Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 38

After thinking for a moment, Jia Zhangshi quickly stood in the middle: "Since it's the elderly people from the election management office, then I'll also run for election..."

"You? Get down here right now." Someone below started jeering.

When Jia Zhangshi turned around and saw the people making a fuss, she said angrily, "Six Roots' Mother, what have I done to offend you? Stop trying to sabotage me."

"You can't even read, and you want to be the auntie of the School of Management?"

Liu Genniang and Jia Zhangshi had a long-standing feud, and when they saw that the other wanted to compete for the position of headmistress of the courtyard, they immediately voiced their opposition.

Granny Zhang retorted angrily, "So what if I can't read? Does being illiterate disqualify me from being elected? The higher-ups have said that anyone can be elected, and they haven't said that literacy is required."

Liu Gen's mother: "This..."

Although Granny Zhang is unreasonable now, she hasn't made any major mistakes. She just had some disputes with her neighbors before. In these situations, both sides have their own reasons, so it's not easy to pursue the matter further. Liu Gen's mother was speechless for a moment.

He Yuzhu suddenly said, "How can a mean old woman who can beat children become the head of the household?"

Chapter 51 Do I need you to teach me how to do things?

"Who said I hit the child?" Granny Zhang turned around and questioned.

He Yuzhu said loudly, "What did I say? You spilled our rainwater last time, and you've already forgotten about it after just a few days?"

"You...you're talking nonsense, I didn't collect rainwater," Jia Zhangshi quickly denied.

He Yushui said in a clear voice, "It was you who hit me, knocked me down, and made me cry."

Granny Zhang glared fiercely at Yu Shui: "You little brat, who hit you? If you talk nonsense again, I'll beat you to death."

He Yuzhu was furious and said coldly, "Old woman Zhang, try scaring Yushui again!"

"Alright, alright, he was just saying that in a fit of anger, Zhu Zi, don't say any more."

Yi Zhonghai stepped forward to play the good guy at this time, wasn't this a ready-made conflict waiting for him to resolve?

The other potential competitors secretly lamented that they hadn't thought things through and had let Yi Zhonghai steal the spotlight again.

Granny Zhang also said, "That was Sha Zhu framing me. I didn't fetch rainwater. You actually believe what a little girl says?"

He Yuzhu was a little angry.

That old woman is shameless! She even wants to prove herself in front of everyone, saying, "Old woman Zhang, has the swelling gone down? You've already forgotten the pain. Should I give you two more slaps?"

"Don't be so smug. We haven't settled the score with you for hitting me yet."

Although Granny Zhang had recovered, the memory of the slap He Yuzhu gave her that day still made her cheek ache. It was a really hard slap, and it took two days for the swelling to go down.

Thinking of this, he glared at He Yuzhu with a vicious look, wishing he could eat his flesh and drink his blood.

He Yuzhu wasn't afraid of him and returned his gaze with a fierce look.

Yi Zhonghai frowned and said to Jia Zhangshi, "Alright, what are you doing here?"

The deaf old lady then spoke: "Zhang girl, you should go down quickly, don't delay the people behind you from speaking."

Granny Zhang glared at Liu Gen's mother and He Yuzhu, then went downstairs cursing.

Yan Bugui finally found his chance, rushed forward, stood in the middle, and spoke for a while.

Then, Grandpa Li from the backyard also stepped forward to run for office.

After Grandpa Li finished speaking, Liugen's mother also went up and spoke.

He said the same old things, nothing new, and just looked at Granny Zhang with a smug look before leaving.

This infuriated Granny Zhang; it was blatant provocation.

After Liu Gen's mother left, no one else came forward to speak.

Yi Zhonghai stepped forward and said, "Old Yan, don't you have a small blackboard at home? Bring it out for everyone to use."

Yan Bugui was about to say that he should pay for building the blackboard, but seeing all the neighbors around, he swallowed the words back.

If I ask for money now, wouldn't I definitely lose the election?

But Lao Yi's domineering attitude was infuriating.

However, he still turned around and went into the house, taking out the blackboard and chalk.

Just as he was writing, Yi Zhonghai instructed, "Write down our names, and then everyone can vote."

Yan Bugui got even angrier, his mouth twisted with anger, and said, "Do I need you to teach me how to do things?"

As he spoke, he wrote the surnames Yan, Liu, Xu, Li, Zhang, etc. at the top of the small blackboard, deliberately putting the character Yi last.

Yi Zhonghai frowned as he read it, but he didn't say much. He knew in his heart that he had miscalculated and wished he had written it himself.

Before Yan Bugui could finish writing the character "易", he said, "Everyone, one vote, except for children. Draw a line under the character to vote."

The old lady was the first to draw a line under "Yi," and then people went to vote one after another.

This is where the importance of building a reputation becomes apparent. Lao Yi's votes have consistently been far ahead, leaving everyone else far behind.

