In the dead of night.
Zhao Guihua was stuck outside, unable to return home.
She felt utterly miserable. What were these people thinking, meeting at the bathroom entrance in the middle of the night, and two men at that? What was the point? Just say what needs to be said and leave quickly, stop keeping this old woman from getting home!
Zhao Guihua was deeply worried, but her ears were perked up high. Although she was anxious to get home, she couldn't help but eavesdrop on their gossip. After all, from what she knew about Bai Fendou, the fellow knew absolutely nothing about antiques.
She wondered how he had gotten involved in this business.
But this did explain where Bai Fendou's bicycle came from.
Actually, everyone in their compound had been discussing how Bai Fendou managed to save up for that bicycle, especially since he was always trying to curry favor with Wang Xiangxiu and didn't seem to have much money. Moreover, getting a bicycle voucher wasn't something easy to come by.
Now it seemed he had been dealing in goods.
Zhao Guihua listened intently from her hiding spot, but at this moment, both Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin's voices grew louder.
It was mainly Bai Fendou's booming voice. With an displeased expression, he glared and said, "Yang Lixin, what are you implying? You came to me for help, and that's why I helped you get this bicycle voucher. Think about it - could just anyone get their hands on one? Now you're giving me attitude? What's your problem? You think I'm easy to push around? Let me tell you, that's not how things work! Do you think I pocketed your money? You can't be this shameless - I didn't take any benefits from you, yet you're accusing me. There's no logic to this at all. Want me to beat you up?"
Yang Lixin's voice was much lower, speaking cautiously: "Fendou, that's not what I meant, I was just asking. I figured if it was something valuable, it should be worth more than just this. I was worried you got cheated, not that I don't trust you. Look, we've been neighbors in the same compound for so long - if I don't trust you, who can I trust? If I didn't trust you, would I have come to you for help?"
Though Yang Lixin had a low profile in their compound, being able to become a live-in son-in-law meant he had some emotional intelligence. Sure enough, his words seemed to soothe Bai Fendou. His tone softened as he said, "When you put it that way... Do you think I'm someone who can be easily fooled? They said your item wasn't that great. Besides, ordinary people wouldn't dare keep such things nowadays. If you get caught, it's serious trouble. Aren't we just removing a potential problem?"
He smiled smugly and said, "I think we got the better deal - less trouble and more money. Why wouldn't we trade?"
Yang Lixin's expression darkened slightly, thinking Bai Fendou was just an absolute fool.
But if he had to take that risk himself, he wouldn't dare do it either. If the black market was full of thugs, then the ghost market was filled with knife-wielding characters - not to be trifled with. He had hoped Bai Fendou would charge ahead and get him the highest price possible.
At the very least, it should have been close to what Bai Fendou himself got, right?
But now it was clearly much less.
Obviously, he had overestimated this fool Bai Fendou. When he said he wanted a bicycle voucher, this guy really just traded for exactly one bicycle voucher. Nothing more. And to think he had promised that if he got more in exchange, he wouldn't let him work for nothing.
Now looking back - pfft!
He wiped his face and said, "Bai Fendou, don't those people at the ghost market worry about getting investigated? What kind of people do you sell to anyway?"
He still couldn't let it go and wanted to probe further.
Bai Fendou frowned: "Hey now, what's your problem? You're just not going to drop this, are you? I really didn't expect you to be this kind of person."
"I'm not..."
He paused, looked up at Bai Fendou, and said, "We had the same bowls, so how come you could trade for a bicycle voucher plus money for the bike, while I only got a voucher? I have to ask more about this, don't I?"
Seeing that Bai Fendou wouldn't respond to a gentle approach, he decided to be direct: "Don't think I don't know - you usually can't save much money."
Bai Fendou's eyes bulged larger than a cow's: "What are you implying? I make over thirty yuan a month! How can you say I can't save money? My clothes are provided by the work unit, I'm not married, and I don't have many expenses! Who are you looking down on? Well well, Yang Lixin, I always said someone who'd agree to be a live-in son-in-law couldn't be any good. I didn't expect you to actually pull this kind of stunt..."
