Qin Huairu's Intentions

Silly Zhu had spent half the day teaching Bang Geng, only to get no thanks for his effort.

Being criticized by First Elder and Lin Zhen was nothing.

But when Qin Huairu gave him a pinch, he felt strangely disappointed.

He was drinking alone in sullen silence.

Qin Huairu opened the door and came in.

"Why are you drinking by yourself?"

Qin Huairu did not need to say much. With just a glance and a slight curl of her lips, she gave him a charming smile.

The dark clouds hanging over Silly Zhu all day vanished.

All his usual cleverness disappeared, and Qin Huairu's smile filled his mind.

"Hehe, weren't you mad at me?"

"Hmph, if I were mad, I wouldn't have come into your room. What, you don't want Bang Geng to grow taller today?"

Smiling, Qin Huairu looked at Silly Zhu's lunch boxes.

"How could that be? The kid's growing up. We can't let him go hungry. Take them, take them all."

Silly Zhu hurriedly covered the lunch boxes, stacked them up, and handed them to Qin Huairu.

"Wash them clean after you're done eating."

Qin Huairu smiled in satisfaction. "Don't worry. I'll bring them back to you at work tomorrow."

Silly Zhu watched Qin Huairu leave, still feeling pleased, when he suddenly remembered that he had not eaten his fill.

"What a mess. Sigh, I'll eat some coarse-grain cornbread."

Silly Zhu broke apart two cornmeal buns and scooped up a chopstickful of lard.

He poured boiling water over it, making himself a big bowl.

He was noisily wolfing it down when his younger sister, He Yushui, came home.

The moment she entered, she smiled and said, "Brother, this can't be the food you brought back from the cafeteria today, can it?"

Silly Zhu curled his lip. "You already know the answer."

He Yushui smiled. "Sigh, this is just your fate. No one loves you!"

"Hey, little brat, is that any way to wish your brother well?"

"I'd like to wish you well, but you refuse to get your act together. You're usually pretty smart, but the moment romance is involved, you turn muddleheaded."

"Don't just talk. Can you give me some advice?"

"Hmph, Sister Qin's cousin has already been here for a day. Don't tell me you're not interested in her."

Silly Zhu smiled. "Well, she'll do, I suppose."

He Yushui asked, "Then did you talk to Sister Qin about it? Did you bring it up?"

Silly Zhu shook his head. "No."

He Yushui sighed. "Sigh, what a foolish brother. You need to bring it up. If you don't, Xu Damao and Liu Guangtian will."

Silly Zhu smiled. "No way. Xu Damao was so scared by Lin Zhen today that he called him Grandpa. Jingru won't fancy him. Liu Guangtian might be interested, but Second Elder and his wife look down on country girls. In the end, Qin Jingru—sigh—she has to marry me!"

"Hmph! Your analysis is pretty good, but if you don't bring it up, are you expecting her to come find you herself?"

"No rush, no rush. I'll bring it up tomorrow."

Seeing how incorrigible her brother was, like mud that could not be plastered onto a wall, He Yushui snorted in anger and returned to her room.

Silly Zhu continued eating without a care.

At the Jia family's home.

The moment Bang Geng saw something delicious, he forgot about everyone else.

His cheeks were stuffed full, yet he kept cramming food into his mouth.

The food Silly Zhu had brought back was not even enough for him alone.

Qin Huairu, Qin Jingru, and Xiao Dang had not even picked up their chopsticks before Bang Geng was nearly finished with it all.

Qin Huairu hurriedly put the dishes away.

"Stop eating. Leave some for your grandmother to eat tomorrow morning, or she'll get angry again."

Qin Jingru curled her lip. "Can't Auntie eat cornbread when she comes back tomorrow morning?"

Qin Huairu sighed. "She can, but can you stand her giving you the cold shoulder all day?"

Qin Jingru pursed her lips and said nothing.

Xiao Dang pouted. "Mom, I haven't had a single bite. Brother took it all. Let me have one bite."

Qin Huairu sighed and placed one peanut in Xiao Dang's soup bowl.

Bang Geng said unhappily, "Mom, why do we have to save some for Grandma? She isn't even growing taller."

"Shut up. You already ate all the food. Even if Xiao Dang says that, you can't."

Qin Jingru asked curiously, "Sister, what do you think of Liu Guangtian from this courtyard?"

"What do you mean, what do I think?"

