Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 59 Domestic Violence Shocks Neighbors and Chills Them, Kindness Melts the Ice and Disagreeme

The snow fell heavier and heavier in the twelfth lunar month. The goose-feather-like snowflakes were swirled by the cold wind and pattered against the blue bricks and gray tiles of the courtyard, making a rustling sound. Lin Chen had just found the cotton-padded coat for Liu Guangfu and folded it when he heard a shrill cry from the middle courtyard, followed by a man's angry curses and the crisp sound of objects breaking, which was particularly jarring in the silent snowy night.

"You've gone too far! You dare talk back to me? I'll beat you to death, you little beast!" Liu Haizhong's roar, reeking of alcohol, pierced through the wind and snow and entered the east wing. Lin Chen's heart tightened, and he grabbed his cotton-padded coat and ran outside—he had just given Liu Haizhong some food coupons that afternoon, hoping to temporarily ease the tension in his family, but unexpectedly, trouble still had arisen.

Several neighbors had already gathered in the courtyard. Aunt Li stood on the veranda, arms crossed, sighing. Qin Huairu held Jia Dang's hand, her brows furrowed. Jia Dang shrank back behind her mother in fear. The wooden door to Liu Haizhong's house was ajar, and cries and shouts of beatings rose and fell from within. "Stop hitting him! Guangtian did nothing wrong!" Aunt Liu's pleading voice mingled with Liu Guangtian's muffled groans, a sound that weighed heavily on the heart.

Lin Chen strode forward and pushed open the door. The sight before him made his pupils shrink: Liu Haizhong's eyes were bloodshot, and he clutched a broken feather duster, feathers scattered all over the floor. Liu Guangtian was huddled in a corner, his forehead bleeding from a cut, his school uniform jacket torn to shreds. Liu Guangfu hid under the kang table, trembling with fear. Aunt Liu threw herself on top of Liu Guangtian, receiving several blows to her back with the duster, but she held onto her son tightly, refusing to let go.

"Liu Haizhong! Stop!" Lin Chen shouted, his voice carrying an undeniable authority. Liu Haizhong was stunned for a moment, then turned around and saw Lin Chen. His drunken ferocity resurfaced: "Little Lin? This is my family's business, mind your own business! This little brat dares to talk back to me, I'm going to teach him a lesson today!" As he spoke, he raised his duster to hit him again.

Lin Chen strode over and grabbed Liu Haizhong's wrist. Liu Haizhong was quite strong, but Lin Chen, with his years of training in the factory and his enhanced physique, easily pushed his arm down. "There has to be a limit to family discipline! Guangtian is your son, not your punching bag!" Lin Chen's gaze swept over the two trembling brothers in the corner, then landed on Liu's swollen eyes. His tone grew even harsher, "Look at what you've done to the children! If anything serious happens to them, you'll regret it!"

"I regret it? What do I have to regret!" Liu Haizhong struggled a few times but couldn't break free, his face flushed with anxiety. "This little brat said I'm incompetent, that I stole scrap metal and disgraced the family! I raised him all these years, and he dares to talk to me like that! I'm being lenient by not kicking him out!"

Liu Guangtian, who was standing in the corner, suddenly raised his head, blood streaming down his cheek from his forehead, his eyes filled with stubbornness: "I'm telling the truth! People in the workshop are talking about you behind your back, saying you were demoted for stealing, saying our family is a den of thieves! I can't even hold my head up at school! If you're capable, earn money with your skills, don't do this shameful thing!"

"How dare you say that!" Liu Haizhong trembled with anger and tried to rush forward, but Lin Chen held him down firmly. Lin Chen turned to look at Liu Guangtian and softened his tone: "Guangtian, you can't talk to your father like that. It was wrong of him to steal the scrap steel, but it was for this family, to buy you and Guangfu cotton-padded coats and medical treatment. He was more heartbroken than anyone else."

Liu Guangtian pursed his lips and remained silent, but quietly lowered his head. Lin Chen then looked at Liu Haizhong: "Master Liu, what Guangtian said isn't entirely wrong. Stealing scrap steel was indeed wrong; you not only received punishment but also became the subject of gossip. But will taking your anger out on the children save face? It will only make the children more afraid of you and look down on you even more!"

Liu Haizhong's shoulders slumped, the effects of the alcohol seemingly subsiding. He looked at his son huddled in the corner, blood still flowing from the wound on his forehead, and a pang of sorrow gripped his heart. He remembered the food coupons Lin Chen had given him that afternoon, the emotion he felt clutching them, and then, looking at the scene before him, he suddenly felt a burning shame on his face. "I...I didn't mean to..." he murmured, his voice choked with emotion, "I just felt so stifled, demoted, laughed at, unable even to buy my child a new outfit..."

"Even if you're feeling suffocated, you can't hit the child." Lin Chen released his wrist and handed over the cotton-padded coat he had brought. "This is the cotton-padded coat my child wore last year. It's not worn out much, and it'll fit Guangfu perfectly. Guangtian's wound needs to be treated quickly. I have some anti-inflammatory powder and gauze here. Bandage it for him first."

