Chapter 94: The Decision‑Maker

The moon is in the sky, and the courtyard is fairly bright.

Lu Cheng holds a bowl of zhajiang noodles, plops his bottom onto the bench, with Sun Yan Hong on his left and Lu Ying on his right.

"Sister."

"No money."

Lu Cheng can only look at Sun Yan Hong: "Sister Yan Hong, help me peel the garlic cloves, and from now on I'll only care for you, not my sister."

Sun Yan Hong covers her mouth with a smile, takes the garlic cloves, and says, "Alright, I'll peel them for you."

Lu Ying looks outward and asks, "Where's Qing Yan? Why hasn't she gotten off work yet?"

Lu Cheng stirs the zhajiang in his bowl: "I asked her when I came from Beijing Station; she has a night shift today, and Huang Chunjiao will pass by and bring her back. Sister, what kind of meeting is this?"

Lu Ying pouts and shakes her head: "I don't know, but since Teacher Wu is so kind as to give everyone cured meat today, I guess he wants to be the decision‑maker of our courtyard."

It seems everyone thinks that way.

The already small Inner Courtyard is packed to the brim; the female comrades sit together knitting sweaters, while the male comrades smoke and chat about factory matters.

When most of the courtyard's people have gathered, Zhao Daye stands, waves his hand to signal everyone to quiet down, and soon the courtyard is left only with the sound of Lu Cheng slurping his noodles vigorously.

Zhao Daye looks over, and Lu Cheng lifts his bowl, saying, "Zhao Daye, my noodles are clumped, I can't suck them in without force, so just speak your part and pretend I'm not here."

Zhao Daye shakes his head: "Alright, since everyone is here, I'll say something…"

Our Da Za Yuan, compared with other courtyards, has over a dozen more people; with more people it looks messy, and everyday each family's matters are also more.

Everyone knows that after I retired from the steel rolling mill, I fell seriously ill not long ago; although I'm slowly recovering, age catches up, and my body clearly doesn't have the vigor it once did.

So I've been thinking, let's elect another person in our courtyard to help manage things; what do you all think?

Although Zhao Daye's two sons are troublemakers, Zhao Daye himself is still a good person; whenever something in the courtyard needs coordination with the Street Office, he's the one handling it inside and out.

Given Zhao Daye's poor health, no one objects.

"Zhao Daye, your health is poor, you should rest more; we will listen to you."

"Indeed, Zhao Daye, this big courtyard always has matters that trouble you; we all appreciate your kindness."

Zhao Daye's face breaks into a smile; being recognized by so many means his years of hard work haven't been in vain.

"Alright, I'm not saying I'll stop caring about courtyard affairs; I just want to find another person to assist."

How about this: I think Teacher Wu is suitable; he is cultured, and whatever the Street Office needs, my tongue is clumsy, but with Teacher Wu stepping forward, he can definitely secure more benefits for our courtyard.

Hearing Zhao Daye's words, everyone had mentally prepared, but actually voicing it still feels a bit uncomfortable.

You gave everyone meat to eat, if you give good meat, everyone would surely support, but you ended up with cured meat of unknown year, probably not stored properly, causing everyone to get diarrhea.

Pang Ya from the East Wing Room can't help but shout: "Teacher Wu, you want to be the decision‑maker of our courtyard, we support you, but please don't serve that bad meat again; today my son, because he was slow to take off his pants, soiled his crotch."

"Yes, Teacher Wu, even if you don't give meat, as long as you do real work for our courtyard, we will definitely support you."

Wu Guiwen looks embarrassed; those two pieces of cured meat were bought by him on the black market from an old woman from the countryside, weighing three jin, yet he only paid two mao.

At the time he realized the cured meat might be problematic; otherwise it wouldn't be so cheap, but then he thought cured meat is meant for long storage, so even if there's an issue it wouldn't be a big deal.

Just diarrhea; at least the mouth gets a whiff of meat flavor, satisfying a meat craving.

Wu Guiwen stands from the bench and never mentions the cured meat again.

"Just now Zhao Daye said something, let me add a few words: having another decision‑maker in the courtyard can only bring benefits, no harm."

We all belong to one big courtyard; living together is fate, a big family. I wouldn't dare say other things, but as long as it's beneficial to the courtyard, I will definitely get involved, for example this…

Lu Cheng had finished his bowl of zhajiang noodles, fetched another bowl from the kitchen, and when he heard Wu Guiwen say "for example this", he knew the business was about to begin.

Wu Guiwen first points his finger around the courtyard, then continues: "For example this chaotic building issue—if this continues, tomorrow you'll build a chicken coop, the day after someone builds a coal shed, and our courtyard will truly have no place to set foot."

"And another example: the wall on the right wasn't there during the day, but appeared at night; my mother, while going to the bathroom, wasn't paying attention and ran into it, and she's still lying in bed; if we don't rectify it, walking will become difficult."

"Everyone, is this reasoning correct?"

Yet no one speaks, only keeping heads down to knit sweaters.

The reason everyone has this attitude is that each family has been building haphazardly.

Even Zhao Daye remains silent; after all, his two sons have the most small houses built, and with many family members, they can't all fit into one East Wing Room.

When the interests involve everyone, a wrongdoing no longer feels like a wrongdoing.

Seeing Zhao Daye hasn't spoken, Wu Guiwen knows he can't start by attacking Zhao Daye's family, after all Zhao Daye nominated him.

Since this must be done, who should be the target? Wu Guiwen scans below and quickly forms a plan.

"How about this: the structures already built were surely for special reasons; if we tear them down, the bricks are wasted. As for the newer constructions, like the Beitang family's chicken coop, I think it's truly unnecessary."

Now it's winter, raising chicks is hard; better to free up the land, make it spacious, and maybe plant some flowers and grass—what's that called again?

Lu Cheng lifts his bowl, immediately raises his hand: "Teacher Wu, that's called greening."

Chen Xianglan, who is sitting in front, taking off woolen pants, turns and glares: "Seems you're talkative, you're about to tear down our family's chicken coop, and you still speak up for them!"

Lu Cheng smiles, deliberately raises his voice: "Mom, Teacher Wu is doing this for the good of our courtyard; indeed the chaotic building problem must be fixed. Teacher Wu, I support you."

Wu Guiwen visibly freezes for a moment; he decides to first dismantle the Lu Beitang family's chicken coop, already prepared for a showdown with Lu Cheng, the troublemaker.

Everyone in the courtyard knows Lu Cheng is a slick kid, never taking anyone seriously.

But tonight, Wu Guiwen truly isn't afraid of him.

Because the Lu Beitang family's head became an Educated Youth, the remaining four members occupy three houses, making the courtyard residents extremely jealous.

They already have enough houses, yet they still take up outdoor space!

Thus targeting the Lu Beitang family first will meet no opposition, and will even be firmly supported.

Sure enough, when he announced the removal of the Lu Beitang family's chicken coop, no one openly objected, and no one opposed.

But Lu Cheng jumped out, didn't confront him, and even supported him, leaving Wu Guiwen utterly surprised.

Everyone, including the others, was surprised: Has Lu Cheng changed his nature?

But Sun Yan Hong doesn't think so; Lu Cheng is a spoiled brat, hoping he'll change is impossible, who knows what evil is brewing in his belly.