Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 105 The ledger is exposed, and the scheme comes to nothing.

The factory's disciplinary notice spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the Hongxing Courtyard in less than half a day. As soon as a sliver of light appeared in Yan Bugui's window in the front courtyard, Yan Bugui, clutching his well-worn kraft paper account book, squatted on the threshold, the abacus beads clicking away as he muttered calculations to himself. He glanced sideways at the tightly closed gate of Yi Zhonghai's house in the middle courtyard, a barely perceptible sneer playing on his lips—the sound of the bowl being smashed last night had been clearly heard through two walls; the dignity of an eighth-grade fitter was utterly shattered.

"Dad, what are you doing now? Breakfast is getting cold." Yan Jiekuang rubbed his eyes as he came out of the inner room, his cotton-padded jacket collar still stained with loose threads from mending clothes last night. He had mentioned to Lin Chen yesterday that he wanted to learn newspaper illustration, and he was feeling quite excited. Seeing his father staring at the account book again, he couldn't help but frown.

Yan Bugui slammed the abacus on his lap, slamming the ledger shut to reveal the four neat characters "Yan Family Accounts" on the cover: "What are you calculating? Calculating that old bastard Yi Zhonghai's losses! An eighth-grade fitter's monthly allowance is fifteen yuan, and a three-month suspension is forty-five yuan. Add to that the embarrassment of publicly apologizing, he's going to lose a fortune!" As he spoke, he flipped open the ledger again, pointing to one of the pages, "You see, your father calculated this long ago. It's not worth it to rely on scheming to support yourself in old age. It's safer to keep the accounts out in the open."

Yan Jiekuang leaned over and glanced at the ledger. He saw it filled with entries like, "Jiecheng stole half a ladle of rice porridge, owing half a tael of grain coupons," and "Jiefang tore up his exercise book, deducting three cents from the price." Even the pair of gloves he had lost last winter were listed, marked "to be repaid." He felt a lump in his throat, turned around, picked up the thin porridge on the table, and slurped it down, not wanting to argue with his father about these accounts anymore.

Just then, Qin Huairu's voice came from the middle courtyard. She was carrying a bamboo basket and was about to go out. When she passed the front yard, she deliberately slowed down and called out to Yan Bugui with a smile, "Teacher Yan, good morning! I'm going to the fabric store. Would you like to bring back some needles and thread?" After what happened yesterday, Qin Huairu completely gave up the idea of ​​getting involved with Yi Zhonghai and was focused on setting up her sewing stall. She was also more friendly to her neighbors in the courtyard.

Yan Bugui's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up: "Hey, great! Bring me two bundles of thick thread, the sturdiest kind. By the way, how much is it per foot? I'll put it on your tab first, and we'll settle the bill at the end of the month." As he spoke, he reached for the ledger, as if he was afraid of spending a single penny unnecessarily.

Qin Huairu's smile froze for a moment, and she quickly waved her hand: "No need, no need, it's just two bundles of thread, it's not worth much. I'll pay for it for you first, and we'll talk about it later." She was really afraid of Yan Bugui's penchant for keeping accounts. Last time, when she lent him half a bar of soap, he chased her for three days' worth of "interest," saying it was "the loss of funds tied up."

As the two were talking, Lin Chen returned from outside carrying a toolbox, followed by Old Wang from the scrap yard. Old Wang held a brand-new enamel basin in his hands, his face full of gratitude: "Master Lin, I really owe you a debt of gratitude this time. If it weren't for you proving my innocence, I wouldn't be able to keep my scrap yard business afloat. Please accept this basin; it's a small token of my appreciation." After Lin Chen cleared his name yesterday, he specifically explained Old Wang's situation to the factory management and even helped him obtain the proper scrap recycling permits, completely putting Old Wang's mind at ease.

Lin Chen smiled and pushed the enamel basin back: "Brother Wang, this won't do. We should follow the rules. Besides, your register was a great help, and I should thank you." He turned his head and saw the account book in Yan Bugui's hand. His eyes lit up, and an idea came to him. "Teacher Yan, are you calculating your household finances? I heard that your accounts are clearer than the street office's records. Yesterday, the factory checked the waste recycling records and said that if we had your skills, we wouldn't have to worry about unclear accounts."

This hit Yan Bugui right where it hurt. His proudest achievement was his bookkeeping skills; last time, when he helped the neighborhood calculate the distribution of grain rations, his accounts were flawless, earning him praise from the neighborhood director. Hearing Lin Chen's words, he immediately tucked the account book into his coat, feigning modesty, and said, "Hey, it's just practice makes perfect. Bookkeeping is all about precision; not a penny can be wrong."

