Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

In this large courtyard called Siheyuan, the distance between neighbors is so close that it is beyond people's imagination.

It's as if everyone lives under the same roof, with each other's every move in full view, and there is absolutely no privacy at all.

On weekdays, there are actually undercurrents beneath the calm surface here.

Even if someone accidentally lost a small embroidery needle, the news would spread throughout the yard in an instant, and everyone would immediately know the ins and outs of the incident.

As for Liu Haizhong's family, they have recently encountered a series of eye-catching storms. These things are like boulders thrown into a lake, causing ripples and making the already not-so-peaceful courtyard even more noisy.

This courtyard seems to have become a never-ending open-air stage, where all the trivial matters that happen in every household every day are performed here without reservation.

From quarrels between husband and wife to children's playful fights, from conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to minor frictions between neighbors, all are wonderful scenes in this drama.

And those idle neighbors suddenly turned into enthusiastic audiences and critics.

Whenever the sun sets and night falls, this big stage is the busiest moment.

Everyone brought out their favorite little stools and gathered together. They ate melon seeds leisurely while chewing on various gossips with relish.

Whenever the affairs of a certain family are brought up for discussion, everyone will talk about it and process and interpret it, and a variety of versions will be made up.

Moreover, these stories often have a strong ability to spread and can quickly spread beyond several alleys, becoming a hot topic among people in the streets and alleys.

At first, the originally quiet and peaceful courtyard was broken by a sudden noise.

The protagonists who created such a commotion were none other than the two brothers Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu.

Their heart-wrenching howling sounds echoed throughout the courtyard, as if they were going to tear the sky apart.

Along with this creepy cry, there was also the crisp sound of the belt hitting the flesh mercilessly.

One after another, as dense and rapid as raindrops, they fell on the two brothers mercilessly. At the same time, their extremely miserable cries of begging for mercy also came one after another, and the sound was so touching that people couldn't help but be moved.

In this way, as time passed day by day, the sound of belt whipping and the cries for mercy gradually intertwined, forming a unique "background music".

Whenever night falls, especially on a warm and pleasant spring night, if an old neighbor has trouble falling asleep because of something on his mind, he can faintly hear sobbing coming from a corner.

If you listen carefully, you can easily find that this is the sound made by the two brothers of the Liu family crying secretly in their bed.

In addition to the low, suppressed sobs, one could occasionally catch the brothers mumbling in low voices complaints about their father's strict discipline.

Their voices were filled with endless grievance and unwillingness, just like two wounded little animals who, although timid, still could not completely hide the sadness and sorrow deep in their hearts.

Such a scene really makes people feel pity and can't help but want to go forward and comfort them.

However, this is just the beginning.

Not long after, a fierce quarrel between Liu Haizhong and his eldest son Liu Guangqi about marriage once again caused an uproar.

This quarrel was like a blockbuster bomb that instantly detonated the entire yard, making everyone in the yard aware of it.

The father and son were like two lit powder kegs. Neither of them was willing to back down, and each insisted on his own point of view at the top of his lungs.

For a moment, saliva was flying, and the two men with red faces and thick necks were arguing with each other, neither of them giving in, and the scene was once in extreme chaos.

The sound of the door slamming made the door frame rustle, and the angry roar cut through the sky above the courtyard, scaring the chickens that were originally strolling leisurely in the yard so that they flapped their wings and flew around, clucking.

Even the wild cat, which usually was the calmest and lay lazily under the eaves basking in the sun, was frightened to the point that its fur stood up. It quickly hid deep under the eaves, trembling. It did not dare to show its head for a long time, occasionally poking it out and vigilantly observing the movements around it.

The news spread like a gust of wind in spring, sweeping across this not-so-big courtyard.

The aunts and uncles living here have witnessed these children grow up little by little.

Now seeing that the Liu family had made such a big fuss, it didn't take long for them to find out the whole cause and effect of the incident clearly.

The most famous person in this courtyard is the third auntie who is known as the "chatty". Her biggest hobby is to be keen on caring about the trivial household affairs between neighbors.

Whether it's a daughter-in-law who has a little friction and dispute with her mother-in-law, or a child who is naughty and climbs up to the treetop and accidentally falls from the roof and gets injured.

Whenever there is any sign of trouble, she will always rush forward to intervene.

Then he tried to persuade them earnestly, acting like the well-deserved "peacemaker" in the yard.

And this time, she was naturally the first one who couldn't control her temper.

She saw from afar that Liu Haizhong was standing alone at the gate of the courtyard, with a cigarette in his mouth and his brows tightly furrowed.

He seemed to be twisted into a knot that could not be untied, his face was as gloomy as the eve of a coming storm, and he looked worried and depressed.

Seeing this, the three aunts trotted over as fast as the wind.

When she was near Liu Haizhong, she rubbed her apron in front of her a few times with her hands, then she bent down slightly with a smile on her face and said softly, "Haizhong, we have been neighbors for many years! We all know that you have always been unwilling to admit defeat and only hope that your children can be successful and support the family in the future. But, beating and scolding children is not a good way to solve problems!"

"Look at Guangtian and Guangfu. When they see you, they are just like mice seeing a cat! They are so timid that they dare not even breathe. When they walk on weekdays, they always stick close to the wall. Their cautious appearance makes people feel distressed. They even dare not look at you for more than a second, for fear of offending you. If this continues, the relationship between you and your son will probably be completely broken."

