The entire courtyard is full of villains

"No way! I would be extremely grateful if you would help me, Master's wife!" Qin Huairu quickly agreed.

"Then you go home and wait, I'll be right there." Tan Saihua finished speaking and headed straight for the backyard. But as soon as she reached Old Lady Long's door, she stopped in her tracks—what if the old lady refused to listen? How would they get along in the yard afterward? Just as she was pondering this, Old Lady Long's voice suddenly came from inside the house: "Who's outside?"

Tan Saihua had no choice but to bite the bullet and reply, "Grandma, it's me, Saihua."

"Oh, it's Saihua. Is there something you need? Come in if you need anything."

"Yes." Tan Saihua responded and pushed open the door, seeing Old Lady Long leaning against the wall, squinting her eyes as if thinking about something.

"Saihua, are you also worried about Zhonghai and can't sleep?" Old Mrs. Long spoke first. "If you're feeling bored, come over and chat with me. We can sleep together tonight."

"Okay, sure." Tan Saihua replied, took off her shoes and got into bed, sitting down next to Old Lady Long. She wanted to talk about serious matters, but swallowed her words back.

Old Mrs. Long was very shrewd and had already seen through her worries. She patted her hand and said, "Saihua, you have served me all these years, and I have never treated you as an outsider. Just say what's on your mind and don't keep things to yourself."

Tan Saihua sighed and finally spoke: "Grandma, just now... Huai Ru came to beg me."

"He begged you because of Jia Dongxu, right? He wants you to plead with me and help him get out, isn't that right?" Old Mrs. Long squinted, looking like she had already seen through him.

“Yes… this can’t be kept from you at all, old lady.” Tan Saihua was a little flustered. “That’s what Qin Huairu meant.”

"Hmph, the Jia family never bothers with their own efforts, only remembering this old lady when things come to a head. Too late!" Old Mrs. Long said with disdain, then turned to Tan Saihua, who looked conflicted, and asked, "You haven't already agreed to her, have you?"

“I…” Tan Saihua looked troubled and said in a low voice, “Grandma, as you know, Zhonghai has always regarded Dongxu as his retirement support. Now that Dongxu has gotten into such a big mess and is still detained, if we don’t lend a hand, I’m afraid Zhonghai will blame me when he gets out.”

"If you ask me, Saihua, why don't you take this opportunity to completely sever ties with the Jia family?" Old Madam Long said in a deep voice. "If you're worried about Zhonghai's resentment, I'll talk to him when he gets out. From now on, you two should focus your attention on Zhuzi—I know Zhuzi well; he's a reliable child."

“Grandma, Zhuzi is a good man, but his father, He Daqing, is still alive,” Tan Saihua couldn’t help but voice her concern. “When we get old, if something happens to us, who do you think he will take care of first?”

These words silenced Old Lady Long. Back then, it was she who saw that Sha Zhu was a good prospect for retirement, which was why she advised Yi Zhonghai to force He Daqing away. But the new society is different from before; a person leaving doesn't mean they're gone. He Daqing has connections outside, and he'll eventually come back when he gets old. Thinking about it this way, the worries of Yi Zhonghai and his wife weren't unfounded.

"So what do you mean?" Old Mrs. Long looked at her.

Sensing a softening in her tone, Tan Saihua quickly leaned forward, pleading, "Grandma, I know you have powerful connections. Could you please ask someone to get Jia Dongxu out? Even if he's detained for a few months like Lao Yi, please don't send him to a labor camp!"

"If he's really sent there, Dongxu will definitely lose his job at the steel rolling mill. Without that job, the Jia family might have to be sent back to the village. Then Lao Yi and I will be completely helpless; our hopes for retirement will be gone!"

Chapter 40 Preserving the Jia Family

"Sigh..." Old Mrs. Long sighed deeply, her tone becoming somewhat somber. "Saihua, Jia Dongxu's matter is not so simple."

