Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

Sha Zhu took a step forward, like a steady mountain. He gently pressed his hands in the air. That gesture carried a silent power, signaling everyone to be quiet.

Then, he took a deep breath and said loudly: "Dear neighbors, let's not be distracted by what happened just now. Those are just like the occasional ripples on a calm lake. In the long river of our lives, they are just small episodes and don't count. What's important is what happened between Xu Damao and me today."

As he spoke, he slowly turned his head to look at Xu Damao. His eyes seemed to be filled with mixed emotions, including regrets about the past and expectations for their future relationship.

"Today, Xu Damao came to me and told me that he wanted to make peace with me. We grew up together, and at that time, the yard was our playground. We played together, got into trouble together, and our friendship was more real than that of brothers. But later, I don't know what happened, we were like two hedgehogs, and we would prick each other when we were close, and we had a lot of fights. Every time we had a fight, I felt like a big rock was blocking my heart, and I felt very uncomfortable. Now that he said this, I am really happy. I also hope that we can be reconciled, just like when we were children, helping each other with everything, and never calculating or haggling with each other again. This yard should be harmonious, and everyone can live happily."

After hearing what Sha Zhu said, Xu Damao hurried forward, his steps anxious, as if he was afraid of missing this good opportunity to express himself.

His face was filled with regret, his brows were slightly wrinkled, and his eyes were even a little red. He looked like a child who had done something wrong.

Xu Damao's voice was a little hoarse, as if every word carried his deep guilt: "Everyone, I, Xu Damao, am here today to speak from the bottom of my heart. I was so confused before, as if I was blinded by lard!"

As he spoke, he patted his chest heavily with his hands. The "pa pa" sound was particularly clear in the quiet yard.

"Shazhu and I have been fighting for so many years. Actually, when I think back, those things were just trivial matters, like someone lost a chicken, or someone took advantage of someone. But I just couldn't let go of that little bit of face, and I had to compete with him. This fight not only hurt my relationship with Shazhu, but also made our yard a mess. Every time we had a fight, the noise was like dropping a bomb on the calm water, making everyone uneasy. Now that I think about it, I really regret it! I know you may not believe me, but I have really figured it out. I want to start over with Shazhu and get along well. I hope everyone can give me this opportunity and supervise me so that I don't make any more mistakes."

The yard was originally quiet and peaceful, but after Xu Damao said this.

The whole yard suddenly became noisy, as if a stone thrown into a lake caused a thousand waves.

"Oh, how can Xu Damao say such a thing? The sun rises from the west?"

A plump middle-aged woman in plain floral shirt was the first to exclaim. Her eyes, which were not big to begin with, were now wide open like two copper bells, filled with surprise and disbelief.

He also reached out and grabbed the sleeve of a middle-aged woman next to him who was also shocked. His face was full of disbelief and his mouth was opened so wide that an egg could fit in it.

"That's right. We've all seen this guy's petty character before. How could he change his nature today? I don't believe he can let go of his resentment so easily!"

The person who spoke was a lean and capable middle-aged man. He rubbed his chin with his hand and narrowed his eyes slightly. A deep groove formed between his furrowed brows. His eyes were full of suspicion. He stared straight at Xu Damao, trying to find even the slightest trace of disguise on that seemingly sincere face.

At this time, Cao Wei was mixed in the crowd. After hearing what Xu Damao said, his brows unconsciously frowned, and he looked like two tangled twists that could not be untied no matter what he did.

Cao Wei thought to himself, "Humph, can Xu Damao be so kind? Even if you beat me to death, I will never believe it."

At the same time, he did not hide his suspicious gaze, which was fixed on Xu Damao. Those two glances were like two extremely sharp hooks, determined to hook out some clues from Xu Damao's seemingly sincere expression.

Xu Damao seemed to sense Cao Wei's sharp gaze that was like a needle piercing his back. He turned his head slightly and looked in the direction of Cao Wei.

The corners of his mouth slowly rose, revealing a smile that was profound and difficult to fathom.

There was a kind of cunning hidden in that smile that was not easily detected, just like the expression of a worldly-wise and scheming fox.

When Cao Wei saw such a smile on Xu Damao's face, his heart suddenly skipped a beat and he thought to himself, "Hey! This kid must have some hidden secret. Look at his fake smile, how can he truly repent? He is most likely planning some sinister and cunning scheme in secret." However, this matter did not have much relevance to Cao Wei, and it could even be said that it was a situation he was happy to see.

In Cao Wei's eyes, Xu Damao and the other man were like two vicious dogs fighting and biting each other.

