The sky collapsed, and in the blink of an eye, I found myself transported to Nanluoguxiang.

As Li Kaixin watched Yang Houping's retreating figure, his vigilance grew even stronger.

Even when I deliberately provoked him, Yang Houping didn't get angry. Instead, he readily apologized when things were going against him. He's much more shrewd than Zhu Xiaohua and her son.

Just as she was pondering this, Aunt Lu approached with her husband.

"Kaixin, are you alright?" Lu Chunhua looked Li Kaixin up and down, her tone concerned. "That Yang Wei kid, he's a complete scoundrel, just like his mother!"

"I'm fine, Aunt Lu, thank you for speaking up for me earlier." Li Kaixin thanked her with a smile, then looked at the kind-looking middle-aged man beside her and asked, "And who is this uncle?"

"My name is Song Qiang, and I am your Aunt Lu's husband."

Song Qiang smiled, then glanced back at the Yang family's tightly closed door and couldn't help but lower his voice to remind them, "You need to be more careful with Yang Houping in the future. He usually doesn't show his true colors, but he's got a lot of schemes in his mind."

"That's right! Don't be fooled by his easygoing appearance today; several families in the neighborhood have suffered in silence at his hands."

Lu Chunhua quickly chimed in, her expression turning serious: "Kaixin, you just moved in. He got the short end of the stick today. He might not do anything outwardly, but I'm afraid he might sabotage you behind your back. You really need to be careful."

After hearing this, Li Kaixin felt even more confident.

It seems my vigilance was correct; Yang Houping is indeed a smiling tiger, much more difficult to deal with than the loud and boisterous Zhu Xiaohua.

"Thank you for reminding me, Uncle Song and Aunt Lu. I've got it in mind and I'll pay more attention in the future," Li Kaixin nodded sincerely.

Seeing that Li Kaixin had taken his words to heart, Song Qiang didn't say anything more.

He couldn't help but offer this reminder because he noticed his wife's good relationship with Li Kaixin.

Afterwards, Lu Chunhua chatted with Li Kaixin for a few more minutes before the couple went back inside.

Li Kaixin opened his front door and pushed his bicycle inside. He dared not leave it outside now; if the neighbors across the street were to sabotage it and puncture his tire, he would have nowhere to turn for help.

These days there are no surveillance cameras, so even if you know who did it, there's nowhere to seek justice.

He walked to the table, lit the kerosene lamp, and instantly the whole room was illuminated.

Li Kaixin looked around, and the previous unpleasantness quickly dissipated, a smile appearing on his face.

I've been here for two months now, and I can say that I finally have my own place to live.

From now on, it will be much more convenient if I go out to run errands at night, without having to bother my parents.

After washing up, Li Kaixin slipped into the secret space to prepare the ingredients for tomorrow's gathering at Courtyard No. 93.

Although Aunt Zhao and the others mentioned it yesterday, they came to prepare.

But Li Kaixin thought about it and decided to prepare some for himself.

These ingredients are just a drop in the ocean for them, but they are a different story for them.

In those years of rationing, that might have been enough food for her family for several days.

On the other side, the Yang family.

Yang Houping and Zhu Xiaohua, a married couple, had just helped their son into the house and sat him down.

Zhu Xiaohua couldn't help but speak up immediately, her voice filled with resentment: "Honey, why are we just going to let this go? That kid beat our son up like this!"

Yang Wei, having recovered by now, clutched his stomach and exclaimed, "Yes, Dad! This can't end like this! I can't swallow this!"

"You two, shout louder so the whole hospital can hear you!" Yang Houping snapped irritably.

Zhu Xiaohua and Yang Wei were stunned by the sound, and they shrank back, not daring to make a sound.

Yang Houping was already furious after being provoked by Li Kaixin outside, and now, looking at his somewhat foolish wife and son, he was even more enraged.

He started berating his wife: "Didn't you see everyone in the yard siding with him? What am I supposed to do? Call the police? We're in the wrong! Go up and fight him? Do you think I can beat him?"

After saying that, she turned to her son, her tone even harsher: "And you, you didn't even know their strength before rushing in recklessly. Do you think you're so capable?"

As the barrage of criticisms continued, both of their heads drooped.

After venting his anger, Yang Houping saw their expressions and his anger subsided somewhat. He lowered his voice and said, "However, we can't just let this matter go, considering what happened today and the previous two hundred yuan debt."

"Dad, do you have any ideas?" Yang Wei immediately looked up, his spirits lifted.

A calculating glint flashed in Yang Houping's eyes:

"That kid doesn't look like the type to stay put. He'll definitely be heading to Pigeon City someday. Let's keep an eye on which night he goes out. Tonight at midnight, I'll go find a few gangsters and teach him a lesson."

"Really, Dad!" Yang Wei exclaimed excitedly. "Then I have to get involved myself and make sure that kid is completely under my thumb!"

As he spoke, a fierce glint appeared in his eyes; the beating and humiliation he had suffered that night were etched into his heart.

However, the thought of Li Kaixin possibly kneeling and begging for mercy made Yang Wei's lips curl into a slight smile.

"You're not allowed to go!" Yang Houping glanced at his son, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Yang Wei immediately became anxious: "Why, Dad! I've already been beaten up like this by that kid, can't I get my revenge myself?"

"I said it's not allowed, and that's it. Why all the 'whys'?" Yang Houping was too lazy to explain any further.

Zhu Xiaohua quickly chimed in, "Son, your father told you not to go, so don't go. When it comes to being shrewd, do you think you're any better than your father?"

"Okay," Yang Wei replied reluctantly.

But his eyes kept darting around, clearly he hadn't taken any of what he was saying to heart.

......

The next day, Li Kaixin got up early and rode his bicycle out the door.

In a deserted alleyway, he took out the things he had prepared the day before from the secret space.

There were five roosters, five rabbits, five ducks, more than ten palm-sized crucian carp, and ten pounds of brown bear meat, all packed in a burlap sack.

In addition, five bottles of Fenjiu liquor were hung in front of the handlebars.

Back at courtyard house number 93, a preparation had already been set up in the backyard.

Beside the sink, cabbage and potatoes were already in several wooden basins, and several middle-aged women in the yard were busy tidying them up.

When her eldest son returned, Qin Xiuli, his mother, stopped peeling potatoes and urged, "Kaixin, hurry up and eat, you still have to go to work!"

"Okay, Mother," Li Kaixin replied, taking the sack off the back seat.

Seeing this, Qin Xiuli, the mother, looked at the slightly moving opening of the burlap sack and asked, "What's inside?"

"These are the vegetables we added today," Li Kaixin said with a smile, untying the burlap sack.

At this moment, Aunt Wang and several other busy women also gathered around. When they saw what was in the bag, they let out a series of low gasps.

When Qin Xiuli saw this, she was only slightly taken aback before nodding and saying, "Okay, you go eat first, I'll take care of these."

Upon seeing this, Li Kaixin quickly went inside.

He had carefully considered all these things yesterday, as a way of repaying the neighbors for their righteous help when Zhu Xiaohua's family came to cause trouble last time.