Xu Da Mao naturally didn't dare to say that he was looking for his missing hen.
Zeng Wen Fang was not stupid, and she guessed Xu Da Mao's purpose.
"Sha Zhu, please explain for me, I really have no other intentions. I just smelled the chicken scent and came to take a look." Xu Da Mao saw He Yu Zhu and, out of desperation, turned to his sworn enemy for help.
He Yu Zhu chuckled and said, "Xu Da Mao, you're not telling the truth, are you? How can I help you if you don't tell the truth?"
The commotion in the Yang family attracted the attention of their neighbors in the courtyard.
"What's going on? We are all neighbors in the same courtyard, if you have anything to say, just say it clearly." Yi Zhong Hai said with a righteous air.
Liu Hai Zhong, hands behind his back, looked like an old cadre, his expression very serious: "Whatever the matter, we three elders can handle it. You are making such a fuss, it's affecting the unity of our courtyard. Our courtyard has been a model for the neighborhood year after year."
Yan Bu Gui chimed in, "That's right. Our courtyard being a model benefits everyone."
Lou Xiao E saw that Xu Da Mao was arguing with Zeng Wen Fang at Yang Xuan's house, and she quickly pushed through the crowd and went to Xu Da Mao: "Didn't you go look for the chicken? Why are you in Zeng Shu's house?"
This was really like adding fuel to the fire. Xu Da Mao was afraid that the Yang family would know why he went to their house.
Now, Zeng Wen Fang was not happy: "Okay! I said, Xu Da Mao, you come to my house to ask questions, you are actually looking for your chicken. I just happened to be stewing chicken, are you thinking I am a chicken thief?"
Xu Da Mao hurriedly said, "I didn't think so!"
"Then why did you run to my house when your chicken was lost? The chicken I have is bought from the market, Yan Jia Sao even went to the market with me." Zeng Wen Fang said.
The Third Master, Yan Bu Gui, his wife, Yang Rui Hua, immediately stepped forward to vouch for Zeng Wen Fang: "I can testify to this. I went to buy groceries with Wen Fang today. Wen Fang said Sha Zhu saved Yang Xuan's life yesterday, so she invited Sha Zhu to her house for dinner. Wen Fang wanted to buy a hen but couldn't find one, so she bought a rooster. Lou Xiao E, did your family lose a rooster or a hen?"
"Yesterday, Da Mao brought two hens back from the countryside and planned to raise them for eggs. But unexpectedly, when I came home from work today, one was missing from the coop. It was still there when I fed them this morning." Lou Xiao E said.
"Xu Da Mao! Your chicken is lost, why did you run to my house to look for it?" Yang Da Cheng came back from outside, carrying two bottles of bottled liquor.
Xu Da Mao saw Yang Da Cheng and panicked: "Uncle Yang, I really wasn't looking for my chicken at your house. I smelled the chicken stew and wanted to take a look. I didn't expect to end up at your house. Actually, as soon as I got to your house, I knew it couldn't be my chicken. It's just that the chicken soup was so fragrant that I couldn't move my feet."
"Old Yi, Old Liu, Teacher Yan, my family is being branded as chicken thieves. If this matter is not cleared up, my family's reputation will be ruined! How will Yang Xuan find a partner in the future?" Yang Da Cheng ignored Xu Da Mao's explanations and turned to the three elders to exert pressure.
Now, the three elders were in a dilemma, regretting coming here to seek trouble.
But now that this hot potato was in their hands, it was not easy to throw it away, otherwise the prestige of the three elders in the courtyard would be damaged.
"Old Yi, what do you think we should do?" Yan Bu Gui looked at Yi Zhong Hai. At this time, only Yi Zhong Hai could calm the situation.
"Xu Da Mao, you're talking nonsense, your chicken is lost, why did you run to Old Yang's house? He's a clerk at the steel mill, earning forty or fifty yuan a month, does he not afford a chicken?" Yi Zhong Hai reprimanded.