"Don't raise your voice at me, you need to explain why there's such a difference!"
"Bah! Why should I explain anything to you? That's just how much they offered - you think I pocketed your money? I never expected you to be such a petty person! Fine, fine, fine, I see right through you now. If I hadn't been hoping your mother-in-law would introduce me to someone, why would I have helped you like this? Now look what happens - I help you out, and you pull this on me. I really helped the wrong person, no good deed goes unpunished! In our city, a man's word is his bond. When I say I didn't take your money, I didn't take your money. Don't believe me? Hah, go ask around the ghost market yourself! Trash! Get lost!"
And so the two started arguing.
Zhao Guihua: "..."
What are you two doing?!
This old woman is still hiding here! If you keep arguing like this and attract people, what am I supposed to do?!
To be honest, Zhao Guihua felt she was truly unlucky - this night had been incredibly difficult.
Truth be told, for important matters in the future, she must definitely check the almanac. You really can't dismiss these superstitions. Just look at her night - it was like watching one drama after another... It was really testing this old woman's nerves!
Zhao Guihua felt that if they kept arguing, she would soon be discovered.
"If you didn't pocket the money, how could the amounts be different? Don't talk about saving money - isn't that just a joke? Everyone knows you're always sucking up to that widow!" If it had been ten or twenty yuan, Yang Lixin might have been upset but probably wouldn't have said anything.
After all, making a big scene wouldn't be good, but this guy had probably pocketed enough money for a whole bicycle, and Yang Lixin really couldn't let that slide.
He had good emotional intelligence, but in these times, money was a big deal.
Bai Fendou: "You bastard, I knew you were a sneaky little man, and now it's proven. I shouldn't have helped you at all. Now I see clearly that you're really not worth..."
"Don't try to sound so righteous. What are you pretending for? Help me? Would you help if there wasn't something in it for you? It's fine if you're greedy, but don't be so obvious about it. Being selfish will bring bad karma."
Yang Lixin really had a way with words, backing people into a corner they couldn't escape from.
"You!"
"I'm just telling the truth!"
Bai Fendou was so angry he grabbed him: "You little punk, I'll teach you a lesson, you coward. Too scared to go yourself, and now you're here falsely accusing me..."
"I'm falsely accusing you? Don't resort to violence just because you can't win the argument! If you've got what it takes, let's talk this out reasonably!" Yang Lixin was afraid of getting beaten up.
"You... fine, fine, fine! I absolutely cannot accept this reputation of being greedy. Let's get this straight - yes, we had plates from the same batch, but let me make this absolutely clear. My plate was in perfect condition, smooth and glossy. And yours? Yours had cracks in it. How could they be worth the same? Huh? Tell me, should they be worth the same? If good and damaged ones were worth the same, then the broken one at the Su family's house would be worth something too. Do you think that's possible? Huh!!!" Bai Fendou really wasn't very smart about doing business - here he was, shouting at the top of his lungs in the middle of the night, not worried at all about being overheard.
That was just how he was, but Yang Lixin was more cautious. He grabbed Bai Fendou and said, "Can't you lower your voice, damn it?"
"I've done nothing wrong, I'm not afraid of anyone!"
Bai Fendou was quite bold.
Yang Lixin was really angry, but now he felt that Bai Fendou's words made some sense. He didn't want to make a bigger scene either, so he said, "Fine, fine, I won't argue with you anymore."
"Hey, you said you wouldn't get tangled up with me, but now it's not about whether you want to or not - I'm going to get tangled up with you anyway. You wronged me, and you think that's the end of it? Come on, let's go talk to Old Lady Wang and Cook Li. Let's have a proper discussion about whether this is how your family handles things. I had nothing but good intentions, and what did I get? Nothing but a bad reputation!"
Bai Fendou grabbed the person, determined to have a talk.
Yang Lixin was nearly scared out of his wits by his shouting. He cried, "Lower your voice, please lower your voice! Are you trying to make sure everyone knows about this? How would making a big scene help either of us?"
"I won't stand for you wronging me like this!"
Zhao Guihua: "..."
