Courtyard Houses: Starting as a Purchasing Agent

These four words, like four huge thorns, have been repeatedly stabbing at Aunt Yi's heart, tormenting her for over thirty years.

Her biggest regret in life was not being able to have a child with Uncle Yi.

In the end, the elderly couple were left all alone, and their home was incredibly desolate.

Although Yi Zhonghai never expressed his dissatisfaction to her face, Aunt Yi knew that Yi Zhonghai was dissatisfied, and she blamed herself for not being able to have children with him.

I am a hen that doesn't lay eggs.

"Okay, stop crying!"

An elderly man comforted an elderly woman, saying, "We're both fifty years old now. What will we do when we're too old to walk in ten or twenty years? Who will take care of us in our old age and see us off in our final days?"

"I need to plan ahead... Don't cry, I'll go check on you!"

Grandpa Yi arrived at Old Jia's house carrying ten eggs in his hand.

"Uncle Yi... what brings you here?"

Seeing Uncle Yi approach, Jia Dongxu was overjoyed.

Banggeng stopped crying, his eyes glowing green as he looked around at the egg in Grandpa Yi's hand.

"Stop hitting him..." Uncle Yi said, "Dongxu, do you even consider yourself a man? If you ask me, Qin Huairu did the right thing. It's only right that the family saves money and lives frugally!"

“Look at Uncle San, his salary isn’t high, but he still supports a whole family, doesn’t he?” Yi Zhonghai said to Jia Dongxu while placing the eggs on the table. “Alright, we already have some eggs at home. These are the ones I bought at the factory. You can give them to Bang Geng to eat first!”

It's only seven cents, and Grandpa Yi doesn't care.

He's not a big eater.

He cares about his own rights.

“Uncle Yi…” Jia Dongxu grabbed Uncle Yi’s leg and said, “You have to help my family… Look, Qin Huairu’s salary has been cut, and this family can’t make ends meet at all. And I went to the hospital recently and spent a lot of money… We can’t take it anymore…”

"Uncle Yi, could you please organize the men in the courtyard, young and old, to donate some money to our Jia family? At least enough to get through Qin Huairu's probation period at the factory!"

“That’s right!” Jia Zhangshi chimed in, “You’re still the most respected elder in the courtyard. With your influence, wouldn’t you command a huge following?”

After Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu took turns persuading him, and considering Yi Zhonghai already had ulterior motives, he nodded and agreed: "Okay... I'll try to stop it later; we should be able to raise some money!"

Ten minutes later, Yi Zhonghai's voice rang out in the courtyard.

"Everyone in the courtyard, young and old, men and women, come out and have a short meeting!"

Wow…

Almost everyone in the courtyard came out and arrived at the central courtyard.

Uncle Yi, Uncle Er, and Uncle San each took their seats.

Many people are complaining.

"Uncle Yi, what's the big deal? Why are you having a meeting in this freezing weather?"

"That's right, I still have eggs boiling in the pot!"

"I'm waiting to go home and have a few drinks!"

Not to mention ordinary residents, even Liu Haizhong was somewhat dissatisfied.

Uncle Yi Zhonghai said, "Alright, enough of this. It won't delay the fire for much of the time!"

"Here's the thing!" Yi Zhonghai stood up from his seat and said, "Everyone knows what happened to the Jia family recently, right? Qin Huairu was fined by the factory, her salary was reduced by a tier, and she only gets 22 yuan a month... This amount of money can't even cover basic necessities like firewood, rice, oil, and salt..."

"What's more, Jia Dongxu went to the hospital recently and spent a lot of money. Dongxu's leg needs about five yuan in medical expenses every month..."

"The Jia family was already in dire straits at this point, and they were about to run out of food."

"Of course, Qin Huairu's probation period at the factory is one year. After that, her probation period ends and she will be able to resume her original salary. But during this year, they really can't make ends meet!"

"We're all neighbors. As the saying goes, a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative..."

"I've convened this meeting today in the hope that everyone will lend a helping hand and help the Jia family!"