Aunt Liu quickly took the cotton-padded coat, wiping away her tears as she thanked him, "Thank you, Xiao Lin, you're such a good person. My husband is just too proud, but he loves his children more than anyone else." She stuffed the coat under the kang table to Liu Guangfu, who glanced timidly at his father and whispered, "Thank you, Uncle Lin."

Lin Chen took out a first-aid kit from his pocket and squatted down next to Liu Guangtian. "Come here, let me treat your wound." Liu Guangtian hesitated for a moment, then slowly moved closer. Lin Chen carefully wiped the blood from his forehead with a clean cloth, sprinkled on some anti-inflammatory powder, and then wrapped it with gauze. "Go to the factory clinic tomorrow to change the dressing. Don't get it wet; it'll be fine in a few days."

Liu Haizhong stood to the side, watching Lin Chen carefully bandage his son's wounds. Remembering his earlier brutality, he felt even more guilty. He knelt down, wanting to touch his son's shoulder, but hesitated, only able to whisper, "Guangtian, Dad was wrong. Dad shouldn't have hit you."

Liu Guangtian stiffened for a moment, but without turning around, he gave a soft "hmm." This response instantly brought tears to Liu Haizhong's eyes. He had lived most of his life, wielding great influence as a team leader in the workshop, but now, in his old age, he had to rely on a junior to teach him how to be a person and how to be a father.

"Master Liu, you don't need to be too discouraged." Lin Chen stood up and patted him on the shoulder. "You're a level six blacksmith; your skills speak for themselves. Although you've been downgraded to level five now, as long as you work hard and pick up your skills again, you'll definitely have a chance to be promoted again in the future. Then, who will dare to laugh at you?"

Liu Haizhong looked up, a glint of light in his eyes: "Really? I'm so old, can I still get promoted?" "Why not?" Lin Chen smiled. "Old Wang in the workshop, he's five years older than you, and he was promoted to Level 7 forging worker last year. He got it all thanks to his excellent skills and his willingness to learn. If you're willing to learn, I can help you find some of the latest forging technology information and teach you how to operate the new equipment."

"You really can teach me?" Liu Haizhong excitedly grabbed Lin Chen's hand. "Xiao Lin, I treated you so badly before, and I even went against you. You...you don't hold a grudge against me?" "We're neighbors, why hold a grudge?" Lin Chen said with a smile. "Besides, although you were harsh on me before, you did teach me some basic forging techniques. I should thank you."

Liu Haizhong finally couldn't hold back his tears. He wiped his face hard and said, "Xiao Lin, don't worry, I'll never steal again, and I'll never hit the children again. I'll definitely learn a trade well, work hard, and make the children proud!"

The neighbors who had been watching breathed a sigh of relief. Aunt Li smiled and said, "That's right, family members don't hold grudges overnight. Old Liu, if you ever have any difficulties in the future, just tell the neighbors. We can help each other out, and we'll get by." Qin Huairu also nodded, "Yes, Master Liu, I still have some fabric. I'll make two new shirts for Guangtian and Guangfu tomorrow. The children are growing, and they can't always wear old clothes."

Looking at his warm-hearted neighbors, Liu Haizhong felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He used to act like a patriarch and didn't get along well with his neighbors. He never expected that when he fell on hard times, they wouldn't laugh at him but would be willing to help. "Thank you everyone, thank you everyone!" he said, choking back tears. "I was wrong before, and I will definitely get along better with everyone from now on."

Looking at the scene before him, Lin Chen felt gratified. He knew that Liu Haizhong had truly repented this time. He recalled the "Networking" function that had just been unlocked on the system panel. Perhaps this was what the system wanted him to do—not only to eliminate hidden dangers, but also to resolve conflicts with goodwill and expand his network.

Just then, footsteps sounded at the courtyard gate, accompanied by a familiar voice: "Is Lin Chen home? There's a letter for you!" Everyone looked up and saw Director Zhang from the neighborhood committee, holding a registered letter. Lin Chen quickly went to greet him: "Director Zhang, it's so late, thank you for making this trip."

Director Zhang smiled and said, "This letter came from the south, it's registered mail, and you have to sign for it yourself. I just happened to be passing by, so I brought it over to you." Lin Chen signed the letter and took it. The sender's address on the envelope was a machinery factory in the south, and the sender's name was "Zhou Ming." Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat. Zhou Ming was the factory manager he had met at the Zhangcheng Agricultural Tool Factory, and the two had been corresponding.

Director Zhang glanced at Liu Haizhong's house and frowned. "Old Liu, did you two have a fight just now? I heard it all from the gate. How many times have I told you not to abuse your children? If anyone reports this again, we'll have to deal with it seriously." Liu Haizhong quickly nodded and bowed. "Yes, yes, Director Zhang, I know I was wrong, and I won't do it again. Thanks to Xiao Lin and the neighbors for persuading me, I've already repented."

Director Zhang looked at Lin Chen and nodded approvingly: "Lin, you did a good job. Neighbors should help each other and mediate disputes. By the way, the neighborhood committee is organizing a technical training session soon, mainly for new techniques in blacksmithing and fitting. I was just about to ask you if you could give a lecture?"