She squinted, as if lost in distant memories: "At the end of 48, on the night of Zhang Dequan's wedding, that lackey, I was also forcibly invited. Although I knew a few people at that time, I was nothing in front of Zhang Dequan. It was called an 'invitation,' but in reality, I was no different from a sheep waiting to be slaughtered, just waiting to be cut."

To my surprise, that very night, the henchman was stabbed to death. The next day, the police launched a city-wide manhunt, and I finally learned the truth from an acquaintance—the henchman's bride was a female communist wanted by the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics; she had a list of defecting officers hidden on her person. But that very night, both the list and the women vanished without a trace.

Old Mrs. Long paused, then changed the subject: "Today, when Madam Jia Zhang brought up the old story, I pieced together the whole story. It turns out that Zhang Erhe was the one who did it! How old was Zhang Erhe back then? He dared to kill someone at the age of 13, and he even managed to snatch the list back from their lackeys—that's an incredible feat. Just think about it, Jia Dongxu is falsely accusing Zhang Erhe today, and the connection is so deep. Do you think we can let him off so easily?"

"Then... is there really no other way?" Tan Saihua asked anxiously.

“If only Zhang Guowei and Director Song had come today, I might have been able to pull some strings and ease Dongxu’s punishment a bit.” Old Mrs. Long shook her head. “But didn’t you notice the man with round glasses who arrived earlier than Director Song today? That’s the real big boss. Didn’t you see several people watching him when he came in? Even Director Song treated him with utmost respect. I, an old woman, have no way of getting in touch with someone like that.”

"Ah?" Tan Saihua's face turned pale. "Then... is Dongxu really finished?"

“That’s right,” Old Mrs. Long said with certainty. “He’ll be in jail for at least a year or two, and he can forget about keeping his job. That’s why I advised you to give up on Jia Dongxu as soon as possible.”

"Grandma, is there really no other way?" Tan Saihua was still unwilling to give up.

Seeing her anxious look, Old Lady Long remained silent for a moment before speaking: "There's really no way to save Jia Dongxu, but if you really want to save the Jia family, there is actually another way."

"What's the solution? Please tell me quickly!" Tan Saihua immediately leaned forward.

"Oh! Saihua, for your sake, I'll give you some advice." Old Mrs. Long sighed. "Go back and tell Qin Huairu to discuss it with Jia Zhangshi—Jia Dongxu going to jail is a done deal, and no one can change that. Since that's the case, the most important thing is to keep the Jia family's jobs at the steel mill, otherwise their whole family will be sent back to the countryside."

Grandma Long paused for a moment, then explained her plan: "Once they've discussed it, you find a cart and take me with you. I'll go and plead with Xiao Yang to have someone from his family cover for Jia Dongxu. Even if Jia Dongxu is arrested, it will take some time before he's sentenced. If he can fill in during this gap, the Jia family can keep their jobs, and they can stay in the hospital. It'll be a way of repaying you and Zhonghai for all the years you've taken care of me."

"Okay! Okay, okay! Thank you so much, ma'am!" Tan Saihua nodded excitedly and got up to leave, but was stopped by Grandma Long.

"What's the rush?" Old Madam Long glared at her. "If you go back now, Jia Zhangshi might not be grateful. You might as well wait until tomorrow morning and say that you begged me all night before I finally gave in to your idea. That way, they'll realize how precious your kindness is."

"This...isn't this a bit inappropriate?" Tan Saihua hesitated.

"What's wrong with that?" Grandma Long waved her hand. "Go turn off the light and go to sleep."

Tan Saihua pondered for a moment, but ultimately listened to Grandma Long's advice, got out of bed, and turned off the light. The two chatted for a few more minutes about everyday things before gradually falling asleep.

