Volume One, Chapter 54: Silly Zhu Causes Trouble for Bang Geng

In this courtyard, whenever Qin Huairu was mentioned, the first thing that came to everyone's mind was begging. After all, which family in this courtyard had not helped the Jia family?

With the three years of natural disasters just having passed, which household was not weighed down by hardships?

True, Qin Huairu worked alone at the rolling mill, while her household still had a disabled husband and several children to care for, making things undeniably difficult.

Yet what did that have to do with anyone else?

Once such a precedent was set, how could there ever be peace here again?

"What is it?"

Accompanied by a wave of warmth rushing over him, the moment the door opened, Qin Huairu felt as if she had been transported back to midsummer.

"Well... Su Jianshe, have you seen my Banggen?"

Catching sight of a plate of green peppers stir-fried with pork on Su Jianshe's table, Qin Huairu swallowed hard, a look of envy in her eyes as she spoke.

"No!"

Su Jianshe replied while making a move to close the door.

That little white-eyed wolf, Banggen—why would he ever invite him inside?

Su Jianshe had never believed that Banggen was young enough to easily turn over a new leaf.

Just look at what happened to Silly Zhu! He had poured his all into that ungrateful wretch, yet the moment he was thrown into prison, his home was completely cleaned out by Banggen. Over the past couple of days, had it not been for the help of the courtyard neighbors, he probably wouldn't even have survived.

"Hey, Su Jianshe, don't rush to close the door!" Qin Huairu cried out urgently, having already confirmed that Chu Yan was not inside.

Lowering her gaze, a touch of lonely shyness unexpectedly spread across Qin Huairu's face as her voice trembled slightly: "Su Jianshe, our family really has nothing left in the pot. Could you lend us some food to tide us over?"

Terrified that Su Jianshe might slam the door in her face, she quickly added, "As long as you give me food, I'll do whatever you want."

With that, Qin Huairu lowered her head once more, her cheeks flushed crimson, looking less like a mother of three and more like a young maiden tasting romance for the very first time. She held quite a bit of confidence in her own charm, which few in this courtyard or the rolling mill could rival. Because of this very reason, people like Yi Zhonghai, Xu Damao, and Silly Zhu had vied with one another to assist her.

However, Su Jianshe looked at Qin Huairu with utter contempt. The wrinkles on her face, her withered and sallow hair, and the peculiar odor emanating from her body all filled him with disgust. Furthermore, Qin Huairu's current condition made her look practically like a pathogen!

"Just that?" Su Jianshe glanced dismissively at Qin Huairu, dropped a scornful "Trash," and shut the door with a look of extreme aversion.

Thud! The door snapped shut crisply. Qin Huairu stood there in utter bewilderment; she had always navigated both the courtyard and the rolling mill with ease relying on her beauty, but now...

Before Qin Huairu even had time to digest Su Jianshe's attitude, Yi Zhonghai rushed over in a flurry: "Qin Huairu! Banggen is in deep trouble!"

Hearing this, Qin Huairu's heart sank heavily. Putting aside the blow she had just suffered from Su Jianshe, she hurriedly sought out a secluded spot to question him.

"First Uncle, what on earth has happened to Banggen?"

Yi Zhonghai looked at Qin Huairu with a helpless expression, wondering inwardly just how deep of a grudge she and Banggen held against Silly Zhu.

"Didn't you hear Silly Zhu's scream just now? While Silly Zhu went to the latrine, Banggen crept up and kicked him right in his most vulnerable spot!"

What?

Qin Huairu had initially assumed Banggen was caught stealing, but this revelation left her completely stunned.

"Banggen... did he really do that?"

Yi Zhonghai looked at Qin Huairu with a complicated gaze; had he not been mindful of onlookers, he would have loved to examine what on earth was going on inside her head.

As the First Uncle of the courtyard, how could he possibly deceive her?

"Silly Zhu has already been sent to the hospital, and the doctor says he might never be able to father children for the rest of his life. Now that he's awake, he's screaming about killing Banggen. Let me tell you, if Silly Zhu actually goes to the police station to file a report, Banggen might never see the light of day again!"

What! Banggen...

Qin Huairu's heart trembled violently, gripping her with intense anxiety before a sudden thought struck her.

"First Uncle, I beg you to save Banggen! He's still young, just a child! He doesn't know any better, which is why he made this mistake. You absolutely cannot let Silly Zhu go to the authorities!"

"In this weather, if Banggen is dragged off to the police station, the child won't survive!"

Qin Huairu pleaded near tears, her eyes brimming as she vividly pictured Banggen crying his lungs out behind the iron bars of the police station.

As for Silly Zhu? She hadn't even given his plight a passing thought.

She had never once considered showing gratitude for Silly Zhu's help, nor did she harbor any intention of visiting him.

Her very first thought was how to keep her son from suffering, rather than whether Silly Zhu's entire life had been ruined.

To Qin Huairu, Silly Zhu was merely a tool to be used; only her precious son mattered above all else!

