Step by Step, Blooming Lotus

Introduction

Volume 1 Ding Family of Bazhou Chapter 1 Purely Accidental

Bang bang bang, Yang Decheng climbed to the seventh floor, panting as he knocked on the door.
A sound of something crashing to the ground came from inside, followed by silence. Yang Decheng pressed his ear against the door to listen carefully and continued knocking.
After a long time, a timid girl's voice came from inside: There's no one home.
Yang Decheng looked closely at the list in his hand, checked the door number, and raised his voice: Comrade Jin Doudou, don't be afraid, come out. I'm not a bad person; I'm from the community, here to handle some necessary procedures for your family's 'minimum living allowance.'
There was no response from inside, so Yang Decheng mustered all his strength to keep knocking, nearly banging down the door.
It was really frustrating; the relief funds allocated for this year's minimum living allowance had already arrived, but to collect the funds, he needed to gather the minimum living allowance certificate, ID card, and a bankbook with only a few cents left in it from the recipients to process the approval and disbursement. Most families that qualified for the allowance had already received it, and the remaining ones that refused to cooperate had various issues, like the girl living here, who was a severe autism patient.
He didn't know how long he had been knocking when a voice finally came from inside: Who are you?
Yang Decheng swallowed and raised his voice: I'm from the community. Please hand over your ID card, minimum living allowance certificate, and bankbook so I can process the payment for you. Otherwise, the money won't reach you.
Money... why isn't it given to me?
Think about it, without your documents, how can we tell the finance department who should receive the allowance? Who would believe us if we just said it? So, everything needs to follow a procedure. Don't worry, I'll take the documents and leave, and I'll come back to deliver the money to you. If you're still worried, could you pass the documents to me through the door?
I... I've never seen you, I don't know who you are, I can't give you anything.
Yang Decheng held back his anger and helplessly said, Well then, just open the door and see me, won't that work? You refuse to open the door, so how can I deceive you? If I were a scammer, I would only be here to take your money, not to deliver it to you. I really am a community worker; our community...
Yang Decheng rambled on for a while, and then there was silence again. After a moment, Jin Doudou timidly asked, Are you really from the community?
I really am from the community.
You’re looking for me, what’s the matter?
I... Yang Decheng momentarily lost his train of thought, then remembered his purpose: Oh, I'm here to collect your ID card, minimum living allowance certificate, and bankbook to process your allowance payment. Please cooperate; most people have already received theirs, and only a few households like yours still haven't completed the paperwork, so how can we disburse the money?
Most people have received theirs? Then why not give it to me?
Because... Yang Decheng vaguely remembered he had already explained this, but now he felt dizzy and couldn't recall, so he repeated himself.
After a long time, the girl inside firmly said, I... I've never seen you, I don't know who you are, I can't give you anything.
...
After a long struggle, Yang Decheng left empty-handed and reluctantly continued to the next building.
This household's surname was Wu, and it was home to two bachelors; the older brother was named Wu You, and the younger brother was Wu Lv. The older brother worked as a tricycle driver, and it was the younger brother who needed the minimum living allowance, as he was said to have some mental issues...
Yang Decheng finally managed to knock open the door, and the older brother, shirtless and smoking a cheap cigarette, opened the door. Upon hearing it was about the minimum living allowance, he quickly rummaged through boxes and pulled out the allowance certificate and bankbook, then smiled apologetically: Comrade, my brother cut up his ID card, so I really don't have it. Can you make do with just these two?
That won't do; the ID card is the only valid legal document for the transfer. If it's lost, you can apply for a replacement, or at least get a temporary one.
But... you see my brother's situation; he won't go, there's nothing I can do.
Where is he? I'll talk to him.
He's in this room.
The door that had been tightly shut was opened by Wu You, who rubbed his hands together and said, Oh, thank goodness it's you, Comrade Yang. The last time it was a young girl from the community; I said I wouldn't open the door, but she insisted, and then she screamed and ran away, twisting her ankle...
The door opened, revealing a man sitting on the windowsill. A gentle breeze blew, and his long hair danced with the curtains, looking quite ethereal. He had a long beard, and beneath his thick brows, a pair of deep-set eyes gazed out the window, never turning back. His legs were bent, elbows resting on his knees, chin in hand, exuding the essence of Rodin's sculpture The Thinker.
He was completely naked...
Wu Lv, the community comrade needs you to take a photo for a temporary ID.
The Thinker slowly turned his head, glanced at Yang Decheng, and said flatly, I won't go!
Yang Decheng began another round of persuasion, but the sculpture remained lost in thought, staring out at a poplar tree, sometimes frowning, sometimes smiling, serene like Buddha, yet never looking back at him.
