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

Chapter 165 Adding fuel to the fire, setting up a pot to "cook" the old lady (1 words)

"Uncle Yan, is everything you said true?"

When Yan Bugui rode his bicycle to Director Yang's house to report on the rumors circulating in the courtyard over the past two days about the deaf old woman, Director Yang looked grave and couldn't help but confirm.

Although the deaf elderly woman is not considered particularly important as a widowed and lonely elderly person in the area, she is still a group that needs to be cared for by policy, just like impoverished households.

Previously, as a civil affairs officer, Director Yang needed to follow up on their situation every year, which naturally included the deaf elderly woman.

But these...

Unheard of.

He did his job thoroughly, from the initial registration of information to the subsequent classification of social status and last year's population census; he didn't just do it perfunctorily.

"Director Yang, this is what the deaf old lady said herself. As for whether it is true or not, I am not sure. However, given this situation, as the resident of the compound, I naturally have to report it to the subdistrict office and you as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui quickly distanced himself from the matter.

He had no intention of vouching for the deaf old woman.

If the deaf old woman is just bragging, then no one can bear the charge of impersonating a national hero or a martyr's family member. He's just here to report the situation; he doesn't want to become an accomplice.

Looking at Director Yang, Yan Bugui couldn't help but say, "Director Yang, I originally planned to go to the subdistrict office to find Director Wang about this matter tomorrow."

But then I thought, among the leaders of the subdistrict office, I'm most familiar with you, and you've always been in charge of this area, so you must know our situation best. That's why I came to see you."

Yan Bugui took the initiative to claim credit for himself, hoping to further strengthen his relationship with Director Yang.

What he said was basically true, except that he omitted all the parts related to Li Hongbing.

Yan Bugui had no choice; if he didn't do it this way, he would be seen as an immature person.

At that point, it would be good enough if I could leave a good impression on Director Yang, or even if he held a grudge against me.

“Uncle Yan, you reported this situation very promptly. On behalf of the neighborhood committee, I thank you.”

Upon hearing Yan Bugui's words, Director Yang naturally understood what he meant, and his gaze towards him immediately became more benevolent.

If the elderly woman's deafness is true, but it was only discovered at this point, the person in charge of this work will easily be seen as irresponsible or not doing their job properly.

But Director Yang felt he was also wronged.

After all, these are things that the deaf old woman herself kept to herself, so what could he do?
Not to mention normal times, even during the initial registration of personal information, as well as the classification of social status and the population census, his visits were not just a formality; he was genuinely trying to understand the situation.

He had naturally inquired about the deaf old woman's family as well.

only.

The other people in the courtyard either didn't know the situation, or, just like the deaf old woman said, they hadn't revealed anything about going south to join the army.

Now that all this has suddenly appeared, Director Yang feels like he's been set up.

The fact that Yan Bugui reported these situations to him immediately clearly gave him a chance to correct his "mistakes".

Strictly speaking...

He did not make any mistakes.

The next step, naturally, is to follow up on this situation, investigate the matter thoroughly, and if it is true, then her honors should be restored and her benefits implemented.

But if it's not true, then that would be terrible.

the next day.

When Director Yang arrived at the subdistrict office, he went straight to Director Wang and said, "Director Wang, last night, Grandpa Yan from No. 95 Nanluoguxiang came to my house and told me about something that I think is necessary to tell you..."

As the head of the subdistrict office, Director Yang, who was open and honest, felt it was necessary to inform her.

He did not make any mistakes at work in this matter. If he tries to cover it up, it will only make people think bad things about him.

Moreover, the subdistrict office is currently in its early stages of establishment and has a lot of things to do. Everyone is fully focused on their work and no one has the time or inclination to engage in infighting. The internal environment is quite harmonious.

"Is this possible?"

Director Wang was somewhat surprised to learn about the deaf old woman's situation.

But soon, she couldn't help but frown.

Her reaction wasn't that she thought Director Yang's past work was careless or problematic, but rather that she remembered what happened yesterday.

