1950s: After transmigrating into a capitalist, I relied on military industry to achieve a comeback.

"Master Lin, please, please don't call the police! We're all neighbors, we'll see each other all the time, it won't do anyone any good if things get out of hand." Wang Dazhuang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, chuckled dryly, and tentatively took half a step forward. "Look, it was my mother's fault for gossiping, we'll take the blame. How about... tomorrow morning, I'll have Xiao Cui bring ten... no, twenty big eggs for Lin's sister to calm her nerves? And I'll also bring you a pound of liquor. I'll personally fix the door for you tomorrow, okay?"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding neighbors were the first to laugh.

"Dazhuang, you're really good at manipulating things!" Aunt Zhang spat sarcastically, flashlight in hand. "The Lin family almost lost a life! A thief with a knife! You think twenty eggs can cover up a murder and robbery? Do you think the Lin family is short of your eggs?"

Lin Jiaoyue shrank back behind Lin Hongsheng at the opportune moment, her shoulders trembling even more violently. Her voice, though soft, carried clearly to everyone's ears: "Uncle, this isn't about the eggs... My mother was already weak, and when she heard the sound of the knife, she fainted right there in the house. My father even ripped his cotton-padded coat while catching the thief. We just came to Harbin, hoping to live a peaceful and law-abiding life, but now... how can we dare to stay in this courtyard?"

She sniffed, her eyes red as she looked at Wang Dazhuang: "This door is broken. My dad has to take a day off tomorrow to fix it and take my mom to the hospital for some calming medicine. If we miss work at the factory, our whole family will starve this month..."

Lin Hongsheng snorted coldly, slammed the fire hook heavily into the snow, and said nothing, but his "ready to fight to the death at any moment" posture made Wang Dazhuang's heart pound with fear.

Xiao Cui, Wang Dazhuang's wife, was a shrewd woman. Seeing the scene, she knew things were going to get out of hand. She also knew that her husband was at a crucial point in his career, and if the Lin family reported it to the police, the charge of "inciting robbery" would condemn Dazhuang to a life of temporary work in the factory.

"Master Lin, little Jiaojiao, Dazhuang can't talk properly." Xiaocui pushed Wang Dazhuang away, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. "How about this, we'll pay for it. We'll give two yuan to buy some tonics for Auntie, okay?"

Lin Hongsheng didn't even lift his eyelids, but just kept checking the fire hook in his hand.

"Two yuan?" a neighbor chimed in. "What can you do with two yuan for a hospital appointment, some traditional Chinese medicine to calm your nerves, plus the cost of door repairs?"

Xiao Cui gritted her teeth, turned around and glared fiercely at Aunt Wang, who was still cowering behind her. She was seething with hatred. This old woman was already lazy and idle, but now she had caused such a huge disaster and was even going to touch the savings that Xiao Cui had worked so hard to accumulate!

"Five yuan! Master Lin, that's all the cash we have!" Xiao Cui's voice was trembling with tears.

Lin Jiaoyue didn't say anything, but just looked down at the snow, looking like she was "terrified and didn't dare to make a decision".

Just then, the thief, who was tied to the ground, suddenly added insult to injury: "Five dollars? Granny Wang was bragging to me this afternoon that she had saved a thick wad of bills, all for her grandson's future wedding, and that she had at least that much..." The thief stretched out a hand that was tied so tightly that it turned blue, and made a "ten" sign.

That was like adding fuel to the fire.

Upon hearing this, Wang Dazhuang's eyes turned red. He worked himself to the bone at the factory every day, barely able to afford a bite of meat, while his own mother held onto her money without contributing to the family, yet she was out causing trouble and misfortune!

"Mom! How much have you hidden? Show it to me!" Wang Dazhuang turned around abruptly and roared at his mother, "Do you want to see me fired from the factory, or do you want to see our whole family go to jail?!"

"I didn't... He's lying! This bastard ruined me!" Aunt Wang screamed, clutching her inner pocket tightly to her chest.

Xiao Cui finally snapped. She rushed forward, grabbed Wang Dama by the collar, and yelled like a madwoman, "Wang Guihua! You old fool! If you don't pay back this money today, I'm taking the child and going back to my parents' house tomorrow. I can't live like this anymore! You can go live with your life savings!"

"Give me the money!" Wang Dazhuang rushed forward and yanked his mother's hand away.

Amidst the watchful eyes of all the neighbors in the alley, a dramatic "mother and son fighting for gold" unfolded in the Wang family courtyard. Grandma Wang wailed and cried, tears streaming down her face, berating her unfilial son and heartless daughter-in-law, but ultimately she couldn't withstand Wang Dazhuang's brute force.

Wang Dazhuang pulled out a small bag wrapped in red cloth from the greasy inner pocket of his shirt. His fingers trembled as he counted out a stack of small bills, which totaled a full ten yuan.

When he handed the stack of money, still warm from his body and even smelling of sweat, to Lin Hongsheng, his face twitched, and his voice was terribly hoarse: "Master Lin... ten yuan. This is really all the money our family has to survive. Please take it, please... don't call the police."

Lin Hongsheng didn't take it, but looked at Lin Jiaoyue instead.

Lin Jiaoyue timidly reached out and took the stack of money, saying softly, "Uncle, we'll keep this money for my mother's medical treatment. If the rest is enough, I'll buy a sturdier lock. From now on... we'll still be good neighbors."

Hearing this was worse than being slapped in the face for Wang Dazhuang, yet he could only nod and bow in agreement.

"Alright, since the Wang family is sincerely apologizing, let's consider this matter closed." Lin Hongsheng put away his fire hook, bowed sternly to the surrounding neighbors, and said, "Brothers, please lend a hand and take this thief to the police station! We don't tolerate this kind of backstabbing scourge in our alley!"

"Alright, Master Lin is very generous!"

On a snowy night, the thief was taken away, and the commotion ended.

The Lin father and daughter turned around and went back into the courtyard, closing the rickety door behind them.

Inside the Wang family's house, before even entering, came the earth-shattering sound of bowls being smashed and Wang's grandmother's heart-wrenching wails.

"Ten yuan! That's my life! Wang Dazhuang, you heartless bastard, you stole your own mother's money and gave it to a stranger!"

"Shut up!" Xiao Cui's shrill voice pierced through the paper window. "If it weren't for your foul mouth, would our family have had to pay this money? Starting tomorrow, your food ration will be halved! You can eat dry food again until you've saved up those ten dollars!"

Lin Jiaoyue stood in her own yard, listening to the infighting next door, and a smile appeared on her lips.

This move not only silenced Aunt Wang, but also established a rule in the alley—the Lin family is not someone anyone can gossip about behind their backs.