The entire courtyard is full of villains

After seeing Officer Lin out of the courtyard gate, Liu Haizhong turned around, grabbed Liu Guangqi's arm, pulled him to the corner, and asked in a low voice, "Guangqi, what should we do about the meeting tonight?"

"Dad, listen to me. When we go upstairs later, I'll tell you that you despise Yi Zhonghai's behavior of spreading rumors and causing trouble. Back then, he was stubborn and wouldn't listen to any advice. We'll try to shift all the blame onto him and make his reputation as bad as possible!"

Liu Haizhong blinked his small eyes, leaned closer to Liu Guangqi and whispered, "Guangqi, Yi Zhonghai has already been arrested, so what's the point of shifting the blame onto him now?"

"Dad!" Liu Guangqi exclaimed, his face full of disappointment. "Yi Zhonghai used to have Old Madam Long backing him up, and he was a senior worker in the factory, so his foundation wasn't so easy to crumble. If we don't take this opportunity to completely ruin his reputation, what if he comes back after his rehabilitation and starts eyeing your position as 'Grandpa'? We have to strike while the iron is hot and crush him completely!"

Liu Haizhong slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "Now I understand! Alright, leave this to me!"

The two returned to the courtyard. Liu Haizhong cleared his throat, strode to the table in the center of the courtyard, and slammed his hand on the table: "Quiet down!" The noisy courtyard instantly fell silent. Seeing all eyes on him, Liu Haizhong couldn't hide his smugness, but deliberately put on a pained expression.

"My fellow neighbors, I am truly heartbroken!" he cried out, his voice heavy with grief. "This heartbreak is all because of Yi Zhonghai! He used to take advantage of his position as the eldest son, ignoring my and Lao Yan's advice, and acting like a tyrant in the courtyard. I never imagined he could be this wicked—"

He paused, unable to finish his sentence, "What's so depressing about it?" Liu Guangqi across from him quickly mouthed a silent hint: "Insanely depraved."

“Yes! Outrageous!” Liu Haizhong immediately chimed in, his voice rising several decibels. “He actually dared to fabricate facts to deceive the neighborhood committee, causing several neighbors to suffer injustice, and even Director Wang was punished! This behavior is simply—”

The conversation abruptly ended. He looked at Liu Guangqi in a panic, and seeing the other man mouth the words "black sheep," he hurriedly added, "He's absolutely a black sheep!"

Seeing that everyone was listening attentively, Liu Haizhong became even more confident, and his tone became increasingly heavy: "This matter has completely disgraced our No. 95 courtyard house! What will outsiders think of us? How will we be evaluated for outstanding courtyard houses in the future? Yi Zhonghai just went his own way and thought he was the emperor of the courtyard! He deserves to be in this situation today, and he has no one to blame but himself!"

He became increasingly incoherent, his words gradually losing their structure, repeating only the phrase "take this as a warning," and finally veering off-topic to say, "Don't follow his example of bullying men and women." Liu Guangqi, sitting opposite him, felt a headache coming on and silently rubbed his forehead—truly a case of good-for-nothing, utterly hopeless!

"Alright, Liu Erpang!" Zhang Erhe interrupted impatiently. "Stop repeating the same old things. After all you've said, I think four words best describe you—that bastard Yi Zhonghai is a bully who preys on men and women!"

Liu Haizhong's face flushed red from the rebuke. Pointing at Zhang Erhe, he stammered "You, you, you" for a long time, unable to utter a word. He could only hurriedly turn to Liu Guangqi for help. Seeing this, Liu Guangqi knew things were going badly. He knew that if he didn't smooth things over for his father today, he would be in big trouble when he got home. He immediately said, "Zhang Erhe, don't talk nonsense! My dad meant that we shouldn't be like Yi Zhonghai, abusing our power to bully people in the courtyard. He didn't mention 'bullying men and women'!"

