Chapter 376

Eight o'clock in the evening.

The Dayuan meeting was held as scheduled.

The Eight Immortals table and wooden stools that used to display the status of several steward elders have now become Liu Haizhong's personal stage.

He sat carelessly on the stool.

Like a Buddha.

His hands lay flat on the table, between them a large tea jar brimming with tea; behind him were Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, who had previously thrown their weight around and trampled Liu Haizhong's dignity into the ground.

The two unfilial sons, upon hearing that Liu Haizhong had been appointed by Deputy Factory Director Li as captain of the Elderly Assault Team at Yagangchang, went home after work and apologized to Liu Haizhong.

After all, their so-called group was a mere amateur troupe; in every aspect—credibility, execution, and so on—they were no match for Liu Haizhong.

The two sons stood like door‑guarding ghosts behind Liu Haizhong, inexplicably boosting his confidence with the mindset that wherever Liu Haizhong fell, he would rise again in the same spot, occupying his thoughts.

Under the influence of his excitement.

Liu Haizhong stared with satisfied eyes, scanning the Siheyuan neighbors before him.

Once upon a time.

He had always dreamed of monopolizing the Siheyuan.

Half a life of hardship.

Only when he had sunk halfway into the yellow earth was his dream realized.

Yan Fugui, the San Daye who once co‑organized the Dayuan meeting with him, now stood honestly to the side, waiting like the other neighbors for Liu Haizhong's reprimand.

A sense of pleasure welled up in his heart.

He had his moment of glory.

Even in his glory, a faint sense of loss lingered.

A few people were missing.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife.

Long Laotaitai.

Liu Haizhong really wanted the hypocrite and Long Laotaitai to see his moment of glory.

Alas, heaven had no eyes: Yi Zhonghai died, the eldest aunt ran away, Long Laotaitai kicked the bucket, and they never got to see Liu Haizhong reign supreme in the Siheyuan.

"Hmm!"

Liu Haizhong cleared his throat.

A smile appeared on his face.

The neighbors remained utterly silent—nothing like their usual rowdy Dayuan meetings, where Liu Haizhong would sit on the stool spouting big talk while the neighbors stood in the crowd chatting, creating a noisy scene.

In fact.

The reason the neighbors were so obedient.

It was because someone had reported Liu Haizhong's actions at Yagangchang today back to the compound, and furthermore Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu had been seen bowing to Liu Haizhong, providing corroboration.

They realized Liu Haizhong had gained the upper hand.

None of them were foolish.

You're damn impressive—what right do I have to confront you head‑on?

You might as well play the grandson.

Under this mindset.

They were all very well‑behaved.

None of them wanted to invite trouble for no reason.

They felt Liu Haizhong's scrutinizing gaze, and in their hearts they loudly cursed his eight generations of ancestors.

Liu Haizhong, far from being a worm in the neighbors' bellies, naturally didn't know they were cursing him; a hint of satisfaction flashed across his face.

Suddenly.

The satisfaction on his face froze.

As his gaze swept over Shazhu, he noticed that Shazhu's wife Yu Li was absent from the Dayuan meeting, and he recalled the embarrassing scene this afternoon when Guo Xiaosi had frightened her away.

Liu Haizhong already bore a grudge against Shazhu.

Upon seeing this.

He could no longer suppress the anger welling up inside him.

He raised his eyebrows.

In a grim tone he asked Shazhu:

"Shazhu, where's your wife? Holding the Dayuan meeting is such an important matter, and all the neighbors have come out—why isn't your wife attending? Is it because you look down on me, Liu Haizhong, or because you think my appointment as captain of the Elderly Assault Team is meaningless?"

The venue fell dead silent.

He had imagined various possibilities.

Including what Liu Haizhong would say.

But he never expected Liu Haizhong to aim his first salvo at Shazhu.

Who is Shazhu?

The neighbors all know.

The head of the canteen at Yagangchang, a close aide of Deputy Factory Director Li, such a mighty fellow—on your first day as captain of the Elderly Assault Team, Liu Haizhong, you've marked Shazhu as a target for attack; are you out of your mind, or are you seeking your own death?

It's not just the neighbors who think that.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu thought the same, believing that Liu Haizhong's joy had made him unable to tell the difference between the big and small kings, truly thinking that as captain of the Elderly Assault Team he could do as he pleased and flaunt his power toward Shazhu.

Pure idle chatter.

Pure idle chatter.

He moved his mouth.

He wanted to say something.

After all, the idea died out, and then they turned their gaze toward Shazhu.

All they saw was Shazhu, expressionless, speaking to Liu Haizhong.

"Second Elder."

"Call me Team Captain Liu."

"Alright, alright, Team Captain Liu is Team Captain Liu. Who made you the assault team captain appointed by Director Li? Even if I don't give you face, I still have to give Chief Li face. You ask why my wife doesn't come out to attend the Dayuan meeting. I seem to recall that when Jiēdào first set up the manager elder position, they said this: 'Each household only needs to send one representative.' As the head of my household, my attending the Dayuan meeting is correct, right? Or do you, Team Captain Liu, think that Jiēdào's statement is wrong?"

Shazhu was not polite either.

Whenever he caught Liu Haizhong, he would give him a scolding.

He really didn't expect Liu Haizhong to point the gun at himself.

Originally, thinking Liu Haizhong wouldn't last a few days, they treated him like a bedbug.

In league with this bedbug, they hurried to make Shazhu feel nauseated.

Everyone has already come to the door.

Why be polite?

They really thought Shazhu was afraid of Liu Haizhong.

"My wife is about to give birth; the weather isn't great, I let her rest at home—is that not allowed? The elders said, 'Children are the future of our motherland, children are our hope.' He hopes every child can grow up healthy and become a pillar of talent for building the motherland."

The conversation shifted.

He began questioning Liu Haizhong.

"Team Captain Liu's meaning is that I must disregard the safety of the child in my wife's womb, brave the freezing weather, face the possible threat of causing my child's miscarriage, and still let my wife come attend your Dayuan meeting."

He looked around at the neighbors before him.

He stirred up the crowd.

"Neighbors, everyone knows what kind of person Shazhu usually is. I don't ask you to side with me; I only ask that you speak truthfully in the future. Now I risk my wife's life—one body, two lives—to have her attend Team Captain Liu's Dayuan meeting. Even if Team Captain Liu violates the elders' teachings that women can hold up half the sky and that we must cherish children, I still must follow his orders and call out my wife."

He turned his head toward his own home.

He deliberately shouted loudly.

"Wife, Team Captain Liu said, let you hold up your belly and come out now to attend the Dayuan meeting; even if you feel unwell, even if the baby is due in these few days, you must come out to attend."

Liu Haizhong never had the intellect to be an official.

Furthermore, Shazhu listed these crimes against him.

He was frightened half to death.

Violating the elders' saying that women can hold up half the sky and that we must cherish children's safety—just these two points alone would be enough to send Liu Haizhong scrambling to the underground report.