Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 64 This person is not simple

The next evening, it was almost nine o'clock when someone knocked on the main gate of the courtyard. They knocked twice, paused, then knocked twice more, slowly and deliberately.

He Yuzhu was sitting in a grand chair in the main room, brewing tea. He put down his teacup, and his spatial awareness spread out, revealing a person standing in the doorway. The person was in his early fifties, wearing a slightly worn gray Zhongshan suit.

He Yuzhu's lips twitched slightly, and he got up to open the door.

Deputy District Head Zhou stood at the door, a slightly unnatural smile on his face. "Comrade He Yuzhu, I apologize for the intrusion. I am Wang Xia's former superior."

He Yuzhu leaned against the doorframe. "You're that Deputy District Chief Zhou? A rare sight. Walking here alone so late at night?"

Deputy District Chief Zhou's heart skipped a beat; the other party really did know him.

"It's just a few steps, I can walk it," he replied with a smile.

He Yuzhu stepped aside. "Come in."

He followed He Yuzhu through the outer courtyard, around the screen wall, and into the inner courtyard through the wall gate.

He stood under the pomegranate tree for a while, looking at the holly and osmanthus trees in the yard. "This yard is really well-maintained. I've heard that there's a nice courtyard house in Nanluoguxiang, but this is the first time I've been here."

He Yuzhu didn't reply, but led him into the main room and pointed to the armchair.

Deputy District Chief Zhou sat down and looked at the furniture in the room, sensing that He Yuzhu was no ordinary person.

He Yuzhu poured him a cup of tea, lit a cigarette for himself, and didn't speak. He was waiting. What did this Deputy District Chief Zhou want to say that he had come all alone tonight? He was even more curious to know how much the old deaf man meant to this deputy district chief.

Deputy District Head Zhou picked up his teacup, blew on the tea, took a sip, and put it down.

He looked up at He Yuzhu and began to speak. "Comrade He Yuzhu, I've come tonight to talk to you about Old Madam Jin Caizhu." He observed He Yuzhu's expression. "I know you have some issues with the old lady. She did do some inappropriate things a few years ago. I understand that you have a problem with her."

He Yuzhu didn't say anything, and took a puff of his cigarette.

Deputy District Chief Zhou continued, "You don't know my relationship with the old lady. In 1947, I defected from the old army and was chased and wounded. The old lady hid me in her dilapidated house in her small courtyard for three days and three nights. I can't leave this favor unpaid."

He Yuzhu flicked his cigarette ash.

If this story is true, then Deputy District Chief Zhou is in trouble. The old deaf man saved him, so they probably know each other. Deputy District Chief Zhou is very likely a colleague of the old deaf man's son, or perhaps a spy. He doesn't know about the photo of the old deaf man and his son.

"She came to see me in 1953." Deputy District Chief Zhou picked up his teacup and took another sip. "She begged me for help, mentioning your courtyard and saying that your money came from dubious sources. At that time, I only arranged for Yi Zhonghai to work in a self-help production team."

Seeing that He Yuzhu was just listening without any expression, Deputy District Chief Zhou continued, "Last year, the old lady called again saying she couldn't make ends meet. I just gave her fifteen yuan a month through Wang Xia to help her get by. I have never targeted you."

He Yuzhu flicked the cigarette ash into the ashtray, but still didn't say anything.

Deputy District Chief Zhou sighed. "I didn't handle Yang Honglin's matter well this time. Yang Honglin also owes the old lady a debt of gratitude. He found out she lived here and insisted on repaying the favor. He consulted me, and I introduced Wang Xia to him. Wang Xia then contacted Lao Sun, who secretly brought people to the old lady's house without Zhang's knowledge. I bear responsibility for this. I didn't manage my subordinates well, and things have turned out like this."

He looked at He Yuzhu and said sincerely, "I'm here today to apologize. From now on, I won't let anyone affect you regarding the old lady's affairs. I'm here today to make it clear that I never intended to be your enemy."

The main room fell silent. Outside the window, the pomegranate tree branches swayed gently in the wind, their shadows flickering on the windowpane.

He Yuzhu stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. Deputy District Chief Zhou's behavior tonight had surprised him somewhat. A deputy district chief coming to apologize to a purchasing agent, his posture humble and his words gentle enough, made him feel that the man was covering something up, afraid he might disrupt his life.

He decided to give it a try, picked up his teacup and took a sip. "I beat Yang Honglin. He abused his power to oppress me, a member of the working class. Breaking his leg was too lenient."

Deputy District Chief Zhou nodded immediately. "I know. He brought that leg on himself."

He Yuzhu continued, his tone unhurried. "I know you owe the old lady a favor, and favors can't be ignored. But there are rules to repaying favors. Yi Zhonghai was her dog, and he ended up in jail. Yang Honglin backed her up, and I broke his leg. Why didn't anyone arrest me? That's because I can find out everyone's secrets."

Deputy District Head Zhou's hand, which was holding the teacup, trembled slightly.

He Yuzhu stood up and walked to the window, his back to Deputy District Chief Zhou. He could see the fierce look flash in Zhou's eyes through his spatial perception.

"From now on, your people will not bother me again, and we'll let bygones be bygones."

Deputy District Chief Zhou put down his teacup and stood up, his tense expression easing slightly. "Thank you." He extended his hand, and He Yuzhu turned around to look at it before shaking it.

Deputy District Chief Zhou's palms were slightly damp.

"Then I won't bother you any longer." Deputy District Chief Zhou left the courtyard, his footsteps gradually fading into the alley.

He Yuzhu stood at the door, watching Deputy District Chief Zhou's figure disappear into the darkness. The more he thought about Zhou's behavior tonight, the more uneasy he felt. A deputy district chief coming to apologize? This didn't make sense. Even if he was afraid of retaliation, he shouldn't have been so humble.

And the fierce glint in his eyes showed that unless he had something bigger on his mind, something more important than the position of deputy district head, he wouldn't dare to make the slightest mistake.

He Yuzhu threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out. He then took out a black outfit from his spatial storage and changed into it. He wanted to see what this Deputy District Chief Zhou was hiding in his home.

He closed the door, jumped over the courtyard wall, and followed Deputy District Chief Zhou from a distance.

Deputy District Chief Zhou didn't take the main road, but turned into a narrow alley, his pace unhurried. He Yuzhu followed closely in the shadows against the wall, always keeping a distance of thirty meters, his spatial awareness firmly locked onto the figure ahead. After following him through several alleys, Deputy District Chief Zhou turned into a secluded courtyard, took out his key to open the gate, went inside, and closed the back door.

He Yuzhu walked to the outside of the courtyard wall, activating his spatial perception to cover the entire courtyard. The courtyard was not large, with three main rooms and east and west wing rooms.

The main room was lit. Deputy District Chief Zhou changed into slippers, and a woman with permed hair came out from the inner room, took his coat, and asked him if he had eaten.

Deputy District Chief Zhou said he had already eaten. The woman then asked if the matter had been resolved, and he said it had been, and that the old lady no longer needed to worry about her.

The woman was silent for a moment before saying, "How much favor have you done for that old lady? Was it worth it?"

Deputy District Chief Zhou didn't answer. He walked to the coffee table, poured himself a glass of water, and sat down. The woman didn't press further and turned to go into the bedroom.

Deputy District Chief Zhou got up and went into the study. The study was not large, with a row of bookshelves against the wall, a mahogany desk, a desk lamp and a locked drawer on the desk.

Deputy District Chief Zhou stood by the desk for a moment, checking the drawers for any signs of tampering.