If Yi Zhonghai hadn't stopped him, Sha Zhu would have definitely thrown the lunchbox on the ground right then and there. Ma Hua was really bullying him! Was it really necessary? This matter is all in the past now. He really had enough of Ma Hua. He was just like Xu Damao, both bad seeds. Luckily, he hadn't taught him any cooking skills. Sister Qin had been so pitiful these past few days, and Ma Hua hadn't even mentioned leaving a few lunchboxes for her to take back.

If Ma Hua heard what Silly Chu said, he'd probably just think, "Good heavens, you deserve to be ripped off your whole life. You're old and kicked out of your home by thugs, ending up being eaten by stray dogs under a bridge. No wonder your second wife and biological son don't recognize you; you really deserve it."

Not only does he make his ex-wife support his current wife's family, but he also expects you to cater to your feelings by supporting your enemy. Seriously? The giant Buddha in Leshan should give way to you.

Qin Huairu waited at the finance office for a long time but didn't see Sha Zhu arrive. She was getting a little anxious. Could Sha Zhu have already collected his salary? Qin Huairu stamped her foot and thought for a moment, then decided to go find Sha Zhu. She only had 27.5 yuan, which wasn't even enough for her family's food and drink. How could she afford to buy fabric to make new clothes for her children for the New Year?

When Qin Huairu arrived at Sha Zhu's workplace, she saw him slacking off on the steps. Qin Huairu called out to him in an annoyed tone, "Zhu Zi, what are you doing?"

Just as Sha Zhu was feeling down, he heard his sister Qin call him and immediately turned around excitedly, shouting, "Oh! Isn't this Master Qin? What brings you here for an inspection!"

Hearing Sha Zhu's teasing, Qin Huairu immediately glared at him with her charming eyes and then said with a flirtatious smile, "What's wrong, Zhu Zi? I think you're not welcoming me. Well then, I'm leaving."

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu immediately became anxious and grabbed Qin Huairu's arm, saying, "No, no, what are you saying? Your presence here truly makes me feel honored."

"What a character," Qin Huairu rolled her eyes at Sha Zhu, then laughed and scolded.

However, Qin Huairu immediately feigned concern and said, "Zhuzi, what's wrong? Why are you sulking all by yourself? What happened? Who bullied you? Tell me, and I'll go and scold them for you!"

Hearing Qin Huairu's concerned words, Sha Zhu's eyes instantly welled up with tears. He had never seen anything like this before. Having lost his mother at a young age, and with his father later running off with someone else, he said emotionally, "No. It's that brat Ma Hua."

"They actually dared to scold me for cutting in line at noon, I..." At this point, Sha Zhu felt even more sorry for Sister Qin in front of him. He had promised to bring her delicious food every day, but he had broken his promise.

Qin Huairu sensed Sha Zhu's disappointment and immediately comforted him, "Hey, I thought it was nothing serious. Is that all? Don't be fooled by Ma Hua's current smugness. Think about it, Zhu Zi, what makes the kitchen staff eat?"

Sha Zhu, who was initially feeling down, gradually brightened up when he heard Qin Huairu's words. Yes, the kitchen relies on skills to make a living. What am I afraid of? Don't be fooled by Ma Hua's current smugness. How could Ma Hua possibly prepare a proper banquet with his limited skills? Humph, when Director Wang comes begging for my help again, I'll make sure to vent my anger properly.

Thinking of this, Sha Zhu couldn't help but look at Qin Huairu: "Sister Qin, you're really smart. You're absolutely right. Don't worry, it'll only be three to five days at most before she comes begging me."

Qin Huairu wholeheartedly agreed with Ma Hua's words; she often ate the dishes cooked by Sha Zhu, and they were incredibly delicious. Seeing Sha Zhu gradually cheering up, Qin Huairu also remembered the purpose of her visit. "Zhu Zi, could you lend me five yuan?"

Someone from my hometown sent me a message saying my dad is sick, but as you know, my mother-in-law just won't pay anything. I was so desperate that I had to ask you for help, Zhuzi. Don't worry, I'll definitely pay her back when I have the money.”

Sha Zhu, unable to bear seeing Qin Huairu crying beside him, immediately chimed in, "Your mother-in-law is really something. This is serious business, you wait and see."

After saying that, Sha Zhu fumbled in his pocket for a while, wondering if he hadn't brought any money with him today. Thinking this, Sha Zhu smiled sheepishly: "Sister Qin, I don't have any money on me. Why don't you wait until we get home?"

Qin Huairu feigned anger: "Zhuzi, you've changed. If you don't want to help me, fine, I'll just borrow from Xu Damao. Sigh, I misjudged you."

When Sha Zhu heard that Qin Huairu wanted to find Xu Damao, he immediately panicked. Xu Damao was no good person; how could his sister Qin go to him? "Sister Qin, it's not that I'm unwilling to lend you money, it's just that I really didn't bring any with me today," he pleaded.

Qin Huairu said irritably, "It's payday today. If you don't want to lend it, fine, humph." After saying that, Qin Huairu pouted and turned her head away, pretending to be angry.

Sha Zhu slapped his forehead. No wonder Sister Qin was angry! How could he forget? It was payday! Realizing this, Sha Zhu hurriedly explained, "Sister Qin, I just forgot! I was so busy sulking. Wait here, I'm going to get it right now." Without waiting for Qin Huairu's reaction, he threw the broom aside and ran to the finance office.

Qin Huairu watched Sha Zhu's retreating figure and chuckled to herself. She could earn an extra five yuan; that was great, enough to buy her child another piece of clothing.

.........Divider Line.......

At this time, Ma Hua was unaware of Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu's predicament. He was currently in the Logistics and Housing Management Department, waiting for housing allocation. Yes, you heard right, housing allocation. In this era, workers generally did not need to buy their own houses; the factory would allocate housing for them once they became permanent employees.

Ma Hua was currently in a dilemma; all the available rooms available for him to choose from were a bit far from his home. Just as Ma Hua was making his selection, the system's voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

{Ding-dong}

{Given that the host is currently struggling with where to assign housing, a god-level choice is initiated.}

Option 1: Endure the situation for now and choose to stay in the courtyard house at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, arranged by Yi Zhonghai. A sacred spring will be awarded as a reward.

{Option Two: Take life and death lightly, fight if you disagree, and expose Yi Zhonghai's bribery of the department staff. Reward: 50 yuan cash.}

{Option 3: Choose nothing and wait for the next room assignment. Reward: A brand new bunk bed.}

Ma Hua looked at the options in his mind speechlessly. This was forcing him to go to the legendary Qinman Courtyard. Did he look like someone who was short of fifty yuan? Frustrated, Ma Hua selected option one in his mind.

"Alright, Comrade Ma Hua, since you've chosen No. 95 Nanluo Courtyard, here are your house documents. You can pick up the keys at the neighborhood office. By the way, Comrade Ma Hua, our monthly rent is automatically deducted from your salary. I should let you know that. Is that alright?"

Seeing Ma Hua nod, the warehouse management staff finally breathed a sigh of relief, having finally resolved the matter.