Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

Chapter 791 Young People's Ambition 16

The host watched as Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, both pursed their lips tightly and turned their heads to the side, neither saying a word. The air seemed frozen, the silence oppressive. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and he felt secretly pleased with himself. That smug feeling was like that of a mouse that had stolen oil, feeling that he had firm control over the tense situation. He deliberately puffed out his chest and cleared his throat. His voice was particularly clear in the silent air, and then he said slowly, "In my opinion, we need to analyze this matter objectively and impartially. Both sides have made mistakes, and no one should put all the blame on the other. Shazhu, you have always been a straightforward person, but your impulsive behavior just now was indeed a bit too much. If you apologize to Xu Damao and express your regret for your impulsive behavior just now, it is not a shameful thing, but it will make you look magnanimous. Xu Damao, don't keep holding on to Shazhu's mistakes. We see each other every day and have been neighbors for many years. Let's both take a step back and let this matter go. We can still be good neighbors in the future and live a lively life together. How wonderful it is."

When Xu Damao heard what the host said, he immediately became displeased, like a powder keg that had been lit. His neck stiffened, and the blue veins on his neck bulged slightly. His eyes widened as big as copper bells, and he shouted, "Why? Is there any justice in this world? It was obviously Shazhu who started the fight first. He was like a scoundrel looking for trouble, hanging around in front of me, and almost hit me. He looked like he was going to eat me. Why should I take a step back first? I don't accept it! I'm saying this today. If we don't get this straightened out today, no one will have a good life! No one will be able to live in peace!" As he spoke, he jumped up and down like an enraged little rooster, waving his hands in the air like a windmill, and spit flew out again, splashing on the faces of the people around him.

Sha Zhu's face flushed red with rage, like a ripe tomato. The veins on his forehead and neck bulged like wriggling earthworms. His eyes bulged with anger, as if spitting fire, and he roared, "Apologies to him? No way! Forget it! It was Xu Damao who was acting unreasonably first, biting at me like a mad dog and spewing hurtful words. His words were so awful they were unbearable to hear. Why should I apologize? I didn't do anything wrong. If there's any apology to be made, it should be his! If he doesn't apologize to me today, this matter won't end!" His voice shook the air around him, like a thunderclap in his ears, and his chest heaved violently with anger, the amplitude of the rise and fall as violent as the waves of the sea.

The newly arrived male owner had fully believed that his proposed "fair judgment" would be a magic key, instantly unlocking the tightly closed door to the conflict between Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, bringing an end to the dispute and establishing himself as a fair, selfless, and responsible leader in his new compound. However, his words, like two boulders dropped into a tranquil lake, ignited a fierce resistance from both Sha Zhu and Xu Damao. His "fair judgment" was mercilessly rejected by both. At that moment, the male owner felt as if his face had been slapped hard by an invisible hand, burning with pain. His expression suddenly lost its composure, and his once smug and confident smile froze, replaced by an awkward blush that spread from his cheeks to his ears.

He coughed awkwardly twice, the sound particularly abrupt in the silent and tense atmosphere, as if he was trying helplessly to conceal his inner panic. A flicker of anger flashed in his eyes, like a small flame, rapidly burning in his eyes. But soon, as if putting on a mask, he forcibly suppressed the anger and resumed his hypocritical appearance of impartiality, forcing a seemingly gentle yet somewhat hypocritical smile from the corner of his mouth.

He frowned, his brows furrowed like two small hills, as if this would make him look more serious and authoritative. He said slowly, "Why are you two so stubborn? A quarrel between neighbors is like two trees that should be leaning against each other, but they insist on colliding, leaving their branches and leaves broken. It would be so ugly if word got out. The whole yard would be in turmoil because of your conflict, and everyone would lose face. I'm doing this for everyone's good. I've tried my best to resolve this peacefully, like a peacemaker mediating, hoping that you can shake hands and make peace. But why don't you appreciate it? Do you have to make a big fuss and make everyone miserable before you're satisfied?"

At this moment, Qin Huairu, who had been standing nearby and observing silently, could no longer bear it. She was like a flower quietly blooming in a corner, radiating a warm glow, kind and sensible. She and Sha Zhu had a good relationship, like siblings. Sha Zhu would talk to her about everything, and she would lend a hand when he encountered difficulties. At the same time, she also understood Xu Damao's character, knowing that Xu Damao was like a cunning fox, always taking advantage of others and stirring up trouble, always causing unrest in the yard.

