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

Director Wang arrived even faster than Gao Xiaosheng had anticipated.

Liu Guangtian had just finished eating when he eagerly followed He Yushui into the house to discuss business. Director Wang and Sun Youtian were already in the front yard.

Sundays off? For the neighborhood committee, that doesn't exist.

On the contrary, every Sunday, all staff members of the subdistrict office must be on duty to prepare for a busy and hectic day.

In the morning, residents in the area carried out a major clean-up, cleaning their own yards and surrounding alleys. The work of the street office staff was no less tiring than that of the ordinary people.

The alleyways are swept clean, but the wide main roads can't be left unattended; that's the job of the neighborhood committee.

Director Wang had to lead a few skilled soldiers, each with a large broom, to clean the busy road bit by bit.

After lunch, we had to split into three groups to conduct spot checks on the sanitation conditions of the residents' groups.

I've been so busy until now, and I finally had a moment to catch my breath in the office. I was just getting ready to go home and cook when Sun Youtian yelled at me to come over.

To be honest, she didn't plan to come at first. It was just that someone in the neighborhood was hitting a child. What was the big deal?

But when Sun Youtian said, "He almost beat the child to death," Wang Xuemei couldn't sit still and rushed out in a hurry.

Since its establishment last year, the Yu'er Subdistrict Office has not experienced any serious homicides. We absolutely cannot allow any problems to arise at this critical moment.

Otherwise, if the subdistrict offices are merged in six months, she might lose her position as director.

"Director Wang, look at the mess this has made, and it's such a hassle for you to come all this way."

Yan Bugui was the first to rush out of his house to greet Wang Xuemei, bowing and scraping obsequiously.

"I'd like to make fewer trips, but you guys are really letting me down. It's only been a few days and you've caused trouble twice already. Is this acceptable?"

"Alright, stop standing there and go call Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong and the others over."

Wang Xuemei didn't give Yan Bugui a friendly look. Besides Liu Haizhong, the person involved, Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui, the two neighborhood supervisors, were also implicated in today's incident.

"Okay, okay."

"Director Wang has arrived. Everyone, come to the front yard."

As Yan Bugui walked and called out, when he returned to the front yard, he was followed by a group of people, young and old.

Gao Xiaosheng and He Yuzhu leisurely finished the last sip of soup, picked up their chairs, and walked out of the house with cigarettes in their mouths.

"Liu Haizhong, come here and tell me what happened."

"Where's Yi Zhonghai? Why isn't he here?"

Wang Xuemei was still hungry and anxious to get home. She wanted to resolve the issue quickly and decisively, but after looking around, she couldn't find Yi Zhonghai.

"Director Wang, I'm here."

Yi Zhonghai reluctantly walked out from behind Jia Zhangshi and Wu Guizhen.

What happened to your face?

Wang Xuemei looked in the direction of the sound and saw Yi Zhonghai's face, which completely unsettled her.

"Director Wang, Lao Yi's face looks like it was this morning..."

Liu Haizhong moved closer to the director and spoke before Yi Zhonghai could.

Although he was a bit stupid, he wasn't completely brainless; at least he knew how to curry favor with his superiors and deflect blame.

Even if I get criticized later, I can take someone down with me.

"Second Uncle, you're wrong. Brother Sheng didn't use any force at all during the first three slaps; it was like tickling him."

After a few drinks, He Yuzhu was in a state of high spirits and wanted to show off whenever he had the chance.

The two, both tongue-tied, kept undermining each other with their incoherent and illogical statements. Director Wang had to rack his brains to piece together the whole thing before he finally figured out what was going on.

"Great, great, your department is really something."

"None of the three neighborhood managers give me any peace of mind."

"Liu Haizhong, tell us about yourself."

Wang Xuemei restrained herself again and again, barely managing to suppress her anger. She didn't give Yi Zhonghai a good scolding in front of everyone, but only used two mild sarcastic remarks to gloss over the matter.

If any other neighborhood manager had done something so shameless, Wang Xuemei would have scolded them for half an hour without uttering a single dirty word.

But Yi Zhonghai is spared for now, out of consideration for the old lady in the backyard. If he causes such a mess again, he will be punished for both crimes and stripped of his resident management status.

In fact, the issue of neighborhood supervisors and liaison officers was already raised at the last district meeting.

According to the leaders, the reason for selecting activists from the masses to assist in management in the past was mainly because the period of liberation was short, society was unstable, and the Ditto were rampant. It was necessary to unite and rely on the masses in order to solve the problems.

But the situation is very different now.

The Korean Peninsula war was particularly brilliant and well-fought, not only forcing the US to the negotiating table but also having a significant impact domestically.

With the exception of a very few die-hards, all the diners in Beijing have come to terms with reality, turned back from their misguided ways, and social order has greatly improved.

However, those who had been activists for several years gradually became divided. Some people became accustomed to being aloof and seeking special privileges, and their reputation among the masses quickly declined.

Since the situation has reached the point where the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, it would be better to revoke the management authority of activists and let them return to the lives of ordinary people.

Of course, this matter is only discussed verbally and is not written down in any documents. It will not be implemented until next year at the earliest after the merger of the subdistrict offices.

"Director Wang, Second Uncle was really ruthless today."

"Those long fire tongs were aimed directly at Guangtian's head; I could even hear the wind whistling through them."

Gao Xiaosheng sat in his chair and watched as He Yuzhu spoke with great enthusiasm and gestures in front of Director Wang, spitting as he talked. He couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.

The nickname "Silly Pillar" is quite fitting.

In just a few minutes, this guy offended two powerful men in charge, yet he had no idea what he was doing.

No wonder Yi Zhonghai would rather choose the frail, pale-faced Jia Dongxu than to be his caretaker; he's probably afraid that Jia would cause him to die young from stress before he could retire.

"Huh? Liu Haizhong, you hit the child with fire tongs, and even hit him on the head?"

"Just because the two kids secretly ate scrambled eggs?"

Wang Xuemei's eyes widened in disbelief. She never expected Liu Haizhong to have such a fiery temper, completely disregarding the consequences.

To be fair, hitting children is commonplace, and usually no one would make a big deal out of it or go to the Women's Federation.

As the saying goes, you can discipline your child on a rainy day; you might as well do something else since you have nothing else to do.

There are also sayings like "spare the rod and spoil the child," so basically, any family with children will often give them a good beating.

Shoe soles, broom handles, firewood sticks—he'd grab any of them and whip his bottom.

Normally, except for a very few dual-income families in the city, the responsibility of educating children falls to women. It's not like men are constantly arguing with their children.

Besides, the bangs are being wielded with deadly fire tongs, isn't that ridiculous?

"Director Wang, no, it's not me, that..."

Liu Haizhong's face turned red with anxiety, and the more he tried to explain, the less he could say.

"Alright, alright, I can't be bothered to listen to your excuses." Director Wang waved his hand impatiently. Liu Haizhong was clumsy with words, and by the time he explained the reason, the sun had already set.

"No matter what your purpose is, you can't hit your child like that. Don't think that just because it's your child, you can hit them however you want."

"Let me tell you, if you really beat the child to death or maim him, you'll go to jail!"

After speaking, Wang Xuemei looked at everyone in the courtyard, intending to use Liu Haizhong's matter to remind everyone not to take their anger out on the children all the time.

"Director Wang."

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai glanced at Gao Xiaosheng and took the initiative to speak.