Courtyard House: In this life, I have a new home!

Lin Yurou's face turned pale with anger. "With your pig-headed appearance, you're just a hoodlum wandering the streets. If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll make you regret it!"

Liu Haizhong has always doted on his son, believing that Liu Da Nao is born to be a high-ranking official and make a lot of money. Now that he's being called a pig's head, his anger flares up instantly.

"You little brat, what are you saying? It's your great fortune that Guangqi has taken a liking to you! You country bumpkin..."

Liu Haizhong was spitting as he spoke, still enjoying his words, completely unaware that Li Weidong's face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Slap! Slap!"

Two slaps landed hard on Liu Haizhong's face, making his fat jiggle.

"Liu Haizhong, if you want to die, just say so! And you, Liu Guangqi, go to hell!"

Li Weidong kicked Liu Guangqi, who tumbled over.

"You dare hit someone? I'm your second uncle..."

Liu Haizhong was stunned by the blow.

"I'm your second uncle!"

Li Weidong roared, "Get lost! If you don't get out of here, I'll kick both of you to death!"

"Liu Guangqi, you toad-like guy, you think you can eat swan meat? Take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror!"

"Liu Haizhong, you think I hit you without reason? Then call the police! What kind of trash are you? You look down on rural people? Weren't your parents from the countryside? Even the great old man came from the countryside!"

"Liu Haizhong, are you trying to turn the world upside down?!"

Liu Haizhong was not very bright to begin with, and Li Weidong's few words left him speechless, filled only with fear.

"No, no, that's not true! I never said anything like that! I'm proud to be the son of a farmer!"

Liu Haizhong quickly tried to explain.

"Get lost! I'll let you off this time."

Li Weidong's face was full of disdain. "If you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll ***** kill you."

"With your big, stupid head, Liu Guangqi, you dare say you're interested in Xiaorou? That's an insult to Xiaorou! I'd be lenient if I kicked you!"

After Li Weidong finished speaking, he reached for the weapon at his waist and cocked it with a click.

Liu Haizhong and Liu Guangqi were so frightened they almost wet themselves on the spot, their legs trembling. At that moment, they finally realized that Li Weidong was someone they couldn't afford to mess with.

Liu Haizhong helped Liu Guangqi up, and the two of them slunk back home.

"Pah, what a piece of junk."

Li Weidong sneered, "A dog-like thing like you dares to covet a phoenix in the heavens?"

Liu Haizhong and Liu Guangqi entered the house, their faces flushed and pale by turns. Liu Haizhong felt extremely embarrassed and quickly changed his clothes to prepare for the banquet. Although it was still a bit early to go.

"Dad, I'll go with you too."

Liu Guangqi was eagerly hoping to get a good meal.

"The workers treated me to dinner, why are you getting involved?"

Liu Haizhong shook his head and reached out to touch his chubby face. Luckily, it was just a little red, not swollen.

Liu Guangqi was unhappy. Since Liu Haizhong wouldn't be home for lunch, Zhang Cuihua definitely wouldn't make scrambled eggs. His gluttonous nature had long been spoiled. But he could only watch helplessly as Liu Haizhong quickly packed up and left.

"Oh right, I need to get a bicycle."

Liu Haizhong patted his round belly and said, "You're already a cadre, yet you still walk on two legs. It doesn't suit your status."

Liu Haizhong had the money, but he was missing a bicycle ticket. He thought about trying to find one on the black market, but those things cost seventy or eighty yuan each.

It still hurts to think about it.

Li Weidong had a simple yet plentiful lunch—a small bowl of braised beef head meat with cowpeas, plus a plate of cold lettuce salad.

The remaining cowpeas were all boiled and spread out to dry on a bamboo tray. The lettuce was also cut into strips and hung out to dry.

Lunch was rice. Xiaoxi buried her face in the bowl, looking like a little rice bucket, and her face was covered in rice grains.

"Brother, Huaihua said her family is making mung bean soup this afternoon."

While eating, Xiaoxi was thinking about other people's food, "They said they'd add sugar, it would taste so good."

"Xiao Dang and Huaihua promised to bring me a bowl."

Lin Yurou smiled helplessly: "Xiao Xi, what else can you do besides eat?"

"I'm really good at poking ants; even Xiao Dang and Huaihua can't beat me."

Xiao Xi raised her two little hands, looked at her palms, and said a little dejectedly, "Three tens are so many."

"She's just a kid, all she does is eat, drink, and play. You expect her to do any chores?"

Li Weidong was amused by Xiao Xi's adorable appearance.

"My brother is so great!"

Xiao Xi grinned at him with a big smile.

The family was having dinner in the main room when they looked up and saw Xu Damao being pushed back in a wheelchair.

"Tsk tsk, this guy... his hard times are yet to come."

As Li Weidong spoke, he tilted his head back and downed a glass of beer.

Xu Damao was worried that Xu Fugui would find the money he had hidden, so he was in a hurry to be discharged from the hospital and go home to recuperate.

His return attracted a large crowd of onlookers. Sha Zhu and Bang Geng were among them.

Banggeng found it intriguing and stepped forward, shouting to Xu Damao, "Xu Damao, come down here and let me try. I'm sure I can push faster than you."

Xu Fugui placed Xu Damao in the sun in the yard and turned to open the gate. Xu Damao quickly tried to move himself into the shade by tugging at the wheels of his wheelchair.

Seeing Xu Damao's disheveled state, Banggeng thought to himself that this guy couldn't even handle a wheelchair properly. He himself would definitely be much more capable.

Xu Damao was so angry that his face turned green. He yelled at Banggeng, "Get out of my way, you brat! If you ever fall into my hands, I'll break both your legs!"

Sha Zhu immediately became unhappy when he heard Xu Damao cursing Bang Geng.

