Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 23 Jia Zhangshi's Show-off

That evening.

Inside the Jia family's house, a kerosene lamp sat on the corner of the table, its flickering flame casting swaying shadows on the wall. On the table sat boiled cabbage, cornbread, and two bowls of cornmeal porridge. Jia Dongxu picked up his bowl, took a couple of bites with his chopsticks, and then stopped.

"Mother, I want to marry Qin Huairu. Please agree."

Jia Zhangshi picked up a piece of cabbage, stuffed it into her mouth, chewed it, and didn't say a word.

Jia Dongxu put down the bowl. "A second-hand sewing machine will do. Huai Ru is right; with a sewing machine, she can take on some jobs at home to supplement the family income. Later, if she improves her skills, she can make clothes for others, which will also be an income source."

Madam Jia put down her chopsticks. "Dongxu, even a secondhand one costs ninety yuan. The one Old Zhou's family next door bought last month was ninety yuan too." Her face was full of reluctance. "The money in our family was earned by your father with his life."

The room fell silent for a moment. The flame of the kerosene lamp flickered.

Jia Dongxu lowered his head. "Mother, didn't you also say that Huai Ru has a big bottom and can give birth to a son?" He raised his eyes, "Use Father's pension to help me get married. Father would agree even in the afterlife. Don't you want to hold your grandson soon?"

Madam Jia fell silent. Her lips were pursed, her eyes fixed on the kerosene lamp. The flame flickered in her pupils. Holding a grandson… a grandson. Her lips moved twice, but no sound came out.

*Thud.* The chopsticks slammed onto the table.

"We'll have the matchmaker come back in a couple of days to say it's settled." Madam Jia stood up. "The sewing machine, Mother will pay for it. The dowry is five yuan, that's all."

Jia Dongxu's face lit up with a smile. "Oh! Thank you, Mother!"

The next morning, Jia Dongxu went to his master, Yi Zhonghai, to ask him to help him ask for leave. Yi Zhonghai was eating breakfast with his face tilted to the side. When he heard that Jia Dongxu wanted to buy a sewing machine, his eyes flickered, but he didn't say much and just nodded.

Jia Dongxu left the courtyard and headed straight for the entrusted store.

In the afternoon, He Yuzhu returned from packing up his stall. Just as the wheels of his tricycle rolled into the front yard, he heard Jia Zhangshi's loud voice from the middle courtyard.

"That girl is pretty! Big butt! She'll definitely have a son!"

He Yuzhu pushed the cart into the central courtyard. Jia Zhangshi sat at the entrance of the west wing, surrounded by three or four women. Yang Ruihua was still clutching half-picked vegetables in her hand, Tan Xiulan leaned against a pillar in the veranda, and Wang Caifeng from the backyard also came out, standing a little further away, holding an empty basin in her hand.

Madam Jia slapped her thigh. "She can still do chores! You didn't see it, but she was so efficient at clearing away the dishes after the meal. She's clearly a skilled worker."

A woman nearby chimed in, "Sister Jia, you're so generous, buying your daughter-in-law a sewing machine. These days, who would be willing to buy something like that for a wedding?"

Yang Ruihua also said, "Yes, Dongxu's wife will definitely be filial to you in the future. You've finally made it."

Madam Jia's face beamed with joy. "That's right. Let me tell you, once Huai Ru marries into the family, I, as her mother-in-law, will be able to enjoy a life of luxury." She dusted off her clothes. "She'll do all the laundry and cooking. I'll just take care of my grandson and soak up the sun."

He Yuzhu parked his tricycle in front of his house. Old Li helped him unload his things, carrying steamers, folding tables and chairs, one by one into the house. Jia Zhangshi's eyes swept over, and when she saw He Yuzhu, she grinned.

"Pillar!"

He Yuzhu did not turn around.

"Zhu Zi!" Madam Jia stood up and took two steps over. "Auntie wants to discuss something with you. Dong Xu is getting married, so you need to prepare two tables for the wedding banquet."

He Yuzhu turned around. "How much?"

