Chapter 191: with translation of chapter title

Since neither Shazhu's nor Xu Daming's family attended the specially convened Dayuan meeting to resolve the Jia Family's issue, the meeting suddenly descended into chaos.

The neighbors weren't very happy.

None of them are stupid.

Even Jia Zhangshi shouted the slogan of being unable to make ends meet.

Even a fool knows what Yi Zhonghai is up to.

Nothing more than using the pretext of assistance to get the neighbors to contribute love to the Jia Family.

If I have money and supplies that I can't use, I can offer appropriate assistance.

The problem is.

Every household is living tight-fisted, wishing to split a single cent in half to spend.

Under such circumstances.

Donating money or goods to the Jia Family is tantamount to cutting a wound on the neighbors.

Although they didn't openly say to donate money or goods.

Yet the neighbors all understood perfectly.

Shazhu's income may not be the highest in the Siheyuan, but his family's wealth is definitely among the foremost; needless to say, Xu Daming's is even less, and his wife Lou Xiaoe, being the daughter of a Yagangchang shareholder, is certainly not lacking in food and drink.

In the neighbors' minds.

As long as Shazhu and Xu Daming let even a little slip from their hands, it would be enough for the Jia Family to eat and drink.

As a result, the two strongest families didn't attend, while these less well-off families all showed up in full.

The imbalance in their hearts.

In an instant, the repression reached its extreme.

On what grounds.

Could it be just because we're not forceful enough?

Each with a grim face, they stared at Yi Zhonghai.

Feeling the neighbors' gazes, Yi Zhonghai secretly groaned in his heart.

A moment's carelessness, and he fell behind.

Damn it.

……

At the same time.

In the Jiēdào not too far nor too close to the Siheyuan, it was likewise a complete mess.

The cause was none other than Long Laotaitai.

The series of offenses listed against Long Laotaitai in the complaint letter.

This made Old Zhang and Old Li, who were in charge of the matter, sense that something was off, and they hastily summoned the Jiēdào's mainstay, Director Old Wang.

A meeting specifically targeting Long Laotaitai was thus quietly set up.

On one side of the table was the culprit, Long Laotaitai.

On the other side were Old Wang, Old Zhang, Old Li, Xiao Xu, Xiao Ding, Xiao Ba and a few others, some responsible for questioning, some for recording.

Someone was suspected of fabricating testimony.

If it were truly confirmed that the contents of the complaint letter were factual, then Old Wang, Old Zhang, Old Li, Xiao Xu, Xiao Ding, etc., would all be witnesses.

"Old lady, do you know why you're here?"

"What did you say?"

Long Laotaitai resorted to her old trick again.

Feigning deafness seemed to be her only effective countermove.

She had a bit of an attitude of leaning on her age and selling her seniority.

"I'm old, I'm about to die, I'm in the right, you can't do anything to me."

"The people in your courtyard call you Long Laotaitai, saying your ears work when you want to hear and go deaf when you don't. I know you can hear, so I hope you can open up and talk with us." Old Wang waved the complaint letter in his hand, "This is a complaint accusing you of ruining Xu Daming and his wife's marriage; besides this, it lists a series of other matters related to you."

Long Laotaitai's complexion.

Changed slightly.

She hadn't expected that either.

Yi Zhonghai actually sold her out so thoroughly.

Two pages of paper, densely filled with handwriting.

By the light.

It was clearly visible.

It was Yi Zhonghai's handwriting.

He couldn't help but snort coldly in his heart; Yi Zhonghai didn't even bother to disguise his handwriting, writing such a blatant complaint—does he think he's got me, the old lady, in his pocket?

The motive behind sabotaging the marriage was to borrow the Lou family's wealth to let himself enjoy his twilight years.

The result was that he peacefully enjoyed a loneliness.

He became a notorious stinking pile of dung, shouted at by countless people.

Even his backer, Yi Zhonghai, drew a clear line with him, sparing no effort to make a big fuss about sabotaging Xu Daming's marriage in order to put Long Laotaitai in a deadly situation.

Damn it.

Yi Zhonghai.

You lack virtue.

You deserve to have your line cut off.

In Long Laotaitai's heart, she cursed Yi Zhonghai's eight generations of ancestors, while in her mind she was quickly thinking of countermeasures.

Nobody is a sage; who can be without fault?

I merely messed up Xu Daming's marriage a little, yet you make such a big deal out of it, you make such a big deal out of other matters, I, Long Laotaitai, do not admit it—what can you do to me?

Even ants cherish their lives.

How much more so for humans.

Long Laotaitai is also someone who is especially afraid of death.

"I, the old lady, was momentarily confused; I did something sorry to Xu Daming, sorry to Lou Xiaoe, but I had no ill intentions—I was really helping Lou Xiaoe."

Long Laotaitai changed her strategy, no longer pretending to be deaf; she knew her act of feigning deafness had been seen through by Lao Wang and the others, she gritted her teeth and held on, but it only backfired.

She simply changed her tactics.

She proactively opened her mouth to admit the mistake.

Admitting the mistake is admitting the mistake.

