Courtyard House: The Thief System of All Realms

Chapter 21: A Ruthless Scheme Backfires, Leading to a Public Slap in the Face and Breaking the Crisi

In the shadows of the corner of the courtyard wall, Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu and others huddled together, daring not to move an inch despite being bitten by mosquitoes. They stared intently at the door, their minds filled with calculation and anxiety.

In contrast, the interior was completely devoid of the tension found outside, instead exuding a sense of tranquility.

Qin Huairu slowly straightened her clothes, picked up a clean coarse towel from the side, and gently wiped the thin layer of sweat from Sun Jingyuan's forehead.

In the years since she married into the Jia family, she has been busy with housework and endured humiliation, suffering endless torment from Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu. She has never experienced the feeling of being cherished. The warmth in her heart at this moment is a genuine feeling she has never had before.

Sun Jingyuan leaned against the bedside, his expression calm and composed, without the slightest hesitation. He simply said, "I will arrange everything properly afterward. You don't need to panic."

Qin Huairu lowered her hand, her fingertips gently clenching the towel. Her tone was gentle and relieved, yet also contained a hint of determination: "Jingyuan, I won't make things difficult for you. When we get out later, I'll tell Jia Dongxu I want a divorce. At worst, I'll go back to my hometown in the countryside and never return to this wretched courtyard house. I will never be a burden to you in the slightest."

"There's no need to take this path." Sun Jingyuan raised his eyes, his gaze resolute, his tone calm. "If you want to stay here, I can help you get a job at the steel rolling mill, so you can earn your own living and no longer have to live at the mercy of the Jia family."

Qin Huairu suddenly looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "I...I'm just a country woman who hasn't had much education, can I really become a permanent worker in a factory?" In those days, permanent factory jobs were incredibly precious, and she never even dared to dream that she would have such an opportunity.

"Just wait two days, and I'll give you a definite answer." Sun Jingyuan nodded slightly, without offering any further explanation. He had already obtained information about the vacant positions in the steel rolling mill's logistics department through his numerous worlds of thievery. With just a little maneuvering, he could finalize the appointments without going through much trouble.

Qin Huairu's eyes welled up with tears, filled with gratitude. She leaned down and gently touched the corner of his lips, then turned and quietly pushed open the door and went out.

As soon as she appeared, the crowd huddled in the corner swarmed around her like hungry wolves, their expressions urgent and their eyes gleaming with cunning, completely disregarding her feelings.

"Huai Ru, how's it going inside? Did it work out?" Yi Zhonghai spoke first, his brows furrowed, his tone impatient, his mind solely focused on whether he could control Sun Jingyuan and rescue Jia Zhangshi.

Jia Dongxu leaned forward, glaring at her fiercely, and said in a rough tone, "Tell me! Have you caught Sun Jingyuan red-handed? My mother's release depends on this, so don't let me down!"

Qin Huairu suppressed the contempt and disgust in her heart, feigning helplessness and sighing softly, putting on an air of powerlessness: "He drank too much before, he was completely drunk. I pushed him, called him, and even slapped his cheek, but he didn't react at all, he was fast asleep. I can't just start yelling for no reason. If we rush in and see him passed out on the bed, we won't be able to frame him. Instead, he'll turn the tables and accuse us. This will be impossible to resolve."

Jia Dongxu looked her up and down with suspicion, his tone full of doubt: "You're not lying? You really didn't make a sound?"

"If you don't believe me, just go in and see for yourself. There's no need to argue with me here." Qin Huairu looked up to meet his gaze, her tone tinged with a hint of defiance. She simply gave up and stopped explaining.

Sha Zhu was afraid that the two would start arguing and ruin the whole plan, so he quickly stepped forward to smooth things over: "Don't argue, don't argue, I'll go and see!" After saying that, he quickly pushed open the door, peeked inside, and saw Sun Jingyuan lying on the ground, snoring loudly, completely drunk and unaware, showing no signs of waking up.

