Chapter 1147: Parading Them Off to the Bureau

"On what grounds are you throwing me out…"

"Then tie up the whole family and send them to the Gongan Bureau later. We were born under the red flag, raised in the spring breeze, we never stir up trouble, never brawl, we're honest, upright common folk — but that doesn't mean we let people bully us. Since you've taken my house and won't own up to it, let's see the officials about it. Trespassing on a private home, seizing personal property — that's enough for a few years behind bars."

The moment Ye Yaodong said that, they were all so scared their legs went weak; the children had long since burst into tears, wailing not to be arrested.

What ordinary commoner isn't afraid of the Gongan Bureau? It's a natural, instinctive awe.

"I… I'll pack up and leave right now…"

"Weren't you talking tough just now? Too late. Watch the front gate, don't let them run. Go get some rope, tie all of them up, and send them straight to the Gongan Bureau. Still dare to seize someone else's house?"

Perfect to make an example of them — otherwise this kind of thing would only keep cropping up, since he couldn't stay here year-round.

Their bad luck for running right into the line of fire; he'd parade them off to the Gongan Bureau in style.

It had only been a month since no one lived in this house, and already someone with designs on it had moved in. If he waited a year, it would be even worse — they'd all think the house was theirs.

The workers sprang into action at once — some looking for rope, some watching the front gate. The courtyard was filled with children wailing for their parents, and women begging for mercy and admitting their fault.

The commotion on their side drew a big crowd of nearby residents and neighbors, who all came running to the gate to see what was going on. Ye Yaodong also walked to the gate and said with a smile to the neighbors on either side.

"I've only been gone a month, and this family — I don't know where they came from — actually seized my house, pried open my lock. They're bullying me because I'm an outsider. I have all the paperwork, I'm the lawful owner of the house, it's properly registered. What they did is trespassing on my home, seizing my personal property — that's Ke Shi Fan Fa. Don't everyone panic, I'm just sending them to the Gongan Bureau, I won't lay a hand on anyone."

"My neighbors on either side should know me a little by now, should know I bought this house a couple months ago and lived in it for two months. Last month I just went back to my hometown for a trip, and these shameless people pried the lock. Have to teach them a lesson, or they'll think our local Gongan Bureau is just eating for free, think that as long as the owner's away they can just waltz in and take over — what kind of public order is that?"

Some neighbors chimed in: "Right, I recognize you — such a bright young fellow, you even gave us fish before."

"That's right, you lived here for two months before. I watched Old Qian sell the house to you. What they did isn't right."

"They're Old Qian's relatives. Half a month ago we saw them suddenly move in, we thought you'd sold the house again."

Others just pointed and whispered, staying silent — none of their business, hang high.

Ye Yaodong quickly thanked them. "Thank you, it really is true that good people are the majority in this world. You didn't look down on me for being an outsider, and you spoke up for what's right. They say a close neighbor is better than a distant relative — I'll still need everyone to look after me in the future."

"Why don't you just chase them off, give them a lesson — so many children, how pitiful…"

Ye Yaodong looked at the children, big and small — the older ones, twelve or thirteen, eleven or twelve, just stood there stunned, watching him timidly; the younger ones, around five, six, seven or eight, were already bawling with snot and tears streaming down their faces.

Children are naturally the vulnerable group. Tying up the adults is one thing, but tying up the children too really is a bit heartless.

Even though what he was doing was perfectly right, the wind could still shift — people would say he even had to tie up the kids. The parents took someone else's house, what would the children know? Treating even the children this way, he's no good sort either.

There would absolutely be people saying that.

He thought it over and said more gently: "What everyone says is right too. The parents committed the wrong, of course the parents bear it — the children shouldn't suffer for it. So we won't tie up the kids, just throw them out."

"Don't believe them, please help us — how could outsiders possibly afford to buy a house? My great-uncle's family went abroad, they just rented the house to them for two months, and afterward asked me to take over and look after the house. Who knew they'd come back and use their numbers to bully us…"

The man opposite, after his initial panic, steadied himself and started shouting, trying to rally the neighbors for help. He also grabbed a long bench, swinging it side to side to keep the boatmen from coming closer.

The woman opposite came to her senses too, and rushed to the stove to grab a kitchen knife, pointing it at them.

"Nobody come any closer, I don't want to go to the Gongan Bureau. Great-uncle told us to move in. You outsiders shouldn't take advantage of him not being home and twist the truth."

