The Life of a Son-in-Law in a Courtyard House

Even after Jia Dongxu got home, the image of his deceased coworker remained vivid in his mind.

Jia Dongxu felt very inferior, far inferior to his coworker.

He was willing to sacrifice himself just to keep his family alive.

They are truly a hundred times greater and a hundred times braver than me.

When Qin Huairu brought the food to the table, Jia Dongxu was still not in good spirits.

Qin Huairu asked him, "What's wrong? Dongxu is tired. Why don't you finish your meal and go rest?"

Jia Dongxu shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

Jia Dongxu took the two steamed buns that his wife Qin Huairu had given him, and cut one of them in half. He gave one half to Banggeng and the other half to Xiaodang.

He only ate one small cornbread, smaller than a fist.

Madam Jia also realized that her son was not mentally stable.

But when her son gave food to his grandchildren, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

She had no choice but to break off half of her cornbread and put it in her son's hand: "Dongxu, you are the pillar of the family, you should eat more. Mom is not hungry, just eat a little and have some porridge."

Jia Dongxu didn't want the half-eaten cornbread that his mother had saved from her mouth. His mother wasn't hungry, but half a cornbread plus a bowl of thin porridge that was so watery you could see your reflection in it wasn't enough to fill her stomach.

But he insisted on returning it, and Jia Zhangshi refused to accept it.

"Dongxu, Mom doesn't know what happened at your factory, but you're a grown man and the pillar of our family. You have to hold on. Eat more. Mom doesn't have to do any heavy work. If you eat less, you won't starve."

"And you're alive, don't worry."

Seeing the deep bond between Jia Zhangshi and her husband, Qin Huairu had no choice but to play the role of a dutiful daughter-in-law.

She broke off half of her pitifully small cornbread for dinner and gave it to her husband. She tried to give the other half to Jia Zhangshi, but Jia Zhangshi declined and didn't accept it.

Then Qin Huairu followed up on Jia Zhangshi's words: "Yes, Dongxu, Mom is right. You don't look well. You should eat more. Mom and I will eat less and won't starve."

After you finish eating, I'll give you a foot bath and you should get some rest.

Jia Dongxu tried to refuse several times, but couldn't get away with it.

He could only desperately hold back his tears, lower his head, quickly finish his cornbread, drink his porridge in a few mouthfuls, avoid the gazes of his mother and wife, and then hide in bed.

Meanwhile, Banggeng, having eaten an extra half-eaten cornbread, was so engrossed in his meal that he didn't notice anything amiss with his father.

If you say he's immature, Bang Geng is actually quite smart; if you say he's sensible, he hasn't been taught very well by Qin Huairu.

This kid was actually corrupted by Qin Huairu from a young age. He seems nice on the surface, but he's very selfish inside.

He's just an actor; he didn't try to steal his sister's steamed buns. He already had a lot allocated to him, and if he tried to steal his sister's, he'd probably get beaten up.

Seeing that her son was acting strangely today, Jia Zhangshi gave Qin Huairu a wink and then whispered, "I think Dongxu is not in a good mood today. Ask him what's wrong later. If he was wronged at the factory, comfort him. If he's tired, massage his back."

If there's anything else, let him talk about it, and he'll feel better.

"I'll do the washing of the pots and dishes today, you don't need to worry about it."

Qin Huairu nodded and replied softly, "I understand, Mom."

Qin Huairu quickly finished the half-eaten cornbread in her hand, put down her bowl and chopsticks, walked to the kang (a heated brick bed) with the curtain half-drawn, and gently patted Dongxu, who was lying on his side in the corner of the kang facing the wall, asking him, "Dongxu, what's wrong? Are you tired? Let me massage your back?"

Qin Huairu did not see Jia Dongxu hiding in the corner, tears streaming down his face as he faced the wall.

Jia Dongxu felt like a failure, especially when he recalled the scene where his mother and wife had both made him eat cornbread.

I felt extremely guilty.

Jia Dongxu is a very sensitive and sentimental person.

He was raised by Jia Zhangshi alone from a young age. He is a bit introverted and has relatively sound values, but he has things on his mind that he doesn't want to share with others.

I always tend to keep things bottled up inside.

Even though other families are similar to his, many families are like this nowadays, with the whole family supporting the able-bodied man to eat and drink as much as possible.

Otherwise, without able-bodied laborers to earn money, the family might face even greater difficulties.

But Jia Dongxu didn't think that way. He was provoked today, and his thoughts became a bit distorted. He felt that he was incompetent and had not taken on the responsibilities of being a son and a father.

Today's scene, in particular, made him doubt himself even more.

He admired his coworker and wanted to learn from him.

Jia Dongxu is crying sadly because he feels guilty.

If Yi Zhonghai or someone else were to talk to him privately, Jia Dongxu might be able to resolve his inner conflict.

When Qin Huairu asked him, he naturally wouldn't reveal his true feelings.

He couldn't show a cowardly expression in front of his family.

I also can't let Qin Huairu know that I shed tears.

So Jia Dongxu groaned, "It's nothing, I'm just a little tired. Help me massage my back."

Then Jia Dongxu lay face down on the kang (a heated brick bed), with a cotton quilt draped over his front.

Qin Huairu could no longer see Jia Dongxu's expression.

Yi Zhonghai returned home late. As soon as he arrived, Wen Xiumei came to greet him: "Old Yi, why are you so late today?"

Yi Zhonghai sighed: "Sigh, there was an accident in the factory workshop. A coworker died. I heard he deliberately tried to commit suicide, hoping to hand over his job to his wife in exchange for some funeral expenses, condolence money, and a pension, so that his wife and children could survive. I think he still has an elderly mother in his hometown in the countryside."

Wen Xiumei was also shocked upon hearing this: "Ah, how can there be such a person? How could they walk on this road?"

Yi Zhonghai replied to her, "Yes, he is a good son, a good husband, and a good father, but he is too extreme in his actions. If not, think of other ways."

A living person can die from holding their urine. A strong laborer is gone. Although he ate the most, he was the one who earned the most money in the family. His death could bring in more money at once.

But if we do this, won't his family members who are still alive live with guilt for the rest of their lives?

This coworker usually seems quite cheerful; no one would have expected him to do something like this.

Alas, fate is cruel; this disaster is truly heartbreaking.

Wen Xiumei was quite shocked when she heard the news.

He sat back in his chair, processing what he had just heard.

Yi Zhonghai lifted the lid of the prepared food on the table and ate it listlessly.

Suddenly he remembered that his precious apprentice looked very strange when he came back. Yi Zhonghai said again, "Old woman, I noticed that Dongxu looked strange when I came back. Ask Jia Zhangshi or Qin Huairu tomorrow if he was acting strangely tonight. I'll also talk to him more at the factory later."

This kid is a deep thinker; sometimes he doesn't want to talk about things.

Don't let this distract you.

Wen Xiumei was startled by these words and said, "Okay, okay, I understand. I'll ask them tomorrow."

Dongxu is indeed sometimes quiet and prone to overthinking. I haven't seen him hanging out with Shazhu and Dalinzi lately.

I think you should try to persuade him again. Sometimes this child doesn't want to talk to you, but he might be willing to talk to his peers. That's normal.