Sha Zhu shook his head helplessly, turned and left the room, spreading his hands at everyone: "He's really drunk, like a rag doll, nothing we do can wake him up."

Upon hearing this, everyone was immediately stumped. They looked at each other, at a loss for what to do, and their tense plans instantly fell apart.

A ruthless glint flashed in Yi Zhonghai's eyes. He gritted his teeth, looked at Qin Huairu, and said in a sinister and resolute tone, leaving no room for negotiation: "Huairu, you might as well stay in the house tonight. Tomorrow morning, I'll call everyone from the neighborhood committee and the joint defense team. Then we'll catch him red-handed, and Sun Jingyuan won't be able to deny it!"

Qin Huairu trembled, staring at Yi Zhonghai in disbelief. Her eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up. "Uncle Yi, how could you say such a thing? I'm a woman, spending the whole night in his room. If this gets out tomorrow, my reputation will be ruined. How will I ever face anyone in Beijing again?"

"Stop pretending to be a virtuous woman!" Jia Dongxu's face was ashen as he shouted angrily, showing no regard for their marital relationship. His only concerns were his mother and his work. "My mother is still locked up in security. If you don't do as I say, I'm not finished with you!"

"You only care about your mother and yourself. When have you ever thought about my life or death?" Qin Huairu's tears welled up instantly. She felt wronged and desperate. Her voice was choked with sobs, sounding particularly desolate in the dead of night.

"This is all for all of us! You'll only have to suffer for one night, and no one will dare to gossip about it afterwards!" Jia Dongxu's eyes darted around, and his tone was extremely perfunctory, completely disregarding Qin Huairu's reputation and future.

Yi Zhonghai's face also darkened, adopting the imposing manner of an old man in the courtyard. His tone was firm and brooked no argument: "It's settled then. This is the only way to bring down Sun Jingyuan. You must do as I say; there is no other choice!"

Before Qin Huairu could refute, Jia Dongxu suddenly stepped forward, grabbed her arm, and forcefully pushed her back into the house. Then he slammed the door shut and stood firmly behind it, as if afraid that she would run out and ruin everything.

Yi Zhonghai beckoned everyone over, took out cigarettes from his pocket, handed one to each person, lit them one by one, and said in a low, sinister voice, "Tomorrow morning, I'll go directly to the street office and call over the joint defense team and the steel mill's security department. We'll nail Sun Jingyuan down once and for all, and give him no chance to recover!"

Upon hearing this, everyone dropped their cigarettes in surprise and stared at Yi Zhonghai in astonishment.

This isn't just a simple scheme; this is a deliberate attempt to destroy Sun Jingyuan!

If the charge of hooliganism is proven, Sun Jingyuan will not only lose his good job as a level-six physician at the steel mill, but at best he will be disgraced and unable to hold his head up in the hospital, and at worst he will be sent to a labor camp, ruining his life.

"Dongxu, what do you think of this method?" Yi Zhonghai turned to look at Jia Dongxu, his tone deliberately suggestive.

Jia Dongxu's lips trembled a few times. Although he felt a little flustered, the thought of his mother being wronged in the security department, and Sun Jingyuan's possession of precious nanmu wood and high-paying job, made him harden his heart instantly: "I'll listen to Uncle! That's what we'll do!"

"How much did you pay as a bride price when you married Qin Huairu?" Yi Zhonghai asked slowly.

"It was only ten yuan, and I had to borrow it from relatives," Jia Dongxu replied in a muffled voice.

"I'll give you a hundred yuan." Yi Zhonghai, a cigarette dangling from his lips, the glow of the cigarette butt in the night making his face appear even more sinister. "After it's done, I'll give you this hundred yuan right away. Take the money and find a well-off city girl, a hundred times better than Qin Huairu!"

