Siheyuan, Me and the Yu Sisters

Zhang Renkang had just finished frying two eggs and steaming a bun when he returned to his room and was about to eat when he heard the door open. Zhang Renkang opened the door and saw that it was Liu Guangtian. Liu Guangtian was surprised to see the environment in Zhang Renkang's room and asked

"Brother Renkang, is this the house you decorated? It's so beautiful!"

Zhang Renkang smiled and said

"Guangtian, what's wrong?"

Liu Guangtian finally reacted and said

"Brother Renkang, my dad wants you to go to the Intermediate Court for a meeting."

Zhang Renkang nodded and said

"Okay, I'll go right away"

Liu Guangtian said

"Brother Renkang, you go first, I have to go and call the other families."

With that he ran away. Zhang Renkang went back to his room, ate a few mouthfuls, grabbed two bags of sunflower seeds, closed the door and walked towards the middle courtyard. As soon as he arrived at the middle courtyard he saw that almost every household had come. Zhang Renkang took a look and thought, it's a pity that Xu Damao didn't come back from the countryside to show movies, otherwise it would be even more lively.

He found a locust tree and just as he was leaning against it and taking out a handful of melon seeds, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiekuang came out from somewhere. Zhang Renkang looked at the two brothers and laughed. He took out a handful of melon seeds and gave them one each. He said,

"Next time, if you two bring me a chair, I will give you two handfuls of melon seeds."

Yan Jiecheng patted his chest and promised

"Okay, brother Renkang, don't worry, we will bring you a chair next time."

After a while, Liu Haizhong came out with Yan Bugui, holding an enamel cup and carrying a belly. As soon as they sat down at the eight-immortal table, He Daqing, Sha Zhu, He Yushui and the deaf old lady followed them out of the house. They took out a bench on the steps for the deaf old lady to sit down. He Daqing walked forward, glanced at Yi Zhonghai who had just come out and said,

"Dear neighbors, I am He Daqing, I believe you all still remember me."

"I gathered everyone here today because I hope you can bear witness for me. Thirteen years ago, I left home for something. My son Shazhu was already working to earn money, and my daughter was still young. So I asked Yi Zhonghai to look after my son Shazhu and my daughter Yushui. Every month, I would write letters and send money to them, and ask Yi Zhonghai to collect them and pass them on to my children. I didn't expect that after thirteen years, Yi Zhonghai kept my letters and money, deceived my son, and sowed discord between us father and son. Today, in front of all the elders and fellow villagers, I need Yi Zhonghai to give me an explanation."

As soon as He Daqing finished speaking, every household in the yard began to discuss

"I didn't expect that a great man would be this kind of person?"

"Yeah, you embezzled money from him and you're trying to sow discord between him and his son?"

"I didn't expect that an old man would be like this. I thought he was a good person."

……

Seeing that everyone in the yard was talking more and more outrageous, Liu Haizhong coughed a few times and shouted

"Everyone, quiet, quiet"

"Now the matter is basically clear. He Daqing said that Yi Zhonghai embezzled the He family's money and sowed discord between the father and son of the He family. Now let Yi Zhonghai explain it. Let's listen."

Yi Zhonghai stepped forward and said

"My dear neighbors, you all know what kind of person I am, Yi Zhonghai, over the years. You all know how much I earn a month. How could I be interested in the three or five yuan that He Daqing sent by mail?"

As soon as these words came out, public opinion in the hospital began to change again.

"Yes, a middle-aged man only makes 99 yuan a month. Is it necessary to covet He Daqing's money?"

"The salary of an old man is so high, he is not short of money."

"The uncle usually helps his neighbors, how could he be this kind of person?"

……

Yi Zhonghai saw that the public opinion in the courtyard had changed, and continued

"The money and bills that He Daqing mails every month are all here. You can ask him to check if there is anything missing."

"The reason why I didn't tell Zhuzi was because I wanted him to save up money to get married."

"Everyone knows that Zhuzi spends money lavishly. You can ask Zhuzi how much he has saved after working for more than ten years?"

After Yi Zhonghai finished speaking, Zhang Renkang suddenly said

"Yi Zhonghai is so kind. This money doesn't just belong to Sha Zhu, right? There's also half for He Yushui. He would rather starve He Yushui to death in order to save money for Sha Zhu."

The public opinion in the courtyard suddenly changed and turned against Yi Zhonghai. Yes, why didn't Yi Zhonghai say anything when He Yushui was almost starving to death?

Yi Zhonghai glared at Zhang Renkang fiercely, his face turned pale with pain, and he grimaced.

"Why didn't I care about He Yushui? Wasn't it the aunt who cooked noodles for He Yushui?"

Zhang Renkang continued

"Yeah, a bowl of noodles is enough to steal someone's meal money."

