Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 362

He Yuzhu was still the same silly Zhu, slapping Bai Widow in the face at the slightest disagreement, hurting her badly.

Yi Zhonghai grumbled, "Zhu Zi, you're too lawless! You're allowed not to insult others, but others aren't allowed to insult you?"

"Where did I curse? I was just telling the truth. These two children don't resemble you at all. You even changed their surname to Yi. What are they if not bastards?"

"you..."

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that he didn't know what to say.

He Yuzhu said, "You see, you've admitted it yourself. I'm telling the truth, so there's nothing more to say."

"Zhu Zi, you've gone too far," Yi Zhonghai said after taking a deep breath.

He Yuzhu said, "Alright, Lao Yi is so old, and he's still arguing with others in the yard. Isn't that embarrassing? Let's sit down and talk things over."

Yi Zhonghai said angrily, "Fine, let's sit down and talk it over slowly. No matter what, I won't give you another 30 yuan."

After saying that, he turned around and helped the white widow into the house. Knowing that He Yuzhu was there, there was no point in continuing to argue.

Xu Wude also breathed a sigh of relief. After being released from prison, he did not seek revenge on Yi Zhonghai, but was thinking that he could continue to take advantage of him.

After all, I only earn about 30 yuan a month working. I don't do anything, and Yi Zhonghai just gives me 30 yuan. How great is that!

With this idea in mind, Xu Wude didn't argue much earlier, just letting his wife and son argue back and forth.

"Zhu Zi, thank you so much. Otherwise, I don't know how this matter would have ended."

Xu Wude didn't want things to escalate any further; if a fight broke out, it would be even harder for Yi Zhonghai to get his money.

Her opinion of He Yuzhu had also changed drastically. She had schemed against him several times before, and she felt very sorry for him.

Unexpectedly, He Yuzhu put aside past grievances and didn't mention the past at all. He even borrowed a car to pick her up and took good care of her eldest and youngest daughters, finding them jobs and helping them support their families.

He Yuzhu said, "It's nothing. We're all neighbors, one in the front yard and one in the back. I don't want you to become enemies."

After exchanging a few words, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui chased the onlookers back.

After discussing it for a while, the group decided to meet at Liu Haizhong's house to discuss the matter. Liu Haizhong went back to prepare and then invited everyone over.

First of all, Xu Wude and Yi Zhonghai's families don't need to come, to avoid another argument involving Yan Bugui and He Daqing.

First, have some tea. Then Liu Haizhong said, "Old Yi, your family is the same. Why can't you discuss things together? After all, you sent Old Xu to jail back then."

Yi Zhonghai said angrily, "Who told him to block my way and rob me? Besides, I didn't even know it was him at the time."

Just thinking about it makes me feel like I've lost out. In less than four years, I've given away more than 1000 yuan. With that much money, my two sons' weddings could have been arranged long ago.

Because they gave too much money, the eldest son's wedding is still not ready.

Xu Wude said, "How about I give you 30 yuan a month and you go to jail?"

"Alright, Lao Xu, stop talking. It's all over now, and you're out of here."

Liu Haizhong said, "Let's discuss what to do next."

Yi Zhonghai quickly said, "We agreed that I would give him 30 yuan a month for living expenses while he was in prison, right?"

As he said this, he turned to look at Liu Haizhong, Yan Bugui, and He Daqing.

The three of them were a little embarrassed. That was indeed what they said at the time, without mentioning the matter of being released from prison, since they hadn't thought that much about it at the time.

They all nodded, acknowledging Yi Zhonghai's statement.

Yi Zhonghai then said to Xu Wude, "Then what else do you have to say? You've been out of prison for so long, why are you still asking me for money?"

"They didn't say they wouldn't give it to me after I got out of prison, did they? I'm out now, but I don't have a job. Do you want me to starve to death?"

"You have hands and feet, go find a job yourself, why should I pay you again?"

"I have hands and feet, but I don't have a job!" said Xu Wude.

I went to the neighborhood committee a few days ago to ask, and they said that families like Xu Wude's are not offered jobs at all.

The main principle in arranging jobs now is to ensure that at least one person in the family has a job.

One person's job is enough to barely support a family.

After all, the first priority is to ensure everyone's survival, so we should first arrange for all families to have an income.

The Xu family's situation was different. Xu Damao had a job, but Xu Zhaodi's marriage meant she didn't, though Xu Xiaomei also had a job.

In other words, the Xu family of four has two jobs, while many families of seven or eight only have one person employed. Therefore, the neighborhood committee would not arrange a new job for Xu Wude.

Unless he can find a job through connections, he'll just have to stay home and play.

This is also why Xu Wude continued to ask Yi Zhonghai for money: since I have no job, I can't starve to death, so I still need Yi Zhonghai to give me money.

"Isn't this just being unreasonable? Your son and daughter both have jobs, enough to support you."

