Chapter 732 Master's Position 8
However, when the courtyard, which bore the traces of time and the warmth of the neighbors, was carefully carved and presented to the public with a brand new look, the long-standing dissatisfaction in Liu Haizhong's heart did not disappear with the new scenery as expected. The sunlight shone on the newly painted walls, reflecting a bright and dazzling light, as if reflecting his complex and indescribable mood at the moment.
Liu Haizhong had originally been looking forward to making a splash in front of everyone with the excellent opportunity of the Siheyuan renovation. He had imagined this scene countless times in his mind: relying on his unparalleled ability, he would plan and strategize during the renovation process, arrange every detail properly, and finally make the Siheyuan reborn in a nearly perfect manner.
By then, he would naturally become the undisputed "leader" in the courtyard, respected and supported by all residents, and be known as a responsible and backbone figure.
But the reality was like a basin of ice-cold water, mercilessly extinguishing the burning flame in his heart. During the entire process of transformation, he was like a clockwork top, busy and busy. In order to coordinate resources from all parties, he ran around, his lips were worn out, and his legs were thin.
He went to bargain with the building material suppliers and almost had an argument with them in order to save a little cost; he went to communicate with the construction team about the construction plan and repeatedly emphasized various details for fear of any mistake.
However, when he was delighted to think that he had made great contributions to the reform and had some control, he found that many key decisions were made after consultation between Yi Zhonghai and the street office staff. He felt like a marginalized errand boy who could only do trivial things according to others' arrangements and did not really participate in the core decision-making.
Every time Liu Haizhong saw Yi Zhonghai calmly dealing with various problems in front of the residents and arranging work in an orderly manner, the jealous fire in his heart was like being poured with oil, burning more and more vigorously. Yi Zhonghai stood in the middle of the crowd, his voice was loud and confident, and every decision seemed so decisive and correct. The residents gathered around him, listening carefully to his arrangements, their eyes full of trust and dependence. As for Liu Haizhong, he could only stand aside and watch silently, with mixed feelings in his heart.
"Humph, Yi Zhonghai just studied a few years more than me and speaks in a more elegant manner, what's so great about that?" That day, Liu Haizhong sat alone on a stone bench in the corner of the yard, muttering to himself. His eyes were full of resentment, and his hands were clenched into fists, as if he wanted to crush all the anger in his heart. The stone bench was icy cold, but he was unaware of it, his mind was full of his experiences during the reform period.
He recalled the suggestions he made during the renovation. They were all made after careful consideration, combined with his life experience and ideas. He thought his suggestions would be recognized and adopted by everyone, but he didn't expect that many of them were rejected for various reasons. Some said his suggestions were unrealistic, some said the budget was insufficient, and some said the construction was too difficult. Every time he was rejected, it was like a knife cutting his heart. He felt that his enthusiasm was wasted and all his efforts were in vain. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and the more wronged he felt. In the end, he simply slapped the stone bench, stood up, and paced back and forth in the yard, still complaining.
The renovated courtyard, like a carefully carved pearl, radiates a different brilliance under the sunshine, ushering in the important moment of the street office acceptance. On the day of acceptance, the leaders of the street office walked into the newly renovated courtyard one after another with steady steps. They looked around with sharp eyes, not missing any details.
The walls that were originally mottled and peeling have now been painted white as snow, as if they can reflect people; the old doors and windows have been replaced with new styles, exuding a simple and exquisite atmosphere. The newly paved stone road in the yard is flat and clean, and every step makes a crisp sound; in the carefully planned flower beds, colorful flowers bloom, exuding bursts of charming fragrance, attracting butterflies and bees to dance among the flowers.
The leaders nodded and praised the visit. They walked to a public activity area and looked at the neatly arranged tables and chairs and brand-new fitness equipment, with satisfied smiles on their faces. "The renovation effect is beyond our expectation, even better than expected." One leader couldn't help but sigh. Another leader also agreed: "Yes, this courtyard now retains the traditional charm and adds a lot of modern life atmosphere, which is really precious."
In addition, the leaders also praised Yi Zhonghai for his outstanding performance in coordination and communication. "Comrade Yi Zhonghai, you have made an indelible contribution to the smooth progress of this renovation. You have done a great job in communicating with residents, coordinating with the construction team, and connecting with the street office, so that the entire renovation work can proceed in an orderly manner." A leader patted Yi Zhonghai on the shoulder and said sincerely. Yi Zhonghai smiled modestly and said, "This is the result of everyone's joint efforts. I just did what I should do."
