Chapter 290

The Old Locust Tree in the Central Courtyard stood like a silent witness, its branches gently swaying in the cold wind, looking down at the black, pressingly dense crowd below and the Eight Immortals Table that symbolized authority.

The air still seemed to retain the scent of blood and lingering anger. Xu Damao slumped on a long bench, covering his mouth with a filthy handkerchief, muttering and whimpering, looking like a sickly chicken that had suffered a great injustice. Wang Cuihua stood with her hands on her hips beside him, her chest heaving violently, her eyes wide and round, staring fixedly at Sha Zhu across from her as if she wanted to carve a piece of flesh from him.

Sha Zhu, meanwhile, stood on the other side with his neck stiff, a hint of defiant stubbornness on his face and a trace of exhilaration after the beating. He occasionally glanced sideways toward the entrance of Xi Kua Yuan—Li Ping'an had already retreated indoors, closed the door, completely separating that warm tranquility from the courtyard's chaos. This silent contrast was like a small thorn, pricking Sha Zhu's heart with an uneasy feeling.

The First Elder, Second Elder, and Third Elder sat upright behind the Eight Immortals Table, their expressions solemn, like clay deity statues in a temple. Yet beneath those statues each harbored different thoughts.

Second Elder Liu Haizhong was the first to break the silence; he coughed loudly, trying to imitate the tone of higher‑ranking officials delivering a report, but his voice was hoarse and the imitation fell flat: "Today's meeting has a clear agenda! It is to resolve the malicious incident where Comrade He Yuzhu assaulted Comrade Xu Damao, causing… causing serious bodily injury!"

He waved his short, stout arms, trying to amplify his presence: "The nature of this act is extremely heinous! Its impact is terribly harmful! It seriously undermines the great stability and unity of our courtyard! He Yuzhu, you must profoundly recognize your error from the root of your thinking!"

Sha Zhu curled his lip and muttered softly, "Undermining unity? When Xu Damao was being foul‑mouthed, why didn't you call that undermining unity?"

"What are you muttering? Speak up!" Liu Haizhong despised anyone challenging his authority, especially at this "highlight" moment.

"I'm saying he struck first! That was Self‑Defense!" Sha Zhu raised his voice.

"Look, look at these teeth!" Wang Cuihua screamed, snatching the handkerchief from Xu Damao's hand and displaying the two blood‑stained teeth to everyone; they were gory and visually striking, causing a few timid women to gasp.

Xu Damao cooperated with an even louder whimper, "Ouch… it hurts me to death… how will I live the second half of my life…?"

The scene momentarily spiraled out of control again.

At that moment, everyone's gaze simultaneously turned to Third Elder Yan Bu Gui. By convention, it was his turn, the "abacus master," to analyze the pros and cons and calculate the costs.

Yan Bu Gui adjusted his glasses, which were tied to his leg with a thin rope, his gaunt face revealing no expression. He first lifted the Enamel Jar on the table, leisurely blew the froth, took a sip of the low‑quality tea‑leaf infusion, and then began to speak slowly:

"Well… this matter, of course, must be looked at from both sides," he began, a perfectly empty statement, "As for Zhuzi, his strike was indeed a bit heavy. Damao's two front teeth are the gateway, crucial for eating and speaking; once lost, the impact is huge."

He paused, his gaze wandering between Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, his mental abacus already clicking: defending Xu Damao? That kid is stingy; after the fact he could at most offer a couple of kind words, gaining no real benefit.

Excusing Sha Zhu? That fellow is even less reliable; he might even think I'm meddling. This money‑losing deal can't be done. Resolute, he shifted his tone:

"However, Damao, your words were indeed inappropriate. Attending to postpartum care, looking after wife and children is the proper way of the world, a new trend worth promoting! How can you call it 'losing a man's face'? Your thinking needs improvement."

His words seemed to strike every point, yet they floated lightly, blurring the most direct motive behind Sha Zhu's assault. The focus was cleverly shifted to the "consequence" — those two teeth.

When Sha Zhu heard that, he thought Yan Bu Gui was speaking for him, and his stiff neck relaxed a bit. Xu Damao, however, gave up, protesting vaguely, "Third Elder! He Sha Zhu scolded me… scolded me about what… that's the real root!"

Yan Bu Gui seemed not to have heard, continuing at his own pace to slide the abacus beads: "The root issue, we can gradually help with education later. The urgent matter is solving this… um, the 'tooth' problem. According to the market rates for dental implants, these two front teeth involve material costs, labor fees, transport expenses, nutritional supplements… all added up, it's not a trivial sum."

He looked at Sha Zhu, his tone bearing a sincere "I'm doing this for your good": "Zhuzi, I know you're not well off, just added two mouths. But now the incident happened, it must be resolved. Do you prefer a public settlement or a private one?"

"How do we phrase a public settlement? How do we phrase a private one?" Sha Zhu asked in a low voice.

"Public settlement is simple. Our street office and Police Substation have regulations. Intentional injury causing at least a minor wound must …" Yan Bu Gui deliberately elongated his tone, watching Sha Zhu's expression.

