?"

Qin Huairu and Bang Geng's eyes lit up at the same time. This move was ruthless!

Jia Zhangshi lowered her voice and continued, "Let's spread the word that Aunt Yi has only been gone a few years, and Yi Zhonghai is already seeing other women. This is a moral issue! The factory leaders will have to talk to him and see how he handles it."

Banggeng slapped his thigh: "Grandma, brilliant! With this move, Yi Zhonghai would never dare to marry a woman again!"

Qin Huairu verbally agreed, but inwardly she was secretly impressed by Jia Zhangshi. She had always thought this old woman was a brainless shrew, but now it seemed she was completely wrong.

Jia Zhangshi is a very cunning person.

The news that Yi Zhonghai was going to marry a woman was like a firecracker thrown into a bonfire, instantly exploding throughout the entire courtyard.

As soon as the news broke, all the older women in the courtyard forgot about their meals and gathered together, starting to discuss it like a hot pot.

"Breaking news! Uncle Yi has found a woman outside and is going to marry her!"

"My God, really? Uncle Yi is over sixty, and he's still getting married?"

"Absolutely true! Haven't you noticed the changes in Uncle Yi lately? He combs his hair meticulously every day, uses face cream, and wears new clothes! What else could this be but finding a woman?"

"I knew it! See, I wasn't wrong!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, Uncle Yi's in good health! At his age, he's still out looking for women, impressive!"

"That's right... But then again, Aunt Yi has only been gone a few years, and Uncle Yi is already finding another woman and wanting to marry her. Does that do right by Aunt Yi?"

"Exactly! The couple were so loving when Aunt Yi was alive! The moment she left, he immediately found another woman. Uncle Yi's actions were really unethical."

……

The front yard, Yan Bugui's house.

Aunt San looked shocked: "Old man, there are rumors outside that Lao Yi has found a woman. Is this news reliable?"

Yan Bugui squinted his small eyes and said slowly, "It's probably true."

As a man, Yan Bugui knew perfectly well that it was only natural for a man to seek out women, nothing to be surprised about. Even if Yi Zhonghai was over sixty, he was still a man.

Besides, Yan Bugui knew Yi Zhonghai's lifelong heartache—not having a son. The fact that he's finding a woman outside and wanting to marry her is most likely because he wants a son.

"I think Lao Yi married this woman because he wanted a son."

Aunt San was even more shocked: "Impossible! Old Yi is over sixty, and he's having children?"

Yan Bugui explained unhurriedly, "You just don't understand. Newspapers and magazines say that as long as a man is healthy, he can still have children even at ninety. Old Yi is not yet seventy, and his health is still good. It's not unusual for him to marry a younger woman and have a child."

After hearing this, Aunt San was completely stunned and speechless for a long time.

……

The backyard, Liu Haizhong's house.

Aunt Er muttered, "Old Yi is really something. He's already made arrangements for his retirement, so he should just sit back and wait it out. Why bother with all this women?"

The whole nursing home knew that Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu were taking care of Yi Zhonghai in his old age, and Aunt Er was naturally aware of it as well.

Liu Haizhong shook his head and slowly said, "It's not that simple. I reckon Lao Yi feels he can't rely on Qin Huairu's family, so he's planning to find another woman and start a new family."

Aunt Er asked, puzzled, "Aren't Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu doing just fine? How come they can't be relied on anymore?"

"The income is indeed good," Liu Haizhong sneered, "but there are two unreliable people in the family. One is Jia Zhangshi, that old woman causes trouble every now and then, she even dared to sell her own granddaughter, just think how ruthless she is. Expecting such a heartless person to take care of you in your old age? Dream on."

"And then there's Bang Geng. When Jia Zhangshi was hospitalized for surgery, this kid didn't even bother to visit her once. What an ingrate! Not only is he heartless, but he's also unreliable. He squandered over nine thousand yuan, and now he's out practicing some kind of qigong every day."

"Just wait and see, that kid Banggeng will get into trouble sooner or later. He'll squander all the money Qin Huairu's family has."

Aunt Er fell silent. After thinking it over carefully, she realized that Qin Huairu's family was indeed not very reliable.

Liu Haizhong added gloatingly, "Old Yi's plan was brilliant, but unfortunately the news leaked out. Now he's in a tough spot. Everyone in the institute is pointing fingers at him; he's completely lost face. I reckon people from the factory will be coming to talk to him."

Liu Haizhong was a power-hungry official who had been eyeing the position of top official for over a decade. He had a long history of friction with Yi Zhonghai, and their relationship had always been strained. Seeing Yi Zhonghai fall from grace this time filled him with immense satisfaction, like eating an ice pop on a sweltering summer day.

Aunt Er nodded: "That's right, Lao Yi has really embarrassed himself this time. I bet he doesn't have the guts to actually marry her."

Liu Haizhong disagreed: "That's not necessarily true. Once Lao Yi has made up his mind, nothing can change it. He still has a large sum of savings; if he really wants to marry her, who can stop him?"

"Old Yi doesn't have that kind of nerve, does he?"

"It's hard to say. I think Lao Yi might want to have a child so he can take care of himself in his old age."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Liu Haizhong changed the subject: "Alright, let's not meddle in other people's business. Our shop will open in a few days, so let's focus on that."

