Volume 1, Chapter 63: Impartial and Selfless, a Paradigm of Virtue

Instead of falling into Su Jianshe’s hands this time, they had actually tripped up over these two blabbering old fogies!

Were these two old men truly blind drunk?

How could they behave with such utter lack of decorum right in front of Director Wang?

Had they perhaps been possessed by ghosts?

At this moment, those who had been eager to carve up Su Jianshe’s property could only attribute this absurdity to demonic possession.

Otherwise, it was completely inexplicable.

After all, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haicheng were both men who harbored a bone-deep hatred for Su Jianshe.

How could such a blunder happen at this crucial juncture?

Silently hanging their heads, He Yuzhu and Xu Damao wore expressions of profound regret.

While neither of them needed to go to jail, Su Jianshe was equally safe and sound.

The right to pursue charges for the beating rested entirely in his hands.

Once he pressed charges, the crime of framing an innocent person would be impossible to escape.

In other words, that beating had been taken for nothing!

"Director Wang, please put on a coat first."

"Let's go inside to talk, let's go inside."

Su Jianshe walked out holding a coat and draped it over Director Wang’s shoulders.

Feeling this long-absent warmth, Director Wang’s opinion of Su Jianshe rose accordingly.

At the same time, her disgust for Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haicheng deepened even further.

"Pui! Look at the lot of you!"

"And then look at young Su over here! How can the gap between you be so vast!"

Inside the room, Director Wang cast a glance at the crowd outside the door before venting her grievances to Su Jianshe: "Little Su."

"I truly wish I could deal with the lot of them."

"Yet the things they said..."

"Are truly difficult to pin a formal crime on."

Yi Zhonghai and his cohorts might possess a meager understanding of the law, but Director Wang was keenly aware of the stakes involved.

Naturally, Director Wang would never publicize the matter of the torn clothes.

As for the accusations leveled against Su Jianshe, they were indeed too vague to prosecute effectively.

Handing Director Wang a cup of hot water first, Su Jianshe took over the conversation: "I understand."

"After all, they are getting on in years."

"If I reported this to the authorities, they would likely just conduct a brief investigation and close the case."

"Besides, I haven't suffered any actual losses."

Su Jianshe knew full well that relying solely on this incident would never send these people to the police station.

Mud only counts as evidence when it actually sticks to someone; without substantial proof, reporting the matter based merely on fabricated accusations would only lead the police to treat it as a neighborhood dispute without digging any deeper.

"I am relieved that you can be so understanding."

"These two old codgers acted like they lost their minds today." Holding the cup of hot water, Director Wang felt her anger subside slightly.

After all, this was the alleyway under her jurisdiction; if the situation escalated, not only would it be difficult to handle Yi Zhonghai and the others, but it might also jeopardize the alleyway's chances of winning civic awards.

"Let's teach them a lesson, then." Looking at the contemplative Director Wang, Su Jianshe offered a suggestion: "Make them rein it in."

"It's no good for them to be restless all day long, constantly scheming crooked ways."

"A lesson? Just how do you plan on teaching them one?" Director Wang asked.

"Have them sweep the streets and strip them of their winter subsidy quotas at the same time." Su Jianshe had already planned this out. "With heavy snow falling outside right now, street sweeping is both grueling and exhausting. Make them sweep for a week and dock their subsidies—that will certainly teach them to remember this."

"Sweep the streets and dock their subsidies." Musing to herself, Director Wang looked out the door: "The weather is truly freezing."

"What if they fall ill, get sick, or something happens to them because of this?"

"Director Wang, weren't you afraid something might happen to me today?" Su Jianshe widened his eyes. "If I hadn't been home, they would have probably broken into my place like a pack of bandits and ransacked the place."

"If that had happened, I certainly would have reported it. Once the higher-ups investigated and discovered—well! Such characters emerging from the alleyway under your jurisdiction! Then..."

Su Jianshe left the sentence unfinished, but the implication was crystal clear. By then, Director Wang’s position would likely be untenable.

