Chapter 727 Master's Position 3
In this courtyard, although there are all kinds of trivial family matters on weekdays, it still maintains a delicate balance. However, today, this seemingly calm appearance was completely broken. Yi Zhonghai has always been a person who can keep his composure. He is like an old turtle in a deep pool. He will first think about everything in his heart and will not easily show his emotions. He just stands quietly aside and observes the development of the situation.
But some other people in the yard were far from being as calm as Yi Zhonghai. Liu Haizhong's loud and somewhat inflammatory shout was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up ripples in the crowd and making everyone feel uneasy. People who were originally standing and talking in low voices began to whisper to each other, their eyes revealing an uncontrollable restlessness.
Among the crowd, there were a few people who were usually very close to Liu Haizhong. They loved to stir up trouble and make trouble. Whenever something happened, they liked to join in the fun, as if they couldn't show their presence if they didn't. At this moment, they were like a tinderbox that had been lit, and they were the first to respond.
I saw a young man with a pointed chin and monkey cheeks. His face was long and thin, his eyes were rolling around, and he was very clever, but at this moment, all his cleverness was used to stir up trouble. He shouted at the top of his voice, and his voice was so sharp that it seemed to pierce the sky of the courtyard: "Second uncle is right, we can't just let it go! We have to unite and talk to the street office again!" While shouting, he put his hands on his hips, leaned forward slightly, and looked indignant. He looked like he was the embodiment of justice, ready to charge into battle for the benefit of everyone. His eyes were shining with excitement, as if he had seen himself becoming a hero in this "struggle".
Another middle-aged woman nearby also echoed the words. She was wearing an old dress that had become a little bleached from washing, her hair was casually tied behind her head, and her face showed some vicissitudes of life. As she spoke, she wiped the corners of her eyes with her hands, as if she was really worried about the future. She raised her voice and said, "That's right, we have been relying on the 'uncle' to maintain order in the courtyard for so many years. Now that they are gone, how can we live in the future! Without the 'uncle', this courtyard will be in chaos! Those naughty children and those who like to take advantage of others, who can control them!" There was a hint of crying in her voice, as if the street office's cancellation of the position of "uncle" had put her life in a desperate situation.
Suddenly, the yard was bustling again, like a boiling pot. Everyone was talking, one voice after another, and the crowd was excited. Some people waved their arms and loudly expressed their dissatisfaction; some people frowned and analyzed the future situation with worry; others added fuel to the fire, making the anger even more intense. It seemed that the street office's move to cancel the position of "uncle" pushed them into an abyss of no return, making them lose their support and guarantee of life. Everyone was immersed in this anger, as if they had forgotten their original peaceful life, and only wanted to fight for their own "rights".
Liu Haizhong stood in the middle of the courtyard, watching everyone respond to his call. The faces that were either excited or indignant came into his sight, and he suddenly felt proud in his heart. He seemed to see the self who used to call the wind and rain in the courtyard and had a high prestige come back. The long-lost feeling of being respected and followed was like a warm current, flowing freely in his body, making him feel elated.
He knew that this was a good time to strike while the iron was hot, and he couldn't let the people who had been gathered with great difficulty disperse. So he cleared his throat, deliberately raised his voice, and said loudly: "Everyone, don't be anxious. It's not a good idea for us to just shout here. Let's go back to the house and discuss countermeasures and have a good think. I don't believe that so many of us, with our hearts and minds and our strengths, can't beat those people from the street office! They can't be unreasonable, right?" As he spoke, he waved his hands vigorously, as if the street office was just a group of vulnerable opponents in his eyes.
After hearing what Liu Haizhong said, everyone thought it made sense, so they followed him in twos and threes, and a group of people entered his house. The house was not big to begin with, and it was already a bit cramped when Liu Haizhong's family lived there on weekdays. Now that so many people had rushed in at once, it suddenly seemed crowded. The house was filled with a turbid smell of sweat, cigarettes, and various sundries, which made people feel a little breathless.
Some people couldn't find a place to sit, so they just stood in a corner; others were quick to grab the worn-out chairs and sat down. For a while, the room was filled with people talking and discussing at once, and all the voices intertwined together, like a pot of boiling porridge, very lively.
