I painted an aircraft carrier on the courtyard house for Dongda University.

As soon as the old man finished speaking, the neighbors who were watching the commotion erupted. The voices that had been suppressed just moments before suddenly rose several decibels, filled with disbelief and shock.

Aunt Wang slapped her thigh, her eyes wide with disbelief. "My goodness! Third Uncle, there's something more to what you're saying! Zhu Zi, you're not talking nonsense, are you? So Xu Damao and Second Aunt really got their marriage certificate? This is no joke! When Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu come back, won't they have to call Xu Damao their stepfather? This generational hierarchy is completely messed up!"

"It's more than just chaos!"

Aunt Zhao also gasped, her tone a mix of mockery and shock. "Think about it again. Xu Damao's father is Xu Wude. If Second Aunt marries Xu Damao, wouldn't she have to call Xu Wude 'father-in-law' whenever she sees him? Second Aunt isn't much younger than Xu Wude, is she? If they meet, it'll be incredibly awkward for whoever calls whom!"

Grandpa Li shook his head, clicking his tongue in astonishment: "I've lived most of my life, and this is the first time I've seen something so outrageous! Old Liu is still in jail, and his wife has married that rascal in the neighborhood, meaning their two sons have to recognize a stepfather. If Old Liu finds out, won't he skin Xu Damao alive and break Song Dahua's legs?"

Several young neighbors nearby couldn't help but laugh, but dared not laugh too loudly, covering their mouths and shaking their shoulders.

Some people huddled together and whispered, "This isn't a wedding, it's the biggest gossip in the whole compound! Xu Damao's really something, daring to marry even Second Auntie. He's going to be able to walk all over the compound like a hog from now on!"

"Walk sideways? I doubt it!"

Another neighbor scoffed, "Just based on their seniority, he'll feel awkward whenever he sees Liu Guangtian and his brother, let alone Xu Wude. He'll probably have to avoid them! Besides, the matter with Yi Zhonghai isn't over yet. This commotion in our courtyard is going to never end!"

The murmurs in the courtyard surged like a tide. Director Wang, who had just followed Zhang Cuilan out of Xu Damao's house, suddenly turned pale and felt extremely embarrassed.

She clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white, and the veins on her forehead throbbed faintly. But she was helpless; Zhou Weiguo was watching closely, and if this wasn't handled properly, he would definitely expose it. Then, she, the director of the street office, would become infamous throughout Beijing, her future completely ruined.

Fortunately, I had just finished the formalities for Xu Damao and Song Dahua, and I would finalize the matter of Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old lady later. After that, it would be none of my business. At most, it would just show that these two families had novel tastes.

Director Wang, barely suppressing his anger, swept his sharp gaze over the onlookers and sternly shouted, "What are you all doing here? Bored? Go home right now! If you keep gossiping, I'll take you all to the neighborhood office for a lecture!"

Her voice was full of authority, but if you listened carefully, you could detect a subtle hint of embarrassment.

The neighbors shut up sheepishly after she yelled at them, but they still couldn't help but steal glances at her out of the corner of their eyes, their curiosity and mockery impossible to hide.

Following behind Director Wang, Zhang Cuilan's face was paler than paper. She held the child tightly in her arms, her fingernails almost digging into her arms.

The neighbors' gossip about Xu Damao and Song Dahua was like sharp knives, stabbing her heart deeply.

She could almost feel the strange looks people were giving her—curiosity, inquiry, and a hint of barely perceptible disdain. People were talking about Song Dahua now, but what would they say about her once her divorce from Yi Zhonghai and his marriage to the deaf old woman were revealed?

Zhang Cuilan's body trembled slightly uncontrollably as a strong sense of humiliation surged into her heart, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

She didn't dare look up, biting her lower lip hard, burying her face even lower, wanting only to hide herself away. The scene of her neighbors learning about her divorce involuntarily flashed through her mind: pointing fingers, whispered gossip, and disdainful looks…

What made her even more desperate was that once Yi Zhonghai married the deaf old woman, the whole neighborhood would know that Yi Zhonghai was practically the old woman's son, and that she, her former daughter-in-law, had arranged for her husband to marry her. This was a hundred times more outrageous than Song Dahua's affair!

When the time comes, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu will have to call Xu Damao their stepfather, and what will her children call Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old woman? This chaotic generational hierarchy and this embarrassing situation made her wish she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"What are you all standing there for? Let's go!" Director Wang's voice rang in my ears, tinged with impatience.

Zhang Cuilan suddenly came to her senses and realized that she had already stopped walking. She quickly followed Director Wang's steps and staggered towards the backyard.

The two entered the deaf old woman's house one after the other. As soon as they crossed the threshold, Director Wang saw Yi Zhonghai pacing anxiously in the room, while the deaf old woman sat upright on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her expression calm as if she had already made up her mind.

Director Wang, suppressing his inner turmoil, his face so dark it seemed to drip water, spoke first in a deep voice before Yi Zhonghai could even speak: "Yi Zhonghai, Zhang Cuilan, now that things have come to this, don't waste any more time, get the divorce papers done immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai abruptly stopped, a flicker of panic crossing his face, quickly replaced by relief. He nodded hastily and replied, "Yes! Okay! I'll listen to Director Wang!"

Zhang Cuilan stood still, her grip on the child tightening, her head bowed, saying nothing. Only her slightly trembling shoulders betrayed her inner unease.

Director Wang took out a pre-prepared divorce application form from his cloth bag, slammed it on the table with a "bang," and said in an unquestionable tone, "Sign! Put your fingerprints on it!" As he spoke, he took out an inkpad from his bag and pushed it over.

Yi Zhonghai picked up the pen, his hand still trembling slightly, but without the slightest hesitation, he quickly signed his name in the applicant column, dipped it in ink, and pressed his red handprint on it.

When it was Zhang Cuilan's turn, she hesitated to reach out, and looked up at Director Wang with a blank and helpless expression in her eyes.

Seeing this, Director Wang frowned even more, his tone becoming more impatient: "Zhang Cuilan, stop dawdling! Dragging this out won't do you any good!"

The deaf old woman chimed in, her tone urging, "Cuilan, hurry up and sign it. Director Wang is doing this for your own good."

Zhang Cuilan bit her lower lip, glanced at Yi Zhonghai beside her, and then looked down at the sleeping child in her arms.

Finally, her hands trembled as she picked up the pen and carefully signed her name. The moment she pressed her fingerprint, tears welled up in her eyes. With this stroke of the pen, she became a divorced woman. Could her future truly be as secure as they claimed?

As soon as the divorce papers were finalized, Director Wang turned to Yi Zhonghai and said firmly, "Yi Zhonghai, I've decided to divide your joint property with Zhang Cuilan! The room you're currently living in belongs to Zhang Cuilan and will be used to house her and their child; all the family savings will also go to Zhang Cuilan!"