Chapter 55: Shazhu

Sihe Academy

In the glow of the sunset, the courtyard was very lively.

There are no airtight walls in the world, let alone the Sihe Academy, where there are many people and many mouths.

Shazhu going from a chef to a night-soil collector was no different from falling from the clouds into a cesspit.

There was no shortage of neighbors who felt schadenfreude.

The former Shazhu relied on his culinary skills to dominate the canteen, carrying leftovers around all day.

It was one thing to show off that he lived well, but he also blindly helped the Jia family.

Do not worry about scarcity, but worry about inequality.

After years of differential treatment, how could these neighbors in the same courtyard not have resentment?

"Shazhu is back!"

The Third Uncle covered his nose with a show of pretense: "Did you fall into a cesspit? You smell so bad!"

Xu Damao laughed loudly while carrying a net bag of local specialties: "Hahaha... Third Uncle, Shazhu is now the director of the rolling mill!"

The Third Uncle feigned surprise: "Director? Shazhu got promoted!"

Yan Jiecheng mocked: "I think it's the director of the toilet!"

Shazhu was holding back a belly full of stifled anger, his eyes red as he glared at Yan Jiecheng: "Believe it or not, I'll throw you into the cesspit!"

Xu Damao laughed wickedly: "Whoa! Truly loving one's profession; Shazhu is treating the cesspit as his own home."

"You're asking for a beating!"

"Ah! Shazhu is hitting people!"

Shazhu, with red eyes, gave Xu Damao a punch, causing Xu Damao to scream while covering his eye.

"Shazhu, what are you doing!"

The First Uncle ran over in a hurry: "Are you crazy? How can you hit people?"

Shazhu said angrily: "This grandson was asking for it!"

Xu Damao pointed at Shazhu angrily: "Shazhu, just wait to go to jail!"

The First Uncle hurriedly grabbed Xu Damao's arm: "Xu Damao, stand still; hitting people and being hit are both disgraceful; do you really want to make this known throughout the city!"

Xu Damao said angrily: "If it's known throughout the city, so be it; I want Shazhu to pay the price."

The First Uncle said with a straight face: "Courtyard matters should be resolved in the courtyard; bad news shouldn't travel; we are all neighbors, and we should resolve our conflicts internally; if you go out and make a scene, our advanced courtyard will be gone."

"Damao, don't be impulsive!"

"The civilized courtyard is related to the welfare of the whole courtyard."

"You two haven't been fighting for just one day; it's not worth taking it to the public."

"Shazhu, hitting people is wrong; hurry up and apologize to Xu Damao."

Originally, the neighbors were just watching the fun, but after the First Uncle brought up the "advanced courtyard," people couldn't sit still.

This "advanced courtyard" had benefits at the end of the year.

At the end of the year, the street office would reward the courtyard with melon seeds and candies.

Since it concerned their own interests, these neighbors also started shouting.

Xu Damao was roasted on the fire for a moment, feeling both angry and stifled.

Cao Weiguo pushed his bicycle into the courtyard, looking at the noisy crowd in surprise.

This tenement courtyard really had excitement every day.

Xu Damao's eyes lit up when he saw Cao Weiguo, and he said urgently: "Director Cao, Shazhu hit someone! You must stand up for me!"

Cao Weiguo looked at Xu Damao's already bruised eye socket and frowned slightly: "First Uncle, was Xu Damao's eye hit by Shazhu?"

The First Uncle said in a low voice: "The two had a little friction."

Cao Weiguo said sternly: "Xu Damao's eye is bruised! And you call this little friction! Hitting people is an illegal and criminal act!"

The Second Uncle immediately chimed in: "Director Cao is right! Hitting people is a very serious and egregious illegal act, definitely not a small matter!"

The First Uncle's face turned gloomy: "Weiguo, this is the Sihe Academy, not the rolling mill; there's no need for you to be so high-handed with neighbors; the two of them have been fighting for more than a day or two; it's not as serious as you say."

Cao Weiguo said sternly: "First Uncle, I know you don't want to make a big deal out of this, but it must be handled seriously; hitting people is a very bad behavior; if it's not handled seriously, the courtyard might become a hotbed for fighting and brawling in the future; if people hit others whenever there's a conflict, can there be any safety in this courtyard?"