Outside, the winter wind howled with increasing ferocity.

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haicheng knelt on the ground, their heads bowed as they shivered uncontrollably.

Yet, rage and resentment filled both of their faces.

"Why on earth did you go out of your way to instigate us into doing this!"

Liu Haicheng unleashed a barrage of accusations at Yi Zhonghai.

Giving Liu Haicheng a fierce glare, Yi Zhonghai snapped back: "You have the nerve to talk."

"You're actually blaming me?"

"You were the ones who insisted on picking a fight with little Su; I tried to talk you out of it and you wouldn't listen!"

"And that old hag Jia Zhang even gave me a shove!"

"Alright, alright! None of you has any room to talk!"

Waving his hand impatiently, Liu Haicheng did not dare show the slightest trace of anger.

He knew that Su Jianshe and Director Wang were watching them from inside the house right at this very moment.

The weather was bitterly cold.

Behind them, the numerous residents led by Mrs. Jia were practically frozen stiff.

Strictly speaking, they felt this matter didn't have much to do with them, but in their hearts, that was precisely what they believed.

They figured that as long as the ringleaders took the fall, they themselves would at most be considered minor accomplices who had merely lent a helping hand.

"Granny, I'm so cold, so hungry. I want to eat something."

Clutching Mrs. Jia’s leg, Stick梗 had a face turned pale and blue from the cold.

Patting Stick梗 on the head, Mrs. Jia used her elbow to deliver a vicious jab into Qin Huairu’s ribs: "Go on! Beg He Yuzhu for some food!"

Looking down at the scene, Stick梗 whimpered again.

"Mom! Is there any time for that right now! If Su Jianshe files a formal complaint, all of us are going to prison!"

Trying to frighten Mrs. Jia, Qin Huairu inwardly cursed the old woman for her shamelessness.

At the same time, as Qin Huairu looked at Chu Yan and Su Jianshe enjoying the warmth inside the house, the hatred in her heart grew even more intense.

All of this was Su Jianshe’s fault!

A dozen minutes later, under the expectant gazes of the crowd, Su Jianshe and Director Wang finally stood up from inside the room.

This also meant they would finally be able to escape the freezing cold and stop suffering in the frost.

"You lot ought to thank little Su."

"Little Su has decided not to press charges against you."

Director Wang was extending this favor to Su Jianshe.

In any case, reporting the case wouldn't result in these people being locked away, so it was better to scare them straight and save them from coming back to cause trouble for Su Jianshe.

"However!"

Just as the crowd let out a collective sigh of relief, Director Wang continued with a stern expression.

"Your behavior today was simply too excessive! Little Su has been magnanimous and let it go!"

"As the director, I cannot show favoritism to either side!"

"I have decided! I am sentencing you all to sweep the streets for a week!"

"Everyone involved must participate, without exception! Little Su will inspect the work personally when the time comes!"

"If little Su expresses even the slightest dissatisfaction, you will bear the consequences yourselves!"

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Hearing the news, Yan Bogui rushed out frantically from the back courtyard: "Director, Director!"

"I didn't take part in that business!"

"Don't count me in!"

"Old Yan?"

Surprised, Director Wang looked over at Yan Bogui, then turned back to Su Jianshe for verification.

Under Yan Bogui’s hopeful gaze, Su Jianshe slowly nodded.

"The Third Uncle truly didn't take part in today's affairs."

"I can vouch for him."

Hearing this, Yan Bogui let out a long sigh of relief: "Director Wang, if I have nothing to do with this, I'll be heading back first."

"Hold on."

Stopping Yan Bogui in his tracks, Director Wang pondered for a moment before speaking: "Let this winter subsidy go to Old Yan this time around; cancel everyone else's!"

"What? Cancel the subsidies!"

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haicheng cried out in unison, their faces twisting in terror.

"No! Director Wang! Once the subsidies are cancelled!"

"How are we supposed to survive the winter!"

Struggling to his feet, Liu Haicheng crawled up the steps and looked up imploringly at Director Wang.

