Courtyard House: I fish in the heavens, a professional bird abuser.

I returned to Beijing three days later.

These three days felt like an eternity to Sha Zhu.

The silent massacre in the train carriage, the overwhelming stench of blood, and He Yuanchao's indifferent glance from the pool of blood were like an indelible oil painting, forcibly nailed to the depths of his mind.

When he was awake, the images haunted him; when he closed his eyes, those corpses haunted his dreams. He became taciturn, often waking up in the night in a cold sweat.

The way he looked at He Yuanchao had also undergone a complete transformation. The initial resentment, bitterness, and jealousy had been washed away completely, as if by a torrential downpour, leaving not a trace. In its place was a pure, awe-inspiring feeling from the depths of his soul, and... fear.

It is the most primal, instinctive reaction when faced with a force that is incomprehensible and irresistible.

Back at the courtyard house, before even entering, Sha Zhu stopped He Yuanchao. His hands trembled as he pulled out the diamond bag, wrapped in layers of cloth, from his pocket and handed it over respectfully, as if holding a red-hot iron.

"Mr. He... this is... back to you."

The moment he handed it over, he didn't even dare to let his gaze meet the dazzling light emanating from the bag.

The light was no longer a symbol of wealth, but a series of deadly curses.

He now realized with absolute clarity that it was not his. What right did he have to covet such wealth stained with blood? Forcing it would only lead to his death, just like those people on the train.

He Yuanchao's gaze lingered on his sallow face for a moment before he reached out and took the heavy package.

He didn't even open it to take a look; he just casually stuffed it into his coat pocket, as if it were just a bag of peanuts bought from a street vendor.

That nonchalant composure and profound calmness struck Sha Zhu's heart like a hammer blow, causing him a suffocating spasm. It turns out, the difference between people really is greater than the difference between a person and a dog.

……

Stepping into the new home in the cadre building, a fresh and warm atmosphere greets you. This is the two-bedroom apartment that the factory recently allocated to He Yuanchao. The windows are bright and clean, and the floors are shiny.

He Yuanchao didn't rush to rest. He closed the door, drew the curtains, and took out the gold disguised as "shoehorns" and "belt buckles," as well as the antique calligraphy and paintings carefully wrapped in oilcloth, one by one from the hidden compartment of his suitcase. He walked to a seemingly ordinary wall, tapped it a few times skillfully, moved aside a wooden board disguised as an electrical switch box, revealing a carefully designed, dry, and concealed wall compartment.

He categorized these items, carefully hid them inside, and then restored everything to its original state, leaving no trace of the deception.

After doing all this, he took out the bag of diamonds, along with some US dollars and jewelry that Lin Dechang had asked him to bring back, and placed them on the table.

Not long after, there was a rapid knocking at the door. Lou Zhenhua and Lou Xiao'e, who rushed over upon hearing the news, had faces filled with undisguised anxiety and anticipation.

"To aid Korea!" Lou Xiao'e's eyes instantly welled up with tears as she entered the room and saw her husband return safely.

He Yuanchao nodded reassuringly to her, then turned his gaze to Lou Zhenhua and pointed to the things on the table.

When Lou Zhenhua's gaze fell upon the dazzling diamonds shimmering under the lights, along with the familiar US dollars and jewelry, this seasoned capitalist, who had seen it all, swayed violently, almost losing his balance. He strode forward, his hands trembling, and picked up a familiar emerald. Tears welled up in his cloudy old eyes, finally spilling over.

"They're back...they're all back..." he murmured, his voice choked with emotion. These were not just money; they were the fruits of generations of the Lou family's labor, their very foundation for survival, and their last hope and source of strength in this turbulent era.

"Yuanchao..." Lou Zhenhua was so excited that tears streamed down his face. He grabbed He Yuanchao's hand, his lips trembling, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time. "You...you are the greatest benefactor of our Lou family! Our greatest benefactor! From now on, we entrust our old lives to you!"

Lou Xiao'e stood silently by, tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were filled with gratitude and admiration as she looked at her husband. She knew that this trip to Shanghai would be extremely dangerous; her husband didn't say it, but she could imagine it.

He Yuanchao helped him up, his expression still calm. He simply nodded and said, "Uncle Lou, now is not the time to be happy. These things are only temporarily safe. The real storm has just begun."

His calm tone was like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing Lou Zhenhua's excited mood and calming him down.

He Yuanchao invited the two to sit down on the sofa, poured two cups of hot tea, and then clearly and logically analyzed with Lou Zhenhua and his daughter what he had seen and heard in Shanghai, the undercurrents that had begun to surge, the radical slogans, and his judgment on the situation in the next few years.

"...The storm is brewing. This time, the storm will be fiercer than ever before, and it will be aimed directly at all those who 'have problems.' Uncle Lou, your past identity is the biggest problem." He Yuanchao's voice was not loud, but every word struck Lou Zhenhua's heart.

