Siheyuan: If you ruin the reputation of the whole courtyard, I will move out

"Bangzi stole the old man's eggs, and Aunt Jia was furious, insisting that Uncle Xu deliberately hurt his grandson," Zhang Yu explained patiently, "I just said a few more words for the sake of fairness."

He Yuzhu obviously didn't believe this explanation and commented dissatisfiedly: "People like Damao should reap what they sow. I must have made their family uneasy in their early years." He has always been at odds with Xu Damao.

But Zhang Yu countered, "This is not a wise way to deal with the problem. After all, the thief is immature and easily misunderstood. 'When you are young, you steal needles. When you grow up, you steal gold.' That's the truth."

He Yuzhu nodded in agreement: "I've heard of this."

Then Zhang Yu continued, "Bang Geng is still young after all. If he doesn't learn a lesson from this incident, he may think that this is okay and eventually he will inevitably go down the path of depravity, and his life may even collapse." Although He Yuzhu didn't say anything about this issue, his inner worries shifted to other places: "It's not that serious, right?"

Zhang Yuyi chuckled and said, "If Zhuzi's child is also a thief, how would you deal with it?"

He Yuzhu immediately replied: "I will never tolerate anything! Because I have a simple nature deep in my heart." The question that followed was: "Why are you so strict?"

He Yuzhu said firmly: "This is a principle passed down from generation to generation in our family - such immoral things must be strictly stopped." He knew very well that stealing was an unforgivable mistake.

At this time, Zhang Yu smiled slightly and continued, "The problem is that no one has educated Mugun on right and wrong like you have. Aunt Jia is too indulgent, and Aunt Qin is too busy with her livelihood to teach him, which is why he has developed the habit of stealing."

After hearing this, He Yuzhu suddenly realized, "Are you trying to help him correct his mistakes?"

Zhang Yu confirmed: "That's right. The stick is not bad in nature. I just want to prevent him from going the wrong way. I made him clean Xu Damao's house for a week as a small warning. It's not a serious punishment."

He Yuzhu nodded to show his understanding: "That's true, but imagine that old woman Aunt Jia has to sweep the yard for a month in the cold winter nights... It seems a bit cruel."

Zhang Yu joked, "Could it be that Aunt Jia went to sweep the floor herself?"

Hearing this, He Yuzhu was stunned and quickly clarified: "Today's cleaning work was done by Sister Qin."

Zhang Yu smiled and said, "I understand. You are concerned about Mrs. Qin! There is some subtle emotion implied in your words." There was a hint of jealousy in his words.

He Yuzhu's face flushed slightly and he quickly explained: "I definitely don't care about Sister Qin. I just think that Aunt Jia's punishment is too harsh." He seemed a little embarrassed after saying that.

"This kind of punishment is not my personal idea. In fact, it was a suggestion made by an uncle. This matter has nothing to do with me." Zhang Yu's words gradually dissipated He Yuzhu's dissatisfaction.

"You have quite a lot of reasons." He Yuzhu muttered with a slight smile on his face.

After Zhang Yu’s repeated explanations, He Yuzhu’s emotions gradually calmed down.

"I passed my exam today and I want to celebrate. I plan to buy some pork belly. Do you want to try the braised pork I cooked myself and have a drink to celebrate with me?"

However, He Yuzhu refused: "No, Yushui is going home today, and I need to prepare her favorite dishes."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that the rain is back! What a coincidence, why don't we celebrate together and include you in the celebration."

"Okay!"

After get off work, the two went to the market together. Zhang Yu took the initiative and took out his wallet to buy what they needed.

At the market, Zhang Yu only bought some vegetables and told He Yuzhu that he didn't need to buy any meat because they had already prepared the ingredients.

He Yuzhu was not confused and quietly returned to the community with the purchased food. As soon as he arrived at the door of his house, he saw the scene outside: three or four people who looked like street office staff were clashing with the angry Xu Damao, and they were holding the chicken cages confiscated from Xu's family.

Pointing at the chicken coop, a staff member asked, "Don't you know that city regulations prohibit individuals from raising poultry?"

"Don't get excited. These are what my wife bought for her to regulate her body. I will deal with them in two days." Xu Damao said with a smile.

"Even if it's for health reasons, why buy a rooster and a hen? I see you plan to keep the rooster to incubate the eggs, and then let the chicks breed without care! The neighbors are disturbed by the crowing, and someone has already complained to us." The staff said with a stern face.

Hearing this, Xu Damao looked helpless: "Then I can kill it and eat it right away, right? Leader, I know it's not easy to do this, so please let me go this time. If there is any misunderstanding, please go to the street office and ask Director Ma."