She stepped forward with light yet firm steps, her steps carrying an invisible force, as if to bring a touch of justice and rationality to the dispute. She raised her head slightly, staring directly at the newly moved-in male owner with her clear and bright eyes, and then said sincerely, "Brother, you've just arrived in our courtyard, like a new guest, and you may not know much about the situation yet. Xu Damao is usually like a greedy little devil. As long as he sees any benefit, he will do everything he can to take it for himself. He also likes to stir up trouble, like a rat shit, always trying to spoil a pot of good soup. Today's incident is clearly him being unreasonable, like a fussy child, deliberately picking on Sha Zhu. Although Sha Zhu has a short temper, he is a down-to-earth person, like an unpolished jade, with a kind heart, and he won't quarrel with others for no reason. Every time he clashes with Xu Damao, it's usually because he is provoked by Xu Damao. So, brother, you can't just judge by appearances. You have to understand the truth of the matter before making a judgment."

When Xu Damao heard Qin Huairu openly speaking in Sha Zhu's favor, his face, already distorted by anger, instantly became even more ferocious, like an enraged beast, instantly raging with rage. His eyes widened to the size of bells, their pupils practically bulging out, and veins bulged on his forehead like serpentine earthworms. He suddenly extended his finger, pointing it directly at Qin Huairu's nose. That finger felt like a sharp dagger, filled with malice and provocation. He yelled at the top of his voice, "Qin Huairu, stop talking for Sha Zhu here! What's your relationship with him? Humph, don't think I can't see that you two are always flirting with each other. Do you have some hidden secret? Who knows, maybe you two have already colluded with each other and discussed how to bully me! You are just a pair of accomplices, teaming up to force me into a dead end!" The voice was sharp and piercing, like a sharp blade, cutting through the already tense air.

Qin Huairu was so angry at Xu Damao's vicious words that her face turned pale. Her originally rosy cheeks instantly became bloodless, like a pale piece of paper. She felt a buzzing in her head, as if she was hit hard by a heavy hammer, and she was completely stunned. She never expected that Xu Damao would speak so harshly to her without any bottom line, trampling on her personality and reputation. She clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles turned white due to the force, and her body trembled slightly, like a leaf shivering in the cold wind. There were angry tears in her eyes, and the tears rolled in her eye sockets, but stubbornly refused to fall. She took a deep breath, which seemed to be filled with endless anger and grievance. She tried to calm herself down, then said coldly, "Xu Damao, stop slandering me here! I, Qin Huairu, am upright and honest. I have a clear conscience towards everyone and am not afraid of your slander. I am only discussing the matter objectively. Seeing you being so unreasonable and unreasonable, I really can't stand it. I don't want to see you continue to make mistakes like this and disturb the whole courtyard."

Sha Zhu was standing by and saw Qin Huairu being bullied by Xu Damao. The rage in his heart instantly erupted like a volcano, blazing. His face flushed red like a ripe tomato, and his eyes spurted out flames of anger, as if he wanted to burn Xu Damao to ashes. He was originally being pulled tightly by the neighbors, trying to calm him down, but at this moment, he could no longer control his emotions and struggled again. The force was so great that he was like a wild horse that had broken free from its reins, breaking free from the neighbors' pull. He rushed towards Xu Damao like an angry lion, and every step he took made the ground "bang bang", as if he wanted to crush the ground. As he rushed forward, he shouted loudly: "Xu Damao, you dare to bully Sister Qin, I will never let you go today! Sister Qin is so nice to all of us, but you slander her and bully her like this, are you still a man? I must teach you a lesson today and let you know the consequences of bullying Sister Qin!" The roar was so loud that the air around him seemed to tremble, as if the whole world was shaking with this roar.

Seeing Sha Zhu charging at him like a tiger descending from a mountain, as if he were about to devour him alive, Xu Damao's face paled to a pulp. His already pale complexion now lost even a trace of its rosy glow, leaving him looking like a corpse drained of blood. His legs felt limp, like two noodles softened by rainwater, and he could barely stand. Every step back felt like the effort of a man. He retreated frantically, his steps stumbling like a drunk, while he screamed for help at the top of his lungs, "Help! Help! Sha Zhu is going to kill someone! This madman is mad, he's going to kill me!" His voice was sharp and shrill, like the wail of a desperate beast trapped in a corner, echoing through the yard and startling the birds in the trees into fluttering and taking flight.

