Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 353 Bringing My Partner Home
After catching his breath, Liu Haizhong roared, "They're here to rob me! They heard I sold my house and they're trying to force me to pay! Officers, arrest them!"

Liu Guangtian's face changed: "Dad! How can you make false accusations? We're just concerned about you!"

"Concerned?" Liu Haizhong trembled with rage. "You all wish I were dead sooner!"

Then the argument escalated, and the police officer, exasperated, quickly intervened: "Alright! Everyone, shut up!"

"Uncle Liu, are these two really your sons?"

"They are my two unfilial sons!" Liu Haizhong was reluctant to admit it, but he dared not lie to the police.

Upon hearing this, the police officer knew they couldn't take the person away, so he turned to the Liu brothers and said, "No matter what your purpose is, it's wrong to treat the elderly like this. Quickly tidy up the house and then go about your business. If you cause trouble again next time, we really will take you back to the station for a talk."

"We can't let them leave like this," Liu Haizhong shouted.

"Uncle Liu, these two are your sons, isn't this a family matter?"

“I don’t have a son like that. He comes back not to see his father, but to steal him away.”

"Uncle Liu, please calm down." The police officer comforted Liu Haizhong, then turned to Liu Guangtian and the others and shouted, "What are you all standing there for? Come over here and apologize to your father, then clean up the house."

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu exchanged a glance, knowing they couldn't get away with it, so they reluctantly stepped forward and said together, "Dad, we were wrong, please forgive us, we won't do it again."

"If you want to come back again, don't come here again. You're not welcome here."

The two brothers fell silent and helped their wives put the things they had messed up back in their places.

Liu Guangtian asked, "Officer, can we go now?"

The police officer asked, "Grandpa Liu, what do you think?"

Liu Haizhong waved his hand. He knew this was a family matter and that it hadn't really caused any loss or harm, so he figured out it wouldn't bother him.

After watching the group leave the yard, the police officer turned back to Liu Haizhong and said, "Uncle Liu, please keep your money and valuables safe. If you need anything, come find us."

"Thank you!" Liu Haizhong said in a low voice.

Meanwhile, a different drama is unfolding at the Yan family's residence.

Yan Jiecheng said with a bitter face, "Dad, just tell us the truth, how much does the He family still owe you? We're afraid you'll be scammed."

Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses, his shrewd eyes sweeping over his children: "Cheat? Your father has taught all his life, do you think I'd be cheated? What's mine will be mine, not a penny less. What's not yours, don't even think about it."

Yu Li couldn't help but say, "Dad, we're not worried about you. We're just concerned about your age and whether it's safe for you to have too much money."

"Not safe?" Yan Bugui snorted. "It's safe with you guys? Boss, when your restaurant was short of cash, did you pay me back the money you borrowed from me? Jiefang, you said you were 30 yuan short to buy a bicycle, it's been half a year, hasn't it? Jie Kuang, Jie Di, you two tell me."

A few words from him left his children blushing.

Another policeman listened at the door for a while, then shook his head. This one was much better than the other; they were still in the verbal stage. Nevertheless, he went in.

"You can go now. Don't come back unless it's absolutely necessary," Yan Bugui said as the police officers entered.

"Dad," Yan Jiecheng said.

"Alright, I don't want to cause trouble for the police officers," Yan Bugui interrupted.

The group didn't dare to cause any more trouble and had to leave. The police officer said to Yan Bugui, "Sir, you can come to us if you encounter any trouble in the future."

"Okay, thank you comrade."

The police then dispersed the crowd, and the two old men sat together and drank alone all night.

But the matter didn't end there; both sides started asking around about selling the house.

A few days later, Yan Jiecheng and his sister and Liu Guangtian and his brother exchanged information and confirmed that the house was bought by the He family in installments. They felt that they had found a breakthrough and could get the remaining money back.

After agreeing on a time, the group marched in a grand procession toward the He family's new residence.

The next day, around noon, Yan Jiecheng, Yu Li, Yan Jiefang, and even Yan Jiekuang and Yan Jiedi arrived. Along with the two brothers, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, and their respective wives, a dozen or so people gathered outside the grand and imposing gate of the He family's residence.