"All the Da Da Jiefang neighbors know we're relatives. Don't be fooled by them — they're using their numbers to seize us, then they'll take the house, and after that it'll be theirs…"

"Don't believe them, you outsiders are liars. Everyone help us throw them out…"

The husband and wife kept shouting, one line each, one holding the bench, one the knife, blocking the boatmen from coming closer. And after all that shouting, some neighbors really did start to waver.

Families who'd lived in this neighborhood for decades — everyone basically knew every household's relatives inside out.

Emotionally, of course these people trusted that family of seven or eight more.

Ye Yaodong burst out cursing. "You think you can take the house with empty words? A straight body fears no crooked shadow. I'm an outsider and I'm not afraid to go to the Gongan Bureau — what are you afraid of? Only a guilty conscience is afraid."

"Besides, if your great-uncle had entrusted the house to you to look after, he'd have given you the key directly. Look at this door, this lock — weren't they pried open? If he'd invited you to watch the house fair and square, why would you have to pry the lock and move in?"

What needed saying still had to be said, what needed arguing still had to be argued. With so many neighbors watching, and him being an outsider to begin with, he had to hold the moral high ground in public opinion.

Neighborly relations mattered a lot these days — unlike later generations, when you live in an apartment complex and don't know anyone, not even the people on the same floor.

"That's because you outsider rented the house and then changed the lock, so we had no choice but to pry it open."

"Fellow villagers, please help us. Everyone knows I'm a relative of the house's owner. These people are liars. Help us throw them out — throw them out of this town."

Watching this couple be so stubbornly obstinate, he was getting angry. He'd bought the house fair and square, and now they were twisting the truth on him.

"I don't have time to waste words with you. Off to the Gongan Bureau. I bought this house, there are records that can be checked, I'm not afraid. If you're scared, it just shows you've got something to hide."

"The neighbors on either side saw me buy the house two months ago. When Old Qian left, he said goodbye to the neighbors, said he'd sold the house and was going abroad with his son to enjoy life. Lots of people heard it, and watched me help them move their luggage. A few words from you won't twist that."

"One of you go fetch the Gongan Bureau. They're holding knives right now, threatening to kill — they want our lives. The punishment should be doubled."

The woman opposite, scared by his words, went pale. The knife in her hand trembled, she couldn't hold it steady, and she looked frantically to her husband beside her for help.

The husband's face was also deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down. Watching one of the boatmen volunteer to go report to the Gongan Bureau, his hands and feet trembled, and he immediately called out.

"Wait… le… let's talk this over…"

"Too late. I told you to get out at the start and you wouldn't listen, then you twisted the truth, and now you dare threaten us with knives and weapons, and try to whip up public opinion to make the neighbors the bad guys, to drive us out — you want everyone else to take the fall for you?"

Ye Yaodong told the boatmen to go straight out and call for people, no more arguing with them here. He'd already made everything clear in front of the neighbors — no one was a fool.

The neighbors on either side had also figured out who was right and who was wrong, and they all started pointing and whispering at the couple.

"So guilty-looking — this couple really does seem to be seizing someone else's house. That's just not right…"

"Right, they pried the lock and moved in while the owner was away, got caught and still won't leave, and even tried to trick us into helping them throw the owner out. That's just too wicked…"

"You can't bully someone just because they're an outsider. He hasn't done anything wrong — buys a house and then has it seized. That can't be right. People have to have some decency."

"This young fellow's a good sort too. The last few months he kept giving us fish and jellyfish, and when he saw us old folks had trouble carrying water, he had his workers help us…"

"You two, stop making up stories. Hurry up and pack your things and get out. The owner's come back, don't make it too ugly — what would it look like dragging this to the Gongan Bureau…"

The crowd was now unanimously trying to persuade the couple. Those who'd been wavering, leaning more toward the couple, had all seen how things stood. The eyes of the masses are sharp.

Once public opinion turned against them, the couple couldn't hold out much longer — especially since Ye Yaodong had sent someone to fetch the Gongan Bureau. They didn't want to go to jail.

They'd originally figured that as long as the neighbors believed them and helped throw these outsiders out together, they wouldn't be outnumbered. If they could fool the neighbors into believing them, they could keep the house.

Who knew these people would yell for the Gongan Bureau over every little thing? In this day and age, who yells for the Gongan Bureau over every little thing? Don't people just call the village committee?

The woman was in a panic, helpless — she couldn't even hold the knife anymore, just looking anxiously at her husband.

The husband was drenched in cold sweat.

