The entire courtyard is full of villains

"No way..." Guan Xue said politely, but her face was beaming with an undisguised smile.

Ever since Zhang Erhe was injured, he has indeed been getting better and better. Especially since she became pregnant, he has gone to great lengths to prepare meat for her to nourish her body, and even arranged a job for her younger brother... She now feels like she is living in a honey pot.

"Mom! The meat is so delicious!" Zhang Jiao finished sucking on a bone and licked her fingers with lingering satisfaction.

Ma Yunduo, standing next to her, looked up and said like a little adult, "Little Jiaojiao, what meat doesn't taste good? All meat is delicious!"

Guan Xue put down her chopsticks, smiled, wiped her daughter's hands, and turned to ask Qiqige, "Qiqige, how many months pregnant are you?"

"Second sister-in-law, it's been six months."

"Six months? My belly doesn't look that big to me."

"Maybe it's because I have a large frame," Qiqige smiled, pursing her lips. "Second sister-in-law, are you about to give birth?"

"It'll be soon," Guan Xue gently patted her belly. "This little one has been moving around a lot lately."

Sun Xiangdong's wife also chimed in: "Guan Xue, didn't you ask the doctor to find out if it's a boy or a girl?"

“I wanted to ask…” Guan Xue shook her head, her voice even softer: “Erhe wouldn’t allow it, insisting that sons and daughters are the same.”

“How can they be the same!” Sun Xiangdong’s wife blurted out.

“But if Erhe says it’s the same, then it’s the same.” Guan Xue smiled, her eyes sparkling. “Our Jiaojiao is being spoiled rotten by him now.”

Chapter 136 Betrayal by All

“No matter how good a daughter is, she will eventually belong to another family…” Sun Xiangdong’s wife said with some melancholy.

“Sister-in-law, you can’t say that,” Guan Xue interjected. “My husband Erhe always says that daughters are like warm cotton-padded jackets, while sons are like pillars of the family, and they are equally good. But… I’m also thinking that I should help him have a son so that the family line can continue. He’s been so good to me, I can’t let his family line die out.”

Sun Xiangdong's wife nodded: "That makes sense. Look how capable Erhe is now. If you have another big, healthy boy, that would be double happiness." She then turned to Qiqige: "Qiqige, what about you? Do you want a son or a daughter?"

Qiqige gently touched her belly: "I'm fine with anything, as long as the baby is healthy. Xiao Ma also told me that boys and girls are both precious, so there's no need to be too serious about it."

"Oh, you're all so lucky to have met such reasonable people." Sun Xiangdong's wife sighed. "But my husband keeps nagging me about our son all the time. I'm so tired of hearing it."

The meal was exceptionally enjoyable. A lamb weighing about thirty pounds was almost completely devoured, except for its head. The children were so full they were clutching their bellies, yet they still didn't want to put down their soda bottles.

Over on the men's side, Zhang Erhe tilted his head back and downed the last sip of wine in his glass, then waved his hand: "Alright, that's enough for tonight. I still have to drive my father-in-law and the others home, so I can't drink anymore."

"Why don't you two sleep here, Second Brother?" Ma Qianli suggested. "I'll have Qiqige heat up the kang (heated brick bed) in the side room, so you can make do for the night."

Zhang Erhe laughed and punched him on the shoulder: "What month is it? You're still heating the kang? Are you trying to roast me like a meat patty?"

"Hey! I forgot about that!" Ma Qianli slapped his forehead and laughed at himself.

Zhang Erhe turned to the women's table and asked, "Guan Xue, have you finished eating? Pack up, it's time to go back."

"I'm done eating!" Guan Xue replied crisply, and began to help Zhang Jiao put on her coat.

Old Guan stood up, satisfied. Ma Qianli put his arm around his shoulder: "Uncle Guan, did you enjoy your meal tonight?"

"That was great! That was great!" Old Guan wiped his mouth. "Erhe, when are we going to eat here again?"

"Hey, you're already thinking about next time? Okay, next time you're 'grandpa' again, we'll have another feast!"

"Then I'll be waiting!" Old Guan's face immediately lit up with a smile.

Zhang Erhe said goodbye to Ma Qianli and Sun Xiangdong, then got into the car with his family. In those days, there was no such thing as drunk driving checks, so he first gave Lao Guantou a ride home. He had intended for his mother-in-law to stay the night, but the old lady was worried that Guan Xue might give birth at any moment and insisted on going back with her. His father-in-law naturally supported his wife.

So Zhang Erhe drove the two elders back to the courtyard house. The courtyard was quiet, and the Yan family's house across the street was even darker and more silent.