Jia Zhangshi only had one vote, which she cast herself. Even Jia Dongxu, in order to please his master, cast his vote for Yi Zhonghai.

Even Liu Genniang has five votes.

Below Yi Zhonghai are Liu Haizhong and Xu Wude. The combined votes of the two are about the same as Yi Zhonghai's. However, this time it is a list of 5 people to be selected, so being in the top three is enough to satisfy them.

Next up were Yan Bugui and Lao Li, whose votes were almost equal, and neither of them looked happy.

Although there were 5 people in the competition and I was among the top 5, the management committee has clearly stated that there will only be three spots available for courtyard house number 95. If this order is followed, the two of us will ultimately be eliminated.

Yan Bugui urged hurriedly, "Zhuzi, go and vote for the old man!"

He Yuzhu said, "Even if I vote for you, you'll still be fourth."

"That's better to look at too." Yan Bugui had already accepted that he couldn't make it into the top three, after all, he was still far behind in votes.

He Yuzhu walked up and drew a line under Yan Bugui's name.

Although Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Xu Wude all lent him a lot of money, it didn't matter to him; it wouldn't change the ranking if the vote was put under any of their names.

Soon everyone had voted, and Yi Zhonghai said happily, "Alright, after everyone's vote, the final list of 5 people has been finalized. That is me, Lao Liu, Lao Xu, Lao Yan, and Lao Li. I will send this list to the management committee tomorrow."

Yan Bugui sighed. He was ranked fourth, and it seemed he wouldn't be able to become the head of the management department this time.

He Yuzhu was also somewhat annoyed. Yi Zhonghai's years of winning people's hearts and minds were not something he could shake in a short time.

It seems that we've entered the era of Yi Zhonghai manipulating public opinion. However, I'm not someone he can control. As long as my interests are affected, whether he's a big shot or not is irrelevant.

The speeches and voting were over, and everyone dispersed. He Yuzhu led Yushui back.

Yi Zhonghai came in and asked, "Zhu Zi, why did you vote for Lao Yan instead of me?"

He Yuzhu said, "You're already in first place, so it doesn't matter who I vote for, right?"

Yi Zhonghai wasn't here to settle scores later; after all, tonight's list was just a preliminary one, and the most crucial matter was still with the management committee.

“Zhu Zi, although we had some misunderstandings before, it’s all in the past. You can’t trip me up at this crucial moment.”

"Okay, I know."

He Yuzhu also knew that even if he spoke ill of Yi Zhonghai in front of Tian Zao, it would be difficult to bring Yi Zhonghai down.

After all, Yi Zhonghai's election was the will of the people, and if they really want to take him down, they need to give them a plausible reason.

Yi Zhonghai has been in office for so long and has done countless good deeds, which everyone has seen. If he doesn't succeed in the single election, many people will doubt the fairness and impartiality of the management committee.

Yi Zhonghai said, "I'll treat you to dinner after I'm elected."

The next morning, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Xu Wude went to the management committee together. When they returned, they were all in high spirits, as if they had already been elected.

Chapter 52 The Jia Family's Resentment

This didn't stop He Yuzhu from selling fish. Of course, he didn't sell them in the vegetable market inside Nanluoguxiang, but instead went to several nearby places such as Jiaodaokou Vegetable Market, Beixinqiao Vegetable Market, and Beiluoguxiang Vegetable Market.

These vegetable markets were not the centralized, modern markets of later generations; they were simply sections of vegetable-selling areas that spontaneously formed in relatively wide alleyways.

They were all villagers from the nearby countryside outside the city gate, carrying two baskets on a shoulder pole, selling seasonal vegetables.

He Yuzhu changed the location of his fish stall every day so that no one would know he could sell fish every day.

I can earn more than 20 yuan a day. When I come across a donation box, I put in two or three yuan. It's my small contribution.

Finally, it was time to collect the paycheck, and He Yuzhu was able to receive his salary. During his free time in the afternoon, he went to the accounting office with Wang Song.

Wang Song was paid 15 yuan a month as a helper, while He Yuzhu only received 5 yuan. Fortunately, he didn't receive any last month, and received a total of 7 yuan this month.

He Yuzhu glanced at the drawer and saw a lot of new money inside, so he said, "Could you please replace it with the new kind?"

He then placed the seven bills in his hand back on the table.

"You're such a pain," the accountant said, but still exchanged the bills for new ones, including 1-cent, 2-cent, and 5-cent notes, and they were even consecutively numbered.

"Thank you for your help. I'll need new bills next time."

After thanking him, He Yuzhu left the office.

Wang Song asked, "Why do you want to change to a new one?"

"They look festive, and they're even consecutive numbers."

Wang Song didn't ask any more questions, and the two returned to the kitchen to continue working.