Siheyuan: Selling antiques? Only making 28,000 RMB from 30,000 RMB

One morning, just after dawn, Zhou Dong got up early and took advantage of the coolness of the morning to start a busy day. He first ran to a nearby breakfast shop to help out in exchange for a breakfast. Then he went to fetch water for Qin Huairu's family. Although Qin Huairu was not rich, she was kind and always left some leftovers for Zhou Dong.

"Zhou Dong, come and have some breakfast." Qin Huairu handed Zhou Dong a bowl of steaming rice porridge and a few steamed buns.

"Thank you, Aunt Qin." Zhou Dong took the bowl and started eating voraciously.

Qin Huairu looked at the frail child and felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She had to take care of three children herself, and life was not easy, but seeing Zhou Dong so pitiful, she couldn't help but want to help him.

"Zhou Dong, if you have any difficulties in the future, just tell me." Qin Huairu said softly.

Zhou Dong nodded, a trace of gratitude flashing in his eyes. He knew that in this compound, there were not many people like Qin Huairu who were willing to help him sincerely.

After breakfast, Zhou Dong went to help Yan Bugui chop firewood. Yan Bugui was a shrewd businessman, although a little stingy, but he often asked Zhou Dong to help with odd jobs and paid him some wages.

"Zhou Dong, once you finish chopping these bundles of firewood, you'll get your wages for today." Yan Bugui ordered.

Zhou Dong didn't say anything, he picked up the axe and started working. Sweat ran down his forehead, but he gritted his teeth and didn't stop for a moment.

In the afternoon, Zhou Dong went to Yi Zhonghai's house. Yi Zhonghai was a retired worker with a kind personality. Seeing that Zhou Dong was busy every day, he often invited him to his home for a hot meal.

"Zhou Dong, come and have a drink of water and take a rest." Yi Zhonghai handed over a cup of tea.

"Thank you, Uncle Yi." Zhou Dong took the teacup and felt a hint of warmth.

Yi Zhonghai looked at Zhou Dong with pity in his eyes, "Zhou Dong, don't be too tired. You are still young, you still need to have a good rest."

Zhou Dong nodded, but he knew in his heart that if he didn't work, he would have no food to eat, and rest was a luxury.

At night, Zhou Dong returned to his humble little house. There was only a shabby bed and a small table in the room, and almost nothing else. He lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling, thinking about his future.

"Is this my destiny?" Zhou Dong vowed secretly in his heart, "I must change all this."

Just then, there was a noise outside the door. Zhou Dong got up and walked to the door, and saw the neighbors gathered together and talked.

"Have you heard? A large sum of money was lost in the Wang family in the alley next door."

"Yeah, I heard it's several hundred dollars!"

"Who did this? How dare you!"

Zhou Dong was shocked when he heard these discussions. He knew that most people in the alleys were not well off, and losing so much money would be a huge blow to any family.

"I hope this matter doesn't involve me." Zhou Dong thought to himself.

The next morning, the police could be heard in the alley. They went door to door to inquire about the situation and look for clues. Zhou Dong was a little nervous, but he knew he was innocent, so he faced it calmly.

"What's your name?" a policeman asked.

"My name is Zhou Dong." Zhou Dong replied.

"Where were you last night?" the police continued to ask.

"I have been at home the whole time and have not gone out." Zhou Dong answered truthfully.

The police nodded, asked a few more questions and left. Zhou Dong breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew that the matter was not over yet.

A few days later, another big event was reported in the alley. Yan Jiecheng, the son of Yan Bugui, was beaten up on the street because someone suspected him of stealing money. Yan Bugui was furious and went to the elders in the alley to argue with them.

"Who on earth did this? This is too much!" Yan Bugui said angrily.

Liu Haizhong was the head of the compound. He stepped forward and advised, "Old Yan, don't get excited yet. We can't do anything rash until the matter is fully investigated."

"Yes, Old Yan, let's calm down first and don't let the children suffer any grievances." Yi Zhonghai also said.

Although Yan Bugui was angry, he also knew the importance of reason. He nodded and decided to wait and see.

At this time, Zhou Dong came over. He looked at Yan Jiecheng who was beaten black and blue, and felt a little sorry. Although Yan Jiecheng didn't treat him well, they were from the same hospital after all.

