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

The two chatted about this and that, and somehow ended up talking about Sha Zhu.

A lady said with a worried look on her face: "Is Shazhu still the same? This child is really worrying."

Yi Zhonghai looked solemn and nodded slowly, his voice full of helplessness: "Yes. Since Sha Zhu was discharged from the hospital a few months ago, he has been in a slump."

Recalling those days, Yi Zhonghai's eyes became somewhat distant.

At that time, Sha Zhu had just been discharged from the hospital. He looked like he had lost his soul, his eyes were empty, and he walked lightly, as if a gust of wind could blow him down.

Yi Zhonghai saw it all and was worried, so he found some time and took Sha Zhu to sit under the old locust tree with lush branches and leaves in the yard.

The sunlight filtered through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows, but Sha Zhu seemed to be in darkness, unaware of the beautiful scenery.

Yi Zhonghai advised him earnestly: "Shazhu, you can't just stay depressed like this. You have to cheer up, find out the real culprit who hurt you, and vent your anger."

After hearing this, a glimmer of light flashed in Sha Zhu's originally dim eyes, like a small flame that was lit.

During that period, he seemed to have found the purpose of life again. He would go out before dawn every day, running around, and not missing any possible clues.

He shuttled through the streets and alleys, asking everyone who might know the situation. He was often busy until dark before returning home, with his clothes covered in dust and several pairs of shoes worn out.

He did not miss any corner, whether it was a bustling market or a remote alley, leaving his tired figure everywhere.

Time passed quietly, day after day, but those key clues slipped away from Sha Zhu's fingertips like a kite with a broken string.

No matter how hard he tried to grab them, he could only watch them disappear into the sky.

Every time, when Sha Zhu embarked on the journey to find clues with joy and expectation, the cruel reality would always mercilessly extinguish the fire of his hope.

Gradually, the light that once shone in his eyes gradually dimmed, and finally even the only weak flame that was left was completely extinguished.

Now Shazhu has returned to his original muddled life.

Apart from going to work as scheduled every day, he would spend the rest of his time locked up in his little world at home, drinking glass after glass of bitter wine alone.

The whole house was filled with a strong and pungent smell of alcohol, and empty wine bottles were thrown on the ground in a disorderly manner, creating a mess.

This situation is exactly like Sha Zhu's life at the moment. He has fallen into endless chaos and can't find a way out.

As for Yi Zhonghai, whenever he passed by Sha Zhu's house, he would always hear the crisp sound of wine glasses colliding with each other and the heavy and suppressed sighs coming from inside the house.

These sounds were like thin needles, piercing straight into Yi Zhonghai's heart, making him feel a pang of heartache.

Therefore, Yi Zhonghai mustered up the courage to knock on the door of Sha Zhu's house many times, hoping to use his own strength to awaken the lost Sha Zhu again.

However, every time he got a response, it was either Sha Zhu's weak, zombie-like reply, or deathly silence with no response at all.

The tightly closed door was like an unbridgeable chasm, which not only cut off Sha Zhu's connection with the outside world, but also severed the last bit of desire and longing for a better life in his heart.

"No one can persuade him! We have said so much earnestly, but he is like a deaf person, he can't hear anything at all!"

Yi Zhonghai shook his head helplessly and sighed deeply.

The wrinkles on his weathered face seemed to have become deeper, as if time had used a ruthless knife to carve several deep marks on his face, which was already full of ravines.

"This child has too many things on his mind. He regards this matter as more important than anything else. It will be difficult for him to get out of this shadow in a short period of time."

An old lady standing nearby also sighed softly, her eyes slightly red, and she said with a choked voice, "Alas, I really don't know what this child is thinking. Why is he so stubborn and stuck in a dead end?"

"Recently, so many messy things have happened in our yard, and Shazhu has been hiding at home all day and refuses to show up. He just keeps drinking and gets drunk every day."

"Even his usual nosy nature has disappeared. If he continues like this, his body will not be able to bear it! Sooner or later, he will be completely ruined by this alcohol."

Yi Zhonghai nodded solemnly, indicating that he agreed with what the old lady said.

At this moment, his eyes were full of worry and concern.

Yi Zhonghai couldn't help but recall the once lively Sha Zhu.

At that time, Sha Zhu was a well-known active figure in this courtyard.

He is noisy all the time, and looks energetic and vibrant wherever he goes.

Who would have thought that he would become so decadent and depressed now...

He would go to work in the early morning sunshine, humming a little tune.

In the evening, I would sit together with my neighbors and share interesting stories about the factory.

But now he has been tortured beyond recognition by this heavy blow.

He thought that maybe he should try a different way to persuade Sha Zhu and not let him continue to sink into such depravity.

At this time, the kind-hearted lady continued, "We really need to go and persuade Shazhu! Look at how he is now. He is in a daze and listless all day long. He either drinks or is in a daze. What will happen if he continues like this?"

"Drinking is not only harmful to the body, but also wears away one's will! We must find a way to make him understand that life is still a long way to go and the future is full of infinite possibilities. He must not just give up on himself and ruin his life with his own hands!"

