Volume 1, Chapter 30: A Band of Scoundrels

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For a moment, everyone turned their anger on Second Uncle Liu Haizhong once more.

As for Su Jianshe, these bullies who only preyed on the weak did not dare provoke him, fearing that they might anger him and take a punch. After all, the old lady had nearly been kicked to death just moments ago.

“You people!”

Liu Haizhong had thought he had successfully shifted the blame onto Su Jianshe. Who could have imagined that it would ultimately come back to him? He was so furious that his entire body trembled.

Meanwhile, Su Jianshe held Chu Yan’s hand and softly comforted her, completely ignoring the quarrel around them as he pondered to himself.

“I remember there were Snowflake Cakes in this era. I’ll buy some for Xiaoyan. I picked up a beauty like this for free—she would definitely have been a national goddess in my previous life. I have to spoil her properly!”

“When will the system finally sign me in with something useful? If I’m not around and Xiaoyan gets plotted against by these people, what am I supposed to do?”

“Doggie, Doggie, when will you finally grow up?”

Faced with the furious crowd in the courtyard compound, Liu Haizhong was so anxious that sweat poured down his forehead. His repeated attempts to calm everyone achieved nothing, so he could only turn to his son, Liu Guangfu, and say:

“Hurry! Go get First Uncle!”

Upon hearing this, Liu Guangfu immediately pushed through the crowd and ran toward the rear courtyard, afraid that if he delayed even for a moment, his father would suffer for it.

“Alas, there’s more than four hundred pounds of pork here, and it’s almost five hundred. How could our family possibly afford it?”

While grumbling inwardly about his father’s foolishness, Liu Guangfu hurriedly pounded on the door of Yi Zhonghai’s home.

Yi Zhonghai sat in the courtyard, looking dazed as he smelled the stench clinging to his own body.

It was the smell of urine and feces that had stained him when he carried the old lady earlier. It was now gradually spreading through the air.

“What terrible luck! Old Madam, why didn’t you say something sooner?”

Yi Zhonghai secretly blamed both the old lady and Su Jianshe.

He felt that he had always treated the old lady honorably. He had even paid to have her bailed out, yet this was how she repaid him.

Just as Yi Zhonghai hesitated over whether he should continue caring for an old woman who had lost even the most basic control over herself, a knock suddenly rang out.

Bang, bang, bang…

The knocking was heavy and urgent. The anger in Yi Zhonghai’s chest flared instantly, and he shouted toward the door:

“Who is it? Is that any way to knock? Have you no manners?”

Hearing Yi Zhonghai’s voice, Liu Guangfu felt as though dawn had broken through the darkness. He hurriedly called out:

“First Uncle, please come and take a look! Everything’s descended into chaos out front!”

Smelling the stench inside the house, Yi Zhonghai gave a curt reply, opened the door, and headed straight for the front courtyard.

…

“Second Uncle, we call you Second Uncle out of respect, but what you’ve done is completely dishonorable!”

“This was something the whole compound agreed to do. Someone has to take responsibility. Second Uncle, I think you need to shoulder this!”

“Liu Haizhong, are you even a man? I’m telling you, this matter isn’t over unless you pay up!”

“Either Liu Haizhong returns the money, or we strip him of his position as Second Uncle!”

The moment those words were spoken, Second Uncle Liu Haizhong panicked.

He could do without the money, but he absolutely could not lose his position as Second Uncle.

“How can you put all the blame on me? When we discussed it, none of you objected!”

“Besides… surely you all know what was written in the ledger, don’t you?”

“Old Yan, say something fair!”

Third Uncle Yan Bugui had been standing among the crowd, watching the spectacle from a safe distance.

The instant Second Uncle Liu Haizhong called out to him, Yan Bugui shook his head like a wave.

“This has nothing to do with me. You were the one who took the ledger. You asked me to make the entries in the beginning, and I warned you about the problems. As for the later records, you wrote them yourself!”

Hearing Yan Bugui wash his hands of the matter, Liu Haizhong grew even more anxious.

Not only had he failed to suppress Su Jianshe or enhance his authority, but he had also managed to bring trouble upon himself?

Just as his face flushed with panic, Su Jianshe caused yet another disturbance.

Su Jianshe took his wife’s delicate hand and gently peeled open a piece of candy.

“Xiaoyan, eat more candy. It’s good for you.”

“Oh, Jianshe, this piece is too big.”

“That’s all right. We can taste it together.”

“Xiaoyan, what would you like for dinner tonight? Braised pork, mapo tofu, or boiled fish? Pick one.”

“Huh? Jianshe, I’d like something lighter. If I keep eating like this, I’ll become a little fatty.”

Watching the two of them deliberately flaunt their affection, Liu Haizhong’s blood pressure shot up.

