Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

When Xu Damao and Yan Bugui learned that their previous bad deeds had been exposed, their hearts were beating like a frightened rabbit. The fear was like a cold snake wrapped around their hearts and could not be shaken off. At night, when they lay in bed, they always seemed to hear some whispers in their ears, as if the neighbors were discussing what they had done. Even the sound of the wind outside the window became particularly harsh, and every rustling of the leaves seemed to be an accusation and ridicule of them.

From that day on, they were in a state of extreme fear all day long. Even the slightest movement, such as footsteps outside the door or a dog barking in the distance, would make them tremble with fear, as if they were about to reveal all their hidden little secrets and expose them to the public. They began to become neurotic, often suspicious without reason, and even the closest people became untrustworthy.

Therefore, they had to put away their former arrogance and became more cautious in their behavior, no longer daring to act recklessly and easily cross the line as before. When they go out, they will deliberately wear hats and masks for fear of being recognized; when talking to people, they also become polite and distant for fear that saying something wrong will arouse others' suspicion.

However, although on the surface they seem to have been law-abiding, going to get off work on time every day, and no longer participating in those disputes, in fact, deep in their hearts, the strong desire and unwillingness are still like a raging wildfire, spreading and becoming more and more difficult to contain. Every night when it is quiet, they will lie in the dark, staring with wide eyes, silently thinking about how to regain their lost status and wealth.

On a sunny weekend, the sun gently sprinkled on the earth, and everything seemed full of vitality. After many days of secret discussions, Xu Damao and Yan Bugui finally reached a consensus and decided to go to Beihai Park together to go fishing. They thought that with the help of this peaceful and quiet lake and the leisurely and beautiful time, they could calm down and think carefully to see if there was any wonderful way to let them live a comfortable and worry-free life from now on.

When the two came to the lake and sat down, the warm sunlight was shining through the thin clouds, forming patches of colorful light and shadows, reflecting the entire lake surface sparkling and beautiful. The breeze blew by, bringing a little coolness, and also blew away some of their anxiety. They sat quietly, occasionally waving the fishing rod in their hands, and more time was spent thinking in silence, trying to draw strength from this tranquility and find a new way out.

Xu Damao gently threw the fishing line in his hand into the lake. The fishing line drew a beautiful arc in the air, and finally fell into the water silently, creating circles of delicate ripples. However, his eyes always involuntarily glanced at Yan Bugui beside him, his eyes full of expectation and anxiety. He deliberately lowered his voice, as if he was afraid of disturbing this rare tranquility, or afraid of being eavesdropped, and said: "I say, Old Yan, it is not a long-term solution for us to live in hiding and hiding like this! Look at the two of us, now we are like rats crossing the street, everyone is shouting and beating us, when will this day end? No matter what, we must come up with a foolproof plan. Only in this way can we really hold our heads high and live as human beings! No longer have to worry about being exposed one day."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui frowned, his eyebrows seemed to be glued together with strong glue, and deep wrinkles appeared on his forehead. He fell into deep thought, staring into the distance with empty eyes, as if looking for some answer. Everything around him seemed to be still, and only the occasional bird calls and children's laughter in the distance broke the silence.

As time went by, the ripples on the lake surface gradually subsided, leaving only the sound of the breeze gently blowing across the water. Finally, after a few long minutes, Yan Bugui slowly opened his mouth and said in a low and powerful voice: "That's right, Lao Xu, I understand what you said. I haven't had a good night's sleep or a comfortable meal in these days. I am always worried, afraid that one day the truth will be revealed. However, if we want to really develop smoothly, it will definitely not work just relying on the two of us to think aimlessly like this. We have to find a way out, have a plan, have a backer, or find a smooth road to success. Otherwise, I'm afraid we will have to live in the shadows for the rest of our lives."

At this moment, Xu Damao, who had been listening with his ears perked up, suddenly had his eyes shining, like two bright pearls shining brightly in the darkness. A long-lost smile appeared on his face, a smile full of hope and longing. He slapped his thigh excitedly, and the movement was so violent that Yan Bugui next to him was almost scared. He shouted: "Yes, yes, yes, it's a backer! I accidentally heard the news a few days ago that there is a very important new project in the city that is looking for partners. This project is a big deal. If we can get in touch with this line, then our luck will really turn around and we will have a chance to turn things around! Old Yan, do you think we should give it a try?"

Yan Bugui was also refreshed when he heard this, and a gleam of light flashed in his eyes. He nodded and said, "Well, this is a good idea. However, we must plan carefully and not act rashly. After all, our current situation is not very good, so we have to be careful."

After hearing this, Yan Bugui's frown relaxed a little, like a flower of hope suddenly blooming in the desert after a long drought. However, this relaxation only lasted for a moment, and then it wrinkled again like a volcano about to erupt, because of the many worries and uneasiness in his heart, forming two insurmountable peaks.

He sighed worriedly, "That being said, what exactly do we rely on to win their attention? You know, they are very selective in selecting partners, not only considering their strength, but also their reputation and background. We currently lack sufficient financial support, which makes people think that we are not strong enough; and we don't have any strong background to back us up, which makes it difficult for people to trust us. These two points are our weaknesses."

Xu Damao smiled indifferently, and there was a subtle cunning in his smile, as if he had already made up his mind. He blinked, lowered his voice and said mysteriously: "Old Yan, you are too pessimistic. As the saying goes, there will always be a way out when you reach the mountain, and there will always be more ways than difficulties. Have you forgotten that you have a distant relative who works in a government department? Although the relationship is a little distant, but a mosquito leg is also meat. Maybe through this connection, we may really be able to get in touch with that project. At that time, as long as we can show our sincerity and ability, why should we be afraid that others will not give us a chance? As for the funds, we can try every possible way to piece together and raise them. At the very least, we can try to find out if there is any rich and powerful person willing to invest in us. These days, as long as you have a project and an idea, are you afraid of not finding money?"