"Hey, Xu Damao, you're all confined to a wheelchair now, can't we even say a few words to you?"

Sha Zhu glared at him, "You think you can beat someone up? Come on, I'll stand here and let you hit me, you try and make a move!"

Sha Zhu was also furious. He knew how much effort it would take to pay back the five thousand five hundred yuan. He held Xu Damao accountable for it.

"Stop acting tough, you idiot! You dare touch me? If I get you back in jail this time, I'll make sure you regret it."

Xu Damao shouted at the top of his lungs.

The two could only exchange insults. But when it came to verbal sparring, Sha Zhu was no match for Xu Damao.

Sha Zhu curled his lip, looking disdainful: "I'm too lazy to argue with you."

He snorted smugly, "If I were to beat you up now, wouldn't that be bullying? I, Shazhu, wouldn't do such a despicable thing."

"Treating someone like you is like insulting a mute or beating a cripple—it's pointless!"

The word "cripple" struck Xu Damao like a knife piercing his heart, causing him excruciating pain and making him feel like his stomach was bleeding.

Just then, Xu Fugui returned and pushed Xu Damao into the house. He turned to Shazhu and said fiercely, "Shazhu, don't be so arrogant. I'll settle all our scores with you when I get the chance."

The aroma of dog meat wafted over.

Banggeng casually ordered Shazhu, "Shazhu, go check if the dog meat stew is ready. I'm waiting for this bite."

Instead of getting angry, Sha Zhu replied with a grin, "Alright, let's go. There's plenty of dog meat for lunch today, eat as much as you want."

Sha Zhu led Bang Geng back to the central courtyard. He lifted the pot lid to take a look, saw that the dog meat was still a bit undercooked, and put the lid back on to continue simmering.

When the Jia family served lunch, it was just a bowl of mung bean soup with cornbread and a plate of stir-fried shredded potatoes with green peppers.

Madam Jia Zhang slurped her words, her voice tinged with envy, "This rubbish? The meat cooked outside smells so good! Sha Zhu's stewing dog meat over there, go get some so Bang Geng and I can have a taste. Look at Bang Geng's face, he's gotten so thin..."

Qin Huairu cursed inwardly: This old woman always uses her grandson as an excuse to ask for food, but when she actually brings him back, most of it ends up in her gaping maw!

"No need. Bang Geng is right next to Sha Zhu. He'll be the first to eat when the meat is stewed."

Qin Huairu spoke in a nonchalant tone.

Madam Jia was speechless at her words. She blinked her triangular eyes for a while before speaking again: "Then you have to go and get me some. Just get me a hind leg."

Qin Huairu rolled her eyes: "Just say you want to eat it, why use sticky rice as a shield?"

Provoked by her attitude, Jia Zhangshi's temper flared up instantly.

"It's my business what I say, what's it to you!"

Jia Zhangshi shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Then go ask for it yourself."

Qin Huairu ignored her.

She never touched dog meat, and neither did Xiao Dang or Huaihua; only Banggeng stayed by the pot by himself. She would never beg anyone for a bite of dog meat.

"I'll go, I'll go!"

Jia Zhangshi, leaning on her crutch, limped out the door.

I just happened to see Sha Zhu scooping dog meat out of the container.

"Idiot Zhu, give me a leg to hold back!"

Jia Zhangshi shouted confidently, extending the basin in her hand.

Qin Huairu also came out. Sha Zhu nodded to her and actually cut off a hind leg and put it into Jia Zhangshi's basin.

"That one's for the stick."

Sha Zhu, now with another obstacle in his mind, looked up and asked Qin Huairu, "Sister Qin, do you want to—"

"Ugh—I can't swallow that stuff."

Qin Huairu looked disgusted.

Sha Zhu smacked his lips: "Tsk tsk, Sister Qin, you're missing out. This stuff is so delicious with minced garlic. It's just not enough for summer, but in winter—"

Before she could finish speaking, Qin Huairu turned and left.

"Hey, Sister Qin, where are you going—"

"Zhu Zi, hurry up and get it done, let's have a couple of drinks at noon."

Yi Zhonghai was incredibly envious standing nearby.

This dog is quite large; its meat alone would weigh at least forty pounds. The two legs that Jia Zhangshi took away must have weighed at least six or seven pounds.

Sha Zhu is being so generous because it's so hot. The meat won't keep, and besides, there's a big feast waiting for us tonight.

At this moment, Yan Bugui walked over, his face pale: "Shazhu, give me some too..."

Sha Zhu curled his lip: "From now on, go fishing by the river less often. Eat some dog meat to calm your nerves. What wicked thing did you do that even water ghosts are targeting you?"

Just as Yan Bugui was about to explode in anger, Yi Zhonghai quickly stopped him, saying, "Silly Zhu, you never know how to keep your mouth shut. You were just trying to be kind by giving someone a gift, and you had to say something so rude. Luckily, Old Yan knows you're not a bad person at heart, or he would have already turned against you."

Yan Bugui was speechless after hearing this, and couldn't say anything more. Besides, Sha Zhu was really not stingy; he cut him a piece of good meat that weighed at least six or seven pounds.

Sha Zhu kept about ten pounds for himself. It's only satisfying to finish this stuff in one meal.

Yan Bugui brought it home, but Yang Yuhua and Yan Jiedi didn't eat it. Only he, Yan Jiecheng, and Yan Jiekuang started eating.

He cleaned the bones, divided the dog meat into three portions, and sighed, "It's too hot. If it were winter, this meat could last for a month."

"We can only finish it in one go now."

Yan Jiekuang couldn't wait any longer. He reached out, grabbed a piece, and stuffed it into his mouth, grimacing from the heat.

"Look at your pathetic self."