Yet there was nothing he could do to Su Jianshe.

All he could feel was fury and helplessness.

The women standing nearby, close to Su Jianshe, cast envious glances at the couple.

Braised pork, fish, and a handsome man coaxing his wife—when had they ever enjoyed such treatment?

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Whenever they returned home, they had to cook and wash clothes, deal with vicious mothers-in-law and unruly children, and sometimes endure beatings and scoldings from their husbands.

But look at the way Su Jianshe treated his wife.

He cooked for her, bought her candy, and sweet-talked her.

And then they thought of their own husbands.

In an instant, everyone began to envy Chu Yan.

At that moment, First Uncle Yi Zhonghai arrived. Seeing the uproar, he shouted:

“That’s enough! Stop arguing. This matter needs to be discussed carefully!”

The appearance of First Uncle Yi Zhonghai was like the arrival of a savior to Liu Haizhong.

If he were truly stripped of his position as Second Uncle, Liu Haizhong would rather die.

“You’re all neighbors. Why drag things to such an impasse?”

With First Uncle present, the crowd made way for him.

It was not merely because of his position.

They had also caught the strange odor surrounding him, as though urine and feces were clinging to his body, and one after another they instinctively backed away.

Yi Zhonghai noticed the strange looks from those around him, but he forced down the rage in his heart. His gaze sharpened.

“Brat, remember this. I’ll show you how I deal with you!”

With that, he glared fiercely at Su Jianshe before returning to his place.

Seeing this, Second Uncle Liu Haizhong hurried back to his seat. Only after sitting there did he feel slightly reassured. As for the ledger, he had casually tossed it onto Yan Bugui’s table.

Once the situation had settled down, Yan Bugui slowly returned to his own seat. But when he saw the ledger, he could not help staring in surprise.

“Old Liu, what do you mean by this?”

Before Liu Haizhong could answer, Yi Zhonghai interrupted:

“Everyone, don’t forget the original purpose of this gathering.”

The original purpose? Wasn’t it to secure some meat? Oh, right—was it about the Jia family? But hadn’t the Jia family come for meat as well?

It took the crowd a while to remember. Their gazes shifted toward the person hiding behind Jia Zhangshi.

“Our compound has always been a Red Flag unit, even though we encountered a few setbacks this year.”

“But that shouldn’t affect our unity. Since the problem lies with the ledger, why don’t we discuss everything openly and honestly?”

Liu Haizhong had assumed Yi Zhonghai would speak up for him. Instead, Yi Zhonghai abruptly changed direction and proposed exposing the ledger to everyone.

Liu Haizhong’s eyes lit up.

There really were problems with the ledger!

Looking at Yi Zhonghai’s expressionless face, he could not help admiring him inwardly.

“As expected of First Uncle. When will I ever be able to wield such skill?”

Yi Zhonghai ignored Liu Haizhong. He knew very well that the little brat Su Jianshe would never willingly hand over any money.

Not to mention that this wedding banquet had clearly been designed as a trap. On top of that, Su Jianshe had just kicked the old lady so hard that she had ended up in such a state.

But—

If he could not restore his dignity, how could he continue serving as First Uncle? He would have trouble convincing anyone to obey him.

“Su Jianshe, this matter was ultimately provoked by you. What do you have to say?”

Yi Zhonghai turned toward Su Jianshe and questioned him.

Seeing Su Jianshe’s unyielding attitude, Yi Zhonghai—who was determined to bring him under control—was unwilling to let the matter end there.

“Brat, don’t forget that we haven’t yet settled accounts with you for what you did to the old lady!”

He thought he had caught Su Jianshe by the throat.

“What a joke. Are you blind? When that old thing lunged at me and tried to bite me, why didn’t you say a word?”

“Are you saying she was allowed to bite me, but I wasn’t allowed to fight back?”

Yi Zhonghai’s expression changed drastically.

He regarded the Deaf Old Madam as his own mother.

If the Deaf Old Madam was a beast, then what did that make him?

Bang!

Yi Zhonghai slammed his palm onto the table and rose to glare furiously at Su Jianshe.

“Su Jianshe, I’m warning you. The old lady is the most senior and respected person in this courtyard compound. If you insult her again, just wait and see how I deal with you!”

At his words, everyone turned hostile eyes toward Su Jianshe.

In their minds, no matter what the Deaf Old Madam had done wrong, she was still elderly, and all her faults could be forgiven.

Everyone—including Su Jianshe—was expected to tolerate her.

Yet Su Jianshe had only one thought:

“There’s no reasoning with beasts—especially not with this entire pack of animals!”

Besides, the people in the courtyard compound fawned over Yi Zhonghai only because they hoped that, if trouble ever befell their families, he would lend them a hand.

