In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

The family was chatting happily when suddenly, an unusually loud noise came from the front yard, instantly shattering the peace and warmth.

The voices were loud and urgent, mixed with sharp arguments, heated debates, and faint cries. They were particularly jarring and pierced through several courtyards. Clearly, they were not ordinary conversations, but rather the sound of a fierce conflict.

Yang Shanshan was the youngest and most curious, so she was the first to get restless.

Hearing the noise, she immediately jumped up from the stool, her big, bright eyes filled with excited curiosity, her little face flushed with excitement, and she exclaimed:
"Hey! What's going on in the front yard? It's so noisy! Like a fight! I'll go check it out!"

As she spoke, she started to run out of the yard like a little rabbit.

"return!"

Tian Yufen quickly called out to her, her face showing disapproval and a hint of wariness, "It's all very chaotic outside. You're just a little kid, don't go any closer. Be careful not to bump into anything or get hurt."

Despite saying that, Tian Yufen and the old lady also showed expressions of curiosity and doubt.

They listened intently to the growing noise and exchanged a glance.

In this compound, there are more than twenty households. Although there are bound to be some minor frictions and quarrels on weekdays, such as whose clothes dripping wet whose quilt, or whose children fighting, they usually just argue quietly for a few words and then disperse.

It's rare to see such a loud commotion as today, which could be clearly heard across the courtyard and even in the side courtyard, and lasted for quite a while.

It seems this is no small matter.

Yang Guangming stood up. He was tall and could see further through the window, but his view was blocked by the houses.

He said, "Mom, Grandma, since we don't have anything else to do right now, shall we go and take a look? Let's stay away and not get too close, just to get the gist of it. It should be fine. It'll also keep Shanshan from running around aimlessly."

His suggestion to "watch the show safely" was immediately met with approval from the whole family. It would satisfy their curiosity without getting them involved in any trouble.

Even Yang Shanshan, who had just been scolded by her mother, showed a joyful expression again and nodded repeatedly.

So the family went out of the main room and headed to the front yard to watch the excitement.

When they arrived, a number of neighbors who had heard the commotion had already gathered under the porch leading to the front yard.

People gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves, their faces displaying a variety of expressions: some were puzzled, some were surprised, some were excited to watch the spectacle, and some were indifferent as if it were none of their business. All their eyes were focused on the open space between the west wing and the west side room in the front yard, which was the center of the argument.

The Yang family hasn't lived here long, but they greet each other when they come and go, and most of the residents in the courtyard are familiar with them.

When they encountered familiar neighbors, they nodded to each other, whispered "They're making a lot of noise," as a greeting, and exchanged a knowing look.

But at this moment, everyone's attention was clearly drawn to the conflict before them. They didn't bother with small talk and craned their necks, listening intently to the unfolding events, as if watching a sudden street drama.

Standing in front of his family, Yang Guangming could easily see the situation on the field thanks to his height advantage.

The two sides arguing were Liu Xiaojun, the only son of the Liu family who lived in the west wing of the front yard. He was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old, and his face was flushed red with excitement, like an enraged rooster.

On the other side were the two sons of the Ma family, Ma Daguo and Ma Erguo, who lived in the west wing of the front yard.

They were all in their late teens or early twenties, tall and burly, with broad shoulders and thick waists. At this moment, they stood with their necks stiff and their arms crossed, looking fierce, confronting Liu Xiaojun.

Their mother, a thin and small woman named Aunt Ma who always seemed timid, stood beside her two sons, wiping away tears with her sleeves. Her shoulders trembled, and she looked pitiful and helpless.

A group of neighbors, some openly and some secretly, gathered around to watch the spectacle. Several respected elders in the courtyard, such as Grandpa Tong and Grandma Li, were also present, standing nearby with solemn and helpless expressions on their faces. They had clearly tried to persuade them, but to no avail.

After listening to the whispers around him and the heated conversations of several people in the center of the room, Yang Guangming quickly pieced together the ins and outs of the matter.

It turned out that at noon today, Liu Xiaojun was out doing odd jobs or just strolling around when he ran into a relative from the countryside. Out of consideration for their friendship, the relative gave him two jin of pig intestines that had already been cleaned quite thoroughly.

These days, meat is a rare treat. Pork has been out of stock for a long time. Although pig intestines are considered offal and not served at banquets, and are troublesome to clean, they are still a delicious and juicy delicacy that can satisfy cravings. Ordinary families can't find anywhere to buy them if they want to eat them.

