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

Chapter 221 Yi Zhonghai Seeks His Own Death, A Fatal Kick (1 words, requesting monthly votes)

"Shazhu, Xu Damao, what a mess you two have made!"

As Director Wang led Jia Zhangshi away, Jia Dongxu turned his head and glared fiercely at Sha Zhu and Xu Damao.

Obvious.

Because of Jia Zhangshi's arrest, Jia Dongxu directly took his anger out on Sha Zhu and Xu Damao.

Seeing this, Xu Damao sneered and publicly complained, "Hey! Jia Dongxu, your mother secretly ran back from the countryside, violating the policy. What does that have to do with us?"

Besides, it was Director Wang who took your mother away. Why don't you blame Director Wang? You coward!

As he continued, Xu Damao became even more sarcastic, spitting almost onto Jia Dongxu's face.

The two have a long-standing feud.

Even if it wasn't Xu Damao who orchestrated Jia Zhangshi's scheme this time, we wouldn't be afraid of Jia Dongxu in the slightest.

Meanwhile, Sha Zhu glared at Jia Dongxu and threatened him directly, "Jia Dongxu, you're trying to pin all sorts of accusations on me. Do you want to die?"

With Xu Damao and Sha Zhu making their statements, Jia Dongxu immediately fell silent.

Jia Dongxu knew that if he dared to utter a single word, Sha Zhu, that brute, would really dare to make a move, and Xu Damao would definitely not let go of this opportunity to take advantage of someone in distress.

He was just furious because, just now in the courtyard, Sha Zhu and Xu Damao had led the way in complaining and had almost laid a hand on his own mother, even though it was at Director Wang's behest.

result……

Jia Dongxu was angry for a moment, but only for a moment, and quickly back down.

Seeing the tense atmosphere suddenly, and with Sha Zhu and Xu Damao eyeing Jia Dongxu like hawks, Qin Huairu, as his wife, quickly spoke up: "Sha Zhu, Xu Damao, my mother-in-law was just taken away by Director Wang. Dongxu was just emotionally agitated for a moment. Please don't take it to heart. I apologize to you on his behalf."

Qin Huairu knew very well that although Sha Zhu and Xu Damao had caused trouble in the courtyard earlier, it was unreasonable for Jia Dongxu to cause trouble for Jia Zhangshi at this time.

If Jia Dongxu were more capable and could suppress both Sha Zhu and Xu Damao at the same time, or if he were in the right, Qin Huairu wouldn't say anything.

Neither Sha Zhu nor Xu Damao were afraid of Jia Dongxu, let alone the two of them together.

Moreover, since even Director Wang has intervened in Jia Zhangshi's case, they have even less chance of questioning or overturning it.

The situation was beyond her control. Qin Huairu knew that Jia Dongxu couldn't bring himself to admit defeat, so she had no choice but to step forward and apologize on his behalf.

If things really escalate, it will definitely not do Jia Dongxu or his family any good.

"Jia Dongxu, I'll let this go for your wife's sake this time, but if there's a next time, you won't be so lucky. Think it over!"

Seeing Qin Huairu holding the sleeping Bang Geng with a miserable look on her face, Sha Zhu's heart softened, and he abandoned his plan to take action, but instead gave Jia Dongxu a warning.

"A coward is a coward, all he knows is to hide behind a woman!"

Seeing that Sha Zhu wasn't going to make a move, Xu Damao naturally wouldn't rush to be the first to act. However, he did give Jia Dongxu a disdainful look and started mocking him in front of everyone.

"Xu Damao!!!"

Jia Dongxu was furious.

Although he didn't dare to make a move, he was still a man after all. Being humiliated like this by Xu Damao, Jia Dongxu couldn't remain completely indifferent, even if it was just for the sake of his pride.

"Xu Damao, I've already apologized to you on Dongxu's behalf, what more do you want?"

At this moment, Qin Huairu stepped forward again and questioned Xu Damao to his face. Then she advised Jia Dongxu, "Dongxu, Xu Damao is deliberately provoking you. Your mother has just been taken away. If you fight with someone now, you'll fall into his trap."

Qin Huairu's words were clearly an attempt to give Jia Dongxu a way out.

Jia Dongxu's face darkened, and with Qin Huairu pulling him along, he bypassed Xu Damao and Shazhu and walked into the courtyard.

"Pah! Useless fellow!"

