Courtyard house: Just the right amount of pressure, leaving you bewildered but not brain-damaged.

When Gao Xiaosheng got home, it was already past 7 p.m.

After the novice protection period, he, as a security officer, couldn't be too special, so he always chose to patrol during working hours.

Following Section Chief Zhou's suggestion, Gao Xiaosheng participated in two patrols after the workers finished get off work today.

Tomorrow, which is Sunday, I have to go to the factory to work overtime in the morning.

"Brother Sheng, you're back! Come and eat. There's a hospital-wide meeting coming up soon. It was supposed to start at six, but you weren't back. Uncle Yi said he'd be waiting for you."

After He Yushui finished speaking, she quickly ran into the kitchen and brought out the still steaming food.

"Hmm, have you eaten? I bought you a fountain pen."

"ah!"

He Yushui looked at the Hero fountain pen in her hand, forgetting everything else. She fiddled with it for a while before reluctantly putting it back on the table.

"Brother Sheng, I don't want it, you can keep it for yourself."

"I don't need it, you keep it and study hard in the future." Gao Xiaosheng took a big bite of the steamed bun and waved his hand, his words muffled.

"Yes, I'm a good student, I'm usually in the top ten in my class."

"I just finished my exam yesterday. I'll go to school to pick up my report card on Monday and bring it back to show you."

"Brother Sheng..."

When it comes to her academic performance, He Yushui is extremely proud, as it is one of her few strengths.

Of all the children in the school, only Liu Guangqi consistently ranked in the top three in his class, Yan Jiecheng was somewhere in the middle, and Liu Guangtian was at the very bottom.

"Gao Xiaosheng, are you finished eating? Everyone's waiting for you to start the meeting!"

Gao Xiaosheng was eating and chatting with Yushui when He Yuzhu barged in.

"We're done eating, let's go."

Gao Xiaosheng swallowed the last bite of his steamed bun, picked up two chairs, and walked out, with He Yushui following closely behind.

"Ahem, everyone's here, let's start the meeting now."

Just like last time, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Bugui sat down in a triangular formation, with the familiar eight-immortal table in the middle.

"Tomorrow is Sunday, time for spring cleaning."

"We didn't have a meeting last week, so the arrangements were made on the spot and the cleaning wasn't very thorough. This week, we need to divide the area into sections, with each person in charge of their own area. No one can get away with sloppy work."

Yi Zhonghai briefly mentioned the previous deep cleaning.

It wasn't that he didn't want to plan ahead; it was clearly that the three old men had just finished their self-criticisms and couldn't bring themselves to embarrass themselves in public again.

No matter how thick your skin is, it takes several days for it to grow back after a layer is scraped off.

"Gao Xiaosheng, no one was home last Sunday, what were you doing?" Yi Zhonghai went straight to the point, targeting Gao Xiaosheng.

"I didn't go home on Saturday; I slept at the factory."

"You missed out last time, so let's do more tomorrow. You and Sun Youtian will be in a group, cleaning the dry toilets at the alley entrance. Is that alright?"

Gao Xiaosheng shook his head and refused outright, "Even if there's a problem, I still have to go to the factory tomorrow."

At least for now, Gao Xiaosheng cannot share the same lofty spirit of dedication as his neighbors.

He always tries to avoid any unpaid labor assignments.

They'd rather endure the combined effects of sweat, stench, and unpleasant smells in the steel mill's break room than sweep the streets, let alone clean out the outhouses.

"Why should you be the only one who gets to work? Everyone else is working, why are you the only one getting special treatment?"

It was He Yuzhu again, the first to jump out and act as Yi Zhonghai's pawn.

"That's right, it's special." Gao Xiaosheng glanced at He Yuzhu, then turned to look at Yi Zhonghai.

"You are off on Sundays, but the security department will not. Gate duty and patrols will continue as usual."

"If you have any complaints, raise them with the working group, or with Section Chief Zhou. It's no use talking to me."

"Furthermore, Comrade Yi Zhonghai, when you assign tasks, shouldn't you be a little more fair? You can't just cheat one person."

"Sun Youtian, how many times have you emptied the outhouse?"

Sun Youtian paused for a moment before continuing, "From the first week after we moved here, I was always the one who had to clean the dry toilets in our compound."

"Tsk tsk." Gao Xiaosheng clicked his tongue dramatically, said nothing, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit one.

He was only responsible for stirring things up; if Sun Youtian wanted to resist, he could just go along with the conversation.

If he hadn't had that thought, Gao Xiaosheng wouldn't have intended to play the saint.

"Hey, I was just about to ask you, isn't it time for someone else to clean the outhouses tomorrow? I'm not the only one in our compound."

Yi Zhonghai frowned deeply; the thing he feared had finally happened.

I knew Gao Xiaosheng would lead Sun Youtian astray, but I didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

"Little Sun, we just have different roles, and no one is idle. You can't be picky."

"E-House manager, I didn't say we wouldn't work. Even street sweeping requires people, doesn't it?"

Liu Haizhong stood up abruptly. "Sun Youtian, just do what we tell you to do. Stop talking nonsense. What, do you think we, the managers, have no authority?"

Yi Zhonghai's heart skipped a beat. He was about to smooth things over, but he was too late.

"Comrade Liu Haizhong, you're right, the neighborhood management's word really doesn't carry! Who gave you the authority to order your neighbors around? Who gave you the authority to favor long-term residents and suppress new residents?"

Gao Xiaosheng loves Liu Haizhong so much; this guy is a real troublemaker, everything he says is full of loopholes.

"Gao Xiaosheng, explain yourself clearly. How did I suppress Sun Youtian?"

Not only is Liu Haizhong not very bright, but he also has a fiery temper that gets easily ignited. Gao Xiaosheng's words made his blood boil, his face turn red, and his IQ dropped by 20, basically not far from negative.

"Everyone knows that cleaning toilets is the dirtiest and most tiring job. Sun Youtian told me that other groups take turns sending people, and none of the men can escape it."

"That's what you call fair and just."

"And you guys? You're really going to fleece them mercilessly!"

"I just want to ask you one question: ever since Sun Youtian moved in, have you three neighborhood supervisors cleaned the toilets?"

"Someone like you thinks he can give orders? Bah!"

Gao Xiaosheng used every sarcastic tactic imaginable, every word and phrase hitting Liu Haizhong's sore spot.

"According to military regulations, the company commander and platoon leader lead the charge, saying 'Follow me!' It's the officers like Baldy who shout 'Go! Go! Go!'"

"What, you three want to imitate the bald guy's style?"

After Gao Xiaosheng finished speaking, he gave Sun Youtian a wink and continued smoking.

"Comrade Gao Xiaosheng is right. E-House Manager, Liu Manager, and Yan Manager, your arrangements are unfair."

"If you still make me clean the toilets, I'll report you to the neighborhood committee and the street office!"

Sun Youtian finally showed some backbone.

"You, you guys..." Liu Haizhong's face turned red as he pointed at Gao Xiaosheng and Sun Youtian, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Yan Bugui hunched his shoulders and looked down at his feet.

He Yuzhu stood there, looking at Yi Zhonghai and then at Gao Xiaosheng, scratching his head in confusion.

He initially thought Yi Zhonghai's arrangement was quite good, but after listening to Gao Xiaosheng's words, he felt it made even more sense.

My scalp is so itchy, I feel like it's growing a brain.