Liu Xiaojun happily took it home, covered it with a basin, and put it in the cupboard, planning to have a better meal together when his father came home from working overtime that evening.

Around noon, he was home alone. He went to the bathroom, which was only about ten minutes, and when he came back, he found that the pig intestines in the cupboard had disappeared!
Moreover, there were signs that things in the house had been rummaged through, though not obvious, but he could tell.

He didn't know exactly where his father had put the grain coupons and money, or if they were missing, but the fact that the two jin of pig intestines had been stolen was undeniable.

Liu Xiaojun insisted that it was the two boys from the Ma family who stole it together!

His reasoning was quite sound: he had just returned from the toilet and was about to enter the courtyard when Ma Daguo stopped him.

Ma Daguo asked irrelevant questions like "School's out?" and "The weather's nice today," all in a particularly loud voice, behaving abnormally.

Liu Xiaojun believes that Ma Daguo is deliberately delaying him, while simultaneously providing cover and signals for Ma Erguo, who is staying in the yard and taking the opportunity to sneak into his house to steal things!

This trick involving two people couldn't fool him at all; thieves in two-person gangs usually do it this way.

At this moment, Liu Xiaojun stood in the middle of the field, his face flushed red with excitement and anger. He waved his arms, his voice sharp and clear, carrying the unique sharpness and grievance of a young man:
"Everyone, be the judge! If Ma Daguo didn't have something to hide, why would he stop me for no reason? And why is he yelling at the top of his lungs, as if he's afraid no one can hear him?"

This is to inform his brother!
If they had only stolen two pounds of pig intestines, they would have come in and left immediately; there would have been no need for someone to keep watch. They must have planned ahead to search our grain coupons and money, which is why they specifically stopped me, fearing they wouldn't have enough time.

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, his chest heaving violently. Recalling the slanderous things people in the courtyard had said about him, he worried that they wouldn't believe him. He even raised his hand, pointed to the sky, and swore an oath, trying to prove his innocence and judgment with the most vicious curses.

"I, Liu Xiaojun, am putting this out there today! If I ever steal even a needle or a thread from anyone in this yard, may I be struck by lightning! May I be hit by a car and die! May my son be born without an anus!"

The oath sounded particularly jarring in the relatively conservative courtyard, causing some women to frown secretly.

He spat fiercely on the ground, glared resentfully at the Ma brothers, and continued his accusations, his voice choked with emotion:
"Those rumors that I did something dishonest in the yard were all made up by the Ma brothers to smear me and make themselves look clean!"

My dad... My dad had no choice in the old society, he was forced by life to take a wrong turn, but he changed long ago after liberation. He became a down-to-earth worker and a decent person!

Nothing had ever been stolen from the yard before, but it's only in the last six months that petty theft has started. Some people are even spreading rumors that I stole the things; these gossips are being spread by the Ma brothers!

I clearly didn't steal anything, so why are they framing me? The reason is simple: those odds and ends, those trivial things that went missing in the yard, might very well have been the work of those two brothers!
To avoid suspicion, they're trying to pin the blame on me! Don't believe their lies, I haven't stolen anything from the yard!
From now on, if anything goes missing from anyone's house, just suspect those two, and you won't be wrong!

He's trying to pin all the unclear thefts in the courtyard on the Ma brothers, completely severing ties with them.

After hearing Liu Xiaojun's fierce accusations, which were filled with oaths, the expressions of the neighbors who were watching the commotion changed. The whispers grew louder, and their gazes toward the Ma brothers became more scrutinizing, suspicious, and wary.

After all, although Liu Xiaojun had a fiery temper and a bad reputation, making such a vicious oath was still very impactful.

Moreover, the two Ma brothers were indeed rather idle in the courtyard and were not well-liked.

"You're making it sound so convincing... It seems you're really desperate."

"Yes, that's a really strong oath, it doesn't sound like a lie."

"Those two boys from the Ma family are usually a bit reckless and cunning..."

"Could it be that we really misunderstood the Liu family boy before? His father's matter is an old grudge..."

"It's hard to say. You can know a person's face but not their heart..."

Sensing the change in the gazes and the shift in the whispers around them, Ma Daguo and Ma Erguo immediately became furious, like cats whose tails had been stepped on.

Both men were young and impetuous, and concerned with their image. At this moment, they stuck out their necks and retorted with fierce expressions, their spittle almost spraying onto Liu Xiaojun's face.

"Liu Xiaojun! You're talking nonsense!"

