Chapter 749 Liu Haizhong's Struggle 3
In the bustling and lively crowd, the atmosphere was like a pot of boiling water, with all kinds of sounds intertwined, noisy and clamorous. In the crowd, some neighbors listened to Liu Haizhong's convincing words and felt that he was indeed reasonable. They nodded one after another, with expressions of approval on their faces, and then they joined in the conversation.
"That's right, this is so obvious!" An old lady with simple clothes and gray hair spoke first. As she spoke, she waved her hands vigorously, as if this would make her words more persuasive. "You should show your appreciation after getting a house. It's not reasonable for you to just take advantage of it. We see each other every day. If everyone is so selfish, how can we maintain good relations with our neighbors?"
"That's right!" A middle-aged man wearing glasses and looking gentle and refined also echoed, "We all live in the same courtyard, and what matters is helping each other and sharing the good fortune. It's a great thing that he got this house, and giving something to everyone can also bring good luck to everyone. This is not too much to ask."
However, some neighbors in the crowd felt that the middle-aged man also had his own difficulties. Looking at the helpless and anxious look on his face, they couldn't help but feel a little sympathy in their hearts, so they began to persuade him.
"Uncle Liu, this matter can't be entirely blamed on him." A young girl said softly, her voice gentle and sincere, "The factory must have its own rules for distributing housing, and he is also doing things according to the rules. There is nothing we can do about it. We have to understand him and can't put all the responsibility on him alone."
"Yes, Uncle Liu." Another uncle with thinning hair followed suit, "He can't decide on the distribution of the house alone. He must have spent a lot of time and effort on this house. Let's not make it difficult for him. It would be better if we all take a step back and get along peacefully."
When Liu Haizhong saw that someone supported him, he immediately felt more confident, and he became more excited, like a lit firecracker. He put his hands on his hips, as if he wanted to put the whole world under his feet. His neck was red with excitement, and the veins were bulging, like little snakes wriggling under his skin. He shouted at the top of his voice: "I don't care about the rules. In our courtyard, we have to be reasonable! Rules are dead, but people are alive and cannot be bound by those rules. He got the house, which is a real benefit, so he has to give something to everyone, otherwise how can this courtyard be united in the future? How can everyone get along?"
The middle-aged man was so angry at Liu Haizhong's unreasonable words that his face turned red, like a ripe apple. His lips were trembling slightly, as if he was trying his best to restrain his inner anger. He stretched out a finger and pointed at Liu Haizhong with trembling hands, and his voice became a little sharp because of excitement: "Uncle Liu, don't go too far. I have always respected you as an elder, so I have been tolerating you from the beginning, thinking that less trouble is worse than more. But you can't bully me like this! For this house, I don't know how many days and nights I have endured, how many trips I have made, and how many people I have begged. Now you want me to take out the things to share with just one sentence. Isn't this asking too much? Where can I get these things to share with everyone?"
Just as Liu Haizhong and the middle-aged man were arguing with each other, the already noisy crowd seemed to be thrown into a huge rock and became even more boiling. People pushed and shoved each other, stretched their necks, stared at the two people arguing, and made all kinds of comments from time to time. Some were accusing, some were trying to reconcile, and some were just watching the fun and making noises. All kinds of voices intertwined together, making a mess.
At this moment, an old man with gray hair like the first snow in winter and a face as kind as the warm sunshine in spring squeezed out from the crowd with difficulty. He was wearing a Zhongshan suit that was washed a little white. Although the style was a little old, it was clean and tidy, exuding a rustic atmosphere. His steps were a little staggering, but his eyes were very firm, revealing a calmness and wisdom after years of precipitation. He was the respected elder in the courtyard, and everyone affectionately called him Uncle Zhao.
Uncle Zhao finally squeezed in between the two men. He first gently patted the slightly trembling shoulder of Liu Haizhong. His palm was broad and warm, as if it had a soothing power. Then, he slowly turned around and looked at the middle-aged man, his eyes full of concern and understanding. Then, he cleared his throat and said earnestly: "Stop arguing. Arguing won't solve the problem. Look, there are so many people around watching. Our courtyard has always been a harmonious place. We can't make a fuss over such a small matter."
"As for the housing allocation, the factory has its own arrangements. It is a decision made after careful consideration and weighing of the pros and cons. We cannot force it. The factory's rules are the factory's rules. We have to respect them and not act on our own." As Uncle Zhao spoke, he gestured with his hands, trying to make the two men better understand what he meant.
Liu Haizhong was still a little dissatisfied after hearing what Uncle Zhao said. He was about to open his mouth to refute, but before he could say anything, Uncle Zhao seemed to see through his thoughts and immediately waved his hand, signaling him not to speak. Uncle Zhao continued: "Old Liu, I know you are doing this for the good of everyone. You think that everyone lives in the same courtyard, and you want everyone to benefit from it. This is a good intention. But your method is wrong."
"We can't let the relationship get damaged because of the housing division. Think about it, we have been helping and supporting each other for so many years in our courtyard. Whenever there is a big or small problem in any family, everyone takes the initiative to lend a hand. This friendship is so precious, we can't lose it because of such a small matter." As Grandpa Zhao said this, there was a trace of emotion in his eyes, as if he was recalling the good times in the past.
"The person who got the house must be grateful for everyone's help in the process of distributing the house. We can sit down and have a good discussion to see if we can express this gratitude in other ways, instead of forcing them to give up things. For example, if anyone needs help in the future, he can do more; or during the holidays, he can give everyone small gifts to express his gratitude. Wouldn't that be great?" Uncle Zhao persuaded patiently, his eyes full of expectation, hoping that the two of them would understand his good intentions.
