Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 697 The Prison Paradise Speech

"Banggeng, bring the food!"

"coming!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Banggeng hurriedly went into the kitchen and brought out the food.

After finishing cooking, Qin Huairu was covered in sweat, which spread out in dark cloud-like patterns on her back.

I rushed home, only to have to cook on the sweltering stove. My back ached so much that I didn't want to move.

Qin Huairu quickly sat down to eat after setting aside some of the food for Jia Zhangshi.

I have to deliver food later, and after that I have to go back to work. I don't have any time to rest.

After quickly eating a couple of bites to fill her stomach, Qin Huairu looked at Banggeng and said, "Banggeng, clean up the dishes after you finish eating. Mom will wash them when she gets back."

"it is good."

With Jia Zhangshi absent and no one to back him up, Bang Geng dared not defy Qin Huairu.

Before leaving, Qin Huairu took one last look at Kuihua and then went to the police station to deliver food.

At this moment.

Madam Jia was staring intently at the gate.

"Why isn't she here yet? I'm starving! I haven't had a drop of water since I got up. Why isn't Qin Huairu here yet?"

"Does she not want to bring me food?! Does she want me to starve to death?!"

Sudden--

"Wow--"

A sound came from the gate.

"Go inside, and come out quickly after you've delivered the food," the policeman instructed.

"Okay, thank you for your help." Qin Huairu thanked her politely and walked in carrying the aluminum lunchbox.

Upon seeing Qin Huairu enter, Madam Jia immediately prepared herself and changed her mood.

"Huai Ru!" A mournful cry seemed to have been building up for a long time.

Jia Zhangshi waved her hand over the iron fence, as if afraid Qin Huairu wouldn't see it.

Qin Huairu hurried over.

Jia Zhangshi's voice was hoarse, like a broken gong: "This place... is no place for a human to stay! It's cold, it's hard, it's so cold it hurts to the bone!"

"There wasn't even a sip of hot water! Oh my God, I know I was wrong! I'm so regretful! I'm kicking myself!"

Madam Jia cried with deep emotion, her hands gripping the iron bars tightly, her turbid tears streaming down her wrinkled face.

"Huai Ru, go back and talk to Lao Yi. Ask him to think of a way to help me get out of here. This is no place for a human being!"

Seeing Jia Zhangshi's miserable state, Qin Huairu felt no pity whatsoever; in fact, she found it quite amusing.

Regret? This old hag would regret it? She, Jia Zhangshi, would rather go to jail than pay compensation.

It's only been half a day, and you already know it's cold? You know it's hard? Your bones hurt?

late!

If only I had known this would happen, why did I do it in the first place? I'd rather go to jail than lose that little bit of money.

Qin Huairu said sincerely, "Mom, don't worry, I will definitely talk to Uncle when I get back and ask him to come up with a solution."

"Yes!" Madam Jia nodded emphatically: "Mom can only rely on you now. You must tell Lao Yi."

As if afraid that Qin Huairu would forget, Jia Zhangshi grabbed her wrist tightly and squeezed it hard.

"Hmm!" Qin Huairu nodded solemnly, but inwardly she sneered.

Enjoy your prison food for the next two weeks in peace. It's clean and the environment is nice. Think carefully about what regret really means! And learn a lesson along the way!
Seeing Jia Zhangshi's miserable state, Qin Huairu felt much better and immediately put on a certain expression.

With a perfectly timed sob, she said, "Mom, please stop crying. Your health is the most important thing! It breaks my heart to see you suffering in there!"

He gently patted the back of Jia Zhangshi's hand, his eyes lowered in a submissive manner: "Don't worry, I'll go find Master Yi when we get back!"

"I will definitely convey your message to him and ask him to think of a way. Please take good care of yourself in there, and please don't do anything rash."

After both sides put on a show of deep affection,

"Gurgle~" Jia Zhangshi's stomach made an unnatural noise.

"Mom, eat quickly!" Qin Huairu hurriedly took out the lunchbox and opened it.

The food in the lunchbox was incredibly bland, consisting of about ten cabbage leaves and a few specks of oil, along with a few steamed buns and pickled vegetables.

Jia Zhangshi stared blankly at the bland lunchbox for a moment, then looked up at Qin Huairu in disbelief.

It seems to be saying, "Did you do this on purpose?"
Qin Huairu stared wide-eyed and said sincerely, "Mom, eat it while it's hot. This is what we had for lunch."

“I’ll go home and cook as soon as I get to work, and I’ll bring it to you. I really don’t have time to cook, so please bear with it. I’ll cook something nice for you tonight.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Jia nodded, feeling pleased with herself.

'No matter how capable you are, Qin Huairu, this family can't function without me!'

Starving, she didn't care about the quality of the food; she just wanted to fill her stomach.

He immediately began to eat with great relish, as if he were savoring some rare delicacy.

As Jia Zhangshi took it, she continued her tearful performance.

