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

"And there's another issue, Lao Yi, you're an old man, it's not a question of whether I'll give way or not."

Yi Zhonghai frowned.

Liu Haizhong pointed out the window, towards the direction of the small courtyard.

"It's Zhang Dabiao. If he doesn't agree, even if you become a big shot again, he'll strip you of it."

Yi Zhonghai's expression changed.

Liu Haizhong sighed, "Old Yi, don't be unconvinced. He really has the ability. Look at those young people in the yard, Guangqi, Shazhu, and those other teenagers, who doesn't listen to him? Can you command them?"

Yi Zhonghai remained silent.

Yan Bugui nodded in agreement: "Old Liu is right. That kid Zhang Dabiao has really made a name for himself now."

Yi Zhonghai picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

He knew Liu Haizhong was telling the truth.

But this truth is too painful to hear.

There are advantages to having bangs, and Yi Zhonghai was prepared for this.

With his level 8 worker skills, two level 7 workers who are good at assisting him, two level 5 workers from the last rush project, and five level 6 workers he is currently leading.

Yi Zhonghai went to the factory to make a statement, along with Liu Haizhong's group of apprentices, and Li Huaide's relatively decent relationship with Liu Haizhong.

With widespread support and recommendations, it's not impossible to implement a system where workers are replaced with cadres.

But Liu Guangqi and Li Huaide still need to make some connections regarding this matter.

It's a bit difficult, but not entirely impossible.

As Liu Haizhong said, Zhang Dabiao couldn't get past the issues that happened in the courtyard.

As for Yan Bugui wanting to be the third-in-command, that's just a lazy dog ​​who only wants to win by lying down. He'll be happy as long as he can regain his position.

Yi Zhonghai remained silent.

This is an insurmountable hurdle; what should we do?

When in doubt, consult your ancestors.

[Godmother, he's here! He's here! Your precious godson has come carrying a pig's head!]

------------

The next evening, Yi Zhonghai took a basket and went to the backyard.

The basket contained half a pound of pig's head meat and a bag of pastries.

The deaf old woman was sitting in the doorway basking in the sun. When she saw him coming, she squinted her eyes.

"Zhonghai, you've arrived?"

Yi Zhonghai nodded and placed the basket on the small table next to her.

"Godmother, I bought you some food."

The deaf old woman looked at the pig's head meat, then at the package of pastries, and sighed.

"You don't come here without a reason. Speak, what is it?"

Yi Zhonghai squatted down next to her and remained silent for a long time.

"Godmother, I want to be a big shot again."

The deaf old woman looked at him, and finally asked helplessly, "Why do you insist on acting like this old man?"

"Can't we, mother and daughter, just live a peaceful life?"

"If we get promoted, you'll have money, and I have some savings. We can live a very comfortable life. Why can't you understand that?"

The deaf old woman used to pretend to be an ancestor to support Yi Zhonghai, but after being exposed, she has kept a low profile ever since.

Impersonating a martyr's relative almost got me executed!

How could she not keep a low profile?

She wanted to live two more years.

Although the "impersonation" was a rumor spread by others and a "misunderstanding," she didn't come forward to explain, which ultimately led to the revocation of her status as a recipient of the five guarantees (a government-provided social welfare program for the elderly and disabled). But if she causes any more trouble, she really won't have any protection left.

Although her status as a recipient of the "Five Guarantees" (a government-provided social welfare program for the elderly and disabled) has been revoked, she is still being taken care of by Yi Zhonghai. Liu Cuilan brings her food and cleans her house every day, and Sha Zhu occasionally prepares some good food for her. To be honest, she is living a very comfortable life.

The only downside was that Xu Damao treated her like a thief. Whenever Xu Damao went to the countryside, he would send Lou Xiao'e back to her parents' home, almost never giving them a chance to see each other alone.

If Sha Zhu had the skill, Lou Xiao'e the wealth, and Liu Cuilan the care, then her later years would have been truly perfect.

Zhang Dabiao, on the other hand, completely ignored her deafness, and she had figured out the pattern.