"I... I'm just asking. I already know about Xu Damao. He's timid and afraid of trouble. As for Silly Zhu, he really is a little foolish. I just don't know what kind of person Liu Guangtian is."

Qin Huairu smiled. "What are you trying to do? Are you in such a hurry to get married? How old are you?"

"I'm eighteen. I'm old enough to date and get married."

"Hmph, it's still too early."

"It's not too early. I want to take this chance to stay in the city. Just tell me, which of the three is better?"

"None of them are good!"

Qin Huairu said seriously, "Not only is Xu Damao cowardly and afraid of trouble, he does nothing but immoral things. Liu Guangtian gets cursed at by Second Elder whenever he opens his mouth at home and beaten whenever Second Elder raises a hand. Besides, Second Elder looks down on your background."

"Then... what about Silly Zhu?"

Qin Huairu paused. "Silly Zhu... you two aren't suitable."

"Why? Is he really stupid?"

"Hmph, he isn't stupid at all."

"Then why?"

"Sigh, stop asking. You'll know when the time comes."

"Um... how much does he earn a month?"

"Thirty-seven yuan and fifty cents."

"That much? Then help me talk to him, okay? Whether it works out or not, we can get to know each other first, okay?"

Qin Huairu had no choice but to nod after being pestered so much.

"Let's be clear first. Don't blame me if it doesn't work out."

"I know. Thank you, Sister!"

Qin Huairu had no intention of letting her cousin marry Silly Zhu.

If that happened, Silly Zhu would have someone to manage his household, and it would not be so easy for her to keep living off him.

She knew what kind of person her cousin was.

If Qin Jingru really married him, she would definitely keep Silly Zhu from spending so freely. She might even fall out with the Jia family.

In the middle of the night.

Lin Zhen was sleeping soundly when he suddenly heard someone running at full speed.

The footsteps were heavy, with the person's heels nearly striking the ground first.

The person ran fast, crossing from the middle courtyard to the street in just a few steps.

There was no sound of heavy breathing. He was probably holding his breath.

After leaving the Siheyuan, he ran toward the public toilet.

It was definitely First Elder Yi Zhonghai.

It seemed the rhubarb and croton soup had worked. He might not be able to go to work tomorrow.

"Hehehe..."

"What are you laughing about? Not sleeping in the middle of the night—having a good dream?"

"Hehe, nothing. Go to sleep..."

Early the next morning.

Qin Huairu brought Silly Zhu's lunch boxes back to him.

Silly Zhu chuckled. "Sister Qin, does your cousin like city life?"

"She came from the countryside. Who wouldn't like it?"

"Then does she want to live in the city?"

Qin Huairu said impatiently, "Just say what you want to say. I'm still waiting to go to the hospital!"

"Oh, don't be mad. I just want you to put in a word for me. If it works out, wouldn't we become relatives? From then on, Dongxu would be my brother-in-law, we'd be brothers-in-law, Bang Geng would be my nephew, and Xiao Dang would be my niece..."

"Keep dreaming!"

Before Silly Zhu could finish, Qin Huairu turned around and left.

Leaving Silly Zhu with a head full of question marks.

"Did she take the wrong medicine? Why is she taking it out on me?"

Muttering, Silly Zhu walked to the front courtyard and saw Lin Zhen preparing to ride his bicycle to work.

"Hey, hey, hey, Lin Zhen, wait for me!"

"Get lost. Don't try to hitch a ride!"

"I need to ask you something. I'll bring you a bottle of liquor tonight!"

"What is it? Say it."

"I want to date Qin Jingru. When I mentioned it to Sister Qin this morning, she barely paid attention to me. I don't get it. If I married Qin Jingru, wouldn't I become relatives with the Jia family? Why does she seem a little unwilling?"

Lin Zhen smiled. "You want to marry Qin Jingru?"

Silly Zhu nodded. "Yeah!"

"Then go find Qin Jingru directly! Why are you looking for Qin Huairu?"

"Eh... that's right! Why do I always get muddled whenever it comes to romance?"

"Even if you weren't muddled, you still couldn't marry Qin Jingru."

"Who says?"

"Me! If you've got the guts, go find Qin Jingru right now and tell her directly, 'Let's get married.'"

"Give me a break. All you do is give rotten advice. I'm not some hooligan. Just watch how I perform tonight! I'll definitely win her over!"

The two of them left for work.

Xu Damao came out from the rear courtyard, walked to the Jia family's door, and called softly, "Jingru, are you up?"

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