Courtyard Houses: Starting with the principle of hard work paying off

Chapter 156 The Truth Revealed, Sha Zhu's World Collapses (5k)

Dong Congyou was initially worried that He Daqing would use excessive force against Sha Zhu, but he did not stop him from doing so.

Regardless of what happened before, and how Yi Zhonghai instigated and used methods, Sha Zhu still made a mistake in the end. Although Dong Congyou did not expel him from the sect, it did not mean that he would completely let the matter go.

Sha Zhu owes his master an apology.

if not.

Even if he doesn't make things difficult for Sha Zhu out of consideration for He Daqing's friendship and face, the knot in his heart will never be erased.

Although He Daqing's actions were somewhat rough, they were clearly intended to help Sha Zhu.

Dong Congyou saw this, which is why he did not refuse.

Obvious.

Even setting aside the three-year mentor-disciple relationship, just for He Daqing's sake, he planned to give Sha Zhu a chance to change his ways.

"Master, what's going on?"

Originally, Sha Zhu was planning to get angry and resist, but when he heard He Daqing's words, he suddenly froze and subconsciously looked at his master Dong Congyou in front of him.

If it were simply He Daqing, even if he was no match for him now, Sha Zhu would never back down even if he were beaten to a pulp.

Sha Zhu will never forget, much less forgive, the fact that he abandoned him and Yu Shui to run away with that white widow to Baocheng.

But now, even his own master has gotten involved.

Sha Zhu respected his master Dong Congyou as much as he respected Yi Zhonghai, and even respected his master more than he respected Yi Zhonghai.

Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher!
Regardless of He Daqing, Dong Congyou, who had formally served tea and kowtowed to Sha Zhu as his master, could be said to be the elder with whom Sha Zhu had the closest relationship in his life.

Although Yi Zhonghai had helped him a lot and had done him a great favor, Sha Zhu respected him as his elder.

But in any case, he still couldn't compare to his master, Dong Congyou.

Moreover, what He Daqing just said was that he should kowtow to his master Dong Congyou and admit his mistake.

What mistake did he make?

Sha Zhu was clearly bewildered and completely out of sorts, but seeing that his master didn't seem to care, as if he had really done something wrong, he couldn't help but start thinking and recalling.

"You still have the nerve to ask?"

Seeing that Sha Zhu still hadn't realized what mistake he had made, He Daqing felt a surge of anger.

It's just what Shazhu did...

The son has the nerve to do it, but the father, He Daqing, has no face to say anything.

then.

He Daqing then looked at Wang Baoguo, the fourth person in the room, and said, "Baoguo, tell this brat what he did to betray his master and ancestors."

"This……"

He Daqing was, after all, Sha Zhu's biological father. With his father present, even if it was his instruction, Wang Baoguo was still unsure how to speak.

"Fine! I'll say it myself!"

Noticing Wang Baoguo's predicament, He Daqing sighed helplessly and said self-deprecatingly, "The son has already done something so shameful, what am I, as the father, afraid of being ashamed of or embarrassed to say..."

Followed by.

He Daqing then recounted what had happened before, including how Dong Congyou had fallen ill from being angered by Sha Zhu.

"what?"

"Master...you..."

"I……"

"Master, I'm a bastard! I'm not human!"

"I was wrong, Master..."

"..."

If it were just He Daqing, Sha Zhu might not believe it, or even care.

But his master Dong Congyou and senior brother Wang Baoguo were both there, and when He Daqing said it, they did not object. Sha Zhu had no choice but to believe that he had made Dong Congyou sick.

Sha Zhu believed that they wouldn't stoop to lying to him with something like this, along with He Daqing.

Making one's master sick can indeed be considered an act of betraying one's master and ancestors.

He always talks about rules and loyalty; if Sha Zhu denies even that, he's slapping himself in the face.

Even if Sha Zhu is a reckless scoundrel, he still has a sense of pride and conscience.

Regardless of how others view face and conscience, Sha Zhu has his own set of standards.

If he violates this set of self-standards, then he, Shazhu, is not human.

