Siheyuan: Starting from 1958

Hearing Yi Zhonghai's angry answer, the deaf old lady seemed much calmer and was not affected at all.

After Yi Zhonghai regained his composure, he spoke again: "Zhonghai..."

"You have been blinded by anger."

"What I just told you: If you want to find the culprit who spread the rumor, you must remain calm and not let your emotions get the better of you."

"Otherwise, you will be used as a tool by others..."

"Think about it carefully..."

"If Wang Dong really wanted to pull you down from your position as the boss of the courtyard, do you think he would use the advanced status of the steel mill as an excuse?"

"And what good will it do him if this thing is really accomplished?"

"Do you think he will really replace you as the master of the four courtyards?"

"Think about the methods Wang Dong used to deal with you. Every one of them was justified."

"Even if we take the matter to the street or the police station, they are still right."

"Think about the rumors in the yard again."

"It sounds very reasonable: without the advanced steel mill, Wang Dong's position in the steel mill will be even lower than yours."

"But a steel mill is a steel mill, and a courtyard house is a courtyard house."

"Many residents in other courtyards around here were hired by the steel mill, but they didn't serve as courtyard masters. Instead, elderly people who don't even have jobs were made courtyard masters."

"It can be seen from this that your position in the steel mill was just a reference for the street to let you serve as the uncle of the courtyard house, and it was not the most critical factor."

"Even if someone spreads the rumors in the yard to the street, do you think the street will remove your position as an uncle for no reason and let a young man like Wang Dong take your place?"

After listening to the deaf old lady's analysis, Yi Zhonghai finally calmed down from his anger.

He frowned and thought for a full minute before speaking: "Old lady..."

"If you hadn't reminded me, I would have almost missed something important."

"I haven't made any mistakes in Siheyuan recently. Even if I'm not rated as an advanced steel mill worker, the street office can't remove my position as an uncle."

"Although I have a grudge against Wang Dong, I have to admit one thing."

"He always does things with reason and evidence, and never confuses right and wrong."

"If you really want to take away my position as the boss of Siheyuan, you will never use a rumor as an excuse."

At this point, Yi Zhonghai frowned even more deeply and continued, "If the rumors in the yard were not spread by Wang Dong, then who could it be?"

"In addition to Wang Dong, the other two people I have offended during this period are Xu Damao and Yan Fugui."

"Xu Damao has been recuperating at home and has not yet returned to work. He should not have known so quickly that I was not selected as an advanced worker in the steel rolling mill."

"The rumors in the yard probably have nothing to do with him."

"Yan Fugui has a motive to spread these rumors in order to retaliate against me, but from what I know about him, he probably doesn't have the guts to offend me to death."

"Besides, he is a teacher and does not work at the steel mill. It is impossible for him to know in advance that I was not selected as an advanced worker in the steel mill."

"So this matter should have nothing to do with him."

"Could it be that the rumors in the yard were spread by people outside the yard?"

"I have quite a few co-workers in the workshop who I don't get along with. Many of them are level 5 or 6 fitters. They often ask me for fitter skills but I don't teach them, so they feel resentful." "These people must be the reason why I was not rated as an advanced worker in the steel rolling mill this time."

"Could it be that they are the ones who spread the rumors in the courtyard? It's not enough that they made fun of me in the steel mill, they also want me to lose my position as the head of the courtyard and continue to make fun of me."

Seeing that Yi Zhonghai was getting more and more distracted, the deaf old lady couldn't help but interrupt him: "Zhonghai..."

"What are you thinking about?"

"Even if those co-workers who have a grudge against you want to laugh at you, they don't know that Wang Dong has a grudge against you, and it's even more impossible for them to make up a story that Wang Dong wants to replace you as the boss of the courtyard."

"Think about it carefully. If you really lose your position as the head of the courtyard, who in our courtyard will benefit the most?"

"Old Liu..." Yi Zhonghai's eyes widened quickly, and an expression of sudden enlightenment flashed across his face.

"Old Liu has always wanted to be an official, but his education level is too low to be promoted in the steel mill, so he wants to experience the thrill of being an official in the courtyard."

"Although he is the second uncle of our courtyard, I know that Lao Liu has always been very unwilling and wants to replace him and become the first uncle of the courtyard."

"If Wang Dong and I fight in the courtyard and I lose my position as the eldest uncle, Lao Liu, as the second uncle in the courtyard, will naturally become the new eldest uncle in the courtyard."

"Looking around our courtyard, besides Wang Dong, only Lao Liu can know the list of advanced talents in the steel rolling mill in advance..."

"What a great old Liu..."

"I never thought that he was the mastermind behind the whole thing. He waited for Wang Dong and I to fight and then hid in the background to reap the benefits. What a calculated plan."

The more Yi Zhonghai spoke, the more solemn his expression became. Finally, he sighed and continued, "Old lady..."

"Maybe you don't know yet."

"Although I failed to be selected as an advanced worker in the steel mill this time, Lao Liu, who has not been selected as an advanced worker in Siheyuan for several years, was selected as an advanced worker in the steel mill."

"With this status in hand, he is more qualified to accept the position of the eldest master of the courtyard."

After saying that, he was about to walk out: "I'm going to find Lao Liu now..."

"I've always been very kind to him. Even if he wants to be the boss of our courtyard, there's no need for him to scheme against me, Yi Zhonghai. He can just say no..."

"Sit down..." The deaf old lady rarely got angry in front of Yi Zhonghai, and she frowned and cursed.

"What's the point of you looking for Liu Haizhong now?"

"Do you think he will admit that he spread rumors in the yard to plot against you?"

"All our inferences just now have no evidence. If we go to investigate now, not only will we not be able to hold Liu Haizhong responsible, but we will also be accused of slandering him."

Yi Zhonghai frowned and asked anxiously, "So let's just forget about this?"

"Of course not..." the deaf old lady replied with a gloomy face.

"Didn't Liu Haizhong want you to fight with Wang Dong and lose your position as the boss so that he could take your place?"

"Then we will use the same trick against Wang Dong and let the residents of the courtyard see how high your prestige is in the courtyard."

"Even if I am not rated as an advanced worker in the steel mill, I can still hold the position of the eldest uncle in the courtyard."

"As for Wang Dong, even if he is rated as an advanced worker in the steel mill and becomes the canteen supervisor in the steel mill, managing dozens of workers, he will never be able to replace your position as your uncle."

"This is to stop Liu Haizhong from wanting to become the boss of the courtyard, and to teach him a lesson at the same time." (End of this chapter)