Long Laotaitai, however, shrewdly wanted to make a big issue small and a small issue smaller; while admitting she had ruined Xu Daming's marriage, she also brought up Xu Daming's philandering outside.

In this way.

Her ruining Xu Daming's marriage could also be seen as having a cause.

If one were to categorize it as a good deed, it wouldn't be impossible—after all, Xu Daming did bad things.

This strategy.

There is a precondition.

That is to firmly nail Xu Daming to the pillar of shame for his philandering.

"You all surely think I, the old lady, am talking nonsense; you've ruined someone else's marriage and yet claim to be doing a good deed—facts are facts, you can't not believe them; I've watched Xu Daming grow up, I know his nature inside out, the old lady knows clearly, he's not a good sort at heart; he's a film projectionist, you know that, the eight major staff—what a good job; every time he goes to the countryside, he has to bring something back, either white flour or rice, sometimes even an old hen, pork, and mutton chops; you tell me about this."

Several Jiēdào each nodded.

They acknowledged that what Long Laotaitai said made sense.

The film projectionist from Yagangchang, when he goes to the countryside, really is a dimensional reduction strike; bringing things back is also understandable, it's just social interaction.

Of course.

This is a gift.

Given willingly.

Why give it?

Nothing more than worrying he won't come to show the film next time.

"Not mentioning the things he takes, the key is this person—his character is bad; I heard he, when showing films in the countryside, messes around with the village girls and widows; Lou Xiaoe is the daughter of the Lou family who understands affairs, well-educated, reasonable, gentle and refined; Xu Daming already has such a wife, yet he still messes around outside; the old lady can't stand it, so I want to help this poor girl Lou Xiaoe before I die."

Long Laotaitai grew calmer as she spoke.

Her logic also grew clearer.

"I never expected Xu Daming to hear about it; I wrote a report letter, and you brought me here, but I have no regrets—if I can let Lou Xiaoe escape the pit of fire, I, the old lady, would even sacrifice my life willingly, I truly have no regrets."

"You say Xu Daming is messing around with men and women in the countryside—do you have any evidence?"

Just a moment ago, Long Laotaitai was full of confidence; the next second she froze in place, her gaze fixed straight on Lao Wang who was asking the question.

This question.

Like a lethal move to kill the enemy.

One move and it was fatal.

Nobody is a fool; seeing Long Laotaitai's dazed expression, one realizes that everything she said about Xu Daming's messing around is baseless rumor.

Even if it were true.

You have no evidence.

You are just talking nonsense.

Long Laotaitai has no evidence proving Xu Daming was messing around, but the staff of the Jiēdào do have evidence proving she ruined Xu Daming's marriage, and the neighbors of the Siheyuan can all testify.

"Any fact must be based on evidence; if you have evidence, produce it—as long as you prove Xu Daming was messing around outside, then your ruining his marriage can be counted as rescuing Lou Xiaoe. Do you have evidence?"

"What more evidence do you need? It's obvious." Long Laotaitai's eyes lit up: "He brought things back, and the neighbors all saw it."

"The neighbors did see Xu Daming bringing things back, but those things were either gifts from the old villagers, or bought by Xu Daming, or perhaps he forced people to give them—either way, they have nothing to do with your ruining his marriage; they don't constitute a motive for you to break up his marriage."

"I!"

"With whom did Xu Daming have sexual relations? Who can prove it?"

"I heard it from people."

"Then this is just rumor; you, old lady, because you heard a few nonsense remarks, went and ruined someone's marriage—ask your conscience, is this appropriate? You're one foot in the coffin; after death, a person leaves a name, a wild goose leaves its echo—this is ancient wisdom, and you can't even meet this shallow principle, yet you keep claiming you're helping Lou Xiaoe."

Lao Wang's voice grew stern.

"This morning when I took you out of the Siheyuan, I specifically asked Lou Xiaoe—she has no grudge against Xu Daming, and I saw medicine residue in her home, saying she can't bear children, she's adjusting her body to give Xu Daming sons—is this what you call Lou Xiaoe marrying into a pit of fire?"

Hand.

Heavily knocked on the table.

Immense force.

Making the things on the table jump wildly.

It also left Long Laotaitai without any temper.

The composure she had just shown.

Flew up into the clouds.

People also became quite flustered.

Without the grandeur of the Dayuan ancestors.

"There's a sentence written here that describes you, old lady—do you want me to read it?" Lao Wang violently shook the note in his hand, saying, "You call yourself the ancestor of the Dayuan, and whenever you see something displeasing, you either smash glass with bricks or beat people with a cane."

Long Laotaitai's brain.

With a buzz, the pot exploded.

Dayuan ancestor!

This title.

It can only be circulated within the Siheyuan.

If outsiders know, it will cause a big mess.

Whose ancestor are you?

Typically opening history in reverse.

This hat.

It's not just generally big.

Long Laotaitai seemed as if her spirit had been drained, her whole body went limp and collapsed onto the stool.

"I never expected that after more than ten years, someone still calls themselves the Dayuan ancestor, showing off might within the Siheyuan, Long Laotaitai—who gave you the guts?"

Old Wang's tone.

He became excited.

There is an element of annoyance in it.

One after another.

One by one.

