Chapter 2214
Unity of One Heart
The group discussed things at the street corner for a long time, encountering many neighbors from the alley.
The way those people looked at them was complicated.
Yan Jiedi, being observant, sensed something was amiss, so she asked someone, "Uncle Zhang, why are you looking at us like that?"
Uncle Zhang smiled and said, "No, you're mistaken. You can ask Lao Tian if you don't believe me."
No one in the vicinity admits it.
The children from both families were intelligent and both noticed the anomaly.
"No, something's wrong. If you don't tell us, don't blame us for coming to your house."
Those who are older don't want to cause trouble.
But the younger ones are different.
One of them stepped forward and said, "Fine, just say it. Everyone around here knows this."
"You bunch of unfilial children have forced your parents to scavenge for garbage."
The words "picking up trash" exploded like a bomb in the ears of several people.
Yan Jiefang was the first to fly into a rage: "You're talking nonsense."
Yan Bugui has always considered himself a scholar, often shamelessly claiming that he possesses the integrity of a scholar.
They block the doorway demanding things, all under the guise of helping out.
Now, when people say that Yan Bugui went to pick up trash, Yan Jiefang simply doesn't believe it.
The young man said with a disdainful look, "It was your dad who led the way in picking up trash."
Everyone around here knows.
Yan Jiefang was about to argue when Yan Jiedi stopped her.
She used to work at a recycling center and knew that collecting recyclables, though the name might not sound appealing, could actually be quite lucrative.
If Yan Bugui knew that collecting recyclables could make money, he would definitely rush to the front.
After stopping Yan Jiefang, Yan Jiedi asked, "Uncle Zhang, is what he said true? My dad and my two uncles really went to collect scraps?"
Now that Uncle Zhang had come this far, he stopped hiding it: "Of course it's true."
Yesterday I went to my son's place and saw your dad rummaging through the trash cans in Beihe Hutong.
Yan Jiedi was finally certain: "Thank you, Uncle Zhang."
My dad's got a money-grubbing streak. He must have heard that collecting recyclables could make money, so he went there.
Throughout his life, Yi Zhonghai was unable to fully control the courtyard house and keep it a secret.
Yan Bugui's stingy nature was already well-known throughout the alley.
It's quite possible that Yan Bugui started collecting scraps to earn money.
"Jie Di, is collecting recyclables really that profitable?"
Yan Jiedi said, "Of course. Don't forget, I used to work at a scrap yard."
Let me tell you, in the past, when people were struggling financially, they would sell almost anything they could to make a living.
Some people sell their ancestral heirlooms as scrap.
Uncle Zhang was taken aback: "You're not talking about antiques, are you?"
Yan Jiedi said, "It's an antique. If someone is lucky enough to find an antique, they'll become rich."
Those present immediately became suspicious, thinking that Yan Bugui and his group were after the antiques.
"You work at the junkyard, so you must have collected quite a few antiques."
Yan Jiedi looked helpless: "When I worked at the scrap yard, antiques weren't worth much."
Who has the spare money to collect antiques?
If it were that easy, everyone working at a scrap yard would be rich.
After the onlookers had left, Yan Jiefang asked curiously, "Jie Di, can you really find antiques while collecting junk?"
Yan Jiedi reminded Yan Jiefang: "Stop dreaming. The good stuff has already been taken by someone else."
Nowadays, people aren't stupid enough to sell these things.
What I said earlier was to make everyone think that Dad and his friends were after antiques.
Otherwise, we'd be drowned in everyone's spittle.
Liu Guangqi looked at Yan Jiedi with some gratitude.
If she hadn't said that, then they would have been seen as unfilial children, forcing their parents to collect scraps.
"Jie Di is right, they must be trying to buy antiques at a cheap price."
The others aren't stupid either; they know what to say that's most advantageous to them.
"That's right, it's for collecting antiques." "How come I never thought that collecting scraps could be so promising?"
"Our factory can't pay wages right now, so I'll go collect recyclables from now on."
……
The group of people, talking all at once, characterized Yan Bugui and his companions' act of collecting scraps as collecting antiques.
Their voices were quite loud; many people heard them.
This made even the neighbors who initially looked down on these people waver.
They didn't know who to believe, as both sides seemed to have valid points.
Yan Jiecheng, in particular, said that He Yuzhu used to collect antiques in this way.
Now everyone was more inclined to believe what Yan Jiedi and the others said.
Hearing the surrounding neighbors' discussions, the group breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.
Liu Guangqi said, "This must be another conspiracy plotted by the First Uncle and the Third Uncle."
Yan Jiekuang blurted out, "Why don't you say that this was Second Uncle's idea..."
He felt a little embarrassed after saying that.
If Liu Haizhong had a brain like that, he wouldn't have been so easily fooled by Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui.
Liu Guangqi didn't pursue the matter further, lest it cause internal conflict.
"The situation is now quite clear. They are trying to use a self-inflicted injury ruse on us."
They want to use everyone's criticism to force us to be their slaves.
What are you all thinking?
Liu Guangtian said fiercely, "I definitely won't agree."
"I won't agree either."
"Yes, we can't agree to that."
This time, the opinions were very unified.
Regardless of their ulterior motives, their desire to avoid spending money to support their parents is the same.
Now that things have come to this, Liu Guangqi stopped putting on airs: "Since everyone agrees, let's not undermine each other."
We must unite to defeat the forces of evil.
"No problem. We must unite and not let them defeat us one by one."
These things are all negotiable, and no one has any objections.
Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Liu Guangqi said, "Let's get this straight: if anyone becomes a traitor, then don't blame us for helping him push into the fire."
Yan Jiecheng said, "Don't worry. Everyone knows the current situation."
If we agree to their demands, then we'll have to support them all.
"We're not stupid, we don't have that much money to serve them."
Liu Guangqi frowned: "Why are you still calling him 'Silly Zhu'?"
Do you not know how much you've suffered because of calling him "Silly Pillar"?
If you had followed Wu Tiezhu and Miao Jianye's example, you would have made your fortunes alongside He Yuzhu long ago.
Yan Jiecheng said, "Aren't there any outsiders here? He can't hear us."
Yan Jiefang said, "Given our relationship with Sha Zhu, even if we change our tune, we won't gain anything."
Didn't Guangtian and Guangfu change their tune before?
They didn't gain anything at all.
Liu Guangqi looked at his two younger brothers as if they were idiots: "They're just stupid. They would be better off just following Xu Damao."
They insisted on playing dirty tricks behind Xu Damao's back.
What was the result?
The Liu brothers, though unwilling to accept it, had no way to argue their case.
If I hadn't betrayed Xu Damao back then, I wouldn't have offended him.
Even if we don't become extremely wealthy, that would still be much better than what we have now.
Liu Guangqi was too lazy to say anything more: "Let's put other things aside for now and talk about how to deal with the situation in the hospital."
As you've heard, those guys didn't go out to collect recyclables today; they're definitely waiting in the yard, on high alert.
In order to deal with the trouble, this time the group of people really didn't have any selfish motives involved.
They actively brainstormed solutions and finally finalized a plan before heading towards the courtyard house together. (End of Chapter)