"Director Yang, I have something I'd like to ask you about."

Under Director Yang's curious gaze, Director Wang asked directly, "How much do you know about this old lady? What do you think of her?"

"Director Wang, why are you suddenly asking this kind of question?"

Not knowing about yesterday's events, Director Yang was clearly puzzled, not understanding why Director Wang would suddenly ask about it, and thought it was related to what he had just said.

"Answer first, and I'll tell you later."

Director Wang smiled and kept everyone in suspense for a moment.

See this.

Director Yang sighed and said with some helplessness, "To be honest, I didn't do enough work before, and it seems that I don't have a sufficient understanding of this old lady's situation."

From what I know, she was just an ordinary old lady from the city. I heard that in addition to her husband, she had a son, but both of them had passed away a long time ago.

As for why he's gone, I've asked before, but the people in the hospital were vague or simply didn't know the situation.

I asked the old lady myself, but each time it stirred up her sadness, and she was unwilling to say more, so I stopped asking.

The old lady seems to be a good person; she has a kind face and I've never heard anyone say anything bad about her. In fact, everyone in the neighborhood treats her with great respect.

Originally, there was nothing wrong, but now suddenly the story of the deaf old woman saving the family of a martyr and giving shoes to our army has come up, as well as the fact that her husband and son went south to join the army and even died in battle. Director Yang doesn't dare to say that he knows the deaf old woman well and that he did his job well in the past.

Upon hearing Director Yang's assessment of the deaf old woman, Director Wang did not express his opinion but instead continued to ask, "What do you know about Li Hongbing from their front yard?"

"Li Hongbing?"

Although he didn't know why Director Wang suddenly asked about Li Hongbing again, Director Yang still replied, "I know quite a lot about Li Hongbing."

Li Hongbing's father, Li Fushun, was originally a worker at a food factory in the city. He unfortunately passed away due to an accident at the factory when Li Hongbing was only fourteen years old.

She also had an older sister named Li Hongmei, who was only eighteen at the time. Later, the factory gave her a pension and funeral expenses, as well as a job opportunity in the factory.

Li Hongmei got a job at the food factory and continued to support Li Hongbing's education as before, until he entered high school. Then, because of Li Hongmei's marriage problem, people in the courtyard wentssip. Li Hongbing, who couldn't think straight, ran away to Fengzeyuan to become an apprentice.

Upon entering Fengzeyuan, Li Hongbing's performance was outstanding. He even bravely rescued a girl from the nearby South Moat. Coincidentally, the girl was the daughter of Director Lou of the steel rolling mill, the one previously known as Lou the Half-City.

Later, Li Hongbing was spotted by Guo Youzhong, the head chef of Fengzeyuan Restaurant, and taken in as his apprentice. In less than two years, he rose through the ranks to become the intermediate-level cook he is today…

Director Wang already knew most of what Director Yang had said, but that was clearly not what she wanted to know. So she asked again, "Director Yang, what do you think of Li Hongbing?"

"Pretty good, isn't it!"

When asked about this, Director Yang, who had a good impression of Li Hongbing, couldn't help but smile and said, "Don't underestimate Li Hongbing just because he's young. He's ambitious, sensible, and a very sentimental person."

Director Yang's assessment of Li Hongbing as a sentimental person naturally stemmed from Li Hongbing's attitude and behavior towards his sister, Li Hongmei.

When Li Hongmei got married, the dowry prepared by Li Hongbing was quite generous, which attracted a lot of attention and was even discussed by people in the police station at the time.

The reasons why Li Hongbing entered Fengzeyuan in the first place, coupled with his previous beating of Jia Zhangshi, all prove this point.

Hearing Director Yang's positive evaluations of Li Hongbing and the deaf old woman, Director Wang felt somewhat helpless and had no choice but to recount what had happened yesterday.

"This..."

Upon learning of this matter, Director Yang frowned and then said, "I'm not sure if what the old lady said is true or if it actually happened, but even if it did, I think there must be a reason."

