"Da Bao, do you really think I can do this?"
Xu Damao stared wide-eyed at Wang Dabao with delight, his eyes gleaming with the hope of receiving affirmation.
Wang Dabao patted Xu Damao on the shoulder with a smile: "Damao, don't say things that show self-doubt in the future. You're a prospective cadre, and you'll be the third uncle in charge of the compound in the future. You need to have confidence in yourself!"
"Oh my, with your affirmation, Da Bao, I have more confidence."
Seeing that the men had just put out their cigarettes, Xu Damao immediately took out a pack of economy cigarettes from his coat pocket, looked at it, and then put it back. He then took out another pack of Pegasus cigarettes from the other side and distributed them to the men.
Liu Haizhong took the cigarette and snorted, "I didn't realize Xu Damao had brought two packs of cigarettes. Is this how you treat people?"
"Oh, Uncle, what are you saying? I just took the wrong one." Xu Damao chuckled, not caring about Liu Haizhong's sarcasm.
"What do you mean, 'second uncle'? You're not even the third uncle yet, and you're already acting all high and mighty?!"
Liu Haizhong snorted, "Then shouldn't we come up with a way to kick Yi Zhonghai off his 'big shot' position?"
"Kick him down?" Wang Dabao shook his head with a smile. "Why would we kick him down? Since our compound is a collective, we should have a collective consciousness. Lao Liu, have you ever seen a dynasty in ancient times where the usurper kicked the emperor down?"
"Although this analogy overestimates Yi Zhonghai's abilities, that's the reality of the matter; he has to be willing to step down!"
"Do you know what this is? This is called winning people over with virtue!"
Liu Haizhong stared in disbelief, then clapped his hands. Behind him, the brothers Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu followed suit and clapped along with their father.
Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao were lost in their dreams of promotion when the door of the deaf old lady's house next door opened.
"You're having a meeting here? It seems Zhonghai was right, this is just forming cliques."
The deaf old woman, leaning on her cane, stepped out of the threshold and looked up towards the central courtyard. "Liu Haizhong, whose house is on fire? Why is it so bright!"
Liu Haizhong's cheerful rant was interrupted by the deaf old woman, who replied irritably, "Can't you tell from the firelight that it's your grandson Sha Zhu's family?"
"What? You're still chatting here? Hurry up and put out the fire! If this house burns down, where will my grandson live?"
The deaf old woman was anxious. Her legs were nimbleer than ever before, and she quickly went down the steps and headed straight for Liu Haizhong, saying, "Quick, help me over there."
"Grandma, don't cause trouble. Didn't you hear how lively it is at the Intermediate Court? Lots of people are putting out the fire. Just stay home and wait for news. Don't get hurt while they're putting out the fire."
Liu Haizhong looked at Wang Dabao helplessly.
Wang Dabao smiled and said, "Why don't we take the old lady with us? That way, Sha Zhu will have an extra helper when he tries to seek justice."
Just like the first half of the night, it was the same old team, the same few people, with the same formation, heading towards the central courtyard once again.
They rushed several people into the courtyard, where the fire was already under control, since the well was right in front of Sha Zhu's house.
Sha Zhu took advantage of the terrain.
Many people lined up with basins and buckets to collect water, which they then poured on the doors and windows of Sha Zhu's house. Judging from the area where the fire was extinguished, the fire was almost completely destroyed.
The deaf old woman was so anxious from a distance that she kept stamping her cane and crying out in pain.
Yan Bugui was also very enthusiastic, his glasses were all crooked from all the work, Qin Huairu was sweating profusely from running back and forth, and Yi Zhonghai was directing everyone on where to splash the water.
Sha Zhu sat with a long face at the door of He Yushui's side room, looking somewhat numb.
Jia Dongxu stood not far away with his stick, watching with amusement, muttering something under his breath that was obviously not pleasant.
Soon, with everyone working together, the fire was gradually extinguished. However, what was revealed to everyone was a window that had been burned bare and a door that was only half burned.
It turns out that Sha Zhu hadn't been idle during his recovery period. He gritted his teeth and bought a lot of coal to prepare for the winter, which he piled up under the door and windows. But coal doesn't spontaneously combust, so it must have been set on fire by someone.
The neighbors helped Sha Zhu put out the fire. Seeing Sha Zhu standing there in a daze, no one blamed him. After all, anyone would be stunned in this situation.
"Silly Zhu, what are you doing?"
Yan Bugui stepped forward and nudged Sha Zhu's shoulder to help him snap out of it, "Everyone's exhausted, and you've just been sitting here without saying a word?!"
"Oh dear, Uncle San, my house burned down, and I'm feeling really down and don't want to talk. Please forgive me." Sha Zhu looked up listlessly at Yan Bugui with a droopy old face.
It would have been better if I hadn't looked up; when I did, I saw Bang Geng smiling and pointing in our direction.
"Damn it, it must have been that little brat Bang Geng who did this. I'll skin him alive."
Shazhu jumped up and was about to rush towards Banggeng.
Yan Bugui raised his glasses: "Shazhu, you stop right there. To tell you the truth, not only do you suspect Banggeng, but I'm pretty much the same way. But you need to have evidence. Anyone can just make empty promises."
"Isn't this just like Jia Dongxu accusing you of smashing his window? If you're going to confront him, you need to provide evidence!"
Sha Zhu stood there stunned. Wasn't that exactly what Yan Bugui had said? Even if he had evidence, the Jia family would have to argue three times. What's more, he had no evidence at all. What if the Jia family turned the tables on him?
Sha Zhu was unwilling to suffer such a loss in silence, and he angrily started spinning around in circles.
"Grandson, are you alright?"
The deaf old lady broke free from Liu Haizhong's support and moved to Shazhu's side on her own, asking him with concern in her eyes.
Sha Zhu hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed the deaf old woman's arm: "Oh my, my grandma, why did you come here again? What could be wrong with me? It's just that the house is a pity, and we still need to spend money to repair it."
"It's alright, you can sleep with Grandma in the backyard tonight. The stove is on, it'll be warm."
Sha Zhu pursed his lips tightly and nodded.
Wang Dabao, Liu Haizhong, and others came over to inquire about the cause, but Sha Zhu couldn't give a clear answer either. In any case, the doorway was already on fire when they heard the noise.
Sha Zhu looked at Wang Dabao with a guilty look in his eyes. The plan the two of them had discussed had taken this part into account, but after paying off Yi Zhonghai's debt, Sha Zhu was a little smug and had long forgotten about this matter.
The group looked around the door for a while, but couldn't figure out anything.
Jia Dongxu, after delivering the stick to his home, came over and clicked his tongue, saying, "Sigh, people just shouldn't do immoral things. See, karma has come knocking on their door."
He then shook his head.
Qin Huairu tugged at Jia Dongxu twice, saying, "Dongxu, just say less."
"Why should I say less? I'm going to say it anyway, Sha Zhu is alive..."
"Bang!"
"Oh my god..."
Before Jia Dongxu could finish speaking, Sha Zhu kicked him in the groin with a hateful kick, causing him to slowly kneel down on the ground, his buttocks clenched.
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