Ye Yaodong gave a look to the nearby boatmen, and immediately someone rushed forward to snatch the knife from the woman's hand, then twisted her arms and subdued her.

The others also hurried forward. By the time the man came to his senses and raised the stool, he was already outnumbered; the stool was lifted high but hadn't come down yet before everyone rushed up and snatched it away.

"Good job. Tie them up and take them to the Gongan Bureau. Today's wages are doubled."

Everyone cheered happily, "Alright!"

"Don't arrest my daddy and mommy…"

"No…"

"Throw these kids out, send them back where they came from. They're this old, they can find their own way home. If they don't want to leave, let them go to the Gongan Bureau with their parents."

Everyone had rope ready long ago. Once the couple was subdued, they used the rope to bind their hands.

Ye Yaodong turned to the Da Da Jiefang neighbors and said, "This house was really and truly bought by me, for 2,200 yuan. I registered it at the sub-district office back then, and I also went to the police station and the housing management department. No matter what these people say, it won't change the fact that I'm the owner of this house. I'm not afraid to go to the Public Security Bureau. If any of you fellow villagers still have doubts, you can come with us to the Public Security Bureau. I'm just handling things according to the facts, I didn't hit or scold them."

Everyone nodded.

"It's this late already, the Gongan Bureau must be off work…"

"There's someone on duty, no need to worry."

"Then let's all go together, we're free anyway…"

After their hands were bound, the couple panicked and hurriedly begged for mercy, but Ye Yaodong had turned to talk with the Da Da Jiefang neighbors and paid them no attention.

Once everyone had tied up the couple, they pulled the rope and dragged them out the door, with their children following behind, crying as they went.

"We were really wrong, we'll leave right away, don't send us to the Gongan Bureau…"

"Boss, we'll pack up and leave now, boss, give us one more chance…"

"Please… we can't go to the Gongan Bureau, we can't be locked up, we still have so many children… For the children's sake, spare us this once… we won't do it again next time…"

Ye Yaodong looked at them, "So you admit that you pried open the lock on my house and occupied my house. That relative of yours never told you to watch the house. You just coveted the house, thought that I, an outsider, wouldn't stay here all the time, and wanted to take it over, right?"

The couple hurriedly nodded.

"Please, we were wrong, let us go, we'll pack up and leave right away."

The fellow villagers all shook their heads after hearing this.

Some also spoke up for them, saying just let them go, they know they were wrong and that's enough, just chase them away, there are still so many children.

Ye Yaodong said heartlessly, "I gave you a chance when I first walked in. You were the ones who talked tough. It's too late to be scared now. Take them away to the Gongan Bureau."

He couldn't compromise; he had to make an example of them.

After all, he really couldn't be here year-round. Once these two were tied up and paraded down the street, everyone would know this family tried to take his house while he was away. In the future, even if someone had Ren You Xiang Fa, they'd have to think twice.

It also let the locals know this house was his.

Ye Yaodong left two people to watch the house and the supplies, and the rest followed along to the Gongan Bureau.

The couple had been saying soft words and begging for mercy, but once they got onto the street, they shrank their necks and didn't dare make a sound, ashamed of losing face.

After all, they were locals; they always had relatives and friends around.

The Da Da Jiefang neighbors also followed behind to watch the fun, and along the way explained the facts to the bewildered onlookers.

The two of them being bound and walking down the street was basically a public parade. Apart from no one throwing rotten vegetables and rotten eggs, it was no different from the old P&D scenes. Many people in the city hadn't seen such a scene in years.

As they walked, the crowd grew larger and larger, and the news spread wider and wider. It was already evening, almost dark, and many people had finished dinner and were sitting at their doors cooling off, all drawn over.

Before they even reached the Gongan Bureau, police came over.

After learning the facts, Ye Yaodong handed the family over to the Gongan Bureau to take away first. At the same time, he reported the address of the house and his own name, so the police could check it easily when they went back.

The moment the couple saw the police, they immediately dropped to their knees and begged for mercy in every way.

When Ye Yaodong handed the people over to the police, he had essentially achieved his goal of making an example of them. This was done in full view of everyone, making it even more of a deterrent.

After the whole family was taken away by the police, the crowd still hadn't dispersed and was still discussing it.

He turned to everyone and said, "Fellow villagers, thank you. Justice is in the hearts of the people. A house is the biggest big-ticket item there is; many people can't afford to buy one in their whole lives. I believe if your own house was occupied by outsiders, you'd feel terrible too."

