Siheyuan: Father Yi Zhonghai and Sister-in-law Lou Xiaoe

It’s like this with donations. As long as there’s someone around to help, others would feel embarrassed if they don’t donate.

Most people just give a few cents as a token of their appreciation.

"Have you finished donating? How much money?"

Yi Zhonghai came back after about ten minutes. There was no point in delaying any longer.

The main thing is that you can’t really squat and mop in the toilet, as your legs will feel sore and smelly.

"Uncle, everyone has donated almost everything!"

Qin Huairu looked at Yi Zhonghai with anticipation.

The total amount donated by these neighbors just now is probably just over ten yuan.

Adding Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui’s, it’s only about 30 yuan, which is a far cry.

It would be better if Yi Zhonghai could donate a large amount, like thirty or forty yuan.

Yi Zhonghai also knew that this matter was unavoidable and he had to donate some money.

He took out a handful of money from his pocket. Among the money were Great Unity notes, five-yuan notes, quite a few one-yuan notes, and some Mao Zedong notes.

Qin Huairu and many others were watching.

Yi Zhonghai asked Yan Bugui, and then he looked at the five yuan in his hand. Just as he took it out, Liu Haizhong spoke.

"And Comrade Yi Bufan hasn't donated yet either."

Liu Haizhong was afraid that Yi Bufan would be forgotten.

"Me? I don't plan on donating!"

Yi Bufan's words made everyone stunned for a moment, and they all looked over.

Everybody is donating money, even if it's just one cent it counts as a donation, so why are you openly opposing it?

This is a sign of being unsociable.

"Yi Bufan, you won't donate?"

"I'm afraid this is not appropriate. You two both work, and you are one of the few working couples in our courtyard. Your monthly salary is not small, so how can you not donate?"

Liu Haizhong didn't expect Yi Bufan to refuse directly. He originally thought that at least he could donate a few dollars.

"I think the donation principle is voluntary. If you really don't want to donate, you are free to do so."

Yi Zhonghai naturally spoke up for Yi Bufan, although he also felt that giving him one dollar would be enough to settle the matter.

However, since Yi Bufan is unwilling, then Yi Bufan has his reasons, and he, as his father, must support him.

At the same time, he put his five dollars back into his hand and exchanged it for one dollar.

"Although the donation is voluntary, we all live in the same yard and are neighbors."

"How can you watch your neighbor get sick and be hospitalized and not donate some of your spare money? This is a bit inappropriate, don't you think?"

Liu Haizhong said this and turned to look at the rest of the neighbors.

The purpose is very simple, which is to use the voice of the masses to force Yi Bufan to donate money.

This was also a tactic that Yi Zhonghai used frequently.

"Yes, Yi Bufan, you two probably make at least fifty or sixty dollars a month now, donating ten dollars is too much."

"Just donate a few dollars to help the neighbors."

"That's right, look at how pitiful Qin Huairu is, a woman, hey...wife, don't pull it until it hurts my ears."

"Donate five dollars."

"I see that the melon seeds you two eat are worth a few cents. It would be great if you could save some and donate it to the Jia family."

The neighbors' voices made Liu Haizhong smile. This trick really worked.

Even Qin Huairu smiled. It turned out that the best way was to gain everyone's sympathy.

However, Yi Zhonghai became anxious.

Just as he was about to speak, Yi Bufan spoke first.

"You asked me to donate money to Jia Zhang's family. Can you give me a reason?"

Yi Bufan put the remaining melon seeds into Xu Xiaoran's hand, clapped his hands, and scraped the melon seed shells off his pants.

"Comrade Yi Bufan, we are all neighbors, so please donate a little."

Yan Bugui also felt that Yi Bufan didn't need the money.

"Neighbors? My husband and I have only lived here for less than two months."

"I haven't seen Jia Zhang many times in total. It seems like she has always been locked up. We haven't been neighbors for long."

"Any other reasons?"

Yi Bufan glanced at Yan Bugui, this reason seemed to make sense.

What is a neighbor? It means you see them almost every day. Otherwise, they are no better than distant relatives.

"Yi Bufan, the Jia family is in a special situation now. They have no money to treat the disease. We should help them..."

Liu Haizhong saw that the neighbors seemed to agree with Yi Bufan’s words, so he spoke quickly.

"What a joke. Whether they have money to treat their illness or not is none of my business."

"Why is the Jia family's situation special? Dongxu was locked up? That's because he violated the law by speculation and profiteering."

"The Jia family has no money?"

"Why is there no money? That's because the Jia family just paid the fine for Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi."

"Why did you pay it?"

"Jia Dongxu was fined for illegal speculation, and so was Jia Zhang."

"There are two criminals in the same family. Moreover, Jia Dongxu has been imprisoned twice, and Jia Zhangshi has been imprisoned three times."

"What's this called?"

"This is called incorrigibility!"

"Should I donate money to this family of criminals?"

"If I really donated, I would be supporting criminals!"

When Yi Bufan said this, the neighbors' voices of discussion became louder again.

"It seems to be true. In this short period of time, Jia Zhang and Jia Dongxu were imprisoned one after another."

"Yes, the police came several times, and it seemed that most of them were to arrest people from their family."

"Then does our donation mean we are supporting criminals?"

“This is helping criminals.”

"..."

All of a sudden, people's voices became one-sided.

Yi Zhonghai smiled knowingly, his son was indeed not a simple person.

Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses and secretly reached for the two dollars he had just put down.

Liu Haizhong was anxious. He stretched out his hand to hold the money on the table seemingly unintentionally and looked at Yi Bufan: "Yi Bufan, don't talk nonsense. These are two different things."

"Although Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi both did wrong things, they were arrested and fined, which means they were punished."

"Jia Zhang is now in the hospital. She is a patient. We sympathize with the patient, not the criminals. We donated money to help Jia Zhang get treatment, not to support illegal activities."

Liu Haizhong somewhat regretted asking Yi Bufan for donation.

If I hadn't asked for anything at that time, it would have been fine even if Yi Zhonghai put in the five dollars.

But now, Yan Bugui almost took the money away, so what about others...

"Second uncle, what you said is so confusing. After all, aren't the criminals and the patients all from the Jia Zhang family?"

"What you mean is that if everyone donates money to Jia Zhang to cure his illness, and then Jia Zhang does something illegal, it doesn't count as support."

“I think it’s the same thing.”

Yi Bufan smiled. How could a group of uneducated people in the yard understand Liu Haizhong's roundabout explanation?

To everyone, it's just one person.

"you......"

Liu Haizhong was so angry that his hands were shaking. He turned to look at Yi Zhonghai: "Old Yi, you are an old man, you are talking about this matter..."

"Wife, do you smell a fragrance?"

"I smell something like stewed pig's trotters."

Yi Bufan ignored what Liu Haizhong said, but turned to ask Xu Xiaoran in a loud voice.