The entire courtyard is full of villains

Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat, but she still kept her composure: "Director Guo, you know that this position belongs to Dongxu. I need to go back and discuss it with my mother-in-law and Dongxu. I can't make the decision on my own."

“Okay, no problem.” Guo Da Piezi nodded. “As long as you’ve thought it through and are willing to switch positions, come find me anytime.”

"Thank you, Director Guo!" Qin Huairu quickly bowed and turned to walk out of the office.

Once she stepped out of the workshop, a weight lifted from her heart—it seemed Liu Haizhong hadn't lied to her after all; the 200 yuan compensation was fair, even more than a normal transfer fee. But the thought of Yan Bugui made her grit her teeth: that stingy old man Yan was a real scoundrel, trying to get the job for only 500 yuan—he was delusional!

Meanwhile, Yan Bugui had already slipped away, his face grim as he stood guard at the steel rolling mill gate. He had been humiliated twice by the Jia family yesterday, and he was seething with anger: if the Jia family was so unreasonable, then he wouldn't hold back.

When it was time to leave work, he spotted Liu Haizhong, immediately rushed over, pulled him aside to a quiet spot, and questioned him in a low voice, "Old Liu, why did you suddenly change your mind? We agreed on 500 yuan last night, how come the price has gone up in the blink of an eye?"

Liu Haizhong glanced at him sideways, his face full of amusement: "Old Yan, how dare you talk to me like that? I trusted you so much, and you asked me to give you 500 yuan as a pretext, but you secretly went and stole it yourself. You did a really good job?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Yan Bugui's face, but he immediately retorted, "Old Liu, I really didn't intend to do that at first! It was Jiecheng who overheard our conversation when he came back, and he egged me on. You know, he's still my son, and parents always want the same thing, so please be more understanding. Besides, if I really wanted to steal it, why would I only offer that little bit of money? If we really wanted to compete, could I possibly beat you? You gave me 800 yuan directly!"

Upon hearing this, it was Liu Haizhong's turn to look embarrassed. He rubbed his hands together and softened his tone: "Old Yan, I didn't mean to raise the price. I figured we're neighbors in the same courtyard as the Jia family, and I couldn't do something that would only make things worse. So I took the liberty of adding a little extra, just to fulfill my duty as a neighbor."

"So loyal!" Yan Bugui immediately gave a thumbs up, his tone carrying an indescribable meaning. "No wonder he's a man of Beijing, so chivalrous!"

Liu Haizhong didn't understand the hidden meaning in the words and took it as a genuine compliment. He immediately beamed and proudly raised his chin, looking as if he had received some great recognition.

Chapter 51 Eating the Jia Family's Dying Offspring

“However—” Yan Bugui suddenly drew out his words, uttering a meaningful final sound.

Liu Haizhong immediately followed up with, "What's wrong, Lao Yan?"

“You’re so righteous, but the Jia family’s mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are really awful. They’re clearly making a fool of us!” Yan Bugui said in a low voice. “They’re deliberately talking badly about you in front of me, and they even suspect that you’re the one who instigated them to report you at the factory and ruin your job.”

"What?!" Liu Haizhong exploded, his voice rising several decibels. "I kindly offered them a fair price of 800 yuan, and they still dare to gossip behind my back? Honestly, I only found out about this last night from you. How could I do such a despicable thing! No way, I'm going to confront them right now!"

"No, no, no!" Yan Bugui quickly grabbed him tightly. "If you go now, won't you sell me out? When they ask, how did you know? Won't I be exposed?"

"What should we do then?" Liu Haizhong stamped his feet anxiously.

Yan Bugui licked his lips, took a step closer, and lowered his voice to say his plan: "In my opinion, you are now the eldest man in the courtyard. Tonight, you should hold a general meeting for the entire courtyard, call out the Jia family mother and daughter-in-law, and have them agree in front of everyone to give priority to transferring this job to someone in the courtyard."

