Chapter 38: Harboring a Grudge, Preparing to Spread Rumors

"What I mean is," Li Mingyuan said unhurriedly, "if you truly care about the old lady, why don't you personally make something delicious for her? Instead of coveting the food in my bowl?"

Yi Zhonghai's expression changed, "Chief Engineer Li, these words of yours..."

"Besides," Li Mingyuan did not give him a chance to argue, and continued,

"You drink your little cups of wine every day, how come I've never seen you treat the old lady to a meal even once? Why is it that when it comes to me, you suddenly remember to respect the old and cherish the young?"

These words made Yi Zhonghai's face turn livid, his whole body trembling.

Long Laotai was also stunned, her eyes flickering.

"Chief Engineer Li, you've gone too far!" Yi Zhonghai finally couldn't hold back, his voice rising by eight degrees,

"I kindly reminded you to respect your elders, and you actually speak to me like this!"

Li Mingyuan let out a cold laugh, "Master Yi, stop the act. Isn't it just that you've taken a fancy to this plate of meat? You insist on using the banner of respecting the old to morally kidnap me."

"You!" Yi Zhonghai was so angry he couldn't speak.

Yi Zhonghai's face turned blue and then white, and finally he squeezed out, "No need! Let's go!"

After saying this, he pulled Long Laotai and prepared to leave.

Long Laotai, however, did not move, squinting her eyes as she looked at Li Mingyuan, seemingly re-evaluating this young man.

After the two left, He Yuzhu let out a long breath, "Uncle Li, you are too amazing! If it were my dad, he definitely would have been persuaded by them."

Li Mingyuan shook his head, "Yuzhu, remember, kindness is not the same as weakness. Helping others is a virtue, but you cannot let people use your kindness to morally kidnap you."

"What is moral kidnapping?" He Yushui asked curiously.

Li Mingyuan thought for a moment and explained in a way a child could understand, "It's when someone uses morality to demand you do something, forcing you to act according to their wishes, otherwise you appear immoral."

He Yuzhu nodded thoughtfully, "Just like Uncle Yi Zhonghai, talking about respecting the old and loving the young, but actually just wanting to eat our meat?"

"That's about the meaning." Li Mingyuan smiled, "Alright, don't think so much, let's eat."

"Old lady, let's go!" Yi Zhonghai angrily pulled Long Laotai away from Li Mingyuan's small courtyard, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

The two were silent all the way until they returned to Yi Zhonghai's room and closed the door; only then did Yi Zhonghai finally erupt.

He slammed his fist on the table, making a dull "thud" sound.

"Too much! Too much!" Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth, his eyes full of rage, "This Li Mingyuan, how dare he humiliate me like this!"

Long Laotai sat down slowly, leaning on her cane, squinting her eyes as she watched Yi Zhonghai lose his temper.

She said unhurriedly: "I told you this kid wasn't easy to deal with, but you wouldn't believe me."

Yi Zhonghai paced back and forth, trembling with anger, "He actually dared to say I don't respect the old in front of the old lady! I, Yi Zhonghai, have been in the Siheyuan for decades; who doesn't know I respect the old and love the young?"

"Enough, stop shouting." Long Laotai impatiently tapped the floor with her cane,

"What's the use of you getting this angry? You need to find a way to fix him."

Yi Zhonghai stopped his pacing and took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions.

He sat down opposite Long Laotai and asked in a low voice: "Does the old lady have any good ideas?"

Long Laotai pondered for a moment, a glimmer of shrewdness flashing in her eyes,

"This Li Mingyuan has a high salary, good benefits, and can always get meat. In this day and age, how many people can eat meat every day?"

Yi Zhonghai nodded thoughtfully, "You mean..."

"Just say his lifestyle is corrupt!" Long Laotai sneered,

"How could an ordinary engineer live like this? If it's not corruption, it's pulling strings. Besides, he's a grown man; his purpose in taking in He Yuzhu and his sister definitely isn't simple."

"Right! Exactly!" Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up, "Just say he's a running dog of the capitalists, with corrupt ideology and a lavish lifestyle!"

Long Laotai nodded with satisfaction, "Add some oil and vinegar and say he often brings women home, and who knows what kind of business he's up to in the middle of the night."

The more Yi Zhonghai thought about it, the more excited he became, but he suddenly frowned again, "But... old lady, if that's the case, why don't we just go report him directly? Why go around in circles?"

Long Laotai looked at him with disdain, "You, your brain just isn't sharp. If we go report him directly and they don't find anything, once that kid finds out it was us, won't he come looking for trouble?"

Yi Zhonghai was stunned, then suddenly realized, "The old lady is wise! It really won't do to let people know we are the ones pulling strings behind the scenes."

"So," Long Laotai said meaningfully,

"We have to find a scapegoat and let someone else report him. We'll just give a push from behind without showing our faces."

Yi Zhonghai nodded repeatedly, but soon ran into a difficulty,

"Who should we find? This matter isn't easy to handle."

Long Laotai let out a cold snort,

"Aren't you usually the best at winning people over? Who in the courtyard doesn't respect you a little? Are you afraid you can't find someone to help?"

Yi Zhonghai pondered for a moment, a cunning smile appearing on his face,

"Liu Haizhong! Right, let's let Liu Haizhong do it. He already finds Li Mingyuan an eyesore, and having been squeezed out of the Assault Team, he's already holding a grudge."

"Liu Haizhong alone isn't enough," Long Laotai shook her head, "We need to find another one; use a two-pronged approach, the bigger the commotion, the better."

"Yan Bugui!" Yi Zhonghai blurted out,

"That man is the most snobbish and loves to meddle in other people's business. As long as we give him a little hint, he'll definitely respond actively."

Long Laotai smiled with satisfaction,

"That's a good idea. But you must act carefully; don't let people realize we're the ones instigating it behind the scenes."

Yi Zhonghai said confidently: "Don't worry, old lady, I have plenty of ways."

He stood up and poured himself a cup of tea, his mood clearly much better, "Tomorrow I'll go find Liu Haizhong first, then go over to Yan Bugui's place."

"Remember," Long Laotai reminded, "don't say it directly; you have to beat around the bush and let them 'discover' Li Mingyuan's 'problems' themselves."

Yi Zhonghai nodded, a sinister light flashing in his eyes, "I understand."

"Speaking of which," Long Laotai suddenly changed the subject,

"How do you plan to deal with that kid He Yuzhu? He has, after all, defected to Li Mingyuan."

Yi Zhonghai's face darkened, "That ungrateful wretch! I treated him so well, yet he turned around and followed Li Mingyuan."

He gritted his teeth and said, "But it doesn't matter. Once I ruin Li Mingyuan's reputation, He Yuzhu will naturally lose his backer, and by then, won't he have to obediently come back to me?"

Long Laotai said meaningfully, "Don't forget about the matter of He Daqing. If He Yuzhu finds out the truth..."

"He won't find out!" Yi Zhonghai said decisively, "He Daqing has already been driven away by us; he doesn't dare to come back."

"I hope so," Long Laotai sighed.

"This Li Mingyuan is too strange; I always feel like he knows everything. You must be careful in your actions and leave no evidence behind."

Yi Zhonghai nodded, his eyes sinister, "Rest assured, old lady, I will not act impulsively. I will start the operation tomorrow, beginning with Liu Haizhong."