In the evening, the Zhou family prepared a celebration to mark the occasion of the brother and sister-in-law both landing jobs, bringing the household's combined monthly income to nearly 150 yuan.
The dinner was exceptionally lavish: braised pork, braised fish, stewed cabbage with vermicelli, and a whole chicken. Since Qin Jingru had moved in, she had taken over all the household chores, and naturally, she had prepared this feast.
"Sister-in-law, your cooking is truly delicious," Zhou Xuemei said, taking a bite of the braised pork.
"If you like it, eat more. From now on, I’ll cook for you every day. If you don't like the food at school, I’ll pack you a lunchbox to take with you," Qin Jingru said with a smile.
"Sister-in-law, I want to take a lunchbox too. The cook at the school cafeteria isn’t nearly as good as you," Zhou Xuehua added.
"You’ll both have them, don't worry." Qin Jingru was satisfied by the validation; it gave her even more motivation to keep working. Zhou Junfeng just smiled, saying nothing.
Just as the family was eating, the youngest son of Third Uncle, who lived in the front courtyard, ran over.
"Brother Jun, First Uncle is calling for an emergency full-courtyard meeting," Yan Jiekung said, drooling as he looked at the food; even during the New Year, his family didn't eat this well.
Zhou Junfeng was stunned. The legendary full-courtyard meeting?
Zhou Haifeng knew that whenever a full-courtyard meeting was called, it never meant anything good. Every time, it was for the sake of the Jia Family. They were always portrayed as so pitiful, as if there were no one in all of Sijiu City worse off than them. When his father was still alive, he had donated at least seventy or eighty yuan, yet he never knew what was so difficult about their life. Now that his father was gone, he wasn't about to be the next sucker. As for the other victims, there was always Shazhu, that fool who would let his own sister starve to the bone but only had eyes for the Jia Family's "hardships."
Truth be told, Zhou Junfeng was actually looking forward to the meeting. He wanted to see how the "Master of Morality" would use emotional blackmail, how the "Grandmistress of White Lotuses" would weep, how Shazhu would grovel, and what kind of power Widow Zhang truly held. Seeing for himself was better than hearing the rumors!
"Brother, I have a bad feeling about this!"
Zhou Junfeng: "???"
...
Not long after arriving at the middle courtyard, over a hundred residents had gathered. Once Liu Haizhong arrived, all three Uncles were present, and the meeting officially began.
Naturally, Yi Zhonghai took the lead: "Well, there are two matters for today's meeting."
"Everyone knows that Xiaojun has been assigned to the technical department at the Rolling Mill with a salary higher than mine, and Jingru has become a cadre at the Sub-district Office. This is a joyous occasion. Right, Xiaojun?"
Yi Zhonghai showered them with praise, but as he laid on the flattery, Zhou Junfeng finally realized where his brother's bad feeling had come from—it was certainly well-founded.
Yi Zhonghai turned his gaze toward the Zhou siblings and continued: "Our courtyard has always been a model of progress, known throughout the sub-district for looking out for one another and helping those in need. Your late parents were well-known good people; you mustn't tarnish their reputation."
"Xiaojun, we all live in the same courtyard. You know the Jia Family is in a tough spot. Five people living in one room is far too crowded. Your family has four rooms, and now you've just been allocated two more. I’ve made a decision: those newly allocated rooms will be lent to the Jia Family. Jingru is Huairu’s cousin, so she surely won't mind, and if your father were still alive, he wouldn't mind either. As a filial son, you shouldn't have any objections, right?"
Zhou Junfeng: "???" What the hell?
The house was his, yet it was being decided without his consent?
The Zhou siblings were indignant, and Qin Jingru was so furious she could have bitten Yi Zhonghai. "First Uncle," she thought, "who the hell do you think you are to 'lend' our house? This isn't a loan; it's a land grab!"
"First Uncle, I heard you applied for this room for the Jia Family before, but your superiors didn't approve it, right?"
"This room was allocated to me by the factory. Do you have a problem with the organization's arrangements? They didn't approve it for you, so you decided to approve it yourself?"
"Besides, the housing was just allocated to me. Don't you think it's a bit inappropriate to come asking for it immediately?" Zhou Junfeng asked.
"What's inappropriate about it? We have a whole family living in one room, and you have so few people living in so much space! We’re in such a difficult position—isn't it only right that you lend it to us?" Widow Zhang jumped up and yelled angrily.
Zhou Junfeng: ...
What kind of logic was this? "Isn't it only right?" He was completely speechless.
"Mrs. Zhang, that's not how it works. Our family might look small now, but I’m married. Once my wife has children, this space won't be enough. And I still have a brother and two sisters! Where is my house spacious? When my wife gives birth, if there's no one to help, we might need her mother to come stay. Where would she sleep?"
"My brother will get married eventually, and he'll have children too. Where will they live? And what about my two sisters? Even if they marry off, I have to keep a room for them—if they come back to visit, where would they stay?"
"Furthermore, this housing was allocated to me by the organization. There are so many people in need, so many who lack money or housing—am I supposed to help them all? Your family isn't even the worst off! If you're that hard up, you can apply for poverty assistance. You're asking me to help, but who should I help? Everyone has their own troubles, so it's better if we just keep to our own families!"
Widow Zhang: "You just don't want to lend us the house! Other families have a dozen people living in thirty square meters, but your family has so many rooms—you should be giving them up. We’re relatives, after all! If you don't help your own relatives, people will laugh at you."
Zhou Junfeng: They really have no shame.
"Mrs. Zhang, you said it yourself—those people have a dozen family members in thirty square meters. You have five people; isn't your current space enough?"
"You have so many relatives in Qin Family Village, many of whom are worse off than you, yet I haven't seen you helping them!"
"How about this? I have a compromise."
"First Uncle, Brother Dongxu was your apprentice. Since he’s no longer with us, you’ve been looking after his family. You and First Aunt Yi don't need such a large space yourselves. Why don't you clear out your side room for the Jia Family? That way, their problems are solved, and you and First Aunt won't be lonely anymore. It’s a win-win!"
Before Yi Zhonghai could even speak, Zhou Junfeng had laid it all out.
The Jia Family and the rest of the residents turned their gaze toward Yi Zhonghai, leaving him in an impossible position—he could neither agree nor refuse.