1952: Walking through Nantongluo Alley

In that quaint and tranquil courtyard, a slightly dark and damp corner serves as the old sow's cozy nest—the pigsty. At this moment, the bloated old sow lies peacefully in the pen, basking in the golden glow of the warm spring sun. She narrows her eyes contentedly, occasionally flapping her ears to ward off pesky mosquitoes.

At that moment, a mysterious, ghostly figure silently approached the pigpen. Clearly familiar with the area, the figure expertly and gently opened the shabby wooden door. The dozing sow instantly sensed the disturbance. She raised her massive head in alarm, opening her mouth to utter a warning cry, but it was too late. With lightning speed, the figure reached out and firmly covered the sow's mouth, silencing her. Then, with its other hand, it grasped the sow's sturdy hind legs and effortlessly dragged her out of the pen. Then, like a gust of wind, the figure swept the sow away, vanishing into the night in the blink of an eye, as if it had never been there.

The next morning, the sun had just risen, and soft light shone through the gaps between the mottled leaves of the courtyard, illuminating the ground. The owner of the courtyard got up early as usual to feed the old sow. When he walked to the pigpen, he was shocked to find that the old sow, who was supposed to be sleeping peacefully in it, had disappeared! For a moment, the owner was panicked, his face turned pale, and cold sweat dripped down his forehead. He stared at the empty pigpen with wide eyes in disbelief, muttering to himself: "What's going on? Where is my old sow?"

Panicked, the owner began running around the courtyard, calling out, trying to find any trace of the old sow. Neighbors, hearing the commotion, also rushed to the scene. Everyone was shocked and concerned to learn of the sow's disappearance. So, everyone worked together, launching a comprehensive search throughout the courtyard and its surroundings. Some dug into overgrown corners, others felt along the walls, and still others climbed onto the rooftops to survey the surroundings. But no matter how hard they tried, they could find no clues to the sow's whereabouts.

Watching the seconds tick by, the owner grew increasingly anxious, yet helpless. Finally, in desperation, he called the police. Soon, a police car, flashing red and blue lights and sirens blaring, raced into the courtyard. Several serious-looking officers exited the car and immediately questioned the owner about the incident, launching further investigations. They questioned the owner and neighbors, then began their search. After considerable effort, the police finally located the sow in a nearby abandoned factory. It turned out that a thief had stolen the sow at night, intending to sell it to a nearby slaughterhouse.

Fortunately, the sow was not seriously injured, but was a little frightened. The owner gratefully took the sow back to the courtyard and decided to strengthen preventive measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

Since then, the owner not only reinforced the pigpen's fence but also installed simple surveillance equipment. Days passed, and peace seemed to have returned to the courtyard. However, one night, the surveillance footage suddenly flickered violently, followed by darkness. With a sense of foreboding, the owner rushed to the pigpen. Sure enough, the sow had disappeared again. This time, the owner didn't panic. Instead, he immediately called the police and gathered the neighbors to search. By analyzing clues left by the previous thief and the blurry footage from before the surveillance malfunction, the police identified a suspect. Following this lead, they unexpectedly discovered a specialized livestock theft ring. They had a strict organizational structure, and the previous thief was merely a small-time thief. Thanks to a meticulous police operation, the ring was quickly dismantled. The owner, overjoyed at the sow's return, held a small celebration, inviting all the neighbors who had helped and the police officers involved in the investigation. After that, there were no more incidents of livestock theft in the courtyard, and the old sow lived peacefully until she died of old age.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, several years have passed. In this seemingly peaceful courtyard, a turbulent storm suddenly erupts. The deaf old lady, who had always been in good health, suddenly took a turn for the worse, and her condition deteriorated rapidly, and she saw the flame of life on the verge of being extinguished.

At this moment, the sinister Yi Zhonghai keenly sensed this rare opportunity. He pretended to be devotedly caring for the deaf old lady, but in reality, he was secretly practicing various insidious tactics. Taking advantage of the deaf old lady's unconsciousness, he had the audacity to tamper with her long-written will, hoping to take most of her property into his own pocket.

However, as the saying goes, "If you don't want others to know, then don't do it yourself." Yi Zhonghai's supposedly flawless scheme had long been seen through by the meticulous Sha Zhu. Sha Zhu had always despised Yi Zhonghai's sanctimonious facade, but now that he dared to bully a dying man, his anger burned even more fiercely. So, like a seasoned hunter, he quietly launched his operation, silently searching the shadows for any clues that might hold crucial evidence. Whether it was the subtle traces Yi Zhonghai had inadvertently left behind when tampering with the will, or the recordings and other relevant materials he had frantically sought to find someone to help him fabricate the witness statement, nothing escaped Sha Zhu's sharp eyes, and he methodically gathered and firmly grasped them all.

Time slipped silently through people's fingers like the gurgling water. After a long wait, the crucial moment finally arrived, when the time was ripe. At this moment, all the evidence, meticulously planned and prepared, had been assembled without omission. It could be said that there was no room for error, and everything was in place, waiting only for the final, crucial move.

The man named Sha Zhu made a major decision without hesitation and unwaveringly - he would expose Yi Zhonghai's ugly face, which had been hidden deep and unknown for a long time, in front of everyone in the hospital, leaving him with nowhere to hide.