Yan Jiecheng stepped forward and knocked on the door.

This time, He Yuxin opened the door. As soon as he saw the scene, he knew who it was. He Daqing had learned all sorts of bad habits from his father at home. As the saying goes, bad news travels fast, and it's really true. The whole Jiaodaokou area was buzzing with how the Liu family and the Yan family's children were doing.

"Who are you?" He Yuxin asked.

Liu Guangtian squeezed forward: "Who are you from the He family? I am Liu Guangtian."

"I am He Yuxin!"

"Oh, the third son of the He family? Your eldest brother hasn't come back?"

"Are you alright? If not, I'm going in," He Yuxin said.

"No, we're looking for Grandpa He," Liu Guangtian said hurriedly.

"Why are you looking for my dad?"

"Ask about the payment for the house," Liu Guangtian asked without the slightest embarrassment.

He Yuxin blocked the door: "There's nothing to ask. It's all clearly written down in black and white."

"Could the He brothers show us the house sale agreement?" Yu Li asked as she stepped forward.

"who are you?"

"I am Yu Li."

"Oh, go back and ask Teacher Yan for it. He has some too."

Yu Li was choked half to death.

"Uncle He, Uncle He!"

Is Uncle He home? If so, please come out for a moment.

"Uncle He"

Seeing that He Yuxin showed no intention of opening the door, the group stood at the door and began to shout.

"Who's making noise outside?" Chen Lanxiang's voice came from inside, and she walked to the door as she spoke.

“Mother, those people from the Yan family and the Liu family.” He Yuxin said to Chen Lanxiang.

"Oh, who do you think you are? So ill-mannered, shouting at someone else's doorstep," Chen Lanxiang said.

Yu Li was embarrassed: "Aunt He, you can't say that. We just wanted to ask about the house. We heard that there's still money left for my dad. He's getting old, and we're not comfortable entrusting him with the remaining payments."

"What, you feel at ease handing over the money to you? Are Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong either in their seventies or eighties, or are they paralyzed or mentally challenged and unable to take care of themselves?" Chen Lanxiang sneered.

Liu Guangfu retorted, "The deal isn't over until the money is fully paid! Who knows if you'll pay later?"

Chen Lanxiang snapped, "Bullshit! It's a signed agreement in black and white, filed with the neighborhood committee, and the property deed has been transferred. Who are you to tell me what to do? Get the hell out of here!"

“Aunt He, we’ve just come to ask you why you’re still swearing,” Liu Guangtian said.

"I'd rather not curse you than have my mouth dirty. What you did the other day, was that even human?"

"You old hag! Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! He Laosan, let go! My finger is about to break!" Liu Guangfu pointed at Chen Lanxiang, only to have He Yuxin snap his finger in response.

"Watch your mouth, you brat, get lost!" He Yuxin released his hand and kicked Liu Guangfu in the groin. Liu Guangfu stumbled back several steps, knocking Liu Guangtian to the ground with a thud.

The members of the Yan family involuntarily took a few steps back; the Yan family were known for their verbal communication rather than physical violence.

Footsteps sounded in the courtyard, and He Daqing came out wearing an apron and carrying a rolling pin. He was cooking in the kitchen, followed by Chen's second uncle.

The commotion at the door had already attracted the attention of the neighbors on both sides, who were pointing and whispering.

"It's those same guys from Old Liu and Old Yan's family again."

"Tsk tsk, how shameless."

"You still dare to lay a hand on the He family?"

Liu Guangtian got up, gave Liu Guangfu a wink, and said in a fierce but cowardly tone, "You wait and see," before each of them grabbed their wives and slunk away through the crowd.

The Yan family members were even more cowardly. They had already shrank back when He Yuxin made his move, and upon seeing this, they quickly lowered their heads and slipped away.

The farce ended in a moment.

Still furious, Chen Lanxiang spat at their retreating backs and said, "What a bunch of trash!"

He Daqing waved his hand: "Alright, why bother arguing with these bastards?" He called to the neighbors on both sides, "Let's go, there's nothing to see here."

As evening fell, Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong, one after the other, carrying two bags of snacks, arrived at the He family's door.