Ma Erguo, even more hot-tempered, took a step forward, almost touching Liu Xiaojun's nose, and pointed at his nose while cursing, his voice rough and hoarse, "Who stole your stinky pig intestines that you can't get rid of even after washing them eight times? Stop spouting nonsense! I don't want to get my hands dirty!" He tried to clear himself of the blame by belittling the stolen goods.

Ma Daguo was relatively gloomy, but he still said sternly, "I just happened to run into you at the gate. We live in the same courtyard, so we see each other all the time. What's wrong with me asking you a couple of questions? How did that become me stopping you? Stop making trouble and accusing me!" He insisted that it was a "coincidence."

Their mother, Aunt Ma, cried even harder now. Her voice, thick with sobs and sounding weak and helpless, wailed as she wiped her eyes, which barely produced any tears, with her sleeve.
"My family, Da Guo and Er Guo, may not have any proper jobs, but they're not the kind of people who steal or cheat..."

In broad daylight, someone pointed their finger at me and called me a thief. How am I ever going to face anyone in this neighborhood again... Waaah...

How can we, mother and children, put our faces here... Everyone, you have to stand up for us! We're innocent... We're more wronged than Dou E..."

While crying, she glanced at the reactions of her neighbors out of the corner of her eye, observing the direction of public opinion.

Her aggrieved and helpless appearance, as if she had suffered a great injustice, coupled with her petite figure and usual timid behavior, garnered sympathy from some soft-hearted people or those who didn't want to get involved.

After all, the Ma brothers don't have a good reputation, but stealing things, especially something as inexpensive but sensitive as pig intestines, can't be done without evidence. You can't just convict them based on Liu Xiaojun's one-sided story.

"Grandma Ma has had a tough time too. Old Ma doesn't take care of anything at home; he's raised two boys all by himself..."

"Yes, it's not good to make statements without evidence. You have to catch the thief red-handed..."

"Is the Liu family boy confused by his haste? You can't judge a book just by stopping him from speaking..."

"Let's wait and see, let's wait and see..."

Seeing that public opinion seemed to be turning around, Liu Xiaojun became even more anxious. He felt he was in the right but couldn't explain himself, so he jumped up and down, crying and shouting loudly, his voice becoming even more shrill with urgency:
"You won't admit it? Dare I let you in and search? The stuff is definitely hidden in your house! Find it and see what you have to say then!"

He proposed the simplest and most direct method.

Upon hearing that their home was to be searched, the Ma brothers' expressions changed, and a barely perceptible hint of panic flashed in their eyes, but it was immediately overshadowed by an even stronger anger. They immediately and vehemently objected, reacting violently.

"Why are you searching our house? Who do you think you are? The neighborhood chief or a special police commissioner?"

"Exactly! You think you can just search like that? This is insulting! It's ruining my family's reputation!"

"Who knows if you hid the things yourself or gave them away, and now you're trying to extort money from us?" The two brothers, their faces red and necks bulging, came up with a bunch of reasons, resolutely refusing to back down and maintaining a tough attitude.

Seeing this, Liu Xiaojun became even more convinced that they were guilty, and he got even more excited, raising his voice even higher:

"You won't let us search? I think you're just feeling guilty! If you're afraid to let us search, it proves that the stuff is definitely hidden in your house! You're hiding something!"

The two sides were deadlocked again, and the argument became increasingly heated. They pointed at each other and hurled insults, using foul language. It looked like the verbal battle was about to escalate into a physical fight.

At this moment, Aunt Ma, who had been wiping away tears, seemed to have been driven to a dead end and made a great decision. She raised her tearful face and said to Liu Xiaojun in a trembling but unusually clear tone, "Xiaojun, you can search... if you want."

Her words stunned Liu Xiaojun, who looked surprised. The Ma brothers and all the neighbors who had been watching the commotion fell silent, their eyes all focused on her.

This turn of events was somewhat unexpected.

Aunt Ma sobbed, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief, and continued her story, her tone tinged with grievance and a hint of forced resolve:

"But let's get this straight. Searching our home is no small matter. It's not something you can just do without reason. Although we're poor, we still have our pride."

What if... what if you can't find it? Aren't you just ruining our family's reputation for nothing? How are we supposed to hold our heads up in the yard after that?

She looked around at her neighbors, trying to gain more support and notarization, her voice trembling with tears:

"Everyone, please be the judge. Is this the correct explanation? If we can't find it, Xiaojun, you have to give us an explanation!"
At least... at least ten yuan in compensation! Consider it an apology to our family, to calm our nerves, and to make up for the damage to our reputation!
If you agree, we'll let you search! If you disagree, then you definitely can't search! That's unreasonable!