Seeing that Jia Dongxu had slipped away, Xu Damao spat on the ground and launched into another sarcastic remark.

at the same time.

After leaving the area and putting some distance between himself and the people behind him, Jia Dongxu lowered his voice and scolded Qin Huairu in an annoyed tone: "Qin Huairu, aren't you ashamed? Who asked me to apologize to Sha Zhu and Xu Damao on my behalf? How can you do this? You're making a fool of the Jia family!"

"I……"

Faced with Jia Dongxu's reprimand, Qin Huairu felt wronged and was about to explain when she looked up and saw the anger in Jia Dongxu's eyes, so she gave up the idea.

Seeing Qin Huairu's hesitant expression, Jia Dongxu, who knew in his heart that Qin Huairu was doing it for his own good, softened his expression a little, but said nothing more.

While she understood, it was clearly unlikely that Jia Dongxu would lower his pride and apologize to Qin Huairu.

Back to the Intermediate People's Court.

Jia Dongxu asked Qin Huairu to take the sticks home, and then went to the door of the east wing across the street and gently knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

As Wang Guihua's voice came from inside the house asking, Jia Dongxu quickly replied, "Master's wife, it's me! It's Dongxu!"

After he revealed his identity, the room fell silent again, and Jia Dongxu's heart sank.

only.

Jia Dongxu did not leave immediately, but stood outside the door for a while.

Just as Jia Dongxu was about to knock on the door again, the door that had been tightly closed in front of him was opened.

“Master, you’ve finally agreed to see me.”

Upon seeing that it was Yi Zhonghai who opened the door, Jia Dongxu couldn't help but show a look of surprise and quickly spoke up.

With his gaze fixed on Jia Dongxu, Yi Zhonghai sighed with feigned helplessness and said, "Dongxu, you really didn't need to come here. I already made it very clear at the academy-wide meeting."

“Master, this is my fault, and it’s also my mother’s fault. My mother and I both know we were wrong, so please don’t be angry anymore.”

At this point, Jia Dongxu paused, then said with resentment, "However, this matter cannot be entirely blamed on my mother. She told me that she was instigated by He Daqing and used by him; otherwise, she wouldn't have done such a foolish thing..."

"Actually, I guessed it."

Hearing Jia Dongxu's words, Yi Zhonghai seemed unsurprised, but sighed again and said with some "disappointment": "However, things have developed to this point. Although it is not what I wanted to see, it has already happened. There is no point in saying anything more."

Although someone stirred things up, your mother's attitude is very clear, and I know her true thoughts, so let's leave it at that!

"Master, my mother, she..."

Yi Zhonghai looked injured, which made Jia Dongxu feel very uncomfortable. Before he could explain or plead, Yi Zhonghai interrupted him, saying, "Dongxu, I don't blame your mother, and you shouldn't blame her either. It's only human nature."

Now that we've severed our master-disciple relationship, you shouldn't call me master anymore. However, if you encounter any problems in your work or technical aspects in the future, you can still come to me, after all, we were master and disciple in a way..."

Although he was supposed to sever ties with the Jia family and temporarily stop supporting them, for Yi Zhonghai, this was merely a means to an end, not a genuine attempt to push Jia Dongxu away. Therefore, Yi Zhonghai naturally had to demonstrate his "benevolence" and maintain a certain level of contact with Jia Dongxu.

The more this happens, the easier it is for Jia Dongxu to feel guilty and regretful, and even to harbor thoughts and resentment towards Jia Zhangshi.

Looking back now, Yi Zhonghai thinks that Jia Zhangshi's return and the commotion she caused were actually helping him in the opposite way.

After sending Jia Dongxu away, Yi Zhonghai returned to the house. For some reason, a smug smile appeared on his face.

the next day.

When Yi Zhonghai arrived at the factory, he went directly to the workshop director and offered to take on an apprentice.

"Master Yi, what's gotten into you lately?"

The workshop director was clearly surprised by Yi Zhonghai's idea.

A batch of new apprentices came to the factory recently, and he took the initiative to find some experienced masters to help him train them, including Yi Zhonghai.

However, Yi Zhonghai had his mind entirely focused on Jia Dongxu, and simply made up an excuse to decline the offer.

Although Yi Zhonghai's current skill level is only at the sixth-level fitter, in terms of experience and technical level, he has long since reached the level of a seventh-level fitter. If it weren't for his hand injury, he would be at least a seventh-level fitter by now.

