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

Yi Zhonghai woke up just as dawn was breaking.

He habitually glanced at his desk first, trying to check for any new notes—this had recently become a source of anxiety for him. Sure enough, there was another folded piece of paper lying on the desk.

His heart tightened, and he picked up the note and opened it:

"Qin Huairu stole public property from the courtyard; the evidence is in the east corner of the woodshed."

Again, it's crooked handwriting written with the left hand.

Yi Zhonghai's face was grim. He put on his clothes and headed to the woodshed in the backyard. The courtyard was quiet in the early morning, with only a few sparrows chirping under the eaves. He pushed open the woodshed door, walked straight to the east corner, and rummaged through a pile of tattered sacks and rotten wood.

Shovels, broken bowls, half a bag of lime... these were all communal items in the courtyard.

Yi Zhonghai picked up the chipped shovel and examined it carefully—it was indeed one of the shovels distributed by the street office the year before last, two for each courtyard, usually kept in the tool shed in the middle courtyard, for anyone who needed it.

How did I end up here?

He recalled Qin Huairu being caught red-handed in the woodshed yesterday and sneered inwardly.

It seems this woman is not only a speculator, but also has dirty hands.

Yi Zhonghai hid the things again and turned to go back into the house. An older woman was already up and starting a fire to cook.

"Old Yi, where did you go so early in the morning?"

"I went to the woodshed and looked at some things," Yi Zhonghai said with a sullen face. "Qin Huairu not only engages in speculation and profiteering, but also steals public property."

The older woman was stunned: "Stealing public property? She...she wouldn't dare?"

"What wouldn't we dare to do?" Yi Zhonghai sneered. "People are starving to death; what wouldn't they do?"

"What should we do then?"

"What should we do?" Yi Zhonghai sat down at the table, tapping his fingers on the surface. "Hold a hospital-wide meeting tonight and make her apologize in public. Let's not mention the theft of public property for now; we'll keep it as leverage."

The older woman nodded and said nothing more.

Yi Zhonghai sipped his tea, pondering his next move.

Qin Huairu is now completely in his hands. If the theft of public property gets out, it'll be enough to send her to the police station. At that point, she won't be able to disobey him even if she wants to.

As for those mysterious notes...

Yi Zhonghai frowned. Who was behind this? Why tell him about Qin Huairu stealing public property?

Is it to help him? Or is there another purpose?

He didn't understand.

Morning: Qin Huairu's examination

At nine o'clock in the morning, Yi Zhonghai called Qin Huairu into the house.

Qin Huairu's eyes were swollen like walnuts, her face was deathly pale, and she was unsteady on her feet. She hadn't slept a wink last night; her mind was filled with Sha Zhu's disappointed gaze and Yi Zhonghai's cold words.

"Uncle," she called softly, not daring to look up.

Yi Zhonghai pushed a piece of paper in front of her: "Write it down."

"Write...write what?"

"Check," Yi Haizhong said, "write down everything about your speculation. How you came up with the idea, who you contacted, and how the transactions were conducted. Write it all down clearly."

Qin Huairu's hand trembled: "Uncle, I...I really didn't do any speculation...those things were planted by someone else..."

"Someone else put it there?" Yi Zhonghai stared at her. "Who put it there? Why did they put it there for you? Qin Huairu, do you think anyone would believe that?"

Qin Huairu fell silent. She knew no one would believe her.

"Write it," Yi Zhonghai's tone softened a bit. "Huai Ru, I'm not trying to mess with you. I'm doing this for your own good. Write a self-criticism, read it aloud in public, and that'll be the end of it. Live a good life from now on, and don't make the same mistake again."

Qin Huairu bit her lip and picked up her pen.

The pen was heavy, as if it weighed a ton. She wrote very slowly, each word feeling like she was cutting her own flesh.

"I, Qin Huairu, due to financial difficulties, made a moment of folly and attempted to exchange grain and meat coupons for money in secret... I deeply realize my mistake and promise not to repeat it..."

As I finished writing, tears dripped onto the paper, blurring the writing.

Yi Zhonghai took the examination report, looked at it, and nodded: "Okay, that's settled. You'll read it aloud at the hospital-wide meeting tonight. Be sincere, understand?"