"How to say?"

Upon hearing what Director Yang said, Director Wang clearly became interested.

"Director Wang, things are a bit complicated here, and there are some situations you may not be aware of. It's a long story, so let me just give you a brief explanation..."

Director Yang had no choice but to summarize Li Hongbing's past grievances with Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu and briefly tell Director Wang about them. Then he said, "The old lady is close to Yi Zhonghai and his wife, as well as the Jia family. Li Hongbing has a deep grudge against them, so it's understandable that he doesn't pay much attention to them and is even a little impolite."

However, I don't think it would come to the point of verbal abuse, or deliberately provoking trouble. After all, Li Hongbing is educated, and his character and conduct are quite good..."

Although he didn't say it too directly, Director Yang still expressed his inclination, which was tantamount to stating his position.

After listening to Director Yang's words, Director Wang naturally understood his implied meaning and formed his own judgment. He immediately shook his head helplessly: "I originally thought Yi Zhonghai was a good person, but I didn't expect him to have such problematic ideological awareness. It seems that some things cannot be generalized..."

Originally, because Yi Zhonghai and his wife were taking care of the deaf old lady, and because Yi Zhonghai was a senior technician at the steel rolling mill, Director Wang had a good impression of him.

But after learning about his other deeds, especially the fact that he had been dismissed from his post as the head of the court for setting up his own court, my impression of him took a sharp turn for the worse.

As for the deaf old lady, Director Wang's impression of her is not very good now either.

Having learned these specific details, and recalling the deaf old woman's actions and behavior in the house yesterday, how could Director Wang not see something amiss?

"Director Yang, you've been working here for a long time and have a thorough understanding of the situation at the grassroots level. I'll entrust you with the task of determining whether this old lady is a national hero or a family member of a martyr."

Although he had some thoughts in his mind, Director Wang's expression remained calm, showing no emotion. He directly reminded Director Yang, "If the situation is true, then we must not mistreat the national heroes and families of martyrs. They must be given the honors and benefits they deserve."

But at the same time.

The cases of national heroes and their families are no small matter. This matter must be handled with utmost care and thoroughly investigated to prevent any unscrupulous individuals from exploiting loopholes…

Impersonating national heroes and martyrs is obviously a serious crime, and few people would dare to do it, but it's not absolutely impossible; it has happened before.

Moreover, due to past wars, the battles were too brutal, and far too many people were killed. Much information was lost or not preserved, making it impossible to verify many situations.

Based on the timeline of the deaf old woman's case, it happened many years ago, and since Beijing was under enemy occupation at the time, it is obviously much more difficult to investigate and verify now.

However, Director Wang instinctively felt that something was amiss.

Although the deaf old woman's accusation against Li Hongbing gave Director Wang some pause for thought, it wasn't the main reason.

The main problem is that the deaf old woman's condition appeared too suddenly.

Moreover, the deaf old woman's two inconsistent behaviors before and after the incident are also puzzling.

If.

The deaf old lady was a very noble person who did not care about fame or fortune. So why did she suddenly reveal it after hiding it for so many years, and why did the whole hospital know about it in less than two days?

Director Wang knew that he couldn't simply deny what the deaf old woman had done based on this alone, but it was still a point of doubt.

"Director Wang, don't worry, I will try my best to investigate these situations thoroughly."

Director Yang clearly understood Director Wang's implication and immediately expressed his opinion.

He didn't work for nothing in the past few years at the grassroots level; otherwise, he wouldn't have been promoted directly to the position of deputy director when the subdistrict office was established.

When an opportunity arises, you also need the ability to seize it.

Next.

Director Yang didn't waste any time and went straight to number 95.

Despite being the director and deputy director, the street office was short-staffed when it was first established.

Although they have power as directors, they do not have any special privileges, and they still have to do the same grassroots work.

……

"Director Yang, what brings you here?"

When Director Yang arrived at the courtyard, he couldn't help but become curious when he saw Aunt Yan and the others who had come with him.