Comrade Yang, you see... the older brother asked worriedly.
How about this... At a loss, Yang Decheng pulled a simple camera from his black bag: You find a way to get him down; otherwise, with the backlight, I'm afraid I won't be able to take a clear picture. Get him down, and I'll take his photo, then the community will issue a certificate for a temporary ID.
Okay, okay, thank you, Comrade Yang, thank you!
Click! The flash went off, capturing the naked Thinker in all his glory, and then Yang Decheng bolted, a single slipper flying out from inside just as the door slammed shut, whizzing past his head.
Yang Decheng wiped the sweat from his brow, relieved, muttering to himself: Oh my, finally got this household's documents together. Huh? Where are the allowance certificate and bankbook? Damn, I forgot to take them...
Bang bang bang, an exasperated Yang Decheng knocked on the door again...
He felt helpless about this job, but what else could he do? After graduating from a third-rate university, this was the only job he could find. Late at night, he often sat on his bed, enjoying sleeping naked, staring at his little buddy, contemplating its spirit: it can grow or shrink, be thick or thin, stretch or bend, be soft or hard; learning from it, what are these setbacks? So he felt at ease in his heart. Besides, he grew up in an orphanage, and now doing this job was just his way of giving back to society.
Comforting himself like this, a bruised Yang Decheng appeared at Old Xu's door again. Old Xu was named Xu Haisheng, and it was said he had been quite the charmer back in the day, a prominent figure on the antique street, but later he was scammed out of a large sum of money with a counterfeit, leading to a mental breakdown and becoming a sporadically insane patient.
He knocked, and the door opened easily, revealing a thin old man who eyed Yang Decheng with a paranoid gaze. Standing outside was a medium-height, fair-skinned young man, carrying a black bag and wearing black-framed glasses.
Old Xu coldly said, I just paid my electricity bill, I don't owe anything!
Wait, wait, Yang Decheng forced a smile, pushing against the door, and chuckled awkwardly: Haha, I'm not here to collect the electricity bill; I'm... a community worker, here to process your minimum living allowance relief funds.
Relief funds? Old Xu's eyes lit up: Come in.
Old Xu's home was nearly unlivable, cluttered with a hodgepodge of antiques from ancient times to the late Qing and Republic eras. However, judging by Old Xu's shabby appearance, it was likely that what remained were all fakes. He welcomed the relief funds, but when Yang Decheng asked for his ID card, minimum living allowance certificate, and the bankbook with only a penny left, Old Xu immediately looked at him like he was a notorious scammer, angrily trying to kick him out.
I say, Old Xu, how can I process your paperwork without your documents? Hey, you keep pushing me; I'm from the community, don't you recognize me?
Old Xu sneered, What's so great about being from the community? The person who scammed me back then claimed to be from the State Council.
You... Yang Decheng sternly said: Let me tell you, Old Xu, today you have to hand them over, whether you like it or not. If you hand them over, I'll give you the relief funds; if you don't, you won't get a single cent. Do you understand? Not a penny!
What? Old Xu's eyes turned red: You're extorting my money, you're scamming me, you bastard! What I deserve, why shouldn't I get it?
Oh no, Old Xu is about to go crazy. Yang Decheng realized and turned to run, but as he heard Old Sun, the old man, grab a net vase from who knows which dynasty and charge at him like a mad tiger, swinging it towards the back of Yang Decheng's head...
Smash! The vase shattered, and Yang Decheng fell to the ground.
When the community director arrived with people and restrained Old Xu, picking up the bloodied and dazed Yang Decheng, the barely conscious Yang Decheng moved his pale lips and murmured a sentence. Director Niu quickly leaned down to listen closely, and Yang Decheng shivered, gathering his strength to clarify: Niu... Director Niu...
You say, you say, Comrade Decheng, I'm listening.
Niu... Director Niu... he... he hit me like this, we need to hold him accountable...
This... Director Niu said with a troubled expression: Comrade Decheng, he... he's insane, even if he kills someone, he won't pay for it; this is a difficult situation...
I... I haven't even had a chance to seek justice, it's so frustrating...
Yang Decheng sighed softly, a wisp of grievance drifting away.
At the grand memorial service, Director Niu, with tears in his eyes, choked up as he addressed the office staff, community members, and city reporters: Comrade Yang Decheng was an orphan, raised by the Party and the people. After starting work, Comrade Decheng treated others kindly, worked diligently, endured hardships before enjoying benefits, and was conscientious, never complaining. He was recognized as an outstanding employee in our office. He... before passing, repeatedly urged me to ensure that the 'minimum living allowance' disbursement work was carried out smoothly and orderly, to satisfy the people, the government, and society. He was a good comrade who was strict with himself and lenient with others, and his great character is worth learning from for each of us. Comrade Yang Decheng's life was a glorious life, a life of struggle...