Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 35 Public Self-Destruction Leads to Abandonment by All Sides

Time quickly came to around five o'clock in the afternoon.

Postmaster Zhang picked up the old-fashioned telephone on his desk, cranked the handle, and dialed a number. The call connected, and on the other end was Chief Liu of Jiaodaokou Police Station.

Director Zhang recounted the events of the day in an extremely serious tone. Of course, in his version, "He Yuzhu came to check the accounts" became "The post office discovered significant discrepancies during its internal investigation, proactively contacting and notifying the victim, Comrade He Yuzhu, to come and verify the situation." He emphasized the egregious nature of the matter and hoped the police station would immediately intervene, conduct a surprise interrogation of the already detained deliveryman, Li Changhai, obtain a conclusive confession, and then immediately proceed to No. 95 Nanluoguxiang to arrest the main culprit, Yi Zhonghai.

Upon hearing that the case involved the embezzlement of huge sums of money over many years, Director Liu immediately took it very seriously and agreed to cooperate.

At the post office, several staff members immediately accompanied Sha Zhu, escorting Li Changhai, who was ashen-faced and tightly bound, all the way to Jiaodaokou Police Station.

Inside the police station, Chief Liu personally arranged for experienced police officers to conduct a surprise interrogation of Li Changhai. Faced with irrefutable evidence and immense psychological pressure, Li Changhai trembled with fear and offered no resistance. He spilled the beans, recounting in detail how he had been deceived by Yi Zhonghai, how he had received bribes, and how he had consistently handed over remittance slips to Yi Zhonghai over the years. He then pressed his fingerprint on the record.

By the time all this was done, it was nearly 6 p.m.

At this time, in courtyard number 95, every household was preparing dinner with smoke rising from their chimneys. Thanks to the wild boar that Lin Gang had recently hunted, many families couldn't bear to eat it all at once and cured the meat into preserved pork, which they hung under the rafters. Even now, the rising smoke carried a tempting aroma of meat.

Uncle Yan Bugui, the third son of the family, stood at his doorway, took a deep sniff, and said with a look of lingering satisfaction, "Tsk tsk, the smell of this meat, it really lingers for days..."

Around 6:15, a series of hurried and forceful footsteps broke the tranquility of the courtyard. Sha Zhu led the way, followed by Chief Liu, who was dressed in a crisp police uniform and had a stern expression, and several other police officers. They stormed into the Intermediate People's Court with an imposing manner!

This display immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the hospital.

The experienced Chief Liu immediately whispered to a young policeman, "Xiao Zhang, go to the street office right now and ask Director Wang to come over immediately! If it's after get off work, make sure the officer on duty brings the logbook!"

Then, Director Liu strode to Yi Zhonghai's door and called out loudly, "Is Comrade Yi Zhonghai home? Has he returned from get off work yet?"

Inside, Yi Zhonghai was preparing to eat with an older woman when he heard the police shouting outside. His heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition instantly enveloped him. He forced himself to remain calm and opened the door, immediately seeing several policemen, and at the very front stood Sha Zhu, his eyes bloodshot, staring at him as if he wanted to devour him!

"Could it be... that the truth has come out?" Yi Zhonghai's heart sank instantly, but years of pretense had instilled in him a sliver of hope. "Impossible! I've done it flawlessly! Not even my wife knows! Sha Zhu couldn't possibly know! Maybe... it's something else in the compound?"

He forced a smile: "Director Liu... Director Liu? What brings you here? Please come in, let's talk inside." He still wanted to maintain his last shred of dignity.

"No, let's talk here." Chief Liu's tone was icy. "There's something I need you to do at the police station to assist with an investigation."

Yi Zhonghai felt even more uneasy and stammered, "Assist...investigation? What is it? Can't...can't I ask at home? This...this would be such a bad influence..."

His words were exactly what Sha Zhu wanted! What Sha Zhu wanted was for him to be exposed in public!

"Yi Zhonghai! I'll fuck your grandma!" Sha Zhu's years of pent-up anger and grievances exploded instantly. Like a raging lion, he charged forward and punched Yi Zhonghai hard in the face!

"Ah!" Caught off guard, Yi Zhonghai screamed in pain as blood instantly flowed from his nose.

Upon seeing this, an older woman named Tan Jinhua cried out and tried to stop him: "Shazhu! Are you crazy! How could you hit someone!"

Yi Zhonghai instinctively shoved the older woman behind him. His mind was in a mess at that moment, and he was still trying to maintain his image.

Seeing this, Sha Zhu became even more enraged. He shoved Yi Zhonghai to the ground, straddled him, and rained punches down on him, yelling, "Beast! Hypocrite! You even stole the money meant to save a child's life! Are you even human?!"

Yi Zhonghai was beaten so badly that he had no chance to fight back and could only hold his head and scream in pain.

