Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 660 The Dust Settles During the Great Struggle
At this moment, everyone in the courtyard had their own ulterior motives.

"Liu Haizhong has been dismissed. He can sit in this vacant position, so why can't I? Why shouldn't I fight for it!"

"Since Liu Haizhong became the steward, what good things has he done for the courtyard? If I were in that position, I could do just as well as him!"

"Liu Haizhong is just talking big. Why can't I do it? Even if I can't do as well as him, at the very least I'll be just like him."

"That's right, that's it! If it works with bangs, it works with me too!!!"

For a time, everyone coveted the position of the steward, their eyes gleaming with a sinister green light, like hungry wolves pouncing on their prey.

The main reason is that Liu Haizhong did not do anything good during his time as the second uncle, which aroused everyone's greed.

Liu family.

"Clang!"

The crisp sound of a porcelain bowl shattering on the ground shattered the deathly silence of the Liu family home.

Liu Haizhong's eyes were bloodshot, and the dull thud of his fist slamming onto the table startled the second aunt, who shrank into the corner.

"My position! Those bastards are laughing at me..."

A roar like that of a trapped beast rolled from his throat, but he couldn't hide the trembling of his fingertips—twenty years of empty titles had ultimately turned into a mess.

"Damn it, what a bastard, what a jinx! My great-uncle! Gone! Gone!"

Seeing the pots and pans smashed all over the floor, Aunt Er didn't dare to step forward to offer any advice.

The Liu brothers, Guangtian and Guangtian, were trembling with fear. It was the first time they had ever seen Liu Haizhong so furious.

Even when Liu Guangqi secretly left, he wasn't this angry.

The two brothers dared not linger any longer and quietly disappeared.

No matter how angry Liu Haizhong was, it was a foregone conclusion that he would be removed from his position as the second uncle.

Although it's only a temporary exemption, whether it can be reinstated is still unknown and shouldn't be hoped for.

"From my hometown, how should I put it? Maybe we should talk to the magistrate in charge?"

Easy home.

Hearing the sounds of smashing and looting coming from the Liu family's house, Yi Zhonghai remained calm and composed, but he was somewhat worried inside.

"What did Director Wang mean by his last sentence? Was he implying something about me?"

"Or is it simply the literal meaning? Impossible, I wouldn't be bothered by something so trivial."

Yi Zhonghai racked his brains trying to figure out the deeper meaning behind Director Wang's last words, but in reality, it was just the literal meaning, which he didn't know.

After thinking for a long time, Yi Zhonghai had no answer and decided to sit back and watch the world go by.

Looking up outside, the sun was setting: "There's some commotion in the yard. No matter what happens, I'm a level eight worker after all, so this fire won't reach me."

Thinking of this, Yi Zhonghai calmed down and regained his calm and composed demeanor.

Yan family.

"Honey, you said Liu Haizhong can't be the second uncle, can you be promoted?" the third aunt asked curiously.

“I think this is a good idea,” Yan Bugui said confidently, then gave his reasons: “Look, there aren’t many people in our compound who are bigger than me.”

"They're too old to be in charge, and they don't have the energy to manage things, so it's pointless for them to fight."

"If young people are being made into senior managers, it won't be right for me, at my age, not to be promoted."

Yan Bugui's analysis was very logical, and the Third Aunt couldn't help but smile knowingly. After being the Third Aunt for so long, she also wanted to be the Second Aunt.

Although it's just a change in name, it's nice to change things up once in a while.

"Alright, hurry up and cook."

What Yan Bugui cared about wasn't who became the third uncle, but rather what Director Wang had said before leaving, something that worried him just as much as Yi Zhonghai.

However, compared to the confident Yi Zhonghai, this primary school teacher was not so confident.

Over the years, the steward has indirectly helped him a lot. If the steward were gone, I don’t know what would happen in the future.
"This yard isn't always in chaos, and the people here are quite well-behaved. How could this be?"

Yan Bugui tried his best to refute Director Wang's point of view.

Regardless of their thoughts, everyone had their own calculations, and some people took immediate action.

After dinner.

Suddenly, Xu Damao approached Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui and asked to hold a meeting.

Knowing that Xu Damao had ill intentions, and recalling Director Wang's words, the two decided to see what was going on.

The two announced the start of the meeting, and no one in the courtyard objected. In fact, everyone arrived at the central courtyard early without being urged by the two.