"Then... what should we do?" Lou Zhenhua's face was pale, and his voice was trembling.

"Take a step back to advance," He Yuanchao suggested. "I recommend that you sort through the remaining less important 'floating wealth' at home, such as some gold and silver jewelry and old ornaments, and proactively 'confess' to the factory and hand them over to the state. Your attitude must be sincere, and your posture must be humble. This way, on the one hand, you can gain a good reputation for 'confessing and receiving leniency,' silencing some people; on the other hand, it's also a proactive way to expose yourself to the public, muddying the waters and making it difficult for those who want to destroy your family to find a better target for the time being. This is called sacrificing a pawn to save the king, avoiding the first wave of the most violent storm."

"At the same time," He Yuanchao continued, "I will use my relationship with the newly appointed Secretary Shen of the steel rolling mill and Deputy Director Zhou to secretly mediate for the Lou family and ensure that you are not pushed into the limelight. But the key is that you yourselves must take a step back first."

Lou Zhenhua broke out in a cold sweat, his back soaked through. He had spent his entire life navigating the business world, considering himself shrewd, but compared to his son-in-law, he was practically a naive child. He Yuanchao not only saw the storm, but also clearly understood the strategies for dealing with it, the hidden dangers within, and how to leverage various forces.

At that moment, he was filled with admiration for his son-in-law's foresight and wisdom.

He knew that He Yuanchao was not only the Lou family's "benefactor," but also the Lou family's only "helmsman" in this impending catastrophe.

***

After dealing with the Lou family's affairs, He Yuanchao returned home and called in Sha Zhu, who had been waiting anxiously outside.

The atmosphere inside the room was somewhat somber. Sha Zhu kept his head down, like a prisoner awaiting trial.

"Shazhu," He Yuanchao personally poured him a glass of water and placed it on the table in front of him, "You did... alright on this trip to Shanghai."

This unexpected affirmation made Sha Zhu jerk up his head, completely flattered. His bottom seemed to spring up from his chair, and he frantically waved his hands, stammering, "Engineer He, you...you mustn't say that! It's all what I should do. I...I've only caused you trouble..."

"Sit down." He Yuanchao waved his hand dismissively, exuding an aura of authority without anger.

Sha Zhu immediately sat back down obediently, his back ramrod straight.

"I'll talk to Director Lou about the driver's job. He's the fleet's consultant, so it won't be difficult. I'll get it sorted out for you as soon as possible." He Yuanchao looked at him, then changed the subject, "However, before that, there's one more thing I need you to do."

Sha Zhu's heart skipped a beat!

He wasn't stupid; he knew that this glass of water, this promise to his work, wasn't given for nothing. Having survived the life-or-death ordeal in Shanghai, he understood that he was now tied to He Yuanchao's ship, and now it was time for He Yuanchao to demand his "pledge of allegiance." This was a test, but also an opportunity.

"Whatever!" Sha Zhu blurted out almost without thinking, his voice hoarse with excitement, "As long as I, Sha Zhu, can do it, I'll go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Looking at the resolute look in his eyes, He Yuanchao curled his lips into a cold, meaningful smile: "I want you to go back to the courtyard house and reunite with Second Uncle Liu Haizhong."

"Huh?" Sha Zhu was completely dumbfounded.

Let him associate with someone like Liu Haizhong? That old geezer who always puts on airs and is full of lewd and immoral thoughts? He despises him from the bottom of his heart.

He Yuanchao seemed to see through his thoughts and slowly explained, "Liu Haizhong is obsessed with officialdom, and he's both stupid and wicked. But it's precisely because he's stupid that he's easy to manipulate."

His gaze became deep and sharp at that moment, as if it could see right through people's hearts.

"I want you to become his most trusted 'right-hand man.' He wants to be an official, so you should flatter him, help him devise strategies, and let him amplify his pitiful 'official power' in the courtyard, making it even more powerful and convincing, ideally to the point of causing widespread resentment and making everyone hate and annoy him. He will be our target in the courtyard, attracting everyone's attention."

Sha Zhu understood a little better; this was... a case of flattery to kill?

Before he could fully process it, He Yuanchao threw out an even more challenging task.

"At the same time, I need you to keep a close eye on someone for me—Xu Damao."

"Xu Damao?" Sha Zhu was stunned again. "Didn't you send him to a labor camp? He'll probably never get out, right?"

"He will come back." He Yuanchao's tone was full of unwavering certainty. He picked up his teacup and gently blew on it. "People like him are like maggots in a latrine, incredibly resilient. As long as there's a crack, he'll squeeze out by any means necessary. All the hardships and humiliations he suffered on the farm these past years will be blamed on me. He hates me to the core, and when he comes back, he will definitely do everything in his power to take revenge on me."

