Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Then, turning to an elderly man, she said earnestly, "I was so focused on listening to the meeting that I almost forgot. We're all neighbors who see each other all the time, so we won't pursue whoever took it; but please—don't eat it! Please remind everyone!"

The old man cleared his throat, adopting the air of a learned scholar: "That rat poison won't kill people? That's not necessarily true! If the dosage is sufficient, you'll see results within half an hour!"

"That's right!" an old man chimed in, his expression solemn. "We're all in the same courtyard, so stealing is wrong! If someone accidentally eats something poisonous, there's no reason to complain! So—if anyone has taken something but hasn't eaten it yet, we won't force them to tell; but if they've already eaten it, they should tell us immediately! We'll take them to the hospital right away!" His voice was so loud that dust fell from the eaves.

The three immediately split up and went door-to-door to notify the residents who were not present.

The old man had just stepped into the Jia family's doorstep when, before he could finish speaking, Jia Zhangshi's body went limp and she collapsed to the ground with a thud!

Upon hearing the words "rat poison," Qin Huairu's heart sank as if she had been doused with ice water.

When she heard the powder being smeared on the bun, her mind went blank, and she froze on the spot, forgetting even to breathe.

Madam Jia grabbed the stick and hugged it tightly, her fingers trembling uncontrollably, her voice cracking: "How's the baby? Is he burning up? Is he turning over?"

She just found out—those buns were all secretly gnawed clean by Bang Geng! Xiao Dang didn't even get a bite of the skin!

Just half an hour ago, she was slapping her thigh and praising this grandson for being "ambitious"!

"A good-for-nothing like you doesn't deserve to eat steamed buns!" The words were still ringing in his ears, but at that moment he wished he could bite his own tongue off—

If only Little Dang ate it!

After all, Banggeng is the only son of the Jia family, the pillar of the family, and the one who will break the pot and hold the spirit tablet in the future!

Banggeng looked up, his face blank and confused: "Grandma, I'm fine." He didn't understand what the old man meant by "poison" and "rescue."

Jia Zhangshi held him tightly, her lips pale, repeatedly muttering, "Nothing can happen... nothing can happen..." Her words seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth, soft and trembling.

Qin Huairu seemed to be nailed to the ground, her eyes vacant and blank, not even blinking.

An old man stomped his foot and shouted, "Get him to the hospital quickly! If you delay any longer, his intestines will rot through!"

Before he could finish speaking, Banggeng suddenly curled up into a ball, cold sweat streaming down his forehead. He pressed his hand tightly against his stomach, his body swayed, and he fell straight to the ground.

Qin Huairu rushed forward, holding the person in her arms, her steps faltering so much she almost tripped.

Madam Jia Zhang, however, seemed struck by lightning. Her eyes turned bloodshot, and her voice exploded like a ripped wound: "He Yuzhu! You'll die a horrible death—you put poison on the buns?! I'll fight you to the death today! If you lose a single hair, I'll block the steel mill's gate! I'll kneel at your doorstep and wail every day!"

She rushed to the front yard and yelled in her hoarse voice, startling the entire alley.

That's when everyone realized: the steamed buns were stolen by Bang Geng!

But then I thought about it again—He Yuzhu had clearly come to ask earlier, and the Jia family had personally said, "There's no such thing!"

How did it all turn into someone poisoning people in the blink of an eye? You're in the right no matter what.

Qin Huairu doesn't have a car, so she's carrying a toddler to the hospital? She probably won't even reach the outpatient building by dawn!

Her knees buckled, and she knelt on the ground with a thud, tears falling onto Bang Geng's face. "Grandpa...please! Take him to the hospital quickly!"

An old man was so anxious that his fingernails dug into his palms—he had already been delayed for nearly thirty minutes, and it would take at least forty minutes to get there by bike!

The person died before even entering the examination room!

Just as things were in chaos, a clear shout suddenly rang out from the back of the crowd:

"What's the panic!"

She was a deaf old lady.

She was the most senior member of the family in the courtyard, and no one dared to interrupt her when she spoke. If she stomped her foot, the blue bricks would shake three times.

She took a couple of steps forward, leaning on her cane, without even lifting her eyelids: "So what if he accidentally swallowed some rat poison?"

He was as calm as if he were asking if I had eaten dumplings for lunch today.

An old man immediately bowed and said, "Please make a decision quickly!" His tone was so respectful that it was almost pious.

The old lady raised her chin: "Pour in 'golden juice'! This is the method used by officials and wealthy families in the old days to save people who had accidentally ingested arsenic."

The third uncle, a primary school teacher, was quite knowledgeable. He pinched his fingers and exuded a scholarly air: "It's written in the books! Inducing vomiting with feces promotes the elimination of toxins from the stomach, which is the best way to detoxify!"

An old man waved his hand and shouted, "Quickly, prepare the buckets!"

The third uncle wanted to quote a few more lines from the "Compendium of Materia Medica," but before he could finish speaking, the first uncle cut him off with a "Go quickly!"

He Yuzhu returned carrying a bucket of manure, water still dripping from the rim, and a strong, sour smell assaulted his nostrils.

"Dirty? Stinky? Neighborly harmony is more precious than gold!" He steeled his resolve, shrugged, and spoke without the slightest hesitation.

An old man grabbed a manure ladle and shouted, "Who wants to help? Put the funnel in his mouth! Huai Ru, lay the stick flat and hold it down!"

Xu Damao stood nearby, grinning from ear to ear: "Good boy! Open your mouth! Open it wider!" It was like watching a monkey show at a temple fair.