Meanwhile, in the west wing of the central courtyard, Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi were staring intently at the direction of the east wing opposite. They waited and waited, until late into the night, but Tan Saihua still hadn't returned. Jia Zhangshi, exhausted from scolding, used the excuse of needing to take care of Banggeng to lie down on the bed and fall asleep. Only Qin Huairu remained, forcing herself to stay awake, slumped over the table waiting for news. As dawn approached, she couldn't stay awake any longer and drifted off to sleep.

As dawn broke, Tan Saihua got up and helped Old Madam Long wash up before heading to the Jia family's house. A knock sounded at the door, startling Qin Huairu, who was slumped over the table. She hurriedly sat up, but her arms and legs were numb from lying there for so long, and she almost fell. She steadied herself and opened the door. Seeing Tan Saihua, she quickly asked, "Master's wife, how is it?"

"Let's talk inside." Tan Saihua glanced around the yard—some neighbors were already up washing up, so it wasn't appropriate to talk outside. Qin Huairu quickly stepped aside to let her in and then closed the door tightly.

"Master's wife, please tell me quickly." Qin Huairu wrung her hands anxiously.

Tan Saihua glanced at the outer room, where only Qin Huairu was present, but the inner room was filled with Jia Zhangshi's deafening snoring. She couldn't help but feel a little contemptuous—at this critical moment, she still had the mind to sleep so soundly?

But now that things have come to this, all we can do is talk about the matter at hand. She turned to her mother and said, “Huai Ru, I begged the old lady all night last night before she finally agreed to come up with an idea. But you two need to hear this together. You should wake your mother-in-law up, so she doesn’t cause trouble again.”

Qin Huairu didn't dare delay and quickly slipped into the inner room. Jia Zhangshi was fast asleep, muttering "big elbow" under her breath. Bang Geng was squeezed to the edge of the bed, curled up in a ball. "Mom! Get up! Don't sleep!" Qin Huairu pushed her. "Mom, aren't you going to take care of Dongxu anymore?"

"Don't make a sound, I haven't eaten enough..." Jia Zhangshi mumbled in response, until she heard the name "Dongxu," at which point she suddenly sat up abruptly: "What happened to Dongxu?"

"An old lady came and said she begged Grandma Long all night, and the old lady gave her a solution!" Qin Huairu pulled her outside.

Upon hearing this, Madam Jia immediately changed to a warm and friendly demeanor, and greeted her with a smile as soon as she stepped out: "Saihua, thank you so much! What did the old lady say?"

Tan Saihua suppressed her displeasure and remained polite: "Sister-in-law Jia, Dongxu is also Zhonghai's apprentice. We will definitely help if we can. It's just that the old lady said that she really can't help Dongxu with this matter—the people who came yesterday were all important figures, and besides, the matter from back then is too deeply involved. Dongxu is probably going to jail."

"What?!" Jia Zhangshi's face instantly darkened, and she reached out to push Tan Saihua. "What are you talking about if you can't save her! Let's go, let's go!"

"Mom! Don't be impulsive!" Qin Huairu quickly pulled her back and turned to Tan Saihua, saying, "Master's wife, the old lady must have other methods. Please continue."

Madam Jia's expression immediately changed, and she forced a smile as she pressed on, "Yes, yes, Saihua, you must have something else to say, right?"

Tan Saihua was seething with anger, but she still finished speaking: "The old lady said that there's no way to save Dongxu, but the police will take time to handle this. In the meantime, she's willing to go to Director Yang herself and ask you to cover for Dongxu. Even if Dongxu really goes to a labor camp, the Jia family can keep their jobs at the steel mill, which is better than the whole family being sent back to the countryside."

She paused, then looked at the two of them: "Think carefully, are you sure you want this position? If you're willing, I'll ask the old lady to intervene again."

Chapter 41 Private Talk Between Husband and Wife

After finishing her sentence, Tan Saihua didn't linger and turned to leave the Jia family home—she still had to go back to make breakfast for Old Lady Long, so she didn't have time to waste.