He Daqing didn't turn them away. He talked to the two men in the front yard. The two men entered the He family's courtyard, looking around with envy in their eyes.

"Old He, I'm really sorry, these troublesome kids at home have caused you a lot of trouble."

Liu Haizhong nodded, his face flushed red: "It's my fault for not raising my children well. I've made a fool of myself. I'll beat them both to death when I get back!"

"Alright, if you could control your children, things wouldn't have come to this. Tell me, how did you raise them to be like this?"

Both old men blushed.

He Daqing did it on purpose. After all, those two weren't exactly good people in the past, and they'd caused a lot of trouble for his boss.

"You two didn't just come here to apologize, did you?"

"It's still about the house," Yan Bugui said.

"Why do you regret it?"

"No, no, we went out and asked around, and we got a good deal."

"What does that mean?" He Daqing asked.

"We came here to tell you, Lao He, that the money can only be given to the two of us, unless we die."

"What? You've kicked the bucket, and I'm still going to help your family divide the property?" He Daqing was unhappy.

"No, no, if that were the case, we would have made sure to distinguish them first," Yan Bugui said.

"Fatty Liu, is that what you mean too?"

“Yes!” Liu Haizhong said.

"Old Yan, Old Liu, we're old neighbors, but I still have to say something: haven't your relationships with your children improved?"

"Sigh," the two sighed in unison.

"Alright, let me ask one last time. If you're not comfortable with installment payments, I'll have Yuxin settle the payment with you in full right now." "No!" Yan Bugui hurriedly waved his hand. "Installment payments it is! What's agreed upon can't be changed."

Liu Haizhong nodded in agreement: "Yes, installment payments are a good option, allowing for a steady, long-term solution."

He Daqing looked at them and asked, "What about your children?"

"Old He, what do you think will happen to us once the money gets into their hands?"

"Then I don't know."

Yan Bugui sighed: "Giving it to them would be like throwing a meat bun to a dog."

Liu Haizhong said in a muffled voice, "I'd rather throw it away than give it to those two beasts!"

"Alright, then let's stick to the agreement. But let me make this clear: if anyone comes to cause trouble again, I won't be so polite."

"It needs to be cleaned up, but don't break it," Yan Bugui hurriedly said.

"You decide what to do," Liu Haizhong said.

After apologizing repeatedly, the two of them carried the undelivered snacks and walked away with hunched backs.

Chen Lanxiang watched their retreating figures and shook her head: "These two old folks, shrewd their whole lives, are now being forced into this state by their children in their old age."

He Daqing said, "It's all their own doing; no one else can control it."

A few days later, the Yan siblings and the Liu brothers jointly wrote a statement and sent it to the local police station, claiming that the He family took advantage of the elderly's lack of knowledge about the market, defrauded them of property at a low price, and that subsequent payments for the property were unclear, constituting fraud.

When the police officer who received them saw that it was the same two families again, and glanced at the materials that were full of loopholes and subjective conjectures, he knew what was going on.

But the procedures still had to be followed, so two police officers were sent to He's new house to find out what was going on.

He Yuxin received the police officers and was very cooperative.

He directly produced the original agreement he had signed with Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong, the transfer registration certificate from the street office, and bank transfer vouchers that clearly recorded the previous payments for the house.

"Comrade, please see, all the procedures are legal and compliant, and the price was negotiated voluntarily by both parties at the time, with people from the subdistrict office present to witness it," He Yuxin said calmly.

"We will visit that area."

"As for the subsequent payments, the agreement states that they will be paid monthly, and there have never been any arrears. The reason they are causing trouble now is simply because the children want to interfere with the elderly's money. The elderly do not agree, so they are finding ways to cause trouble."

The police carefully examined the documents and found that the He family was indeed in the right, with complete procedures and clear payment records.

They went to the local street office to verify and received the same answer.

Back at the station, the police officers summoned Yan Jiecheng, Liu Guangtian, and others, and gave them a stern lecture: "Your report is untrue! The He family's purchase documents are legal, and the payment was made on time. Continuing to make trouble like this is disrupting others' normal lives and wasting police resources!"

Yan Jiecheng and others were not satisfied and even shouted at the police station that the He family must have bribed the street office, but were sternly stopped by the police.

