After Qin Huairu left, Qin Jingru turned to her father and her cousin Jianguo. "Father, Jianguo, it’s not that I don't value our family ties, but the Jia family is truly too much. We’ve helped her time and again, yet she never returns the favor and even bites the hand that feeds her. She actually brought the First Uncle of the Courtyard to try and snatch our family’s house! They aren't relatives; they're enemies!"
"Besides, the Jia family isn't as pathetic as my cousin makes them out to be. Do you see this lunch box? This is one that a neighbor in the Courtyard brings for her. Ever since her husband died, she hasn't missed a single day. The Jia family spends hardly anything on food."
"Furthermore, the Jia family has collected compensation money twice—once for Qin Huairu’s father-in-law and once for Jia Dongxu. Together, that’s probably over a thousand yuan. You wouldn't find anyone in the entire Qin Family Village as wealthy as the Jia family."
The four Qin siblings were stunned. A thousand yuan? If that was considered poor, then they were nothing but beggars.
Qin Jianguo was furious. His cousin had never mentioned any of this; she only ever acted poor in front of their parents. Outsiders looked at the Qin family and thought they were living the high life, not realizing how much they had been taken advantage of by this city-dwelling cousin. In reality, they had even been subsidizing her.
Qin Jianjun wondered, "Are people in the city really that rich?"
Qin Tianfu looked at Qin Jingru, his eyes full of doubt. "If the Jia family doesn't have to worry about food and has that much money, why does Huairu live so miserably?"
"Father, you’re just too naive. She and her mother-in-law are putting on a show. My cousin is only acting like that for us to see. If she didn't act so pathetic, how would she get us to give her meat? We rural folk might only eat meat a few times a year, but the Jia family is actually doing quite well. They’re just never satisfied. They want to eat meat every single day—they think only that is a good life."
Qin Tianfu thought about their life in the village and agreed that his niece was spoiled and ungrateful. While rural people had to work the fields, his niece worked in a factory, safe from the wind and rain, with no worries about food or drink. To the villagers, Qin Huairu was living in luxury. Thinking of what Qin Jingru said about the cook who brought food to the Jia family, he asked, "Is there really someone in your Courtyard so kind-hearted that he gives his lunch box to your cousin?"
Qin Jingru wore a mysterious expression. "Oh, he’s kind-hearted, all right."
***
Early the next morning, Xu Damao, who had been away from home for several days, returned to the Courtyard pushing his bicycle. On it were his film projection equipment, a bag of local specialties, and, most prominently, two chickens tied to the bike, still flapping and squawking.
Yan Bugui, the gatekeeper, hurried over to greet him. His eyes lit up when he saw the items on the bike, and he quickly helped Xu Damao push it inside.
"Damao, did the villagers load you up with so much stuff again? You must be tired! Let me help you push."
Xu Damao smirked at Yan Bugui’s fawning manner. "Of course. Look who you're talking to! When I left, the villagers couldn't bear to see me go; they insisted on shoving all this on me. I told them I didn't want it, but they wouldn't take no for an answer. Do I look like someone who’s short on these kinds of things?"
"They even walked me all the way to the village entrance. Even city leaders don't get treated like that."
Yan Bugui: "..."
"Damao, you and I go way back. I knew you were going to be successful when you were just a kid. You’re the best in this whole Courtyard." (Internal monologue: Xiaojun doesn't count in the rankings.)
Hearing this, Xu Damao grew even more smug. "That’s right. Third Uncle, I have more local specialties here than I can eat. Take some home for yourself."
Since the Third Uncle was working so hard, he felt he should show some appreciation. He wasn't the type to be petty.
Yan Bugui took the gift and was overjoyed. A few kind words had yielded such a great reward; he could certainly keep this up. After a long-winded speech, Xu Damao cut him off, sensing the man wouldn't stop, and Yan Bugui knew when to quit.
"Damao, a major event happened in the Courtyard while you were away."
Xu Damao’s interest was instantly piqued. His eyes gleamed. "What major event? Tell me!"
"It’s only been half a month, but Xiaojun got married! The Zhou family handled the wedding and everything in one go," Yan Bugui said.
Xu Damao: "???"
He knew Old Man Zhou had passed away, and he remembered that when he left, Zhou Junfeng had been lying in bed, unconscious. He had even prayed for the boy in the middle of the night. (Zhou Junfeng’s internal monologue: There was really no need for that.)
"Xiaojun just turned twenty, right? And he already has a wife? Who is she?"
"Guess," Yan Bugui replied.
Xu Damao: "Third Uncle, stop joking. If I could guess, would I be asking you?"
"It’s Qin Huairu’s cousin. The whole Qin family came yesterday," Yan Bugui said.
"Wait, the Qin Huairu I know?"
"Xiaojun married Qin Huairu’s cousin? Was he delirious from his illness? A perfectly good college student who could find any girl he wanted, and he chose a rural woman? Oh, and she’s related to the Jia family too! He’s welcome to that 'blessing' if he wants it."
Zhou Junfeng’s internal monologue: Don't speak too soon. Without me, Qin Jingru would have been yours.
Xu Damao added, "Is she as good-looking as Qin Huairu?"
Yan Bugui: "Can you eat good looks? Aren't all women the same?"
Xu Damao: "They’re different. If she were exceptionally beautiful, a rural girl might be tolerable. But not if she’s a relative of the Jia family."
After a few more words, Xu Damao pushed his bike to the back courtyard.
"E-zi! I’m back! Come on out!"
Lou Xiaoe, who was in the Deaf Old Lady’s room, heard the call and walked out slowly.
Seeing Lou Xiaoe hanging around the Deaf Old Lady again, Xu Damao was displeased. There weren't many decent people in the Courtyard, and the Deaf Old Lady was the worst of them all—totally unreasonable. Shazhu was right to beat him, but if he touched Shazhu, she’d beat him to death with her cane.
"Why are you yelling so loud? I’m not deaf!"
"Fine, fine. Just put those two chickens in the coop."
After bossing Lou Xiaoe around, Xu Damao went inside, sat down, drank some water, and rested for a while. "E-zi, the moment I got back, the Third Uncle told me Xiaojun got married. Is that true?"
"Yes. You picked a bad time to leave. Only two days after you left, Xiaojun got married. I even had some of the wedding candy. Oh, and his wife is Qin Huairu’s cousin."
"But Qin Huairu and her cousin don't have a very good relationship. The two families don't really interact."
Xu Damao: "???" What? No contact? If they aren't interacting, where’s the drama for him to watch?
"The First Uncle didn't say anything about them not interacting?"
Lou Xiaoe: "How could he not? The First Uncle lectured Xiaojun several times and later even planned to lend the Zhou family’s house to the Jia family."
Xu Damao: "The First Uncle is that deranged? He’s trying to snatch their house?"
Lou Xiaoe: "It’s not snatching, it’s lending."
Xu Damao: "Fine, fine, 'lending.' So, what happened in the end?"
Lou Xiaoe: "The First Uncle let the Jia family move into his own side room."
Xu Damao: "???"