Yi Zhonghai had returned early with the underlying intention of prompting Qin Huairu to prepare, though he deliberately feigned deep contemplation for a moment.

"First Uncle, whatever your terms may be, I accept them. Just please save my boy from the police station!" she pleaded desperately.

"Very well, the usual spot."

"Everything shall be as you arrange!"

Seeing that his objective had been achieved, Yi Zhonghai issued his instructions:

"Hurry and fetch Banggen back, and gather some materials..."

"Will... will this really work?" the other party asked doubtfully.

"Don't ask questions, just go! If we wait until Silly Zhu returns to prepare, it will be too late!"

Meanwhile, Liu Haicheng stared in astonishment at his second son, Liu Guangfu:

"You're saying Silly Zhu will never be able to marry in this lifetime, and that part of him is completely ruined?"

Liu Haicheng, who had initially wanted nothing to do with the matter, had ultimately sent Liu Guangfu in his stead to assist Silly Zhu.

In doing so, he took the opportunity to go from door to door reminding residents about winter preparations, earning widespread praise.

He had not expected to receive such news the moment he settled down.

"That brat Banggen is truly vicious. Even with the bandages on, Silly Zhu's blood was seeping right through!" Liu Guangfu said, still shaken.

"When Silly Zhu was the head chef at the rolling mill, he spared no effort helping their family out. The Jia family owes their survival today entirely to Silly Zhu!"

"Who could have guessed that while Silly Zhu went to use the latrine, that punk would sneak in and boot him right in the crotch!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Haicheng knitted his brows in profound confusion.

"That doesn't make sense. Silly Zhu and the Jia family were on such good terms, why would Banggen attack him for no reason?"

Liu Guangfu, having just returned from the hospital, disagreed entirely:

"Just look at what kind of people the Jia family are! Mrs. Jia is a shrew and an ungrateful wretch, and Qin Huairu isn't much better!

With that kind of upbringing, how good could the child possibly turn out? Stealing failed, and now they bite the hand that feeds them. I finally see them for who they are!"

Hearing those words, Liu Haicheng not only disagreed but slammed his teacup down and sprang to his feet.

"No, I have to go check on Silly Zhu! As the Second Uncle of this courtyard, I must pay him a visit and get to the bottom of this!"

"If I can smooth this matter over, the position of First Uncle in this courtyard won't belong to Yi Zhonghai anymore!"

With those words, he pulled on his hat, wore a calculating expression, rushed out into the bitter wind, and headed straight for the hospital.

Ignoring his father, whose head was entirely consumed by delusions of official rank, Liu Guangfu muttered quietly to his mother: "Mom, I'm exhausted from all this running around. Can you fry me an egg today?"

"Eat, eat, eat, all you ever think about is eating! Why can't you learn from your older brother?"

Elsewhere, Yan Bugui looked at Yan Jiedong with a grim expression.

"Was it really Banggen who did it?"

"Of course it was! Silly Zhu said that ungrateful wretch sneaked in while he was using the latrine and landed a kick straight on target before he could even react!"

"And he had zero defense against it," Yan Jiedong breathed in deeply.

"The doctor said Silly Zhu's lower body is finished for good. You can forget about him ever marrying; from now on, whenever young women hear the name Silly Zhu, they'll know he's a cripple."

Yan Bugui shook his head, shifting the topic: "Then who paid his hospital bill?"

"First Uncle paid it. I certainly don't have any money; I only have fifty cents, and I need to hold onto that!"

Yan Bugui nodded in satisfaction, instructing his son: "It's good that you didn't pay. With him working as a temporary latrine cleaner, he doesn't make much, and heaven knows when he'll ever pay it back!"

"Stay out of whatever is going on between the Jia family and Silly Zhu!"

Yan Jiedong nodded in agreement.

Logically speaking, with Silly Zhu having been on such close terms with the Jia family and suffering such a catastrophe, the Jia family ought to have sent someone to check on him and inquire about his condition. Yet up to this moment, not even Qin Huairu's shadow had been seen.

"Those people are utterly devoid of conscience. We must keep our distance from them in the future!"

At that moment, Yan Jiedong's stomach let out an untimely rumble.

"Dad, when are we eating? I'm starving!"

Yan Bugui pointed to the hot water he had just lifted from the stove.

"What time is it? Why are you in such a rush to eat? If you can't sleep later, you'll just get hungry again. Drink some water to tide yourself over first!"

Not only the Liu and Yan families, but people throughout the entire courtyard began whispering among themselves.

"Looks like Silly Zhu is finished for good this time."

"My son saw it with his own eyes—not only was Silly Zhu bandaged up down there, but he was bleeding too!"

"Banggen is a thorough piece of trash. Silly Zhu used to send food to their house every single day without even getting a 'thank you,' and then he pulls a stunt like this!"

"Exactly! Look at what the Jia family has turned that child into."

"Stealing, cursing, skipping school, and fighting—does any of that look like a good student?"

"If I were Silly Zhu, once I got out of the hospital, I'd make sure Banggen paid dearly!"