Guan Xue was somewhat surprised and asked in a low voice, "Erhe, why is the Yan family so quiet tonight?"

"We'll talk about it when we get back," Zhang Erhe said in a low voice.

Guan Xue understood instantly, and without asking any more questions, she simply took his hand and nodded gently.

Zhang Erhe's mother-in-law had boiled water, and after washing up, he soaked his feet. Zhang Jiao had been sleeping with her maternal grandmother lately, so after getting ready, the grandmother and granddaughter went to the next room. Only then did Zhang Erhe and Guan Xue go into the inner room and lie down on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Guan Xue then asked softly, "Erhe, what exactly happened at the Yan family today? What went wrong?"

“I gave Yan Bugui a hard time.” Zhang Erhe recounted the whole story of Liu Qian’s incident to Guan Xue in detail.

After hearing this, Guan Xue silently turned to the side and gently hugged Zhang Erhe's waist.

Zhang Erhe was somewhat surprised: "Don't you think I went too far?"

"I don't mind." Guan Xue nestled her face against his chest, her voice muffled but firm. "Yan Bugui and his family are heartless. If it weren't for Deputy Factory Director Li's discerning eye, you would have been ousted by them long ago... Why didn't anyone pity our family back then?"

Zhang Erhe felt a warmth in his heart and smiled. "Hey, wives these days are really down-to-earth." He lowered his head and kissed Guan Xue on the forehead.

What they didn't know was that the Yan family had already had a big fight before they returned.

Yan Jiecheng got off work earlier than usual today, but as soon as he entered the alley, he felt something was wrong—the way people looked at him was a mix of pity and disgust, their eyes darting around, making him feel extremely uncomfortable. He finally managed to get into the courtyard and was about to go home when he saw Liu Gen rushing out in a panic. He quickly grabbed him:

"Six Roots, Six Roots! What's wrong with everyone outside today? Why are they all looking at me so strangely?"

Liu Gen's expression changed: "Jie Cheng, why don't you go back and ask Aunt Yang? I... I need to go to the outhouse!"

Yan Jiecheng panicked and grabbed him tightly, refusing to let go: "Do you know something? Tell me now!"

"I really can't hold it in anymore!"

"You can't leave until you tell me!"

"Alright, alright! I'm telling you!" Liu Gen was really anxious. "Your dad...your dad got arrested by the police!"

"What?" Yan Jiecheng was stunned. "My dad was arrested by the police? What happened this time? Wasn't everything cleared up last time?"

"It's not about the last time! It's... your dad slept with one of the female students in his class! Today, she brought a group of people to block the school gate, and the police came and took your dad away! Okay, I've already told you, now let go!"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Liu Gen broke free and ran away in a flash.

Yan Jiecheng stood there, stunned, for a long time before he reacted and rushed home in a panic. "Dad... Dad..." he called out twice before remembering that his father should still be at the police station, and changed his address to "Mom! Mom!"

As soon as I entered, I saw Yang Ruihua sitting upright at the table, her eyes swollen like peaches.

"Mom, about Dad's matter, isn't that...?"

Yang Ruihua suddenly raised her head, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at him: "Don't call him Dad! Yan Bugui is a beast!"

Yan Jiecheng's mind went blank, and he almost couldn't stand up straight: "Mom... what Liu Gen said, is it true? My dad... he really did that kind of thing to the student?"

"Otherwise what?!" Yang Ruihua glared at him fiercely, her voice hoarse. "The police have already arrested them, and the news has spread throughout the school! How could this be fake?! Jiecheng, why is your mother so unlucky..."

Yan Jiecheng felt his blood run cold. It's all over…it's all ruined. If Cui Yingying heard about this disgraceful affair, wouldn't she break up with him immediately? That shameless old man, Yan Bugui! At his age, how can he not know his place! Now…what should he do now?!

His mind was in complete turmoil, and all he could think about was how to explain things to Cui Yingying. He didn't even have time to worry about Yan Bugui's situation.

"Jie Cheng! Jie Cheng!" Yang Ruihua cursed, picked up the cup on the table and took a sip of water. He wanted to ask his son for his opinion, but seeing his son's face changing and his mind elsewhere, he couldn't help but raise his voice and shout.

"Huh? Mom, what do you think... what should we do?" Yan Jiecheng came back to his senses, his eyes flickering.

"Jiecheng, that's why I'm asking you!"

“The most urgent thing…” Yan Jiecheng gritted his teeth, a resolute look on his face, “Mom, we only have one way out—sever ties with Yan Bugui!”

Yang Ruihua was shocked: "But...but he is still your father!" Although she was furious, the words "sever ties" were too heavy a burden.

