The construction progressed smoothly, and no one caused any trouble.
Whenever Leon made furniture, almost half the people in the courtyard came over to watch.
Even the deaf old lady came to take a look.
“Wow, this kid really knows how to make furniture?” Sha Zhu stared in astonishment at the bed, tables, chairs, and benches that had already been varnished.
“This bed is beautiful, and the table and wardrobe are nice too…” Yan Bugui exclaimed in amazement.
Then he pointed at a large chair and asked, “Leon, what’s this?” “A sofa.” Leon continued planing the wood.
Actually, calling it a sofa was not entirely accurate.
It should be called a tatami, but they would not understand even if he explained it, so he did not bother.
“A sofa?” Everyone was so envious they almost cried.
Yi Zhonghai and the others had seen sofas before.
After all, there was one in Director Yang’s office.
But having a sofa at home was far too extravagant.
The deaf old lady looked at the remaining piece of wood and coughed twice.
Yi Zhonghai immediately understood and gave Jia Zhangshi a wink.
“I get to choose the furniture first,” Jia Zhangshi stated her condition.
“No, I want that bed,” Liu Haizhong said, stepping forward.
“I want more,” Yan Bugui said, leaning closer.
“Let’s get this matter done first, then we can discuss the rest,” Yi Zhonghai said, smoothing things over.
Everyone thought about it and agreed.
They would deal with this kid first.
Everything else could wait.
“Where should we report it?” Jia Zhangshi asked again.
“The steel rolling mill, I suppose.” This was the safest approach.
If they went directly to the neighborhood committee, the situation might spiral out of control.
If the people from the committee took a liking to the furniture, they might end up with nothing.
The leaders at the steel rolling mill would only send their subordinates to investigate.
If the situation turned out to be true, they would make sure Leon suffered.
Jia Zhangshi nodded and quietly went to the steel rolling mill.
… “Auntie, who are you looking for?” the security guard asked.
“I’m looking for your leaders.
I want to report someone…” Jia Zhangshi did not reveal whom she was reporting.
“Report someone?” The security personnel looked at one another in confusion.
“Your factory has a bad element.
If you don’t let me see the leaders, you won’t be able to take responsibility if something goes wrong.” Jia Zhangshi was shouting at the gate when a car happened to drive out of the factory.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
Without saying another word, she stepped forward and stopped the car.
The driver slammed on the brakes, causing Director Yang’s head to hit the back seat.
“What’s going on?” Factory Director Yang asked angrily.
“I don’t know where this old lady came from…” the driver said helplessly.
“Leader, leader…” Jia Zhangshi pounded on the rear window, and the driver quickly rolled it down.
He could not afford to let her break it.
“What do you want?” Director Yang asked unhappily.
“Leader, I want to report a bad element in the factory!” Jia Zhangshi cried dramatically.
“If you don’t deal with him, the factory won’t be able to bear the losses he causes!” “A bad element?” Factory Director Yang immediately got out of the car and had someone take Jia Zhangshi to the security department.
“Leader, there’s a doctor in your factory surnamed Cole.
He’s extremely decadent.
Every day, he eats lavish meals of meat and fish…” “Who?” Factory Director Yang asked, his eyes widening.
“Cole Leon.” Jia Zhangshi stopped pretending and cursed, “That little beast occupies three big rooms all by himself.
He drinks and eats meat every day, and he even bullies us orphans and widows in the courtyard… Leader, you have to stand up for me!” “Go on.
What else did he do?” Director Yang asked calmly.
“He hired people to repair his house, and I heard the repair fee alone was four hundred yuan.
He also… he also bought a lot of Phoebe zhennan wood to make furniture.
The wood alone was worth a thousand yuan!” Although Jia Zhangshi sounded ridiculous, her words made the security personnel gasp in surprise.
That alone amounted to 1,400 yuan.
Dr.
Cole was undoubtedly suspicious.
Otherwise, who could come up with so much money?
Now, they were all itching to rush to the courtyard and arrest him as soon as the factory director gave the order.
“What grudge do you have against him?” Director Yang suddenly asked.
“He occupies three large rooms all by himself, while our family of four only has one.
This little beast is taking more than his share.
Not only that, he drinks and eats meat at home every day without caring about the elderly in the courtyard…” Jia Zhangshi launched into a rapid-fire list of accusations against Leon.
“I’m certain now.
There really is a bad element,” Factory Director Yang said coldly.
“Leader, hurry and arrest him!
I’ll lead the way,” Jia Zhangshi said excitedly.
“Arrest her!
This old woman has malicious intentions.
She came to the factory to frame Dr.
Cole!” At Director Yang’s command, the security personnel immediately arrested Jia Zhangshi.
“Leader, why are you arresting me!?” Jia Zhangshi immediately panicked.
“I know Dr.
Cole’s situation far better than you do.
His father was a senior engineer, and his mother was a university teacher.
Although both of them have passed away, every penny of Dr.
Cole’s assets has a clear source.
You came to the factory to maliciously accuse him, clearly because of a personal grudge.” After reprimanding Jia Zhangshi, Director Yang turned to the security staff and said, “Interrogate her properly and find out who sent her.
I don’t believe an old woman would come here to falsely accuse Dr.
Cole on her own.” “Yes!” The security personnel immediately stood up straight.
Siheyuan(*Courtyard House).
Leon had already begun working on the final wardrobe, and the deaf old lady was on tenterhooks.
If these pieces of wood were split open, her coffin would be gone!
“Zhonghai.” The deaf old lady called out.
“Wait.” Yi Zhonghai strode forward, stopping Leon just as he raised his axe.
“What is it?” “You’ve been in the courtyard for so long, but you still haven’t greeted the old ancestor, have you?” Yi Zhonghai was about to push the deaf old lady forward, while the deaf old lady also straightened her clothes and prepared to make her appearance.
But then Leon spoke.
“Yi Zhonghai, she’s your ancestor, not mine.
Besides, what’s so special about meeting an old woman?” Leon said disdainfully.
“You brat, what did you say?” The deaf old lady raised her cane, ready to hit him.
But Leon hooked his foot around an axe and grabbed it.
“Old woman, this is a construction site.
Don’t make trouble.
It wouldn’t be good if this axe hit you.” “You dare!?” The deaf old lady took a step forward.
“Try me,” Leon said nonchalantly.
Swish!
The deaf old lady raised her cane and lunged at Leon.
Leon did not hold back.
He swung the axe, splitting the dragon-headed cane in two.
“My cane!” the deaf old lady cried out.
“Leon, how could you lay a hand on the old lady!?” Yi Zhonghai rebuked him righteously.
For one fleeting moment, he had genuinely hoped Leon would kill the deaf old lady with the axe.
That would solve everything.
“Don’t act like being old makes you invincible.
She can hit me, but I can’t fight back?” Leon ignored them and chopped the golden nanmu wood in half with one swing of the axe.
“My coffin!” The deaf old lady cried out in anguish and collapsed to the ground.