Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Don't touch my parents!

She secretly planned to have a serious talk with her husband that night.

Cut off those inappropriate thoughts as soon as possible—the old lady genuinely protects the He family.

She didn't want to be kicked out of the courtyard, and she didn't have Jia Zhangshi's ability to throw a tantrum.

One moment they're throwing a tantrum and acting like a spoiled child, the next they're begging for forgiveness, and then they turn their backs on you in the blink of an eye.

That arrogant-to-obsequious demeanor was even more entertaining than a performance on stage.

In the end, he still had to give in and ended up in a sorry state.

After seeing the old lady off, He Yuzhu turned and headed home.

Unexpectedly, Xu Damao followed them silently again.

Upon entering the inner room of the He family's house, Chen Shuxiang had not yet had a chance to ask about the situation outside.

Xu Damao couldn't wait any longer and began to talk excitedly about what was happening outside.

"Auntie, you have no idea, that aunt from the Jia family is incredibly shrewish..."

He rattled off a long string of words in one breath, leaving Chen Shuxiang unable to get a word in edgewise.

He Yuzhu, standing next to him, rubbed his temples helplessly and muttered to himself.

This kid is really wasting his talent by not going to tell stories under the overpass.

When Xu Damao finally finished speaking, Chen Shuxiang didn't show much joy on her face.

She knew in her heart that this matter was far from over, and there would probably be another storm that night.

So she calmly instructed, "From now on, you two should have less contact with the Jia family."

"Yes, Mother." "Yes, Aunt."

The two agreed in unison.

"Alright, you guys go out and have some fun. I'm tired too, I want to rest for a while."

I heard it intermittently inside the house just now, so it wasn't very clear.

Now that Xu Damao has told her the whole story, she realized that Jia Zhangshi was actually so unreasonable and domineering.

I really underestimated this woman.

What angered her even more was that Jia Zhangshi dared to curse her son to have a short lifespan.

She simply couldn't swallow this insult.

Moreover, she must personally avenge herself before she will be satisfied.

Looking at the Jia family side, Jia Zhangshi was wrapped in an old mattress that her son Jia Dongxu had used when he was a child.

He scrubbed the soiled pants clean and picked up the blanket that had fallen on the ground, then patted it dry.

After doing all this, the mother and son stared at each other, curled up on the cold bed.

Their family couldn't bear to burn too much firewood, so the kang (heated brick bed) remained cold throughout the day.

The mother and daughter huddled under the thin blankets, shivering from the cold.

"Mom, what are we having for lunch?"

Cold and hungry, Jia Dongxu couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"Eat, eat, all you ever do is eat! Eat my ass!"

"I don't even own a complete pair of pants, why would I cook for you?"

"Go hungry, we'll talk about it when your father gets back!"

"Oh……"

Jia Dongxu dared not say anything more, but his stomach started rumbling inappropriately.

Glug glug—

Jia Zhangshi's stomach also started rumbling.

It's not that she's not afraid of the cold; she just wants to save herself this meal.

Today's events have left me with nothing.

If we really do follow the conditions proposed by the deaf old lady in the backyard.

From now on, even when they're eating cornbread, they'll have to count the pieces one by one.

Jia Laonian only earns six silver dollars a month.

The rent used to be only one dollar, but now it has doubled, so there's no way I can save any money.

With prices soaring, it's impossible to find even a little bit of meat or oil.

Even the desire to eat one's fill at every meal has become increasingly difficult.

Unable to bear the hunger any longer, the mother and son each drank a bellyful of cold water to fill their stomachs.

All afternoon, the only sound in the room was the gurgling of water coming from their stomachs.

Immediately afterwards, the water level in the chamber pot in the Jia family's house rose at a visible speed.

In the afternoon, Xu Damao clung to He Yuzhu again, wanting to go play mahjong together.

He had enjoyed the mahjong feast so much yesterday that he was craving it again.

He Yuzhu was so bothered by him that he had no choice but to take Xu Damao and slingshots to the front yard.

The afternoon's harvest was more than double that of yesterday.

Firstly, He Yuzhu's slingshot shooting became more and more accurate, and his technique became more and more skilled.

Secondly, he was willing to invest heavily this time, and the bait he offered was plentiful.

The two returned to the He family home carrying a bag full of sparrows.

Xu Damao immediately ran off to find Chen Shuxiang with great excitement, as if presenting a treasure.

"Auntie, Auntie, we can eat sparrows again tonight!"