Although a level 7 fitter is still quite far from the highest level 8 worker, they are still considered a high-end skilled worker in the entire steel rolling mill.

Given these special circumstances, Yi Zhonghai is clearly the best candidate to mentor apprentices. If he can train more skilled workers for the workshop, it would obviously be something he, as the workshop director, would be happy to see.

"Director Hao, I was not clear-headed enough before and failed to seize this opportunity to contribute to the factory. Now I understand and want to make amends. I hope you can forgive me and give me this opportunity."

Yi Zhonghai organized his thoughts and gave this polished answer.

Upon hearing this, the workshop director immediately smiled and said, "Master Yi, it's good that you have this awareness. How could I possibly have a problem with you? Whether or not to take on apprentices has always been up to the masters themselves. But I'm still very happy that you've come to this understanding."

He said that, but he may not have thought so at the time. When he was rejected by Yi Zhonghai, he felt somewhat embarrassed and uncomfortable.

However, now that Yi Zhonghai has taken the initiative to come to him, and has changed his previous attitude and even apologized, he naturally feels much better.

Looking at Yi Zhonghai, the workshop director hesitated for a moment before saying, "Master Yi, the new recruits who came to the factory last time have already been assigned mentors. If you want to take on an apprentice now, you'll probably have to wait until the next batch of new recruits comes to the workshop."

"Director Hao, this is not a problem. I'm not in a hurry. I will follow the factory's and your arrangements."

Today, Yi Zhonghai is no longer the senior fitter who was at the highest level. He is now just a relatively ordinary level six fitter, so he naturally has to be much more humble in his attitude toward the workshop director.

Although the status of a level 6 fitter in the factory is far lower than that of level 8 and level 7 fitters, they are not uncommon. However, Yi Zhonghai is a level 6 fitter who has lost his potential for advancement and it will be difficult for him to get promoted in his lifetime.

His only advantage is his former advanced fitter skills and experience.

"No problem, no problem, Master Yi, don't worry. I'll definitely keep an eye out for you when a new apprentice joins the factory next time."

Faced with Yi Zhonghai's statement, the workshop director smiled and reassured him.

After exchanging pleasantries and expressing his gratitude, Yi Zhonghai returned to his workstation.

the other side.

Before the morning workday was over, Jia Dongxu heard that Yi Zhonghai had approached the workshop director and offered to take on apprentices.

At first, Jia Dongxu thought it was fake, but after confirming it again and again, he couldn't help but feel nervous.

When Yi Zhonghai went to find the workshop director, Jia Dongxu also saw it, but he was far away at the time and did not know what they were talking about.

However, there were other people around, and Yi Zhonghai didn't deliberately avoid people, so the news spread, and some people even came to Jia Dongxu to verify it, or to ask about the matter.

The events that happened in the courtyard yesterday haven't spread completely throughout the factory, but some people have already heard about them. Now, with rumors circulating that Yi Zhonghai is going to take on new apprentices, it's inevitable that people will start gossiping.

As the loudspeaker announced that it was lunchtime and a short break, the workers finished their work, picked up their lunchboxes, and headed towards the canteen.

Jia Dongxu originally planned to go to the cafeteria for lunch, but seeing Yi Zhonghai still working at his workstation, he stayed behind as well.

After most of the people in the workshop had left, Jia Dongxu couldn't help but step forward and ask Yi Zhonghai, "Master, I heard you're going to start training apprentices again?"

"Where did you hear that?"

Yi Zhonghai, who was working "seriously," looked up when he heard the sound, glanced at Jia Dongxu with a "surprised" expression, and then confirmed with certainty, "That's right."

"Master, you..."

Seeing that Yi Zhonghai not only did not deny it, but also admitted it directly, Jia Dongxu became anxious and wanted to say something, but did not know what to say.

“My hands aren’t as nimble as they used to be, and I can’t work as efficiently as I used to, but I still have the skills and experience. So I might as well make the most of my remaining time and contribute more to the factory.”

Just as Jia Dongxu fell silent with a complicated expression after hearing Yi Zhonghai's explanation and noble words, Yi Zhonghai suddenly spoke again: "Dongxu, from now on, when we're at the factory, you should still call me Master Yi!"

"Master..."

