Siheyuan's Silly Pillar has been replaced by someone else

Yan Bugui had no appetite that evening.

The third aunt placed the food on the table and said to him, "Don't be angry. Eat quickly while the aroma from Sha Zhu's house hasn't dissipated."

Yan Bugui said with dissatisfaction, "What are you talking about? Those two ingrates, they cooked a meal and didn't even bother to invite me."

The old woman sighed and put down the cornbread she was holding.

She felt bad if she didn't give the meat her own daughter bought to her.

Yan Bugui couldn't sit still in the house, so he got up and went to the middle courtyard, knocking on the He family's door.

"Who?"

After a moment of silence outside, Yan Bugui's voice came through: "It's me."

As soon as He Yuzhu heard Yan Bugui's voice, he knew that Yan Bugui was here to take advantage of him.

Yan Jiedi bought the groceries today, so He Yuzhu simply kept quiet and let the siblings handle it.

Yan Jiedi and her brother exchanged a glance and immediately understood each other's intentions.

"Dad, we've eaten at Brother Zhu's house, so we won't go back. You and Mom can eat at home."

Yan Bugui, standing outside the door, was so angry his nose almost crooked: "Yan Jiekuang, Yan Jiedi, how can you treat your parents like this? You eat the good food yourselves while your parents are stuck at home eating cornbread."

"Don't you have any filial piety at all?"

Yan Jiekuang walked to the door and said through the door, "Dad, what are you shouting for? There is no such thing as filial piety in our family rules."

You won’t be poor if you have enough food and clothes, but you will be poor if you don’t plan well.

You said that, didn't you?

We all have to pay for our meals when we eat at home. If you want to eat meat with us now, you'll have to pay for your meals too.

In our family, we call this fairness.

You set the rules, do you want to lead the way in denying them?

If you don't acknowledge it, I'll get my older brothers to help us get our money back.

Fearing that Yan Jiekuang might actually use this as an excuse to ask for money, Yan Bugui dared not continue to pester him.

Helpless, he turned and left, going to Yi Zhonghai's house.

Yan Jiekuang turned back and said, "All you ever do is try to take advantage. I've suffered so much in the countryside all these years."

Last winter, I fell ill. I wrote home, hoping my father would lend me five yuan.

He didn't even write me a reply.

"If Jie Di hadn't given me five yuan, I wouldn't have made it back."

He Yuzhu didn't care about any of that. He had never wanted Yan Bugui to come in anyway.

If Yan Jiekuang lets Yan Bugui in, He Yuzhu will have to be wary of him.

"Everyone in the neighborhood knows about your family's affairs. Let's not talk about this anymore. Come on, Jie Kuang, have a drink."

Yan Jiekuang enjoyed a glass of wine and a bite of food.

"Brother Zhu, this is what life is all about. I finally understand. My second brother is the smartest one in our family. He moved out right after getting married."

My older brother isn't doing well.

These past few years, I guess he's suffered a lot; I spent the whole night listening to Yan Jiekuang's complaints.

Yi Zhonghai was also listening to Yan Bugui's complaints.

Yan Bugui hoped that Yi Zhonghai could step forward and help him get justice, so he kept criticizing Yan Jiekuang and Yan Jiedi for being unfilial.

Little did he know that the Yan family's children's filial impiety was exactly what Yi Zhonghai wanted.

For many years, Yi Zhonghai has been working alone to prepare for retirement, and he even has to guard against sabotage from Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong.

He is now struggling and desperately hopes that Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui can join him.

Yi Zhonghai was more than happy for the Yan family's children to sever ties with Yan Bugui, so how could he possibly help Yan Bugui persuade them?

"Old Yan, stop talking. Sha Zhu has corrupted the atmosphere in the courtyard."

He'll get his comeuppance sooner or later.

Yan Bugui thought the cooking wasn't done properly, so he joined Yi Zhonghai in criticizing He Yuzhu for being unfilial.

No matter how much he berated him, Yi Zhonghai remained unmoved and showed no intention of standing up for him.

"Old Yi, what's wrong with you? Don't you hate this kind of unfilial behavior the most?"