Do you really need to make such a scene? Can't this wait until tomorrow after you've slept on it?
This old lady has it too hard.
Zhao Guihua gazed at the sky dejectedly, feeling that tonight had been more nerve-wracking than the entire past month combined.
Life really is...
Just as Zhao Guihua's head was buzzing with worry and she was feeling the weight of life's complications, they heard the sound of the main gate opening. This startled not only Zhao Guihua but also Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin, who immediately let go of each other.
Oh well, this was typical - they were making a lot of noise but actually didn't want anyone to know about it.
Zhao Guihua silently prayed that the two wouldn't try to hide. If they decided to hide near her, she'd be completely done for.
Zhao "Unfortunate" Guihua.
Zhao Guihua held her breath, as did Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin. They all looked toward the main gate and saw it was Zhuang Zhixi coming out, yawning as he walked. Zhao Guihua immediately felt somewhat relieved.
Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin also relaxed a bit.
Bai Fendou spoke first: "Little Zhuang..."
Zhuang Zhixi seemed startled, letting out a yelp before saying, "Damn, what are you all doing out so late instead of sleeping?"
Bai Fendou: "I was just..."
Yang Lixin cut him off, saying, "I came out to use the bathroom and happened to run into Bai Fendou. We were just chatting. What's going on at your place? Your father was going back and forth earlier, and now it's your turn."
Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his stomach and said, "Maybe something I ate didn't agree with me, my stomach's a bit upset."
He continued, "Since you're here, you can keep me company while I'm at it. It's pretty boring sitting there alone."
Bai Fendou: "..."
Who the hell wants to keep you company and smell that stink?
He exchanged glances with Yang Lixin - how coincidental that neither of them wanted to stay. For once, their opinions aligned perfectly, which was quite rare indeed. Bai Fendou said, "Get lost, I'm tired and don't have time to hang around here. I've got work tomorrow."
"Exactly!"
Yang Lixin was equally decisive, saying, "Let's go, let's go. Shall we walk together, Brother Fendou?"
"Sure."
As the two left together, Zhuang Zhixi called out, "You guys are so unfaithful!"
He shouted once, but they only walked away faster.
Zhuang Zhixi smiled faintly and whistled as he walked to the bathroom. However, once inside, he just stood by the wall, watching until they entered their yards. Then he called softly, "Mom?"
Zhao Guihua responded in a low voice, like someone making a covert connection: "Here."
Zhao Guihua whispered, "Why did you come out?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Dad was worried he might give himself away if people saw him, so he sent me."
He said, "You really did it this time."
Zhao Guihua ignored her son's teasing tone and said, "Come on, let's hurry back."
Zhuang Zhixi: "You're going back just like that?"
He shook his head, "Wait a bit, we don't want anyone to see you carrying that sack."
Zhao Guihua: "We can't hide outside either. If the sanitation workers see us, it's all over. I've spent the whole night like this, exhausted and on edge - it can't all be for nothing."
Zhuang Zhixi: "I know, but if we go back now, Bai Fendou might not be in bed yet. We can't let him see us. Let's wait a bit longer. Better safe than sorry."
Zhao Guihua understood this logic perfectly well. It was just that after everything that had happened tonight, she was desperate to get home.
Mother and son spoke in hushed tones. Zhuang Zhixi didn't ask what his mother had been doing out, he just said, "I'll go check first, watch for my signal."
Zhao Guihua: "...Alright."
Zhuang Zhixi walked back, tiptoeing near the yard. Peering in, he saw that all the houses were dark, even Bai Fendou's home showed no signs of movement. Zhuang Zhixi waved his hand, and Zhao Guihua sprang into action, quickly hoisting the sack and darting to the entrance with remarkable agility and courage.
Zhao Guihua swiftly entered the yard, trying to move silently as she ran to her door. Their door was slightly ajar, and she slipped inside with one quick step. Seeing that everything was fine, Zhuang Zhixi finally relaxed a bit. He casually latched the gate and strolled back to the house.
Although he had "rescued" his mother, he didn't return to the main house, instead going straight to his own room.
Ming Mei mumbled drowsily, "What's wrong?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Nothing, go back to sleep."