He Yuxin felt these guys wouldn't learn their lesson, so he directly contacted the legal department of the Yellow River Group in mainland China.

Subsequently, the legal team filed a lawsuit with the court, accusing Yan Jiecheng, Liu Guangtian, and others of fabricating facts, spreading rumors, defaming and extorting the He family, seriously damaging the He family's reputation, and demanding that they issue a public apology and compensate for reputational damage and related expenses.

When the court summons was delivered to Yan and Liu's homes, they were dumbfounded and terrified. In this day and age, ordinary people don't go to court to file lawsuits.

On the day of the trial, He Yuxin and her lawyer were present, and the chain of evidence was complete and clear.

The Yan and Liu families could not find any valid evidence of fraud by the He family. On the contrary, their previous records of causing trouble at the He family's house and speaking recklessly at the police station became powerful tools in the hands of the opposing lawyer.

The judge ruled in court that Yan Jiecheng, Liu Guangtian, and others had committed defamation, and ordered them to publish a public apology to the He family in the newspaper within a specified period, and jointly bear a considerable amount of compensation and litigation costs.

This amount of money is not insignificant for these companies. They thought that by making a scene, they might be able to get the money back, but instead they got into a lawsuit, were criticized by their superiors, and were asked to write self-criticisms.

Those who run their own businesses have also seen their businesses decline significantly, which has made them realize that the He family is just as formidable as they were more than a decade ago.

This made the Jia family members, who were watching from the sidelines, withdraw their outstretched hands. If these people made a scene, they also planned to make a scene.

The matter of the house has finally come to an end. As for what those two families do when they go back, that's no longer the He family's business.

The renovation project of No. 95 Courtyard is progressing steadily, and the He family's life has returned to its previous rhythm.

One day before New Year's Day in 1984, a pair of soldiers, looking travel-worn, arrived at the bright gate of the "He Residence".

It was He Yuyan, the fifth son, who was on leave after recovering from his injury, and Zhou Baige, who had been taking care of him for several months.

Both of them were wrapped in thick military overcoats and were carrying a lot of things in their hands.

If it weren't for those two characters on the plaque above the entrance, Zhou Baige would have definitely dragged He Yuyan away by now.

The person dressed in this grand house is not from an ordinary family as He Yuyan claimed; she has seen good things before.

He Yuyan stepped forward and knocked on the door knocker, his face filled with nervousness and anticipation. He hadn't been home for several years, and his heart was beating a little faster.

The door creaked open, and He Yuxin stepped in. He was startled at first, then shouted, "Dad, Mom, Fifth Brother is back with his wife!"

He Yuyan was taken aback by his brother's unusual way of greeting him, and Zhou Baige's face, which was already red from the cold, turned even redder.

"Third Brother, what are you doing here?"

"Why can't I be here? This is my home too," He Yuxin said irritably.

"White Dove, this is my third brother, He Yuxin."

"Third Brother, this is Zhou Baige, my... my girlfriend!"

"Come in quickly, it's windy outside!" He Yuxin opened the door, took the things from He Yuyan's hands, and winked at He Yuyan. He Yuyan quickly took the things from Zhou Baige's hands.

The three entered the gate and had just passed the screen wall when they heard a series of footsteps.

Then came Chen Lanxiang's voice, "My youngest son is back! Where is he? Where is he? I've missed him so much!"

When Chen Lanxiang appeared in front of the hanging flower gate, He Yuyan quickened his pace and shouted with red eyes, "Mother, your son is back!"

Chen Lanxiang hugged her youngest son tightly, tears streaming down her face. She patted his back repeatedly, saying, "You little rascal! You finally came back! I've missed you so much all these years!"

In her excitement, she didn't know her own strength and slapped He Yuyan right below his left shoulder blade.

He Yuyan's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, her teeth clenched instantly, and she didn't utter a sound, forcing a smile: "Mother, I'm back now."

Chen Lanxiang immediately sensed something was wrong, let go of her hand, and carefully examined her son's face by the light of the courtyard lamp: "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" She pressed her hand on the spot where she had just hit him, and He Yuyan subconsciously shrank his shoulder.