"Private settlement!" Before Yan Bu Gui could finish, Wang Cuihua immediately screamed, "It must be private! Compensation! Fifty yuan! Not even a single cent less!" She knew that if it went to the authorities, the procedures would be cumbersome, and the final compensation might not be as high as now… no, it would be much more.

Fifty yuan! A chorus of inhalations rose around them. These days, how much does a regular worker earn per month? Wang Cuihua really dared to speak up!

Sha Zhu's eyes widened: "Fifty yuan? You're extorting money! Xu Damao's broken teeth are gold‑inlaid jade?"

"You knocked them out and still won't pay? If not, go public! Let the police arrest you!" Wang Cuihua ranted.

Yan Bu Gui's mind was clear; the fifty yuan was merely an inflated demand. Though he enjoyed the scene—let them argue, let them make a fuss— the more they clamored, the more his role as the mediating 'Third Elder' seemed important.

He lifted the Enamel Jar again, took a sip as if savoring the tea's aftertaste, but in reality he was waiting for the moment when both sides were exhausted, ready to tidy up the aftermath and showcase his "wisdom" and "indispensability."

The silent First Elder Yi Zhonghai saw through Yan Bu Gui's scheming. He knew counting on Lao Yan to sincerely resolve the issue was impossible. That old fellow, without profit he wouldn't rise early; he would never truly take the lead in a matter without benefit, only He Xini.

Yi Zhonghai's gaze swept over the angry Sha Zhu, the wailing Xu Damao, the ranting Wang Cuihua, and the surrounding neighbors—some sympathetic, some spectating, some indifferent.

He sighed inwardly; in this courtyard, people's hearts were becoming increasingly scattered. Though Xu Damao was detestable, pushing him to the brink helped neither Sha Zhu nor anyone else.

He cleared his throat and finally spoke, his voice not loud but carrying a calming authority: "Everyone stop arguing."

The courtyard fell noticeably quieter. Yi Zhonghai's accumulated prestige over the years gave his words weight.

"Zhuzi, hitting someone is wrong; an apology and compensation are required," he first set the principle, silencing Xu Damao and Wang Cuihua, "But fifty yuan is indeed excessive. Compensation should be based on actual loss."

He looked at Yan Bu Gui: "Old Yan, how much did you calculate it actually requires?"

Yan Bu Gui hadn't expected Yi Zhonghai to kick the ball back and demand a figure. He quickly calculated: if he said too little, Xu Damao would refuse, making him seem incompetent; if too much, Sha Zhu would refuse, making him appear biased. He needed a middle ground that wouldn't offend either side and would still seem fair.

He paused, then extended three fingers: "Using the most economical materials plus necessary expenses, I think… thirty yuan should settle it. Of course, that depends on which clinic Damao goes to." He left room for variability.

Thirty yuan still hurt Sha Zhu's pride, but it was far better than fifty. He opened his mouth to bargain, but seeing Yi Zhonghai's stern gaze, he swallowed his words.

Xu Damao and Wang Cuihua were clearly dissatisfied and wanted to argue.

Yi Zhonghai gave them no chance, hammering the decision: "Then it's thirty yuan! Zhuzi, take the money now! In front of everyone, give the money to Xu Damao! Then make a solemn apology! This matter will be considered settled! No one may bring it up again! And no retaliation in the future!"

His tone carried an unquestionable resolve. Like a swift knife cutting tangled rope, he would not let Lao Yan meddle any longer.

Sha Zhu, feeling aggrieved and his face flushed red, nevertheless, under Yi Zhonghai's piercing gaze, reluctantly returned to the house, rummaged through boxes and cabinets, cobbled together thirty yuan in crumpled small‑change and paper notes. He slammed the money heavily onto the table before Xu Damao.

"I'm sorry!" Those three words were almost forced out between his teeth.

Xu Damao stared at the pile of money, then at the tooth on his handkerchief, feeling a mix of emotions. He had the cash, but the loss felt truly humiliating! He glared viciously at Sha Zhu, snatched the money, stuffed it into his pocket, and, with Wang Cuihua's help, hobbled back to the back courtyard, muttering.

The uproar seemed to subside temporarily under Yi Zhonghai's strong intervention.

Yan Bu Gui watched the dispersing crowd, adjusted his glasses, feeling a slight regret: he hadn't maximized his value. Yet on second thought, having offended neither Sha Zhu nor openly aided Xu Damao, while maintaining a "fair" image, seemed not a loss.

The meeting concluded hastily.

In the cold wind, the Old Locust Tree's shadow stretched long. Sha Zhu, seething with anger, returned to the house, feeling more irritable facing Ma Dongmei's complaints and the children's cries. Meanwhile, back in the back courtyard, Xu Damao, touching the empty spot where his front teeth had been and the thin stack of money, had a look of resentment that nearly overflowed.

"Sha Zhu, you wait for me… if I don't avenge this, I, Xu Damao, will take your surname!" he swore unclearly, a new scheme already sprouting silently in the soil of pain.

Behind the window of Xi Kua Yuan, Li Ping'an withdrew his gaze from the Central Courtyard and gently drew the curtain. The outside clamor mattered not to him; he only wished to protect the warmth and tranquility of his little corner.