Wang Dabao just smiled at Xu Damao's harsh words and didn't say a word.
From an outsider's perspective, the love, hate, and strife within this compound seem like a farce.
The next day, Jia Dongxu's funeral was held simply in the courtyard. Qin Huairu, dressed in white, wept bitterly, while Sha Zhu busied himself around her, his eyes frequently glancing at her.
Yi Zhonghai looked exhausted, giving off the impression of a parent outliving their child.
Jia Zhangshi was threatening suicide, and several aunties and older women from the courtyard kept trying to persuade her to stay calm.
The two stewards, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui, also managed affairs both inside and outside the courtyard.
Because Jia Dongxu wasn't well-liked, only those from the courtyard came to see him off on his final journey. A few of Yi Zhonghai's apprentices also came to take a look.
Yan Bugui, who was in charge of bookkeeping, had a leisurely time.
Wang Dabao went to work early in the morning. When he passed by the Intermediate People's Court, he glanced at the black and white photo of Jia Dongxu and saw that it was quite well taken.
I wonder if Jia Zhangshi will later rummage through her belongings and use them to stop Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu's good deed.
Everyone was busy, except for Xu Damao, who was huddled in a corner with his sleeves tucked in, grumbling and plotting how to ruin Sha Zhu's plan to win Qin Huairu's heart.
After the funeral, Yi Zhonghai found Sha Zhu and had a long talk with him.
The implication was that the Jia family was now a widow and her children, and all the burdens fell on Qin Huairu's shoulders. Although he was no longer the eldest man in the courtyard, he still had a mentor-disciple relationship with Jia Dongxu and would occasionally help the Jia family.
We also hope that Sha Zhu can help the Jia family more, even if it's just bringing back some leftovers from the factory, it would be a huge help to the Jia family.
Sha Zhu, thinking of Qin Huairu's tearful and helpless appearance, readily agreed, patting his chest and promising to do his best to help her.
Yi Zhonghai outwardly appeared to pity the Jia family, but inwardly he was scheming wildly.
He was merely creating conditions for Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu's relationship to heat up. Once Sha Zhu was deeply involved, he would propose to help them get together again at the right time.
However, before that, we need to find a way to make Jia Zhangshi suffer a bit, otherwise she will become the biggest obstacle to Yi Zhonghai's plans.
On the eighth day of the first lunar month, the workers who had been on holiday began to return to their posts.
There hasn't been much sunshine these past few days, and the snow from a couple of days ago hasn't completely melted yet, so people are slippery when walking on the road, and you can hardly see any cyclists on the street.
When Wang Dabao got off work last night, he threw his bicycle directly into the guardhouse and almost fell on his way back to the compound.
I can't even imagine riding a bike on a road like this.
This winter is colder than in previous years, and the well in the yard is rarely usable even at midday.
The residents of the compound were used to going to the water station to fetch water every morning. However, some households, like those of Sha Zhu, Xu Damao, and Wang Dabao, who lived alone, did not go as often.
Other households have several people living together, so they use a lot of water. If they don't have enough water at home, it really won't work, especially if they have children and need to wash clothes frequently.
Take the Jia family, for example.
Thus, Sha Zhu became the Jia family's free labor force.
Wang Dabao left home early and went to a restaurant at the entrance of the alley to eat steamed buns and drink tofu pudding. After eating and paying for his meal, he lifted the curtain and saw Xu Damao, who was also walking to work.
Xu Damao, with his messy hair, greeted Wang Dabao and ran into the shop. A short while later, he caught up with Wang Dabao carrying several meat-filled buns.
"Da Bao, are you full? If you're not full, I'll share one with you."
Seeing Wang Dabao wave his hand, Xu Damao chuckled and changed the subject to Sha Zhu, "Did you see Sha Zhu when you came out? He was wrapped up like a dumpling and was carrying water for the Jia family. I wonder what benefits Widow Qin gave him!"
"Hey, maybe it's just that Sha Zhu is kind-hearted."
Wang Dabao muttered to himself as he walked.
Xu Damao swallowed the bun in his mouth. "I'm telling you, Da Bao, you probably don't even believe what you're saying yourself. I saw through Sha Zhu a long time ago. Don't let his muddle-headedness fool you; he's actually someone who won't suffer any loss or gain. Would he do something so stupid in this freezing weather?!"
"Jia Dongxu took every precaution, but in the end he didn't expect to kick the bucket first. Now his wife will have to sleep in someone else's bed."
"It shouldn't be that fast, with Jia Zhangshi watching over things. It won't progress as quickly as you say," Wang Dabao casually remarked.
He realized that although everyone lived in the same courtyard, there was a lack of genuine human connection among them.
"Hey, who knows? Maybe he'll sneak off to Sha Zhu's place tonight." Xu Damao munched on a steamed bun, his face full of jealousy.
He'd been lusting after Qin Huairu for a long time, and seeing Sha Zhu constantly trying to get close to her must have made him feel uneasy.
As the two chatted, they arrived at the south gate of the steel rolling mill. The armed guard at the gate saluted Wang Dabao, who returned the salute and went inside.
This scene stunned Xu Damao, who almost dropped the large steamed bun in his hand.
"What are you standing there for? Let's go."
Wang Dabao called out to Xu Damao, who was looking dazed.
"Sigh, sigh." Xu Damao stopped eating, rolled up the remaining half of the bun in oil paper, and stuffed it into his pocket.
Xu Damao walked quickly to Wang Dabao and was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say.
When they chatted casually, he even forgot that Wang Dabao was still the deputy head of the security department. He would only chime in with a few words when Liu Zhong and Yan Bugui were flattering him.
Previously, he had always considered himself the youngest and richest bachelor in the Hongxing Courtyard. Ever since Wang Dabao moved in, he has been comparing himself to Wang Dabao.
Although he admitted that he couldn't compare to Wang Dabao in terms of looks, he couldn't be lacking in his clothing and accessories. Since Wang Dabao had a watch, he immediately bought one as well.
I saw Wang Dabao's outfit a couple of days ago, and if I weren't short on money, I would have bought the same outfit right away.
However, just now, Xu Damao seemed to realize the fundamental gap between himself and Wang Dabao.
There's no comparison at all!
"Da Bao, can I come find you for a bit when I'm free?" Xu Damao asked tentatively.
Wang Dabao chuckled, understanding Xu Damao's meaning—he simply wanted to get acquainted with the security personnel—and immediately laughed; "Sure, but I have a lot of people with me. If you come over, you'd better prepare plenty of cigarettes, melon seeds, candy, and the like."
"That's no big deal."
Xu Damao tossed his head and chuckled, "It's like visiting someone's house; you can't go empty-handed the first time, right!"
Wang Dabao patted Xu Damao on the shoulder: "Okay, I'll be going now. Come over whenever you have time."
For most workers, today marks the first day back at work, and the security department is equally busy.
Wang Dabao doesn't usually wear work clothes, but today he was going to a big meeting at the government building. After staying in the security department building for a while, he walked side by side with Section Chief Hu towards the government building.
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