Liu Haizhong also arrived, but his expression was not good.

Even in the darkness, his face was completely obscured, which shows how dark it was.

This meeting is not simple.

As expected, once everyone was gathered, Xu Damao took the lead in initiating the grand competition.

"Today's meeting was convened by my eldest and third uncles, and you can all guess what we're going to talk about."

“Our courtyard is managed by three old men. Now that Old Liu has been dismissed by the street office, our courtyard needs to fill the vacancy.”

"I propose that we elect a manager today, what do you say?"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at each other, and no one stepped forward.

That's what he was thinking, but it didn't have to be this early. Xu Damao was going against Liu Haizhong.

"bump!"

"I disagree!"

Liu Haizhong was furious and slammed his fist on the octagonal table.

Xu Damao was fearless: "Old Liu, why do you disagree? You're not the boss anymore."

"Pah! Director Wang only temporarily relieved me of my duties, he didn't say he removed me from my position as the supervisor. Director Wang didn't remove me at all, so I've always been the supervisor."

"Hmph!" Upon hearing this, Xu Damao was not the only one to scoff.

In everyone's eyes, Liu Haizhong was simply reluctant to part with his steward.

He's been dismissed now, who cares about him anymore?

Xu Damao didn't even look at Liu Haizhong, and faced everyone: "Since everyone is here, let's not make a wasted trip. Everyone step forward and see who wants to be the manager."

"I'll go first. I want to be the boss. Who agrees and who disagrees?"

Seeing that Xu Damao was ignoring him like this, Liu Haizhong's anger flared up even more: "Xu Damao, what do you mean?"

Xu Damao spread his hands: "Old Liu, I don't mean anything by it, but you've been the second uncle for so many years, and now that you've stepped down, you should give us a chance. We want to be the second uncle too."

"Don't you all agree?"

After saying that, Xu Damao looked at everyone.

Seeing the expectant looks in everyone's eyes, Liu Haizhong felt a sudden pang of unease. Although he didn't say anything, the meaning was obvious.

"I disagree!"

"What's the use of your disagreement? You're not the boss anymore, so whether you agree or not, you won't be in charge."

Seeing that he couldn't win the argument with Xu Damao, Liu Haizhong looked at Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui.

But the two turned their heads away, avoiding eye contact with him and ignoring his pleading gaze.

"Fine, fine, I understand now. Whether I agree to this or not is irrelevant! I've been the manager for so many years, and even if I haven't done anything great, I've still put in a lot of effort. Is this how you treat me?"

Upon hearing this, everyone lowered their heads. Liu Haizhong had indeed worked hard, even if he hadn't done anything particularly meritorious, and they felt a little guilty for doing this.

“Hey, Lao Liu, you’re right,” Xu Damao suddenly chimed in. “You really didn’t do any credit, but you put in a lot of hard work.”

"You've been the second uncle for so many years, what good things have you done for the courtyard? All I can think of is that you always give long speeches in meetings, you really haven't done anything worthwhile."

"You!!!" Liu Haizhong pointed at Xu Damao, too angry to speak.

"Old Liu!" Auntie Er hurriedly helped Liu Haizhong up, tears streaming down her face, and everyone cheered her on.

"If my son Guangqi were here, what would you have to do with this!"

The second aunt felt like a tiger fallen into the plains, bullied by dogs; Liu Haizhong's reasoned arguments were completely useless.

Xu Damao continued, "Alright, I think everyone should raise their hands to vote. Those who agree to the election, please raise your hands."

Immediately, many people raised their hands; looking around, it was at least half.

"Raise your hand if you disagree with the election."

A few people disagreed, but Liu Haizhong's whole family raised their hands.

"The minority shall obey the majority; anyone who wants to be the boss should step forward."

Immediately, five or six people from the former Intermediate Court stood up, all wanting to compete for the position. They were all residents aged 40 and above, with good family conditions, and were qualified to compete.

Xu Damao is the only exception.

Seeing this, Liu Haizhong was heartbroken.

"Alright, alright, let's go!"

After saying that, he pulled the second aunt away from this troublesome place.

With Liu Haizhong gone, everyone can now compete for the election without restraint.

Everyone shared their opinions, outlining their strengths and what they would do if elected.

"What's the use of talking a good game? Anyone can talk. What matters is who can do it and deliver results."