“Master, I originally wanted to discuss the matter of going to the steel mill’s canteen with you first, but I was afraid you wouldn’t agree, so I didn’t dare to say it.”

"I heard that many people are vying for the cook position in the steel mill's canteen, afraid of missing out on this opportunity..."

"There are so many people competing for this position, and I heard there are even some intermediate-level cooks. I'm afraid I won't be able to compete with them and will be eliminated, which would embarrass you, Master."

“I remember you told me that my cooking skills were no worse than those of Brother Yan and the others, so I thought I would try it out secretly first. I never expected that I would actually succeed.”

"Well... I was quite confused at the time, but you told me that a person cannot stand without integrity. They already wanted me, so I couldn't just compete for the job and then not go. Wouldn't that be breaking my promise?"

“When I told you about it the next day, I thought you would be happy for me and let me graduate immediately, but I didn’t expect you to be angry at the time…”

"Later, when you told me to leave, I didn't dare to stop you. The reason I haven't come to see you during this time is mainly because I was afraid you were still angry and didn't want to see me. So I wanted to wait until you calmed down a bit and I got my salary, then I would buy some things and come to visit..."

"Why didn't you let me know you fell ill that day? If I had known... if I had known..."

"..."

Seeing that no one in the room spoke, and even his master Dong Congyou did not respond to him, Sha Zhu, feeling somewhat aggrieved, blurted out whatever came to mind.

In Sha Zhu's view, it was his inescapable responsibility to anger his master, Dong Congyou, to the point of collapse, and he deserved to die.

Sha Zhu was originally quite happy and proud to have joined the steel rolling mill.

But what happened next was something he hadn't expected.

Now that he knows, Sha Zhu really feels a little wronged.

He didn't mean to anger Dong Congyou, nor was he determined to break the rules; he just didn't expect things to develop that way.

If he had known it would turn out this way, he would never have competed for the cook position at the steel mill. He would have stayed and worked diligently in the kitchen of Emei Restaurant, just like before.

Hearing what Sha Zhu said, Dong Congyou felt a pang of sympathy.

Knowing his apprentice well, Dong Congyou knew that Sha Zhu hadn't made up those words to exonerate him; that was probably what he was thinking at the time.

Although he still broke the rules, he probably didn't intend to betray his master or ancestors.

The key issue is that there are too many suspicious points and loopholes in the information revealed by Sha Zhu's words.

It's one thing for a steel rolling mill's canteen, which serves communal meals, to have a large number of cooks competing for the position, but there's also more than one intermediate-level cook vying for it.

Isn't this nonsense?

Dong Congyou had already asked his eldest apprentice, Wang Baoguo, to find out the details. They wanted a simpleton like Sha Zhu, who had skills but was a bit eccentric and had been completely fooled.

If nothing unexpected happens.

It must have been Yi Zhonghai who deliberately made up all sorts of lies to make Sha Zhu, who was originally hesitant, think about "giving it a try".

As a result, after just one try, Sha Zhu was able to start working smoothly.

Let alone that intermediate-level cook, even a chef like Sha Zhu, who has apprenticed under a master and possesses professional skills and the inheritance of a renowned master, is probably one of a kind.

If he doesn't succeed, who will?
The job requirements at the steel rolling mill were practically tailor-made for a fool like Sha Zhu.

It's not that Yi Zhonghai, a senior fitter, had this ability; it was just a coincidence.

Moreover, how many factories wouldn't be eager to hire a master chef's apprentice like Sha Zhu, who has both potential and skill? Why don't the others go for it?
If I go to cook communal meals, won't all the skills I learned before be wasted?
Am I destined to work in a factory for the rest of my life, eating the same food as everyone else?
Factory cooks are not exactly in demand right now.

He reluctantly took the job, leaving Sha Zhu in a difficult position. He had no choice but to go, even if he didn't want to. In the end, he had no choice but to confront Sha Zhu.

Dong Congyou couldn't help but sigh.

His own foolish apprentice had been completely outmaneuvered by that old fox, Yi Zhonghai.