She finally laid out her conditions, and the first thing she asked for was a huge sum of ten yuan, seemingly trying to scare Liu Xiaojun away with a large compensation, or at least make him pay a heavy price.

Ten yuan!
This is no small sum in this day and age.

The surrounding neighbors gasped and murmured in surprise, all taken aback by the price. This Granny Ma, usually so quiet, really dared to ask for it when it mattered!
Liu Xiaojun was clearly taken aback by the asking price, and a hint of hesitation and struggle flashed across his face.

Ten yuan wasn't something his family could easily come up with; his dad would definitely beat him if he found out. But looking at the Ma brothers' provocative eyes, as if they knew he wouldn't dare, and thinking about his two jin of pig intestines that had vanished into thin air, and the humiliation he had just suffered, the boy's fighting spirit and stubbornness surged to the top of his head.

He steeled himself and gritted his teeth, saying, "Fine! Ten bucks it is! If we can't find it, I... I'll pay you ten bucks! But if we do find it, what will you say?" He couldn't just bet on it himself.

When Aunt Ma saw that Liu Xiaojun had actually agreed, a flash of surprise crossed her eyes, but she quickly concealed it and replied:
"If we really find them, and catch them red-handed, we'll give you twenty! No! Thirty yuan! And we'll return all the stuff to you untouched! I'll personally escort these two good-for-nothing rascals to the police station to see Chief Li and admit their punishment! They deserve to be locked up and punished, no questions asked!"

She also raised the stakes, making herself appear confident and without any guilt.

"Alright! It's a deal! Everyone, be our witnesses!"

Liu Xiaojun, as if grasping at the last straw, immediately agreed, as if he could already see the stolen goods being found and the Ma brothers looking disheveled.

With this agreement, which was almost a "bet," the Ma brothers, though still looking grim and muttering rudely, no longer insisted on stopping it.

Aunt Ma "made the decision" and agreed to let Liu Xiaojun go in to search, but in order to avoid suspicion and prevent Liu Xiaojun from framing someone, Ma Daguo and Ma Erguo had to stay close by to "supervise".

The other neighbors gathered at the door and windows, craning their necks to look inside, both curious about the final result and somewhat eager to witness who would win the ten-dollar bet.

Yang Guangming's family was a bit far away, so they couldn't see them very clearly, but they could still see Liu Xiaojun going in and out of the two somewhat messy and dilapidated west wing rooms, rummaging through drawers and cabinets, his movements hurried and rough.

The Ma brothers followed behind with their arms crossed, their faces grim, their eyes fixed on Liu Xiaojun's every move, occasionally uttering sarcastic remarks such as, "Slow down, you'll have to pay if you break anything," and "Search carefully, don't miss any nooks or crannies."

As time passed, Liu Xiaojun searched almost every possible hiding place in the two rooms of the Ma family's house.

He shook out the bedding on the kang (a heated brick bed), lifted the kang mat to look underneath, pulled out the clothes from the old wardrobe one by one and threw them on the kang, moved the bottles and jars in the cupboard, and even rummaged through the possible mouse holes in the corner with his hands.

But not a single pig intestine could be found, nor any trace of oily smell. It was as if those two pounds of pig intestine had truly vanished into thin air, or had never existed at all.

Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, trickling down his young face, and soaking a patch of his shirt on the back.

The initial confidence and determination on his face were gradually replaced by growing anxiety, disbelief, and a hint of panic.

He kept muttering to himself, "Impossible... He must be hiding it... He must be inside the house... Keep searching..."

Unwilling to give up, he re-examined several places he had already checked amidst the increasingly loud sarcasm and impatient urging of the Ma brothers, even looking at the roof beams, but still found nothing.

His face began to turn pale, and he felt both angry and anxious.

"How's it going? Have you searched enough? Have you looked everything up? What did you find? Did you find gold ingots or your pig intestines?"

Ma Erguo crossed his arms and glanced sideways at Liu Xiaojun, who was covered in sweat, pale-faced, and with a vacant look in his eyes. His tone was full of undisguised sarcasm and the smugness of a victor.

Ma Daguo also spoke in a sinister tone, his voice not loud, but carrying a chilling edge:
"Liu Xiaojun, what do you have to say now? You searched our house from top to bottom, even the rat holes! Now, what do you have to say? Huh?"

The "ah" was drawn out and filled with a sense of oppression.

