Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

The Intermediate People's Court, the Yi family.

After finishing lunch, Yi Zhonghai rested at home for a while before going to the office of the director of the subdistrict office and finding Director Wang.

"Master Yi, what can I do for you?" Director Wang asked.

Yi Zhonghai adopted a friendly demeanor and said with a smile, "Hello, Director Wang. I came here to ask you, since the deaf old lady has been missing for so long, what will the neighborhood committee do about her house?"

Upon hearing this, Director Wang immediately understood Yi Zhonghai's purpose. She looked at Yi Zhonghai and said directly:

"Master Yi, you want to ask if the old lady's house can be transferred to your name, right? Do you have the property deed for the old lady's house?"

Yi Zhonghai nodded awkwardly, then shook his head and said, "No."

"Master Yi, you have taken care of the old lady for more than ten years. The old lady's house is a private house. Logically speaking, it is reasonable to transfer her house to you. However, the old lady is a recipient of the Five Guarantees and has not made a will. You do not have the house deed. Her estate can only be handled by the neighborhood committee."

"Director Wang, is there really no other way? After all, I've taken care of the old lady for so many years." Yi Zhonghai asked somewhat unwillingly.

Director Wang gently shook his head: "Master Yi, this is a matter of principle. The old lady has no children and is a recipient of the Five Guarantees. Since she did not leave a will, all her estate will belong to the state. Anyone who tries to take her estate is infringing on state property."

"I understand, thank you, Director Wang."

Yi Zhonghai turned around and walked towards the door, feeling very unwilling.

"etc."

Yi Zhonghai turned around and looked at Director Wang with a puzzled expression.

"Master Yi, there must be quite a few people in your compound who are eyeing the old lady's house. It just so happens that today is Sunday. Go back and inform them that I will be holding a general meeting for the entire compound at 95 p.m. today."

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai nodded: "Okay, I'll go back and inform the people in the institute right away."

After leaving the subdistrict office, Yi Zhonghai's eyes turned red and his veins bulged all over his body.

He had taken care of that old bastard for over a decade for nothing, not only did he get nothing in return, but he was also betrayed by the old bastard and forced to drink a drug that would kill him off his lineage, making him childless. How could he be willing to accept this?

Yi Zhonghai had long known that he probably wouldn't be able to get the deed to the deaf old woman's house since he hadn't been able to find it before, but he was still somewhat unwilling to give up.

He originally thought that since he had taken care of the old woman for more than ten years, outsiders regarded him as the deaf old woman's godson, and Director Wang might transfer the deaf old woman's house to him because of these factors. He didn't expect that it would all be for nothing.

If he ever finds that old hag, he'll eat her flesh, drink her blood, and finally chop her up and feed her to the dogs to vent his hatred.

Unfortunately, that deaf old woman has been missing for so long now, he can't find anyone to take revenge on.

Returning to the compound in a daze, Yi Zhonghai found Liu Haizhong and asked him to inform the people in the compound that Director Wang was coming to hold a general meeting. Yi Zhonghai went back to his room and lay down.

......

At six o'clock in the afternoon, Liu Guangtian shouted at the top of his lungs, "Let's have a hospital-wide meeting! Let's have a hospital-wide meeting!"

Upon hearing that a hospital-wide meeting was to be held, Qin Jingru dropped her spatula, grabbed a stool, and hurriedly pulled Wang Feng out the door.

Wang Feng said speechlessly, "Jingru, didn't we already announce that Director Wang is coming to the hospital for a general meeting? There's nothing interesting to see, so why are you in such a hurry?"

"Hehe, Brother Wang Feng, how do you know there won't be a good show? If Director Wang comes to the hospital for a general meeting, it might be quite a show. Director Wang wouldn't come to the hospital for ordinary matters," Qin Jingru said with a grin.

Wang Feng nodded and followed Qin Jingru to the conference venue.

People in the courtyard came out of their homes one after another, and soon everyone had arrived.

Today is Sunday, and almost everyone in the compound is here. The place is packed, even Xu Damao is here.

Xu Damao moved a stool over, sat down next to Wang Feng, offered him a cigarette, and asked:

"Brother Wang Feng, do you know what's going on?"

Wang Feng took the cigarette and shook his head: "I don't know, but I'll find out soon enough."

Qin Jingru took out a handful of melon seeds, placed them in Li Sumei's hand, and started eating them, waiting to watch the show.

With Director Wang present this time, no octagonal table was set up for any kind of joint trial. Even Director Wang was standing, and there were two street office staff members beside him.

The three elderly men, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Fugui, stood behind Director Wang.

"Master Yi, is everyone here?" Director Wang asked.

Before Yi Zhonghai could speak, Liu Haizhong interjected, "Director Wang, don't worry, everyone's here. I just checked."

Director Wang nodded, not even glancing at Liu Haizhong, and loudly addressed the crowd in the courtyard:

"The reason we are holding this meeting today is because of the old lady's situation. As you all know, she has been missing for so long, and I believe that many people in the hospital are eyeing her house."

At this point, Director Wang paused, his sharp gaze sweeping across the crowd below.

Many people felt a little guilty when Director Wang's gaze swept over them, including Yan Fugui and many other residents in the compound.

When Director Wang glanced at her, Jia Zhangshi felt a little guilty and quickly lowered her head.

These past few days, ever since she learned of the deaf old woman's disappearance, she's been wanting to take over the deaf old woman's house. The deaf old woman's house has two rooms, which would be perfect for her family to use as their wedding home in the future.

She was just about to ask Jia Dongxu to ask Yi Zhonghai for help when Director Wang showed up.

Director Wang glanced around and said loudly, "Today, on behalf of the subdistrict office, I want to declare to everyone that the old lady is a recipient of the Five Guarantees (a government-provided social welfare program for the elderly and disabled), and she did not make a will before she went missing. All her assets, including the house, belong to the state. Please don't even think about it, lest you make a big mistake. We will inventory and store the old lady's belongings in a short time. As for the house, it will be distributed to those in need at a later time."

"Director Wang, we only have one room in our house, and we desperately need a house. Please allocate the old lady's two rooms to our Jia family," Jia Zhangshi cried out.

Director Wang looked at Jia Zhangshi and said coldly, "Zhang Xiaohua, you were imprisoned for stealing from Wang Feng's family in the courtyard before. It seems you haven't changed your ways. If you continue to cause trouble like this and always think about taking advantage of others, I will send you back to the countryside tomorrow."

"Do you think this house can be allocated just like that? Even if it were allocated, it wouldn't be your Jia family's turn."

"No...no, Director Wang, I was just joking. I don't want the house anymore, please don't send me back to the countryside!"

Upon hearing that she was to return to the countryside, Jia Zhangshi was terrified.

She doesn't have to do any work every day; someone cooks meals for her. With such a good life, she doesn't want to go back to the countryside and live that kind of miserable life.