Courtyard House: The Long-Lost Eldest Son Returns with Military Merit

After saying that, Jia Dongming immediately instructed Qin Huairu: "Huairu! Go to the kitchen quickly and get a set of chopsticks and a bowl for Uncle Yi, and fry two plates of eggs. Tonight, I'll have a good drink with Uncle Yi, Uncle San, and Brother Zhuzi."

"Hey! Lao Yi! Lao Yan! So you're both here with Section Chief Jia?"

Just as Jia Dongming was about to raise a glass with Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui, Liu Haizhong appeared in front of the main room carrying two bottles of wine. Seeing Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui sitting inside, he pretended to be surprised and greeted them.

After greeting everyone, Liu Haizhong immediately turned his gaze to Jia Dongming, bowed humbly, and introduced himself: "Section Chief Jia! Hello! My name is Liu Haizhong, I am the second oldest in this compound, and also a level seven forging worker in the steel rolling mill! I heard that you moved into the compound, so I came here to pay my respects."

Liu Haizhong! The second uncle of the courtyard house, he believed in corporal punishment and only valued his eldest son Liu Guangqi. He would beat and scold his second and youngest sons. His greatest wish in life was to become an official, but because of his shallow knowledge and stubbornness, he was used by Li Huaide when the wind rose and became a pawn. In the end, he was easily abandoned by Li Huaide.

Upon seeing Liu Haizhong, who had arrived uninvited and was carrying a bottle of wine, Jia Dongming rose from his chair and greeted him politely: "Second Uncle! Welcome to our home! We were just about to have a couple of drinks, would you like to join us?"

Upon hearing the invitation, Liu Haizhong happily replied, "Section Chief Jia! Then I won't stand on ceremony!"

After Liu Haizhong took his seat, Jia Dongming raised his glass to the three gentlemen and said with a smile, "Uncle! Uncle! Uncle! This first glass is for you three, to thank you for your support of the Jia family over the years. Now, please make yourselves at home."

"Section Chief Jia! Our compound is an outstanding compound in Nanluoguxiang, and we have always valued respecting the elderly, caring for the young, and helping each other! This is all within the duty of us three elders."

Seeing Jia Dongming raise his glass, Liu Haizhong quickly picked up his own glass and said ingratiatingly.

Seeing Liu Haizhong's obsequious and humble demeanor in front of Jia Dongming, Yi Zhonghai felt extremely contempt for his behavior, but on the surface he said with righteous indignation: "Section Chief Jia! The street office appointed the three of us as the courtyard elders, firstly to guard against spies, secondly to mediate neighborhood disputes, and thirdly to provide some assistance to residents in need."

After listening to Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai's words, Jia Dongming said with a smile, "Uncle! Uncle! Uncle! My mother told me that in previous years there was a shortage of food, and my mother, my siblings and children did not have food ration coupons. If it weren't for the help of everyone in the courtyard, it's hard to say whether they could have survived those three difficult years."

"I invited Uncle San here today because I wanted to ask him how much money and goods the residents of the courtyard have donated to the Jia family over the years."

"Before I was home, my mother and sister-in-law were raising three children, and it was indeed difficult to repay everyone's kindness."

Now that I'm back, the Jia family must return this kindness to everyone, no matter what.

When Yi Zhonghai first met Yan Bugui, he was still wondering why he was at Jia Dongming's house.

After listening to Jia Dongming's explanation, Yi Zhonghai immediately understood—Jia Dongming insisted on refunding the money because he clearly did not want to have too much involvement with the people in the hospital.

At that moment, Yi Zhonghai immediately realized that the Jia family was likely to break free from his influence, a situation he certainly did not want to see.

He said to Jia Dongming insincerely, "Section Chief Jia, the reason our compound was rated as excellent by the street is because of our tradition of unity, mutual assistance, respect for the elderly and care for the young."

These donations were all made voluntarily to help the Jia family; you really don't need to return them.

Yi Zhonghai initially called on residents to donate to the Jia family because he himself did not want to spend too much money on the Jia family, and thus used the guise of "mutual aid."

In name only, they act as generous with other people's money.

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongming smiled and replied, "Uncle, these days everyone is struggling financially."

As the head of the factory's security department, I earn more than one hundred yuan a month and am fully capable of repaying the debt.

