Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

On Sunday morning, the No. 95 courtyard was still shrouded in a thin layer of morning mist and cooking smoke. Yan Bugui was brushing his teeth at the door with an enamel mug in his hand, Liu Haizhong was practicing his unorthodox martial arts moves in the courtyard, and Sha Zhu was preparing breakfast in the kitchen with a clanging sound. Each household began their daily routine.

Suddenly, a series of noisy footsteps and commotion approached from afar! Director Li of the street women's federation, accompanied by four or five burly, serious-looking women's federation staff, stormed into the courtyard with an aggressive air!

"Where is Yi Zhonghai? Who is Yi Zhonghai? Come out!" Director Li stood with his hands on his hips, his loud voice instantly breaking the silence in the courtyard.

Everyone was stunned, and they all put down what they were doing and gathered around. Yan Bugui forgot to spit out his mouthwash, Liu Haizhong's fist stance froze in mid-air, and Sha Zhu ran out with a spatula in hand.

"Director Li? What's wrong with you...?" Yan Bugui quickly stepped forward, his heart skipped a beat, and he had a bad feeling.

"Yi Zhonghai is persecuting women. We must take him for a checkup! We must clear the victims' names!" Director Li declared righteously.

Liu Hai's heart skipped a beat. Could it be...? He immediately perked up. This was a perfect opportunity to see Yi Zhonghai make a fool of himself! He quickly pointed to the central courtyard: "Yi Zhonghai's house is over there! I'll take you there!" He then eagerly led the way.

A group of people rushed to the Yi family's door. Director Li, without any hesitation, pounded on the door: "Yi Zhonghai! Open the door!"

Inside the house, Yi Zhonghai was sitting across from an older woman, drinking porridge. Hearing the commotion outside, especially the words "persecution of women" and "inspection," he was so frightened that his hand trembled, and he almost dropped his bowl. The older woman also turned pale.

"No...don't open it! What do they want to do!" Yi Zhonghai's voice trembled.

"Not opening? Break it open!" Director Li ordered.

A strong women's federation officer stepped forward and kicked him hard!

"Bang!" The already flimsy wooden door opened with a loud crash!

When Yi Zhonghai saw the large group of people at the door, especially Director Li's fiery eyes, he was terrified and wanted to shrink back into the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Bring him out here!" Director Li waved his hand.

Two officers stepped forward and, like eagles snatching chicks, dragged the struggling Yi Zhonghai off the kang (a heated brick bed) and carried him to the yard.

"What...what are you doing? What right do you have to arrest me?" Yi Zhonghai struggled and shouted in vain, his face ashen.

"On what grounds? Because you persecuted women! You forced your wife to drink poison! And you even slandered her for being unable to have children! Yi Zhonghai, today I will expose your true colors as a hypocrite in front of the entire hospital!" Director Li's voice was loud and clear, making sure everyone could hear him.

The courtyard erupted in chaos!

"What? Yi Zhonghai can't have children?"

"Forcing an elderly woman to drink poison? Is that true?"

"Wow, this is big news!"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, pointing and whispering. Jia Zhangshi peeked through the crack in the door, a smug, cold smile spreading across her face. Qin Huairu clutched her staff, her expression complex. Sha Zhu scratched his head, somewhat bewildered. Xu Damao, meanwhile, hid behind the crowd, a barely suppressed smirk playing on his lips.

"Go! Take him to Peking Union Medical College Hospital! Examine him in front of the doctors! Let science speak!" Director Li ordered.

The women's federation staff grabbed the limp Yi Zhonghai and dragged him outside. Yi Zhonghai howled like a pig being slaughtered: "I won't go! I'm not sick! It's her problem! It's her problem!" He pointed at an old woman trembling inside the house.

His desperate attempt to smear the public only fueled public anger and strengthened Director Li's resolve.

"Gag him! Take him away!"

Someone stuffed a tattered rag into Yi Zhonghai's mouth. The group then left the courtyard in a grand procession.