However, the staff insisted on their principles: "Sorry, we have to take action after receiving the complaint. This is our responsibility to the trust of the citizens. The chicken must be taken away. If you really have a problem, you can go directly to the street office to resolve it." After saying that, they left with the chicken.

Despite Xu Damao's pleading, the staff still firmly abided by the regulations.

After the crowd left, Xu Damao stood at the door in disappointment, watching with heartache the two chickens that were loved like their mothers leave.

"Hey, Xu Damao, this is all your own fault. You show off your treasure every day, and look what happened in the end. You lost it all!" He Yuzhu took the opportunity to mock.

"Chouzhu, were you the one who reported him?" Xu Damao suddenly grabbed He Yuzhu's collar, his saliva almost spraying on his face. His anger made him ignore the difference in power between them.

He Yuzhu controlled Xu Damao's hand with a light turn of his wrist, and then got rid of the restraint on his collar and pushed Xu Damao into the door with force.

"What? Were you the first to start it?" He Yuzhu asked provocatively.

Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Zhang Yu rushed over to mediate and separated the two people who were like fighting roosters.

Those two people haven't gone far yet. If the situation gets out of hand, it will be a serious problem.

"Brother Damao, you are too suspicious. We have been together today and he didn't report you." Zhang Yu hurriedly comforted the person who was misunderstood.

Xu Damao stroked his aching hand and said unyieldingly, "But who is it?"

Under the law that strictly prohibits raising poultry, privately raising small poultry is not in compliance with the law, but ordinary people in difficult times often acquiesce in this method of survival. Some families even raise sheep or horses, because in difficult times, the understanding and patience of neighbors are crucial.

Neighbors often don't notice such things unless they are overly publicized or nobody reports them. Once a complaint is exposed, the relevant department must record it, and a cold response may trigger public anger. Neighbors avoid talking about noisy roosters like Xu Damao, and will never bring it up when they go out to get together. Even He Yuzhu, who had a grudge against him, did not take the initiative to accuse him.

In today's society, where collective interests are emphasized, private misconduct is often criticized. The main reason is that such behavior often causes others to feel bored and alienated.

Zhang Yu silently watched everything that happened in front of him, guessing in his heart. After Banggeng quietly slipped away, he did not tell Xu Damao the conclusion, because it was just a guess and might not be accurate. He comforted: "Brother, don't worry, go to the street to find Director Ma honestly, and correct the mistake as soon as possible to save it. Even if it is cold, it can make a pot of good soup that warms people's hearts." Xu Damao listened to Zhang Yu's advice and decided to go to the street quickly to solve the problem.

He Yuzhu followed closely behind and said gloatingly: "Boy, hurry up, otherwise your chicken may have been cut up by the street." Faced with He Yuzhu's provocation, Xu Damao turned a deaf ear and quickly walked towards the street office.

Regarding He Yuzhu, Zhang Yu couldn't help but sigh: "Brother Zhu, you have been fighting each other since childhood. Isn't the little fight in childhood enough for you to vent your hatred?" He Yuzhu was aroused and retorted angrily: "It's all Xu Damao's nonsense all day long. This is what you deserve."

Zhang Yu returned to his home quietly, but actually went to his private storage room to take out the delicious dishes that he had carefully prepared in advance, such as pork belly that had been frozen for three months, and even a rooster weighing three kilograms, and even a bottle of precious old Moutai liquor.

In this stagnant space, all the food remained fresh and delicious. He bought those bottles of Moutai at the cooperative for a cheap price of eight yuan. Zhang Yu was overjoyed to pass the driving test. He could finally celebrate with a drink.

He went to He Yuzhu's house with delicious food and fine wine. When he saw the Maotai wine, his eyes sparkled. "Xiao Zhang, it seems that you are in good spirits today." He Yuzhu said humorously.

Zhang Yu laughed and said, "Let's get drunk tonight, Brother Zhu!"

At this moment, a young girl walked in. She was tall and slender, wearing slightly old but still neat cotton clothes. Her face was delicate and natural, and she was full of youthful vitality. This girl was He Yuzhu's younger sister, He Yushui.

He Yushui greeted him warmly: "Brother Yu is here too!" She seemed familiar with Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu asked jokingly: "Yushui, have you grown taller now? Are you about to graduate?"

He Yushui casually put her schoolbag aside, picked up her brother's cup and took a sip of water. The water droplets slowly slid down her throat, making her fresh temperament more prominent.

