Chapter 128: Against the Routine, Louis Zhonghai

Yi Zhonghai had the heart to kill Jia Zhangshi.

Typical of someone who specializes in screwing over their own people.

Originally there was still a sliver of life; with Jia Zhangshi's solemn assurances, this last sliver of life stubbornly turned into a dead end; the matter of Long Laotaitai making shoes instantly offered no hope at all, and it might even backfire.

Ah.

Yi Zhonghai looked at Shazhu and Xu Daming, who wore expressions of admiration for Long Laotaitai, and his heart instinctively skipped a beat; if it were anyone else in the Siheyuan, even if they didn't feel reverence for Long Laotaitai, Yi Zhonghai wouldn't have this uneasy, conflicted feeling.

The key is, Shazhu and Xu Daming don't take Yi Zhonghai at all seriously.

Even though Yi Zhonghai is a sixth-level worker at Yagangchang and the Head Steward of the Siheyuan, he has no way to deal with the two divine figures before him; the only effective moral coercion was turned back on him, and the hypocrite's head buzzed.

Shazhu lacks virtue.

Xu Daming lacks virtue even more.

One Shazhu.

One Shamao.

The Siheyuan's two fools are actually the Siheyuan's two major trouble-makers; any matter, even if well-planned and well-executed, cannot turn out well when encountering Shazhu and Xu Daming.

Beneath their apparent admiration for Long Laotaitai, they actually harbor ill intentions, who knows what wicked ideas they're hiding.

High praise.

Yes.

That's high praise.

Raise Long Laotaitai high, promote her shoe-making as much as possible, make it known to everyone, so that people from the street office and relevant departments come.

Upon investigation.

The shoes were indeed made, but they weren't delivered to the team's hands.

This is falsification.

A matter that could cost lives.

At that time, what should Long Laotaitai do, how should Yi Zhonghai and his wife wrap things up, the three of them are surely headed for prison.

This is not the outcome Yi Zhonghai and his wife want.

The hypocrite is racking his brains, thinking how to smooth things over; regarding the matter of Long Laotaitai making shoes, as the planner and executor Yi Zhonghai, he had already apologized to Shazhu.

The problem is Shazhu doesn't accept Yi Zhonghai's apology, and even turns around to put a hat on Yi Zhonghai, saying Yi Zhonghai lied, insisting that the matter of Long Laotaitai making shoes be proven.

Damn.

I admit it's fake.

But they just won't believe it.

It's going to get someone killed.

Yi Zhonghai was anxious, like an ant on a hot pan; all his arguments suddenly had nowhere to go, his mind went blank, not knowing what to say or do.

Jia Zhangshi, unaware of the situation, is still adding fuel to the fire.

"He's the Head Steward, we're in the right, what do we have to fear? Long Laotaitai just made shoes—that's what you just said, she hasn't even admitted it, what's there to fear? According to my old lady's opinion, since Long Laotaitai made shoes, just as Shazhu said, we should properly publicize her honorable deed of making shoes, so that everyone on the street knows our courtyard has produced a shoe-making hero."

"Everyone in the neighborhood knows I, Xu Daming, have always looked down on Jia Dame, thinking she always meddles and makes a fuss over everything; regarding the matter of Long Laotaitai making shoes, I support Jia Dame, Long Laotaitai already made shoes, why be so cautious? I'll leave this matter to me, Xu Daming; when I go to the countryside to show films, I'll properly promote it to the neighbors." The Siheyuan's two fools will stand together; after Xu Daming finished speaking, he gave Shazhu a push, "Shazhu, what do you think?"

Shazhu spoke out the plan he had in mind to trap Yi Zhonghai and Long Laotaitai.

Again, it's the classic moral coercion routine.

Gather the strength of everyone in the Siheyuan to jointly deal with Yi Zhonghai and Long Laotaitai.

"My opinion is, Long Laotaitai making shoes for the team—this matter isn't just Long Laotaitai's personal honor; I think it's the honor of all us neighbors, we're all neighbors of the same courtyard, we should bask in Long Laotaitai's shoe-making glory; if we really can't, we'll pool money to have a good meal in the courtyard, celebrating Long Laotaitai's honorable deed of making shoes for the team, neighbors, alright?"

Just a few words.

Spoken into everyone's hearts.

One can eat Shazhu's cooking, improve one's own life at minimal cost, let the five viscera and six bowels indulge in meat cravings—why not?

