PDLP Chapter 37 and 36: A Scheme to Merge
Chapter 37 and 36: A Scheme to Merge
Chapter 36 Danger
The people in the courtyard gathered around, some trying to smooth things over, others taking sides. Jia Dongjin looked at his neighbors calmly and found that few families were on his side, even though he lent them his bicycle for free to buy cabbages.
After noting down the names of the families who were close to him and those who were neutral, Jia Dongjin left the crowd without a word and returned home.
He first calmed Jia Zhangshi down, instructing her to guard her own home, then pushed his bicycle and prepared to go find Director Wang of the neighborhood office.
At this moment, Yi Zhonghai walked over and stopped Jia Dongjin, asking, "Dongjin, where are you going?"
"Yan Fugui is being unreasonable. I'm going to find a place where the problem can be solved."
Jia Dongjin was completely baffled. He was so angry that he kept calling out the name of his third uncle, Yan Fugui, without realizing what Yi Zhonghai meant.
"It's our rule to resolve matters within the courtyard. We're a model courtyard, and Director Wang is so busy; don't bother her with every little thing. Besides, making a scene won't be good for you. The New Year is just around the corner, and what you're doing will affect our evaluation for model courtyard. Don't worry, let's eat first. After we finish eating, I'll immediately convene a courtyard meeting to help you resolve this issue."
As is customary, the neighborhood committee will give some rewards to outstanding courtyard houses during the Spring Festival, such as peanuts and melon seeds, and each household can also receive two ounces of sesame oil.
Upon hearing that it would affect the selection of outstanding courtyard houses and that the sesame oil reward that was within their grasp was about to be lost, some people in the courtyard also gathered around and advised Jia Dongjin not to report it, blocking the hanging flower gate leading out of the middle courtyard.
Similarly, Jia Dongjin also remembered the stances of some people.
Then Jia Dongjin compromised and said, "Uncle, alright, I'll do as you say."
The Jia family's courtyard house.
Dinner proceeded in a tense atmosphere. Jia Dongjin, unable to reveal his true thoughts, said to Jia Zhangshi with a serious expression, "Mom, you must believe your son. The truth of this matter lies with our Jia family. There will be a general meeting later, so please don't go out. I'm worried you might say the wrong thing and leave a bad impression on others. As long as we are in the right, no matter how they try to interfere, it's all just wishful thinking."
"Mom has to go. Yan Fugui's family has four capable fighters, and you're all alone. Mom's worried about what might happen."
Madam Jia shook her head repeatedly, firmly disagreeing with Jia Dongjin's words.
Qin Huairu has just given birth and cannot move around too much. If she doesn't go out, Jia Dongjin will be fighting alone, so she can't just stay away to help.
In fact, Jia Zhangshi is right. At the bottom of society, might makes right. If people were reasonable, what would be the point of the police?
Before the liberation of Beijing, countless people were beaten to death or maimed in the fight for houses and land. Jia Zhangshi only has one young son left, and she absolutely cannot take that risk.
"Mom, Dongjin is right. You have a quick temper, which makes it easy for Yan Laoxi to take advantage of you. Just listen in the room, and we'll talk about it later. Dongjin, you can hold the meeting in front of our house. Don't squeeze into the crowd, and remember to face the Yan family so you don't get hurt if you're not careful. Jingru, my sister isn't feeling well, so you can take a kitchen knife and stand behind Dongjin. If things get bad, just chop someone. Don't worry, my dad said that kitchen knives are hard to kill. As long as you don't kill anyone, nothing will happen."
Qin Huairu reluctantly got off the kang (a heated brick bed), picked up a rolling pin, and sat down at the dining table.
Before her marriage, Qin Huairu had witnessed many fights between villagers and outsiders, but this time she remained unusually calm and made arrangements in an orderly manner.
Madam Jia Zhang couldn't believe it and kept staring at Qin Huairu, as if she were seeing her eldest daughter-in-law for the first time.
Like Jia Zhangshi, Jia Dongjin also gave Qin Huairu a deep look. He never dreamed that the seemingly pitiful, bloodsucking white lotus in the original drama would have such a strong and calm side.