Madam Jia was stunned. Her smile froze, like solidified lard. "This...you want money?"

He Yuzhu looked at her without saying a word.

Jia Zhangshi became more assertive. "Zhuzi, we're all neighbors, how can I ask for money? Just cook two meals, it won't interfere with your stall. We can postpone the banquet until the afternoon. You can cook when you come back from your stall, we can wait. I won't accept any money from you, eat as much as you like, how about that?"

He Yuzhu rolled her eyes at her. She held up two fingers.

"Twenty-one tables. If you can afford it, I'll cook two tables for you. But you'll have to wait until I come back from my business."

Madam Jia turned pale with fright at the price. "Are you robbing me?! Two tables of food won't even cost twenty!"

He Yuzhu didn't want to talk to her. He turned to Old Li and said, "Uncle Li, tell her how much Lou Bancheng gave me when I cooked a meal for him last time. Did you see me open the red envelope?"

Old Li straightened up and cleared his throat. "Mrs. Jia, I saw Zhu Zi open that red envelope for Boss Lou last time he hosted a banquet. It was forty yuan." His voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the courtyard heard him. "Zhu Zi only charged you twenty yuan per table because of the neighbors."

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Madam Jia opened her mouth. "You two are in cahoots! Who would believe that!"

Several women nearby started muttering. "Forty yuan? You're kidding." "Yeah, a cook, forty yuan for making a meal?" "Zhu Zi is too greedy, he even charges the neighbors extra."

He Yuzhu threw the rag in his hand into the truck bed.

"You bunch of idiots."

The courtyard fell silent again.

"You know nothing." He Yuzhu glanced at them. "I'm too lazy to bother with you. If you don't believe me, go ask Aunt Xu in the backyard. She works at the Lou Mansion and knows how many people want me to cook for them. I don't accept invitations from just anyone."

He paused.

"Stop babbling in my doorstep. You're nobody."

He turned and went inside.

Old Li picked up the last two folding stools, glanced at Jia Zhangshi, and followed her into the house.

Several women stood in the courtyard for a while. Jia Zhangshi's face turned red and white, her lips trembling for a long time before she finally managed to utter, "Show-off! You think you're so rich? What are you showing off for!" She turned and went back into the house, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.

Yang Ruihua continued picking vegetables with her head down, Tan Xiulan went back into the house, and Wang Caifeng stood for a while with an empty basin before leaving as well.

Inside the house, He Yuzhu sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), took out a cigarette, and lit it.

Through the paper window, Jia Zhangshi's cursing could be faintly heard. It was impossible to make out exactly what she was cursing, but her tone was high and low, like the clucking of a hen.

Old Li squatted by the door tidying up the steamer, then looked up at He Yuzhu. "Zhuzi, she won't let you off easy with that mouth."

He Yuzhu exhaled a puff of smoke. "It's not like I'll lose a piece of flesh. If she has the guts to say that to my face, I'll knock her teeth out."

Old Li shook his head and continued tidying up the steamer.

He Yuzhu flicked the cigarette ash into the tin box and looked at the person diagonally opposite him.

The marriage arrangements for the Jia family are settled. The sewing machine has been bought, the dowry is five yuan, and Qin Huairu will soon be entering the household. In his previous life, he was the one who prepared the banquet for the Jia family's wedding to Qin Huairu.

Yi Juehu was given a long lecture, and after Jia Zhangshi said a few kind words, he happily went off. He cooked eight dishes and was exhausted like a dog. After Jia Zhangshi finished eating, she wiped her mouth and said, "Zhuzi, you still need to practice your cooking skills more. I'm giving you a chance to practice today, so remember how good the Jia family is to you."

The cursing from the west wing stopped. The courtyard fell silent. The sun was setting, and a warm, yellow light shone through the windows.

Old Li stacked the steamers, stood up, and clapped his hands. "Zhu Zi, I'm going back."

"Uncle Li, take care."

Old Li pushed open the door and went out.

He Yuzhu stubbed out his cigarette. The Jia family's festivities were just beginning. It wouldn't be until Qin Huairu entered the house that things truly got lively.