Courtyard House: Starting as an eighth-grade worker, with too many wives.

This was a rather harsh label. Everyone present fell silent, trembling with fear. Some lowered their heads, some shrank back, and some turned pale.

Director Huang turned to Li Jianguo, his tone immediately becoming gentler.

"Master Li, what are your requirements regarding this matter?"

"Our neighborhood committee will absolutely not tolerate this matter. Just tell us what your needs are, and we will definitely handle them perfectly for you."

Li Jianguo's expression softened somewhat.

"I understand the neighborhood committee's attitude. Thank you, Director Huang."

He paused.

"They occupied our house while we were away. When they came back today, they even tried to stop me from calling the police and kick me out of the yard."

"I will not forgive either the Jia family or the deaf old lady for these two things."

Director Huang nodded.

"We're not living in those old feudal times anymore, where you just listen to a few old folks when it comes to things. We have police and neighborhood committees. Whatever your problem is, we'll definitely help you solve it."

As she spoke, she gave a warning look to the older people in the courtyard.

"They've lived in our house for over ten years without our consent. I want to settle this matter properly."

Li Jianguo spoke each word carefully.

"One is one, two is two. Calculate it however you see fit. I want justice."

Director Huang nodded solemnly.

"Master Li is right. Let me handle this. Let's call the police and let them determine right from wrong."

"OK."

Li Jianguo responded. If the deaf old lady hadn't suddenly appeared, he would have called the police long ago.

"Director Huang! We don't even know if he's a member of the Li family! What are you trying to do?"

The deaf old woman was trembling with anger. She was used to throwing her weight around in this courtyard; she'd never suffered such a loss before.

"Exactly! Our Jia family has lived in this house for so many years! Why should we have to return it just because he comes back?"

Jia Zhangshi was also willing to take the plunge and stood next to the deaf old lady.

"What kind of rule is this?"

"Are you trying to throw a tantrum in front of me?"

Director Huang glared at him.

"You really think I can't handle you?"

Jia Zhangshi was ultimately afraid of officials, and her momentum faltered.

Her eyes darted around, and she pulled Qin Huairu over.

"Director Huang! We have so many children, how can we possibly fit them all in one room? If you can find us accommodation first, we'll move right away!"

As he spoke, he pinched Qin Huairu hard.

"You think you're so great, huh?"

Director Huang sneered.

"How many people living in this alley have enough comfortable space? Even your third uncle's whole family is crammed together. Is your Jia family the only exception?"

Without further ado, she gave orders to the two young men behind her.

"Go directly to the police station and call them here."

"Let's call the police!"

"Alright!"

The young man was quick on his feet and ran away in a flash.

Jia Zhangshi's face turned deathly pale.

She could throw a tantrum in the courtyard because the neighbors tolerated her, and an old man and others protected her. But the police were really coming…

She was scared.

Her son, Jia Dongxu, is still lying on the ground pretending to be dead, not daring to even lift his head.

At first, they were all swaggering around, threatening to beat people up, but now they don't dare utter a single word.

That's how pathetic he is.

"Director Huang, I'm innocent!"

Jia Zhangshi rushed over like a whirlwind, her ten withered fingers gripping Director Huang's forearm tightly, two tears welling up in her cloudy eyes and hanging on her eye bags.

"Get to the point, don't beat around the bush."

Director Huang frowned deeply, and like shaking off a rotten vegetable leaf stuck to his sleeve, he shoved her hand away. The force was so great that Jia Zhangshi swayed.

"If you don't talk, then get lost."

Jia Zhangshi recoiled as if electrocuted. Her back straightened abruptly, and when she turned her eyes to the deaf old woman, they were filled with malice.

"Director Huang, it's true that I did have my eye on the Li family's house back then, but I wouldn't have dared to take it even if you gave me ten times the courage."

She spat as she spoke, her withered fingers almost poking the deaf old woman's nose.

"It was all this old lady's decision, she patted her chest and guaranteed we could move in. Old lady, you said the Li family had given their approval, and now that we're considered thieves, you're acting like nothing happened?"

"fart."

The deaf old woman's hunched body trembled violently, her wrinkled face turning a deep liver color. Her white eyes rolled back, leaving only two cloudy bulges.

"Your hearts are rotten, yet you throw excrement at this old woman. Have you no shame?"