“Okay… I’ll take the lead!” Yi Zhonghai rummaged in his pocket for a few seconds, took out a ten-yuan note, and stuffed it into a solid donation box.

Since even Uncle Yi Zhonghai donated, others felt embarrassed.

Especially Uncle Er and Uncle San, they can't fall behind.

Liu Haizhong fumbled for five yuan, his lips trembling as he said, "Um... I've had some family matters to deal with lately, so I'll donate five yuan!"

Five yuan is not a small amount.

"Alright, alright!" Jia Dongxu said, "Thank you, Second Uncle... Third Uncle, and you?"

Uncle Yan Bugui stood up with a pained expression and said, "My family's situation isn't much better than yours. People in your factory get paid well, but we teachers don't get much. The school was closed for a while, and we teachers haven't been paid for two months!"

"How about this, I'll write couplets for your family during the Chinese New Year, free of charge, consider it a donation from us, okay?"

"Alright!" Yi Zhonghai said, "Third Uncle's family is indeed not well-off lately, so let's forget about him!"

Yan Bugui breathed a sigh of relief.

Jia Zhangshi, however, had a dark face and muttered under her breath: "Old Yan is knocking on the door."

Next, He Yuzhu took the stage and donated ten yuan in one go, exactly the same as Grandpa Yi.

After He Yuzhu, it was Xu Damao's turn!

Jia Zhangshi carried the cardboard box to Xu Damao.

Xu Damao said, "I won't donate!"

In this courtyard, Xu Damao is a real scoundrel. His relationship with the Jia family is only so-so, and when Lou Xiao'e first married into the family, Jia Zhangshi even scolded Lou Xiao'e.

There's no way he'd donate money!

But Madam Jia objected: "Xu Damao... why won't you donate?"

"Me... why should I?" Xu Damao was really fed up: "So what if I don't donate... this is donating money, donating money is voluntary, can't I just not do it?"

"no!"

This time it was Yi Zhonghai's turn to speak. His face was stern, and his tone left no room for argument: "Xu Damao... this is supposed to be a donation, but it's actually just neighbors helping each other..."

"The Jia family is in trouble, how can you not donate?"

"After that, if your Xu family encounters difficulties... does that mean we can just abandon you?"

"Anyone who wants to continue living in this facility must donate today!"

The old man displayed his authority.

Xu Damao, however, still did not want to donate.

However, Lou Xiao'e clearly understood the threatening meaning in Uncle Yi's words. She thought about it and realized that it was just a few yuan. It wasn't worth offending Uncle Yi for such a small amount of money.

Otherwise, things won't be easy from now on.

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it…” Lou Xiao’e took out five yuan and threw it into the donation box that Jia Zhangshi was holding.

Hehehe...

A smile bloomed on Jia Zhangshi's face!

Fight with me?

If you're so capable, then don't donate...

Chapter 101 Liu Aiguo Takes Away the Donation Box, Jia Zhangshi Vomits Blood

Even troublemaker Xu Damao donated.

The situation for others is self-evident.

No one wanted to offend the Jia family, after all, they were a bunch of scoundrels.

Giving 50 cents or a dollar is nothing, but if the Jia family targets you and tries to sabotage you, that would be truly disgusting.

So, whether they were workers at the steel mill or ordinary residents, everyone except Uncle San gave them a little something.

There are three pieces, two pieces, and one piece.

There are also 50-cent coins.

The one who paid 50 cents was even viciously cursed at by Jia Zhangshi.

In no time, there were fifty or sixty dollars in the donation box.

After all, the donations from He Yuzhu, Uncle Yi, Xu Damao, and Uncle Er alone amounted to thirty yuan.

Jia Zhangshi held it in her arms, she couldn't be happier.

More than fifty yuan! That's more than Qin Huairu could earn in two months!

How many eggs would that take?

Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu were also very happy.

"Alright..." At this point, Uncle Yi was also very satisfied, partly with everyone's performance and partly with his own ability to rally support.

Although things are not the same as before, it shows that Uncle Yi's authority is still there!

"Thank you all, neighbors... Go home and have dinner!"