Just as Zheng Ya was being besieged by the young men of Xujiazhuang, an old man named Yi Zhonghai, who lived in courtyard number 95 of Tongluo Lane in the eastern suburbs of Beijing, was on his way to work when he passed a street urchin who tossed him a crumpled piece of paper: *thud*.
"Hmm," Yi Zhonghai was startled and turned around, watching the street urchin walk away. He looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to what was happening. He bent down to tie his shoelaces, waited for a chance to pick up the crumpled paper that had rolled onto the street, and returned to the yard.
Uncle Yan Fugui, who was used to guarding the gate, saw the anxious look on the man's face as he turned back after leaving. He pushed up his black-rimmed glasses and greeted him with a smile: "Uncle, you seem to be in such a hurry. Do you need any help?"
"Uncle, you're a teacher at Hongxing Elementary School. Teaching well is more important than anything else!" Yi Zhonghai crumpled the paper into a ball and stuffed it in his pocket, trembling. He was in a hurry to go home and didn't have time to treat this stingy man kindly.
A smile is always on people's faces; they greet you and offer help, but they also take advantage of the situation.
Have these habits become second nature?
It's laughable that someone like that can be a teacher.
"That old scoundrel can curse without using a single swear word!" Yan Fugui thought to himself, but smiled and said, "Uncle, I'm a teacher, and every year my students send me New Year's gifts."
No one can compare to you, the master fitter from the steel mill, with a whole bunch of apprentices and grand-apprentices supporting you and helping you rise to the rank of the oldest man in the yard.
"You are a highly respected elder..."
"Yan Laosan, stop nitpicking. I don't have time for you. Get out of the way!" Yi Zhonghai was almost driven mad by his words.
What kind of New Year's gifts should I give?
Those are all lies, the kind of nonsense that makes people laugh at others and insults that will never be well-received.
Unfortunately, these are all true.
Shrimp and pork heart.
Is this the skill of a teacher—to use precise language to criticize and expose shortcomings without uttering a single vulgar word?
Having learned something new, Yi Zhonghai was filled with hatred, yet powerless to refute or admit it.
An old, childless family that doesn't allow anyone to earn a living and makes sarcastic remarks—who wouldn't do that?
Yan Fugui, knowing when to stop, stepped aside and said with a smile, "Uncle, you get angry when I greet you?"
This is not like the kind and benevolent style of a respected elder like yourself.
If you don't want me, Yan Laosan, to take advantage of your status as an eighth-level master fitter and your apprentices and grand-apprentices giving you New Year's gifts at the factory, just say so.
"I'm a teacher, after all. You think you can just take it from me?"
"Yan Laosan, you bastard, humph!" Yi Zhonghai was so angry that he almost went berserk when he heard Yan Laosan's veiled criticism of him for being childless and unpopular.
Yan Fugui chased after him, annoyed, and demanded, "Hey, old man, explain yourself clearly today. How have I been a scoundrel?"
If you can't give a clear explanation, I'll sue you for defamation?
Are you trying to ruin my reputation, make me lose my job, and starve my family of six?
What are you thinking, being so vicious...?
"Alright, I'm scared of you. I'm sorry, I misspoke. I apologize..." Yi Zhonghai was furious. He stopped, turned around, and bowed to him in apology.
To avoid further trouble, there are urgent matters to attend to.
Unfortunately, Yan Fugui seized the opportunity to make things difficult for him, chasing after him and grabbing his right hand, which was tucked in his pocket, and teasing him: "If apologies were enough, what would be the point of having police stations?"
If you cause trouble or kill someone, an apology is all you need to do.
Then the police have nothing to do with it..."
"No, Yan Laosan, Yan Fugui, Teacher Yan, I was wrong. I'll compensate you with one yuan, okay?" Yi Zhonghai realized something was wrong when he saw people in the courtyard crowding around him.
As cunning as Yan Fugui was, he could clearly see that Yan's hand was clutching something in his pocket. He deduced the source of the trouble and took advantage of the situation to rob Yan.
The key point is that Yan Fugui is right.
These days, reputation is very important.