As soon as she left, Jia Zhangshi could no longer hold back and immediately began to curse, from Old Madam Long to Yi Zhonghai, then to Tan Saihua, and even the deceased Old Jia was subjected to a thorough and vicious tirade. Qin Huairu, however, sat alone to the side, her face full of sorrow, seemingly lost in thought.

After a long while, Jia Zhangshi, tired of scolding, rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a ladle, scooped up a mouthful of cold water and drank it down. She wiped her mouth and came back, asking with a stern face, "Huai Ru, what do you think we should do about this?"

"Mom, I don't know either... How about we listen to Grandma Long?" Qin Huairu's voice was muffled.

"Listen to my ass!" Jia Zhangshi glared. "Listening to her is the same as giving up on Dongxu, isn't it? No way, I have to go find Zhang Erhe and fight him to the death!"

"Mom, Zhang Erhe is no pushover, he really can hit people!" Qin Huairu quickly pulled her back, her voice full of worry. Jia Zhangshi had only said those harsh words on the spur of the moment, and seeing this, she went along with it and didn't insist on going anymore.

Qin Huairu remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Mom, how about I go to the police station to see Dongxu and ask about the situation?"

"Alright, go and talk to him properly." Madam Jia waved her hand.

Qin Huairu didn't dare to delay. She quickly prepared breakfast, fed Xiaodang, settled Banggeng, and rushed to the police station with a few steamed buns.

Jia Dongxu was arrested last night and cried all night in the detention cell. Fortunately, there was no one else in the cell, otherwise he would have been beaten. This morning, he was still half asleep when he suddenly heard someone shout, "Jia Dongxu, someone is visiting."

When he was led out and saw Qin Huairu, he immediately rushed forward and asked anxiously, "Huairu, you're here! Did you come looking for someone? Can I leave now?"

Qin Huairu glanced towards the door and lowered her voice, saying, "Dongxu, last night we begged an older woman to ask Grandma Long for help, but she said your case is too serious and she couldn't do anything about it..."

"Ah?" Jia Dongxu slumped into his chair, tears welling up in his eyes again.

"Don't panic!" Qin Huairu quickly grabbed him. "The old lady has another idea—to have the family take over your job at the steel mill. If you are sentenced and your job is taken away, our whole family will be forced to go back to the village."

Jia Dongxu's eyes were red, and he grabbed her hand, choking back tears, "Huai Ru, I don't want to go to jail... Why don't you go and beg Zhang Erhe again, and think of another way?"

“Dongxu…” Qin Huairu’s face was full of bitterness, and she could only sigh in her heart that she was unlucky to be stuck with such a man. He could only cry when something happened, and in the end, she, a woman, had to support him and beg for help everywhere. “We really had no other choice. We asked Grandma Long to come up with a solution, and I promised to take care of Uncle and Aunt in their old age before she finally agreed.”

She became more and more aggrieved as she spoke, her voice trembling with tears: "You saw it yesterday too, even the police chief came. With such a big fuss, who else can we ask for help? My eldest uncle is in detention, and you know the situation with my second and third uncles. It's just the two of us, my mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, with the child. What can we do?"

These words seemed to strike a nerve with Jia Dongxu; his sobs gradually subsided, and he finally calmed down a bit. He fiercely wiped away his tears, forcing himself to composed himself—since he couldn't avoid going to jail, he had to minimize the losses. After much thought, only Old Lady Long's idea seemed reliable.

“Huai Ru, then listen to the old lady. You go to the steel mill and take my place.” He looked at Qin Huai Ru, his tone heavy. “She’s right. We can’t let the factory take the job back. Only by keeping this job can our family truly settle down in the city.”

After saying that, he stared intently at Qin Huairu, his eyes filled with unease: "But Huairu, this position belongs to the Jia family. If I go in, you can't divorce me, and you can't abandon this family."

"No, Dongxu, how could I?" Qin Huairu quickly shook her head. "Banggeng and Xiaodang are both our children, where could I go?"

