Yet, she had failed He Yuzhu during his prime years, and in the end, she never bore him a child. One must understand that in this society, being labeled "childless" is a vicious curse. Consequently, after his rebirth, He Yuzhu decided to keep his distance from Qin Huairu’s family.
He Yuzhu had been slightly dazed just now—whether due to the original owner’s memories or the pull of her beauty, he had almost made an intimate gesture. Qin Huairu had long noticed He Yuzhu entering the courtyard; feeling him standing behind her, she had felt both nervous and secretly expectant. But when He Yuzhu suddenly pulled back, she felt a wave of disappointment. However, she was not a fragile woman—had she been, she would never have been able to support her family. She spun around abruptly and splashed the water in her hand onto He Yuzhu. Taken completely by surprise, he was drenched.
"Shazhu, what's in the lunch box?" Even in this moment, this resilient woman was still thinking about food.
He Yuzhu blinked, then recovered. "Sorry, my sister is off from school for the holiday today. I stewed some chicken soup for her, so I didn't send any your way."
"Oh." Though she felt a sting of disappointment, she let nothing show on her face. Finally, He Yuzhu couldn't help but feel a pang of pity and hinted cleverly, "Don't worry, Banggeng and the others definitely won't go hungry today!"
After He Yuzhu left, Qin Huairu stared at his back, full of doubt. Why wouldn't Banggeng and the others go hungry? Had Shazhu already fed them in the kitchen?
He Yuzhu returned home, lit the stove, and poured the half-chicken and broth from the lunch box into the pot. After a moment's thought, he deliberately buried the chicken head at the bottom. Once finished, he changed his clothes and lay comfortably on his bed.
"Romance of the Three Kingdoms!" As this thought crossed his mind, a copy of the book appeared in his hand. After crossing over, He Yuzhu had gained a "Copy System" along with an upgradeable storage space. After two months of effort, the space had grown to over a hundred cubic meters. Inside, besides food, were books. Entertainment was scarce in this era; films were an option, but the cinema was far away, taking over an hour to reach. He Yuzhu, who never used to like reading, now spent all his spare time doing so.
Recently, Xu Damao had improved his own reading skills through constant practice, mastering various practical techniques that were useful not just for reading, but in other areas as well.
That morning, Xu Damao had rushed home from the factory. Worried about being discovered, he ducked into his room, too hurried to notice the state of his chicken coop. Only after changing did he realize he needed to wash his clothes, which reeked of alcohol, and only then did he relax slightly. Afterward, he headed to the coop to grab a chicken. Today was an important day—he was having a blind date, and the girl was due to arrive. He had prepared most of the ingredients, all save for a chicken. If he could have one, he could make a classic "Si Si Dao Di"—a feast grand enough to surely satisfy his date.
"Si Si Dao Di" was a traditional Beijing custom; when hosting weddings or funerals, if circumstances allowed, sixteen dishes would be prepared, commonly known as "Si Si Dao Di."
However, when he opened the coop, he found it empty. The old hen was gone. Hearing Xu Damao’s anxious shouts, Qin Huairu stepped out. She asked what had happened and learned that the hen he had brought back from the countryside after showing a movie a few days ago was missing. Xu Damao insisted the gaps in the coop were too small for the bird to have escaped on its own. Qin Huairu guessed perhaps he had forgotten he’d eaten it, or that one of the elders at home had taken it by mistake.
Suddenly, Xu Damao sniffed the air and asked if Qin Huairu smelled something savory. She denied it, but in reality, she had smelled the chicken soup long ago and knew it was stewing in He Yuzhu’s home. To avoid unnecessary trouble, she chose to remain silent. Furthermore, since He Yuzhu had warned her to watch Banggeng and the others, she had discovered them returning with greasy mouths and clothes stained with chicken feathers. She quickly arranged for them to clean up so no traces would be left.
The most important thing now was to prevent Xu Damao from bothering He Yuzhu. Theft was a serious matter, and even if He Yuzhu was kind-hearted, he would not want to bear such an accusation. If the two men clashed, Banggeng and the others would be in danger.
Xu Damao was not a man to be trifled with; he shoved past the woman trying to stop him and stormed straight into He Yuzhu’s home. Hearing the commotion, He Yuzhu sat up slowly from his bed.
"Oh, grandson, come to see your grandpa, have you?"
Xu Damao’s face turned grim. Without a word, he marched to the stove and lifted the lid. Seeing the chicken stewing in the pot, his face darkened instantly.
"Shazhu, I’ve caught you red-handed! Tell me, did you steal this chicken from my house?"
"Grandson, don't talk nonsense! I bought this chicken fair and square!"
"Fine, I won't argue with you. I’m getting Third Uncle to talk some sense into you."
Xu Damao turned and headed straight for the back courtyard. But to his surprise, Third Uncle refused to get involved. Third Uncle was usually a man who loved to show off; even if no one asked, he would typically insert himself into such affairs. This time, however, he acted completely out of character. Desperate, Xu Damao turned to Second Uncle. Upon hearing the news, Second Uncle decided this was a matter he could not ignore. Soon, Second Uncle and Aunt Er arrived.