The neighbors all eagerly echoed Shazhu, insisting on having a feast, a feast of Long Laotaitai's shoe-making.

"Shazhu is right, Long Laotaitai making shoes is honorable, letting the neighbors bask in her joy is also good."

"If our courtyard had more shoe-making old ladies, word would get out and our faces would shine; young people would also get extra points when matchmaking."

Moreover, some people's imaginations ran wild, for example using a sedan chair to lift Long Laotaitai up and down the street to receive the neighbors' worship.

Upon saying that.

Long Laotaitai was completely numb.

She was afraid.

Yi Zhonghai also felt terrible; the neighbors' echoing voices were like a sharp blade directly cutting into him.

Fear what may come, yet exactly what is feared arrives.

It was originally a fake thing that couldn't be taken seriously.

But now the neighbors have taken it seriously and are acting on it.

Yi Zhonghai opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but the words reached his lips and he swallowed them again; facing the excited neighbors, he seemed like a dumb goose—no matter what he said, they wouldn't believe him, and they'd even make up reasons, saying Yi Zhonghai wanted to let the hero go nameless again.

As the situation spiraled further out of control, leaning increasingly toward the unpredictable, Long Laotaitai finally came up with a way to extricate herself.

She also couldn't be bothered to pretend to be deaf.

She raised the cane in her hand and struck Yi Zhonghai hard twice, meanwhile listing some words that could let Yi Zhonghai save face.

"Zhonghai, you say, you're already a Head Steward, still a sixth-level technician at Yagangchang, insisting on joking like this at the courtyard meeting, saying my old lady made shoes for the team—how could my old lady not know about this? Look, your nonsense the neighbors all believed, spread it out, does my old lady still have face to live on?"

Long Laotaitai's words.

The Yi Zhonghai whose mind was blank finally had a bit of thinking ability.

He realized he couldn't just bury his head like an ostrich.

He squeezed out a smile on his face and said brightly.

Old lady, what you taught is correct, it's that I didn't consider thoroughly, just wanted to play a small joke with the neighbors, but ended up being misunderstood by the neighbors, especially misunderstood by Shazhu and Xu Daming, this matter is my fault, I shouldn't have used the rumor about you making shoes to joke with the neighbors.

As a platinum-ranked player.

Yi Zhonghai is also able to let go and pick up.

He turned and offered an apology to the neighbors of the siheyuan.

Neighbors, I, Yi Zhonghai, apologize to you; joking about this was my lack of consideration, I only wanted to make the neighbors happy and didn't think about the consequences; it's my fault, I, Yi Zhonghai, was wrong, sorry.

The last three words, the hypocrite deliberately emphasized his tone, showing his so-called sincere apology.

Shazhu glanced at Xu Daming.

Xu Daming looked at Shazhu.

Both felt the matter was a bit tricky.

It's gotten to this point, damn it.

But he was still easily let off by Yi Zhonghai.

It belongs to Xiaoqiang.

Can't be killed.

As for the matter of eating, the neighbors suggested it, and even if I, Yi Zhonghai, am poor and have nothing at home, I cannot lose face before the neighbors; next Sunday I will pay, we will have Shazhu host the meal inside the siheyuan, properly eat a meal; conditions are limited, I will have Shazhu make stewed pork, each household gets one bowl, if there's more I, Yi Zhonghai, cannot afford to treat.

A slap followed by a sweet date.

Yi Zhonghai's methods are indeed high-level.

A simple invitation to eat immediately turned the unfavorable situation around.

During the feast.

Moreover, Yi Zhonghai's apology performance serves as proof.

Regarding the old deaf lady making shoes, it's probably really just blown out of proportion into a small matter; the neighbors immersed in the joy of the feast chose to believe that Yi Zhonghai was truly joking with them about the old deaf lady making shoes.

Shazhu's gaze fell on Liu Haizhong; the face of the official-obsessed looked not so good, damn it Liu Haizhong, having served as Head Steward for over three years, nobody in the steel mill says good of him, nobody in the siheyuan says good of him either, no wonder he's been stepped on by Yi Zhonghai all along; with this IQ, the official-obsessed Liu Haizhong probably will never be a match for Yi Zhonghai in his lifetime.

Not being a match is not being a match.

But that doesn't mean Liu Haizhong has no value.

From beginning to end, Liu Haizhong's facial expression wasn't very good.

He felt angry inside.

