The door of the courtyard house has been welded dead

It hadn't even been a month.

He Yuzhu finally understood what Xu Damao meant by "severe crackdown".

During this time, he didn't try to pull any strings for the sake of the "sticky" incident. His thinking was simple: so what if he went to jail? It's not like he's never been before. He knows the ways of the "artillery bureau" very well.

Perhaps after experiencing this setback, Bang Geng will become like Xu Damao after he comes out – having learned his lesson, he will completely change his ways.

But the news in the newspapers, coupled with Liu Guangqi's perfunctory attitude towards him during this period, meant that he didn't realize what it meant to walk into the line of fire and what a severe crackdown was until the court's verdict was announced.

"Uncle Liu, Banggeng is someone you've watched grow up since he was a child. Is there really no room for negotiation? Although he participated in the robbery, he didn't hurt anyone. Isn't it mainly because of the theft case at Xu Damao's house?"

Clutching the newspaper tightly in his hand, He Yuzhu had no choice but to pinch his nose and find Liu Haizhong, hoping to persuade Liu Guangqi through him.

He really had no other choice. Although Banggeng had also stolen his money, he couldn't just stand by and watch the kid get shot.

"Sigh~, Shazhu, it's not that I don't want to help, I, Liu Haizhong, am not that heartless. It's not that my Guangqi doesn't want to help either, but this matter has come to this point, the court has already ruled, and no one can help anymore~!"

"Bang Geng's mother, Qin Huairu, if she hadn't done those things back then and hadn't gotten involved with the spies, things would be a bit easier. Guangqi is now holding a government job, do you think he would take the initiative to plead for her? He's a policeman, the son of a spy, and now he's broken the law. Even if they're neighbors, Guangqi has to avoid suspicion and can't take the initiative to get involved."

"Didn't you read what the newspaper said? Whether he actually did it or not is no longer important. He was an organizer of that theft gang, and later he even joined another criminal gang while on the run. He's crossed that line; he's no longer a small fry!"

“If Xu Damao hadn’t reported the case back then, or if he had reported it and then voluntarily dropped the case, that would have been fine. But now he’s been convicted of multiple crimes and the verdict has been handed down. You don’t need to come looking for me now. Even if you go to Xiaofeng now, it won’t do you any good. Things have escalated to a higher level, you know that?”

Waving a palm-leaf fan in his hand, Liu Haizhong lay on the recliner with his eyes half-closed. He had done all he could; He Yuzhu definitely couldn't afford to pay Xu Damao that much money.

The Ma Hua family does have the ability to pay compensation, but Qin Jingru is definitely unwilling to come up with the money. If the court judgment hadn't been issued, there might have been room for maneuver, but now that the judgment has been issued, there's no going back.

Because Bang Geng's background has already been fully verified by the staff of the procuratorate and the court.

This isn't something that money can solve. It's a government matter. All the necessary procedures have been completed, and the responsible leaders of each department have already signed off. Who would risk going back to the old procedures?

It's not a wrongful conviction. Bang Geng did commit those illegal and criminal acts, and he himself has admitted it, so what else is there to say?

As a former community worker, and now with his eldest son being the head of the public security brigade, Lao Liu is very familiar with this area. It's just that Sha Zhu, a restaurant chef, doesn't understand these internal procedures and still harbors illusions.

“Shazhu, to be honest, in our courtyard, this matter might only have something to do with Ma Hua and Qin Jingru. I know you meant well, but you only have yourself to blame for things coming to this point.”

"What Qin Jingru did was intolerable under the law. If her son Banggeng lived an honest life, no one would pursue him or dig up old grievances for no reason. But if he doesn't want to live a good life, then he is the last straw that breaks the camel's back!"

“Let’s go back. Before, I didn’t weigh more than two ounces, but now that I’m on the scale, I’m more than a thousand pounds. As for me, I’m getting old. I don’t expect to improve myself if I just keep up with the times. But I can’t let him be affected. If I get isolated and investigated again, Lili will probably tear the roof off.”

The palm-leaf fan patted the two bottles of Wuliangye that He Yuzhu had brought, waved gently, and slowly closed its squinting eyes.

Even your aunt Qin Jingru has given up, so why are you so eager to help yourself? Qin Huairu has given all the meat to He Daqing, but she hasn't even let you have a sip of soup!

"Then this kid is really going to get shot, you old man!"

"The Jia family, I think they're all doomed. Their ambitions are sky-high, but their fates are as thin as paper. Their mother died because of money, and their son died because of money too...!"

As he spoke, Liu Haizhong's voice grew softer and softer, his head tilted to the side, and a soft snoring sound began to emanate from him, causing the rocking chair to sway slightly.

On the grape trellis in the backyard, bunches of purple grapes were covered with a thin layer of sugar frost. He Yuzhu looked up and felt that the sunlight was particularly dazzling.

He Yuzhu stood up from the recliner expressionlessly, raised his hand to cover his eyes, and looked very dejected.

Life is unpredictable. He was the one who buried Jia Dongxu, and he could also be considered to have buried Qin Huairu. Now, it's almost time for their son, Banggeng'er.

Good heavens, so the funeral arrangements for Dongxu's entire family were all handled by this complete outsider who had no connection to them.

Carrying two bottles of Wuliangye liquor, He Yuzhu stumbled and almost fell as he walked to the moon gate. He held onto the moon gate with his right hand and looked up at the water tap in the courtyard in front of him.

