Courtyard House: In this life, I have a new home!

5

My heart was pounding, and my palms were sweaty.

This guy... is known throughout the compound as an honest person!

Why did it suddenly change its flavor?

She hurriedly tried to pull the money back, but it was grabbed by her hand.

"Let me finish!"

Yi Zhonghai's voice tightened.

He knew that at his age, his face was no longer able to resist any resistance.

Let's just lay our cards on the table!

"I'll take responsibility for your family's problems!"

He took a deep breath, pulled out his payslip, and waved it: "Thirty yuan a month! No doubt about it!"

Qin Huairu paused in her breath.

Thirty yuan? That's more than Jia Dongxu had when he was alive!

Saves you the trouble of finding someone to eat, and you have all the essentials: oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

Even if Banggeng doesn't go to school, Xiaodang can get into No. 127 School. Huaihua will wear new clothes and eat fine food, so there's nothing to worry about.

But can this money really be taken for free?

She twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers, her nails digging into her palms.

His face turned red one moment and white the next, and he clenched his teeth so hard they made a grinding sound.

Qin Huairu stared at the thirty yuan in her hand, her palms sweating profusely.

This money is too hot to handle!

Yi Zhonghai's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice tightened: "Huai Ru, we... need to have a son."

She gasped for breath, her nails digging into her palms.

Have a baby?

Just those three words sent chills down her spine.

First, we need to lie down on a bed together—if this goes unnoticed, the neighbors will gossip to the point of drowning!

Especially since an older woman was taking a stroll in the yard with her cane!

Besides, he's almost sixty, while I'm only twenty-eight.

If you really want to find a companion, you can't choose a frail old man!

But that's not all.

Pregnant?

Getting pregnant is even worse!

As soon as her belly swelled up, all eyes in the hospital turned to her—

"Whose?"

"What happened?"

"A baby popped out of a widow's belly?"

The police station is probably coming to check household registrations!

The most crucial point is—it must be a boy.

She understands this obsession.

Look at Lou Xiao'e from Xu Damao's family; she gets scolded like a sieve just because she doesn't have children.

"A hen that doesn't lay eggs"

"Useless woman"

……

She had heard these words countless times.

I heard that Yi Zhonghai knelt down and begged Wang Aiguo to treat his illness a couple of days ago.

Now it seems that he has taken the medicine and is feeling better.

But she was very worried:

If they actually did that, they'd both be in deep trouble.

It's not about money, it's about survival!

"Don't be afraid, I'll handle everything!"

Yi Zhonghai had planned it all out long ago; once he opened his mouth, words poured out in rapid succession.

When you were pregnant, no one could tell.

"Let's sneak off to the hospital for a checkup and see if she's a boy or a girl who wears skirts."

"If it's a girl—abort her immediately, don't raise her!"

Qin Huairu gasped, her fingers digging into her palm.

This person said "remove".

Two words, like saying "buy a cabbage".

It's just as smooth.

She still remembered the summer before last, when Yi Zhonghai squatted under the locust tree, patting his thigh and sighing, "How wonderful it is to have a girl, she warms both my hands and my heart..."

Turns around and changes their attitude?

How could he possibly separate what he said, what he thought, and what he did into three parts?

Qin Huairu felt a numbness in the back of her neck, and goosebumps appeared one after another.

If you associate with someone like that, you might not even find a trace of their bones one day.

But the thirty-yuan payslip was waving in front of her.

Her heels were planted firmly on the ground, and she couldn't move.

Yi Zhonghai took a half step forward, his cigarette pack clicking loudly in his hand: "If it's a son—we'll get a marriage certificate right away!"

"I divorced that old lady and married you!"

"Since you gave birth to a child of the Yi family, a place will be reserved for you in the ancestral graves!"

"On the day I retire, the secure job at the steel rolling mill will be firmly handed to you!"

Qin Huairu's tongue was tied in knots, and her saliva was stuck in her throat.

Divorce? Marry her?

