When Niu Yingzi said it wasn't enough, Qin Huairu was overjoyed. The fact that someone was willing to haggle meant things had gone well. In the end, Qin Huairu spent 80 yuan, the price of four months' salary.
"To be honest, I hate you, but I also envy you. If I had been as decisive as you back then, I wouldn't be like this now." After the transaction was completed, Qin Huairu spoke her true feelings.
"It's all fate. Who knows what the future holds? Maybe I'll be robbed as soon as I step out the door tomorrow, or maybe I'll starve to death on the streets."
"We can only make judgments based on the current situation, and these judgments will inevitably deviate from the optimal judgment," Niu Yingzi said.
What happens next?
"You're like this..."
The two briefly discussed what to do next, without going into too much detail. They were both seasoned foxes; as long as there was a framework, it was enough for them to put on a show.
"Qin Huairu, if you don't come out, I'm going to break down the door!" Sha Zhu, who had been waiting impatiently outside, started shouting.
Qin Huairu opened the door, swayed her hips, and walked home without saying a word to Sha Zhu.
"Did it succeed?" Jia Zhangshi asked.
"She's smarter than I thought; she didn't waste any words at all."
Qin Huairu didn't know how he felt. It wasn't happiness, nor sadness, but rather a sense of resentment. If he hadn't done what he did today, Niu Yingzi's future in this compound might not have been any better than hers.
The next morning, Niu Yingzi excused herself to say goodbye to her relatives and friends who had fled the famine with her and temporarily left the compound. Sha Zhu wanted to go with her, but Niu Yingzi refused.
As a result, Sha Zhu waited all morning but no one came. He then went to the relief center, but they said no one had seen him.
This startled Sha Zhu, who thought his future wife had been kidnapped and almost called the police. Just then, someone suggested checking the rain shelter for clues, and sure enough, they found a note.
The note was simple: Niu Yingzi was worried about their future and decided not to marry Sha Zhu, and also told Sha Zhu not to come looking for her anymore.
"Cherish the people around you!" This was the last sentence on Niu Yingzi's note, a sentence that Qin Huairu bought for 30 yuan.
"I'll fuck you, Qin Huairu." Sha Zhu uttered this classic Chinese curse after reading the message.
At this point, Sha Zhu knew that Qin Huairu was involved, or at least related to their conversation the previous night. Despite his best efforts to prevent it, Qin Huairu, a beautiful girl, had still managed to ruin his plans.
Most people in the compound went to work today, but many older women were still at home, and the news spread quickly. The news that Sha Zhu's blind date had failed again spread from the courtyard to the alley, then to the street, and finally to the steel mill.
When Xu Damao was at work in the afternoon, he heard people talking about Sha Zhu.
"This Qin Huairu is no ordinary person!" Yu Li said to the people in the other offices.
No one has evidence to prove that Qin Huairu was the one who did it, but everyone knows the truth.
"Da Mao, we'll have a company-wide meeting later to discuss Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu's matter."
Xu Damao had just arrived home when Yan Fugui cheerfully told him the news. It seemed Old Yan had thoroughly enjoyed this gossip.
"Old Yan, be careful. With so many sons in the family, don't let Qin Huairu set her sights on you."
Xu Damao decided to tease the old man, so he made a joke.
"That's impossible, Da Mao. One of my family members is already married, and the others are still young."
Yan Fugui's voice trailed off towards the end. Qin Huairu was popular with all ages, especially teenagers. Even Yan Fugui himself sometimes secretly glanced at her, let alone his son.
After Xu Damao walked away, he heard Yan Fugui telling his children to stay away from the Central Court and Qin Huairu at home.
When Xu Damao arrived at the Intermediate People's Court after dinner, there were already many people there, and they all looked very excited, as if it were Chinese New Year.
"Da Mao, why are you only arriving now? Come on, sit here." The neighbors greeted him warmly.
"I'm not late, am I? It's you guys who arrived too early. It's not good that we haven't started yet. Have you all eaten?" Xu Damao asked with a smile.
"Skipping a meal is fine, but missing out on a good show will keep me up at night. I just want to know if that silly Zhu will tear down the Jia family's house tonight."
"That's impossible. I reckon Sha Zhu will still have to bring lunch to the Jia family in the end. Think about it, Sha Zhu didn't get a wife, he can't just abandon this place too, that would be a complete waste."
"If that's the case, then why bother with a meeting? Sha Zhu can just move into the Jia family's house."
"You don't understand, do you? I heard this is an old man who wants to open it and get rid of the bad habits in our compound."
The neighbors, one after another, analyzed the whole situation clearly. But even with such a clear understanding, no one suggested going home; this spectator mentality is something that has remained unchanged in the Chinese people for thousands of years.
"Everyone, please be quiet. The meeting is about to begin. Sha Zhu, come sit in the front. And Qin Huairu, you come over here too." Today's meeting is hosted by Yi Zhonghai.
Sha Zhu carried a stool and sat down in front of the three old men, but Qin Huairu didn't move. Yi Zhonghai urged her again.
"Uncle, what does Sha Zhu's wife running away have to do with my Huai Ru? Why are you sitting in the front? Let me tell you, don't spread rumors in the compound. If I hear them, I'll tear your mouths apart."
At this point, Qin Huairu needed to maintain her image, so Jia Zhangshi stepped in. She didn't care about anything else, saying everything that could and couldn't be said.
"Nobody said it was related to you, but after Sha Zhu brought Yingzi back, Qin Huairu went to make a scene several times, right? We want to use this meeting today to clarify things, so that good people are not wronged and bad people don't get away with it."
Yi Zhonghai suppressed his anger and began to explain. "If we're talking about this, the first person to be angry was Sha Zhu, and the second was me, Yi Zhonghai."
Sha Zhu's marriage was something Yi Zhonghai had planned long ago, but it was ruined at the last minute, without anyone consulting him. He already felt the situation was completely out of control and his control over the compound was waning.
"You need to understand, it's fine to let Sha Zhu go alone, why should Huai Ru go too? Besides, when Huai Ru went to Sha Zhu's house, it was to congratulate Sha Zhu. There were many people there at that time, so why should it be said that Qin Huai Ru did it?"
If you ask me, it was an older woman who did it. That older woman also went into Sha Zhu's house and chatted with that woman alone for quite a while. Jia Zhangshi's fallacies were endless.
"Alright, Qin Huairu is sitting downstairs." Yi Zhonghai really didn't want to waste any more time here, so he had no choice but to compromise.
"The main purpose of today's meeting is to talk about Zhuzi's wedding. As everyone knows, Zhuzi brought a girl home yesterday, and they are planning to get married today."
But there are always some people in our compound who can't stand seeing others do well and cause trouble. We must severely punish these troublemakers.
Yi Zhonghai's true intentions were revealed at the last minute.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
