Siheyuan's Silly Pillar has been replaced by someone else

While keeping an eye on Qin Huairu, Yi Zhonghai also didn't forget about Yan Jiecheng.

However, Yan Jiecheng's side is also in trouble.

Because of Yan Bugui's interference, Yan Jiecheng became convinced that Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui were trying to swindle money from him.

He never sought help from Yi Zhonghai.

No matter how much Yi Zhonghai tried to persuade him, he wouldn't believe it.

Unless Yi Zhonghai can teach him the techniques first.

But this is something Yi Zhonghai is unwilling to do.

Yi Zhonghai controlled Yan Jiecheng by teaching him techniques. What would happen if Yan Jiecheng learned the techniques?

When Yan Jiecheng saw that Yi Zhonghai was unwilling to teach the technology, he became even more convinced that this was a case of Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui conspiring to make him pay.

Things just came to a standstill.

Actually, the matter is quite easy to resolve. If Yi Zhonghai were to personally explain things to Yan Jiecheng, there wouldn't be so many misunderstandings.

However, Yi Zhonghai, mindful of his status, felt it would be beneath his dignity to personally discuss this with Yan Jiecheng.

In short, things just didn't go smoothly.

Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to have a heart-to-heart talk with Yan Bugui, trying to persuade him not to be so calculating.

"Old Yan, you've turned a perfectly good thing into this."

Yan Bugui didn't think he had done anything wrong and said, "What's wrong with me?"
"Old Yi, let me ask you, did you agree to teach me the technique because you felt bad about eating at my house?"

This was Yi Zhonghai's excuse back then, and we can't deny it.

"That's right, that's the reason."

Yan Bugui said, "This opportunity was earned by my wife and me taking care of you."

Without you eating at our house, without my wife washing your clothes and cleaning the house, would you be able to teach Yan Jiecheng his skills?

You wouldn't, would you?

This shows that without our efforts, Yan Jiecheng would not have had this opportunity.

He got the opportunity, shouldn't he repay us?
In our family, this is the rule.

This has always been our family rule. If you don't believe me, you can ask Jie Di.

There's no need to ask Yi Zhonghai at all.

Yan Bugui was part of his retirement plan. He had long since thoroughly studied the rules of the Yan family.

If the Yan family didn't have this rule, he wouldn't have been able to bring Yan Bugui onto the retirement ship.

If you want Yan Bugui to change, it's simple: explain to him the unreasonable aspects of the Yan family's rules and the ultimate consequences.

Just make Yan Bugui realize the shortcomings of this set of rules and correct them.

But this is something Yi Zhonghai is unwilling to do.

Even if he could explain it to Yan Bugui, he wouldn't dare.

Yan Jiecheng was merely a sucker to his scheme; compared to Yan Bugui, his partner in retirement, he was far less important.

He's almost sixty. Even if Qin Huairu agrees to his request and has a child for him, it won't be as important as taking care of his parents in their old age.

Yi Zhonghai thought for a moment and said, "That's not right. I ate at your house, your family took care of me, and I paid for everything."

"You made money off me, and now you're asking Jie Cheng for money back? That's not fair."

Yan Bugui said, "That's reasonable. We take care of you, and in return, we're showing you kindness."

Without this relationship, you wouldn't have taught Yan Jiecheng the techniques.

We didn't calculate the cost of this favor.

I used my personal connections to find money-making opportunities for Yan Jiecheng. Shouldn't he repay me in kind?

The third aunt said, "Old Yi, stop talking. We can't break the family rules."

If the rules are broken, our family will not be able to stand up.

Over the years, Lao Yan has helped you a lot.

Because of you, Lao Yan ruined Sha Zhu's cellar. We've never even used that cellar once.

You can't go behind our backs and help Yan Jiecheng."

Yi Zhonghai really wanted to say, "At worst, I'll just return the cellar to you."

But he also knew that the cellar could not be returned. Even if he agreed, Jia Zhangshi would never agree.

Moreover, he was unwilling to pay it back.

His most cherished memories were in the cellar.

Although he is now alone and doesn't have to sneak around like that anymore, Yi Zhonghai still misses the time he spent in the cellar.

Qin Huairu was so obedient and well-behaved back then. Knowing he couldn't persuade Yan Bugui and his wife, Yi Zhonghai gave up trying.

He returned home absentmindedly.

Qin Huairu appeared to be busy, but her eyes were actually fixed on He Yuzhu's house.

She waited and waited, but He Yuzhu never came back.

This made her very unhappy.

Seeing Xu Damao come out of the backyard, Qin Huairu stepped forward and stopped him.

"Where's Sha Zhu?"

Xu Damao turned his head and glanced at He Yuzhu's room. Seeing that the door was locked, he basically guessed what was going on.

"The door wasn't open, so naturally they haven't come back."

Qin Huairu gave Xu Damao a charmingly disdainful look: "Of course I know he didn't reply."

I want to ask you if you know why he hasn't come back.

It's so late, why isn't he back yet?

That alluring glance didn't have much effect.

Qin Huairu is no longer young and is far less alluring than before. Xu Damao is well aware of her past affairs as well.

The marginal utility of using a honey trap is almost zero.

Xu Damao said, "He didn't tell me, how would I know?"

Sister Qin, I'm not trying to be mean, but it would be so much better to just live a simple, honest life.

Your tricks won't work on Sha Zhu.

In all these years, when has he ever even given you a second glance?

Qin Huairu glared angrily at Xu Damao.

Suddenly, Xu's mother's voice came from the corner: "Da Mao, where have you been? Come here and comfort my precious granddaughter."

Xu Damao was startled and dared not continue talking to Qin Huairu.

Seeing Xu Damao's hurried appearance, Qin Huairu felt a deep sense of disappointment.

She didn't know when it started, but the men who had surrounded her gradually dispersed.

After the meal, Qin Huairu still hadn't seen the He family's gate open.

She knew that He Yuzhu's family was most likely not coming back.

She was unwilling to accept it and couldn't sleep.

Qin Huairu walked out of the house, her eyes fixed on the He family's house.

This house wasn't far from where she lived, yet it felt like it was on the edge of the world.

She's been married into the courtyard house for over a decade, and has had very few opportunities to go inside. On the few times she did manage to go in, she was slapped a few times.

She didn't know why.
No neighbor doesn't visit each other.

She hoped to be able to come and go from this room freely, just like entering her own home.

From childhood to adulthood, there was nothing she couldn't get.

He Yuzhu's home was the only thing she didn't get.

The more unattainable something is, the more one wants to possess it.

Qin Huai walked into the He family's door without realizing it, pushed the door, but didn't open it.

Her hand touched the door and the lock on it, and she finally sighed helplessly.

With He Yuzhu not home, she had no chance to carry out her plans.

But she just wanted to have a good cry.

Qin Huairu thought of the cellar, so she went inside and burst into tears.

Yi Zhonghai couldn't sleep either; the scene of the cellar kept replaying in his mind.

He lay on the bed in a daze, vaguely hearing Qin Huairu's crying.

Yi Zhonghai was suddenly awakened and looked outside. He stared for a while, and with the help of the dim moonlight, he could confirm that Qin Huairu was not in the courtyard.

But he could still hear Qin Huairu's crying.

Yi Zhonghai couldn't sleep, so he put on his clothes.

Stepping out of the house and looking at the desolate courtyard, Yi Zhonghai felt an overwhelming sense of desolation.

He turned his head and looked in the direction of the He family's cellar, then walked over without hesitation.

There lies the warmth he lost. (End of Chapter)