Anxiety gripped Yi Zhonghai’s heart as well.

Ever since he had paid compensation to Su Jianshe, his household had been completely cleaned out and left drowning in debt.

If these subsidies were cancelled, whether he and his old wife could even survive this bitter winter was anyone's guess!

Led by Mrs. Jia, the weeping residents gathered tightly around the doorway of Su Jianshe’s house, tearfully pleading with Director Wang.

They wailed that without the winter subsidies, they simply wouldn't be able to stay alive.

Filled with pity, Director Wang was just about to open her mouth when Su Jianshe gently tapped her waist and murmured, "Director Wang, the title of Director carries a fair bit of weight."

With that, Director Wang’s expression darkened as she barked harshly, "Stop crying!"

"Given what you pulled today, if little Su chose to press charges, throwing the lot of you into a cell for ten or eight years wouldn't be excessive in the least!"

"Do you lot want to spend your New Year behind bars?"

As she spoke, Director Wang took a step forward as if preparing to leave and take actual enforcement action.

Hastily stepping forward to block her path, Yi Zhonghai forced a ingratiating smile: "Director Wang, we were merely joking around."

"We are more than willing to accept our punishment."

At that moment, unable to be reined in by Qin Huairu, Mrs. Jia burst out from the crowd with an expression of fierce indignation.

"This matter has nothing to do with us!"

"It was entirely the fault of those two scoundrels Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haicheng!"

"Director Wang, don't listen to their nonsense, this really has nothing to do with us!"

Rushing straight up to Director Wang, Mrs. Jia pointed a finger directly at Yi Zhonghai’s nose and cursed: "You old piece of trash!"

"Have you no shame left? You wanted to die, yet you had to drag the rest of us down into the mud with you!"

Furious to the point of a livid complexion, Yi Zhonghai shot back: "You were clearly the one who pushed me in the first place!"

"Now you're turning around and trying to frame me!"

"And after all the help I've given your family over the years!"

"I must truly have been blind!"

"Let me tell you, you old hag, if I get dragged off to prison, don't expect to get off easy either!"

"I'll drag your entire family down with me, including Jia Dongxu!"

His eyes bloodshot, Yi Zhonghai roared at Mrs. Jia.

He had already lost enough face today.

The First Uncle—supposed to be impartial and a paragon of moral virtue!

At this very moment, he had been left with nothing.

Su Jianshe was truly a ruthless player!

The authority he had spent years cultivating had been swept away by this punk in a single day.

Nearing a mental breakdown, Yi Zhonghai had completely given up on self-preservation.

"Come on, you old bat! Don't run away!"

"Come on and see if I can't actually do it!"

As Mrs. Jia retreated in humiliation, Yi Zhonghai continued to shout after her, refusing to let up.

Returning to the safety of the crowd, Mrs. Jia muttered curses under her breath.

Watching from the side, Qin Huairu remarked, "I told you not to go."

"Look at the First Uncle now; he's practically lost his mind."

"How was I supposed to know he'd go this crazy."

"If the subsidies are gone, how are we supposed to live!"

Darting her beady eyes back and forth, Mrs. Jia continued to grumble incessantly.

On the other side, seeing that even the shrew Mrs. Jia had been cowed by Yi Zhonghai, Director Wang felt a bit more at ease.

"Any other objections? If not, disperse!"

"Little Su, I'll return this coat to you tomorrow."

With those words, Director Wang shot a final glare at Liu Haicheng and turned to leave.

Su Jianshe grinned and exchanged pleasantries with Director Wang before turning his amused gaze toward Yi Zhonghai: "First Uncle."

"This... look at how things turned out."

"I actually feel rather embarrassed."

"With your subsidies gone again, however are you going to manage this winter?"

"Shut your trap!"

Acting like a madman, Yi Zhonghai roared furiously at Su Jianshe.

Liu Haicheng also scrambled to his feet, brushed the dirt off himself, and glared spitefully at Su Jianshe.

"Su, you bastard! The world is round and people cross paths eventually—just you wait!"