Some people are more pragmatic, sharing their down-to-earth actions after being elected.

Everyone has their own agenda, and no one is willing to give in or lose this battle.

Seeing that the situation was not progressing, the group all looked at the two stewards.

"Uncle, Uncle, what do you say? Who do you choose?" Xu Damao looked at Li Kailang and raised his eyebrows.

Li Kailang naturally understood what he meant and immediately stood up: "I think Xu Damao is more promising."

"Although Xu Damao is young, being young has its advantages. He can serve for a longer period of time. If I had to choose someone, I would choose Xu Damao."

"Thanks!" Xu Damao said loudly.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the others looked to their familiar neighbors. Some stood up to support them, while others waited to see what would happen.

The situation reached a stalemate once again, and the group looked at each other.

"This isn't a solution either."

There is currently no way to break the deadlock, given that this conference was held in a hurry.

At this point, someone stepped forward to break the deadlock, saying, "Hey, what's the point of all this arguing? Whoever gets elected should at least let the neighborhood committee know."

“If the neighborhood committee doesn’t agree, all your arguing will be for nothing. In the end, won’t it all be a waste of time?”

These words were like a sudden awakening.

Xu Damao nodded: "Yes, you're right. What are we arguing about now? How about this, I'll go to the subdistrict office tomorrow and ask Director Wang."

"If Director Wang agrees, we can continue the selection tomorrow. If he doesn't agree, I don't think there's any need to hold another meeting."

"That's right, there's no point in arguing here. We'll just have to ask tomorrow."

In an instant, the atmosphere returned to a friendly one, as if the tense scene from just moments ago had vanished.

Everyone has a friendly and harmonious relationship.

"Okay, it's settled then. I'll go to the neighborhood office to ask tomorrow."

The election of the steward has been temporarily suspended.

The next day.

Xu Damao went straight to the subdistrict office early in the morning to ask Director Wang for advice.

"Director, Xu Damao from courtyard number 95 is looking for you. He says he has something to say and wants to see you."

With just one sentence, Director Wang recalled yesterday's events: "He came to plead for Liu Haizhong. It seems that the reprimand was effective; he now knows he was wrong."

One day is not enough to achieve a deep reflection: "Tell Xu Damao I won't see him."

"Okay." The clerk accepted the order and said it to Xu Damao.

"Can't see him? Could you please help me, comrade, let me see him?"

"I'm sorry, the director has a meeting soon, so he can't see you. You can go back now."

No matter what Xu Damao said, they just wouldn't let him in.

Seeing that he couldn't get in, Xu Damao stopped insisting.

"Director Wang hasn't seen Liu Haizhong. Could it be that he's very disappointed in him? I think that's probably the case."

"Yes, that's it. It seems that Liu Haizhong, this manager, has no choice but to be removed!"

"Hehe, great, now my bangs can't make a comeback."

Xu Damao happily returned to the courtyard, and after everyone got off work, he told them his guess.

Instantly, their eyes lit up: "It seems that Liu Haizhong is completely out of the picture now, and it looks like we all have a chance."

Upon hearing this speculation, Liu Haizhong was completely disheartened and lay in bed, unable to eat or drink.

Immediately, without even having dinner, he gathered everyone together again.

Now is the perfect time to vie for the position of the steward.

People participated in the work in the front, middle, and back courtyards, but not in the rear building and the back annex building.

However, it's understandable, as the rear houses are too far away, and the people living in the back houses are all refugees who didn't have the strength to participate.

"Alright, everyone's here, let's stop the chit-chat and get started." Xu Damao stepped forward to take charge.

Hearing Xu Damao's loud voice, Liu Hai felt a dull pain in his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, as if he were being pricked by needles.

With an extra day to think things through, Xu Damao made thorough preparations.

"Regarding the election, I have a few requests for everyone to hear."

“Each of our courtyards has a steward, like Uncle Yan in the front courtyard, Uncle Yi in the middle courtyard, and the steward of the back courtyard should naturally come from the back courtyard as well.”

The meaning of these words was obvious, and the candidates from the other courtyards immediately felt as if they were facing a formidable enemy, their expressions changing drastically.

He immediately objected: "I disagree."

"I disagree as well."

Xu Damao retorted: "What's there to disagree about? Each courtyard manages its own courtyard. This was decided by the street office back then. You are either the front courtyard or the middle courtyard."