"I am now in my third year of high school and will complete my studies in half a year." He Yushui put down the teacup and told Zhang Yu in detail.

"You will be eighteen years old when you graduate. It's time for a girl to get married. Do you want me to help you pick a suitable young man?" Zhang Yu said jokingly in a light-hearted tone.

He Yushui smiled frankly and said, "Like Brother Yu?" The close atmosphere between the two made He Yuzhu feel a little uncomfortable, as if he was an outsider.

Although this has always been Zhang Yu's place of life, before he fully reached adulthood, he often lived in that slum, and maintained a close relationship with the He brothers and sisters. They spent many happy childhood times together, and their bond was as deep as that of childhood sweethearts.

Over the years, He Yushui has grown like a blooming flower, with a height of over 1.7 meters, graceful and elegant, and a beautiful and gentle temperament. In that poor era, men with a height of 1.7 meters were considered strong, and it was even more difficult for girls to reach that height. He Yushui also had other advantages, such as her beautiful appearance. After graduation, she would arrange employment for the school, which became her new direction.

Yi Zhonghai once secretly asked He Yuzhu whether he had considered marriage for Yu Shui's lifelong event, but he had someone else in his heart - the widow next door, and did not show much concern for Yu Shui's lifelong event.

After graduation, He Yushui hopes to concentrate on her work and is not considering marriage for the time being. In the film and television portrayal, she developed an emotional resonance with the security guard shortly after graduating from high school, got married and left her original residence, and rarely appeared in public on weekdays.

During this meeting, Zhang Yu saw that the once immature girl had now grown into an elegant woman. In his eyes, she was not only pretty, but also a little immature.

In the plot, she naively thought that Qin Huairu might have good intentions, and spared no effort to promote the contact between He Yuzhu and the widow, but unknowingly let He Yuzhu fall into the love net of the devil Qin Huairu.

During the cooking process, Zhang Yu found a topic to chat with and asked He Yushui: "Yushui, what are your plans for the future? Do you plan to get married or continue your studies?" He also put a bag of melon seeds on the table.

He Yushui said frankly: "My grades are not outstanding, and I am worried that I will have problems getting admitted to universities, so I hope to find a job along with the school."

Zhang Yu asked worriedly, "Has the school arranged a specific job for you? Can I help connect you?"

She answered easily: "I heard it will be in the factory's finance department."

"Accounting position! That's great, it's a stable choice." Zhang Yu nodded and smiled.

Regarding his situation of only being a cashier, He Yushui said: "I am still a novice and cannot do accounting work in the short term."

"It doesn't matter. You can consider taking the certification exam after you have accumulated experience." Zhang Yu offered advice.

"I am planning to do the same. I will improve myself step by step by accumulating practical experience while learning accounting knowledge on my own." Her thoughts were clear.

Through this conversation, Zhang Yu felt that He Yushui had a clear plan and thought about his life, and he seemed more rational and mature than He Yuzhu. Although He Yuzhu looked older, he seemed a little confused in life. Without the family's craftsmanship as a support, He Yuzhu's life might have been much more difficult.

When asked about finding a partner for his sister, Zhang Yu said seriously, "I am considering it sincerely. Career is indeed important, but personal feelings cannot be ignored." He reminded her as an elder brother, "If you meet a suitable candidate, bring him or her to let me and my brother meet him or her, and we will provide reference opinions."

A strange look flashed across He Yushui's face: "Stop kidding, you haven't even officially had a lover yet." There was a hint of joking in the words.

Zhang Yu was slightly embarrassed: "I don't have an urgent need to get married."

He Yushui curled her lips and responded, "My eldest brother is just a young man who put all his attention on Widow Qin, but ended up making things worse. You have to be careful not to follow in his footsteps."

After hearing these words, Zhang Yu had an epiphany.

He Yuzhu, who was busy working at the time, heard this conversation. He Yushui suddenly made a firm decision: "Brother, to tell you the truth, I am very dissatisfied with my eldest brother's attitude, especially his relationship with Widow Qin..."

Facing Zhang Yu's sharp gaze, He Yushui regained her smart side. In fact, she was not completely ignorant of Widow Qin, but just pretended to be ignorant and used herself to mediate various conflicts to maintain the complex and delicate relationships in the family.

After asking directly, his tone was slightly worried: "Then why don't you just talk to your brother about your ideas?"

However, He Yushui sneered in response: "Is communication useful? I have mentioned it more than once, even an old man has reminded me, but what is the final result? Every time I try to interfere, I am sent to school, as if I really can't find out about his secret deeds."