These words left the whole place silent, and the neighbors, putting themselves in others' shoes, also felt the seriousness of the matter.

After all, no one wanted to be hit!

Nor did they want to live in a courtyard where fighting and brawling could happen at any time!

The Second Uncle looked at Cao Weiguo with a different expression, faintly admiring him.

Being an official is really different!

Everything he says is so well-reasoned!

Shazhu said angrily: "Cao Weiguo, what kind of power are you showing off! The three uncles are still here! Is it your turn to speak!"

The First Uncle kicked Shazhu: "Don't speak!"

Cao Weiguo said with a bad expression: "He Yuzhu, this Sihe Academy is not a place outside the law; if you are unreasonable, don't blame me for calling law enforcement to reason with you."

Xu Damao ran behind Cao Weiguo and shouted triumphantly: "Shazhu, keep acting tough; when law enforcement comes, let's see if you can still be tough."

The First Uncle said hurriedly: "Weiguo, Damao, Shazhu has no bad intentions; he was just impulsive; I'll have him apologize immediately; we are all neighbors, we can't let this get out of hand."

Cao Weiguo said: "The key to this matter is not Shazhu apologizing, but whether Xu Damao, the victim, is willing to forgive him; if Xu Damao is willing to settle privately, this matter ends here; but if Xu Damao is unwilling, no one has the power to stop Xu Damao from reporting to the police station; this is not a matter of human sentiment, but a very serious legal issue."

The First Uncle hurriedly looked at Xu Damao: "Damao, you grew up with Shazhu; Shazhu will apologize to you immediately; you are magnanimous, don't be like Shazhu."

Xu Damao raised his head triumphantly: "If Shazhu kneels and kowtows to apologize, I'll forgive him."

Shazhu shouted angrily: "You're dreaming!"

Xu Damao sneered: "First Uncle, you see, with Shazhu's attitude, can I forgive him?"

The First Uncle gripped Shazhu's arm tightly: "Do you really want to be arrested and go to jail! If Xu Damao reports you, your life will be over!"

Shazhu felt a chill in his heart, and he was panicked and afraid.

He was also an ordinary person.

He didn't have the capital to fear nothing.

Not to mention going to jail, as long as he was taken away by the police station, his reputation would be ruined.

But to make him kneel and kowtow to Xu Damao, he absolutely couldn't do that.

Once he knelt and kowtowed, he would be ridiculed for the rest of his life.

Cao Weiguo whispered to Xu Damao: "Making Shazhu kowtow is a bit difficult, and it won't do you any good; just let Shazhu apologize and pay money; you can vent your anger and get some real benefits."

Xu Damao's eyes lit up, and then he looked at Shazhu triumphantly: "Shazhu, for the sake of Director Cao pleading for you, I won't finish you off; you apologize to me and pay me 30 yuan for medical expenses, and I won't hold it against you."

The First Uncle grabbed Shazhu's arm and said hurriedly: "Hurry up and agree! A hero doesn't suffer immediate losses!"

Shazhu was unwilling in his heart, but he knew this was the best result.

Suppressing his resentment, Shazhu apologized to Xu Damao: "I'm sorry, I was wrong; I apologize to you."

As if drinking a glass of ice water in the sweltering heat, Xu Damao was so refreshed he almost ascended to heaven.

Xu Damao, feeling refreshed, reached out triumphantly: "Where's the 30 yuan?"

Shazhu said resentfully: "I'll go back to my room and get it for you."

With a gloomy face, he returned to his room, dug out thirty yuan, and handed it to Xu Damao reluctantly.

The First Uncle said with a straight face: "Alright, this matter ends here; everyone disperse."

The neighbors looked greedily at the banknotes in Xu Damao's hand, wishing they could be in his shoes.

Getting 30 yuan for one punch!

This money was too easy to earn!

Shazhu glared resentfully at Xu Damao and Cao Weiguo, and returned to his room angrily.

The First Uncle went home with a gloomy face, but he held a grudge against Cao Weiguo in his heart.

Cao Weiguo was openly slapping his face and trampling on his authority.

Xu Damao was happy and wanted to treat Cao Weiguo to dinner.

He knew clearly that if Cao Weiguo hadn't come forward, the First Uncle would definitely have favored Shazhu as before. ===== CHAPTER 57 =====