Chapter 13: 90: A Family by the Spring Chapter 13: Haven't Seen You for a Day, and You've Grown a Temper

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Mm, I know, thank you, Director Zhang."

Aunt Da's eyes lit up, she put down the sorghum liquor, and thanked her profusely.

"Go back and get it done as soon as possible."

Director Zhang was very satisfied with her perceptiveness: "The demolition has been decided; at most two months, everyone must move out."

"Thank you, Director Zhang."

Aunt Da looked grateful, and she and Uncle rose together to take their leave.

"Take the wine away; you're being too formal with me, no need to be polite."

Director Zhang carried the sorghum liquor and pretended to be displeased; Aunt Da and Uncle didn't wait for her to see them out, lifted the curtain, and walked away quickly.

——

Director Zhang was a good person who worried himself sick for the people in his jurisdiction.

However, man proposes and heaven disposes; no one could have predicted that her words would come true, and Huang Daye, just as he said, could pass away at any time in his old age.

That very night, the old man suddenly had a heart attack and passed away.

The first to notice something was wrong was Wang Daniang.

Wang Daniang made breakfast early in the morning and, as usual, took breakfast to Huang Daye. After knocking for a while with no response, she cautiously pushed open a crack to look inside.

That look nearly scared her to death.

Perhaps Huang Daye had struggled to get out of bed before dying; he fell from the bed still clothed, cracked his head open, and bled all over the floor.

Wang Daniang screamed in fright, alarming everyone in the courtyard.

Lin Xiyu's uncle was the first to run out of his house, rushed into the south room, and saw that Huang Daye had died with his eyes open, having passed away some time ago.

——

Huang Daye had no relatives nearby; Grandmother was kind-hearted and had Uncle take a day off to busy himself with the funeral and burial.

Director Zhang helped contact Huang Daye's son abroad, asking him to return to China to handle the inheritance.

Huang Daye's son did not want to return and instead entrusted his wife's brother Yan Hao, insisting he sell the house during the demolition.

Yan Hao came to Donghua Street No. 9 Courtyard again after ten years, with an even more arrogant attitude than before.

"Brother-in-law said he would never return to this backward, broken place in his lifetime, and thanked the JN City Government for doing a great deed for overseas Chinese, allowing him to legitimately drive away those people who squat on the toilet without shitting."

"Hey, hey, how can you talk like that?"

His arrogant and rude attitude angered Director Zhang, who had come to mediate the dispute, so much that the veins at the corner of his eye twitched.

Wang Daye and his son were even more furious, grabbed a rolling pin, and beat him out again.

"You just wait; Brother-in-law will definitely drive you out this time; don't think you can shamelessly occupy someone else's house and refuse to move."

Yan Hao was chased and beaten by the father and son, howling in pain, left a few harsh words, and slunk away.

——

"What's wrong with your courtyard? Fighting again?"

While the elders busied themselves with Huang Daye's funeral, Lin Xiyu helped Auntie watch the telephone booth; when Guben rode his bicycle to find her, he happened to see Yan Hao pass by in front of them in a flustered rage.

He touched his chin and found it unbelievable: "A fight every day; this frequency is a bit too fast, isn't it? How did a soft little lamb like you, who lets others bully you, survive from the wolf's mouth?"

"What are you talking about?"

Lin Xiyu couldn't stand him teasing her relatives; annoyed and embarrassed, she glared at him, thinking she looked very imposing: "Who's the lamb? The people in our courtyard aren't wolves; you don't know what's going on, so don't talk nonsense."

"Hah, haven't seen you for a day, and you've grown a temper?"

Guben looked at her quite amused, leaned forward, and his enlarged handsome face almost touched her nose.