Yang Xuan respects no one more than the adaptability of these two individuals!
“Sha Zhu, did you kick them out?” Yang Xuan asked quietly.
“I had just turned on the light when they went into the cellar. If it weren't for my sharp eyes, I might not have noticed them,” He Yu Zhu replied.
After Yi Zhong Hai arrived, he headed straight home.
Liu Hai Zhong felt a bit embarrassed and stopped Yi Zhong Hai: “Old Yi, it wouldn't be good if we don't clarify today's matter. We need to give everyone an explanation, right?”
Yi Zhong Hai angrily retorted, “Explanation for what? What did you see? The Qin family is out of food, and no one in this courtyard cares. I sent a bag of cornmeal over, what's wrong with that?”
Qin Huai Ru put down the cornmeal in her hands: “Uncle, from now on, you don't need to concern yourself with my family's affairs. Many people in this courtyard would love to see us starve. Now that you're here to help us, they still want to throw dirt on your name!”
Yi Zhong Hai snorted, “If you're upright, you have nothing to fear from shadows. What do I have to be afraid of?”
“If you're not afraid, why are you helping people at night?” Xu Da Mao said defiantly.
“Xu Da Mao, do you have a say in this? You pushed us into the cellar, what do you want?” Yi Zhong Hai glared at Xu Da Mao.
Xu Da Mao panicked, “It wasn't me, it was Sha Zhu!”
“Sha Zhu! I asked you to help Qin Huai Ru, and now her family is about to run out of food. How did you help?” Yi Zhong Hai immediately turned his fire on He Yu Zhu.
“Uncle, I've helped Qin Huai Ru's family enough. I don't want to help anymore!” He Yu Zhu said.
Yang Xuan laughed, “This is quite strange. How long has it been since Sha Zhu was robbed of dozens of dollars? I remember he even had a bag of flour stolen. And oil too. And now, not long after, the Jia family is out of food again. Are the Jia family all pigs? Can they eat that much?”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Yi Zhong Hai angrily said, “Yang Xuan, don't think that just because you became an engineer, you can do whatever you want in this courtyard. This courtyard isn't a place for you to speak freely; any matters must be decided by the three of us elders.”
Yang Xuan chuckled, “Uncle, the street appointed you as an elder to help solve the difficulties of everyone in this courtyard. It's not for you to act like a dictator! You even went into the cellar. You let a young bachelor like Sha Zhu help a widow; what were you thinking? Were you out of your mind? Or did you have too much thinking? By the way, He Yu Zhu's salary isn't high, he's unmarried, and he has a younger sister at home. You earn ninety-nine a month; why not just take care of yourself? Afraid of what people might say? Isn't Sha Zhu afraid? He hasn't even dated yet! No wonder Sha Zhu never succeeds in dating.”
Yi Zhong Hai panicked, “I just asked Sha Zhu to bring some leftovers to Qin Huai Ru's family. For a chef like him, this isn't a big deal.”
“And as a result, he hasn't found a partner by thirty?” Yang Xuan said.
“Not finding a partner is Sha Zhu's own problem; it has nothing to do with Qin Huai Ru!” Yi Zhong Hai said displeased.
“Then what does it have to do with you? Every time Sha Zhu is about to succeed in dating, it suddenly falls through. You must have played a part in that, right?” Yang Xuan said.
“That's because someone is scheming behind the scenes! What does Xu Da Mao's actions have to do with me?” Yi Zhong Hai said, flustered and angry.
Xu Da Mao was confused: “Wait a minute. Sha Zhu never knows whose daughter he is dating; how did it end up being blamed on me? No wonder every time Sha Zhu fails to date, he comes over to beat me up. Damn, you guys are putting the blame on me, aren't you?”
Xu Da Mao had actually enjoyed the misfortune of He Yu Zhu's failed relationships, thinking that was why he got beaten.
“Not you?” He Yu Zhu was also surprised. He had always thought Xu Da Mao was the one scheming behind the scenes.
Xu Da Mao was furious: “What does it have to do with me? I don't have that much power. I don't even know who you are dating!”
“Let's not talk about this. We should discuss tonight's events properly. Uncle, your way of helping the widow is quite remarkable!” Yang Xuan said.
“Yang Xuan, I, Yi Zhong Hai, am upright and fear no shadows. Say what you want, but don't speak in riddles,” Yi Zhong Hai said.
Yang Xuan laughed, “You’re upright? You think being upright means you can deliver a bag of cornmeal in the middle of the night? Why not just deliver it directly to Qin Huai Ru's house after work? Besides, did you agree to meet Qin Huai Ru at midnight to deliver cornmeal, or did you go to knock on her window at midnight to call her out?”
Yi Zhong Hai stammered. If he said they had agreed, it seemed inappropriate. Meeting a widow at midnight just to deliver cornmeal? Who would believe that? If he said they hadn't agreed, then knocking on a widow's window at midnight, even if it was to deliver cornmeal, was also inappropriate, right?
Just now, Yi Zhong Hai had spoken with such confidence, but now, with just two questions from Yang Xuan, he was left speechless, and everyone began to ponder. Yi Zhong Hai's earlier confidence was actually full of holes. His behavior with Qin Huai Ru was abnormal.
At that moment, Jia Zhang Shi rushed out of the Jia family's house, screaming.
“Qin Huai Ru, you shameless hussy! How dare you meet Yi Zhong Hai in secret behind my back! How can you do this to the Jia family? How can you do this to Dong Xu?”
Yi Zhong Hai's face darkened. This was a disaster.
Qin Huai Ru's expression also changed. With Jia Zhang Shi causing such a scene, things were truly getting out of hand.
“Stop making a scene! I just came out to deliver some cornmeal, and now it's turned into this! From now on, I won't care about the Jia family's affairs anymore. You all can do as you please!” Yi Zhong Hai knew that if he didn't act decisively now, things would only get worse.
Yang Xuan turned to look, and He Yu Zhu had a slight smile on his face.
It was he who had woken Jia Zhang Shi.
Otherwise, Jia Zhang Shi really wouldn't have woken up. She could eat and sleep, sleeping like a pig at night. No matter how loud the noise, she wouldn't wake up; otherwise, Qin Huai Ru wouldn't dare to come out at midnight to meet Yi Zhong Hai.
Jia Zhang Shi was not so easily intimidated by Yi Zhong Hai. Now that she had the upper hand, she rushed over and grabbed Yi Zhong Hai, not letting him leave: “Yi Zhong Hai, you can't just walk away! If this matter isn't clarified today, I won't let you go!”
This was the fiercest person in the courtyard. Even Yi Zhong Hai was wary of her.
“What’s there to clarify? Haven't I helped your Jia family enough over the years? I’ve brought cornmeal to your family more than once. Yesterday, I was delayed by something, and when I heard your family was running out of food, I hurried to deliver a bag of cornmeal!” Yi Zhong Hai said.
“Then why did you need to sneak around behind my back? Why at midnight? Clearly, you did something shameful. You were even caught in the cellar. Yi Zhong Hai, I'm not stupid. You must compensate for this!” Jia Zhang Shi said.
“Mom! Stop making a scene. If you keep this up, who will dare to help us in the future? Uncle is just being kind-hearted, seeing that we are running out of food, and he hurriedly brought us food. Didn't I tell you at dinner? Who told you to go to sleep so early? When Uncle came over, I couldn't wake you no matter how I called,” Qin Huai Ru shot a glance at Jia Zhang Shi.