Courtyard House: A Leisurely and Contented Life

As soon as he stepped out of the house, the aroma of meat wafted into his nose. He smacked his lips and his throat bobbed several times.

But he knew he wouldn't get any meat from Yang Jianye's family. If he couldn't eat meat, he'd have to find some snacks to tide him over, right? His eyes lit up, and an idea struck him. Sha Zhu loved peanuts, and his family always had some stocked up. Right now, Sha Zhu was enjoying himself at Yang Jianye's house; perfect, he'd go grab some peanuts to satisfy his craving!

He slipped into the house with practiced ease, reached the cupboard, and pulled out a small bag of peanuts. The peanuts weren't large, but they felt heavy in his hand, quite substantial. He grabbed a handful and stuffed them into his pocket. Instead of leaving immediately, he sat down and slowly chewed them, planning to go back later to avoid another scolding from his mother. Since Sha Zhu wouldn't be back from Yang Jianye's house anytime soon, he figured he might as well take advantage of the situation.

This kid has been clever since he was little, his mind works faster than a spinning top, but unfortunately he uses it all in the wrong way.

But little did he know that something unexpected had happened. Sha Zhu was eating Yang Jianye's food and felt bad about it. He thought it wasn't right to just eat other people's food; he should go back to his own house to get some peanuts to go with his drinks. The two houses were close by, and Sha Zhu was in a hurry to go back and have a couple of drinks, so he strode into the house.

"Creak,"

The moment the door opened, he bumped right into Banggeng, who was sitting in a chair munching on peanuts. Shazhu watched as Banggeng slumped in his usual chair, peanuts dangling from his hand, popping them into his mouth one by one. Anyone who didn't know better would think he owned the place!

Sha Zhu was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter in anger, saying jokingly, "Hey Bang Geng, what are you doing here?"

"I'm craving some peanuts." Banggeng had just shrank back in fright, but when he saw it was Shazhu, he immediately became defiant again. His grandma said that Shazhu was craving his mother's body, and there was nothing she could do about it! Besides, can't I have a little something if I'm craving something? If Shazhu brought home vegetables every day, would he need to steal peanuts?

"Silly Zhu, you'd better keep bringing back vegetables!" Bang Geng muttered matter-of-factly. "I haven't had any meat for a week. What am I supposed to eat if you don't bring any?"

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu almost choked on his breath. "Go to hell!" He stepped forward and grabbed Bang Geng's ear, about to lash out, when he caught sight of the table against the wall and his mind immediately started working.

He didn't bother arguing with the Jia family; instead, he started yelling at the top of his lungs, "Hey! This brat, he hasn't changed since we caught him last time, and he's stealing from me again?"

It was dinnertime, and smoke was billowing from every chimney. People in the courtyards were all holding bowls. As soon as they heard Sha Zhu shout, they all rushed over. In these days, there's not much fun, and people get bored as soon as it gets dark. They rely on the trivial matters of their neighbors to pass the time. How could they not come over when they heard the commotion?

Amidst the commotion in the courtyard, the curtain to the Jia family's door was abruptly lifted. Qin Huairu was the first to rush out, about to shout "Fool..." but a glare from Niu Yan made her swallow the rest of her words: "Zhuzi, let's talk this out. What did the child do to you? What's with pulling his ear?"

Following behind, Granny Jia was no less polite than Qin Huairu. Hands on her hips, she launched into a tirade: "You fool Zhu! What kind of skill is it to bully us orphans and widows? Don't you have anyone else at home? Everyone, come and judge! Bullying orphans and widows, you shameless wretch, you heartless monster..."

As she cursed, she suddenly lay down on the ground, slapping her thighs and wailing, "God! I can't live like this anymore! Ahhh..."

No wonder she's Banggeng's grandmother; she raised him to be shameless. Even without seeing him, just from the sound of his voice, Shazhu knew that Banggeng must have sneaked into the house to take something. In the past, Granny Jia wouldn't have backed down; she would have pointed at Shazhu's nose and scolded him, forcing him to apologize to his eldest grandson, saying he was "greedy for Qin Huai" and "despicable," unable to stand up to his mother.

