Kill the beasts in the courtyard, I fled to Hong Kong, surrounded by beauties on both sides.

Inside the central courtyard, three farces were unfolding simultaneously, creating utter chaos.

Madam Jia grabbed Qin Huairu and wouldn't let go, spitting as she shouted, "Tell me! Did you steal my money? Did you buy a meat ration for Sha Zhu? And write that shameless note!"

Qin Huairu wept uncontrollably, clutching the note and the half-pound meat ration coupon in her hands, utterly speechless: "Mom, I really didn't... I can't read, how could I write this?"

"Can't you have someone write for you just because you can't read?" Jia Zhangshi glared with her triangular eyes. "It must have been Sha Zhu who wrote it for you! You two, cheating on me behind my back!"

"Mom!" Qin Huairu screamed, her face flushed red. "How could you say that to me!"

Beside him, Sha Zhu's face was ashen. He glanced at Qin Huairu, then at the note, his mind filled with doubt. The handwriting on the note was crooked and illegible, certainly not something Qin Huairu could write—but was she really illiterate? What if she had secretly learned to read?

What hurt Sha Zhu even more was the words, "Don't come looking for me again." Everyone in the hospital knew how he felt about Qin Huairu. He regularly brought lunch to her family, bought snacks for her children, and secretly slipped them money during holidays. And this was all he got in return?

"Sister Qin," Sha Zhu's voice was hoarse, "if you find me annoying, just say so. You don't have to do this."

"Zhu Zi, I really didn't..." Qin Huairu's tears fell in streams. "I don't know where this hostage came from, and I know nothing about the note..."

Meanwhile, the war between Xu Damao and Lou Xiao'e escalated.

Lou Xiao'e held up the lotus-root-colored women's underwear, her voice shrill and piercing: "Xu Damao! If you don't explain yourself clearly today, I'm not finished with you! Whose is this? Tell me! Tell me!"

Xu Damao was sweating profusely with anxiety: "Xiao'e, let me explain! Someone must have framed me! How could I possibly have the guts?"

"Framed you?" Lou Xiao'e sneered, then pulled the note out of her pocket again. "'See you at the usual place tomorrow night'—did you write this?"

Xu Damao took the note and glanced at it; his expression darkened further. The handwriting did resemble his, but upon closer inspection, there were differences. But who would believe him if he said that?

"This isn't my writing!" he gritted his teeth. "Someone's forging my handwriting!"

"Imitation?" Lou Xiao'e's tears also fell. "Xu Damao, I've been married to you for five years. I know perfectly well how you've treated me. You show movies outside, and those young girls are all over you. Do you think I don't know? But I never thought you would actually dare..."

"I really didn't!" Xu Damao jumped up and down. "I swear! If I'm having an affair, may I be struck by lightning!"

"What good are swearing oaths?" Lou Xiao'e threw her underwear and the note on the ground. "Xu Damao, I can't live like this anymore! I'm going back to my parents' house!"

After saying that, she turned around and rushed into the house to pack her things.

Xu Damao quickly pulled her away, saying, "Xiao'e, don't do this..."

"Get away!" Lou Xiao'e shook off his hand.

The third time, Yi Zhonghai had a splitting headache.

As the eldest son of the family, he had to uphold justice. But things were too chaotic today—the Jia family lost money and food coupons, Qin Huairu's meat coupons were found under Sha Zhu's pillow, along with that ambiguous note; women's underwear was found under Xu Damao's bed, and there was a dating note in his drawer.

None of them are easy to handle.

"Quiet down!" Yi Zhonghai raised his voice and tapped the table. "Speak one by one!"

The courtyard became a little quieter, but whispers continued.

"Aunt Jia, you go first," Yi Zhonghai said, looking at Jia Zhangshi.

Jia Zhangshi immediately burst into tears: "Uncle, you have to do justice for me! I've saved over fifty yuan and over thirty jin of grain coupons, all gone! Only Qin Huairu and Banggeng came into my house, who else could it be but them who stole it?"

"I didn't steal it!" Banggeng shouted loudly from behind Qin Huairu.

