Siheyuan: Rebirth of Liu Ergou

At No. 95 Nanluoguxiang in Beijing, this historic courtyard stands quietly. The blue-gray bricks and tiles are intertwined, as if telling stories of the past. Every brick and tile bears the traces of time and vicissitudes of life.

In the early morning, when the first ray of golden sunlight penetrates the thin clouds and falls softly and warmly on the courtyard, the entire ancient courtyard seems to wake up from its slumber. The sunlight shines through the gaps in the leaves, forming patches of mottled light and shadows, gently caressing the ground, bringing some vitality and vigor to this slightly old courtyard.

However, this rare tranquility was soon ruthlessly broken by a burst of sharp and piercing curses.

"Fuck you, who stole my bike?" Jia Dongxu's extremely angry roar was like a thunder, exploding in the sky above the courtyard, waking up the neighbors who were still immersed in sweet dreams. He was wearing a shabby blue work suit, covered with oil and dust, looking very sloppy. His hair was disheveled, as if he had just experienced a storm, and there was no order at all; his eyes were bloodshot, revealing endless fatigue and anger, and he was obviously furious about this sudden theft.

Speaking of Jia Dongxu, he is well-known in the courtyard for his hot temper. He is usually taciturn, but if he is really irritated, his rage can blow the roof off. At this moment, he stood majestically under the porch at the entrance of the courtyard like an enraged lion, his pair of big copper bell eyes spewing anger, fiercely scanning everything around him, as if he wanted to catch the car thief immediately and eat him alive.

His bicycle, the old Forever brand bicycle that had accompanied him through many years of ups and downs, was missing. It was not only a means of transportation, but also his livelihood, and the only link between him and his home every day. Now, this only link was ruthlessly cut off, how could he not be furious?

Just as Jia Dongxu was furious, his eyes accidentally swept over the bicycle of the third uncle Yan Bugui. Yan Bugui's bicycle stood there alone, with only a bare frame left, and the rest of the parts had long since disappeared. This scene instantly escalated Jia Dongxu's anger to the peak.

"Uncle! Come out quickly! There is only a big frame left of your bicycle!" Jia Dongxu's roar echoed in the courtyard like thunder, scaring the sparrows on the trees so much that they flapped their wings and flew away.

Yan Bugui is a well-known miser in the hospital. He is very careful with his money and is reluctant to spend even a penny more. Although his bicycle is also old-fashioned, he bought it from the second-hand market at a high price. Now, this bicycle has also been destroyed. How can he not feel distressed?

Hearing Jia Dongxu's roar, Yan Bugui ran out of the house wearing an old cotton-padded jacket and slippers. When he saw his bicycle, his face turned pale, his mouth twitched and he could not speak.

"Who did this? My car!" Yan Bugui's voice was trembling, tears flashing in his eyes. He grabbed Jia Dongxu's arm, as if to find some comfort from it.

At this time, all the men in the courtyard, young and old, ran out in their clothes. They gathered in a circle and chattered about the sudden change. Some expressed sympathy, while others secretly felt lucky that their bicycles were still safe.

"This thief is too brazen! He dared to steal a car in broad daylight!"

"Yeah! This isn't the first time! Last month, a coal stove was lost in my house!"

"We need to call the police right away! Let the police investigate!"

Everyone was talking about it, but no one took any real action. In this era, although there are police and security teams, the public security situation is still not optimistic. Petty thefts happen from time to time, and the police are often unable to cope with it.

Jia Dongxu watched everyone talking, and became even more annoyed. He broke free from Yan Bugui's hand and strode towards the gate.

"Stop arguing! Stop arguing! I'll call the police! Let the police investigate this case!" Jia Dongxu's voice was firm and powerful, as if he wanted to seek justice for himself and everyone else.

After saying that, he walked out of the courtyard without looking back and headed straight for the nearby police station. Along the way, his heart was filled with anger and unwillingness. He swore that he must find the thief who stole the car and make him pay for his actions!

After arriving at the police station, Jia Dongxu described the incident in detail to the police on duty. After listening, the police frowned, obviously feeling that this case was very difficult.

"Comrade Jia, don't worry! We will solve the case as soon as possible! However, you also know the current security situation. Petty thefts happen from time to time, and our police force is limited. So, you still have to do your own prevention work." Although the policeman's words were polite, his tone revealed a bit of helplessness.

After hearing this, Jia Dongxu felt even more depressed. He knew that the police's words were not groundless, but a true reflection of the reality. In this era, the public security situation is indeed not optimistic. He can only hope that the police can solve the case as soon as possible and get his bicycle back.

After returning from the police station, Jia Dongxu was shrouded in a heavy haze, and his mood was still heavy, as if a huge stone weighed on his heart and he couldn't breathe. He dragged his legs that seemed to be filled with lead and slowly walked into the courtyard. As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he heard a burst of noisy discussions. Everyone gathered together, talking about what had just happened, and everyone's face was either curious or gloating.

Jia Dongxu turned a deaf ear to the discussions of these people, and just walked towards his house in silence with an expressionless face. When he arrived in front of the house, he sat down on the doorstep like a deflated ball, then took out a pack of wrinkled cigarettes from his pocket, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, lit it with trembling hands, and took a deep breath. As the smoke slowly exhaled, his originally sad face became more and more blurred.

At this time, Yan Bugui also walked over with small steps. He carefully squatted beside Jia Dongxu, took out a cigarette and lit it, and smoked with Jia Dongxu without saying a word. For a moment, there was only smoke in the air between the two of them, and it was silent. However, through the rising smoke, you can clearly see their faces full of helplessness and anger, like two sculptures that have suffered vicissitudes of life.

After a long while, Yan Bugui seemed unable to suppress his anger any longer. He turned his head abruptly and looked at Jia Dongxu, saying loudly: "Dongxu! We can't let this matter go so easily! We must find a way to get our car back!" His voice trembled slightly with excitement, and there was a hint of determination in it.

Hearing Yan Bugui's words, Jia Dongxu was stunned for a moment, then slowly raised his head and looked directly at Yan Bugui. At that moment, a faint but unusually bright light suddenly flashed in the depths of his eyes.