“Aunt Yan, I heard that the old lady in your backyard once saved our underground comrades and donated shoes to our army several times. In particular, I came here to find out about the situation of her husband and son going south to join the army.”

Yang did not hide the purpose of his visit and directly asked the women in the front yard, "Do you have any relevant information to provide regarding this?"

"Oh, we only heard about these things in the last couple of days."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Yan replied, then couldn't help but ask gossipily, "Officer Yang, we'd like to ask you about this too! Did this old lady really save a comrade from the underworld before?"

Director Yang was speechless.

He came specifically to find out about these things from the deaf old woman and the residents of the compound, but somehow it turned out that they were the ones asking him questions.

Director Yang soon discovered that the people in the front yard knew nothing about the deaf old woman saving the underground party and donating shoes to the Red Army and the Eighth Route Army, and couldn't say anything at all.

He wasn't surprised by any of this.

After all, this is a special case. As long as the deaf old lady doesn't say anything, and given the good secrecy she maintained in the past, even people in the same compound might not be able to find out anything.

Logically speaking, if a grown man, especially a deaf old woman living in the backyard, were to be brought back, it would be almost impossible to avoid the people in the yard.

However, according to the people in the front yard, or rather the deaf old woman, they didn't bring the person into the yard at all, but found a place outside.

This explanation makes sense.

However, people were vague about the deaf old woman's husband and son, who did not seem to live with her, making them seem very mysterious.

Given this situation, the only likely way to verify this is with the deaf old woman herself.

at the same time.

When Wang Guihua from the Intermediate People's Court heard that Director Yang had arrived and was inquiring about the deaf old lady's situation in the front yard, she rushed to the back yard and excitedly told the deaf old lady, "Grandma, Director Yang from the neighborhood committee has arrived. He's in the front yard talking to Old Yan's wife and the others about your situation."

They've clearly come to learn about your efforts in saving the underground Communist Party, providing straw sandals to the Red Army, and your husband and son's journey south to join the army.

"Oh my, they're here to award the old lady medals, certificates, and a martyr's family plaque!"

"That's right, I didn't expect these things to even alarm the neighborhood committee."

"Can we not make a fuss? This concerns national heroes and families of martyrs; it's not something to be taken lightly."

"It seems that our institute will soon have families of martyrs."

"Grandma, you've really made a name for yourself this time."

"..."

Hearing the lively discussions and compliments from the people in the backyard, the deaf old woman, who had been leisurely sitting in a chair basking in the sun, almost lost her balance and fell off the chair with a cry of "Ouch!"

"Grandma, what's wrong with you?"

"Ouch, grandma, did you hurt yourself?"

"You really are being too careless."

"The old lady was probably too happy and excited, that's why she did that."

"I wouldn't be able to stay calm either!"

"..."

When the crowd saw that the deaf old woman had fallen, they rushed over and helped her up, showing her concern for her for a long time.

The deaf old woman, who had been sitting back down in her chair, noticed that everyone was looking at her with concern. She felt a surge of panic, and her hands trembled uncontrollably. She said to Wang Guihua beside her, "Guihua, I'm not feeling well. Can you help me back?"

"Madam, Director Yang is coming soon, why are you going back at this time?"

Some people expressed their incomprehension at the deaf elderly woman's actions.

Thanks to her age, the deaf woman's unusual reaction did not arouse much suspicion.

After all, the deaf old lady is not young.

In this day and age, a deaf elderly woman can be considered long-lived, and it is quite normal for her hands and legs to become somewhat unresponsive.

"After being in the sun for a long time, I feel a little dizzy."

To avoid arousing suspicion, the deaf old woman had to find an excuse to cover it up.

Faced with the deaf old woman's explanation, no one said anything more and helped her take her home.

Seeing that everyone was preparing to stay and watch the "excitement," Wang Guihua had no choice but to say, "Everyone, this old lady is not feeling well. Please don't crowd around here and let her rest quietly for a while."

