Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

Within this seemingly peaceful and tranquil courtyard, a turmoil, triggered by internal conflict, was quietly brewing. The trigger for this conflict was a seemingly insignificant sum of public funds. This money, originally meant to represent everyone's shared aspirations for a better living environment, ultimately became a ticking time bomb, triggering a collapse of trust.

Looking back, some of the courtyard's public facilities, due to years of disrepair, gradually revealed numerous problems. The roof, as if deliberately teasing the heavens, leaked constantly whenever it rained. The pots and pans placed throughout the house became "artifacts" to catch the rain, but even so, they couldn't stop the onslaught of the rain. The wet floor was a slippery slope. And the aging electrical wires, like hidden time bombs, emitted a constant crackling sound, making people nervous, fearing that they might one day cause a fire and devastate the entire courtyard.

To improve this dire situation and ensure a safe and comfortable living environment for everyone, the residents of the courtyard discussed and decided to pool their money to repair the leaking roof, replace aging electrical wiring, and perform other maintenance work on the common facilities. Everyone discussed the matter, and although everyone's financial situation varied, they all generously contributed, hoping to contribute to the courtyard's improvements. Once the money was pooled, they needed to find someone to keep it. After much deliberation, they turned their attention to their neighbor, Old Zhang, who seemed honest and taciturn.

Old Zhang had lived in the courtyard for many years, quietly minding his own business, rarely joining in the gossip or arguments. He was a man of few words, but when he did, he exuded a sense of steadiness and reliability. Everyone felt he was reliable and had no ulterior motives, so they confidently entrusted him with the public funds, a symbol of trust and expectation. As Old Zhang accepted the money, he wore a shy smile and patted his chest, promising to take good care of it, reassuring everyone.

However, the peaceful days didn't last long. The man was unexpectedly arrested, a sudden event like a boulder dropped into a tranquil lake, instantly shattering the tranquility of the yard. The once harmonious and orderly rhythm of life was disrupted, and everyone's mood became heavy. During this chaotic period, attentive neighbors began to take note of the public funds they had previously collected.

According to everyone's initial estimates, the costs of projects like repairing the roof and replacing the electrical wiring weren't high, and everyone had tried to contribute as much as possible just in case. Therefore, there should be quite a bit of money left after the project was completed. However, when someone, curious and concerned, asked Lao Zhang about the details of how he had used the funds, his response stunned everyone.

Old Zhang's face paled instantly, his eyes flickered, his mouth slightly open, but he couldn't articulate a clear explanation. He'd say the money went to necessary tools, then some extra expenses. But when pressed for details on what tools and expenses, he became vague and evasive, like a child who'd done something wrong and couldn't meet anyone's gaze.

This caused an uproar in the yard. The residents, who were already upset because of the man's affairs, were now even more furious. Everyone gathered around and started accusing each other. The third uncle was the first to stand up. He was a respected elder in the yard, and his words carried a lot of weight. He frowned, and the wrinkles on his face seemed even deeper because of his anger. He said in a slightly majestic tone: "Lao Zhang, we are all neighbors in the same yard. This money was collected by everyone's hard work. Every penny was hard-earned! Everyone entrusted you with such an important task. It is a trust in you. You can't let everyone down! You have to give everyone an explanation. Where did the money go?"

Old Zhang lowered his head, his face flushed red like a ripe tomato. He rubbed the corners of his clothes nervously with his hands, mumbling softly, "I...I didn't really spend money recklessly. I just forgot to keep track of some small expenses. You know, I'm not very good at keeping accounts, so I didn't pay much attention to those small expenses. Now it's a bit difficult to remember them."

Everyone was even more furious after hearing Lao Zhang's words. One person said, "A small account is still an account. This is everyone's money. How can you be so careless?" Others said, "Since you promised to take care of this money, you should be responsible. Now that there's a problem, you're trying to get away with it. How can that be so easy?" For a moment, the courtyard was filled with accusations and questions. Lao Zhang was surrounded, looking utterly embarrassed and helpless. This turmoil over public funds swept through the courtyard like a storm, straining the once harmonious neighborhood relationship.

He Yuzhu was a straightforward and impatient person, and he hated those who dragged their feet and were vague. Now, faced with Lao Zhang's hesitant and evasive approach to detailing the use of public funds, he didn't have the patience to wait and ponder. He slapped his thigh, the sound standing out in the already noisy atmosphere. Then, with a decisive and decisive wave of his hand, he seemed to be waving away all his dissatisfaction and doubts.