"No, Liu Guangqi, I think your father has a point." Zhang Erhe changed the subject, his eyes sweeping over everyone. "Look at Yi Zhonghai, a son without an heir, while your father has three sons, and Yan Laokou also has three sons. Six sons are trampled underfoot by this son without an heir. Isn't that 'bullying men'?" As he spoke, he glanced maliciously at Jia Zhangshi. "As for 'bullying women'..."

The people in the courtyard instantly understood and burst into laughter, except for Tan Saihua, whose face turned ashen. Jia Zhangshi noticed everyone's gazes were fixed on her, and slapped her thigh as she stood up: "Zhang Erhe! Don't you dare slander me! My family and Yi Zhonghai are sworn enemies! Tan Saihua was just spouting nonsense that day, I'm not that kind of person! Before Old Jia left, I promised him I would stay by his side. If this were the old society, the neighborhood committee would have given me a memorial arch for my chastity long ago!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu's faces instantly turned bright red, and the laughter in the courtyard grew even louder. Zhang Erhe pointed at Jia Zhangshi with a smile: "Jia Zhangshi, oh Jia Zhangshi, let's not praise anything else, but when it comes to shamelessness, I truly admit defeat!"

Hearing the laughter, Liu Haizhong felt as if they were laughing at him, and suddenly slammed his hand on the table: "Stop laughing! This is a very serious matter!"

"Stop filming!" Zhang Erhe immediately retorted. "This is Sha Zhu's table. It's not easy to repair it. Who will pay for it if you break it again? Yi Zhonghai is no good, but you and Yan Bugui are good people? Back when those families were driven away, wasn't it you, Liu Haizhong, who was shouting that you wanted to support Uncle Yi?"

He then turned his attention to the back of the crowd, "And you, Yan Bugui! Don't hide, thinking you can hide in the back and not be seen? Did you write the application to the neighborhood committee? You sold your conscience for a few cents, and you still have the nerve to call yourself a scholar? Bah! You've wasted all your education!"

Finally, he glared at Sha Zhu, who was snickering to the side: "Don't be so happy! Those families used to have such a good relationship with your family, but as soon as He Daqing left, you turned your back on them. You're no good either! What are you looking at? If you're not happy, come and try me. I bet I'll break your other leg too!"

Sha Zhu was so angry that his face turned ashen. Just as he was about to step forward, He Yushui rushed over and grabbed him, dragging him into the house.

Chapter 30 I'm too full

With a livid face, Jia Dongxu stepped through the door first, followed silently by Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu. He had barely sat down when he slammed his hand on the table, the wooden surface making a dull thud. "This is outrageous! That son of a bitch Zhang Erhe, does he really think I'm easy to bully!"

His chest heaved violently, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. "It was clearly his conflict with Yi Zhonghai, so why drag our family into it? The way those people in the yard looked at me just now was full of mockery!"

Just now in the courtyard, if Qin Huairu hadn't been holding his arm tightly, he would have already rushed up and fought Zhang Erhe to the death. Now back under his own eaves, the anger that had been building up in his chest could no longer be suppressed, and it almost burned him to the point of exploding.

"Dongxu, say less..." Madam Jia Zhangshi began cautiously, "The people in the courtyard..."

"Endure? Endure again?" Jia Dongxu suddenly stood up, his chair sliding back half a meter. "I've endured enough! And you, don't think I don't know about those shady dealings between you and Yi Zhonghai!"

Madam Jia was never one to let things slide, and being publicly rebuked by her own son instantly overshadowed any guilt she might have felt. She took a step forward, hands on her hips, and her voice suddenly rose: "Why are you yelling at me? If you've got the guts, go fight Zhang Erhe! What are you doing here, throwing your weight around with me!"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, spitting everywhere. "Just like your good-for-nothing father, you're so spineless you won't utter a word! What could possibly happen between me and Yi Zhonghai? It's all just that woman Tan Saihua spouting nonsense! Others may not believe you, but you don't believe me either? What would I want from him? Would I want him to be childless?"

After cursing, she still felt unsatisfied. She glared at Jia Dongxu and swayed as she walked towards her bed, muttering unpleasant words under her breath.