However, when Liu Haizhong heard the leader's praise for Yi Zhonghai, his face suddenly became very ugly. The smile that originally had a hint of expectation had disappeared without a trace, replaced by a face full of gloom. His brows were tightly knitted together, forming a deep "chuan" character, and his eyes revealed anger and unwillingness. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails almost embedded in the flesh, but he didn't feel any pain at all. His body trembled slightly, as if he was trying his best to suppress the anger in his heart.
"This Yi Zhonghai must have deliberately shown off in front of the leaders to steal my limelight." Liu Haizhong thought indignantly. The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. He felt that the efforts he put in during the renovation process were no less than those of Yi Zhonghai. For this renovation, he ran around and coordinated various relationships. He didn't know how many times he had worn out his lips and broken his legs. He once negotiated with others for several consecutive days for a suitable building materials supplier, and his voice became hoarse; he also personally communicated with relevant departments so that the construction team could enter the site on time, and he didn't know how many times he was rejected. But in the end, all the credit was taken by Yi Zhonghai, and he was ignored by everyone like a transparent person.
After the acceptance, a simple celebration was held in the courtyard. The residents sat together, and laughter echoed throughout the courtyard. Everyone shared the joy of the transformation, and their faces were filled with happy smiles. Yi Zhonghai was surrounded by everyone and became the well-deserved focus. He talked with everyone enthusiastically, telling the details of the transformation process, and made a little joke from time to time, making everyone laugh.
Liu Haizhong sat alone, watching all this coldly. His eyes were full of loss and resentment, as if the whole world had nothing to do with him. He looked at Yi Zhonghai's smug look, and the anger in his heart burned again. He felt like an abandoned child, lonely and helpless.
"Old Liu, come and join us in the fun." A resident saw Liu Haizhong sitting alone and greeted him warmly. The resident had a sincere smile on his face and stretched out his hand to pull Liu Haizhong to join in the fun. However, Liu Haizhong just looked at him coldly, without saying a word or getting up. His eyes revealed a kind of indifference that kept people at a distance, which made the resident withdraw his hand somewhat embarrassedly. Liu Haizhong continued to immerse himself in his own world, his heart full of jealousy towards Yi Zhonghai and dissatisfaction with the status quo.
After hearing the residents' enthusiastic greetings, Liu Haizhong's mouth twitched slightly, and he forced out a smile in an unnatural way. That smile was like an arc forcibly pulled out on his face, uglier than crying. He slowly waved his hand, and said in a low voice with a hint of bitterness that was barely noticeable: "I won't go, you guys have fun." His tone was full of loneliness and resistance, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
He was in no mood to participate in this seemingly lively celebration. Deep in his heart, this celebration was like a sharp dagger, piercing his self-esteem. In his opinion, behind this celebration was a ruthless denial of his ability. Those laughter and praises of Yi Zhonghai were like loud slaps in his face. He seemed to see Yi Zhonghai shining in the crowd, while he was forgotten in the corner, no one cared. This huge gap made him feel like a bottle of five flavors had been overturned in his heart, and all kinds of tastes of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy and salty came up all at once, making him feel so uncomfortable that he could hardly breathe.
Since then, Liu Haizhong's attitude towards Yi Zhonghai has changed significantly. In the past, although the two of them occasionally disagreed over trivial matters, they were still friendly on the surface. They would greet each other when they met and discuss things politely. But now, Liu Haizhong is like a different person, always targeting Yi Zhonghai intentionally or unintentionally. There is often an inexplicable hostility in his eyes, as if Yi Zhonghai is his mortal enemy.
During discussions on daily affairs in the courtyard, whenever Yi Zhonghai made a suggestion, Liu Haizhong would become like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He would immediately get angry and raise objections without hesitation, regardless of whether the suggestion was reasonable or not.
Once, everyone sat together to discuss the sanitation management of the public areas of the courtyard. Yi Zhonghai cleared his throat and said seriously: "I think we can formulate a rotation system, and each household will be responsible for cleaning the public areas in order. This will not only ensure the cleanliness of the public areas, but also make everyone feel involved and jointly maintain our living environment." His eyes revealed sincerity and expectation, hoping to be recognized by everyone.
