boyutpedia Chapter 25 What are you showing off for?
Chapter 25 What are you showing off for?
At the entrance of the courtyard house
Jia Zhangshi was holding a bowl of cornmeal porridge topped with pig's head meat, and she was eating cornbread with relish, one bite at a time, with her fingers holding it.
When Yan Bugui returned from using the public restroom, a hint of jealousy flashed in his eyes upon seeing this.
He knew Zhang Erya was deliberately showing off her wealth at the door, and he didn't want to give her the chance to flaunt it, so he crossed his arms, shrank back, and was about to leave.
But Zhang Erya wouldn't let him off the hook, shouting loudly, "Hey, Third Uncle, have you eaten yet?"
Now Yan Bugui couldn't pretend he hadn't seen anything, so he could only force a smile and say, "I've already eaten. Aunt Zhang is eating, isn't she?"
Zhang Erya grinned, revealing her two rows of large teeth: "Eating! We're having a good meal today, pig's head meat with pig intestines! Look at this, Uncle, this pig's head meat is so fatty, it's wobbly when you pick it up with chopsticks..."
As he spoke, he picked up a large piece of pig's head meat and waved it in front of Yan Bugui.
Yan Bugui couldn't help but swallow hard: "This meat is indeed quite good."
"I was going to offer you a piece of meat to try if you hadn't eaten. But since you've already eaten, that's fine," Zhang Erya said.
Yan Bugui thought to himself, "I've already eaten, so I can still eat meat!" But before he could even open his mouth, Zhang Erya had already swiftly stuffed the piece of fatty meat into her mouth.
Seeing the grease glistening on her lips, Yan Bugui gritted his teeth in anger. But Zhang Erya wouldn't let him off the hook; after swallowing the meat, she asked again…
"Uncle, how long has it been since you tasted meat? You've probably forgotten what meat tastes like!"
Yan Bugui retorted angrily, "What are you saying? Who are you looking down on? Just two months ago, our family had a big fat pig!"
Zhang Erya didn't hold back in exposing your shortcomings: "It's true your family has accumulated a lot of fat, but didn't you render it all into lard? I heard from Third Aunt that none of your family ate the cracklings after rendering the lard. You hid them all, saying you'd save them for making pork crackling dumplings for the New Year!"
Little Dang raised her little face and said, "Grandma, it's only November now, there are still three months until the New Year."
Zhang Erya rolled her triangular eyes: "It's alright, your third grandfather's whole family can tolerate it. They could go a year without meat!"
"Damn it!" Yan Bugui was furious. He thought to himself, "Who are you laughing at, Zhang Erya? Your family is the poorest in the whole courtyard, okay?"
If Zhang Chengfei hadn't rushed over to claim kinship, would you even deserve to eat meat? Would you even deserve to laugh at me?
In the end, it's all Zhang Chengfei's fault!! If it weren't for him, how could I have been looked down upon by that old hag Zhang Erya?
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After driving Yan Bugui away in anger, Zhang Erya turned to Liu Haizhong, who had been there for a while, and asked, "Second Uncle, have you eaten?"
Liu Haizhong stood with his hands behind his back, trying to appear indifferent, but secretly glanced at the meat in Zhang Erya's bowl: "No, it's not here."
Zhang Erya stuffed another piece of meat into her mouth, her voice muffled: "If you haven't eaten, hurry home and eat! What are you staring at my bowl for? There's no food for you in mine!"
Liu Haizhong: "???!!" Holy crap! Disgust level ++
After Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui were driven away in anger, Yi Zhonghai came knocking. This time, Zhang Erya didn't need to step in; Bang Geng came to the rescue.
"Grandpa, Grandpa, look, this is the pig's head my great-grandfather bought for me. My great-grandfather is so good to me. When I grow up, I'll take care of him in his old age!"
Yi Zhonghai silently clutched his chest. He had been subsidizing the Jia family for several years, but Bang Geng had never said he would take care of him in his old age.
Little Dang raised her innocent face: "Grandpa, why are you clutching your chest? Are you feeling unwell?"
Looking at her youthful face, Yi Zhonghai sighed that this girl was better than that ingrate, but it was a pity she was just a useless little brat!
……
At the entrance of the courtyard house, Zhang Erya chased and killed the neighbors in the main courtyard. In the middle courtyard, Jia Dongxu frowned and looked at Qin Huairu, asking her why she wouldn't let him deliver meat to his master.
Qin Huairu thought for a moment, then pulled Jia Dongxu to sit down: "Dongxu, have you ever considered that Uncle Yi actually doesn't want our family to recognize Uncle San? If you give him the pig's head meat that Uncle San gave you, he might not be happy."
Jia Dongxu: "Why doesn't Master want us to reunite with Third Grandfather? Besides, this is pig's head meat, it's good stuff!"
After considering it for a while, Qin Huairu decided to voice her guess: "Strictly speaking, after our father passed away, Uncle Yi was the best to our family in the whole courtyard. He helped us a lot and even took you as his apprentice."
Whenever anything happens in our family, he's always very helpful, running around taking care of everything. But think about it, after Third Grandfather came yesterday, did First Uncle say anything or ask anything?
Jia Dongxu shook his head: "Could it be that we ate something delicious yesterday and didn't invite him, and he's upset?"
Qin Huairu sighed, "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Do you remember what Xu Damao said when Grandpa first took you as his apprentice?"
What did Xu Damao say? Jia Dongxu was lost in his memories.
Forty-nine days after his father's death, he took over a job at the steel rolling mill. An old man took him on as an apprentice out of respect for his deceased father. He said he wouldn't consider anyone else's feelings, only his good brother Lao Jia's, and would train him to become a good fitter.
At that time, many people, including Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and Aunt Chen, praised First Uncle for his kindness and righteousness.
Only Jia Dongxu said that Yi Zhonghai was like a weasel paying respects to a chicken, harboring ill intentions. He said that since he couldn't have children himself, he was targeting Yi Zhonghai.
Xu Damao's words were unpleasant, and everyone in the courtyard condemned him. Sha Zhu even swung his fist, which was as big as a clay pot, and beat Xu Damao severely, saying that the old man was a noble and virtuous man, not that kind of person.
"At least Jia Dongxu has a mother, but I have neither! This old man would be better off raising me than raising him!"
Xu Damao retorted, "How can that be the same? Your father ran off with a widow, while Jia Dongxu's father is gone. Your runaway father might come back anytime, but what about Jia Dongxu's father? Could he rise from the dead?"
When Xu Damao said those words, Jia Dongxu remembered that he was also furious. He and Sha Zhu attacked from both sides and gave Xu Damao a good beating, so badly that the bastard couldn't get out of bed for three days.
At this moment, recalling Xu Damao's words again, and with Qin Huairu's prompting, Jia Dongxu's heart stirred: "Wife, do you mean that Uncle Yi really had such thoughts?"
Qin Huairu nodded: "That old man has always helped our family a lot. He never hesitates to lend us money. But think about it, you asked him to help you find a job pasting matchboxes, and it's been two years. Has he even given you a reply?"
Logically speaking, this old man is a senior worker, and his influence is not to be underestimated, not only in the factory but also in the neighborhood committee.
Pasting matchboxes is a part-time job, paid by piece. As long as the old man wants to arrange it, it's not difficult, even if it's not a piece of cake.
But even such a simple matter dragged on for two years, and Yi Zhonghai still couldn't get it done.
P.S.: Thank you to Godfather Praying for a Second Chance for the monthly pass.