Afterward.
After cursing several times, Jia Zhangshi grumbled her way back home and locked the doors and windows from inside.
She truly did not want to smell that fragrance anymore.
It was unbearable.
Moreover,
she had already made up her mind.
When the right opportunity arose, she would report that damned bastard Ye Jianguo for chicken theft.
She really did not believe Ye Jianguo could afford to buy a chicken.
That was absolutely impossible.
There was only one possibility.
Ye Jianguo had stolen the chicken.
.....
At that moment,
two people walked through the entrance of the courtyard compound.
They were Xu Damao and Qin Huairu.
Xu Damao's complexion had completely returned to normal.
It was as though what had happened that morning had merely been a dream.
However,
whenever he recalled the pain from that morning, a chill ran through him.
It had been terrifying.
That pain had been terrifying.
He did not want to relive it.
He returned to his door and pushed it open, walking straight inside.
At that moment,
Lou Xiaoe was still lying in bed.
Seeing this, Xu Damao could not help cursing, “Lou Xiaoe, what time do you think it is? You’re still sleeping?”
“Hurry up and get up to cook!”
“I’m hungry.”
Lou Xiaoe groggily sat up. She rubbed her aching head and said, “Oh my, it’s already this late?”
“I actually slept for so long?”
Seeing that Lou Xiaoe’s face was somewhat pale, Xu Damao asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Lou Xiaoe said, “I had a bit of a headache this afternoon. I didn’t expect to sleep all the way until now.”
“I’ll go cook.”
After speaking, Lou Xiaoe walked toward the kitchen.
Xu Damao suddenly remembered something.
He said to Lou Xiaoe, “Oh, right. Go check the chicken coop by the door and see whether the old hen laid an egg today. If it did, take the egg and boil it.”
“I want to eat it.”
Lou Xiaoe said, “All right.”
After speaking, Lou Xiaoe walked out the front door.
A moment later,
her anxious voice rang out. “Damao, come out quickly! Why is there one fewer chicken in our chicken coop?”
Xu Damao hurried outside as soon as he heard her.
He took one look and saw that it was indeed true.
One had to know that
these two old hens had been given to him by people when he went to the countryside for film projection.
He had always kept them for their eggs.
He could not bear to slaughter them for food.
But
one of them was now missing.
This frightened Xu Damao.
He looked at Lou Xiaoe and asked, “Did you hear or see anyone come here this afternoon?”
Lou Xiaoe shook her head. “No. I had a headache this afternoon and fell straight into a deep sleep. If you hadn’t called me just now, I still wouldn’t have woken up.”
At that moment,
Qin Huairu, who could not get into her own home, had originally intended to go to Sha Zhu’s house.
However,
she happened to see Xu Damao and Lou Xiaoe standing at the door, apparently dealing with some problem.
So
she walked over.
She asked, “Xu Damao, what are you doing?”
Lou Xiaoe said anxiously, “One of our old hens is missing.”
Qin Huairu froze and instinctively said, “Could it have run away? Why don’t we look around the courtyard compound?”
Xu Damao glanced at the chicken coop and shook his head. “It definitely didn’t run away on its own.”
“If it had run out, the door of this chicken coop would already be open. But it isn’t open now.”
“So I’m certain someone stole my chicken.”
Xu Damao looked extremely displeased as he said this.
This was an old hen, after all.
Even he could not bear to slaughter it for food.
And yet
one of them was now missing.
At that moment,
Jia Zhangshi also heard the commotion and came over.
When she learned that Xu Damao was missing an old hen, her eyes lit up.
She had just been wondering how Ye Jianguo could possibly afford to buy a chicken.
Now she knew.
He had stolen the old hen from Xu Damao’s family.
She said,
“Xu Damao, you’re missing a chicken?”
“Then that street loafer Ye Jianguo must have stolen it.”
“That bastard’s family cooked chicken soup, and the fragrance spread throughout the entire courtyard compound.”
As soon as Xu Damao heard Jia Zhangshi’s words, he rushed straight toward Ye Jianguo’s home without another word.
When he arrived,
he happened to see Ye Jianguo’s family already eating.
Moreover,
a large plate of chicken was sitting on their dining table.