"Oh, it's still my daughter-in-law who cares about me. She knows to bring me a hot meal."

Finally, Qin Huairu finished her meal and picked up her lunchbox to leave.

"Mom, you rest. I'll definitely go back and talk to Uncle Yi to let you leave earlier."

"Yes!" Jia Zhangshi said, her eyes filled with tears.

"gone."

The heavy iron gate slammed shut with a loud clang.

The murky air in the cell seemed to freeze for a moment.

The next instant, a miracle occurred.

Jia Zhangshi, who had been slumped on the cold cement floor, seemed to have been suddenly injected with vitality.

The drooping head suddenly lifted up, and the sorrow on the face was wiped away as if by an invisible hand!
His lips couldn't help but stretch upwards, revealing uneven, yellowed teeth, and tear stains were still visible at the corners of his eyes.

Yet, a pure, almost ecstatic light shone in those murky eyes.

"Ah, it feels so good to be full!"

Madam Jia touched her swollen belly and slowly walked back to her "bedroom" as if taking a leisurely stroll.

Then he leaned back, sprawling out flat on his back, even rubbing his back comfortably, letting out a long, satisfied sigh:

"Ouch--"

This dramatic turn of events left the two women, who had been detained in prison for a long time, speechless with astonishment.

The two old women stared in disbelief, as if they had seen a ghost: "Old...old sister? You...you are..."

She was just crying and screaming like she was going to die, and now she's all beautiful? Has she lost her mind?
Madam Jia turned her head and glanced at them, her smugness practically overflowing.

She calmly adjusted her position to make herself more comfortable.

Only then did he begin to speak in a tone that was both boastful and restrained, yet also something he couldn't help but say:

"Hehe, silly girl, see that? My good fortune... what do you know!"

She patted the hard, prickly bedding beneath her. "Cold? Hard? That's because you're delicate!"

She spoke with great enthusiasm, "Let me tell you, this place—it's wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

These words stunned the two of them again. "Older sister, what's so good about this prison? What's so good about it?"

"That's because you don't understand!" Madam Jia pointed at the two of them and waved them over: "Come here, I'll tell you what's good about it?"

The two old women immediately ran over to listen to Jia Zhangshi's teachings.

Madam Jia, counting on her short, thick fingers, spitting as she listed the "benefits," her cloudy eyes gleaming with shrewdness:

“We’re getting on in years, we have sons and grandsons now, right?” The two old women nodded.

"First of all, now that we're in prison, we don't have to eat, hang our clothes out to dry, or look after our kids. There are so many things we don't have to do. Isn't that great?"

"Every time I cook, I'm covered in the smell of cooking oil. In the summer, it's like being steamed under a pot lid. I also have to carefully consider how much cornmeal and vegetable I need."

"Being so frugal, trying to stretch every penny to its limit! Why bother with all that effort? Look at them, they just sit around waiting to be fed!"

Upon hearing this interpretation for the first time, the two old women's pupils widened slightly; they had never heard such a statement before.

Jia Zhangshi was still talking loudly: "Secondly, I still have to paste matchboxes. Once I come in, I don't have to do anything else."

"You two have no idea how damn tiring this job is. You have to get up early and work late until your back aches and your body aches. The smell of paste makes your head ache!"

"Third! You don't have to do anything!" Madam Jia waved her hand, pointing out the direction of the situation.

"Lie here, nobody will bother you! Don't listen to anyone gossiping outside, don't watch anyone's house in chaos, and don't have to serve anyone!"

"Sleep! When you wake up, sit for a while, go for a walk, and then come back to lie down! How comfortable is that!"

Looking at her fellow inmate who was stunned by her words, Jia Zhangshi lowered her voice, a hint of mysterious satisfaction in it:

"Tell me, where else can you find such a good deal? We work ourselves to the bone just to earn a living, right? This place has plenty!"

She smacked her lips, savoring the taste of the watery soup she had just eaten. "It may be a bit bland, but it won't make me hungry! And I didn't have to pay a single penny!"

Madam Jia embellished her words, making them sound incredibly convincing, which left the two of them completely bewildered.

The two women, who had been feeling gloomy and that each day was an eternity, slowly straightened up.

His cloudy eyes reflected Jia Zhangshi's ruddy, plump face, while his ears were filled with her "prison paradise" theory.

The fear and despair on his face gradually faded, replaced by a novel, skeptical expectation.

Just imagine the scene that Jia Zhangshi described—no work, no scheming, food and lodging provided, nothing to worry about.
This... isn't this the legendary "fairy life" of eating and sleeping that they could only dream of, even after working themselves to the bone?
"Is...it really that good?"

An old woman licked her chapped lips and asked softly, her voice carrying a hint of longing that she herself was unaware of.

"Of course!" Jia Zhangshi said decisively, cutting off her last trace of doubt, her body radiating happiness.

"It's much better than outside! Much better!"

In the other cells, many people heard Jia Zhangshi's remarks and began to whisper among themselves.