I plan to prepare some gifts tomorrow and ask Uncle San to accompany me to return the money to each household.

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong immediately suggested, "Section Chief Jia, how about we hold a hospital-wide meeting tomorrow night? You can meet with your neighbors and get your refunds while you're at it."

However, we don't need to return our portion.

"Brother Jia, when my father ran away with someone, Brother Dongxu helped me a lot."

So the money our family donated doesn't need to be returned.

When Sha Zhu learned that Jia Dongming wanted to refund the money, he quickly said that he didn't need to return his share.

Jia Dongming shook his head, his tone resolute: "Second Uncle, Zhuzi, I remember all the care you've given to the Jia family over the years."

But the Jia family must return this money.

For Yan Bugui, a dozen yuan is not a small amount.

Seeing Jia Dongming's resolute attitude, he advised, "Old Liu, Sha Zhu, since Section Chief Jia has decided to retire, you shouldn't refuse."

As he spoke, Yan Bugui raised his glass and said to Jia Dongming with a smile, "Section Chief Jia, this glass is for you."

"If you need any help in the yard from now on, just let me know."

Jia Dongming raised his glass and laughed, "Come on, Third Uncle, let's have a drink!"

Around 8 p.m., Jia Dongming saw Yi Zhonghai and the others off at the gate and said goodbye politely: "Uncle, Uncle, Uncle, and Zhuzi, I apologize for not being able to entertain you properly tonight."

I'll treat everyone to a get-together another time when I have more free time.

Slightly drunk, Liu Haizhong didn't realize it was just polite talk and quickly flattered, "Section Chief Jia, how could I let you spend so much? I'll have my family prepare a few dishes another day and invite you over for a couple of drinks."

"Dongming, you're the head of the security department now, why be so polite to Yi Zhonghai and the others?"

After seeing the four people off, Jia Dongming returned to the courtyard.

Jia Zhangshi, who had already finished eating and was sitting to the side watching Qin Huairu tidy up, asked in confusion.

When Yi Zhonghai returned home, he sat down in a chair with a solemn expression, repeatedly recalling the scene he had witnessed at Jia Dongming's house that evening.

He had been Jia Zhangshi's neighbor for over a decade and knew her very well.

But tonight, when Madam Jia saw everyone visiting, she not only didn't make a fuss, but was as docile as a cat.

Clearly, Jia Zhangshi has been completely subdued by Jia Dongming.

It's probably no longer possible to use her to scheme against Jia Dongming.

Yi Zhonghai was lost in thought, unaware that the cigarette between his fingers was gradually burning out.

"hiss--!"

Only when the burning pain shot through him did he jerk up and fling the cigarette butt to the ground.

An older woman who was sewing shoe soles by the bed heard the noise, looked up and saw him looking preoccupied, and asked, "Honey, you've been spacing out ever since you came back from Jia Dongming's. What's wrong?"

Yi Zhonghai sighed and said heavily, "Wife, it seems there's no hope of Qin Huairu taking care of us in our old age."

From now on... I'm afraid we'll have to rely on the pillars.

Seeing his solemn expression, the old woman said guiltily, "Zhonghai, it's all my fault for not having a son to carry on the Yi family's lineage."

"How about... we get a divorce, and you marry someone else?"

Yi Zhonghai immediately retorted, "Nonsense! If you hadn't risked your life to save me back then, I wouldn't have developed this health problem."

"We've made it through all these years, so you're not allowed to mention the word 'divorce' again."

After hearing Yi Zhonghai's story, the older woman couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face. With a sob in her voice, she suggested, "Husband, why don't we go to the orphanage and adopt a child?"

Upon hearing her bring up the matter again, Yi Zhonghai immediately interrupted, "Wife! Who can guarantee that a child we bring won't turn out to be an ungrateful wretch or come back to take advantage of our family's wealth? Don't bring this up again."

At this point, Yi Zhonghai suddenly remembered the deaf old lady in the backyard, so he got up from his chair and told the older woman, "You rest first, I'm going to see the old lady."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and walked out.

Before long, Yi Zhonghai arrived at the deaf old lady's house.

Seeing the dim light coming from inside the window, he gently knocked on the door and asked in a low voice, "Grandma, are you resting?"

The deaf old lady—the most unassuming person in this courtyard.

Her origins are quite mysterious. It is said that she may have been a concubine of an important official in the late Qing Dynasty, and the entire courtyard was her family's property in the early years.

