“Mhm, I understand. Thank you, Director Zhang.”
Aunt’s eyes lit up as she put down the erguotou liquor and kept thanking her profusely.
“Hurry back and get things sorted quickly.”
Director Zhang was quite pleased with her perceptiveness: “The demolition matter has been settled. Within two months at most, everyone will have to move out.”
“Thank you, Director Zhang.”
With grateful eyes, Aunt stood up with Uncle to take their leave.
“Take the liquor back with you. There’s no need for such formality – no need to be polite with me.”
Director Zhang picked up the erguotou pretending to be displeased, but before she could chase them out of the room, Aunt and Uncle lifted the door curtain and hurried away in quick steps.
Director Zhang was a good person who had worked tirelessly for the residents in her jurisdiction.
However, human calculations are no match for heavenly will. No one could have predicted that her words would prove prophetic – just as she had said, Uncle Huang was indeed old and could pass away at any time.
That very night, the old man suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away.
The first person to notice something was wrong was Old Wang.
Early in the morning after preparing breakfast as usual, Old Wang brought breakfast to Uncle Huang. After knocking for a while with no response, she tentatively pushed the door open a crack to peek inside.
This single glance gave her the fright of her life.
Uncle Huang had likely struggled to get out of bed before his death – he had fallen from bed with clothes draped over him, his head injured and blood pooled all over the floor.
Old Wang screamed in terror, alarming everyone in the entire courtyard.
Lin Xiyu’s uncle was the first to run out from his house. Rushing into the south room, he found Uncle Huang dead with eyes wide open, having passed away some time ago.
With no relatives around Uncle Huang, Grandma, being kind-hearted, asked Uncle to take a day off to busy himself with arranging the funeral and burial.
Director Zhang helped contact Uncle Huang’s son overseas, asking him to return to China to handle inheritance matters.
Uncle Huang’s son didn’t want to come back, once again entrusting his brother-in-law Yan Hao with the task, insisting he must sell the house before the demolition.
Yan Hao returned to No. 9 Donghua Street after ten years, his attitude even more arrogant than before.
“My brother-in-law said he’ll never return to this backward, broken place in his lifetime. He thanks the Jinan municipal government for doing overseas Chinese a great favor, allowing him to legitimately drive out those who occupy the toilet without defecating.”
“Hey, hey! Watch your language!”
The arrogant and rude attitude infuriated even Director Zhang, who had come to mediate the dispute, making the veins at her temples throb.
Uncle Wang and his son were even angrier. Grabbing a rolling pin, they once again beat him out of the courtyard.
“Just you wait! My brother-in-law will definitely drive you out this time. Don’t think you can continue shamelessly occupying someone else’s house without moving!”
Chased and beaten by the father and son, Yan Hao howled in pain. After throwing out a few threats, he fled in disgrace.
“What’s going on in your courtyard? Fighting again?”
While the elders were busy with Uncle Huang’s funeral arrangements, Lin Xiyu was helping her aunt mind the telephone booth. When Gu Bin came looking for her on his bicycle, he happened to see Yan Hao passing by in a rage again.
Rubbing his chin, he found it incredible: “One fight per day? That frequency is a bit too fast, isn’t it? How did a soft, easily bullied little lamb like you survive from the wolf’s jaws?”
“What are you talking about?”
Lin Xiyu couldn’t stand him mocking her family. Flushing with anger, she glared at him with what she thought was an imposing manner: “Who’s a lamb? The people in our courtyard aren’t wolves either. You don’t know what happened, so stop talking nonsense.”
“Heh, developed a temper after just one day apart?”
Gu Bin looked at her with considerable amusement, leaning forward until his handsome, enlarged face nearly touched the tip of her nose.