Siheyuan's Silly Pillar has been replaced by someone else

For the sake of Banggeng's son and Huaihua's marriage, Qin Huairu compromised with Yi Zhonghai.

That means promising to take care of the three elderly men in the nursing home.

Yi Zhonghai was only willing to pay because he agreed to this condition.

However, Qin Huairu didn't take it seriously.

The reason is simple: both Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui have sons.

I've never heard of someone having a son who refuses to support them in their old age and instead seeks support from a neighbor.

If Qin Huairu agrees to Yi Zhonghai's request, it's not just to appease him; she also harbors a glimmer of hope.

She sincerely hoped that Liu Haizhong could let him take care of her in her old age.

Among the three old men, Liu Haizhong is the richest and the one Qin Huairu is most willing to retire with.

After Yi Zhonghai assured Liu Haizhong that he could persuade him, Qin Huairu has recently started playing the role of a filial daughter again.

She changed her attitude from looking down on Liu Haizhong to becoming exceptionally considerate.

"Zhonghai, haven't I been performing well lately? You'd better hurry up and convince Lao Liu."

Yi Zhonghai said, "Don't worry about me, I've been trying to persuade Lao Liu."

With Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu watching over Lao Liu, things aren't going to be easy.

I need to persuade Lao Yan first, and then we'll go together to persuade Lao Liu.

You should also take good care of Lao Yan's side.

If Qin Huairu is unwilling to take care of Yan Bugui, that man is really too stingy.

Taking care of Liu Haizhong also allows you to get some meat from Liu Haizhong's house.

What can one gain from taking care of Yan Bugui?
They couldn't even get a sip of hot water.

"It's not that I'm unwilling. Old Liu, if you say a few nice words to him, he can be happy all day."

Old Yan is shrewd; if I don't let him take advantage of me, he won't take me seriously.

What can I do?

"Why don't you give me more money, and I'll treat him to a nice meal and drinks."

Yi Zhonghai immediately shut up.

He has no income now, only expenses.

Those savings I secretly accumulated are meant for retirement; I can't possibly use them for this.

If he were willing to spend it, he wouldn't have dragged Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui into it.

"This old Yan is even more Yan than Yan Laoxi."

Seeing that Yi Zhonghai had no intention of contributing money, Qin Huairu left Yi Zhonghai's house.

She went back, grabbed a thermos, and went to the front yard.

"Old Liu, your tea has gone cold. Let me refill it with some hot water."

Liu Haizhong was in a particularly good mood after taking the top position. Qin Huairu came over to pour him some hot water, and instead of taking it for granted, he thanked her.

Saying thank you wasn't easy.

Liu Haizhong always considered himself a leader in the hospital and believed that others serving him were all trying to curry favor with him.

He never said thank you to anyone in the courtyard.

Xu Damao asked curiously, "Sister Qin, you've been acting a bit strange lately."

This obsequious attitude towards Liu Haizhong was so obvious that Xu Damao couldn't help but be suspicious.

In Xu Damao's memory, Qin Huairu and Liu Haizhong were so close when Qin Huairu had just married into the courtyard house.

Ever since Liu Haizhong was treated like a hooligan and verbally abused by Jia Zhangshi, their relationship has become like that of ordinary neighbors.

Qin Huairu suppressed her embarrassment with a smile: "How am I not normal?"

Xu Damao, don't you even look at how old Lao Liu and Lao Yan are?

Shouldn't we young people take care of them?

As a person, you can't just think about yourself.

We neighbors have lived together in this courtyard for so many years.

Shouldn't we lend a hand to those who are having a hard time?

Don't forget, you and Shazhu were both raised by them.

No matter how rich you are, you all come from our institute.

This courtyard house is your root.

Everyone, tell me, am I right?

Listening to these words on their own is naturally not a problem.

But if you consider the actual situation of a traditional courtyard house, you'll realize that all of this is nonsense.

The person who constantly preaches that one shouldn't be too selfish is actually the most selfish person in the courtyard. The so-called mutual help means everyone actually helps the Jia family with money, while the Jia family at most offers verbal assistance.

Xu Damao was filled with disdain.

Others, however, thought differently.

As Qin Huai had just said, he was now pointing the finger at He Yuzhu and Xu Damao.

This perfectly aligns with the thoughts of most people in the compound.

They had long coveted He Yuzhu and Xu Damao, and getting them to bleed would fulfill most people's wishes.

Yan Bugui was angry that Xu Damao had stolen his opportunity to make money, so he immediately stood up to support Qin Huairu.

"Da Mao, Huai Ru is right. We Chinese value local customs and traditions the most."

We are neighbors in the same compound; in the countryside, we would be from the same village.

In ancient times, if a villager became a high-ranking official, what should that official do?

He should build bridges and roads to benefit the local community.

You and Sha Zhu are big bosses, which is equivalent to high-ranking officials.

I think you should learn from those high-ranking officials of the past and do something to benefit the local people.”

Upon hearing this, the others, who were also from the same village, began to advise Xu Damao.

"Third Uncle is right. Da Mao, whether you become a high-ranking official or a big boss, you need a good reputation..."

"Yes, Da Mao, you were naughty when you were little, but we neighbors never bothered you..."

Xu Damao stood up, his face full of disdain: "Shut up, all of you."

What a load of bull that claims to benefit the local community.

Have you forgotten how you threw mud at me?

When I was twelve years old, you labeled me a traitor and a villain.

Fine, I'll do what you guys do. I'll spend money to hire people early and spread the word that you're all traitors and villains like me.

Only when everyone becomes a traitor and a villain will we be one family.

I'll help you then.

The group of people were so frightened that they fell silent.

They knew that Xu Damao was absolutely capable of doing such a thing.

Xu Damao doesn't care about this reputation, but they do.

When they get old, how can they go out with the reputation of being traitors and villains?

"Da Mao, we were just kidding with you."

"Yes. That happened so many years ago, why are you bringing it up again?"

“Da Mao, it’s really not our fault. It was what the deaf old lady said back then. She’s the matriarch of the courtyard, and we dared not disobey her.”

Soon, everyone in the courtyard reached a consensus: they all threw the sewage at the deaf old woman's head.

This doesn't count as sewage.

It was indeed the deaf old lady who first uttered those words.

The Xu family ate good food at home but didn't send any to the deaf old lady. When the deaf old lady came to their door, they wouldn't let her in.

The deaf old lady began to ruin the Xu family's reputation.

The people in the courtyard didn't pay attention to these things at first.

Later, when Yi Zhonghai and his two accomplices became liaisons, they said these things in order to curry favor with him.

If they had known that Xu Damao would become rich more than 30 years later, they would never have offended the Xu family.

The only solution now is to shift the blame to the deaf old lady.

Anyway, the deaf old lady has no descendants, so there's no need to worry about her retaliating against us.

As for the deaf old lady's godson, let's not even mention him. The deaf old lady has been dead for so many years, and no one has ever seen Yi Zhonghai visit her.

Qin Huairu looked somewhat smug, because due to her public persona, she had never said that Xu Damao was a traitor.

“Da Mao, I have never said any of these things.”

Xu Damao chuckled: "Sister Qin, you really didn't say that, but your mother-in-law talks about it more enthusiastically than anyone else."

Qin Huairu looked somewhat embarrassed.

It's true that the slander against the Xu family started with the deaf old lady. But it was actually Jia Zhangshi who spread the rumors.

She was the most cheerful one talking in the courtyard.

Xu Damao originally wanted to find out about the unusual behavior of Yi Zhonghai and the other two, but things turned out like this.

Unable to get any information, he had no choice but to give up and go straight home. (End of Chapter)