We'll put pressure on them in everyone's name to make them agree to an open bidding process, with the highest bidder winning. We'll both bid, but the position will definitely be yours in the end—you're a senior worker in the factory, and your family is wealthier than mine. I'm just going through the motions. When you pull out 800 yuan in front of the whole factory, everyone will praise your generosity! Then your position as the boss will be truly secure!

Liu Haizhong blinked and pondered for a moment, then a hint of interest appeared on his face: "Now that you mention it, it does seem to make sense..." But then he stared warily at Yan Bugui, "You're helping me so diligently, are you trying to set me up again?"

"How could that be!" Yan Bugui quickly waved his hand, his face full of sincerity. "It's mainly because I was choked up by Jia's old woman yesterday, and you were there too. After they sell their workstations, let them use some of the money to treat everyone to a meal in the courtyard—after all, Jia Dongxu's matter has also brought a lot of negative impact to our courtyard, so let's just treat it as a way to ease the atmosphere."

"Good!" Liu Haizhong immediately made the final decision after hearing the explanation. "That's how it'll be done!" But then he glanced at the east wing of the front yard, a worried look on his face. "Will Zhang Erhe cause trouble?"

"Don't worry, he has a grudge against the Jia family and is eager to see them suffer. He'll definitely be happy to do so!" Yan Bugui assured him, patting his chest.

"That's fine then." Liu Haizhong was completely relieved. "You have Jie Cheng inform the front yard, and I'll have Guang Tian and Guang Fu talk to the back yard. The meeting will be held promptly at 7 o'clock tonight after dinner!"

"Alright!" Yan Bugui replied readily, but a hint of triumph flashed in his eyes.

After getting off work, Zhang Erhe didn't go straight home from the east wing of the front yard. Instead, he wandered around in an alley and came out carrying a small cloth bag filled with cornmeal. This cornmeal was finely ground, a world of difference from coarse cornmeal.

These past few days, he's been using the excuse of going out to secretly stock up on some food—it's almost the end of 59, and he figured the food supply would be reduced soon, so he'd feel more at ease if he prepared in advance.

As soon as he entered, Guan Xue had already prepared hot water and helped him wash his hands and face. He had barely sat down at the table when the food was laid out. He hadn't even taken a couple of bites when there was a knock at the door. Seeing Zhang Erhe frown, Guan Xue quickly got up to open it.

"It's Jiefang." As soon as the door opened, Yan Jiefang stood at the door and respectfully greeted "Uncle Erhe." He glanced at the food on the table, swallowed hard, and then explained his purpose: "Uncle Yi announced that there will be a hospital-wide meeting tonight."

"Okay, I understand." Zhang Erhe didn't even look up.

Yan Jiefang responded and turned to leave. Before leaving, he couldn't help but glance back – Zhang Erhe's family's food was too good. When would his family be able to live like that?

After he left, Guan Xue sat back down at the table and asked softly, "Erhe, what do you think Liu Haizhong might be up to by suddenly calling a meeting tonight?"

"Whatever it is, it has nothing to do with us anyway." Zhang Erhe picked up a piece of food. "I'll go take a walk after dinner. You just stay at home."

After the meal, Zhang Erhe carried a stool, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and leisurely walked towards the central courtyard. Upon arriving, he found a pillar to lean against, placed the stool down, crossed his legs, and sat down, looking completely indifferent as he watched the Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu brothers bustling about.

Once everyone in the courtyard had arrived, Liu Guangfu ran to the backyard, brought out Liu Haizhong's enamel tea mug, placed it carefully, and then stood at the door with Liu Guangtian, shouting at the top of his lungs, "The old man is here—"

The people in the courtyard couldn't help but chuckle as they listened—Liu Haizhong, now a newlywed, was putting on an even grander show than Yi Zhonghai had before.

