Chapter 408: You Have the Ability, Yet Still Owe Foreign Debt?

Upon hearing Shazhu's words, Yan Bu Gui grew even more displeased.

He let out a cold snort, gave Shazhu a dismissive glance, and said with some contempt:

"Indeed, you think you're remarkable now."

"Feeding so many of us."

"I admire you."

"But if you were cultured, you'd surely be richer and wouldn't need to borrow money to support us, right?"

"So, in a nutshell, you have the ability yet still owe foreign debt?"

Hearing that.

Shazhu's face darkened involuntarily, "No, San Da Ye, when you say that I become displeased."

"If it were just me, could I borrow money?"

"If Qin Huairu weren't doing this damn business, could I borrow money?"

"It's not that I despise Qin Huairu and the others, or that you few elders are living poorly, is it?"

"Can I make you eat chaff and swallow vegetables?"

Liu Haizhong: "Yes, yes, yes, Old Yan, when you put it that way I can't agree."

"Let's not bring up the past anymore."

"Moreover, right now Shazhu is indeed more capable than you, right?"

Yan Bu Gui: "I never said Shazhu isn't more capable than me."

"But if Shazhu says that being cultured is useless, then I won't agree."

Shazhu: "San Da Ye, when did I ever say that being cultured is useless?"

"I, I only said that I have no culture."

Qin Huairu: "Enough, enough, stop arguing."

"Shazhu, just give San Da Ye a break."

"On this issue I can't yield to him."

"He can't just rely on his culture to bully me for being uncultured, can he?"

Yan Bu Gui shouted: "Shazhu, when did I ever bully you?"

"You, if you keep squeezing me like this, I… I will leave."

Shazhu let out a cold snort, saying nothing.

Yan Bu Gui glared at Shazhu, then stood up.

Yi Zhonghai hurriedly pulled him back to a seat and said:

"It's such a minor matter, why are you getting worked up?"

"Alright, let's stop talking, okay."

"Each take a step back."

"Take a step back, and the sea and sky open up."

Shazhu shook his head, let out a long sigh, lifted his wine cup, tipped his neck back, and drained it in one gulp.

Demolition Office.

Xu Damao arrived at the doorway, glanced at the person seated inside, and knocked on the door.

"Damao, come, come, come in, come in."

Xu Damao nodded, walked in, and sat opposite that person.

"Damao, we have a demolition form here."

"Go make a trip to the street office and get a stamp, okay?"

Xu Damao's brow twitched slightly, and he said with some difficulty:

"But, but, I don't know anyone there."

"Will they stamp it for me?"

That person handed the demolition form to Xu Damao and said:

"Sending you there is just so you can get to know people, right?"

"No problem, they'll stamp it."

"Besides, the next step still requires you to handle it."

"Right? There really is still something you need to do."

Xu Damao thought for a moment, nodded, took it, and said:

"Fine, I'll go there once."

"Thank you for the favor."

"I'll see to it that the matter is handled, so you can rest assured."

Having said that, he stood up and walked out.

Arriving at the street office, he got straight to the point and said:

"Master, I am from our District Demolition Office."

"We have a demolition form here; could you please stamp it?"

The street office director, who was talking with a subordinate, glanced at Xu Damao and said:

"Oh, you go over there and wait a moment."

Xu Damao nodded, placed the demolition form on the table, and sat down to the side.

The director glanced at the subordinate sitting opposite, then, while looking at the form in hand, said:

"In my view, let's report it like this."

"Liu Yumei from Apartment 87."

"A model of doing good deeds like Lei Feng."

"Li Guorui from Apartment 191."

"Physically crippled, but spirit unbroken."

"Also He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu from Apartment 40."

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao hurriedly turned his gaze to the director.

The director continued: "The two of them take pleasure in helping others, a model of respecting the elderly and caring for the young..."

Hearing this, Xu Damao couldn't help but interrupt:

"Um, no, that's not it, sorry."

"Who did you just mention?"

The director glanced at the form in his hand and said:

"He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu."

Xu Damao said with a disdainful expression:

"Only those two claim to respect the elderly and care for the young?"

The director slightly furrowed his brows and asked:

"No, who are you?"

Xu Damao: "I, I live in the same courtyard as those two."

"I know them too well."

"That's not how it is at all."

Director: "But we haven't heard any other complaints from your courtyard."

Xu Damao: "They've already won over people's hearts long ago."

"Besides, isn't that why I'm here to report?"

Director: "But I heard that the couple supports several elderly people."

Xu Damao: "That's called Hu Zou Ba le."

"Do they both support the elderly?"

"That's not the case."

"They coax those few simple‑minded elders to keep them alive."

The director, upon hearing that, fell into a moment of contemplation.

Xu Damao continued: "Think about it, that Shazhu—oh, He Yuzhu."

"He just found a job a few days ago."

"He, however, has been unemployed for a long time."

"He's held several jobs, none of which lasted long."

"He has no money to support those elders, right?"

"Supporting requires money; he's simple—does He Yuzhu have any? No."

"He's like a mud bodhisattva crossing a river—can't even protect himself."

"How many elders could he possibly support?"

"Are you asking about Qin Huairu as well?"

"Let me tell you, Qin Huairu is gluttonous and lazy, always leeching off Shazhu."

"Qin Huairu has long been off the job."

"She only receives fifty percent of the salary."

"She stays at each household."

"She lives off He Yuzhu's wages."

"But He Yuzhu has been unemployed for a long time."

"They can't even look after themselves."

"Where could they still support a few elders?"

"What could they possibly use to support them, right?"

"The fact is they send those elders out to scavenge junk to keep themselves alive."

The director furrowed his brows tightly and asked Xu Damao:

"What evidence do you have for saying that?"

Xu Damao: "No, of course I have evidence."

"Without evidence, could I speak recklessly?"

"At my age, I can't spout nonsense, right?"

"I just can't stand watching."

"Those elders are all in their eighties."

"Ah, having to go out scavenging every day is truly pitiful."

The director thought for a moment, looked at his subordinate, and said:

"Well, let's put this matter on hold for now."

"We'll discuss it after the investigation is clear."

Having said that, he looked at Xu Damao, pointed at him, and asked:

What are you doing here?