Chapter 744 Planning a House 10
In the slightly cramped but lively courtyard, the atmosphere was tense like a fully drawn bowstring. Yi Zhonghai was originally filled with anger, like a blazing fire, which almost devoured his reason. His eyes were wide open, the muscles on his face trembled slightly with anger, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists, as if he was about to explode in the next second.
However, at this tense moment, the deaf old lady walked over slowly with her somewhat staggering but firm steps. Her wrinkled face showed the calmness and wisdom accumulated over the years, and her eyes revealed a reassuring power. The deaf old lady gently patted Yi Zhonghai on the shoulder, and began to persuade him patiently in her slightly hoarse but extremely gentle voice. Every word she said was like a spring breeze, gently brushing Yi Zhonghai's heart filled with anger.
At the same time, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao also changed their usual appearances, with sincere smiles on their faces. Liu Haizhong slightly bent over, his eyes full of apology, and he kept rubbing his hands, as if this could express his inner regret. Xu Damao looked at Yi Zhonghai sincerely, and kept saying words of apology, as if he really realized his mistake.
Yi Zhonghai listened to the deaf old lady's advice, and looked at Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao who were sincere in front of him. The anger in his heart was like being slowly extinguished by a basin of cold water, and gradually subsided. But that unwillingness, like a spark remaining in the ashes, flickered faintly in his heart. He opened his mouth, and his throat seemed to be choked by something. The words he wanted to say were swallowed back at the tip of his mouth. He hesitated to speak, his eyes full of entanglement and struggle. After a long while, he finally lowered his head slowly, his voice trembling a little, but with a hint of sincerity, and whispered: "Old lady, I was confused for a moment, and I was blinded by jealousy, so I did these stupid things. I really know I was wrong."
The deaf old lady nodded with satisfaction after hearing what Yi Zhonghai said. A relieved smile appeared on her weather-beaten face. She leaned on the cane that had been with her for many years, and her eyes slowly scanned the crowd. That look seemed to carry an invisible power, making everyone present feel her majesty and kindness. She said earnestly: "That's right, our courtyard has gone through all the ups and downs over the years. No matter the big or small disasters we encountered in the past, or the various trivial problems in life, we relied on everyone's unity. Now that the issue of new houses in the new area has caused panic among the people, everyone should work together and think about how to deal with it, instead of wasting time here. If we keep fighting each other like this, how can we live in harmony and beauty in this courtyard as before?"
After hearing what the deaf old lady said, everyone nodded in agreement. Some nodded slightly, their eyes revealing their approval of the deaf old lady's words; others nodded vigorously, saying "the old lady is right" from time to time. The storm seemed to have subsided temporarily, and the atmosphere in the courtyard gradually eased.
But everyone knew that Yi Zhonghai's grudges were not completely eliminated. Although he admitted his mistakes, the occasional flash of unwillingness in his eyes still exposed his true thoughts. The competitive pressure brought by the allocation of houses in the newly built area was still like an invisible mountain, weighing heavily on the hearts of everyone in the courtyard. Everyone seemed to be in harmony on the surface, but in their hearts they were all thinking about how they could get a share of the competition for house allocation.
Time flows slowly, and the days pass by like the gurgling stream. In the steel mill, which is filled with the smell of steel and a busy atmosphere, the news about the allocation of houses in the newly built area is like catkins flying in the sky in spring, more and more, and more and more specific.
The workers gathered in a corner of the workshop, discussing enthusiastically during the break. Some workers were excited, with their eyes shining with anticipation, as if they had seen the beautiful scene of themselves moving into their new houses; others frowned, looking worried, worried that they would not be able to get the ideal house in this allocation.
From their discussions, we can know that the allocation of houses this time is not as simple as before. Not only seniority is an important factor to consider, those old employees who have worked in the factory for many years and have rich experience naturally have certain advantages, but in addition, the contribution to the factory and the courtyard must also be considered comprehensively.
In the factory, whether he has actively participated in technological innovation and made suggestions to improve production efficiency; in the courtyard, whether he cares about his neighbors and has made efforts to improve the environment and living conditions of the courtyard. In addition, the reputation among neighbors is also very important. If a person is usually domineering and selfish in the courtyard, then no matter how old he is and how much he has contributed, it will be difficult for him to be recognized by others.