"Uncle Yan, Brother Jie Cheng, are you okay?" Zhou Dong asked with concern.

"Zhou Dong, are you okay?" Yan Bugui calmed down and asked.

Zhou Dong shook his head. "I'm fine. I'm just worried about Brother Jie Cheng."

Yan Bugui sighed, "We all need to be careful about this matter and don't go out alone in the future."

Zhou Dong nodded. He knew that the turmoil in this alley was far from over.

Days passed by, and Zhou Dong still lived in obscurity in the compound. He helped with chores every day in exchange for a meal. Although life was difficult, he always had a dream in his heart, which was to get out of this alley and change his fate.

One night, Zhou Dong was lying in bed when he heard a whisper outside. He got up and walked to the window, where he saw several figures moving stealthily in the alley. He frowned and thought to himself, "What on earth are these people doing?"

Zhou Dong followed them quietly and found that these people were actually discussing how to steal the property of their neighbors. He was shocked and knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win the favor and trust of his neighbors by exposing these bad guys.

The next morning, Zhou Dong went to find Yi Zhonghai and told him everything that happened last night. Yi Zhonghai listened and said solemnly, "Zhou Dong, you did the right thing. We must report this to the police immediately."

Soon, the police arrived and caught those people. The neighbors all looked at Zhou Dong with new eyes and praised his bravery and justice. Qin Huairu said happily: "Zhou Dong, you are such a good boy."

Zhou Dong smiled, but he knew that this was only the first step in changing his destiny.

As time went by, Zhou Dong's status in the compound gradually improved. He not only won the trust of his neighbors, but also won the appreciation of Yi Zhonghai. Yi Zhonghai decided to teach him some skills so that he could have a skill and live a better life.

"Zhou Dong, come, I will teach you how to do carpentry." Yi Zhonghai said.

Zhou Dong's eyes sparkled and he nodded, "Thank you, Uncle Yi. I will definitely study hard."

Under Yi Zhonghai's guidance, Zhou Dong gradually mastered the skills of carpentry. Although the furniture he made was not exquisite, it gradually took on some shape. Seeing his progress, neighbors asked him for help in repairing their furniture, and Zhou Dong's life began to improve.

One day, a table in Qin Huairu's house broke, and she asked Zhou Dong to repair it. Zhou Dong went to Qin Huairu's house with tools, checked it carefully, and found that it was just some minor problems, so he quickly repaired it.

"Zhou Dong, thank you so much." Qin Huairu said gratefully.

"You're welcome, Aunt Qin. This is what I should do." Zhou Dong replied with a smile.

Qin Huairu looked at the sensible child in front of her and felt more and more pity for him. She knew that although Zhou Dong had no relatives, he was kind-hearted and would definitely have a bright future.

Just then, there was a commotion outside the door.

Zhou Dong found himself in a squeezed steel rolling mill.

In this bustling and old alley in the old city, Zhou Dong walked into his hut wearily. Although his body was exhausted, his heart was full of anxiety and doubt. On this day, he accidentally discovered a secret, a secret that made him feel terrified.

Sitting on the bed, Zhou Dong closed his eyes, trying to calm his anxiety. However, his thoughts were racing uncontrollably. He realized that he had fallen into an unforeseen danger.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Zhou Dong opened his eyes, and a sense of vigilance surged in his heart. He walked to the door carefully and opened it gently.

"Zhou Dong, are you home?" A familiar voice came into his ears.

It was Yi Zhonghai. Zhou Dong breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: "Yes, Uncle Yi, I'm here."

Yi Zhonghai saw that Zhou Dong looked a little tired and frowned slightly: "Zhou Dong, what's wrong with you recently? You look a little bit wrong."

Zhou Dong smiled bitterly, "Nothing, maybe I'm a little tired recently."

Yi Zhonghai stared at Zhou Dong, as if thinking about something. Finally, he sighed and said, "Zhou Dong, I know you have endured too much alone. But you must remember that you are not alone, we are all your friends."

Zhou Dong looked at Yi Zhonghai with gratitude, and his doubts were slightly relieved. He knew that in this strange and complicated alley, it was a great fortune to have a friend like Yi Zhonghai.

"Thank you, Uncle Yi, I will remember it." Zhou Dong said.

