Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

Yi Zhonghai emerged from the west courtyard with mixed feelings, but mostly a sense of relief. He returned to his home in the central courtyard, where an older woman had already helped Yi Aijia and Yi Aiguo wash up and change into clean, though old, clothes. Seeing the meat, fish, and candy Yi Zhonghai had bought, the two children's eyes lit up with longing, yet they hesitated to approach.

"Aijia, Aiguo, come here, look what delicious treats your uncle bought for you!" Yi Zhonghai tried to make his voice sound gentler as he picked up the bag of assorted candies and handed it to the children.

Yi Aijia hesitated for a moment, glanced at the encouraging look in the older woman's eyes, and then cautiously reached out, took a piece of fruit candy, and whispered, "Thank you, Uncle." She quickly unwrapped the candy, popped it into her mouth, and as the sweetness melted in her mouth, a faint smile finally appeared on her little face, the first one of the day. Yi Aiguo followed her sister's example, took a piece, put it in his mouth, and squinted his eyes contentedly.

Seeing the children's smiles, Yi Zhonghai felt it was all worth it. He urged the older woman to hurry up and cook, specifically instructing her to stew the meat until it was very tender and steam the fish in a light way, suitable for the children.

After dinner, Yi Zhonghai checked the time and said to an older woman, "I'm going out for a bit to call everyone for a meeting." He took a deep breath and walked out of the house.

In the courtyard of the central compound, small groups of people were already chatting. Yi Zhonghai walked to the center of the courtyard, cleared his throat, and said loudly, "Fellow old neighbors, please be quiet. Since everyone is home tonight, let's have a general meeting of the entire compound. There's something I need to discuss."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Liu Haizhong, his belly protruding, strolled out of the room with his usual authoritative expression. He said sarcastically, "A meeting? Old Yi, what right do you have to convene a hospital-wide meeting now? The 'big boss' of this hospital has long been a dead man, hasn't he?" He deliberately emphasized the words "big boss," with obvious sarcasm.

In the past, upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai would either have swallowed his anger in frustration or retorted with a sullen face. But today, he simply glanced at Liu Haizhong calmly, his tone neither humble nor arrogant: "Old Liu, it's not that I'm trying to put on airs. It's just that Director Wang from the neighborhood committee is coming over in a little while and has something important to announce to the entire hospital. I'm just informing everyone in advance."

"Director Wang is coming?" Liu Haizhong was taken aback, his smug expression instantly freezing, then replaced by a doubtful look. "Director Wang is coming...what for?"

"We'll know when Director Wang arrives." Yi Zhonghai ignored him and turned to Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, who were watching the commotion, and said, "Guangtian, Guangfu, could you two please go to the front and back yards and tell everyone that if they can come, they should come to the central courtyard. Director Wang has an important notice."

Although the Liu brothers, Guangtian and Guangfu, were afraid of their father, they dared not offend the street director. Upon hearing this, they quickly responded and ran off to inform him. Liu Haizhong stood to the side, his face alternating between pale and flushed, wondering what Director Wang was going to announce about Xiyao. Could it really be related to Yi Zhonghai's adoption of the two children?

Before long, people from the courtyard gradually arrived at the central courtyard. Yan Bugui's family, Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu (Jia Dongxu was at home studying and didn't come), Xu Damao's parents, the old ladies from the back courtyard… even Wang Huanbo from the west wing moved a chair and sat on the porch, waiting quietly. The courtyard was packed with people, whispering and discussing amongst themselves, their eyes mostly focused on Yi Zhonghai's family, especially the two unfamiliar children beside him.

Just then, footsteps sounded at the courtyard gate, and Director Wang from the neighborhood office walked in with a staff member, his expression serious. The courtyard instantly fell silent, and everyone's eyes turned to Director Wang.

Director Wang walked to the center of the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over everyone. His eyes lingered on Yi Zhonghai and the two children for a moment, then he nodded slightly before speaking loudly: "Good evening, neighbors of No. 95! I'm here today to announce something very important and very honorable!"

She paused, then raised her voice slightly, adding a solemn tone: "As you all have probably seen, we have two young guests at Comrade Yi Zhonghai's home. Here, I would like to solemnly introduce these two children: the older sister is named Yi Aijia, and the younger brother is named Yi Aiguo! They are the biological children of Comrade Yi Zhonghai's long-lost younger brother—Comrade Yi Zhonghe! They are the orphans of a martyr!"

