Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

"Grandma... this is too big a deal, I... I'm just a woman, I can't make that decision."

Jia Zhangshi hung her head, her voice trembling like a leaf, but in her heart she was plotting to delay, wanting only to push this hot potato to Jia Laonian.

"Could you please make an exception and wait for my husband to return so he can personally apologize and give you a proper reply? Is that alright?"

"hehe."

Old Mrs. Zhang glanced at her sideways, her eyes filled with undisguised mockery, and her cold laugh pierced Jia Zhangshi's heart like shards of ice.

"Fine, I'll see what kind of nonsense Jia Laonian has in store for me! I'm waiting for his explanation!"

Before Jia Zhangshi could reply, the old lady turned to look at He Yuzhu beside her, her tone softening instantly.

"Zhu Zi, help the old lady back. She must be exhausted after all this trouble."

"Okay, ma'am, please take your time."

He Yuzhu quickly stepped forward and carefully supported the old lady's arm.

"Me too! Me too!"

Xu Damao had been wanting to slip away for a while, fearing that Jia Zhangshi would take her anger out on him. He quickly ran to the other side of the old lady, and earnestly supported her other arm, wishing he could leave this place of trouble immediately.

The three of them walked on the bluestone slabs, through the hanging flower gate in the backyard, and gradually disappeared from sight.

Jia Zhangshi stared in the direction they disappeared, her previously drooping head suddenly lifted, her eyes surging with resentment, and she lowered her voice to grit her teeth and curse.

"You old geezer, you've got to be ruthless today! We'll see who comes out on top!"

After cursing, he tried to stand up, but as soon as he moved, he felt a cold, sticky sensation in his lower body.

The thought of having wet her pants and not even having a spare pair of cotton pants made her face contort in anger, and her anger flared even more.

"That damned old hag, why is she so protective of that He family brat? Not only does she let him live in the main room, but she also calls him her grandson! Bah! What is she? Just a childless old woman with no descendants!"

The more he cursed, the angrier he became, but he dared not delay any longer. He staggered to his feet, slammed the door shut, and hurriedly went inside to clean up the mess.

Everything that happened at the courtyard gate was clearly seen through the crack in the door by Li Guihua, who lived diagonally opposite.

She huddled behind the door, her heart pounding, muttering to herself.

I need to have a good talk with the head of the household tonight and make sure he puts away those inappropriate thoughts. That old lady protects the He family like the apple of her eye; we mustn't let her run into trouble.

She didn't have the thick skin of Jia Zhangshi, who could put on a whole act of tantrums and begging for mercy, but in the end, she still had to obediently give in.

If they really get kicked out, the whole family will starve.

He Yuzhu helped the old lady back to her house and settled her in before turning back to his own home. Unexpectedly, Xu Damao was like a piece of chewing gum, sticking to him the whole way and impossible to shake off.

As soon as they entered the inner room of the He family's house, Chen Lanxiang was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) sewing shoe soles. She was about to ask about the situation when Xu Damao spoke first, spitting as he spoke.

"Auntie! You have no idea how shrewish that Jia Zhangshi was today! When the old lady tried to kick her out, she cried and screamed, even sitting on the ground. In the end, she was so scared that she wet her pants. The scene was absolutely hilarious!"

He gestured wildly and embellished the story of what had just happened.

From Jia Zhangshi's tantrums and unreasonable behavior to Jia Dongxu running away naked, and then to the old lady hitting people with her cane, she described it vividly, without missing any details, and Chen Lanxiang couldn't get a word in edgewise.

He Yuzhu rubbed his throbbing temples, looking at Xu Damao who was spitting as he spoke, and secretly grumbled to himself.

This kid is wasting his talent not performing storytelling on Tianqiao; it would be a shame if he didn't use his silver tongue.

When Xu Damao finally finished speaking, he picked up the cold water on the table and took a big gulp. Chen Lanxiang, however, did not smile at all. She knew perfectly well that this matter was far from over. When Jia Laonian came back that night, there would probably be another tough battle to fight.

She put down the shoe sole in her hand, her tone calm but with an undeniable seriousness: "Zhuzi, Damao, from now on, you two should have as little contact with the Jia family as possible. Stay as far away from them as possible and don't get tainted by their bad luck."