But when it came to actually doing it, everyone shrank back—some covered their noses, some turned their backs, some pretended to tie their shoelaces… each one of them slipped away faster than the last.

The only people I can rely on are Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi.

But Jia Zhangshi slumped against the wall, her eyes vacant as if her soul had been ripped away. Her husband was gone, her son was gone, and now her grandson was rolling around on the ground...

"I'll do it!" He Yuzhu stepped forward, holding the funnel firmly with both hands, his movements swift and decisive.

What does it matter if I get a little dirty to save a life?

"Grandpa, fall down!" he roared through gritted teeth.

How could I not be anxious? That was a child, breathing heavily, clenching his fists, capable of both crying and laughing!

Besides, at this age—could drinking fecal water really kill you?

Doesn't the family always complain that he has a small appetite and isn't strong enough? Today, everyone in the courtyard is watching, and we'll let him drink his fill and throw up completely!

……

"vomit--!"

Banggeng's throat tightened, and the entire bucket of excrement was poured in, only to be sprayed out again, making a mess all over the ground.

Actually, what He Yuzhu put in the steamed buns was Gelsemium elegans—not a single type of herb, but a general term for a class of poisonous plants.

It is highly toxic, causing vomiting and severe abdominal pain upon ingestion; excessive consumption can be fatal, while small amounts will cause temporary pain, but will subside naturally after an hour.

But it also has another side: when applied externally, it can treat tinea, scabies, and acne. It can be mashed and applied to sores, or boiled in water to wash rashes, relieve itching, and kill insects.

However, it must never be ingested internally—the roots, leaves, and flowers are all poisonous, and prolonged application can cause skin burns and blisters.

It wasn't fatal, but the pain was excruciating.

He Yuzhu originally intended to subtly lead everyone to think about "vomiting", but unexpectedly, the deaf old lady's words directly revealed the secret!

The old man wiped the sweat from his brow: "If you can't vomit it all out in one go! Do it two more times!"

He rolled up his sleeves and rushed forward: "Press his mouth shut, hold your breath, that's how you get him to go deeper!"

"vomit--!"

After the second round of vomiting, Banggeng's face turned pale, and his limbs felt weak, as if his muscles and bones had been pulled out.

But who really cares about that?

What's wrong with the stick-like creature stealing? Stealing is wrong.

But if two adults come to apologize, are they really going to argue with a little kid?

Someone else probably wouldn't even touch the edge of a steamed bun.

As long as you follow the rules and don't reach out, who would really do anything to a little kid like you?

Under the dim streetlights, Qin Huairu sat on the cold ground, clutching the stick tightly to her chest, her arms trembling uncontrollably.

"Bang Geng ah..." Her voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against wood.

An old man squatted down, stared into the child's unfocused eyes, and raised his voice to ask, "Does your tummy still hurt from the twisting?"

Banggeng's lips moved slightly, barely a whisper: "...It hurts."

Bang Geng instinctively gasped, his neck hunching in pain. Anyone who gets burned would wince and cry out in pain. He was so frightened that his eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and he buried his head in Qin Huairu's arms, his small body trembling like a piece of paper in the wind.

An old man squinted at him for a moment, then said in a steady tone, "Looks like he's recovered."

The old man covered his nose, his brows furrowed: "Keep an eye on it for another half hour! This matter cannot be taken lightly. It's better to wait longer than to have any mishaps!" As he spoke, he paced back and forth thoughtfully.

The old man nodded: "That's the only way."

Qin Huairu's eyes were red, tears welling up, but her gaze wandered aimlessly, her heart heavy with worries, even her breathing became lighter.

She was as thin as a sheet of paper at that moment, and she trembled slightly as she stood there, making one's heart tighten at the sight of her.

Just over half an hour later—

"Mom... I don't hurt anymore." Banggeng's voice was so weak it sounded like cotton being squeezed out of his throat.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their shoulders slumping.

An older woman rushed forward and patted Qin Huairu's arm: "Huairu, quickly take the child back and clean him up and give him a bath, so he won't have a scar."

Seeing that everything was alright, the onlookers gradually dispersed and went home.

Xu Damao stood there, his face flushed and hot, but a hint of annoyance quietly rose in his heart:

Why didn't you rush to help him up earlier? What a great opportunity to show your face!

From now on, whenever something like this happens, I must be the first to rush out—to help the people in trouble and set a good example for the neighborhood!

As soon as He Yuzhu entered the room, he ripped off his sweaty jacket, grabbed a bucket of cold water, and poured it over himself from head to toe, shivering all over.

He turned and went inside, gently picked up the old lady who was dozing in the armchair, and steadily carried her back to the west room.

As soon as he put her on the kang (a heated brick bed), the old lady woke up, smiling and patting his hand: "Good grandson, you did a great job!"

He Yuzhu wiped his face: "We're all from the same neighborhood, it's just a matter of lending a hand. Grandma, you should rest."

The old lady grabbed his wrist, her eyes shining brightly: "Silly child, that's not what Grandma was praising... You need to be clear-headed! Stop being so clueless, it's time to settle down!"

It turns out this old man knew exactly what was going on!

He Yuzhu scratched the back of his head: "We're looking at them! If we decide on someone, we'll have to trouble you to give your opinion."

The old lady beamed with joy: "Great! Great! Great! Grandma's been waiting to drink your wedding wine!"

Actually, about ten days ago, when He Yuzhu was cooking for her with a vacant look in his eyes and unsteady movements, the old lady had already figured out the taste.

Over the years, Sha Zhu has become less impulsive than before. He is still warm-hearted, but he has become more composed. He visits her more often and knows how to be tactful and know when to advance and retreat in his words and actions.