Seeing that Yi Zhonghai had brought up the topic again, Jia Dongxu felt extremely unwilling and a strong sense of crisis welled up inside him.

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai seemed oblivious to all of this, and resumed processing the part in his hand.

Obvious.

While Jia Zhangshi was being detained, Yi Zhonghai's schemes and tactics against Jia Dongxu had already begun to unfold further.

Throughout the courtyard, many people thought that after Jia Zhangshi's outburst, Yi Zhonghai had completely lost faith in the Jia family and Jia Dongxu. However, a small number of people easily saw through Yi Zhonghai's true intentions.

Among these people were He Daqing and Xu Fugui.

only.

Before He Daqing could even make any underhanded moves, Yi Zhonghai took the initiative to approach him.

"He Daqing, let's talk!"

Having just returned from get off work, He Daqing frowned as he looked at Yi Zhonghai, who was deliberately waiting for him outside, and asked in an unfriendly tone, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Of course we should talk about our past grievances and how we should get along in the future."

Yi Zhonghai, who was clearly prepared, smiled as he looked at He Daqing, who was wary of him.

"What's there to talk about?"

Hearing Yi Zhonghai say this, He Daqing showed no interest and pushed his bicycle toward the courtyard.

"You were the one who secretly orchestrated what happened to Jia Zhangshi yesterday, weren't you?"

Just as He Daqing was about to pass him, Yi Zhonghai stepped forward to stop him and spoke again:

"Originally, Dongxu and I had already made arrangements with Jia Zhangshi, but in less than an afternoon, she suddenly changed her mind and acted like a madwoman. I think it's highly unlikely that no one interfered."

Furthermore, last night, Jia Dongxu himself said that before Jia Zhangshi was taken away by Director Wang, she confessed that the person who instigated her was you!

Despite Yi Zhonghai's claim that Jia Zhangshi had confessed and betrayed him, He Daqing remained calm and categorically denied it, saying, "Yi Zhonghai, I don't know what you're talking about. Don't try to smear others with your own dirty laundry."

Even if Jia Zhangshi were here right now and identified him on the spot, He Daqing would not admit it, since there was no third party present at the time.

It's just empty talk; there's no way to verify it!
“He Daqing, we’re not children anymore, you know that yourself.”

Yi Zhonghai was also well aware that He Daqing was as cunning as an eel, and would never confess unless caught red-handed.

Even if he admitted it, he couldn't do anything about He Daqing.

However, he was not here to settle scores with He Daqing today. He quickly sighed and said, "I know I was wrong in the past, but He Daqing, you didn't let me off the hook either. Haven't you already taken your revenge?"
And this hand of mine, if I'm not mistaken, it was Sha Zhu's master who instructed his disciples to do this to me, right?

If they had been any harder back then, my hand would have been completely ruined. Even now, it's only half ruined, and I've completely lost any chance of promotion.

I've already suffered enough, aren't you satisfied enough? Why are you still bothering me?
He Daqing, when will this cycle of revenge end?

As he said this, a hint of hatred flashed across Yi Zhonghai's face, but it quickly disappeared.

"Yi Zhonghai, how dare you say such things? Who started this whole mess?"

Originally, He Daqing did not intend to pay any attention to Yi Zhonghai, but not only did Yi Zhonghai block his way, he also turned the tables and accused him of not letting him go.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai feigning innocence, He Daqing's face darkened, and he immediately questioned, "Shortly after I returned to Beijing, I was taken away for investigation. You wrote that letter of complaint, didn't you?"

Don't rush to deny it, there's much more to it than that!

And when Sha Zhu brought back leftovers, he was stopped by the steel mill's security department several times, and was even caught once. You were the one who caused all of this, right?
and also!

In the three years that Sha Zhu has been going on blind dates, you and Jia Dongxu have done a lot of dirty tricks behind the scenes. Do you dare to say that you didn't?
Yi Zhonghai, you hypocrite, you never utter a word of truth and only do shady things.

Now they regret it and want to beg for peace and apologize? There's no such thing as a free lunch!

Speaking of these things, He Daqing, who was usually quite composed, became increasingly angry and almost punched Yi Zhonghai.

There are only a handful of people who know about his life before liberation and who still live in courtyard houses, and Yi Zhonghai happens to be one of them.

The key point is that when He Daqing returned from Baocheng to settle accounts with Yi Zhonghai, Yi Zhonghai used this to threaten him, which clearly indicates that he has a criminal record. Considering the motive, it can only be Yi Zhonghai.