Fortunately, Liu Guangqi had prepared cheat sheets for Liu Haizhong beforehand. He spread the slips of paper in his hand and read them aloud, managing to make some semblance of accuracy. After finally finishing, he glanced around the courtyard and called out, "Jia Zhangshi, Qin Huairu, are you two here?"

"Old Liu, what do you want with our family?" Jia Zhangshi stood up from her doorway, her tone wary.

“Since Sister Zhang is here, I’ll get straight to the point.” Liu Haizhong cleared his throat. “Everyone knows about Jia Dongxu’s situation. Now Qin Huairu has taken his place at the steel rolling mill. But our steel rolling mill is heavy physical labor, and it’s difficult for Qin Huairu, a woman, to work there.”

He glanced furtively at Zhang Erhe beside him, and seeing that the other man didn't react, he continued, "I was thinking, we're all neighbors in the same courtyard, we should be united and friendly. How about you give these positions to the unemployed young men in the courtyard? Your family can make a living with the money, and when Dongxu comes back, things will still be fine. The young men in the courtyard will remember the Jia family's kindness when they get jobs, what do you think?"

"I don't think it's any good!" Madam Jia immediately bristled, standing up abruptly. "Our positions are not for sale!"

When Qin Huairu returned in the evening, she told Jia Zhangshi everything she had learned from Guo Da Piezi. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law then reached an agreement: Qin Huairu would work in the workshop for a month, and if she couldn't manage, she would ask Guo Da Piezi to transfer her to a support position. She would receive a 200 yuan compensation, and with that support salary, she could manage until Jia Dongxu returned. Support work was easy, and Qin Huairu was sure she could do it. With the salary and compensation, they could make ends meet. Therefore, when Jia Zhangshi heard Liu Haizhong ask them to give up their positions, she immediately became angry.

"Sister-in-law Zhang!" Liu Haizhong suppressed his anger and raised his voice, "Back when Yi Zhonghai was the boss, he said that your Jia family was in trouble. Which neighbor in the courtyard didn't help you? Some donated money, some donated grain, and that's how your family managed to get through this. Everyone agrees, right?"

"Yes!" Several families in the courtyard with unemployed youths immediately echoed, their eyes reddening. Last night, seeing Yan Bugui being scolded out by the Jia family, they thought the matter was over. Now that Liu Haizhong brought it up at the meeting, it was the perfect opportunity, and they couldn't let it slip by.

“The old man is right!” someone else shouted. “We used to help the Jia family, and now that the Jia family has workstations, they should offer them up to everyone!”

"Yes! Hand it over!" The voices of agreement rose and fell, instantly drowning out Jia Zhangshi's voice.

Chapter 52 Completely Lost Face

Zhang Erhe sat up straight on the bench, his eyes lighting up instantly. He had only ever heard of the Jia family taking advantage of others and exploiting their descendants, but he never expected that the situation would turn around today. The whole courtyard was forcing the Jia family to hand over their positions. He had to join in the excitement and stand up for them.

He immediately stood up, smashed his cigarette butt on the ground, and said loudly, "Old Liu, I support you! The Jia family used to take so many benefits from this place. Now it's their turn to contribute, but they're complaining instead. Is that reasonable?"

He then turned and glared at Jia Zhangshi, "Jia Zhangshi, Yi Zhonghai used to say that the compound was one family and that we should help each other. What, now that it's your turn to help others, you're backing down? Isn't that hypocrisy? If you don't hand over your posts today, you'll have to return all the money and grain that the compound donated before!"

He then shouted to the crowd, "Old Yan!"

"Yes, I'm here!" Yan Bugui immediately responded and stepped forward.

"You're the one who kept the records of the previous donations, aren't you? Go back and bring the ledger right now! If the Jia family doesn't hand over their posts today, they'll have to hand over all the money according to the ledger!"

