Courtyard House: The Frog Boy Brings Back a Genetic Potion at the Start

"Choosing sides is fine in itself, but the way you guys are putting one down while praising another is truly despicable! Think about your previous attitude, and then look at how you're biting people now—ugh, it's disgusting!"

These words pierced the hearts of those who had just mocked Hao Jianguo like needles, leaving them pale and ashen-faced.

The elderly deaf woman who had been listening attentively suddenly froze on her face with a smile.

She hadn't expected that Yan Bugui, that old fox, would jump out at this critical moment and protect Hao Jianguo with every single word.

The current situation is clear, and Yan Bugui should know how to assess the situation and act accordingly.

Logically speaking, he should have acted like everyone else in the courtyard, changing his tune according to the wind and using the accusation of Hao Jianguo to curry favor with the old lady.

Who would have thought he would say such a thing, every word of which was barbed.

The old lady snorted heavily in anger, her eyes blazing with fury as she glared at Yan Bugui.

Yan Bugui naturally noticed her appearance.

To be honest, when his eyes met the old lady's, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, especially since Zhao Haiyan was staring coldly at him from the side.

But Yan Bugui finally steeled his resolve, stubbornly glaring back.

Having made up their minds to follow Hao Jianguo, they were determined to go all the way.

Those who sway back and forth like reeds on the wall never end well.

The old lady's face grew increasingly gloomy, as if it could drip water.

If her grandson hadn't been right beside her, she probably would have already started cursing.

She had no idea what Yan Bugui was thinking. But for the moment, she was at a loss as to what to do with him.

What surprised the old lady even more was that Liu Haizhong also stepped forward at this moment.

However, a smile appeared on Yan Bugui's face first.

Liu Haizhong patted him on the shoulder, his voice neither too loud nor too soft: "Old Yan is right."

Some people were praising Hao Jianguo one minute, but turned their backs on him the next when things went wrong. How are they any different from beasts?

Yan Bugui was also taken aback when he heard this.

Based on his understanding of Liu Haizhong, this man was most adept at self-preservation, so it was truly unexpected that he would speak up for him at this moment.

But no matter what, having more people to speak up for him made him feel much more at ease, and he straightened his back a bit more.

No matter what, they were the two old men in charge of the courtyard, representing the face of the neighborhood office, so the old lady should have some consideration for them.

However, the two of them did not notice that the expressions of the street office staff who came with them had quietly turned ugly.

It remains to be seen whether the neighborhood committee will stand up for them and offend Zhao Hai if things really escalate.

"Grandma, what's going on?"

Zhao Hai spoke at the opportune moment, his voice tinged with coldness.

He was not a slow-witted person; he could clearly sense the tension permeating the surrounding air.

Zhao Hai's face instantly darkened.

The deaf old woman was his only remaining close relative in the world, and he would never let anyone who dared to give her the slightest disrespect get away with it.

Seeing his sudden change in expression, many people in the courtyard felt a chill run down their spines and secretly gasped.

Zhao Hai was truly enraged; those who had previously spoken up for Hao Jianguo were likely in for a world of trouble.

Seeing that her grandson's single glance had intimidated everyone, the deaf old woman puffed out her chest a little, and when she looked at Yan Bugui and the others, her eyes were full of arrogance.

In a daze, she seemed to have become the domineering matriarch of the courtyard once again.

This sudden turn of events caused both Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong to feel uneasy.

Yan Bugui was alright; having come to his senses, he resolved to stick with Hao Jianguo.

Liu Haizhong felt a pang of regret. Had he known Zhao Hai's power was so great, why had he stood up for himself and gotten himself into this mess?

Now that things have come to this point, there's no turning back, and he has no choice but to grit his teeth and move forward.

In an instant, all eyes were on Hao Jianguo.

Everyone understands that this matter ultimately cannot be avoided because of him.

Everyone wanted to see how Hao Jianguo would react to Zhao Hai's imposing aura.

Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing almost burst out laughing.

They felt that Hao Jianguo was probably terrified at this point—if they were in the same situation, they would have panicked long ago.

To everyone's surprise, the deaf old lady's expression changed several times, and Zhao Hai's words fell one by one, but Hao Jianguo's calm expression did not waver in the slightest.