As for the matter of Sha Zhu bringing his own lunchbox, the person who secretly reported it clearly wanted to ruin Sha Zhu. If it weren't for the fact that the factory leaders needed him to cook for them, and that Sha Zhu had two master chefs, Dong Congyou and himself, behind him, the factory would not have protected Sha Zhu.

if not.

Once the charge of stealing public property is proven, losing his job in the steel mill's kitchen is a minor matter; being arrested and imprisoned in a hard labor camp would be the real big deal.

As for Sha Zhu's marriage, if it weren't for the interference of these people in the courtyard, it might have already been arranged.

Of course.

Although He Daqing was unwilling to admit it, his stupid son Shazhu was also partly to blame.

"These weren't done by Xu Damao? What does this have to do with us?"

When Yi Zhonghai heard He Daqing mention these things, his expression changed slightly, but he forced himself to remain calm.

“Xu Damao was involved, that’s obvious. You two, master and apprentice, can’t escape either. You know it in your heart. Can you deny it and deny that you did it?”

He Daqing then returned the favor to Yi Zhonghai, just as Yi Zhonghai had said to him.

They are all thousand-year-old foxes, so they are not playing funny games.

Although Xu Damao and Sha Zhu didn't get along and Xu Damao had his share of underhanded tactics, Sha Zhu had also beaten him up quite a bit. The two had some dealings with each other, so in He Daqing's eyes, Xu Damao wasn't that hateful. What was truly infuriating were Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu, who were secretly using dirty tricks behind the scenes.

Yesterday's move was merely a "gift" in return for Yi Zhonghai's actions.

They're all playing dirty tricks behind the scenes. He Daqing hasn't openly caused trouble for Yi Zhonghai, but Yi Zhonghai couldn't hold back after he only made one move.

"Old He, let's stop here!"

After a moment of silence, Yi Zhonghai clearly acquiesced to these things, and then said to He Daqing, "I admit that I was wrong about those things, and I still hate you... But don't forget what those two kicks you gave me meant to a man."

"You deserve it!"

When Yi Zhonghai mentioned the two kicks he had "given" to him, He Daqing felt no remorse whatsoever; instead, he sneered.

How dare Yi Zhonghai even mention it?

"Yes! I deserve it! But what can I do when I'm childless?"

Yi Zhonghai's voice was filled with bitterness, yet he mocked himself in front of He Daqing.

"You're childless, that's because you've done too many bad things, what does it have to do with me? You went to great lengths to scheme against me and Sha Zhu, I only kicked you twice, that was already showing you mercy."

He Daqing still felt no sympathy for Yi Zhonghai.

It wasn't that He Daqing was cold-blooded, but rather that the things Yi Zhonghai did were simply not worthy of his sympathy.

"It's none of your business. I'm just unlucky; I'll be childless in this lifetime!"

He Daqing's reaction brought Yi Zhonghai back to his senses. After a seemingly self-destructive statement, he continued, "But in this life, all I have left is the thought of retiring in my old age. If even that last thought is gone, I really don't know what I might do..."

"Do you threaten me?"

As Yi Zhonghai finished speaking, He Daqing narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold glint instantly rising in his gaze as he indifferently scrutinized Yi Zhonghai.

Although Yi Zhonghai's words were somewhat vague, He Daqing was no fool; how could he not understand the threat in his words?

"It's not a threat, just the truth!"

Seeing He Daqing suddenly become wary, Yi Zhonghai smiled and said in a seemingly calm voice, "Even a cornered dog will jump over the wall! You know, I'm childless. Although I'm looked down upon by people in secret, I'm not without merits. At least I have no ties."

"You, He Daqing, are more successful than me now, but that's only because you have a son. What if something happens to Shazhu one day? Won't you, He Daqing, end up like me, Yi Zhonghai, with no descendants?"

The word "extinction of the family line," which Yi Zhonghai used to be extremely wary of, was now repeatedly on his lips, and had become his bargaining chip and source of confidence in threatening He Daqing.

"you dare?"

Faced with Yi Zhonghai's blatant threat, He Daqing was furious.

"Do you think I dare? The barefoot aren't afraid of those wearing shoes! When that time comes, not only will Sha Zhu be in jail, but if I go in, you'll have to go in with me too. You won't be able to cover up what happened back then."

