Courtyard House: I fish in the heavens, a professional bird abuser.

What He Yuanchao pulled out of his pocket was not the hostage they had imagined, but several neatly folded receipts stamped with bright red seals and a brand new piece of cardboard!

In front of Director Wang and everyone else, he slowly unfolded each of the tickets and certificates, displaying them clearly and distinctly.

One of them is a pork purchase receipt stamped with the official seal of the state-run vegetable market, dated today, and clearly stating "pork belly, two jin"! Attached next to it is another meat ticket with the same stamp!

Although it only weighs two kilograms, the source is clear and legal!

The other document is a purchase receipt for "refined white rice" issued by the grain store, with a quantity of "ten jin"! It also comes with the corresponding grain coupons!

The bright red seal and intricate anti-counterfeiting patterns on it gleamed in the sunlight!

He Yuanchao's voice was calm yet powerful, echoing clearly in the deathly silent courtyard:

"Pork, two jin, can be purchased at Chaoyang Vegetable Market with a ticket and certificate."

"Flour, ten jin, can be purchased at Hongxing Grain Store with a ration coupon. You'll have both the coupon and the certificate."

He paused, his gaze finally settling on Director Wang's face, a hint of candor and a clear conscience in his eyes: "I, He Yuanchao, am a fourth-level fitter at Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, earning a monthly salary of fifty-six yuan and eighty cents! All my income is legal! All my expenses are based on receipts! It's all reasonable, legal, and clean!"

"I'd like to ask Director Wang, and all the neighbors here," He Yuanchao's voice suddenly rose, carrying an imposing aura, "I used my own salary, with state-issued ration coupons, to buy some meat, to eat something good, to improve my life! What law did I break?!"

"Just because I didn't share the meat with some people who only know how to throw tantrums and are insatiable! Just because I refused some people's 'kindness' in the form of moral blackmail! Does that make me a sinner?! Does that mean I should be verbally abused with my door blocked?! Does that mean my door should be kicked down?! Does that mean I should be slandered and beaten?!"

"Director Wang! You be the judge of this!"

He Yuanchao's final words struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer!

Director Wang looked at the several tickets and certificates in He Yuanchao's hand, all stamped with bright red official seals and clearly legible, especially the brand-new bicycle ticket that represented honor and power. The sternness and suspicion on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden realization and deep disgust!

She didn't hate He Yuanchao, but rather the group of neighbors in front of her who were turning black into white, greedy, and trying to bully honest people just because they had more people than they did!

She took the tickets from He Yuanchao, examined them carefully, and confirmed that they were correct.

Grain coupons, meat coupons, purchase receipts, special bicycle permits... all the documents and paperwork are complete and of legal origin! There are absolutely no problems!

Director Wang abruptly raised her head, her gaze like two cold, sharp swords, sweeping over the deathly pale-faced Yi Zhonghai, the dumbfounded Liu Haizhong, and Jia Zhangshi, whose wailing abruptly ceased as if she had been choked! Her voice was as cold as ice, carrying barely suppressed anger and undeniable authority:

"Great! Great! I understand now!"

"Comrade He Yuanchao earned his wages legally through his skills! He used state-issued ration coupons to buy planned supplies! He improved his life reasonably and legally! What's wrong with that?!"

"And look at you!" Director Wang's finger almost touched Jia Zhangshi's nose. "Blocking someone's door and cursing! Kicking down someone's door! Falsely accusing someone of assault! And even filing false accusations! What do you want to do? Huh?! Try to bully? Try to stage a public denunciation? Try to go back to the lawless old society?!"

"Let me tell you! This is a new society! It's about the law! It's about reason! It's not about who throws a tantrum and acts like a madman to be right! It's not about who has the most people to bully others!"

Director Wang's voice was like a booming bell, silencing the entire courtyard.

"Comrade He Yuanchao has done nothing wrong! His actions were completely legal and reasonable! Anyone who dares to cause him trouble, block his door, or insult him because of this is disrupting stability and unity! That's creating trouble! I, Wang Caixia, will be the first to object!"

Her gaze was sharp as lightning, finally settling on Jia Zhangshi, whose face had turned deathly pale:

"Jia Zhangshi! Your actions today—your tantrums, defamation, and serious disruption of the courtyard's order—are a serious violation of the rules! On behalf of the neighborhood committee, I issue you this stern warning! If this happens again, you'll be sent directly to the neighborhood committee's 'study session' and paraded through the streets as a public spectacle!"

"He Yuzhu, you assaulted someone without cause and damaged their private property. You must compensate Comrade He Yuanchao for the door, and also go to the street office to write a guarantee and apology, promising not to do it again. Otherwise, next time it won't be the street office, it will be the police station!"

"And you too!" Her gaze swept over Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong. "As the senior officials in charge of the compound, instead of upholding justice, you took sides and tried to smooth things over! You even led the way in moral blackmail! Where is your awareness? Where is your stance? I will truthfully report this matter to the factory and the neighborhood committee! You should reflect on your actions!"

After Director Wang finished speaking, he solemnly handed the ticket back to He Yuanchao, his tone much gentler: "Comrade Yuanchao, you've been wronged."

The door is broken, and the neighborhood committee will urge He Yuzhu to pay for it.

Live your life peacefully, work hard, and contribute more to the country! Don't let these unhealthy trends influence you!

"He Yuzhu, come with us!"

She nodded to He Yuanchao, then turned and left with two assistants, leaving He Yuzhu, who looked ashen-faced, behind her.

The courtyard was deathly silent.

Only the mournful sound of the wind blowing through the eaves could be heard.

Jia Zhangshi slumped to the ground, as if her spine had been removed. Her face was ashen, her eyes were empty, and she didn't even have the strength to cry.

Yi Zhonghai covered his face, blood seeping through his fingers. His "highly respected" mask shattered completely, leaving only dishevelment and despair.

Liu Haizhong lowered his head, his fat face covered in cold sweat, no longer daring to mention his second uncle's prestige.

Xu Damao huddled at the back of the crowd, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

Qin Huairu leaned against the doorframe, watching He Yuanchao's tall and upright figure, neither humble nor arrogant in front of Director Wang. Then she thought of her paralyzed husband, her mean mother-in-law, her crying baby, and the utter despair brought on by Director Wang's words just now...

Overwhelming regret engulfed her like a tsunami. Her vision went black, and she slid limply down the door frame to the ground, completely losing consciousness.

He Yuanchao put away the tickets, not even glancing at the group of bewildered beasts in the courtyard.

He turned around, raised his wine bowl to Yan Bugui, who was still in shock, and showed the first truly relaxed and carefree smile since he had transmigrated.

~~~~~~~~~~

New author, new book, requesting some free gifts.

o(╥﹏╥)o~

Thank you everyone~