The surrounding neighbors had already been alerted and gathered around. For Chinese people who love a good show, the police coming to arrest someone, especially an old man in the courtyard, was definitely a spectacle not to be missed! In just a few minutes, Yi Zhonghai's doorstep was completely surrounded.

Lin Yan pretended to be startled by the commotion outside and had his cousin "escort" him to the front of the crowd, where he could face Yi Zhonghai directly.

Seeing this, the police officers quickly rushed forward and forcefully pulled the crazed Sha Zhu away from Yi Zhonghai. Chief Liu and two other police officers helped Yi Zhonghai, whose face was bruised and swollen, to his feet.

"Comrade He Yuzhu! Calm down! Let's talk this out! We can't resort to violence again!" Director Liu sternly warned He Yuzhu.

Just then, Director Wang from the neighborhood office rushed over after receiving a call. She squeezed through the crowd and witnessed the two being separated. She sternly said to Sha Zhu, "Zhu Zi! Can't you talk things out? Why do you have to resort to violence? If you hurt someone, even if you're in the right, you'll be in the wrong!"

Sha Zhu was panting heavily, forcing himself to calm down. He pulled out a thick stack of remittance slips from his pocket and slammed them against Yi Zhonghai's face, his voice hoarse as he demanded, "Why?! Yi Zhonghai! Tell me why?! Why did you steal the living expenses my father gave me and Yushui?! That was our lifeline!!"

Whoosh—!

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured into a boiling oil pan, causing an uproar in the entire courtyard! All the neighbors, young and old, were dumbfounded, staring in disbelief at Yi Zhonghai, whose face was covered in blood and who looked utterly disheveled! Whispers rose like a tidal wave.

"Really? An old man like that?"

"My God! Ten dollars a month! For so many years..."

"No wonder Shazhu had such a miserable childhood, scavenging for garbage with his younger sister..."

"That's absolutely outrageous!"

With tears in his eyes, Sha Zhu recounted his years of pent-up suffering and grievances to all the neighbors in the courtyard: He Daqing passed away in June 1951, and from July onwards, he sent 10 yuan every month, with an extra 10 yuan on his birthday, along with letters! But Sha Zhu and his sister almost starved to death in the first two years, forced to beg on the streets and scavenge for garbage! He thought his father had abandoned them, never imagining that all this suffering was caused by the very man they trusted most! This was practically murder!

Yi Zhonghai was panicking inside, but he was still desperately trying to explain himself. He grabbed Sha Zhu's arm, feigning utmost sincerity and grievance: "Zhu Zi! Zhu Zi, you've misunderstood me! Think about it, my salary is so high, what would I need your pittance for? Your father entrusted me to take care of you and your siblings before he passed away! I was worried you were too young and would squander the money, so I saved it for you! I haven't touched a single penny! I was planning to give it all back to you when you grow up and get married! Now that you know, I'm returning it to you right now! With interest!"

This explanation sounded reasonable, and some of the neighbors who had been skeptical at first breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, "Oh, I see. That makes sense..."

Lin Yan watched coldly from the sidelines, sneering inwardly, "As expected of a cunning old fox, he's kept a backup plan." But he remained completely calm.

But Sha Zhu wasn't buying it! All he knew was that Yi Zhonghai had taken the money, and he and his sister had almost starved to death! Hearing these utterly hypocritical words, he was so angry that he rushed forward again and grabbed Yi Zhonghai by the collar!

Yi Zhonghai was startled by Sha Zhu's violent aura. Feeling guilty, he didn't dare to meet Sha Zhu's gaze and nervously glanced to the side. By sheer coincidence, his eyes met those of Lin Yan, who stood out from the crowd at the front!

In an instant! Yi Zhonghai felt as if his mind had sunk into a warm cotton candy, incredibly relaxed and comfortable, almost wanting to fall asleep immediately. His brain's defenses were completely down, and Lin Yan activated "Bewitching Illusion".

Sha Zhu roared, posing the most crucial question: "You're afraid I'll squander it?! Then why didn't you give us money to buy food when my sister and I were starving?! Why did you stand by and watch us die?!"

Under hypnosis, Yi Zhonghai spoke entirely according to his truest inner thoughts, his voice even carrying a hint of matter-of-factness:

"Of course I can't let you be full! I'll just occasionally give you a cornbread when you're starving, enough to keep you alive! That way you'll be incredibly grateful, loyal, and at my beck and call! If you're well-fed and independent, how will you ever behave as my dogs?!"

These words were like a thunderbolt!

The entire courtyard fell into a deathly silence! You could hear a pin drop!

All the neighbors, including the police and Director Wang from the neighborhood committee, felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads! Looking at Yi Zhonghai's self-righteous face, they felt a chill run down their spines!

Sha Zhu was completely stunned; he simply couldn't believe his ears: "Just...just for this? Just to make me your dog?! You almost let my sister and me starve to death?!"