The two people's excited expressions seemed to him like a boring farce.

This composure truly surprised many people.

Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing felt their faces burning – they had just been certain that Hao Jianguo would be trembling with fear.

"It's him after all; even at this point, he can still remain so calm."

Yan Jiecheng muttered to himself.

From his father Yan Bugui's previous actions, he had already realized that the Yan family was on the same side as Hao Jianguo.

At this moment, he naturally hoped that Hao Jianguo could hold on, but he dared not speak too loudly, for fear of causing unnecessary trouble for his own family.

Liu Guangfu secretly admired him.

He thought to himself that if he were in Zhao Hai's shoes, he would never have been so composed; he would have lost his composure the moment Zhao Hai spoke.

Xu Damao's eyes darted around, his mind racing as he weighed the options.

He is a true villain by nature, and he only considers personal gain when making decisions.

Originally, he was eager to curry favor with Hao Jianguo, but now it was clear that Hao Jianguo was at a disadvantage.

In Xu Damao's view, if he chooses the wrong side this time, he probably won't get away with it either.

Initially, he did consider speaking up for the deaf old lady, but when he thought about Sha Zhu over there, and how he had never gotten along with that group of people—as long as Sha Zhu was there, he couldn't get close to them.

But Hao Jianguo's calm demeanor made him uneasy again: Could it be that Hao Jianguo had some trick up his sleeve?

After thinking it over, Xu Damao decided to keep quiet and not help anyone.

This way, at least you won't offend either side.

He planned to wait until the situation became clearer before deciding whether to speak up for Hao Jianguo.

Although he knew that even if Hao Jianguo eventually turned the tables, the benefits he could gain would be limited, this was the safest option in his eyes at the moment.

There were actually quite a few people in the courtyard who shared the same thoughts, so many chose to remain silent, unlike those few opportunists who couldn't wait to jump out.

Hao Jianguo's calm demeanor only made the deaf old lady feel more disgusted.

She had always disliked Hao Jianguo's attitude, but she never expected that even though he was already being outmaneuvered, he would still put on this act.

However, the other party remained calm and composed.

"Ha, Hao Jianguo, just keep pretending. You'll regret it someday."

In the eyes of the deaf old woman and the others, Hao Jianguo's calmness at this moment was nothing more than a forced posture.

If they were in that situation, they would never be so calm and composed.

After much thought, the only option left is to "tough it out."

This reason explains his reaction at that moment.

Zhao Hai was not oblivious; he also noticed the gazes around him and immediately turned his attention to Hao Jianguo.

For some reason, when Zhao Hai met Hao Jianguo's calm and unwavering eyes, his heart tightened for no apparent reason, and a faint chill arose within him.

This feeling surprised him quite a bit.

Even when facing the enemy on the battlefield, he never wavered like this.

He couldn't help but take a deep look at Hao Jianguo a few times, but upon closer inspection, he realized that Hao Jianguo was just an ordinary person.

The strange feeling I had just experienced was probably just my imagination.

"Grandma, while I was away, the neighbors in the courtyard must have taken good care of you, right? Why don't you introduce me to some of them?"

Zhao Hai glanced around with a calm expression and then spoke with a smile.

In fact, from the few words spoken by the crowd just now, he had already discerned that his grandmother's situation in the courtyard was probably not pleasant.

These words were both to support the deaf old woman and to give her a warning—he wanted to see who dared to neglect his grandmother.

Now that he has some power, he has made up his mind to deal with those who don't know their place.

As soon as he finished speaking, many people in the courtyard turned pale instantly, and some even quietly shrank back a few steps, hiding in the crowd and not daring to show their faces.

They used to complain a lot about the deaf old woman, but now they were afraid of being resented by her.

Many more eyes cautiously glanced at Hao Jianguo.

To everyone else, Zhao Hai's words were tantamount to a direct attack on him.

The deaf old woman and Yi Zhonghai, among others, could no longer hide their joy.

Now that they had such a powerful backer, who in the backyard would dare to show them the slightest disrespect? Thinking of this, the backs of the group straightened up unconsciously.

