Chapter 52 How Did It Come to This?

The residents of the courtyard were filled with anger and disappointment.
"I really didn't expect this. How could that child, Banggen, turn out like this?"
"Yeah, he used to be quite sensible. Why has he become so greedy now?"
"This is all because the adults spoiled him!" someone said indignantly. "If they had disciplined him earlier, he wouldn't have ended up like this."
Although Mrs. Jia tried her best to defend herself, facing the babbling accusations from all directions, her single mouth was ultimately no match for so many.
Helplessly, she stood aside, her face plastered with embarrassment and awkwardness, forced to silently endure everyone's scolding and complaints.
Qin Huairu had just enjoyed a rare and delicious meal, but due to a sensitive stomach, she had to make a hurried trip to the public latrine.
When she returned, the scene before her left her utterly astonished—her front door was surrounded by neighbors, buzzing with discussion and bustling with noise.
Qin Huairu muttered to herself, "What is going on today? Instead of eating dumplings at home, why has everyone gathered at my doorway?"
She cautiously squeezed through the crowd and asked softly, "Oh, dear uncles and aunts, what play is being performed here? Why aren't you all celebrating the New Year at home instead of running over here?" This question was like tossing a stone into a calm lake, instantly stirring up layer upon layer of ripples.
"Qin Huairu, we know your family has it tough, but you can't let the children pull stunts like this!" an aunt spoke up first, a tone of reproach in her voice.
"What? What did the children do?" Qin Huairu looked bewildered, a sense of foreboding gripping her heart.
"Your Banggen took his younger siblings and went from door to door 'paying New Year greetings,' but in reality, he was begging for money! This way of educating children is completely wrong!" another older man chimed in with a serious tone.
"Besides, I didn't want to give away my money, but since I did, you have to return it to me. After all, nobody's money blows in on the wind," added a sister-in-law nearby, her face full of dissatisfaction.
Having caught the gist of it, Qin Huairu experienced a tangled mix of emotions. She quickly squeezed over to Banggen, glared fiercely at him, raised her leg as if to kick him, and scolded, "You brat, what kind of trouble have you caused me this time?"
The tears spinning in Banggen's eyes finally spilled over, but he kept his mouth shut, darted like a wisp of smoke, and hid behind Mrs. Jia.

Seeing this, Qin Huairu grew even more furious. Rolling up her sleeves, she stepped forward to drag Banggen out and give him a proper thrashing.
At that moment, Mrs. Jia scooped Banggen into her arms, shielding him tightly like an old hen protecting her chicks.
"Don't hit him! I'm the one who told him to do this. If you have anything to say, take it out on me!" Mrsisha's voice carried a hint of firmness along with a touch of helplessness.
Hearing this, Qin Huairu swallowed back the words on the tip of her tongue. Knowing that Mrs. Jia was her elder and disrespecting her too much was out of the question, she could only sigh, her face a mask of helplessness.
"Mom, you are really making a ridiculous scene," she muttered a soft complaint, then turned around to apologize to the crowd.
"Dear relatives and friends, I truly knew nothing about this. If I had known beforehand, I certainly wouldn't have let them do it.
It's New Year's Day, and today is New Year's Eve—everyone should just go back home and not waste time lingering here.
Once I question Banggen, I will definitely return the money to you." Qin Huairu's words were gentle yet firm, carrying a sincere undertone.
Under her persuasion, the crowd gradually dispersed, but this storm was far from over.
No one expected that the matter would escalate to the point of holding a full courtyard meeting.
On the first day of the New Year—a time when friends and family should have been gathering together in joy—the residents of the courtyard assembled in full to hold an unprecedented courtyard-wide meeting.
At the meeting, Qin Huairu stood right in the center of the courtyard, her back straight and her voice clear and powerful: "I, Qin Huairu, have never been an unreasonable person, but neither am I a soft persimmon to be pushed around at will.
Anyone trying to fish in troubled waters here in an attempt to get something for nothing is barking up the wrong tree."
Her words were like a cool breeze on a summer day, sweeping away the surrounding clamor and allowing everyone present to clearly feel her stance and determination.
"Qin Huairu, I swear on my reputation and character of many years as a people's teacher that your boy Banggen definitely took a full thirty cents from me, not a penny more and not a penny less!" The Third Uncle's voice trembled slightly with agitation, his eyes bloodshot, clearly driven to near fury by the incident.
Meanwhile, Xu Damao stood nearby with an ill-intentioned smirk at the corner of his mouth, a provocative tone in his voice: "Qin Huairu, you aren't intentionally making up excuses to try and wriggle out of paying this debt, are you?" Before his voice had even faded, it drew a round of snickers, clearly striking a sensitive nerve among certain people present.

However, Mrs. Jia retorted unceremoniously, "Xu Damao, what are you meddling in here for? My Banggen never took a single penny from your hands, so stop stirring up trouble out of nothing!" Her voice carried a resolute firmness, clearly aimed at protecting her family with all her might.
Hearing this, Xu Damao laughed indifferently, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Hmph, a good thing I was wise and didn't give your family a single cent, sparing myself from getting entangled in your messy accounts."
Xu Damao was secretly congratulating himself on the wise decision he had made back then.
At that time, Banggen and his siblings were kneeling on the ground like little beggars, staring eagerly at everyone and begging for New Year red envelopes.
Xu Damao didn't have the spare time to play along with them; without another word, he simply chased the three little ones away, clean and crisp.
Just look around the entire courtyard—aside from He Yuzhu and Xu Damao as exceptions, which adult hadn't been pestered by Banggen? As for Xu Damao, he got to enjoy the leisure, standing on the sidelines to watch the show while secretly pondering how much more explosive this drama could get if it heated up further.
As for He Yuzhu, his brows were tightly locked, his mind entirely occupied with how to clean up this messy mess properly.
In his heart, he was a hundred percent reluctant to see this brat Banggen rake in so much ill-gotten wealth through slick tricks.
At the same time, however, he didn't want to watch the Jia family get kicked while they were down; after all, what people in the courtyard valued above all was righteousness.
He Yuzhu felt bitter inside once more, lamenting why being a good person had to be so difficult. Just look at himself—how much had he sacrificed to uphold this rare kindness? Turning to Qin Huairu, he said, "Qin Huairu, you folks didn't write up an IOU or anything. Now that you're talking about returning the money, it's all entirely up to your family's conscience.
Don't end up ruining neighborly relations just to be greedy for a few pennies, or you'll really live to regret it later."
Hearing this, Qin Huairu's throat went hoarse as she demanded sharply, "He Yuzhu, what do you mean by that? Are you saying I'm lying?"
He Yuzhu hurriedly waved his hands dismissively, then turned to address the others: "Folks, human greed can never be satisfied."