Chapter 753 Liu Haizhong's Struggle 7
In the slightly cramped but lively courtyard, the atmosphere was as depressing and dull as before a storm. Everyone gathered together, their faces full of reluctance, and they were still whispering, the sound was like a group of mosquitoes and flies buzzing in their ears, revealing their resistance and dissatisfaction. Everyone's brows were tightly furrowed, as if they could pinch a fly to death, and their eyes were full of resistance to what they were about to face.
At this moment, Lao Li cleared his throat and spoke slowly. His voice was not loud, but it was like a heavy stone, "plop" into the originally calm lake. The words seemed to carry an invisible magic, instantly stirring up ripples in the crowd. The crowd, who were originally whispering to each other and looking reluctant, suddenly became quiet as if they were cast under a spell. They all raised their heads and looked at Lao Li in unison, their eyes full of surprise and confusion. Then, everyone fell into deep thought, and the expressions on their faces became complicated. Some frowned slightly, as if they were trying to think about something; some bit their lips lightly, revealing a hint of entanglement in their eyes; others lowered their heads and looked at their toes, as if they were reflecting on their previous thoughts.
Liu Ping'an stood aside and watched everyone's reactions closely. Seeing that everyone began to fall into deep thought, he felt that the time was ripe, so he struck while the iron was hot and said, "Uncle Li is right! Our courtyard is like a warm and close-knit family. In this big family, everyone is an indispensable member. Only when everyone understands and tolerates each other, and has more consideration for each other and less calculation, can this family be harmonious and lively. You see, although these rules seem to restrict some of everyone's behaviors and prevent everyone from doing what they want to do as they please, but in fact, they are like a solid line of defense to protect the rights and interests of each of us! With these rules, we can live in a harmonious and comfortable environment. Think about it carefully, if there are no rules, it will be a mess! Today you occupy a piece of my land, tomorrow I block your light, today your chicken runs to my yard to peck, tomorrow my dog shits at your door, how can we live like this? At that time, our courtyard will no longer be that warm big family, but a battlefield full of quarrels and contradictions."
Liu Ping'an's words were like a key, opening the door of thinking in everyone's heart. The crowd gradually quieted down, as if time had frozen at this moment. Everyone looked at each other, and their eyes began to reveal a look of recognition. The originally tense faces gradually relaxed, replaced by a thoughtful expression.
At this time, a young daughter-in-law slowly stood out from the crowd. Her face was as red as a ripe apple, and her eyes were full of shyness and embarrassment. She clutched the corners of her clothes tightly with both hands, and said in a trembling voice: "Brother Ping'an, I used to think that my kitchen was small and it was difficult to turn around when cooking, so I thought about building a shed in the yard so that I could put more things and have more space for cooking. But I was really confused at the time and didn't consider how it would affect others. Now think about it, I was too selfish to do this, and I didn't think it through. I think these rules are good, they are like a beacon, pointing us in the direction, letting us know what to do and what not to do. I support these rules, and I will strictly abide by them in the future." After speaking, she lowered her head slightly, not daring to look at the eyes of the crowd.
With the brave and sincere leadership of this young daughter-in-law, the crowd, who were originally somewhat hesitant and on the sidelines, seemed to be injected with an invisible force. The balance in their hearts began to quickly tilt towards the side that supports the rules, and they all stood up enthusiastically to express their opinions.
An old lady with gray hair, her back is slightly hunched, and the years have carved deep wrinkles on her face, each of which seems to be telling stories of the past. She took a trembling step out of the crowd, her steps were a little staggering, and the cane in her hand tapped the ground lightly, making a rhythmic "tap tap" sound. She raised her head, her eyes were full of kindness and gentleness, and she said in a slightly vicissitudes but extremely firm voice: "I agree too! Ping An is a smart and sensible child since he was young, and he considers things very carefully. The rules he proposed are definitely for the good of all of us. Let's follow this, and it's right to listen to him." As she spoke, she nodded gently, as if to add a sense of certainty to what she said.
Another uncle, with a burly figure and a simple smile on his face, scratched his head and echoed loudly, "Yes, yes! For the harmony of our courtyard, for us to continue to live comfortably here, I support it! We have been neighbors for so many years, and we see each other every day. It's not worth it to have an unpleasant quarrel over a small matter. With these rules, everyone will have a bottom line in their hearts and know what to do and what not to do, so we will get along more smoothly in the future." His voice was loud and echoed in the courtyard, as if he wanted to convey his determination to everyone.
Then, a young man stood up, wearing fashionable sportswear and with a youthful look on his face. He clenched his fists and said excitedly, "I support it too! I think these rules are necessary and can make our courtyard more orderly. In the future, we can organize some activities together to enhance the relationship between neighbors. How great!" His eyes were full of expectation, as if he had seen the harmonious and beautiful future of the courtyard.
A middle-aged woman couldn't help but speak up. She was dressed simply and had a kind smile on her face. She tidied her messy hair and said, "I agree. Our courtyard should look like a courtyard. Harmony is better than anything else. These rules can make our lives more orderly and better reflect the affection between our neighbors."
Seeing everyone's attitude gradually change, Yi Zhonghai, who was originally worried that things would not go smoothly, showed a relieved smile on his face. That smile was like the sunshine in spring, warm and bright, dispelling the haze that had previously shrouded the courtyard. He cleared his throat and said loudly and forcefully: "Okay! Since everyone agrees, let's follow these rules. If anyone violates the rules in the future, we will discuss and deal with it together. We must not let a bad apple spoil the whole pot of porridge. I believe that as long as we work together, think in one direction, and work in one direction, our courtyard will definitely be able to restore the harmonious and harmonious atmosphere of the past. At that time, our courtyard will become that warm family full of laughter and mutual help between neighbors!" His words were like a reassurance, filling everyone present with confidence and expectations.