"Why don't we go to the Street Office and make a scene, and make it bigger, so they know we are not easy to mess with!" A burly man with a face full of flesh shouted at the top of his voice. He stared with eyes wide open, and there was a fierceness in his eyes, as if the Street Office was some kind of unforgivable enemy, and he had to fight them to the death. He clenched his hands into fists, and the veins on his arms were bulging, as if he was ready to rush out and fight at any time.
"That's not good. What if the neighborhood office gets really angry and it's even worse for us?" Another person said hesitantly. He was a thin, small middle-aged man wearing a washed-out blue shirt, with sparse hair sticking to his scalp. He frowned, with a worried look on his face, and a cautious look in his eyes. As he spoke, he subconsciously rubbed his hands, as if he was uneasy about the controversial point he was about to make.
"What are you afraid of? We are right and we can go anywhere. Besides, with so many of us here, can the street office arrest us all?" the young man with a pointed face and monkey cheeks said disdainfully. He put his hands on his waist, raised his head high, and his eyes were full of disdain and contempt. He waved his arms in exaggerated and powerful movements, as if he had already taken control of the situation. In his eyes, the street office was just a group of soft persimmons that could be manipulated at will. The corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a smug smile, as if he had seen the street office surrender in front of them.
Liu Haizhong sat upright on the somewhat worn but polished chair, leaning forward slightly, with his hands folded on his knees. He seemed calm, but in fact, his heart was already in turmoil. He pricked up his ears and listened carefully to the discussion of the crowd. Every word and every sentence was like a stone thrown into the lake of his thoughts, stirring up ripples.
He knew very well that if he went to the street office to cause trouble, the risk would be as great as walking on the edge of a cliff. If he was not careful, he would be crushed to pieces. The street office was not easy to mess with. They had their own rules and regulations and ways of dealing with things. If he made too much trouble, it might backfire. Not only would it not solve the problem, it would also put him in a more passive situation. He might even be treated as an example by the street office. By then, he would really not be able to hold his head up in this courtyard.
But if he didn't take any action and just waited, his prestige in this courtyard would be completely gone. Will those neighbors who used to obey him and respect him still take him seriously in the future? Those who were dissatisfied with him on weekdays would definitely take the opportunity to add insult to injury and spread the word that Liu Haizhong was a useless person who only knew how to make noises. When he thought of this, he felt as uncomfortable as if he was scratched by a cat, and his brows frowned unconsciously.
Just when he was hesitant and spinning around like an ant on a hot pot, Xu Damao's eyes rolled around, and his cunning eyes seemed to have come up with a brilliant idea. With a mysterious smile on his face, he tiptoed to Liu Haizhong's ear, lowered his voice, and whispered: "Second Uncle, I think we can't do it by force. It will definitely not work. We have to think of a clever way. Think about it, we can mobilize the elderly and children in the courtyard. The elderly are old, but they are the treasures of our courtyard. The street office can't be too tough on them. If they have a bad attitude, it won't sound good if it gets out. The children are innocent and cute, just like little angels. Maybe they can touch the hearts of the street office leaders. When the leaders see the innocent eyes of the children, they may soften their hearts, and this matter will take a turn for the better."
Liu Haizhong's frown instantly relaxed, and a glimmer of surprise flashed in his eyes, as if he saw a bright light in the darkness. He thought this idea was simply brilliant, as if it was tailor-made for him. It would not put him at risk of directly confronting the subdistrict office, but would also demonstrate his strategy and leadership ability.
He immediately cleared his throat, his voice was loud and powerful, as if he wanted to spread his determination throughout the room. He said loudly: "Everyone, be quiet, be quiet! I think Xu Damao's idea is feasible. We can't just rely on brute force, brute force is the behavior of a reckless man, we need to use some strategy. Tomorrow, we will organize the elderly and children in the courtyard to go to the street office together. Let the elderly tell the street office about the difficulties we have lived in the courtyard for so many years, and let the children use their innocent language to talk to the leaders of the street office about our difficulties. I don't believe that the leaders of the street office can watch us old people and children suffer! If they don't care, then it will get out, and their reputation will not be good!" As he spoke, he waved his hands vigorously, and he looked as if he had seen the dawn of victory.