Neighbors heard Xu Damao's terrified cries for help and rushed over from all directions. Seeing Sha Zhu's furious expression, they feared someone might actually die, so they rushed forward again, like a group of brave guards protecting a target about to be attacked. Some hugged Sha Zhu's waist tightly from behind, their arms so tight that they seemed to be squeezing him into their bodies; some grabbed Sha Zhu's arms, trying to pull him back with such force that the veins in their arms bulged; and others stood between Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, using their bodies to form a human wall. With a concerted effort, they finally managed to hold Sha Zhu tightly, preventing him from getting any closer to Xu Damao. Although Sha Zhu was restrained, he continued to struggle angrily, cursing Xu Damao loudly, his voice filled with anger and unwillingness.

Just as the scene descended into chaos again, as if an uncontrollable storm was about to break out, a loud voice like thunder suddenly rang out from the yard: "Stop it!" This voice seemed to have a magical power, instantly quieting the originally noisy yard. Even Sha Zhu, who was struggling, was slightly stunned. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw the Third Uncle walking towards them with steady and powerful steps, neither hurried nor slow. His steps were steady and confident, and each step seemed to step on people's hearts, making people feel a sense of awe. The Third Uncle was a well-known cultured and prestigious person in the yard. He had read many books and understood many principles. On weekdays, everyone was quite convinced of him. Whether he was dealing with small conflicts between neighbors or resolving major issues in the yard, he always relied on his wisdom and fairness to convince everyone.

The third uncle walked into the crowd, like a dignified judge in court. He first scanned the crowd, his gaze sharp and penetrating, as if he could see into everyone's heart. Then, he spoke sternly, "Look at you all! What are you doing? You've all lost your mind, arguing furiously over a trivial matter, almost coming to blows. How can this be? We're all neighbors in the same courtyard, like family. We should help and understand each other, sit down and discuss problems together, and find solutions together. Instead of arguing and attacking each other like you're doing now, turning our once harmonious courtyard into a turmoil. What you're doing is not only hurting each other's feelings, but also making our courtyard a laughing stock for outsiders. Think about it, everyone: Is it worth it?" The third uncle's words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the anger in the crowd and gradually calming everyone down.

Seeing Third Uncle coming, Xu Damao thought he had someone to back him up, so he ran over and said aggrievedly, "Third Uncle, you have to take charge of this for me! Sha Zhu bullied me and even wanted to beat me up. Look at my arm, it still hurts."

The third uncle looked at Xu Damao, then at Sha Zhu, and then said earnestly, "Xu Damao, I know you usually like to take advantage of others, and sometimes you don't know how to speak properly. But today, you really went a bit too far. It's okay to occupy the clothesline, but you can't occupy the entire place and leave others unable to use it. Also, you shouldn't use Sha Zhu's lack of a wife to attack him. It's too hurtful."

After hearing what the third uncle said, Xu Damao lowered his head and dared not say another word. The third uncle turned to Sha Zhu and said, "Sha Zhu, you have a bad temper. You shouldn't be so impulsive when encountering things. Violence won't solve the problem, it will only make things worse. Xu Damao was wrong in today's incident, but you were also impulsive."

After hearing what Third Uncle said, Sha Zhu gradually calmed down. He nodded and said, "Third Uncle, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have been so impulsive and almost hit someone."

Seeing that both men had acknowledged their mistakes, the Third Uncle smiled with relief. He continued, "Since you both recognize your mistakes, apologize to each other. Xu Damao, first apologize to Sha Zhu for your unreasonable behavior and hurtful words. Sha Zhu, also apologize to Xu Damao for your impulsive behavior."

Xu Damao and Sha Zhu exchanged a glance. Although they were still somewhat reluctant, they slowly walked up to each other under the majesty of the Third Uncle and the gazes of the crowd. Xu Damao lowered his head and whispered, "Sha Zhu, I'm sorry. I was wrong today. I shouldn't have been unreasonable and hurtful." Sha Zhu also scratched his head and said, "Xu Damao, I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have been so impulsive and almost hit you."