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

He stood with one hand on his hip and the other pointing to the sky and the ground, spittle flying everywhere in the dim light. His once decent face was now distorted by extreme anger and heartache.

"Which heartless, childless thief did this?! Huh?!"

Xu Damao's voice was so shrill it could pierce eardrums, and it was choked with sobs.

"My old hen that lays eggs! She lays one egg a day, it's so precious! I'm saving it to help my wife recover after childbirth!"

Which heartless, rotten-bellied bastard stole it from me?! Come out here!

He paced back and forth in the small courtyard like a trapped beast, his eyes bloodshot, fiercely scanning everyone in the yard as if trying to find a guilty conscience on someone's face.

Finally, his fiery eyes were fixed on Sha Zhu, who was standing against the wall.

"Silly Zhu! It's you! It must be you!"

Xu Damao rushed over suddenly, his finger almost poking Sha Zhu's nose.

Of all the people in the hospital, you and I are the worst enemies! You're jealous that I'm getting married, and you're envious that I'm living a better life than you! You're a widow who can't find a wife!

"You must have stolen my chicken to vent your anger! You lowlife cook, what else can you do besides stealing chickens and dogs?!"

Sha Zhu was already seething with anger today.

The humiliation of falling into the cesspool still lingered in my mind, and the frustration of being kicked out of the cafeteria was even more suffocating.

At this moment, when Xu Damao pointed his finger at him and called him "childless" and "petty thief," his last remaining rationality was instantly ignited!

"You son of a bitch! I'll fuck your grandpa!"

Sha Zhu's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead bulged. Like a mad bull, he roared and swung his fist, as big as a casserole dish, at Xu Damao's punchable face!

"I'll kill you, you son of a bitch, today!"

"Ouch!"

Xu Damao was so frightened that he screamed and instinctively covered his head and ran away.

"Pillar! Stop!"

Yi Zhonghai reacted quickly, rushing forward and grabbing Sha Zhu tightly around the waist.

Liu Haizhong, the second uncle standing nearby, also rushed forward to help, and the two of them worked together to restrain the enraged Sha Zhu.

"Let me go! Grandpa! Let me go! Let me beat this filthy bastard to death!"

Sha Zhu struggled, his neck stiff, panting heavily, his eyes filled with a desire to devour Xu Damao alive.

He was so frustrated!

If the truth about falling into the cesspool were revealed, Sha Zhu would never be able to hold his head up in this courtyard again!

"Zhu Zi! You're foolish! Hitting someone is against the law!"

Yi Zhonghai held him tightly, and his voice was filled with undeniable authority.

"Let's reason things out! Hitting someone won't solve anything!"

"That's right! Idiot Zhu! Calm down!"

With his belly protruding, Liu Haizhong chimed in with an official tone, "Xu Damao, watch your mouth!"

How can you accuse Zhuzi of stealing chickens without any evidence? This is damaging neighborhood harmony!

He was actually having some doubts. Sha Zhu was indeed a fool, but why would he steal Xu Damao's chicken? What was his motive?

Xu Damao was quite frightened by Sha Zhu's fierce aura. He hid behind Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui, shouting in a fierce but cowardly tone:

"Defamation? How did I defame him? He's the only one in the whole compound who has the guts! He's the only one who has a grudge against me! If it's not him, then who is it? Uncle, Uncle, you two have to stand up for me!"

I can't let those chickens go to waste! They were breeding stock I bought for a fortune!

Seeing that Sha Zhu was about to erupt again, Yi Zhonghai forcefully pulled him back and said to Xu Damao with a stern face:

"Da Mao, catch the thief red-handed! You say Zhu Zi stole it, but where's the evidence? He had some business at the factory today, so he might not have time to come back."

Yi Zhonghai gave vague answers, trying to cover up the shameful incident involving the cesspool for Sha Zhu.

"Evidence? I..."

Xu Damao was speechless. He had no evidence whatsoever; he relied entirely on intuition and old grudges.

Just then, Qin Huairu, who had been standing silently in the shadows, seemed to have made up her mind. She took a small step forward, her voice not loud, but clearly piercing through the noise:

"Uncle, Uncle... Zhu Zi really couldn't have stolen a chicken today... today."

He...he fell into the factory's latrine latrine. They brought him back this afternoon, and he's been lying in the room ever since. The factory security can attest to that."

Om-!

Qin Huairu's words were like a bucket of cold water poured into a pot of boiling oil, and the whole courtyard instantly erupted in chaos!

"What? Sha Zhu fell... fell into the latrine?"

"My God! No wonder it smelled so wrong!"

"Oh my god, really? This is so... disgusting!"

"No wonder he seemed so listless today..."

"Pfft... Haha... Fell into a latrine? You idiot Zhu... You're something else!"

The small courtyard was instantly filled with murmurs, exclamations, and barely suppressed laughter.

All eyes, like searchlights, focused on Sha Zhu. Those eyes held shock, disgust, and even more so, undisguised schadenfreude and contempt.

Sha Zhu's face instantly turned from red to purple, then from purple to black, and finally turned deathly pale!