Yi Zhonghai feigned a helpless expression: "I would like to manage it. But how do you expect me to manage it?"
Even if you're his biological father, he won't listen to you, so why would he listen to me?
"I'm not the boss anymore, nobody in the yard listens to me. Besides, they're at Sha Zhu's house right now. You want me to go knock on Sha Zhu's door? That's just asking for a beating!"

Yan Bugui gave an awkward smile: "That's not what I meant. I'm just angry."

We don't have any deep-seated hatred for Sha Zhu, so why is he treating us like this?

Yi Zhonghai sighed, unsure how to answer the question.

He felt that the little scheme he had plotted against He Daqing back then was not worth He Yuzhu's resentment at all.

"Who knows why he's so petty? I've lived for decades and I've never met anyone as petty as him."

Yan Bugui nodded in agreement: "Who says otherwise? A grown man, with a mind smaller than a woman's."

From their own perspectives, the two naturally felt that He Yuzhu was petty.

However, from He Yuzhu's perspective, he felt that he had already been very generous.

Given what they did, allowing them to live is already a kindness.

If He Yuzhu really wanted to take drastic measures, Yi Zhonghai would have been in deep trouble long ago, if not others.

Qin Huairu came in and brought the two a thermos of hot water, but did not bring any food.

She winked at Yi Zhonghai, signaling him not to forget the important matter.

Yi Zhonghai received the hint and quickly said, "Old Yan, I think Jie Kuang should continue to suffer a bit more."

Let him continue his reform in the countryside.

Don't forget what you promised me.

Yan Bugui was extremely dissatisfied with Yan Jiekuang's ruthlessness. Since Yan Jiekuang was ungrateful, then he shouldn't be blamed for disregarding their father-son relationship.

"Don't worry, I definitely won't forget."

After dinner, it was getting late, so He Yuzhu said to Yan Jiekuang, "Take Jie Di home."

Yan Jiekuang naturally wouldn't refuse and saw Yan Jiedi out.

Yan Jiedi said to him, "Third Brother, when you're at Brother Zhu's house, don't use the same tricks we use at home."

"What Brother Zhu hates most is our family's way of doing things."

Yan Jiekuang laughed and said, "You're wrong about that. What he hates most is the old man's attitude. The second most hated attitude is our dad's."

Yan Jiedi said, "Don't take it lightly. Offending Brother Zhu won't do us any good."

Look at our compound, those who are on good terms with him are all doing quite well.

Those who don't get along with him don't have a good life.

Yan Jiekuang said, "I know. Don't forget, it was me who gave you the idea to go find Brother Zhu back then."

Actually, if it weren't for our dad, our family's relationship with him would definitely not be bad.

"Haven't seen you in years, why have you become so long-winded?"

Yan Jiedi said, "If you think I'm being long-winded, then I won't say anything more. I won't concern myself with your affairs anymore."

Yan Jiekuang took one look and realized this wouldn't do. He had just returned from the countryside and was in dire need of help.

If Yan Jiedi doesn't help him, he won't be able to find anyone else to help him.

We can't exactly spend money to go see Yan Bugui, can we?

That way, he could be tricked to death by Yan Bugui.

"Don't be angry. Brother Zhu is so powerful, I wouldn't dare to offend him."

Yan Jiedi didn't completely trust Yan Jiekuang, but considering that he was getting married soon, she didn't take it to heart.

The four siblings had a mediocre relationship, and even Yan Jiekuang, who was their closest friend, was not trustworthy.

If it weren't for Grandpa Qin's persuasion, she wouldn't have been willing to help Yan Jiekuang like this.

When they got home, Grandpa Qin was still awake.

Yan Jiedi quickly said, "Godfather, why haven't you rested yet? Perfect timing, I brought back some vegetables from Brother Zhu's house, would you like to try some?"

Grandpa Qin looked at Yan Jiedi with a loving expression: "I was worried about you and couldn't sleep. How are you?"

Yan Jiedi casually said that it was just like that, without further explanation.

Grandpa Qin guessed the reason and didn't ask any further questions. (End of Chapter)