Siheyuan: Starting from 1958

The east wing of the front yard.

As soon as Wang Dong entered the room, he heard Chen Jun excitedly ask, "Dongzi... I heard that you were rated as an advanced worker in the steel mill!"

Wang Dong also didn't expect the news to spread so quickly. He widened his eyes and asked, "How did you know..."

"The first-in-class candidates from the kitchen were only selected this afternoon. How come it got to the courtyard so quickly?"

Chen Jun smiled and replied: "Dongzi..."

"You greatly underestimate our courtyard's ability to spread rumors!"

"In addition to the fact that you were named as the advanced Siheyuan, it was also reported that Yi Zhonghai was not named as the advanced Siheyuan..."

"Some even say that Yi Zhonghai has a bad character and has not been rated as an advanced steel mill employee. He certainly does not have the ability to continue to serve as the head of our courtyard!"

"You are not only an eighth-level chef in the steel mill, but also a canteen team leader, managing forty or fifty people. Now you have been rated as an advanced worker in the steel mill. Your ability and status far exceed Yi Zhonghai. You are fully capable of replacing Yi Zhonghai and becoming one of the masters in our courtyard..."

Wang Dong frowned after hearing this, and after thinking for a few seconds, he replied: "Someone in the yard wants to see me and Yi Zhonghai make a fool of ourselves!"

After hearing this, Chen Jun's eyes widened, staring at Wang Dong with an incredulous expression and asked back: "Dongzi..."

"From what you said..."

"The rumors in the yard were spread deliberately by someone..."

Wang Dong nodded: "It's almost certain..."

"Even if ordinary residents knew that I was named an advanced member of the steel rolling mill and Yi Zhonghai was not, given Yi Zhonghai's remaining prestige in the yard, they would definitely not dare to spread rumors casually."

"This is an offensive thing."

"Yi Zhonghai is an eighth-level fitter in the steel mill. Although there are many senior fitters in the steel mill now, Yi Zhonghai is still a treasure in the steel mill."

"No matter how bold an ordinary worker is, he would not dare to offend Yi Zhonghai who has a say in the worker level assessment, unless he doesn't want his future!"

"Do you think the ordinary residents in the courtyard, especially those whose family members work in the steel mill, have the courage to spread such rumors and risk offending Yi Zhonghai?"

Chen Jun was a smart man. He understood immediately and shook his head like a drum: "I definitely wouldn't dare!"

"If I had a family member working as a common fitter in a steel mill, I would definitely not dare to spread rumors that would offend Yi Zhonghai!"

"But such a rumor has appeared in the yard. It must have been spread deliberately by someone, and this person is not afraid of Yi Zhonghai's identity as an eighth-level fitter."

At this point, Chen Jun seemed to have thought of something, looked at Wang Dong thoughtfully and replied: "Dongzi..."

"Looking around our courtyard, it seems that only the second and third uncles meet these conditions!"

"Uncle San doesn't work at the steel mill, so Yi Zhonghai's status as a senior fitter has no effect on him!"

"I heard you say..."

"It was Yi Zhonghai who instigated the conflict between the Third Uncle and us. As a result, Yi Zhonghai did not bring any benefits to the Third Uncle. Instead, he threw away the leftovers from the small kitchen that he often gave to him, causing the Third Uncle to lose both his wife and his army. This led to many conflicts between the Third Uncle and Yi Zhonghai."

"It's not an exaggeration to describe it as hatred!"

"Based on this analysis, Uncle San not only has the conditions to spread rumors, but also has the motivation to spread rumors!"

Seeing that Wang Dong frowned and didn't respond, Chen Jun continued: "Although the second uncle is a worker in the steel mill, he is a blacksmith, and a seventh-level blacksmith!"

"No matter how good Yi Zhonghai's locksmith skills are, it won't affect the second uncle's position in the steel mill."

"So Second Master also has the conditions to spread rumors!"

"But I can't think of his motive for spreading these rumors in the yard?" "Combining all these analyses... I think these rumors in the yard were most likely spread by the third uncle!"

Wang Dong shook his head and replied: "Sister Jun..."

"I think the exact opposite of you!"

"Uncle Sanda did have the conditions and motivation to spread rumors, but he didn't have the courage to do so."

"Even though Yi Zhonghai made him suffer a great loss, Yan Fugui definitely doesn't have the courage to completely turn against Yi Zhonghai."

"So it was definitely not Yan Fugui who spread the rumor."

"As for the second uncle Liu Haizhong!"

"On the surface, it seems that he really has no motive to spread the rumor, but you overlooked a very important thing."

"What's the matter?" Chen Jun asked with a look of displeasure on his face.

He thought he knew some of the residents in the yard well enough, but he didn't expect there were still some omissions.

Wang Dong smiled and replied: "You should know that Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai have been secretly competing in the yard!"

"When the street office appointed Yi Zhonghai as the first uncle and he became the second uncle, Liu Haizhong was not very convinced."

"But he can't help it!"

"Yi Zhonghai is older than him, and Yi Zhonghai's locksmith skills are better than his forging skills... These are indisputable facts."

"Liu Haizhong has always wanted to pass the eighth-level blacksmith exam and compete with Yi Zhonghai for the position of the master in the yard, but he has never been able to pass the eighth-level blacksmith exam!"

"Liu Haizhong has always wanted to be an official, but his education level is too low, so he will never be able to become an official in the steel mill."

"But his desire to become a cadre has not been affected. Instead, it has become stronger. He can only pin his hopes on our courtyard."

"Although the uncle in the courtyard is not an official, he can still experience the thrill of being an official."

"So he never gave up the idea of ​​stepping on Yi Zhonghai and becoming the boss of the courtyard."

"Yi Zhonghai had both fame and status before. No matter how hard Liu Haizhong tries, he can't shake Yi Zhonghai's position in Siheyuan."

"Yi Zhonghai's reputation in the courtyard has been ruined, and his position in the steel rolling mill has also been severely damaged because he was not rated as an advanced person. This is a perfect opportunity to shake his position as the head of the courtyard. He will definitely not let it go."

At this point, Wang Dong seemed to have thought of something and continued to ask: "By the way..."

"Has the news spread in our yard that Liu Haizhong was named an advanced worker in the steel rolling mill?"

Chen Jun widened his eyes again, and asked in disbelief: "How is this possible..."

"If I remember correctly..."

"The second uncle has not been selected as an advanced worker in the steel mill for at least six or seven years. The reason given was that his education level was too low. How come he was selected this year?"

Wang Dong replied calmly: "That's because the method for evaluating advanced steel mills has changed this year!"

"In the past, the factory leaders had the final say, and his education level alone was enough to hold him back."

"Now all the workers in the workshop vote together to select the advanced workers in the workshop. Liu Haizhong has good interpersonal relationships in the workshop, so naturally he has a chance to be selected as the advanced worker in the courtyard."

"Liu Haizhong was rated as an advanced member of the steel rolling mill, but no news of this was spread in the yard. Therefore, we can conclude that the rumors in the yard were spread by him."

(End of this chapter)