Chapter 403: No Way to Get Ahead

Liu Haizhong didn't even notice that he had a streak of stubborn donkey-like determination.

Clearly, he himself is nothing.

Yet he insists on assuming it's right to keep looking for trouble with Shazhu.

This kind of self‑comfort like covering one's ears while stealing a bell fits Liu Haizhong's current state of mind; his mood inexplicably became much more relaxed, and the previous sense of oppression weighing on him disappeared.

The emotions have arrived.

He must show something no matter what.

Taking advantage of the late‑night quiet, Liu Haizhong and Er Da Ma had a conversation.

The next day.

Full of confidence, Liu Haizhong strode out of his home with head high and chest out, taking exaggerated, pompous steps, heading toward the front courtyard.

Anyone in the courtyard who met Liu Haizhong felt an uneasy rumble in their heart.

After not seeing him all night, the Liu Haizhong who had been like a drenched chicken, pointed at and cursed by the neighbors for eight generations of ancestors without daring to retort, now gave the neighbors a radiant pride; he looked much happier than the previous night, and one could faintly see the shadow of the beast that once wreaked havoc in the Siheyuan.

They all had their hearts in their throats.

Each began to think.

Could Liu Haizhong have been reinstated to his former post?

Otherwise, he shouldn't be so smug and start looking down on people with his chin.

Having experienced the disasters Liu Haizhong caused in the Siheyuan during his tenure, many neighbors worried that if he became team captain again, he would seek trouble with them.

Some, out of concern for their own safety, began to think of how best to curry favor with Liu Haizhong.

Whether there are dates or not, they'll still strike three poles.

Getting closer in advance couldn't hurt.

One by one, they bowed and scraped, greeting Liu Haizhong.

Liu Haizhong let out a cold snort from his nose and ignored them.

Last night their gossip cut into Liu Haizhong like a knife; even the most down‑on‑their‑luck Jia Family and Qin Huairu began to scheme, hoping to step on Liu Haizhong to rise.

Liu Haizhong swore that if his talks with Deputy Factory Director Li succeeded, he would certainly take action against Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu—making the old widow smash their windows and the young widow force Liu Haizhong to drink foot‑washing water.

Seeing Liu Haizhong like this, the others also brought out the dumplings they were reluctant to eat.

They called it.

"Please have breakfast, Liu Haizhong."

Liu Haizhong glanced askance, recognized the dumplings, and realized they were the very ones the neighbors had specially made to celebrate his being "rolled up" the night before.

Now they brought them out for Liu Haizhong to taste.

It was nothing short of a huge joke.

How could the trusted aide of Deputy Factory Director Li ever eat such leftovers?

He gave a cold chuckle, patted his buttocks, left the Siheyuan, and walked toward the Yagangchang, determined to wrangle another post from Deputy Factory Director Li no matter what.

Behind him were the neighbors, hearts in their throats.

Faced with the threat of Liu Haizhong possibly rising again, someone unknown suggested going to Shazhu for advice.

Upon hearing this,

they thought it made sense.

Shazhu's friend Xu Damao, now the second‑in‑command at the Yagangchang after Deputy Factory Director Li, was asked by Shazhu to mediate for them.

Perhaps the matter would just blow over like that.

Yan Fugui, as a resident of the Siheyuan, hadn't he received help from Xu Damao?

All are residents of the Siheyuan; if Yan Fugui can receive various assistance from Xu Damao, then these neighbors can too.

One must keep the water level in the bowl even.

Under the leadership of a certain ringleader, they guarded the Siheyuan gate, waiting for Shazhu to come out with his satchel, then swarmed him from all sides, chattering away.

"Shazhu, it's huge—Liu Haizhong doesn't know why, but he looks just like before; do you think he'll become team captain again?"

"When Liu Haizhong was team captain, he threw our Dayuan into chaos; it had barely calmed for less than a day, and now he's stirring up trouble again—Shazhu, you gotta help us figure out a solution."

"You came out late, so you didn't see Liu Haizhong looking down on people with his chin; last night the neighbors all ate dumplings and were misunderstood by Liu Haizhong—what can we do?"

"……"

Although the voices were chaotic,

Shazhu still heard everything clearly.

Because Liu Haizhong started showing off again, making the neighbors mistakenly think he was about to be reinstated, each felt a lingering dread, fearing they'd be held accountable.

To be honest,

Shazhu also felt a bit uneasy.

He rummaged through the fragments of his past‑life memory; Liu Haizhong seemed to have served only one term as team captain before Xu Damao had him sacrificed on charges of corruption, after which the neighbors and coworkers settled various petty scores against Liu Haizhong, and even his sons Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu began to resent him.

Could it be because I've been reborn?

Some things have suffered a memory discrepancy—what shouldn't have happened did happen!

Speaking fairly,

If Liu Haizhong rises to power again, it will be bad for the neighbors in the courtyard and bad for Shazhu too.

Shazhu clearly remembers that during Liu Haizhong's tenure, the official‑obsessed man attacked him three times, each aimed at destroying Shazhu's family; if Shazhu hadn't prepared thoroughly, leaving no loopholes for Liu Haizhong to exploit, the outcome could well have been wife‑gone, children‑scattered.

A father's killer cannot share the same sky.

The hatred for a stolen wife is as deep as the sea.

Shazhu is no saint; it's impossible that everyone would be out for his life while he grinned and offered his cheek, begging them to keep whipping him.

Revenge must be repaid.

Repay resentment with resentment.

Liu Haizhong has risen to power; how will Shazhu take revenge on Liu Haizhong? Moreover, after Liu Haizhong's rise, he will surely try every means to cause trouble for Shazhu, and Shazhu will still have to face the fate of family destruction and personal death.

Now the most advantageous choice is for Liu Haizhong to continue being his trash, being subjected to various petty scores by the neighbors and coworkers.

Shazhu doesn't just consider himself; he also has to think about Yu Li and the two children; he can't let his wife and kids wander around with him.

These are all good outcomes.

Unfavorable outcomes.

Truly a situation where yin and yang are separated.

He slightly furrowed his brow.

The expression on his face also grew solemn.

Shazhu thought briefly and believed he should stand together with the neighbors now.

Since Liu Haizhong is their common enemy, he came up with a proposal for everyone to go to the steel mill and report Liu Haizhong.

Using his own methods against him.

Liu Haizhong built his career on false accusations, and let him also experience the fate of being falsely accused and reported; moreover, what the neighbors say are all facts, the official-obsessed indeed did many things sorry to the neighbors, each item, each matter, are lessons of blood and sea, and those workers at the steel mill also want to see the scene of the neighbors reporting Liu Haizhong; with someone taking the lead, naturally others will follow, and for Liu Haizhong to want to regain power is nothing but a pipe dream.

Truth cannot be feigned.

False cannot become true.

This perhaps is Liu Haizhong's final value, used by Deputy Factory Director Li to win over the hearts of all the workers at the steel mill.