After the liberation of Beijing, the deaf old lady donated her courtyard and thus obtained the status of a "Five Guarantees" household.

In order to establish his authority in the hospital, Yi Zhonghai secretly spread rumors that she was a martyr's family member and that she had given him straw sandals.

But the people in the courtyard seemed to have forgotten that Beijing was peacefully liberated and no one had entered the city. How could a woman with bound feet possibly deliver straw sandals?

The deaf old lady often said, "What did you say? I can't hear you!", but in fact, her hearing was very sharp.

Hearing Yi Zhonghai's voice, she replied, "Zhonghai, I just lay down. Come in and talk to me."

Yi Zhonghai pushed open the door and entered the room.

The deaf old woman, leaning against the headboard, saw him enter and asked with a puzzled look, "Zhonghai, what urgent matter brings you here so late?"

Yi Zhonghai's face was grave as he said in a low voice, "Grandma, that empty villa in our courtyard was divided up today."

The new head of the security department at our steel rolling mill has moved in.

The deaf old lady assumed he was worried the new neighbor would affect his retirement plans, so she asked, "Are you afraid this section chief will ruin our arrangements?"

Yi Zhonghai shook his head, his tone dejected: "Grandma, did you know that besides Dongxu, the Jia family actually has another son?"

Upon hearing this, the deaf old lady squinted and recalled the past.

After a long while, she slowly spoke: "If I remember correctly, not long after the Jia family moved here, Zhang's daughter had a fierce argument with Jia Youcai, scolding him for losing his eldest son over a little bit of food..."

She paused abruptly, a look of surprise on her face, and asked in a low voice, "Zhonghai, the newly arrived head of security, could he be the son that Zhang's daughter lost?"

Yi Zhonghai hadn't expected that the old lady also knew about this.

He nodded and replied in a deep voice, "You guessed correctly, it is indeed Jia Zhangshi's eldest son, who has been separated from her for many years, named Jia Dongming."

"Tonight I made an excuse to go to his house for drinks, and he proposed to return all the money that the courtyard had donated to the Jia family over the years to everyone."

The greedy Jia Zhangshi sat beside her, not daring to utter a sound.

After hearing this, the deaf old lady immediately understood why Yi Zhonghai had come.

She sighed and said earnestly, "Zhonghai, when you chose Dongxu to retire, I said that although Dongxu is filial, his mother is not easy to deal with."

As long as Zhang's daughter lives, you think you can rely on Dongxu for your retirement? Not a chance!

Yi Zhonghai initially selected Jia Dongxu because he valued Jia's filial piety towards his mother.

As for whether Jia Zhangshi agreed to let her son support someone else in his old age, Yi Zhonghai didn't care. He was confident that he could easily deal with a woman with his own methods.

As fate would have it, an accident at the steel rolling mill resulted in Jia Dongxu's death, thwarting Yi Zhonghai's long-planned retirement.

Hearing the deaf old lady's advice, and thinking about all the effort he had put into the Jia family over the years, Yi Zhonghai was filled with resentment: "Old lady, I have done my best for the Jia family over the years. Now you want me to give up? I really can't swallow this."

The deaf old lady was a shrewd, worldly-wise, and knowledgeable woman; otherwise, she would not have been able to live peacefully to this day amidst the chaos of the world.

She knew Yi Zhonghai's character perfectly well.

If she didn't genuinely need someone to take care of her daily life, she wouldn't have bothered with Yi Zhonghai's affairs at all.

Yi Zhonghai's words revealed a deep sense of resentment. The deaf old lady heard this and advised, "Zhonghai, as soon as the eldest son of the Jia family returned, he insisted on returning all the money donated by the entire family to the Jia family. This clearly shows that he does not want to have too much involvement with the people in the family."

If you continue to keep a close eye on the Jia family, I'm afraid you'll only suffer more losses than gains.

"Look at that kid Sha Zhu. Although He Daqing is still alive, he doesn't dare to go back to Beijing because of his class background."

If you treat Sha Zhu well and arrange a marriage for him, given his personality, you won't have to worry about who will take care of you in your old age.

Among the younger generation in the courtyard, the deaf old lady doted on Sha Zhu the most. It was for this reason that she gave Yi Zhonghai advice and successfully helped He Daqing leave the courtyard.