Indeed, we cannot underestimate people from the past. They simply lacked vision, but they were no less intelligent than people of later generations. If Qin Huairu hadn't reminded him, Jia Dongjin might have suffered a great loss.
"Sister, don't worry, even if I have to risk my life, I will protect Brother Dongjin." Qin Jingru was a wild girl and was no stranger to fighting.
Unlike decades later, fights now involve the whole family, including women, and are commonplace in rural areas.
Those who back down will be despised by everyone, and no one dares to hide behind their family.
Qin Jingru looked excited. She picked up the kitchen knife and skillfully weighed it in her hand, her face full of eagerness, as if she was figuring out how to chop someone up.
"Don't be so nervous. Here's the arrangement: I'll hold the meeting right outside our door. If anything happens, I'll call the police. If I'm not satisfied, I'll go to the neighborhood committee. You guys just lock the door and stay home. That's how we'll do it," Jia Dongjin said gratefully.
Only after Qin Huairu reminded him did he truly realize the danger involved. This time was indeed different from his previous life; he was now truly willing to take action.
But no matter what, he was unwilling to let women participate. Jia Dongjin's outlook on life and values, as well as the education he received from childhood, did not allow it.
The Yan family has many members, and with the support of the third uncle, they can act unreasonably and make trouble. The Jia family has few members and cannot afford to be hurt, so they can only be cautious in everything they do. This is the tragedy of the weak.
To put it simply, based on a one-to-one casualty ratio, the Yan family losing one person is not a big deal, but if the Jia family loses Jia Dongjin, it would be like the sky falling and the earth collapsing.
Under normal circumstances, the Jia family could only swallow their anger and dared not fight against the Yan family.
This is why the neighbors favored Yan Fugui. It wasn't that they didn't know the Yan family was being unreasonable, but rather that their power was undeniable, and no one believed Jia Dongjin would dare to resist.
Normally, Jia Zhangshi would curse and swear, and it seemed that no one in the courtyard dared to provoke her. It was only because she had Yi Zhonghai backing her up that people didn't bother with such trivial matters.
When real trouble comes, you have to see the results. Cursing doesn't solve anything; it's all about who has the stronger fist.
The attitude of the neighbors was very clear. Apart from a few people, the vast majority of them were biased and leaned towards Yan Fugui, the strongman in their minds.
What puzzled Jia Dongjin was that Yan Fugui was clearly acting like a rogue, but Yi Zhonghai jumped out and forcibly prevented him from reporting it. It was an easy problem to handle, but he insisted on holding a hospital-wide meeting, complicating a simple issue and truly putting him in danger!
"Is it because you don't want to support him in his old age?"
The day before going to work at the steel rolling mill, Jia Zhangshi told Jia Dongxu late at night that Yi Zhonghai had mentioned retirement to her. The next day, after lunch in the canteen, Yi Zhonghai hinted at his willingness to take care of her. Could it be that because Jia Dongjin was unwilling to take care of her, Yi Zhonghai had evil intentions?
Yi Zhonghai was no fool. Jia Dongjin didn't believe he was unaware of the seriousness of the matter. Even Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu, those two women, could see it clearly, so it was impossible for Yi Zhonghai not to know.
Under the clear blue sky, Jia Dongjin felt as if he were on a battlefield filled with the smoke of gunpowder, and couldn't help but get goosebumps.
The front courtyard of the Yan family's courtyard house.
At this time, the Yan family was also holding a family meeting to discuss how to respond to the hospital-wide meeting.
Upon learning that Yi Zhonghai was going to hold a meeting in the front yard, Yan Fugui was overjoyed. When Jia Dongjin opened the back house, Yan Fugui knew that it was undoubtedly a house allocated by the steel rolling mill. He just hoped that by stirring things up, he could make Jia Dongjin back down and change to a house in another place, so that he would have a chance to get the back house.
Yan Jiecheng is 20 years old this year and is about to get married. The wedding house is imminent. Yan Fugui cannot afford to buy a house, so he can only apply for housing allocation. Therefore, the Yan family is determined to get the two back rooms in the front yard and will not back down no matter what. The only worry is that the unit will intervene. Even if Yan Fugui had ten times the courage, he would not dare to go against the government.