The words "orphan of a martyr" were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, causing a tremendous shock among the crowd! Everyone was stunned! Even Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong, who had already guessed, showed expressions of disbelief! A martyr? Yi Zhonghai's brother was a martyr?

Director Wang continued in a clear and powerful voice: "Many of our old neighbors may still remember, and some of our relatives and friends may even remember, the great struggle to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea, to defend our homeland! Countless of our volunteer soldiers, with high morale and great spirit, crossed the Yalu River and defended the country's security with their blood and lives, demonstrating the might of our nation and our army! And Comrade Yi Zhonghe was one of these millions of heroes!"

Her voice was filled with deep respect: "Comrade Yi Zhonghe was an outstanding driver in a motor transport regiment of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army! In July 1953, on the eve of the Korean Armistice, during the final crucial battle, he was ordered to transport urgently needed ammunition and supplies to the front lines. En route, they encountered fierce bombing raids from enemy aircraft! To cover the safety of his comrades and the supplies, Comrade Yi Zhonghe resolutely drove the vehicle, drawing enemy fire and engaging the enemy planes, ultimately… sacrificing his life heroically! The supplies he was escorting reached his comrades on the front lines in time, making a significant contribution to the final victory of the battle! Comrade Yi Zhonghe was posthumously awarded a Second-Class Merit by the army! He is a hero of our country, a meritorious contributor to the people!"

The courtyard was completely silent, save for Director Wang's impassioned voice echoing through the air. Many longtime neighbors who had lived through that era—the deaf old lady, the middle-aged woman, and the women who had once cooked noodles and made military shoes for the Volunteer Army—had tears in their eyes. They seemed to be transported back to that era of smoke and fire, of shared hatred for the enemy, remembering those young faces forever left behind in a foreign land.

Director Wang's gaze sharpened as he swept over the various expressions on the faces of the crowd: "Comrades Yi Aijia and Yi Aiguo are descendants of heroes! Their identities have been rigorously verified and confirmed by the street office, civil affairs department, and military! From today onwards, it is perfectly reasonable, legal, and incredibly honorable for them to be raised by Comrade Yi Zhonghai!"

She raised her voice, her tone carrying an undeniable authority: "I hope that every resident of our No. 95 compound will respect the martyrs and cherish their orphans! If I find out that anyone is gossiping behind our backs, talking badly, or even bullying the two children, then they have a problem with their thinking and their awareness is not high enough! The neighborhood committee and the police station will not sit idly by! Don't blame us for dealing with this seriously according to the rules!"

Director Wang's words were forceful and resounding, like invisible whips lashing at the hearts of some. Liu Haizhong subconsciously shrank back, Yan Bugui's small eyes dared not dart around, and Jia Zhangshi pursed her lips but dared not utter a sound. A solemn yet slightly oppressive atmosphere permeated the courtyard.

Yi Zhonghai stood beside Director Wang, his back straight. Looking at the varied expressions on the faces of the people below, he was filled with mixed emotions. There was the exhilaration of triumph, the deep longing for his younger brother, and a heavy sense of responsibility. He took Yi Aijia and Yi Aiguo's hands, stepped forward, and bowed deeply to all the neighbors in the courtyard.

"Thank you, Director Wang! Thank you, neighbors!" His voice was choked with emotion, but unusually firm. "I, Yi Zhonghai, swear to God! I will treat the children of Zhonghe as my own flesh and blood! I will raise them to adulthood, to be worthy of my brother, and to be worthy of the country!"

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai's image seemed to undergo a subtle change in everyone's eyes. The once cunning and annoying "childless" Yi Zhonghai seemed to have disappeared. In his place was a responsible older brother and elder, carrying the entrustment of his heroic younger brother and determined to raise the orphan.

The hospital-wide meeting concluded with Director Wang's summary and instructions. People dispersed with mixed feelings, but the news that "Yi Zhonghai's brother is a martyr" and "the Yi family has adopted a hero's descendant" spread like wildfire throughout the courtyard, and would completely change the future of this community. And Yi Zhonghai's new life truly began from this moment.