"Do you think Silly Zhu will go straight after the Jia family once he's discharged?

Mrs. Jia is not someone to mess with; there's bound to be a brawl!"

By afternoon,

the bitter wind howled relentlessly, driving withered yellow leaves into a frenzy as they lashed against the trees.

The streets were entirely deserted.

Only Silly Zhu could be seen hobbling forward with extreme difficulty on a pair of crutches, his lower body terribly swollen.

"Banggen, you bastard, you just wait!"

Every step Silly Zhu took sent a burning pain shooting through his lower body.

He was still some distance away from the courtyard, and the people who had escorted him to the hospital had long since departed.

Having received his discharge notice, Silly Zhu had no choice but to rent a pair of crutches and make the grueling trek home on foot.

"Jia Xudong, you good-for-nothing! You must have put Banggen up to this! Just you all wait!" Silly Zhu seethed with unresolved hatred, his body racked with pain.

The former head chef of the rolling mill used to bring home delicacies that, even if fed to a dog, would have won its affection over time. But now...

Back inside the courtyard, Yi Zhonghai sat by Deaf Old Lady's kang, giving a brief account of what had transpired.

"Has Banggen been found?" The Deaf Old Lady didn't ask about Silly Zhu, focusing instead on Banggen.

"He's been found. The child panicked after doing wrong and hid inside a concrete drainage pipe; when I got to him, he was frozen pale," Yi Zhonghai said, omitting any mention of the pipe's connection to Banggen's other misdeeds, mentioning only that he had found chicken feathers from Xu Damao's coop nearby.

"Children will be children, bound to make mistakes." A calculating glint flickered in the Deaf Old Lady's shrewd eyes. Since Silly Zhu's infertility was already a settled fact, she needed to figure out how to cut her losses. Either way, Silly Zhu was still expected to provide for her old age, so future matters could be discussed later.

Yi Zhonghai nodded, understanding that the old lady already had a plan in mind. Just as he was about to speak, an angry roar echoed from outside the courtyard:

"Banggen, get your ass out here!"

Silly Zhu stood leaning on his crutches right outside the Jia family's doorway, shouting curses into the house.

"The food I used to give away could have been fed to a dog and still gotten more loyalty than an ungrateful wolf like you!" Silly Zhu had completely abandoned all pretense of dignity.

When he had first returned to the courtyard, he had foolishly hoped no one knew about his humiliation, but one look at the gazes of his neighbors told him his reputation was thoroughly ruined.

"Zhuzi!"

Too cowardly to show his face, Banggen remained cowering inside the house, but Deaf Old Lady, supported by Yi Zhonghai, stepped out into the front courtyard.

"Old Lady, why did you come out in person? Go back inside, it's freezing—what if you catch a chill!"

Without answering, Deaf Old Lady instead asked:

"How do you intend to resolve this matter?"

"Compensation and full accountability! The Jia family must pay a price for this! Otherwise, I'll drag that little white-eyed wolf straight to the police station and see who can save him!"

Hearing this, Deaf Old Lady brought her cane down heavily against the ground, as if reprimanding Silly Zhu for his rashness.

"The Jia family has only one male heir in Banggen. If you send him to the police station, how are the Jias supposed to survive?"

"Xudong was like a brother to you, and this is his only son. How can you bear to watch him lying paralyzed in bed while his son gets dragged away before his very eyes?"

"Anyone with a shred of sense will see your grievance, but those without it will think you're simply bullying the weak!"

Just as the Deaf Old Lady finished speaking,

Silly Zhu opened his mouth to retort, but his gaze shifted toward the Jia family.

At that exact moment, the front door of the Jia family home swung violently open. Qin Huairu burst out in floods of tears, with Banggen trailing behind her carrying a bundle of firewood picked up from goodness knows where.

"Silly Zhu, our family has wronged you! It's all my fault for failing to raise Banggen right! Don't send him to the police station—take me away instead!"

Crying hysterically, Qin Huairu dropped to her knees right there on the ground.

A fierce, resentful glare flashed in Banggen's eyes, the bundle of firewood on his back seeming to mirror the grievances weighing on his heart.

"Silly Zhu, you're bullying my mom again! You just wait! What kind of penitence is this? He's the one bullying our family, why should I have to apologize?"

Banggen cursed angrily in his mind over and over, yet remembering his mother's strict admonitions, he forced back his bitterness, dropped to his knees, and remained motionless.

"Sister Qin, get up quickly! This matter has nothing to do with you!"

Seeing Qin Huairu kneeling before him, Silly Zhu panicked and urged her to rise.

"Banggen is my only son, what will I do without him? Silly Zhu, just take me instead!"

Silly Zhu opened his mouth as if to speak, but the Deaf Old Lady's cane struck the ground with another heavy thud beside them.

"Zhuzi, why are you so thick-headed? We truly have your best interests at heart. Just look at the state of your health—how do you expect to manage when you're old?"

The old lady persisted with her patient admonitions.