But this week, Granny Jia had a lot on her mind. She peeked through the window every day, and Sha Zhu was avoiding Qin Huairu like she was a plague god, completely different from his clingy self before. She suddenly realized: her "meal ticket" was probably lost! This Sha Zhu wasn't someone she could easily manipulate anymore.

So as soon as she appeared, Granny Jia unleashed her trump card: regardless of right or wrong, she immediately accused him of "bullying an orphan and a widow." Silly Zhu, with his clumsy tongue, was no match for her.

Granny Jia cried so hard that tears streamed down her face, leaving Sha Zhu speechless. But since he couldn't speak, someone else spoke for him.

"Jia Zhangshi, stop wailing." An old man cleared his throat. "If there's anything wrong, let's have a meeting to settle it. Let's lay out the truth, and everything will be clear."

When Granny Jia heard that a large meeting was to be held, her mind went blank. Something was wrong! In the past, when she made a fuss like this, it was no big deal and it would be over. Why did it have to be a large meeting today? No, it absolutely cannot be held!

Qin Huai glared at the old woman throwing a tantrum on the ground, utterly exhausted. This teammate was truly hopeless; she was too tired to handle! She quickly tried to smooth things over: "Uncle, everyone hasn't finished eating yet. Let's not have a big meeting. I'll discuss this with Zhu Zi ourselves, okay?"

She's very shrewd. Instead of a large meeting, she'll talk to Sha Zhu alone; there's still room for maneuver. At worst, she can admit her mistake, apologize, and it'll all be over.

Before the first uncle could speak, the second uncle, Liu Haizhong, rang out: "What do you mean by 'resolving it yourselves'? What's the point of rules then? Huh? You're just going to handle all the problems yourselves?"

"These three old men can't step down, so maybe the neighborhood committee should be abolished too!"

No one responded to his first few remarks, but the moment he mentioned the prestigious name of the neighborhood committee office, the entire courtyard fell silent. Even Xu Damao, who had initially intended to cause trouble, withdrew his hand. These days, the neighborhood committee office didn't just handle trivial matters; it was directly connected to the livelihoods of thousands of households. The great leaders had even personally awarded neighborhood committee workers with red flowers and medals at the Great Hall of the People. Who would dare utter a single disparaging remark? Wouldn't that be incredibly audacious?

"Alright, let's eat first, then we'll have a big meeting to discuss this." An old man waved his hand, setting the tone.

As everyone headed back, Sha Zhu loosened his grip on Bang Geng's ear. The boy darted into Qin Huairu's arms, pouting pitifully, but his eyes were filled with resentment as he looked at Sha Zhu. Like attracts like; this little ingrate is becoming more and more like his grandmother, even his eyes are practically identical.

"Hey, still glaring?" Sha Zhu raised his hand forward, pretending to scare him.

Banggeng darted behind Qin Huairu, too afraid to peek out. Qin Huairu, protecting her son, said coldly, "Zhuzi, if something's wrong, tell me. What kind of behavior is this, scaring a child?"

Sha Zhu grinned: "Didn't you see the way he looked at me? Like I was his enemy."

"What, you think stealing from my room is so appealing?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu's heart skipped a beat, and her face changed. Sha Zhu didn't argue with her further, waving his hand and saying, "We'll talk about it in detail at the meeting later, I'm still drinking here!" He strode into Yang Jianye's house, leaving only an adult, an old man, and a child in the yard. A gust of cold wind brought Qin Huairu back to her senses. Looking at the unrepentant Bang Geng, her anger flared up, and she grabbed his arm, dragging him home. Judging from Sha Zhu's attitude, this was definitely not going to end well. Granny Jia sensed something was wrong and quickly got up to follow, saying, "Qin Huairu, what are you doing? How dare you touch my grandson! I'll make you pay..."

Once inside, the noise immediately stopped.

