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Look at this sentence:

He heard the things that they would say bleeding in his ear.

What does would mean? I do not think this is an unreal situation, a past habit, or a conditional construction.

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    Description of this would as 'past habit' is not always accurate: would more broadly implies frequently repeated action. "Whatever they said 'bled' in his ear."
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Jun 30, 2015 at 23:02

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Devoid of context, there are several potential meanings here.

I'm not sure what you mean by "unreal situation". Precognition perhaps? Tom couldn't see into the future - but he could hear into it. Whenever he focussed on a person, he could hear their entire next day's conversations. He heard the things that they would say bleeding in his ear.

Past Habit The boys at school always teased Tom about his unfashionable clothes. Every day they were wont to say cruel things. By the afternoon he couldn't concentrate on anything else. He heard the things that they would say bleeding in his ear.

Conditional Construction Tom saw the keys to the family car on the counter, and knew he was going to take them. But what if his parents found out? He heard the things that they would say bleeding in his ear.

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