Chapter 18

Cao Weiguo took the wine, drank it in one gulp, and said with a smile, "If you follow me, you must learn earnestly. You cannot give up easily, and the same goes for being a person—you must be persistent!"

Liu Limin said sincerely, "I will listen to everything Master says!"

Liu Hong laughed heartily: "Hahaha... Good! My Limin is fortunate to have met a good master."

Sihe Academy

The news of Shazhu being criticized in a factory-wide bulletin spread quickly throughout the courtyard.

This was because most of the residents here were workers at the Rolling Steel Factory, and furthermore, there was Xu Damao's mouth.

Xu Damao and Shazhu were mortal enemies who frequently clashed in their daily lives.

Seeing Shazhu stumble was simply more satisfying than finding money.

"Shazhu, aren't you arrogant? The factory director and leaders all love eating your food!"

"What's the matter? Did you blow your own horn too much? Pfft, you've leaked air!"

"You've set a precedent for our courtyard; you're the first 'big shot' to be criticized in a factory-wide bulletin!"

Xu Damao shouted with schadenfreude, making Shazhu so angry he was ready to explode, drawing mocking shakes of the head from the neighbors.

"Xu Damao, are you looking for a beating?"

Having bottled up a belly full of anger at the factory, Shazhu was immediately ignited by Xu Damao's provocation.

He rushed up and began punching and kicking Xu Damao, and Yi Zhonghai, seeing this, hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

This Shazhu never learns from his beatings; he had just been punished by the factory for hitting someone, and now he was doing it again.

If Xu Damao reported this to the police station, Shazhu might end up in jail.

Yi Zhonghai shouted angrily: "Zhuzi, your scars haven't even healed and you've already forgotten the pain. Is the lesson not heavy enough?"

Xu Damao clutched his stomach and shouted: "Yi Zhonghai, this Shazhu is hitting people in public; I'm going to the neighborhood office to report him."

Yi Zhonghai said with a straight face: "Xu Damao, if you didn't provoke Shazhu, would he hit you? Isn't this something you brought on yourself?"

Xu Damao was choked with frustration and said with an angry face: "Yi Zhonghai, you're just being biased. It was clearly Shazhu who started hitting people, yet you're blaming me."

Qin Huairu leaned over: "Forget it, neither of you is a good person. It takes two to tango; neither of you should point fingers at the other."

Yi Zhonghai decided decisively: "This matter ends here. To make such a fuss over a few words of bickering and take it to the neighborhood office—isn't it shameful?"

Xu Damao left with a wave of his hand, feeling aggrieved: "Yi Zhonghai, just keep protecting Shazhu. There will come a day when you regret it."

Shazhu cursed angrily: "Grandson, haven't you had enough of my fists?"

Yi Zhonghai kicked Shazhu: "Zhuzi, when will you ever change that impulsive, foul habit of yours?"

Shazhu glared: "What's impulsive about it? They were looking for a beating and deserved it!"

Looking at the stubborn and tight-lipped Shazhu, Yi Zhonghai suddenly felt mentally exhausted.

If he weren't counting on Shazhu to provide for his old age, Yi Zhonghai really wouldn't want to deal with this blunt, loose-lipped fool.

Dragging Shazhu back into the room, Yi Zhonghai asked about the cause and effect of the bulletin criticism.

Shazhu cursed Cao Weiguo with a belly full of resentment: "That villain, I'll make him pay sooner or later."

Yi Zhonghai said in a deep voice: "Stop provoking that Cao Weiguo. A biting dog doesn't bark. Don't look at how he stays quiet in the courtyard and ignores everyone behind closed doors; he has plenty of schemes in his head."

Shazhu, unconvinced, pounded the table with his fist: "Evil cannot triumph over good. Yi Zhonghai, just watch. If I don't make that villain Cao Weiguo call me Grandpa, then my name isn't He."

Yi Zhonghai scolded Shazhu angrily: "Zhuzi, why are you so stubborn? Haven't you suffered enough bitterness yet?"

Qin Huairu pushed the door open and walked in: "Cao Weiguo is back, and he's drinking so much he's swaying while he walks. How can such a stingy person be willing to spend money on drinking?"

Shazhu said with disdain: "Hmph, it was that fat pig Liu from logistics treating him. It's truly fish finding fish, shrimp finding shrimp, and turtles finding tortoises—they're all black-hearted villains."

Qin Huairu said in surprise: "This Cao Weiguo has wild connections. Why would the logistics director treat him to a meal?"

Shazhu said dismissively: "Cao Weiguo took in the nephew of that fat pig Liu from logistics as an apprentice—the same big, stupid guy I flatly rejected before the new year."

Qin Huairu looked at Shazhu, speechless. He had grown so big, yet he didn't understand the ways of the world.

He pushed away such an opportunity to build a good relationship with the Deputy Director of Logistics.

Yi Zhonghai was filled with helplessness. Sure enough, there are only wrongly given names, never wrongly given nicknames.

He really is a Shazhu!

Relying on having a bit of skill, he doesn't take anyone seriously.

Compared to the shrewd Cao Weiguo, Shazhu is just a reckless brute.

Sigh!

Why hadn't he noticed Cao Weiguo before?

If only Cao Weiguo could provide for his old age!

Back Yard

Xu Damao stopped the alcohol-reeking Cao Weiguo: "Weiguo, you're back."

Cao Weiguo responded groggily: "Brother Xu, back from, from showing movies."

Xu Damao said with a smile: "Came back at noon. Thanks for helping my family change the lightbulb this morning. I'll definitely treat you to a drink another day."

Cao Weiguo waved his hand, swaying: "Drink again! Can't drink! Can't drink!"

Looking at Cao Weiguo's drunken state, Xu Damao smiled: "Not today, forget it. You've really had quite a lot; hurry back to your room and rest."

The enemy of an enemy is a friend!

The well-informed Xu Damao had already heard at the factory that Shazhu was criticized in the bulletin because he had a conflict with Cao Weiguo.

In the past, Xu Damao wouldn't have looked twice at the solitary Cao Weiguo.

But now it was different. Cao Weiguo had become a regular in the cafeteria, and the food he cooked tasted even better than Shazhu's.

He had status, skill, and a grudge against Shazhu.

Xu Damao was pondering forming an alliance with Cao Weiguo.

A union of two strong forces to fix Shazhu together.

But now that Cao Weiguo was completely wasted, discussing cooperation would have to wait for another day.

"Alright then, I'm going, going back to my room."

Cao Weiguo swayed back to his room, and Xu Damao shook his head as he went home.

Lou Xiaoe heard that Cao Weiguo had drunk too much and wanted to cook a bowl of hangover soup for him.

It could also be considered a thank you for his help that morning.

Xu Damao said with disgust: "You're a married woman, why are you crowding around a single drunkard? Use your brain." ===== CHAPTER 20 =====