Jia Dongxu was already burning with anger, and Jia Zhangshi's interference only made his chest feel tighter, his breathing became more rapid, and his face turned bright red. Qin Huairu stood to the side, looking at him with eyes full of worry, but she didn't know how to comfort him.

To their surprise, Jia Dongxu didn't retaliate. He just clenched his fists tightly until his knuckles turned white. After a long while, he deflated like a punctured balloon, got up without a word, went into the inner room, threw off the covers, lay down, and remained motionless with his back to the door.

The turmoil at the Intermediate Court hadn't subsided when the Liu family in the backyard also erupted in chaos. Liu Haizhong had barely stepped inside when he gave his second aunt a meaningful look. The second aunt understood, quietly moving to the door and leaving it slightly ajar.

As soon as Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu stepped through the door, the second aunt immediately blocked the door and even bolted it shut.

"Dad, I listened to you the whole time today!" Liu Guangtian quickly stepped forward, his tone ingratiating. "You told me to lift the table, and I did; you told me to stand where, and I stood there without hesitation!"

Liu Haizhong didn't look at him, but coldly swept his gaze over his feet and said in a deep voice, "Guangtian, which foot did you put in the door first?"

Liu Guangtian paused for a moment, then hesitated before answering, "Left...left foot."

"Snap!" The words had barely left his lips when Liu Haizhong pulled out his belt and lashed it across Liu Guangtian's body. Liu Guangtian winced in pain and jumped up. "Who told you to go in with your left foot first? You rude wretch!" The belt whistled through the air as it struck Liu Guangtian again and again, forcing him to dodge and scream in agony.

Liu Guangfu, watching from the side, was terrified, his palms sweating profusely. He secretly touched his right leg, secretly relieved—he had clearly stepped in with his right foot first, so he wouldn't have been hit.

After a few lashes, Liu Haizhong stopped, took a breath, and turned to Liu Guangfu, his tone still icy: "Guangfu, what about you? Which foot?"

Liu Guangfu quickly straightened his back and shouted, "Dad, oh... no, Grandpa, I came in with my right foot! I must have come in with my right foot first!"

"Who the hell told you to go in with your right foot first?" Liu Haizhong suddenly roared, swinging his belt again and striking Liu Guangfu directly.

Liu Guangfu was instantly stunned, clutching his sore spot with his mouth agape, staring at his father in disbelief: "No, Dad! You hit my second brother because you said his left foot was wrong, but why did you hit my right foot too? You're clearly just taking it out on us!"

Liu Haizhong's face grew increasingly ashen, and he brandished the belt in his hand like a fan, whipping it across Liu Guangfu's body. Liu Guangqi, standing nearby, covered his eyes. "That stupid boy Guangfu, he knew Dad was angry, yet he still dared to expose him. Isn't he just asking for an even harder beating?"

Seeing Liu Guangfu curled up on the ground after being whipped, he could at first groan a few times, but later he couldn't even cry out, only able to gasp for breath. Liu Guangqi couldn't bear to watch any longer and hurriedly stepped forward, grabbing Liu Haizhong's arm: "Dad, stop hitting him! Guangfu is still young and doesn't understand your good intentions. He'll understand when he's older."

Liu Haizhong, already looking for an excuse, withdrew his hand and threw the belt to the ground, his chest heaving. Auntie Er quickly brought over an enamel teacup, which Liu Haizhong took, tilting his head back to gulp down more than half of it, not bothering to wipe the tea dripping from his lips onto his clothes. Setting down the teacup, he wiped his mouth, his gaze softening as he looked at Liu Guangqi: "Guangqi understands me best."

Then, remembering what happened in the courtyard, his face darkened again, and he gritted his teeth and cursed, "That son of a bitch Zhang Erhe deliberately sabotaged me, making me lose face on the spot. I'll remember this debt!"

“Dad, Zhang Erhe is just a street thug. We don’t need to get angry with him.” Liu Guangqi continued, “You are a senior worker in the factory. Your status is different. It would be beneath you to confront him head-on.”