If this gets out, people will spit on her so much they could bury her alive.

Did this old lady feed all the bitter pills she swallowed over the years to her dog?

Yi Zhonghai was so eager to find a man with a penis that he didn't even want any other men.

But those thirty yuan...

Her throat bobbed, and her palms were sweaty.

What does the Jia family lack? Money!

There were enough food coupons to distribute, and the purse was so empty it could be used as a drum.

A salary of ninety-nine yuan is enough for her three children to eat fine food for two years.

There are also worker positions—those are truly golden opportunities.

Endure years of criticism in exchange for a lifetime of peace?

Yi Zhonghai's hair is gray and his back is hunched.

She's only in her early thirties; she has a long road ahead of her.

Thirty yuan? That's a thing of the past!

Ninety-nine yuan is the starting price!

Prices will go up again in two years!

"Huai Ru..."

Seeing her eyes dart around, Yi Zhonghai reached out and grabbed her cold wrist.

If a woman hesitates, a man has to take her place.

"No, sir... let go!"

Qin Huairu tried her best to shrink back, her arms trembling.

But how could she possibly break free from the strength of an eighth-grade fitter?

She suddenly froze.

Yi Zhonghai felt a surge of excitement—had it worked?

Just as my fingertips were starting to warm up, a harsh sentence was slammed into my ear:

"Fifty dollars! Paid monthly!"

The person who negotiates the price holds the upper hand.

Even if she's the seller, once she starts haggling, the matter is already half-done.

Yi Zhonghai was dumbfounded.

Shocked and scalding—a sixty-year-old can still start a fire? Unbelievable!

But this mouth is so open!

Like a lion swallowing a donkey!

Fifty dollars?

When Jia Dongxu was alive, he would only receive 32 yuan for every 30 days he worked.

Yan Bugui, an elementary school teacher, earns just over thirty yuan a month to support his family of six, and they eat cornbread every day.

These days, fifty yuan is enough to buy two Forever brand bicycles!

Still every month!

She hasn't even lifted her leg yet, and the money is already in place?

Qin Huairu raised her chin: "If you can't handle it, fifty yuan is the maximum."

"If I really get pregnant—regardless of the gender, you'd better divorce your husband and marry me immediately!"

"Even if you have a daughter, you can't renege on your promise! Yi Zhonghai, you've done too many despicable things, now even ghosts are knocking on your door in the middle of the night!"

"But if you really have that ability... I'll keep having babies until my son is born!"

"If you agree, we'll continue; if you don't, we'll each go our own way."

"Those words were blown away by the wind; no one heard them."

"You decide for yourself!"

Yi Zhonghai broke out in a cold sweat on the back of his neck.

Fifty dollars isn't the end?

This woman's bones are harder than steel ingots.

But what can we do?

He needs to find someone to live with and someone he can trust.

Of all the people in the hospital, Qin Huairu knew the most—she knew exactly how to toss the wok by the stove and how many times a child had a fever and called for their mother.

Qin Huairu's family has long since dispersed.

With her husband gone, her mother-in-law, Jia Zhangshi, also broke off all ties and separated the household.

She was the only adult in the house, taking care of three young children.

Yi Zhonghai knew perfectly well: this woman was easy to manipulate.

If something really happens, no one will stand up for her.

What if it were someone else? Your brothers would be lucky to get away with blocking the door with sticks!

What made him most envious was that Qin Huairu's belly was so fertile!

She's only been married to Jia Dongxu for a few years.

The stalks, the small buds, and the locust flowers all sprouted.

One also flowed through the middle.

Starting with four children is a very stable approach!

He touched his waist and smiled wryly.

At this age, the seeds are probably withered.

The soil needs fertilizer!

Look at those three kids, all of them are strong and healthy.

Especially the locust flowers, which grow up eating rice porridge when they're starving, yet they're still lively and energetic!

"Get a divorce if she gets pregnant."

Qin Huairu's words were firm.