Inside, Sha Zhu picked up his teacup and followed him, grinning as if nothing had happened. Hua Zi glanced up absentmindedly; Yang Jianye was silently drinking and eating, not uttering a sound. Yingzi, unable to bear it any longer, asked, "Master He, what are you planning to do about the big meeting later?"

Sha Zhu laughed and said, "How would I know what to do? Aren't there still three gentlemen here?"

Li Ying nodded: "That's true. But this child needs to be disciplined; stealing chickens and dogs is unacceptable. If it were in our compound, he'd be beaten half to death."

This is no exaggeration. These days, beating children is really brutal. It's not uncommon for children to be crippled. But someone like Bang Geng is truly rare.

"Hey, don't even mention it," Sha Zhu sighed, feeling truly resentful. Bang Geng's gaze earlier had pierced him like needles; Jian Ye had been right—he'd raised an enemy. His earlier cheerful facade was based on the old man's teachings: don't let your emotions show, be adaptable. Don't harm others, but don't let them read you too easily. If someone sees you as easy to bully, they'll remember it, and when they need you, they'll take advantage of you. At first, Sha Zhu was defiant, thinking he wouldn't let anyone bully him. Then the old man said, "Who says you have to use your fists to bully someone? You've oversimplified the world." From that day on, Sha Zhu slowly began to understand how foolish he had been.

"Jianye, what do you think I should say?" Sha Zhu took a swig of his drink, put down his teacup, and asked Yang Jianye. In his heart, Yang Jianye was the most capable and kindest person in the courtyard. Although he wasn't entirely loyal to him, Sha Zhu had a clear head. Jianye was the only one who hadn't schemed against the former "fool," and had even enlightened him. That table wasn't just a table; it was a warning sign placed right in front of him, reminding him countless times, a reminder only Sha Zhu himself knew. That's why he trusted Jianye.

Yang Jianye asked earnestly, "You really want to hear it?"

"Of course it's true! Tell me, I'm listening!"

"Chop off their hands." Yang Jianye said with a smile, as if nothing had happened. "Didn't we say we'd follow the rules? Isn't this the rule we common folk used to follow? Chop off whichever hand stole it with, or both hands if you stole it with both hands."

Before he could finish speaking, Yingzi nudged him with her elbow: "What nonsense are you talking about? He's still a child!" Hua Zi was dumbfounded and obediently lowered his head without saying a word. Good heavens, Master Yang was ruthless enough to chop off his hand right off the bat. Hua Zi felt a chill on his wrist.

"He's not young anymore." Yang Jianye shook his head. "When he was his age, Master He was already raising his own sister."

Sha Zhu wholeheartedly agreed. Back then, he and his sister were struggling to make a living. If it weren't for the help from the people in the courtyard and the care of an old man, it's uncertain whether they would still be alive today. Why is Sha Zhu always so soft-hearted and compromises at crucial moments? Besides being soft-hearted and easily influenced, this is also the key. Back when Old Master Jia was still alive, he had helped him and his sister Yushui quite a bit. He was an honest man, but unfortunately, he had bad luck, marrying someone like Jia Zhangshi. After she died, even her son went with her, at least leaving behind Banggeng as a heir.

But that's the most regrettable part—it was all ruined by Granny Jia's teachings. As the old saying goes, "A kind mother brings prosperity to a family, while a wicked daughter destroys three generations." Judging by Granny Jia's current trend, she might just bring about the "extinction" of the Jia family. Just thinking about it is quite something!

Sha Zhu listened to the advice but was puzzled. "He's just a brat. Stealing a few peanuts? Should we chop off his hand?" he thought. "Besides, can you just chop off a hand like that? This is a society governed by law; we must abide by the law."

Anyone who dares to lay a finger on me today will be sent straight to jail for ten or eight years and won't be coming out!

Upon hearing Yang Jianye's words, Sha Zhu looked up and said, "Master He, you know we live in a society governed by law, so why are you asking me?"