"That's right!" Liu Haizhong was overjoyed to see this—Zhang Erhe hadn't contradicted him, which emboldened him. "Sister-in-law Zhang, Huai Ru, let me make this clear from the start: if you're unwilling to unite everyone, then no one can help the Jia family in the future. If anything happens to you, don't blame the neighbors for not seeing it!"

"You're openly exploiting someone who's childless!" Sha Zhu couldn't help but step forward when he saw Qin Huairu's pitiful appearance.

"Hey, who let their belt slip and ended up showing?" Zhang Erhe glanced at him sideways, his tone sarcastic.

"Zhang Erhe! You just want to bully the Jia family's orphans and widows!" Sha Zhu roared angrily.

"An orphan and a widow? Jia Dongxu is dead?" Zhang Erhe sneered.

He Yushui quickly stepped forward and pulled Sha Zhu aside, while smiling apologetically at everyone: "Don't mind him, everyone. My brother is a bit simple-minded. Our He family won't get involved in this."

"Let go of me!" Sha Zhu yanked his sister away. "I just can't stand you bullying people..."

"Shazhu, what kind of upright person are you pretending to be? Aren't you just lusting after Qin Huairu's beauty?" Xu Damao hid behind the crowd. "Every time she washes clothes in the yard, don't you stare at her ass? Is that what you call upholding justice? You're just after her body, you're despicable!"

These words were like a knife, completely tearing away Sha Zhu's fig leaf. His eyes were bloodshot as he roared at Xu Damao, "Xu Damao! If I don't beat you to death today, I'm not a He!"

Xu's father, Xu Fugui, hurriedly stepped in between them, shouting, "Shazhu, how dare you!" But Shazhu's eyes were already bloodshot. He shoved his father aside and charged straight at Xu Damao. Seeing his father stagger as he was pushed, Xu Damao turned and ran in fright—Shazhu usually only chased him a couple of times, but today he seemed determined to fight to the death. In his panic, he ran headlong into Zhang Erhe's back.

"Zhang Erhe, get out of the way!" Sha Zhu gasped for breath, his eyes fixed on Xu Damao.

"I won't let you, so what?" Zhang Erhe didn't budge, raising an eyebrow at him. "You're allowed to play the hero here, but people aren't allowed to tell the truth?"

"Exactly!" Xu Damao jumped up and down behind him. "Shazhu loves to look at Qin Huairu's asshole, every old lady in the neighborhood knows that!"

"I'll fucking kill you!" Sha Zhu went completely mad and lunged at Zhang Erhe without a care. But as soon as he rushed forward, he was kicked back and fell to the ground, even faster than when he came.

"Silly Zhu, this kick wasn't for anything else, it's just because you're blind." Zhang Erhe withdrew his foot, his tone indifferent.

Sha Zhu struggled to his feet, spitting out blood. The people in the courtyard were immediately in an uproar—Zhang Erhe had come back from the hospital and was even more ruthless! Before, he and Sha Zhu were at most evenly matched, but now he was taking him down like it was nothing.

Zhang Erhe stepped forward, raised his foot and stomped hard on Sha Zhu's head, his tone full of malice: "Sha Zhu, what did I warn you about last time? I gave you face because we're neighbors in the same courtyard. Did you really think I couldn't beat you? You learned some tricks from the Shanpu Camp from Tongtianwen, and you dare to use them on the people in the courtyard? What do you think you are!"

"Zhang Erhe, let me go! If you're so capable, let's take on each other one-on-one, or even two-on-one!" Sha Zhu roared as he struggled on the ground.

"With your cowardly appearance, you only dare to bully a spineless coward like Xu Damao." Zhang Erhe sneered, increasing the pressure on his foot. "Let me tell you straight, if you dare to stand up and act tough again tonight, I'll cripple you!"

"Come on if you dare! If you don't cripple me tonight, you're a son of a bitch!" Sha Zhu was also stubborn, sticking his neck out and refusing to back down.