After hearing what Uncle Zhao said, the middle-aged man nodded as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw and said, "Uncle Zhao is right. I have always remembered your kindness. Since the distribution of the house, you have given me a lot of advice and help. If it weren't for you, I might not have been able to get this house. If you need my help, please feel free to ask. No matter whether it is physical or mental work, I will do my best and will never refuse."
In the slightly cramped and lively public area of the quadrangle, the atmosphere was already a little subtle due to the housing allocation, and now it was filled with an inexplicable tension. Liu Haizhong folded his hands in front of his chest, frowned, and his eyes were full of resentment and resentment. He saw that Uncle Zhao had stood up and said this in a tone that was a bit majestic but not without kindness. Even if he was very unhappy in his heart, he couldn't continue to insist on his own opinion.
Liu Haizhong first snorted heavily, and the sound seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his chest, full of resentment. He raised his chin slightly, with a warning in his eyes, and said to the people who got the house: "Okay, for Uncle Zhao's sake, this will be the case. But you who got the house must not forget the kindness of everyone. We meet each other every day in this courtyard. If anything happens in the future, don't forget the friendship of everyone today." The tone of his voice made it seem that the people who got the house had taken a huge advantage, and Liu Haizhong had made a huge concession.
The disturbance caused by the house allocation was temporarily calmed down in this seemingly peaceful compromise. But when Liu Haizhong returned to his slightly old house and sat down on the paint-chipped chair, he felt like a mixture of all kinds of emotions. The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt, and the more angry he felt.
Liu Haizhong originally thought that he could demonstrate his prestige through the house allocation, so that the people in the courtyard would respect him more and his words would carry more weight in the future. But who could have thought that the development of the matter was completely beyond his expectations. Not only did it not achieve the effect he wanted, but it also caused such unpleasantness. He felt like a clown, making a fool of himself in front of everyone. Not only did his prestige not improve, but it seemed to have been greatly affected.
He sat on the chair, slapping his thighs with his hands, and occasionally making "tsk tsk" sounds, his face full of annoyance. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Yan Bugui's idea was a mess and would never work. He originally thought that everyone could benefit from the housing allocation, but in the end, not only did he not get any benefits, but he also lost face in the courtyard and became a laughing stock for everyone.
Thinking of this, Liu Haizhong began to blame Yan Bugui, muttering to himself: "It was old Yan who gave me the bad idea and asked me to ask for benefits. Now I'm in trouble both inside and outside. He, on the other hand, just patted his butt and nothing happened to him, but I'm in big trouble." His voice was full of resentment, as if Yan Bugui was the culprit of all this.
At this moment, the door was pushed open with a creak, and Yan Bugui walked in with a smile. He had his signature smile on his face, and his eyes were narrowed into slits, as if the turmoil just now had nothing to do with him. He saw that Liu Haizhong was unhappy, and his already small eyes narrowed even tighter, and he actually guessed something in his heart. But he still pretended to be indifferent, with his hands behind his back, and said slowly: "Lao Liu, how is it? How was the talk with the person who got the house?" The tone was as relaxed as if he was asking about the weather today.
Liu Haizhong was already full of rage, and he had no place to vent it. Seeing Yan Bugui walking in with a smile as if nothing had happened, he was immediately furious. He slammed the table, and the loud "bang" echoed in the small room, shaking the teacups on the table. He glared at Yan Bugui unhappily, his eyes were like two sharp knives, and he wished he could see through Yan Bugui. He shouted in anger, "What are we talking about? We almost had a fight! Look at what's going on, it's a mess. It was all your idea to let me ask for benefits, and now I can't even face anyone in the courtyard. Walking in the yard, I feel like everyone looks at me strangely, as if I'm a villain who specializes in making trouble. Tell me, what should I do?"
Yan Bugui smiled disapprovingly, that smile was like a fake flower blooming in the cold winter, seemingly brilliant, but actually revealing a sense of hypocrisy. He spread his hands, put on an innocent and confident look, and said: "Old Liu, don't worry. Although this matter did not succeed, it also let everyone see your responsibility and courage. Think about it, if you don't stand up and speak for everyone, will everyone feel comfortable? Everyone must think that you are a person who only cares about yourself and dares not stand up for everyone. Now that you have made such a fuss, everyone knows that you are a courageous person who can think for everyone. Besides, this is just the beginning, and we will have plenty of opportunities in the future. Failure this time does not mean that we will not succeed next time. We must take a long-term view and not be discouraged by this small setback."
After listening to Yan Bugui's words, Liu Haizhong's anger dissipated a little. He frowned, his eyes revealing a hint of doubt and expectation, and asked: "So what do you think we should do in the future? We can't just keep doing this and wait for opportunities. Things in this courtyard are different every day. If we don't take the initiative, good opportunities will be taken away by others."
Yan Bugui smiled mysteriously, and that smile seemed to contain countless secrets and schemes. He leaned forward, lowered his voice, and said as if he was sharing a huge secret, "We can take a long-term view. Although the housing distribution this time is over, there will definitely be other good things in the future. For example, if there is any welfare distribution, public facilities renovation, etc. in the future, it will be a good opportunity for us to fight for our interests. As long as we unite and gather the hearts of the people in the Siheyuan together, forming a powerful force to fight for more benefits for the Siheyuan, are you still afraid that everyone will not respect you? By then, your prestige in the Siheyuan will definitely soar, and everyone will listen to you."
Liu Haizhong listened to Yan Bugui's words and nodded thoughtfully. He felt that Yan Bugui was right. Although he didn't handle this matter well, as long as he thought more about everyone in the future, he would definitely be able to re-establish his prestige.