Liu Guangfu, who was lying on the ground, had just caught his breath when he heard this and couldn't help but retort: ​​"Brother, you're talking nonsense! Zhang Erhe also works in the factory, he's not a hoodlum!"

"You unfilial son!" Liu Haizhong slammed his hand on the table and stood up to pick up the belt from the floor. Liu Guangqi reacted quickly, grabbing his waist tightly: "Dad, don't be impulsive! Listen to me!" He then turned and glared at Liu Guangfu, "Guangfu, you shut up too!"

After finally managing to get Liu Haizhong back into his chair, Liu Guangqi was also panting heavily. He composed himself and softened his tone, advising, "Dad, Zhang Erhe is just a mechanic, while you're about to be promoted to a seventh-grade forging worker. The difference in status is huge. You've trained so many apprentices in the workshop, you're well-liked and have excellent skills. Next time the workshop elects managers, that position will most likely be yours. Once you become a manager, controlling him will be a piece of cake. There's no need to go head-to-head with him now; it's not worth it."

Liu Haizhong tilted his head and pondered for a moment, finding the words reasonable. He glanced at Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, their faces bruised and swollen, and his anger flared: "Look at you two! I told you to study properly, but you insist on idling around all day. If you had half the wisdom of your older brother, would I be so furious? Get out of here and go back to your rooms!"

Liu Guangtian silently got up and helped Liu Guangfu to his feet. Liu Guangfu grimaced in pain, and as he walked out the door, he glared at Liu Haizhong when he wasn't looking, his eyes full of resentment. However, he didn't dare to say anything more, after all, he had eaten too much belt noodles that night!

Chapter 31 Professionals Doing Professional Things

The chaos in the middle and back courtyards left no trace on Zhang Erhe's mind. He slept soundly until the sun was high in the sky before Guan Xue cautiously pushed open the door to wake him. Clean new clothes were already folded and placed on the bedside table, and when he got up, even the water for brushing his teeth was poured out to the brim.

Looking at this scene, Zhang Erhe felt a little uneasy. The status of men at home in this era was vastly different from that of later generations, and being taken care of so meticulously made him feel somewhat flattered. He quickly ate a few bites of breakfast and then strolled out the door—not that he didn't have a bicycle, but his head injury hadn't fully healed, and he was afraid that riding a bicycle would expose him to the wind and hinder his recovery.

By the time we leisurely strolled to the hospital, it was almost eleven o'clock. After examining the wound, the doctor quickly removed most of the bandage, leaving only a small piece of adhesive tape on the affected area. He smiled and said, "It's healing well. Just peel off the tape in a couple of days. You don't need to come back again."

"Thank you, doctor." Zhang Erhe said, taking out two packs of filtered cigarettes from his bag and handing them over. "You've really gone to a lot of trouble this time."

The doctor glanced at the cigarette box, and his smile deepened instantly. He quickly waved his hand, saying, "No trouble at all, it's my pleasure." He politely accepted the cigarettes, gave the doctor a few more instructions, and then saw him out.

After leaving the hospital, Zhang Erhe went straight to Ma Qianli's house. Remembering how he had asked Ma Qianli to send him money but hadn't received anything, he muttered to himself: "That bastard, is he out chasing after women again?"

Sure enough, as soon as he kicked open the Ma family's door, a still-attractive middle-aged woman peeked out. She hurriedly straightened her clothes as she opened the door, her face still flushed. Zhang Erhe glared at her angrily and shouted, "Ma Qianli, where the hell have you been?"

"Coming, coming, Second Brother!" Ma Qianli's voice came from inside the house. Immediately afterwards, he rushed out while buttoning his clothes, his hair still messy.

"You son of a bitch, you've forgotten everything just because I didn't look for you?" Zhang Erhe launched into a tirade of insults.

