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

Li Weidong's tone was straightforward and undisguised: "I was just playing with him. Even if there were a real solution, I wouldn't treat someone like that. I sent him away because I have something to say to Sister E alone."

Lou Xiao'e's face suddenly turned red, and it was unclear where her thoughts had wandered off to.

"What is it?"

"It would be a waste for you to be paired with Xu Damao."

Li Weidong put it bluntly, "You know what kind of person he is. Hurry up and get a divorce, then leave."

Lou Xiao'e bit her lip: "I've wanted a divorce for a long time. But I mentioned it to my parents before, and they absolutely refused."

She paused, then whispered, "Now that we're in this mess, let's talk about it when we get back. They should be able to agree."

She said that, but in her heart she was pondering: Did Li Weidong urge her to get a divorce because he had feelings for her?

But she had been married before, and the man was two or three years older than him.

"That's fine then. You should pack your things quickly and go back to your parents' house."

Li Weidong's expression turned serious. "I also need to go see your father. It's important."

Lou Xiao'e's face flushed again, and a random thought flashed through her mind: Was he going to propose marriage?

But that's not right. He didn't say a word to me about it.

"What's the matter?"

She couldn't help but press for more information.

"This is a major issue that will determine whether your family can survive."

Li Weidong lowered his voice, "When Xu Damao comes back, I'll send him away again. He won't be coming home tonight."

He paused, then instructed, "Take all your valuables with you. Don't leave him any of your dowry, gold, silver, or valuables."

"……OK."

Lou Xiao'e's palms were sweating; she knew things weren't that simple.

Footsteps sounded outside the door, and Xu Damao rushed in again, clutching the piece of Coptis chinensis in his hand, his forehead covered in sweat.

"Moth, pour me some water to wash it—"

"Don't rush."

Li Weidong looked up at him and said, "I have something for you to run later."

"Open your mouth wide!"

Li Weidong gave orders to Xu Damao.

As soon as Xu Damao opened his mouth, a bitter melon seed was thrown in.

"Chew it hard and tell me what it tastes like."

Xu Damao was stunned for a moment, then obediently did as he was told. That bitter feeling shot straight to the top of his head, his whole horse-like face scrunched up, his features distorted.

Lou Xiao'e looked down on him even more when she saw his demeanor.

"Okay, that's enough, I've thrown up."

Li Weidong said in a calm tone, "Tell me your feelings."

"Pah, pah, pah... It's nothing but bitterness!"

Xu Damao stuck out his tongue and exhaled, "I need to rinse my mouth quickly."

"Didn't you taste anything else?"

Li Weidong spoke slowly and deliberately, "If you only feel bitterness, then it means there's nothing wrong with you."

"Huh... why do I think I taste a hint of sweetness?"

Xu Damao's eyes widened in surprise. "Isn't Coptis chinensis bitter?"

"That's where your problem lies."

Li Weidong sighed, his tone turning somber, "It's hard to say about your situation. I can only tell you the truth—there's not even a 10% chance."

"this……"

Xu Damao suddenly felt a pang of panic.

At this time, the people who had finished their shifts at the steel rolling mill gradually returned.

Liu Haizhong, heavily pregnant, walked up to Xu Damao's door, her voice booming, "Damao, you really have guts! To get Shazhu in there! Impressive!"

"Get out! Get the hell away from me!"

Xu Damao roared until his veins bulged.

Li Weidong was talking to him about the treatment when Liu Haizhong came over and disrupted things, which made Xu Damao furious.

"You...you...I'm your second uncle!"

Liu Haizhong couldn't believe that Xu Damao dared to speak to him like that.

"Get lost! Get lost! I'm your second uncle! If you say another word, I'll go to the neighborhood committee and ask when you were given this title!"

Xu Damao cursed even more fiercely.

Liu Guangtian and Yan Jiefang stood by watching the commotion. They cooked together as soon as they got back; they'd bought extra steamed buns for lunch, and now they were just making some vegetables and soup. They'd also chop some pickled vegetables—that would be their dinner.

As for Yan Jiekuang and Liu Guangfu, they only dared to come over at night when they were sleeping. They had no chance of getting a free meal here.

Liu Haizhong trembled from the scolding: "You... Xu Damao, you wait, I'm not finished with you! How dare you disrespect your superiors!"

"Leader? You dare to challenge me?"

Xu Damao said with a disdainful look, "See that? The real leader is sitting right here."

"I...I...you just wait!"

After saying that, Liu Haizhong turned and left dejectedly.

Xu Damao used to fawn over him, and Liu Haizhong would always put on airs in front of him. Who would have thought that today Xu Damao would act like he'd swallowed a bomb, completely humiliating Liu Haizhong.

"Here's what we'll do: go outside the village tonight and collect the dew from the rice leaves at midnight."

Li Weidong instructed, "Just gather enough for fifty milliliters, and use it to decoct the medicine first thing tomorrow morning."

Xu Damao stamped his feet in frustration: "Fine, fine, I'll leave right now!"

He hopped on his bicycle and sped off towards Hongxing Village. There was a young widow in that village, and he had already started an affair with her.

Ask her for help, and this matter is sure to be resolved. Get there before dark, and you can still have some time with that woman.

Li Weidong winked at Lou Xiao'e and followed Xu Damao out the door. Just as they stepped out of the courtyard, they bumped into Yi Zhonghai and Na Yumei helping Old Lady Long arrive.

"Xu Damao, you bastard! You sent my grandson to jail?!"

Grandma Long trembled all over, her voice distorted, "You get your ass to the police station and explain yourself! Nothing happened! Release my precious grandson! Otherwise, I'll die right here today!"

