The Courtyard House: He Yuzhu Returns with Boundless Hatred for Revenge

Late at night, in a peculiar little room in the district government building, Wang Xuemei slumped in a chair like a rag doll, her body as if she had just been pulled from the water. Her collar was completely open, her hair was disheveled and plastered to her face, her eyes were unfocused, and her lips trembled incessantly. If she were anywhere else, people would surely misunderstand and think that something inappropriate for children was happening at that moment.

"Please, please, let me go. I've confessed everything I need to, there's really nothing more to say..."

The four interrogators opposite her all looked menacing. The leader spoke coldly, "Wang Xuemei, do you think we'll believe your lies? Is that deaf old woman really there simply because she knew you signed a confession when you were young? What other ulterior motives do you have?"

"No, really, that's all. I just helped her illegally register as a recipient of the Five Guarantees. I really didn't do anything else. Please, please forgive me. I'll do whatever you want as long as you let me go."

The interrogator slammed his fist on the table. "Bah! Wang Xuemei, you scoundrel! Still daydreaming? What do you take us for? Confess honestly, are you an enemy hiding among us?"

Wang Xuemei trembled, fear in her eyes. "No, no, no, I absolutely didn't! I was just young and naive, and I only signed that one time. I only made a few mistakes. I'm absolutely loyal to the organization, as heaven and earth can attest!"

"Pah! He's already written a letter of repentance, and he still calls himself loyal? I think you're just being dishonest and putting up a stubborn resistance!"

The leader slowly walked up to Wang Xuemei, grabbed her hair, and stared at her at a 45-degree angle. "I'll ask you one last time, besides the confession, the five guarantees, and framing Comrade He Yuzhu, what other collusion have you and the deaf old lady had? What other acts of sabotage against the organization and the people have you committed over the years?"

"Really, that's all, I swear to the old man."

"It seems you won't shed tears until you see the coffin, and you won't give up until you reach the Yellow River."

Without a word, the interrogator cast three powerful memory restoration spells on Wang Xuemei.

A short while later, inhuman screams came from the room again, but unfortunately, this was the deepest part of the district government building, and outsiders couldn't hear them at all.

At 5:30 a.m., the interrogation room door was pushed open, and several interrogators came out. The leader rubbed his eyebrows and said to his companion beside him.

"It seems that Wang Xuemei really can't squeeze anything new out of her. It's just the same few things over and over again, and the only other thing is that she has embezzled some money and grain over the years. Although the amount is not small, it is just a case of corruption and favoritism by abusing her position."

He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and continued, "However, the letter of repentance she mentioned is crucial. A neighborhood committee director, leaving such a huge handle on someone else—no wonder that old man has her completely under his thumb. Also, she mentioned that her husband might know about some things, or even be indirectly involved. Compile all these details and report them together."

"Boss, what's our next step?" someone asked.

"Our top priority now is to search Long Xiaocui's house! How would the concubine of a Kuomintang officer know that Wang Xuemei wrote a confession? There must be something wrong here! Everyone, go and fill your stomachs first, and then we'll gather everyone and head to that 95-square-meter courtyard house."

. . . . . .

As usual, the residents of the courtyard house left for work one after another in the morning. Around nine o'clock, a group of people rushed in! The person leading the way was an official from the neighborhood committee.

The second auntie from the front yard was about to go out to see what was going on when she was terrified. Judging by their uniforms, they were all government officials; with so many people arriving at once, something extremely serious must have happened!

In the backyard, the deaf old lady had just gotten up and was sitting in her armchair, sulking. Her maid, Zhang Guifen, had gone to cover Qin Huairu's shift yesterday and hadn't returned yet. The chamber pot hadn't been emptied, and breakfast hadn't been made. This Yi Zhonghai was really taking her less and less seriously. What kind of scoundrel was this, still eyeing her treasures? Don't even dream about it! When this old woman dies, even donating all her possessions to the state wouldn't benefit a childless person like you.

Suddenly, with a loud "bang," the door was kicked open from the outside!

The deaf old woman was so frightened by this sudden turn of events that she trembled all over, and her cane clattered to the ground.

Before she could react, several officers rushed in, grabbed her arms on either side without a word, and lifted her off the armchair!

"What are you doing? This is outrageous! Outrageous! I am..." The deaf old woman was both shocked and furious. Just as she was about to scream, someone stuffed a wad of cloth into her mouth!

Without a word, she was dragged out of the house, across the courtyard, and quickly exited the main gate of the courtyard house under the watchful eyes of countless neighbors. A jeep was already parked at the gate; the door opened, the deaf old woman was roughly shoved inside, and the car sped away. The whole process was so fast that no one could react in time.

As soon as the jeep disappeared into the alley, the onlookers nearby erupted in a commotion!

"My God! The deaf old lady has been arrested!"

"He was carrying a gun! What serious crime must he have committed?"

"They're searching the house! Everyone, come quick! The people at the back have started searching the house!"

Sure enough, the remaining staff quickly sealed off the deaf old woman's two rooms and began a thorough search. They ransacked the place, pried open drawers and cabinets, removed bricks and tiles, and even checked rat holes. More than two hours later, the backyard was piled high with items, leaving onlookers in awe!

On the ground, various antiques and paintings, several small wooden boxes were all opened, revealing gleaming gold bars, all kinds of jewelry, stacks of neatly wrapped silver coins, and even more than a dozen fur coats. These were clearly not ordinary items; it was as if a treasure trove had been unearthed! This was hardly the possessions of an ordinary, widowed old woman.

The crowd was astonished, but no one dared to approach, as all the people there were carrying guns.

Who would have thought that the deaf old lady, whom Yi Zhonghai usually adored as an ancestor and hinted that he had sent straw sandals to XX, actually had so much money hidden away?

The staff counted, registered, and cataloged everything, then packed it all up and carried it away, leaving behind an empty house that had been dug up and was in complete disarray.

An elderly woman named Zhang Guifen had just returned from the hospital. Upon entering the backyard, she witnessed the ransacking and the pile of valuables, and was immediately terrified, turning pale as a ghost.

"Oh no! Old Yi..." The old woman didn't even bother going home; she turned and ran outside. She had to hurry to the steel mill to send a message to Yi Zhonghai! The sky was falling!