However, before anyone else could comment, Liu Haizhong frowned and said with disdain, "Old Yi, your idea is too unrealistic and won't work at all." His voice was loud and deliberately provocative. He folded his hands in front of his chest, leaned back slightly, and his eyes were full of contempt for Yi Zhonghai.
Yi Zhonghai looked at Liu Haizhong's deliberately finding fault, and although he felt helpless, he took a deep breath and explained patiently: "Old Liu, I have thought carefully about this plan. From the current situation, our courtyard does not have dedicated cleaning staff. If the hygiene problem is not solved, it will affect everyone's quality of life. This rotation system, in which each household shares part of the work, will not cause too much burden to everyone, and can solve the hygiene problem. It is the most feasible system." As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, trying to make Liu Haizhong understand his ideas.
"Think carefully? I think you are just wishful thinking." Liu Haizhong retorted mercilessly, his eyes full of provocation. He stood up and paced back and forth in the room, becoming more and more excited. "Don't you think about it? Every household has their own things to do. How can they have so much time and energy to clean the public areas? Besides, what if someone is lazy and doesn't work? It will be a mess then." He became more and more excited, and spit flew out.
Yi Zhonghai frowned and was about to explain again when Liu Haizhong interrupted him rudely: "Don't say anything more. I think this plan won't work. We have to think of a better way." He waved his hands, as if to completely deny Yi Zhonghai's suggestion. The atmosphere in the meeting room suddenly became tense, and the other residents looked at each other, not knowing what to do.
The conflict between the two gradually escalated, and the atmosphere in the courtyard became somewhat tense. Other residents watched and became anxious, as they were worried that this would affect the harmonious atmosphere of the courtyard.
"Old Liu and Old Yi used to have a good relationship. How come it has become like this now?" an old lady said worriedly.
"Yes, it's all for the good of our courtyard. Why make such a fuss?" Another old man also echoed.
However, Liu Haizhong did not realize his problem, and he was immersed in his dissatisfaction and resentment. He felt that his position in the courtyard was threatened, and he had to find a way to regain his "authority".
Once, the courtyard needed to organize a charity event to bring warmth to the lonely elderly in the community. Yi Zhonghai actively organized everyone to donate money and materials, and also arranged volunteers to go to the elderly's homes to help clean and chat with them. When Liu Haizhong learned about this, he started to make plans in his mind.
"Humph, Yi Zhonghai is showing off again, I can't let him succeed so easily." Liu Haizhong thought to himself. So, he secretly spread some unfavorable remarks about Yi Zhonghai among the residents, saying that Yi Zhonghai organized this event to gain political capital for himself, and was not really doing it for the good of the elderly.
After hearing what Liu Haizhong said, some residents who didn't know the truth began to doubt Yi Zhonghai. The residents who had originally actively participated in the activities also became a little hesitant. Yi Zhonghai noticed that everyone was different and was very confused. After some inquiries, he found out that it was Liu Haizhong who was behind it.
"Old Liu, why are you doing this? We are doing all this for the good of the courtyard and the community. Why are you deliberately destroying it?" Yi Zhonghai found Liu Haizhong and asked angrily.
Liu Haizhong said nonchalantly, "I didn't do anything to sabotage him. I just stated some facts. Who knows if you have any ulterior motives in organizing this event?"
Yi Zhonghai was very disappointed when he saw Liu Haizhong's stubborn look. He didn't expect that Liu Haizhong would do something that would harm the interests of Siheyuan for his own selfish interests.
"Old Liu, you disappoint me so much. We should have worked together for the development of Siheyuan, but you did such a thing because of your own selfishness. If you continue like this, everyone will become more and more disappointed in you, and it will also affect the unity of Siheyuan." Yi Zhonghai said earnestly.
Liu Haizhong was slightly moved by Yi Zhonghai's words, but his pride made him unwilling to admit his mistakes. He snorted coldly and said, "Don't preach here hypocritically. I know what's going on." After that, he turned and left.
Although Liu Haizhong was still stubborn, Yi Zhonghai did not give up. He knew that the harmony and stability of the courtyard was the most important thing and could not be affected by Liu Haizhong's personal behavior. He decided to use his actions to influence Liu Haizhong and make him realize his mistakes.