The entire courtyard is full of villains

"Have you gone to school yet?"

"My mother said she would let me go after the New Year."

"Okay, if you get good grades when you go back to school, your second uncle will give you a red envelope."

"Thank you, Second Uncle." The little girl accepted the red envelope, and became more lively.

"Where's the fourth brother? Where's the eldest brother?"

"The two of them went to get some wine. The older one said he knows a place that sells old wine, so we'll buy a lot today and drink until we drop."

"Good grief, who are you guys trying to take down tonight?"

"Second Brother," Wu Qian interjected, "Fourth Brother said that tonight, anyone who's unhappy about drinking is on his own. He and Qiqige are going to team up tonight, working together as a couple, and dominate the battlefield!"

"Alright, alright, then let's cure Lao Si's 'illness' tonight!" Zhang Erhe said, taking a cloth bag out of his bag. "Qiqige, I don't have much to give you for your wedding with Lao Si, but here's a pair of bright red mandarin duck quilt covers. You can make a quilt for it, and I guarantee you'll have two babies next year!"

"Then thank you, Second Brother." Qiqige accepted it generously.

Just then, the door creaked open, and Sun Xiangdong and Ma Qianli carried in a jar of wine.

"Hey, Second Brother's here! I was wondering why you hadn't arrived yet!"

Zhang Erhe quickly stepped forward to lend a hand, stabilizing the wine jar: "How much is this?"

"This jar must weigh at least twenty pounds."

"Wow! Can you finish it?"

"Leave the rest if you can't finish it. Qiqi and I will drink it slowly. Anyway, the boss paid for it," Ma Qianli said with a grin.

Sun Xiangdong, who was wiping his sweat nearby, glared at him: "Fourth brother, why have I never seen you so stingy before?"

“That’s different,” Ma Qianli argued. “Before, I was single and didn’t have to worry about anyone, but now I have a family of three!” He then turned to ask, “Yun Duo, did your second uncle give you a red envelope?”

"It was given."

"That's fine then. Second brother, the red envelope can't be too small—by the way, where's my wedding gift?"

“Here you go, here you go, you're like a damn debt collector—a pair of quilt covers.”

"Why is there only one pair of quilt covers?" Ma Qianli feigned dissatisfaction.

"You son of a bitch, all that food I gave you before the New Year, did it all end up in your dog's stomach?"

"Hahaha..." Ma Qianli scratched his head, "I forgot about that."

The group chatted and joked, creating a lively atmosphere. Qiqige's preparations were almost complete. It was a family dinner, so there weren't many formalities. She and Yunduo also took their seats at the table.

Zhang Erhe called out to everyone, "Come on, fill your glasses!"

Yun Duo picked up the glass of plain water somewhat awkwardly.

"Look at me, I almost forgot!" Zhang Erhe walked to his bag, pretending to rummage through it, but actually took out two bottles of soda from his storage space. "Here, this is for Jiaojiao, I forgot to give it to her. Yunduo, you drink this first."

Upon seeing the soda, Yun Duo's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Second Uncle."

"Come on, fill it up! Today we're all gathered together for three reasons: first, we brothers have had another peaceful year; second, our fourth brother and Qiqige got married, and we hope they'll live a good life from now on; and third, we wish our little Yunduo good grades next year!"

The group raised their glasses in celebration, and Qiqige, holding a large bowl, downed it in one gulp without hesitation. Wu Qian, watching from across the table, subconsciously grinned.

Setting down his wine glass, Ma Qianli leaned closer to Zhang Erhe: "Second Brother, I went to your neighborhood yesterday and heard people talking about you beating your father-in-law. I know those old women. Why don't I help you find out who's gossiping?"

"No need." Zhang Erhe waved his hand. "I know who spread this rumor."

"Who else dares to spread rumors about Second Brother? Who's so bold as to make up lies?"

“This time he didn’t make up any lies,” Zhang Erhe said calmly.

Wu Qian put down his cup: "Second brother, did you really beat up your father-in-law again?"

"Yes, it happened a couple of days ago. My father-in-law got lured to gamble again."

"Who is it? So awesome!"

"It was one of Boss Shen's men who brought the visiting card from Tianjin."

Ma Qianli jumped up: "Second Brother, we guys happen to have something to do tonight, how about we go and 'train' Boss Shen a bit?"