After hearing Liu Haizhong's convincing words, everyone was stunned for a moment, as if they were still digesting this sudden plan. Then, everyone nodded in agreement, as if in an uproar. The nodding was uniform and eager, as if everyone was using this method to express their support and expectations for this matter.
As a result, the originally chaotic discussion suddenly became more focused, and everyone began to discuss the specific arrangements for tomorrow. The scene was like a group of busy ants planning how to move a huge amount of food.
"I think we should leave the task of organizing the elderly to Lao Wang. Lao Wang has a good relationship with the elderly in the courtyard. If he goes and talks to them, they will surely be willing to cooperate." A slightly plump middle-aged woman said in a hoarse voice, with an unquestionable expression on her face, as if she had already found the most suitable person for this matter.
"Okay, Lao Wang is indeed suitable. As for taking care of the children, I think Xiao Li can do it. Xiao Li likes to play with children and the children like her, so it's right to let her take care of them." Another man wearing glasses agreed. As he spoke, he pushed his glasses with his hand, looking like an experienced military strategist giving advice.
"Then the communication with the street office will have to be done by you personally, Second Uncle. You have a high prestige in the hospital and are familiar with the street office. You can definitely explain our difficulties clearly." A young man said to Liu Haizhong with a smile on his face, his eyes full of flattery and expectation.
Suddenly, the room was bustling with all kinds of noises, including discussions, arguments, and occasional laughter. Everyone seemed to have seen the scene of the matter being smoothly resolved after going to the street office tomorrow, and everyone's face was filled with excitement and anticipation.
On the other side, in Yi Zhonghai's house, the atmosphere was completely different. An auntie sat on a chair, keeping her ears open to the noise outside. When she heard the lively discussions outside and the increasingly clear plans, she became restless again. She was like a bird in a cage, eager to get out and join in.
She stood up, walked hurriedly to Yi Zhonghai, and held Yi Zhonghai's arms tightly with both hands, as if she was afraid that Yi Zhonghai would run away. She said anxiously: "Old Yi, you see they are going to make trouble again, why don't we get involved? Think about it, if they really let us keep the position of 'master', we will be suppressed by them in the courtyard in the future. At that time, no one will listen to us, how embarrassing it is." Her eyes were full of anxiety and worry, and her brows were tightly knitted together, as if she had seen the scene where she and Yi Zhonghai were suppressed by Liu Haizhong and others and couldn't raise their heads.
Yi Zhonghai was sitting at the table, holding a book in his hand. He was reading so intently that the book almost fell to the ground when an old lady pulled him. He frowned and said impatiently, "Can you not be so impatient? They can do whatever they want, and we just watch the fun. Whether this 'uncle' position can be kept is not determined by their fuss. Since the street office has made this decision, there must be a reason for it. If we meddle in it blindly, we may get into trouble." As he spoke, he picked up the book again and tried to continue reading, but his eyes were a little wandering, and it was obvious that he was not completely calm.
After hearing this, Auntie was still a little unwilling. She muttered, "I just feel uneasy. We can't just stand there and watch. If something goes wrong, we will have a way to deal with it. Besides, we have been in the hospital for so many years and have a certain influence. If we don't stand up, others will think we are afraid of them." Although her voice was not loud, it was full of grievance and unwillingness, as if she and Yi Zhonghai were suffering from unfair treatment.
Yi Zhonghai sighed and said earnestly: "You care too much about these false reputations. We have lived in the courtyard for so many years, relying on the affection between neighbors and our own character. As long as we have a clear conscience, we don't care about his position. Besides, if they keep making trouble like this, they will cause trouble sooner or later. Let's just wait and see them laugh at us."
After hearing this, although the aunt was still a little reluctant, she knew that what Yi Zhonghai said made sense, so she had to stop talking.
The next morning, Liu Haizhong led a group of elderly people and children to the subdistrict office. Some of the elderly people were leaning on crutches, some were supporting each other, and the children were jumping and skipping beside the adults, chattering all the way.