I am Jia Dongjin in the Siheyuan (Courtyard House)

Chapter 123 Bed Sheets

"Sister-in-law, Dongjin, we didn't take good care of Yi Damao. The child is ignorant and caused Banggeng to be frightened."

Yi Zhonghai was all smiles as he visited the Jia family once again, two years later.

Let's rewind to last night.

"China Overseas, this matter was handled poorly."

Upon learning that Yi Damao's attempt had failed and had not only failed to achieve its intended effect but had also aroused the other party's suspicion, Yi Zhonghai was once again frustrated. After hearing this, the deaf old lady sighed and then began to comfort him, saying, "Since it has already happened, there's no use in regretting it. You might as well take this opportunity to soften your stance towards the Jia family and dispel this kid's suspicion."

"Give in?!"

Gao Cuilan was very unhappy, but after a moment of frustration, Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up.

A true man can bend and stretch. Even Nurhaci, a powerful man, once served as a servant and henchman for Li Chengliang. Great men have to bow their heads sometimes. It's nothing for him to back down. The process doesn't matter; the result is what matters.

Yi Damao's move was originally just a casual ploy; it was just a child's eagerness for revenge, nothing serious.

The real important thing is the year-end grading exam. If I get promoted to level eight fitter, my status in the steel mill and the courtyard house will rise sharply. That would be a victory. Giving in temporarily means nothing.

"Alright, Cuilan, take the piece of cured meat that Shazhu bought at the pigeon market, and a few pounds of cornmeal. Let's go to the Jia family for a talk."

He Yuzhu stayed up half the night last night to buy half a pound of cured meat for the Yi family. Now that Yi Zhonghai has something to do, he can only give it as a gift.

In this land, gift-giving has become an art, and a respectable one at that. The Jia family is not short of money now, so half a pound of cured meat is the best gift.

"That's right, being flexible and decisive is what makes a capable person! However, sending food isn't appropriate; they might not dare to eat it. Cuilan, you bought a piece of fabric for Damao. I think it's quite nice, so I'll send it to him under the guise of making clothes for Banggeng."

Seeing Gao Cuilan's reluctance to part with the fabric, the deaf old lady smiled slightly and praised Yi Zhonghai as a man of great vision.

On the other hand, the cured meat was rather fatty, which was exactly the type of meat the deaf old lady liked because of her poor teeth. So she casually changed it to fabric as a gift.

Overjoyed to receive the precious fabric, Jia Zhangshi repeatedly assured everyone that Bang Geng was no problem, that they were neighbors and it was no big deal.

Afterwards, Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongjin had a pleasant conversation, as did Gao Cuilan and Jia Zhangshi. After resolving the kite issue, both sides expressed their willingness to shake hands and make peace, reaching a consensus easily.

After seeing off Mr. and Mrs. Yi Zhonghai with smiles, the Jia family members looked at each other, knowing that the others were up to no good, but they couldn't guess the specific intentions.

"Who cares? They're definitely just sweet-talking but treacherous. Let's just make pants for Bang Geng first. They're quite cunning; they're thinking of pulling their fists back first and then finding an opportunity to strike."

What does "honeyed words conceal a dagger" mean?

This idiom is rarely used. Qin Huairu understood it, but Qin Jingru couldn't understand it, so she seized the opportunity to learn it.

"It means saying nice things but secretly plotting and scheming. I heard they gave out more level eight fitter quotas this year, but that old bastard is so unsteady on his feet, what could he possibly be thinking?" Jia Dongjin stroked his chin, starting to ponder.

Objectively speaking, Yi Damao has already been exposed. As expected, he harbored ill intentions and was planning to use underhanded tricks. Jia Dongjin specially arranged female bodyguards for Banggeng so that they could have fun together and exercise at the same time, and there wouldn't be any major problems.

"He's probably aiming for the level 8 fitter certification, and he's worried we'll sabotage him."

Qin Huairu suggested that the other party might want stability and aim for the grade exam at the end of the year. Jia Dongjin didn't think much of it and waved his hand, saying, "The eighth-level fitter exam isn't that easy. He's recovered quickly, but he's older and recovers slowly. His skill level is definitely not as good as in previous years. I think he has no chance."

"That's true, I didn't pass the exam last year, so I'm even less likely to pass this year."

Qin Huairu nodded in agreement. She then instructed Qin Jingru to return to the courtyard house as soon as possible after finishing her farm work to help keep an eye on the pigs.

"Dongjin, our family spent 46 yuan last month, and we didn't buy any clothes or anything. Huairu just bought two bed sheets. Is it okay for you to be so picky about food?"

After reaching a reconciliation agreement with the Yi family, Madam Jia looked at the account book kept by Qin Huairu and saw that there was still 2 yuan for Luo Sanya's tutoring fee. Her brows furrowed so deeply that they could kill a fly.

Jia Dongjin was good at making money and earning a living, but he also spent money extravagantly. He waved his hand and decided to give Qin Sanya 2 yuan a month, and also gave the Qin family a huge sum of 50 yuan. If it weren't for the need to protect the dog, Jia Zhangshi would never have agreed.

The person in the Jia family who loved eating and drinking the most was Jia Zhangshi, followed by Jia Dongjin. Often, Jia Dongjin would first host a spiritual feast, then Jia Zhangshi would agree, and finally Jia Dongjin would find a way to get the ingredients.

