Movie variety show soul travels between two worlds to become a rich man

Chapter 889 Warmth in the Inner Chamber, Cold Wind and Snow at the Courtyard Gathering
If I had to find a perfect metaphor, it would be a swamp.

Beneath the swamp lies bottomless mud and whirlpools; once you step in, it's hard to escape.

In a swamp, struggling will only hasten your sinking! But if you don't struggle, you will be gently and slowly swallowed up.

However, the biggest problem is that, knowing there is danger, one still willingly gets caught up in it, enjoying the feeling of being completely protected and possessed.

Inside the inner room, Qin Huairu, who had just received strong support from Gao Dongxu, had an unusually flushed, round face, and strands of hair clung to her sweaty, snow-white neck as she lay on her side feeding locust flowers.

Gao Dongxu put on his pants and cotton-padded coat, got up and poured himself a glass of water. He drank half of it and fed the other half to Qin Huairu. After she drank it, he sat down and massaged her legs, which were cramping a bit.

Qin Huairu has a large frame but well-proportioned figure, and her full curves exude a mature charm. The red silk bodice she wore was specially prepared by Gao Dongxu; it looked very traditional, but it had a strong presence and was convenient for feeding acacia flowers, making her curves appear natural.

Her hair was slightly disheveled, and she looked pleasing to the eye in that state. The gentle yet energetic feeling she exuded was truly captivating.

The silk of the bodice, with its sheen and texture, seemed to be enveloped in a soft halo under the sunlight, appearing both alluring and gentle. It subtly revealed her fair and delicate skin, adding a touch of ethereal beauty and giving her a feeling of both purity and desire.

Seeing her husband's murderous gaze, the learned Qin Huairu gave him a coquettish look and said coquettishly, "It's all your fault, there aren't even enough locust flowers to eat..."

"Give her some formula," Gao Dongxu said with a slight smile. Just then, the sound of the door opening came from outside, and Jia Zhangshi returned with her two children.

Qin Huairu immediately pulled the blanket over herself, her pretty face flushing with guilt, and whispered to Gao Dongxu, "Go to the side—"

Gao Dongxu chuckled, got up and sat on the stool. The next moment, the door was pushed open, and Bang Geng and Xiao Dang rushed in happily.

"Mom, Sha Zhu gave me a dollar—"

"Me too..."

Upon hearing this, Gao Dongxu and Qin Huairu were both slightly surprised and looked at Jia Zhangshi, who had walked in and was all smiles, having gotten a great deal.

"Silly Zhu hasn't forgotten our kindness, giving us a bag of donkey meat and six salted duck eggs..." Jia Zhangshi happily placed the bag on the table and said proudly.

"Mom, you didn't insist on this, did you?" Gao Dongxu asked with a wry smile.

"Don't accuse me wrongly. Sha Zhu gave it to him voluntarily. If you don't believe me, ask Bang Geng—"

"It was given to me by Sha Zhu—"

"Call me Uncle, and if you call me Sha Zhu again, I'll beat you up—" Gao Dongxu warned irritably.

"I understand." Ever since Bang Geng received that unforgettable moment of care from Gao Dongxu, he dared not provoke Gao Dongxu and obediently replied in a low voice.

"Mom, what did Shazhu say?" Gao Dongxu asked Jia Zhangshi.

Jia Zhangshi's eyes immediately lit up as she began to recount Sha Zhu's story of his trip to Baoding.

By dusk, before Uncle Liu Haizhong could even strike the gong, the courtyard was already packed with people.

Even the old lady from the backyard, who rarely showed her face, was helped by the younger generation to sit on the rattan chair under the eaves.

Everyone knows that tonight's general meeting will be a momentous occasion in the history of the courtyard house.

Liu Haizhong specially changed into a brand new Zhongshan suit, buttoning it up meticulously. He carried an enamel mug and walked with measured steps to the Eight Immortals table in the center of the courtyard.

The third uncle, Yan Bugui, was already sitting down next to him, with a notebook in front of him, as if he wanted to take notes.

"Quiet down! Everyone, quiet down!" Liu Haizhong banged on the table, trying to suppress the excitement in his voice.

"The main topic of today's plenary meeting is the issue of our institute's eldest uncle, Comrade Yi Zhonghai, concealing and withholding child support payments for He Yuzhu and He Yushui! This issue is extremely serious in nature and has had an extremely negative impact!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes turned to Yi Zhonghai, who was sitting in the corner. He was huddled on a small stool, head down, as if trying to hide himself, a stark contrast to the eloquent old man who usually presided over meetings. "Old Yi," Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses, his tone "sorrowful," "you're one of the elders in our compound, and the one who's always been in charge. Tell me, is what Comrade Shazhu... oh no, Comrade He Yuzhu reported true?"