"That's amazing!" Lin Chen deliberately raised his voice, attracting the neighbors to peek out. "I heard Xu Damao say yesterday that when he forged the letters, you even helped him calculate the 'costs,' saying how much it would cost to forge the letter paper and ink, and how many hours he would lose by keeping watch and missing tutoring sessions. I wonder if that's true?" As soon as he said this, the courtyard fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on Yan Bugui.

Yan Bugui's expression changed, and he hurriedly waved his hands: "Nothing of the sort! Master Lin, don't listen to Xu Damao's nonsense. I have nothing to do with that!" His heart skipped a beat. He didn't expect Xu Damao to have told Lin Chen this. If people found out that he was involved in scheming against Lin Chen, he would not only lose face in the courtyard, but if it got to the school, it would be a real problem.

"Oh? Really?" Lin Chen said, feigning surprise. "But Xu Damao said you also wrote down 'surveillance fee' in the ledger, saying that Yi Zhonghai would reimburse it after the matter was settled. I didn't believe it at first, after all, Professor Yan, you are a cultured person, how could you get involved in such a thing?" He spoke as he walked towards the central courtyard, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear.

These words completely ignited the neighbors' curiosity. Liu Haizhong, who was squatting at the door smoking in the backyard, immediately stood up upon hearing this and shouted towards the front yard, "Yan Bugui, is what Master Lin said true? You really helped Xu Damao settle this score?" He now completely admired Lin Chen and naturally wouldn't allow anyone to scheme against him again.

Yan Bugui was sweating profusely and about to explain when a gust of wind blew by, lifting a corner of the account book he was tucked into his pocket. A slip of paper tucked inside fluttered out and landed on the ground. Qin Huairu, quick-witted and agile, bent down to pick it up, opened it, and saw that it read, "Stalking Lin Chen, two hours of work, equivalent to one tael of grain coupons; letter paper and ink, equivalent to three cents in cash, pending collection," followed by Yan Bugui's signature in small regular script.

"What... what is this?" Qin Huairu asked, her voice trembling as she held the note. She hadn't expected Yan Bugui to actually be involved in this, and to have written all these schemes down on paper.

The neighbors immediately gathered around, chattering amongst themselves. "My God, Teacher Yan really did hold this against us!" "No wonder I saw Yan Bugui acting suspiciously under the old locust tree yesterday when Xu Damao was arrested!" "You can never judge a book by its cover. He always seemed so upright, how could he do something like this!"

Yan Bugui's face flushed red, and he reached out to snatch the note, shouting, "This is my private matter, don't look!" But the more anxious he became, the less he could grab it, and he was surrounded by neighbors. Liu Haizhong snatched the note, glanced at it, and sneered, "Yan Bugui, you're really something! You've gone to such lengths to scheme against people, even calculating the hourly wage. Aren't you afraid of retribution?"

"I...I just jotted it down casually, I didn't really mean to calculate it!" Yan Bugui was so anxious that he could barely speak. He had indeed just habitually written down these expenses, and he didn't expect that someone would find out. What he cared about most was his reputation as an "outstanding teacher at the district level." If this matter got out, forget about being nominated for an advanced award, it would be hard to say whether he could keep his job.

Lin Chen stood on the periphery of the crowd, watching the chaotic scene with a faint smile. He had learned from Xu Damao yesterday that Yan Bugui had participated in the scheme and even kept records, so he knew this was a good opportunity to deal with Yan Bugui. Yan Bugui was the kind of person who valued reputation and scheming above all else; as long as his sore spot was touched, he could be made to completely restrain himself.

Just then, Aunt Yan's voice came from the front yard: "What are you all doing here? Old Yan, it's time to go to school!" Aunt Yan came out of the inner room carrying a cloth bag. Seeing the commotion in the yard and her husband's flushed face, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly asked, "What happened?"

Yan Bugui, as if grasping at a straw, hurriedly said, "No, it's nothing, just chatting with the neighbors. I should go, I'll be late if I don't leave now." He tried to squeeze out, but Liu Haizhong stopped him: "Go where? Explain yourself before you go! You helped Yi Zhonghai scheme against Master Lin, how are you going to settle this score?"

Only then did Aunt Yan notice the note in Liu Haizhong's hand. She took it, read it, and her face instantly turned deathly pale. She knew her husband's temper; it was one thing for him to scheme against their children at home, but she never expected him to scheme against their neighbors. She grabbed Yan Bugui's arm, nearly crying, "Old Yan, you're so foolish! How could you get involved in something like this? If this gets to the school, you'll lose your job!"

