Siheyuan came through and sent Jia Zhang to prison

Chapter 622 Jia Dongxu's aunt is looking for Qin Huairu

Yi Zhonghai stood with his hands behind his back against the mud-brick wall of the deserted courtyard. The morning breeze ruffled the white hair at his temples, and his heart felt like it was being branded with a red-hot iron. He knew all too well the weight of this matter—he had been "Uncle Yi" in the courtyard for decades, mediating for anyone in trouble and reconciling any quarrels. That reputation of "high prestige" was the most precious dignity he had ever held in his heart. But if Qin Huairu were to expose this, and his sordid affair with Jia Dongxu's aunt became the talk of the town, he would be drowned in spittle. Who would respect him after that?

More importantly, there's Jia Dongxu's aunt. If a young, unmarried woman staying at a relative's house were to have an affair with an elder in the courtyard, she would be subjected to endless gossip and would probably never dare to leave the courtyard.

Yi Zhonghai frowned, suddenly remembering Jia Dongxu's aunt's pregnancy—if this matter could be resolved and she got pregnant, everything would be different. With a child, he would have leverage over her, and even if Qin Huairu was shrewish, she would have to consider the Jia family's reputation. If that hothead Jia Dongxu knew that his aunt was pregnant with the child of the "respected" Master Yi, what could he do but accept his fate? In that case, Yi Zhonghai would actually have the upper hand.

"Don't be angry." Yi Zhonghai turned to look at the woman squatting by the haystack, his voice low. "Qin Huairu is a smart woman. She knows what to say and what not to say. If she dares to spill the beans, the Jia family will be the first to lose face, and her husband Jia Dongxu will be the first to not let her off the hook."

Jia Dongxu's aunt suddenly stood up, her face still flushed, but her eyes were filled with anger: "That little hussy, she actually dared to follow me! When we get back, I'll teach her a lesson!" She gripped the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning white. "If she doesn't know what's good for her, I'll have Dongxu deal with her—a barren hen, yet she dares to meddle in the affairs of her elders?"

Yi Zhonghai chuckled inwardly at her sullen expression—she was still young, and couldn't even keep her composure over something like this. He waved his hand: "Alright, go back now. Remember, when you see her, act like nothing happened. Talk and laugh as usual, but don't give anything away."

"Okay." The woman pouted, then suddenly remembered something, looked up at Yi Zhonghai, and asked impatiently, "Where's my money?"

Yi Zhonghai's face stiffened instantly, his eyes darting away. He'd been showering her with gifts lately, nearly emptying the family's savings. The Tan family was still waiting for his household expenses; where would they find any spare money? He coughed, took two steps forward, and lowered his voice, his tone slightly coaxing: "Don't worry about the money. Think about it, if you get pregnant, I'll divorce that woman surnamed Tan and marry you in style. You'll be the mistress of the Yi family, no need to worry about money anymore. After the baby's born, my salary as an eighth-grade fitter will all go towards you and the baby, won't it?"

Jia Dongxu's aunt's eyes lit up. Living under the Jia family's roof, she was fed up with having to put up with everyone's attitude. If she could become Yi Zhonghai's woman and live in those three main rooms, she wouldn't have to endure Jia Dongxu's wife's cold words anymore—it would indeed be a good place. She pursed her lips, not pressing the matter of money further, and simply snorted, "Then I'll go back first. You can decide for yourself."

Watching the woman sway as she walked out of the courtyard gate, Yi Zhonghai's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of disdain in his eyes. She wanted him to divorce the Tan family? Dream on. Although the Tan woman was dull-witted, she managed the household perfectly and could even help him serve his deaf grandmother; she was far more useful than this money-grubbing woman before him.

Once this woman is really pregnant, he'll just give her some money to send her away. If that doesn't work, he'll send her to the countryside—out of sight, out of mind. As for marrying her? Yi Zhonghai isn't that foolish.

He dusted himself off, straightened his clothes, and resumed his composed, elder-like demeanor, slowly walking towards his courtyard. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting shadows on his face, half bright and half dark, much like the calculations hidden in his heart.

Qin Huairu clutched the guarantee written by Yi Zhonghai, the edges of the paper wrinkled from the sweat on her palms, but her heart felt as warm as if it were a furnace, making her steps lighter. She walked home with her head down, a smile involuntarily playing on her lips—Jia Dongxu, that cripple, still needed her care, that was for sure; but more important now was the leverage she'd just found, which would give her a handle on Jia Dongxu's aunt. Ever since that woman moved into the Jia family home, all she did was sweet-talk Dongxu, never doing any work. With this weakness in her grasp, she'd see if she dared to be lazy again! She could also speak with more authority in the courtyard.

As soon as she lifted the curtain and entered the house, she saw Jia Dongxu leaning against the headboard, a worn-out cotton cushion behind him, legs crossed, cracking sunflower seeds. Sunflower seed shells were scattered all over the floor, some even landing on the edge of the kang, an eyesore. He glanced at Qin Huairu, barely lifting his eyelids, and said irritably, "What have you been doing? So dawdling, did you fall into the toilet? Hurry up and cook, my stomach is growling!"

Qin Huairu had something on her mind and was too lazy to argue with him. She simply nodded, forcing a show of docility on her face: "Alright, I know. I'll go to the kitchen to get things ready. Don't worry, you won't go hungry."

Jia Dongxu snorted and didn't say anything more, but his eyes showed a hint of doubt—this woman was acting strangely today. She came back from her trip with an undisguised joy on her face, like she had found a gold ingot. But he was never too lazy to ponder women's thoughts, so he turned over to face the wall, closed his eyes to rest, and muttered, "Hurry up, don't make that bland soup, I want meat."

Just then, a creak came from the courtyard gate, followed by light footsteps. Jia Dongxu's aunt lifted the curtain and walked in. Her hair at her temples was a little messy, her face had an unnatural blush, and her eyes were darting around. As soon as she entered, she craned her neck and asked Jia Dongxu, "Dongxu, where is Qin Huairu?"

Jia Dongxu, unaware of the intricacies of the situation, casually replied, "Auntie, Qin Huairu is cooking in the kitchen. What's wrong? Is there something you need to talk to her about?"

Seeing his bewildered expression, Jia Dongxu's aunt secretly breathed a sigh of relief—it seemed Qin Huairu was smart enough not to reveal the truth. She forced a smile and rubbed her hands on her apron: "It's nothing serious, just asking what's for dinner. I'll go see if I can lend a hand."

Jia Dongxu waved his hand impatiently and said, "Go away, go away, why bother with her? I'm going to rest for a while." Anyway, the women always took care of the household chores, and he couldn't be bothered with such trivial matters.