Volume 1, Chapter 52: Banggen Causes a Massive Disaster

With Banggen absent, Qin Huairu's pressure was much reduced. What if she decided not to come to him?

"Although the case is closed, yet—"

The officer shifted his tone, and everyone tightened up, looking at him.

"I will certainly report this matter truthfully to the neighborhood committee and the police station! This year, your Red Flag unit award is hopeless."

"Furthermore, with the cold wave approaching this year, the neighborhood committee will be compiling the relief list!"

"However, because of these incidents, your courtyard's quota on the relief list will be drastically reduced, and you will be ranked near the bottom of everyone else."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and the people standing behind them changed dramatically. They had all been counting on the neighborhood committee to distribute some more supplies to help them tide over the hard times, never expecting the hope to be shattered like this.

"Officer, could you please show some mercy?" Liu Haizhong pleaded. "Look, our courtyard is so poor. When the cold wave strikes, we won't have money to buy food at home—how are we supposed to survive? We can't just sit here and wait to die!" With a large family to feed, despite his relatively high income, he could barely make ends meet. Now that the cold wave was coming and prices were skyrocketing, he had no confidence in his ability to survive this ordeal.

The two officers said sternly, "Impossible. Your courtyard's recent performance has been utterly abysmal. Even if the neighborhood committee wanted to cover for you, they couldn't!"

"That's right! Go ask anyone on this street; who doesn't know about the shameful scandals in your courtyard? If there weren't still some innocent people living here, your supplies would have been cut off long ago!" After delivering this intimidation, the expressions of the two officers softened slightly.

"Moreover, not only will the subsidies be reduced, but the regular income shares of the individuals I just mentioned will also be cut!"

If the relief list was an unexpected windfall, the subsidies and income shares were their legitimate sources of livelihood. Once those were reduced, how were these families supposed to survive?

"We should obey the organization's arrangements, avoid causing trouble for the organization, and refrain from organizing such reckless matters. That is our duty!"

At this moment, the Third Master, wearing a dark brown coat, slowly stepped forward. With the matter nearing its end, the Third Master stepping out to summarize the overall situation had long been an unspoken custom among the residents of the courtyard.

"Please rest assured, officer. I will certainly supervise them properly in the future and ensure such mistakes are never repeated!"

As a new book begins, we sincerely ask everyone to generously bestow flowers, recommendation votes, and monthly votes! Every bit of support is crucial.

"As an outstanding people's teacher, I will surely educate them never to transgress again!" Yan Fugui patted his chest and spoke in a booming voice, but no one paid him any attention.

Yi Zhongtian and the others had dark expressions. With subsidies and income shares reduced, and the bitter winter fast approaching, what should they do? Everyone's heart burned with anger, but with the two officers present, they dared not show the slightest disrespect and could only curse Banggen silently in their hearts.

The cold wind was biting, stinging their cheeks. Although Xu Damao's chicken-stealing incident was over, the police did not immediately take Banggen away. Mindful of the freezing weather and fearing he might freeze to death in a cell, coupled with Xu Damao's continuous pleading, the two officers finally gave up on further pursuit. After issuing a final warning, the two left.

The wind continued to howl.

Su Jianshe hugged Chu Yan, leaned back on the new sofa, and suggested, "Tomorrow at dawn, let's go to the bookstore to buy some books and read together, shall we?"

"Splendid!" Chu Yan was literate, and feeling bored at home, reading sounded like a fine pastime.

"However, before that..." Su Jianshe's eyes held a smile. "My dear, shouldn't we go to sleep?"

The two immersed themselves in warm affection, completely oblivious to the external chaos. Outside, however, the uproar was already deafening.

"Sha Zhu, what do you mean by this? What kind of person are you to drag our grandson into this?"

Jia Zhangshi put her hands on her hips and glared at Sha Zhu with eyes like those of a starving wolf, as if she wanted to devour him alive.

"Sha Zhu, I'm warning you, today's matter won't end without compensation. If it weren't for you, why would my eldest grandson have been subjected to criticism and education?"

Sha Zhu was no pushover either; he had a temper of his own.

Besides, he had helped the Jia family entirely out of consideration for Qin Huairu, what did it have to do with Jia Zhangshi?

"Jia Zhangshi, listen to me carefully. I am very angry right now, so don't push me!"

"Oh! Sha Zhu, you have a temper now? I thought you were useless, loafing around all day, and now look at you—you've become a toilet cleaner at the rolling mill!"

As soon as these words were uttered, the onlookers nearby covered their mouths and chuckled secretly.

The reason they didn't dare to laugh out loud wasn't out of regard for Sha Zhu's pride, but because they were afraid of drawing the attention of Su Jianshe.

