Chapter 93: It's time to make one's presence felt

The courtyard assigned to Lin Shengli by the steel mill wasn't far; after informing Yi Zhonghai, Lou Xiao'e quickly returned to the courtyard.

Passing by Shazhu's home, she took a look—Shazhu was sitting at the table, Liu Haizhong and Qin Huairu stood to one side, she didn't know what they were talking about.

Lou Xiao'e didn't think much and walked in.

"Did you notify Eldest Uncle?" Seeing Lou Xiao'e, Liu Haizhong hurriedly asked.

"Yeah, Eldest Uncle said he'll be back soon." Lou Xiao'e nodded.

Qin Huairu let out a long sigh, looked at Lou Xiao'e and said:

"Xiao'e, I just mentioned to Second Elder that we're calling a full courtyard meeting like this—too hasty."

"Why not go notify Third Elder and Eldest Uncle and cancel it?"

Lou Xiao'e frowned: "Why?"

Qin Huairu: "Because Second Elder is right here."

"He's the highly respected second-in-command of our courtyard."

"This matter, he can settle it right here."

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong immediately lifted his head, saying with a proud and satisfied expression:

"That's not impossible."

Whether at the steel mill or in the courtyard, he has always been suppressed by Yi Zhonghai.

If he resolves this matter alone, afterwards word will spread and he'll have even more prestige.

Whenever anyone encounters a problem, they will come to him.

Qin Huairu said: "But Second Elder, let's not first say whether this chicken was stolen by Shazhu."

"With your prestige, you should first call on the people at home to go look."

"Once this chicken, where would it crawl out from some corner?"

"Wouldn't that just wrong Shazhu?"

"Second Elder, Eldest Uncle isn't here—this is exactly your chance to establish authority."

"You wouldn't want to miss this opportunity, would you?"

Liu Haizhong grunted "uh" and nodded.

Needless to say, Qin Huairu is a top player, having Liu Haizhong wrapped around her finger.

Seeing this.

Lou Xiao'e also said anxiously:

"Second Elder, I've already told Eldest Uncle; he said he'll come to preside over the full courtyard meeting."

Liu Haizhong: "Well, I think what Qin Huairu said also makes sense."

Qin Huairu: "Exactly, Second Elder, you should go quickly."

"With your prestige, once you say this, everyone will help."

"Through this matter, your standing in everyone's hearts will rise even higher."

Lou Xiao'e: "No, Qin Huairu, what do you mean?"

"You mean it's not that Shazhu stole it, right?"

"If not him stealing it, then who stole it?"

"Could it be that Bang Geng stole it?"

Hearing this, Qin Huairu, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, shouted:

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

"Enough, enough, enough, I don't care about your messed-up affairs."

Having said that.

She stamped her foot, glanced at Shazhu, and walked out.

Shazhu felt depressed.

Originally he thought this solution would be fine.

Let's find.

Delay time.

Who knows, maybe the full courtyard meeting won't be able to be convened then.

In the end, it's very likely this matter will just fizzle out.

However.

When Lou Xiao'e suspected Bang Geng, Qin Huairu ran away.

No longer bothering with him.

Although he also knows Bang Geng's status in Qin Huairu's heart is definitely higher than his, Qin Huairu's running off like that doesn't it show that in her eyes he's nothing?

As long as Bang Geng is threatened, she immediately washes her hands of it.

Exactly.

Qin Huairu is worried about this.

Worried about drawing disaster onto Bang Geng.

Anyway, Shazhu now admits he stole it.

Moreover, based on her understanding of Shazhu, Shazhu won't give up Bang Geng.

As for how Shazhu is, she just can't be bothered.

After Qin Huairu left, Liu Haizhong seemed to have lost his backbone.

He opened his mouth wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.

Finally, he could only look at Lou Xiao'e and ask:

Lou Xiao'e, what do you think?

Lou Xiao'e: "Let's hold a general meeting for the whole courtyard."

Liu Haizhong helplessly nodded: "Fine, let's hold the general meeting."

Night fell.

Qin Huairu glanced at Bang Geng, then at Xiao Dang and Huaihua, and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

She had figured it out.

Bang Geng really did bring his two sisters to eat chicken today.

Shazhu wasn't wrong.

Several kids didn't want to eat rice, and Huaihua even had oil spots on her.

It's obvious they ate chicken outside, so they're not hungry now.

After another long sigh, she looked at Bang Geng and asked:

"Bang Geng, tell Mom the truth."

"Is the chicken from Xu Damao's family stolen by you?"

Bang Geng pursed his lips and said nothing.

Jia Zhangshi was unhappy: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"Is our Bang Geng really that kind of person?"

Bang Geng had already formed an offensive-defensive alliance with Xiao Dang and Huaihua.

No matter what, he wouldn't admit that the chicken was stolen by him.

But in the end, Huaihua still betrayed him.

Helpless, he quickly said:

"That chicken really wasn't stolen by me."

"I picked it up in Qian Yuan."

"If I didn't catch it, it would have run away."

Qin Huairu, angry, poked Bang Geng's head with her finger and scolded:

"You just keep causing trouble for me."

Fortunately, Shazhu is still here.

With Shazhu covering for them, Qin Huairu isn't too worried.

Jia Zhangshi rolled her eyes and said:

"You three, listen up."

"After eating, you're all to do your homework at home."

"No one is allowed to go out."

About half an hour later.

The Siheyuan held a general meeting.

Lin Shengli and Zheng Juan sat on the long bench in the corner, cracking melon seeds while chatting quietly.

It's rare to have leisure; coming to feel the atmosphere of the Siheyuan general meeting, being a bystander, is not bad.

Seeing that almost everyone had arrived, Yi Zhonghai was about to ask if everyone was present when Liu Haizhong stood up and stood right in front of him.

This also made him frown involuntarily.

However, thinking of Liu Haizhong's nature—likes to show off—let him be.

Liu Haizhong looked around, cleared his throat, and said loudly:

"Today we convene this general meeting..."

Just then, Yan Bu Gui stood up and spoke even louder than Liu Haizhong:

"Um, is everyone here?"

Liu Haizhong looked unhappily at Yan Bu Gui.

Yan Bu Gui smiled apologetically and said:

"Lao Liu, by convention, we should first ask if everyone is present."

Liu Haizhong: "Oh, right, you, you sit down first."

"I'll ask."

Saying that, he looked around the crowd and asked:

"Is everyone here?"

"Who's still missing?"

"If no one says otherwise, that means everyone is here."

"I reckon everyone is here."

"Alright, let's begin now."

"Today, this general meeting has just one agenda."

"Xu Damao's family had a chicken stolen, ah."

"At this moment, someone's stove is stewing a chicken."

"Maybe it's a coincidence."

"Maybe it's not a coincidence."

"Right?"

I, Eldest Uncle, San Da Ye, and we analyzed together.

We decided to hold a full institute meeting, ah.

Well, Eldest Uncle did show up, but after all he doesn't live here anymore.

Tonight I, as Second Elder, will chair this meeting.