"I want you to 'join' him the moment he returns."

He Yuanchao looked at Sha Zhu's shocked eyes and said, word by word.

"You must show extreme dissatisfaction and resentment towards me, tell him that you almost died in Shanghai because of me, and how cruel and ungrateful I was to you. You must become his 'vanguard' and 'strategist' in his revenge against me. Do whatever he tells you to do, and be even more proactive than him. But you must tell me every single one of his plans, every single one of his conspiracies, and even every single complaint he utters in private."

Sha Zhu was terrified, and cold sweat broke out on his back again.

This...this is sending him to go undercover?

Moreover, he's going to be a double agent for Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao? Those two are the worst people in the compound! This is much more difficult than flipping a wok in the kitchen.

"What? You don't dare?" He Yuanchao looked at him, his gaze calm as still water, yet carrying immense pressure.

In a flash, countless images crossed Sha Zhu's mind: Qin Huairu's repeated manipulation and indifference, Xu Damao's repeated framing and mockery, the open and covert disdain from the people in the courtyard, and his own humiliating past of being used as a pawn...

A strange surge of passion suddenly welled up in his chest!

What's there to be afraid of? I've got nothing but a worthless life! Living aimlessly before was foolish. Now I have the chance to live for myself, to gamble on my future. If I still don't dare, then I'm a true coward!

"No! I dare!"

Sha Zhu suddenly straightened his chest, and for the first time, his previously somewhat timid eyes flashed with a strange light, a mixture of excitement and determination.

"Don't worry, Engineer He! I, Sha Zhu, will handle this perfectly! I've had my eye on those two bastards, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao, for a long time! I guarantee I'll have them completely under my thumb, and they won't even know how they died!"

He knew this was his only chance to completely get rid of the label "Silly Zhu," to escape the past, and to start anew.

This was also his chance to truly prove his worth to He Yuanchao and present this weighty "pledge of allegiance".

From that day on, Sha Zhu was no longer the sycophant who would be used as a tool by Qin Huairu's few tears and sweet words.

He became He Yuanchao's most inconspicuous, yet most deadly, pawn planted in the courtyard.

***

Two weeks later, under Lou Zhenhua's arrangement, Sha Zhu's job as a driver was officially secured.

He was assigned to the factory's transport fleet and started driving a brand-new "Jiefang" brand truck.

Although he works hard from dawn till dusk every day, enduring wind and sun, when he grips that huge steering wheel, steps on the gas, and listens to the engine's powerful roar as he speeds through the factory area, the feeling of driving a steel behemoth is a hundred times more glamorous than being a chef!

He became the second person in the courtyard, after He Yuanchao, to truly own a car.

Liu Haizhong was overjoyed to see Sha Zhu's meteoric rise to power. In his eyes, Sha Zhu was now He Yuanchao's confidant and a respectable driver, which was simply an extension of his own power. He immediately treated Sha Zhu as his number one confidant, and every few days he would come to him with a bottle of liquor to drink, discussing with great enthusiasm how to "manage" the courtyard and how to establish his "absolute authority".

Sha Zhu kept He Yuanchao's instructions in mind, and after a few drinks, he had Liu Haizhong completely bewildered, calling him brother and easily extracting a lot of his dirty thoughts about wanting to bully others in the courtyard, which he then kept in mind.

Qin Huairu, seeing that Sha Zhu had not only not been fired but had instead become a more sought-after truck driver, felt a different kind of emotion. She began to use the same trick again, intentionally or unintentionally waiting for Sha Zhu at the door when he got off work, showing him her signature gentle smile tinged with melancholy, and asking him what was wrong.

This time, however, Sha Zhu simply nodded and brushed past her with a polite but distant "Sister Qin, it's time to get off work."

When the Jia family was truly starving, he would casually bring back two steamed buns from the canteen and toss them to Banggeng through the door, but the infatuation and fervor in his eyes were gone.

He found himself beginning to enjoy this feeling—this feeling of being high above, looking down on the woman who had once haunted his dreams and filled him with insecurity. He realized that when you no longer love someone, all their tactics seem so ridiculous and cheap.

Time passed, and two more months went by. Beijing was plunged into the depths of winter. On a bitterly cold winter afternoon...

A figure, so thin he was almost unrecognizable, with high cheekbones and increasingly sinister eyes, appeared at the entrance of the courtyard house, dragging a tattered bundle.

It's Xu Damao.

He is back.

In the labor camp, no one knew what underhanded methods he used to get "retired due to illness" on the grounds that he was "physically weak and unable to be reformed."

He raised his head, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar courtyard house before him, and at the brand-new, somewhat glaring cadre building in the distance. A cold, resentful sneer slowly curled up at the corners of his chapped lips, like the hiss of a viper.

"He Yuanchao, I, Xu Damao, am back!"