Siheyuan: A Family of Loyal and Brave People

"Hey, uncle, we just had a meeting yesterday, why are we having another meeting today?"

At the end of February, it was still bitterly cold outside, and the neighbors who were called to the meeting in the central courtyard couldn't help but complain.

Normally when the weather is suitable they don't mind coming out to join in the fun.

But in this cold weather, it’s better to stay indoors and no one wants to come out to enjoy the fresh air.

"Yesterday was a government matter, today is a private matter within our hospital."

Yi Zhonghai explained, getting straight to the point without any nonsense.

"There's a thief in our yard. Two kilograms of bacon was stolen from Li Chengshi's house in the front yard.

I called everyone here just to ask if anyone has come in in the past few days."

"What?! Is there a thief in the yard?"

The neighbor who had just been shouting his dissatisfaction suddenly changed his expression.

They tend to turn a blind eye to things that do not concern them, but once something happens that threatens their interests, these neighbors will immediately react violently.

The neighbors were bustling about and talking non-stop, and the entire courtyard seemed to have turned into a chicken and duck market.

"Be quiet, be quiet."

The scene was chaotic and Yi Zhonghai had to step forward to maintain order.

After finally calming down the neighbors, He Yuzhu stood up before the three managers could speak, looked at Xu Damao who was huddled in the crowd and said sternly, "Don't panic, this isn't the first time this has happened.

Last time, the chicken I tied at the door of my house disappeared inexplicably.

Maybe the bacon in Li Chengshi’s house is like that chicken, growing two legs and running away on its own.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the neighbors all looked at Xu Damao.

There are about a hundred people living in the courtyard. The place is not big, and the neighbors know each other well. They are very clear about the good things that each other has done.

Xu Damao had a criminal record before, and he once instigated Liu Guangtian and his brother to steal. However, the chickens that He Yuzhu brought back to the yard were too ferocious, so they did not succeed.

Under the pressure of everyone's gaze, Xu Damao hurriedly stood up and defended himself, "Shazhu, don't spit blood at me. I definitely didn't do this! Li Chengshi and I have no grudges against each other. Why would I go to his house and steal things?

Besides, you underestimated me by going to such great lengths just to steal two kilograms of bacon from Li Chengshi's house."

The further he spoke, the more powerful Xu Damao became.

Anyone with common sense would find out that Xu Damao had no motive to commit the crime if they calm down and analyze the situation.

It is highly likely that he was not the one who stole the bacon.

“What Xu Damao said makes sense.

Zhuzi, you can't just doubt others just because you don't get along with Xu Damao."

Yi Zhonghai stepped forward and reminded.

Yesterday, He Yuzhu and his wife came out to preside over the meeting, and they clearly overshadowed the three managers.

Yi Zhonghai must do something to enhance his prestige and maintain his voice in the hospital.

“I didn’t say that Xu Damao did it, I just provided a direction.

In recent days, the neighbors didn't notice any outsiders coming in.

Li Chengshi’s bacon may not have been stolen by outsiders.”

He Yuzhu was not angry, but continued his analysis calmly.

"Be on guard day and night, but you can't guard against a thief in your own home.

Only a child would do something like stealing other people's bacon.

Maybe some kid was craving for meat and accidentally..."

Xu Damao and He Yuzhu don't get along, but sometimes their ideas coincide.

After these words were spoken, Yan Bugui, who was sitting at the dinner table, felt his heart rise to his throat.

I thought Yan Jiecheng had done a thorough job and would not be easily exposed.

Unexpectedly, Xu Damao guessed the general idea in just a few seconds.

There are evidences of crime hidden in the Yan family's house, and they might be discovered.

Just when Yan Bugui was racking his brains over how to disrupt He Yuzhu and the other man, Liu Haizhong suddenly stood up and spoke.

“My house is in the backyard, which is out of reach of the front yard.

This is definitely not something they did in broad daylight.”

The last time He Yuzhu’s chickens were stolen, Xu Damao was the mastermind and the executors were the Liu Guangtian brothers.

They both have criminal records and are suspects.

"Uncle, a rabbit doesn't eat grass near its burrow.

The front yard and the back yard are not far apart, and you have to pass by the front yard every day to go out, so how can you not reach it?"

Xu Damao had been hit by Liu Haizhong's punch, and there was a deep grudge between the two.

Faced with this kind of opportunity today, Xu Damao would of course try his best to throw dirty water on Liu Haizhong.

“Don’t talk nonsense!

Who in the yard doesn’t go out through the front yard?

What I mean is, two pounds of bacon is a pretty big piece, and it would be easy to be discovered if you moved it from the front yard to the back yard.

If we talk about suspicion, the front yard and the back yard are more likely.

Especially the front yard is the closest, so it’s the most convenient for delivering things.”

Liu Haizhong's analysis was well-reasoned. The neighbors in the backyard all nodded in agreement, while the neighbors in the front and middle yards had gloomy expressions.

Especially Yan Bugui, his face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

When Liu Haizhong jumped out to confront Xu Damao, he was secretly delighted, hoping that the two of them would fight with each other and muddy the waters to cover up the fact that Yan Jiecheng had committed the crime.

I didn't expect Liu Haizhong to be so rational today. Not only did he not confuse things, but he further narrowed down the scope of the suspects.

This put Yan Bugui into a more dangerous situation.

“Second Uncle’s analysis is correct.

But everything requires evidence. If you suspect the neighbors in the front and middle yards without any evidence, isn't that creating conflicts and destroying unity?

If it is really done by an outsider, wouldn't it be like shooting ourselves in the foot if we continue to be suspicious of each other?"

At this point, Yan Bugui had to stand up and say a few words to divert the neighbors' attention.

As long as the focus can be shifted to the conflict between the front and back yards, no one will care about Li Chengshi losing the bacon.

“The Third Uncle is right.

There is no point in just guessing here, we need to find evidence."

After getting Yi Zhonghai's affirmation, Yan Bugui breathed a sigh of relief and was about to agree, but he didn't expect to be hit by a bolt from the blue.

“However, I think what Second Uncle and the others said makes sense.

In the absence of any evidence, the most likely person to have committed the crime was an inside thief, especially a child in the yard.

Everyone is clear about the situation of the Intermediate Court.

My child hasn't learned to walk yet, He Yuzhu's child hasn't been born yet, the Jia family's house is empty, and the remaining families' children are not only few in number, but also can't reach the cupboards.

If we talk about suspicion, the front yard is the biggest.

Xu Damao said it well, a rabbit doesn’t eat grass near its burrow.

But there is an old saying: The light is dark.”

"Well, well said, Uncle."

Several residents whose families were cleared of suspicion by the Intermediate Court applauded.

The middle yard and the back yard are both disconnected, so the pressure comes to the front yard.

Yan Bugui was stunned for a while, sweat broke out on his forehead, and he noticed that the neighbors were looking at him. He quickly coughed twice to cover up his embarrassment and said, "It's impossible for the families in our front yard.

After being neighbors for so many years, we all know each other well.

The children in the front yard are all good kids, and they would never do something like stealing."

Rationally speaking, Yan Bugui had no excuses to offer, so he could only try to clear himself of suspicion emotionally.

However, his conversation was obviously pale in comparison to the rational analysis of the first two uncles.

Instead of being convinced, the neighbors looked at him with even more suspicion.