The Life of a Son-in-Law in a Courtyard House

Qin Huairu plopped down, like a kind and understanding older sister next door.

I chatted with Qi Yanhua about everything under the sun.

They just don't talk about serious matters.

They talked a lot about things between women, and then she asked, "Yanhua, is your family really planning to have that Dalin as a live-in son-in-law?"

Qi Yanhua was naturally shy, but she had long harbored a thought in her heart: to prevent her mother from being bullied in this courtyard in the future, she would find a son-in-law to live with her. This would allow her mother to have no worries and also allow him to take care of her.

Otherwise, if she and her sister really get married in the future, their mother will definitely be exploited and have no descendants.

If things go wrong, the house might be gone.

But she's a girl after all, and she's too embarrassed to say it.

"We haven't thought it through yet. We'll talk about it after I graduate. I'll listen to my mom when it comes to family matters."

The meaning is quite obvious.

Qin Huairu didn't know whether she genuinely didn't understand or was pretending not to.

"Advancia, let me tell you, when choosing a man, you have to see if she knows how to manage a household, not just whether Dalinzi is good-looking," and then went on and on, without mentioning how she found Jia Dongxu with thick eyebrows and big eyes.

They advise others not to consider looks when getting married, yet they themselves are obsessed with appearances.

Qi Xiaoning felt embarrassed to listen, after all, she was still young, so she could only hide in the inner room.

Qi Yanhua couldn't kick her out, so she could only listen to one side of the story and let it go in the other.

Qin Huairu then used the same methods she used to manipulate He Yushui, and began to manipulate Qi Yanhua as well.

In fact, He Yushui lost He Daqing's care when she was seven years old. He Yuzhu was usually busy, so Qin Huairu would chat with He Yushui whenever she had free time.

He Yushui regarded Qin Huairu as both a sister-in-law and a mother.

After all, there are many things that young women shouldn't talk about with an older woman, and it's even less appropriate for other older women.

Therefore, the image of a kind and understanding older sister was established in her mind for a very long time.

You should know that He Yushui once said that when she was a child, an old lady had steamed buns but didn't give them to her, and a deaf old lady had noodles but hid them when she saw her coming.

Therefore, He Yushui did not believe Yi Zhonghai's wife and the deaf old lady.

But Qin Huairu probably didn't give her anything to eat at the time, but she knew how to use PUA (Pick-Up Artist tactics) and complain.

In other words, they can have both the power and the prestige.

Qi Yanhua isn't without a mother; her mother taught her a lot.

He scoffed at Qin Huairu's words, but couldn't say anything.

I can only manage to do it barely; the steamed buns on the stove will be ready soon.

Qi Yulan will be back soon, and just as Qi Yanhua was wondering what to do, Qi Xiaoning came out.

"Sister-in-law Dongxu, it's getting late, aren't you going home to cook?"

That's basically an order to leave.

Who knew that Qin Huairu was a cut above the rest: "It's alright, Xiaoning, my family is out of food. We won't starve to death if we go hungry for a meal."

"I just couldn't bear to see my mother-in-law, Banggeng, and Xiaodang go hungry. Seeing the look in their eyes, my sister-in-law couldn't take it anymore and that's why she ran away."

As Qin Huairu put on her acting skills, her eyes even reddened.

Holy crap, this guy's a pro.

How do you respond to that statement about a child and a teenage girl?

It's nothing to say.

Qi Yanhua turned around and glared at Qi Xiaoning.

Qi Xiaoning also knew that she had made a mistake by saying that, giving Qin Huairu an opportunity to play the victim.

Qi Yanhua picked up a towel from the laundry tub stand and handed it to Qin Huairu.

"Sister-in-law Dongxu, wipe your tears. Don't cry yourself sick. Brother Dongxu is counting on you to take care of him." She changed the subject, not responding to his question.

Qin Huairu cried for a while, and seeing that Qi Yanhua was not responding, she was thinking about what to do.

Her saviors have arrived.

From outside came Banggeng and Xiaodang's voices: "Mommy, where are you? Mommy, where are you?"

Children generally like to look for their mothers, which seems normal; Yang Dalin was like that in his past life too.

His rural hometown and his aunt's house in the next village are less than 500 meters apart as the crow flies.

When Yang Dalin was about ten years old, he came home from school one day and no one was home.

Yang Dalin stood on the roof of his house and called out to everyone around him, "Mother..."

His mother returned from his aunt's house shortly after and gave him a beating.

