He Daqing, do you know how I've lived these past years?

"Wife, could you talk to Madam and ask me to be a manager as well?"

Da Mao's mother sneered with her eyes askew:

"What, you don't want to stay home and serve me?"

Schwold lit a chimney:

"Look, even that idiot in the backyard has become the steward. Wouldn't I become a laughingstock for the Qing Dynasty?"

Da Mao's mother, with a big nose ring, slapped Wood in the face and cursed:

"I used to tell you not to go to Tianjin, not to go to Tianjin, but you were obsessed and wanted to go. You said you'd learn their ruthlessness and I'd be happy. But after all these years, your hands shake even when you're killing a chicken. How can I speak up for you?"

Hüwood bent down to pick up the cigarette that had been knocked to the ground and chuckled as he said:

"So, honey, please help me out. That way, we'll both get paid, and Da Mao and Ling Ling will have some security."

Da Mao's mother hesitated for a moment and said:

I'll go ask Miss Tan.

Lou, the young man who used to drive for the master, and his father, Butler Lou, have both been away for the past few days; I heard they've gone on a long trip.

You drove for Sakura-ren back then, let me see if it works out.

Xu Wude also hugged his wife and kissed her, saying:

"My wife is the best. But if anyone asks, just say I learned it from someone in Tianjin. I heard the city's defense officers really dislike Japanese people. Do you remember the newspapers from a few years ago? The photos of the awarding of medals in Hunan—I looked closely, and General Yue was in them."

"Is it really him? I heard he also killed prisoners of war."

Da Mao's mother clutched her chest and said,

Wu De exhaled a puff of smoke and chuckled:

"Wife, you don't understand. Before Le Weiguo killed them, he gave them bayonets and guns. That wasn't killing prisoners of war; it was suppressing resistance, it was self-defense."

"how do you know"

"Hehe, dogs have their ways, cats have their ways, and we mice naturally have our ways too."

……

Jia family of the Intermediate People's Court

"Son, how's it going? Is it still possible to keep working in this factory?"

Dongxu held up a stack of papers with calligraphy on them and said:

"Mother, my master is very good to me. He showed me his insights, and I've made a few simple molds these past few days."

Madam Jia nodded and said:

"Thanks to your uncle, otherwise Yi Zhonghai wouldn't be so obedient."

Dongxu shook his head and said:

"Mother, don't say that about Master. We're still next-door neighbors."

Madam Jia, also exasperated, said:

"My son, I've been through far more than you. Listen to me, be careful around Yi Zhonghai, or I won't be able to go on living."

"You should visit your uncle's house whenever you have time. Our family relies entirely on him now, so you should go and show him some filial piety."

Dongxu nodded repeatedly.

Madam Jia slowly stood up and walked to the door. Looking at Yi Zhonghai, who was washing vegetables with Cuilan in the west wing, she murmured with a fierce glint in her eyes:

"Yi Zhonghai, I, Lao Jia, died under mysterious circumstances while working with you. You forcibly took me. Now that my uncle has finally recovered and there's hope for the future, I'll risk my old life to prevent you from ruining my Jia family again."

As if sensing being watched, Yi Zhonghai, who was still laughing and joking, looked up at the Jia family and saw Jia Zhangshi at the door. He spat on the ground and muttered a curse:

"unlucky"

Seeing this, Cuilan asked curiously:

"Master, Dongxu is your apprentice, you can't say that."

Yi Zhonghai, his face also flushed, said:

"What do women know? If it weren't for Jia Gui, I wouldn't have taken Jia Dongxu as my wife. You barren hen, I'm not coming back tonight!"

With that, he stood up angrily, kicked over the wooden basin full of vegetables, and walked out of the courtyard gate.

Cuilan was so frightened that she put her head on her knees and cried incessantly.

Meanwhile, He Daqing, who lived across the street, was also at his wits' end, holding his daughter who was crying desperately.

Should we go find Cuilan or not? She's lying there crying too. Is it possible that two negatives make a positive?

Or I could go find Ah Cai. Second Aunt isn't home and can stay for a few days, and we can leave Sha Zhu alone. I'll just stay at Xiao Bai's place.

But Cai's stepfather is there; if I carry the rainwater there, I probably won't even be able to get through the door.

I couldn't come up with a solution no matter how hard I tried, and eventually I got annoyed by the noise.

Without hesitation, Da Qing carried Yu Shui to Cui Lan's side and said:

"Sister-in-law, can you help me soothe the rain? Nothing I do seems to work."

Cuilan also heard Yushui crying, looked up, and took Yushui from her, saying:

"You couldn't smell the strong odor? I made some strips of cloth out of old clothes to use for rainwater. Come back inside with me to get them."

Looking at Cui Lan's tear-streaked face, her tears as gentle as autumn water, He Daqing felt a surge of sorrow and poignant beauty wash over him.

Recalling the wonderful night before, He Daqing couldn't help but curse:

"You bastard, you don't cherish such a good wife and still want to go out and have fun. I'll help you comfort her."

So, drooling, he followed closely behind, entered the room, locked the door behind him, and then glanced at the rainwater that had already been placed on the bed.

He then grabbed Cuilan, who was holding some strips of cloth, and said:

"Sister-in-law, that Yi Zhonghai is no good. Why don't you come with me?"

He then pulled Cuilan into his arms and kissed her.

"The Qing Dynasty"

"woohoo"

……

Meanwhile, at the entrance to the west wing of the front yard, there were also large and small boxes and several wooden carts.

"Thank you, brother. You can go back now; I'll be staying here from now on."

Yan Bugui spoke to a man who looked exactly like him.

The man nodded and said:

"Xiao Gui, I'll be leaving now. If you don't like the place, come back. There's a house at home; I live alone anyway."

Yan Bugui shook his head and whispered:

"Brother, don't get too close to that 'Old Man Niu' and his gang, or you'll squander everything Father left behind."

The man said with a smile:

"Little Gui, do you think your brother's stupid? All I like is a drink; the rest is playing cards. That's all, I'm leaving."

Yan Bugui also saw her and several helpers off at the gate, leaving Lihua and the children to guard the entrance.

He picked up a wooden box and a hoe from the luggage compartment and went into the room.

After an incense stick had burned, he came out, wiping the sweat from his brow, and began moving the luggage outside the door.

"Lihua, go buy some cooked dishes and roast duck later, and a cup of Shaoxing wine. Let's have a good drink tonight, say goodbye to the past, and start a new life tomorrow. Thank you for your hard work; you'll have to suffer poverty with me."

Lihua also held Yan Bugui's hand and said:

"Honey, now that I've married you, I'll follow you wherever you go, no matter what. I'll go buy some food now."

As she spoke, she took off her gold ring and jade bracelet, touched her belly, and walked out of the room.

Yan Bugui sent his son outside to play, lit a cigarette, and silently looked at the dilapidated house.

"You won't go broke from eating or dressing."

Those who fail to plan ahead will suffer poverty.

"Jia Gui, Fatty Bai, I will never forgive you two, not even for the rest of my life!"

……