Ultimately, the matter ended with the Jia family backing down and returning the grain, preventing the incident from escalating further.
A group of women, led by the Third Aunt, cheered with joy upon learning the result. Today, all the sisters worked together to make Yi Zhonghai and the Jia family bow down. What could be happier than this?
Seeing the group of women cheering and jumping for joy, Yi Zhonghai's face turned even redder, whether from injury or embarrassment.
Yi Zhonghai understood that from today onwards, his prestige in this compound would plummet, and all of this was thanks to Jia Zhangshi.
Thinking of all this, Yi Zhonghai turned around, glared at Jia Zhangshi, and walked home without looking back.
Back home, the woman immediately took a clean cotton cloth, dampened it with water, and carefully wiped the blood off Yi Zhonghai's face. Occasionally, when she accidentally touched the wound, Yi Zhonghai would groan.
"Honey, does it still hurt? What can I say about you? Everyone else would run away like the plague, but you went headfirst into it. How could those women be so ruthless?"
An older woman said with a concerned look on her face.
"Alas! I've suffered an undeserved misfortune. I had no idea what was going on before I was surrounded."
When the older woman brought up the matter, Yi Zhonghai, unwilling to discuss it further, changed the subject and spoke up.
"By the way, Xiulian, we won't take the grain. You can take some money and send it to Auntie and the others later."
"Why should we pay them back the grain, sir? They caused all this trouble."
Although the old woman was kind, she had some complaints about the Jia family, especially Jia Zhangshi, whom she had absolutely no good feelings towards and was unwilling to pay the money for them.
"Just go when I tell you to. Why are you asking so many questions? Does my word no longer carry weight in this house?"
Yi Zhonghai said angrily.
The older woman didn't say a word when she saw her husband was angry. After all, in this family, the man was her everything, especially since she couldn't have children. If they had children, there wouldn't be so many problems.
Seeing that the old woman didn't speak, Yi Zhonghai also remained silent. After the wound was cleaned, and seeing that Yi Zhonghai was still sitting there lost in thought, the old woman took the money and walked out of the house.
…………
As soon as Sun Zhengguo returned to the compound in the evening, he received this shocking news. He thought to himself, "Good heavens, as expected, whether the courtyard is in chaos or not, the Jia family has the final say." Yi Zhonghai has lost all face now.
Liu Haizhong was exhausted after a long day at get off work. When he heard his wife talk about it after he got home, his back pain and leg soreness disappeared. His old face was all wrinkled with joy. He immediately told his second aunt to add a few eggs to the meal so that the children could have some too.
At Yan Bugui's home, the family was sitting around the table. The third aunt was recounting her heroic deeds. When she got to the exciting parts, the children couldn't help but clap and cheer. Yan Bugui sat to the side, smiling without saying a word. Judging from his expression, he should be able to get a good night's sleep tonight.
The people in the courtyard were all different, and their reactions varied, but they all had one thing in common: they were all happy to see Yi Zhonghai and the Jia family suffer a setback, which showed that they were not popular with the people.
Meanwhile, Yi Zhonghai was drinking alone at home. He had a bruise on his face and hadn't left the house much all day. Yi Zhonghai could foresee that the people in the compound were pointing and whispering behind his back, all laughing at him.
Seeing her husband drinking alone in silence, an older woman tried to comfort him.
"Zhonghai, stop drinking. Alcohol is bad for your health. You've already had quite a bit tonight."
Hearing his wife's words, Yi Zhonghai not only didn't stop, but instead picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp. The usually mellow and fragrant Lotus White wine tasted so bitter today.
After putting down his wine glass, Yi Zhonghai felt his blood rush to his head, his mind went blank, and with nowhere to vent his frustration, he started nagging at an older woman.
"Why is it so hard for me to find someone to take care of me in my old age? Do you think there's any hope left for the Jia family? I, Yi Zhonghai, am a senior worker at the steel mill, an old man in the courtyard, and usually... when I speak... I say what I mean, like a few horses that can catch up with... that Xiulian, you tell me..."
Seeing that Yi Zhonghai was slurring his words and starting to talk nonsense, the old woman shook her head and remained silent, letting her husband vent his frustrations.
"Xiulian! You don't know! I love children the most. When I see... when I see other people's children, I feel so envious! Who knows my suffering?"
Upon hearing Yi Zhonghai mention the child again, the middle-aged woman's eyes welled up with tears, and she spoke to Yi Zhonghai.
“Zhonghai, why don’t we try adopting one? If we treat it well, it will definitely take care of us in our old age.”
"What do you know, you're just a woman? I don't want what you brought me, I just don't want it, do you hear me? I don't want it, I don't want it..."
Seeing that Yi Zhonghai was very drunk, the old woman didn't want to say anything more. She knew that any more words would just be drunken ramblings and he wouldn't remember them by tomorrow morning.
Seeing that his wife had stopped talking, Yi Zhonghai picked up his wine glass and downed another glass before continuing.
"Wife, pour the wine! Quickly fill it up for me."
"Stop drinking Zhonghai, you've already had enough tonight, you're drunk."
An older woman offered words of advice from the side.
"Okay, honey, you...you pour it for me, I'll tell you a secret, hurry...pour it now?"
Seeing that Yi Zhonghai insisted, the old lady had no choice but to pour him a drink. Anyway, he was drunk, so she could go to sleep. As for any secrets, what secrets could a couple have after all these years?
Yi Zhonghai grabbed the wine glass, took another sip, and then slowly spoke.
"Xiulian, do you know why I've never blamed you for not having children all these years?"
The older woman didn't say anything, but instead shook her head in agreement, indicating that she didn't know.
Yi Zhonghai continued.
"Actually...it was me, it was me, you know that?"
"What's wrong? What happened to you? Tell me!"
Upon hearing Yi Zhonghai's brief remarks, the middle-aged woman quickly asked, her voice trembling with urgency.
"Don't rush, don't rush... I'm telling you, but don't tell anyone else. I'm just... telling one person."
At this moment, Yi Zhonghai was somewhat delirious, seemingly still recalling the good old days, and began to speak intermittently again.
"Actually, the one who can't have children is... me, it's me."
Yi Zhonghai said, pointing to himself. Although he had a smile on his face, it was clear at a glance that it was a bitter and heartbreaking smile.
The woman was stunned. Her husband's words were unbelievable. She felt as if a thunderbolt had struck from a clear sky, and a storm was raging over her.
A moment later, the middle-aged woman came to her senses and was about to ask for a full explanation when Yi Zhonghai was already slumped on the table, unconscious.
The middle-aged woman silently helped Yi Zhonghai to bed, took off his clothes, covered him with a blanket, and then sat blankly on the edge of the bed, unable to sleep all night.
I cried alone until dawn.
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