When He Daqing heard that Sha Zhu was so stupid, that he was easily fooled by Yi Zhonghai, that old bastard, and that he couldn't even think straight, he almost wanted to kick him out the door.

"He Yuzhu, I should never have given birth to you!"

"You idiot, you believe everything that Yi Zhonghai says? Can't you use your brain to think for yourself?"

"If you don't have experience with this kind of thing, wouldn't you ask your master or your senior brothers?"

"If you had asked just one more question, you wouldn't have been fooled by Yi Zhonghai."

"Is a worker-cook at a steel rolling mill really that sought after, with even mid-level cooks vying for the job?"

"Competing to cook communal meals?"

"..."

Feeling utterly humiliated once again, He Daqing immediately launched into a tirade.

No wonder Yi Zhonghai brought Sha Zhukeng with him.

With a brain like Sha Zhu's, who else would you scam if not him?

But at the same time.

He Daqing's anger towards Yi Zhonghai was also rapidly building up.

How dare they treat his son like this? They clearly don't respect him as their father and are taking advantage of his absence. It's utterly outrageous.

however.

Upon hearing He Daqing's words, Sha Zhu became enraged and immediately shouted, "What right do you have to say such things?"
You ran off with that widow, abandoning me and Yushui, who was only seven years old at the time. We had nothing to eat or drink. Do you know how we survived?
I took rainwater to the market to pick up rotten vegetable leaves, rummaged through other people's trash, and even went door-to-door begging on the street. Do you know what other people think of me and rainwater?

If it weren't for Grandpa Yi helping us later, giving us relief from time to time so that Yushui and I would have leftovers to eat, you would have no son by now... Pah, you're not my father.

You do have sons, two illegitimate sons in Baocheng, but I'm no longer one...

There's no father in the whole world like you..."

this moment.

Sha Zhu unleashed all the resentment he had accumulated over the past three years, his eyes filled with hatred as he looked at He Daqing, his suddenly returned "wild" father.

Seeing the murderous look in Sha Zhu's eyes, He Daqing felt a sharp pain in his heart.

He's not a completely heartless father.

As Sha Zhu cried and snot streamed down his face, neither Dong Congyou nor Wang Baoguo, the master and apprentice, spoke. After a moment of silence, He Daqing spoke in a deep voice: "Sha Zhu, you can say that I am not a good father, that I am not competent, but you have no right to say that I have wronged you!"
When I left Beijing for Baoding, you were already sixteen years old. If it were anyone else, they would have already started working and wouldn't be children who hadn't grown up yet.

I, He Daqing, have raised you for sixteen years, nurtured you, fed you, fed you, clothed you, and fulfilled my responsibilities as a father.

Most importantly, I taught you a skill so you could earn a living, left you the two rooms in the courtyard, arranged a job for you, and sent you and Yushui living expenses every month.

If you still starve to death under these circumstances, then you're just a useless piece of trash!

"fart!"

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu was indignant and immediately retorted, "Aside from the little money you left with Master Yi, when have you ever sent me and Yu Shui any living expenses? As for those two rooms in the courtyard, it's clear you couldn't take them with you, so don't try to make it sound so nice..."

"Didn't I send you and Yushui living expenses?"

"Then take a look at these and see what they are."

"Open your dog eyes wide and take a good look at what's on this."

“For the past three years, I’ve sent you and Yushui a sum of money every month from the post office.”

"You didn't receive it? That's because that old bastard Yi Zhonghai pocketed it."

"With your brain, you were completely fooled by Yi Zhonghai and sold out. Not only did you help him count the money, but you were also grateful and acted as his lackey."

"You son of a bitch, you've completely disgraced me..."

"..."

He Daqing cursed with a dark face until the end, then pulled a stack of papers from his pocket and threw them hard at Sha Zhu.

These items are none other than He Daqing's remittance receipts from the post office over the past three years, which he carefully kept every time he sent money to Yi Zhonghai.