"Children have grown up, so they will naturally have their own ideas. And now the times are different from the past. We need to pay attention to the methods and ways of educating children. We can't just beat and scold them like before. Look at those families out there now. They all reason with their children and communicate with them on an equal footing. Only in this way can children be convinced from the bottom of their hearts and be willing to obey. Why don't you give it a try? You might get unexpectedly good results!"

After hearing this, Liu Haizhong couldn't help but frown.

His heart seemed to be gently brushed by a soft feather, and he suddenly felt a little unhappy.

It felt like a small stone was suddenly thrown into the calm lake, instantly causing ripples.

He just silently blew out a smoke ring, which floated slowly in the air and slowly dissipated, just like his chaotic thoughts at this moment.

However, Liu Haizhong did not respond to the other party's words. He just silently crushed the cigarette butt in his hand on the ground a few times, and then continued to lower his head, smoking silently.

However, once the persuader starts talking, it is often difficult for him to stop, just like a flood that breaks through a dam, and he keeps talking.

Not long after, Yan Bugui was seen walking towards them with slow steps, holding his treasured account book tightly under his arm.

He first stood still, coughed lightly twice to clear his throat, then straightened his back deliberately, trying to put on the posture of a respected and knowledgeable old scholar.

Then, he said in a serious and solemn tone: "Old Liu, I don't mean to scold you! Think about it, this is a brand new socialist era, and the old concept of 'a good son is born under the stick' is outdated! If you keep pushing your children too hard and don't give them a little breathing space and relaxation, when you are old and weak in the future, they will inevitably feel alienated and even resentful towards you! By then, which child will be willing to stay by your side and serve you wholeheartedly and be filial to you? When that time really comes, I'm afraid it will be too late for you to regret it!"

Having said that, Yan Bugui paused for a moment, with a barely perceptible hint of complacency on his face.

Then, he continued to speak eloquently: "Look at me, although I am very strict with my children on weekdays, I still know how to be moderate when it is time to be lenient! Whenever the children make mistakes, I will first patiently let them tell me everything and listen to their reasons and difficulties. Then, I will consider how to educate and guide them according to the actual situation. Because of this, our family has always been harmonious and happy!"

Before he finished speaking, Yan Bugui, as if afraid that others would not believe him, proudly shook the account book in his hand a few times, as if all the densely packed records on it were all his brilliant achievements and outstanding contributions in raising children.

He glanced at Yan Bugui from behind his bangs, his face full of undisguised contempt.

The corners of his mouth turned down slightly, and he snorted coldly, then said in a mocking tone: "Hey, Old Yan, stop messing around! Look at your stingy and calculating character. You only know how to haggle all day long, and spend every penny carefully. With such a temper, how can you expect to raise an excellent son? Stop flattering yourself!"

When Yan Bugui heard this, the smug smile on his face froze instantly, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over his head.

His face began to tremble slightly uncontrollably, and the hand that had been waving the account book proudly before now seemed to have suddenly lost its strength and hovered stiffly in mid-air.

The rage in Yan Bugui's heart erupted like a volcano, and it suddenly began to burn fiercely.

His originally small eyes suddenly widened into a round shape, and his eyeballs seemed about to fall out. The blue veins on his forehead bulged out due to anger and kept throbbing.

He yelled at Liu Haizhong in a rage, "You are so ungrateful! I came here with good intentions to advise you, but you didn't appreciate it, but you spoke coldly and mocked me! So what if I am stingy and calculating? At least I am still a serious teacher, I have a lot of knowledge and ink in my belly! Educating my own children is a piece of cake for me! In terms of knowledge and cultivation, how can I not compare to you, a rough man?"

Liu Haizhong threw the cigarette butt in his hand to the ground fiercely and crushed it with his foot a few times, as if he wanted to vent all his frustrations on the cigarette butt. He looked up at Yan Bugui with anger in his eyes: "Hey, teacher? Everyone in the hospital knows how calculating you are! When a child wants to buy a pencil, you have to haggle for a long time and calculate how many words it can write before you are willing to pay for it; during festivals, other children have new clothes to wear, but your child has to mend his old clothes for another year. Even so, you are still teaching and educating people, don't teach your children to be stingy!"

Yan Bugui was so angry that he trembled. He slapped the account book in his hand on his thigh, and retorted with a red face: "I am being thrifty. Don't we have to make long-term plans for life? It's better than you, who only know how to beat and scold the children all day long and make the family a mess. Look at Guangtian and Guangfu, they have been beaten by you and look like they see the King of Hell. It's strange that they can get close to you in the future! And Guangqi, he quarreled with you like that over a marriage. As a father, don't you reflect on it?"

These words were like sharp blades, piercing Liu Haizhong's sore spot. The veins on his forehead popped out, and he clenched his fists, took a step forward, and roared, "Yan Bugui, stop pointing fingers here! I educate my own children, it's not your turn to say anything. I beat them to make them remember and have a promising future, unlike you, who spoil your children and make them unruly. I have my own considerations for Guangqi's marriage, you don't need to worry about it!"

The two of them were arguing more and more fiercely, and the sound was getting louder and louder as if it was going to break through the sky.

For a moment, the whole yard was filled with a strong smell of gunpowder, as if it would explode at any moment.

The originally peaceful courtyard was instantly broken by the quarrel, attracting the attention of everyone in the courtyard.

When the neighbors heard the noise, they stopped what they were doing.

Some poked their heads out of the house and looked around curiously; others simply walked directly to the door, gathered in groups of three or five, whispered, pointed at the two people, and talked in secret.

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