He took off his jacket and quickly slipped under the covers. As soon as he got in, Ming Mei wrapped around him like a small octopus, resting against his chest and falling into a deeper sleep. Zhuang Zhixi gently patted his wife, and Ming Mei responded softly, "I'm not a child."
Zhuang Zhixi chuckled quietly.
The young couple quickly returned to dreamland, while Zhao Guihua sat in a chair without turning on the lights, catching her breath as she remarked, "You have no idea how nerve-wracking tonight was."
Old Man Zhuang had been extremely worried too. He was naturally timid and very concerned about such matters. If it had been up to him, they wouldn't have gone at all. And if they had to go, he should have been the one to do it, but his wife wouldn't listen to him - he had no say in the matter.
So in the end, his wife went by herself, but this time she was clearly much later than before. He had made several trips to the bathroom and still hadn't seen her, which made him increasingly anxious.
He always felt this business was risky, and what made it even scarier was that he had noticed both Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin had gone out and hadn't returned for a long time. This made him even more frightened. He told Zhao Guihua, "I was so worried that Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin would see you, my heart was pounding. I had no choice but to send our third son out to check. He's clever, and I figured if you had run into Bai Fendou and the others, he could help smooth things over - he's better at talking than my clumsy self. Sure enough, you were stuck outside."
Zhao Guihua: "Get me some water."
She gulped it down - her throat was parched from all the running around tonight.
Old Man Zhuang immediately poured another glass, which Zhao Guihua drank in one go.
The elderly couple kept the lights off as he asked, "So why did it take you so long to come back tonight?"
Zhao Guihua: "I almost got caught today."
"What?" Old Man Zhuang was startled.
Zhao Guihua didn't hide anything from her husband and gave him a vivid account of the night's events. Old Man Zhuang exclaimed, "My goodness, that's terrifying. Guihua, we're not as young as we used to be - you absolutely must not take such risks anymore. As soon as you heard about this situation, you should have known it wasn't right. What if you had been caught?"
He didn't care about the mess with Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin, but he was genuinely worried about his wife getting into trouble.
Zhao Guihua nodded: "I know. I don't plan to go again anytime soon. Not just soon - I won't go again for the rest of this year. Who knows what's going on over there? Sister Lian doesn't care about consequences, she's not even afraid of going to prison for operating sewing machines. But I can't do that."
However, Zhao Guihua soon cheered up and said, "Although tonight was incredibly dangerous, my haul was really quite good. They had inside help over there, which worked out well for us. But those bastards... damn them, they better hope I don't see them again, or I'll find a way to deal with them. They actually dared to rob other thieves - they've lost all sense of honor."
Old Man Zhuang patted Zhao Guihua's hand: "Don't take it too much to heart. People like that will get their comeuppance whether you go after them or not."
Zhao Guihua: "That's not necessarily true. Haven't you heard that good people don't live long while scoundrels live forever?"
Unable to argue with his wife, Old Man Zhuang smiled helplessly and said, "Oh, you..."
Zhao Guihua didn't dwell on the topic, saying, "Come on, let's get some rest. You also have to go to work tomorrow."
She wasn't in a hurry to sort through the contents of the sack, and the two of them lay down. Zhao Guihua was too tired to even wash up. She lay on the kang bed, while Old Man Zhuang wasn't sleepy either. He said, "Do you think the plate Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin talked about is the bowl from our house?"
At this moment, Old Man Zhuang finally thought of this matter, and Zhao Guihua pursed her lips, saying, "It should be. They also mentioned the Su family, so it's probably that one."
What were they talking about?
This story goes back more than ten years, almost fifteen or sixteen years ago, when Bai Fendou and the others were around fourteen or fifteen.
Back then, they were criticizing a landlord named Wang, and many people went to watch the spectacle. The way they criticized people back then was different from now. Nowadays, it's about smashing and destroying anything that represents corrupt or incorrect thinking, but back then, people were more about taking advantage of the situation.
Things like pots, bowls, and other miscellaneous items were all fought over.
These items were bought with money, and they could definitely be useful at home, so there was no smashing involved.