Although He Daqing initially chose Yi Zhonghai, it shows that he trusted him quite a bit, but that doesn't mean He Daqing didn't have a backup plan.

One should always be wary of others. In fact, he didn't suspect Yi Zhonghai of anything; it was just a habit of his.

He Daqing never expected that these things would actually come in handy for him.

Facing He Daqing, who always liked to launch sneak attacks, Sha Zhu was once again caught off guard. With both legs still on the ground, he couldn't dodge in time and was hit hard in the face by the stack of papers that He Daqing threw at him.

Fortunately, the stack of paper wasn't tied up and was very light. When it hit Shazhu's face, it quickly scattered all over the ground and didn't hurt at all.

However, He Daqing's violent action directly provoked Sha Zhu's anger. He had no intention of looking at the so-called evidence and was about to get up and confront He Daqing in a father-son showdown.

Upon seeing this, Dong Congyou immediately scolded, "Shazhu, did I tell you to get up? Keep kneeling!"

In order to prevent He Daqing and Sha Zhu from fighting, and in order for Sha Zhu to calmly listen to He Daqing reveal the truth, Dong Congyou, as the master, had no choice but to temporarily put his apprentice in a difficult position.

"Master?"

Sha Zhu, who had intended to get up, was a little weak in the knees because he had been kneeling for a while and had been kicked twice by He Daqing earlier. He knelt down again before he could even stand up.

Upon hearing Dong Congyou speak again, Sha Zhu, though unwilling, had no choice but to submit.

But no matter what, he refused to look at the contents of the papers He Daqing threw at him, clearly arguing with He Daqing.

"Let's see!"

Helpless, Dong Congyou picked up a remittance receipt from the ground, stuffed it into Sha Zhu's hand, and sighed, "That Yi Zhonghai in your department is no good person. Don't let him keep fooling you."

Sha Zhu couldn't do anything about it.

He could ignore He Daqing, but he couldn't ignore Dong Congyou's words.

Especially after realizing that he had made Dong Congyou sick without his knowledge, Sha Zhu felt endless guilt towards his master, Dong Congyou.

Sha Zhu lowered his head and looked at the contents of the remittance receipt in his hand.

Upon discovering that the remittance amount and date, as well as the names of He Daqing and Yi Zhonghai in the remitter and recipient columns, respectively, I was completely stunned.

Seeing Sha Zhu looking up at him in disbelief, He Daqing naturally knew what he meant. Before Sha Zhu could question him, He Daqing spoke first: "These are not fake. Before I returned to Beijing, I went to the post office to ask. They said they only keep records from the last year, but that's enough."

If you don't want to believe it, I can go with you to the post office to check if I've been sending you and Yushui living expenses every month for the past year.
I send you all every month, and even if I miss one or two times due to some reason, I always make up for it in time.

It's been three years, why haven't you received a single penny of living expenses? You should go ask that old bastard Yi Zhonghai, instead of complaining to your father here!

and also……

You're saying I can't take those two rooms in the courtyard house with me?
ridiculous!

If I didn't want to keep it for you, I would have just sold it to someone else at a lower price. Do you think I couldn't sell it?
If I had actually done that back then, you wouldn't even have a place to live, and you still have the nerve to criticize me here.

Before I left, I transferred those two rooms to your name. The deed is hidden in a secret compartment in the wall of your room. I'll find it and show it to you when we get back.

If you still don't believe me, let's go directly to the housing management bureau and check whether those two rooms are registered under your name, He Yuzhu!
When I left Beijing, I made all the arrangements for you and Yushui, and left everything I could with you.

Sha Zhu, if Yu Shui says I'm sorry to her, I have nothing to say. After all, she was still young when I left her.

But you don't deserve it!

He Daqing spoke with absolute certainty, presenting irrefutable evidence piece by piece before him. Even if Sha Zhu wanted to refute him, he couldn't find any reason to do so.

Go check it out if you don't believe me!
He Daqing has already made it very clear that the evidence he presented can be directly verified through official channels and cannot be faked.

Faced with all this, Shazhu was completely bewildered.

(End of this chapter)