Siheyuan: Being a fisherman in 1962

Chapter 270

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai thought that Qin Huairu was protecting his dignity in her own way, while also maintaining the harmony of the courtyard.

He nodded and followed Qin Huairu to a corner of the yard.

"Uncle Yi, I know you were drunk about what happened last night." Qin Huairu's voice was soft but firm. "I understand how you feel, but I hope we can resolve this matter privately and not let more people know."

When Yi Zhonghai heard this, he felt a surge of guilt.

He took a deep breath and said slowly: "Qin Huairu, I am sorry for you. I was indeed drunk last night and mistook you for my deceased wife. I apologize to you and to the entire Siheyuan."

Qin Huairu felt relieved when she saw this. She continued, "Master Yi, please don't say that. I know you didn't mean it. But I hope you can be more careful in the future. After all, such misunderstandings are not good for you, me, or the compound."

Yi Zhonghai nodded repeatedly, indicating that he would definitely learn from the lesson.

After discussion, the two decided that Qin Huairu would explain the situation privately to several key figures in the compound, while Yi Zhonghai would express his apologies to everyone in a more subtle way at the appropriate time.

The news quickly spread in the courtyard, but without the previous noise and accusations, instead there was understanding and tolerance.

As the sun sets, the courtyard is filled with mottled light and shadows. Under an old locust tree, a group of residents sit around and talk, and the air is filled with a subtle tension and curiosity.

Today, this courtyard, which had been peaceful for many years, was completely stirred up by a sudden "cellar romance" incident.

The protagonist of the story, Chen Fei, a young man who usually doesn't show off his talent, is standing on the edge of the crowd at this moment, with a faint smile on his lips, but a strange light flashing in his eyes.

His appearance seemed to indicate that the storm was far from over.

"Auntie, why are you doing this?" Someone in the crowd sighed, with a bit of confusion and sympathy in his voice.

A kind-looking lady, with red eyes, stood firmly beside Yi Zhonghai. Her voice was soft but powerful: "I just want to help Zhonghai. He is a good man and should not be misunderstood."

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar all around.

Although everyone was dissatisfied, in the face of the aunt's simple emotions, they finally chose to remain silent and accept.

After all, in this courtyard full of human touch, who can really bear to pierce that thin veil of warmth?

However, the matter did not settle down. Liu Haizhong, as the "manager" of the courtyard, stood up with a gloomy face. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk, and he looked directly at Yi Zhonghai: "Your behavior this time seriously violated the courtyard rules. I must give you a serious punishment to serve as a warning to others."

Yi Zhonghai turned pale upon hearing this, but he quickly recovered, took a deep breath, and said with a firm look: "I accept the punishment and am willing to take responsibility for it. I will write a letter of guarantee to ensure that I will never do it again."

This scene moved everyone present.

Yi Zhonghai's responsibility undoubtedly saved him some face, but in the hearts of the people, his image has been quietly damaged, and that crack may never be completely repaired.

At this moment, Yan Jiecheng's voice suddenly sounded. He frowned and glanced at Chen Fei from time to time: "Strange, why didn't Chen Fei show up from beginning to end? Could this matter be related to him?"

Yan Bugui, as the wise man in the family, shook his head slightly when he heard this, with a gleam of light in his eyes:

"Jie Cheng, please don't speak nonsense. But then again, Fade Chen has always been mysterious. This incident might really be a trap set by him."

At this point, Yan Bugui lowered his voice and warned Yan Jiecheng earnestly:

"Remember, Fade Chen is not a pushover. We should avoid him and not get into conflict with him easily."

When Yan Jiecheng heard this, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

Thinking back to the past clashes with Chen Fei, each time it seemed that he was easily resolved by the other party, or even got the upper hand.

At this moment, he finally realized that Fade Chen was much more complicated than he seemed.

The sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence. An old lady holding an oil lamp stood in front of Yi Zhonghai's door with an angry face and asked loudly:

"Yi Zhonghai, why are you not sleeping in the middle of the night? What are you doing in the house? Can you let me live in peace?"

Yi Zhonghai opened the door upon hearing the sound, his expression slightly embarrassed but firm: "Don't worry, I'm preparing for something important, the truth will soon surface."

"The truth? What truth requires you to come here in the middle of the night to find out? Also, you always go to Qin Huairu's house. Don't think I can't see that she is a young widow. You are so old, what are you looking for?"

There was a hint of sarcasm and confusion in the aunt's words.

Yi Zhonghai sighed, a trace of helplessness flashed in his eyes: "Misunderstood. I am not doing this for myself, but for the future of our hospital. Although Qin Huairu is young, she is hardworking and kind. I thought that when I get old, I would have someone to take care of me. Besides, I am also considering retirement. Which elderly person in our hospital does not want to have someone to rely on in their later years?"

These words made the aunt stunned for a moment. She seemed to be touched by something. After a moment of silence, she murmured to herself: "Yes, I have not been able to give birth to a boy or a girl in my life. When I get old, I don’t even have anyone to talk to…"

After saying that, she shook her head, turned and left, her back looking a little lonely.

The next morning, the sun shone through the sparse clouds and illuminated every corner of the courtyard.

Chen Fei woke up from his sleep, glanced out the window, and stretched lazily.

The hustle and bustle of last night seemed to have nothing to do with him. After a simple wash, he pushed the old bicycle and set off for the steel mill.

Along the way, the breeze blew on his face, bringing a bit of the chill of early spring. Chen Fei was thinking about today's work arrangements, but the argument from last night involuntarily emerged in his mind.

He shook his head, put these distracting thoughts behind him, and quickened his pace.

Arriving at the steel mill, Chen Fei went straight to the warehouse, only to find that the bacon that was hanging under the eaves last night had disappeared, leaving only a mess on the ground and several broken ropes.

He frowned, feeling an ominous premonition in his heart.

He had specially prepared this bacon to celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival, but now it has become like this. How could this not make him angry?

Just as Chen Fei was busy cleaning up the scene, a hunched figure approached quietly - it was Jia Zhang, the old man who made a living by picking up waste and always liked to take advantage of others.

Seeing that Fade Chen was busy with his back to her, she took the opportunity to pick up the pieces of bacon scattered on the ground one by one and carefully put them into the cloth bag she carried with her.