Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 696 Inside and Outside the Blessed Nest
May 5.29th, Monday.

Jia Zhangshi was taken to the police station by the police.

Looking at the familiar place, Jia Zhangshi felt that she had come to the right place. She took a deep breath, and the familiar smell rushed into her mind through her nose.

"Go home!"

Jia Zhangshi, familiar with the place, found a spot to sit down, comfortably leaned against the wall, crossed her legs leisurely, and smugly muttered to herself:

"Oh my, isn't this good fortune? Who would have thought that doing something wrong could lead to being sent to this blessed place?"

“This ‘lucky nest’ is so comfortable. I don’t have to serve those little brats. Let Qin Huairu do her work.”

The thought of having to breastfeed, cook, wash clothes, and bring food to Qin Huairu when she got home made Jia Zhangshi feel comfortable.

"Hey, I don't even need to paste matchboxes, to hell with pasting matchboxes! For those few coins, I've almost gone blind, and my fingers are all marked from the pressure."

"How much money do you earn after working yourself to the bone? Enough to buy a few pounds of coarse grains? Now it's all good, lying here, I don't even have to think about making dumplings anymore!"

Thinking that she didn't have to do any of these things and wouldn't lose money, Jia Zhangshi felt that she had done the right thing.

"Sigh, time to sleep!"

Jia Zhangshi shifted into a comfortable position and fell fast asleep.

the other side.

Steel rolling mill, workshop.

Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi had completely opposite feelings; the thought of having to do all the housework gave her a headache.

Looking back now, it's one thing that Jia Zhangshi envied, was jealous of, and hated the Bai family, but she probably also took this opportunity to escape to prison and not do anything.

Qin Huairu was seething with anger: "You Jia Zhangshi, you did this on purpose, didn't you? Fine! When you come back, I'll make you assemble 2 matchboxes a month, so you'll be too busy to even think about doing anything bad!"

"Don't think you can stop making matchboxes just because you're in jail! When you get out, not a single matchbox can be missing! Not a single penny can be missing!"

In a short time, Qin Huairu figured out how to deal with Jia Zhangshi, and was just waiting for her to be released from prison to settle the score.

However, she hadn't figured out how to handle her own affairs yet. All the problems were weighing on her shoulders, and she couldn't manage on her own without Jia Zhangshi's help.

noon.

Near the end of the workday.

Qin Huairu approached Liu Xiaoyan, wanting to request to leave work early.

"Leave early? Xiao Qin, do you have no sense of rules? Look at your workload, it's so light and you want to go back early? How is that possible?"

Qin Huairu looked aggrieved: "Master, please, just this once!"

"I need to breastfeed my baby, my eldest son is in school, and my mother-in-law was sick this morning and had to be taken to the hospital. If I don't hurry back to cook, the children will go hungry at noon, and they have school in the afternoon! I really have no other choice."

Qin Huairu's voice was trembling with tears, and her eyes were red. She looked so pitiful that it was hard to refuse her.

Of course, it's impossible to lock Jia Zhangshi up in jail. If we did, we wouldn't gain any sympathy; instead, we'd be spat on and told we deserved it!

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaoyan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a pang of pity rose in her heart, but...
"Xiao Qin, it's not that I don't want to help you, but factory rules are factory rules. I can't give you special treatment just because your family is having some difficulties. Everyone has their own problems. Are you the only one who's special?"

"The factory's rule is that the lunch break is one hour, and that applies to everyone! I can't make that decision myself; you should go and apply to Director Guo."

After speaking, Liu Xiaoyan stopped looking at Qin Huairu, lowered her head and continued working, adopting a businesslike and uncompromising attitude.

Seeing that Liu Xiaoyan did not agree, Qin Huairu's heart sank to the bottom.

As for asking her to go find Guo Da Piezi, the previous events were still fresh in her mind, how could she possibly go to him alone?

Qin Huairu immediately approached Yi Zhonghai and explained the situation to him.

"Uncle, I really have no other choice! I was just hoping to get back about ten minutes early at noon to serve the food."

"My master said we have to get approval from Guo Da Piezi. Grandpa, could you please put in a good word for me? It's just a little bit earlier than usual, and I promise my work this afternoon won't be delayed! Please!"

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai's face showed a complex expression of embarrassment and sympathy.

"Okay, I'll go with you and see if I can put in a good word for you."

Immediately, the two went to Guo Da Piezi's office together.

"Dong Dong~"

"Enter!"

"Director Guo," Qin Huairu said with a fawning smile.

When Guo Da Piezi saw Qin Huairu frown and then saw Yi Zhonghai behind her, he immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong.

He hadn't provoked Qin Huairu during this time, so why was she looking for him?

Qin Huairu got straight to the point: "Director Guo, there's something I need your help with. I'd like to leave work early to go home and cook."