“No need, the matter has been dealt with. Boss Shen broke both of his arms and sent him back to Tianjin. He will never set foot in Beijing again in his life.” Zhang Erhe said calmly, “I also hung my father-in-law on the stable and gave him a good beating with a horsewhip.”

Qiqige's eyes widened in disbelief. She hadn't expected Zhang Erhe, who looked so refined, to be so ruthless. Ma Qianli had told her before about Zhang Erhe beating his father-in-law, and she hadn't quite believed it, but it turned out to be true.

“Well,” Zhang Erhe paused, “this matter was spread by the wife of Yan Bugui, who lives across the street from ours. As for who was behind it, it’s pretty clear—the only people in the courtyard who have a grudge against me, besides Yan Bugui, are Yi Zhonghai, the deaf old lady, and the Jia family. The Jia family doesn’t have the guts, so it’s probably Yi Zhonghai’s wife.”

"After we've dealt with Yan Bugui, Fourth Brother, you take some men to find those women who spread the lies that day. You can find out the truth with just a few questions."

“Alright, Second Brother!” Ma Qianli gritted his teeth. “Yan Bugui, right? I remember he was a teacher at Black Sesame Alley Elementary School. Coincidentally, there’s a kid I’ve been hanging around with in the security department lately, he’s the principal’s youngest son. Leave this to me. If that old bastard is still teaching after the New Year, you can hold me responsible!”

“And me,” Wu Qian chimed in. “Second Brother, don’t worry. Yan Bugui’s eldest son, Yan Jiecheng, is just a day laborer, right? I’ll make sure he can’t move an inch after the New Year. He’ll come begging to you for mercy. Do you really think we can’t deal with him without resorting to dirty tricks?”

"Alright, then I'll leave it to you two." Zhang Erhe had originally planned to do it himself, but he didn't expect his second and third brothers to be so enthusiastic, so he simply handed it over to them.

"Come on, let's not talk about those upsetting things anymore." Zhang Erhe picked up an apple from the table, neatly cut it in half, and strung it with a string. "Fourth brother, Qiqige, you two perform for us—quick, quick, both of you, bite this apple together!"

Chapter 99 Looted Completely

It was past 11 p.m., and the jar of wine they had brought back was almost empty. Sun Xiangdong raised his cup with some difficulty and said, his tongue tied, "Fourth brother, you two can really drink... Just this cup, I really can't drink anymore after this cup... Let, let second brother drink with you."

After saying that, he made a gesture of "I admit defeat" to Zhang Erhe, and added vaguely, "Older brother used to be a good drinker, but I thought I could hold my own against him... I didn't expect him to be so good now. I'm truly impressed, brother." Before he finished speaking, his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

As for Wu Qian, he had already "died" an hour and a half ago and was now curled up at Zhang Erhe's feet, fast asleep.

"Alright," Zhang Erhe put down his wine glass and burped, "Fourth brother, that's enough for tonight."

Ma Qianli was still not satisfied: "Second Brother, shall we have some more?"

"Drink what? Do you think I'm stupid?" Zhang Erhe glared at him. "Even if you and your wife are together, I can't outdrink two people!"

Qiqi smiled and said, "How about... Second Brother, we drink alone?"

"Alright, alright, I can't outdrink you, I admit defeat." Zhang Erhe waved his hands repeatedly. If he hadn't secretly poured half of it into his spatial storage today, he would have been drunk to death by now. "Fourth brother, is the kang (heated brick bed) in the side room heated up?"

"It's been heated up for a while, Second Brother, just waiting to get you all drunk!"

"You naughty boy!" Zhang Erhe laughed and cursed. "Fine, then I'll share the night with these two drunks." With that, he picked up Wu Qian from the ground. Ma Qianli also shook off Qiqige and hoisted Sun Xiangdong onto his shoulder.

"Let's go, second brother."

The two staggered out the door, and Qiqige hurriedly followed, helping to spread out the quilt and bringing hot water: "Second brother, wash your face."

After Zhang Erhe finished washing his face, Qiqige squatted down and said, "Second Brother, please sit down. I'll wash your feet."

"No, no, no!" Zhang Erhe was almost sobered up by the fright. "This won't do! It's okay if I don't wash for one night."

Ma Qianli, standing to the side, said nonchalantly, "Second Brother, just let her wash it!"

"Get lost!" Zhang Erhe glared at him. "It was fine before, but now Qiqige is your wife, and you have to follow the rules."