Yan Bugui knew the seriousness of the situation. Looking at the neighbors surrounding him and Lin Chen's ambiguous smile, he felt both anxious and afraid. He took a deep breath, walked up to Lin Chen, and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture: "Master Lin, I was foolish and got involved in this matter out of a moment of weakness. I promise I will never do it again. Please don't tell the school about this." He only hoped to keep his job and reputation; he didn't care about anything else.

Looking at Yan Bugui's sincere expression, Lin Chen nodded: "Teacher Yan, I believe you were just confused for a moment. I can keep this from the school, but you have to promise me two things. First, cross out all those 'children's debts' in your ledger. Children are meant to be cherished, not schemed against. Second, you're not allowed to get involved in any more conflicts in the school. Just focus on teaching and living your life peacefully." He knew that what Yan Bugui cared about most was his job at the school. As long as he held onto that, he could keep him in line.

Yan Bugui nodded hurriedly: "I promise, I promise! I'll cross those accounts out when I get back today, and I'll never get involved in the affairs of the courtyard again!" As he spoke, he took out the account book from his pocket, turned to the page where his children's debts were recorded, and took out a pen to cross it out.

Yan Jiekuang stood to the side, looking at the account book in his father's hand, his heart filled with mixed feelings. He had always been dissatisfied with his father's way of keeping accounts, always feeling that his father valued money more than family ties. Now, seeing his father about to cross out those debts, his resentment subsided considerably, and he stepped forward, saying, "Dad, forget it. I never really cared about those accounts anyway. Let's just live our lives well from now on."

Yan Bugui looked at his son, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes. He realized that his scheming over the years had not only broken his children's hearts but also made him lose face in front of his neighbors. He nodded vigorously, crossed out the debts in the ledger one by one, then put the ledger back in his pocket and bowed to Lin Chen again: "Master Lin, thank you for showing mercy. If you ever need my help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."

Lin Chen smiled and said, "Teacher Yan, you're too kind. Neighbors should help each other out. By the way, I heard you're good at math. I'm currently working on a technical problem and need to calculate some data. I wonder if you could help me?" He knew that Yan Bugui had a solid foundation in mathematics. If he could let him use his strengths, he could keep him in line and also help him. It would be a win-win situation.

Yan Bugui's eyes lit up, and he quickly said, "No problem, no problem! I'll come over after school and make sure I can calculate it clearly for you!" He didn't expect that Lin Chen would not only not hold him responsible but also be willing to let him help. He immediately felt relieved and more grateful to Lin Chen.

Seeing that the matter was resolved, the neighbors dispersed. Liu Haizhong patted Lin Chen on the shoulder: "Master Lin, you really know how to handle things. You managed to subdue Yan Bugui with just a few words." He was now completely impressed by Lin Chen, who not only had excellent skills but also a knack for dealing with interpersonal relationships.

Lin Chen smiled and said, "Master Liu, you flatter me. I was just addressing the symptoms. Teacher Yan isn't a bad person at heart, he's just too calculating. Once he knows the price of his scheming, he'll naturally restrain himself." He turned to Qin Huairu and said, "Sister-in-law Jia, if you have trouble finding a fabric shop, I can go with you this afternoon. I know some friends in fabric factories, maybe we can get wholesale prices."

Qin Huairu quickly thanked him, "Thank you so much, Master Lin. That's too much trouble for you. I was just worried about where to find cheap fabric." She was now filled with gratitude towards Lin Chen. If she could get wholesale prices, her sewing stall could earn more money, and supporting her three children would be easier.

The morning passed quickly. Lin Chen was in the workshop guiding the workers in the preliminary preparations for a military order. Liu Guangtian studied particularly diligently, proactively asking questions whenever he encountered something he didn't understand, and Lin Chen patiently answered them one by one. Liu Haizhong was overjoyed to see his son's progress, and he worked with even more enthusiasm.

At lunchtime, Sha Zhu came to the workshop with a lunchbox and went straight to Lin Chen: "Lin Chen, this is braised pork that I specially made today to help you recover. Yesterday's incident was really thanks to you. If it weren't for you, I would still be kept in the dark by Yi Zhonghai." Sha Zhu now completely trusted Lin Chen, not only treating him as a friend but also harboring a hint of respect for him.

Lin Chen took the lunchbox, opened it, and saw that it was full of braised pork, smelling delicious. He smiled and said, "Shazhu, thanks. Actually, I just happened to discover Xu Damao's weakness, it's nothing serious." He knew Shazhu's personality; as long as someone was genuinely good to him, he would repay them wholeheartedly.