Its fragrance was irresistible.
Xu Damao’s eyes reddened.
He shouted angrily, “Ye Jianguo, is that chicken of yours the one you stole from me?”
“So you’re the chicken thief, Ye Jianguo!”
“Pay me compensation immediately!”
Jia Zhangshi also entered and said through clenched teeth, “Xu Damao, I’m telling you, Ye Jianguo is definitely the chicken thief.”
“Think about it. How could a street loafer like Ye Jianguo possibly have money to buy a chicken?”
“So I’m certain that your old hen was absolutely stolen by him.”
Jia Zhangshi hated Ye Jianguo to the bone.
Not only had he slapped her, but he had also slandered her Good Grandson.
That was utterly unforgivable.
At that moment,
Sha Zhu, Second Uncle Liu Haizhong, and the others also heard the commotion and came over.
Second Uncle Liu Haizhong put on an official tone and said, “What are you doing?”
“Why are you arguing? What exactly happened?”
When Xu Damao saw Second Uncle Liu Haizhong appear,
he immediately said, “Second Uncle, you came at just the right time. That damned Ye Jianguo stole an old hen from my family.”
“The thief has been caught red-handed. Take a look.”
“This is my family’s old hen. Ye Jianguo slaughtered it and ate it.”
“You should know that even I couldn’t bear to slaughter this old hen for food.”
“I kept it all this time, planning to slaughter it and let Xiao'e eat it for nourishment when she became pregnant and gave birth.”
“But Ye Jianguo stole one of them.”
Having said this,
Xu Damao glared at Ye Jianguo and said through clenched teeth, “Ye Jianguo, pay compensation immediately.”
“Otherwise, I won’t let this go.”
Sha Zhu snorted with laughter.
He could not help mocking him. “Xu Damao, according to what you’re saying, are you sure your family’s old hen would ever get the chance to be slaughtered and eaten?”
“How many years has it been? Have you two ever shown any signs of progress?”
“You’re still talking about postpartum confinement? What a joke.”
Lou Xiaoe was still somewhat dazed.
She truly found it hard to believe that Ye Jianguo’s family would steal their old hen.
After all,
she and Liu Qian were good friends.
She was unwilling to believe that something like this had happened.
But
the next moment,
she heard Sha Zhu say something like that.
She immediately exploded with anger. “Sha Zhu, you bastard, what are you talking about?”
One had to know that
not having children had always been a source of anguish for Lou Xiaoe.
And yet
that damned Sha Zhu had actually brought it up here.
It made her furious.
Xu Damao also said angrily, “Sha Zhu, if you keep spouting nonsense, believe me, I’ll tear that filthy mouth of yours apart!”
Not having children was not only a source of anguish for Lou Xiaoe.
It was the same for Xu Damao.
In fact,
because Lou Xiaoe could not bear children, he was also very dissatisfied with her.
He had already made up his mind.
If Lou Xiaoe still did not become pregnant after some time, he would divorce this barren hen who could not lay eggs.
Sha Zhu was completely unafraid. He looked straight at Xu Damao and Lou Xiaoe and mocked them, “What?”
“Did I say anything wrong?”
“How many years have you two been married? Even now, there’s still been no sign of anything.”
“I think you two are destined to remain childless!”
Xu Damao and Lou Xiaoe were even more furious.
They were just about to retort angrily when Second Uncle Liu Haizhong spoke.
He shouted furiously, “All of you, shut up! Do you still have any respect for me, Second Uncle?”
“The issue now is finding the chicken thief, not having you stand here arguing!”
Having said this,
he looked at Ye Jianguo and asked, “Ye Jianguo, what’s the story with this chicken?”
“Did you steal Xu Damao’s old hen?”
Liu Qian had been happily eating the chicken.
The chicken was delicious.
It could be said that
she had never eaten chicken this delicious or drunk chicken soup this flavorful before.
And yet
just as they were enjoying their meal, Xu Damao and the others barged in and claimed that the chicken they were eating belonged to Xu Damao.
This left her stunned.
Had Ye Jianguo stolen this chicken?
Had he stolen it from Xu Damao?
How was that possible?
She did not believe her man would do such a thing.
Wait!!
Xu Damao’s old hen???
........