Yi Zhonghai has worked in the steel mill for many years and is very familiar with every tree and blade of grass in the mill. When he heard the news, his already uneasy heart was instantly enveloped by a strong sense of crisis.
He knew very well that although he had a long career and was a well-known figure in the factory, he could not help but frown when he thought about the reputation of the neighbors. The last fierce quarrel with Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples in the courtyard.
Since then, his image among the neighbors has been greatly damaged. Those neighbors who used to have a good relationship with him now have a strange look in their eyes when they see him, and some even start to keep their distance from him deliberately. He knows very well that if he fails to pass the test of word of mouth, he will probably be at a disadvantage in this housing allocation.
In order to save the situation, Yi Zhonghai was like an ant on a hot pot, and began to frequently organize various activities in the courtyard. He first visited the lonely elderly people in the courtyard door to door, with a warm smile on his face and caring words. He personally brought some daily necessities, such as rice, flour, cooking oil, etc., to the homes of the elderly. He helped the elderly clean the room, wipe the furniture, chat with the elderly to relieve boredom, and carefully asked the elderly if they had any difficulties in life. The elderly were a little flattered at first, after all, Yi Zhonghai rarely took the initiative to care about them before. But seeing Yi Zhonghai's sincere look, the elderly gradually let down their guard and showed a gratified smile on their faces.
In addition to providing warmth to the lonely elderly, Yi Zhonghai also organized everyone to clean the public areas. He stood in the middle of the courtyard and shouted at the top of his voice: "Dear neighbors, our courtyard is our common home. Let's work together to clean the public areas, so that we can live comfortably, right?"
At his call, some neighbors came out one after another. Yi Zhonghai personally picked up the broom and began to carefully clean up the fallen leaves and garbage in the yard. Although his movements were a bit clumsy, he was very hard-working. Under his leadership, everyone also took action, some were responsible for sweeping the floor, some were responsible for cleaning the windows, and some were responsible for cleaning the sewers. The courtyard was bustling with activity.
Yi Zhonghai hoped to regain the trust and goodwill of his neighbors through these actions. He fantasized that when the houses were allocated, the neighbors would remember his kindness and speak a few fair words for him. However, in the eyes of Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao, his actions were obviously utilitarian.
Liu Haizhong was a straightforward person. He privately pulled Xu Damao and hid in an empty corner. He lowered his voice and said, "That old guy Yi Zhonghai is anxious now. What was he doing before? He usually shows off in the courtyard, but now he pretends to do good deeds for the allocation of houses. He does this just to get more benefits when the houses are allocated. Humph, does he think we can't see his little thoughts?" Liu Haizhong said while waving his arms angrily, with a look of disdain on his face.
After hearing what Liu Haizhong said, Xu Damao sneered, and his laughter was full of sarcasm. He narrowed his eyes, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and revealed a sly smile, saying: "Humph, he thinks it's so easy to win back everyone's hearts? We can't let him succeed. We have to work harder and do more practical things for Siheyuan. If Yi Zhonghai can organize activities, so can we. We have to let him know that this Siheyuan is not decided by him alone." Xu Damao's eyes revealed a spirit of not admitting defeat, as if he was ready to compete with Yi Zhonghai.
The topic of housing allocation in the newly built area was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, and the ripples it caused not only spread throughout the No. 9 courtyard, but also affected every corner of the steel rolling mill workshop.
When Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong walked into the steel mill workshop as usual, with a slightly tired but expectant pace, a strange atmosphere hit them. In the workshop, the roar of the machines continued to rise and fall, like a never-ending industrial symphony, with the sound of various metal collisions and the hum of the machines interweaving together, making people's ears numb. However, in this noisy background, the excited discussions of their colleagues were like sharp whistles, drilling straight into their ears, so clear that they could not be ignored.