Qin Huairu nodded, her voice barely audible, "I know."

"Also," Yi Zhonghai lowered his voice, "I know about Huai Ru's theft of public property. The shovel, bowls, lime... they're all in the woodshed."

Qin Huairu looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with terror: "Uncle, I didn't! I really didn't!"

"The evidence is right there," Yi Zhonghai waved his hand. "I'll cover this up for you for now. But remember, you have to listen to me from now on. Otherwise..."

He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was clear.

Qin Huairu felt a chill run through her body.

She knew she had completely fallen into a pit. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't climb out.

Noon: Sha Zhu's Struggle

At noon, Sha Zhu ate in the cafeteria, but he couldn't taste the food.

His mind was filled with the scene from the woodshed last night: Qin Huairu slumped on the ground, crying her heart out; Yi Zhonghai's cold words; and his own retreating figure as he turned and left...

He regretted it.

He should believe Qin Huairu. She's had such a hard time, raising two children alone, her mother-in-law and son had just died, and she was desperate. It's not impossible that she was framed.

But... the evidence is right in front of us.

Money, tickets, a note, and she even went to collect them herself...

Sha Zhu became more and more confused. He shoveled down two mouthfuls of rice, but it felt like he was chewing sand and couldn't swallow it.

"Zhu Zi, what's wrong? No appetite?" asked Chef Liu from the cafeteria.

"It's nothing," Sha Zhu shook his head, "I'm just a little tired."

"Take a break if you're tired," Master Liu patted his shoulder. "By the way, I heard something happened in your compound again? That widow from the Jia family got arrested for speculation?"

Sha Zhu's heart skipped a beat: "Who said that?"

"It's all over," Master Liu said in a low voice. "Some people in our compound have heard about it too. They said an old man caught them red-handed last night, and they found all their money and tickets."

Sha Zhu looked grim.

The news spread really fast.

It seems Qin Huairu can't escape tonight's college-wide meeting.

Afternoon: Chen Fei's eavesdropping and strategic planning

In the afternoon, Chen Fei stayed at home to "recuperate".

He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds coming from the courtyard.

He "heard" the conversation between Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu.

He also "heard" Sha Zhu's struggles in the cafeteria.

Everything is going according to plan.

At tonight's hospital-wide meeting, Qin Huairu publicly apologized, resulting in her complete disgrace.

But this is not enough.

Chen Fei wanted to completely eliminate any possibility of her turning her life around.

How do you do that?

Chen Fei thought of Yan Bugui.

Wasn't Yan Bugui always eyeing the Chen family's grain coupons? Didn't he always say that Qin Huairu owed him 1.42 yuan?

If Yan Bugui were to jump out at the meeting and accuse Qin Huairu of stealing grain coupons...

That scene must have been spectacular.

Chen Fei took out several grain coupons from the system space—some he "took" from Jia Zhangshi, and others he "borrowed" from Yan Bugui.

He wrapped the grain coupons in a piece of paper with two lines written on it:

"Evidence of Qin Huairu stealing grain coupons can be presented publicly at tonight's meeting."

It was written with his left hand.

He placed the paper package on Yan Bugui's desk with his mind—right under his account book.

After doing all that, he wrote another note:

"Yan Bugui is going to expose you for stealing grain coupons, be careful."

He placed the note in Qin Huairu's sewing basket.

In this way, Yan Bugui will discover the "evidence" and intend to expose it at the conference. Qin Huairu will find out in advance and panic.

At that time, a good show of "dogs fighting" will be staged at the conference.

Chen Fei lay down, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Evening: Yan Bugui's surprise and Qin Huairu's panic

In the evening, Yan Bugui returned home from get off work and, as usual, tidied his desk first.

He picked up the ledger, intending to record today's expenses, when he suddenly noticed a paper package underneath.

Upon opening it, I found several grain coupons and a note inside.

"Evidence of Qin Huairu stealing grain coupons can be presented publicly at tonight's meeting."

Yan Bugui's eyes lit up.

Grain coupons! All new coupons from this year, adding up to ten jin (5 kg)!

There was also a note... asking him to expose Qin Huairu for stealing grain coupons at the meeting tonight?

Yan Bugui quickly made a mental calculation.