Chapter 31: The Neighborhood Meeting Reconvenes, Qin Huairu’s Reputation in Ruins

It was the first time in the history of the courtyard that a full-residence meeting had been called in the dead of night.

The residents were all roused from their sleep, draped in coats and yawning, as they gathered in the central courtyard. The lighting was dim, yet the atmosphere was heavy with tension.

Yi Zhonghai had set up a table in the center of the yard. He, along with Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui—the three masters of the courtyard—sat behind it, looking every bit like a tribunal. Qin Huairu and Shazhu stood in the center, heads bowed like two prisoners. Chen Mo, meanwhile, leaned leisurely against his doorframe, arms crossed, watching the scene with cold detachment.

"Ahem!" Yi Zhonghai cleared his throat and spoke in a deep, grave voice. "We have called everyone here tonight to address a matter of extremely malicious nature!"

He recounted the events that had just taken place as objectively as possible, though he still instinctively tried to provide excuses for Qin Huairu, mentioning things like, "Comrade Qin Huairu is struggling to raise three children alone, and perhaps she was just momentarily confused."

"That’s enough, First Master. Don't try to gild the lily for her."

Before he could finish, Chen Mo interrupted him directly.

"Momentarily confused? I think she was perfectly clear-headed! Her calculations were precise!"

Chen Mo stood up straight, walked into the center of the yard, and stood before Qin Huairu.

"Qin Huairu, I ask you: did you bring that bowl of noodles to my room yourself?"

Qin Huairu trembled, bit her lip, and nodded.

"I ask you again: did I invite you into my room? Did I touch so much as a finger of yours?"

Qin Huairu buried her head lower, unable to speak.

"You tore your own clothes, you smashed your own bowl, and you screamed and wailed yourself, didn't you?"

Chen Mo pressed on, his voice growing louder. "Isn't everything you did just an attempt to make everyone believe I bullied you? Isn't it just a scheme to frame me?"

"I..."

Qin Huairu’s psychological defenses crumbled completely. She collapsed to the ground, sobbing loudly. "I didn't mean it... I didn't mean it... This household is driving me insane! I have nowhere else to turn!"

She tried to play the victim once more to stir up sympathy. Unfortunately, this time, no one was buying it.

"Does having nowhere to turn give you the right to harm others? Does it give you the right to slander an innocent person?"

Second Master Liu Haizhong seized the opportunity, slamming his hand on the table and scolding her righteously. "Qin Huairu! Your ideology is deeply flawed! This is typical bourgeois hedonism! You get jealous and resentful when you see others living well, so you try to cause trouble! Your behavior, at best, is a moral failing, and at worst, it is sabotage by a class enemy!"

Liu Haizhong had long disliked Yi Zhonghai; he wasn't about to let such a perfect opportunity pass him by. He wanted to set the tone as high as possible, hoping to drag Yi Zhonghai down with her by charging him with "harboring a bad element."

Third Master Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses and added slowly, "The Second Master is right. Furthermore, this involves an economic issue. Comrade Qin Huairu, was that bowl you broke your own, or did it belong to the public collective? And the clothes you tore—did that fabric not cost money? Such wasteful behavior is unacceptable."

His interjection left everyone stunned. At a time like this, he was worried about a bowl?

Caught between the two masters' cross-examination, Qin Huairu couldn't even cry anymore; she was left with nothing but despair.

Just then, a frantic figure rushed out from the Jia family's room. It was Mrs. Jia.

Awakened by the noise, she stepped out to find her daughter-in-law collapsed on the ground, being pointed at and scolded by the entire courtyard. In her muddled mind, she immediately connected the scene to her own past experiences of being humiliated.

"Vixen! You little vixen!" Mrs. Jia pointed at Qin Huairu, letting out a shrill scream. "Who are you seducing outside now? Is it not enough that our family is miserable? Do you want to be the death of us all?"

With that, she lunged forward, clawing and scratching at Qin Huairu. "I'll beat you to death, you jinx! It’s you! You brought this bad luck to our house! You cursed my son to his grave!"

Mrs. Jia acted like a madwoman, spouting nonsense while striking with heavy, vicious blows. Qin Huairu shrieked in pain as tufts of her hair were ripped out, and bloodied scratches quickly appeared on her face.

This sudden turn of events left everyone dumbfounded. What was this? The wicked being punished by the wicked?

Bangeng, Xiaodang, and Huaiah ran out as well, crying in terror at the sight of their mother and grandmother brawling. The entire central courtyard dissolved into chaos.

"Quick! Pull them apart!" Yi Zhonghai shouted in a panic.

Shazhu and several strong young workers rushed forward, and after great effort, finally managed to pull the frenzied Mrs. Jia away.

Qin Huairu lay on the ground, her clothes disheveled, her hair in disarray, her face streaked with tears and blood—a picture of utter misery. She looked at her mother-in-law, who had completely lost her mind, at her children crying in fear, and at the cold, scornful eyes of the neighbors. Her heart felt completely dead.

She knew she was finished. In this courtyard, the reputation of Qin Huairu was utterly ruined.

Chen Mo watched it all unfold, a cold curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. He walked to the table and said to the frazzled Yi Zhonghai, "First Master, the family drama is over. Let’s get back to business."

Yi Zhonghai took a deep breath. He knew he wouldn't get out of this without someone taking a hit. He looked at Qin Huairu and said sorrowfully, "Qin Huairu, you have maliciously slandered Comrade Chen Mo. The evidence is conclusive, and the impact is extremely negative. After deliberation by the three masters, we have decided on the following punishments."

"First, you must apologize to Comrade Chen Mo in public!"

"Second, you must write a deep and thorough self-criticism, no less than five hundred words, to be posted on the courtyard's bulletin board for one month!"

"Third, you are sentenced to clean the public areas of the courtyard for three months as a warning to others!"

Each of these punishments was harsher than the last. Especially the second one—posting a self-criticism for a month was no different from the ancient practice of parading someone through the streets in shame.

Qin Huairu swayed, nearly fainting.

"As for He Yuzhu," Yi Zhonghai turned to Shazhu, "as the cafeteria squad leader, instead of setting a good example, you acted on impulse and physically assaulted someone. You are sentenced to clean the public toilets of the courtyard for one month! Furthermore, you will pay Comrade Chen Mo five yuan in compensation for emotional distress!"

"What?!" Shazhu jumped up. "I have to pay money too?"

"Shut up!" Yi Zhonghai glared at him fiercely.

Five yuan was a way to give Chen Mo a graceful exit, and a way to buy himself some peace of mind. Shazhu wanted to say more, but those beside him held him back firmly.

"Are you satisfied with this outcome, Comrade Chen Mo?" Yi Zhonghai asked cautiously.

Chen Mo nodded. "That will do."

He never wanted the money; he wanted Qin Huairu's reputation destroyed and Shazhu humiliated. Now, his goal was achieved.

"I won't! I won't write it!" Qin Huairu suddenly shrieked. "You're forcing me to my death!"

"You won't?" Chen Mo smiled. "That's fine. Then I'll go call the police right now. Slander is enough to keep you behind bars for a year or two. The choice is yours."

Qin Huairu's screaming stopped abruptly, as if a chicken had been throttled by the neck. She looked at Chen Mo’s calm face and, for the first time, felt a terror that cut to the bone.

This man was a devil.