The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 652 Retirement and Succession!!!

He Qiu stood in front of the French window on the top floor of the He Building, his right fingers tapping his left subconsciously. This was his habit when he was in deep thought.

The setting sun outside the window dyed the outline of Yanjing City blood red.

"The on-site investigation report is out." Liu Yong pushed the door open, holding a brown paper file bag in his hand. "The kidnappers used professional methods. The dust sample on the bathroom windowsill showed traces of climbing, but..." He pulled out a photo. "At a height of fifteen floors, unless they are specially trained and transferred to civilian jobs..."

He Qiu's eyes swept across the blurred shoe prints in the photo, and suddenly stopped at a certain detail: "Look, the forefoot of this shoe print is offset by 5 degrees... This is very similar to the landing posture commonly used by paratroopers."

"...Look at this half-moon-shaped indentation. It should be the anti-slip pattern of paratrooper boots."

Liu Yong took a breath and said, "You mean..."

"Well, I checked the 'Jinding Group'. The security director of this company is named Ruan Xiong, a YN person. He used to be a YN special airborne instructor.

Because they committed a crime in their country and were wanted, so they fled to our place..."

He Qiu narrowed his eyes and added, "Besides, this grandson once fought with us in the south. We have a big feud between us."

"I didn't expect that he would be recruited by the 'Jinding Group'."

"It seems that this 'Jinding Group' is not as simple as it seems. It actually dares to recruit such a desperate criminal. Its..." Liu Yong frowned.

At this moment, a strong wind suddenly blew outside the window, and dark clouds rolled in, pressing down on the buildings.

Liu Yong took out a Peony cigarette and lit it up. The scarlet cigarette butt flickered in the dim office: "Lao He, we have to follow the procedures for this matter..."

"It's too late." He Qiu opened his collar. "The kidnappers' ultimatum is to sign the equity transfer agreement at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. Now there are only fourteen hours left before the deadline." He grabbed his coat and walked out. "I need you to investigate the public security cases related to the Jinding Group, especially those involving Ruan Xiong."

Liu Yong chased to the elevator entrance: "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to meet an old friend." The elevator door slowly closed, and He Qiu's face was as cold and hard as iron in the reflection of the metal.

When the heavy rain came down, He Qiu was squatting on the stone road in the Tuanjiehu shantytown.

Rain poured through the holes in the tarpaulin roof and formed muddy puddles at his feet.

A dim incandescent light was on twenty meters away, and the sign of "Veteran's Auto Repair Shop" creaked in the wind and rain.

"Who?" A hoarse voice came from behind the rolling door.

"Falcons calling tits." He Qiu wiped the rain off his face. "In 1993, at the Mengla border, you owe me your life."

The iron chain fell to the ground with a clang, and a face covered with scars peeked out from the crack in the door.

Zhao Tiezhu stared at He Qiu for a full half minute, then suddenly grinned, "Staff Officer He, your suit looks better than your camouflage uniform." He stepped aside to make way, "What brings you here?"

The cramped repair room was filled with auto parts, and yellowed military photos hung on the wall.

He Qiu's fingertips brushed across the young face in the photo: "What has Ruan Xiong, the one I asked you to keep an eye on, done recently?"

"Nothing, it was just the 18th of last month," Zhao Tiezhu unscrewed the Erguotou and took a sip, "This grandson was at the Liangmahe Hotel, having dinner with a Hong Kong guy.

But that Hong Kong guy spoke with a YN accent."

He Qiu's pupils suddenly shrank.

At this moment, the BP machine on his waist suddenly vibrated, and Liu Yong's message was accompanied by three exclamation marks: "Come back quickly! There is a major discovery!"

The incandescent light bulbs in the archives of the Municipal Bureau were crackling. Liu Yong pressed the magnifying glass on the traffic map. "The warehouse No. 3 of the old steel plant mentioned by the kidnappers on the phone does not exist at all." He circled an area in the eastern suburbs with a red pen. "But the traffic police team just sent a clue - a refrigerated truck with a Beihe license plate broke down here yesterday evening. The characteristics described by the driver." He pulled out a photo. "It is exactly the same as the modification method of the refrigerated truck in the Mengla smuggling case."

He Qiu grabbed the telescope and rushed out the door.

The jeep cut through the rain in the heavy rain, and the car radio suddenly emitted an electric noise: "Staff Officer He, this is Zhao Tiezhu. I saw Ruan Xiong leading a few people to the east of the city ten minutes ago... They were driving a Jinbei van, and the taillight cover had cracks..."