He shouted at the top of his voice: "Lao Zhang, you are wrong! Small accounts are also accounts, we can't be confused. Every penny is hard-earned by everyone, whether it is a few cents for buying materials to repair the roof, or a meal for the workers when changing the wires, it must be remembered clearly. If you don't explain clearly, no one will feel at ease! If we feel uneasy, how can we live a good life together and maintain our yard together in the future?" He Yuzhu's voice was loud, like thunder, echoing in the yard, and every word was like a heavy hammer, knocking on the hearts of everyone present.

The neighbors were already dissatisfied with Lao Zhang's attitude, and after hearing what He Yuzhu said, they seemed to have found a backbone and all echoed him. Everyone was talking at once, accusing Lao Zhang of being dishonest. Some neighbors were so angry that their faces turned red, and they put their hands on their hips and shouted: "Lao Zhang, Lao Zhang, we usually trust you with our money because you are honest. You can't let us down!" Some neighbors frowned, shook their heads, and muttered: "If you can't even remember this account clearly, how can we trust you to do good things in the future!" There was also an impatient neighbor who stepped forward and pointed at Lao Zhang's nose and said: "You must give everyone an explanation today, otherwise this matter will not end!" For a while, accusations and complaints were intertwined, and the whole yard was like a pot of boiling water, lively and chaotic.

Xu Damao, on the other hand, had always been a troublemaker, a man who loved to stir up trouble and watch the action unfold. He stood in the crowd, his eyes narrowed, a hint of suspicion and cunning in them, like a fox watching from the shadows, ready to pounce at any moment. He said sarcastically, "Lao Zhang, you didn't use the money for other purposes, did you? We all trust you and gave it to you. You can't do such a wicked thing. Think about it, if you used the money for something else, like buying yourself something nice, or lending it to someone else, everyone would be heartbroken. We're all neighbors in the same courtyard, we see each other every day. If you really did something like this, how can you survive in this courtyard in the future?" Xu Damao's words were like a sharp knife, piercing Lao Zhang's heart, making his face even uglier.

After hearing what Xu Damao said, Old Zhang suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with anger and grievance. His hands were clenched into fists, and his body was shaking slightly with excitement. He shouted, "Xu Damao, please don't slander me! How could I do such a thing? Although I, Old Zhang, don't have any great abilities, I still have principles. I have always kept this money safe, but I just didn't keep track of some small accounts. You can't accuse me of embezzlement just because of this. It's unfair to me!" Old Zhang's voice was tinged with tears, and it was obvious that he was deeply hurt by Xu Damao's words.

The argument between the two sides became increasingly intense, like two surging tides, colliding with each other and splashing countless waves. He Yuzhu continued to loudly accuse him, and Xu Damao was not to be outdone, constantly finding fault with him in a sarcastic manner. Old Zhang's face flushed as he defended himself, his voice a little hoarse. The surrounding neighbors were also infected by their emotions. Some followed He Yuzhu in accusing Old Zhang, while others tried to persuade him, but to little effect. The atmosphere in the entire courtyard became extremely tense, as if it could be ignited at any time, and the air was filled with a strong smell of gunpowder.

When the third uncle saw this, he secretly groaned in his heart.

He knew that continuing to quarrel like this would only make the conflict deeper and would not help solve the problem. So, he quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. The third uncle was a highly respected elder in the yard, and everyone usually respected him. He slowly walked to the middle of the crowd, pressed his hands down slightly, and signaled everyone to be quiet. He cleared his throat and said in a gentle yet majestic tone: "Everyone, please stop quarreling. We are all neighbors. If you have something to say, let's talk it out. Quarreling will not solve the problem, but will make the conflict more and more intensified. Lao Zhang, think about it carefully again. List out every expense and show it to everyone. Whether it is the money for buying materials or hiring workers, even a penny, write it down clearly. Wouldn't that clarify it? Everyone can rest assured, and you can prove your innocence. Isn't this a matter of killing two birds with one stone?" The third uncle's words were like a breeze, blowing away the gunpowder smell in the yard and calming everyone's emotions a little.

After listening to what the third uncle said, Lao Zhang's originally tense face relaxed a little. He nodded slightly, with a bit of helplessness and sincerity in his action, and said in a low voice: "Okay, I'll go back and think about it. It's true that I didn't remember the account clearly, and I'm sorry to have caused trouble for everyone. I will give you an answer tomorrow, and I will make it clear where every penny went, and never let you worry about this matter again." After speaking, Lao Zhang lowered his head, slowly turned around and left. His slightly hunched back looked particularly lonely in the afterglow of the setting sun.

