As for Bang Geng's life or death, Zhang Cuihua had long since cast it to the wind.
Of course, this was the result of considering the matter from Qin Huairu's perspective.
From Zhang Cuihua's standpoint, the consideration was different.
Zhang Cuihua believed: It's not that I don't want to save my grandson, it's simply that I can't!
As Xu Damao said, looking at the entire courtyard, the most troublesome person was Liu Kai Xuan.
Bang Geng, if you wanted to steal, you should have stolen from Xu Damao, Liu Haizhong, Yan Bugui, or even Sazhu. It wouldn't have been a big deal.
At worst, after being discovered, Qin Huairu would shamelessly compensate them for their losses, and the matter would be resolved.
As long as a problem could be solved with money, it wasn't a problem in this courtyard.
However, this principle simply didn't apply to Liu Kai Xuan.
Logically, Bang Geng should have learned his lesson after suffering a loss and serving time in prison.
Unfortunately, this stupid donkey, Bang Geng, had to get clever on his own and provoke Liu Kai Xuan, that living Yama.
Jia Zhangshi knew that no matter what she did now, she couldn't change this fact.
Since the reality couldn't be changed, there was no need to waste more time.
It could be said that Zhang Cuihua's mind was still very clear.
Only Qin Huairu herself was still living in a dream.
Zhang Cuihua reluctantly kept Qin Jingru, but Qin Jingru's heart was already in turmoil.
Xu Damao always bragged about his skills and prospects.
Yet, after Qin Jingru had known him for so long, Xu Damao's job remained cleaning toilets, with no change whatsoever.
Qin Jingru had always been bothered by Xu Damao's toilet-cleaning job.
Every woman's heart holds a hope of "a husband who becomes a dragon."
Although Qin Jingru was a country girl, this hope in her heart was no less than that of other women.
Such a young girl marrying someone who cleans toilets.
The matter itself was already unpleasant to spread.
Now, on top of that, this toilet cleaner was a former convict who had served time.
The mindset of people in this era was vastly different from that of people in the 21st century.
Once a person entered prison, they would be labeled a convict.
Men branded as convicts faced more than ten times the difficulty in finding a job or getting married compared to ordinary people.
In other words, Qin Jingru could grudgingly accept Xu Damao's toilet-cleaning job.
However, the stain of his conviction for hooliganism was something Qin Jingru found unbearable.
...
For the next few days, Zhang Cuihua, enduring the torment of her illness, tried her best to play matchmaker between Xu Damao and Qin Jingru.
Tragically, after Qin Huairu's incessant instigation, the feelings between Qin Jingru and Xu Damao had clearly faded considerably.
After a few days of Zhang Cuihua's futile efforts, she realized that the relationship between the two was growing colder.
Conversely, Zhang Cuihua's own physical condition deteriorated again.
The malignant sores on Zhang Cuihua's body, which had begun to improve, worsened once more.
And this time, when the poisonous sores flared up, they were accompanied by intense pain.
The excruciating pain made it difficult for Zhang Cuihua to bear even with gritted teeth.
At night, she howled in agony, her deathly moans a hundred times more tragic than Sazhu's.
Finally, after enduring two weeks of painful torment, Zhang Cuihua completely lost her mobility.
Lying in bed like a dead dog, she could only rely on Qin Huairu to take care of her.
At this point, Qin Huairu clearly realized the seriousness of the situation.
One day, Qin Huairu主动 approached Zhang Cuihua to discuss her illness.
"Zhang Cuihua, your illness came on so strangely, what exactly is going on?"
Zhang Cuihua replied with a pained face, weakly: "Don't worry, the doctor said there's nothing serious!"
"Just rest in bed for a few days and you'll be fine. Quickly get me a glass of water!"
Qin Huairu frowned, but grudgingly poured Zhang Cuihua a glass of water.
In reality, Zhang Cuihua's condition was such that she should have been hospitalized long ago.
However, Zhang Cuihua herself was reluctant to spend money and insisted on "enduring" at home.
Seeing Zhang Cuihua's stingy demeanor, Qin Huairu estimated that this old woman might not live for many more days.
If Zhang Cuihua died, Qin Huairu would certainly not be sad or mournful, at most she would feel a slight sense of "feeling for one's own kind."
After all, Zhang Cuihua's existence still held some value for Qin Huairu.
When Qin Huairu went out to earn money, Zhang Cuihua could help take care of the children at home.
If Zhang Cuihua died, the two girls at home would truly have no one to look after them.
Even so, Qin Huairu had no intention of spending money to treat Zhang Cuihua.
On the contrary, Qin Huairu knew that Zhang Cuihua still had some savings.
Now, Qin Huairu only wanted to squeeze out Zhang Cuihua's last bit of wealth before letting her die in peace.
Otherwise, wouldn't that money be wasted?
It was also for the sake of earning money that Qin Huairu reluctantly took care of Zhang Cuihua.
Qin Huairu brought Zhang Cuihua a glass of water. After taking a sip, Zhang Cuihua continued to speak.
"Xiao Ru, my attitude towards you over the years has indeed not been very good!"
"But after all, we are family. I have also helped take care of your three children for so many years!"
"My current physical condition is truly unbearable. Please spend money to send me to the hospital for a period of time!"
"Hmm?"
Qin Huairu asked in confusion, "Zhang Cuihua, aren't you mistaken?"
"I told you long ago that I wanted to send you to the hospital, but you refused to go!"
Zhang Cuihua replied with a bitter face, "I really have no money!"
"Xiao Ru, I know you've earned a lot of money over the years!"
"Now is my most difficult time, you must help me no matter what!"
At Zhang Cuihua's plea, a cold smile flickered across Qin Huairu's lips.
Qin Huairu did indeed have some money left.
Although she was unemployed, with the "care" of Wu Datou and others, she would occasionally go out to do the business of selling meat.
The profits from such illicit businesses were quite substantial.
Moreover, over the years, Qin Huairu had also gotten quite a bit of money from Sazhu, Yi Zhonghai, and others through her excellent leeching skills.
Now, if Qin Huairu wanted to save Zhang Cuihua, she had the ability to send her to the hospital.
The key was that Qin Huairu only wanted to squeeze out Zhang Cuihua's last bit of wealth and had no intention of saving her.
After all, in Qin Huairu's inner world,
she could no longer accommodate anyone besides her son, Bang Geng.