Seeing that He Daqing was truly angry, Yi Zhonghai chuckled again. After saying those words, he said with a sinister smile, "Things haven't reached that point yet, so naturally I won't go to extremes, and there's no need for me to burn my bridges. But if you continue to interfere with my retirement plans, do you think I'll do that then?"

He Daqing glanced at Yi Zhonghai, whose face was full of sinister intent, and fell silent.

"He Daqing, let's leave our past issues behind today. From now on, we'll keep to ourselves and not interfere with each other. What do you say?"

"Row!"

"Okay, you'd better keep your word. I hope you won't go back on your word, or don't blame me later."

"Same!"

"If I find out you're up to any more tricks, I'll cripple you first, so you mad dog won't even have a chance to breathe, let alone jump over the wall. Don't think I'm afraid of you!"

"..."

Leaving behind a warning, He Daqing ignored Yi Zhonghai and pushed his bicycle into the courtyard.

He Daqing didn't want to gamble on this kind of thing, regardless of whether he could afford it or not.

As Yi Zhonghai said, he is living a very good life now and has no need to go crazy with Yi Zhonghai.

If it really came to a last resort, he wouldn't give Yi Zhonghai that chance; he would just have someone take care of him.

Money may not be everything, but it can do many things.

However, Yi Zhonghai's initiative to confront and negotiate was clearly because this incident had pushed him to the brink, and he was afraid that if he took further action, his retirement plans would be completely ruined.

Emotionally, He Daqing naturally didn't want Yi Zhonghai to have a good life; he hoped he would have a miserable old age. However, he didn't want to gamble with Sha Zhu and the others, taking unnecessary risks and doing something that would harm others without benefiting himself.

I'm not alone after all, so I can't be completely carefree.

Not long after He Daqing went in, Li Hongbing also returned from get off work with Chen Xueru.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai standing guard outside the gate, Li Hongbing was a little surprised, but he didn't intend to pay him any attention.

Just as Chen Xueru and Li Hongbing got off their bicycles, and Li Hongbing was pushing his bicycle to go home with Chen Xueru, Yi Zhonghai suddenly spoke up.

"Li Hongbing, shall we have a chat?"

Upon hearing Yi Zhonghai's sudden remark, Li Hongbing was stunned for a moment, almost doubting that he had misheard.

Was that Yi Zhonghai speaking just now?
"Not interested in!"

Li Hongbing didn't think there was anything to talk about with Yi Zhonghai, and simply threw out those three words.

Upon seeing this, Yi Zhonghai's face immediately darkened.

"You're not scared after just a few words, are you?"

"Shabi!"

Faced with Yi Zhonghai's clumsy attempt to provoke him, Li Hongbing directly responded with a timeless greeting, creating a friendly exchange between two different eras.

Although he didn't know what wicked schemes Yi Zhonghai was plotting, Li Hongbing didn't even bother to acknowledge them.

As Li Hongbing uttered the word "idiot," Yi Zhonghai's already dark face darkened even further.

Although Yi Zhonghai didn't know the specific meaning of the word "idiot," judging from Li Hongbing's tone, it was clearly not a nice thing to say.

"Li Hongbing, what I want to say this time is not only about you, but also about the safety of your family. Are you sure you don't want to talk to me?"

Seeing that Li Hongbing was so uncooperative, Yi Zhonghai's face turned completely gloomy.

"What do you mean?"

Upon hearing Yi Zhonghai's words, Li Hongbing stopped in his tracks and turned around to ask.

"literal meaning!"

Finding that his words had indeed caught Li Hongbing's attention, Yi Zhonghai ignored the coldness in the other's eyes and instead put on a faint smile.

As expected, his prediction came true; Li Hongbing wasn't without weaknesses after all.

His family is his Achilles' heel.

"Xueru, you go in first."

Sensing that Yi Zhonghai was acting strangely today, Li Hongbing handed the bicycle to Chen Xueru and said the following.

"Red Soldier..."

Chen Xueru, who subconsciously took the bicycle, did not move, but looked at Li Hongbing with some worry.

"It's alright, you go in first, I'll handle things."

Before Chen Xueru could say anything, Li Hongbing reached out and touched her face, asking, "And if it really came down to a fight, who do you think would come out worse, me or that old geezer?"