"No, it's nothing, Mother," He Yuyan tried to cover it up.

Chen Lanxiang's expression changed. Without saying a word, she grabbed He Yuyan and pulled him toward the side room in the front yard, shouting as they went, "Third brother! Come and help! Take off your brother's clothes! Hurry up!"

He Yuxin quickly stepped forward, and the two brothers exchanged a glance, He Yuyan's eyes filled with helplessness.

Zhou Baige stood aside, at a loss for what to do.

He Yuyan's strong upper body was revealed through layers of clothing: his military overcoat, cotton-padded jacket, and finally, his fleece sweater.

On the lower left side of the chest, a hideous new scar came into view. Although it had healed, the raised pink fleshy ridge and the stitches were still shocking.

The room was silent. Chen Lanxiang's hand trembled as she gently touched the scar, and tears streamed down her face. "What, how did this happen? Huh? What kind of soldier were you? The war was over a long time ago! Are you trying to break your mother's heart?" she cried as she scolded.

He Yuyan quickly pulled at her clothes: "Mom, it's really alright! I'm all better! It was just scary to look at..."

"All done? Do you think bullets are so easy to take?" Chen Lanxiang persisted, crying even harder, "My youngest son almost... almost didn't come back!"

Seeing this, Zhou Baige stepped forward and gently comforted her, "Auntie, don't be too sad. Yuyan is recovering very well. The doctor said there's no problem."

Only then did Chen Lanxiang seem to notice her. With teary eyes, she looked at the girl and grabbed her hand: "Girl, are you Bai Ge?"

"Yes, Auntie, my name is Zhou Baige, and I am Yu Yan's girlfriend."

Taking advantage of the moment, He Yuyan quickly got dressed. The atmosphere inside was quite relaxed, but being shirtless wasn't a good idea.

"What's going on with you, kid?" He Yuxin whispered.

"I only got hit by a shell shell fragment," He Yuyan said.

"They were fighting so fiercely up front?"

“Yeah, what we’ve done is nothing compared to the first batch,” He Yuyan said.

"We'll talk about it later. You should go and check on Grandma and Grandpa first."

"it is good!"

He Yuyan walked up to his father and second uncle and said, "Dad, Second Uncle!"

"Hmm, so you still know how to come home?" He Daqing's expression was also not good.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back. Go to the backyard and see Grandma and your grandfather." Second Uncle tugged at He Daqing's clothes.

"Okay, we'll talk again later." He Yuyan nodded and left the room, heading towards the backyard.

He Yuyan left, and Zhou Baige panicked a little. He Yuxin, on the other hand, pulled his father and second uncle out of the east wing and headed towards the west wing.

Only Chen Lanxiang and Zhou Baige remained in the room. The girl became even more nervous, but Chen Lanxiang held her hand tightly and wouldn't let go: "Girl, where are you from? How did you meet our fifth brother? What do you do in the army? How long will you stay this time?"

One question after another, Zhou Baige sat up straight and answered them one by one.

As Chen Lanxiang listened, a smile gradually appeared on her face, and she nodded repeatedly: "Good, good, you're a good girl. How does my Yuyan treat you? When are you planning to get married?"

"Oh? We need to apply for a marriage certificate! And, and, Auntie, my family hasn't agreed yet." Zhou Baige's voice trailed off.

"Didn't agree? Why? Is it because you don't like my Yuyan, or because of my family's situation?" Chen Lanxiang raised her voice.

"this."

"What does your father do? I'll go ask him another day if he still wants arranged marriages like in the old society, and doesn't he want to stick to that whole 'marrying someone of equal social standing' thing?"

Zhou Baige was shocked. Was her future mother-in-law really this fierce? This gave her a strange sense of confidence in facing her father.

"Auntie, I can't say what my dad's workplace is."

"Oh, then I won't ask. Anyway, we'll see each other when the in-laws meet."

"Didn't your family tell you when you got back?"

"I plan to send Yu Yan back before going home."

"That brat, who lets a girl deliver things? I'll teach him a lesson later."

"No, Auntie, Yu Yan's injuries have just healed."

"You really feel sorry for him."

(End of this chapter)