Courtyard House: I'm surrounded by celestial beauties on either side.

"What do I care if you can't have kids!"

He Yuzhu was in so much pain that he was sweating profusely, but he still kept punching him hard.

The women couldn't break up the fight, so the old lady quickly pushed a child, saying, "Go to the steel mill and find Fang Chengxuan!"

The child ran out in a flash.

Inside the steel rolling mill.

Hearing that someone was looking for him at the courtyard, Fang Chengxuan wiped his hands and walked out, only to bump into the children in the courtyard.

"Brother Fang, Sha Zhu and Xu Damao are fighting, and no one can stop them. The deaf old lady asked me to call you back."

The child immediately spilled everything to Fang Chengxuan as soon as he saw him.

Fang Chengxuan frowned.

It's not surprising that He Yuzhu and Xu Damao got into a fight; what's surprising is that the deaf old lady actually sent someone to look for him.

"Let's go back and take a look."

Fang Chengxuan remained expressionless and cold-eyed as he followed the child back to the courtyard house.

In just a short while.

The two were still wrestling. When he returned, he saw He Yuzhu's right hand hanging limply, and Xu Damao's face covered in bruises, his eyes as venomous as a snake, as if he wanted to bite someone to death.

"Have you had enough? Let go if you have!"

Fang Chengxuan coldly swept his gaze over the two of them, his voice icy.

Xu Damao stopped when he heard the noise, but He Yuzhu's eyes turned red, and he threw a punch at Xu Damao without regard for anything else.

Fang Chengxuan kicked the fist.

"what!"

He Yuzhu screamed as he fell and hit his injured hand. The pain jolted him awake, and he turned to glare at Fang Chengxuan, his eyes blazing with fury once more.

"Fang Chengxuan, I haven't even settled accounts with you yet, and you're already helping Xu Damao?" He Yuzhu shouted, about to kick Fang Chengxuan.

Fang Chengxuan is not Xu Damao.

He kicked the person away, sending them flying a great distance before they crashed heavily to the ground.

"Are you awake now?"

"If he's not sober, I wouldn't mind giving him a few more kicks."

Fang Chengxuan's expression was so cold it sent chills down your spine.

He Yuzhu fell to the ground, and the deaf old lady quickly went to check his hand: "Silly Zhu, how's your hand?"

"You're still injured, why were you fighting with Xu Damao?"

As she spoke, the deaf old woman glared at Xu Damao: "Xu Damao, Sha Zhu didn't do it on purpose, so why did you have people steal his bicycle and break his arm?"

"Deaf old lady, what you're saying is unreasonable."

You say it's mine, do you have any proof? It's one thing for you to side with Sha Zhu in the hospital, but you can't just accuse someone without any evidence, can you?

"No wonder Fang Chengxuan used to bring you food, but now he ignores you completely. So that's the kind of person you are!"

Xu Damao glanced at Fang Chengxuan with apprehension, then fixed his gaze on He Yuzhu, his eyes as cold as a viper's hiss.

The deaf old lady was speechless for a moment.

Xu Damao ignored them and turned to Fang Chengxuan.

He was afraid of Fang Chengxuan the most in the entire compound, so he immediately said, "Fang Chengxuan, Sha Zhu beat me so badly that I'll be childless. This feud is huge."

This is between me and Shazhu; you'd better not interfere.

"Let's call it even!"

Xu Damao stared at Fang Chengxuan, his heart pounding.

He was afraid that Fang Chengxuan would interfere.

The deaf old lady hurriedly said, "Fang Chengxuan, you can't just ignore this! If you don't take care of things in the courtyard, no one will be able to keep them in check."

"I promise I won't mess with you again, Sha Zhu!"

The deaf old lady wanted He Yuzhu and Fang Chengxuan to reconcile. She had a feeling that as long as Fang Chengxuan was willing, resolving the conflict between Xu Damao and He Yuzhu would not be difficult.

I have no interest in your business.

Fang Chengxuan extinguished the deaf old lady's hope and gave her a cold glance.

Do you really think he's some kind of saint?

Why would I care about the petty affairs of these rotten people?

"I'm getting married soon, and you all know my fiancé; he comes from a good family."

I don't want your dirty deeds to be brought before her."

"Taking advantage of today's incident, I'm warning you: you can fight, you can even fight, but don't fight in the yard, and don't make a scene in front of my girlfriend."

"Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Fang Chengxuan issued a cold warning.

Xu Damao glanced at Fang Chengxuan with apprehension, his anger burning inside, but then he remembered the way Fang Chengxuan had just kicked He Yuzhu away.

He muttered, "Understood."

Fang Chengxuan looked at He Yuzhu, who retorted defiantly, "I can hit anyone I want! This courtyard isn't your territory, what's it to you?"

