Chapter 568: Thus: Thus: Mahua angrily scolds Jia Zhangshi and company

Shameless.

This is Thus: Thus: Mahua's assessment of the old-timer neighbors of the Siheyuan; he has only been living there for four or five days and hasn't yet seen the behavior of those scumbags.

Today, he finally got an eye-opener.

What Shazhu told him is right; when there's nothing going on, it's best not to associate with the Siheyuan's scumbags, lest they drag down his status.

Indeed, that's the case.

Thus: Thus: Mahua's point is that the house is his own, and he lives in it, so naturally the renovations and repairs should be paid for by himself; why should Lou Xiao'e, who bears a grudge against the neighbors, be made to pay?

He really thinks rich people are all living Buddhas.

Why did Lou Xiao'e leave in the first place?

Although Thus: Thus: Mahua doesn't know the details, he also vaguely guessed some of the truth.

He spoke some frank words.

These frank words made the scumbags led by Jia Zhangshi shut up instantly.

Seeing the neighbors who wished they could tear Thus: Thus: Mahua apart, Thus: Thus: Mahua's heart inexplicably felt a bit pleased.

Really shameless.

Each one wants to live in a nice house but refuses to spend money, wanting to have both fish and bear's paw, wanting all sorts of good things—do they really think the earth revolves around them?

「I suddenly regret being neighbors with you all; everyone, take a good look, look at your own conduct—I'm still saying what I just said: the Siheyuan is where you live, not where Lou Xiao'e lives; do you really think that because Lou Xiao'e bought Xu Daming's house, she becomes your neighbor? What good things are you dreaming of! 」

Thus: Thus: Mahua continued to retort the crowd without any politeness.

He saw through it.

The Siheyuan split into two factions.

One faction, led by Jia Zhangshi, consisted of the old-timer neighbors, who schemed to bleed Lou Xiao'e dry; when that failed, they began to think of getting Shazhu to pay.

The other faction, led by Thus: Thus: Mahua, consisted of the newly moved-in households from the past few days; these people still had shame and would not dream of forcing Lou Xiao'e and Shazhu to pay for repairs to their houses.

「You live in your own place, yet you refuse to spend money on renovations, but you want others to pay to renovate for you—does Lou Xiao'e owe you that? Or does my teacher owe you? Think about it, pat your chests and think hard—don't you feel your demands are excessive and unreasonable? Nobody is obligated to help you. If you want a nice house, pay for it yourself. »

Thus: Thus: Mahua's words left those people led by Jia Zhangshi red-faced.

Whether out of shame or thinking of other tactics, they all remained silent.

That's absolutely correct!

These people are just selfish, just daydreaming!

Under the banner of renovating the Siheyuan, they want to grab more and profit more, to own an extra house; if that's what they want, why don't they pay themselves instead of asking others to chip in?

Thus: Thus: Mahua couldn't be bothered with these people; after expressing his view, he threw out a few harsh remarks.

「I've only just moved into the Siheyuan not long ago, so I'm not entirely clear on the neighbors' behavior, but I have my own bottom line: I still want to save face, and I, Thus: Thus: Mahua, would never do something like sucking others dry. From now on, meetings like this big courtyard gathering had best not be held; if they are, don't call on me—my family won't participate in such a gathering that would ruin our reputation. Even if you're dissatisfied, you'll have to swallow it; the house is mine, you have no right to drive me out. »

He greeted his wife.

「Wife, go home; from now on you'd better not associate with these people from the Siheyuan—they're all shameless jerks, lest you tarnish our family. »

The family walked toward the Hou Yuan.

Left behind were Jia Zhangshi and company, their faces dark.

In the crowd, Yan Fugui, who was watching the show, gave Thus: Thus: Mahua's retreating back a meaningful glance.

Kind of interesting.

He actually took the opportunity to formally establish a foothold in the Siheyuan.

From now on.

The Siheyuan now effectively has a figure like Thus: Thus: Mahua.

No wonder he's Shazhu's disciple.

If it were someone else, they'd have to think twice.

One could also see Thus: Thus: Mahua's protection of Shazhu.

Why does he dare to retort so many people from the Siheyuan at once?

There is a very important reason: things are different now than before; there aren't as many rules as before, and the notion of mutual help no longer exists.

Even if Yi Zhonghai were alive, he'd have to tuck his tail between his legs and behave himself; if he tried moral blackmail, a big slap would land on that son of a bitch.

Now it's a new era; having money equals having strength.

The notion of being poor but mighty is gone.

Jia Zhangshi and company's old moral-blackmail tactics on Thus: Thus: Mahua naturally had no effect.

They also gave Shazhu no face; when they criticized Shazhu just now, they were not polite either, and as Shazhu's disciple, Thus: Thus: Mahua naturally wouldn't be polite to them either.