Sha Zhu paused, then realized what he meant. So, they wanted him to call the police and handle it according to the law? He considered it: This... might work. With the adults at home encouraging and even discouraging petty theft, how could a child possibly behave? Sending him to a juvenile detention center might help him reform while he's still young. At least without Granny Jia's malice, Sha Zhu felt it was a reliable solution.

But then he thought, they're all neighbors in the same compound. Why send his child there for a few peanuts? He'd be ostracized by the whole compound, and they'd gossip behind his back: "Old Jia has treated you well, how could you cheat his grandson?" Sha Zhu could easily imagine what that would mean.

"Pillar! Pillar!" someone called from outside; it sounded like an old man.

Sha Zhu put down his teacup and said, "Jianye, I'll go take a look." He knew that the old man and Jianye didn't get along and he didn't like to talk to Jianye, so he simply lifted the curtain and went out without inviting anyone into the house.

When the old man saw Sha Zhu come out, his face fell. He had been hoping Sha Zhu would invite him in, at least to give him some face. Who would have thought Sha Zhu would just come out like that! Was Sha Zhu any smarter or not?

"Uncle, did you call me?" Today the factory was calling on everyone to learn from Yang Jianye, and Sha Zhu had already followed suit. He spoke politely, trying his best to think things through. If he couldn't think things through, he would just admit it. His mind was sometimes sharp and sometimes not, and he couldn't control it.

Looking at his simple-minded appearance, the old man said with a stern face, "Come to my place after the meeting."

Hearing the formality, Sha Zhu was secretly pleased: "Uncle, is there news about my wife?" He had been waiting for this question; the old man had promised to find him a wife long ago!

"Well, we'll talk when we meet." The old man said evasively, then turned and left.

Sha Zhu happily ran back into the house: "Jianye, I'm going to find a wife!"

"Congratulations!" Yang Jianye raised his glass to congratulate him, but then he wondered to himself: Is this time it really going to work out, or...?

Sha Zhu took a swig of his drink and muttered, "What can the police do about those three peanuts?"

Yang Jianye picked up a piece of beef and chewed it. It was a bit dry. Seeing Yingzi eating with relish, he chewed it vigorously with a "heh," enjoying it more and more. He said slowly, "This matter will ultimately have to be resolved in the courtyard. If it goes to the police station, you'll probably lose face in the courtyard."

Sha Zhu nodded vigorously, "That's right! How can neighbors not have their little squabbles? If someone calls the police over a few pieces of food today, how will we live together in the future?"

"Don't always focus on the child. The child is a blank canvas; how the adults draw on them depends entirely on the adults." Yang Jianye picked up some food with his chopsticks. "You need to focus on the person holding the pen."

Sha Zhu seemed to understand something, picked up the wine bowl and downed it in one gulp.

The whole family had to come for the big meeting, and Yingzi wanted to join in the fun too. Yang Jianye moved a long bench for her by the door: "Stay away, don't bump into anything. Granny Jia is like a mad dog when she throws a tantrum, it's better to stay away from her."

"Hua Zi, get to work." "Hey, Master Yang, you take a break, shall I do the installation?" Yang Jianye thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay, I'll lend a hand. If you don't understand something, ask me first before you start." The work isn't dangerous, it'll just waste some pipes, it's good for Hua Zi to practice.

The two were busy inside while the meeting had already begun outside. The matter was quite simple: Banggeng would sneak into Yang Jianye's house to steal food while Shazhu was drinking there.

"It's just a few peanuts, why are you, a grown man, getting angry with a child?" Granny Jia's words were so generous, her magnanimity about other people's money was enough to make anyone's head ache.

A few peanuts? Those are rationed goods; ordinary families have to save them up if they want to eat them! Even Uncle San distributes peanuts by the head; if someone drops a needle, it's theirs, what does it have to do with you, Granny Jia?

Qin Huairu understood perfectly well that Sha Zhu had truly changed his mind. Despite her pain, she was also seething with anger: just a day ago he was touching her hand and calling her "good sister," and now he avoids her every day, calling her "Widow Qin." He changed so quickly; he's a scoundrel!