Xu Da Mao was a clever man, seeing that Yi Zhong Hai was muddying the waters, he quickly said: "It's my fault, I was also out of my mind, why did I go to Uncle Yang's house. It's all my fault, I lost my chicken and lost my mind."
Yi Zhong Hai seized the opportunity and said: "Old Yang, Xu Da Mao also lost his mind when he lost something, why don't you let him apologize to you, and we'll just let this matter go?"
Yang Da Cheng saw that Yi Zhong Hai had spoken, and he couldn't continue to be angry. After all, Yi Zhong Hai was an eighth-grade fitter at the steel mill and also the elder of the courtyard. Yang Da Cheng didn't want to offend Yi Zhong Hai.
As Yang Da Cheng hesitated, Yang Xuan said, "First Elder, this is a matter concerning our family's reputation, we can't let Xu Da Mao get away with it so easily. Xu Da Mao said his chicken was lost, we need to find the chicken first! See if it got lost or stolen. There needs to be an explanation! Today, Xu Da Mao suspected that our family stole his chicken. And we happen to be stewing chicken. If this matter is not clarified, people might spread rumors saying that our family stole Xu Da Mao's chicken."
Yang Da Cheng realized the seriousness of the situation when he heard what Yang Xuan said: "Right! This matter must be cleared up."
Yi Zhong Hai actually knew what happened. Because as soon as he got home, he heard First Aunt say that she seemed to have seen Bang Geng take a chicken out of the courtyard.
Yi Zhong Hai lived opposite the Jia family, and Bang Geng stole the chicken from Xu Da Mao's house, sneaking out, and was seen by First Aunt who was cleaning up in the house.
Bang Geng stole the chicken and took a cloth bag from home to cover it and took it out of the courtyard.
Therefore, Yi Zhong Hai was trying to smooth things over from the beginning.
"But who knows where the chicken has gone now? What if we can't find it, will we just be stuck like this? Why don't we let Xu Da Mao apologize first, and then go look for the chicken." Yi Zhong Hai quickly found an excuse.
Xu Da Mao also smiled and said: "Yes, yes, I apologize, it's my fault today."
Lou Xiao E ran over, grabbed Xu Da Mao's ear: "How can you be so stupid? Uncle Yang is such a good person, why would he steal your chicken? Besides, there are chicken feathers drying outside Uncle Yang's door. They are red chickens, you lost a white chicken, are you stupid?"
Xu Da Mao only then noticed that there was a bamboo flat on the rack by the door, with wet chicken feathers drying on it.
Qin Huai Ru stood aside, her heart a little flustered. As soon as she got home today, she smelled a strong chicken smell on her three children. Good heavens, she washed them with soap several times, but she couldn't cover the smell.
The three little guys were stuffed, and they kept burping. Every time they burped, a strong chicken smell would spray out. If they didn't come out, it's fine. Once they came out, they would surely be exposed.
Yang Da Cheng didn't want to make a big fuss, he pulled Yang Xuan: "Old Yi, today, for your sake, let's just let this matter go. Xu Da Mao, you remember this, if you do something like this again, it won't be as simple as this!"
Xu Da Mao nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, there will never be such a thing again."
"Then everyone disperse! Xu Da Mao, go find your chicken." Yi Zhong Hai said to everyone.
Liu Hai Zhong and Yan Bu Gui saw the table in Yang Da Cheng's house full of food and drink, and they couldn't move their feet.
"Today, my family is just grateful to Sha Zhu for saving me, so I won't be keeping you all for dinner. Everyone go back and eat!" Yang Xuan naturally knew what Liu Hai Zhong and Yan Bu Gui were thinking.
He Yu Shui returned to the courtyard and was about to go home when she was stopped by Zeng Wen Fang who was waiting outside.
"Brother, what happened in the courtyard just now?" He Yu Shui came back just as the drama ended.