Yi Zhonghai's lips moved, but before he could utter a sound, Sha Zhu stood up abruptly. He had no intention of giving Yi Zhonghai any chance to organize his thoughts or gain sympathy.

"Is it true or not? Let him say it himself!" Sha Zhu's voice was like ice shards. He walked straight to the center of the field, staring intently at Yi Zhonghai.

“Yi Zhonghai, in front of the entire hospital, tell me clearly! Did He Daqing send money? Did he send a letter? Did he ask you to pass it on to me and Yushui? Did you not give a single penny, or mention a single word?!”

These three questions struck Yi Zhonghai like three heavy hammer blows, making him tremble. He raised his head, his face ashen and filled with struggle. Under Sha Zhu's piercing gaze and the silent pressure from everyone in the hospital, he finally managed to squeeze out a barely audible word:
"...yes."

Wow——!
Although I already knew yesterday, hearing Yi Zhonghai admit it with my own ears still caused a huge uproar. It's confirmed! Completely confirmed!

"Why?!" Sha Zhu suddenly raised his voice, his question containing years of bitterness and anger.

"Tell me why?! Did my siblings and I desecrate your ancestral graves, or did we cause your family line to end? Why are you going to such lengths to ruin us?!"

Yi Zhonghai's eyes darted around nervously as he tried to explain, "Zhuzi... I... I was thinking that you guys are young and tend to spend money recklessly... I wanted to help you save it..."

"Bullshit!" Sha Zhu spat on the ground, interrupting mercilessly. "Saving it up for us? Where were you when we were starving and gnawing on the walls during the rain? Where were you when I was running around in the streets in my tattered cotton shoes with my toes sticking out in the winter? Where did you save it up? You saved it up in your own kang (heated brick bed)! You talk a good game!"

Xu Damao led the jeering from the crowd: "That's right! Uncle, your lie is not very clever! Who helps someone save money quietly without even mentioning it?"

Qin Huairu couldn't help but speak up, her tone complicated: "Uncle, this... you really did something very unfair. Zhu Zi and Yu Shui had such a hard time back then..." She recalled the difficulties she had faced when she helped the Jia family, and could better understand the despair that the Silly Zhu siblings had felt back then.

Even the elderly folks who usually respected him were shaking their heads and sighing.

"Old Yi, you're so foolish!"

"This isn't helping, it's committing a sin!"

"Look how difficult it is for those two kids..."

Yi Zhonghai was completely engulfed in the vast ocean of people's war. He was isolated and helpless, and all his explanations were pale and powerless in the face of the facts. He felt as if he had been stripped naked and thrown into the snow, cold and humiliated.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Liu Haizhong slammed his hand on the table: "Yi Zhonghai! Your behavior has made you completely unfit to be the head of our compound! I suggest that you dismiss him from his position as the head of the compound on the spot!"

Yan Bugui immediately seconded, "I agree with Lao Liu's opinion. Those whose virtue does not match their position will surely suffer calamity. Comrade Yi Zhonghai needs to deeply reflect on his actions!"

"Yes! Remove him from office!"

"Make him write a self-criticism!"

"Give the money back to Sha Zhu! Calculate the interest too!"

The crowd was outraged, and slogans rose and fell.

Looking at Yi Zhonghai, whose face was ashen and who was on the verge of a mental breakdown, Sha Zhu finally felt a great deal of pent-up anger. He walked up to Yi Zhonghai, looked down at him, and said, word by word:

“Yi Zhonghai, did you hear that? This is the will of the people! You’ve swallowed all that money. I’ll give you three days to return it all, principal and interest, not a single penny less! If you’re short by even a penny, I’ll go to the neighborhood committee and the police station to report you for embezzlement! And from now on, you go your way, and I’ll go mine! I, Shazhu, and my sister Yushui, sever all ties with you, Yi Zhonghai! We’ll never see each other again!”

After saying that, Sha Zhu didn't look at the old man who seemed to have aged twenty years in that instant. He turned around, took Yu Shui's hand, and walked through the crowd towards his own little house with its lights on, amidst the admiring, sympathetic, or still amused gazes of the people.

Behind them, Liu Haizhong smugly announced the end of the meeting, and Yan Bugui urged Yi Zhonghai to quickly prepare a written self-criticism and a refund. Yi Zhonghai, however, remained slumped on the small stool, as if all his energy had been drained away.

The world in the courtyard house has indeed changed. An era has come to an end as the masks of hypocrites have been completely torn off.

(End of this chapter)