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

Early August in Beijing is the height of summer, and even in the evening it's still unbearably hot. Like the beasts in the courtyard, even after just a short performance, they were already sweating profusely. Fortunately, they are safe and sound…

His flat voice carried a familiar chill!

The beasts who were just moments before, their blood boiling with rage, froze on the spot. It felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads; their bodies involuntarily shivered. Especially the key players from today's games…

The once arrogant Jia Zhangshi, like a hen with its neck being choked, let out two strange cries, "Heh heh..." Mechanically turning her head, she met He Ping'an's gaze as he strode into the crowd.

His mocking gaze, his ambiguous smile, were exactly the same casual way he dealt with Li Dagang back then—familiar to the point of being terrifying…

Jia Zhangshi's obese, short body slumped uncontrollably to the ground. Just like in the autumn of 46... she scrambled backward, using both hands and feet.

Jia Dongxu was even more disheveled; the wooden stick in his hand clattered to the ground. He stared wide-eyed at the source of the sound, his mouth opening and closing but unable to utter a complete syllable, "Ah...ah!"

He was so frightened that he lost his voice!

Although He Ping'an looked down on Li Dagang, this good-for-nothing, he still treated him like Li Dagang. ...For the sake of being old neighbors!

"You're a piece of trash who can't even compare to Li Dagang, yet you dare to covet my He family's house, huh?"

He Pingan gripped Jia Dongxu's neck with one hand and slowly lifted him up. With increased force, Jia Dongxu's eyes visibly reddened, and his eyeballs even began to bloodshot.

"Snapped!"

Jia Dongxu was luckier than Li Dagang; he had a loving mother. Seeing her son in trouble, Jia Zhangshi scrambled to her knees before He Ping'an and slapped herself in the face!

A few slaps later, blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her obese old face swelled up like a pig's head. In the crucial moment, Jia Zhangshi was still that ruthless woman!

"Brother Ping An, my son is innocent! It was all that bitch Qin Huairu's fault... She instigated him to do it all! Please, for the sake of us, a widow and orphan, spare my son!"

"Please... Old Jia..." Overwhelmed with paternal love, Jia Zhangshi kowtowed repeatedly on the bluestone slab until her head bled. She didn't forget to perform her old act, trying to amuse He Ping'an.

"Heh..." He Ping'an watched Jia Zhangshi's performance with a cold face, his eyes indifferent and devoid of their former mockery...

"Jia Zhangshi... The reason I let you go back then was because I saw the shadow of my sister-in-law in you. She also favored me when she was alive." He Ping'an sneered.

"Jia Dongxu is a piece of trash who's not even worth a damn, yet he dares to covet my He family's house... huh?"

"Pfft!" The unconscious Jia Dongxu fell onto Jia Zhangshi like a rag doll, causing her to grimace in pain, but she dared not make a sound. Her eyes, swollen to slits, looked at He Ping'an in a pleading manner.

"Thank you... thank you so much, Brother Ping An!"

"Just wait..."

He Ping'an certainly wouldn't let the Jia family off the hook just because of a few flimsy pleas and a few beheadings. There were too many beasts to deal with; he'd collect interest from them one by one first!

Sensing He Ping'an's gaze, Yi Zhonghai, who had just been pontificating, could no longer maintain his naive facade. His eyes darted around nervously. The forced smile on his pale face looked more like a grimace.

"Brother Ping... Ping An, I just... I just wanted Zhu Zi to learn from you, to bring honor to you!"

"Slap..." He Ping'an slapped Yi Zhonghai across the face, leaving him with the same fate as Li Dagang back then. Two back molars were spat out along with blood and foam, and he was sent flying to the ground.

"Yi Zhonghai, you're still so shameless. Even the prostitutes of the Eight Great Hutongs have more shame than you. For my sake, how dare you utter such deceitful nonsense?"

Looking at the leader of the family, who had fainted again, whether real or fake, He Ping'an shook his head disdainfully and glanced at the remaining two birds.

A beast is a beast. Even a stupid beast will instinctively betray its teammates in a critical moment.

Liu Haizhong's pupils contracted, and his protruding belly seemed to suddenly deflate. "Clang!" The teacup slipped from his hand and crashed onto the bluestone slab. His thick fingers, trembling with fear, pointed at Yi Zhonghai.

"Um...ah...that, Brother Ping An, it's Lao Yi...yes, Lao Yi. He's the one who told me this would establish the authority of the manager, so I came along!"

"That's right, Brother Ping An, hello. My name is Yan Bugui, I'm the manager of the front yard, and also a teacher. I can testify that everything today was instigated by Yi Zhonghai!"

Even at this point, Yan Bugui still couldn't resist showing off his status and eloquence! A newcomer is a newcomer after all; he has no sense of being honest and willing to take a beating!

"Pillar!" He Ping'an pointed to Liu Haizhong, whose body was riddled with fat and trembling, "He's in your hands now..."

Forget morality for petty gains, and be afraid to risk your life when pursuing great things! A coward who is wicked and heartless who is good—a mediocre person who is neither here nor there, is the most disgusting kind of person!

For some reason, of all the characters in the Siheyuan storyline, He Ping'an was most annoyed by this old man!

"Heh... You still can't resist showing off at a time like this!" He Ping'an walked past Liu Haizhong and headed straight for Yan Bugui.

"Smack..."

"You're the manager, right?"

The black glasses flew off, causing Yan Bugui to stumble.

"Snapped!"

"A teacher, right?"

After two slaps, Yan Bugui, his face swollen like a pig's head, stumbled into the crowd.

The beasts, who usually treated the three stewards with utmost respect, immediately scattered, fearing they would attract He Ping'an's attention. Only Yang Ruihua collapsed beside Yan Bugui, wailing in heart-wrenching agony, "Master...Master!"

"Cough...cough...I'm fine!" Yan Bugui caught a glimpse of He Ping'an's cold face out of the corner of his eye, and coughed even more vigorously.

A person's reputation precedes them! In three years, he had naturally become aware of He Ping'an's formidable name. He hadn't originally intended to get involved in this mess, but could he really earn money just by playing along? Who would have thought he'd catch the main character returning home!

"That sob story? Those beasts behind you used it eight years ago. And you call yourself a cultured person?" He Ping'an gave this "calculation genius" a mocking look and then ignored him.

"Uncle, Aunt, please sit down..."

He Yuzhu was efficient at his work; not only did he beat Liu Haizhong until he was bruised and swollen, but he also took the time to go back into the house and bring out two chairs.

"You..."

While everyone is different, and the world can't be all smart, there will always be a few fools. But if it happens in your own home...

Speechless, helpless, and resigned to fate, He Ping'an was truly distressed.

"If you had half the brains of your brain, you wouldn't have been outsmarted by a bunch of beasts!"

"Now is not the time to discipline your son," He Ping'an said, sauntering into a chair and coldly surveying the crowd.

"This is my last chance. I want to know the truth I want to know!"