It was as if I had traveled through a long period of time and saw Sister Qin from back then, with her sleeves rolled up, revealing her fair arms, getting water from the tap and washing clothes.

Several children were laughing and playing in the courtyard, while a rabbit from inside the small fence dug a hole and ran out, hopping around all over the yard.

Shaking his head, the hallucination in his mind disappeared, and all that remained in his sight was the dilapidated old house of the Jia family. The furtive peeping eyes behind the curtains had disappeared for many years.

Sister Qin's only son is beyond saving.

The wine he had intended to give away was pushed back, so Zhu Zi simply opened the door, facing the central courtyard, opened the bottle cap, and started blowing the wine into the central courtyard without even taking a cup.

This wine is amazing! He Yuzhu, who used to drink bulk wine, has never drunk such a good whole bottle of wine before. He feels a burning sensation from his throat to his stomach.

The depression that had settled in his chest lingered, and the image of Sister Qin entrusting her child to him in the room at the end seemed vivid in his mind. As He Yuzhu drank, he buried his head on the table, his shoulders beginning to tremble. This big guy, who rarely cried, felt terribly sorry for Sister Qin's entrustment.

When He Yuzhu looked up again, tears were streaming down his face, his eyes were red, and he was holding the wine bottle, taking another sip.

But that wasn't enough. He slammed his fist hard on the table, one after another, until his palms were red. Even Li Hui, who was studying inside, cautiously came out to take a look.

"Sister, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm such a coward. I should have taken the stalk back in the first place, sob sob sob~!"

The branches of the old locust tree trembled in the wind, almost falling apart. At first, they sobbed like broken bellows, and then they turned into howls like wild beasts, like the mournful cries of a lost cub, heart-wrenching and devastating.

"Uncle Zhu, are you alright?"

"It's okay, don't worry about it. He's just getting stuck on it for a moment. He'll get over it once he understands!"

Seeing Li Hui tilting her head and looking around the He family's house, He Daqing shook his arm.

He didn't take it seriously at all, and had no psychological burden whatsoever. He had long forgotten what he had promised Qin Huairu back then. He even put his hands behind his back and went out to find the old lady.

Sha Zhu was completely drunk. His left arm was stretched out on the table, his eyes, filled with intoxication, stared blankly at the bottle, and he looked extremely decadent.

The neighbors in the front and back yards shook their heads when they saw this, choosing not to meddle, but they couldn't help but sigh in their hearts that Qin Huairu, that heartless vixen, could still cause trouble for Sha Zhu even after being dead for so many years.

Qin Jingru kept her head down the whole time, pretending not to see anything. In fact, after hearing about Bang Geng's verdict, she didn't even bother to pretend anymore and rarely came out of her own house to avoid being gossiped about.

Banggeng has become a typical example. Adults in Nanluoguxiang have begun to use Banggeng as a role model when teaching their children.

Kids who are dishonest used to be ignored and even gloated over being able to take advantage of others. Now, however, they are punished with belts, which has improved the atmosphere around them considerably.

One day in September.

He Yuzhu changed his clothes, took a new set of clothes, and went into the prison.

So many years later, the two, who are not father and son but seem to be, gaze at each other through the iron bars of their windows.

Despite having no blood relation to them, Zhu Zi, through Guang Qi, came here to say a final goodbye on behalf of Ma Hua and Qin Jingru during the family's last meeting.

Bang Geng, who had his head shaved, was brought in by the guards. His eyes were unusually calm. However, when he opened the door and saw not his aunt and uncle, but Sha Zhu, his expression changed slightly.

That change seemed to carry a hint of disdain, mixed with a touch of inherent arrogance and sarcasm. He was timid and hesitant when facing discipline, but fearless when facing acquaintances.

Bang Geng felt no liking for this simple-minded neighbor who was always thinking about his mother; on the contrary, he was very wary of him.

"It's you~?"

"I don't want to see you. Go back and tell my aunt that they don't want to come see me. It's okay, I'll go see them tonight in a few days, hehehe~!"

Bang-gyeong didn't show any fear or cowardice in front of Sha-ju, perhaps because he didn't want to appear weak in front of this man.

There was no disappointment on his face. Ever since his two younger sisters and his aunt and uncle's family had not taken over, he had lost all feeling for his relatives.

Thankfully, Qin Jingru didn't come over; otherwise, just those words would have given the timid girl nightmares for a long time.

"How did you get to this point? If you're in trouble, you can come to me."

Zhu Zi couldn't understand why, even after things had come to this point, the child still wouldn't back down and would rather beg for food outside.

"Why should I look for you? What right do I have to look for you? Who do you think you are, a savior? Ha, you think too highly of yourself."

"Do you really think I can't see what you're thinking? You just lust after my mom's body. You're despicable, ha, ptooey!"

After letting out a cold laugh, Bang Geng finally couldn't suppress his emotions any longer. Looking at He Yuzhu's old face outside the iron bars, he said excitedly.

"Why am I in this situation today, and you're still pretending? It's because you taught me how to pick locks and locks. Hey, after I get out of here, I'll tell my mom, 'Thank you, Uncle Silly. Without him, I wouldn't be in this situation today!'"

"Do you think my mom will forgive you? She'll haunt you even as a ghost! Hahaha, I don't need your pity. What are you pretending for? Why don't you raise Xiaodang Huaihua? Where did your ability go? Where did your sympathy go? You're just acting like a coward!"

"Now you're pretending to be all sensible and coming here to ask me why, you idiot Zhu, for this one thing alone, I'll always look down on you!"

"Forever~!" (End of Chapter)