Hearing this, the crowd felt somewhat helpless, but they had no choice but to leave.

In terms of relationships, they were not as close as Wang Guihua and the old lady.

Not long after.

Knowing that Director Yang from the neighborhood office was going to visit the deaf old lady to understand her situation and handle matters related to national heroes and families of martyrs, Jia Zhangshi and her daughter-in-law Qin Huairu also ran over with their stalks.

After a while.

When Director Yang arrived in the backyard and learned that the deaf old woman had fainted from the sun, he was speechless. What a coincidence!

Regardless of whether he could get the information today, since he was already here and had learned about the deaf old woman's current situation, he had to go in and visit her.

"Grandma, how are you? Are you feeling unwell? Should we take you to the hospital?"

Seeing the elderly deaf woman lying in bed, not in good spirits, Director Yang didn't bother to learn about the national heroes and families of martyrs, and directly showed concern.

"I'm old and useless now, there's no need for me to go to the hospital. I just need to rest."

Feeling guilty, the deaf old woman pretended to be somewhat uncomfortable and said...

It wasn't entirely an act; a large part of it was due to fear.

The deaf old woman was also very upset.

She was just bragging, how did that attract the attention of the neighborhood committee?
"Madam, there are some things I wanted to ask you about in person, but seeing your current condition, I don't think it's convenient for you. Why don't you rest first, and I'll come over tonight."

Although it would be a wasted trip, Director Yang had no other choice.

"No, Director Yang, I... I can handle it. I'll be fine after a while. It's not that uncomfortable. Please feel free to ask me anything you want to know. I can't let you come all this way for nothing."

Upon hearing Director Yang say that he would be coming again that evening and couldn't even wait until tomorrow, the deaf old woman's lips curled into a bitter smile, and she couldn't help but try to persuade him to stay.

This is no longer a question of whether we can escape the fifteenth; it seems we won't even be able to escape it tonight.

Even if she can continue to pretend to be sick at night, she can't keep doing it forever, can she?
The other party isn't stupid; if I really do that, they'll definitely suspect something.

Seeing that Director Yang was determined to get to the bottom of the matter, the deaf old woman had no choice but to "cooperate."

"Okay, thank you for your understanding and support, ma'am."

Faced with the deaf old lady's statement, Director Yang couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill and went straight to the point: "Grandma, given your current situation, I won't waste any more words with you."

The main reason I'm here is to tell you about the underground comrade you saved, the shoe donation you made to our army, and how your husband and son went south to join the army. Please tell me about these things in detail.

"Hey, Director Yang, I didn't really want anyone to know this, but I accidentally let it slip, and Dongxu just spread it around."

The deaf old woman couldn't admit that what she said was bragging at this time, or she would become the laughing stock in the yard, and how could she continue to live here?
And can you just brag about something like this?

The deaf elderly woman was also afraid of being held accountable.

After saying something grand and selfless, the deaf old woman looked at Director Yang and took the initiative to probe, "Director Yang, when I did these things, I never thought of any reward. Moreover, my husband and son went south to join the army many years ago. I don't want to mention these things anymore, and I don't want any benefits from the country. Why don't you just pretend these things never happened?"

"That won't work!"

Upon hearing this, Director Yang sternly refused, saying firmly, "Madam, if these facts are true, the country must give you the honor that is rightfully yours and let you enjoy the treatment you deserve."

If we didn't know, that would be one thing, but now that we do, we can't just sit idly by. The country will not let down anyone who has contributed to the nation.

The honor and benefits bestowed upon us by the nation are not something we can simply give up.

If they can't handle this matter well, then it will be the higher-ups who will have to step in.

Of course.

All of this is predicated on the fact that the deaf old woman's situation is true.

But Director Yang hadn't forgotten that his most important task right now was to investigate and verify these matters, not to discuss whether the deaf old lady deserved honors and benefits.

Only after completing this step can we proceed to the next.

"Well... okay then!"