Of course, they didn't expect to get gold, silver, or jewelry; those things were for the public. But the seemingly worthless items could still be taken. For instance, these half-grown kids each got a pretty good white porcelain bowl, with a particularly wide mouth. You could call it a plate, or you could call it a bowl; either way was fine. At that time, there were five kids, and they divided a set of bowls called "Fu Lu Shou Xi Cai," each bowl with a character on it.
The one at their house had the character "Shou" (longevity).
The kids at that time were Bai Fendou, Yang Lixin who lived with Chef Li and learned his craft, Su Xiaozi, Zhou Qun, and their own Zhuang Zhiyuan. These half-grown boys went out to play and each took one.
Later, Zhou Qun's family's bowl was the first to break. One year during the New Year, Madam Zhou Li got into a fight and accidentally smashed it. At that time, the other family had to pay compensation. Then came the Su family; their bowl lasted for many years, but a few years ago, Jinlai was mischievous and broke it.
That left three families. Zhao Guihua's family had the one with the character "Shou," which they had been using for over ten years. Normally, there wouldn't be any issue, but a few years ago, the situation was tense, and Zhao Guihua was afraid that the character "Shou" might be labeled as feudal superstition.
So she claimed that her bowl had broken and wrapped it up, placing it in a small cabinet in the kitchen where they kept meat. Of course, even though she hid it, she never thought it was valuable.
It was just a good bowl that would be a waste to throw away, much smoother than the ones they bought, and it had a character "Shou" on it.
Old people are a bit superstitious, and smashing or throwing away the bowl would be like losing "longevity." It just didn't feel right, so Zhao Guihua hid it away. Now, thinking about it, they must have been talking about this bowl.
At this point, Zhao Guihua couldn't help but think about her previous life.
In her previous life, she lost that bowl.
All these years, she had it hidden in that cabinet, but she had completely forgotten about it. It was around 1977 or 1979 when she found it while looking for something else. At that time, the policies had relaxed, so Zhao Guihua decided to use the bowl.
After all, she didn't know it was valuable, just treating it as an ordinary bowl.
However, after using it for about two or three months, the bowl mysteriously disappeared.
At that time, Zhao Guihua stood in the courtyard, pointing and cursing for a long time. She was sure it was Jinlai and his brothers who took it, as they were the only thieves in the courtyard.
The kid had been stealing since he was little, and at seventeen or eighteen, he was at his peak. Zhao Guihua wasn't angry about losing the bowl, as she didn't know it was valuable then. She was angry that someone would steal just one bowl.
Wasn't that just to spite her?
So she was certain it was Jinlai.
In the end, she didn't know if it was really Jinlai, as she couldn't go to the police over a worthless bowl. And nothing else in their house was missing.
Actually, at that time, some people suspected she had just forgotten where she put it.
After all, why would someone steal just one worthless bowl?
But now, the bowl was valuable.
According to their conversation, Zhao Guihua deduced that Bai Fendou's undamaged bowl had been sold in the black market for a bicycle ticket and the money to buy a bicycle. Or maybe he got a bicycle directly.
Even with the tight restrictions, someone dared to buy it, which Zhao Guihua, with her rich experience, immediately guessed meant the item was more valuable. It might not be priceless, but it was definitely worth something. As for Yang Lixin's bowl with a crack, it only got a bicycle ticket, so Zhao Guihua wasn't sure if Bai Fendou had taken a cut.
Actually, these details weren't that important. The key was who the little bastard was that stole from their house. Now it was clear that the thief knew the value. Knowing the value... Bai Fendou, Yang Lixin, and the Su family.
If Bai Fendou knew, the Su family must have known too.
It was hard to tell who it was.
Judging from their income, it was hard to tell.
Jinlai's family was used to petty theft, living a hand-to-mouth existence, so it was unreliable. As for Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin, both had regular jobs, making it hard to see if they had suddenly gotten rich.
Zhao Guihua pondered, but she had made up her mind that she would never tell anyone about the bowl's value again. She wouldn't be like her previous life, taking it out without knowing, letting others benefit.
