Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

It turned out that Liu Guangfu, a child who had come along to buy the ration, saw Zhang Dabiao and Qin Jingru being surrounded and arguing with someone, and went to get help without hesitation.

Then, Hu Zi, Da Tou, Liu Gen, and Yan Jiecheng, who carried heavy bags at the grain station, rushed over as soon as they heard Zhang Dabiao arguing with someone.

Not only that, He Yushui also came, along with his godmother Liu Cuilan, and Qin Huairu, who had been pestering He Yushui to "help take back" Sha Zhu's rations, carrying her own grain bag and carrying a small pawn bag, all gathered around.

Yan Jiecheng, the oldest among the group of young people, took the lead without hesitation, pushed through the crowd, and went straight to Zhang Dabiao's side to protect him.

Yan Jiecheng wanted to sit at the table and eat, but he didn't have much ability, so he had to show off even more.

I have to do something, right? At least I can help Zhang Dabiao block a few punches if a fight breaks out.

The man was naturally a little flustered when he saw so many young men crowding in.

But upon closer inspection, they all seemed to be young people from the neighboring No. 95 compound. Then look at Zhang Dabiao…

"Are you Zhang Ershazi from the next courtyard?"

"You're the idiot!"

"..."

"Fine, you outnumber me, I'll take the fall." Courtyard No. 95 is mostly made up of steel mill workers, whose social connections are much stronger than those in this big communal courtyard. Besides, there are already five young men surrounding us. Starting a conflict at this point would be asking for trouble.

"But it's only right to pay back debts. Today, you either pay back the grain and the money, or you, Zhang Er... Zhang Dabiao, will pay 180 to buy this car and then use the money to buy grain to pay us back."

"If the Mu family can't make ends meet, neither can our families. Don't accuse us of bullying others; that's just how things are these days. We have to take care of our own families first."

Everyone nodded. Although this guy was taking advantage of the situation, what he said wasn't entirely unreasonable.

Zhang Dabiao's response was a bombshell: "Are you an idiot?"

The person was insulted and couldn't hold back their anger, while the other residents of courtyard number 95 also felt embarrassed.

Da Biao, can't you control your temper a little?

Can't you be a little more civilized?

"Can a half-grown kid like me carry 180cm in his pocket and run away?" Zhang Dabiao said confidently, which was exactly right.

I usually only carry ten yuan in my pocket at most. When I really need money, I have to pretend to go back to get it.

You want me to hand over 180 now?

You let a teenager who just came to buy a limited quantity pull out 180 yuan. Do you have some serious illness?

These days, there's no WeChat Pay or Alipay.

Everyone agreed with Zhang Dabiao's statement and nodded in agreement.

The man was furious: "You asked for 180 yuan, and now you're saying you don't have the money? Are you kidding me?"

"Then what do you suggest we do! I need money and food today!"

Zhang Dabiao picked at his earwax and said casually, "Calculate how much grain I owe you, and I'll pay you back directly."

"I'll get the money for you when we get back to the courtyard house."

Mu Wanqing panicked: "Zhang Dabiao!"

Zhang Dabiao understood what she meant, so he explained, "You owe money to this family and that family, which makes it difficult to calculate. There are also many people coming to collect debts. It would be better to only owe me, which would make it easier to calculate."

Mu Wanqing still looked anxious: "But..."

If many people owe money, it would be easier to resolve if each person owes a small amount.

I owe you so much, how can I ever repay you?

What should I do if you come to collect your debt?

Before she could even speak, the person and the neighbors did a quick calculation and blurted out, "A total of 15 jin of rice, 15 jin of millet, and 40 jin of cornmeal. We won't count the other miscellaneous sweet potatoes, potatoes, and such."

"The total is 52 yuan."

"Aunt Mu, I didn't overcharge you, did I?"

Aunt Mu nodded hesitantly, while Mu Wanqing lowered her head in shame, too ashamed to speak.

Settling accounts in front of so many people is no less than a public execution.

But what can we do?

These days, everyone is short of food.

Zhang Dabiao handed over his bag of grain directly: "I have 27 jin here, with both coarse and fine grains. You can calculate it yourself."

Mu Wanqing grew anxious: "Zhang Dabiao, you've given us the rations, what are you going to eat?"

She went up to pull Zhang Dabiao away, but Zhang Dabiao had already handed over the grain sack.

"Never mind that, I have enough to eat."

The man took the bag and looked at it: "But this isn't enough."

"Brother Da Biao, use mine." Liu Guangfu hurriedly handed over his food bag. It was the ration for his family of five, especially since his older brother and father both worked, and Liu Pangpang was a manual laborer, so his ration was larger.

Zhang Dabiao chuckled: "What's wrong? Aren't you afraid your dad will beat you up?"

Liu Guangfu shook his head: "It's alright, you can just go back to the yard and fix it for me."

Borrowing from the Jia family is a one-way street, but lending something to Zhang Dabiao?

There's absolutely no need to worry. He doesn't care about eating these coarse grains at all—the rice in the ration is practically brown rice to Zhang Dabiao.

Seeing that there was grain, the man didn't hesitate and took all the debt owed by the Mu family in their tenement, returning the rest intact.

At this moment, Yu Shui also came forward: "Brother Da Biao, is this enough? If not, I have two more portions here."

She still has Sha Zhu and her quota.

Qin Huairu panicked and tugged at He Yushui's sleeve: "Yushui, that's your brother's ration!"

He Yushui waved her hand and dodged away: "That's right, it belongs to my brother and the He family. I'll decide."

Who do you think you are, Qin Huairu? What right do you have to interfere in the affairs of the He family?

Since she had 2400 in her pocket, separated from her family, got a house, received a separate quota, and even recognized a godmother, He Yushui has become much more assertive.

Zhang Dabiao shook his head: "That should be enough. How about it, buddy? Got it?"

The man wasn't bothered by being called "brother" by a young punk. As long as he could get his grain back, it didn't matter if the punk called him "grandson."

The man distributed all the grain owed by the neighbors in the tenement to Zhang Dabiao in front of him, and then said with a smile, "Young man, that's right, it's all settled. The grain debts in our yard are now wiped clean."

"Don't blame us for forcing the Mu family to pay off their debts at this time, because only at this time do they have food."

"As for the money, we can wait in the yard at noon. We'll exchange the money for the IOU, one hand for the other, and you return the IOU. Is that alright?"

Zhang Dabiao nodded and waved his hand: "Okay, let's do it this way."

The neighbors from courtyard number 97 finally dispersed, bowing to Aunt Mu and Mu Wanqing as they left, saying, "Aunt Mu, we're so sorry, we had no other choice."

"But to be honest, the young people in your No. 95 compound are really united."

"Absolutely!" Yan Jiecheng immediately took on the responsibility. Liu Guangfu glanced at him disdainfully, thinking, "You're all talk and no action. In the end, the grain was lent to Brother Da Biao by my Liu family."

"You're Zhang Dabiao, right? You're a real righteous guy!"

"Of course! Who can come up with so much grain to pay off someone's debts these days? I bet Zhang Dabiao has his eye on the Mu family's daughter."

"No way? How old is Zhang Dabiao? Is he even fully grown yet?"

Zhang Dabiao hated it when people said this.

[I've grown hair! I've grown hair! I really have!]