Seeing that she couldn't get away with it, the deaf old woman didn't dare to insist.

"Grandma, do you remember which year you saved our underground comrade?"

"That was in 1935... Let me calculate, it should be around 1935."

"Do you know that comrade's name and code name?"

"I've forgotten his name, it's a pseudonym he used. I think his surname is Qian, or maybe Lu, or maybe not... I don't know his code name or anything, but I know he's one of us."

"Do you still remember what the comrade you rescued looked like and what his features were?"

"What did he look like...? So many years have passed, I can't remember very clearly. I only remember that he was neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin, and his accent wasn't like that of people from Beijing..."

"..."

Director Yang asked questions, but found no flaws, yet he also couldn't extract any particularly valuable information.

The timing does match up; three to five years ago, the Long March had only just begun and was in its early to mid-stage.

Since it was an underground organization, it was normal to use aliases. Code names and other such secrets could not be leaked casually, even if the deaf old woman had indeed saved the other party.

As for sending shoes to our army, the deaf old woman insisted that she had given them to the underground party member she had saved, and that the shoes had been delivered to our army through him on several occasions.

When asked about her husband and son, the deaf old woman only said that they were doing business in another place and rarely came back. Later, the father and son went south to join the army and left her a letter, but she burned it at the time.

When she tried to ask further questions, she seemed to remember her husband and son, and the deaf old woman suddenly became "excited," choking up several times. Director Yang could only temporarily end the questioning and get up to leave.

As soon as he stepped outside, Director Yang was surrounded by the women in the courtyard.

"Director Yang, is this old lady really a martyr's family member?"

"I am still verifying this situation."

"Then, after verifying the details, will they issue a martyr's family plaque to the old lady, just like they would to other families of martyrs?"

"If that's true, yes."

"Really?"

"The country will never mistreat those who have made contributions to the country, those who have done good for the country, or even those who have sacrificed their lives, including their families."

"..."

After answering a few questions, Director Yang was finally able to leave.

However, after leaving, Director Yang did not go directly back to the courtyard house. Instead, he went to other courtyards nearby to find some older residents and learn more about the deaf old woman, her husband, and her son, and to conduct an in-depth investigation.

……

Two days have passed.

There's been no news from Director Yang or the subdistrict office yet.

However, the situation inside the courtyard has undergone a dramatic change.

Ever since Director Yang came to investigate, somehow the deaf old woman's martyr's family plaque hasn't been issued, but the rumors about her being a martyr's family member and a national hero have become more and more "true."

Some people in the courtyard even prepared meat from outside beforehand and sent it to the deaf old lady.

For a while.

The deaf old woman seems to have returned to the status she held in the past, when she was the ancestor of the family.

Li Hongbing was speechless at this situation.

Did he indirectly help the deaf old lady?
To be honest, while there are some loopholes and doubts about the claims that the deaf old woman is a national hero and a family member of a martyr, and the deaf old woman can't provide any concrete evidence, proving that she is an imposter is not so easy in the current situation.

The destruction caused by the war was too great, and very little information could be preserved. Moreover, the situation was complicated. Just the few words that the deaf old woman made up were enough to make people run themselves ragged.

The key is.

The deaf old woman's former identity was hidden too deeply within this courtyard house.

Few people have actually seen her so-called husband and son, and it's even questionable whether they are even hers.

only.

Li Hongbing firmly believes that a lie will always be a lie, and it will be exposed sooner or later.

However, Li Hongbing didn't have that much patience and didn't continue waiting like this.

If the deaf old woman had been lucky, she might have been able to continue living like this.

Even if it cannot be confirmed that she is a national hero or a family member of a martyr, as long as these lies are not exposed, she still has a chance, even if it is only a small one, that will make people dare not do anything to her easily.

Li Hongbing must take the initiative to do something.

"Uncle Yan, did this deaf old woman really save the lives of those who died in the underworld? Is she actually a family member of a martyr?"

Taking advantage of the casual conversation, Li Hongbing brought up this topic with Yan Bugui.

