Volume One, Chapter Three: The Situation

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During a time when entertainment was scarce and most people had little to do at night, it was common for gatherings to arise over trivial matters. Normally, such issues would be handled by the police or the neighborhood committee, but several elders, keen to preserve their dignity, resolutely decided to hold a full courtyard meeting. After all, if this matter became public, how could they save face?

The crowd had been waiting for some time, their curiosity growing.

“Su Jianshe hasn’t come home all day. Where did he take his sister?”

“I saw Chu Yan blush deeply and nearly faint when Su Jianshe’s actions were exposed. Could it be she was sent to the hospital?”

“Don’t jump to conclusions. The elder just said the deaf old lady only locked Chu Yan and Shazhu in the same room—nothing else!”

“But it’s getting late. Where on earth is Su Jianshe?”

Just as confusion spread, sharp-eyed Xu Damao pointed toward the entrance of the courtyard.

“Look, isn’t that Su Jianshe?”

Everyone turned to see Su Jianshe entering. His face was dark and heavy with anger barely contained. Two young men in light blue shirts followed him—unknown to the crowd, but they paid no mind.

“Oh, the drunkard Su Jianshe even knows how to find backup. No wonder he’s been gone so long!”

“Su Jianshe, you’ve crossed the line. This is our courtyard’s business; bringing outsiders in is inappropriate.”

“Jianshe, sit down first. We’ll discuss this after the meeting,” said Yi Zhonghai.

Though the two young men looked vaguely familiar to Yi Zhonghai, he did not probe further. The urgent matter was to resolve the conflict involving Su Jianshe, Shazhu, and the deaf old lady.

However, among the crowd, He Yushui was stunned. She recognized one of the two men as a police officer who had been courting her. Yet she chose not to warn anyone, not even her brother. She had lost all faith in this courtyard, and since the officers were in plainclothes, pointing them out might cause misunderstandings and bring trouble upon herself.

“Meeting?” one of the officers behind Su Jianshe asked after exchanging a glance.

“Su Jianshe, maybe we should wait and see what the courtyard says first,” the other suggested.

Watching the crowd gathered before him, Su Jianshe found it amusing. He was curious how these people would react when they realized the two men were not his allies but police officers.

“To keep these courtyard folk away from me, I have to show them some color!” Su Jianshe thought, glancing at the three elders seated in front. Then, with the two officers, he found a secluded spot to sit.

Among the crowd, Shazhu glared fiercely at Su Jianshe. Were it not for the overwhelming strength difference, he would have long confronted him.

“Su Jianshe, it’s all your fault! I was almost with Chu Yan! But now, she’s gone, and Sister Qin won’t even talk to me. It’s all because of you!” Shazhu seethed.

Meanwhile, the deaf old lady sat calmly on the other side, her clothes free of the shoe prints seen earlier, as if she had removed them by some means.

“Ahem, may I say a few words?” The second elder cleared his throat as the crowd quieted down, straightening his clothes.

“This afternoon, a very serious and malicious incident occurred in our courtyard! Su Jianshe dared to lay hands on the seventy-plus-year-old deaf old lady!” he bellowed, slamming the table, eyes blazing at Su Jianshe.

“The deaf old lady is an elder in our courtyard and a state-supported resident! Su Jianshe, how dare you commit such an act?”

The two plainclothes police beside Su Jianshe were momentarily stunned.

“Is this really how the courtyard deals with matters?”

“Does the elder not want to hear why Su Jianshe attacked the deaf old lady?”

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The two officers exchanged bewildered looks. It was not their style to judge without knowing the truth.

“This isn’t a courtyard meeting; it’s a smear campaign, a rush to judgment!”

Such scenes were new to them, and their eyes reflected a mix of anger and sympathy.

One officer struggled to contain his fury: “I can’t tolerate this. We should take these scoundrels back to the station for a thorough investigation.”

“Let’s hear Su Jianshe’s side first; he is also a victim,” the other urged.

At this, Su Jianshe shook his head slightly, signaling patience. A cold smile curled on his lips—anyone who knew him understood this was a sign he was about to stir things up.

“Just wait and see what excuses these people come up with!”

