Chapter 416: I've Said So Much, How Could It Not Move You?

When he heard Teacher Ran's final words, Shazhu's face darkened, and he couldn't help but interrupt, saying:

"Teacher Ran, wait, I—I don't think there's anything wrong with my situation."

"I've gotten together with Qin Huairu, and her three children are all pretty good to me."

"I'm really happy."

Teacher Ran nodded, looking at Shazhu with a look of "I wish you would fight," and said:

"That's good then."

"As long as you're happy, that's fine."

"I think we don't need to continue this conversation."

Shazhu was startled for a moment, then said:

"Wait, I still have something to say; if I don't speak it, I won't be satisfied."

"Y-you can wait, and listen to me finish?"

Teacher Ran: "Alright, go ahead, I'm listening."

Shazhu thought for a moment and said: "As for what kind of person Qin Huairu is, the benevolent see benevolence, the wise see wisdom."

"We have no need to discuss it further."

"What I want to tell you now is San Da Ye, that is, Yan Bu Gui, Teacher Yan, from your former Hongxing Elementary School."

Teacher Ran: "Continue."

Shazhu: "San Da Ye, oh, that is Teacher Yan—don't you think he deserves help?"

"Teacher Yan is just scheming; he has no other flaws."

"Back then, he was decent to you, right?"

Teacher Ran: "No need to bring that up."

"How he treated me, I know clearly—clearer than you do."

"You keep talking, I'm listening."

Shazhu hesitated, then said: "Actually, I still want to tell you something."

"Just talk about the Second Elder of our courtyard."

"He, now he's completely changed, unlike before, the two of them."

Teacher Ran: "That has nothing to do with me."

"If you think he's good, then he is good."

Shazhu: "Fine, then let's talk about San Da Ye of our courtyard, that is Teacher Yan."

"He has three sons and a daughter."

"His eldest couple are indeed filial, but only in words."

"Actually, those are apprentices that Teacher Yan and his wife raised themselves."

"This old couple calculate heaven and earth."

"But they've never calculated themselves here."

"Now they're old; if they don't reckon, it won't succeed."

Teacher Ran thought for a moment and asked: "He Yuzhu, I'm suddenly very curious—what exactly are you after by doing this? Why do you do it?"

Shazhu let out a long sigh and said: "Indeed, what am I doing this for?"

"Teacher Ran, you don't really understand our courtyard."

"Our courtyard once had an old lady, who could be called the ancestor of our courtyard."

"When she stomped her foot in our courtyard, the whole courtyard would shake three times."

"She was a five‑guarantee household, childless and without any relatives."

"Although she was under the Conquest Bureau, those two coins really couldn't accomplish anything."

"Who looked after her? At first, it was Eldest Uncle of our courtyard who took charge."

"Eldest Uncle was truly kind to her."

"But later Eldest Uncle's nephew arrived, and gradually he stopped looking after her."

"What to do then?"

"I'll take over then."

"When Eldest Uncle stopped, I took over until I sent the old lady away."

"Even now I have no regrets."

Teacher Ran smiled lightly, saying nothing.

Shazhu continued: "Maybe some would think I'm after her house."

"But, to be honest, I really didn't think that much at first."

"It wasn't just at the start; later I still didn't think about it, truly."

"I simply felt sorry for her and wanted to do my part."

"Actually, in this life, when it comes to being a person, I learned everything from Eldest Uncle of our courtyard."

"He truly is good."

"Although his nephew arrived and some things changed."

"But now it's back to the way it was."

"He is still the good Eldest Uncle of our courtyard."

"He, compared to my father, is far stronger."

"Of course, Eldest Uncle now has someone to look after him."

But, he likes being with us.

Right?

And Second Elder, San Da Ye, they really have no one looking after them.

Okay, then I'll take care of them.

Now I've figured it out too; it turns out they're just afraid of being lonely.

As long as they're not lonely, if you lead them to eat coarse food, they won't complain.

Teacher Ran had no interest in listening further.

But she still didn't say anything.

Shazhu let out a sigh, lost in self-indulgence, and continued speaking:

People, as they go on living, just end up living like old children.

A few days ago......

Ah, this is also because I'm no good.

These three old men, namely our courtyard's Eldest Uncle, Second Elder, and San Da Ye, they helped me pick up scrap.

Ah, young people, who cares about that, right?

There are filial ones; in our courtyard, for example, the family of the Fourth Aunt in our Qian Yuan, their children are all filial.

Even the father-in-law is old now; he also needs someone to talk to.

The children work away; what can we do?

So, from the start I've had the idea for this small courtyard.

But, it's too difficult.

First, the funding problem.

Second, the children of Second Elder's family and San Da Ye's family don't agree to sell the house to me.

Actually, even if they agreed now, I still wouldn't have money to buy it.

I said, if I had some money, I'd buy this house under the children's name, room by room.

Then the elders could rely on this house for their old age, right?

Gradually, wouldn't this small courtyard become a nursing home?

Young people love living in apartment buildings, but the elderly don't want to.

They just want to stay together.

Yes, today I got cross with you.

Tomorrow he'll fall out with him again.

It looks like they're fighting, but actually it's fun.

If you don't believe me, separate them, and they'll all be lonely.

Sooner or later they'll suffocate into illness.

This depression will surely make them sick from holding it in.

This is my greatest dream.

Those inside the courtyard, outside the courtyard, the elderly who want to gather, or those with no one looking after them, can all come to me, and I'll take care of them.

But, this is just a dream.

I don't have that much money; frankly, I just don't have that much ability.

Teacher Ran: "You just need to know that."

With whatever ability you have, do whatever you can.

Don't waste time thinking about things you can't do.

Alright, I have something else to do; let's stop chatting for now.

Shazhu became a little unhappy.

He originally wanted to move Teacher Ran, but who knew Teacher Ran was completely unmoved.

He said so much, spent so much effort, yet they weren't moved at all.

Seeing him not speak, Teacher Ran asked:

How so, do you still have something to say?