Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 439: I'm afraid the incense will be cut off when I get old

Sha Zhu looked at Qin Huairu's embarrassed and aggrieved appearance, and felt distressed. However, he said, "Don't cry. Those people are just bored. Don't take their words to heart. If anyone dares to bully you again, tell me. I won't let them off!"

Qin Huairu nodded with sobs and said, "Shazhu, today is all thanks to you. If it weren't for you, I really don't know what I would do." Shazhu scratched his head and said a little embarrassedly, "We are all from the same courtyard. Why are you talking about this? Clean yourself up first, change your clothes, and don't worry about those gossips."

From then on, people in the yard were more respectful of Sha Zhu, and Qin Huairu also became more grateful and dependent on Sha Zhu. However, the neighbors and Sha Zhu had a grudge against each other. Occasionally, when they met on the road, they would glare at each other, but no one provoked trouble again. The days seemed to pass peacefully, but the little frictions and conflicts in secret were like small bombs buried in the yard, which could cause another storm at any time.

Yi Zhonghai had always been a respected elder in the courtyard, but on this day, as he was sitting at the door basking in the sun, he suddenly heard a few gossipers whispering about how he had never had a son in his life and that when he got old, his family line would be cut off and he would have no descendants. These words were like a sharp blade that pierced Yi Zhonghai's heart.

His face turned pale instantly, and his hands began to tremble unconsciously. From then on, Yi Zhonghai seemed to have changed into a different person, sighing all day long, not wanting to eat or drink, and becoming increasingly haggard.

When Sha Zhu heard about this, he hurried over to persuade Yi Zhonghai. He moved a stool and sat next to Yi Zhonghai, saying in a careless manner: "Uncle, don't take those nonsense to heart. What's wrong with having a son? What's wrong with not having a son? Your prestige in this courtyard is earned by your own conduct, not by whether you have a son or not. Those people are just bored and talking nonsense. You don't have to be angry with them."

Yi Zhonghai just glanced at Sha Zhu indifferently without saying anything, his eyes full of loneliness and despair. It was obvious that Sha Zhu's words had no effect.

The deaf old lady also came over tremblingly. Although her hearing was not very good, she roughly knew what happened. She patted Yi Zhonghai on the shoulder and gestured, "Zhonghai, don't listen to those people's nonsense. You have done so many good things for the courtyard in your life. Everyone remembers it. It doesn't matter whether you have a son or not. You can't get yourself sick with anger."

Yi Zhonghai smiled bitterly and shook his head at the deaf old lady. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't say it in the end. He was still immersed in his own pain, unable to extricate himself. In his heart, not having a son has always been a knot in his heart. Now that it has been exposed in public, the regret and unwillingness that have been suppressed for many years have surged into his heart. How can it be easily resolved by a few words of persuasion from others? Days passed by in Yi Zhonghai's gloom and he never got over this heavy blow.

The deaf old lady usually felt sorry for Yi Zhonghai and treated him like her own son. Now seeing Yi Zhonghai being hurt by those nonsense, the anger in her heart suddenly rose. Without saying a word, she picked up her crutches and walked towards those gossipers with trembling but firm steps.

The men were still chatting in a corner of the yard, not noticing the deaf old lady's arrival. The deaf old lady came closer, raised her cane, and used all her strength to hit one of them hard on the back, cursing incoherently: "I told you to gossip and bully Zhonghai, I'll teach you a lesson today!"

The man was hit by the sudden blow and screamed "Ouch!". He turned around and saw the deaf old lady with a furious face, holding up the cane to hit him again. The others were stunned and forgot to react for a moment. The deaf old lady didn't care about it. She continued to swing her cane and hit those people again and again, saying: "You heartless people, Zhonghai has contributed so much to this courtyard, how can you say this to him?"

Those men were beaten so hard that they ran away with their heads in their hands, begging for mercy: "Old lady, we were wrong. We won't dare to do it again. Please forgive us!" But the deaf old lady didn't stop at all. There was flames of anger burning in her eyes, and the crutch in her hand kept falling.

The other people in the yard heard the noise and ran over. They were stunned when they saw this scene. Someone rushed forward to hold the deaf old lady and advised: "Old lady, calm down, don't get angry and hurt yourself." The deaf old lady was held by everyone and finally stopped, but she was still panting and pointed at those people with her cane and said: "Listen to me, if I hear you say bad things about Zhonghai again, I will fight you to the death!"

Those people nodded in fear and ran away in shame. The deaf old lady was supported by everyone and slowly walked back to Yi Zhonghai. She patted his hands, as if to say, "Zhonghai, I have helped you get rid of your anger." Yi Zhonghai looked at the deaf old lady with his eyes full of emotion and gratitude. Although he did not speak, the friendship in his eyes was extremely deep.

After the deaf old lady's commotion, everyone in the yard knew that she was really angry, and the few who were beaten did not dare to say a word, fearing that the old lady would cause trouble for them again. As for Yi Zhonghai, his mood also eased a little. Although the knot in his heart was still there, he felt warm when he saw the deaf old lady risking everything for him.

A few days later, Yi Zhonghai's body gradually recovered. He found the deaf old lady, took her hand, and said with trembling lips: "Old lady, this time thanks to you, I..." Before she finished speaking, the deaf old lady waved her hand and said with a smile: "Zhonghai, why are you still telling me these things? You have had a hard life since childhood. How can I watch you being bullied?"

From then on, Yi Zhonghai became more filial to the deaf old lady, and always thought of her first. People in the yard also showed more respect to her. Whenever those gossipers saw Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old lady, they would walk away from them and never dare to do anything rash again.

However, sometimes people would secretly discuss this matter behind their backs, but their voices were very low, for fear of being heard. When Sha Zhu saw this scene, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. The warmth and coldness of the people in this courtyard, the gratitude and resentment, are sometimes so unexpected, but fortunately, there are people like the deaf old lady who value friendship and loyalty, adding a touch of warmth and comfort to these seemingly cold days.