Shazhu pondered whether to at an appropriate time vent his anger to Liu Haizhong; even if he couldn't overthrow Yi Zhonghai, making Yi Zhonghai feel disgusted would also be good.

This matter still needs to be discussed long-term.

Today is the first grand meeting of the siheyuan since Yi Zhonghai resumed his position as Head Steward.

A new official sets three fires upon taking office.

The hypocrite, in order to show his difference from Liu Haizhong, will definitely make a show; treating the neighbors to a feast counts as one, so what will happen next?

Shazhu really is full of anticipation.

"Jokes aside, after joking we get down to business; our siheyuan has not competed for the title of advanced civilized siheyuan for several consecutive years; we won't talk about the internal reasons, we'll just talk about how to compete for the title of advanced civilized siheyuan."

Shazhu has been keeping an eye on Liu Haizhong.

After Yi Zhonghai said these few sentences.

Liu Haizhong's face, which was already not very happy, grew longer, and his gaze became even more furious.

Yi Zhonghai blatantly said again that Liu Haizhong is incompetent, unable to let the siheyuan achieve the title of civilized siheyuan.

In fact.

Liu Haizhong, aside from beating his son, has no other means; he truly is a byword for incompetence, even Jia Zhangshi can't handle him.

The reason he lacks prestige in the siheyuan is largely due to his inability to handle Jia Zhangshi; Jia Zhangshi has never taken Liu Haizhong seriously, scolding the streets when she should, causing a ruckus when she should.

The old deaf lady from time to time uses the authority of the siheyuan's ancestors to keep Liu Haizhong in check.

Now there's another Yi Zhonghai.

If it were someone else, say Shazhu, or for example Xu Daming, Yi Zhonghai's blatant pointing at mulberry to curse the locust would surely make them turn against Yi Zhonghai.

Liu Haizhong also knows that Yi Zhonghai is giving him eye drops; he feels angry but dares not vent it, instead choosing to act like an ostrich.

Damn it.

You should bring out that same ferocity you use when beating your son.

He swallowed his anger.

I guess tonight, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu brothers will again enjoy Liu Haizhong's stick feast.

"In order to demonstrate the friendship and harmony of our siheyuan, not picking up lost items on the road, I think the neighbors of our siheyuan should not lock their doors when entering or leaving."

Yi Zhonghai revealed his fox tail.

It's also fucking awful.

In order to demonstrate the so-called neighborly harmony, they actually don't allow people to lock their doors.

Shazhu recalled those things from his previous life; it seemed that in the siheyuan every household also didn't lock their doors; if someone locked their door, it seemed as if they were about to break off completely with all the siheyuan residents; because of not locking the doors, the Jia family's thief saint Bangeng would daily drill into Shazhu's house to mess with his food—peanuts, melon seeds, fruit candies, etc. —nothing escaped Bangeng's meddling.

This lifetime.

Because Jia Dongxu didn't die, Shazhu also didn't really bother with Yi Zhonghai, still having a grudge against the Jia family, and Liu Haizhong served as Head Steward for several years.

Locking the door is not a hard requirement.

Some families do not lock their doors.

Some families lock their doors.

Not allowing doors to be locked, if something is lost, whose responsibility is it?

A bare house, whether you lock the door or not, it's all the same.

If there are things in the house, why not let people lock their doors?

Shazhu doesn't care about others; he only looks after himself. At home he has accumulated over the years all sorts of things—bottles and jars, copper and iron ware, books and paintings, wooden items, a sewing machine, a radio, a camera—and today he bought another new bicycle. If he doesn't lock the door, what will he do if these things are stolen?

His gaze fell on Yi Zhonghai.

With a hint of scrutiny.

The proposal to not lock doors is one of the three fires Yi Zhonghai lit upon taking office, or perhaps he aimed it at Shazhu.

"Everyone knows the Liu Family Siheyuan, right? It's a well-known civilized siheyuan in the eastern district. I have a few workers under me living in the Liu Family Siheyuan, and they told me their siheyuan never locks its doors. I guess those civilized siheyuans don't lock their doors, so we, who aren't advanced civilized siheyuans, certainly don't need to lock ours. This is settled: starting tomorrow, nobody in the neighborhood should lock their doors—this is a bad habit."

"Head Steward."

Shazhu spoke up.

He raised an objection.

While speaking, he kept his eyes on Yi Zhonghai, especially on Yi Zhonghai's eyes.