One hundred yuan is equivalent to half a year's wages for an ordinary worker. Jia Dongxu's eyes lit up instantly, and his previous hesitation vanished completely. He nodded hurriedly: "Really one hundred yuan? I'll do it!" In his mind, Qin Huairu was just an accessory that he had bought with money. If he could get one hundred yuan in return, it would be a sure profit. At worst, he could just marry someone easier to deal with later.

Sha Zhu stood aside without saying a word, but in his heart he was making a little calculation: if Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu divorced, would he have a chance to marry Qin Huairu? After all, he was quite capable in the hospital and earned a good amount of money.

Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong exchanged a glance, both seeing the resolve in each other's eyes. At this point, they were already in the same boat as Yi Zhonghai. If they didn't bring down Sun Jingyuan, and Jia Zhangshi couldn't withstand the interrogation and implicated them all, they would be the ones losing their jobs and being criticized. They had no choice but to grit their teeth and stick with him to the end.

"First thing tomorrow morning, get the divorce agreement signed. I'll go to the neighborhood office and find someone I know to get the divorce formalities done directly, without waiting for Qin Huairu's consent," Yi Zhonghai ordered in a deep voice. "You guys, guard the area near the moon gate. Don't let anyone sneak away. Make sure they're inside!"

"Understood!" Everyone nodded and dispersed, continuing to guard outside the courtyard, enduring mosquito bites, waiting for dawn to make their move.

Inside the room, Qin Huairu was pushed back and quickly walked to Sun Jingyuan's side. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she tearfully told Sun Jingyuan everything about Yi Zhonghai and the others' conspiracy outside: "They're going to call the street office, the joint defense team, and the security department to arrest you first thing tomorrow morning. They're also going to force Jia Dongxu to divorce me. They're determined to destroy you and leave you no way out!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Jingyuan not only did not panic, but instead curled up a cold smile.

This group of people, pushing their luck, have repeatedly and deliberately framed him. Since they're determined to wipe him out, then he shouldn't blame him for showing no mercy. He needs to make thorough preparations in advance so that they end up shooting themselves in the foot and completely thwarting his schemes.

"Don't worry, everything is under control. They can't cause any trouble." Sun Jingyuan's tone was calm, his eyes were cold, and he showed no apprehension, just quietly waiting for dawn.

Seeing his confident expression, Qin Huairu's panic gradually subsided, and she obediently stayed to the side, saying nothing more.

As dawn broke, Yi Zhonghai took Jia Dongxu straight to the neighborhood office. Normally, both parties must be present to sign documents for a divorce, but Yi Zhonghai secretly used his connections and underhanded methods to force the divorce proceedings to be completed.

Meanwhile, Yan Bugui ran to notify the street office, while Liu Haizhong secretly went to the steel rolling mill and called the security staff. Even the members of the joint defense team were called to the courtyard gate in advance by Yi Zhonghai.

The three groups gathered at the entrance of the courtyard, attracting neighbors to come and watch the spectacle. The courtyard was instantly packed with people, all craning their necks to see the dramatic scene of catching adultery.

Holding the newly completed divorce papers, Jia Dongxu, brimming with confidence, stormed to Sun Jingyuan's door, pounding on it and shouting at the top of his lungs, "Sun Jingyuan! Come out here! Qin Huairu! You two, don't hide inside and be afraid to come out!"

Director Wang of the neighborhood office stood to the side with a frown and a solemn expression. She was initially shocked when she heard about this, but after thinking about it, she realized that Qin Huairu was outstanding in appearance and Sun Jingyuan was young and promising, which would inevitably lead people to think too much. So she decided to investigate the situation first before making a conclusion and did not express her opinion easily.

The onlookers were buzzing with discussion, their faces full of anticipation. Some even started clamoring, shouting that they should just break down the door and catch them red-handed.

"Hiding won't help! Just kick the door open and get to the bottom of this!" someone shouted from the crowd, and everyone immediately echoed his words.

Jia Dongxu was already anxious, so he immediately kicked the door hard. With a loud "bang", the flimsy wooden door was kicked open, and everyone rushed into the room, their eyes all turning to the bed.

