Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Half an hour later, Zhang Dabiao was taken to the security department of the steel rolling mill.

The person interrogating him was not Section Chief Xie, whom he had met at the police station. He was probably just a security guard. The reason given was that Zhang Dabiao had broken the arm of Sha Zhu, a cook at the steel rolling mill, which was a serious crime of disrupting the production tasks ordered by the government!

Zhang Dabiao, of course, denied it, including the so-called "statement of the situation" they provided that he had to sign and put his fingerprint on—

This is just a confession!

There's no way I'm signing this. Go ahead and kill me if you dare!

Zhang Dabiao didn't know who had contacted the security department, but it was most likely either Yi Zhonghai or the deaf old woman.

As for Sha Zhu?

That idiot is too tough to do something so shameless.

Moreover, three security guards from the steel rolling mill took him away and refused to collect evidence on the spot. When they arrived, only one person interrogated him, but they did not beat Zhang Dabiao.

They probably saw that Zhang Dabiao was only a teenager and were afraid of causing a fight.

They were just doing what others asked of them; there was no need for them to go too far.

After Zhang Dabiao refused to confess, they locked him in a small dark room and told him to stay there overnight to think things over.

On the night of the third day of the Lunar New Year, it was freezing cold in Beijing. Locking Zhang Dabiao in a dark room all night was essentially a form of torture.

Once Zhang Dabiao can't help but shout for mercy and sign a "confession," wouldn't things be much easier?

But Zhang Dabiao was also straightforward. After closing the small dark room and confirming that the person had left, he immediately slipped into his den.

Since they weren't handcuffed, I went back to my room, ate and drank as usual, then put on two thermal underwear and went straight to sleep.

The bed is right next to the security door, the electronic peephole is set to always be on, and the volume is turned up to the maximum.

If there's any disturbance, just slip away.

Then, I snuggled up in bed and played tablet games—the offline version of Plants vs. Zombies. Since there was no internet, I could only play some cracked offline games.

Familiar music started playing late at night—

Ta-da! ...

Around midnight, just after the clock struck twelve, the tablet emitted a scoreboard notification sound indicating a failed defense. Frustrated, Zhang Dabiao tossed the tablet aside. "Damn it," he thought, "we failed to defend?"

I was just getting ready to go to sleep when I heard a noise outside the door.

"Zhang Dabiao! Come out!"

------------

Just as Zhang Dabiao slipped out of his hiding place, the door to the dark room was opened. Instead of confronting the security guard, he naturally followed him out.

Are they going to interrogate me again?

Inside the courtyard, everyone is just an ordinary citizen; here, however, is a legitimate law enforcement agency. Regardless of right or wrong, avoiding direct confrontation is the wisest course of action.

If we stubbornly resist and get beaten up now, who will take the blame?

There's no need for that, is there? We can figure something out after we get out.

When they arrived at the security office, they were surprised to find Xu Fugui and Xu Damao wiping his nose.

Did they come here to rescue themselves?

Looking at the large open Qianmen cigarettes on the desk, along with two open bottles of Lotus White wine, and a bag of local specialties in the corner on the floor...

These two gave quite a few gifts...

Zhang Dabiao suddenly felt a warmth in his heart.

Not everyone in the courtyard is a beast.

Xu Damao was still boasting, as if taking credit for something: "Da Biao! How about that? When it really matters, we still have to rely on your brother Damao, right?"

Xu Fugui slapped Xu Damao on the forehead, signaling him to go outside and talk.

Xu Fugui exchanged pleasantries with the security guard for a while before leaving with his two boys. But as they left the security office, Zhang Dabiao stared at the group, especially the guard who had locked him in the small dark room, giving him several half-smiles.

"Hey kid, what do you mean? What are you looking at?"

Xu Fugui quickly stepped forward and pulled the security guard aside: "Captain Chen, don't be angry. This kid used to be an idiot. He even got his head cracked open by that idiot Zhu on the first day of the Lunar New Year and ended up in the hospital."

"However, this misfortune has also brought a blessing in disguise. The kid's mind has improved, but his emotions have been a bit unstable these past few days, after all, his father has only recently passed away."

"Why are you getting angry with a child like him?"

Only after Xu Fugui stuffed another pack of good cigarettes into his hand did Captain Chen say he wouldn't bother arguing with a fool like that.

The three of them then left the security office safely.

"Uncle Xu, Da Mao, thank you."

"I'll host a dinner party for you all tomorrow."

Zhang Dabiao didn't know what to say. These days, if you want to show your appreciation, you should give money. But Zhang Dabiao only had less than two hundred yuan. Treating someone to a meal was the most practical thing to do.

"Da Biao, actually, the Lou family resolved this matter."

"Da Mao and I only found out when we got back to the compound that night that you had been taken away by the factory's security department, and about what happened between you, Yi Zhonghai, and Sha Zhu today."

"Da Mao is eager to get you out of trouble, but your Uncle Xu is just a projectionist, and I'm not much help."

"Just then, Lou Xiao'e came to the yard looking for you. As soon as she heard about your situation, she rushed home to ask Boss Lou for help."

"This factory was donated by Boss Lou. Although he has now retired behind the scenes, there is still some sense of personal connection involved."

"Otherwise, Da Mao and I really wouldn't be confident we could get you out."

Xu Fugui neither concealed anything nor sought credit, but instead explained the whole story to Zhang Dabiao.

This gave Zhang Dabiao a headache, as he had to accept this favor.

Treat the Xu family to a meal as a token of gratitude; the things in his humble abode are quite presentable.

And we thank the Lou family...

Inviting Lou Xiao'e and Lou Bancheng to dinner is inappropriate, as their social statuses are completely different. The food in their humble abode is nothing special, while the other party has eaten all sorts of delicious food.

Offering money as a token of gratitude is beneath them; they won't even notice your paltry sum.

How to repay this favor is a bit of a problem.

Zhang Dabiao nodded without saying anything more, indicating that he understood.

After some playful banter with Xu Damao, the three of them returned to the courtyard house together.

Forget it, let's take it one step at a time and think about tomorrow's problems tomorrow.

Along the way, Xu Damao was as energetic as if he had been injected with chicken blood. He didn't get to see the good show today and kept pestering Zhang Dabiao with questions.

How was Yi Zhonghai beaten and how did he vomit blood? How did Zhang Dabiao break Sha Zhu's arm? What was the name of that move? Could you teach it to him? Was Sha Zhu's arm dislocated or fractured?

I never knew Xu Damao had such a talkative nature!

Back in the courtyard, Aunt Chen was still guarding the door. She opened it for them, and they all went home to rest.

Zhang Dabiao returned to his small apartment and immediately began writing—

A letter of complaint.

Whether it was a malicious or legitimate report, we won't discuss who sent the steel mill's security department to arrest people, and we don't know for sure.

But those three guards who came to take me away today, especially that Captain Chen who locked me in the small dark room—

must die!

One by one, they'll all die!

------------

The next day, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Dabiao quietly went out early in the morning and even went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a few envelopes.

The same letter of complaint was copied twice; one copy was sent to the Economic Security Division of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, and the other was sent to the Women's Federation of the Steel Rolling Mill.

Reported under real name.

As for why not contact the Jiaodaokou Police Station and the Subdistrict Office?

Don't ask, because if you do, it means you don't trust me.

And why not talk to Director Xie of the security department at the steel rolling mill?

Firstly, we're not familiar with them, and secondly, are we letting them judge themselves?

That's a joke.