The Courtyard House: The story begins with He Yuzhu beating up the White Widow.

Qin Yongjiang said, "Yonggen, it's not that I'm unwilling to issue you a letter of introduction. We received a notice from the police station this afternoon that you and your wife cannot leave the village for the time being."

Qin Yonggen revealed his wounds and cried, "Secretary, please help me out of consideration for our family ties! If my wife and I stay in the village, Qin Hongshan's family will beat us to death sooner or later! I was just cornered by them and got beaten up. And Qin Hongshan is demanding five hundred yuan from me as compensation. Where would I get that kind of money?!"

Seeing Qin Yonggen's injuries by the moonlight, Qin Yongjiang sighed and said, "Yonggen, I want to help you, but there's really nothing I can do. You two should just bear with it for now. Once Shouren's matter is settled, I'll issue you a letter of introduction." Then, as if remembering something, Qin Yongjiang added, "Yonggen, Qin Huairu gave birth to a son for Shouren. The child is currently in an orphanage in the city. Find some time to bring him back. No matter what, at least you still have a connection in your family." He then changed the subject, continuing, "For this connection, spending five hundred coins is worthwhile!"

Others may not know Qin Yonggen's financial situation, but Qian Yongjiang knows it very well.

Qin Yonggen sighed and said, "Secretary, in the past, my family could scrape together five hundred yuan by selling everything we owned. But now, we really can't afford that much. Anyway, I took this beating for nothing. But from now on, I'll carry a knife with me. If Qin Hongshan's family dares to lay a hand on me, I'll stab them! If they won't let me live, I won't let them have an easy time either. Also, Secretary, if you won't give me a letter of introduction to leave the village, can't you at least give me one to pick up someone from the orphanage?!"

Qin Yongjiang thought for a moment and agreed, "Come to the village committee tomorrow morning, and I'll give you a letter of introduction." After saying that, Qin Yongjiang opened the courtyard gate, sent Qin Yonggen away, locked the gate, and went back inside.

When Qin Yonggen returned home, Zhang Liudi had already cleaned the house. Zhang Liudi asked, "Would the Party Secretary be willing to issue a letter of introduction?"

Qin Yonggen replied, "He refused! He said the police notified the village that Shouren cannot leave the village until his case is closed." Then, he changed the subject, saying, "But there's good news. Qin Huairu has left us with a child. The village will issue a letter of introduction tomorrow, and I'll go to the city to bring the child back."

Zhang Liudi said, "Aren't you afraid that once you bring the child back, Qin Huairu's family will come and cause trouble?!"

"Let them cause trouble! At worst, we'll trade our lives!" With that, Qin Yonggen lifted the straw mat on the kang (heated brick bed), picked up a brick, and took out a stone box. Opening the lid, he pulled out two daggers and said, "From today onwards, we'll both carry these two daggers. If Qin Hongshan and his bastards make a move, we'll kill them! Once we've established ourselves, we won't be afraid of trouble from the villagers!"

The next morning, Qin Yonggen went to the village committee early. Qian Yongjiang, who had just arrived at the village committee and hadn't even had a sip of water yet, saw Qin Yonggen and, without much fanfare, took out a piece of paper specifically for writing letters of introduction and wrote one for Qin Yonggen.

Qin Yonggen took the letter of introduction, went home to get a few steamed buns, and then went out.

"Dad! I just saw Qin Yonggen go to the village committee." Qin Huaijiang rushed home to report the news just as Qin Yonggen reached the village entrance.

Qin Hongshan said dismissively, "He's probably gone to raise money. Let him go!"

Zhao Lianxiang asked, "Husband, aren't you afraid he'll run away?!"

Qin Hongshan sneered and said, "I already inquired about it. The police have forbidden him from leaving the village for the time being. Even if Qin Yonggen is bold, he wouldn't dare to go against the police."

Qin Huaijiang asked, "Dad, isn't asking him for five hundred too much?! What if they can't come up with that much money?!"

Qin Hongshan snorted and said, "Others may not know their family situation, but do you think I don't?! Don't look at how bad their family is now. They used to be glorious. His father used to be a personal guard for Commander Cao Kun. He even took a bullet for Commander Cao back then. Commander Cao gave Qin Yonggen's father a lot of good things back then."

Zhao Lianxiang suddenly interjected, "Didn't the traitors also lead their Japanese soldiers to search their house back then? They didn't find anything! Could it be that Qin Yonggen's father squandered everything long ago?!"

Qin Hongshan said firmly, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Qin Yonggen's family did indeed have many valuable items. However, Qin Yonggen's father passed away so suddenly that he left no last words, let alone told Qin Yonggen where the items were hidden. Over the years, Qin Yonggen had tried searching the house, but had found nothing.

Meanwhile, just as Qin Yonggen was heading to Beijing, the first batch of parts from the electrical appliance production team arrived at the street office warehouse. He Yuzhu carefully inspected the delivered parts, and after confirming there were no problems, he signed the receipt. He then took several sets of parts back to his office and began assembling electric fans and flashlights.

"What are you all doing here?!" After finishing her work, Wang Xia had just stepped out of her office when she saw a large group of people gathered at the entrance of the production team's office.

Hearing Wang Xia's question, the staff from the neighborhood office made way for her. Wang Xia entered the production team's office and her eyes lit up when she saw the four assembled electric fans. She asked, "Zhu Zi, are these the finished products?!"

He Yuzhu put down his tools and said, "Two table fans and one floor fan. Three products in total. Many parts are made of plastic, so the cost is much cheaper than electric fans currently on the market. After it's launched, I don't expect every household to buy one, but at least most families will be able to afford it and use it."

Wang Xia said, "Zhu Zi, hurry up and assemble a few more."

"Oh!" He Yuzhu responded, and said, "I'll try to assemble twenty or thirty units before I leave work."

"Okay!" Wang Xia replied, dispersed the onlookers, and returned to her office.

A little after 9:30 a.m., Qin Yonggen found the Nanluoguxiang Subdistrict Office at the address given by Qian Yongjiang. The gatekeeper, Old Han, saw Qin Yonggen and asked, "Comrade, who are you looking for?!"

Qin Yonggen asked, "Is this the Nanluoguxiang Subdistrict Office?!"

"Yes!" Grandpa Han replied, then asked, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Qin Yonggen said, "I'm from Qinjiacun Village in Changping. I'm looking for Wang Xia, the director of your subdistrict office." Then he asked, "Is Director Wang here?!"