Jia Dongjin was very rational and did not confront the Yan family directly. Instead, he withdrew and prepared to ride his bicycle to the street office, hoping that the street office would intervene. Yan Fugui then realized that he had already lost. But coincidentally, Yi Zhonghai gave him a divine assist, giving Yan Fugui a chance to turn the tide.
"If Heaven bestows something and you don't take it, you'll suffer the consequences; if the time comes and you don't welcome it, you'll suffer the calamity!"
Yan Fugui suddenly slammed his fist on the table!
Chapter 37
Yan Fugui glanced at his family, first sending the two younger children, Yan Jiekuang and Yan Jiedi, to bed, before smiling and saying, "Dad has swallowed his pride today for the sake of the house. At the meeting later, as long as we stir things up and have a big fight with Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongjin, no matter what happens, as long as we pretend to suffer a loss, we'll get a share of the house. Jiecheng, this house is for you. You'll have to take the lead. Pretend to get injured. Jia Dongjin's salary is so high, and he's so young; everyone in the neighborhood is envious. Even if we don't get the house, we can still skin Jia Dongjin alive."
"Dad, Yi Zhonghai is biased towards the Jia family. Is it okay for us to make such a fuss?" Yan Jiecheng asked with some concern.
"Brother, whether Yi Zhonghai is biased or not, we'll still make our way. Dad is right. Jia Dongjin is worried that you'll surpass him, so he's not teaching you electrical work properly. We can't let this go unpunished. Brother, if you're scared, I'll go first. But I'll get all the benefits. We need to agree on that first."
After listening to his father Yan Fugui's words, Yan Jiefang's eyes were filled with desire and ruthlessness. He was about to graduate from junior high school and knew very well that he would not be able to get into a vocational school or high school. Housing allocation or buying a house was out of reach for him. That's why he was willing to take a gamble. He hoped that he could force Professor Jia Dongjin to teach him electrical engineering, and then he would have a good life.
A while ago, Yan Jiecheng wanted to learn electrical engineering knowledge from Jia Dongjin for free, but Jia Dongjin was reluctant and spoke in a very profound way. Yan Jiecheng also couldn't understand the books he introduced.
Upon hearing Yan Jiefang bring up the matter, Yan Jiecheng's eyes immediately reddened, and he vowed bitterly, "Don't worry, I promise I won't kill him later. As long as he dares to fight back, I'll lie down and pretend to be dead. Then it's up to you guys."
"Alright, that's settled. The Yan family is determined to take advantage of this. Just follow my orders. Don't worry, Jia Zhangshi has a fiery temper. If I just stir things up, she'll definitely give us a chance to cause trouble. That old hag really thinks I'm afraid of her. This time, let her taste the power of the Yan family!"
Yan Fugui slapped his thigh and set the tone. He was originally puzzled by Yi Zhonghai's blocking of Jia Dongjin and his decision to hold a meeting. Yan Fugui knew very well that Yi Zhonghai wanted Jia Dongjin to retire in his old age, and guessed that there was a problem in their relationship, which was why Yi Zhonghai decided to deal with Jia Dongjin.
Whether it's a genuine attempt to clean up the mess or not, no matter how Yi Zhonghai plays his cards or how the Jia family responds, Yan Fugui is determined to play along in this game.
The Yan family has many members, while the Jia family, apart from Jia Dongjin, consists entirely of women. Qin Huairu has just given birth, and Qin Jingru is still a young girl. No matter how you look at it, you can't imagine them suffering a loss. The Yan family is in a sure-fire way.
"Dad, there's something else important," Yan Jiefang whispered a reminder.
"Jiefang, hurry up and say it! We need to stick together as one, stop beating around the bush."
Seeing Yan Fugui's impatience, Yan Jiefang quickly voiced his inner worries.
"The courtyard gate is easy to handle. Ruihua, you're in charge of locking the main gate of the courtyard house. We can't let that brat Jia Dongjin get out. You can go to the central courtyard to help when things get out of hand. Jiefang is right, the courtyard gate is a big deal. We can't let Jia Dongjin get out and cause trouble."