Xu Wude said, "Da Mao isn't married yet. He needs to save the money he earns for his wedding. So does my younger sister. She also needs to save for her dowry. We, the two of us, have no income. We can't just ask our children for money to make ends meet. So you have to keep giving us money."

"I have no money, but you can take my life." Yi Zhonghai said angrily, "Do you expect me to support you two old folks? Besides, my two sons aren't married yet, and I need to save money for their weddings."

“If you don’t give it to me, don’t blame me for being impolite,” Xu Wude said viciously.

"Don't think that just because I got out and nothing happened, I'm easy to bully. If you push me too far, I'm capable of anything."

"You..." Yi Zhonghai was furious.

When Xu Wude was first released from prison, he was indeed very careful. He was afraid that Xu Wude would put a sack over his head when he went to and from get off work, and he didn't dare to walk through alleys.

I'm just afraid of his retaliation. If he really breaks my arms and legs, how will I live in the future?

I've been on tenterhooks for so long before I can finally relax a little.

Hearing Xu Wude's threats, it seems I'll have to live in constant fear from now on.

Liu Haizhong said, "Alright, you two stop arguing. We're here to sit down and discuss things."

"Anyway, he's out of prison, so I'm not giving him any money!" Yi Zhonghai said, sounding somewhat unsure.

Xu Wude glared at him: "Try not to pay me? Not a penny less."

The two were at loggerheads, which gave everyone a headache. Liu Haizhong looked around, sighed, and didn't know what to say.

Like He Daqing, Yan Bugui didn't say a word after entering the room except for drinking tea; he just watched the play.

After all, it's best to stay out of these kinds of things to avoid getting blamed by the other party.

Liu Haizhong couldn't think of any solutions. Just as Xu Wude said, the neighborhood committee definitely wouldn't arrange a job for him, since there were already two people in his family receiving wages.

But Yi Zhonghai said that he had only compensated Xu Wude for the loss of his imprisonment, and since his children were still young and unemployed at the time, he only gave them 30 yuan a month for living expenses.

Logically speaking, once Xu Wude is released from prison, he shouldn't be paid anymore; Yi Zhonghai can't support them for the rest of their lives.

But the reality is just that surreal: Xu Wude has no salary, private business is not allowed at the moment, and besides, his children are not married.

Even if the children are willing to support their parents now, what will happen when Xu Damao gets married and his younger sister gets married? Will the daughter-in-law be willing to support her in-laws who only eat and do no work?

Liu Haizhong asked He Daqing, "Damn it, what do you think we should do about this?"

He Daqing was only interested in watching the show and didn't think about helping the two of them solve their problems at all. He shook his head and said, "I don't have any solutions either."

Liu Haizhong then turned to Yan Bugui and asked, "Old Yan, do you have any ideas?"

Yan Bugui curled his lip. When He Daqing was addressed as "Grandpa," how come he was called "Old Yan" when it came to himself?

However, this is something that can't be said aloud; one can only complain inwardly and shake one's head, saying, "There's nothing I can do about this."

Finally, Liu Haizhong asked He Yuzhu, "Zhuzi, you have a lot of ideas, what do you think we should do about this?"

He Yuzhu had been thinking about how to solve this problem. He wanted to get some benefits from Xu Wude and also get Yi Zhonghai to contribute financially. The only solution was to focus on the amount of money involved.

After all, 30 yuan a month is indeed a bit too much; even a first-level worker doesn't earn 30 yuan a month.

Many people spend their entire lives as temporary workers, earning just over 20 yuan a month.

He Yuzhu said, "To be honest, it is a bit much to ask Lao Yi to pay 30 yuan a month."

Yi Zhonghai was surprised that He Yuzhu would speak up for him, and his face immediately lit up with joy. He Yuzhu had been unfriendly to him before, but had become much nicer in the last two years.

Xu Wude retorted angrily, "Pillar, what are you talking about?"

He Yuzhu said, "Calm down, didn't you hear what I said?"

Chapter 265 Solution

Xu Wude said, "Then you speak, I'm listening."

The meaning of this sentence is very clear: if what you say is unfavorable to me and makes me suffer a loss, I will not agree with it no matter how nicely you say it.

He Yuzhu said, "Although Lao Yi's salary is high, 30 a month is indeed a bit too much."

Yi Zhonghai nodded and said, "Yes, I haven't even dared to eat meat these past two years. Life has been incredibly hard."

Xu Wude said, "You're living a happier life than anyone else. Why don't you go to jail and see what it's like inside?"

He Yuzhu quickly stopped the two from arguing any further, saying, "I understand your needs on both sides. How about this, we can both take a step back."

"What do you mean?" Liu Haizhong asked.

He Yuzhu said, "It's very simple. Since Grandpa Xu doesn't have a job, I'll try to find him one."

Although the people present were all quite capable, it would be extremely difficult for them to find a job for Xu Wude.

But when it comes to work, He Yuzhu can do it effortlessly.