After glancing at Yi Zhonghai, Chen Xueru's gaze finally settled on Li Hongbing's face. Seeing his determined look, she said nothing more and pushed her bicycle inside.

She had some understanding of Li Hongbing's strength; at least Yi Zhonghai was no match for him, so there was no need to worry about suffering losses in a fight.

"Yi Zhonghai, what's gotten into you today?"

After watching Chen Xueru go inside, Li Hongbing walked over and asked Yi Zhonghai with a cold face.

Since Jia Zhangshi was sent back to the countryside last time, the Jia family and Yi Zhonghai and his wife have been quiet for almost a year.

Although he secretly made some small moves, they were all aimed at Sha Zhu, and Li Hongbing was too lazy to get involved.

Unexpectedly, Yi Zhonghai, contrary to his usual behavior, actually took the initiative to approach him today.

Li Hongbing clearly sensed that Yi Zhonghai's visit was ill-intentioned, especially after his threatening remark earlier.

"There's no way around it. If I hadn't said that, you wouldn't have stayed to talk to me."

Yi Zhonghai smiled wryly, feeling helpless.

Yi Zhonghai really didn't want to provoke Li Hongbing, but for the sake of long-term stability, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

"I don't think we have anything to talk about. Just spit it out and stop wasting my time."

Li Hongbing was already annoyed by Yi Zhonghai's cryptic remarks, but he was even more annoyed by Yi's attempts to keep things mysterious.

"It's nothing, I just want to reconcile with you, wipe the slate clean of our past grievances, and let's not mess with each other anymore!"

Hearing Yi Zhonghai say this with such a solemn expression, Li Hongbing laughed in anger and immediately said irritably, "Yi Zhonghai, go back and look in the mirror. You think you're qualified to talk to me like this?"

Yi Zhonghai was not surprised at all by Li Hongbing's reaction, nor did he show any anger. Instead, he said self-deprecatingly, "I am naturally not worthy, nor do I have the qualifications."

Mentioning this made Yi Zhonghai feel extremely sad, and his expression became dejected.

Back then, he was a respected elder in the courtyard, a senior fitter at the steel mill, and the highest-paid person in the entire courtyard.

But now...

He has become a typical example of someone who keeps going back to square one.

“Li Hongbing, I know I am not as good as you now, and you look down on me, but I want to talk to you now, not only for my own sake, but also for your own good.”

"The grudges and grievances between you and me, and between us and Jia Dongxu and the Jia family, are not insignificant, but they are not insurmountable either. They are not something we can't let go of completely."

"Regardless of who started those things, neither I, Jia Dongxu, nor Jia Zhangshi came out unscathed, and you never suffered any loss or setback."

"Compared to before, I've lost so much. What sustains me now is the thought of retirement. If even that's not enough, I have nothing left to hold me back..."

"But you're different. You have a wife and children..."

"grass!"

"Yi Zhonghai, go to hell!"

"..."

Originally, Li Hongbing had lost patience to listen to Yi Zhonghai's nonsense, but when Yi Zhonghai rambled on and on, and finally mentioned his family again, specifically his wife and children, Li Hongbing suddenly sprang to his senses and kicked Yi Zhonghai, sending him flying into the wall next to him.

"Ouch~~"

Yi Zhonghai let out a heart-wrenching scream that pierced the sky.

As he was kicked away, he crashed into the wall and fell to the ground. Yi Zhonghai clutched his stomach, curled up on the ground, groaning and sweating profusely. For a moment, he was speechless.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai's miserable state, Li Hongbing's face darkened.

Although Li Hongbing didn't know if Yi Zhonghai had drunk some fake alcohol tonight and came over arrogantly, wanting to settle past grievances while simultaneously threatening him with his family, he naturally wouldn't tolerate it.

"Yi Zhonghai, if you dare to bring up my family again, I'll kill you!"

After leaving those words, Li Hongbing turned and left, completely disregarding Yi Zhonghai's life or death.

There's a reason why Li Hongbing dared to turn around so confidently, not afraid of anything happening to Yi Zhonghai, and even less afraid of getting into trouble for taking action.

That kick just now was indeed not light, it was even extremely heavy.

In reality, Li Hongbing used hidden force, so only superficial wounds could be seen, but the internal organs were actually severely injured.

Even after the initial pain subsides, Yi Zhonghai doesn't feel much discomfort for a short period afterward.