The scene presented at this moment was just a wonderful play for him. He only needed to sit quietly and act as a spectator, enjoying the fun brought by this farce. After all, no matter how the final outcome developed, it would not have any substantial impact on him.

Yu Li, who was standing next to Cao Wei, kept staring at Xu Damao, with a hint of doubt in her beautiful eyes. After a while, Yu Li lowered her voice and gently said to Cao Wei: "Cao Wei, take a closer look at Xu Damao's current appearance. Maybe he really wants to reconcile with the other party this time. You know, people will change."

Cao Wei smiled and glanced at Yu Li, with a hint of disdain in his smile. He lowered his voice and said, "Don't be fooled by him. If you can believe what this guy says, even a sow can climb a tree. Look at his eyes, he's like an old fox, flickering and uncertain. He must be up to something bad. Let's wait and see what tricks he can come up with."

Although Cao Wei was full of doubts, he did not intend to make trouble at this time. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, like a cold statue, standing quietly in place.

He wanted to see what Xu Damao was up to. This matter was definitely not that simple. Just like under the calm surface of a lake, there must be undercurrents that might cause huge waves at any time.

He just stood there with his arms folded across his chest, staring at Xu Damao and Sha Zhu quietly, waiting for things to develop further. It seemed as if his eyes could see through all disguises.

There was a gratified smile on Liu Haizhong's face, and that smile seemed to hide the pride in his own mediation results, just like a hunter seeing that his carefully set trap has captured prey.

He said loudly, "I am so happy that these two children can stand here and say these words today. This shows that they have really grown up and become sensible. This is the kind of harmony we need in our courtyard. The bumps and bruises in the past were like a storm, which was fierce but will eventually pass. We must be good in the future. We all live in the same courtyard and see each other every day. Harmony is the most important thing."

As he spoke, he patted the shoulder of Yan Bugui beside him. The action carried a sense of seeking approval, and his eyes flickered with expectation.

Yan Bugui nodded in agreement, his face full of smiles, his eyes narrowed into slits, like two crescent moons: "Yes, yes, this is really a great thing. It's not easy for Shazhu and Xu Damao to figure it out. We have lived in this courtyard for so long, hoping for less disputes and more peace. It's like hoping for a long drought before a rain. Now it seems that these two children have really come to their senses, and we old guys can worry less. From now on, this courtyard will be peaceful for a while."

Yi Zhonghai listened on the side, his face becoming increasingly gloomy, like the sky before a storm.

He snorted in his heart, "Humph, this Liu Haizhong really knows how to flatter himself. With his skills, he really thinks he has made great contributions. Today's matter was originally fine, but he messed it up, and he is still showing off here."

The more Yi Zhonghai thought about it, the angrier he became. He felt that although he had just scolded Liu Haizhong, he still lost the limelight to him and did not embarrass him at all. Instead, he seemed like the one who was making trouble for no reason.

Thinking of this, Yi Zhonghai clenched his fists unconsciously, and the knuckles turned white from the force.

He secretly swore in his heart: "Humph, this account cannot be let go like this. I must find an opportunity to get back at him and let everyone see who is truly working for the good of this courtyard. I can't let him be so complacent."

At this moment, Xu Damao's father, who had been silent, slowly stood up.

There was a hint of embarrassment on his weathered face, but at the same time, there was a hint of relief.

He cleared his throat and then spoke to the neighbors around him: "My neighbors, to be honest, my kid was really a bastard before! He knew how to stir up trouble all day long, and he caused a lot of trouble for everyone. However, today, when I heard him say these words, I, as a father, was really surprised and happy! I sincerely hope that he will truly realize his mistakes this time, and live in peace with Sha Zhu in the future, and not make trouble all day long like before. If he dares to be confused again, repeat the same mistakes, and continue to make mistakes, humph, then I will never let him off easily! Even if I have to risk breaking his legs, I will never allow him to act so recklessly!"

As he spoke, Xu Damao's father turned his gaze to Xu Damao who was standing aside.

That look was full of stern warnings, like an extremely sharp sword, which seemed to be able to easily pierce every thought deep in Xu Damao's heart.

However, behind this sharp gaze, there is still a hint of kindness that is difficult to conceal.

After all, blood is thicker than water. No matter what, Xu Damao is still his own flesh and blood. In fact, the reason why Xu Fugui expressed his attitude in this way was because Xu Damao had just secretly given him a look. With the tacit understanding between father and son for many years, he immediately understood his son's intention, so he actively cooperated with his son.

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