Hearing this, Yi Zhonghai couldn't help but take a deep breath, then nodded firmly and said, "Okay, after I deal with this thorny compensation matter and sort out the clues, I will definitely find some time and a suitable opportunity to sit down with Sha Zhu and have a good talk with him, explain the truth to him, and enlighten him."

At the same time, at Liu Haizhong's house on the other side, there was a very lively scene.

It turned out that in order to express his gratitude to Cao Wei, Liu Haizhong specially prepared a table full of sumptuous dishes to entertain him.

I saw the second aunt wearing an apron, busying around in the kitchen, having a lot of fun.

She was cutting vegetables, then frying them, the spatula in her hand flying up and down, constantly colliding with the pots and pans, making crisp and pleasant clinking sounds, as if she was playing a cheerful and lively symphony.

The blazing flames in the stove are like cheerful elves, jumping and dancing freely.

Under the skillful stir-frying of Second Aunt, the dishes in the pot gradually turned golden in color and filled with fragrance.

The rich and fragrant aroma was like an invisible hand, quietly passing through the crack of the kitchen door and quickly spreading to every corner of the house, making people salivate.

You know, it was thanks to Cao Wei who stood up and spoke up for their family's Old Liu that their family was able to obtain such lucrative profits.

Therefore, this banquet was naturally of great significance.

Of course, in addition to Cao Wei, Xu Damao’s contribution is also indispensable.

Before long, delicious dishes were served on the table one after another. They were delicious and made people's appetites grow.

"Da Mao, you have to eat more today. Thanks to you two, I was able to vent my anger."

Liu Haizhong said with a smile as he brought the steaming dishes to the table.

Although he had a bright smile on his face, there was still a lingering worry deep in his eyes.

His eyes looked towards the door from time to time, as if expecting his son to suddenly appear in front of him.

Xu Damao rubbed his hands, his face full of flattering smiles: "Second Uncle, what are you talking about? We are all neighbors, and it is only natural for us to help each other."

As he spoke, he couldn't wait to pick up a piece of tempting braised pork and put it in his mouth, praising vaguely: "Second uncle, second aunt's cooking skills are really amazing, this dish is so delicious."

"This braised pork is fatty but not greasy, and melts in your mouth. Second Aunt's cooking skills are really amazing."

Liu Haizhong placed the dishes on the table one by one with a smile on his face. The steam rising from the table brought with it the warmth and harmony of home.

Although he was still worried about his son, he tried to make the moment seem light-hearted and joyful.

Xu Damao's flattering smile became brighter in the aroma of the braised pork. His eagerness to pick up the meat seemed like his most sincere appreciation for the delicious food on the table.

I saw him holding up the wine glass, and his face, which was already flushed with excitement, was now even redder, like a ripe apple.

He stared at Cao Wei in front of him with a burning gaze and grinned, "Cao Wei, today's incident is really thanks to you! If you hadn't given me advice in time, how could Yi Zhonghai, that cunning old man, give in so easily and pay the money obediently?"

"Come on, come on, I have to give you a toast!"

As he spoke, he raised the wine glass in his hand high. Due to his excessive excitement, the glass began to tremble slightly, as if telling everyone about the uncontrollable surge of emotions in Liu Haixin's heart.

Seeing this, Cao Wei showed a humble smile on his face. He slowly reached out to pick up the wine glass in front of him and gently clinked it with the glass in his bangs.

He responded softly, "Second Uncle, you really flatter me. In fact, anyone with a discerning eye can see that Yi Zhonghai is completely unreasonable. What we are doing is nothing more than to make him see the truth and stop hoping for the best."

As he spoke, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a barely perceptible hint of pride.

From time to time, a cunning light flashed in those narrow eyes, and it was obvious that he was still immersed in the joy brought by the "victory" just now.

At this moment, Xu Damao, who had been sitting silently beside him, suddenly picked up his glass and interrupted with a smile:

"That's right, Second Master! Look at him today. Yi Zhonghai usually likes to act like a gentleman in the yard, as if he is so noble and great. But what happened in the end?"

"We have joined forces to force him into a state of speechlessness, so he can only admit defeat and pay the money. Haha, just thinking about it makes me feel so happy! It's really a great relief!"

After saying that, he raised his head and drank the wine in the glass, then casually wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve and continued to watch Liu Haizhong and Cao Wei chatting and laughing with great interest.

His voice was shrill, with a hint of excitement, as if he was showing off his "achievements".

Liu Haizhong laughed and patted Xu Damao on the shoulder: "Da Mao, you are still so good at talking. But having said that, what happened today did make me more careful. In the future, we have to use our brains more and not just act recklessly."

There was a hint of boldness in his laughter, but it also revealed a hint of thoughtfulness.

Cao Wei sat aside, took a sip from his wine glass, and said smugly, "Second uncle, I said that old man Yi Zhonghai is easy to control, and you are right to listen to me. If it weren't for me this time, would he have been so happy to pay the money?"