Siheyuan (courtyard house): My father, Li Yunlong!

Li Zhenhua whiled away another hour or so by the river, easily catching four or five palm-sized crucian carp with his magical bait. He figured that enough to make a pot of rich, white, and delicious fish soup. Satisfied, he packed up his fishing gear, got on his bicycle, and leisurely rode back to his home in the city.

When her son returned with live fish, his mother, Xiuqin, was overjoyed.

The mother and son had a rare moment of leisure. Li Zhenhua cooked the meal himself, while Xiuqin assisted him, constantly reminding him to take good care of himself and not to overwork himself.

Although the meal was simple, the fish soup was delicious and the atmosphere was warm. Li Zhenhua temporarily put aside the disturbances in the factory and courtyard and enjoyed this rare moment of family affection.

After finishing his meal, Li Zhenhua chatted with his mother for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, he got up and returned to the courtyard house.

As soon as I stepped into the front gate of the courtyard house, I sensed that something was wrong.

The courtyard was brightly lit and filled with people; almost everyone in the courtyard had gathered there, some sitting and some standing, around the octagonal table.

The three old men sat upright in the center. Yi Zhonghai had a solemn expression and a protruding belly in his bangs, while Yan Bugui's small eyes darted around.

Madam Jia sat in the most conspicuous spot, holding a handkerchief of indeterminate color, wiping the corner of her eye absently. Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu stood behind her with their heads down, while Banggeng hid beside Qin Huairu's legs, curiously peering out.

Li Zhenhua's arrival was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

The whispers abruptly ceased, and the crowd's gazes were complex, containing curiosity, awe, and, like Yan Bugui, calculation.

Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhangshi's expressions changed slightly, clearly not expecting this "evil star" to return at this time.

Li Zhenhua knew perfectly well that this was probably a classic scene from a traditional courtyard house drama.

A donation drive that uses moral blackmail.

He remained expressionless, slowly pushing his bicycle inside. His gaze swept across the entire room, finally landing on Yi Zhonghai. A playful smile appeared on his lips as he asked in a loud voice.

"Oh, what a lively scene! All three of you are here. What big event has happened this time? We've been holding these department-wide meetings quite often."

His voice broke the silence, carrying a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm.

Yi Zhonghai was somewhat embarrassed by the question. He cleared his throat, tried his best to maintain the dignity of an old man, and spoke with a heavy heart.

"Zhenhua is back. Sigh, it's all because of these times... everyone's having a hard time, but the Jia family's situation is especially difficult. Dongxu is the only one working, and his ration is limited. Jia's wife is getting old, Huairu is weak, and Banggeng is at the age where he's growing. The family is really... unable to make ends meet. The three of us old men discussed it and decided that we couldn't just stand by and watch our neighbors go hungry. Our courtyard has always valued mutual help, so we held this meeting to encourage everyone to contribute what they can, whether it's their labor or money, to help the Jia family get through this difficult time."

At the opportune moment, Jia Zhangshi increased the intensity of her whimpers, her voice trembling with tears.

"Good heavens... how are we going to survive... we're starving to death..."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhenhua sneered inwardly. Sure enough, this was the trick. This Jia Zhangshi looked like a fat pig; she didn't seem to be suffering at all.

He didn't say anything, just said "Oh," pushed his bicycle to a spot against the wall, found a stone stool to sit on, and gave the impression that he was saying, "You guys continue, I'll take a look."

He wanted to see how this play would be performed today.

When Yi Zhonghai saw that Li Zhenhua did not immediately object but simply sat down to watch the show, he breathed a slight sigh of relief and even secretly wondered if Li Zhenhua had also tacitly approved of this "mutual assistance" method.

After all, he's a cadre; he has to consider the impact, right?

With this thought in mind, Yi Zhonghai's courage immediately grew.

He straightened his back, scanned the entire room, and raised his voice eight octaves, with a tone of compassion and empathy.

"Fellow residents! Neighbors! Why is our courtyard recognized as an advanced unit every year? It's because we're united! When one family is in trouble, help comes from all sides! Now that the Jia family is facing difficulties, we absolutely cannot stand idly by! As the eldest resident of the courtyard, I'll take the lead!"

As he spoke, Yi Zhonghai took out a brand-new ten-yuan note from his pocket and solemnly placed it on the Eight Immortals table.

The sound of banknotes falling onto the table was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

"I'll donate ten yuan! I hope it can help the Jia family in their time of need!"

Yi Zhonghai spoke with great righteousness and awe.

Ten yuan! In those days, that's almost half a month's wages for an average worker!

Yi Zhonghai's "grand gesture" immediately elicited a murmur of surprise.

Jia Zhangshi's eyes lit up instantly, and she stared intently at the money, wishing she could grab it immediately.

Following Yi Zhonghai's lead, Liu Haizhong was not to be outdone. He coughed twice, took out five yuan and put it on the table. Although it was less than Yi Zhonghai's, it was still considered a "generous donation".

Yan Bugui hesitated for a long time before reluctantly taking out a dime, muttering to himself.

"Sigh, life's tough... This is just a small token of my appreciation..."

The three elderly men all donated, and the other residents looked at each other in bewilderment. Some of them, who were better off but couldn't bring themselves to donate, such as the old worker in the backyard, also donated three or five cents.

But many others looked troubled, lowering their heads and avoiding eye contact with Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhangshi.

These days, no one is well-off. We can't even fill our own stomachs, let alone have any surplus to help others.

Especially Jia Zhangshi's matter-of-fact attitude made people feel even more uncomfortable.

Yi Zhonghai looked at the scattered money on the table, his brows furrowed slightly, clearly not satisfied with the current "results".

His gaze once again fell upon Li Zhenhua, who had remained silent.

In his opinion, Li Zhenhua, as the only cadre in the institute, should show some appreciation, both morally and logically, and it shouldn't be too little, so as to motivate others.

"Zhenhua."

Yi Zhonghai forced a kind smile onto his face.

"As a manager in our factory, you have a high rank and a high income. Why don't you set an example for others and help out your neighbors who are struggling?"

In an instant, all eyes in the hospital were once again focused on Li Zhenhua.

Jia Zhangshi looked over with great expectation, as if Li Zhenhua was her lifeline.

Li Zhenhua sat on the stone stool, leisurely shifting to a more comfortable position. Meeting Yi Zhonghai's "encouraging" gaze and Jia Zhangshi's greedy stare, he revealed a meaningful smile.

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire courtyard.

"Uncle, what you're saying is true. Helping each other is a virtue, and I definitely support it."

Yi Zhonghai was overjoyed, and Jia Zhangshi also smiled.

However, Li Zhenhua changed the subject.

"However, I have a question I'd like to ask Aunt Jia first."

Li Zhenhua looked at Jia Zhangshi and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"From what I understand, Jia Dongxu is a level 2 worker in the factory. His salary and subsidies are not low. Moreover, when Old Jia died, the factory gave him a pension. Logically speaking, the Jia family is not in a difficult situation. In fact, they are better off than many families in the compound. There is no reason for the factory to help the Jia family. Besides, Jia Zhangshi is so fat that she is almost as fat as a pig being slaughtered on the farm. She doesn't seem to be having any trouble at all."