Qin Huairu explained the situation with a sense of grievance, hoping to gain Guo Da Piezi's sympathy.

But how could Guo Da Piezi possibly do as Qin Huairu wished? He still vividly remembered what had happened before and harbored resentment in his heart!
"Tsk, this is a difficult matter," Guo Da Piezi said, feigning a troubled expression.

His expression immediately gave Qin Huairu a glimmer of hope; difficult didn't mean impossible.
"Director Guo, I was wrong before, and I apologize to you. I'm so sorry!"

After saying this, Qin Huairu bowed deeply.

'If I'd known I'd need your help, why didn't I do it sooner!' Qin Huairu's feigned concern did nothing to sway Guo Dapizi.

"It's not that I don't want to help you, Qin Huairu, but there's nothing I can do about it," Guo Da Piezi said helplessly, spreading his hands.
"I can't make the decision about leaving get off work early, and I don't have the authority to do so. You say you have difficulties at home, but who in our workshop doesn't have difficulties?"

"Everyone here overcomes difficulties to come to work. It's no use asking me about this. I have other things to do, so I won't talk to you about it."

After saying that, Guo Da Piezi was about to leave.

Qin Huairu believed that Guo Da Piezi was deliberately refusing to allow it as revenge against her; how could a workshop director like him not have the authority?

She's just a lowly apprentice; what kind of work can she do? Whether the workshop has her or not makes no difference.

"No! Guo Da Piezi, you can't leave!" Qin Huairu stepped forward to stop him.

"Qin Huairu, even if you stop me, it's no use. I can't do this." Guo Da Piezi said first, and then immediately left.

As the end of the workday approached, Qin Huairu became increasingly restless.

'Fine, if you won't let me leave, then don't blame me for making a scene!'

Qin Huairu's eyes were bloodshot, and she looked resolute, as if she was ready to risk everything.

Outside, everyone was working hard to finish the job, the roar of machines filling their ears.

Qin Huairu took a deep breath and, with all her might, let out a piercing, sorrowful cry:
"Comrades! Let's all be the judges!"

That shout was earth-shattering! The shrill female voice instantly drowned out the noise of the machine.

Throughout the entire work section, at least around the seven or eight machine tools radiating out from Qin Huairu, almost all the workers subconsciously stopped what they were doing!
All eyes immediately focused on them.

Everyone in the workshop was startled and craned their necks to look in this direction.

"what happened?"

"Why is Qin Huairu crying? Did Guo Da Piezi bully her?" "What's going on with Qin Huairu?"

Qin Huairu ignored the gazes that were filled with surprise, doubt, or sympathy.

Tears streamed down her haggard face like beads from a broken string.

She simply didn't wipe it off, using it instead to make herself look even more pitiful.

"Fellow workers, please be my judge. My mother suddenly fell ill this morning and was taken to the hospital. She is still in the hospital now."

She pounded her chest hard and continued to sob, her voice filled with extreme grievance:
"There's a newborn baby to breastfeed at home, and another child to go to school. The house is so quiet and empty; we can't even get a hot drink!"

"I was just thinking! I begged Team Leader Guo! I was hoping he could let me leave work a tiny bit earlier!"

She held up a finger, trembling as she pointed at Guo Da Piezi.

"Just let me go back ten minutes earlier, start a fire, cook a meal, feed the child, so that my mother can have a hot meal at the hospital!"

"But Director Guo said the factory has rules and won't let me leave. Rules are inanimate! Are the hearts of us workers made of stone?!"

"Our leaders, don't you have elderly parents or children at home? Why are you pushing people to their deaths! Leaving them no way out?!"

The final line, "Leaving no way out at all," carried a poignant accusation and a desperate cry, silencing the entire workshop for a moment.

Everyone was moved by Qin Huairu's words and glared angrily at Guo Dapizi, speaking up for justice.

"Director Guo, you can't even make a decision on such a small matter? We should help people in need."

“That’s right. Qin Huairu is just an apprentice. It doesn’t matter if she’s not here. Why can’t we agree to it?”

"Everyone has difficult times. If we help each other out and get through this, isn't that enough? Is it really necessary?"

Guo Da Piezi watched as everyone criticized him, never expecting Qin Huairu to have such a great influence.

He had already cursed her a hundred times in his mind: "That woman is really cunning!"
Fearing he would get himself into trouble, Guo Dapizi coughed twice, his face displaying feigned embarrassment and an air of indifference.

Speaking to the excited crowd, his voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the nearby workers to hear:
"I can't do anything about everyone yelling at me. What am I, a mere director? How could I possibly have the authority to let Qin Huairu leave work early?"

