Qin Huairu pleaded with Jia Zhangshi for a while longer, but in the end she didn't get a single penny of support. However, Jia Zhangshi did promise that she could give half of her family's rice and flour to Qin Huairu.

This is a generous donation. You should know that the Jia family usually relies on Sha Zhu's support, which saves them a lot of rice and flour. Half of that would be enough for an average adult to eat for half a year if they saved it up.

"Mom, could you go out for a bit?"

Having no other choice, Qin Huairu had to use her own secret stash of money, but in order to keep Jia Zhangshi from finding out, she had to send the old man out.

Jia Zhangshi moved her feet reluctantly, still wanting to see how much money Qin Huairu had hidden away. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were both experts at hiding their own money, knowing each other had secret stashes at home, but neither could find the other's.

After taking the money, Qin Huairu quickly left. Many people in the compound saw this, and some even speculated that she was going back to her parents' home to ask for help.

But it wasn't until evening that they discovered Qin Huairu had returned alone, without any help. It seemed that Qin Huairu had simply let the matter pass.

After Qin Huairu returned home, she came out again a few minutes later. Everyone noticed that she didn't go to find Sha Zhu, but instead went to He Yushui's room.

"Rain, open the door, I need something." Qin Huairu knocked on the door, as if nothing had happened before.

"What?" He Yushui asked warily.

"I need to see Niu Yingzi. Can you come out for a bit? I just need to say a few words to her," Qin Huairu said.

He Yushui wouldn't let Qin Huairu in, so she stood at the door and wouldn't let her in. Qin Huairu wasn't in a hurry, and instead kept communicating with Niu Yingzi inside the house.

"Rain, let her in. We're neighbors, I trust she won't do anything outrageous." Niu Yingzi was eager to know what the other woman was up to.

An afternoon was enough for her to get a basic understanding of the compound and Sha Zhu's social connections. The more she learned, the more disappointed she became in Sha Zhu. He was such a stubborn person, wasting his excellent cooking skills.

But Niu Yingzi had no choice; she had to take this step. Luckily, she had a beautiful appearance, and someone was willing to marry her, while those who weren't good-looking had to continue staying at the shelter.

Even though Niu Yingzi let Qin Huairu in, He Yushui wouldn't let her. At the crucial moment, Sha Zhu arrived.

"Qin Huairu, what exactly do you want to do?" Sha Zhu questioned.

With so many things happening today, even someone as carefree as Sha Zhu couldn't handle it. If Qin Huairu continued to cause trouble, he probably wouldn't be able to withstand it.

“I just want to say a few words to Yingzi, then I’ll go home and never bother you again. But if you don’t let me in, I’ll go to the police station and report you for having an affair,” Qin Huairu said.

Sha Zhu stared intently at Qin Huairu, unsure how much of what she said was true, but ultimately chose to compromise, thinking it would only take a few minutes. He remained outside, determined not to believe Qin Huairu could make his wife disappear into thin air.

After Qin Huairu entered the room, she locked the door from the inside. Sha Zhu didn't hear any unusual movements inside, so he didn't do anything.

The two women in the room didn't immediately become hostile; instead, they gazed at each other for a long time, almost as if admiring each other's talents. Both were beautiful women, but fate had confined them to this large compound.

“Sister, I think you know about my relationship with Zhuzi,” Qin Huairu said.

“So what if I know, or so what if I don’t? Anyway, starting tomorrow, I’ll register my marriage with Zhu Zi, and we’ll be a legal couple. From then on, you two will have nothing to do with each other.” Niu Yingzi wouldn’t budge an inch.

"I had no choice but to come to this courtyard. When I was 18, my family was too poor..."

At this point, Qin Huairu recounted how she got married, how her husband died, and how she got together with Sha Zhu. From her account, one can conclude that "a woman's greatest fear is marrying the wrong man," and she had married the wrong person, which led to her current predicament.

Niu Yingzi listened carefully to Qin Huairu's story without interrupting. From Qin Huairu's words, she learned many facts she didn't know before, though she assumed they were true. For example, Yi Zhonghai wanted Sha Zhu to support him in his old age, Sha Zhu forced his sister to leave, and Wang Minzhi and Xu Damao's happy life in the backyard.

"I've heard everything you said, but all I want right now is a bite to eat. It was Zhu Zi who brought me back from that place, and I never want to go back again."

You said your family was very poor when you were a child, so you must know my current situation.

Although Qin Huairu's words were well said, Niu Yingzi knew what she wanted and would not allow herself to wander for the sake of others' happiness.

But Qin Huairu's next move left Niu Yingzi at a loss.

Qin Huairu took out a stack of large black ten-yuan bills from her pocket and counted them out one by one. There were five bills in total, which was 50 yuan.

"This is for you, two months' salary. Take the money and leave this yard, leave Sha Zhu."

If Xu Damao were here, he would definitely suspect that Qin Huairu had also traveled from another time, because this has always been a classic plot in melodramatic family dramas.

"Don't be so quick to refuse, I haven't finished yet. I rented a place for you this afternoon, but it's in the south of the city. I paid three months' rent for you, and you'll have to pay it yourself from now on."

Also, I'll send you some food tomorrow; I guarantee you'll have enough to eat and drink for three months.

Qin Huairu went to arrange these things that afternoon. To keep Niu Yingzi away from here, the rented house was located quite far away, so it's been like this until now.

"No, what do you mean?" Niu Yingzi didn't expect the other party to have such a move.

"Don't rush to refuse, let me continue."

“My life is what it is, and I can’t change it. I will not give up on Shazhu, because he is the hope for our family’s life.”

But you're different; you can still change your life. Imagine leaving here, having a house to live in, money to spend, and food to eat—you'll be set for life.

After that, you can try to find some odd jobs on the street to support yourself. With your intelligence and knowledge, I think it won't be long before many promising young people take notice of you, even children from cadre families.

Imagine the day you can live the life of Wang Minzhi in the backyard, the respected factory director's wife.

But if you insist on staying here, then I'm sorry, you might get something to eat, but I'll pester you every day and make your life miserable. Most importantly, after a while you'll find that Sha Zhu is useless except for cooking.

But once you get married, you won't be able to change, and you'll become like me.

Look at me, this is the person you hate the most, this is what you'll look like after you married Zhu Zi.

By the end, Qin Huairu gritted her teeth. She truly hated herself for being this way, but what could she do?

Niu Yingzi looked at Qin Huairu, thinking about her own future, and felt a surge of emotion. Yes, she still had a choice; the worst that could happen couldn't be much worse.

Having made up her mind, Niu Yingzi touched the big black ten.

“That’s not enough!” Niu Yingzi said.