Liu Xiaojun opened his mouth, but his throat was so dry that he couldn't make a sound.

Looking at his empty hands, which he had turned into a mess, and the complex gazes of his neighbors—a mixture of sympathy, doubt, disappointment, and even schadenfreude—he felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and his face burned as if he had been slapped dozens of times.

Humiliation, anger, resentment, and fear of the ten yuan compensation intertwined, almost making him explode.

He abruptly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the Ma brothers, and his voice was distorted with extreme agitation:
"You...you must have hidden it somewhere else! You didn't keep it at home! Yes! That must be it!"

He tried to make a last-ditch effort, but the accusation, without any evidence, seemed so weak and almost like a lie.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Ma's tears, which she had just stopped, instantly burst forth again. She beat her chest and wailed, her voice shrill:

"Oh my god... Is this some kind of joke? We've already searched, and if it's not there, it's not there... And now they're blaming us for it..."

They're trying to pin this on us... Everyone's watching, they have to stand up for us... We can't live like this anymore..."

Her crying and tantrums immediately put Liu Xiaojun in an even more disadvantageous position.

Her crying only fueled the Ma brothers' anger, as if they had been deeply insulted.

Ma Erguo stepped forward, shoved Liu Xiaojun hard, and cursed, "Go to hell! You're asking for it, aren't you? We've searched you, we've made the bet, what more do you want? You can't accept losing, can you?"

Liu Xiaojun was pushed so hard he almost fell. Already anxious, angry, ashamed, and scared, he lost his last shred of reason and retorted, "You stole it! You two thieves! A whole family of thieves!"

"You dare to curse me like that!" Ma Daguo finally lost his temper and his pent-up anger exploded. He stepped forward and, together with Ma Erguo, attacked Liu Xiaojun, who was thin and on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Fists and feet rained down on Liu Xiaojun without any warning.

Although Liu Xiaojun fought back with all his might, he was no match for the many hands he had, and was immediately at a disadvantage. He could only cover his head and dodge in a sorry state, taking several blows to his body, and letting out muffled groans of pain and even more vulgar curses.

The scene instantly descended into chaos, turning into a full-blown brawl. Tables and chairs were knocked askew, and the onlookers stirred with commotion.

"Hey! Stop hitting her! Stop hitting her! You'll hurt her!"

"Stop! We are two great nations! Let's talk this out!"

"Uncle Tong! Please do something about this!"

Several timid women cried out in alarm, and the children hid behind the adults in fear.

Just as things were about to escalate into a real fight and escalate into a major incident, Grandpa Tong, who had been watching with a sullen face and furrowed brows, finally couldn't hold back any longer. He strode forward and shouted sternly:
"Stop! Two countries! What kind of behavior is this! Stop right now! Do you hear me?!"

He shouted at them as he stepped forward to try to pull the men who were fighting apart.

He was, after all, an old man in the compound who had seen his share of ups and downs in his youth. He was generally fair in his dealings and had some prestige.

Although the Ma brothers were scoundrels, they were still somewhat wary of the sharp-eyed old man, Grandpa Tong. In addition, several older male neighbors nearby spoke up to dissuade them and stepped forward to help pull them apart. The two brothers then kicked Liu Xiaojun, who was lying on the ground, twice more before reluctantly stopping while cursing.

Liu Xiaojun was curled up on the ground, his clothes were torn and messy, one of the buttons was popped off, his face was bruised, and blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth. He looked very disheveled and pitiful.

He lay down on the ground, no longer cursing, only letting out suppressed, tearful gasps.

Grandpa Tong watched the farce unfold, sighed heavily, his eyebrows furrowed tightly, and his face as serious as an iron plate.

His gaze swept over the panting Ma brothers, then over the disheveled Liu Xiaojun on the ground, and finally turned to the onlookers. Raising his voice, he made his decision:

"Alright! Stop making a scene! Everyone saw what happened today."

It's understandable that Liu Xiaojun is anxious and upset because his things were stolen. But they've already searched, and they didn't find anything. Continuing to make a scene or even fight is pointless and won't solve the problem; it will only deepen the conflict!

His gaze, imposing, swept across the room: "As for the specifics of what happened and how to determine the outcome, I will report to Director Li after he gets off work tonight what I saw and heard today, and hear his opinions and views."

After all, neither Lao Ma nor Lao Liu are home right now. We have to wait for them to return so that Director Li can discuss a solution with both families. Our own compound can't keep acting so recklessly!

