Chapter Forty-One: Another Assembly Next Door

The old deaf lady had lived in her house all her life; she was certainly reluctant to move. But as soon as Silly Zhu offered to care for her in her old age until the end, she no longer worried about anything else and agreed immediately. She even said she would personally go to the neighborhood committee tomorrow to help Silly Zhu handle the matter.

According to the plot in the television drama, the old deaf lady originally wanted Yi Zhonghai to care for her, but when she realized he was unreliable, she turned to Silly Zhu instead. That’s why, after her death, the house was left to Silly Zhu—it was given to whoever cared for her.

Seeing the old deaf lady agree, Silly Zhu felt reassured, since Chen Liang had told him that as long as she consented, there was a ninety-nine percent chance things would work out; the remaining one percent depended on whether Silly Zhu himself was willing.

Silly Zhu chatted with the old deaf lady for a while longer, and only left when he noticed she was getting sleepy. The elderly were always like this: a little conversation would lull them to sleep, and as soon as you finished, they'd wake up again.

When Silly Zhu returned home, he found Yi Zhonghai and Widow Qin standing at his door. Since he’d decided to move, he no longer felt obliged to save face for the two of them. Treating them as if they were invisible, Silly Zhu walked straight past, opened the door, and went inside. Yi Zhonghai and Widow Qin exchanged glances, each surprised by the other’s expression, puzzled about what madness had seized Silly Zhu now.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Widow Qin gritted her teeth and entered Silly Zhu's house. “Silly Zhu, why didn’t you tell us you resigned? And now that you’ve quit…” No one would bring her lunch anymore; how would she eat at home?

Before she could finish, Silly Zhu cast a sideways glance at her. How had he never realized before just how repulsive Widow Qin could be? “What does my resignation have to do with you?”

As soon as Silly Zhu spoke, Widow Qin’s tears began to flow, and Yi Zhonghai could no longer stand by.

“Zhuzi, how can you speak like that? Can’t you talk nicely?”

Having stopped viewing Yi Zhonghai as family, Silly Zhu now saw him as nothing more than a toad underfoot—more annoying than harmful.

“How am I supposed to talk? Should I keep things normal, or do you want me to worship her like an ancestor?” Silly Zhu’s retort was sharp, sending Yi Zhonghai’s blood pressure soaring.

“Zhuzi, how can you say that about First Uncle? I…” Widow Qin didn’t finish before Silly Zhu fired back again.

“What, he does wrong and no one’s allowed to say anything?” Silly Zhu was in no mood to drag things out with these two. “Fine, some matters need to be clarified in front of everyone!”

Ignoring the shocked faces of Yi Zhonghai and Widow Qin, Silly Zhu strode to the center of the courtyard where the bronze gong hung. He took it down and struck it loudly. That was the compound’s custom: whenever a meeting needed to be held, the gong was sounded.

Silly Zhu beat the gong so loudly that even Chen Liang in the neighboring courtyard heard it. Last night, little Yu was still recovering from her injury, so Chen Liang hadn’t been able to do much, especially since she was shy. Some things had to wait for feelings to grow over time.

That was how marriages worked in this era: first you boarded the ship, then you got your ticket. Husband and wife’s feelings developed rapidly, and only after lasting affection did their relationship gradually settle.

Knowing the gong was being struck next door, Chen Liang, who was also unable to sleep, took little Yu with him to join the excitement.

When they arrived, many neighbors had already gathered. In the depth of winter, entertainment was scarce, so a compound meeting was a rare and lively event. The bored neighbors came in droves, forming a dense crowd.

Once most people had arrived, Second Uncle Liu Haizhong finally made his grand entrance, tea mug in hand.

“Who struck the gong? Why wasn’t there advance notice?” Liu Haizhong said, sitting down on a bench in the middle of the courtyard.

“I did. What’s the matter, Second Uncle?” Silly Zhu stepped to the center, glanced at Chen Liang in the crowd, and nodded to him.

“Neighbors, you all know me, so I won’t bother with introductions. I called everyone here today because there are matters that must be clarified in front of everyone.”

Silly Zhu swept his gaze around, then continued, “I want to ask First Uncle Yi Zhonghai about my father, He Daqing.”

As soon as Silly Zhu spoke, Yi Zhonghai’s heart tightened. Oh no, He Daqing’s secret was about to be exposed!

“Zhuzi, can’t we talk in private? With so many people here, aren’t you worried about your father’s reputation?” Yi Zhonghai spoke smoothly, a master of moral manipulation.

“Yi Zhonghai, who’s reputation is really at risk? How did I only now realize how hypocritical you are?” Silly Zhu’s words pierced Yi Zhonghai like needles.

“I grew up in this courtyard. When my father left, I was too young to understand. All I heard was you badmouthing him every day—this was wrong, that was bad. I believed it. But now, I’ve learned that although my father left, he made arrangements for us siblings before he did.”

“But in Yi Zhonghai’s mouth, my father was nothing. Isn’t that so, Yi Zhonghai?”

Silly Zhu glanced at Yi Zhonghai, whose face was now dark as iron, and continued, “For ten years after my father left, he sent ten yuan every month. Yi Zhonghai, you won’t deny this, will you?”

Yi Zhonghai nodded with difficulty; the evidence was irrefutable.

“But when my sister and I were starving and freezing as children, where did that money go?” Silly Zhu pressed on. “I suppose it all ended up in your own pocket?”

His words shocked everyone. Who would have thought that the upright Yi Zhonghai could be such a person, embezzling even the siblings’ living expenses? Unbelievable!

“And when I came of age and entered the factory, what did you tell me? You found someone, gave gifts, made connections, and wrote ‘replacement’ as my job position on my introduction letter?”

In those days, job introduction letters specified the source of the job quota. ‘Replacement’ meant a child taking over a parent’s position. If Yi Zhonghai had truly used connections and gifts, Silly Zhu’s letter should have said ‘applicant,’ not ‘replacement.’

Silly Zhu’s exposé was like thunder from a clear sky, leaving everyone stunned. Who could have imagined Yi Zhonghai was such a person?