He turned his head sharply, staring at Qin Huairu in disbelief, his eyes filled with shock, humiliation, and raging fury at being betrayed!

Sister Qin… Sister Qin, how could she say that in public?!

At this moment, Qin Huairu personally tore off his greatest pride in his life, threw it on the ground, and let it be trampled on by everyone in the hospital!

After Qin Huairu finished speaking, she quickly lowered her head, biting her lower lip tightly, not daring to look into Sha Zhu's desperate and angry eyes.

She could feel her mother-in-law's icy gaze, like a knife, piercing her back from behind the Jia family's window.

She had no choice... she had to distance herself from Shazhu, otherwise her mother-in-law wouldn't let her off the hook... and Banggeng would be in danger...

Yi Zhonghai's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

He had intended to cover it up, but Qin Huairu exposed it!

Sha Zhu has completely lost face!

He quickly tried to smooth things over, his voice tinged with anger:

"Alright, alright! Stop arguing! Zhu Zi did have a bit of an accident, but that just proves he wasn't in the yard this afternoon and didn't have time to steal chickens! Da Mao, your suspicion is unfounded!"

Xu Damao was also stunned by this sudden "cesspool" incident. Then, seeing Sha Zhu's pathetic state, as if he wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into, a morbid pleasure welled up in his heart, but he still didn't hold back his words:

"Hmph! Fell into a cesspool? Who knows if it's true or not? Maybe he just panicked while stealing chickens and fell in!"

He was just being stubborn; deep down, he actually believed a little of Sha Zhu's innocence.

Sha Zhu was filled with shame and indignation, wishing he could disappear into the ground on the spot.

He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, his body trembling slightly from extreme anger and humiliation.

He abruptly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes like those of a wounded beast. He no longer looked at Qin Huairu, but instead, like a poisoned knife, swept across the entire room.

Finally, it was firmly nailed to the tightly closed door of He Yuanchao's house!

It's him!

It must be that treacherous, childless heir!

envy!

revenge!

Eat and drink to your heart's content!

Countless reasons popped into Sha Zhu's mind in an instant.

He Yuanchao has been living too comfortably lately!

He fished and ate meat, his bicycle was brand new, and he even won the appreciation of the deputy factory director. I heard that even his handwriting has become quite decent!

He, Shazhu, fell into the cesspool, lost his job, and became the laughingstock of the entire hospital!

This stark contrast was like a venomous snake gnawing at his heart!

"If it's not Sha Zhu, then who else could it be?!"

Sha Zhu suddenly roared, his voice hoarse and distorted with anger. His finger, like a javelin, pointed straight at He Yuanchao's house.

"It's him! He Yuanchao! That childless man! He must have stolen it!"

He grasped at a straw, frantically spouting his own logic, trying to divert everyone's attention and wash away the shame of falling into the cesspool:

"Just think about it! How extravagant He Yuanchao has been lately? He has fish and meat every few days! The smell fills the whole yard!"

Where did he get the money? Where did he get the tickets? It must be illicit! He must have stolen it! Xu Damao's chicken went missing today, perfect timing! He can have a good meal tonight! Who else could it be but him?!

Sha Zhu's roar echoed in the courtyard, carrying a hysterical madness.

Yi Zhonghai frowned, but did not immediately refute.

To be honest, he also had his doubts.

He Yuanchao's recent changes are indeed too great and too eye-catching.

The fish, the meat, the brand-new bicycle… where did the money come from? Could it really be some kind of crooked scheme? Yi Zhonghai's prestige was tarnished last time because of the cellar incident. If this time, if He Yuanchao's theft of chickens can be confirmed… wouldn't that be the best opportunity to regain his prestige and power?

With his small eyes blinking, a look of "deep agreement" appeared on his chubby face.

He had long disliked He Yuanchao. Why was a fitter more prestigious than him, a seventh-grade blacksmith? He cleared his throat and spoke in a highly official tone:

"What Sha Zhu said... although it's a bit crude, it's not entirely unreasonable. Comrade He Yuanchao's recent lifestyle is a bit... well, it's worth discussing."

To be fair, and to clear everyone's name, I think... a search wouldn't hurt!

When Yan Bugui heard that they were going to search He Yuanchao's house, his heart skipped a beat.

He Yuanchao is now the "god of wealth" in his family. They're counting on him to slip some smoked fish and soft drinks through their fingers!

He quickly pushed up his tattered glasses and took a step forward, trying to stop him:

"Old Liu, you can't say that! How can you search someone's house without any evidence? That's an invasion of private property!"

Besides, they haven't even returned from Korea yet! This...this isn't appropriate!

"Inappropriate? What's inappropriate about it?!"

Jia Zhangshi's sharp, piercing voice, like an awl, suddenly rang out from the Jia family's doorway.

She flung open the curtain, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, and stormed into the center of the courtyard. Her triangular eyes glared fiercely at Yan Bugui, then she launched into a tirade against Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong:

"Old Man Yan! Stop pretending to be a good guy! I bet you're in cahoots with that good-for-nothing!"

What are you afraid of? An upright person has nothing to fear! If He Yuanchao didn't steal, why would he be afraid of being searched?