But the scene inside left everyone stunned, their faces filled with astonishment.

Sun Jingyuan lay on the bed, looking as if he had just been woken up. He was still sleepy, but his clothes were neat and his room was clean. There was not a trace of Qin Huairu, not even a woman's belongings. Where was there any sign of a secret rendezvous?

Director Wang was the first to regain his senses. He stepped forward and gently patted Sun Jingyuan's arm, asking, "Little Sun, wake up. Do you know what happened?"

Sun Jingyuan slowly opened his eyes and saw that the room was crowded with people, including staff from the joint defense team and the security department. He immediately feigned panic, pulled the blanket over himself, and asked in a flustered manner, "Director Wang? What... what's going on? Why are so many of you barging into my room? What do you want? Is there no law anymore?"

"Sun Jingyuan, stop pretending!" Jia Dongxu pointed at his nose and demanded sharply, "Where is Qin Huairu? She was in your room all night, where did you hide her? Don't try to deny it!"

Sun Jingyuan's face instantly darkened, his eyes turning icy cold. Before Jia Dongxu could react, he raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap, knocking Jia Dongxu to the ground. His voice was filled with fury: "Jia Dongxu, are you crazy? Breaking into my house with a bunch of people this early in the morning, looking for your wife? Why don't you go to Yi Zhonghai's house and find your mother?"

The moment these words were spoken, the entire room fell silent. Then, some people couldn't help but chuckle. All eyes turned to Yi Zhonghai, their eyes filled with amusement and skepticism.

"Sun Jingyuan! Stop talking nonsense and deliberately slandering me!" Yi Zhonghai's face turned ashen, he was so angry that he trembled all over, and he shouted angrily, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"I slandered you?" Sun Jingyuan threw off the covers and stood up, his aura icy cold. He swept his gaze over everyone present, each word ringing with conviction, "You kicked down my door early this morning, broke into my home, surrounded my bedroom with a group of people, and ruined my reputation. If you don't give me a clear explanation today, this isn't over!"

"I'll ask you one last time, where is Qin Huairu?" Jia Dongxu got up from the ground, covered his face, and still roared desperately, refusing to accept the reality before him.

Sun Jingyuan's eyes turned cold, and he slapped Jia Dongxu again, knocking him to the ground once more. His tone was icy and resolute: "If you dare to spout nonsense again and ruin my reputation, don't blame me for being impolite! Your wife and I are completely innocent. You brought a bunch of people to my house to cause trouble. Are you trying to ruin my future?"

Then, his gaze swept over the joint defense team members and security staff present, his tone firm and his aura commanding: "If you don't believe me, search all you want! Search inside and outside, every corner, do as you please! But I'm telling you this: if we don't find Qin Huairu today, I will pursue this matter to the end—you've trespassed and deliberately framed me—and I will show no leniency!"

Everyone present was intimidated by his imposing presence and shivered; no one dared to doubt his resolve.

The joint defense team members and security staff exchanged glances and immediately began a thorough search. They turned the inner room, corners, under the bed, and even cabinets and water tanks upside down, but they couldn't find a trace of Qin Huairu or even a single related clue.

Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Bugui stood to the side, their faces pale, their bodies covered in cold sweat, their eyes filled with panic and disbelief: Qin Huairu was clearly in the room, how could she have disappeared into thin air?

Jia Dongxu was completely panicked and collapsed to the ground, his face full of despair. This carefully planned conspiracy had turned into a huge joke. Not only did he fail to bring down Sun Jingyuan, but he also ended up with charges of trespassing and making false accusations.

Director Wang looked at the empty room, then at the flustered and strangely behaving Yi Zhonghai and the others, his face darkening completely. He already understood most of what was going on. Turning to the joint defense team members and security staff, he said sternly, "Investigate this matter immediately. Deliberate false accusation and trespassing must be dealt with strictly according to regulations. Give Xiao Sun an explanation!"