Many people in the courtyard have made money selling roasted melon seeds. Yan Bugui and Xu Damao have already opened a melon seed shop, and I heard that their business is booming and their lives are quite leisurely—they only need to come to the shop every day to check on things, as there are people to roast and sell the melon seeds, and they only need to watch the accounts and collect money.

These past few days, Liu Haizhong has been preparing to open a shop, hoping to make a living from it in his retirement.

The news that Yi Zhonghai was going to marry a woman was like a firecracker thrown into a bonfire, instantly exploding throughout the entire courtyard.

As soon as the news broke, all the older women in the courtyard forgot about their meals and gathered together, starting to discuss it like a hot pot.

"Breaking news! Uncle Yi has found a woman outside and is going to marry her!"

"My God, really? Uncle Yi is over sixty, and he's still getting married?"

"Absolutely true! Haven't you noticed the changes in Uncle Yi lately? He combs his hair meticulously every day, uses face cream, and wears new clothes! What else could this be but finding a woman?"

"I knew it! See, I wasn't wrong!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, Uncle Yi's in good health! At his age, he's still out looking for women, impressive!"

"That's right... But then again, Aunt Yi has only been gone a few years, and Uncle Yi is already finding another woman and wanting to marry her. Does that do right by Aunt Yi?"

"Exactly! The couple were so loving when Aunt Yi was alive! The moment she left, he immediately found another woman. Uncle Yi's actions were really unethical."

……

The front yard, Yan Bugui's house.

Aunt San looked shocked: "Old man, there are rumors outside that Lao Yi has found a woman. Is this news reliable?"

Yan Bugui squinted his small eyes and said slowly, "It's probably true."

As a man, Yan Bugui knew perfectly well that it was only natural for a man to seek out women, nothing to be surprised about. Even if Yi Zhonghai was over sixty, he was still a man.

Besides, Yan Bugui knew Yi Zhonghai's lifelong heartache—not having a son. The fact that he's finding a woman outside and wanting to marry her is most likely because he wants a son.

"I think Lao Yi married this woman because he wanted a son."

Aunt San was even more shocked: "Impossible! Old Yi is over sixty, and he's having children?"

Yan Bugui explained unhurriedly, "You just don't understand. Newspapers and magazines say that as long as a man is healthy, he can still have children even at ninety. Old Yi is not yet seventy, and his health is still good. It's not unusual for him to marry a younger woman and have a child."

After hearing this, Aunt San was completely stunned and speechless for a long time.

……

The backyard, Liu Haizhong's house.

Aunt Er muttered, "Old Yi is really something. He's already made arrangements for his retirement, so he should just sit back and wait it out. Why bother with all this women?"

The whole nursing home knew that Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu were taking care of Yi Zhonghai in his old age, and Aunt Er was naturally aware of it as well.

Liu Haizhong shook his head and slowly said, "It's not that simple. I reckon Lao Yi feels he can't rely on Qin Huairu's family, so he's planning to find another woman and start a new family."

Aunt Er asked, puzzled, "Aren't Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu doing just fine? How come they can't be relied on anymore?"

"The income is indeed good," Liu Haizhong sneered, "but there are two unreliable people in the family. One is Jia Zhangshi, that old woman causes trouble every now and then, she even dared to sell her own granddaughter, just think how ruthless she is. Expecting such a heartless person to take care of you in your old age? Dream on."

"And then there's Bang Geng. When Jia Zhangshi was hospitalized for surgery, this kid didn't even bother to visit her once. What an ingrate! Not only is he heartless, but he's also unreliable. He squandered over nine thousand yuan, and now he's out practicing some kind of qigong every day."

"Just wait and see, that kid Banggeng will get into trouble sooner or later. He'll squander all the money Qin Huairu's family has."

Aunt Er fell silent. After thinking it over carefully, she realized that Qin Huairu's family was indeed not very reliable.

Liu Haizhong added gloatingly, "Old Yi's plan was brilliant, but unfortunately the news leaked out. Now he's in a tough spot. Everyone in the institute is pointing fingers at him; he's completely lost face. I reckon people from the factory will be coming to talk to him."

Liu Haizhong was a power-hungry official who had been eyeing the position of top official for over a decade. He had a long history of friction with Yi Zhonghai, and their relationship had always been strained. Seeing Yi Zhonghai fall from grace this time filled him with immense satisfaction, like eating an ice pop on a sweltering summer day.

Aunt Er nodded: "That's right, Lao Yi has really embarrassed himself this time. I bet he doesn't have the guts to actually marry her."

Liu Haizhong disagreed: "That's not necessarily true. Once Lao Yi has made up his mind, nothing can change it. He still has a large sum of savings; if he really wants to marry her, who can stop him?"

"Old Yi doesn't have that kind of nerve, does he?"

"It's hard to say. I think Lao Yi might want to have a child so he can take care of himself in his old age."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Liu Haizhong changed the subject: "Alright, let's not meddle in other people's business. Our shop will open in a few days, so let's focus on that."

Many people in the courtyard have made money selling roasted melon seeds. Yan Bugui and Xu Damao have already opened a melon seed shop, and I heard that their business is booming and their lives are quite leisurely—they only need to come to the shop every day to check on things, as there are people to roast and sell the melon seeds, and they only need to watch the accounts and collect money.

These past few days, Liu Haizhong has been preparing to open a shop, hoping to make a living from it in his retirement.