"Tch, you're so full of rules," Ma Qianli muttered.

"Even brothers shouldn't be so inconsiderate! Hurry up and leave, I'm going to sleep." Zhang Erhe shooed the two out, lay down on the bed, and thought tonight would be a good opportunity.

The courtyard at No. 95 was anything but peaceful this morning – Xu Damao’s mother came over early and caused a ruckus, so many people got up early to watch the spectacle and went to bed early last night.

By midnight, the courtyard had become completely quiet.

Yan Bugui quietly got up, walked to Yan Jiecheng's door, and softly called out, "Jiecheng, are you up?"

After a while, Yan Jiecheng quietly got dressed and opened the door: "Dad, are you really going tonight?"

"Go! I heard that grain is only sold on the black market during the Lunar New Year. If we don't stock up now, where will we buy it after the New Year? Hurry up!"

Just as the father and son finished tidying up, Yan Bugui watched as Yan Jiecheng locked the door, when suddenly a dark figure darted out from the shadows. Before he could even shout, he was knocked unconscious with a blow to the head.

Yan Jiecheng locked the door and turned around, only to see his father lying on the ground. Just as he was about to softly call out "Dad," he was also hit on the back of the head, and his vision went black as he collapsed to the ground.

The shadowy figure deftly removed the key from Yan Bugui's waistband.

"It's true that timing is everything."

He gently opened the door and used his spatial ability to sweep away all the grain and money hidden in Yan's house. After leaving, he took out a knife and made several cuts on the keyholes of each house, especially making several more cuts in front of Zhang Erhe's house, arranging his footprints before climbing over the wall and leaving.

Once on the street, the moonlight was a little brighter. The dark figure pulled off his mask—it was Zhang Erhe.

"That damned Yan family, do they really think they're so great? Today I'll show them what it means to be penniless!"

At the entrance of the Yan family home, Yan Bugui and his son lay unconscious in the cold wind. Yan Jiecheng, being young, was jolted awake by the cold wind.

"Wasn't I... going to the black market with Dad to buy grain? How come..."

As soon as he moved, a sharp pain shot through the back of his head, and he couldn't help but cry out "Ah!"

The shout startled Yan Bugui awake: "Jiecheng, why did you hit me?"

"Dad, I didn't hit you!"

"They didn't fight?" Yan Bugui's mind raced. "Then...who fought us? Could it have been Zhang Erhe?"

"Dad, Zhang Erhe didn't come back tonight at all!"

The two stumbled towards the door—it wasn't locked at all, and opened with a push. Turning on the light, Yang Ruihua, startled awake by the noise, came out rubbing his eyes: "Old Yan, Jiecheng, did you buy the grain? What did you buy?"

"Buy my ass! I got ambushed as soon as I got to the door!" Yan Jiecheng rubbed his head, then suddenly noticed his father's pants pockets were turned inside out. "Dad, why are your pockets inside out?"

Yan Bugui touched his face, and his face turned deathly pale.

"Oh no! Jiecheng, the money's gone!"

"Dad, don't scare me like that!" Yan Jiecheng's face turned pale.

"You think I'd scare you?!" Yan Bugui trembled with anger. "I told you to get up earlier! I called you from the door for ages before you finally came out! If you'd been earlier, you might have avoided that robber! You really are..."

"How can you blame me for this? I got dressed as soon as you called me!" Yan Jiecheng said, feeling wronged.

After listening for a while, Yang Ruihua finally understood—the father and son were a pair of unlucky bastards who hadn't even left their house when they were ambushed and robbed of their money right at their doorstep.

"Old Yan, Jie Cheng, stop arguing!" she quickly advised. "It's fortunate that this happened right in front of our house. If it had happened outside, in the middle of the night, we would have frozen to death! At least they didn't kill us. Let's just consider it a loss to avoid disaster and a blessing in disguise."

Yan Bugui glanced at his son, knowing that blaming him wouldn't help, so he could only sigh heavily: "What bad luck! That robber is really something, with so many people in the yard, of all people, why did he have to target our family?"

His mind raced, and suddenly, as if remembering something, he rushed into the inner room. He frantically moved the table aside, not caring that he was waking his other children in the inner room, and went straight to lift the loose floorboard.

"Ah—!!" A shrill scream suddenly rang out from inside the house, waking up many people in the courtyard.

The lights in the courtyard house came on one by one.