Facing their interrogation, He Yuzhu maintained that the chicken was not stolen. Despite the evidence, Second Uncle was unwilling to leave empty-handed and ordered Xu Damao to assemble everyone in the middle courtyard for a general meeting.
Before long, every household had arrived. On a day off, a general meeting was as lively as a festival, with people bringing their own stools to the courtyard. First Uncle, unaware of the situation, called out from the outside, "Damao, has your date arrived? Didn't you say she wasn't coming until noon? It's not time yet!" He had assumed the date had arrived early.
"First Uncle, my date hasn't arrived. Someone stole something, and I’m asking everyone to help judge the situation."
Second Uncle directed Xu Damao to place the pot of stewed chicken on the table in the middle of the yard. Once everyone was seated, Second Uncle glanced at Third Uncle. Although First Uncle was the eldest of the group, he disliked meddling and rarely stood up to lead. Second Uncle was different—he wanted to be involved in everything. He was worried Third Uncle would steal the spotlight, as he had initiated the meeting himself. But strangely, Third Uncle, who usually couldn't resist barking orders, kept his head down, showing no intention of speaking. It was truly a bizarre sight.
It was indeed strange that Third Uncle wasn't scrambling for power. Since that was the case, Second Uncle didn't hold back. After a dry cough, he spoke solemnly:
"Neighbors, our courtyard is rated a 'Five-Good Siheyuan' every year and receives praise from the neighborhood office. This is our pride! But now, something frustrating has happened. Does everyone know? Today, Xu Damao’s old hen went missing, and Shazhu happens to have a chicken stewing on his stove. What does everyone think of this?"
As soon as Second Uncle finished, the crowd began to whisper. Third Aunt couldn't help but ask, "Shazhu, where did your chicken come from?"
Third Uncle hurriedly stopped her, nudging her with his elbow to stay quiet. He whispered to her, "Now is not the time to create conflict. Shazhu is about to cook the wedding banquet for the eldest son’s sister-in-law."
Third Aunt was confused. "Hasn't he already taken the money?"
Third Uncle replied, "That’s just on the surface. I’m planning to act as a matchmaker for him so he’ll put in more effort."
The crowd was drawn into the discussion sparked by Second Uncle's words. Only First Uncle looked displeased, frowning. "Second Brother, stop trying to scare people; just state the facts clearly."
Second Uncle explained, "It’s simple. I just want to remind everyone to be mindful of neighborly relations and not let trifles ruin our bond." Everyone agreed that this made sense and nodded in approval.
"He promised he would listen to me, and he won't take any money," Third Uncle whispered. "But you must remember, don't go around blabbing. If word gets out, the eldest son will surely demand that money back!"
"Look at you, keeping track of your own child's money even now," Third Aunt replied. They kept their voices low, worried about being overheard. In truth, no one was paying them any mind; everyone was busy debating whether Shazhu had stolen Xu Damao’s chicken. Most felt the evidence was irrefutable, but a minority, like First Uncle, were skeptical.
"Shazhu, answer the question!" Second Uncle pressed when He Yuzhu remained silent.
He Yuzhu’s expression remained calm and unshaken, as if he feared no storm. His voice was steady and powerful. "I bought it, of course! Heaven can bear witness!" He Yuzhu said, raising his left hand and holding up two fingers to swear.
Second Uncle’s eyes darted around, and a sudden idea struck him. "Then tell me, did you buy it at the Dongdan Market or the Chaoyang Market?"
"Chaoyang Market!" He Yuzhu answered without a second thought.
Second Uncle’s mouth curled into a smirk. "Heh, you’re something else."
"Everyone, going to Chaoyang Market, even by bus, takes an hour round trip. Xu Damao just told me that he left the factory before Shazhu, and while Shazhu might have taken a shortcut, many can testify that he arrived home only half an hour after leaving the factory. He never had time to go to Chaoyang Market!"
"Impressive, Second Uncle! Were you just waiting there to expose me?" He Yuzhu, who usually looked down on Second Uncle, had to admire his logic.
"Second Uncle, you are like Judge Bao reborn! This interrogation technique is top-notch!" The neighbors praised Second Uncle, marveling at his skill.
Second Uncle, brimming with pride, continued, "Shazhu, you’d better confess for leniency! Admit it now!"
He Yuzhu smiled. "Second Uncle, I’d like to admit it, but the chicken won't admit it! If it says it’s Xu Damao’s, I’ll pay him back immediately, and I’ll pay double!"
First Uncle had always believed He Yuzhu wouldn't steal. Of all the people in the yard, he was the fondest of him. He felt they had similar temperaments; for years, they had taken care of the Deaf Old Lady together. Even regarding Qin Huairu’s family, He Yuzhu helped more than he did, yet never bragged about it. He firmly believed a man like that wouldn't engage in petty theft.
"Shazhu, stop playing games. Did you steal it or not? Give us a straight answer!"
"First Uncle, don't you know me? Even if I do bad things occasionally, everyone knows I never lie. I said this chicken can talk, so it really can talk! If you don't believe me, go ask it!"
"I’ll go!"
"I’ll go too!"
Seeing that Shazhu didn't seem to be joking, the crowd raised their hands, eager to step forward. He Yuzhu pointed at the crowd and began assigning tasks: "Third Uncle, Liu Guangfu, Banggeng—the three of you!"