His blood pressure surged, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. He continued to roar, "Why do you expect me to obey you? Why do you want me to be your dog?! What is the point of all this?!"

A hint of disappointment flashed across Yi Zhonghai's face, but it quickly gave way to a twisted, smug smile, and he began his astonishing self-disclosure:

"This story begins with the fact that my husband and I have never had children..." (An older woman listening nearby felt as if her heart was being torn apart.)

He recounted in detail how he contracted a disease while visiting the Eight Great Hutongs when he was young, which led to azoospermia. He then bribed a doctor to frame an older woman for infertility, causing her to suffer from gossip and inner torment for half her life.

"...Later I found out I was going to be childless, so I had to plan for my retirement. Relying on my apprentice Jia Dongxu alone wasn't enough, so the deaf old lady gave me some advice, telling me to find a 'backup plan,' a way out. She set her sights on you, Sha Zhu."

Then, he revealed in detail how the deaf old lady conspired with him to set up a honey trap using the widow, and how they used the evidence that He Daqing had cooked for the Japanese and falsified his family background to force him to leave Beijing and forbid him from returning!

He even embezzled the two hundred yuan and job introduction letter that He Daqing left behind before leaving. To prevent Sha Zhu from becoming financially independent too quickly, he not only sold the job opportunity but also lied to Sha Zhu, saying his master was ashamed and didn't want him anymore, deliberately making Sha Zhu work as an apprentice for several more years…

These shocking and meticulously planned conspiracies were revealed by Yi Zhonghai in a calm and even slightly boastful tone, completely overturning everyone's perception of him!

Everyone in the courtyard got goosebumps and felt their scalps tingle! How could there be such a vicious and scheming person in the world!

After listening to the complete "confession," and with all the neighbors and the director of the street office in front of him, Director Liu and the police officers had nothing more to say.

"Cuff him!" Chief Liu ordered.

With a "click," the cold handcuffs were fastened to Yi Zhonghai's wrists.

Just as the police were about to take him away, an elderly woman named Tan Jinhua suddenly rushed out and blocked Yi Zhonghai's way.

Upon seeing this, Lin Yan immediately had an idea and stopped the hypnosis.

Yi Zhonghai shuddered, his eyes instantly regaining their clarity. He remembered everything that had just happened, every word he had said! He didn't know what had gotten into him; it was as if he were possessed, answering every question with absolute certainty!

It's over! It's all over! His face was ashen.

He looked at the woman in front of him, who had been with him for most of his life, whom he had deceived and dragged down, and for the first time, a strong sense of guilt welled up in his heart. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

The middle-aged woman stared at him with an icy, bone-chilling gaze, as if he were a complete stranger. Then she turned to Chief Liu, her voice trembling yet unusually firm, and asked, "Officer, in this situation, am I... am I considered a victim?"

Director Liu paused for a moment, then solemnly replied, "Comrade Tan Jinhua, you are certainly a victim! Yi Zhonghai forged your medical examination report, causing you to be trapped in rumors for half your life and suffer severe mental distress. He also concealed the facts, depriving you of your right to know and your right to choose your reproductive options, causing you immense harm. I suggest you go to the Women's Federation; they will definitely uphold justice for you!"

Having received the answer she wanted, the woman turned sharply around, staring intently at Yi Zhonghai, and with all her might, told him, word by word:

"Yi Zhonghai! I want a divorce!"

Yi Zhonghai's eyes widened suddenly, staring at her in disbelief. He instinctively shouted, "Are you crazy?! At your age, why are you getting a divorce?! What will you eat and drink after the divorce? Where will you live? Let me tell you, if you get a divorce, you won't be able to take anything with you! You'll leave with nothing!"

The woman was determined and replied directly, "Even if I go back to my parents' home, even if I have to work as a nanny, even if I remarry, I will never live with a hypocrite like you, a true childless man! I find you disgusting!"

After saying that, she didn't look at Yi Zhonghai again, turned around abruptly, and slammed the door shut, shutting out all the noise, accusations, and the man she had served for most of her life.

Yi Zhonghai froze on the spot, his face ashen.

Director Liu waved his hand, and the police officers escorted the distraught Yi Zhonghai out of the courtyard.

A dramatic and earth-shattering event has finally come to an end.

The neighbors looked at each other, stunned and unable to recover from the immense shock for a long time. Tonight, the lights in the courtyard house will inevitably stay on very late for many families.

Lin Yan watched Yi Zhonghai being led away, then glanced at the tightly closed door of the Yi family home, and mentally gave this grand spectacle a perfect score.

He yawned contentedly and said to his cousin and his wife, "Brother, sister-in-law, the show's over, let's go home."

After saying that, he followed his cousin and his wife, slowly walking towards their own house in the front yard. Behind them, the middle yard was in an uproar.