After hearing Lao Zhang's promise, the neighbors, though still somewhat skeptical, could say nothing more and simply dispersed, silently hoping that Lao Zhang would give them a satisfactory explanation the next day. However, the next day, when the first rays of morning sun shone into the yard, everyone noticed that Lao Zhang had not yet appeared. The originally agreed time had long passed, but there was no movement from Lao Zhang's family.

As time ticked by, the neighbors grew impatient, their suspicions growing. A flurry of discussion erupted, the din filling the yard like a swarm of buzzing bees. "What's going on with Mr. Zhang? He said he'd give me an answer today, so why hasn't he shown up yet?" "Is he trying to cheat? The accounts are so unclear, don't let him cost us all our money." Speculations and doubts rose and fell, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense and oppressive.

Finally, someone couldn't help but shout, "Let's stop waiting here and go to Old Zhang's house to find out what he's up to." As soon as this was spoken, everyone responded immediately. So, a large group of people headed towards Old Zhang's house. Along the way, everyone's faces were solemn, and their steps were hurried, as if they were about to uncover a profound secret.

When everyone arrived at Old Zhang's door, the sight before them sank their hearts. The door was tightly shut, the heavy wooden door like an insurmountable wall, isolating everyone from outside. Someone walked up and knocked hard, the "bang bang bang" sounding particularly harsh in the silent courtyard. However, no matter how hard they knocked, there was no response from inside, as if no one was actually in the house.

Now, everyone's suspicions about Lao Zhang grew even more intense. The doubts they'd already harbored now grew wildly like weeds. Someone said, "Lao Zhang must be feeling guilty and hiding. He knows he can't explain the money's whereabouts, so he's just avoiding us." This person's words were immediately echoed by many others. "That's right, why else would he disappear for no reason? Maybe he'd already planned to flee, and now he might have taken our money and gone somewhere else," another person said angrily. Everyone started talking again and again, the accusations against Lao Zhang growing louder and louder, as if he had become an unforgivable criminal.

The third uncle frowned, the wrinkles on his face appearing even deeper with worry. He pondered for a moment, his eyes revealing a calmness and wisdom. Then, he slowly raised his hand, motioning for everyone to calm down, and said, "Don't panic, let's look for him. Maybe Lao Zhang went out for something urgent. He's usually an honest person and wouldn't do something like embezzling public funds and then running away. Let's look around the yard first, maybe we can find him." The third uncle's words were like a reassurance, calming everyone down a little.

So, everyone began searching the yard for Old Zhang. Some went to the lush garden in front, hoping he might be hiding there. Some went to the pavilion in the middle of the yard, where the elderly usually rested and chatted. Still others went to the utility room at the side of the yard, hoping Old Zhang might be hiding there. They searched every corner of the yard, but still couldn't find any sign of him. As time passed, their hopes grew fainter, and their hearts grew more depressed.

Just when everyone was about to despair, He Yuzhu's eyes suddenly lit up. He remembered a small corner at the back of the yard that few people went to. It was overgrown with weeds and some old things. Maybe Lao Zhang was hiding there. So, without saying a word, he ran to the back of the yard. When he reached the small corner, he found Lao Zhang.

Lao Zhang was sitting there, his head in his hands, looking depressed. His hair was a little messy, his clothes were wrinkled, and he looked very haggard. His eyes were empty, as if he had lost all hope. He Yuzhu walked up and gently patted Lao Zhang's shoulder, with a gesture of concern and comfort. He said, "Lao Zhang, what are you doing here? Everyone is looking for you. Didn't you say yesterday that you would give everyone an answer today? Why are you hiding here?"

Old Zhang slowly raised his head and saw that it was He Yuzhu. A trace of gratitude and guilt flashed in his eyes. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he hesitated. After a long while, he sighed deeply and said, "He Yuzhu, I'm sorry to everyone. I really can't remember where the money went. I thought about it all night last night, and went through all the bills and memories, but there are still many things that don't match. I really can't face everyone, so I want to hide here and leave after I think it through." Old Zhang's voice was choked with tears in his eyes.

Old Zhang raised his head, tears welling up in his eyes. He said, "Zhu Zi, I'm so sorry to everyone. My son is in debt, and they keep coming to our house to make trouble. I had no choice but to embezzle public funds to pay off the debt. I was planning to make up for it as soon as I had the money, but I didn't expect everyone to find out so soon."