"Mom! I don't mean to be so ruthless, but right now, we really have no other way to survive!" Yan Jiecheng said anxiously. "Once Yan Bugui is sentenced, our family will be labeled as one of the 'Five Black Categories'! At that time, not only me, Jiefang, Jiekuang, and Jiedi, but we will all be finished! We can forget about our jobs and future!"

At this moment, Yan Jiefang, who had been eavesdropping outside the door, rushed in, his face flushed red: "Mom! I support my brother! He has to... he has to cut ties with him! You don't know what people at school were saying about me today! They said my dad is an old hooligan and I'm a little hooligan... If I don't sever ties with him, how am I supposed to go to school?!"

Yang Ruihua shifted her gaze from her second son's excited face to the two younger children who had remained silent in the corner. Yan Jiedi and Yan Jiekuang had their heads down, but noticing their mother's gaze, they both nodded silently.

Chapter 137 Tearing Off the Face

At the police station, Yan Bugui was taken to the interrogation room. Zhang Guowei personally interrogated him.

Upon seeing Zhang Guowei, Yan Bugui immediately became agitated: "Chief Zhang, I absolutely did not do this! I have been framed!"

"Oh?" Zhang Guowei's eyes widened. "Who framed you?"

“Zhang Erhe!” Yan Bugui blurted out.

"Zhang Erhe?" Zhang Guowei repeated in confusion.

“Yes! I offended Zhang Erhe in the yard. I don’t usually have any grudges against anyone, but I offended him recently, and that’s why my family has been having one mishap after another—look, my money was stolen, I was beaten up on the street as a thief, and now this has happened. It’s all happening to me, can this be a coincidence?”

"So it's because you've done too many bad things that they've all come to light now?" Zhang Guowei retorted.

"No, Chief Zhang! I've been wronged!" Yan Bugui said anxiously.

"Then explain why people know you have three moles on your thigh?"

"This..." Yan Bugui was speechless. He himself couldn't understand how Liu Qian knew.

"Can't deny it anymore, huh? Yan Bugui, I advise you to admit it quickly, otherwise, once we find more evidence, if you continue to resist, you might end up eating peanuts."

"I didn't! I really didn't!" Yan Bugui completely broke down. "I'm innocent!"

No matter how Zhang Guowei questioned him, Yan Bugui kept repeating the same few phrases: "I didn't" and "I'm innocent." After being interrogated all night, Yan Bugui completely broke down and even confessed to adding maggots to soy sauce when he used to run his shop, but he still refused to admit to assaulting Liu Qian.

"Alright, take him away." Looking at Yan Bugui slumped in the chair, Zhang Guowei rubbed his temples in exasperation.

After thinking it over, he decided to go and ask Zhang Erhe.

To his surprise, when he rode his motorcycle to the steel rolling mill and found Zhang Erhe's office, Zhang Erhe was suffering from a severe headache because he had drunk too much the night before.

"Hey, Lao Zhang, what brings you here today?" Zhang Erhe asked, rubbing his temples.

Zhang Guowei, however, stared intently at him with a serious expression: "Erhe, tell me the truth, did you do Yan Bugui's thing?"

Zhang Erhe's face darkened: "Zhang Guowei, you'd better watch your words."

"Do you know that doing this will ruin a person?" Zhang Guowei's tone became more stern.

"Then do you even know—" Zhang Erhe suddenly stood up, pointing at Zhang Guowei, "what kind of impact will it have on me if you come here in your police uniform to question me?!"

Zhang Guowei then belatedly realized his behavior was inappropriate: "Erhe, let me explain..."

"I won't listen!" Zhang Erhe interrupted him. "What, is Yan Bugui your father? You come here to interrogate me just because he said one thing? I tolerated it last time, but this time you're pushing your luck, coming to the factory in a police uniform to question me? You're just a section chief, one rank higher than me, who gave you the right to interrogate me? -- Get out! Call your supervisor!"

"Erhe..." Zhang Guowei was about to reason with him, but Zhang Erhe interrupted him coldly: "Call me Deputy Section Chief Zhang, do you hear me?"

"Alright, alright, Deputy Section Chief Zhang, calm down." Zhang Guowei clasped his hands in a fist salute, patiently saying, "Then let me ask you—"

"I don't know, I'm not sure."

"I haven't even asked anything yet, and you don't know or understand?" Zhang Guowei felt a vein throbbing on his forehead.

“Yes, I just don’t want to cooperate.” Zhang Erhe leaned back in his chair. “If you have evidence, come and arrest me with proper paperwork; if not—I’m not playing along.”