The Fitter Master in the Courtyard: Surrounded by Dead Men

"This car originally cost 168, I'll give you 178. The ticket is here too, you can have it all."

She pulled out another ten yuan, shoved the bill and money into Yang Ping's hand, and reached for the handlebars, completely disregarding whether he agreed or not.

"Comrade, I never said I wanted to transfer it."

Please take your money and tickets back.

Yang Ping did not back down.

"Giving you ten dollars for free is already a lot, don't be too greedy!"

Zhou Xiaobai said angrily.

"I'd like to ask, when did I ever agree to sell it?"

Yang Ping spoke calmly, with even a faint smile playing on her lips.

This woman thinks she can manipulate others at will with just a few dollars; she's oversimplifying things.

"I'll add ten more dollars, twenty."

Is that alright now?

Zhou Xiaobai pulled out another banknote, his tone already showing some impatience.

"Don't even think about paying a hundred yuan. There's no room for negotiation!"

Yang Ping hopped on his bicycle and disappeared into the alley without looking back.

"you--!"

Zhou Xiaobai stood there, stomping her feet in anger.

She turned her head and saw Gao Yue rushing over. She immediately grabbed Gao Yue's hand and said, "Gao Yue, did you see that? A man who turns against you over a bicycle, is he even worth your time? How petty!"

"what?"

Gao Yue was somewhat **.

She had seen everything that had just happened. To ask someone for something so naturally, she probably wouldn't have agreed either.

"Don't let his respectable appearance fool you, he's a heartless scoundrel at heart, good at making people happy but forgetting them in the blink of an eye."

Zhou Xiaobai grew angrier as she spoke, her words revealing her dissatisfaction with Yang Ping.

Gao Yue listened quietly without responding.

"Promise me you won't go looking for him again, okay?"

Gao Yue remained silent.

"You...you're not still thinking of going to see him, are you?"

Gao Yue nodded subconsciously, then realized something was wrong and hurriedly shook her head.

"Gao Yue, you really are!"

Zhou Xiaobai pointed at her, the words stuck in his throat, and he didn't say anything for a long time.

She understood her sister after all—once she made up her mind about something, nothing could sway her.

"Hmph, what's so great about it?"

Zhou Xiaobai turned her face away, her tone deliberately casual, "It's just an old bicycle, right? I'll have my uncle call the mall manager and reserve a new one."

After saying that, she strode forward.

Gao Yue followed silently behind.

After a while, she spoke first.

Zhou Xiaobai was still annoyed by Gao Yue's attitude earlier, but she didn't show it and continued the conversation.

In this way, the tension between the two finally eased a bit, preventing a real falling out.

On Yang Ping's side, it was a completely different story.

He rode his brand-new bicycle toward the compound.

Along the way, his gleaming car attracted a lot of attention from passersby—envious and curious glances.

A cool breeze swept across his face, and Yang Ping's lips curled into a wide smile, his joy impossible to hide.

Before long, the gate of the compound came into view.

He had just lifted the front wheel of the car and stepped over the threshold when he heard Yan Fugui's melodious voice, which was getting into the swing of things:

"Yang Ping's fishing skills are truly amazing! The moment the hook hits the water, the fish start biting, and in just over three minutes, he's landed five fish—two of them weighing over ten pounds! You didn't see it, though; the guy next to him who calls himself the 'King of Fishing' turned pale!"

Yan Fugui spoke with great enthusiasm, gesturing with his hands to indicate the names:

"Just like that, he won a thousand dollars, plus a whole stack of tickets."

"Hey, I went to buy a bicycle, I should be back in a bit."

"Alright, Third Uncle,"

Sha Zhutou chuckled, "With your talent, it's a real waste that you're not a storyteller on Tianqiao."

Five fish in three minutes? Even bragging has to be somewhat accurate.

Jia Dongxu also chimed in with a sidelong glance:

"Exactly! He even said he could summon a hundred or so people with a single call? Does he think he's the head of security?"

"Hey, even if the entire security team were mobilized, there wouldn't be that many people!"

Someone nearby chuckled and added a comment.