"You!"

Back when Sha Zhu was the head chef at the rolling mill, Jia Zhangshi would never have dared to offend the provider of meals for her household.

But now that Sha Zhu had been reduced to a cleaner, Jia Zhangshi naturally had no scruples left.

Listening to the mocking laughter of the crowd, Sha Zhu clenched his fists tightly.

"Jia Zhangshi, Banggen, Su Jianshe—all of you, remember this!"

The fire in Sha Zhu's heart burned ever brighter.

He harbored deep resentment.

"Jia Zhangshi, you old hag, why won't you just drop dead? The moment you and your useless son Jia Dongxu die, I'll move right into your house!"

"Banggen, you ungrateful wretch! If I hadn't constantly sent food to your family, you would have starved to death god knows where long ago. I protected you like that, and yet you turned around and bit me!"

"And you, Su Jianshe, you damned bastard! Why didn't you have the guts to admit you stole the photo album!"

Sha Zhu's fists cracked as he squeezed them, but he did not dare lay a hand on the Jia Zhangshi standing before him.

Right now, Sha Zhu's home was stripped bare, with only a few quilts and a stove left to his name.

If he actually hit Jia Zhangshi and couldn't produce the money to buy a letter of forgiveness, he would likely end up behind bars again.

"Sha Zhu, you just wait for me. I won't let you off! If you hadn't framed Su Jianshe and looked at my mom with that kind of gaze, why would I have reported you!"

"Since you reported me, just wait and see!"

Glaring fiercely at Sha Zhu, Banggen scampered back home in a flash.

Sha Zhu didn't linger either, afraid he might lose control and strike that shrew Jia Zhangshi.

Seeing this, the others lost interest and dispersed as well.

For a moment, the bustling courtyard was left with only the howling wind beating against the windows.

After exchanging a few brief words, Qin Huairu went off to find Xu Damao to discuss a loan and seek his help.

Once home, Banggen wiped the grease off his face with a towel, pulled up a stool, and sat down at the doorway.

"Brother, why are you sitting here? It's freezing cold, go back inside and warm yourself by the fire!"

Xiao Dang had no idea what had happened outside and had been staying indoors all along. Seeing her brother sitting in silence with a sullen expression, she was full of puzzlement.

"Mind your own business!"

Through the crack of the door, Banggen stared intently at Sha Zhu's house, as if waiting for something.

"Sha Zhu, just you wait. If my mom hadn't gone to you, I would have crippled you long ago!"

The mere thought of the lecherous look Sha Zhu had given his mother made Banggen's blood boil with rage.

"Just wait, sooner or later I'll fix you!"

Banggen had learned from his classmates that as long as one used enough strength, one could render a man "obsolete."

Right at that moment— "Damn it, I can't drink cold water anymore, my stomach's going to ruin!"

Clutching some toilet paper, Sha Zhu rushed out of his house and bolted straight for the public latrine, terrified that being a step too slow meant missing out on a spot.

"A golden opportunity!"

Seeing Sha Zhu sprint out clutching his stomach, Banggen was overjoyed. Ignoring Xiao Dang's questions, he quickly followed behind Sha Zhu toward the public restroom.

The cold wind blew fiercely, stinging people's cheeks.

Sha Zhu clutched his stomach and rushed quickly into the public latrine, while Banggen sneaked along behind him like a ghost.

Soon, a series of urgent noises echoed from inside the restroom.

"Damn it, I'm never touching cold water again. Drinking cold water brings nothing but bad luck, and now I've got diarrhea!" Sha Zhu muttered curses under his breath.

At that moment, the restroom was completely empty, and Sha Zhu had no idea that Banggen was hiding right behind the partition, staring at him.

"Banggen, I gave his family so much food in the past, and not a shred of gratitude! That ungrateful little wolf can just starve to death!" Remembering this, Sha Zhu's face filled with rage. If he hadn't supplied relief to the Jia family back then, they probably wouldn't have survived this long. In the end, instead of receiving any appreciation, he was met with complaints.

At that thought, Sha Zhu even found it hard to exert himself properly.

"Sha Zhu, you're even cursing me while taking a shit! Just you wait!" Rage flared in Banggen's chest. Although he was still a child and felt guilty doing such a thing, he was too consumed by anger now to care about consequences.

"Sha Zhu, you..." Roaring in fury, Banggen lunged toward the relieving Sha Zhu.

Sha Zhu was stunned, then saw Banggen charging at him. A pang of shock hit him—he had just been cursing the boy in his thoughts, so why was he charging? Before Sha Zhu could even ask, Banggen delivered a fierce kick straight to his vital spot.

"Ah!"

