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

Chapter 94 Rumors Abound

In June 1960, gossip about He Yuzhu began to circulate in Jiaodaokou Street.

At first, it was a few old women squatting at the alley entrance picking vegetables who were gossiping, saying that the deputy section chief of the Dongcheng District Supply and Marketing Cooperative had a long reach, and that scarce supplies passed through his hands, with who knows how much good stuff he kept. Later, even the people queuing to buy grain at the grain store started talking, saying that He Yuzhu had married a capitalist's daughter, was in cahoots with Lou Bancheng, and had only secured his position as deputy section chief by relying on the capitalist.

Later, the rumors became increasingly distorted, claiming that he bullied men and women in the compound, and that because he had powerful connections, no one dared to offend him. The women recounted the story vividly, as if they had personally witnessed him breaking into the supply and marketing cooperative's warehouse in the middle of the night.

The residents of Nanluoguxiang all knew that He Yuzhu was not someone to be trifled with. But the more formidable he was, the more people liked to talk badly about him behind his back.

When He Yuzhu rode his tricycle through the alley, the gossipers would temporarily shut up, but after he sped past, a chorus of whispers would rise up behind him again.

Aunt Xinghua returned from the market carrying a cloth bag. She hadn't bought many vegetables, but her face was frighteningly pale. She went straight into the courtyard, pulled Lou Xiao'e into the main room, and closed the door. Her face was full of anxiety: "Xiao'e, do you know what's being said outside? They're saying Zhuzi is reselling supplies, that he's colluding with capitalists, that he's bullying men and women in the courtyard!"

The news has spread throughout the Nanluoguxiang area. I ran into Director Wu at the market, and even she asked me who Zhu Zi had offended. I felt uneasy about it, so I rushed over to tell you all to be careful.

Lou Xiao'e, who was holding He Xiao, suddenly turned pale. "Who said that? Isn't that slander?!"

"Nobody knows where it originated. This rumor just popped up, and it seems like someone deliberately leaked it, so it's spreading widely."

He Yuzhu returned from the supply and marketing cooperative in the evening and sensed something was wrong as soon as he entered the courtyard. Usually at this time, Xiao'e would be holding He Xiao under the pomegranate tree to cool off, but today the courtyard was empty and the door to the main room was closed. He pushed the door open and went in. Xiao'e was sitting in a grand chair with red-rimmed eyes, and He Xiao was asleep in her arms.

He Yuzhu took off his shirt, revealing a vest underneath. "What's wrong?"

Lou Xiao'e repeated Aunt Xinghua's words, getting angrier and angrier: "They say you're colluding with capitalists! My dad is a legitimate joint venture director, and he even made the newspapers when he applied for a public-private partnership! They say you got your fortune by relying on capitalists, that you bully men and women—someone is trying to ruin your reputation."

He Yuzhu didn't speak, but sat down in the armchair, poured himself a cup of tea, and sipped it slowly. This tactic seemed familiar. First came the rumor, then the half-truthful "exposé." It takes only a mouth to spread a rumor, but endless legwork to refute it. That's how he was ruined step by step in his past life.

But strangely enough, Yi Zhonghai was in jail, the old deaf man was dead, Yan Bugui's left leg was lame, Liu Haizhong lost his tongue, and the Jia family was starving and barely able to take care of themselves. These beasts were all under his feet, so who would dare to jump out and throw dirty water?

Xiao'e didn't have much of an appetite at dinner; she just poked at the food in her bowl with her chopsticks but didn't put anything in her mouth.

Rain helped analyze: "Brother, could it be Wang Xia? She works at the neighborhood office and has access to many people. I heard from people in the compound that she offended you before."

The two Ma brothers looked worried, concerned for their mentor.

He Yuzhu put a piece of meat on Xiao'e's plate: "Eat first. Don't worry about your lives, I can handle it."

It was not yet nine o'clock at night, and most of the houses in the courtyard had turned off their lights. He Yuzhu changed into dark clothes and left the courtyard, walking slowly along the outer wall of the courtyard house.

With his spatial awareness fully activated, he listened in on each house, starting from the front yard and the back house, and they were all talking about him.

Sensing into the Yan family home, Yan Bugui and Yang Ruihua were still awake. Yan Bugui leaned against the kang (a heated brick bed), his left leg propped up on the quilt, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan. Yang Ruihua whispered, "Old Yan, have you heard? There are rumors outside that He Yuzhu is reselling supplies."

Yan Bugui paused for a moment, then started fanning himself again, saying in a deep voice, "It's just what others are saying, it has nothing to do with us, don't get involved."

After listening, He Yuzhu walked along the wall towards the central courtyard. Sensing the approaching room, he found Jia Zhangshi awake; the east wing room had been vacated. She sat on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed), twisting cotton thread in her hands, chatting idly with Jia Dongxu: "Dongxu, have you heard? He Yuzhu's been targeted. He's in for it."

Jia Dongxu, puffing on his cigarette butt, was planning to buy grain at the black market that evening. "Mother," he said, "I have no time to concern myself with other people's business. Please give me more money tonight; the price of grain has gone up again."

He Yuzhu went around to the alley outside the backyard and stood close to the wall. His senses probed into Liu Haizhong's house. The lights were still on in the Liu family's house. Liu Haizhong was flipping through a small notebook, and Wang Caifeng was fanning him with a palm-leaf fan. She leaned closer and whispered, "Old Liu, what about what happened to Zhuzi? Is it true or false?"

Liu Haizhong turned to a blank page in his notebook and wrote three words: "Don't talk too much."

It's not Wang Caifeng. Nor is it Liu Haizhong.

The back building was empty, the door was ajar, and it was dark inside. Xiao Wang had rented the house and repainted it.

He Yuzhu glanced around, then circled back to the side courtyard and sat on the armchair in the main room for a long time. He actually hoped it was someone from the courtyard who did it; at least he knew how to clean it up.

But some of the things mentioned in this rumor are things that no one in the compound has any access to. The person capable of doing these things wouldn't be one of the compound's beasts. Moreover, this rumor has a wide reach and broke out suddenly; this person must have considerable power. Could it be that someone is truly jealous of us, or is eyeing our supply sources?

The next morning, He Yuzhu rode his tricycle to the supply and marketing cooperative, slowing down as he passed the alley entrance. Several elderly women, who had gotten up early to buy vegetables, were squatting against the wall peeling green beans. Seeing the motorcycle approaching, they nudged each other, whispering amongst themselves about his retreating figure. He Yuzhu glanced at the women's hushed conversation in his rearview mirror, twisted the throttle, and turned away without looking back.

In the supply and marketing cooperative's office, Director Zhou carried over an enamel mug and stood by his desk. "Zhu Zi, there's been some gossip going around lately, you've probably heard it. I know your character, it's just that some people are jealous of the power you have. But you have to be careful, these days gossip can be a real threat, don't give them any leverage against you."

He Yuzhu nodded and said he understood.

Returning to his courtyard after get off work, He Yuzhu sat under a pomegranate tree, lit a cigarette, and mentally reviewed everyone who might have had access to the details of his work. Li Huaide was out of the question; he was counting on him for advice. Chen Xiangqian was his uncle, a high-ranking official, and his father-in-law—all these connections were impeccably clean.

How did the rumors start? The number of people who could access the supply and marketing cooperative's purchasing data, the steel mill's logistics supply, and even the details of Lou Bancheng's joint venture was actually very small. He vaguely had a suspicion about the outline of the rumor, and he didn't want it to be this person.

He didn't need the evidence; killing this man could easily lead to serious trouble. Even if he killed him, he wasn't sure if he could remain calm and composed when facing the higher-ups.