As the two were talking, Yi Zhonghai walked past the workshop door with his head down. Seeing Lin Chen and Sha Zhu chatting and laughing, his expression darkened even more. News of his suspension had already reached the workshop; several of his former colleagues were now avoiding him, and even his apprentice kept his distance. He was filled with regret and resentment. If he hadn't listened to Xu Damao's instigation and hadn't schemed against Lin Chen, he wouldn't be in this predicament now.

When Sha Zhu saw Yi Zhonghai, his face immediately darkened. He was about to say something sarcastic when Lin Chen stopped him: "Forget it, he's having a tough time right now. Let's be lenient and give him some face." Lin Chen knew that Yi Zhonghai had already been punished, and there was no point in kicking him while he was down; it would only make him seem petty.

In the afternoon, Lin Chen accompanied Qin Huairu to the fabric shop. He indeed knew the shop owner, and after some negotiation, the owner gave Qin Huairu a wholesale price and promised an even lower price if she bought more in the future. Qin Huairu was overjoyed and bought several bolts of fabric, finally feeling relieved.

When Lin Chen returned to the courtyard house, Yan Bugui had already come home from school and was squatting at his door waiting for him. He was holding an abacus and a stack of draft paper, seemingly preparing to help Lin Chen with calculations. Seeing Lin Chen return, he quickly stood up: "Master Lin, you're back? I'm all ready, we can start calculating anytime."

Lin Chen invited Yan Bugui into the house and took out his own technical drawings and some data tables: "Professor Yan, I would like you to help me calculate the material cost of this forging mold, as well as the loss rate under different processes. This data is very important for the trial production of military orders and must be accurate."

Yan Bugui took the blueprints and tables and immediately began to study them carefully. He took out his abacus and started calculating rapidly, muttering to himself, his expression as focused as if he were grading a student's homework. Lin Chen sat to the side, watching Yan Bugui's serious demeanor, and nodded inwardly—Yan Bugui's mathematical foundation was indeed solid; he quickly sorted out the complex data.

Before they knew it, evening had arrived. Yan Bugui finally finished calculating all the data and handed a densely written draft paper to Lin Chen: "Master Lin, it's all done. The material cost of this mold is seventeen yuan and twenty-three cents. The loss rates for different processes are also marked. The lowest is the 'waste heat utilization forging method' you mentioned, with a loss rate of only five percent."

Lin Chen took the draft paper, looked it over carefully, and found that Yan Bugui's calculations were extremely accurate, even more so than his own estimations using the system. He smiled and said, "Teacher Yan, thank you so much. This data is very important to me. Here's a small token of my appreciation." He took out five yuan from his pocket and handed it to Yan Bugui.

Yan Bugui quickly waved his hand: "No, no, Master Lin, I can't take your money. You helped me protect my reputation yesterday, so it's only right that I help you with some data." He was now filled with gratitude towards Lin Chen, how could he possibly take his money again?

Lin Chen stuffed the money into Yan Bugui's hand: "Teacher Yan, this is what you deserve. You put in the work, so you should be paid. Besides, I might need your help with data calculations in the future, and I can't let you work for free forever." He knew that Yan Bugui loved money, but he loved his pride even more. This way, he could get him to accept the money without hurting his self-esteem.

Yan Bugui hesitated for a moment, but finally accepted the money: "Alright then, Master Lin, I won't be polite. If you need any more data to calculate in the future, just come to me anytime, and I'll make sure you get a clear and accurate calculation." He was very happy with the money in his hand. Not only had he made money, but he had also improved his relationship with Lin Chen. He felt that this day was really worthwhile.

After Yan Bugui left, Lin Chen looked at the data he had calculated and felt more confident. With this precise data, he could optimize the forging process, reduce production costs, improve production efficiency, and make the trial production of military orders proceed more smoothly. He opened the system panel, looked at the 3800 points and the "material optimization" function, and a smile appeared on his lips.

Just then, Yan Jiekuang's cheers rang out from the courtyard: "Dad, I passed the apprenticeship exam in the workshop!" Lin Chen peeked out and saw Yan Jiekuang holding an acceptance letter, jumping for joy. Yan Bugui also beamed, tossing aside his ledger and hugging his son tightly: "Good lad, you've got potential! You truly are worthy of being my son!"

Seeing the father and son so happy, Lin Chen felt happy for them too. He knew that although Yan Bugui was calculating, he wasn't inherently bad, and with proper guidance, he could change for the better. Although the struggle in the courtyard wasn't completely over, Yi Zhonghai had lost power, Yan Bugui had become more restrained, and Jia Zhangshi had also become much more obedient, finally easing the atmosphere in the courtyard.

It was late at night, and Lin Chen lay in bed, thinking about the events of the day.