After the general meeting, the courtyard, which was originally bustling and full of tension, gradually returned to calm. The lively scene slowly dissipated like the receding tide, leaving only a peaceful and tranquil scene. In the following days, everyone seemed to have reached a tacit understanding and strictly followed the newly established rules. On weekdays, walking in every corner of the courtyard, you can feel an orderly atmosphere.
Take the Zhang family and the Li family for example. They had a big fight over the house exchange before. When the two families met in the yard, they were both cold and stern, refusing to give in to each other. The tense atmosphere seemed to be ignited at any time. But now, they no longer quarrel like before, but take the initiative to sit down. Zhang and Li sat face to face at the stone table in the yard. There was a pot of steaming hot tea on the stone table. While sipping the tea slowly, they calmly discussed how to find a solution acceptable to both parties according to the new rules. They talked back and forth, sometimes frowning and thinking, and sometimes nodding to show their agreement. They looked like two old friends discussing the trivialities of life, without any gunpowder smell before.
As for Lao Wang's family, they had always wanted to build a side room in the yard, thinking that this would create a lot of extra space, but this idea was opposed by the neighbors. Now, Lao Wang has given up that idea. He no longer spends all day thinking about building materials and construction plans, but instead discusses with Lao Zhao's family how to optimize the spatial layout of their kitchen. Lao Wang and Lao Zhao often get together in the kitchen, gesturing and discussing where to put a cabinet and where to put a shelf. As the discussion deepened, the relationship between the two families gradually eased, and occasionally they would help each other move things and lend a hand, adding a bit of warmth between neighbors in the yard.
However, the peaceful days did not last long. One evening, the setting sun slowly sank to the west, and the blood-red afterglow sprinkled on the roof of the courtyard, covering the entire courtyard with a layer of golden gauze. The tiles on the roof shone with golden light under the reflection of the setting sun, and the trees in the courtyard were also dyed golden, like a beautiful oil painting. Liu Ping'an was playing with his son in the yard. His son was running happily in front, holding a small windmill in his hand. The windmill was whirring in the breeze, making a crisp sound. Liu Ping'an followed slowly behind, with a happy smile on his face, and from time to time he told his son to run slowly and pay attention to safety.
Suddenly, a rapid knock on the door broke the silence. The knock was like a thunder, exploding in the silent yard. Liu Ping'an's heart tightened, and an ominous premonition came to his mind. He hurried to the door and opened it, only to see his neighbor Xiao Wang standing at the door with an anxious look on his face. Xiao Wang's hair was a little messy, and there were beads of sweat on his forehead. The sweat kept flowing down his cheeks, soaking his collar. His breathing was rapid and disordered, and his chest was heaving violently, as if he had just experienced an intense run.
"Brother Ping'an, it's bad! The Sun family and the Zhou family are fighting!" Xiao Wang said breathlessly, his voice full of anxiety and worry. His eyes were wide open, revealing fear and panic, and his hands kept gesturing, as if he wanted to describe the chaotic scene to Liu Ping'an.
Liu Ping'an's heart tightened, his brows furrowed tightly, and he quickly asked, "What's going on? Why did they start fighting out of nowhere?" His eyes were full of confusion and concern. He thought to himself, didn't everyone agree to abide by the rules and live in harmony? Why did they suddenly start fighting? As he asked, he was thinking about how to resolve this dispute.
Xiao Wang said anxiously, "It's all about the house. The Sun family wanted to put a storage cabinet in the corridor shared by the two families, but the Zhou family disagreed, saying that the corridor was narrow to begin with, and if they put a cabinet in it, it would be inconvenient to walk. The two of them started arguing, and then they started fighting."
Liu Ping'an didn't have time to think about it, and hurriedly followed Xiao Wang to Old Sun's and Old Zhou's homes. Along the way, his brows were furrowed, and his heart was full of worries. Are the rules that were finally established going to be broken again?
When they arrived at the scene, they saw Lao Sun and Lao Zhou fighting each other. A group of people were surrounding them, but no one dared to step forward to separate them. Liu Ping'an shouted, "Stop it!" The sound was like a huge bell, echoing in the yard.
When Lao Sun and Lao Zhou heard the voice, they were stunned for a moment and stopped what they were doing. Liu Pingan quickly stepped forward, separated the two men, and said seriously: "What are you doing? We just made the rules to avoid such conflicts. You guys just started fighting. How can this be tolerated!"
Old Sun said angrily, "Ping An, I didn't mean to start a fight, it's just that Old Zhou was being unreasonable. The corridor is for public use, so what's wrong with me putting a storage cabinet there? It doesn't bother him in any way."
Old Zhou was not to be outdone: "How come it doesn't bother me? The aisle is narrow to begin with. If you put a cabinet there, I'll have to walk sideways. If something urgent happens, how can I get through?"
Liu Pingan looked at the two men, took a deep breath, and said patiently: "Uncle Sun, Uncle Zhou, calm down first. The rules we have made clearly state that shared corridors cannot be used to place debris at will. This is to ensure smooth passage for everyone. Your quarrels will not only fail to solve the problem, but will also hurt the harmony between neighbors. Let's discuss it carefully and see if there is any other solution."
Under Liu Ping'an's persuasion, Lao Sun and Lao Zhou gradually calmed down. Liu Ping'an took them to the yard and asked everyone to sit together to discuss solutions. After some discussion, everyone finally came up with a solution: install a foldable sundries rack on one side of the aisle, which can be put away when not in use, so as not to affect traffic and meet the needs of Lao Sun's family to place sundries.
After hearing this plan, Lao Sun and Lao Zhou both thought it was feasible. They shook hands and smiled awkwardly on their faces.