Chapter 235: Let the Jia Family Live in the Murder House

Police station.

Not long after Jia Zhangshi and Bangeng left.

Several leaders held a brief meeting.

They unanimously agreed.

The deaf old lady's murder case is not yet over.

Although Yi Zhonghai admitted to killing the deaf old lady, some key evidence was inconsistent, and the situation he described did not match the conclusion drawn from the crime scene.

There was a discrepancy in the timing.

The method of killing also differed.

They concluded that the killer of the deaf old lady was someone else.

They decided to send a comrade to infiltrate the siheyuan as a resident.

A plan to kill two birds with one stone.

On one hand, to investigate the real killer.

On the other hand, to protect Bangeng.

Bangeng, being the only witness present that night, might be silenced by the killer.

They dispatched a young comrade.

Liu Jianguo.

His youthful cheeks and the inexperience of just leaving school made Liu Jianguo the perfect cover.

As for the reason for moving into the siheyuan.

It's too simple.

Using the reason that Liu Jianguo had just been assigned and housing at the station was tight, it was unlikely to be refused, especially since the top official personally went to negotiate with the Yagangchang.

……

The grand courtyard conference opened as scheduled.

Twenty-something households.

All members attended.

Even those elderly who usually lay immobile at home attended the meeting on house ownership, supported by their children.

Liu Haizhong said a few opening remarks and announced the start of the grand courtyard conference.

At the previous grand courtyard conference, Yan Fugui, who rarely spoke, took advantage of Liu Haizhong's unfinished remark to add a few words.

While speaking, he also cursed Liu Haizhong as brainless in his heart.

A perfectly good house was rejected just because of a steward's empty title, pretentiously generous.

The Liu family does not want it.

The Yan family wants it.

Old Kou certainly doesn't want to miss out on the house like that.

If you're shameless, then be shameless.

How can an empty title bring real benefits?

"I'll say a few words; this grand courtyard conference is to discuss the central courtyard house matter. First I'll explain our family's situation—not to cry poverty, but to speak the truth."

Our family has six members, young and old; the elderly couple occupies one room, and the four siblings share another. As the old saying goes, a grown daughter should avoid her father.

Solving the city, solving liberation have reached the age to marry and take a wife; as their father, I must worry about the housing matter no matter what; I will strive for the housing as much as possible; I am not speaking as a steward, but as a father; if the neighbors think my stepping forward to seek the house is inappropriate, I can relinquish the steward's title.

Liu Haizhong took up Yan Fugui's words.

"I and Old Yan thought alike; our family also needs a house."

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu hid behind the crowd and gave Liu Haizhong a vicious stare.

They secretly hoped that Liu Haizhong would not get his wish.

If Liu Haizhong really rented Yi Zhonghai's house, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu figured they'd get beaten every day.

"I, Yan Fugui, will add one more point: the houses of the Yi family and the Jia family concern our neighbors' shared interests."

Everyone was stunned.

Including Qin Huairu.

They just couldn't figure it out.

How come there's also the matter of the Jia family's house?

The Yi family's central courtyard: Yi Zhonghai died, the eldest aunt fled, and then the house became vacant.

The deaf old lady's house in the rear courtyard became vacant because she was killed.

The Jia family has five members, all alive and well, not extinct, so naturally their house is not vacant.

Only Shazhu and Xu Daming seem to have figured out the situation.

The gazes of the two fools in the siheyuan met in midair.

Yan Fugui wants to exterminate them completely; even if he can't drive the Jia family out of the siheyuan, he must at least drive them from the central courtyard to the rear courtyard, making the Jia family live in the deaf old lady's murder house.

These past few days.

Yan Fugui hasn't been idle; he inquired around the neighborhood and the Yagangchang, and finally found a leverage over the Jia family.

"Second Steward."

Qin Huairu's utterance of 'Second Steward'.

It carries a hint of mockery.

Who let Yan Fugui, this Third Elder, automatically promote to Second Steward?

"Even if your eldest says he wants to marry me Qin Huairu, you don't need to curse our Jia family like this. The Yi family's house and the deaf old lady's house are vacant only because the people are gone; the neighbors see the empty houses and want to rent them. Our Jia family is fine; I want to ask you, Second Steward, what do you mean?"

"Jia Family?"

Yan Fugui smiled slightly.

The mocking look on his face instantly became evident.

"What Jia Family? Is it your Jia Family's house? In our Siheyuan, except for Shazhu's household which can call itself a He Family, each household counts as one—does the house belong to them? Including our family, all are rented houses from Yagangchang; some pay rent monthly, some quarterly, some have it deducted directly from wages."

Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat.

She seemed to know what Yan Fugui was going to say.

"This is the Yagangchang workers' family rental housing regulations I had someone obtain from Yagangchang."

Yan Fugui took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

He displayed the black-and-white paper in front of everyone.

He began to read the clauses aloud.

"According to the principle of who pays lives there, tenants must pay rent monthly, quarterly, or yearly; this is how Yagangchang people show their love for the factory by reporting to it. Once a household is overdue on rent for more than half a month, it is considered automatic withdrawal of tenancy. The year before last, when Dong Xu had an accident, Yagangchang, out of consideration for your Jia Family's two widows, waived your Jia Family's two years of rent."

Yan Fugui intensified his tone.

"Your Jia Family was supposed to pay rent at the end of last month, but you Jia Family didn't pay, living there for half a month for free—what kind of behavior is this? It's taking advantage of Yagangchang."

Yan Fugui again took out a piece of black-and-white paper from his pocket.

"This is the neighborhood residents' management regulations. Once someone uses any excuse or reason to take advantage of the collective or the street, it is considered wall‑digging, and anyone has the right to criticize and educate them. As long as the neighbors agree, we can move your Jia Family to any room in the Siheyuan. This is to prevent further loss of Yagangchang's property, and also to prevent you from continuing to occupy and plot to take Yagangchang's property."

Shazhu blinked.

He found that Yan Fugui before him gave him a faint sense of unfamiliarity.

Whether it's words and deeds or conduct.

All are completely different from that stingy, calculating old Kou.

Could it be that he was darkened by being stimulated by Yan Jiecheng?

"Because the Jia Family doesn't pay rent, I propose that the Jia Family move out of their current room, following the principle of humanitarian concern, let the Jia Family temporarily stay in the room of the deaf old lady in the rear courtyard; if the Jia Family still refuses to pay rent, we will, at the grand courtyard meeting, expel the Jia Family from our Siheyuan."

Yan Fugui, knowing they couldn't expel the Jia Family, as a fallback wanted to move the Jia Family to the rear courtyard, and he raised his arm.