Even Yan Jiecheng and the others shook their heads, feeling that their father's words were going too far—where did Yang Ping get such a big fuss from?

Yan Fugui was speechless and anxiously wrung his hands.

Just as he was holding back his thoughts, he looked up and saw Yang Ping carrying a bicycle into the yard.

He immediately seemed to have seen a savior, and his voice even brightened a bit:

"Look! Yang Ping is back—the new car is already there, see for yourselves!"

He took a few steps closer to the bicycle, looked it over from left to right, and kept clicking his tongue.

叹。

This is a rare item worth 168 yuan; how long would it take him to save up enough?

Jia Dongxu felt as if his heart was being gnawed at by ants.

The gleam of the new bicycle stung his eyes, but what made him even more breathless was Yang Ping's words.

Those words were like a rusty, dull knife—not sharp, but they pried open the long-lost cracks in his heart.

Sha Zhu was still yelling and cursing Yang Ping, spitting as he spoke, but every word he uttered revolved around "Sister Qin."

He kept circling around, as if afraid others wouldn't know how protective he was of her.

That flustered and pale face, in Jia Dongxu's eyes, not only did not reveal any innocence, but was like a bucket of oil poured on the ever-burning flames of suspicion in his heart.

He stared at Sha Zhu's face, which was flushed with excitement, and then he remembered all the chores Sha Zhu had done for Qin Huairu these past few days—sweeping the toilets, handing her things.

What was initially seen as a simple act of neighborly help has now been twisted by Yang Ping's words, casting a sticky and suspicious shadow over the scene.

"evidence?"

Yang Ping sneered. His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a needle, silencing the onlookers in the courtyard for a moment. "You accused me of stealing tickets without any basis. Isn't that just making things up? I think some people have twisted minds, so they see everything as crooked."

These words sounded like they were referring to bicycle tickets, but Jia Dongxu felt as if that glance had swept over him, then over Sha Zhu and his own tightly closed door.

His throat was dry, and his hands clenched into fists along the seam of his trousers, his nails digging painfully into his palms.

Yan Jiecheng stood to the side, touching the brand-new handlebars of the car and marveling at them. His exclamations sounded particularly grating at the moment, as if mocking his embarrassment and humiliation.

Sha Zhu was momentarily speechless, then jumped even higher like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "Stop trying to sow discord! Sister Qin and I are completely innocent, Brother Dongxu knows that!"

"Brother Dongxu"

.

Upon hearing this address, Jia Dongxu felt a churning in his stomach.

When had Sha Zhu ever addressed him so respectfully? This eagerness to please only made his attempt to cover up the truth more obvious.

He saw Yang Ping's lips curl into a faint, almost pitying smile, a smile that humiliated him more than any vicious curse.

The wind in the courtyard seemed to have stopped, and the air felt so thick that it was hard to breathe.

Everyone's eyes, openly and secretly, were darting between him and Sha Zhu.

The brand-new bicycle stood there quietly, becoming the most glamorous yet ironic backdrop to the play.

Jia Dongxu felt a burning sensation on his face, not from the sun, but from the scorching gazes he was receiving.

He suddenly dared not think about what Qin Huairu's expression was like inside the room, nor did he dare to delve into the wildly growing weeds of suspicion in his heart.

He just stared intently at Sha Zhu, forcing out a sentence through gritted teeth, his voice so low and hoarse it sounded like something he didn't even recognize: "All of you... shut up."

"You silly Zhuzi, listen to me carefully. From now on, stay away from everyone in my room. If I see you get even half a step closer, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

He left with those harsh words, turned and walked away, his footsteps thumping on the ground.

"Brother Dongxu, it's a misunderstanding, it's really a misunderstanding, Brother Dongxu!"

Sha Zhu turned pale with anxiety and called out twice as he chased after the retreating figure.

“Pah!”

Immediately afterwards, a loud slap came from inside the Jia family's house in the Intermediate Court.

When Sha Zhu heard that voice, his heart clenched as if pricked by a needle.

But how could he dare to go to the Central Court right now? He was afraid that if he went there, he would arouse Jia Dongxu's suspicion and cause trouble for Qin Huairu.