"Well... it's really hard to say."

Yan Bugui hesitated for a moment.

In fact, Yan Bugui had some suspicions before, but Director Yang had already come to investigate and did nothing to the deaf old woman. Does this mean that the deaf old woman is innocent?

As for the plaque for the family of a martyr, there are definitely procedures to follow, and it may not be something that can be done in a day or two.

The key issue is that some people in the nursing home now think that the deaf old lady is someone important, and they are all trying to curry favor with her. This situation makes people wonder.

Given the current situation, Yan Bugui dared not draw a conclusion.

Of the three senior managers, only he and Du Jianguo were still observing, while Liu Haizhong, who was also in the backyard, had already taken the lead in currying favor.

Upon learning of this situation, Li Hongbing orchestrated a "chance encounter" and approached Liu Haizhong.

"Uncle Liu, did this deaf old woman really save the lives of those who died in the underworld? Is she actually a family member of a martyr?"

Li Hongbing used the exact same question on Liu Haizhong, but this time he looked apprehensive and uneasy.

"Hongbing, didn't you two not get along? Why are you suddenly concerned about this?"

Seeing Li Hongbing's behavior and his inquiry about the deaf old woman, Liu Haizhong couldn't help but put on airs.

Liu Haizhong didn't really want to offend Li Hongbing, but Li Hongbing had contradicted him several times, which made Liu Haizhong somewhat unhappy with him.

"Hey! Uncle Liu, that's exactly why I have to care!"

Li Hongbing feigned concern.

Upon seeing this, Liu Haizhong was taken aback.

When he realized what was happening, he couldn't help but smile.

So this kid is afraid of this too!

He thought Li Hongbing was fearless and didn't care about anyone!

Think about it too.

Can the country's heroes and martyrs be treated the same as ordinary people?

Thinking of this, and looking at Li Hongbing, who was now more humble than usual, Liu Haizhong said with a hint of smugness, "Hongbing, you used to be too arrogant. You didn't respect anyone, and you even dared to offend an old lady."

Now that they've discovered the old lady might be a national hero or a family member of a martyr, are they starting to regret it?
But this is nothing serious, your Uncle Liu has a suggestion for you.

Buy some meat later, cook it, and send it to the old lady.

The old lady likes this kind of thing, so you should apologize in public and soften your stance.

"I, your Uncle Liu, will step in and mediate for you, and this matter will be over."

"inappropriate!"

Seeing that Liu Haizhong had just managed to curry favor with the deaf old woman and was already starting to show off, Li Hongbing secretly despised him, but frowned and shook his head, saying, "Uncle Liu, since this old lady dared to risk her life to save the local comrades, and repeatedly sent shoes to our army to support our Long March and fight against the Japanese, and has kept all of this hidden for so many years, she is obviously a person of noble character who does not care about fame or fortune."

The old lady is already beyond worldly tastes; to offer her such vulgar things as food and drink would clearly tarnish her reputation and character, and doing so would only easily cause her misunderstanding and dissatisfaction.

"Then tell me what to do?"

Hearing Li Hongbing say these words, Liu Haizhong felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it and couldn't refute it for a moment.

"Here's what I'm thinking: Didn't this old lady make straw sandals for the Red Army during the Long March?"

"Why don't you step forward and invite the deaf old lady out? Then we can hold a general meeting for the whole hospital and learn how to make straw sandals together from her."

"On the surface, we are learning the craft of making straw sandals, but in reality, we are learning the spirit of the old lady who supported the mission and the spirit of the Long March."

"Having an elder in the nursing home is like having a treasure. Since we have such a 'national hero' in our nursing home, we should not let her be forgotten. We should use this 'hero' to encourage everyone to learn from her and strive to improve their ideological awareness."

"This is a civilization-building effort that learns from the spirit of imperial edicts!"

"What if the leaders of the neighborhood committee find out then..."

"I'll take this opportunity to learn from the old lady and reflect on myself in the process..."