(This is based on the author's personal experience. It happened in a plain area. At the time, his house was the tallest in the village. It was a new house with a lot of earthen foundation. Of course, he got a good beating, and his voice was hoarse the next day.)

Qin Huairu didn't go out either: "Bang Geng, Xiao Dang, I'm at your Aunt Yanhua's house."

Bang Geng and Xiao Dang pushed the door open and came in.

Xiao Dang was still young, and when Bang Geng saw Qin Huairu crying, he asked, "Mom, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

When Xiao Dang saw Qin Huairu crying, she wanted to shed tears too.

When Qi Yanhua and Qi Xiaoning saw this, their minds went blank.

I knew the steamed buns I made at noon today wouldn't survive.

Ordinary coarse grain buns are one thing, but these are exquisite white flour buns.

My heart aches so much, I can't bear to part with him.

If I had known, I would have heated fewer of them in the pot.

I ate eight of the twenty steamed buns last night and three this morning.

At noon, Qi Yanhua heated up five [items], preparing two for her younger sister and two for her mother, while she would only eat one.

Before the steamed buns were even heated up, a big rascal and two little brats showed up.

Anyone who didn't know better would think that Qi Yanhua and her sister were bullying Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu is a much better actress than Jia Zhangshi, and Jia Zhangshi in the play isn't as shrewish as she seems.

Otherwise, Sha Zhu would spoil her; he's the kind of person who, when he gets angry, would even hit Deputy Factory Director Li.

Although he regretted it afterward, this kind of person is the type who, once he gets carried away, will do anything, no matter who it is.

Why doesn't Jia Zhangshi take the initiative to find him to do something?

Just wait and see if Sha Zhu dares to fight.

Moreover, in the drama, Qin Huairu manipulates Sha Zhu. Look, the three children are only close to you. Bang Geng doesn't steal from anyone else but his silly uncle's house. This shows that the children are close to you. Why doesn't he steal from other people's houses?

That's blatant lying. Who stole soy sauce from the steel mill and chickens from Xu Damao's house at the beginning?

In other words, Sha Zhu is easy to fool, but others like Qin Huairu might not be so easily fooled.

But was Qin Huairu naturally this smart, or was she taught by someone behind the scenes?

Jia Zhangshi? That's unlikely.

Yi Zhonghai? That remains to be discussed.

Just as the Qi sisters were wondering what to do, Qi Yulan came home.

As soon as I entered, I heard Qin Huairu sobbing softly.

If I cried loudly, there would have been a crowd gathered at the gate of this courtyard long ago.

Qin Huairu still had some sense of shame, but not much.

Aunt Qi was experienced; when Qi Xiaoning was unwilling, she took out two of her treasured candies.

Give one to each of Bangbang and Xiaodang.

The two children stopped crying much.

Then Qi Yulan asked Qi Xiaoning what happened.

Qi Xiaoning was quick-witted and finished speaking in no time.

Knowing that it wasn't her two children's fault, Qi Yulan felt relieved.

I took two leftover cornbread buns from yesterday from the kitchen and handed one to Banggeng and one to Xiaodang.

Seeing that Qin Huairu was still reluctant to leave, Qi Yulan picked up Xiaodang and asked, "Xiaodang, tell Grandma Qi, is the candy sweet?"

Qi Yulan is not yet forty, but according to the seniority in the courtyard, Xiao Dang and Bang Geng should indeed call her Grandma.

Xiao Dang's eyes crinkled into crescent moons: "Sweet, the sugar is sweet."

"Then tell Grandma Qi, do you still have cornbread to eat?"

Without hesitation, Xiao Dang replied, "Yes, Grandma is making it."

Qin Huairu, upon hearing her daughter's betrayal, could no longer keep up the pretense.

He took the small pawn from Qi Yulan and said, "Auntie, I'm sorry, I've just been having a hard time. I was chatting with Yanhua and I peed a little. You must be tired from work, so please rest. I'm going back now."

The children thanked Grandma Qi for the cornbread.

Xiao Dang and Bang Geng said in unison, "Thank you, Grandma Qi."

After saying that, Qin Huairu grabbed the stick with one hand and carried Xiao Dang with the other, then went out the door.

Two steamed buns would normally be a meal for Qi Xiaoning and Qi Yanhua.

They even threw in two candies, what a huge loss!

Qi Yulan was also very upset, but this was the only thing she could do.

Otherwise, if the two children start crying here, people who don't know the truth might think something.

This was Qin Huairu's little scheme that she felt good about.