"The factory rules and regulations are right here, they're not specifically targeting you, Qin Huairu! Everyone has their difficulties at home. You can't take advantage of family problems to try to get special treatment, throw a tantrum, or disrupt production."

It was originally just a private matter, but Qin Huairu made a big fuss about it, so he couldn't back down no matter what.

When it comes to production and factory rules and regulations, Guo Da Piezi wouldn't be stupid enough to make a mistake.

Liu Xiaoyan was also taken aback by Qin Huairu's behavior.

While the situation is indeed difficult, it's not a reason to make a huge fuss or act inappropriately.

Suddenly, her opinion of Qin Huairu changed.

"Master Qin, you're making such a ruckus here, I can't do anything about it, right everyone? Let's all disperse and get back to work!"

Guo Da Piezi stuck to his principles and wouldn't budge.

However, under the pressure of public opinion, Guo Da Piezi could not go against everyone's decision.

"Fine, go ahead and leave if you want. But let me make this clear: I won't be responsible if anything happens. It's not my problem. It's your own decision."

This was not the result Qin Huairu wanted, but everyone in the workshop felt they had won a victory.

"Xiao Qin, you should hurry back. It's almost time to get off work, or you'll make it too late to get back."

"Yes, let's go back quickly."

Qin Huairu was put in a very difficult position, and this time she had no choice but to go back.

"Thank you everyone!" He bowed deeply to everyone and then hurriedly left.

She didn't see that many people were looking at her with amusement.

"Hurry...we have to hurry!"

Qin Huairu didn't dare to catch her breath and ran home as fast as she could. Sweat streamed down her temples, but she didn't bother to wipe it away.

He ran back to the courtyard house, panting, and rushed into his own house in the middle courtyard.

As expected, the chaotic scene unfolded exactly as anticipated.

“Wow! Wow!”

Huaihua cried loudly, her little face turned red, and her little voice became hoarse from crying. She lay on her crib kicking her legs desperately.

Xiao Dang tried to comfort her gently, but it was to no avail.

Banggeng had already come home from school and was hiding at the front door, covering his ears. He was obviously having a headache from Kuihua's crying.

"Mom!" Seeing Qin Huairu rush in, Banggeng felt like he had found his pillar of support and pounced on her to hug her leg.

"Mom! I'm hungry! Kuihua is crying her eyes out."

Qin Huairu had no time to comfort Banggeng and hurriedly dealt with the locust flowers.

He touched Huai'er's forehead and diaper to make sure she was just hungry and not sick, and then he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Then, he scooped up the still-wailing little Dang and held him in his arms, comforting him while urgently saying to Banggeng:
"Good boy! Mom will get it done right away! Go and help Mom light the stove, quick!"

Although Banggeng was unwilling to do chores, he saw his mother's tense face and knew that being hungry was really unbearable. Afraid of being scolded, he could only wipe his face and run to the kitchen to prepare to start a fire.

Qin Huairu sat down on the edge of the bed with Xiaodang in her arms, and unbuttoned her clothes to breastfeed her.

As soon as Kuihua's mouth touched the milk, her crying stopped abruptly, and she immediately began to suckle greedily, her little body still trembling slightly.

Just as she had calmed Kuihua down a bit, and the child in her arms was still hungry, Banggeng's panicked shouts came from the kitchen again:
"Mom! It's not working! The firewood won't light! It's just smoke!"

Qin Huairu had no choice but to wrap Kuihua, who had just started nursing, tightly in a blanket and carry her quickly into the kitchen.

Thick smoke billowed from the kitchen, and Bang Geng coughed from the smoke, frantically fanning the firewood, but sparks flew everywhere and he couldn't get it to burn.

Qin Huairu snatched the fan, squatted down, and, ignoring the smoke and fire, hurriedly cleaned the furnace and rekindled the fire.

Finally, the flames steadily rose up.

Qin Huairu's face was covered in a mixture of sweat and cigarette ash, and her eyes were red from the smoke.

"Alright, alright! Go to the tap in the yard and get a basin of water! Wash the pot clean! Hurry up!"

Banggeng was already dizzy and lightheaded from hunger, too tired to move, and cried out, "Mom, I'm starving!"

"Hurry up! What are we going to eat if we don't prepare something delicious? Do you want the whole family to starve to death?" Qin Huairu shouted sternly.

Banggeng shuddered in fright, grabbed an enamel basin, and ran crying to get water.

During this brief moment, Qin Huairu looked at Huai'er in her arms, who was still suckling at her breast.

This made Qin Huairu even more furious with Jia Zhangshi: "You old hag! You're having a good time lying in jail! You don't care if the sky falls down at home! You just wait!"

After finally feeding Huaihua, Qin Huairu felt like she was about to lose half her life and had to prepare to cook.

Qin Huairu rushed to cook lunch during her one-hour lunch break.

(End of this chapter)