Yi Zhonghai thought of Aunt Yi and unconsciously rubbed the corner of his clothes.

After decades of hard work, I've never even had a proper bowl of hot soup...

The thought only lingered for a moment.

Son! It has to be a son!

He took a deep breath and nodded: "Damn it!"

He reached into his hand and slammed five ten-yuan worker-peasant bills onto the table.

Brand new, the smell of ink hasn't dissipated yet.

Qin Huairu's throat bobbed, and her nails dug into her palms.

"Huai Ru".

Yi Zhonghai reached out and put his arm around her shoulder.

Her body stiffened, and her ears burned.

Being touched a few times outside is nothing, but when I hug someone, my heart beats so fast it doesn't feel like my own.

Things are different now!

Five heavy worker and peasant coupons were clutched tightly in Qin Huairu's hand.

She swallowed hard, her fingers unconsciously digging into her palm.

Is it worth it for such a small thing?

She suddenly turned her head and buried her face in her elbow.

Forget it.

Who hasn't gone through this?

Men...

She forced a laugh, her throat dry.

Close your eyes and think about it—if the person hugging you were younger, wouldn't everything be fine?

But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, the face that popped into his head was none other than the guy in the yard who always squatted under the locust tree repairing radios.

She suddenly opened her eyes, her ears burning hot.

Yi Zhonghai has truly succeeded in playing this game.

She even fooled herself.

These past few days, Wang Aiguo has picked up his fishing rod again, with his child in a bucket, and wobbled towards the river.

Others muttered: "They have everything they need at home, why are they fishing?"

The offer from the hospital is enough to buy half a street of live fish!

He grinned, patted the child's bottom, and said, "Come on, let's go find the Dragon Girl!"

The courtyard was in an uproar that night.

Hey!

A whole bucket of lively crucian carp, common carp, and whitebait, their scales still gleaming!

It's so tempting that you'll lick your lips.

Yueyue's amazing skill from last time is now just a legend.

Well, today Wang Aiguo actually brought the fish back!

"Patriotic Brother..."

Aunt Li rubbed her hands together and leaned closer, her eyes glued to the bucket. "Give me one? I'll pay you back with the meat coupon tomorrow!"

Before he could finish speaking, a burst of barely suppressed laughter erupted from all around.

Who isn't struggling financially?

Which family doesn't count their food coupons on their fingers every day?

The steel mill workers, a couple who both work, still manage to live a stable life.

Grandpa San supports six people and earns thirty yuan a month, yet he still walks with his back straight.

The most precious thing isn't money, it's tickets!

Back then, the country was strapped for cash, and everything had to be bought with ration coupons.

This rule wasn't completely abolished until the 1990s.

Why does everyone want to carry a fishing rod to go fishing?

Once you catch it, it's yours! No money spent, no tickets required!

Not everyone can catch a fish just by casting their line.

Those fishing enthusiasts in Beijing were even more ruthless in their pursuit of children than the later "tiger parenting" mentality.

When people are hungry, who cares about dignity? Being able to fill their stomachs is the only thing that matters!

"Patriotic Brother! I'll offer you a hostage! Can you give me a discount?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than someone chimed in, "Me too! Half a pound less is fine too!"

At this rate, the price of the fish will be driven up to market level before they even leave the farm.

After all, these fish came from unofficial sources and were not supplied by the state.

In the market, you can exchange five catties of fish for one catty of meat coupons, with clearly marked prices.

But hostages? They're harder to handle than gold!

Each person is allotted one pound per year.

Even making dumplings requires careful planning; how could I dare to substitute fish?

Charging for milk candy—isn't that outrageous?

The more outrageous it is, the more it proves that hostages are hard currency!

Everyone crowded around Wang Aiguo's bucket of lively fish, their eyes practically green with envy.

Who doesn't know he can't finish his food?

But everyone wants to get something for nothing, preferably without even having to pay for a ticket.

"Hey! We're neighbors, why are we talking about money?"