"Fine, you said it!" Zhang Erhe suddenly raised his foot, about to strike hard, when He Yushui suddenly pounced over and grabbed his arm tightly: "Brother Erhe, please spare my brother! I'll take him back and never let him get involved again!"

"Rain, get out of my way! Let's see if he dares to lay a finger on me today!" Sha Zhu was still yelling.

Zhang Erhe grabbed He Yushui and pulled her aside, saying in a deep voice, "Stand back, I'm going to teach this idiot a lesson for his bad temper!" With that, he grabbed Shazhu's hair, lifted him off the ground, and punched him hard in the face.

"Pah!" Sha Zhu spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, mixed with a few bloody teeth.

"Do you submit or not?" Zhang Erhe's eyes were icy cold.

"I refuse to accept this!" Sha Zhu grinned, his face covered in blood, but he remained defiant.

Another punch landed, and Sha Zhu spat out two more mouthfuls of blood and lost two more teeth. "Still not convinced?"

“I…don’t accept it…” Sha Zhu struggled to squeeze out two words.

Zhang Erhe nodded: "Fine, you're all talk. I'll see if your hands are tough enough." Before he finished speaking, he pulled a knife from his calf, its cold light flashing. "Today I'll cripple your hands, let's see how you'll ever be a chef again!"

"Stop!" Just as the knife was about to fall, Old Lady Long from the backyard, supported by Tan Saihua, rushed over in a panic, her voice filled with urgency, "Zhang Erhe, please stop! I beg you, don't be impulsive!" This time she didn't mention "giving me face," she just lowered her head and pleaded earnestly.

But Zhang Erhe didn't buy it at all, and said coldly, "Grandma Long, what business is it of yours what I do with Sha Zhu? You don't need to beg me."

"Zhang Erhe, you know, Shazhu is stupid, he's clueless!" Old Mrs. Long still refused to give up, her face full of pleading, "Please let him go, he just can't see things clearly..."

"Grandma, don't beg him!" Just as Sha Zhu was about to speak up and stand up for himself, Zhang Erhe kicked him in the lower back, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

"See that? Isn't Sha Zhu tough? I'm tougher than him! Today I'm going to teach that lousy temper a lesson!" Zhang Erhe said, stepping forward and kicking Sha Zhu to the ground. Using the standard enforcement of the Xida police, he pressed his knee firmly against Sha Zhu's head—while grabbing Sha Zhu's right hand with his other hand and raising it high. "Aren't you proud of your cooking skills? Today I'll sever your tendons and see what you're so proud of then!"

"You...you wouldn't dare!" Sha Zhu said defiantly, but he was already panicking inside. However, his pride prevented him from saying a single word of begging for mercy.

"Alright, then you just watch!" Zhang Erhe raised his knife, as if to strike.

In an instant, Sha Zhu's mind was filled with images of his severed tendons—he would never be able to work as a chef again, he would be kicked out of the steel mill, and his life would be one of constant wandering... He couldn't hold back any longer and screamed, "I admit it! I admit it! I don't care anymore! I was wrong! Zhang Erhe, please forgive me!"

With a "thud," the knife plunged in hard.

"My hand! My hand!" After shouting for a while without feeling any pain, Sha Zhu suddenly opened his eyes, only to be met with the mocking gazes of everyone in the hospital. He hurriedly looked at his hand—the knife had just slipped between his index and middle fingers and stuck in the ground, without even a hair on his head!

His face flushed red instantly. He had actually admitted defeat in front of the entire hospital, losing all face!

"Ah!" Sha Zhu roared, suddenly breaking free from Zhang Erhe's grip, covering his face and stumbling home—he had completely lost face tonight.

Chapter 53 got screwed up.

Zhang Erhe picked up the knife from the ground, slowly took out a handkerchief to wipe the blade, glanced at everyone in the courtyard, and said in a deep voice, "Who agrees to let the Jia family contribute their workstations? Who disagrees?"