"On what grounds?"

"Believe it or not, I can get you back in there again."

Fang Chengxuan's eyes were frighteningly cold.

While both were making threats, He Yuzhu felt inexplicably intimidated as he looked at Fang Chengxuan.

Xu Damao's gaze was even fiercer than this, but it didn't make him as wary as Fang Chengxuan.

"Alright, I have things to do at the factory."

I'm back this time to warn you.

If anyone fights in the yard again, call the police immediately.

"They dared to lay a hand on me; it seems they haven't had enough time in labor camps!"

Fang Chengxuan gave the deaf old lady a meaningful look.

Fang Chengxuan looked at the old lady with a pleading expression, his face growing colder.

He beckoned to Ying and gently stroked Fang Lianyun's head: "Lianyun, play with your aunt inside for now."

After the little girl obediently followed him away, Fang Chengxuan turned to the deaf old woman, a faint smile playing on his lips: "What makes you so sure I would interfere in He Yuzhu's affairs, old lady?"

"It's nothing more than a small favor for the factory manager," the deaf old woman said, gripping her cane tightly.

"So what?" Fang Chengxuan tapped the table lightly with his fingertips. "There are plenty of people in the world who can discipline He Yuzhu. Are you going to take on all of them? The old lady has been pampered all these years and has probably forgotten her own worth."

The old man's withered hands, veins bulging, trembled as he said, "If no one takes care of Zhu Zi, his life is over..."

"What does it have to do with me?"

Seeing that the young man remained unmoved, the deaf old woman suddenly knelt down with a thud, smashed open the lacquered wooden box, and the gold and silver valuables inside jingled: "I beg you, old woman! Even if you treat me like you treated Yang Yuande..."

A series of gasps immediately rose from outside the courtyard wall.

Fang Chengxuan glanced at the people peeking out from the courtyard, his gaze finally settling on Yang Yuande, who was caught in a dilemma by the moon gate: "Go report the case."

"Are you really going to take this to the police station?" The old lady grabbed his trouser leg and wept.

"You're the one causing trouble." Fang Chengxuan bent down and pried open his withered fingers. "Since you don't care about dignity, then I'll grant your wish."

A voice suddenly broke out from the crowd: "The old lady has already knelt down, why should Factory Director Fang..."

"Fine," Fang Chengxuan sneered, cutting off the conversation. "Why don't you give up your job at the steel rolling mill and divorce your wife? If you agree, I'll do it immediately."

The man immediately wilted.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Qinqin gave her husband a push. Zhang Yangde, understanding the implication, said loudly, "Think about it, everyone, if they can force Factory Director Fang to manage Sha Zhu today, won't they force us to marry off our daughters tomorrow?"

These words are like cold water being poured into a hot oil pan.

The neighbors, who had been whispering just moments before, instantly changed their expressions. Several women rushed to help the old woman, saying, "Zhu Zi has a father and a sister, why are you doing this to yourself..."

Amid the chaos, Yang Yuande led the police officers quickly to the scene.

The young policeman shook his head at the sight. Fang Chengxuan pushed the lacquered wooden box forward: "Could you please ask him, does this man, carrying gold and silver and forcing someone to comply, count as coercion?"

Sunlight slanted onto the jade bracelet in the box, refracting dazzling spots of light.

"Madam, what you're doing is inappropriate."

The law enforcement officer looked sternly at the deaf elderly woman who was using a cane.

"Regardless of whether Fang Chengxuan has any connection with the 'silly Zhu' you mentioned, even if they are brothers, there is no reason to force one to take care of the other."

Upon seeing the law enforcement officers appear, the previously aggressive old woman immediately wilted, standing in the courtyard clutching her bundle, her withered lips trembling as she stammered, "But...isn't this just a piece of cake for Xiao Fang?"

Even the smallest things should be based on mutual consent.

The law enforcement officer laughed in exasperation. "Besides," he said, "is it reasonable to expect a young man in his early twenties to serve men in their thirties?"

As the officer helped the elderly woman into the house, he lowered his voice and said, "Don't cause trouble next time."

"At your age, if you were to be taken to the police station for questioning, what would the neighbors think? Children and grandchildren have their own lives to live; why are you so forceful?"

The onlookers dispersed upon seeing this, but they knew perfectly well that if anyone dared to pressure Fang Chengxuan into submission again, this kid would surely retaliate in kind.

......

After everyone had left, Fang Chengxuan nodded to Zhang Yangde in thanks: "Thanks to Brother Zhang for speaking up for us today."

"Hey, of course!"

Zhang Yangde rubbed his hands together and grinned sheepishly, "My wife said I owe my job a lot to you..."