"And this meat warrant!" Madam Jia snatched the meat warrant from Qin Huairu's hand. "Where did she get this meat warrant? She must have bought it with my money! She bought it and gave it to Sha Zhu, even writing a note saying 'Don't come looking for me again'—isn't that just a guilty conscience?"

Qin Huairu cried, "Uncle, I really don't know where this meat coupon came from. I originally had half a jin of meat coupons in my inner pocket, which were a benefit from the factory. I wanted to save them to make dumplings for the New Year. But when I touched it just now, it was gone, and it turned into this one..."

Yi Zhonghai frowned: "You mean, someone stole your hostage and replaced it with this one?"

"I don't know..." Qin Huairu shook her head, "but I really didn't write any notes."

Yi Zhonghai took the note and looked at it. The handwriting was crooked and messy, like that of a child just learning to write. He knew that Qin Huairu was indeed illiterate.

But if it wasn't Qin Huairu who wrote it, then who did it? And why would they do it?

Yi Zhonghai looked at Sha Zhu: "Zhu Zi, when did you find out about this hostage and the note?"

"Just now," Sha Zhu said in a muffled voice, "I went back to my room to lie down for a while, and when I touched under my pillow there was something. When I took it out, this was it."

Was it under your pillow before?

"No! I just changed the pillowcase yesterday, it's completely clean underneath."

Yi Zhonghai pondered. Someone had secretly entered Sha Zhu's house and placed these things there. What was their purpose? To sow discord between Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu?

He looked at the people in the courtyard. Who would have a grudge against Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu?

Xu Damao? Possibly. Xu Damao and Sha Zhu are sworn enemies, constantly sabotaging each other. But today, Xu Damao has gotten himself into trouble…

Just then, Lou Xiao'e came out carrying a bundle, her eyes red, and said to Yi Zhonghai, "Uncle, I'm going back to my parents' home today. You can handle Xu Damao's matter."

After saying that, she left without looking back.

Xu Damao wanted to give chase, but Yi Zhonghai stopped him: "Damao, don't chase after him yet. Tell me what's going on."

Xu Damao cried, "Uncle, I'm truly innocent! That underwear wasn't mine, and I didn't write the note! Someone must have framed me!"

"Who framed you?"

"I..." Xu Damao was speechless. He also wanted to know who it was.

Yi Zhonghai rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

Today's events are too strange. The Jia family lost money, Qin Huairu's hostage was switched, Sha Zhu received an ambiguous note, and women's underwear was found under Xu Damao's bed—four things happened almost simultaneously.

Is it a coincidence?

Yi Zhonghai did not believe it.

He looked at the people in the courtyard. Most of them had expressions of watching the spectacle, while only a few had their heads down, lost in thought.

Chen Fei… Yi Zhonghai suddenly remembered Chen Fei.

Yesterday Chen Fei threatened suicide, and today so many things have happened in the hospital. Could it be Chen Fei's doing?

But he quickly dismissed the idea. Chen Fei was just a teenager; how could he possibly have that ability? Besides, Chen Fei had stayed indoors all day and hadn't come out. He was even looking sickly when he went to fetch water this morning.

Yi Zhonghai's gaze swept over the others.

Liu Haizhong? Yan Bugui? They are possibilities. But what about their motives?

Can't figure it out.

"Alright then," Yi Zhonghai decided, "Let's make a note of what happened today. Everyone, help look for the money and grain coupons that the Jia family lost, and see if they've been dropped anywhere. As for Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu, don't make things up without evidence. As for Xu Damao... let's talk about it after Xiao'e calms down."

This process is essentially the same as no process at all.

Madam Jia Zhang protested, "Sir! My family lost so much money, and you're just going to let it go like this?"

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Yi Zhonghai retorted. "You say Qin Huairu stole it, do you have any evidence? You say Bang Geng stole it, do you have any evidence? Without evidence, what can I do?"

Jia Zhangshi was speechless.

Qin Huairu whispered, "Mom, maybe we really forgot where we put it. Let's look again..."

"What a load of crap!" Jia Zhangshi cursed, then stormed back into the house.

Sha Zhu glanced at Qin Huairu, hesitated, and finally went back inside.