He paused, his tone decisive and almost commanding:

"Now, everyone disperse! Those who need to go home should go home and cook, those who need to clean up should clean up! Don't gather here anymore!"
Hey, you two countries, help your mother back home! Tidy up the house!
Xiaojun, you get up quickly too, go home and get yourself ready, check your injuries! Everyone go back and calm down!

Under Grandpa Tong's forceful intervention and arrangement, the Ma brothers, though still indignant and muttering foul language, knew that continuing the commotion would not bring them any further advantage and might even anger more neighbors. So, they reluctantly helped Grandma Ma, who was still sobbing as if she had suffered a great injustice, back to the west wing.

Then, with a loud "bang," the door slammed shut, cutting off everything from the outside world.

Liu Xiaojun struggled to get up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with resentment, hatred, and a kind of bewildered despair.

He glared fiercely at the tightly closed door of the west wing, as if he wanted to burn it through with his gaze, before limping and staggering back to his own west side room.

The main characters have left, the excitement is over, but the mystery remains unsolved.

The neighbors, still somewhat unsatisfied, chatted quietly in twos and threes before heading home.

Everyone wore different expressions: some sympathized with Liu Xiaojun, some speculated about the Ma brothers, some gloated and watched the spectacle, and others were indifferent, as if it were none of their business and they were just watching a farce.

The courtyard quickly returned to a semblance of calm, but the tension and suspicion created by the conflict spread like twilight, enveloping the courtyard.

Yang Guangming and his family followed the crowd back to their east courtyard. Passing through the moon gate felt like returning from a noisy theater to a quiet backstage area.

Back in the main room, the door was closed, completely shutting out the noise, suspicion, and gossip from the front yard, and the courtyard regained its own tranquility.

Yang Shanshan was still immersed in the excitement and slight fright of watching the commotion. Her face was flushed, and she tugged at her brother's clothes, chattering away:
"Brother, Mother, Grandma, tell me, did the Ma brothers really steal the pig intestines? Liu Xiaojun was so sure, he even swore an oath, but we can't find them. Where did they hide them? Did they really grow wings and fly away?"

Her little head was full of questions, and she felt that this was even more complicated than the stories in the comic books.

Tian Yufen gently patted her back and scolded, "Little girl, don't ask around. This matter is complicated. Without evidence, who knows if it's true or false? Everyone has their own version of the truth."

With a hint of lingering fear and a warning on her face, she straightened the stool that she had knocked over in her haste to leave, and said sternly to her daughter:
"From now on, when you see those two families in the courtyard, try to avoid them and pay them little attention."

Especially those two boys from the Ma family, they're troublemakers. Liu Xiaojun, that kid, is also incredibly stubborn.

"Did you hear that, Shanshan? Stay away from her, nothing good will come of it."

Yang Shanshan nodded as if she understood, but her eyes still sparkled with curiosity.

The old lady sighed, shook her head, and looked disapproving.

"Sigh, these neighbors live in the same courtyard, they see each other all the time, and it's such a mess, it's unsightly."

Fighting and brawling would bring shame to the entire neighborhood if word got out.

"Our courtyard is much better; it's all separate, quiet, and peaceful with the doors closed, less trouble."

She increasingly felt that her eldest grandson's decision to move to this house with a small courtyard was a wise one.

Yang Guangming didn't participate in their discussion. He walked to the window, calmly recalling every detail of what had just happened.

Liu Xiaojun's urgency, determination, and final despair; the Ma brothers' initial strong resistance and their subsequent smugness and even provocative smugness after the search; Ma's grandmother's perfectly timed tears and her demand for a high compensation of ten yuan...

All of this, when put together, points to one conclusion: this matter is definitely not that simple.

Those two pounds of pig intestines were almost certainly stolen by the Ma brothers.

They likely planned this all along and were very experienced, having already quickly moved the stolen goods to a hidden location, which is why they were so confident in letting Liu Xiaojun search their home.

They took advantage of Liu Xiaojun's youthful impulsiveness and lack of evidence, turning the tables on him and trying to extort ten yuan from him.

This method can only be described as ruthless.

However, he didn't know much about the Liu family father and son, and the two of them might not necessarily deserve sympathy.

For example, the two pounds of pig intestines that sparked the conflict have questionable origins.

Grandpa Tong is right. When Deputy Director Li returns, there will naturally be an explanation, which will at least quell the surface conflict.

As for whether the truth will come to light, that's hard to say. He has neither the intention nor the obligation to delve into it. (End of Chapter)