Courtyard House: A Carefree Life Begins with a Lottery of Wish Power

Lin Zhuo smiled and said sincerely:

"To be honest, I didn't know what kind of channel it was at the time."

"It was indeed Peking Opera, but after the broadcast, the announcer's tone sounded rather awkward to me, quite different from the tone of announcers on regular radio broadcasts."

"I had previously heard that listening to enemy radio broadcasts was strictly prohibited."

"I acted impulsively at the time, without thinking much, just thinking about how to quickly shut the radio down."

Looking back now, I think I was probably too impulsive.

Although everyone present had a premonition, they were still shocked when they actually heard the words "enemy station" from Lin Zhuo's mouth.

Even the usually carefree He Yuzhu now had a more serious expression.

If the claim of "listening to enemy radio stations" is confirmed, that would be a huge deal.

At best, the radio will be confiscated, the person will be disciplined, and will have to write a self-criticism.

In severe cases, it could lead to losing your job or going to jail; that's no joke.

Upon hearing Lin Zhuo's words, Xu Damao panicked and stammered in protest:

"Lin Zhuo, don't make baseless accusations."

"You broke Uncle Er's radio, trying to fool people by pretending it happened. You're just trying to scare them with this."

"Let me tell you, I'm not buying that."

Liu Haizhong was also quite surprised by Lin Zhuo's words.

Forget about being fired or sent to a labor camp; even a disciplinary action and a two-grade pay cut would be enough to make things difficult for him.

Liu Haizhong could only force himself to remain calm and said:

"Lin Zhuo, stop talking nonsense. Listening to enemy radio is not something you can just casually mention!"

Yi Zhonghai's expression was also extremely serious.

Listening to enemy radio is no laughing matter.

If it's confirmed, even if I'm not directly involved, I'll at least bear some responsibility for inadequate oversight.

With such a big incident happening in the courtyard, even I, as an old man, can no longer work, and the steel rolling mill will also be affected.

Yi Zhonghai pondered for a moment, then looked at Lin Zhuo seriously and said:

"Lin Zhuo, you can't just say things like that."

Lin Zhuo humbly replied:

"That old man is right."

"I did get a little too excited just now."

Upon hearing Lin Zhuo's words, which seemed to indicate a willingness to back down, Liu Haizhong seized the opportunity and said:

"Lin Zhuo, you smashed my radio because of your own wild imagination. You don't need to say anything else, you'd better hurry up and pay for it."

"This radio costs 165 yuan, plus a radio ticket."

"You either give me 165 yuan and a ticket, or you buy me an identical radio."

"Of course, you can take this broken one with you."

Xu Damao quickly chimed in, saying:

"I think Second Uncle's request is very fair. What do you say, First Uncle?"

Yi Zhonghai remained noncommittal, simply looking at Lin Zhuo and asking:

"Lin Zhuo, what do you say?"

Lin Zhuo calmly said:

"I think Uncle Er's compensation plan is reasonable."

Liu Haizhong's family and Xu Damao all showed joy upon hearing this.

Liu Haizhong was happy that his radio now had someone to keep him company, while Xu Damao was happy that Lin Zhuo had acknowledged the matter, so it was no longer his concern.

"However," Lin Zhuo changed the subject, "I can't agree to this compensation right now."

Lin Zhuo pointed to the frequency markings on the radio and said:

"I've memorized this frequency. I'll go to the police station or the factory's security department later to ask what kind of station it is."

"If it really is a domestic TV station, then I will compensate you according to the price."

"What if it weren't for..."

Before Lin Zhuo could finish speaking, Liu Haizhong quickly interrupted him:

"Lin Zhuo, I don't think it's necessary to involve the police station and security department in such a trivial matter."

Xu Damao also said repeatedly:

"Yes, yes, there's really no need to make such a fuss."

Ultimately, Xu Damao and his second uncle had no idea what to expect.

Not only were they unsure, but they also had a vague feeling that what they had just listened to might actually be an enemy station.

Moreover, it's fine if the station isn't an enemy station. But if it is, no one can bear the consequences.

Yi Zhonghai naturally didn't want to see this outcome either. If the matter really escalated to the police station or the security department, then regardless of whether it was an enemy station or not, he, as an old man, would be in a very passive position.

However, if there is no clear explanation for this matter, and Liu Haizhong's family suffers this loss for nothing, it will certainly be difficult to convince the public.

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai suddenly remembered something.

Previously, the neighborhood committee organized a meeting for security activists from several hutongs and courtyards under its jurisdiction.

I also participated as a representative of the college.

At the meeting, a comrade from the local police station gave a lecture, warning everyone to be careful about eavesdropping on enemy radio broadcasts.

At that time, no one in the courtyard had a radio, and the old man didn't pay much attention to it.

However, I did write down the frequencies of several common enemy radio stations in my notebook.

Having considered this, Yi Zhonghai felt more confident and said in a deep voice:

"I suddenly remembered that the neighborhood committee had organized a meeting for community security activists before, and they told me about several common enemy radio frequencies."

"I've written it down in my notebook. We'll know for sure whether it's an enemy station or not just by looking at it."

The people present had different thoughts upon hearing this.

He Yuzhu and Yan Bugui were not involved; they were simply watching the spectacle, and some were even gloating.

Liu Haizhong's family and Xu Damao were filled with apprehension.

Despite the cold weather, sweat kept dripping down Uncle Er's chubby face.

In front of everyone, Yi Zhonghai took a notebook from a drawer, opened it, flipped through it, and pointed at the notebook, saying:

"Take a look for yourselves!"

Everyone crowded around, and Lin Zhuo joined them.

Although Yi Zhonghai's handwriting was not beautiful, it was still legible. The notebook clearly recorded the frequency and name of the enemy radio stations.

After looking at the notebook, the group checked the radio, which confirmed that the radio frequency was indeed that of an enemy station.

Xu Damao felt a chill run down his spine.

Fortunately, Lin Zhuo interrupted in time; otherwise, the consequences would have been terrifying to even think about.

Not to mention that he's definitely lost his enviable projectionist job, he'll most likely end up in jail.

At this moment, Xu Damao no longer harbored any hatred for Lin Zhuo; all he felt was gratitude.

Lin Zhuo is practically my benefactor.

Liu Haizhong slumped weakly in his chair, his face flushed, and said to the old man:

"Old Yi, I really didn't know this was an enemy station! I didn't even touch the radio."

As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears.

Liu Haizhong turned around and slapped Xu Damao hard on the back of the head.

"You bastard Xu Damao, I haven't offended you, have I? Are you trying to get me killed?"

Xu Damao, having been slapped, dared not retaliate. He could only cover his head and argue with a wronged expression:

"Second Uncle, I really don't know!"

"Even if I had a huge order, I wouldn't dare to do this."

"Think about it, who listens to enemy radio without doing it secretly? Who would be foolish enough to listen with a whole courtyard of people?"

He Yuzhu chuckled and said:

"Xu Damao, others aren't that stupid, but you might not be."

Xu Damao was extremely frustrated, and after hearing He Yuzhu's words, he was so angry that he wanted to fight him again.