Everyone was shocked by Yan Jiekuang's words.
A hundred dollars for a scolding?
It's like paying 100 yuan to avoid being criticized by others. If someone actually bought that, wouldn't they be out of their mind?
If he doesn't buy it, he'll be publicly scolded, especially by some young brat in front of so many people. Where will Yi Zhonghai put his face after that? Will he ever be able to hold his head high again in the compound?
Moreover, Yan Jiekuang, being such a mere child, would undoubtedly use every single curse word he knew without any restraint when he hurled insults.
"Yan Bugui, are you just going to stand by and do nothing?"
Yi Zhonghai was truly furious. He had just stepped down from his position as the head steward, and now even a little kid could ride roughshod over him!
"You don't need to use my dad to pressure me."
Yan Jiekuang, though small in stature, was shrewd and raised his head to sneer, “We are currently holding a general meeting of the entire institute to discuss whether punishment can be bought with money, and as a member of the institute, I have the obligation and the right to participate in the discussion.”
“You, Yi Zhonghai, are just like me, residents. Why do you think you can be superior just because you’re older? Do you expect me to bring your father out too?”
As he spoke, Yan Jiekuang turned to the old woman and said, "Yi Zhonghai's wife, come here and be the judge. If your Yi Zhonghai continues to be so unreasonable, you should take him home right away."
Yan Jiekuang's words drew laughter from all the neighbors in the courtyard.
"What a joke! If your Yi Zhonghai continues to be so unreasonable, take him home right now. This is the funniest joke I've heard all year!"
"I haven't heard such satisfying words in years. Yan Jiekuang is just right for me. It's a pity he's too young, otherwise I would have chosen him as the mediator."
"Don't underestimate this child; his words are crystal clear. From now on, if anyone in the neighborhood makes a mistake, does that mean they can escape punishment simply by paying money?!"
"Hehe, even if you asked us, we couldn't come up with any. In this compound, only Yi Zhonghai can casually pull out a hundred or so coins."
"That's right. Even if you asked us to give you money, we wouldn't be able to. Who has the aura of a wealthy family like Yi Zhonghai's?"
If Yi Zhonghai were as shameless as Xu Damao and Jia Dongxu, and went home as Yan Jiekuang suggested, he might actually have avoided a beating.
But Yi Zhonghai was still the same Yi Zhonghai who cared about his reputation, and he couldn't stand being bullied by a mere kid like Yan Jiekuang.
He was so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged. He pointed at Yan Jiekuang but couldn't say a word.
Yan Jiekuang, on the other hand, had a "what can you do about it?" expression. "I'll say it again, will you buy it for a hundred yuan or not?"
After saying that, Yan Jiekuang took two steps forward to sit on the table, while Liu Haizhong, Yan Bugui, and Xu Damao were all stunned by what he had just said, their minds still reeling.
"Yan Jiekuang, don't be so presumptuous! Yan Bugui, why don't you stop him right now?"
Yi Zhonghai shouted loudly, then yelled again, "Fine, I'll buy it!"
Yan Jiekuang stopped abruptly, turned around with a smile, and said, "Of course, give me the money."
Yi Zhonghai, panting heavily, lowered his head and pondered for a moment before looking up and saying, "A hundred yuan is impossible. I don't have that much. I can only come up with ten yuan."
"Save your ten yuan." Yan Jiekuang's face fell, and he reached out to hold onto the table, about to jump onto it.
Yan Bugui tried to stop him, but Xu Damao stopped him and whispered in his ear, "Old Yan, you can get a hundred yuan for a scolding, but have you thought about how much a beating with a belt would cost?!"
"I promised you two yuan, but if you can get a hundred, I'll double it... no... I'll give each of you six yuan."
Xu Damao whispered a promise to Yan Bugui.
Yan Bugui's eyes lit up with joy. That was six yuan! He hesitated for a moment and asked, "Da Mao, what's the repair cost for my glasses?"
"Of course, I already promised you, it's on me." Xu Damao readily agreed, "How about this, I'll give you nine yuan if it's done."
Yan Bugui gasped. Not only did pie fall from the sky, but nine pieces fell at once. No one could remain indifferent!
"Okay, Damao, it's settled then."
Yan Bugui readily agreed.
Yi Zhonghai watched Yan Jiekuang's actions, his breathing becoming increasingly rapid: "Fifteen yuan, I see you're just a child, I'll accept it, okay?"
Yan Jiekuang turned his head and smiled, then jumped onto the table.
Liu Haizhong, his eyes blazing with anger, wanted to reprimand Yan Jiekuang, but Xu Damao pulled him back. After a series of promises, Liu Haizhong stood expressionless to the side, looking at Yi Zhonghai with a smug expression in his eyes.
As proud you were before, Yi Zhonghai, you're now in such a sorry state. You must feel terrible being manipulated by a child, Liu Haizhong thought to himself.
"Twenty, Yan Jiekuang, get down here right now."
Yi Zhonghai was sweating profusely. "Twenty yuan is a lot. I can't afford any more."
Yan Jiekuang looked down at Yi Zhonghai with a mocking expression: "You just said the same thing, not a penny less than one hundred yuan. I said it, and no one can change my mind. If you don't pay today, I'll block your door and curse you every day from now on."
"You bastard..."
Yi Zhonghai was furious. He took two steps forward and reached out to pull Yan Jiekuang down. "This is robbery! You're so young and you're already doing bad things. Be careful, or I'll call the police and send you to a juvenile detention center."
Yan Jiekuang took a step back, then squatted down, afraid of falling off the table.
He squatted on the table, his eyes filled with malice, and shouted, "Yi Zhonghai, I've been giving you face, haven't I? If you dare to reach out to me again, I'll fall off this floor right now, and then it won't just be a matter of a hundred yuan."
"You want to call the police, huh? Go ahead and call them now, and see who they arrest first. You used to say that the compound would handle all the problems, but it was all empty talk. Now that you're no longer the boss, you're yelling about calling the police. You're such a hypocrite!"
Yi Zhonghai was so angry he almost vomited blood. He never dreamed that one day he would be scolded and threatened by a mere ten-year-old boy.
After being dragged to the door by Liu Guangtian, Yan Jiecheng, and the other two, Sha Zhu refused to go inside. He mumbled something for a long time before they finally understood that he wanted to watch Yi Zhonghai be punished from the doorway.
Liu Guangtian had taken the cigarettes from Sha Zhu that morning, and as the saying goes, "He who takes a man's gift is bound to be obligated to him," so he had no choice but to take a blanket from Sha Zhu's house, lay it down at the door, and have him lie on it to watch over the courtyard.
Just then, Yan Jiecheng returned and saw Yi Zhonghai about to become violent towards his younger brother. He immediately rushed over, grabbed Yi Zhonghai by the collar, and was about to hit him.
Yan Bugui was nearly scared to death when he saw this. Yi Zhonghai was fine after being beaten, but the money he had already earned couldn't be allowed to slip away!
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