The outline of the abandoned steel plant in the eastern suburbs gradually became apparent. He Qiu turned off the car lights and groped his way to the rusty iron gate in the dark.

He could hear the barking of dogs faintly from deep within the factory. He drew out his paratrooper knife and held it between his teeth, then climbed up the three-meter-high wall along the drainpipe.

The moonlight suddenly broke through the clouds, and He Qiu could see a faint light in the northwest corner.

He moved along the roof of the factory like a gecko and smelled a pungent smell of diesel.

A Cantonese conversation came from below: "We must move before dawn. The police have set their sights on this place."

Suddenly, a muffled groan came from the container area in the southeast corner.

He Qiu tensed up all over—that was Xu Haiyan's voice!
"How dare you bite me, bitch!" The man cursed and the sound of the belt whipped him. "When Brother Ruan gets the equity transfer certificate, I will be the first to kill you!"

He Qiu's knuckles turned white from pinching.

He took out the jack handle removed from the jeep and was about to move when two headlights suddenly came from the distance.

The Jinbei van rolled over the gravel road and Zhao Tiezhu jumped out of the car with a Type 54 pistol tucked into his camouflage pants.

"Everyone be alert!" Ruan Xiong kicked open the door of the container. "This guy named He is not an easy person to deal with." Before he finished speaking, a silver light flashed in the darkness, and the paratrooper's knife accurately pierced into his wrist holding the gun.

He Qiu pounced on him like a leopard and hit him hard in the throat with his elbow.

There was an uproar in the container.

Five kidnappers picked up steel pipes and surrounded He Qiu. He Qiu grabbed Ruan Xiong and used him as a human shield to knock down two of them, then snatched the steel pipe and swept across.

The sparks from the collision of metal illuminated his stern face, and every blow was filled with ruthlessness tempered by the battlefield.

"Brother Qiu!" Xu Haiyan's exclamation came from behind.

The moment He Qiu turned around, he felt a strong wind behind his head - one of the kidnappers took out a machete!

At the critical moment, sirens sounded throughout the factory.

Liu Yong led his men to break in: "Put down your weapons! You are surrounded!"

In the chaos, Ruan Xiong suddenly struggled and pounced on Xu Haiyan.

He Qiu flew over and held her in his arms, taking the impact with his back.

A few days later, Liu Yong was outside the interrogation room of the Municipal Bureau, listening to Ruan Xiong's confession in the interrogation room.

When he learned that the original purpose of the "Jinding Group" to acquire the "He's Restaurant Chain Group" was to use the liquidity of the catering enterprises to help a certain "foreign capital" launder money, he picked up the phone and called the headquarters: "Connect to the National Security Bureau..."

The sudden fright made Xu Haiyan uneasy. The considerate He Qiu specially applied to the army for an extension of his vacation. He stayed by his wife's side every step of the way and used his warm company to soothe her inner trauma.

Not long after, the police brought exciting news - the "Jinding Group" that was causing trouble in the financial circle was completely destroyed.

This criminal group, whose case involved tens of billions of yuan, was finally brought to justice, and this spider-web-like and intricate "money laundering kingdom" collapsed.

As the haze dissipated, the "He's Restaurant Chain Group" regained its vitality.

Xu Haiyan swept away her gloom and once again displayed her former demeanor as a decisive and capable woman.

Rather than defeating her, this crisis helped her develop a keener business sense and stronger willpower through the experience.

At the same time, He Yuzhu made an important decision.

At the group's board meeting, he solemnly announced that he would hand over the position of chairman to Xu Haiyan.

This decision is not only a full trust in the daughter-in-law's ability, but also a sign that "He's Catering" is about to open a new chapter of development.

At the handover ceremony, when He Yuzhu handed the golden key symbolizing the inheritance of the company to Xu Haiyan, the audience burst into prolonged applause.

The moment Xu Haiyan took the key, her eyes swept across the expectant faces of every employee below the stage, and she clearly felt the heavy responsibility on her shoulders.

"From today on, we will take 'new catering ecology' as our strategic direction," Xu Haiyan announced in her inaugural speech.

Her slender fingers drew graceful arcs on the projection screen, showing the carefully designed five-year development plan.

Among them, the two innovative projects, "Central Kitchen System" and "Farm Direct Supply Plan", are particularly eye-catching. This is the business blueprint she has been planning for a long time.

He Qiu stood in the last row of the venue, looking at his wife looking energetic under the spotlight, and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously.

He Yuzhu finally ushered in his long-awaited retirement life, and lived in seclusion with his beloved wife Wang Qiuju in No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, a courtyard house full of old Yanjing charm.