Jia Dongxu finally breathed a sigh of relief and nodded slightly. As soon as the visit ended, Qin Huairu rushed home. As soon as she entered, Jia Zhangshi eagerly greeted her, asking, "Huairu, what did Dongxu say? Did he agree to take over the post?"

"Yes, Dongxu agreed."

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi couldn't help but start cursing again, from Old Lady Long, Yi Zhonghai, and Tan Saihua, to the deceased Old Jia, and then to Zhang Erhe, cursing them one by one. Once her anger had subsided, she changed the subject: "Then who of us will take over the shift?"

Although Qin Huairu wanted to go, she knew that Jia Zhangshi was testing her—with her lazy nature, how could she endure the work at the steel mill? So she deliberately said, "Mom, why don't you go?"

Sure enough, Madam Jia's expression softened a bit, and she waved her hand: "You go. I'm too old and uneducated to do the work of a fitter. You're young, you can definitely do it."

"Mom, I...can I do it?" Qin Huairu pretended to hesitate.

"It has to be done, no matter what!" Jia Zhangshi said firmly. "Now that Dongxu is in jail, this job is like a piece of fat meat, and those heartless bastards in the hospital are definitely eyeing it. I can't do it, and my son is too small. If you don't go, who will? If you don't fill in, this position will be taken by someone else sooner or later!"

“Okay, okay, Mom, I’ll go!” Qin Huairu readily agreed, but this decisive attitude aroused Jia Zhangshi’s suspicion.

"Huai Ru, you wouldn't be thinking of taking over the job and then abandoning the Jia family, would you?"

"Mom, how could I?" Qin Huairu quickly retorted, "If I abandon you all, who will I live with if I take the child?"

"That's more like it." Madam Jia's expression softened slightly, but she still threatened, "I'm telling you this upfront: if you really dare to change your mind, I'll drag Banggeng to the steel mill gate and make a scene, so you'll never be able to hold your head up high again!"

Qin Huairu cursed inwardly, but could only nod repeatedly in assurance. Seeing her like this, Jia Zhangshi finally felt relieved and urged, "This matter should be handled as soon as possible. Go find Tan Saihua now and have her take you to see Old Lady Long. Hurry up and see Director Yang. Don't wait until Dongxu has been sentenced and sent to a labor camp; that would be too much trouble!"

"Okay, Mom." Qin Huairu didn't dare to delay and turned to find Tan Saihua. Without saying a word, Tan Saihua immediately led her to Old Lady Long's house.

Grandma Long sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her gaze fixed on Qin Huairu, making Qin Huairu feel uneasy. "Grandma, thank you so much for your help this time," Qin Huairu said softly.

"Hmph, if Saihua hadn't begged me all night, you Jia family wouldn't have a chance to come to me with anything!" Old Madam Long said coldly, then called out to the door, "Go and get a cart. My legs hurt, I can't walk far."

Having no other option, Qin Huairu had to return to the Jia family home to ask Jia Zhangshi for money. Although Jia Zhangshi grumbled and cursed, she knew she couldn't be stingy with money at this time, and reluctantly gave her three yuan. Qin Huairu spent fifty cents to hire a cart and carefully pulled Old Lady Long to the steel mill.

Chapter 42 A Difficult Life

In the steel rolling mill, in the factory manager's office, Yang Liming was writing documents when the phone on his desk suddenly rang. He answered it, said a few words, hung up, and walked to the window. He glanced at the gate and saw Qin Huairu and Tan Saihua supporting Old Lady Long like maids as they walked in. A hint of impatience flashed in his eyes—what was this old lady up to now?

Not long after, Old Lady Long arrived at the office door with her cane, gestured for Qin Huairu and Tan Saihua to wait outside, and went in alone.

"Grandma, what brings you here?" Yang Liming asked in a nonchalant tone. He couldn't help but feel uneasy, as the incident with Yi Zhonghai had almost resulted in his punishment.

"Little Yang, I've come here today to ask you for a favor," Old Lady Long said, getting straight to the point.