At this moment, there was another sound of hurried footsteps outside the door. Zhou Dong and Yi Zhonghai looked at each other, and a sense of vigilance arose in their hearts.

"Zhou Dong, are you there? Open the door quickly!" An anxious voice came into their ears.

It was Liu Haizhong. Zhou Dong's heart moved and he quickly opened the door.

"Brother Liu, what's wrong?" Zhou Dong asked.

Liu Haizhong panted and said, "Zhou Dong, have you heard? Yan Jiecheng was kidnapped last night!"

Zhou Dong's eyes widened, and a bad feeling welled up in his heart. He remembered the secret he had recently discovered, and his heart trembled.

"Kidnapped? How is that possible?" Zhou Dong's voice trembled slightly.

Liu Haizhong tightly grasped Zhou Dong's shoulders and said, "Zhou Dong, you have to be careful. There may be some unknown darkness in this alley."

A determination arose in Zhou Dong's heart. He decided to find out the truth of the matter and protect himself and those around him from harm.

"Brother Liu, thank you for telling me. I will be careful." Zhou Dong said solemnly.

Liu Haizhong patted Zhou Dong on the shoulder and said solemnly: "Zhou Dong, you are a good boy. I believe you can handle this matter well."

With Liu Haizhong's departure, Zhou Dong felt the responsibility in his heart becoming heavier. He knew that to find out the truth about Yan Jiecheng's abduction, he might have to take huge risks.

As night fell, Zhou Dong sat alone on his bed, thinking about his next move. He decided to leave this oppressed steel mill and investigate the secrets behind it. He took a deep breath and made up his mind.

"I will definitely find out the truth and protect myself and the people in this alley." Zhou Dong vowed to himself.

In this alley full of mystery and danger, Zhou Dong embarked on an unknown journey alone. He knew that the road ahead was full of thorns and obstacles, but he was ready and willing to take on everything. Because he knew that only by uncovering the truth behind it could he and the people around him stay away from danger and find true freedom.

Zhou Dong silently recited ten numbers, and Xu Damao and He Yuzhu appeared in front of him.

Zhou Dong closed his eyes, silently counted ten numbers, and imagined what his neighbors looked like. When he opened his eyes again, the figures of Xu Damao and He Yuzhu appeared in front of him.

"Zhou Dong, what's wrong with you? Your eyes are wide open." Xu Damao asked curiously.

"Nothing, just a little sleepy." Zhou Dong replied casually.

He Yuzhu looked at Zhou Dong, frowning slightly: "Zhou Dong, you seem to be a little bit abnormal recently, is there something bothering you?"

Zhou Dong was silent for a while, then slowly said: "Actually...I discovered something unusual recently."

"What's the matter?" Xu Damao and He Yuzhu asked almost at the same time.

Zhou Dong's eyes flashed with hesitation, but he finally decided to tell them his discovery: "I found an exploited steel rolling mill, where the workers were treated extremely cruelly."

Xu Damao and He Yuzhu's faces changed after hearing Zhou Dong's words. They looked at Zhou Dong deeply, as if they were thinking about something.

"Zhou Dong, are you sure?" Xu Damao's voice was a little heavy.

"I'm sure, I saw it with my own eyes." Zhou Dong answered affirmatively.

He Yuzhu frowned and fell into deep thought: "This is not a trivial matter. We have to think carefully about what to do."

"That's right, we can't just sit there and watch." A hint of determination flashed in Xu Damao's eyes.

Zhou Dong looked at them, and a surge of gratitude welled up in his heart. He knew that with their support, they would be able to overcome difficulties together and change this unfair reality.

"Thank you, I know I am not fighting alone." Zhou Dong looked at them deeply and said.

Xu Damao and He Yuzhu looked at each other and showed a determined expression. "Zhou Dong, we are all family. We will face difficulties together." Xu Damao said.

"Yes, we will never stand idly by." He Yuzhu followed.

Zhou Dong felt the tacit understanding and unity between them, and his worries and pressure were relieved a lot. He knew that as long as everyone worked together, they would be able to overcome all difficulties.

In the following days, Zhou Dong and his neighbors worked closely together to secretly investigate the exploited steel rolling mill. They collected intelligence from different channels and gained an in-depth understanding of the real situation there.

"I heard that the factory director is a complete bully and is ruthless to the workers." He Yuzhu's voice was filled with anger.