Siheyuan's Silly Pillar has been replaced by someone else

Inside the courtyard house, Xu Damao and Liu Haizhong's business was thriving.

The two no longer need to wait at the gate of the steel mill every day.

Liu Haizhong's home has a telephone installed, so he can get things done with just a phone call every day.

This situation was somewhat unacceptable to Yi Zhonghai.

He genuinely couldn't understand how things had turned out this way.

The old days were so much better; the government didn't allow individuals to do business. Everyone earned money through their own abilities, unlike now, where speculation and profiteering go unpunished.

Once outside the courtyard house, everyone was talking about making money.

He didn't like this, so he became even less inclined to go out.

Even when he stayed in the courtyard house, no one wanted to chat with him.

His two old buddies, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao, spent all their time together, thinking about making money, and didn't like to talk to him.

It's not surprising that Liu Haizhong doesn't like to talk to him. When you chat with him, every sentence revolves around filial piety.

Liu Haizhong is now rich and has a filial son. He should use that time to figure out how to make money.

As for Yan Bugui, he hasn't been home lately, especially at night; you can't see him until he goes to bed.

Yi Zhonghai was filled with bitterness and had no one to talk to.

Many times, he would run to the backyard and stare at the deaf old lady's house.

He especially missed the days when the deaf old lady was alive, when he could turn to her for help with anything he couldn't do.

Now, however, there's no one to talk to.

After searching the entire courtyard, he could only talk to Yan Bugui.

"Lao Yan."

Yan Bugui has been living a comfortable life lately. He's gotten on good terms with He Daqing and goes to see him for drinks every night.

He Daqing's family lived a very comfortable life. The refrigerator was full of meat, and there was plenty of fruit and melon seeds on the table.

The fruit on his table was all obtained from He Daqing.

Yan Bugui's biggest task now is to figure out how to make He Daqing happy.

Therefore, he even gave up the great cause of blocking the gate and handed it over to the three aunties.

"Oh, it's Lao Yi. What brings you here?"

Yi Zhonghai felt uncomfortable after hearing this, sensing that Yan Bugui was somewhat disgusted by his arrival.

"I came to chat with you, what, you're not welcome?"

Yan Bugui was indeed not very welcoming, mainly because Yi Zhonghai's arrival was too sudden, and the fruit on the table hadn't even been cleared away.

He didn't dare say it aloud, so he could only smile.

"No, not at all, I just didn't expect it. Please sit down. Old woman, pour Old Yi a cup of tea."

The three women were quick-witted; they simply took the fruit off the table.

A hint of displeasure flashed in Yi Zhonghai's eyes. There was so much fruit on the table; why didn't he even offer him a taste?

He hasn't tasted fruit in years.

"Old Yan, is this fruit your Yan Jiecheng bought for you?"

Now it was Yan Bugui's turn to be unhappy.

Everyone in the courtyard knew that after Yan Jiecheng started making money, he never sent him anything.

“I bought this myself. I have money, I don’t need it.”

Yi Zhonghai shook his head and said, "Stop deceiving yourself."

Yan Bugui sat there awkwardly, saying nothing.

Yi Zhonghai sighed: "Old Yan, I want to have a good talk with you."

Yan Bugui asked, "What are you talking about?"

Yi Zhonghai uttered a single word with great emphasis: "filial piety."

Yan Bugui quickly came to his senses: "Old Yi, don't mention this matter."

The world has changed; those old methods don't work anymore.

That's a bit malicious.

For the rest of his life, Yi Zhonghai believed in filial piety.

If filial piety doesn't work, then what will he rely on for the rest of his life?

"What nonsense are you talking about? No matter what, one should never forget to be filial."

A person who is unfilial is no different from an animal.

Yan Bugui regretted his words as soon as they were spoken. Having known Yi Zhonghai for decades, he understood him quite well.

You can say anything in front of Yi Zhonghai, except say he is unfilial.

Every time this comes up, Yi Zhonghai will argue with you to the bitter end.

"Old Yi, don't get agitated. I'm just telling the truth."

Now that reform and opening up have begun, people's mindsets have changed. The old ways really don't work anymore.

We're getting old too.

Yi Zhonghai's spirits were suddenly dampened by the word "old".

He knew he was getting old and could no longer be the same domineering old man he used to be.

Yan Bugui continued, "Now everyone can read newspapers and watch television."

The old man's methods are really no longer effective.

Without the title of "manager," we're just ordinary neighbors.

Yi Zhonghai, who spends all his time thinking about retirement, had long seen the problems involved.

He had also figured out a way to deal with it, which was to join forces with Yan Bugui.

It would be even better if it could be combined with bangs.

Before that, he needed to persuade Yan Bugui.

"Old Yan, I want to have a few words from my heart with you today."

Yan Bugui asked curiously, "What do you want to say?"

"Retirement".

"Retirement?" Yan Bugui asked, puzzled.

He couldn't understand what Yi Zhonghai's retirement had to do with him.

Yi Zhonghai has no children, and as he gets older, he does need to consider the issue of retirement.

He has a son, and although his son is not filial now, he firmly believes that when he gets old and can no longer walk, his child will be filial to him.

Yi Zhonghai said, "The old lady once told me about this issue. In the entire courtyard, the only people who can take care of us in our old age are Huairu and Shazhu."

At this point, he also smuggled in his own agenda.

Yan Bugui was taken aback, then asked, "Shazhu? With your relationship, can he take care of you in your old age?"

Yi Zhonghai said helplessly, "Let me finish. The 'Silly Zhu' that the old lady is talking about is the obedient and filial 'Silly Zhu' from before, not the 'Silly Zhu' of today."

Then Yi Zhonghai recounted the deaf old lady's retirement plan, making some deletions and additions.

"Old Yan, the old lady is the matriarch of our courtyard, her words can't be wrong."

He later said many times that neither you nor Lao Liu's children would be filial.

I've advised you to be nicer to your child, but you just won't listen to me.

Look at it now…

"Wait a minute," Yan Bugui interrupted him, "What do you mean my son is unfilial?"

My son will definitely be filial in the future.

Yi Zhonghai almost laughed out of anger at his words.

Yan's children haven't come back to see him for many years, yet Yan Bugui still believes his son will be filial.

"Old Yan, wake up. If you were as rich as Old Liu, I believe your children would be filial. But are you rich?"

"How could I not have money?" Yan Bugui almost revealed his entire fortune in his anxiety.

Yi Zhonghai had already guessed what he was going to say, and continued, "I know you have money. When you were exchanging your old bills for new ones, you went to several banks."

Yan Bugui's expression changed, and he said angrily, "You've been following me."

Yi Zhonghai retorted, "Does this even need tracking? Your class status is small business owner. I don't need to explain what a small business owner is, do I?"

Actually, I went to a few banks at the time, and I saw you by chance.

Yan Bugui thought about it and realized it made sense. He didn't know Yi Zhonghai's financial situation, but Yi Zhonghai was a master craftsman at the steel rolling mill, and his family's assets were definitely substantial.

"It's all in the past, why are you bringing this up?"

Yi Zhonghai said, "What I mean is, even if you have money, how much can you possibly have?"

You live across from the Li family, so you should know how much money Yu Li has made.

Can you really make all your children obedient with that money?
That's all I have to say. Think it over carefully. What should you do if your children don't support you in your old age?

I hope you can grow old with me. (End of Chapter)