"If you want to thank someone, thank your sister-in-law."

Fang Chengxuan glanced at the shy woman beside him and said, "It's a blessing to marry such a virtuous wife."

Zhang Yangde's face immediately lit up: "Of course! Back in the day, your sister-in-law was..."

Seeing that this man was about to start showing off again, Fang Chengxuan turned his head and stared at Yang Yuande, his eyes suddenly turning cold: "If you dare to do it again, I can make you get up, and I can make you roll back into the mud."

Yang Yuande shrank back: "Brother Fang, I was wrong... but the old lady watched me grow up..."

"That's not a reason."

Zhang Yangde suddenly interjected, "Old Yang, are you out of your mind? The old lady wants Fang Chengxuan to manage Sha Zhu like she manages you. Then all the benefits will go to Sha Zhu, what will be left for you?"

"So, she watched everyone in the yard grow up, but in the old lady's eyes, only Sha Zhu is her real grandson!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Yuande's eyes widened, and his chest heaved violently.

At this moment, the law enforcement officer came out of the house wiping his sweat. Seeing the three of them, he said with a wry smile, "Fang Chengxuan, how come you're always the one getting into trouble?"

Taking the offered herbal tea and gulping it down, the law enforcement officer sighed, "The old lady is still inside begging me, saying that Sha Zhu beat Xu Damao so badly he'd be childless, and now he's getting his comeuppance and nobody cares..."

"You believe in this?"

Fang Chengxuan sneered, "If thugs could be reformed so easily, your police station might as well open a training course—Old Yang, tell the officer how you turned over a new leaf."

Yang Yuande, who was called out, stammered, "I... I had no choice but to be a hoodlum before... My parents died early, and I didn't have any skills... Later, I followed Brother Fang, and the quota for getting a job at the steel rolling mill was something I got by exchanging five yuan a month with Jia Zhangshi..."

"Did you hear me?"

Fang Chengxuan tapped the table. "A prodigal son has to want to return to shore on his own."

"That's what Sha Zhu brought on himself—"

"Alright, I'll go and try to persuade them again."

As the law enforcement officer stood up, Fang Chengxuan handed him a pack of cigarettes, saying, "Thank you for your help."

I'm just afraid that the old lady might lie down in front of my door one day...

"You little brat..."

The law enforcement officer shook his head and walked away, thinking to himself that this young man really had a tough life.

The commotion in the courtyard had just subsided when He Yuzhu returned from the hospital and, hearing the rumors, stormed over to the door in a rage.

"Fang Chengxuan, how dare you force a deaf old lady to kneel before you?" He Yuzhu asked, glaring at her.

Fang Chengxuan gave him a cold glance, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes, which startled He Yuzhu so much that he subconsciously took a step back.

"If you dare touch me, I'll call the police!" He Yuzhu shouted, his voice trembling with fear.

Yang Yuande lunged forward and kicked He Yuzhu hard in the stomach: "So what if I hit you?"

My older brother is getting married soon and doesn't want to cause trouble.

"If he won't hit you, I will!" Yang Yuande was seething with anger, and he decided to take it out on He Yuzhu.

Caught off guard, He Yuzhu was kicked to the ground, and enraged, shouted, "Yang Yuande, you're asking for it!"

"I'm warning you, keep an eye on that old woman."

"Dare to bother my brother again, and I'll break your legs!" Yang Yuande deliberately raised his voice, shouting towards the deaf old woman's house, "I know a few ruthless thugs, and I mean what I say!"

A sigh came from inside the house from the deaf old woman: "Zhu Zi, come in!"

He Yuzhu scrambled to his feet, snarling, "You just wait! Wait until I'm healed..."

"Alright, let's see who takes care of whom!" Yang Yuande pretended to make a move again, and He Yuzhu hurriedly dodged and slunk into the old lady's room.

The deaf old woman looked worried and said, "Zhuzi, what are you going to do..." As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.

Today, instead of persuading Fang Chengxuan, I've only brought more trouble upon myself.

"Zhu Zi, listen to me, sign up to go to the countryside," the old lady suddenly suggested.

"Go to the countryside?" He Yuzhu's eyes widened. "Are you senile? I'm doing just fine in the city..."

"What future do you have if you stay here?" the old lady pleaded earnestly. "Xu Damao won't let you off the hook, and no one in the courtyard will help you."

You're over thirty, do you really want to stay single for the rest of your life?

He Yuzhu retorted, "Lou Xiao'e is my wife! It's all Xu Damao's fault..."

"Wake up! She's not coming back!" The old woman slapped her thigh in anger. "Wouldn't it be better to go to the countryside, find a wife, have a child, and then come back?"