However, his words and deeds made those led by Jia Zhangshi especially displeased!

He muttered a sentence.

「Shazhu is a good-for-nothing; he left, and his disciple moved in, but his disciple turned out to be even more of a good-for-nothing than Shazhu—Thus: Thus: Mahua too. As a member of the Siheyuan, he's so lawless; Lou Xiao'e has so much money she could never spend it all in several lifetimes, yet we let Lou Xiao'e pay, and Thus: Thus: Mahua can profit alongside—what's he stirring up? It's obvious he doesn't want the neighbors to have it easy! 」

His gaze fell on Yan Fugui.

He began to urge Yan Fugui to step forward.

「Old Yan head, you're the Siheyuan's manager appointed by the Jiēdào, the San Daye; Thus: Thus: Mahua is so disregardful of the neighbors' interests, you ought to properly educate him—after all, we're all Siheyuan neighbors; what is he doing? On what grounds does he oppose the neighbors' interests? Having Lou Xiao'e help pay for repairs to the Siheyuan is the neighbors' business; we can't let that lump of rotten meat, Thus: Thus: Mahua, spoil our pot of fresh soup. »

Jia Zhangshi's little tricks.

How could Yan Fugui fail to see through it?

He smiled.

He turned down Jia Zhangshi's meddling.

He was still thinking about how to cozy up to Lou Xiao'e's thigh, but he didn't dare to do something that would stab Lou Xiao'e in the lung.

He suddenly regretted it.

He shouldn't have told Jia Zhangshi about Lou Xiao'e's wealth and her returning to invest, which gave Jia Zhangshi ideas they shouldn't have; if Lou Xiao'e resented Yan Fugui for putting eye drops in her, Yan Fugui surely wouldn't get off easy.

"Bangeng's grandma, what time is it now, still taking care of San Daye? I, this San Daye caretaker, am now useless. Moreover, what Thus: Thus: Mahua said makes sense; nowadays it's a new era, emphasizing all reforms, those old rules are useless. Besides, what they said is also correct; the house belongs to Thus: Thus: Mahua himself; even if we're unhappy, we can't drive Thus: Thus: Mahua away."

Jia Zhangshi didn't expect Yan Fugui to turn against her.

She seriously glanced at Yan Fugui a few times.

The expression on her face was somewhat strange.

Is this still that scheming Lao Kou who never gets enough advantage in her impression?

Getting an extra room is a good thing, yet she isn't moved.

Jia Zhangshi muttered discontentedly.

"What you said is correct, but the siheyuan is still ours; according to my thinking, we need to find a way to deal with Shazhu, otherwise the siheyuan will never have peace."

That person who works at the slaughterhouse.

That is, the butcher who just moved in and immediately clashed with Jia Zhangshi, slapping her twice.

He let out a cold laugh.

He looked at Jia Zhangshi with ill intent.

On the first day after moving in, he already knew what kind of person Jia Zhangshi was.

A lazy good-for-nothing who loves to stir up trouble.

Shazhu doesn't even live in the siheyuan anymore, yet he's still scheming and clinging to his old ways; no wonder her son was sent to prison by her.

He deliberately added fuel to the fire.

"What this auntie said makes sense; any neighbor who doesn't live in the siheyuan and is called Shazhu should be properly dealt with; I support this auntie, you should properly deal with that person called Shazhu."

Clearly, it's saying the opposite of what is meant.

But Jia Zhangshi took it as true.

She even highlighted it.

She then took the idea to the neighbors.

Many people in the siheyuan work at the steel mill; even if they wanted to unite to scheme against Shazhu, they couldn't do anything to him.

Shazhu is not the canteen chief at the steel mill; he is now the person in charge of Bai Xu.

A group of people chattered with ideas; who knows what they were thinking, but they actually wanted to tamper with the Bai Xu that Shazhu set up.

They said 'many hands make light work,' and deliberately messed with the food, for example, having over a dozen people eat Bai Xu's meals and suffer diarrhea.

They went to the steel mill, asking the steel mill to deal with Shazhu.

They said they would use this matter to report Shazhu; Shazhu would surely be demoted or even fired.

They wanted Shazhu to know the consequences of offending the neighbors.

Jia Zhangshi and her group's plan, if placed a dozen years ago, could be considered perfect; as long as they united, they could surely control Shazhu.

The law does not blame the many.

Now they have united and are using this set of tactics against Shazhu.

Purely asking for trouble.

At the very least, Yan Fugui has no expectations; he has seen from newspapers what state Bai Xu is in, and heard that the leadership is paying attention.

If they really aim their scheme at Bai Xu, they might well end up in trouble themselves.

He kindly offered a word of advice.

But he didn't expect that Yan Fugui's good deed would go unrewarded; Jia Zhangshi and the others didn't appreciate Yan Fugui's kindness, instead they put a 'traitor' label on him, saying Yan Fugui meddled in someone else's Shazhu's affairs.