The cold cement walls seemed to carry a touch of unreal, absurd warmth.

They initially felt guilty towards their families after being taken to the police station, but now it seems they felt guilty about it.
That's because they didn't get on the 'right path' sooner!
"It seems kind of interesting? Before I came in, I had to take care of that old man who was bedridden every day. I had to clean up his excrement and urine, and I would get scolded by him."

"Although the floor in here is a bit hard, it's still much better than serving that old ghost!"

"No way, I'm leaving in a few days. Where will I find such a good place after I leave?"

"No, no, I need to find some trouble. I haven't had enough of these good days and I can't go back to work!"

"Hey, how about we pretend to fight, just to make a show of it? Maybe the police will keep us locked up longer."

"I think it's a good idea. Anyway, we're not bothering the police while we're in jail. This is a good thing."

Immediately, many people joined the discussion.

The police were completely unaware of the incident and were astonished that these people were so audacious!

Jia Zhangshi had no intention of being released from prison in half a month; she wanted to enjoy this hard-won "blessing" first.

After leaving the police station, Qin Huairu looked at the empty lunchbox in her hand.

After this meal is delivered, will there be another one? And what about tomorrow's and the day after?

"Life is so tiring!"

Unexpectedly, Qin Huairu rushed home: "I have to go to work soon! I need to get back quickly."

Back home, Qin Huairu put down the lunchbox, not bothering to wash the dishes, and looked at the two boys.

"Xiao Dang, take good care of your little sister. Mom is going to work."

"Okay," Xiao Dang replied.

"Bang Geng, study hard at school and don't fool around, okay?"

"Okay! Got it!" Banggeng replied casually.

After giving Qin Huairu a few words of advice, she went to work.

My back aches and my waist hurts after a long day at work.

When Qin Huairu returned home, she was faced with a mountain of housework, and she felt utterly hopeless.

"It'll be another two weeks before it comes out, when will this ever end?"

"That Jia Zhangshi is really something. Why did she have to cut someone's water pipe when there was nothing wrong with her? She'd rather go to jail than pay compensation. I really don't know what she was thinking!"

Qin Huairu grew angrier the more she thought about it. "No, we have to find a way to get her back. Jia Zhangshi won't be out for another half month. We need to make things difficult for her!"

After racking my brains for a long time, I still couldn't come up with a good solution while I was at the police station.

Just when things were at a standstill, it suddenly occurred to me.

"We were almost done for. Jia Zhangshi still has 400 yuan. Luckily, she's not here yet, so we have plenty of time to look for her. I refuse to believe I can't find her secret stash of money!"

"Hahaha~" Qin Huairu couldn't help but burst into laughter at the thought that all of Jia Zhangshi's private savings were gone.

All the aches and pains in my back and waist have vanished at this moment!

"Mom! I'm hungry," Banggeng said cautiously.

"Oh, I'll cook soon, it'll be ready in a bit." Qin Huairu immediately snapped out of her daze and hurried off to cook.

"Banggeng, go boil some water."

"Oh!" Without Jia Zhangshi around, Qin Huairu could order Bang Geng around at will, and he didn't dare to resist.

After finishing cooking and eating, Qin Huairu then delivered the meal to Jia Zhangshi.

She still wore that extremely aggrieved expression.

"Huai Ru, have you told Lao Yi yet?"

"I told you, the old man said he's trying to find a way, and told you to wait patiently, he'll help you get out."

"That's good, that's good. I don't want to stay here anymore. It's all those two little brats' fault. It was just cutting a water pipe. It's not worth much money, but it made me go to jail."

"Once I get out of here, I'll make them pay!" Madam Jia said viciously.

Qin Huairu couldn't help but roll her eyes.

With this attitude, there's no way you'll get a letter of forgiveness. You'd better just stay in jail obediently.

The food was still just plain water and soup.

"Why is it still like this?"

"Mom, I just got off work and went straight home to cook. I did a lot of work today and I'm really exhausted. I'll cook you something nice tomorrow. You've worked hard, so don't go hungry."

"Alright then, but you have to make me something delicious, right?"

"Don't worry," Qin Huairu nodded, assuring her.

Even though I'm in jail, I can't let my appetite get the better of me.

After Jia Zhangshi finished eating, Qin Huairu took the lunchbox back home, only to face the housework that had accumulated throughout the day.

"No, one or two days is fine, but I can't possibly handle so much work. I need to find someone to help me!"

Immediately, Qin Huairu looked around and then towards the direction of the Yi family.

"An old lady!"

Qin Huairu asked an older woman for help: "Excuse me, could you please watch my child and cook something for me at noon? I'm really busy after working all day."

The older woman was kind-hearted, and since Qin Huairu had come to her for help, she couldn't refuse.

"Okay, don't worry, I'll help make some lunch for the kids."

"Thank you so much, ma'am! You're so kind! I don't know what I would have done without you."

Qin Huairu said all the nice things, which finally eased her burden.

(End of this chapter)