"Is it appropriate to extend your hand? Besides, how would you know if something happened in the backyard immediately?"

Someone immediately objected, saying, "What's there to not know? It's just a few steps away. You'll know after walking a couple of steps. I don't agree with your suggestion."

"That's right, me too."

In order to be elected as the head of the management team, they were willing to go to great lengths to save face.

Xu Damao retorted: "According to you, the courtyard is so small that you can walk around it in a few steps. Then why don't we just re-select the eldest and third uncles?"

“That won’t do. This was appointed and determined by the subdistrict office. I don’t agree to it,” Yan Bugui said immediately.

Yi Zhonghai didn't care: "I'm fine with anything, you can have it if you want it."

It's a good way to get away from the magistrate and avoid the neighborhood committee.

Just kidding, you can't mess with Yi Zhonghai, he's a level eight worker.

The reason why courtyard number 95 is more powerful than other courtyards is because he is an eighth-grade worker. He has the qualifications and ability to suppress everyone in the courtyard, except for a few people.

There are certain things that can't be handled, and only Yi Zhonghai can take charge. He is the pillar of the courtyard.

"Sir, you must be joking."

"Yes, this is not a joke."

Several people tried to calm things down, saying that Yi Zhonghai couldn't be moved, and Yan Bugui couldn't be moved either, as determined by the street office.

But if they really did what Xu Damao said, they wouldn't have a chance.

Xu Damao raised an eyebrow at Li Kailang once again.

"Sigh~" Li Kailang sighed inwardly, but kept his word: "I agree with Xu Damao's statement that each courtyard should manage its own affairs."

After saying only one sentence, Li Kailang retreated, leaving Xu Damao scratching his head, wondering why he didn't say more.

Li Kailang's single sentence couldn't extinguish their competitive spirit.

At this moment, Yan Bugui stepped forward and said, "I agree with what Xu Damao said. Although we are in the same courtyard, we should not overstep our bounds. Each courtyard should belong to its own family."

Seeing Yan Bugui speak, Yi Zhonghai, wanting to end this farce as soon as possible, also chimed in, "I agree with what Third Uncle said."

Three words that can determine the fate of the world!
Alright, the two stewards have agreed, so there's no room for discussion.

"Good, good, good!" Xu Damao couldn't help but laugh out loud. With just a few words, he had defeated all his opponents.

He was the only one in the backyard to participate in the election; others who wanted to participate didn't have the ability.

“The situation is clear: Xu Damao has been elected as the head of the backyard. Who would disagree?” Yan Bugui hurriedly said.

The group looked at each other, wondering what could possibly disagree with them.

"Congratulations to Xu Damao on becoming the head steward of the backyard! Let's give him a round of applause!"

"Clap clap clap~" A sparse clapping sound rang out.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" Xu Damao accepted the applause with a smile, not caring about the applause at all.

He happily sat down at the octagonal table, the throne he had long coveted.

Today he finally got to sit down as he wished, and it felt completely different.

Xu Damao, beaming with pride, crossed his legs and, mimicking Liu Haizhong's official tone, delivered a declaration of his successful election.

Comrades~

"I'm truly flattered to have been elected as the head of the department!"

"I never expected to be elected at such a young age. But rest assured, as long as I'm in office, I will stand up for everyone."

His affected manner made the other candidates grit their teeth in hatred.

Finally, Yan Bugui mentioned the issue of address, but it's unclear what he was considering.

"Everyone is used to calling me Third Uncle, so just keep calling me that from now on. There's no need to change it. It's just a matter of raising my status a bit."

Yan Bugui successfully rose to the position of Second Uncle, his status improved, but his title remained the same.

Everyone calls Xu Damao "Second Uncle," which makes him even happier; he'd rather not refuse such a free verbal favor.

"Alright, let's call it even for today. Everyone, go back now," Yi Zhonghai said, standing up.

Xu Damao quickly added, "There's something I need to mention first. Now that I've been elected as the person in charge, I should inform the street office."

"It's just that Director Wang is in a bad mood lately. I'll talk to the subdistrict office after he calms down."

Naturally, no one cared about this; it was none of their business anyway.

"Any more?"

"No more, no more."

The crowd scattered like birds and beasts, each returning to their own home.

Xu Damao leaned back in his chair, stroking the various details on the chair.

"comfortable!"

(End of this chapter)