As agonizing pain struck, Sha Zhu's facial features twisted, and a shriek of misery tore through the courtyard, shattering its original tranquility.

Inside the restroom, after landing a direct hit on Sha Zhu's groin, Banggen didn't feel it was enough; he delivered another kick to his chest, sending him tumbling straight toward the pit of the public latrine.

Plop!

Before Sha Zhu could even pull up his pants, a searing agony wracked his lower body. Before he could utter a word, he was kicked headfirst into the cesspool.

Realizing he had stirred up a massive disaster, Banggen panicked and fled in a rush, yet a strange sense of exhilaration filled his heart.

...

Over at Xu Damao's place, peace reigned.

"Sha Zhu, I'm not finished with you!!!"

Just as Xu Damao curled up under the covers to enjoy some peace, he suffered a sudden shudder. The courage he had worked so hard to summon instantly shrank by half.

"I'm going to hack you to pieces!!"

Sensing something, Xu Damao's anger was instantly ignited. He rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a kitchen knife, and bolted outside half-dressed.

Shortly after, the door of Xu Damao's house cracked open slightly.

Dressed neatly, Qin Huairu cautiously looked around. Confirming the coast was clear, she slipped out quietly.

"Bah! Useless trash, so short and small. If I weren't afraid you'd harm Banggen, I'd never do this!" Qin Huairu cursed Xu Damao under her breath, though a flicker of anticipation crossed her face. Ensuring she looked presentable, she hurried back home.

"Sha Zhu, get your ass out here!"

Wielding the kitchen knife, Xu Damao roared frantically across the courtyard.

"Get out here right now, I'll split you in two with a single slash!!!"

Not only had Xu Damao's good time been ruined, but he also felt like something might be wrong with a certain part of his body.

"Oh heavens, my precious treasure!!!"

Simultaneously, Sha Zhu's agonizing cries and Xu Damao's furious roars intertwined.

The residents of the courtyard gathered once more, staring with curiosity at the disheveled Xu Damao brandishing a kitchen knife.

"What's wrong with Xu Damao?"

"Look at him, he didn't even get dressed properly. He must have been caught doing something shameful by Sha Zhu."

"Could Xu Damao have messed with some young woman again?"

"Shh, don't talk nonsense!"

Crowded together, the onlookers watched Xu Damao with curious eyes, as if watching a grand play. They had already heard Sha Zhu's screams of agony, but none of them thought much of it—after all, Sha Zhu was sturdy and strong, what could possibly happen to him? However, someone soon sensed something was amiss and ran to the back courtyard to fetch Yi Zhonghai.

"Xu Damao, what do you think you're doing!"

Hurrying over with a dark expression, Yi Zhonghai snatched the knife right out of Xu Damao's hand.

"Even though our courtyard lost the Red Flag unit title, we can still strive for it again. If you really stir up chaos, won't the whole courtyard be ruined?"

"Can't you show some consideration for others? Holding a knife like that, who are you planning to hack?"

Yi Zhonghai's reprimand brought Xu Damao back to his senses, but faced with the questioning, he stammered and remained speechless.

At that moment, Banggen slipped through the crowd without stopping and ran straight home.

"Brother, you're back!"

Xiao Dang looked at her brother in surprise, only to be cut off by Banggen.

"Let me tell you, I almost got a huge breath of relief for Mom just now!"

"I'm going out to hide for a bit. If you need me, look for me at our usual spot."

With a grin, Banggen grabbed a few steamed corn bread rolls and bolted outside.

"Got relief for Mom?"

Confused, Xiao Dang wanted to ask what her brother had done, but Banggen had already vanished from the courtyard.

Out in the yard, the argument had reached a conclusion.

"Uncle Yi, stay out of this. Today I must settle accounts with Sha Zhu!"

"He ruined my good deed, and I won't let him off easily either!"

Hearing this, Yi Zhonghai furrowed his brow so deeply it formed a tight knot.

He wanted to scold Xu Damao again, but remembering how many times he had already been warned, he ultimately chose mediation.

"Alright, Damao, stop throwing a fit. I'll go find Sha Zhu right now and see what on earth happened."

"We live under the same roof and see each other every day; don't make relations too rigid."

Though his anger hadn't fully dissipated, Xu Damao nodded and stopped trying to snatch the knife back.

"Hmph, if I weren't no match for Sha Zhu, I'd definitely make him taste some real suffering!"

Even so, Xu Damao, Yi Zhonghai, and the surrounding onlookers still harbored deep doubts.

"What's wrong with Sha Zhu, shouting at the top of his lungs like that? Could he have really fallen into the latrine and failed to climb out?"

Full of suspicion yet curious, the crowd began searching for Sha Zhu.