"Brother Zhu is amazing! We beat so many of them!"

"How much is 'a lot'?"

Chen Shuxiang didn't spoil his mood and casually asked a question with a smile.

"More than fifty!"

"So many?"

Chen Shuxiang was genuinely surprised this time.

You should know that these sparrows weren't just caught in nets or cages.

Instead, they used slingshots to shoot them down one by one with precision.

Actually, the two brothers had to call it a day and go home early because they had run out of bullets.

He Yuzhu specifically instructed Xu Damao to ask his father for some marbles after he got home that night.

Xu Damao said helplessly that his father had gone out to run errands and hadn't been home for several days.

He Yuzhu then told him directly that if there were no marbles, he wouldn't be able to play mahjong tomorrow.

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao's face immediately showed a hint of disappointment.

But then he patted his chest and vowed that he would ask for more marbles as soon as his father returned.

As he spoke, he gestured with his hand to form the shape of a large pocket in front of him.

He Yuzhu couldn't help but laugh out loud: "That's such a big bag, your dad might not be able to get it back."

He was secretly making plans in his mind.

These days, even steel is strictly controlled by the Japanese.

His father must have gone through countless favors and troubles to get him this slingshot and a bag of pellets.

Who would have thought that in just one short day, the two of them would have completely ruined it?

If things go wrong, this kid might get a good beating when his dad comes back.

He Yuzhu caught so many sparrows today that he was too lazy to pluck their feathers one by one.

I simply peeled it directly, which saved a lot of trouble.

He called Xu Damao to his side and first used a knife to gently cut a slit in the sparrow's body.

After patiently demonstrating several times, he took charge of making the incisions, while Xu Damao took charge of peeling the skin.

The two brothers worked together very well, and their division of labor was exceptionally clear.

In no time at all, all the sparrows were cleaned up.

After dealing with the sparrows, Xu Damao kept pacing around the stove.

"Brother Zhu, please bake a few more good ones today, please!"

"You'll get your share, don't worry."

"Um... Brother Zhu, could you save two for my mother?"

"She didn't get to eat a single bite yesterday."

"Alright, you put in a lot of effort today, you should keep it."

"I'll also make sparrow soup tonight; take a bowl home with you then."

"Brother Zhu, you're so kind!"

Xu Damao was so happy that he hugged He Yuzhu tightly.

He had a big meal at the He family's house yesterday, but when he got home, he saw his mother eating dry cornbread with pickled vegetables.

I kept thinking that next time I caught a sparrow, I must save some for my mother.

That evening, He Daqing was the first to return home.

Seeing that her son was cleaning up sparrows again, and even specially saving some roasted sparrows for her to have with her drinks.

He nodded in satisfaction, a look of approval on his face.

Looking at the clean and neatly arranged ingredients, He Daqing suddenly felt an urge to grab them.

He immediately said that he would personally cook dinner tonight.

"Dad, please make some more so that Da Mao can take some back to his mother when he goes back later."

"Wow, my son is starting to understand social etiquette now! He's really improved!"

"Alright, go out and have fun with Da Mao. Remember to invite the old lady from the backyard over."

"Okay, Dad!"

He Yuzhu went to the backyard first and invited the old lady to his home.

When the old lady heard that there were more sparrows to eat, her eyes narrowed into slits with laughter.

She still vividly remembers and savors the delicious meal she had yesterday.

After the old lady came over, she chatted with Chen Shuxiang about the Jia family's affairs in the courtyard during the day.

The old lady recounted in detail the conditions she had set for the Jia family to apologize.

Chen Shuxiang frowned slightly: "Will the Jia family agree? Aren't these conditions too demanding?"

"Hmph, if we don't teach them a lesson, that mother and daughter will be out of control!"

"Old Jia is completely under his wife's thumb. I'd like to see what he has to say when he gets here!"

"But his family wasn't well-off to begin with..."

Chen Shuxiang sighed softly, feeling a little reluctant.

"You're just too soft-hearted."

"If we don't frighten them, if we don't make them feel pain, will they remember this lesson?"

The old lady stretched out her finger and gently tapped Chen Shuxiang's forehead, as if scolding a child.

"Isn't it because we still have you, Grandma, to back us up?"

"Hmph, how much longer do I, an old lady, have to live?"

"You'll definitely live to be a hundred, and you'll even see your eldest grandson get married and have children, and hold your great-grandson in your arms!"

"Alright, alright, in order to hold my great-grandson, this old lady will live a few more years!"