When the piles of irrefutable, irrefutable evidence were laid out before everyone, the entire courtyard felt like a bombshell had been dropped, instantly boiling over like a cauldron. The originally peaceful and tranquil atmosphere was shattered, replaced by a tumultuous uproar like a raging storm.

Everyone stared with eyes wide open, mouths gaping, faces filled with extreme shock, as if they had witnessed the end of the world. They simply could not believe that Yi Zhonghai, who was usually so respected and admired, and so highly respected, could actually do something so unjust and morally corrupt! It was truly unbelievable.

Instantly, the flames of anger spread through the crowd like a raging wildfire, spreading with lightning speed. Everyone pointed fingers at Yi Zhonghai, hurling harsh rebukes and curses without mercy. These curses rose and fell, intertwining into a powerful, deafening wave.

Yet, faced with the chorus of condemnation and harsh accusations from all sides, Yi Zhonghai remained steadfast, attempting to resort to his eloquent deniability. Unfazed, he fabricated plausible excuses one after another, attempting to confuse the public and slip through the cracks. However, faced with the irrefutable, irrefutable evidence, his carefully crafted lies crumbled like flimsy paper, their powerless torment. He stood there, his face pale as a sheet, his lips trembling but unable to utter a single syllable. He seemed to have lost all strength and courage, and finally, like a deflated ball, his head drooped, never daring to raise it to meet the gazes of the crowd.

At this critical juncture, the deaf old woman, already on the verge of death, miraculously regained some consciousness, as if blessed by heaven. When she heard from others about Yi Zhonghai's heinous crimes, her anger instantly flared up, and she trembled uncontrollably. Her hands, dry as twigs, trembled violently as she took up the pen and personally restored the will, which had been tampered with beyond recognition, to its original form. Every stroke carried her determination to uphold justice, as well as her anger and disgust at Yi Zhonghai's despicable behavior. Finally, the deaf old woman signed her name to the will without hesitation, ruthlessly depriving Yi Zhonghai of any right to inherit any property.

With this, this ridiculous and fraught farce finally came to a close, concluding with the triumph of justice. Yi Zhonghai's cunning schemes had cost his beloved Qingqing her life. His attempts to gain ill-gotten gains through dishonest means ultimately proved fruitless, leaving him with nothing but disgrace and disgrace. From then on, he became the object of scorn and ridicule within the courtyard, unable to hold his head up high. Conversely, Sha Zhu, ever steadfast in his integrity and kindness, earned the respect and admiration of all with his noble character and courageous actions, becoming a well-deserved model of true justice and kindness.

After this incident, life in the courtyard gradually returned to normal. Sha Zhu continued to interact enthusiastically with his neighbors, occasionally sharing his homemade meals with everyone. However, Yi Zhonghai remained hidden at home all day, ashamed to see anyone.

One day, Sha Zhu stumbled upon an old, dusty box in a corner of his house. He opened it and found some photos and letters from a deaf woman's youth. Thinking these things might be precious to her, Sha Zhu decided to return them to their rightful owner.

When he carefully held the exquisite box and walked briskly to the deaf old woman's room, he was slightly startled by the scene before him. He saw the deaf old woman sitting quietly by the bed, staring at the yellowed old family photo in her hands. She seemed to be immersed in distant memories, motionless, like a sculpture.

After a long while, the deaf old woman slowly came back to her senses. When her eyes fell on the box in Sha Zhu's hand, her previously dull eyes instantly lit up, like twinkling stars in the night sky. The wrinkles on her face smoothed out with surprise, revealing a relieved smile, and she murmured to herself, "My child..."

Sha Zhu quickly walked over to the deaf woman, gently placed the box on the table, then squatted down and took her calloused hands. The deaf woman held Sha Zhu's hands tightly, shaking with excitement. She said with a choked voice, "My child, thanks to you! If you hadn't stood up for us, those bad guys would have succeeded!" As she spoke, tears streamed down her cheeks.

Sha Zhu quickly took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from the corners of the deaf old lady's eyes, comforting her: "Grandma, don't say that, this is what I should do. Besides, we are a family!" After hearing Sha Zhu's thoughtful words, the deaf old lady felt very warm in her heart and nodded in agreement.

From that day on, the relationship between Sha Zhu and the deaf old lady grew ever closer. Whenever he had free time, Sha Zhu would visit the deaf old lady's room, accompany her to the courtyard to bask in the sun, and chat about family matters. Sometimes, they would reminisce about the past; sometimes, they would discuss the joys and tribulations of life. Whenever this happened, the deaf old lady would burst into laughter, her hearty laughter echoing throughout the courtyard.

The other residents of the courtyard were deeply moved by this warm and harmonious scene. Gradually, everyone was inspired by this sentiment and began to care for and help each other. Neighborly relations became increasingly harmonious, with daily arguments becoming less common and replaced by laughter and joy.

In this small courtyard, people create heartwarming music together. Spring, summer, autumn, winter, rain or shine, the deep bond of friendship lingers in everyone's heart, imbuing this ancient courtyard with vibrant vitality and infinite harmony. Everyone supports each other, moving forward hand in hand, sharing every ordinary yet beautiful day together.