Lin Chen hesitated for a moment, then smiled and agreed, "Of course! I'd be happy to do something for the neighborhood." Director Zhang said happily, "That's great! I'll tell you the training time and location tomorrow. By the way, Lao Liu, you can also go and listen in. Learning another skill will be good for your future work." Liu Haizhong quickly thanked him, "Thank you, Director Zhang, I will definitely go and learn diligently!"

After Director Zhang left, the neighbors gradually went home. Liu Haizhong pulled Lin Chen to sit down on the kang (a heated brick bed), and Aunt Liu brought over a bowl of steaming sweet potato porridge: "Little Lin, drink some porridge to warm yourself up. We really owe you a lot today; without you, we don't know what kind of chaos would have ensued."

Lin Chen took the porridge, took a sip, and felt the sweet warmth slide down his throat into his stomach. "Master Liu, actually, there's something else I wanted to discuss with you today." He put down the bowl and said seriously, "I've recently been in charge of waste management in the workshop, and I'd like to develop a more standardized process. You're a veteran forger, and you know a lot about the types and values ​​of waste. I'd like to ask you to help with the waste sorting and registration work, as a temporary team leader. I'll give you an extra ten yuan a month."

Liu Haizhong's eyes lit up, and he was so excited he almost jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed): "Really? You really believe me?" "Of course." Lin Chen nodded. "You're skilled and familiar with the workshop. This job is perfect for you. As long as you work hard, I'll recommend you to Director Zhou again in the future so you can be the team leader again."

"I will definitely work hard! I will never let you down!" Liu Haizhong clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with determination. He knew this was Lin Chen's chance for him, and also his chance to save face and make his children proud. He looked at his two sons beside him and solemnly said, "Guangtian, Guangfu, from now on, Dad will work hard and learn a trade well, and I will never hit you again. You must study hard, get into a good university, and be more successful than your father!"

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes. Liu Guangtian stood up and bowed deeply to Lin Chen: "Uncle Lin, thank you. I will study hard from now on and help my father with chores." Liu Guangfu also bowed and whispered, "Thank you, Uncle Lin."

Lin Chen felt gratified seeing the family's transformation. He took out his notebook and wrote down a few book titles: "These are some new books on forging technology. I'll borrow them for you tomorrow. Take a look at them first, and ask me any questions you have. I'll also be covering some related topics at the neighborhood's technical training tomorrow. Listen carefully, and you'll definitely benefit from it."

Liu Haizhong took the notebook and tucked it into his pocket like a treasure: "Thank you, Lin, you're a true benefactor to our family. If you ever need anything in the future, just tell me, I'll go through fire and water for you!" Lin Chen smiled: "We're all neighbors, no need to be so polite. Let's help each other out, and things will get better."

When Lin Chen left Liu Haizhong's house, the snow had stopped, and the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, casting its cool light. He opened the letter Zhou Ming had sent; it said a machinery factory in the south had recently acquired a batch of new forging equipment and wanted him to help with the debugging, offering generous compensation. Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat. He knew this was a great opportunity to improve his skills and accumulate experience for future entrepreneurship.

Back home, Lin Chen opened the system panel, which displayed: "Completed the side quest 'Stop Liu Haizhong's domestic violence and resolve his family conflict,' reward: 5000 points, current points: 127500. Completed the side quest 'Provide Liu Haizhong with job opportunities and help him regain confidence,' reward: 4000 points, current points: 131500. New feature unlocked: Technology Sharing."

Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction. The technology sharing function allowed him to share his technical expertise with others and learn new technologies from them, which would greatly benefit his future research and development. Remembering Zhou Ming's invitation, he formed a preliminary plan: first, to go south to help debug equipment and learn new technologies, then return to drive technological innovation in the workshop and cultivate technical talents like Liu Haizhong.

Just then, a new side quest popped up on the system panel: "Assist the street in completing technical training and cultivating more technical talents. Reward: 8000 points, unlocking the 'Policy Interpretation' function." Lin Chen's eyes lit up. The policy interpretation function would allow him to understand the country's policy direction in advance, which would be crucial for his future development.

He took out paper and pen and began to develop a training plan. He planned to combine his practical experience in the workshop with the new technologies from the Southern Machinery Factory to give the trainees a lively and practical training course. He also specially included Liu Haizhong's expertise in traditional forging techniques in the training plan, hoping that Liu Haizhong could demonstrate his skills during the training course and help him regain his confidence.

The moonlight outside the window grew brighter, illuminating every corner of the courtyard. Lin Chen knew that although Yi Xiaofeng and Xu Damao, who was about to be released from prison, still posed a threat, he had already established a firm foothold in the courtyard and gained an ally like Liu Haizhong. As long as he persisted in resolving conflicts with goodwill and improving himself with technology, there were no difficulties he couldn't overcome.

He put down his pen, walked to the window, and looked at the light from Liu Haizhong's house in the courtyard. In the lamplight, he could vaguely see Liu Haizhong explaining problems to his two sons, with occasional soft laughter drifting through the air. Lin Chen smiled, turned back to his desk, and continued refining his lesson plan.