"Yes, Mother."

He Yuzhu obediently agreed.

Xu Damao quickly nodded, "Don't worry, Auntie, I'll avoid their family from now on!"

"Alright, you two go out and have some fun. I'm tired too, I'm going to rest for a bit." Chen Lanxiang waved her hand, signaling the two of them to leave.

She hadn't heard clearly from inside the house, but now that Xu Damao had finished speaking, she realized that Jia Zhangshi was not only shrewish but also vicious. She actually wanted her son to suffer the sin of kneeling and shortening his lifespan. She couldn't swallow this insult.

She has to personally rectify this situation to vent her anger.

On the other side, the Jia family's house was in a complete mess.

Wrapped in an old quilt that Jia Dongxu had used when he was a child, barely covering her body, Jia Zhangshi squatted by the well in the yard, washing her wet pants with the icy well water. Her fingers were red and purple from the cold, and she kept cursing.

After washing the pants, I picked up a stick and started hitting the quilt that had fallen to the ground to remove the dirt and dust. But the quilt was still covered in a layer of dust and looked filthy.

After tidying up, the mother and daughter had nothing else to do, so they could only huddle on the cold kang (heated brick bed), staring at each other.

Firewood was precious these days, and the Jia family was even more reluctant to burn it. The kang (heated brick bed) was always chilly from morning till night. The mother and daughter, wrapped in a thin quilt, shivered on the kang, not daring to move, for fear of losing the little warmth they had.

"mother……"

Jia Dongxu huddled under the covers, his voice weak and listless. The cold and hunger were unbearable. "What are we having for lunch? My stomach is growling."

"Eat, eat, all you know is eating! What a load of crap!" Madam Jia scolded irritably.

Just thinking about all the ups and downs of today makes me furious.

"I don't even have a pair of cotton-padded pants right now, I'm freezing to death, how could I possibly have time to cook for you? Just go hungry! We'll talk about it when your dad gets back!"

Jia Dongxu was so scolded that he didn't dare to say a word. He gave a wronged "Oh" and buried his head in the quilt, but his stomach started growling uncontrollably.

"Gurgle—"

Jia Dongxu's stomach let out a loud growl.

Immediately afterwards, "gurgle gurgle—" Jia Zhangshi's stomach also started to rumble, each rumble louder than the last.

It wasn't that she didn't want to cook; she genuinely wanted to save a meal.

We've really lost a lot of money today. If the rent doubles as the old lady said, the Jia family will have an even harder time in the future. They'll probably have to count every single cornbread they eat.

Jia Laonian only earns six silver dollars a month. He used to be able to make ends meet with one dollar in rent, but now the rent has doubled and prices are rising every day. Forget about meat, it's hard to even have enough to eat every day.

The mother and son were so hungry that they couldn't bear it any longer, so they got up and drank a bellyful of cold water from the water vat to fill their stomachs.

Throughout the afternoon, both of their stomachs were rumbling loudly, like they were carrying small drums, and the water level in the chamber pots in the yard was visibly rising.

While the Jia family mother and daughter were drinking cold water and freezing, Xu Damao was pestering He Yuzhu to play mahjong.

Xu Damao had enjoyed the sparrow feast so much yesterday that he hadn't had enough and was thinking about catching some more sparrows to satisfy his craving.

Unable to resist his persistent pestering, He Yuzhu had no choice but to nod in agreement. He then took out a slingshot and some iron pellets and led Xu Damao to the open space in the front yard.

Today's harvest was much greater than yesterday's. Firstly, He Yuzhu's slingshot skills were superb, and he hit the target accurately and hard. Secondly, he was generous with his bait, using millet that he had saved at home, which attracted flocks of sparrows.

Before long, the two had caught more than fifty sparrows, filled a cloth bag to the brim, and returned to the He family home in high spirits.

As soon as he entered, Xu Damao ran up to Chen Lanxiang with a cloth bag, beaming with joy.

"Auntie! Auntie! Look how many sparrows we caught! We can eat sparrow meat again tonight! Brother Zhu is amazing, he hits the bullseye every time!"

"Oh? How much?" Chen Lanxiang put down her work and asked with a smile, not wanting to spoil his mood.

"More than fifty!" Xu Damao proudly gestured the number, his face beaming with pride.