She grabbed the stick and pulled it in front of her: "Kneel down before your Uncle He!"

Bang, neck stiff and covering his buttocks, cried out, "No! I won't kneel!"

Qin Huairu raised her hand and slapped Banggeng across the face, sending him sprawling to his knees.

"Zhuzi, I made Banggeng kowtow to you. He was wrong. I will definitely keep an eye on him from now on." Qin Huairu said, overcome with grief, tears streaming down her face.

Looking at her like this, and thinking about her situation as a widow and her orphan, who wouldn't feel sorry for her when faced with a troublemaker like Granny Jia? Even Sha Zhu softened. Considering the past relationship with Old Jia and Qin Huairu's difficult circumstances, who wouldn't feel conflicted in her shoes?

An old man sighed, "Widow Qin has had a hard life. Zhu Zi, let it go."

The second uncle wanted to assert his authority as an elder, but how old was his little grandson? It was just a matter of a few peanuts; what kind of prestige could he possibly have? He smirked and remained silent.

Just then, Uncle Yan Bugui, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly slammed his fist on the table and jumped out: "We can't just let this go! That kid is the future of our institute. As the great man said, the world will ultimately belong to them! If we raise a bunch of thieves, what kind of chaos will the world become in the future?"

Yan Bugui became increasingly agitated as he spoke: "If you ask me, we at least need to teach the kids a lesson! It's only been a few days since they stole from Jianye's house last time. If we don't do anything about it, next time they'll steal from the whole yard!"

His words sparked an uproar throughout the room. Let alone now, who would want to live in the same courtyard as petty thieves in the future? Dealing with thieves every day—what kind of respectable family could that be? Which family doesn't value its reputation? Your Jia family may not care about shame, but I certainly do!

"They must be severely punished!" Xu Damao's wife chimed in. "Uncles, several young men in our neighborhood are still single—Uncle Er's family, Uncle San's family, and even Sha Zhu and Yu Shui! If word gets out..."

"Hey, what do you mean?" Xu Damao joked. "I'm living off-site?"

"Haha, Damao, I forgot!"

"You're really something, completely forgetting about me!"

"Alright, alright," an old man interrupted him, "let her finish."

Xu Damao's wife glanced at Qin Huairu, who was sobbing with a gloomy face, and said with a forced smile, "Widow Qin, I'm not targeting you, but let's be honest, if word gets out, what will outsiders say about our courtyard? 'There's a thief!' 'A den of thieves!' When the children look for partners, if they hear that someone came from 'a den of thieves,' do I need to tell them what the consequences will be?"

These words struck like a thunderbolt. The faces of the second and third uncles instantly darkened. Indeed! Their children were approaching marriageable age; if they were associated with a "thief's den," what respectable family would dare arrange a marriage? Even if you knew it was an overreaction, rumors would distort as they spread, becoming like the stench of a latrine—inescapable. From then on, they'd be the subject of gossip and slander. Who could bear that?

"Can't you speak properly?" Granny Jia snapped, pointing at Xu Damao's wife and yelling, "My grandson only took two peanuts, what kind of thief is that? Shouldn't a hungry child have something to eat? This is a private matter, why would we let it get out to outsiders?"

"I think you're just a gossipy old woman spreading rumors!" Granny Jia rolled up her sleeves, ready to tear her apart. "Believe me or not, I'll rip your lousy mouth to shreds!"

"What? Your kid steals and you think you're in the right?" Xu Damao's wife snapped. "Can't you come home to eat if you're hungry? According to you, if we're hungry, we can just come to your house and take whatever we want? You stop right there, or I'll tear you apart!"

Granny Jia pounced like a mad dog, unstoppable. The three old men were furious; the eldest was about to yell when a loud crash shook the square table beside them. The second old man slammed his fist on the table, his voice booming like thunder: "What are you doing? You want to eat someone?"