"Just you wait? Shall I wait with you right now, then?"

Su Jianshe took a step forward.

Frightened out of his wits, Liu Haicheng grabbed his wife and fled straight out the courtyard gates.

Terrified that Su Jianshe might resort to violence again, Yi Zhonghai swallowed his insults and scuttled back into his room like a whipped dog.

Having lost their ringleaders, He Yuzhu, Mrs. Jia, and the others no longer dared to face Su Jianshe and scurried away to hide in their respective homes.

Left standing alone in the cold, Xu Damao cried out anxiously, "Wait for me! Let's go together!"

"I'm begging you! Don't leave me behind!"

Inside the house, Su Jianshe lay back comfortably on the sofa, enjoying the steady ambient warmth.

Handing him another cup of hot water, Chu Yan asked with a face full of confusion: "Brother Jianshe, why were the First and Second Uncles acting like madmen just now?"

"It's truly strange."

Taking the cup, Su Jianshe raised an eyebrow and chuckled: "Who knows? Perhaps they've done too many wicked deeds and retribution has finally caught up with them."

"Isn't that right, Wangcai?"

"Woof woof!" Wangcai barked excitedly in response.

Meanwhile, back in his own home, Yi Zhonghai flew into a frenzy, smashing items all over the place. Consumed by shame and having lost all composure in public, he had blurted out words he never should have spoken.

Patting his back soothingly, the First Aunt tried to comfort him: "There's no need to always charge out at the front of every fight. Look at the face you lost today—who is ever going to listen to you from now on?"

"Not listen to me!?" Yi Zhonghai's eyes widened in rage. "They wouldn't dare! Without me, they don't even have the competence to fight that punk surnamed Su! Sooner or later, they'll have to come crawling back to beg me! Especially He Yuzhu!"

Just as the words left his mouth, a knock sounded at the door.

When the First Aunt opened it and saw He Yuzhu standing there, her eyelids twitched nervously.

"Zhuzi, everything your uncle was saying just now was just talk born of anger."

"Don't take it to heart."

Remembering Yi Zhonghai's outburst, the First Aunt tried to smooth things over, though she had entirely misread He Yuzhu's intentions.

He Yuzhu had originally come to settle scores with Yi Zhonghai, but upon discovering he had no coal left at home, he realized he was in for a freezing, miserable night.

After turning it over in his mind, he decided he had better find a way to lean on Yi Zhonghai, much like Su Jianshe had learned to extract support from the rest of the courtyard residents.

Let the people of the courtyard support him instead!

"Auntie."

He Yuzhu forced an awkward smile: "How could I ever hold a grudge against the First Uncle?"

"The First Uncle has always looked after me so well."

Perhaps smiling too broadly, He Yuzhu felt his cheeks ache even more intensely from the blows Su Jianshe had inflicted earlier.

Noticing this, Yi Zhonghai promptly instructed the First Aunt to fetch some red medicinal tincture, then pulled He Yuzhu down to sit beside him, assuming the posture of a benevolent elder: "Zhuzi, seeing you think this way makes your uncle very happy."

"Just look at the people in this courtyard; all because of the things I said out of frustration..."

Overcome with emotion, Yi Zhonghai even squeezed out a tear.

"They never stop to think about who has been helping them all these years!"

"It's been you, of course, First Uncle!" He Yuzhu replied without missing a beat, hoisting Yi Zhonghai right back up onto his moral pedestal.

After all, he had requests to make of Yi Zhonghai; he had no desire to freeze to death inside his own home.

"That Su Jianshe really is a piece of trash!" He Yuzhu continued. "Forcing us to go sweep the snow and even cutting our winter subsidies!"

Mentioning the winter subsidies caused He Yuzhu to scratch his head in slight embarrassment.

Sensing that He Yuzhu’s conversational drift was turning awkward, Yi Zhonghai tried to jump in, but had found no prior opening.

Now that the topic had reached this point, Yi Zhonghai could only offer a strained, bitter laugh: "Indeed... haha, indeed."