Zhao Guihua was half-asleep, thinking about these things, when Old Man Zhuang spoke up, "Did you hide our bowl?"
Zhao Guihua replied, "Yes, I hid it."
She added, "Don't mention this again, or we'll attract thieves. It could be worth a bicycle. That's not a small amount."
That was a bicycle, the most important bicycle.
Besides the money for the bicycle, there was the cost of the bicycle ticket. Calculating it, this one bowl could be worth a year's salary for an ordinary worker. And the actual value would be even higher, as the person who bought it would also profit.
Old Man Zhuang nodded, "I understand."
He wasn't a talkative person anyway. He sighed, "No wonder the landlord's family was rich. Look, even a random bowl is so valuable."
Zhao Guihua said, "Exactly."
She pulled the quilt over herself and said, "Oh, why aren't you sleeping yet? Go to bed early; you have to work tomorrow. I can sleep in, but you can't."
Old Man Zhuang smiled and said, "Will you still go mushroom picking?"
Zhao Guihua hesitated for a moment and said, "Yes!"
She didn't want to miss out. She said, "I'll sleep in the morning, and in the afternoon, I won't go up the mountain. I'll go to a closer place with Aunt Wang."
"You should rest too."
"Sleep your own, don't worry about me."
Zhao Guihua was exhausted after a night of running and dodging. She didn't even get up to make breakfast in the morning; Liang Meifen did it. Old Man Zhuang wasn't in great shape either, but he still had to go to work.
He said, "Your mom didn't sleep well last night; she'll sleep in the morning. Don't wake her."
He was talking to Liang Meifen, who nodded, thinking, why would I wake her up? Am I that bored? I don't enjoy seeing others' bad moods.
Zhuang Zhixi watched his father's expression and lowered his eyes, not asking anything. He knew not to pry into things he shouldn't, or he'd get scolded. After all, his mom was a tigress!
Everyone went to work as usual, and as they left the house, Zhuang Zhixi encountered a few others. It was strange, but today everyone seemed to be leaving at the same time. Normally, they would all go their separate ways, but today they were all together. However, except for Zhuang Zhixi, everyone else looked quite unhappy.
Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin looked particularly bad, and they seemed awkward when they saw each other. Zhou Qun also had a dark expression, with a very low mood.
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
One after another, they looked like they had just fallen into the toilet. Fortunately, this thought was just in Zhuang Zhixi's mind. If he had said it out loud, Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun would have exploded. That was a black history they couldn't even mention. Zhuang Zhixi quietly followed behind the "brothers," walking together.
He glanced back and saw a few older uncles walking side by side not far behind. The expressions on the older uncles' faces were also quite grim. His father's complexion was average, and even Uncle Bai looked the same.
What was even more surprising was that Li the Cook, who usually got up early to make breakfast, was also late today, with a face as dark as ink.
Well, he really didn't understand these people.
Everyone walked in silence, entering the factory one after another with the flow of people. Zhang San, who was on duty at the gate today, immediately grabbed Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Xiao Zhuang, come here."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Why are you here again today?"
Zhang San: "I volunteered for it. I like guarding the gate, watching people come and go, it's so lively. Patrolling is boring."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "What do you want from me?"
Zhang San curiously peeked around and whispered, "Is something going on in your courtyard? Why does everyone look so upset? Did something happen?"
His tone was as if it were New Year's Day.
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
After thinking for a moment, he said, "I don't know about others, but..."
"Tell me, tell me."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Our courtyard Zhou... forget it, we're all from the same courtyard, it's not good for me to talk about it. You should ask someone else."
Zhang San grabbed Zhuang Zhixi: "Don't be like that, tell me."
Zhuang Zhixi: "It's not good to talk about."
The more he hesitated, the more curious Zhang San became. He said, "Tell me, I won't tell anyone. If you don't tell me, I'll be scratching my head. You know we're good buddies. You can't just leave me hanging. Come on, tell me?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "It's really not good to talk about."
"Tell me, tell me, I'll treat you to lunch and get you a meat dish."
Zhuang Zhixi immediately smiled: "How can I accept that?"