Though puzzled by Su Jianshe’s attitude, the two officers did not press the matter.

“Beasts!” one officer snorted, standing aside.

At that moment, Yi Zhonghai stood, slapping the table and pointing at Su Jianshe.

“Su Jianshe, what else do you have to say for yourself? You’re just a youngster, and if it weren’t for your mother’s decent reputation here, we would have already sent you to the police!”

“Why don’t you quickly admit your fault, bow to the elders, and apologize?”

The third elder tried to mediate, pulling two apart.

“Brothers, no need to get so angry. Maybe Su Jianshe just lost control while drunk.”

“Jianshe, listen to the third elder. Apologize to the old lady and pay for the medical expenses of Shazhu and her. Then this will be settled.”

Just as the elders expected Su Jianshe to comply and apologize, he suddenly stood up, pointing fiercely at the deaf old lady and Shazhu.

Su Jianshe’s face darkened like iron as he yelled, “Nonsense! Why don’t you mention that she locked my sister and Shazhu together and drugged my sister? That’s a crime! If she weren’t so old, I would have dealt with her properly!”

In fact, if not for the two officers behind him, he would have struck again.

Seeing Su Jianshe so agitated, Shazhu shrank back, realizing he was in the wrong. If things escalated, he might face legal trouble.

Suddenly, the deaf old lady slammed her cane on the ground, scolding, “Su Jianshe, look at your behavior! A drunken hooligan like you doesn’t deserve a good girl like Chu Yan. She’s wasting her youth by staying with you!”

She then turned to Shazhu. “Look at you—young, skilled, respected at the factory, and getting along with neighbors. Now look at yourself, rude and uncultured, nothing but a wild child!”

Hearing this, Su Jianshe’s fury surged. If not for the officers restraining him, he might have lost control and taught the old lady a lesson.

“Su Jianshe, after all these years, you’re still just a level-two fitter. Do you deserve Chu Yan?”

“She may not be your biological sister, but she has the right to pursue happiness. You’ve only held her back, do you understand?”

“Even your late mother must be ashamed of you.”

Inside the courtyard, people quietly considered that the fault lay with the old lady and Shazhu. After all, Chu Yan was Su Jianshe’s fiancée. Who wouldn’t be furious if someone drugged her and sent her to another man’s bed?

Yet, no one dared speak frankly, mostly siding with the deaf old lady.

After all, Su Jianshe was only a level-two fitter.

His mother, the only person of some standing in the courtyard, had passed away.

The deaf old lady was a respected state-supported elder, the matriarch of the courtyard.

And Shazhu was not someone to be trifled with.

Many hoped Shazhu would give them extra food in the cafeteria.

“That’s right. A drunkard has no right to ask a girl to marry him. Look at Shazhu’s conditions—how can you blame the deaf old lady?”

Even Shazhu, aware of his faults, straightened his back, feeling justified.

“Su Jianshe, what can you do? I’m the head of the cafeteria, and you’re just a level-two fitter with no prospects!”

“Chu Yan marrying me is a perfect match, both in status and looks!”

The Jia family, long silent, now spoke sarcastically.

Despite his limp, Jia Xudong’s spirit remained unbroken, but twisted.

He looked down on Shazhu and even more on the drunkard Su Jianshe.

Especially since Su Jianshe had a beautiful foster sister, even more attractive than Jia’s wife.

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Su Jianshe’s tall and handsome appearance only fueled Jia Xudong’s jealousy.

“A drunkard, how dare he ask for a match? In my opinion, Su Jianshe should not only accept this marriage but also compensate the deaf old lady and Shazhu a hundred yuan each—and that’s being generous.”

Jia Zhangshi seemed to suddenly understand and shouted, “Su Jianshe, can we elders really harm you? If Chu Yan really married Shazhu, wouldn’t that be better than with you? As for compensation, the old lady doesn’t need money, but Shazhu should get more—let’s say one hundred fifty yuan!”

Behind Jia Xudong, Qin Huairu’s eyes sparkled, already imagining that one hundred fifty yuan in her hands. She had never seriously considered Chu Yan and Shazhu’s marriage but schemed silently, “That one hundred fifty yuan could buy so much meat for Banggeng. This time, I’m going all in. I’ll make sure I get what I want!”

