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

"Clang—!!!"

That old, dilapidated wooden door, already showing its age, couldn't withstand Sha Zhu's angry kick. The door groaned under the weight, and the hinges snapped.

The entire door, as if struck by a battering ram, sprang inward, slammed heavily against the wall, and bounced back, teetering on the verge of collapse!

The loud noise and vibration terrified Yan Bugui inside the room. He screamed "Ah!" and the chopsticks in his hand fell to the table with a "clatter," while the piece of meat he had just picked up rolled to the ground.

He stared in horror at Sha Zhu, who looked like a ferocious demon at the door, his face ashen and his legs trembling.

He Yuanchao's reaction was completely different.

A second before Sha Zhu kicked the door, he seemed to have sensed something, his hand holding the wine bowl was as steady as a rock, and he didn't even blink.

Only when the door was kicked open did he slowly put down the wine bowl, his movements unhurried, as if he were simply putting down an ordinary cup.

He raised his eyelids, his gaze calm and even slightly amusement, and looked at the panting, furious-eyed Sha Zhu at the door.

"Shazhu?" He Yuanchao's voice was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger. "What? You kicked down my door, are you planning to pay for it, or are you planning to go to jail?"

"I'll eat your grandpa!"

Sha Zhu was completely enraged by He Yuanchao's nonchalant attitude. He pointed at He Yuanchao's nose and cursed, "He Yuanchao! Are you even human? How difficult is it for Sister Qin's family?"

Banggeng was crying from hunger, all he wanted was some meat broth to soak his cornbread in, and you fucking won't give it to him!

They even deliberately invited Old Man Yan in, locked the door, and had him eat and drink to his heart's content! What are you up to? Are you deliberately trying to provoke him?

Showing off your money, are you? You heartless, rotten, childless bastard!

Upon seeing Sha Zhu's posture, Jia Zhangshi immediately perked up and slapped her thigh, chiming in, "Zhu Zi! You're finally back! Look at this! This beast surnamed He is trying to drive our whole family to our deaths!"

They have meat but won't share it with the neighbors, and they even enlisted that old glutton Yan Bugui to annoy us! Banggeng is almost starving to death!

I can't live like this anymore! God, open your eyes and strike this heartless wretch dead!

Banggeng also seized the opportunity to cry out, "Silly Uncle! He Yuanchao is bad! He hit me! He didn't give me any meat! Waaaaaah!"

The old man, Yi Zhonghai, frowned as he looked at the furious Sha Zhu and the rickety door. But this time, he didn't immediately step forward to stop him. Instead, a hint of coldness flashed deep in his eyes.

He Yuanchao is too arrogant!

They really don't respect him at all, even though he's an old man!

It's time to teach that idiot Zhu a lesson and let him know what respect and hierarchy really mean!

He cleared his throat and spoke in a tone that seemed to be mediating but was actually adding fuel to the fire: "Zhu Zi! Let's talk this out! Don't fight! Yuan Chao, don't be so stubborn!"

Look how angry Aunt Zhang and the children are! Just listen to Uncle's advice, give Bang Geng a bowl of meat soup, apologize to Zhu Zi, and the matter will be over! We can still be good neighbors!

His words directly pinned the blame for an "apology" on He Yuanchao.

Looking at the farce unfolding before him, at Sha Zhu's foolishness in being used as a pawn without realizing it, at Yi Zhonghai's hypocritical and biased face, and at the expectant or gloating eyes outside the door, He Yuanchao suddenly laughed.

It wasn't a sneer, nor a mockery, but a laugh filled with utter absurdity and utter contempt.

He slowly stood up, his tall figure casting a shadow in the dim light, carrying an invisible sense of oppression.

His gaze swept over Sha Zhu, then over Yi Zhonghai, finally settling on Qin Huairu's tearful face outside the door. His voice was clear and cold, carrying a chilling sarcasm:

"Apologize? Ha, what a joke!"

"I spent my own money, bought my own meat, cooked my own food, and ate it behind closed doors. Who did I bother? What law did I break? Just because I didn't share with the Jia family, does that make me a sinner? Does that mean I have to apologize?"

