boyutpedia Chapter 708 is boring
Chapter 708 is boring
Jia Dongxu's aunt was startled by his fierce appearance and shrank back. She thought he was just like the others in the courtyard, simply feeling sorry for the child and blaming her for her negligence. So she shook her head with a bitter face, her eyes half-red, and her voice was full of grievance: "How was I supposed to know this would happen? I just turned around to go to the kitchen to pour the child a cup of hot water. It was only the time it takes to smoke a pipe, and when I came back, the bed was empty! That child is usually very well-behaved and never runs around. How could I have imagined that among the neighbors living in this courtyard, whom I see every day, there would be a beast hiding a child thief!"
Yi Zhonghai was burning with anxiety, his insides felt like they were being churned up, but the words caught in his throat—the child was his, and if word got out, he wouldn't be able to hold his head high in the courtyard, he might even lose his job at the steel mill, and he'd be burdened with a bad reputation for the rest of his life. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, the pain excruciating, and forced himself to swallow the surging ache. He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing several times to keep his voice from trembling too much.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his tone, but the dissatisfaction and resentment in his eyes were still hard to hide, like shards of ice: "What's the use of saying all this now? The child can't be found, no matter how much we talk, it's useless! In the end, this is still your fault! You came to me not just to talk about this, right? Is there something else? Stop beating around the bush!"
Jia Dongxu's aunt's eyes flickered, her pupils darting around in their sockets. She knew very well that Qin Huairu, though seemingly gentle, was like a tigress when angered. If the child wasn't found, she would definitely hold her accountable, and who knew how she would torment her? A few scoldings would be the least of her worries; she might not even be allowed to eat in peace. She had already decided that she couldn't stay in this courtyard house, but going back to her hometown was even worse—her family was dirt poor, and going back would mean taking care of her bedridden husband, cleaning up after him—she had had enough of that suffering.
“Old Yi,” she rubbed her hands together, wiping the dirt off her fingers, her tone calculating yet recklessly shameless, “things are already like this. Qin Huairu looks at me like a knife, constantly finding fault with me indirectly. I can’t stay in the Jia family for even a day longer. I’m leaving—but if I leave, won’t you have even less hope for the future?” She deliberately spoke vaguely, drawing out the last syllable, her eyes glancing at Yi Zhonghai’s stomach, hinting at the unspoken relationship between them, and the shared “secret” hidden in the child.
Yi Zhonghai's heart skipped a beat, as if he had missed a step. He knew this woman was up to something—she just wanted to extort money or get some security. He frowned, his brows furrowing, suppressing his annoyance, and said in a hard tone, "Alright, this isn't the time for this. I'll try to find the child, get everyone in the courtyard to search, and if all else fails, I'll report it to the authorities. As long as the child is found, I'll talk to Qin Huairu, and I guarantee she won't bother you anymore, and you can still stay in the courtyard. The Jia family is in a bad situation right now; Dongxu's health is so poor, he's constantly lying on the bed groaning. He can't be left without someone to take care of him, so you'll still be useful."
Jia Dongxu's aunt suddenly stepped closer, the smell of cooking oil mixed with sweat wafting over her. Her eyes held a hint of mischief and complaint, her voice barely a whisper: "Yi Zhonghai, to be honest, are you... impotent?" She glanced around to make sure no one was watching before continuing, "How many times has this happened? My belly hasn't shown any signs of pregnancy. You can't blame it all on me, can you? You didn't say that in the first place..."
These words struck Yi Zhonghai like a rusty needle, piercing his sore spot. He hated this topic more than anything, especially hearing it from her; it was like a public slap in the face. His eyes widened, veins throbbing on his forehead, and his voice suddenly rose, exploding in the silent courtyard: "How can I not do it? It's clearly because you're too old and your body can't keep up! If you really can't finish this, don't blame me for being ruthless—I won't give you a single penny! You can go wherever you want!"
Jia Dongxu's aunt curled her lip and rolled her eyes—didn't she know what Yi Zhonghai was thinking? He was just stubbornly clinging to his pride, making himself suffer for it. She was too lazy to argue with him, waving her hand dismissively, her tone indifferent: "Alright, alright, I know you're something else. Tell me, what are you planning to do next? We can't just wait here, can we? I don't have time to waste here with you. That good-for-nothing Jia Dongxu, lying on the kang all day whining and moaning, it's so annoying, just looking at him makes me feel nauseous."
Yi Zhonghai nodded, his gaze sweeping over the wall towards the Jia family's residence. His eyes hardened, as if he had made a firm decision: "What I want to do most right now is to find Qin Huairu's third son, Jia Cai, after all, that is..."
He abruptly stopped speaking, as if someone had covered his mouth. His cheeks flushed red, even his ears turned red, like a young boy whose secret had been exposed.
Jia Dongxu's aunt, however, wouldn't let it go. She moved closer, almost touching him, and pressed, "Old Yi, what is that? Tell me!" She had a vague idea of what was going on, and her eyes gleamed with curiosity, as if she had discovered some incredible secret.
Yi Zhonghai was getting increasingly agitated by the questions. Being relentlessly questioned about his deepest secret made him feel incredibly uncomfortable, as if he'd been stripped naked and thrown into the yard. He glared at her fiercely, his eyes filled with warning: "Don't ask what you shouldn't! Just remember, you must find the child, alive or dead! You don't need to worry about anything else!" With that, he turned and stormed into the house, his steps quick and hurried, his back revealing an indescribable anxiety and disarray. He slammed the door shut with a loud bang, making the windowpanes vibrate.
Jia Dongxu's aunt stood in the courtyard for a long time, her hand covering her burning cheek, her fingertips tracing the scalding skin. The slap mark felt like a red-hot iron, burning her with pain and confusion—they were just talking peacefully a moment ago, how could it have turned into a physical fight? A sense of grievance welled up inside her, her throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, she wanted to scream but dared not. After all, she was living under the Jia family's roof, eating their food; she couldn't really turn against her masters. If things got really bad, she wouldn't even have a place to stay.
Thinking it over, she decided to go back first, since Jia Dongxu was still lying in the house. Although he didn't seem to care about the child being lost—he had just been lying on the kang panting heavily during the fight and hadn't even said a word to try and stop it—she had come to help look after the child, and she couldn't just abandon him and leave.