Unless high-precision medical instruments from later generations are used for examination, or a highly skilled imperial physician or traditional Chinese medicine doctor is involved, it is difficult to discover the real problem.

If he doesn't receive timely treatment, Yi Zhonghai will suffer greatly over time.

It could be life-threatening.

When Yi Zhonghai threatened Li Hongbing with his family members, Li Hongbing had already decided to kill him.

This trick was naturally learned by Li Hongbing from the bodyguards around Old Xu. He also specially prepared several of his signature dishes to achieve his ultimate goal.

More importantly, Li Hongbing is someone even Xu Lao recognized and praised, and he is trustworthy in terms of both character and ideological awareness.

Otherwise, such a morally reprehensible technique would not be easily taught to an "ordinary person".

Moreover, the other party knew that Li Hongbing was no ordinary person; after all, even the Imperial Guards were wary of his strength and physical abilities.

Today, whether Yi Zhonghai was lucky or unlucky, he actually said those things to Li Hongbing, directly challenging Li Hongbing's bottom line. Naturally, Li Hongbing had to use appropriate methods to "deal with" him.

"Hongbing, are you alright?"

As Li Hongbing returned home, Chen Xueru quickly went up to him and asked.

"fine!"

Li Hongbing smiled, knowing that Chen Xueru must have been worried just now, so he took the initiative to explain: "That old bastard Yi Zhonghai has just lost his mind. He insisted on negotiating with me, saying that he wanted to resolve our grievances and wipe the slate clean of all the past things."

This statement was certainly true, but Li Hongbing did not reveal the specific details.

"That's it?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xueru couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

However, Chen Xueru did not think that Li Hongbing would deliberately deceive her with such words. Instead, she agreed with what Li Hongbing had just said: Yi Zhonghai's mind was not normal.

Whether or not Yi Zhonghai is willing to resolve the issue is not up to him. Moreover, it's ridiculous that he expects people to let go without any sincerity.

Although Li Hongbing has basically never gone out of his way to cause them any trouble, why should he forgive them?

In this respect, Chen Xueru was not as magnanimous and tolerant as her good friend Xu Huizhen, and she would not offer any advice to Li Hongbing.

Soon.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai, whose face was deathly pale, walk past his door, Li Hongbing could sense the resentment emanating from him, even though Yi Zhonghai kept his stomach covered and head down and never glanced in his direction.

Yi Zhonghai cannot be allowed to stay.

Yi Zhonghai's presence in this courtyard house has always been a potential problem, and Li Hongbing is well aware of this.

The reason I haven't taken action against him isn't because I'm afraid of him, but because I don't think he's a big threat, and I haven't encountered a suitable opportunity yet.

The threat is not significant because Yi Zhonghai has always been focused on his retirement.

In this respect, Li Hongbing actually had no conflict with him. It was just that the Jia family was quite troublesome and always liked to cause trouble, so the clash was inevitable.

After a series of rectifications, Li Hongbing is now firmly in control of the courtyard house, and Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu can no longer cause any trouble.

The reason for the "opportunity" argument is that Li Hongbing didn't want suppression, but rather a decisive blow.

Just like the deaf old woman back then, and Fan Jinyou before, if you're going to take action, you have to send the other party away in one fell swoop to eliminate any future trouble.

Yi Zhonghai's behavior just now has crossed Li Hongbing's bottom line. He may not be afraid of any of Yi Zhonghai's methods and schemes, but he dares not risk his own family, his wife and son.

If Yi Zhonghai were to take a desperate gamble and resort to extreme measures against his own family, this would be something Li Hongbing could neither back down from nor accept.

Li Hongbing was really pushed to the limit. He found a secluded spot and killed Yi Zhonghai, throwing him directly into the system space. No one in the world could find Yi Zhonghai except him.

Even if someone suspects Li Hongbing, he can make all the necessary preparations and eliminate any possible doubts.

A person who truly disappears into thin air is beyond help, no matter who comes to help.

Of course.

Things are far from over; this is just Li Hongbing's last trump card.

Unless absolutely necessary, Li Hongbing didn't want to have another Yi Zhonghai in the system space to annoy him.

Fortunately, although Li Hongbing didn't target Yi Zhonghai much in the past few years, he wasn't completely unprepared.

Now that the idea of ​​"sending away" Yi Zhonghai has been conceived, and there is no suitable opportunity, then we can only create one ourselves.

(End of this chapter)