"Being poor isn't a reason to take someone else's house. Who isn't poor? But even if we're poor, we have to have backbone. We can't let people look down on us. Our country is ruled by law; occupying someone else's house is a crime. We ordinary folks must abide by the law. Since they broke the law, hand them over to the police. We can't take the law into our own hands."

"This matter is settled now, let's head back first."

After speaking, Ye Yaodong led his men out of the crowd and headed home.

"Dong-ge, you really bought this house, not rented it?"

"My heart was in my throat just now. You kept saying we were going to the Gongan Bureau. I thought you were just bluffing them, putting on a show."

"I also thought it was just to scare them, so when I heard we were going to the Gongan Bureau, I was scared to death too. Dong-ge kept emphasizing it."

"Awesome, A-Dong. You must have really bought it, that's why you could speak so loudly and weren't afraid to go to the Gongan Bureau to confront them and check the records."

Ye Yaodong nodded. After this whole ordeal, everyone knew this house was bought by him; there was no need to deny it.

"Of course I bought it. Otherwise, I couldn't have been so bold."

"2,200 yuan for this house isn't expensive. Although it looks pretty run-down and has some years on it, it's still quite big, several rooms, with a courtyard, and it's in the city. Back in the countryside, building a two-story house would also cost over two thousand yuan."

"Well, spending that much money back home would definitely get you a brand-new house, but the city is lively, no comparison."

"After today's scene, when we're not here in the future, probably no one will dare occupy A-Dong's house, right?"

Ye Yaodong shrugged, "Hard to say. Until it actually happens, who can be sure? Anyway, after this scene, everyone knows the house is mine. Anyone with ideas has to think twice."

"Where did this family even come from?"

"Didn't the Da Da Jiefang neighbors just say? This family has over a dozen people, but the old and young are all squeezed into a small house. The man has an older brother above him, that family has six or seven people, plus two elders. It was too cramped, so they set their sights on A-Dong's house."

"They figured Dong-ge is an outsider, not here now, who knows when he'd come over, so they got crooked thoughts, thinking they could just move in and not be found out. Especially since they're relatives of the previous owner, they even had an excuse to move in."

"Yeah, it's better to find someone to watch the house. Otherwise, if someone else lives there long enough, everyone will think the house is theirs. Even if the records have A-Dong's name, if the fellow villagers don't recognize it and a group of people insist on chasing us away, that would really be a hassle. After all, we're outsiders."

"Good thing we came in time today and caught them. They hadn't lived there long, the Da Da Jiefang neighbors all know A-Dong bought the house, and we could still take them down hard and send them to the Gongan Bureau."

Ye Yaodong thought the same. If the house had really been occupied for long, it might really be hard to deal with.

In his past life, he'd also heard about those court-auctioned houses. The house was bought by someone, but the old owner just wouldn't move out, making a scene and causing trouble. The police couldn't stay at your house forever to solve it for you.

If they came to make trouble every day, life would be impossible. Buying a house would mess up the whole family's life.

He figured he could rent it out for half a year when the time came, using a formal contract—proper and well-documented.

The big fellow chatted as he walked, and in no time they were back home.

The two left to watch the house had long since sat down to eat, and even saved some for those just returning.

"Hehe, this family just happened to be eating—works out for us. We've already put a new pot of rice on the stove, so once we're done moving the stuff we can eat again."

Ye Yaodong looked at the table full of leftovers and laughed scoldingly, "Damn, you guys sure had it easy. I left you to watch the house and you all went and ate?"

"Sat on the boat all day, hungry and tired. They weren't going to eat it anyway."

"Pack up all their stuff and toss it out into the yard. When their family gets the news they'll probably come cause trouble again, so just throw their things out for them."

With this whole big family moving in here, there's no way their family doesn't know—they definitely all know.

They're probably thinking, if they can take over the place, they might be able to move in together too.

"Okay."

"Leave four people here. The rest of you keep going to the dock to move cargo. My dad is alone on the boat watching over things, he's probably getting anxious. You two who've eaten your fill, put in a bit more work."

"Hahaha, alright."

"It's almost dark, everyone hurry up and move the cargo. The ones staying behind to clean up the house should also cook some rice on the side. If anyone comes causing trouble during this time, just handle it yourselves."

Everyone got moving.

Ye Fu, alone at the dock, had been waiting anxiously—pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot pan—muttering 'Amitabha' over and over. Why aren't they here yet? Bodhisattva, please protect them, don't let anything happen…

As if possessed by an old granny.