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that he almost fainted. Zhang Renkang said

"He tricked Shazhu into helping his apprentice's family, but why didn't he pay a penny himself?"

"Shazhu has given the Jia family at least 200 or 300 yuan in these years, besides the lunch boxes, right? Why doesn't Yi Zhonghai help his own apprentice?"

This statement caused a lot of discussion in the courtyard. Zhang Renkang's words made sense. Before Yi Zhonghai could say anything, He Daqing continued

"Yi Zhonghai, I just want to ask you one thing. You didn't give Sha Zhu the money and said you were saving it for him. How do you explain your efforts to sow discord between us father and son for the past ten years?"

Yi Zhonghai was speechless and didn't know what to say. He said

"Shazhu is very upset about you abandoning your children. I just comforted him a few times. How can I say that I am trying to sow discord between you?"

Zhang Renkang said again

"Could it be that, since she couldn't give birth and her disciple died, she fell in love with someone else's son?"

He Daqing then asked

"Do you think others can't see through your thoughts?"

"You think you're the only smart one?"

"Yi Zhonghai, let me tell you, just give up on this idea. As long as I am stupid, I will never care about your dream of retirement."

"Also, we need to have a good talk about how you tricked Sha Zhu into helping the Jia family."

"I heard that you, Yi Zhonghai, have helped a lot of families in the courtyard over the years? Besides the Jia family, which other families have you helped?"

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that his eyes went dark. He suppressed his anger and said

"Who has ever asked me for help and I have never given it to them?"

Zhang Renkang said quietly

"It seems that Yi Zhonghai only gave half a bag of corn flour to Uncle Li's family?"

"When the eldest brother of the Wang family was hospitalized, Yi Zhonghai said that he didn't have much money, unlike the Jia family who organized donations at the slightest sign of trouble."

Every household in the courtyard had long been dissatisfied with Yi Zhonghai's donation to the Jia family. They were not worried about the lack of money, but the uneven distribution of the money. Yi Zhonghai had never been so concerned about other families before. No one had organized this matter before, so it was okay. But today, He Daqing tore off Yi Zhonghai's identity, and Zhang Renkang provoked everyone, and suddenly everyone was unwilling.

"Uncle, when my family ran out of food, you didn't even lend me five dollars. How come the Jia family can do that?"

"Yi Zhonghai, when my mother was sick, you said you had no money?"

……

Seeing that Yi Zhonghai had aroused public anger, he was at a loss as to what to do. The deaf old lady couldn't bear to see Yi Zhonghai like this. After all, she had always been the one who brought her meals, bought charcoal, and washed her clothes over the years. The deaf old lady knocked on the ground a few times with her stick and slowly walked out and said,

"Alright, alright, Zhong Hai, you give the money back to Zhu Zi, and get back the money the Jia family borrowed from Zhu Zi over the years. That's it, don't mention it again."

After hearing this, Jia Zhang refused to accept the offer. Asking her to pay back the money was just a dream. She borrowed the money with her own ability, so why should she pay it back? Did they really think that her reputation as Jia Zhang who only took in but did not spend was just a boast?

Jia Zhang stepped forward and said arrogantly

"What does it have to do with our Jia family? Why should our Jia family pay for the affairs of Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing?"

"I disagree. Are you trying to kill us orphans and widows?"

Qin Huairu also came out with Huaihua in her arms, looking aggrieved, and said

"Old lady, we have no food at home, where will the money come from?"

"Aren't you trying to kill us?"

As she spoke, she looked at Sha Zhu pitifully, which made Sha Zhu feel distressed. Even He Daqing was fascinated by her for a moment. Her charm, figure, and eyes were really charming.

Sha Zhu came over and helped the deaf old lady and said

"Grandma, you know the situation of Sister Qin's family. Let's not ask Sister Qin to pay back the money."

He looked at He Daqing again. He Daqing was looking at Qin Huairu and couldn't help himself. He didn't know that Sha Zhu looked at him. When Sha Zhu saw He Daqing's expression, he was instantly furious. You actually coveted my sister Qin. Sha Zhu shouted

"Dad, did you hear that?"

He Daqing finally reacted, his face flushed, and he said

"It's up to you if you want it or not, it's your money anyway"

Zhang Renkang could see it clearly from below, and smiled in his heart. The He family is really a loyal fan of the Prime Minister. The father and son are a perfect match. They will never get along with the widow in this life. The He family is kind-hearted and can't bear to see a young woman suffer. How kind!

(I am a kind-hearted person who cannot bear to see the sufferings of the world. My father is a gambler, my mother is sick, my brother goes to school, and I am a sensible girl. If I don’t take care of her, who will? It’s not too much to add another hour.)