Angry, Yan Fugui turned and headed home.

He was angry.

The butcher called out to stop Yan Fugui.

Without a word, he pulled out an unopened pack of Daqianmen cigarettes from his pocket and shoved it into Yan Fugui's hand.

When giving a gift, one surely seeks something in return.

Yan Fugui, having lived to this age, seems to have never received a gift from anyone before.

A pack of cigarettes.

He was momentarily stunned.

The butcher had only moved into the siheyuan for less than a week; at most they had just nodded in passing, yet the other party shoved a pack of cigarettes into Yan Fugui's hand.

Yan Fugui couldn't figure it out.

What does it mean?

Could it be a rule of the slaughterhouse?

"San Daye." The butcher spoke, saying to Yan Fugui: "I call you San Daye, right?"

"That's right, though."

Yan Fugui's following words.

He hadn't even gotten to say it when the butcher interrupted him.

"San Daye, this pack of cigarettes isn't expensive; my unit issued it, I don't like smoking this kind, and I don't know if you like it either; if it suits your wish, fine; if not, you shouldn't blame me."

Cigarettes gotten for free.

There's no reason to resent it.

Yan Fugui guessed the other party must have something to ask him; having seen the butcher's two children, he wondered if it was about the children's schooling.

This matter, Yan Fugui could actually help with.

He exchanged a few polite remarks.

And invited the butcher to his home.

The butcher said he still had things to do; when he had time later, he would surely have a good chat with Yan Fugui, but then he shifted the conversation onto Shazhu.

San Daye, that person whom Jia Zhangshi calls Shazhu.

Yan Fugui is still muddle-headed.

He also understood the butcher's true intention.

It wasn't aimed at him, but at Shazhu.

He sighed inwardly.

Okay.

He got a pack of cigarettes by basking in Shazhu's glory.

He replied, "You mean He Yuzhu, the section chief, right?"

Yan Fugui deliberately elevated Shazhu's status.

He also had concerns that the other party might cause trouble.

Jia Zhangshi annoyed Lou Xiaoe and Shazhu; if the butcher, upon making Shazhu unhappy, then everyone would think something was wrong with Yan Fugui, and would then reveal Shazhu's position as section chief.

He previously worked as the canteen chief at Yagangchang, and now he is the head of Bai Xu.

The butcher's face showed an expression of surprise.

He had heard of Bai Xu.

He knew it was the hottest restaurant currently.

Last night, he even specially passed by Bai Xu and witnessed its bustling business.

"Which Bai Xu is that in the newspaper?"

"Exactly, that's the Bai Xu; Shazhu is the nickname of He Yuzhu, given by his father; we neighbors usually call him Section Chief He or Master He; those close to him call him Zhuzi."

"Which Jia Zhangshi?"

"You also see that he's purely a big idiot, constantly calling Shazhu, thinking he gets along well with He Yuzhu, but actually He Yuzhu never interacts with their family. Moreover, he shamelessly lets them pay for repairs to the Jia family's house, thinking I don't know what she's thinking; when the time comes, pushing the house, one room becomes two."

"I also saw that; back then I heard about your Siheyuan, knowing it hid dragons and crouching tigers; after moving in, I realized fame doesn't match reality, and it truly is a mixed bag of a Siheyuan."

"There are also good people, but not many."

"San Daye, you are a good person; He Yuzhu is also fine; Thus: Thus: Mahua is also okay; the rest are all scoundrels, especially Yang Qianjin, I don't even know what to say about him."

The butcher's mention of Yang Qianjin.

Living in the rear courtyard, originally Liu Haizhong's house.

Shazhu has never dealt with Yang Qianjin.

Yan Fugui, however, has spoken with Yang Qianjin several times.

To Yan Fugui's feeling, he is someone who is not Yi Zhonghai but like Yi Zhonghai.

His work style, manner of speaking, and attitude toward the Siheyuan neighbors surpass that of the long-deceased Yi Zhonghai.

The difference from Yi Zhonghai is that Yang Qianjin has children, does not plan for old age, and purely wants to impose his will on the neighbors' minds.

He, both openly and secretly, mentioned to Yan Fugui once, saying that nowadays many young people return from the countryside, cannot find jobs, and are in chaos; he said that for the neighbors' safety and for the unity and harmony of the Siheyuan, it is very necessary to reestablish the Siheyuan steward elder system; he said that Yan Fugui should continue as his steward third elder, and that he himself would become the Siheyuan steward first elder (Head Steward), and that he would surely do well in that role.

Yan Fugui didn't engage with Yang Qianjin's remark.

Yang Qianjin then found the butcher and them, thinking that everyone are new residents of the Siheyuan and should unite.