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

Looking at the resolute look in her eyes, and then at the child's sleeping face, Liu Haizhong felt a mix of guilt and responsibility, and made a decision in an instant.

He straightened his back, his tone no longer hesitant, but firmer than ever before: "I'm willing! Cuilan, don't worry, I will never let anyone hurt the child! Whether it's the deaf old woman or Yi Zhonghai, anyone who wants to harm the child will have to get past me first!"

Liu Haizhong thought that after hearing his words, Zhang Cuilan's fierce expression would fade a bit, and she might even show some emotion. However, to his surprise, Zhang Cuilan continued to stare at him intently, her eyes sharp and cold, making him feel uncomfortable all over, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on his back.

He subconsciously rubbed his hands together, his tone hesitant and tentative: "Cui... Cuilan, don't look at me like that... Just say what you want to say, I'll listen, okay?"

Seeing this, Zhang Cuilan's lips curled into a very faint smile, and she coldly snorted, her tone devoid of any warmth: "Since you've agreed, I have three requests, and I hope you'll grant them."

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong felt a surge of displeasure.

Although he felt guilty about the child and what happened back then, and genuinely wanted to protect the mother and child, it was still too much for the other party to put on airs and make demands after he had readily agreed to help.

He frowned slightly, his expression darkened, and his resentment began to surface.

Zhang Cuilan took in the changes in his expression, her gaze sharpening as she stared intently at him and asked, "You don't want to?"

A fleeting look of embarrassment crossed Liu Haizhong's face, but he ultimately suppressed his displeasure and sighed heavily: "Cuilan, I've already agreed to help you, let's talk this out. The way you're talking makes it sound like you're threatening me, which is really hurting our relationship."

Zhang Cuilan gently shook her head, her tone serious to the point of being cold: "Old Liu, it's not just your feeling that you can assume it, but I am threatening you."

These words were like a thorn, piercing Liu Haizhong's heart.

Even if he were incredibly oblivious, he could sense the firmness in her tone, and his face immediately turned extremely ugly, his voice tinged with anger: "Cuilan, let's talk this out! I genuinely want to help you, but if this is your attitude, then I'm leaving!"

Zhang Cuilan looked at him with a half-smile, her eyes full of mockery and understanding: "You're leaving? Where are you going? Back to your house in the backyard?"

She paused, then dropped a bombshell on Liu Haizhong, "Oh, you probably don't know this, but after you were fired from the steel mill, Liu Guangtian changed the house's name to his shortly after he joined. Sorry, the house is indeed registered under the Liu family name now, but it belongs to Liu Guangtian. Do you think they'll let you go back to live there, given your previous attitude of constantly beating and scolding Guangtian and Guangfu?"

"What?!"

Liu Haizhong was struck dumb, his face turning deathly pale before flushing crimson. He gritted his teeth and said, "At worst, I'll find a way back to the steel rolling mill! Chief Engineer Zhou just said that if I can get back there, he'll help me advance further and make me a leader! Then I won't have to worry about finding a place to go!"

The silence was broken by a burst of laughter.

Zhang Cuilan burst out laughing, her eyes filled with disdain as if she were looking at a fool. Her tone was undisguised mockery: "Old Liu, are you out of your mind? Back then, you were sent to a labor camp and lost your job because you offended Zhou Weiguo. You still expect Zhou Weiguo to help you? I think you're dreaming!"

Liu Haizhong was speechless after being scolded by her. The smug look on his face froze instantly. He stood there, stunned, and subconsciously retorted, "Impossible... Chief Engineer Zhou clearly gave me a chance today and promised that as long as I could return to the steel rolling mill, he would consider helping me..."

As he spoke, his voice grew weaker and weaker, and even he himself lost his confidence. Zhang Cuilan's words struck a chord with the reality he had been deliberately ignoring.

Zhang Cuilan's smile vanished, her eyes turning cold and serious again: "Who is Zhou Weiguo? He's unfathomable. He sees all this strife in the courtyard better than anyone. You dare to take the bait he's offered you? Besides, how many times have you offended him? He's already being kind by not ruining you. And you still have the nerve to ask him to promote you? You must be dreaming!"

Liu Haizhong stood there, pondering Zhang Cuilan's words repeatedly. The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became. The color drained from his face, and his expression changed drastically.

Just then, Zhang Cuilan spoke up again: "I've thought carefully about the time we had a relationship. I remember it clearly. The deaf old lady originally said she was going to call Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu into the house, and that it had nothing to do with us. I suspect that Zhou Weiguo was the one who secretly manipulated things behind the scenes that time."

"What?!"

Liu Haizhong looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief, his voice trembling, "You mean, Zhou Weiguo deliberately plotted against us? Then...then you don't hate him?"

In his view, anyone would feel resentful after being schemed against like this, but Zhang Cuilan's calmness was truly abnormal.

Zhang Cuilan gently shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of uncertainty yet also a clear understanding: "It's not necessarily that Zhou Weiguo deliberately harmed us, but he definitely helped Shazhu. Otherwise, given Shazhu's honest and simple nature, he would have been completely outmaneuvered by Lao Longzi and Yi Zhonghai long ago, and wouldn't have been able to escape unscathed."

She paused, a complex emotion flashing across her eyes, and softened her voice, "But even if Zhou Weiguo really did scheme against me, I don't hate him. In fact, to be honest, I should thank him. If it weren't for him, I might still think I'm a barren hen and still believe that Yi Zhonghai is a good man I can entrust my life to."

When she spoke of Yi Zhonghai, her tone suddenly turned cold, her eyes surging with resentment suppressed for thirty years, her voice carrying a hint of madness: "Yi Zhonghai, what a hypocritical Yi Zhonghai! He ruined my life, Zhang Cuilan's life! For thirty whole years, who in the courtyard didn't gossip behind my back, saying I was a barren hen? I endured it all my life, suffered scorn all my life, only to find out in the end that it was because he used to frequent the Eight Great Hutongs when he was young, ruining his health! Haha, isn't that ridiculous? You men mess around outside and get into trouble, and we women suffer a lifetime of gossip and criticism."

Liu Haizhong stood there dumbfounded, as if he had heard a shocking piece of news, completely stunned.

He had never seen Zhang Cuilan so distraught. Looking at the pain and madness in her eyes, he was so frightened that he subconsciously swallowed and didn't dare to breathe.

All the grievances and forbearance of the past thirty years burst forth in Zhang Cuilan's words. She took a deep breath, forcibly calmed her surging emotions, and continued, "Actually, it's not just about what happened to us. I even suspect that Zhou Weiguo was behind the scenes in pushing Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old lady, and Xu Damao and Song Dahua to get their marriage certificates."