Qin Huairu buried her head, tidying the dishes and chopsticks on the table.
Suddenly, a waft of meat aroma drifted over.
Granny Jia knew immediately from the smell that it was the delicious aroma of the Chen Family's cooking, and her anger flared even more.
"Look at the Chen Family. That Chen Jianye is a big young man. Does he have more meat than you? No, does he have an extra arm or something?"
"Why is it that their food smells so good, and what you make is just… what is this stuff?"
"I don't even want to talk about you. I give you money, and you just waste it."
Granny Jia, smelling the aroma of the Chen Family's stir-fry, gained momentum in her scolding, like wind fueling fire, and her tirade escalated further.
Qin Huairu opened her mouth, but still said nothing.
In her heart, she secretly cursed Granny Jia's ancestors for eighteen generations.
Damn it, what does the Chen Family use for cooking, and what do I use?
You give me a few yuan every month, and you expect to eat dragon liver and phoenix marrow?
You only deserve to eat shit!
"This month I'm giving you six yuan. Think carefully about how to spend this money. Good steel must be used on the blade. Use your brain."
"You don't do any work, just eat and drink well at home every day. Why don't I have such a good life?"
Granny Jia babbled on for a while, then pulled six yuan from her pocket.
"Thank you, Mom."
Qin Huairu took the money and put it in her pocket.
She secretly made up her mind.
As soon as she gave birth, she would go to work.
Getting money from Granny Jia was harder than swallowing a thousand needles.
Qin Huairu felt suffocated by such a scolding every month.
Once she started working and earning money, she could keep some for herself and have face when she went back to her maiden home.
"Get lost!"
Granny Jia said impatiently.
Qin Huairu put the dishes and chopsticks into the enamel basin, carried it, and walked out of the room.
Granny Jia got up, told Bang梗 to take Ding Dang outside to play, and then, swinging her arms, went to the small room where she slept, preparing to hide her money.
When she hid money, no one could be inside the Jia house.
As the saying goes, guard against external threats day and night, but a thief within the family is hard to guard against.
With her son gone, Granny Jia's savings were her life; no one could touch them.
Entering the small room, Granny Jia knelt on the ground, shining a flashlight on a spot at the base of the wall.
Seeing that the strand of hair she had left last time was still there, Granny Jia was in a very good mood.
Humming a tune, she opened the brick in the wall, then reached inside and felt around skillfully.
Huh?
She felt nothing.
Granny Jia's heart sank, and she quickly felt around several more times.
The result was the same: the inside of the wall was empty, with nothing there.
Granny Jia panicked.
She pressed her head close to the wall, wishing her eyeballs could pop out and extend into the small hole.
She felt around inside the small hole several times with her hand.
Granny Jia finally confirmed one thing.
Her money pouch was gone!
"Ahhhhhhh!"
A desolate, mournful scream came from the Jia Family's small room, echoing throughout the Courtyard.
Everyone heard the sound and stopped what they were doing.
"Who's screaming?"
"It sounds like Granny Jia?"
"What happened to her?"
"Let's go see."
The people in the Courtyard moved into action.
Chen Jianye had just finished cooking. Hearing the sound, a smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
Let her do bad things, steal my family's belongings, and ruin my blind date.
Serves her right this time.
Chen Jianye felt no sympathy for Jia Zhangshi; he happily carried the dishes to the table, served the rice, and prepared to enjoy his meal.
"Ahhh, heavens!"
Granny Jia lay on the ground, tears streaming down her face, feeling as if all strength had been drained from her body.
Her money.
Her money was gone!
At the Jia Family's doorstep.
Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Fugui, the Three Great Masters, arrived upon hearing the sound, their eyes filled with worry.
The sound Granny Jia made was truly heart-wrenching.
Could something have happened to Bang梗 or Ding Dang?
Jia Dongxu had only recently passed away; if something happened to the Jia Family's children again, the Jia Family would be finished.
"Bang梗, Ding Dang, come here, both of you."
Qin Huairu also heard the mournful cries from inside the Jia Family's house. She put down the dishes and chopsticks she was washing and quickly called Bang梗 and Ding Dang over.
Then she ran towards the Jia Family house.
"The Jia Family's children are fine."
"Qin Huairu is also fine."
"What happened to Old Woman Jia? She's screaming worse than a pig being slaughtered? Is someone hurting her inside?"
Everyone gathered at the Jia Family's doorway, discussing animatedly.
"Who could hurt her? Would you?"
Liu Haizhong said irritably.
Everyone burst into laughter.
With Granny Jia's weight, she could crush someone to death just by falling on them.
"Qin Huairu, quickly go inside and check."
Yi Zhonghai instructed.
"Three Great Masters, you should come in with me too."
Qin Huairu was a little uneasy.
Yi Zhonghai and the other two naturally wouldn't refuse.
Qin Huairu felt a little more at ease, pushed open the door, and entered the house.
She followed the source of the sound.
Wailing cries came from the small room.
"Mom!"
Qin Huairu called out.
The small room was pitch black; the kerosene lamp hadn't even been lit.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
Qin Huairu called out again.
Suddenly, there were hurried footsteps from inside the room.
Qin Huairu stepped back slightly.
Soon, Granny Jia charged towards Qin Huairu like a Tiger Tank launching an assault.
And her face was twisted, her eyes red, as if she were possessed.
"Mom!"
Qin Huairu shrieked, protecting her belly.
Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Fugui quickly moved to help; two of them protected Qin Huairu.
Liu Haizhong, who was the heaviest, stopped Granny Jia.
With a bang.
Liu Haizhong was directly sent flying.
The difference between a small tank and a large tank was very obvious.
However, Liu Haizhong's obstruction gave Yi Zhonghai and the other two time to escape.
"Sha Zhu, Guang Tian, Jie Cheng, you three, come quickly!"
Yi Zhonghai shouted, calling out to the Courtyard's three strong men.
Three sturdy young men rushed into the Jia Family's house.
After a glance inside the Jia house, Sha Zhu and the other two immediately pounced on Jia Zhangshi.
With three strong young men joining the fray, no matter how formidable Jia Zhangshi was, she couldn't defeat men and her charge was halted.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
Qin Huairu ran out of the Jia Family's house, turned back, and saw Jia Zhangshi entangled with Sha Zhu and the other two, unable to help but shed tears.
"Jia Family Sister-in-law, tell us what's wrong. Why are you resorting to violence the moment we meet? What exactly happened to you?"
Yi Zhonghai also asked.
Sha Zhu and the other two pinned Jia Zhangshi to the ground.
Jia Zhangshi was still growling, trying to get up.
"Jia Zhangshi must be possessed."
"Did Jia Dongxu come back? And possessed Granny Jia?"
"The Jia Family is truly plagued by misfortune. Oh, the Courtyard used to be very peaceful before. What's been happening lately?"
Everyone discussed amongst themselves.
After a while, Granny Jia was exhausted from struggling and was gasping for breath on the ground.
"Get off me, you bastards! Get out of here, all of you!"
Granny Jia cursed loudly.
Everyone heard her voice and, instead, let out a sigh of relief.
She's back to normal.
"Old Woman Jia, what exactly happened?"
Yi Zhonghai stepped forward and entered the Jia Family's house.
Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui followed closely behind.
"My money, my money!"
Granny Jia lay on the ground, tears streaming down her face.
Her heartbroken appearance truly saddened those who heard and brought tears to those who witnessed it.