Courtyard House: Starting as an eighth-grade worker, with too many wives.

The three men, whose combined age was easily over 150, were like three mischievous children fighting over a single candy ball in the stinking outhouse, pushing, shoving, pulling, and tugging at each other, each refusing to give way. Curses, panting, and the rustling of clothes created a chaotic mess.

In the midst of chaos, someone's foot stepped into a puddle of slippery, icy water.

Puff-!

A muffled thud, and water splashed everywhere.

Jia Dongxu felt a hard shove in his back, his center of gravity shifted, and he lurched backward, his arms flailing wildly. Everything went black, and with a thud, he landed hard in the cold cesspool.

Sha Zhu couldn't escape either. He was clinging tightly to Jia Dongxu's trouser leg when the immense downward force suddenly pulled him off balance, causing him to fall headfirst down as well.

wow-

A thin layer of ice had formed on the surface of the latrine, but it shattered instantly when the two men smashed it. The icy sewage, mixed with sharp ice shards, immediately submerged their lower bodies.

The stench, like a bomb, exploded in the confined space.

Yi Zhonghai stood at the edge of the pit, frozen like a stone statue. He looked down at the two dark figures struggling and writhing in the pit, his cloudy old eyes filled with disbelief and immense terror.

"vomit--"

Jia Dongxu and Sha Zhu struggled to their feet from the cesspool. Excrement mixed with ice crystals streamed down their hair, faces, and bodies. Their faces were beyond pale—they were a deathly ashen color, their lips bluish-purple, and they trembled violently. Their stomachs churned, they wanted to vomit, but the stench was so strong they could barely breathe, only able to dry heave with their mouths wide open.

Before Yi Zhonghai could react, the sharp, suppressed pain in his stomach returned with a bang, even more intense than before, like a knife twisting inside his intestines.

His legs went weak, and he almost ejaculated right there in his pants.

At the last second, he caught a glimpse of the corner of the wall.

Without thinking, he stumbled forward. While frantically unzipping his pants, he leaned halfway out and screamed at the top of his lungs:

"Help! Help! Someone's fallen into the latrine!!!"

"Help! Save them!!!"

There were still quite a few people left in the factory. The pig-like screams were extremely penetrating and immediately attracted a group of people.

"What happened? Who fell into the latrine?"

"Whose child is being naughty again?"

The worker running at the front instinctively thought it was another mischievous kid from some family. It wasn't like this hadn't happened before.

Falling into a cesspool in the dead of winter is no joke. The ice shards there can freeze a person to death.

A group of people rushed to the toilet door, making a ruckus.

A stench strong enough to kill someone on the spot hit them. The person at the front slammed on the brakes, nearly knocking over those behind.

"Oh my god! This smell..."

Someone covered their nose and peered inside. In the dim light, they could see two extremely disheveled figures in the latrine—and Yi Zhonghai standing in the corner, his pants half-down, looking both relieved and embarrassed.

"My goodness! You two... how did you manage to fall into the toilet?!"

The first worker to see it clearly blurted out, his voice filled with shock and disbelief.

The next second, he turned around without hesitation and ran outside—purely driven by the smell.

"Don't run away! Help us!!!"

Sha Zhu and Jia Dongxu panicked when they saw people coming and running away. The two of them struggled in the cesspool, trying to climb out but unable to, and could only scream for help at the top of their lungs.

The remaining people looked at each other in bewilderment.

The smell was so overpowering that no one wanted to get close.

But after all, these are two lives at stake, and it wouldn't be right to just stand by and watch them die.

One clever person ran to the pile of junk and found two long bamboo poles. Then someone else found two broken planks.

Everyone stood at a distance, stuffing their noses with their sleeves or hands. Their eyes watered from the fumes, and holding their breath, they hurriedly stretched out bamboo poles for the two men to grab. It took a tremendous amount of effort to finally drag the two "dung men" out of the pit.

Jia Dongxu and Sha Zhu slumped on the muddy ground in front of the toilet.

Its entire body was dripping with black and yellow excrement, emitting a suffocating stench.

The surrounding area was packed with workers who had come to watch the spectacle. They all maintained an exaggerated distance, pointing and whispering, their eyes filled with undisguised mockery and disdain.

This is extremely rare.

Two grown men, in broad daylight, actually fell into a factory latrine? That's simply unbelievable.

The news spread quickly.

Factory Director Yang had just finished dealing with his work when he heard the report. His brows furrowed, and he immediately rushed over.

Meanwhile, Li Jianguo, who was checking data in the workshop, also heard the commotion outside. He put down his notebook, walked out unhurriedly, stood on the periphery of the crowd, and glanced over in that direction.

When Director Yang arrived, the scene had already been surrounded by a tightly packed circle.

In the center of the circle were two figures slumped on the ground, covered in filth.

The stench that filled the air was so strong it seemed to have materialized, like an invisible wall that made it hard to breathe.

Yi Zhonghai stood at the edge near the crowd, far away from the two men. His face was even more unpleasant than a bitter gourd.

"Look at what you've done! What kind of mess have you created!"

When Director Yang saw this scene, he was furious. His finger trembled as he pointed at the three people.

"You've been slacking off at work, and now look what you've done! You've completely embarrassed yourself! How old are you? Have you no shame at all?!"

Sha Zhu and Jia Dongxu were already cold, scared, and aggrieved. After being publicly scolded by the factory director, they wished they could bury their heads in their pants. They didn't dare utter a single word.