When they encounter a new dish that they haven't made before, the Qin sisters, Qin Huairu and Qin Jingru, don't need to lift a finger. Jia Dongjin will roll up his sleeves and get to work, making the new dish perfectly. The two sisters and Banggeng Xiaodang can just sit aside and wait to eat the ready-made meal.

"The worst thing in the world is to die before you've spent all your money."

Jia Dongjin's casual remark made Jia Zhangshi's triangular eyes sparkle. She rolled her eyes and immediately retorted, "There's something even worse: the money is all gone, but the person is still alive."

Of the three stewards who had a feud, Yan Fugui's relationship with the Jia family had eased, Liu Haizhong had chosen to back down, and Yi Zhonghai had done the same. Even though she still had some worries, Jia Zhangshi was in a great mood and couldn't help but start to imagine a happy and wonderful life.

Jia Dongjin raised an eyebrow and said leisurely, "Health comes first, money second. Saving money is important, but spending it is even more important. For good health, money really doesn't matter."

He couldn't say that money would depreciate, and that saving money was a waste of effort. The key was future earning power. Thinking about lying down was just a dream. But even if he said it, the three women wouldn't understand. So Jia Dongjin could only use the excuse of taking care of his health to keep bringing home delicious food.

What she said made perfect sense and struck a chord with Jia Zhangshi. She nodded and said with a look of relief, "Many people in the courtyard look sallow, and the Yan family members are all so thin they're practically skin and bones. Even fewer people are going out to chat. Everyone is staying put as much as possible, saying they're conserving energy and that lying down will save food. In all my years, I've only ever heard of trying to get food, I've never seen anyone save food like this before. It's truly an eye-opener."

"Aunt Zhang, my brother-in-law is right. Since Liu Haizhong is supporting us, we can't be polite and we should eat it."

Qin Jingru licked her lips. She was now filled with hatred for Liu Haizhong. The thought that the food was bought with the Liu family's money made her turn her grief and anger into a desire to eat.

After Liu Haizhong came to her door, she returned to Qin Family Village. Now, under the guise of delivering potatoes, she can enjoy a few more days of good food and drink to make up for the physical depletion she experienced in the past few days.

Therefore, Qin Jingru is now in a very relaxed mood and enjoys her meals exceptionally.

Of the 100 yuan Liu Haizhong compensated, Qin Jingru received 50 yuan, plus the 30 yuan that the Jia family had been supporting her with over time. This was enough for Qin Jingru's family to get through the difficult period. If they were just buying food, they wouldn't have spent it all.

"Yes, I also think Dongjin is right. Among the courtyard houses, only Banggeng and Xiaodang are good-looking. Guihua's daughter is much thinner than Xiaodang, and it's heartbreaking to see."

After Qin Huairu finished speaking, she put a piece of pig liver on Jia Dongjin's plate and Banggeng's plate, and fed Xiaodang a spoonful of pig liver paste.

"Huai Ru, you're breastfeeding the baby, so you should eat more. Don't worry about us. The pig liver is enough for us for a day. I'll figure out how to get some more tomorrow."

Jia Dongjin also put a piece of pig liver on his wife's plate.

"Yes, I need to replenish my nutrition; I should eat more livestock meat."

As she ate the smooth and tender pork liver, Qin Huairu rolled her eyes at the man. She deliberately mentioned the word "livestock," the meaning of which the couple both understood.

With the danger alert temporarily lifted, everyone felt relaxed and couldn't help but start livening up the atmosphere.

When Qin Huairu brought up livestock, Jia Dongjin immediately perked up. Not only was he not angry that the woman wanted to eat him, he even acted like a lackey and put another piece of pig liver on her plate.

"Sister and brother-in-law, what are you doing? Can't a person eat in peace?"

Qin Jingru has grown up, and she really couldn't bear to watch, but the food was so plentiful that she couldn't bear to put down her chopsticks and leave.

"Jingru, you're not right. Dongjin and the others are doing it this way. That's how young couples should be. You'll be similar in the future. You'll understand after you get married." Madam Jia smiled broadly and quickly put a piece of pig liver on Qin Jingru's plate.

Jia Dongjin's friend Lao Huang was a great help; the restaurant chefs had connections, and offal was easier to get than pork.

Pig intestines are rich in lard and are even more in demand than pork, so Jia Dongjin can only focus on pig liver and pig heart, which are at least considered meat.

Comparatively speaking, the Jia family prefers to buy pig liver, as it is easy to process and does not require oil. Jia Dongjin's pig liver soup is delicious, and even the little girl can chew it. He chops the cooked pig liver into a paste, and the little girl can finish a small bowl every time.

As for the unhealthy pig offal containing too much purine, we can only deal with that after we get through this difficult time; Jia Dongjin can't worry about that now.

He has decided that once his life improves, he will never buy it again, nor will he ever eat offal again.

"Alright, let's eat quickly. Huai Ru still needs to do laundry after we finish eating," Jia Zhangshi said finally, ending the topic of household expenses.

"Sis, you and your husband are going to take the kids for a walk, I'll do the washing."

"No! Jingru, you wash the clothes over there. This basin contains the bed sheets; I can just wash them myself."

Qin Huairu hurriedly stopped her, fearing that Qin Jingru would snatch it away. She quickly picked up the basin and went to the tap.

Qin Jingru remained where she was, bewildered. She was too young to understand adult life.