"Pah! Why don't you just die!"

Xu Damao yelled at the top of his lungs, "I wouldn't even glance at you if you died!"

Grandma Long was stunned. This trick had always worked before, so why wasn't Xu Damao eating it today?

"Xu Damao, do you have any conscience? Don't you understand the concept of respecting the elderly and caring for the young? The old lady is the ancestor of everyone in our compound—"

Before Yi Zhonghai could finish speaking, he was slapped across the face.

With a sharp crack, half of his old face instantly burned.

"Fuck you! I slapped you, that's too lenient!"

Li Weidong glared and cursed, "This old hag is your ancestor, not mine! You're fucking claiming ancestors randomly, I'll beat you up before the New Year!"

"You...you..."

Yi Zhonghai covered his cheek, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

A large crowd quickly gathered in the courtyard. Seeing Yi Zhonghai get slapped hard across the face, they were all incredibly pleased.

Before, I was pressured by his moral authority and did a lot of humiliating things, and I always felt something was wrong. Today, Li Weidong's slap has finally woken us all up—we've been fooled by Yi Zhonghai all these years!

Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong stood to the side, and seeing Yi Zhonghai being beaten, they both instinctively covered their faces. They felt that Li Weidong's next slap was about to land on their faces at any moment.

"Yi Zhonghai, don't try to fool me with that!"

Xu Damao roared, "Back when Sha Zhu hit me, you fucking covered it up, and you're not getting away with this either. You wait, I'm going to the police station and sue you too! And you old bastard! Didn't you want to die here? Hurry up and get it over with!"

Grandma Long stood there, feeling utterly humiliated.

Just then, Lou Xiao'e came out of the house.

"Moth, try to persuade Xu Damao."

Grandma Long quickly pulled her back, saying, "We're all neighbors, there's no need to make such a fuss."

"Grandma, I really can't help you with this."

Lou Xiao'e shook her head with a bitter smile, "If he had broken a leg, I could still say something. But this... no, it really won't work."

Grandma Long fell silent. She understood that the grudge of cutting off someone's family line couldn't be resolved with money.

"Xu Damao, name your price, and we'll pay you back!"

"Grandma Long said through gritted teeth."

"fart!"

Xu Damao spat. "Do I look like someone who's short of money? I have important business to attend to. Let Sha Zhu die in jail!"

"Moth, how about we pay her back? You should try to persuade Damao to give the old lady some face."

The deaf old woman quickly grabbed Lou Xiao'e.

Li Weidong sneered, "What kind of face do you have? When you were scheming against Sister E, where was your face?"

"Calculation?"

Xu Damao's eyes widened. "That old woman has taken plenty of good stuff from our house. Whenever Ezi makes something to eat, it's the first thing she sends to."

The deaf old woman was so angry that her face trembled.

"It's just a few bites of food, but I'm happy to give it to the old lady."

Lou Xiao'e disagreed.

"If you don't care, then let's not talk about it."

Li Weidong changed the subject, "But every time the deaf old lady chats with you, doesn't she start by saying that Xu Damao is a scoundrel? She never stops talking all year round."

Lou Xiao'e was taken aback: "I did say that... but what's the big deal?"

"Nothing much? Then did she immediately start praising Sha Zhu, saying how wonderful he is? Filial to his elders, and loving towards his children?"

Li Weidong stared at her.

"...That's true."

"Now I understand!"

Lou Xiao'e slapped her thigh hard. "Deaf old woman, are you trying to break me up with Da Mao!"

"Not bad, not completely stupid."

Li Weidong smirked. "She keeps calling you a silly moth; in her eyes, you're just someone who's easy to fool."

Xu Damao's mind raced, and his face instantly darkened: "You old hag, are you trying to send my wife to that idiot's bed?!"

“No, no…”

The deaf old woman's face was as white as paper.

"No? You're kidding me."

Li Weidong's voice was cold, "You still want to scam my Xiaorou? That idiot Zhu is a toad, he doesn't even deserve it!"

"You old bastard, you just wait!"

Xu Damao gritted his teeth, "Wait until I finish what I'm doing."

He then turned to Lou Xiao'e and instructed her, "Don't pay any attention to her. I'll be back tomorrow morning."

After saying that, he got on his bike and left.

"I'm a recipient of the Five Guarantees (a government welfare program for the elderly and disabled), why would I be afraid of you, you little brat?"

The deaf old woman stubbornly refused to admit her mistake.

"The five guarantees are a blessing from the country, not a reason for you to swagger around."

Li Weidong casually tossed out a sentence.

The deaf old woman was so frustrated that she couldn't speak.

"That's all for now, everyone go home and cook your meals."

Li Weidong waved his hand.

The crowd quickly dispersed, and even Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong slipped away.

Lou Xiao'e entered the room with a livid face and slammed the door shut.

Yi Zhonghai helped the deaf old woman up, with Yu Mei standing beside him; all three looked rather grim. He sighed, "Never mind, let's go back first and figure out how to handle it later."

The deaf old woman chuckled coldly twice: "I've really opened my eyes. Zhu Zi is in jail now, and I can't find a single one of the people he used to help."

"Grandma, please don't say that. Huai Ru has her own difficulties, and what about Madam Jia..."

Yi Zhonghai shook his head, his tone tinged with concern.

The deaf old woman turned to stare at He Yushui: "Your brother is in jail, and you're just going to stand by and watch? If you have even a shred of brotherly affection, you should go and say a word for Zhuzi. Xu Damao will definitely listen to Li Weidong."