Factory Director Yang launched into a tirade, his throat parched from yelling. Finally, exhausted and resigned, he waved his hand.

"Alright! What are you still doing sitting here? Are you some kind of exhibit?!"

His sharp gaze swept across the crowd, accurately spotting Yi Zhonghai, who was huddled in the back row, trying to minimize his presence.

"Master Yi! You brought these people out here, they're with them too! You're responsible for carrying them both back later! And make sure they're cleaned up properly!"

After issuing this order, Director Yang, his face ashen, flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.

Yi Zhonghai stood there, completely dumbfounded.

These two are like walking biological bombs. Anyone who gets involved with them is doomed.

He was extremely unwilling. But the factory director's words were law; he had spoken publicly, so what could he do? Besides, he was the oldest man in the compound. If he turned around and left today, what authority would he have left in this area?

At the back of the crowd, Li Jianguo watched this scene and couldn't help but smile slightly.

Indeed, karma is a wheel, and the wicked will be punished by the wicked. These two have only themselves to blame for ending up in this predicament.

Yi Zhonghai stood there for a full five minutes, mentally preparing himself. He took deep breaths repeatedly, holding his breath, before finally moving his feet, approaching the two people with extreme slowness and difficulty.

Sha Zhu was in slightly better condition. However, his cotton-padded coat was already soaked through with sewage, and now, blown by the cold wind, it was frozen stiff, like wearing a suit of ice armor. He curled up into a ball, shivering like a leaf.

Jia Dongxu, standing nearby, had completely passed out. He was the first to fall in, then hit by Sha Zhu, and thrashed around in the sewage for a while, swallowing several mouthfuls of "iced soup." Whether from the cold or the stench, he was long unconscious.

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth, his face contorted in pain, barely suppressing the churning pain in his stomach. He placed Jia Dongxu on the wooden plank that several kind people had helped carry.

Sha Zhu was completely unable to walk. Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to turn around, squat down, and carry him on his back.

The group moved toward the courtyard house in a strange and disheveled manner.

On the way, Sha Zhu, clinging to Yi Zhonghai's back, was shivering from the cold. But the hatred in his heart burned like fire.

"It's all that bastard Li Jianguo's fault! If it weren't for him, would we be in this situation today?!"

He gritted his teeth, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

Yi Zhonghai paused in his steps.

He was so preoccupied with feeling upset and embarrassed that he hadn't thought about it more deeply. But now that Sha Zhu had said that, he started to have some doubts.

His stomach has always been in good condition, so why is it acting up so badly today? And what a coincidence that three people are having such bad luck at the same time!

It must have been that kid Li Jianguo who did something!

Once the thought crossed his mind, he couldn't suppress it any longer. Yi Zhonghai's eyes darkened, and anger rose from the depths of his heart. Even the stench emanating from Sha Zhu on his back seemed to have faded considerably.

Perhaps it's because I've been exposed to the fumes for too long and my nose has become numb.

"Oh my! I just heard that Sha Zhu fell into the latrine, and I thought it was just a rumor, but it's true!"

A sharp and exaggerated voice suddenly rang out from ahead.

Xu Damao suddenly appeared out of nowhere and blocked the way back to the courtyard. He was laughing so hard he was doubled over, his voice so loud it could be heard throughout the entire alley.

His shout had an outstanding effect.

Neighbors who hadn't had a chance to go to the factory to see what was happening earlier peeked out of their doors and rushed out, instantly forming a circle around the factory.

"Xu Damao!!!"

Sha Zhu was so angry that his eyes turned red. He struggled violently on Yi Zhonghai's back, wanting to get down and hit him.

But his movement almost knocked the over-fifty-year-old Yi Zhonghai to the ground.

"Hahaha! Sha Zhu, are you really that stupid? That latrine is so small, how could you fall in?!"

Several teenagers, not knowing any better, joined Xu Damao in laughing. Their laughter was sharp and shrill.

Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu's faces were as red as two sheets of cloth, utterly humiliated. They had never been so ashamed in their lives.

Xu Damao was even more smug seeing him struggle for so long without getting down. How could he let go of such an opportunity to kick someone when they're down?

"Silly Zhu, with your skills, how dare you go back to being the head chef in the factory canteen?"

"Please, please don't! If everyone saw you, wouldn't they want to throw up for three minutes straight? How could they possibly have any appetite then!"

When Xu Damao insults someone, every word he utters is like a knife to the heart.

Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai were so ashamed by what they were told that they could only quicken their pace and slink home, wishing they could disappear immediately.

The three of them practically tumbled and crawled back to the courtyard house.

Along the way, everyone they encountered acted as if they had seen a ghost, covering their noses and keeping a safe distance.

Once you enter the alley, you'll encounter neighbors you know well.

The sight of Jia Dongxu being carried and Sha Zhu being carried on someone's back immediately piqued everyone's curiosity. They all crowded around, eager to know what had happened.

As soon as they got close, the stench that wafted on the wind, seemingly taking shape, deterred 90% of the people.

"Ouch! Did I fall into the latrine?!"

"How could two adults make such a mistake?"

"This is so filthy! We can't stay in this yard anymore!"

The elderly men and women sunbathing at the alley entrance instantly erupted in chatter. They whispered excitedly to each other, their eyes gleaming with gossip.

Listening to these discussions, Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu wished the ground would split open and they could disappear into it. They walked so fast they felt like they were flying.

"Alright, alright, we've delivered the person, we're leaving!"