"So many?" Chen Lanxiang was genuinely surprised. You have to understand that these weren't caught with a net, but shot with a slingshot. It's truly remarkable that they managed to catch so many.

Actually, the two could have fired even more, but they ran out of pellets and had to come back early. He Yuzhu looked at the empty pellet bag and said to Xu Damao.

"Da Mao, go back tonight and ask your dad for some more marbles, otherwise we won't be able to play tomorrow."

Xu Damao's face fell instantly, and he said with his head hanging low, "My dad went out on business and hasn't come back for several days."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about that. We'll have to rest tomorrow without any marbles," He Yuzhu shrugged.

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao was even more disappointed, but he still clenched his fists and made a promise.

"When my dad comes back, I'll definitely make him get me even more marbles, a whole bag like this!" He gestured with his hand, making a big bag shape, his face full of anticipation.

He Yuzhu was amused by him: "Your dad might not be able to get such a big bag back."

He secretly thought to himself: These days, even steel is controlled by the government, and bullets are hard to come by. Xu Damao's father must have paid a lot of bribes to get so many. I didn't expect this kid to squander them so quickly. When his father comes back, this kid will definitely get a good beating.

Tonight, a sparrow feast is to be prepared. There are too many sparrows, and He Yuzhu is too lazy to pluck their feathers one by one, so he simply skins them, which is more efficient.

He called over Xu Damao, picked up a kitchen knife, and made a cut on the sparrow. He taught him how to do it several times, and then they divided the work. He Yuzhu used the knife to make the cut, and Xu Damao was responsible for skinning it. The two brothers worked together very well, and in no time, all fifty-odd sparrows were cleaned and placed in a basin.

Xu Damao circled around the stove, his eyes fixed on the sparrows in the basin, swallowing hard. "Brother Zhu, how about roasting a few more today? I want to eat yesterday's roasted sparrows again."

"You'll get your share, don't worry." He Yuzhu smiled and ruffled his hair.

Xu Damao thought for a moment, then spoke cautiously, his tone pleading.

"Um... Brother Zhu, could you save two for my mother? She didn't get to eat at yesterday's sparrow feast. When I got home, I saw her eating cornbread with pickled vegetables, and it made me feel really bad."

"sure."

He Yuzhu nodded in agreement without even thinking.

"You also put in a lot of effort. Tonight, you not only left two roasted sparrows for your mother, but also asked her to take a bowl of sparrow soup back so that your mother could also have a taste."

"Brother Zhu, you're so great!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao's face lit up with joy. He excitedly grabbed He Yuzhu's arm, jumping up and down, his heart filled with gratitude.

In the evening, He Daqing went home first.

As soon as I entered the door, I saw a basin in the yard filled with cleaned sparrows, and several roasted sparrows on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). Knowing that my son had left them for me as snacks to go with my drinks, I immediately smiled and nodded in satisfaction.

"Great, great, my son is becoming more and more sensible."

Looking at the basin full of sparrows, He Daqing got itchy to cook. He rolled up his sleeves and said, "I'll cook tonight's meal. I guarantee it'll taste better than yours."

"Dad, you should make more so that you can bring some back for Da Mao's mother tonight," He Yuzhu instructed.

"Oh, my son's even starting to understand social etiquette now?"

He Daqing laughed and patted his son on the shoulder.

"You've improved! Alright, go play with Da Mao, and remember to invite the old lady over so she can try my cooking too."

"Okay, Dad!" He Yuzhu replied and turned to go to the old lady's house.

When the old lady heard that there would be sparrow meat to eat again that night, she couldn't stop smiling. She hadn't had enough of the sparrow feast yesterday, so she quickly got up and followed He Yuzhu.

"Come on, come on, I've been craving it for ages."

Upon arriving at the He family's residence, the old lady and Chen Lanxiang sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) chatting, and naturally, the conversation turned to the Jia family.

The old lady stated her condition for the Jia family to double the rent, and Chen Lanxiang frowned.

"The Jia family is already struggling financially; do you think they'll agree to double the rent? Isn't that going too far?"

"Hmph, excessive? I don't think it's excessive at all!" The old lady snorted coldly, her eyes full of disdain.

