Yi Zhonghai dragged Sha Zhu all the way to the Intermediate People's Court.
“Zhu Zi, why are you so impulsive? You know why Lao Liu and the others are wary of you. If you really want to celebrate the New Year together with other families, you have to be more patient.”
Yi Zhonghai said in a low voice with a serious expression, "Besides, didn't you reject my suggestion last time? So don't have any more ideas about that. Let's just have a happy New Year together. Don't cause any trouble."
Yi Zhonghai has known Sha Zhu too well over the years; he'll do exactly what you tell him not to do.
Since that's the case, let's give him the opportunity to get close to Qin Huairu, but we must warn him not to have any thoughts about that kind of thing, and see what he does!
Sha Zhu snorted: "Uncle Yi, I know what you mean, but I just can't stand them. Besides, I only feel sorry for Sister Qin now. What's wrong with helping her out occasionally? Do you have to treat me like a thief?"
Yi Zhonghai's serious expression hadn't faded yet. He sighed and said, "Zhuzi, it's not that I'm wary of you, but your Uncle Yi isn't the one in charge of the courtyard anymore. Can't you see that I'm being controlled by Lao Liu and the others at every turn?"
"I believe you when you say you'll help the Jia family and Huai Ru. But it's not enough for just me to believe you. If others don't, they might think you have some ulterior motives. If things get out of hand, it won't look good for anyone."
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Anyway, don't talk to Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui like that in the future. If you shouldn't talk back, just go along with them. It's getting late. Go to the old lady's place and carry her to my house."
Yi Zhonghai patted Sha Zhu on the shoulder, "I'll go call Yu Shui, let's eat together. Don't let it be lonely during the New Year. Eat early before you go to work at the factory."
Sha Zhu nodded, looking dejected, and turned to go to the backyard.
...... ......
On the other side, after the Spring Festival couplets and banners were pasted up, Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong walked into the courtyard with long faces.
Wang Dabao, Xu Damao, and Liu Haizhong entered Yan Bugui's house.
By this time, all the neighbors who had come to collect the couplets had left, leaving only Aunt Er and Yan Jiekuang in the house. Yan Jiefang was nowhere to be found.
Yan Bugui was still muttering, "This idiot Zhu is getting more and more outrageous. Saying a few words to him is like digging up his ancestral grave. I'm the second oldest man in the courtyard, and I think if it weren't for Lao Yi stopping him, he would have wanted to beat me up during the New Year!"
Liu Haizhong pondered for a moment and said, "Old Yan, we also need to be careful of Yi Zhonghai. We don't know what he's up to. He knows we've been keeping Sha Zhu away from Qin Huairu, yet he still instigated this."
"that is."
Xu Damao sat down at the table and said, "I think Yi Zhonghai is just using the New Year as an excuse to deliberately break the rules we set, and then leave us with nothing to say."
Yan Jiekuang was instructed by the Third Aunt to bring over the thermos to pour water for the teapot. Upon hearing Yan Bugui's words, he immediately frowned.
After pouring the water and placing the thermos on the table, Yan Jiekuang's face turned cold: "Dad, what did you just say? Did Shazhu want to hit you? I don't think he wants to celebrate the New Year."
Seeing Yan Jiekuang's posture, as if he was about to chop Shazhu with a kitchen knife, Wang Dabao quickly pulled him away.
To be honest, he didn't care who got into trouble in this courtyard, but he just didn't want this kid to make a mistake.
"You're too young to understand. Your dad was exaggerating. Just now, Shazhu only had a few words with your dad, Uncle Yi, and Damao. No matter how strong Shazhu is, he wouldn't dare to fight three people at once!"
Yan Jiekuang nodded obediently: "Uncle Dabao, I believe what you say."
Xu Damao took the teacups from the tray and poured tea for the others, then picked up a cup and started drinking.
He then put down his teacup, his eyes darting around, and said, "I think we still need to think of a way to put Yi Zhonghai in his place. Sha Zhu is just a reckless brute. But Yi Zhonghai is different. That old guy is smart. For example, today's incident completely caught us off guard by acting first and informing us later."
"Da Mao is right."
Yan Bugui walked around the room twice and then sat down. "I think Lao Yi's obedience to the three of us is just a facade. Now look what's happened, he's fooled us all. He took it upon himself to bring several families together for the New Year."
Liu Haizhong picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp: "Then what can we do? We can't let them ruin the New Year, can we? Otherwise, they'll start fighting, and the whole neighborhood will know about the fight in our courtyard during the New Year."
Liu Haizhong pouted and turned to look at Wang Dabao: "Brother Dabao, do you think this matter is very serious?"
Wang Dabao took out some milk candy from his pocket and stuffed it into Yan Jiekuang's pocket, telling him to go inside and do his homework. Then he pondered for a moment before speaking.
"To be honest, this matter might not be as serious as you think. Of course, this is just a hypothesis. Sha Zhu isn't as reckless as you think. He knows exactly what he should and shouldn't do."
"But you guys just happened to think things were serious, which aroused Sha Zhu's rebellious mentality."
"The more you try to stop him from helping the Jia family, the more he'll try to find ways to do so. It's possible that opposing you has become a hobby for him, and his original intention is no longer to help the Jia family."
"In my opinion, let's just forget about it. If he can really help the Jia family, wouldn't that lighten the burden on the three of you?"
After listening to Wang Dabao's words, Liu Haizhong, Yan Bugui, and Xu Damao fell into deep thought.
Yan Bugui pursed his thin lips and spoke first: "Da Bao is right. It's not good for us to always be on guard. There will definitely be times when we can't guard against it. We might as well let go and let things do as they please. Just make sure to explain the seriousness of the matter to Sha Zhu."
Liu Haizhong nodded in agreement: "Yi Zhonghai should be the most concerned about the Jia family's affairs. After Brother Dabao's reminder, it's us who are now the ones who are worried. I think we should do as Dabao says."
"Sigh, wait a minute."
Xu Damao tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "We can't guard against Yi Zhonghai. That old man has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. What if Sha Zhu is fine, but he causes trouble for us?"
Upon hearing Yi Zhonghai mentioned, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui nodded in unison.
"That old Yi is really a handful. I'll give him another talking-to after the New Year."
Liu Haizhong filled his teacup and began to speak with a stern face.
After chatting for a while, the four of them parted ways. It was the Lunar New Year, and staying at Lao Yan's house all the time would be disruptive to his chopping meat and making dumplings.
Sha Zhu strolled over to the deaf old lady's house.
As soon as she entered the door, the deaf old lady noticed that her eldest grandson looked unwell.
"What's wrong with you? Who are you trying to fool with that long face?!"
"Hey, it has nothing to do with you. I almost got into a fight with Yan Bugui just now. That old coward Yan is a real scoundrel. He speaks so pedantically and thinks he's something special."
When Sha Zhu explained what had happened, the deaf old woman laughed: "It's the New Year, there's no need to get angry with them. If you can't get over this, carry Grandma on your back and go to their house. See if Grandma doesn't overturn their table."
"Oh my god, you're kidding me. You'll just get angry."
Sha Zhu chuckled and took the deaf old woman's cotton shoes to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). "You said it yourself, it's not like that during the New Year. Yan Bugui is just a piece of trash. Let's ignore him. I'll definitely teach him a lesson tomorrow."
After saying that, Sha Zhu busied himself putting shoes on the deaf old woman.
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