Courtyard House: Starting as an eighth-grade worker, with too many wives.

The final price settled at one hundred.

Jia Dongxu refused to lower his price any further. His neck was stiff, his eyes were glaring, and he looked ready to fight to the death, as if someone owed him eight hundred yuan.

Sha Zhu gritted his teeth and nodded.

One hundred dollars.

How long did it take him to save up that hundred yuan? He saved it by pinching it out of his teeth, by squeezing it out of his mouth, by cutting it out of his clothes.

But he had no choice.

Jia and Zhang, though holding the money, were still dissatisfied. They thought it was too little, their lips pursed in a wide, pouting expression.

But they also knew that they couldn't squeeze any more out of Sha Zhu. They couldn't squeeze any more out of him; that was all they could get.

Yi Zhong's high altitude and high voice.

"Alright, everyone, you can all leave now!"

The onlookers then gradually began to walk back. They kept turning back, reluctant to leave, muttering to themselves as they went.

It's cold outside, and the show is over.

Before leaving, Xu Damao leaned close to Shazhu's ear and whispered.

"Silly Zhu, how does Aunt Zhang's mouth feel? What does it taste like?"

Sha Zhu gritted his teeth until his gums ached, making a cracking sound.

"roll!"

Xu Damao laughed and ran off. He ran faster than a rabbit, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Yi Zhonghai glanced at Sha Zhu one last time and sighed.

"Go back to sleep."

"An old man—"

Sha Zhu called out to him, his voice full of grievance, almost like a child who had been bullied.

"I was set up! Someone slipped me a letter; it was written by Qin Huairu. I thought..."

Yi Zhonghai stopped in his tracks.

He turned around, looked at Sha Zhu, and almost died of anger. His eyes were filled with a desire to devour Sha Zhu whole.

Even if you have feelings for Qin Huairu, she's still a woman with a man!

He lowered his voice, so low it was like a mosquito's hum, as if afraid someone would hear him.

"Do you even have a brain? What's the point of having a brain?"

Li Jianguo stood at the edge of the crowd, looking from beginning to end.

The play was good.

He slipped the letter to Sha Zhu, intending to expose Sha Zhu's feelings for Qin Huairu and see if he had the guts to go.

Unexpectedly, Jia Zhangshi was exposed.

That old hag really got a great deal today. She got a bargain and also got swindled out of money; she got it all.

However, Jia Dongxu dared to scheme against him; he certainly had some nerve. To dare to set his sights on him was truly courting death; he was tired of living.

He turned and went back inside, closing the window. The window frame creaked, a sound that was particularly clear in the quiet night.

If he really went today...

The man standing in the middle of the crowd, surrounded by onlookers, is Li Jianguo.

That wouldn't just be a matter of losing money. He still carries the title of engineer, the identity of project manager, and so many eyes are watching him. If people find out he went to meet Qin Huairu in the middle of the night, his reputation will be completely ruined. How will he ever be able to face anyone again?

As for Jia Dongxu's actions, he'll get what's coming to him. There's plenty of time to settle this score later; there's no rush.

The next morning.

Li Jianguo opened his eyes and, as usual, signed in.

Supplies: milk, fruit, and cloth.

No special skills.

He glanced around, then got up to wash up. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, looked in the mirror, and noticed his hair was a bit messy, so he smoothed it down with his hand.

Just after breakfast was finished, a scream suddenly erupted in the yard.

The sound was so shrill it could scare a person out of their wits. It was like slaughtering a pig, but not quite; it was even shriller and more piercing than slaughtering a pig.

Li Jianguo put down his chopsticks and walked to the window.

Everyone in the courtyard rushed out. Some ran, some shouted, creating complete chaos, like a swarm of wasps disturbed by a disturbance.

Yi Zhonghai rushed in from outside, his face deathly pale. He was so pale he had no color in his skin, as white as plaster on a wall.

"Come quick, help! Jia Dongxu has been hit by a car!"

These words were like a thunderclap.

The entire compound was in an uproar.

No matter what they were doing, everyone dropped what they were doing and ran outside. Those cooking threw down their spatulas, those eating threw down their bowls, those washing clothes threw down their basins, and those brushing their teeth threw down their toothbrush cups.

A crowd had already gathered at the alley entrance. They were packed in layers, so tightly that not even a fly could get through.