"If we don't teach them a lesson, won't that mother and daughter cause a huge uproar? That old man Jia is henpecked; he's completely controlled by Jia Zhangshi. I want to see what he can say today!"

"But his family's life is really tough." Chen Lanxiang sighed softly, her heart softening in the end.

"You're just too kind-hearted."

The old lady stretched out her finger and gently tapped Chen Lanxiang's forehead, as if she were scolding her own child.

"Kindness depends on the person. Being kind to someone like Jia Zhangshi is just being cruel to yourself! If you don't make them feel pain and fear, will they ever learn their lesson? They'll just keep bullying Zhuzi in the future!"

"Isn't it because you, Grandma, are protecting the pillar?" Chen Lanxiang said with a smile.

"Hmph, how much longer can I, an old lady, live? I can't protect him forever." The old lady sighed.

"You'll definitely live to be a hundred, and you'll even see Zhuzi get married, have children, and hold your great-grandchildren," Chen Lanxiang quickly coaxed.

Upon hearing this, the old lady instantly beamed with joy, her eyebrows and eyes relaxing.

"Alright, alright, I'll take your kind words. To hold my great-grandson, this old lady will live a few more years!"

Just then, He Daqing called out from the kitchen, "Dinner's ready! Zhuzi, Damao, come and get the dishes!"

"Okay, Dad!"

"Here it comes!"

The two hurriedly ran over and brought the dishes to the table: sparrow soup, braised sparrow meat, stir-fried sparrow meat, and a plate of vinegared cabbage. The table was full of dishes, and the aroma was so enticing that everyone's mouths watered.

Even He Yushui, still in her swaddling clothes, wrinkled her little nose, her mouth twitching, and drool dripping from the corners of her mouth. Before long, she burst into tears.

"Look how hungry our little girl is," the old lady said with a smile. "Go ahead and feed her."

Chen Lanxiang glanced at Xu Damao, then looked at He Yuzhu. Seeing him gently shake his head, she said, "Zhuzi, go get some rice porridge for your sister, mix it with some sparrow soup, and I'll feed her some."

He Yuzhu immediately agreed, "Okay, Mom."

He dared not gamble with Xu Damao's big mouth. If he turned around and told others about his sister drinking sparrow soup, who knows what trouble it would cause in these years of scarcity.

The old lady understood Chen Lanxiang's thoughts, glanced at Xu Damao, and nodded gently, agreeing with Chen Lanxiang's approach.

This Xu family lad is good at everything, except he has a loose tongue. If it weren't for that, he would have gotten away with fewer beatings in the past.

Today alone, two nicknames were given to Jia Dongxu, neither of them pleasant. This kid needs to suffer a bit before he learns his lesson and corrects this bad habit.

During the meal, no one said much; they just focused on eating.

He Daqing's cooking skills were indeed well-deserved; they were much better than He Yuzhu's. Every dish was delicious and visually appealing. Even the old lady, who usually had a small appetite, ate half a bowl more rice.

He Yuzhu ate to his heart's content and even gave his father a thumbs up. He Daqing smiled so hard his eyes narrowed into slits as he sipped his wine and munched on roasted sparrows, looking incredibly content.

After dinner, He Yuzhu filled a large bowl with sparrow soup and wrapped up a few roasted sparrows. He then led Xu Damao to the Xu family's house in the backyard, intending to deliver the soup to Xu Damao's mother.

Just as I stepped out of my house, I saw the door of the Jia family creak open. Old Jia, wrapped in his faded cotton work clothes, held a pipe in his hand, knocked it hard to extinguish the ashes inside, sighed deeply, and walked toward the He family with a solemn expression.

He walked to the He family's door, raised his hand and gently knocked, his voice low: "Ding ding dong—Brother Daqing, are you home?"

Hearing the voice from inside, He Daqing quickly replied, "Yes, yes! Brother Nian, come in!"

As he spoke, he looked at the old lady and Chen Lanxiang with a puzzled expression in his eyes. He didn't understand why Jia Laonian would come to his house to see the old lady so late at night. Was there something he couldn't say behind people's backs?

The old lady leaned close to He Daqing's ear and whispered, "You'll find out soon enough. Don't say a word, just watch what I have to say."

He Daqing nodded quickly: "Okay."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jia Laonian pushed open the door and walked in, head down, looking ashamed.