"I haven't forgotten, I haven't forgotten. How could I forget my second brother's matter?" Ma Qianli quickly smiled and turned to walk up to the woman, patting her bottom. "Sister Cui'e, you go back first. I need to talk to my second brother about something."

Sister Cui'e glared at him irritably and scolded, "You heartless little brat, you kick me out after you're done having your fun. Don't come looking for me again next time." With that, she swayed her hips and walked away gracefully, not forgetting to give Zhang Erhe a glare as she left.

After she walked away, Zhang Erhe gritted his teeth and looked at Ma Qianli: "You're getting less and less picky these days? How old is that woman?"

"She's only thirty-five." Ma Qianli chuckled, looking smug. "Brother, don't look down on her. Women her age know how to care for others, they're patient and gentle, much more considerate than young girls!"

"I can't be bothered with your messy affairs." Zhang Erhe waved his hand, but his words carried a hint of warning, "But you have to be careful. This woman has two sons. Don't let yourself be tricked into becoming a accomplice and end up raising their sons for nothing."

"No, no, brother, I just wanted to try something new, just for fun." Ma Qianli quickly waved his hand, only to be glared at by Zhang Erhe. "Be careful, don't get reported and caught red-handed." "I know, I know, don't worry, second brother!"

As Ma Qianli spoke, he walked to the bedside, lifted the bed board to reveal a hidden compartment, and took out a wad of money from it: "Second brother, I only have 1100 yuan here. You take 1000, and I'll keep 100 for myself."

"Alright." Zhang Erhe took the money and put it in his pocket, patting the money bag. "I went to the hospital to change my dressing this morning, and I plan to go back to the factory this afternoon. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be back at work tomorrow."

"Why don't you rest for a couple more days? Your head injury is no small matter." Ma Qianli scratched his head and winked. "It would be so much better to stay home and make babies with your sister-in-law. You only have one girl in your family, it's time to add a boy." "Stop talking nonsense." Zhang Erhe kicked him, turned around and walked out, but turned back to remind him before leaving, "Remember what I said, don't get reported."

“Report him? Who dares!” Ma Qianli retorted, “I’ll kill him!” Zhang Erhe nodded helplessly at him, “You, you’ll get yourself into trouble sooner or later because of this.”

Stepping outside, Zhang Erhe rubbed his money pouch, pondering: he needed to get Ma Qianli into the security department, but he had no connections there. Just then, a glance at the police station in the distance caught his eye, and his eyes lit up—professional matters required professionals. He quietly pulled a pack of cigarettes from his storage space, stuffed it into his pouch, and stepped inside.

When Old Liu, the gatekeeper, saw him, he put down his teacup in an annoyed tone: "Zhang Erhe, come over and register!" "Uncle Liu, do I even need to register?" Zhang Erhe grinned, "I bet none of the police officers here have come here as often as I have." "Are you going to register or not?" Old Liu slammed down his pen, and Zhang Erhe immediately backed down: "Register, register, I'll register right now."

After registering, Old Liu casually asked, "Looking for Old Zhang?" "Yes, is my Uncle Zhang home?" "Yes, he just came back from a meeting." Old Liu pointed to the inner room. Zhang Erhe placed a pack of cigarettes on the table: "Uncle Liu, please have this. Don't stop me next time." Old Liu looked at the cigarette pack, watched his back, and chuckled, "You little bastard."

In his office, Zhang Guowei was just about to take a nap when he heard a knock on the door. He straightened his uniform and said, "Come in." Seeing that it was Zhang Erhe, he raised an eyebrow. "Oh, what a rare guest! What brings you here?" "Uncle Zhang, I've come to ask you for a favor today." Zhang Erhe leaned closer. "Do you know anyone in the security department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill?"

"Your factory's security department?" Zhang Guowei laughed. "Of course I know them." Zhang Erhe's eyes lit up: "Who is it? Is it reliable?" Zhang Guowei leaned back in his chair, pointed to himself, and said slowly: "Far away, yet right in front of me!"

Zhang Erhe froze on the spot, his eyes wide open: "You...aren't you the director of Jiaodaokou Police Station? When did you get involved with the steel rolling mill?"

