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

Chapter 24 The childless man was beaten and said thank you

Jia Zhangshi was furious that she couldn't afford to hire He Yuzhu.

She couldn't hold her anger in. From morning till night, she told everyone she met. One morning, when Yang Ruihua came out to get water, she grabbed her and said, "Tell me, isn't Sha Zhu ripping people off? Twenty yuan a table! That's highway robbery!"

Yang Ruihua mumbled a few "uh-huhs" in response, then picked up the basin and left.

At noon, Tan Xiulan was airing out the quilts when she leaned over and said, "Dongxu's teacher's wife, tell me, we're all neighbors, why do you have to pay for two tables of food?"

Tan Xiulan glanced up at her, then lowered her head and continued patting, without saying a word.

In the afternoon, Wang Caifeng came out of the backyard, and Jia Zhangshi stopped her again. Wang Caifeng listened for half a moment, then turned and left. Jia Zhangshi didn't care and continued talking to thin air.

As evening fell, everyone in the courtyard returned home from get off work. Jia Zhangshi sat at the doorway of the west wing, her voice rising even louder. "My Dongxu is getting married! I asked him to cook two tables of food, and he asked for twenty yuan per table! Twenty yuan! He might as well rob us!"

Jia Dongxu didn't pay attention inside the house; he also felt that his mother was right.

Yan Bugui squatted at the front gate, holding a teacup, glanced into the middle courtyard, and didn't come over to join the fun.

Liu Haizhong came out from the backyard with a cigarette between his fingers. Hearing Jia Zhangshi's words, he glanced into He Yuzhu's room but didn't move.

He Yuzhu heard it from inside the house. He ignored it.

Yi Zhonghai also heard it.

He sat at home, rubbing his crooked chin. Jia Zhangshi's curses seeped in through the cracks in the window, one after another. Yi Zhonghai stood up and paced around the room twice.

Tan Xiulan glanced at him and said, "Don't go."

Yi Zhonghai spoke up: "Xiulan, I have to go. Dongxu is my apprentice, the one who will take care of us in our old age. We're short on money right now, and it's such a big deal for my apprentice's wedding, so I have to do my part. I'll go and persuade Zhuzi; he can't very well hit me again. It's just a matter of a few words, but it'll leave a good impression on everyone."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and went out.

Inside the courtyard, Jia Zhangshi was in the middle of a tirade when she saw Yi Zhonghai emerge, and her voice rose even higher. "Old Yi, tell me! What kind of mess has He Yuzhu made?!"

Xu Damao had just finished washing his hair with Zhao Shufen and came over before his hair was even dry.

Yi Zhonghai nodded and slowly walked to He Yuzhu's door. All eyes in the courtyard turned to him.

Yan Bugui came over carrying a teacup. Liu Haizhong took two steps forward, and Jia Zhangshi stopped cursing and stared at the door.

Tan Xiulan stood at the door of the east wing, clutching her apron.

Yi Zhonghai knocked on the door.

The door opened. He Yuzhu stood inside and saw Yi Zhonghai's crooked face.

"What's up?"

Yi Zhonghai coughed. "Zhu Zi, about Dongxu's wedding..."

"You'll pay?" He Yuzhu interrupted him.

Yi Zhonghai paused for a moment. "No. I mean, it's only right for neighbors to help each other out. You're a good cook, so preparing a couple of tables for Dongxu is also a way for you to show your worth. Talking about money will only hurt our relationship."

He Yuzhu looked at him. He stared for two seconds. Then he smiled.

"Yi Juehu, have you forgotten the pain once the wound has healed?"

Yi Zhonghai's face twitched.

He Yuzhu stepped out of the door and walked up to Yi Zhonghai. "What did you just say? Say it again."

Everyone in the courtyard was watching. Yan Bugui held his teacup in mid-air, a cigarette stuck to his lips in his bangs, Jia Zhangshi's mouth was open, and Wang Caifeng peeked out from the backyard.

Old Li came over from the back room.

Yi Zhonghai's lips trembled slightly, but the words were already out and couldn't be taken back. "I...I said, neighbors helping each other shouldn't be about money. I'm doing this for your own good."

boom.

He Yuzhu punched Yi Zhonghai in the mouth.

Yi Zhonghai staggered back two steps, covering his mouth with his hand. Blood seeped from between his fingers. He looked up, his eyes filled with confusion.

He Yuzhu didn't stop. He stepped forward and threw another punch, this time to the nose. Yi Zhonghai's nose became even more crooked, blood gushing from his nostrils and trickling down his chin. The third punch to the chin. The fourth punch to the corner of the mouth.