Although he said that, he quickly lowered his voice and said, "Zhou Qun's family, they boiled eggs last night."
Zhang San didn't get it: "Boiling eggs? Isn't that good?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Not chicken eggs, sheep ones... you know, for a big boost!"
Zhang San: "Holy crap!"
Zhuang Zhixi: "And the smell, it was so strong that the whole courtyard couldn't eat. The smell was just..."
Zhang San grimaced and whispered, "Is he really that bad?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows, but they're really going all out with the boost. The day before yesterday, they ate pig kidneys, yesterday, they ate sheep testicles. Today, I don't know what they're eating."
Zhang San sighed: "I never thought of that, the idea of eating like that for a boost. If I had known, I would have..." He stopped abruptly, coughed twice, and said, "No, no, I don't need a boost, don't misunderstand."
Zhuang Zhixi seriously said, "Don't worry, I won't misunderstand."
Zhang San: "Right, right, I knew you were wise and wouldn't misunderstand. Oh, wait, does that stuff really smell that bad?"
Zhuang Zhixi thought carefully and said cautiously, "Under normal circumstances, it shouldn't smell that bad. If it did, would that be possible? Would that make sense? I don't think so, so I guess our courtyard smelled so bad because they must have done something wrong or added some weird stuff."
Zhang San: "..."
He blinked and felt he had to keep an eye on Zhou Qun. Maybe this shape-boosting method was particularly effective.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, I've told you the gossip, I don't know about others. I have to go to the propaganda department, it's quite busy there."
"Alright, alright."
Zhang San murmured: "Where can I buy eggs..."
But soon, Zhang San immediately called out to Li Si: "Old Li, Old Li, I know some gossip. You know Zhou Qun, right... the young and promising one from the electrical department..."
This "young and promising" was a sarcastic remark from the security department. Ever since Zhou Qun's mother made a fuss about "promoting her son and firing people," Zhou Qun's reputation in the security department became quite dubious.
After all, they were going to fire them.
"What's wrong with that guy?"
"He's not good..."
"Ah, not good? Are you kidding? I just saw him, his complexion is a bit off, but you can't say he's not good. He's still alive..."
"No, I mean that aspect, the one about having kids. Probably got beaten up by Bai Fendou and is now boosting with shape-boosting foods... kidneys, testicles, all that! Big boost!"
"Ah, really? Is that true?"
"My first-hand information, more true than a needle's tip!"
"Oh man, I have to tell Wang Ermazi..."
Zhang San, Li Si, Wang Ermazi... the security department is truly the hub of gossip.
Not to mention Zhuang Zhixi gossiping about others, if he didn't, others would. After all, their courtyard had over a hundred people, and many from nearby courtyards came to watch too.
Not to mention anything else, the smell from this morning hadn't even dispersed yet.
It was truly soul-stirring!
It was deadly soul-stirring!
It's a pity that their courtyard was quite miserable, with such an incident every few days. The smell was... Ai, couldn't be imagined, couldn't be described. In just half a morning, the news spread throughout the factory.
"Hey, did you hear? The electrical department's Zhou Qun, do you know why he doesn't go home after work and stays to work overtime?"
"To serve the people?"
"What, he's afraid to face his wife because he's, well, useless."
"Ah? Really? How did he become useless? Got beaten up by Bai Fendou?"
"Of course, he was hospitalized for so long, if it wasn't serious, how could it be?"
"Right, right, Jiang Lu is not easy, young and already a widow."
"That's right, I heard his mother admitted it, they're eating eggs to boost!"
"This man, if he's not good in that aspect, it's really too bad. Hey, does that stuff really boost that much? I thought only that part (can't say it) was good for boosting."
"That's true, but it's hard to buy, being able to get eggs is already good."
"That's true."
Zhou Qun today felt the atmosphere was strange. It seemed like everyone looked at him with a hint of sympathy. He was quite puzzled. Could it be that the incident of his mother making the whole courtyard smell bad yesterday had spread?
These gossipers, they spread everything so quickly.