The deaf old woman naturally understood her grandson's intention: to establish her authority in the courtyard.

She immediately pulled Zhao Hai over and began to introduce him enthusiastically.

"Xiao Hai, I've been able to have a smooth life all these years thanks to the help of some kind people."

Especially this one, Yi Zhonghai, the eldest uncle in our compound.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hai immediately stepped forward and shook hands with Yi Zhonghai.

Seeing this, several leaders nearby couldn't help but cast envious glances at Yi Zhonghai—with a deaf old woman talking beside him, Yi Zhonghai's future status would likely be quite different from before.

Some people are even secretly planning how to re-establish good relations with Yi Zhonghai in order to curry favor with Zhao Hai.

After hearing this introduction, the people in the courtyard looked at Yi Zhonghai with a hint of envy in their eyes.

Who doesn't understand the deaf old woman's intention? She's clearly paving the way for Yi Zhonghai.

With Zhao Hai's connection, Yi Zhonghai's position as the top dog will only become more secure, and his influence will only grow stronger.

Even the treatment at the factory will likely increase accordingly.

Let alone the director position, Yi Zhonghai might even be able to compete for the deputy factory director position.

After all, he was an eighth-level fitter with solid technical skills, and with Zhao Hai's connections, many people didn't really believe he couldn't become the deputy factory director.

That's why some people are now secretly regretting not having offered any help when the deaf old woman and her ilk were out of power. If they had lent a hand back then, they might be able to benefit from it now.

Unfortunately, things cannot be turned back, and it's too late to try and curry favor now.

Although they couldn't make it in time, some people were still determined to stand firmly on the side of the deaf old lady and do everything they could to offer their help.

Just like the first group of people who sided with her, they were secretly pleased: when Hao Jianguo made his move, they were the first to stand up for the deaf old woman.

In their view, the old lady would at least remember this kindness.

Even if they don't study, at least it won't make things difficult for them, and they can live a more peaceful life in this courtyard from now on.

Unlike Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong—although those two refuted them in public, what good will come of it for them? It seems that the positions of Second Master and Third Master are in jeopardy.

Thinking of this, the men glanced at Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui with a hint of contempt, as if they were looking at two clowns who overestimated themselves.

At the same time, they gathered around the deaf old woman, showering her with flattery, practically praising her to the heavens.

Things like "The courtyard would be in chaos without you keeping things in check" and "You're our pillar of strength" are unacceptable.

...He showered the listeners with compliments, making them inwardly chuckle but daring not to utter a sound.

To live a smooth life in this courtyard, sometimes you have to learn to bow your head.

So despite their disgust, some people still quietly echoed their sentiments, though none of them were as loud or shameless as the others.

As the deaf old woman listened to the buzzing compliments around her, her smile deepened.

After feeling stifled for so many days, I finally got to hold my head high today.

However, to truly feel at ease, we'll have to wait and see Hao Jianguo stumble.

She narrowed her eyes, her gaze drifting lightly across the other side.

Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong's faces were already ashen.

Zhao Hai's attitude just now said it all: he would not let anyone who went against the old lady get away with it.

Yan Bugui looked at Hao Jianguo.

He knew in his heart that he was already tied to Hao Jianguo, and if he turned against him now, he would only end up pleasing neither side.

Having chosen a side, there's no choice but to grit your teeth and stick to it.

Without further hesitation, he stepped forward and stood beside Hao Jianguo.

Seeing him like this, Liu Hai cursed inwardly: If it weren't for this old Yan insisting on siding with Hao Jianguo, why would he have been dragged into this mess? At least he could have stayed out of it and pretended to be clueless! But now it's too late to say anything, and he dares not try to be a fence-sitter.

With a tense expression and gritting his teeth, Liu Haizhong moved step by step to Hao Jianguo's side, managing to force a dry smile.

Hao Jianguo was indeed somewhat surprised.

Zhao Hai and the deaf old woman had already spoken to that extent, and he originally thought that Liu Haizhong would back down and remain neutral.

Unexpectedly, this person followed Yan Bugui over.

Hao Jianguo knew Liu Haizhong all too well; judging from his current appearance, he was probably going through a tremendous internal struggle.