He took a step forward, closing in on Sha Zhu, his eyes sharp as knives: "Sha Zhu! You feel so sorry for Qin Huairu, so sorry for Bang Geng, they're starving and it breaks your heart to see them screaming for food, right? Then why don't you give them all the lunchboxes you smuggled from the cafeteria?"

Why don't you use all your salary to buy them meat and rice?

Why don't you give them your main room to live in?

All you do is talk big and act like a hero, using other people's things to glorify yourself? You're quite adept at being generous with other people's money!

Sha Zhu was so choked by He Yuanchao's series of questions that his face turned red. He opened his mouth and stammered "I...I..." for a long time, but couldn't utter a single word.

He did help Qin Huairu, but to make him lose everything? That's impossible!

He Yuanchao gave him no chance to catch his breath, turning his gaze to Yi Zhonghai, his sarcasm deepening: "And you, old man! You keep talking about neighborly help and morality! The Jia family is in trouble?"

Qin Huairu's substitute job salary is 27.5 yuan, Jia Dongxu receives a work injury subsidy, the neighborhood provides relief, and Sha Zhu feeds him lunch every few days!

You, Yi Zhonghai, the self-proclaimed moral paragon, have spent all your energy on how to bewitch Sha Zhu, making him willingly become your free laborer and care for you in your old age, haven't you? Hypocritical! A fake benevolent heart!

"You...you're talking nonsense!"

Yi Zhonghai's most secret thoughts were exposed, and his face turned pale instantly. He pointed at He Yuanchao, trembling with anger, and could no longer maintain his dignity as an elder.

He Yuanchao finally fixed his gaze on Sha Zhu's face, his eyes filled with naked contempt and amusement: "Sha Zhu, you're so eager to serve the Jia family like a slave. People who know you will say you're 'benevolent' and 'warm-hearted'."

I don't know...

He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze sweeping over Jia Dongxu, whose face was pale inside, and Jia Zhangshi, who looked suspicious outside the door. His voice suddenly rose, like a thunderclap:

"I thought Bang Geng was your son, Sha Zhu! What? You want to be Dorgon and raise someone else's child?"

"boom--!"

These words were like a spiritual atomic bomb detonating in the courtyard!

Sha Zhu was struck dumb, as if by lightning!

My mind went completely blank!

The color drained from his face, and then it turned a deep liver color!

Jia Dongxu lay on the kang (heated brick bed) in the inner room, his originally cloudy and resentful eyes suddenly widening!

A strange "hoarse" sound came from his throat, and his body struggled violently. His eyes were filled with extreme anger and humiliation as he looked at Shazhu!

Jia Zhangshi, standing outside the door, was also dumbfounded!

Her triangular eyes widened as she looked at Sha Zhu, then at her son inside the house, and then at Qin Huairu, whose face was deathly pale. A terrifying thought, one she had never considered before, uncontrollably surfaced within her! Could it be... could it be that the prediction of the childless had come true?

Qin Huairu felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave!

His face was deathly pale, and his body was swaying precariously!

He Yuanchao's words were crueler than killing her!

They tore her last shred of dignity to shreds!

She felt like everyone in the yard was staring at her like needles!

The other onlookers were also stunned by this earth-shattering statement! Immediately, countless gazes filled with inquiry, suspicion, and disdain focused on Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu! Whispers rose like a tide.

"Hiss... No way?"

"You know what... Sha Zhu is really too good to Qin Huairu..."

"He's even closer to the Korean comedian than to his own father..."

"Jia Dongxu has been paralyzed for so many years... Qin Huairu is still young..."

"Looking at it this way, Bang-ge really does look like Sha-zhu, right? Could they really be..."

Sha Zhu finally snapped out of his shock and humiliation, and an unprecedented, raging fury of utter humiliation instantly consumed all his reason!

"He! Yuan! Chao! I'll fuck your ancestors!!!"

Sha Zhu had completely lost his mind! His eyes were bloodshot, like a wild beast that had been thoroughly enraged! He didn't care about reason or consequences anymore! He had only one thought in his mind: to tear He Yuanchao's vicious mouth apart! To shred him to pieces!