Chapter 32

Everyone present was speechless.

Shazhu and Xu Daming really drank too much.

One person treated the courtyard as home and said he wanted to sleep.

One person mistook Yi Zhonghai for Xu Daming, beat him severely, then found a stone used to weigh down pickles, saying he was worried Xu Daming would catch a chill and wanted to give him extra bedding.

At the critical moment, someone grabbed him.

Because Shazhu was carrying a stone and running toward Yi Zhonghai.

Also blamed Yi Zhonghai.

Shazhu won't hit you anymore, so hurry up and get up.

The fake gentleman continued lying on the ground, continued letting Shazhu treat him as Xu Daming, and almost covered Yi Zhonghai's head with the stone as a blanket.

But we also have the false gentleman appearing in lines 9, 43, and 44, so we need to include it.

Now also the false gentleman? No.

Now continue.

He stopped Shazhu after a lot of talking, and Shazhu went back inside.

Xu Daming was carried back to the Xu family's backyard by Liu Haizhong directing Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, who lifted him like a dead pig.

The onlookers and Yi Zhonghai, who had been beaten by Shazhu, were preparing to go home when they unexpectedly saw Director Wang, who had come overnight.

On one hand, there was the cover of night.

On the other hand, the official-obsessed Liu Haizhong took the opportunity to step forward.

Director Wang also didn't see Yi Zhonghai's miserable state.

"It just so happens that you three officials are here, the neighbors are also present, and I will read a document from the district. According to the latest directive from the higher authorities, as of December 30, 1946, individuals with no major faults and who have not caused significant loss to the state, collective, or residents, who made a living under the Japanese puppet regime due to family reasons, will not be held accountable for their past."

Worried they wouldn't understand.

Director Wang then explained it again in plain language.

"In our words, if you don't work in the factories set up by the Japanese puppet regime, your whole family will starve, whether it's direct or indirect enslavement, as long as you haven't done anything wrong against the state or collective and haven't caused others major losses, we won't pursue this responsibility."

The people of the siheyuan instantly fell into ecstasy.

The people in the courtyard, including He Daqing and Yi Zhonghai, had all worked for the Japanese puppet regime during that period, and if judged by the charge of treason, they would be punished.

Few people remained in the siheyuan.

Recently.

The people in the courtyard all lived cautiously, fearing that a single misstep would label them as traitors.

He Daqing's departure only worsened these people's mistaken guesses about their own futures.

Some people wildly speculated that He Daqing had to flee because of his identity, while others guessed he had died on the escape route.

Perhaps only He Daqing himself knows the truth.

Director Wang's few words were like lifting the invisible mountain that had been weighing on the siheyuan residents' chests, making it hard for them to breathe.

"Long live the elders!"

Shouts rang out.

Director Wang urgently stopped the crowd's cheering.

There is still something to announce.

"There's one more thing: you three officials just need to remember this. As required by the higher authorities, the district and subdistrict will soon launch the Three-Antis campaign—specifically, increasing production and saving resources, opposing corruption, opposing waste, and opposing bureaucratism. Our courtyard is involved in one of these: we must not waste. You three officials must not be too bureaucratic. That's all.

After Director Wang left.

After pondering for a moment, Yi Zhonghai spoke to Yan Fugui and Liu Haizhong, saying, "Old Yan, you are the head manager of the front courtyard; you are responsible for the front courtyard, Old Liu is responsible for the back courtyard, and I, Yi Zhonghai, am responsible for the middle courtyard. Each of us has our duties in place, and tomorrow or the day after, the three of us will meet for a small meeting."

Yan Fugui readily agreed.

Liu Haizhong, feeling resentful, wanted to seize the opportunity to hold a large courtyard meeting.

After calculating the approval ratio, it seemed he would lose the vote by a one-to-two margin, so he reluctantly agreed to Yi Zhonghai's request.

The three managers each went about their own business.

…… -> none.

The next day.

Early morning.

The hungover Shazhu woke He Yushui up and saw him off as he left the courtyard house, then ran into the false gentleman who was on his way to work at the steel mill.

Shazhu, with keen eyes, immediately noticed the scar on the false gentleman's face.

A thought crossed his mind.

It seems there really is no one in the courtyard house daring to be as overbearing as Yi Zhonghai.

But this scar on Yi Zhonghai's face.

There also needs to be a reason to explain it.

"Elder Sir, did the elder madam beat you up tonight?"

Yi Zhonghai looked at Shazhu with mixed feelings as he asked about the source of the scar on his face, his emotions indescribable.

"Zhuzi, do you really not remember what happened last night?"

Shazhu thought for a moment.

He really had no memory of it.

"All I remember is I summoned the three elders to go eat dumplings; on the way I said Liu Bi Ju sells pickled vegetables, but the three elders were worried the dumplings weren't authentic, so they went to a small restaurant nearby, and I really can't recall anything else."

A painful expression appeared on Shazhu's cheeks.

His hand also unconsciously covered his forehead.

"Zhuzi, what's wrong with you?"

"I feel awful, terribly nauseous."

Yan Fugui had a liang of baijiu, and the rest of the drink was split between Shazhu and Xu Daming, each ending up with roughly a jin and two liang of gaoliang.

It would be strange if it didn't hurt.

What Yi Zhonghai feels sorry for is not that Shazhu's drinking makes him feel bad.

He is feeling sorry for himself.

Shazhu drank too much alcohol, he doesn't remember anything, including the incident of beating up Yi Zhonghai.

Even a mute must swallow their loss.

Yi Zhonghai may be angry, but he can't vent it on Shazhu.

To be as ignorant as a drunkard.

You lose your share.

Moreover, Yi Zhonghai also plans to have Shazhu help support him in his old age.

"Shazhu, you really ought to drink less alcohol."

"Elder uncle, it's not about drinking less; this alcohol must be quit." Shazhu said with a bitter face, repeating the old saying that countless drunkards have uttered many times yet still break their promises, then he walked ahead of and behind Yi Zhonghai, saying, "Elder uncle, wait for me, let's go to work together."

"Shazhu, although there's no commission for apprentices, we mustn't lose heart—it's only a year, we can manage; you and Yushui needn't worry about food and drink, with Elder uncle here, you two siblings won't go hungry."

What scheme is Yi Zhonghai hatching?

Shazhu knows the score.

It's nothing more than bullying Shazhu for not knowing that He Daqing mailed money.

Too late.

The night before last, Elder aunt inadvertently let slip.

Shazhu deliberately used words to sting Yi Zhonghai's heart.

A dull knife cutting flesh.

Painful enough to kill.

"Elder uncle, if we ever reach a point where we can't get by, I'll surely come to you; but for now it's unnecessary—old man isn't supposed to mail money after the New Year? Let's first spend the old man's money."

Yi Zhonghai's steps were as if welded to the ground.

He stopped there.

He stared at Shazhu, shocked.

How did Shazhu find out that He Daqing mailed money?

Yi Zhonghai had the idea of borrowing He Daqing's money to win Shazhu's favor, but Shazhu already knew the truth, yet Yi Zhonghai still tried to pass off He Daqing's money as his own!

Could it be that Shazhu has become suspicious?

Just think about it and let it be.

He directed his suspicions toward He Daqing.

"Shazhu, yesterday Director Wang came and told me that your father once hosted a private banquet for the Japanese puppet regime, so his identity is questionable."