Siheyuan's Silly Pillar has been replaced by someone else

The neighborhood committee also didn't let Yi Zhonghai and his companion off the hook.

He Yuzhu specifically hired someone to come to the courtyard and use both soft and hard tactics on the two people.

Yi Zhonghai couldn't bear this injustice, and his resolve began to waver again.

He didn't know what to do and just wanted to drown his sorrows in alcohol.

When Yan Bugui saw the wine and dishes in Yi Zhonghai's hand, greed overcame reason.

"Old Yi, it's no fun drinking alone. I'll call Old Liu, and the three of us can have a drink together."

Yi Zhonghai also felt that drinking alone was not fun, so he agreed.

Yan Bugui became excited and took the initiative to call Liu Haizhong.

"Old Liu, come on, Old Yi wants to treat us to drinks."

Liu Haizhong asked curiously, "Why did he invite the two of us for drinks?"

Yan Bugui was fully aware of this. He came to find Liu Haizhong because he wanted him to stand up for him.

"It's all because of his marriage to Qin Huairu. If they don't get married, the neighborhood committee and your factory will punish them."

We're not young anymore.

I'll be retiring in two years.

According to regulations, those with 20 years of service will receive a retirement pension of 75% of their original salary.

Old Yi has now been reduced to an apprentice's salary, which is only about twenty yuan a month.

He has no children, so he can't expect to rely on this little bit of money for his retirement.

"Even if we don't restore you to your previous level six worker status, just being restored to level one would be better than what you're doing now."

Liu Haizhong is the same age as Yi Zhonghai, only two months younger.

He was well aware of the problem. Looking at Yi Zhonghai, he felt a sense of shared sorrow, like a rabbit mourning the death of a fox.

Thinking about what he had heard others say, Liu Haizhong told Yan Bugui about it.

"Do you think this method will work?"

Yan Bugui had originally intended to tell Liu Haizhong about this method, but he didn't expect that Liu Haizhong already knew about it.

This would save him even more trouble.

"Actually, I've heard about this too. My sister-in-law is a money-grubber; she only takes in money and never gives it back."

If Lao Yi agrees to this condition, she might actually relent.

Liu Haizhong said, "Why don't we try to persuade him? He happens to want Qin Huairu to help him in his old age."

But Qin Huairu, in the end, is just his neighbor.

Things changed after he married Qin Huairu.

Yan Bugui readily agreed.

Liu Haizhong was very happy to hear that his idea had been adopted.

"You go ahead. I'll have my wife prepare some snacks to go with the drinks."

Upon hearing that there would be good food to eat, Yan Bugui readily agreed.

"Then Lao Yi and I are waiting for your food."

Liu Haizhong asked his second aunt to fry some eggs, which Liu Guangfu had gotten, with the intention of currying favor with Liu Haizhong so he could ask him for money.
Finally, she had her second aunt fry a plate of peanuts and took it to Yi Zhonghai's house.

At this point, Yan Bugui had already done some preliminary work, steer the conversation toward the issue of retirement benefits.

Yi Zhonghai was naturally aware of these matters and was eager to resolve them.

The reason he plotted against He Yuzhu was also because of this.

Without money in hand, you lack confidence in your retirement.

In the entire courtyard, only He Yuzhu had the money to support him in his old age.

Sometimes, Yi Zhonghai regretted that he should have listened to the deaf old lady and given up on the Jia family, choosing He Yuzhu instead.

Unfortunately, it's too late to say anything now.

When Liu Haizhong came in, the three of them sat down and had a couple of drinks, and then they started talking about these things again.

Liu Haizhong, being impatient, immediately recounted the story he had heard.

"Old Yan has also heard about this. You can ask him if you don't believe me."

Lao Yi, I think this method is good.

"Go try going to your sister-in-law."

Yi Zhonghai naturally refused outright. It wasn't about the money, nor was it about promising to support Jia Zhangshi in her old age; the main problem was that he couldn't bring himself to call her "Mom." Jia Zhangshi was only a year older than him, and there was no question of who would support whom in old age.

How will he face people after being asked to call someone only one year younger than him "Mom"?

"Stop talking. What a terrible idea! If it were you, would you even dare to say it?"

Liu Haizhong said, "But she's Qin Huairu's mother-in-law. You married Qin Huairu, so naturally she's yours..."

Fearing that he would anger Yi Zhonghai, Yan Bugui kicked Liu Haizhong under the table, signaling him to stop talking.

Liu Haizhong glanced at Yi Zhonghai's dark face and wisely refrained from continuing.

The three-person drinking party ended quickly because of this.

When Yan Bugui returned home, his third aunt greeted him: "What were you talking about with Lao Yi?"

Yan Bugui did not hide anything and told the whole story. In the end, he also told the Third Aunt not to tell anyone.

He didn't notice that Yan Jiedi was listening intently to their conversation.

The three women smiled and agreed, then asked, "Do you think Lao Yi will agree?"

Yan Bugui thought for a while and then said, "I think he'll probably agree."

Think about it, how many more years does he have until retirement?

After retirement, one can only rely on that meager pension to make ends meet.

He has no children; how will he support himself in his old age?

The three women nodded: "That's true. Unlike Miao Cuilan, he doesn't have a nephew to take care of him in his old age."

If only he had accepted Miao Jianye back then.

I really don't know what's so great about the Jia family that makes him so willing to part with them.

Old Yi has spent a considerable amount of money on the Jia family over the years.

This problem will only become clear when they all retire and their children become unfilial.

Yan Bugui, however, didn't care about that: "To each their own. This matter is only known to the three of us, so please don't tell anyone."

The three women nodded, promising not to tell anyone.

Yi Zhonghai lay alone in the room, pondering the words spoken at the dinner table.

He knew very well that, given the current situation, it would be extremely difficult to get He Yuzhu to back down.

He's about to retire and needs to think about his retirement.

If you're looking for retirement, Qinhuai is the top choice.

Under the current circumstances, he has no way to bestow favors upon Qin Huairu.

If you want Qin Huairu to be willing to support you in your old age, marrying her directly is a good idea.

The problem lies with Jia Zhangshi: should he choose to submit to her?
The next morning, Yan Jiedi told He Yuzhu the news.

He Yuzhu was very satisfied with the progress of the matter.

He then approached Xu Damao: "Go to the factory and tell the union members to hint to Yi Zhonghai that as long as he marries Qin Huairu, his salary will be restored."

Xu Damao said with dissatisfaction, "Why didn't you tell them? You made me run ahead and take the blame for you, didn't you?"

He Yuzhu said, "What are you babbling about? Even if you want to take the blame, Yi Zhonghai would still respect you."

Believe it or not, he curses at me every night before going to bed.

I'm telling you, yesterday Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui went to his house for drinks, and that's what they were talking about.

Now all that's needed is this final spark.

Once this fire is lit, he will have to bow down to Jia Zhangshi.

Xu Damao looked at He Yuzhu curiously: "You really want them to get married?"

He Yuzhu said, "What I care about is their marriage? No, what I care about is how things unfold."

Don't you think it was a good watch to see Yi Zhonghai pleading with Jia Zhangshi?

Xu Damao nodded, saying with a hint of regret, "It would have been great to see it with my own eyes. By the way, how did you know what they were talking about last night?"

He Yuzhu had no intention of betraying Yan Jiedi, so he said, "I guessed. If it weren't for this, why would the three of them be drinking together?"

You can't go wrong by listening to me.

Urged on by He Yuzhu, Xu Damao went to find someone anyway.

Yi Zhonghai quickly received the hint and began to waver. (End of Chapter)