A group of young workers gathered in the rest area of the workshop. Their faces were filled with irrepressible excitement and their eyes were shining with longing, as if they had seen the beautiful scene of living in the spacious and bright houses in the newly built area. One of the young workers, who was tall and straight and had a youthful look on his face, said with longing: "I heard that the houses in the newly built area are spacious and bright, much better than the old courtyard houses we live in now. Just think about it, the old courtyard houses are small and old, with poor lighting, and leaking everywhere when it rains. I heard that the houses in the newly built area are designed according to modern standards, with reasonable room layouts, good lighting, and independent bathrooms and kitchens. This is exactly the living environment we dream of!" As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, as if he had already outlined the general appearance of the new house in his mind.
After hearing this, another worker immediately agreed. He patted the young worker on the shoulder and said, "That's right. I heard that various factors will be taken into consideration during the allocation. We have worked in the factory for so many years. We can't be lazy and have to perform well. If we can get a good house in this allocation, then our lives for the rest of our lives will be settled. Maybe we can even bring our family over and live a comfortable life together." As soon as he finished speaking, the other workers around him nodded with expressions of approval on their faces, and some even began to discuss enthusiastically what their ideal house looked like.
Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong looked at each other and saw worry in each other's eyes. The worry was like a layer of haze, shrouding their hearts. Yi Zhonghai frowned, and the deep wrinkles on his forehead seemed to deepen a little, and his eyes revealed a hint of anxiety and uneasiness. The tool in his hand unconsciously tightened a little, and the originally smooth metal handle was deformed by him. He knew in his heart that although he had always had a certain prestige in the Siheyuan, his words and deeds were very important because of his qualifications and some connections in the Siheyuan. But this time, the allocation of houses in the newly built area is not as simple as looking at qualifications.
He knew that performance in the factory was crucial. If he was not active in his work, was always lazy, or did not make any outstanding contributions to the factory, he would definitely be outclassed by others when the house was allocated. Moreover, the reputation among neighbors was also a key factor. He recalled some of his little calculations in the courtyard over the years. For his own interests, he sometimes had some conflicts and frictions with his neighbors. Although everyone still maintained superficial harmony on the surface, they must have had some opinions about him in their hearts. He was worried that these would affect his competitiveness in this house allocation. What if he could not get the ideal house because of these reasons? Wouldn’t all his efforts and efforts over the years be in vain?
Liu Haizhong also had a worried look on his face, his lips tightly pursed, his eyes revealing a trace of panic. He knew that although he worked hard in the factory, there was still a certain gap compared to those technical backbones or activists. Moreover, in the courtyard, he sometimes had disputes with neighbors over trivial matters, and his reputation was not very good. He was afraid that this house allocation would become a turning point in his life. If he could not get a good house, his status and prestige in the courtyard would be greatly affected.
In this noisy workshop, the two of them, each with their own worries, silently began their work. But their minds were no longer on work, and they kept thinking about the allocation of houses in the new area and the various situations they might face.
Liu Haizhong gritted his teeth secretly, thinking that he had contributed a lot to the Siheyuan over the years, and he couldn't lose to others in the allocation of houses. He approached his colleagues and asked tentatively: "What are the specific standards for this allocation?" The colleagues discussed it in a flurry, but no one could explain it clearly, which made Liu Haizhong even more uncertain.
When Xu Damao came to the Transportation Department, he also heard his colleagues discussing the new houses and was very worried that he could not compete with them. In the Transportation Department's office, everyone sat together and enthusiastically discussed the various advantages of the newly built area houses.
"My wife and children will be so happy if we can get a new house." An old transporter said happily.
"That's right. We stay in this same place every day. It's time to improve our living conditions." Another worker followed.
Xu Damao sat aside, feeling anxious. He recalled that he had caused a lot of trouble in the courtyard and his relationship with his neighbors was not very good. If people did not think highly of him when the houses were allocated, it would be troublesome. The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. He could not help but interrupt and asked, "Then how can we have an advantage when the houses are allocated?" His colleagues shook their heads, saying that they were not sure.
After get off work, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao returned to the courtyard with heavy hearts. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw several neighbors sitting together, also discussing the new house.
"I heard that this time the factory will send people to our courtyard to inspect our performance." said a neighbor.
"Then we have to perform well and try to get a new house." Another neighbor agreed.
Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao were all shocked when they heard this. They knew they had to do something to change the status quo.