As Li Jianguo walked over, the crowd automatically parted to make way for him.

A person was lying on the ground.

His lower body was a bloody mess. His pants were torn, and his flesh was rotten, a mixture of red and white that was indistinguishable, like a puddle of mud.

Blood was everywhere, seeping into the cracks between the bricks, a dark reddish-black color. It flowed along the cracks, forming a small patch, then spreading out more and more.

The vehicle that caused the accident was nowhere to be found.

Judging from the marks, the car ran directly over Jia Dongxu. The wheels ran over his legs and then his waist, showing no mercy.

When Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu ran over, they staggered. After a few steps, they almost fell, but got up and kept running, losing one of their shoes in the process.

They stopped.

I was stunned for three seconds.

Then--

"My son!!"

"Dongxu!!"

The two rushed forward, knelt beside the pool of blood, and wept bitterly.

The sound wasn't like a human crying; it sounded like the howl of some wild beast. The howl sent chills down your spine, made your scalp tingle, and made your hair stand on end.

Xu Damao mustered his courage, walked over, squatted down, and reached out to check Jia Dongxu's breath.

His finger trembled slightly.

Then he raised his head.

"He's not dead yet. He's still breathing."

The crowd stirred. A buzzing sound, like a swarm of flies, like a pot of boiling water.

"Quick! Get him to the hospital!"

Someone shouted.

But no one moved.

Jia Zhangshi knelt on the ground and kowtowed to the surrounding crowd. Her forehead slammed against the ground with loud thuds, leaving marks on the ground.

"Please! Please! Save my son! I'm begging you!"

His head slammed against the ground with a loud thud. Once, twice, three times. His forehead was cut open, blood seeping out, staining his face.

No one stepped forward.

Some people lowered their heads and backed away silently, as if afraid of being caught.

Some people turned and left. They walked very fast, as if a ghost was chasing them.

Jia Zhangshi looked up and saw someone, so she tried to grab their leg. She chased after them, crawling on the ground like a dog.

Those she targeted all backed away, avoiding her like the plague, keeping their distance.

"Aunt Zhang, we don't have any money. You'll have to figure something out yourself."

Some people simply laid it all out in the open. They spoke bluntly and without any politeness, not even bothering to beat around the bush.

Who on this street doesn't know the Jia family's reputation?

Even a tiny bit of it will leave you severely injured, if not dead. It's like a plaster; once it's on, you can't peel it off, and even if you do, you'll end up with a layer of skin stuck to it.

People usually give small amounts of money out of consideration for each other, like neighbors. A few cents or dimes, it doesn't bother them, they just consider it like feeding the dog.

What is it this time?

Jia Dongxu lay there, his lower body gone. Blood was everywhere, and he was clearly dying, barely breathing.

Sending someone to the hospital costs money, emergency treatment costs money, hospitalization costs money, and how much more will be needed afterward?

who knows?

Who dares to bet?

Given Jia Zhangshi's personality, whoever sends the goods has to pay for them first. And once they pay, can they expect to get it back?

dream.

Qin Huairu knelt beside her, her face alternating between red and white. She changed color like a chameleon, like a palette of colors.

She wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. Her lips trembled, unable to utter a single word, only trembling.

The Jia family is indeed broke.

That's what she was thinking just now—

Once we got to the hospital, we asked the people who were helping to pay for it first. We'll deal with the rest later. We'll worry about the future later; let's get through this first.

Yi Zhonghai stood in the crowd, his face extremely pale. His complexion alternated between green and white, like that of a dead man.

He was an old man.

If he doesn't care about this situation, how will he speak in the courtyard afterward? How will he hold his head high? How will he act like a big shot?

But he was also afraid.

He was just as afraid of the Jia family's extortion. He knew better than anyone what kind of people the Jia family were, and he had experienced it firsthand more than anyone else.

He looked around.

Those who were usually close to him all avoided him. They stayed far away, hiding behind the crowd, hiding behind others.

Their eyes met his, then they immediately looked away, pretending not to see him. They looked at the sky, the ground, their own shoes, and the people around them.

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth.

He saw Li Jianguo.

Li Jianguo stood outside the crowd, pushing his bicycle, his face expressionless. He watched it all like a spectator, as if it had nothing to do with him.

Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up.