They were all poking at her heart.

"Gluttonous and greedy, not only that, but also wanting to eat mountain delicacies and seafood; whoever improves their life, if they don't send you, Long Laotaitai, something, they are an unstable element disrupting the Siheyuan's harmony, forcing people to feed you—how can your face be so thick? Snatching meat from children wearing open-crotch pants, such a despicable act, you can actually do it."

"Director Wang, me."

"Let Shazhu help cook, but not give him ingredients; if I'm not mistaken, you are a five-guarantees household, you've always lived as a couple with Yi Zhonghai, what do you mean by asking Shazhu to cook? Don't think I don't know what you're thinking—nothing more than Yi Zhonghai's family eating cornbread while Shazhu's family eats meat; since you like sucking blood from the Siheyuan neighbors, I'll just indulge you—you don't need this welfare household either."

Long Laotaitai went completely numb.

It took her dear life.

Her source of pride, which she used to intimidate the Siheyuan neighbors, is gone.

No more the welfare household.

How can Long Laotaitai live?

Rely on Yi Zhonghai?

Yi Zhonghai wishes Long Laotaitai would die soon.

Go look for the neighbors.

Without the protection of the welfare household, without Yi Zhonghai's support, Long Laotaitai is just a dispensable big fart, not even as good as dog shit.

"Spreading lies, beating people, smashing glass, feigning deafness and muteness, destroying others' marriages, snatching meat from children, scolding Yu Li as not a good thing, scolding He Yushui as a jinx, the informant is absolutely right—you, Long Laotaitai, are truly beyond reproach; I didn't expect you to be a jack-of-all-trades; keeping you in the Siheyuan is really a injustice."

Old Wang had an idea in mind.

Long Laotaitai's matter is already set in stone.

He estimates he'll also have to suffer some grievance.

Based on the idea of mending the pen after losing the sheep.

Prepare to bring Long Laotaitai to the Siheyuan to talk face-to-face with the neighbors, as a form of education.

"Don't stay seated; let's go to the Siheyuan now and confront the neighbors face to face, to see whether they have wronged you, Long Laotaitai, or you are bullying them with your influence."

Long Laotaitai unusually did not shirk.

Perhaps knowing she couldn't refuse.

She simply adopted the strategy of stepping down from the slope.

Go to the Siheyuan.

Also good.

Barefoot people aren't afraid of those wearing shoes.

One's reputation is already like this.

Still afraid to meet people?

Unwilling to sit and wait for death, Long Laotaitai wants to take the last opportunity to publicly question Yi Zhonghai: why did you write and submit a report against yourself? Regardless of whether Yi Zhonghai admits it, she will reveal the matter of Huaihua and Yi Zhonghai.

Want me dead.

I also won't let you live.

One is the master.

One is the disciple's wife.

Let you be together.

I will kill you both.

……

Inside the Siheyuan.

The Dayuan conference specially convened to resolve the Jia Family's difficulties achieved complete success.

With the neighbors' united effort, the task of helping the Jia Family fell naturally onto the head of Yi Zhonghai, the Head Steward of the Siheyuan.

Nor does it say the neighbors ignore the Jia Family's predicament.

According to the agreement just now.

The supplies for helping the Jia Family will be provided by Yi Zhonghai.

The neighbors will help the Jia Family spiritually.

It was nothing more than saying encouraging words like 'come on' to the Jia Family.

Now proceeding with the final item of the Dayuan meeting.

Yi Zhonghai drew a clear line regarding his relationship with Long Laotaitai.

「Neighbors, everyone knows that Long Laotaitai was taken away; the cause was that she ruined the marriage of Xu Daming and his wife. As the old saying goes, this is a wicked deed, and yet it is our Siheyuan's Long Laotaitai who has done such a thing; I, Yi Zhonghai, feel heartbroken about this。」

On the face of the hypocrite.

Squeezed out a painful expression.

Gave people the impression that he was constipated.

「Originally I wanted to take this opportunity, on behalf of Long Laotaitai, to apologize to Xu Daming and his wife; everyone knows that Xu Daming and his wife didn't come, but I, Yi Zhonghai, still owe this apology。」

Yi Zhonghai stood up.

Toward the direction of Xu Daming's home in Hou Yuan.

He made a deep ninety-degree bow.

Outsiders who didn't know the inside story were all deceived by Yi Zhonghai's false facade, and they loudly praised his behavior.

This elder lives up to the title.

Open and aboveboard.

Only the familiar aunt, who knew the inside story, quietly watched Yi Zhonghai's performance.

「Long Laotaitai has always lived together with us as a couple; everyone knows this. Just one matter: Long Laotaitai has done such a wrong thing; I, Yi Zhonghai, don't know how to face Long Laotaitai from now on; from now on, our two families will just be ordinary neighbors。」

The scene erupted in an uproar.

What the heck.

Yi Zhonghai wants to sever ties with Long Laotaitai.

He's basically done with Long Laotaitai.

Can only be explained this way.

Otherwise, how would one explain Yi Zhonghai's statement?

The neighbors were bewildered.

Shazhu, who heard Yi Zhonghai's words about severing ties inside the house, was also completely at a loss.