Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

forecourt.

Yan Jiefang ran from the front yard to the back yard shouting. More and more people came from the yard, including Yi Zhonghai, Auntie Yi, He Daqing, Shazhu, and even Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi. The residents in the back yard were farther away, and so far only Xu Damao had come.

As soon as Yi Zhonghai arrived at the scene, he eagerly asked Yan Fugui:

"Old Yan, what happened? I heard from Jiefang that someone died in our compound? Who died?"

Yan Fugui pointed to the toilet, his voice trembling slightly: "We still don't know who it was. It was an adult who drowned in the latrine, covered in excrement, so we can't see his face."

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai was also shocked. An adult drowning in a latrine? It was hard to believe, but since so many people at the scene didn't refute it, he knew it was true. Besides, Yan Fugui was the third oldest man in the courtyard, so he couldn't joke about something like this.

"Old Yan, where's the body? I'm going to take a look."

Yan Fugui pointed to the men's restroom: "It's still in the latrine."

Yi Zhonghai's face darkened, and without saying a word, he walked straight into the restroom.

When everyone saw Yi Zhonghai go inside, those who hadn't gone in yet also followed suit.

When Yi Zhonghai and a group of residents saw that there was indeed a corpse in the latrine, and that the corpse was covered in excrement so that they could not even see what it looked like, some of the less tolerant people ran out of the toilet in terror and dry heaved on the spot.

Just then, Wang Feng, Qin Jingru, and Lu Banxia arrived. As soon as Qin Jingru arrived, Aunt Wu grabbed her, afraid that she would go into the toilet. It was too disgusting, and she was afraid that Qin Jingru could not bear it.

"Aunt Wu, what exactly happened? Yan Jiefang said someone died? Who died?" Qin Jingru asked.

Aunt Wu quickly told Qin Jingru what she knew and also told her not to go see it.

After hearing Aunt Wu's account, Qin Jingru's eyes widened. Drowning in the latrine? That's too outrageous!

After Yi Zhonghai emerged from the restroom, his face ashen, he approached Yan Fugui and spoke in a deep voice:

"Old Yan, you're the third oldest man in the compound. You arrived at the scene first, so why didn't you arrange for someone to bring the body up?"

Yan Fugui's expression was also not good, and he sighed helplessly:

"Old Yi, you make it sound so easy. If you're so capable, why don't you go and arrange to pull him up? He's completely dead. To pull him up, we'd have to go down into the latrine. Ask everyone here, who's willing to go down into the latrine and pull him up?"

"Here's what I'm thinking: first, gather all the adult males in our facility, then see who's missing. Once we've confirmed their identities, we can make arrangements accordingly. This task will be left to the deceased's family."

Upon hearing Yan Fugui's explanation, Yi Zhonghai had to admit that he really couldn't get anyone to listen to him now. Before his relationship with Sha Zhu broke down, if he asked Sha Zhu to go, Sha Zhu would definitely not refuse. Also, Jia Dongxu was his apprentice, and he wouldn't dare disobey him. But now, who would listen to him?

Just as Yan Fugui and Yi Zhonghai were discussing solutions, Liu Haizhong and a group of residents from the backyard arrived at the scene.

When Liu Haizhong heard that someone had drowned in the latrine, his mind went blank, and he had no idea what to do.

Less than a minute later, everyone in the compound except the children came over.

Yan Fugui and Yi Zhonghai couldn't count on Liu Haizhong either, so they started taking a headcount of the adult men in the courtyard.

After taking a headcount, Yan Fugui felt that no one was missing, but Yi Zhonghai frowned, though he didn't say anything.

Just then, the third aunt suddenly said, "Old Yan, have you seen Jie Cheng? Jie Fang was shouting so loudly just now, why hasn't he come yet?"

"boom."

Upon hearing this, Yan Fugui felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and he fell into a daze.

After a long while, he turned his gaze to Liu Yuhua this time and asked in a trembling voice, "Yuhua, where is Jiecheng? Is he still sleeping in the room?"

Liu Yuhua also sensed something was wrong. She slowly shook her head and said, "When I was woken up by Grandpa Zhang, I didn't see Yan Jiecheng."

Upon hearing this, Yan Fugui's vision went black, and he staggered, almost falling, but fortunately, he was supported by the three women next to him.

"Old Yan, could it be... could it be that the person in the cesspool is Jie Cheng?" the third aunt asked in a trembling voice.

Those standing nearby were shocked by what the old woman said, but none of them told the others what might have happened—what if it wasn't Yan Jiecheng who drowned in the cesspool? They didn't want to offend the Yan family for no reason.

Yan Fugui did not answer the third aunt's question. He quickly counted the adults in the yard again to make sure that no one was missing except for his family member Jie Cheng. At that moment, he trembled all over.

"Liberation, you...you quickly go down into the cesspool and pull the body up for me."

"Dad? You want me to go down into the latrine?"

Yan Jiefang pointed to himself, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Go now! If you don't go, I'll beat you to death right now!"

Yan Fugui roared, his eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead, looking like a demon.

Yan Jiefang was startled by Yan Fugui. This was the first time his father had ever been so fierce to him. Looking at his father's bloodshot eyes, he had no doubt that if he dared to say no, his father would definitely beat him.

He is now almost certain that the person in the cesspool could indeed be his brother, Yan Jiecheng.

Thinking of this, Yan Jiefang gritted his teeth and decided to go all out.

"Dad, I'm going down right now to cut the ore. Hurry up and get the rope from under my bed."

"Okay, I'll go right now."

Yan Jiekuang quickly brought over the rope.

"Second brother, the rope is here."

Yan Jiefang took the rope, and Yan Fugui tied it around his waist. Then he addressed the crowd in the courtyard:

"Everyone, help hold the rope. After we're freed and the body is tied up, we'll all pull it up together."

The residents in the courtyard have now basically figured it out: the person who drowned in the cesspool was most likely Yan Jiecheng. Otherwise, Yan Fugui wouldn't have been so agitated just now, and Yan Jiecheng was indeed not at the scene.

Soon, the three old men, He Daqing, Erdan, and Dasheng, a total of six people, pulled on the rope.

Yan Jiefang took a deep breath, as if going to his death on the battlefield, and resolutely walked towards the toilet.

Just as he was about to step into the toilet, he turned back to look at the six people pulling the rope and said with some concern:

"Dad, Uncle Yi, Uncle Er, Uncle He, you all have to hold on tight."

Yan Fugui waved his hand and shouted sternly, "Aren't you going yet? If you dare to dawdle again, I'll beat you to death!"

At this moment, Liu Haizhong also spoke up: "Jiefang, you can go without worry. With so many of us here, nothing will happen."

Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing nodded to reassure Yan Jiefang.

Seeing this, Yan Jiefang dared not delay any longer; if he didn't go down, he would definitely get beaten.