The old lady said with a smile, her face full of joy and anticipation.

"Dinner's ready! Zhu Zi, Da Mao, come and bring the dishes!"

"Here you are, Dad!" "Here you are, Uncle He!"

Sparrow soup, braised sparrow, stir-fried sparrow meat, and vinegared cabbage were all served steaming hot.

There were also a few roasted sparrows that He Yuzhu had specially saved for his father as a snack with his drinks.

The aroma of the food was irresistible, causing everyone to sniff the air.

Even He Yushui, still in her swaddling clothes, wrinkled her little nose and drooled.

Then she burst into tears.

"Look how hungry our little girl is, hurry up and feed her."

The old lady spoke with a smile.

Chen Shuxiang glanced at Xu Damao subconsciously first, then turned to look at He Yuzhu.

Seeing that he gently shook his head, she instructed, "Zhu Zi, go and make some rice porridge for your sister."

"I'll add a little sparrow soup and feed her."

"Okay, Mother."

He Yuzhu dared not take the risk of letting Xu Damao, that big mouth, find out.

That kid has a very quick tongue; he might accidentally let something slip.

The old lady also glanced at Xu Damao and nodded slightly.

I fully agree with Chen Shuxiang's approach.

If it weren't for that quick tongue of the Xu family, that kid would be amazing.

I wouldn't have gotten beaten up so many times before.

This afternoon alone, he gave that kid from the Jia family two nicknames.

None of them sounded good; they were all just crazy ideas.

This kid might only be able to change his impetuous and quick-tongued ways after suffering some losses.

During the meal, no one spoke much.

He Daqing's cooking skills are undoubtedly excellent, far surpassing He Yuzhu's.

Even He Yuzhu himself couldn't help but give his father a thumbs up.

Seeing that everyone was enjoying the meal, He Daqing was also in a good mood.

Sipping their wine slowly, they nibbled on the fragrant roasted sparrow.

After dinner, He Yuzhu led Xu Damao, carrying a large bowl of sparrow soup, to the Xu family's backyard.

Just as they stepped into the courtyard, the Jia family's door suddenly creaked open.

Old Jia wrapped his worn-out cotton work clothes tighter around himself and knocked out the pipe in his hand.

He let out a long sigh and strode towards the He family's house.

"Knock knock knock—Brother Qing, are you home?"

"Hey, Old Nian, what's up?"

He Daqing was completely unaware of what had happened in the courtyard during the day.

"Is that... old lady from the backyard at your house?"

"I'm here, come in."

He Daqing looked at the old lady, then at his wife.

He was a little puzzled as to why Jia Laonian would come to his house to look for the old lady.

If there's something going on, shouldn't you keep it to yourself?

The old lady lowered her voice and instructed, "You'll find out soon enough, don't make a sound."

"it is good."

He Daqing nodded slightly and responded.

There was another slight creaking sound, and Jia Laonian pushed the door open and came in.

"Hahaha, still dare to deny it? I saw it clearly! Stop being stubborn."

"You little poop-prone bastard, you were scared out of your wits by Brother Zhuzi. From now on, we might as well call you Poop-Prone Xu!"

"You're asking for it! You're the one who's soiling your pants, you're the one with a crotch bulge!"

Enraged, Jia Dongxu immediately got up from the ground and chased after Xu Damao.

"Hehe, you still say you don't? Look down at your feet and see what's there."

Xu Damao made a funny face at him, then turned and ran quickly to the backyard.

As soon as they rushed into the Xu family's gate, they immediately bolted the door shut, making it tight and secure.

Before Jia Dongxu had run a few steps, he heard Jia Zhangshi's heart-wrenching cries behind him.

"Dongxu, come back quickly and help your mother up! Ouch, it hurts so much!"

"Mother, are you alright?"

Jia Dongxu then suddenly remembered that in his panic, he had tripped his mother and made her fall so hard.

The main problem was that he fell on his bottom, which made his head buzz.

He was then subjected to a barrage of sarcastic and cutting remarks from Xu Damao, which made him so angry that he forgot everything else.

When he hurriedly helped Jia Zhangshi up from the ground.

Jia Dongxu immediately noticed a yellow stain on his mother's front.

The egg that was clearly hidden in his bosom was also crushed.

The true owners of these items stood quietly not far away, coldly watching them.

Jia Dongxu was both ashamed and anxious, his face flushed red. He hurriedly helped Jia Zhangshi and they slunk home.