Chapter 136: Learning to Meow Together

While Chen Liang and his friends were busy boasting and bragging, an elderly man suddenly appeared at the courtyard gate. He knocked politely and stood there waiting.

Little Wangba, who was closest to the gate, noticed him and walked over. "Grandpa, is there something you need?"

"Hey! Aren't you the second son of Wang Dapo from the next alley over? What are you doing in our alley at this hour?"

"Oh, you recognize me, Grandpa?" Little Wangba knew exactly what the old man was getting at—it was a routine interrogation. If he couldn't explain himself clearly, it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.

In these times, the common people truly saw themselves as the masters of the nation. Whether the matter was big or small, they felt compelled to intervene. If they encountered any "subversive elements," a single shout was enough to make the culprit realize the true power of the masses.

"It’s like this, Grandpa. A buddy of mine just moved into this new place, and I’m here to help him out. Why don’t you come in and take a look? You’ll surely recognize everyone inside!"

The old man didn’t stand on ceremony and stepped right in. Upon closer inspection, he realized he actually did know the boys in the courtyard. There was the second son of the Chen family, the youngest of the Han family, the only son of the Cao family, and Little Six from the Zhao family—all kids from the neighboring alley.

Seeing the old man enter, Chen Liang stood up and walked over to greet him. "Grandpa, is there something I can help you with?"

"Nothing much. This courtyard has been empty for over a year, and since it’s suddenly so lively today, I came to see what was going on."

"Oh! That’s my fault, really! Sorry to trouble you, Grandpa. I’m the second son of Chen Dashan from the next alley. The factory just allocated this courtyard to me. I was so happy that I brought my buddies over to show them the place, and since it was still bright out, we decided to tidy up a bit!"

"Come, Grandpa, have a bottle of soda to cool off. Look at this trouble—having you come over yourself! That shouldn't have happened!"

"It's fine, as long as the misunderstanding is cleared up. You boys carry on with your work; I’m off to the corner to watch people play chess!"

Without waiting for Chen Liang to respond, he walked away on his own.

"Hey! That old guy is quite rude. Brother Liang, I just remembered, his grandson is that jerk Jiang Pengfei. Should we block him and teach him a lesson?" Little Wangba grumbled, clearly annoyed.

"Enough, you’re always looking for trouble. I’ve just moved in; are you trying to make things difficult for me?" Chen Liang cut him off, then turned around.

"Everyone, put in a little more effort and let’s finish up quickly. Little Wangba, if you've got nothing to do, go draw some water from the well so we can all rinse off later!"

The energetic Little Wangba was sent off to work the well. If a well isn't used for a long time, the water becomes stagnant and eventually starts to smell. It needs to be pumped out so fresh groundwater can seep in.

After the others finished tidying up the final bits of the courtyard, they gathered around the well. "Little Wangba, is the well ready? Can we wash up yet?"

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Little Wangba splashed out the last bucket of stagnant water, tossed the bucket back down with a splash, and skillfully hauled up a fresh one.

Chen Liang lifted the bucket and sniffed it carefully. It seemed fine, with no foul odor, so he turned to the group and said, "Line up, everyone! Take turns rinsing off!"

With that, he stripped down, lifted the bucket, and poured it over himself. With a splash, the icy well water hitting his sweat-soaked body felt as refreshing as drinking a cold soda on a scorching midsummer day. He was absolutely invigorated!

He drew another bucket and doused himself from head to toe. It felt amazing!

Without a towel, he just gave himself a rough wipe with his clothes before pulling them back on.

Once his childhood friends had finished their playful, splashing rinse, Chen Liang said, "Starting tomorrow, I want you to split into two shifts and help me renovate this place!"

"No problem, Brother Liang. Just say the word, and we’ll make sure this house looks brand new!" Da Wu and the others patted their chests, agreeing on the spot.

"Tomorrow, Da Wu and Little Wangba will come first—you two are big and strong, perfect for the heavy lifting like moving bricks and building the perimeter wall. The day after, Six and Little Er can come and help me whitewash the interior!" Once the plans were set, they locked the door and headed out.

Passing the streetlamp at the entrance of the alley, they greeted the old men playing chess and walked off with their arms around each other's shoulders.

"Old Jiang, who were those guys?" After all, they were neighbors of decades; even if he couldn't name them, the faces were familiar.

"Kids from Wenhe Alley next door. The one leading them is the second son of the Chen family. Don't you recognize them?"

"They look familiar, but I can't put a name to them." "I only recognize the second son of the popsicle seller." "I know Chen Liang, though. That kid is something else these days! He’s a rising star at the factory and very much in the spotlight!"

The group of chess-playing elders found a new topic and began gossiping excitedly.

"Let me tell you, this Chen Liang is truly formidable. Lei Laohu from the West City branch was put behind bars because of him!"

"Bah, that’s ancient history! Here's the latest news: everyone knows Guo Dapiezi from the First Workshop, right? He’s a total rogue, a real piece of work. But once he fell into Chen Liang's hands, he was tamed completely. He wouldn't dare show an ounce of defiance—even if he got slapped, he’d have to kneel and thank him for the favor!"

Good grief, it was getting more and more ridiculous; they were practically turning Chen Liang into a mythical demon! Who said men aren't gossips? When these old guys get to gossiping, they are even more vicious than the neighborhood aunties!

In the eyes of the elders, Chen Liang had already reached the level of "wielding power over the world and sleeping on the laps of beauties." Meanwhile, the man himself was currently fleeing in disgrace after being scolded by his mother.

Soaked to the bone, Chen Liang escaped into his room, only to be met with his wife's disdain. After finally taking another shower with soap at the washbasin, Xiao Yu allowed a clean Chen Liang to get into bed.

Alas! His precious Xiao Yu wasn't like this before. She used to be so affectionate that even when he was drenched in sweat, she wouldn't let him wash until they had snuggled for a while.

But now, she could actually be disgusted by his lack of hygiene. Hmph, women are truly fickle creatures; they stop cherishing you once they have you! And love, it seems, really does fade!

Damn it, this brat Chen Liang really is something. Are you determined to burn all the bridges with women so they have nowhere left to go?

Once his wife let him into bed, Chen Liang reached over to the chest of drawers for his "men's refueling station," poured a small measure, and downed it in one go.

Tonight, let's all learn to meow like cats! Let’s go meow... meow... meow together!