"..."

Making straw sandals?
This deaf old woman probably has never even seen what straw sandals look like!
Straw sandals generally require a special shoe rack as an auxiliary tool, and they are not comfortable to wear. Only poor people with calluses on their feet can endure them. Straw sandals are not only uncomfortable to wear, but they are also not durable and break easily.

The deaf old woman, who was in Beijing and whose heart was truly set on the Red Army soldiers, actually thought of sending straw sandals to the Red Army.
If conditions weren't so tough, who wouldn't want comfortable and durable cloth shoes?
She probably heard too many stories about the Red Army wearing straw sandals to climb snow-capped mountains and cross grasslands, and thought that the Red Army wore straw sandals during the Long March. So when she was bragging, she didn't think much about it and just made up a story about sending straw sandals.

Moreover.

Given the transportation conditions at the time, priority would have been given to transporting medicines or essential supplies. Sending a few pairs of straw sandals from Beijing to the Red Army on the Long March was simply a waste of the local officials' time.

With such obvious logical flaws and doubts right in front of him, Li Hongbing naturally had to start by addressing these issues.

"Wonderful!"

At first, Liu Haizhong didn't understand what Li Hongbing was saying, but when he talked about civilization construction and the street office, his eyes lit up. Finally, he slapped his thigh and praised Li Hongbing on the spot: "As expected of someone who went to high school, your brain works so well. Your idea is great. I'm impressed, Uncle Liu."

At this moment, Liu Haizhong's mind was focused on organizing and successfully conducting this grand meeting of the entire courtyard, which was about studying the spirit of the imperial edict and was related to the overall development of civilization in the courtyard.

By doing this, he could not only please the deaf old lady, but also achieve some impressive "results" so that the leaders of the neighborhood office could see his ability and awareness as the old man in charge of the courtyard.

"Uncle Liu, does this mean you agree with my idea?"

Seeing that there was a chance, Li Hongbing struck while the iron was hot.

"I totally agree."

Liu Haizhong looked at Li Hongbing with bright eyes and earnestly asked, "Hongbing, could you tell me more specifically how I should organize this study conference?"

"I think we should surprise the old lady with this. Don't tell her yet. First, prepare some materials for making straw sandals, then gather everyone together, and then go and invite the old lady out. At that time..."

To get the deaf old woman to help, we can't let her get wind of it beforehand and make excuses or run away, otherwise how can we make her reveal her "true colors"?

Driven by the desire to impress the deaf old lady and seek praise from the neighborhood committee, Liu Haizhong will surely do his best to perform well.

Although Liu Haizhong lacked political acumen, he was extremely ambitious for officialdom, and he spared no effort in pursuing it.

"it is good!"

Just imagining the deaf old lady's "surprised" reaction, Liu Haizhong couldn't wait any longer.

only.

When Liu Haizhong looked at Li Hongbing in front of him, he hesitated again and tentatively said, "Hongbing, since you came up with this idea, why don't you take charge of it? This is a good opportunity for you and the old lady to reconcile."

"That won't work!"

"How could I possibly have that ability?"

"Uncle Liu, you're putting me in a difficult position."

"This matter can only be handled by you; no one else can do it."

"..."

To understand a person, look at their heart; to listen to their words, listen to their underlying meaning.

As soon as Liu Haizhong opened his mouth, Li Hongbing guessed what he wanted to do, and immediately made a statement, showing no intention of overshadowing him.

Liu Haizhong knew that he would have to do this himself, and that Li Hongbing couldn't handle it. While secretly pleased with himself, he pretended to be troubled and asked, "Then whose credit is this?"

"It's on you!"

Seeing this, Li Hongbing reiterated, "What credit could I possibly have? I just casually mentioned an idea, and then you perfected it. Wasn't this your idea?"

Liu Haizhong was secretly pleased with Li Hongbing's statement and instantly became satisfied with him.

This Li Hongbing is really savvy!

"I'm so sorry..."

(End of this chapter)