What a spectacle! The entire neighborhood was abuzz, and everyone came out to see what was going on. Upon hearing that Yi Zhonghai had been dragged out for a fertility check, they knew it was an unprecedented event! The crowd grew like a snowball, men and women, young and old, laughing and pointing, following the Women's Federation procession like a bustling market, surging towards Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The scene was a spectacle unseen in the Luogu Lane area for decades!

In the west courtyard, Wang Huanbo was tutoring He Yushui. Hearing the commotion outside, he only slightly raised his eyes. His driver, Xiao Zhao, came in and quietly reported the situation. A barely perceptible smile played on Wang Huanbo's lips as he waved his hand. Xu Damao, that kid, he's quick on his feet. He couldn't be bothered to watch this farce; the ending was already predetermined.

Peking Union Medical College Hospital was truly astonished today. Hundreds of people were gathered at the hospital entrance and in the courtyard; anyone who didn't know better would have thought some major medical accident had occurred. Director Li from the Women's Federation went directly to the hospital leadership to explain the situation. Upon hearing that this was a typical case of "feudal remnants persecuting women," the hospital took it very seriously and immediately arranged for their best gynecologists and andrologists to "cooperate with the investigation" throughout.

The examination process needs no further explanation. The results were as expected: the woman, though physically weak, had essentially normal reproductive function; while Yi Zhonghai… suffered from severe azoospermia and was completely infertile! The diagnostic report, in black and white, was personally read by a senior chief physician—scientific, authoritative, and beyond question!

The moment the doctor announced the results, Yi Zhonghai, whose rag had been ripped off, let out a desperate wail that sounded inhuman. He completely collapsed, sprawling to the ground, defecating and urinating inconsolably! More than twenty years of self-deception, more than twenty years of resentment towards his wife, more than twenty years of maintaining his dignity—all of this was shattered by science at this moment!

The middle-aged woman burst into tears, her sobs a mixture of relief, grievance, and indictment of the absurdity of the past twenty-odd years! She rushed forward and began punching and hitting the limp Yi Zhonghai, crying, "Yi Zhonghai! You're not human! You ruined my life!"

The onlookers erupted in uproar! A torrent of comments, ridicule, and insults followed!

"My God! That's really his problem!"

"He's useless and blames his wife! He's a real jerk!"

"Hypocrite! A hypocrite!"

"That old lady is so pitiful!"

"Paralyze them through the streets! They must be paraded through the streets as a warning!" someone shouted.

This was exactly the effect Director Li wanted! She announced on the spot that, based on the investigation results and Yi Zhonghai's egregious behavior, the Women's Federation had decided to immediately parade Yi Zhonghai through the streets in public as a warning to others!

Thus, Yi Zhonghai, who had just suffered a devastating physical and mental blow, was dragged out of the hospital like a dead dog by the Women's Federation staff. A large sign around his neck read "Yi Zhonghai, a feudal remnant and hypocrite who persecutes women," and he was paraded through major streets like Luogu Lane and Di'anmen Street. Director Li, carrying a tin megaphone, preached about women's rights and scientific knowledge as they walked. Behind them followed a large, jubilant crowd of onlookers, like a carnival.

Yi Zhonghai's eyes were vacant, and he was like a withered tree, letting spittle and rotten vegetable leaves fall on him. His life had fallen completely from the "altar" of an eighth-grade worker and an old man to the very bottom of the cesspool.

The news spread like wildfire back to the steel rolling mill. Director Yang and Secretary Wang were both shocked and furious upon hearing the news! Shocked that Yi Zhonghai was so despicable! Furious that he had tarnished the reputation of the steel rolling mill! The factory's Party Committee immediately convened an emergency meeting and swiftly made a decision: Comrade Yi Zhonghai's moral depravity and egregious behavior had severely damaged the factory's reputation; therefore, he was to be severely punished: his salary grade would be reduced from level eight to level five, and he would be barred from participating in technical grade assessments for three years!

When the parade ended and Yi Zhonghai was thrown back to the courtyard gate like a lump of mud, he received a disciplinary notice from the factory. He immediately fainted.

The era of Yi Zhonghai at Courtyard No. 95 has come to a complete end. Xu Damao, hiding behind his door, watched all this through the crack, his heart filled with joy, plotting how to "report the good news" and "show off his achievements" to Chief Engineer Wang.