He squeezed through the crowd, sweating profusely and his clothes wrinkled, until he reached Li Jianguo.

"Director Li."

He forced a smile, but it looked worse than a grimace; the muscles in his face were trembling.

"It's extremely urgent! Jia Dongxu has been hit by a car and needs to be taken to the hospital immediately. Please help him!"

As he spoke, he bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle in front of so many people. His waist was bent so low that his head almost touched his knees, bending like a shrimp.

"Director Li, please help me!"

He straightened up.

"You're an engineer at the steel rolling mill, a leader. You can't just stand by and watch someone die, can you? Jia Dongxu is our neighbor in the compound; we see each other all the time."

He paused.

"Intellectuals value their reputation above all else. You certainly don't want to be known for refusing to help someone in distress. Such a reputation is unpleasant to hear, and it won't be good for you if it gets out."

Li Jianguo looked at him.

That gaze was calm. Calm as a stagnant pool, like the surface of a lake in winter, without a ripple.

Then Li Jianguo looked away and took a step forward, pushing his bicycle.

"He's not a steel mill worker."

He said.

"None of my business."

Yi Zhonghai was stunned.

He stared wide-eyed, unable to utter a word for a long time. His mouth was so wide open that an egg could fit inside, and his jaw almost fell off.

Li Jianguo has already taken two steps.

Yi Zhonghai chased after him, blocked his way, and stood in front of him.

"Director Li! You can't be so heartless! We're neighbors in the same compound, after all. A close neighbor is worse than a distant relative. Are you trying to watch him lie there waiting to die?!"

Li Jianguo stopped in his tracks.

He looked at Yi Zhonghai, a slow, mocking smile creeping onto his lips. That mockery was like a knife, stabbing painfully and drawing blood.

Don't give me that.

He spoke very slowly.

"Since it's so serious, why didn't you go and deliver it?"

Yi Zhonghai opened his mouth.

Why aren't the other neighbors helping out?

Li Jianguo's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a nail, firmly nailed to Yi Zhonghai's heart.

"Tell me, why?"

Yi Zhonghai was speechless.

Li Jianguo looked at him.

"What grudge do you have against the Jia family? Don't you know?"

He leaned forward slightly.

"They even slandered me yesterday. I'm not a saint; I don't want to do good deeds and get myself into trouble, I don't want to get myself tainted."

Yi Zhonghai's lips moved slightly.

Li Jianguo straightened up and gave him one last look.

"You have a better relationship with the Jia family. Go and deliver it."

He pushed the cart away.

Yi Zhonghai stood there, his face burning. It felt like he'd been slapped several times, hot and painful, as if on fire.

He glanced back.

Jia Dongxu was still lying there, blood still flowing. The flow had slowed, but it was still flowing, seeping out little by little.

Jia Zhangshi was still kowtowing. Her head was bleeding from the kowtowing, and her face was covered in blood; she looked like a ghost.

People around were still hiding. They were hiding far away, each one farther than the last, as if they were avoiding a plague.

"My son—"

Suddenly, Jia Zhangshi called out again.

Everyone looked over.

Jia Dongxu was still somewhat conscious a moment ago, but now he's completely still. His head is tilted to one side, his eyes are half-open, and his mouth is agape.

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth.

He couldn't really just stand by and watch someone die.

He was an old man.

He shouted at Sha Zhu.

"Silly Zhu, come help!"

Sha Zhu stood at the edge of the crowd, pretending not to hear. He looked down, staring intently at his toes.

Yi Zhonghai shouted again.

Sha Zhu remained motionless.

Qin Huairu raised her head.

Her eyes were red, and tears still clung to her face; she looked truly pitiful. She was so delicate and pitiful, like a pear blossom battered by rain.

She looked at Sha Zhu, her voice soft, as soft as cotton candy, as soft as syrup.

"Shazhu, please help us. I'm a woman alone, I really have no other choice. I can't find anyone else to help but you. You're a good person, you've always been good to our family."

Sha Zhu's eyes flickered.

Qin Huairu reached out and gently tugged at the hem of his clothes. She tugged very lightly, as if afraid of hurting him, as if afraid of upsetting him.

"Silly Zhu, I'm begging you."

The way people looked at them changed again. It became ambiguous, meaningful, and like they were watching a play.

Sha Zhu's mind went blank for a moment.