She put her hands on her hips and raised her voice as if afraid someone wouldn't hear her.

"Search! We must search! Let's start with that house where no one has left a family!"

That chicken was so big, if you killed and ate it, there would be some feathers left, right? And some bones, right? And some ash in the stove, right? I don't believe he could have hidden it all away!

"Uncle, Uncle, you must stand up for us honest people! We can't let that chicken thief get away with it!"

As she shouted, she frantically signaled to Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong with her eyes.

Hurry up!

Before that childless man returns, let's solidify the "evidence"!

By the time he got back, the daylily buds would be cold!

Jia Zhangshi's tantrum and "righteous indignation" instantly incited many people who were unaware of the truth or who were already jealous of He Yuanchao.

"Aunt Jia is right! A quick search will tell us everything!"

"Exactly! Search his house! Let's see what he has to say next!"

"Search! Find him and make him pay! Make him pay ten chickens!"

"Yes! Search He Yuanchao's house!"

Shouts rose and fell, and Jia Zhangshi easily stirred up the crowd's emotions.

Seeing this situation, Yi Zhonghai made a tough decision.

The opportunity is right in front of you!

He needs a victory to save face!

He needs to re-establish his absolute authority as an "old man"!

He Yuanchao, you're just unlucky!

He took a deep breath, straightened his back, and adopted the authoritative posture of the highest-ranking person in the courtyard. His gaze swept across the entire room, and his voice was loud and clear, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness:

"Alright! Everyone, quiet down!"

Since everyone has some doubts about Comrade He Yuanchao, in order to be fair and just, and to clear Comrade He Yuanchao of suspicion, I propose that we vote!

"Those who agree to search Comrade He Yuanchao's room in search of clues about the stolen hen, please raise your hands!"

Before he finished speaking, he was the first to raise his hand high.

Liu Haizhong raised his hand almost simultaneously, his chubby face full of the seriousness of "enforcing the law impartially".

Madam Jia raised her hand higher than anyone else, shouting, "Agreed! Agreed!"

Sha Zhu raised his hand without hesitation, his face showing a mixture of vengeful pleasure and twisted anticipation.

Xu Damao also raised his hand. He hated Sha Zhu, but he hated the person who might steal his chicken even more!

Immediately afterwards, one by one, the residents of the courtyard raised their hands, some hesitantly, some decisively, and some gleefully.

He Yuanchao's recent "good days" have already caught the eye of many people.

Jealousy is the deepest poison in human nature, and now, under the guise of "justice," it is spreading unchecked.

Yi Zhonghai's gaze swept across the crowd and finally landed on the deaf old woman sitting on a small stool, holding an enamel mug.

The old woman's cloudy eyes seemed to be looking this way, yet also seemed not to be looking at all; her face was expressionless.

"Grandma, what do you think?"

Yi Zhonghai symbolically raised his voice and asked a question.

The deaf old woman slowly raised her head, her cloudy gaze sweeping over the expectant Sha Zhu, then looking at He Yuanchao's tightly closed door. On her expressionless face, the corner of her mouth turned down almost imperceptibly.

She didn't speak, but she slightly raised the hand holding the enamel mug as a gesture of agreement.

She didn't care about petty theft or anything like that; all she knew was that if her silly grandson was unhappy, or if someone offended her grandson, then they were doomed.

Yi Zhonghai felt much more at ease, and his sharp gaze fell on Yan Bugui's family, the only ones who hadn't raised their hands: "Old Yan, what do you think?"

Yan Bugui's face was pale, and his lips were trembling.

He didn't want to offend He Yuanchao, but given the current situation... He glanced at the equally nervous Third Aunt and Yan Jiefang beside him, and finally spoke with difficulty:

"We...we abstain. This...this isn't appropriate..."

"good!"

Yi Zhonghai interrupted him immediately, before he could finish speaking, and announced in a loud voice:

"Voting results! Except for Comrade Yan Bugui and his family who abstained, all other residents, including the old lady, agreed to the search!"

The minority must submit to the majority! Now, in order to ascertain the truth as quickly as possible, I hereby declare that a search shall be carried out immediately!

Where are the keys? Does anyone have a spare key to the Yasukuni Shrine?

His gaze turned meaningfully to his second uncle, Liu Haizhong.

The spare keys for each household in a courtyard house are usually kept by the head steward.

With his pregnant belly protruding, Liu Haizhong immediately untied a large bunch of jingling keys from his waistband, rummaging through them with an excited expression that suggested he held the power of life and death.

"Yes! I have a spare key! It's with me!"

Just as Yi Zhonghai finally found the brass key in Liu Hai's hair and was about to give the order to "open the door"—

"Ring ring!"

The crisp, loud sound of a bicycle bell, like a sharp sword piercing through the dark clouds, suddenly came from outside the hanging flower gate!

Immediately afterwards, a gleaming Forever brand 28-inch motorcycle, still reflecting a cold, hard metallic sheen even in the dim light, swiftly drove into the gate of the Intermediate People's Court.

~~~~~~~

Waaaaah, I need someone to support me out of love~