"Bang!" Zhang Guowei slammed his hand on the table, pulled a document from the drawer, and threw it in front of him. "Here, take a look."

Zhang Erhe quickly picked up the document, his eyes lighting up instantly as he scanned the handwriting—"Comrade Zhang Guowei is hereby appointed as Deputy Chief of the Security Section of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill," the document bearing the red seal of the Armed Forces Department. He abruptly looked up, smiling as he moved closer to Zhang Guowei: "Uncle Zhang, you've been promoted so quietly!"

“It’s not exactly a promotion, just a temporary part-time job.” Zhang Guowei waved his hand. “Before, with the Yi Zhonghai case, it was inconvenient to keep going to the steel rolling mill, so the higher-ups gave me this identity, which makes my actions more legitimate.”

"This is exactly what I wanted!" Zhang Erhe beamed, rubbing his hands together. "I was just worried about not being able to find a way to get in touch with the security department of the steel rolling mill, and you've delivered this to my doorstep. It's like a pillow being handed to me when I was sleepy!"

"Stop talking nonsense, just tell me what's going on?" Zhang Guowei flicked his cigarette ash, having already seen through his thoughts.

"Hehe, Uncle Zhang really understands me." Zhang Erhe put away his playful smile and said seriously, "I want to ask you to pass on a message and see if you can get one of my brothers into the security department."

"Your sworn brothers?" Zhang Guowei raised an eyebrow, and after a moment's thought, he had an answer. "The eldest has a proper job, the third isn't close to you, so it's only the fourth one left, right?"

"Your eyes are as clear as a mirror!" Zhang Erhe quickly took out a cigarette, first offering one to Zhang Guowei, then lighting it himself before lighting one for himself. "It's Ma Qianli, do you remember him?"

Zhang Guowei took a drag of his cigarette, his brow furrowing slightly: "This kid... if he were assigned a regular position, it would be fine, but the security department manages the entire factory; I'm afraid he won't be up to the task."

"Uncle Zhang, you mustn't forget what happened back then!" Zhang Erhe hurriedly said, "Ma Qianli really put in a lot of effort to retrieve that document at the end of 48. You even wrote him a letter of commendation later, so he deserves credit!"

"Hey, I completely forgot about that!" Zhang Guowei slapped his forehead, his brows relaxing. "Having this background makes things much easier. The security department is expanding its recruitment recently, so I can write a letter of recommendation; it shouldn't be a problem."

He changed the subject, his eyes turning serious: "But you have to make it clear to him that the security department isn't a black market; the rules are very strict. If he dares to misbehave or break the rules there, not only you, but even I would be the first to kick him out!"

"Don't worry!" Zhang Erhe patted his chest and assured him, "I will definitely make it clear from the beginning that he will work diligently and will never dare to cause you any trouble. In addition, I have already made him stop working in the black market, and from now on he will just stay in the legitimate business and live a proper life."

“Alright, since you’ve made all the arrangements, I’ll help you this time.” Zhang Guowei nodded, got up and took out some stationery and a pen from the drawer. “I’ll write the recommendation letter now, and you can have him report directly to the head of the security department.”

Chapter 32 Reporting Murder

In the third workshop of the steel rolling mill, Jia Dongxu's face was so grim it could wring water out of it. The young apprentice next to him clutched the hem of his clothes, his voice trembling: "Brother Jia, Director Guo wants us to go and lift some workpieces." He suddenly looked up and glared at him. The apprentice shrank back and didn't dare to say another word. Jia Dongxu tugged at his wrinkled work clothes, walked out silently, and his heels slammed against the concrete floor with a dull thud.

The workpieces were incredibly heavy. After several trips, Jia Dongxu's back was soaked with sweat, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath, but his complexion showed no improvement. He leaned against the corner of the wall and glanced over. The apprentices who used to fawn over him were now huddled far away, their eyes darting around as if afraid of being tainted by some bad luck.