The appearance of a hypocritical nice guy.

He deceived many people who didn't know the truth.

To see through the hypocrite's disguise, you only need to look at his eyes.

Eyes cannot lie.

"If I understand you correctly, our siheyuan hasn't been rated an advanced civilized siheyuan all these years because the residents lock their doors; if we stop locking doors, the honor of an advanced civilized siheyuan would be ours. Am I right?"

Without waiting for Yi Zhonghai to answer.

Shazhu changed his tone.

"Locking doors can be big or small; let's start small: why do we lock doors?"

"\"To prevent thieves. \" Others didn't echo Shazhu, but Xu Daming gave strong support, shouting loudly, \"Who would lock their doors if not to guard against thieves? \""

"Xu Daming is right—locking doors really is just to prevent thieves. It's not about the people inside our compound; it's about outside thieves. The day before yesterday, the neighboring compound was burglarized. Don't the residents still not know about this?"

Shazhu's logic is clear: he first used the burglary of the neighboring compound as a premise, then, while getting the neighbors to empathize, he counted off his own belongings on his fingers to show that he must lock his door.

"I have a sewing machine, a radio, and a new bicycle I bought for Yushui. If I follow your suggestion, Head Steward, and don't lock my door, and those things inside get stolen, who would be responsible?"

Yi Zhonghai's face lost its smile.

Not locking doors was, after Yi Zhonghai's careful consideration, a scheme he devised to earn points for the siheyuan; he intended to announce his return with the badge of an advanced civilized siheyuan.

What a coincidence.

Shazhu ruined his plan.

"I'm not unreasonable either; as long as you, Head Steward, give me a written guarantee in front of the neighbors—if my belongings inside are lost because I followed your advice not to lock the door, you'll compensate me at full price, and I'll leave my door unlocked."

The ball was kicked to Yi Zhonghai.

The neighbors' gazes also fell on the hypocrite.

Would he dare write such a document?

The answer is very obvious.

No.

Money is one aspect.

Coupons are another aspect.

If thieves really did steal Shazhu's belongings, Yi Zhonghai truly couldn't compensate; in the coupon era, some things can be bought only with coupons.

"\"Head Steward, you also need to give us a written guarantee. \" Seeing Yi Zhonghai's embarrassed expression, Xu Daming deliberately gave him eye drops, saying, \"If locking doors still gets stolen, wouldn't not locking doors get stolen even more? \""

"\"Old Yi, I also think not locking doors is a bit unreliable; Xu Daming is right—if locking doors still gets stolen, not locking them would surely be emptied out. Besides, our place is in the front courtyard, and my wife still has to go to the street to look for odd jobs during the day. \""

"\"Third Elder, the loss of belongings from not locking doors is only one aspect; as I said before, locking doors can be big or small. Speaking broadly, our siheyuan not locking doors affects the sales of lock factories. If nobody locks doors, who will buy the locks produced by lock factories? Unsold products pile up in factories, affecting raw materials, workers' wages, and so on. Workers can't take home money, so they can't feed their children. Without children, how can we build our great motherland? \""

Shazhu's hat.

The more it's buttoned, the heavier it gets.

They all linked Yi Zhonghai's advocacy of unlocked doors in the siheyuan to the future blossoms of the motherland.

This left Yi Zhonghai speechless; he truly didn't know how to refute Shazhu's argument.

Once again, Long Laotaitai helped Yi Zhonghai break out of the siege.

"\"Zhonghai, it's not my old lady saying this—you, as Head Steward, why are you still so clueless? Earlier I spread the rumor that I used your old lady to make shoes and joked with the neighbors, and they all believed it. Now you're advocating not locking doors—you're just not thinking things through. As Head Steward, you're supposed to seek welfare for the neighbors and serve them; you can't just keep coming up with one idea after another. On the matter of locking doors, I support Shazhu. \""

"\"I support the Head Steward. \" Jia Zhangshi unexpectedly took Yi Zhonghai's side—whether intentional or not, her voice rang high: \"The neighbors shouldn't lock their doors; who are they locking them against? \""

Guard against whom?

Still not to guard against your Jia family.

That's all I'll say.

Just talk about Shazhu's home.

When doors are locked, Jia Zhangshi still goes daily to loiter in front of Shazhu's door. If they weren't locked, his belongings wouldn't need thieves—Jia Zhangshi alone would be enough to take them.