But he was indeed in a bad mood today. After eating the testicles yesterday, he thought he could perform well, but unexpectedly, he went from five seconds to three seconds. This huge two-second gap must be Bai Fendou's fault. If it weren't for Bai Fendou injuring his waist, he wouldn't be like this.
When Zhou Qun encountered Bai Fendou at the factory, his gaze was murderous.
Bai Fendou, however, didn't notice and teased, "Hey, Zhou Qun, the egg man, is here."
Please refer to the homophonic pun.
Zhou Qun: "..."
He glared at Bai Fendou with hatred. Bai Fendou laughed: "Hey, don't look at me like that. I didn't lie, what did that stuff taste like? How could you eat it with that smell?"
Zhou Qun's chest heaved with anger. He clenched his fists, wanting to hit Bai Fendou with a hammer to teach him a lesson about slandering him!
Zhuang Zhixi's little gossip, though he dared not bring it up in front of the parties involved, but it must be said that Bai Fendou is a brave man who faces the harsh reality of revenge head-on. He unceremoniously went straight to Zhou Qun and gave him a nickname.
It must be said, this nickname is really something.
Just like the smell from last night.
Zhou Qun tried his best to control himself and said coldly, "You wait, I won't let you off easily!"
He wasn't rash enough to fight in the factory.
Bai Fendou was arrogant: "Oh, you want to hit me? Come on, come on, do you think I'm scared of you? When have I, Bai Fendou, ever been a coward in a fight? If I beg for mercy even once, consider me a turtle egg! Come on, do you think I'm scared of you?"
Seeing Bai Fendou's brazen attitude, Zhou Qun's face turned even more grim.
He stared at Bai Fendou fiercely for a long time, then suddenly smiled lightly, turned around, and left.
Bai Fendou: "Hey?"
Why did he just leave like that?
This guy really can't do anything right, not even daring to make a bold threat, what a waste.
A man like this can still get a wife, it's like the heavens have gone blind!
Bai Fendou won the verbal battle against Zhou Qun and strolled around proudly, unaware that Zhou Qun had already gone to the workshop with a toolbox. He came to fix the electrical circuits. Although everyone's eyes were uncomfortable, with a hint of strangeness, Zhou Qun endured it.
A small lack of patience can ruin a great plan.
As he finished fixing the circuits and left, he deliberately passed by Wang Xiangxiu's side and whispered, "I'll wait for you at the warehouse at noon."
Wang Xiangxiu was startled, then continued working as if nothing had happened, but her hand quietly reached back and touched Zhou Qun, signaling she understood. Zhou Qun left silently as if nothing had happened.
Heh, Bai Fendou, you've offended me.
You've offended me, so I'll sleep with the woman you desire but can't have.
The woman you worship as a goddess will still serve me!
He sneered coldly, thinking: You're nothing, even if you end up with Wang Xiangxiu, you'll just be wearing the old shoes I've discarded! The ones I don't want!
He left sinisterly and saw Zhuang Zhixi mingling with a few guys from the security department during lunch, his face darkened again.
He had a deep dislike for the security department, after all, they had detained his mother for several days and were also backbiting him behind his back, calling him "young and promising." It was a compliment, but it didn't sit well with him! As someone from the same courtyard, Zhuang Zhixi should be on his side, but this guy was actually hanging out with the security department, showing no sincerity in sticking together.
Sooner or later, he would also be able to seduce Zhuang Zhixi's wife.
He, Zhou Qun, had always been successful with women, never missing a shot!
He just didn't believe it.
Zhou Qun finished his meal slowly and got up to leave. He looked towards the distance and met Wang Xiangxiu's gaze. Wang Xiangxiu also pretended to have finished eating and said with a smile, "I'm done, I'll head back first."
"But you still have..."
Wang Xiangxiu: "It's for the kids, my family isn't as well off as yours."
Everyone sighed: "You really have it tough."
Wang Xiangxiu looked sad: "What can I do? They'll grow up and things will get better."
"Yes, you have three boys, they'll grow up and you'll enjoy the benefits."
Wang Xiangxiu smiled and walked out.
She and Zhou Qun left the cafeteria one after the other.
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
What did he just see?