They stay away from the hustle and bustle, no longer care about worldly affairs, drink tea and appreciate flowers every day, stroll in the garden, and live a leisurely and carefree life in their later years. Now the biggest wish of the old couple is to hope that their son He Qiu and daughter-in-law can have another big fat grandson, so that this warm courtyard can add a little more family happiness.

Whenever the sun sets, the two old people sit on the rattan chairs in the yard, looking at their little granddaughter playing in the yard, and a kind smile always appears on their faces.

If I could hold a chubby little grandson in my arms, my life in my later years would be perfect.

Today, the courtyard house at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang has long lost its former bustling scene.

This traditional courtyard with three entrances and three exits has undergone several meticulous renovations. It has perfectly preserved the classic layout of the old Yanjing courtyard with "ceiling, fish tank, and pomegranate tree", and cleverly integrated modern living facilities, allowing simplicity and comfort to complement each other.

Now, the huge central courtyard and backyard have become He Yuzhu's private world.

The third uncle Yan Bugui and his wife live in the front yard, while the second uncle Liu Haizhong and his family live in the west yard.

Xu Damao in the backyard has bought a house with its own entrance and yard nearby and is living a more quiet life.

After Ge Shuping from the East Cross Courtyard retired, he moved his family to Liujiazhuang, where he lived next to Liu Zhiye's family and spent his remaining years in peace.

However, Yi Zhonghai and his wife, an old man who had moved away before, moved back because they missed their old neighbors and lived in the east courtyard of the Ge family.

He Yuzhu also joked with Xu Damao that this courtyard has become a standard nursing home.

The mottled screen wall and faded carved door lintel silently tell the vicissitudes of this century-old courtyard.

The occasional sound of bicycle bells coming from outside the hanging flower gate further highlights the tranquility of the courtyard today.

The afterglow of the setting sun shines on the green bricks and gray tiles, giving the courtyard a warm golden hue.

He Yuzhu was sitting under a pomegranate tree, wiping his beloved purple clay teapot. The lingering aroma of tea was intertwined with the scent of jasmine flowers blooming in the yard.

The third uncle Yan Bugui set up a chessboard in the front yard. From time to time, he could hear the shout of "check", which attracted the mynah birds under the eaves to imitate him.

The smell of food wafted from Liu Haizhong's house in the west courtyard. Second Aunt was busy in the kitchen, and the sound of the spatula colliding was particularly crisp in the silent courtyard.

Although Xu Damao from the backyard has moved away, he always comes back to visit us every weekend, bringing some fruits and vegetables.

In the east courtyard, Uncle Yi Zhonghai was talking to Liu Jingzhai. The sounds of chickens and dogs barking from Liujiazhuang came from the phone. The two old friends were chatting about family matters over the phone.

Outside the hanging flower gate, a few children who had just returned from school were chasing and playing, and their silver bell-like laughter scared away the sparrows under the eaves.

He Yuzhu's little granddaughter He Xiao was reviewing her homework in the side room, and the Clivia on the windowsill was in full bloom.

As dusk deepens, warm lights are lit in each household, and smoke rises above the courtyard, as if covering this century-old courtyard with a hazy veil.

……

The platform at Yanjing Station was sweltering in July. As soon as Yi Xiaojun got off the train, he saw his wife jumping in the crowd holding a Guoan scarf.

The seven-month pregnant belly looked like a football, and the green team logo T-shirt was pushed up high.

"Xiaojun! Here!" Lin Xiaomei's voice pierced through the noise of the platform. In her hand was a copy of the sports edition of the Yanjing Evening News. The front page was filled with photos of the new Paraguayan foreign aid introduced by the Guoan team.

Yi Xiaojun frowned subconsciously.

They have been apart more often than together in the past year since they got married. When they first got married, his wife was wearing a white coat and dispensing medicine in the pharmacy, but now she has become a crazy girl waving flags and cheering in the stands of the Workers' Stadium.

Yi Xiaojun took the Guoan fan scarf from Lin Xiaomei's hand and said, "Didn't you agree to wait for me at home?"

"I missed you, so I came to pick you up!" Lin Xiaomei dragged him into the taxi. The team song of "Yanjing Guoan Club" happened to come from the car radio. "Listen to how exciting the prelude is. Our son is kicking along in my belly!"

The two of them had a bumpy ride home accompanied by the melody of "Guoan will always strive for the first place".

Yi Xiaojun stared at the street scene receding in the rearview mirror and suddenly caught a glimpse of the scar on his wife's leg - it was left when she fell off while chasing the Guoan team bus a few months ago.

"Are you going to the Workers' Stadium to watch a game again today?" Yi Xiaojun looked at his wife's outfit. She is a super fan of the "Guoan Team".