As for this wedding banquet, it was obvious that they had intended to scheme against him…

Hmph. Let them scheme all they wanted!

“Yi Zhonghai, don’t put on airs in front of me. What First Uncle? What ancestral matriarch? You’re nothing but an old rogue!”

“That old rogue relies on his age to run wild. The kick I gave him today was already merciful. If he dares to cross the line again, just watch what I do to him!”

“You’ve already forgotten what that old bastard did to my sister?”

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“Don’t think I’ll stop at calling him an old beast. If you anger me, this matter will never end. Do you believe me?”

“And another thing: I won’t pay a single cent for this wedding banquet. If you try to set your sights on my family again, I’ll see you at the police station.”

“Whoever organized it and whoever carried it out—go find them!”

Having said his piece, Su Jianshe took Chu Yan by the hand and left.

“Don’t be angry. There’s no point getting worked up over a bunch of rogues. Today is my wedding day, after all!”

After calming himself slightly, Su Jianshe led Chu Yan away from the farce.

Watching him leave, Jia Dongxu grew anxious.

“Mom! What are we going to do? He’s gone. Are we really supposed to demand the money from Second Uncle?”

But when Jia Zhangshi saw Su Jianshe leave, she was relieved instead.

She said viciously, “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter who gives us the meat. If Liu Haizhong refuses, just watch how I deal with him! If he won’t pay, I’ll stand outside his house and make a scene. Let’s see whether he hands over this basin of meat or not!”

Several neighbors who lived near the Jia family frowned and moved away after hearing her words.

“The Jia family really is shameless. Back then, Second Uncle gave them that meat because he pitied them, didn’t he?”

“Exactly. Second Uncle hasn’t even recovered his money yet, and they still want to take advantage of him and demand a whole basin of meat!”

“I used to help them too. From now on, if anyone from that family comes asking for food, I won’t give them anything. They’re nothing but ingrates!”

…

Watching Su Jianshe’s retreating back, Liu Haizhong wore an unpleasant expression, but he could not say anything.

If he pushed Su Jianshe too far and brought the police into the matter, things would become troublesome.

It was questionable whether he could even hold on to his position as Second Uncle.

“Old Yi, what do you think we should do about this?”

Seeing the pleading look in Liu Haizhong’s eyes, Yi Zhonghai felt a surge of secret satisfaction.

He thought smugly:

“Liu Haizhong, Liu Haizhong—you finally have your day!”

“When I invited you to help organize the wedding banquet, you secretly acted on your own.”

“Still, I have to thank you. Otherwise, I would have been dragged into this mess as well.”

“If I don’t teach you a lesson today, you may never understand who the real boss of this compound is. I can’t deal with Su Jianshe, but surely I can deal with you.”

Though his mind was filled with countless thoughts, Yi Zhonghai appeared extraordinarily calm on the surface.

“This matter needs to be discussed carefully.”

“But you must pay the money!”

“I can’t afford it!” Liu Haizhong said bitterly. “There’s nearly five hundred pounds of pork involved. Even if I tore the house apart, I couldn’t scrape together enough money.”

Yi Zhonghai cursed him inwardly but still offered advice.

“You don’t have to return all of it. One-third will do. Then go from house to house and apologize. They won’t have any excuse to make trouble.”

Liu Haizhong felt a burning pain spread across his face, as though someone had slapped him.

But he knew this was one of the few ways to resolve the matter.

The reason these people were still willing to talk to him was because of the meat recorded in the ledger.

If he refused to return it, how could they possibly let the matter rest?

“This… all right. I’ll pay it back!”

Before Liu Haizhong could finish speaking, Jia Zhangshi’s shrill voice rang out from the crowd.

“Liu Haizhong, I’m telling you, Su Jianshe has left. You still have to return the money and the meat!”

“You were the one who pounded your chest and guaranteed that Su Jianshe would repay it. And now?”

The moment Jia Zhangshi finished speaking, the crowd began to jeer.

“That’s right, Second Uncle. Our family contributed more than ten pounds of pork. You can’t just let the matter disappear!”

“Second Uncle, our family has always treated you well. Whenever we had anything good to eat, you were the first person we thought of. And now you’re trying to welsh on the debt? What kind of logic is that?”

Liu Haizhong’s face turned livid from the shouting.

“Thinking of me? If you really thought of me, would you still be living in such poverty?”

…

“Jianshe, is it really all right for us to leave like this?” Chu Yan asked, frowning with slight worry.

“It’s fine.” Su Jianshe paid no attention to it.

“Don’t worry about those people. They don’t dare come after me. They’re only trying to find someone to repay the money now, and it makes no difference who pays it.”

“Even if they come looking for me, it won’t do them any good. This has nothing to do with us.”