Uncle Shazhu, a simple-minded man in a courtyard house, persuades people with reason.

He Ping'an had someone file a complaint, it was Liu Kangzhan who did it. The lengthy, three-thousand-word letter of denunciation, after several twists and turns, finally landed on the desk of the director of the Military Control Commission. He received the comment, "A man's anger for a woman!"—not a complete waste of time!

Someone told He Ping'an about this in a joking manner, and He Ping'an really took it as a joke and laughed it off!

To not return home in wealth and honor is like wearing fine clothes at night!

Evening, Nanluoguxiang...

"Beep beep..."

The groups of beasts hurriedly made way, and a black sedan smoothly drove past them and stopped at the entrance of the courtyard house.

Wearing a People's Liberation Army uniform, He Ping'an greeted the birds with a smile and strolled into the courtyard.

Liu Haizhong stared wide-eyed, clicking his tongue twice...

"Old Yi, look at this setup! Our brother Ping An has become a high-ranking official in the Communist Party! You have to admire a scholar like him; he could order those traitors around during the Republic of China era, and now that the dynasty has changed, he's still a high-ranking official!"

A hint of jealousy flashed in Yi Zhonghai's eyes. He managed a few perfunctory words before beckoning Jia Dongxu to hurry into the courtyard.

At the He family home, He Daqing, unusually, didn't go to the backyard to report for duty. While cooking, he supervised He Yuzhu cutting the chopsticks.

"Uncle..." Little Yushui, who was playing alone, rushed over with her short legs. He Daqing and his son He Yuzhu also stopped what they were doing and surrounded He Ping'an to look at the strange sight.

After a while, He Ping'an looked at He Daqing's hesitant expression and said speechlessly, "Just say what's on your mind. What's there to be embarrassed about between brothers!"

He Daqing smiled sheepishly, "It's at the backyard where the deaf old lady lives, she..."

He Ping'an nodded knowingly, "Her matter isn't a big deal. Never mind, I'll go talk to her!"

In the backyard, Li Guifen listened through the doors and windows as Liu Haizhong boasted about He Ping'an. She looked hopefully at the deaf old woman: "Godmother, Ping'an's done for the world! He even drove back in a car. I'll go beg the Qing Dynasty..."

"Sigh..." The deaf old woman shook her head and sighed, "Let's wait and see! I just feel sorry for you and your son. I originally thought I could support you for a few more years, but I didn't expect... I might even become a burden to you and your son!"

"Godmother, without you, where would I be with my son..." Li Guifen said through gritted teeth, her eyes red-rimmed. "I'll go beg Da Qing; he's Ping An's elder brother. An elder brother is like a father; he'll definitely listen to Da Qing!"

"Squeak!"

The door was pushed open from the outside, and He Ping'an's voice was as cold as ever. "Not necessarily. It's true I was raised by my eldest brother, but it was also my sister-in-law who raised me..."

There was no need to argue with a woman. He Ping'an pointed to the door: "You go out first, I'll talk to the old lady..."

"Girl, go... and close the door behind you!"

With red eyes, Li Guifen stood guard at the door to prevent anyone from eavesdropping.

In the dimly lit room, the deaf old woman's face was withered and she was nearing her end. She remained as sharp-tongued as ever towards the pimp, He Ping'an.

"Your family that raised you, and your own son, they've all run away, haven't they? This time, you're truly all alone!"

"You're a complete scoundrel!"

Remembering her son who had come knocking on her door late at night a while ago, the deaf old woman lost all her anger. She waved her hand weakly, "Go away! If you really want to take better care of Guifen and her child, even though the child bears the surname Li, he's still a member of the He family!"

"Heh..." He Ping'an chuckled, "Who are you trying to fool with this half-dead act? Just because the people in the courtyard call you 'Ancestor,' you really think you're someone important! Good people don't live long, but bad people live for a thousand years. Stay alive!"

The deaf old woman paused, then laughed bitterly. "Yes, what kind of person am I, a mistress who can't even raise my own child?"

"Knock knock..." He Pingan tapped the table, looking impatient.

"That's enough. It's just the two of us in the house. Who are we putting on this show for? You're a mistress, and your son has been taken away. According to our organization, you're a victim of feudal oppression, someone we should be helping. As for the rest of the nonsense..."

He Ping'an looked out the window, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"I can't even be bothered to investigate Yi Zhonghai, Jia Zhangshi, and Liu Haizhu, let alone you, an abandoned old woman!"

The old woman was shrewd and showed no embarrassment at being exposed; however, her pupils contracted when she heard those three names.

"You knew all along?"

He Pingan stared coldly out the window, his tone playful.

"What do you know? Do you know how three poor guys from the countryside managed to buy a house, get married, and start a family in their early twenties during the Japanese occupation without relying on their families?"

The back courtyard wing rooms and the left and right wing rooms in the middle courtyard are the best houses in the courtyard house, apart from the deaf old lady and the He family.

He remembered clearly that in order to buy those two main rooms in the Central Courtyard, He Daqing not only sold his old house, but also emptied his savings of many years and even borrowed a lot of debt!

"I don't know the specifics of what happened back then. I only know that the three of them came to me one after another within a year and bought the room they were renting."

At the time, I did have my doubts. Like you said, those three poor boys were being exploited by the Japanese and their dogs, and they had no powerful relatives to help them. Where did they get the money?

But by then, almost half a year had passed, and there were no clues left. I sent people to follow the three of them for a while, but they found nothing unusual, so I had to let it go…” The deaf old woman half-closed her eyes, recalling the past…

He Ping'an smiled enigmatically, "Really no clues?"

The deaf old woman curled her lip, "Didn't you say you were too lazy to care?" She gave He Ping'an a disdainful look.

"If you really want to know anything, you can investigate Jia Dongxu's deadbeat father! Lou Zhenhua from the steel mill received favors from my family, and he sent someone to warn me that the accident was suspicious and that I should be careful of Yi Zhonghai!"

He Ping'an nodded noncommittally, neither saying he would investigate nor that he wouldn't.

"Young Master He, I heard you had a relationship with Lou Zhenhua's eldest daughter, Lou Xiaohui, but you were forced to break up. How about it, do you want me, this old lady, to act as your matchmaker?"

"Tch...! Trying to take advantage of me? No way!"

The deaf old woman nodded seriously, "That's true. With your shameless nature, if you really wanted to do something, your child would be about the same age as Ze'an by now!"

Halfway through her sentence, the deaf old woman suddenly realized, "I knew it! You really are a scoundrel!"

The deaf old woman had lived through the Republican era and was very experienced; she had also managed to survive as a mistress, so she was certainly not lacking in cunning. He Ping'an was not surprised at all that she could see through his thoughts.

"Older people should mind their own business; that's how they live longer!"

He Ping'an had no interest in comforting an old woman and walked straight away. He paused suddenly near the door, his aura hardening, and said seriously:

"Tell your son about the backup plans he's prepared for you, and tell them to hide them well. Find one, and I'll kill it!"

The deaf old woman watched He Ping'an's departing figure, then mimicked his gesture and looked out the window. The last rays of sunlight faded...

"My wife is really old!"