"Tonight is the Super Cup between Guoan and Dalian Qianda!" Lin Xiaomei's eyes lit up, "Last year we beat Shenhua 9:1 without you, this time..."

"Nonsense!" Yi Xiaojun's voice suddenly rose, shocking the taxi driver in front so much that he almost slammed on the brakes.

The taxi stopped downstairs of her community, and Lin Xiaomei's eyes were already red.

back home.

Yi Xiaojun discovered that their wedding room had turned into a "Beijing West Guoan Club" theme hall: there were "three foreign guns" dolls on the windowsill, posters of the entire team when they defeated Shenhua last year were posted on the walls, and even the pregnancy pillow was covered with a "Guoan" green team uniform fabric pillowcase.

At this time, Lin Xiaomei was still mumbling: "After the baby is born, I won't be able to go to the Workers' Stadium to watch football for at least three years."

Yi Xiaojun had no choice but to compromise and said, "Okay, I promise to accompany you to watch the game tonight, is that okay? But this is only once, and it won't happen again!"

"Ah, husband, you are so kind, muah!"

Yi Xiaojun shook his head helplessly and smiled bitterly, thinking of the gentle and quiet Lin Xiaomei, who had become like this because of him, and he couldn't help feeling a little guilty.

She used to be such a quiet girl.

It all started in the late eighties.

When the flames of the China League One were just ignited, Liujiazhuang in western Beijing gave birth to the first first-class league football club in the Yanjing area - the Guoan Club.

With the support of the Liu family's strong capital, the team soon became invincible in the league and became the undisputed overlord.

At that time, Yi Xiaojun was still a young middle school student.

By chance, he visited Liujiazhuang with his grandfather Yi Zhonghai, and it happened to be the home game of the Guoan Club.

The deafening shouts and the agile figures on the green field instantly ignited the young man's blood.

Since then, he has become Guoan's most loyal supporter.

As time passed, after graduation, Yi Xiaojun met Lin Xiaomei, a nurse who worked at the Affiliated Hospital of Yenching University of Chinese Medicine, through an introduction.

During their relationship, whenever Guoan played a home game, he would always hold her hand and walk into the lively stadium.

At first, Lin Xiaomei just stood by quietly, but gradually, she began to cheer for the wonderful goals and sigh for the regrettable losses.

Unconsciously, this gentle girl also fell deeply in love with this passionate sport and became a member of the Guoan fans.

It’s really your own fault!
Yi Xiaojun pulled the corner of his mouth helplessly and revealed a bitter smile: "But you have to accompany me back to Dongcheng District in the afternoon to visit grandpa and grandma."

"That's what I should do," Lin Xiaomei responded considerately. "You've been away on business for so long, the old man must be thinking about you." She pointed to the gift box at the entrance and said, "Look, I've even prepared the souvenirs in advance. They are all the snacks and supplements that the old man likes to eat."

After a brief rest, Yi Xiaojun picked up his mobile phone and called his mother Wang Fang first.

Compared with the confidential unit where my father Yi Yuanchao worked, the PLA 301 Hospital where my mother worked was much more relaxed in its external reception.

After the call was connected, Yi Xiaojun said in a brisk tone: "Mom, I'm back from a business trip. I'm going to visit my grandparents this afternoon. Are you free to join me? I can just chat with them."

"Ah, you are busy, then, we can go by ourselves!
By the way, Xiaomei and I will come to visit you tomorrow...Okay, that's it!"

The afternoon sun was shining brightly. Yi Xiaojun and Lin Xiaomei simply packed their luggage and drove the brand new "Jingchi-200C" luxury car from Liujiazhuang to Dongcheng District.

Speaking of this car, it is Yi Xiaojun's favorite.

This was the wedding gift that their uncle Liu Zhiye gave them when they got married last year - a luxury family sedan launched by Beijing Auto Group in 1997.

The streamlined body of "Jingchi-200C" radiates metallic luster in the sun, and the leather seats emit a light leather fragrance, showing its extraordinary taste everywhere.

Although Yi Xiaojun regards his car as a treasure, years of business trips leave him with few opportunities to drive it himself.

One year after picking up the car, the number on the odometer still remains at a distressingly low level.

This rare long-distance trip finally gave him the opportunity to experience the joy of driving.

along the way.

Yi Xiaojun held the steering wheel with one hand, shaking his head along with the dynamic music in the car: "Hey, our car's audio system is really awesome. Xiaomei, let me tell you, don't disbelieve me, our audio system is much better than those in some European and American cars..."

(End of this chapter)