"Alright, I promise to lock the door and hide the key in my pocket, so no one can open it. Jia Dongjin is in good health, do you want to bring knives?" Yang Ruihua nodded repeatedly, seeing that his boss had decided to start a rebellion, and hurriedly considered weapons.
"Three against one, a surprise attack, no need for knives at all. If you're worried, just bring your own kitchen knife for self-defense. Jie Cheng is the main force, responsible for holding off Jia Dongjin. Jie Fang is young, so use a rolling pin. I'm the third uncle, so I'll be best off unarmed. If we really need to, just pick up a brick from the ground." Yan Fugui smiled and waved his hand as he gave his instructions.
"Jiefang, you don't need a rolling pin. Jia Dongjin and I carried heavy bags together at the train station. I know him well. He's just a little kid. He gets out of breath carrying a bag. You can't fake that. I'm enough to deal with him on my own. I'm including Dad just for insurance. You need to be careful of Jia Zhangshi. That old woman is really daring and strong. Don't fight her head-on. Just keep her occupied."
After thinking for a long time, Yan Jiecheng set the action goals for each person.
"In this way, Jie Cheng and I will take care of Jia Dongjin, Jie Fang will hold off Jia Zhangshi, and Rui Hua will come to help once the door is locked. It's two against one, so we're sure to win." Yan Fugui didn't take the Jia family seriously at all. Yan Jie Cheng looked thin, but he had been doing hard labor at the train station for many years and was actually quite strong. He wasn't afraid of Jia Dongjin, this street thug.
"It's best not to take action. The Yan family is a scholarly family with a clean and upright family tradition. It wouldn't look good if this got out."
Finally, Aunt Yang Ruihua gave a warning, fearing that the men might get into a fight and hurt Jia Dongjin, potentially leading to jail time or even financial compensation.
"Ruihua, I didn't want this either. Jiecheng is about to get married, but without a house, how can he get married? Jia Dongjin shouldn't have asked for the house. Our Yan family has nowhere to retreat. It would be best to persuade them with reason. We'll decide based on the progress of the conference, on this old fogey Yi Zhonghai, and on this street thug Jia Dongjin. Everyone will listen to my orders then."
Yan Fugui, as the head of the family, made the final decision and set the tone for the courtyard meeting.
The Jia family's courtyard house.
"Screw that boss! I'll just flip the table!"
For the first time, he understood why many characters in the original drama were helpless, and he also witnessed for the first time what it meant to kill without leaving a trace.
This is true scheming, manipulating and controlling people's hearts, achieving the goal without ever having to fight openly.
Yi Zhonghai schemes against people, while Yan Fugui only knows how to scheme for the smallest gains, no different from a clown.
Jia Dongjin's blood boiled, and he instantly set the tone for the courtyard meeting. Like Yan Fugui, he also decided to make a scene.
He told Banggeng to go to the inner room to sleep, and had the three women, Jia Zhangshi, Qin Huairu, and Qin Jingru, sit down before he began to explain his strategy.
"Brother Dongjin, is this going to work?" Qin Jingru felt slightly relieved that she wouldn't have a chance to use the cleaver, but then she worried that Jia Dongjin would suffer a loss.
"I think it's good. Old Yan will never expect that he's doomed to lose. That old man's thinking is still stuck in the past. He won't think that someone would dare to overturn the table. Who knows what will happen in the future? Also, there's one thing that needs to be changed. Don't walk into a trap."
Qin Huairu suppressed her shock, raised her head, carefully examined Jia Dongjin's physique, and after a thorough assessment in her mind, smiled gently.
"Brother Dongjin, you must be careful."
After Qin Huairu explained in detail, Qin Jingru understood the danger that was about to unfold and began to worry about Jia Dongjin's safety.
"Sister-in-law, that's a great idea. We're 99% sure of success now. Don't worry, I'm confident."
Jia Dongjin almost revealed that he had another trump card, but he quickly stopped himself, bent his right arm to show his strength, and boosted morale.
"It's good that you have a plan. You should rest now, you'll be busy later. Let me think about whether flipping the table is worth it."
Qin Huairu still prefers not to cause trouble and doesn't want to overturn the table and break off relations.