As long as you don't provoke Zhang Dabiao or try to take advantage of him, Zhang Dabiao will completely ignore the other people in the courtyard.

Zhang Dabiao completely ignored how she, Yi Zhonghai, and the Jia family were psychologically manipulating Sha Zhu, instead watching the spectacle from the sidelines.

Therefore, this situation is the most advantageous for them, but Yi Zhonghai is determined to make trouble for Zhang Dabiao and seize control of the discourse in the courtyard.

In the old deaf man's view, wasn't this just asking for trouble?

Yi Zhonghai continued, "I know this is difficult. Zhang Dabiao is blocking my way, and the young people won't listen to me. But I have no choice, godmother."

He looked up at the deaf old woman.

"After you pass away, I can arrange everything perfectly for you, so you don't need to worry. But what about myself? Who will take care of me in my old age?"

The deaf old woman's eyes flickered.

Yi Zhonghai's voice trembled slightly: "Dongxu is dead. Qin Huairu is nominally my godson's wife, and now she's also my apprentice. But if the young people are unruly, who will supervise them when I get old and their family doesn't take care of me?"

He clenched his fists.

"The traditions of respecting the elderly and caring for the young in our courtyard must be strictly enforced. The younger generation must also follow suit. Otherwise, I..."

He didn't finish speaking, but the deaf old woman already understood.

She let out a long sigh.

"In the end, it's all about business."

Yi Zhonghai was stunned.

The deaf old woman looked at him with a complex expression in her eyes.

"Zhonghai, are you good to me because we have deep feelings for each other?"

Yi Zhonghai's lips moved, but he couldn't utter a word.

The deaf old woman shook her head: "You're not. You set this example so that others will look up to you in the future."

She leaned back in her chair, gazing at the darkening sky.

"Silly Zhu is still the best. He's kind to people without ever expecting anything in return. Pure and genuine."

Yi Zhonghai lowered his head and remained silent.

After a long while, the deaf old woman slowly began to speak.

"Zhang Dabiao has become a force to be reckoned with. He has three ministerial-level units watching him closely, and they can't touch him. What's more, he has so many honors, and there are foreign exchange owed to him."

She looked at Yi Zhonghai.

"This foreign exchange goes into the national treasury. Anyone who touches it is touching the country's foreign exchange. So his current background is even stronger than that of a martyr's family."

Yi Zhonghai's expression changed.

The deaf old woman continued, "Should we send someone to take him down directly? We might not even be able to defeat him. That kid's tough. If we really do take action and fail, we can't afford his revenge."

"As for money, they have more than all of our combined assets, and they don't lack it."

She sighed.

"To be honest, Zhonghai really doesn't know how to deal with people like this."

Yi Zhonghai remained silent.

After a long while, he finally spoke: "Godmother, what should I do?"

The deaf old woman thought for a moment and said, "Go and confront him."

"showdown?"

"Yes." The deaf old woman nodded. "Ask him what price he has to pay for him to stop caring about these things in the yard. Make him draw up a line."

Yi Zhonghai frowned: "Will he agree?"

The deaf old woman looked at him.

"Go ahead and give it a try. If he really doesn't want to get involved in your mess, he'll back down."

She paused.

"Remember, don't confront him directly."

Yi Zhonghai nodded and stood up.

As he walked to the gate of the courtyard, he turned back and glanced at the deaf old woman again.

"Godmother, aren't you going to talk to him?"

The deaf old woman shook her head.

"Has he affected my retirement plans?"

Yi Zhonghai was stunned.

The deaf old woman continued, "He doesn't care about me. I don't bother him either. We keep to ourselves, and that's fine."

Moreover, after Zhang Dabiao defied fate, the deaf old lady was afraid that Zhang Bansian might have left him some backup plan, so she didn't want to get involved in the matter between Yi Zhonghai and Zhang Dabiao, and avoided contact if possible.

She closed her eyes.

"Zhonghai, you can go by yourself. I'm too old to get involved in these things anymore."

Yi Zhonghai stood there, looking at that hunched figure, and suddenly felt a little lonely.