It wasn't until dusk was falling that he saw Ye Yaodong running back again, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"What's going on with you? Took so long—two whole hours have passed, and it's already dark. I thought something happened to you all."

"Something did happen, that's why we were delayed."

Ye Yaodong had people get on the boat to keep moving cargo, while he explained things to his dad.

"Then this house you bought isn't a good one. I told you, us out-of-towners buying houses here isn't great. No one to watch over it, easy for things to happen. It's only been a short while and it's already been occupied."

"It's unavoidable. That's why when I was in the city, I never thought about buying a house. When I went to the provincial capital, although I was tempted, I was even more afraid to buy. It's just that this house was too much of a coincidence—if I didn't buy it, I'd feel unwilling. So I figured I'd spend a bit over two thousand to buy one, treat it like a gamble. If I don't buy it, I'll definitely regret it later."

If he didn't buy it, he'd absolutely regret it later. Who knows how many times the price would multiply. A house in this street-facing location is once-in-a-lifetime.

In these times, everyone lacks housing. Families of dozens crammed into a hundred or two hundred square feet are everywhere. Who would sell a house?

Indeed, only people going abroad to enjoy life would sell a house. Otherwise, no one would be willing to part with one.

He wouldn't go looking for it himself, but when something like this is practically delivered to his door, he'd definitely take it. At most he'd take some precautions and try his luck.

And indeed, he wasn't short of that two thousand-plus yuan.

"You're always saying you'll regret it if you don't buy—the shop was the same, you said you'd regret it if you didn't buy."

"It's a fact. Didn't you see how much money the shop in the city made for me? That's a gold nugget. This house is also a gold nugget. Just you wait and see."

"Anyway, since we've bought it, keep an eye on it. When we're around, get on good terms with the neighbors on both sides. When the time comes to rent the house out, let the Da Da Jiefang neighbors help keep an eye on it too. A close neighbor is better than a distant relative."

"That's what I was thinking too."

So during the past two months of living here, he often greeted the neighbors on both sides to build good relations.

"That family that got arrested—do they really have to go to jail?"

"No way to know. Depends on how strict the local Gongan Bureau is. If they're strict, they'd really have to serve a few years. But they still have a bunch of kids at home—the youngest of those five or six kids is only about four or five. It might be a case of reducing a big issue to a small one, smoothing things over."

"Anyway, after going through something like this, they're scared now. Surely no one will dare occupy our house."

"They probably won't dare in the short term. If we're away for a long time, that's hard to say. There's always someone with a bad memory—over time, things fade."

"Mm…"

Ye Fu didn't know what to say either. He could only let him handle it as he saw fit.

Ye Yaodong led a few people back and forth twice before all the supplies on the boat were moved into the house.

And when they were moving things in on their second trip, a crowd of people were making a racket at the pitch-black doorway.

The moment their men arrived, the atmosphere instantly changed—a dozen or so bare-chested men standing together, and the troublemakers got nervous just looking at them.

Ye Yaodong shouted, "What are you doing? Just sent a few to the Gongan Bureau—you want to go keep them company? It's dark, but the Gongan Bureau still has people on duty."

"Their stuff has all been thrown out. Take it and get lost—this is our boss's house."

"We didn't touch them. They occupied our boss's house and then tried to twist the truth. We just sent them to the Gongan Bureau. Whatever the case, the police will decide. If you have complaints, take it up with the police."

"Who told them to occupy our boss's house? Now that they've been caught red-handed, they still have the nerve to come cause trouble. Have some shame. If you keep making trouble, you'll go in too."

"Think about it. If you behave yourselves, they might still get out. Otherwise, you'll just have to go in and keep them company."

That family—old and young alike—panicked a little when they heard they might go in too.

The neighbors on both sides also gathered around, urging them to go home first.

"Ah, you were in the wrong to begin with. You guys aren't in the right either. Just go home first. We don't even know how things will turn out yet."

"It's already dark. You all should wait until tomorrow. Go find out if they can be released."

"Right, getting them out is the most important thing. Making a scene here now is useless."

"A person really shouldn't have crooked thoughts… you all should go back, wait until tomorrow, see how things stand, then talk."

That family, taking the graceful exit everyone offered, went along with it. They knew they weren't in the right to begin with, so awkwardly they could only take their whole family—old and young—and the luggage that had been thrown out, and leave first.

Ye Yaodong thanked the Da Da Jiefang neighbors who had spoken up for them, again and again.

He figured if there was a trip out to sea tomorrow, he'd have to leave some goods to give to the neighbors on both sides as gifts.