Fists rained down on that mouth.

Yi Zhonghai fell to the ground, clutching his head, curled up in a ball. He Yuzhu mounted him and began punching him repeatedly. No one in the courtyard dared to move.

Yan Bugui's teacup fell to the ground, rolled twice on the blue brick floor, and spilled tea all over the ground.

A cigarette fell from his lips and landed on his cotton-padded jacket, burning a hole, but he didn't notice.

Madam Jia's face turned pale, her lips trembled, and she couldn't utter a single word.

Tan Xiulan quickly came up and pulled He Yuzhu away.

He Yuzhu stopped. He grabbed Yi Zhonghai by the collar and lifted him up, then pried open his mouth with his other hand.

Those in the courtyard could see Yi Zhonghai's mouth clearly. His teeth were broken, crooked, and covered in blood. His front teeth were gone, leaving only a few loose molars standing upright.

Blood gushed from his mouth and dripped down his chin onto the ground.

He Yuzhu loosened his collar and stood up. Yi Zhonghai lay sprawled on the ground like a dead dog.

"You're destined to have no descendants." He Yuzhu looked down at him. "I'll beat you up today, it's no use. I'll teach you a lesson and show you why I can beat you with such confidence."

He squatted down and stared at Yi Zhonghai's bloodied and mangled face.

"This is a new society. Are you fucking a pig-brain? You still dare to oppress a working person like me? Make me work for free?"

Yi Zhonghai's eyes widened; he was finally afraid.

"You believe me if I can get you in there?" He Yuzhu's voice was loud enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear clearly. "Now, say thank you to me. Otherwise, I'll send you, this reactionary, to jail. I'm doing this for your own good."

"Reactionaries." Those three words struck Yi Zhonghai like three bricks on the head. He shuddered.

"explain."

Yi Zhonghai's lips moved. Blood bubbles appeared between his lips. "Thank...thank you."

His voice was muffled, he had no teeth, and air leaked from his mouth.

He Yuzhu frowned. "I can't hear you. Speak louder."

"Thanks."

"Make it bigger."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Yi Zhonghai almost shouted, spitting blood and foam all over the ground.

He Yuzhu stood up and patted the blood off his hands. He glanced around at the people in the courtyard.

Yan Bugui squatted on the ground to pick up the teacup, his hands trembling so much that he had to pick it up twice before he finally succeeded.

Liu Haizhong lowered his head and saw the cigarette still smoking on the ground. Jia Zhangshi leaned against the wall, her face as white as paper. Wang Caifeng shrank back into the backyard.

Tan Xiulan squatted down next to Yi Zhonghai, wiping the blood off his face with her sleeve, her hands trembling violently.

Old Li stood there, his face expressionless.

Xu Damao stood under the covered walkway, his mouth agape. He had watched from beginning to end without blinking. His mind was in turmoil: How did Brother Zhu come up with this? Could it really be done like this?

He Yuzhu looked at these beasts and asked loudly.

"Anyone else who wants to persuade me to work for free? Step forward."

No one dared to step forward.

The door closed.

The people in the courtyard gradually dispersed.

Tan Xiulan helped Yi Zhonghai walk home. Jia Zhangshi retreated to the west wing, closing the door tightly. Yan Bugui carried an empty teacup back to the front yard, walking quickly.

Liu Haizhong was frightened by He Yuzhu's ruthlessness and quickly walked back to the backyard.

The courtyard fell silent. From the east wing came the faint, muffled sobs of Tan Xiulan. Yi Zhonghai remained silent; he might have fainted, or he might be in too much pain to cry out.

With a thought, He Yuzhu used a boning knife to cut off a piece of thigh meat from the space. The meat separated from the bone, the cut clean, bright red, with visible fat marbling. After peeling off the skin, two large pieces of meat remained in the space.

On the day of the Jia family wedding, Jia Zhangshi would go to the market to buy groceries. She would carry a basket and wander around the market, picking the cheapest items. Pork was too expensive; she couldn't bear to spend the money.

At that time, those two pieces of meat would appear in her basket. She wouldn't know what kind of meat they were. She would just be happy, thinking she had gotten a bargain.

Then, at the wedding, these two pieces of meat will be stewed into a dish. Everyone in the courtyard will eat it. Jia Zhangshi will eat it. Jia Dongxu will eat it. Qin Huairu will eat it. Liu Haizhong will eat it too.

Upon thinking of this, He Yuzhu vomited first.

He wiped his mouth and then let out a "hehehe" laugh.