"Yang Ping, if you dare spout nonsense again, I won't let you off!"

He then yelled at Yang Ping, but his eyes darted around—if Ma Dachui and his gang were nearby, he would have to think twice before making a move. These days, unity is valued in the compound, and beating people up indiscriminately will get you punished.

"Hey, weren't you acting all high and mighty just now?"

Yang Ping grinned.

As for the slap Qin Huairu received, he felt no remorse whatsoever.

Jia Dongxu had caused him a lot of trouble in the past, so letting them have some squabbles in their own home was a way to get some satisfaction back.

"you--!"

Sha Zhu felt a tightness in his chest from those words.

She was both angry and regretful: Why did she have to provoke Yang Ping? She had caused Sister Qin to be beaten, and now it would be difficult for her to even get close to him and say a word.

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became, and he raised his hand and slapped himself.

Yang Ping almost burst out laughing when she saw this.

I've seen people eagerly trying to please their wives, but I've never seen anyone so eager—when someone disciplines their wife, he not only feels sorry for her, but also gets so upset that he hits himself.

Yan Fugui and Yan Jiecheng, who were standing nearby, were all stunned.

That silly Zhu is truly a simple-minded blockhead!

All eyes turned to him, like fine needles piercing the back of the fool.

He suddenly realized his lapse in composure, and a surge of remorse welled up in his chest. He almost raised his hand to slap himself again—why had he done something so stupid? He gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing the impulse, and quickly slipped out of the crowd, afraid that if he stayed even a moment longer, that "idiot" would...

The name must be firmly nailed to oneself.

"Uncle, where are my two fish?"

Yang Ping didn't even glance in the direction Sha Zhu had left; he turned straight to Yan Fugui.

The other person snapped out of their daze, slapped their thigh with a cry of surprise, turned and jogged into the house. A moment later, they emerged carrying a dripping wet bucket filled with two grass carp splashing and thrashing about. "I've been keeping them safe in this bucket for you. Look, they're still lively and jumping around!"

Yan Fugui had a smile on his face.

"Good."

Yang Ping took the bucket, her fingertips trembling almost imperceptibly as she secretly cast a "spiritual hook".

The fish, which had been struggling violently, instantly fell still, without even splashing a single drop of water.

Yan Fugui's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but click his tongue and say, "No wonder you're the King of Fishing, even the fish are obedient to you."

The young men, including Yan Jiecheng, were already stunned. Their previous doubts were now completely dispelled by this mysterious scene.

Yang Ping said no more, picked up the bucket, and pushed the bicycle to the backyard.

……

The next morning, Yang Ping rode his bicycle through the streets and alleys.

The soft creak of wheels rolling over the stone pavement drew frequent glances from passersby. Some recognized him and whispered among themselves, "Isn't that Yang Ping?"

"No wonder he has a bicycle. He was promoted to a level six fitter at the age of twenty. The factory must value him."

The whispers drifted past his ears, but Yang Ping pretended not to hear them and had no intention of explaining anything.

He locked his car in the factory's carport and walked straight to the workshop.

Xie Quancai had already arrived. Seeing him enter, he immediately stepped forward and asked, "Are you making level six parts again today?"

In the past, he would have gone to collect the materials himself, but now that everything is done with Yang Ping in mind, he specifically waits for him to make the decision.

"I'll practice with a batch of Level 6 papers this morning."

Yang Ping took off her coat and hung it up, her tone calm, "I'll go pick up the materials for the level seven parts this afternoon and give it a try."

Yang Ping frankly told his master about his plans.

With his current skills, he can complete the processing of a whole batch of level 6 parts in a morning, and the quality is almost always maintained at the top level.

Xie Quancai nodded after listening, said nothing more, and turned to go to the warehouse to collect the materials.

Yang Ping also went up and lent a hand.

After the parts were retrieved to their workstations, the two began working on their respective tasks.

Yang Ping's hands moved swiftly and smoothly, and before lunch break, all the parts he had worked on were finished.

This time, all of his finished products met the top-grade standard without exception.