Sha Zhu darted over, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"Aunt Zhang, you're being heartless. How little has the old lady helped you all these years? She brings you cornbread every few days, and she even paid for the medical expenses when Bang Geng got sick—"

"Get out of here."

Jia Zhangshi slapped his hand away and spat on his face.

"You're barely out of your teens, what right do you have to speak here? Did you witness what happened back then?"

"Silly Zhu, are you dumbfounded now?"

Xu Damao leaned against the doorframe, still cracking sunflower seeds without stopping. A smug smile played on his lips.

"How does it feel to offer a warm face to a cold ass?"

"Brother Li, I wholeheartedly support calling the police."

Director Huang ignored the group, but his expression softened slightly when he turned to the deaf old lady.

"Grandma, is what the Jia family said true or not?"

The deaf old lady rolled her eyes and slid down limply.

"I...I feel unwell..."

"Oh my!"

Sha Zhu, quick as a flash, grabbed her, hoisted her onto his back, and was about to dash into the house.

"Grandma, hang in there, I'll take you home."

"stop."

Li Jianguo spoke slowly. His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a nail that pinned Sha Zhu to the spot.

He had a smile on his lips, but his eyes were icy cold.

"Director Huang, you're making such a fuss over just two questions. It sounds like you're staging a theatrical performance to me!"

He took two leisurely steps.

"When the police arrive, we can take the old lady to the hospital for a checkup. If she's really sick, I'll cover the medical expenses as a humanitarian gesture. But if she's faking it—"

"We will handle this seriously."

The police officer's voice came from the gate of the courtyard, strong and clear.

Director Huang's eyes lit up, and his worries vanished.

"It's good that the police have arrived. Just now, Jia Zhangshi said that the old lady made all the decisions, so we need to find out the truth about this."

Sha Zhu stood there, dumbfounded, unsure whether to leave or stay.

On his back lay the "unconscious" body, and beneath its eyelids, two eyes were darting around excitedly.

"Grandma Deaf has woken up."

Xiao Dang's crisp voice broke the silence.

She stood right next to Sha Zhu, looking up at him with her little face, seeing everything clearly.

The air froze for three seconds.

All eyes were fixed on Sha Zhu's back. His "unconscious" body was now as stiff as a piece of wood.

"puff--"

Xu Damao sprayed sunflower seeds all over the ground and laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight.

"Xu Damao".

Even the most idiotic Sha Zhu finally understood, and his face turned a deep shade of liver.

"What? The old lady is faking fainting and we can't even say anything? You idiot, only a fool like you would believe it."

Seeing that the two were about to start fighting, the police quickly stepped in to separate them.

"Stop it, all of you."

He looked at Director Huang, his expression serious.

"Director Huang, what's going on?"

Director Huang took a deep breath and recounted the events in their entirety, impartially and objectively, as if he were reading a report.

When Jia Zhangshi saw the police, her legs went numb, and she grabbed Qin Huairu and pushed her forward.

"Officer, we really didn't want to take the house. It was the deaf old lady who said we could live there, and that the Li family agreed. We were all tricked! Huai Ru, say something! Everything I've said is true, isn't it?"

Qin Huairu stumbled a couple of steps as she was pulled, and the child in her arms burst into tears.

She bit her lip, her eyes instantly filling with tears, glistening droplets trembling on her eyelashes, yet she stubbornly remained silent. Her restrained and aggrieved appearance was exactly like that of a young wife being bullied by a wicked mother-in-law.

Jia Zhangshi gave her a disdainful look.

Marrying such a jinx is truly the worst luck imaginable.

"Alright."

The police officer raised his hand to interrupt.

"We understand the situation. We'll take the old lady back to the station for questioning."

"Thank you for your help."

Li Jianguo nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the deaf old lady with amusement.

"The old lady just said she felt unwell and fainted. Why don't we go to the hospital for a checkup? If she's really sick, I'll pay for the medical expenses. But if she's faking it—"

"We will handle this according to the law."

The police officer's expression was stern. He had seen far too many of these kinds of old-fashioned, unreasonable demands and tantrums.

Looking at Li Jianguo's young age, he must have suffered a lot of humiliation at the hands of these shrewd old men.

"Don't worry, we live in a society governed by the rule of law. Throwing a tantrum, pretending to be sick or dead won't work. Everything will be based on evidence."

"Thank you for your hard work, comrade."