After listening to what Xu Damao said, Yan Bugui nodded slightly, indicating that he slightly agreed with what Xu Damao said. He knew very well that although Xu Damao was a little unreliable at ordinary times, he could often come up with some strange tricks at critical moments, and maybe it would really work this time. However, the uneasiness in his heart always lingered, like a lingering dark cloud: "This matter really requires careful consideration! Don't rush it. We are now standing on the edge of a cliff. If we are not careful, we may fall into the bottomless abyss and never be able to turn over! We have to plan carefully and think about every step carefully before we can take this step."

After that, he sighed softly, with a little worry on his face. However, this worry did not last long, as it was diluted by Xu Damao's words full of hope and passion. So, the two began to whisper to each other, sometimes frowning, as if they had encountered an insurmountable problem; sometimes their eyes were shining, as if they had found a way out of the dilemma. They were immersed in the beautiful vision of the future, as if they had already seen the dazzling and glorious future waving not far ahead, waiting for them to explore and conquer.

Before they knew it, the setting sun had slowly sunk to the west. The lake, which was originally as calm as a mirror, was now dyed golden, and the sparkling water seemed to be covered with a layer of golden gauze that shone with charming light. Seeing that it was getting dark, Xu Damao and Yan Bugui packed up their fishing gear and slowly stood up.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, their figures were stretched out very long. Their slightly hunched bodies seemed so heavy at this moment, as if they were carrying countless unknown secrets and the unknown journey full of variables, difficulties and obstacles that was about to begin.

Yan Bugui took the fishing rod and walked back to the courtyard with heavy steps. Every step seemed to be heavy on his heart. As soon as he stepped through the gate, he ran into Yi Zhonghai who was walking hurriedly. Yan Bugui's heart suddenly skipped a beat and he thought to himself: "This is bad. Could it be that the truth has been revealed? Yi Zhonghai is in such a hurry that he must be looking for trouble with me." His eyes flickered unconsciously, fearing that Yi Zhonghai was here to call him to task. After all, the recent situation was tense and he always felt that the eyes of the people around him were scrutinizing him. Even the air seemed to be frozen.

But Yi Zhonghai started talking about the whole hospital meeting: "Old Yan, you are back just in time. We have to hold a whole hospital meeting tonight. We have to inform everyone of some things." Yi Zhonghai's expression was solemn, and his tone was full of unquestionable meaning. Yan Bugui's tense nerves relaxed when he heard it, and he breathed a sigh of relief: "It turns out that it is not for me, but for the whole hospital meeting." But then he had a trace of doubt: "This meeting was held so suddenly, could it be that something big happened in the hospital?" His mind was racing, but on the surface he nodded calmly and responded with a few words.

After returning to the house, Yan Bugui put down his fishing rod and packed up briefly, but he was thinking in his heart: "Although tonight's meeting may have nothing to do with me, it is also a good opportunity to get some information. I have to go and listen. Maybe I can catch some clues that are beneficial to me from other people's words." Thinking of this, he tidied his clothes and prepared to go to the gathering point of the meeting.

On the way, he met several neighbors, who nodded or exchanged simple greetings. But Yan Bugui always felt that there was something hidden behind these smiles. Their eyes seemed to hint at something, which made him feel a little uncomfortable. He forced a smile and responded to the neighbors' greetings, but he was muttering in his heart: "Do these people know something? I have to be careful."

As he walked, he silently thought about how to deal with various possible situations, but he never stopped. He knew that no matter what happened, he had to stay calm and not reveal any flaws. Only in this way could he keep his footing in this storm and continue with his plan.

At the hospital's general meeting, under the dim lights, the crowd was bustling and discussions were heard one after another. Yi Zhonghai stood in front of the stage, cleared his throat, glanced at everyone present, and began to talk about some recent arrangements for the hospital and some challenges that were about to be faced.

"Dear neighbors, I have called you all here tonight mainly because I have a few things to discuss with you. First of all, the water pipes in our yard need to be repaired, and we need everyone to contribute..." Yi Zhonghai's voice was steady and powerful, but Yan Bugui's mind was not on this at all.

While listening, Yan Bugui absentmindedly scanned the crowd around him, trying to catch any movement that might be related to him. His eyes shuttled among the crowd, sometimes lingering, sometimes moving away, as if looking for something. But the content of the conference really seemed to have nothing to do with him. The discussion was all about daily trivialities and public affairs, such as water pipe maintenance and cleaning of public areas.

"Also, the community needs to strengthen public security management recently. Everyone should be careful when going out at night. Please remind each other not to open the door to strangers." Yi Zhonghai continued.

After hearing this, Yan Bugui raised a barely perceptible sneer and thought to himself, "What do these trivial matters have to do with me? I only care whether my affairs have been exposed." His eyes swept through the crowd again and suddenly met the eyes of the three aunts beside him. The three aunts' eyes seemed to have some deep meaning. Yan Bugui was startled and quickly looked away, fearing that the other party would see something.

"Finally, regarding the greening of our yard, I suggest that we can plant flowers and grass together to beautify the environment." As soon as Yi Zhonghai finished speaking, there was a burst of echoes from the audience.

Yan Bugui had no intention of participating in these discussions, as his mind had long since drifted away. He forced a smile and dealt with the greetings and discussions around him, but in his heart he was thinking about how to leave this oppressive occasion as soon as possible.