If Yan Fugui's reputation as a teacher is ruined and he loses his classroom job, it would be tantamount to killing Yan Fugui and his entire family of six.
Their family of six relies entirely on the teacher's monthly salary of 27.5 yuan to survive.
It's perfectly reasonable for Yan Fugui to use this as an example.
Yi Zhonghai just wanted to downplay the matter and offered a dollar to settle it, but Yan Fugui, greedy for money, insisted: "Uncle, I'm a teacher, this is an insult to my dignity..."
"Hey, this is really something! Everyone in the college knows what kind of person Teacher Yan is!" He Yuzhu, nicknamed "Silly Zhu," pushed through the crowd to stand up for Yi Zhonghai and ridicule Yan Fugui, causing a burst of laughter from the audience.
Everyone in the compound knew about Old Man Yan's habit of taking advantage of people while guarding the gate, and everyone wanted to seize the opportunity to mock him.
In fact, no one has a good time during famine years.
Having Yan Laokou's habit of taking advantage of others, arguing with him is like Yan Laokou extorting money from Yi Zhonghai now—it's bound to end badly, and you'll only lose money to get rid of him, suffering a huge loss.
Everyone is willing to give up money to avoid disaster, but they have nowhere to vent their anger.
Now that everyone has a chance, they're all jeering and mocking Yan the stingy.
Even though Yan Fugui was shameless, he was still teased by the people in the courtyard, his face flushed red with embarrassment, but he didn't give up his idea of extorting money. He grabbed Yi Zhonghai's right hand and pulled it upwards: "Yi Zhonghai, someone wants to recognize you as their father and will stand up for you and take care of you in your old age..."
"Ahhh, Yan Laosan, you've gone too far!" Yi Zhonghai was furious. He shoved Yan Laokou aside and started yelling at him, his temper flaring.
How could it be allowed to expose in public his scheme to have Sha Zhu take care of him in his old age?
This is a desperate, all-or-nothing stance.
Unfortunately, Yi Zhonghai fell for this tactic. Seeing that Sha Zhu was getting angry and wanted to stand up for him, he kept shaking his head, signaling Sha Zhu not to do anything rash.
He Yuzhu felt indignant and resentful, but dared not utter a sound, his dark, square face turning red with suppressed anger.
The moment he made a sound, he fell right into Yan Laokou's trap.
How could anyone possibly acknowledge Yi Zhonghai as their father and take care of him in his old age?
It's not that it's impossible, but it's just that I can't save face.
After all, He Yuzhu's biological father ran away with the widow and was still alive. For He Yuzhu to dare to recognize an outsider as his father was a great act of rebellion, and he would be branded as unfilial and ridiculed for the rest of his life.
When has He Yuzhu ever suffered such a loss in silence?
Yi Zhonghai noticed that Sha Zhu's face had darkened and realized that Sha Zhu was about to explode. He quickly grabbed a large 100-yuan note and stuffed it into Yan Laokou's hand, while giving him a wink, telling him to stop while he was ahead, or else he would know what would happen.
Yan Fugui, clutching a large banknote, turned from a dark face to a smile: "Alright, that's settled then, let's call it a day..."
"That damned Yan the stingy..." He Yuzhu saw it clearly and was so angry that he raised his fist to chase after him, but Yi Zhonghai grabbed his arm and scolded him: "Silly Zhu, don't do anything stupid."
Hurry up and get yourself together and go to work.
"We'll talk about this tonight..."
"Fine, I'll give Grandpa face and not beat him up, hmph!" He Yuzhu turned and left angrily.
The remaining onlookers burst into laughter, secretly gossiping about Sha Zhu recognizing his father and taking care of him in his old age.
They mocked Sha Zhu for enjoying being played, calling him a complete idiot.
Yi Zhonghai had no time to deal with the gossip in the courtyard. He hurriedly went to the room next to the main hall in the backyard and whispered to Old Madam Long, who was eating breakfast, "The news has come back. Take a look..."
"Yes, this matter is settled. The entire house that belongs to Zheng Ya will belong to us..." Old Madam Long smiled after reading the contents of the paper. There's no risk in taking advantage of someone who has no inheritance!
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