As the crowd grew noisy, Yi Zhonghai slammed the table, commanding silence. All eyes turned to him.

“Su Jianshe, it’s settled! You will give seventy-five yuan each to the old lady and Shazhu. We won’t pursue your sister’s matter any further.” He spoke with some pity. “You’re just a level-two fitter—how can you support Chu Yan? Shazhu earns more and is thrifty, never wastes money.”

The second elder comforted the deaf old lady beside him. “Old lady, sorry for the trouble. Su Jianshe has apologized and compensated. Let this matter rest, what do you say?”

The deaf old lady, as the courtyard’s matriarch, wore a triumphant expression, casting a sideways glance at Su Jianshe, seemingly flaunting her victory.

This scene not only enraged Su Jianshe but also made the two officers beside him clench their fists, their anger burning.

“What kind of people live in this courtyard?”

“Drugging a woman and locking her with another single man—such acts justify not just self-defense but stronger retaliation!”

“Truly worse than beasts! Some here are no different from animals—distorting facts, protecting the culprits, and punishing the victims!”

Before Su Jianshe and the officers could react, Shazhu stood smiling lecherously.

“No matter, if Chu Yan and I are to be connected, we’re family, and we must save face. Let’s drop this matter! As for before, it was just a misunderstanding. Seventy yuan compensation is enough! The old lady was just anxious; otherwise, this would have been resolved earlier!”

“Hmph!”

“Su Jianshe, look at yourself! Your sister is better off with me. With you, she’d suffer your drunken violence and beatings!” Shazhu raised his head arrogantly, though he was merely a rough man with flushed cheeks and an ordinary appearance.

After speaking, he stared proudly at Su Jianshe, as if boasting, “See? No matter how strong you are, your sister will marry me in the end!”

But when he looked at Su Jianshe, he saw only mockery, as if he were a clown, and fell silent.

Before Shazhu could speak again, one of the officers standing beside Su Jianshe, red-faced and cold, suddenly rose.

Looking at the smug Shazhu, the two officers’ eyes were full of coldness and disgust.

“So, you admit you had ill intentions toward that woman!”

“And you, old lady, you also admit to drugging her against her will and sending her to another man with malicious intent?”

The two young men rose sharply, their tone as harsh as an interrogation, drawing frowns from the courtyard, especially the deaf old lady. She slammed her cane on the ground, shouting:

“This is my courtyard! Since when did you outsiders get to interfere? And you two young men, how dare you speak to this old woman like that?”

“Where are the manners?”

The deaf old lady completely ignored the two men standing beside Su Jianshe, assuming they were his hired muscle. She snapped:

“Even if I really drugged her, it was for Chu Yan’s own good. A girl that outstanding doesn’t deserve Su Jianshe! Who do you think you are, speaking so arrogantly? I’m a state-supported resident and a martyr’s family! Believe it or not, I’ll have the police station punish you!”

After speaking, she slammed her cane down again, furious.

At the same time, Shazhu snapped out of his previous lecherous grin. He had just been imagining life with Chu Yan after marriage and how he would enjoy spending seventy-five yuan—a sum equivalent to more than two months’ wages.

Seeing these two disrupt his dream, Shazhu abruptly stood and approached Su Jianshe and the officers, thinking:

“I can’t beat Su Jianshe, but does he dare mess with me now? Everyone is watching. If he moves first, I’ll have a reason to sue him, and seventy-five yuan won’t be enough!”

Shazhu stormed to Su Jianshe, pointing at one officer’s nose, shouting:

“What do you think you are? Dare to cause trouble in our courtyard? Know your place! What are you staring at? If you’re not satisfied, fight me!”

Shazhu’s outburst made Yi Zhonghai frown deeply, silently thinking: Shazhu is becoming unbearable. I haven’t even spoken, and he’s already jumped in.

Since outsiders were present, he couldn’t scold Shazhu now and turned his attention to the two unfamiliar young men.

“This matter concerns our courtyard; you need not interfere!”

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