Courtyard House: Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) Traded for an Aircraft Carrier, the Whole Count

Over the next two days, a minor but significant piece of news occurred at the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

Xu Damao, who was usually arrogant and had recently become very popular for forming a "discipline team", suddenly became subdued.

Not only was he removed from his position as head of the inspection team, but he was also publicly criticized throughout the factory for "flamboyant behavior and framing innocent people." If it weren't for some mysterious force protecting him, he would have almost been sent to the workshop for labor reform. Although he has kept his position as projectionist, he has been suspended for a month for reflection, and his salary has been withheld.

In the courtyard house, Xu Damao became an even greater pariah.

Because of his foolish behavior, Liu Haizhong was stripped of his title of Second Uncle and was so angry that he pretended to be sick at home. The two brothers, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, blamed Xu Damao for this and threatened to beat him every time they saw him.

Sha Zhu, who was previously suppressed and unable to lift his head, has now completely turned the tables.

"Hey, isn't this Captain Xu? What's up? Didn't you go ransacking houses today?"

By the pool in the central courtyard, Sha Zhu, while washing his greasy work clothes, sarcastically shouted at Xu Damao, who had just sneaked back from outside looking ashen-faced, "I heard your disciplinary team disbanded? Even their armbands were taken back? Tsk tsk tsk, I knew it! Even in a dragon robe, you wouldn't look like a prince. You were born to have no descendants!"

The middle-aged women washing vegetables nearby burst into laughter.

In the past, Xu Damao would have jumped up and cursed back. But today, he just shrank back, his face ashen, head bowed, not daring to utter a word, and slunk back to the backyard.

Back in his cold, empty home, looking at the desolate house (Lou Xiao'e had taken everything she could before leaving, so although it wasn't completely empty like the Lou family's house, it still looked exceptionally bleak), Xu Damao plopped down on the ground, desperately grabbing his hair.

He was genuinely scared.

These past two days, the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.

From the Lou family moving out ahead of time, to Jiang Chen arriving on time with his men, to Deputy Factory Director Li producing that "proof document"... everything was like a meticulously designed trap, each step linked to the next, ensnaring him completely.

He suddenly realized that he had offended someone he couldn't afford to offend at all.

Jiang Chen!

That seemingly unassuming man could bring him to utter ruin at the crucial moment!

Xu Damao is now in a terrible predicament, as if he's fallen into an ice cave. He's offended the Lou family (though they've left), failed to curry favor with Deputy Factory Director Li (and was even scolded), and has lost all standing in the compound. If Jiang Chen wants to get back at him, he only needs to lift a finger, and Xu Damao will be relegated to cleaning toilets for the rest of his life.

"No... I can't just sit here and wait to die..."

Xu Damao suddenly stood up and paced around the room like a donkey pulling a millstone. At this moment, his pitiful sense of self-respect was utterly worthless in the face of this survival crisis.

He's a real scoundrel, and the greatest virtue of a real scoundrel is that he can bend and stretch; he'll kneel down and call someone "father" just to survive.

"The one who tied the knot must untie it... Only Jiang Chen can save me!"

It was late at night.

The lights were still on in Jiang Chen's house. He was sitting at his desk, using the system to scan and repair a complex mechanical blueprint.

Very light footsteps sounded outside the door, then stopped at the entrance. Immediately following was an extremely humble, tentative call:

"Section Chief Jiang... are you resting?"

Jiang Chen didn't stop what he was doing, a cold smile playing on his lips, as if he had expected it.

He ignored it.

The person outside was clearly very patient, or rather, dared not be impatient.

About half an hour later, Jiang Chen slowly put away the blueprints, got up, walked to the door, and opened it.

Outside the door, in the cold wind.

Xu Damao was kneeling on the ground.

Yes, kneeling.

He was carrying two bottles of fine wine that he had treasured for many years, and tucked under his armpit a large rooster with its beak tied—a gift from a villager when he went to the countryside to show movies, which he usually couldn't bear to eat himself.

Upon seeing Jiang Chen emerge, Xu Damao's face, which was blue from the cold, immediately contorted into a fawning smile that was more like a grimace. He then moved forward two steps, using his knees as his feet.

"Mr. Jiang...you've finally opened the door."

Jiang Chen looked down at him, his gaze as cold as if he were looking at a mangy dog: "Xu Damao, this is the middle of the night, and you're making such a grand gesture. What, are you planning to report me somewhere now?"

"Oh my god! Even if you gave me ten lives, I wouldn't dare!" Xu Damao slapped himself hard across the face, the sound ringing out. "I was blind before, I didn't recognize your greatness! I was so foolish to dare to go against you! Please, don't hold a grudge, just let me go!"

As he spoke, he respectfully raised the wine and chicken in his hands above his head, saying, "This is a small token of my filial piety, meant to nourish your body."

Jiang Chen didn't take anything; he just leaned against the door frame, lit a cigarette, and let the smoke blow onto Xu Damao's face.

"Xu Damao, you're a smart man, but also a scoundrel," Jiang Chen said calmly. "Do you know why I'm keeping you alive, not crushing you to death?"

Xu Damao was stunned for a moment, then a sudden inspiration struck him, and he banged his head on the ground repeatedly: "Because I'm useful! I'm useful! From now on, I'll be your dog! I'll bite whoever you tell me to bite! I'm more obedient than Sha Zhu, and smarter than Liu Haizhong! Just say the word, and I'll go through fire and water!"

It has to be said that Xu Damao's shameless surrender is exactly what Jiang Chen needs.

In this courtyard, Sha Zhu is too naive, Yi Zhonghai is too hypocritical, and Liu Haizhong is too stupid. Only Xu Damao is purely evil, and his evil is insightful. As long as you hold his leash, he's the most useful knife.

"Alright, get up."

Jiang Chen finally spoke, though his tone remained icy, it sounded like heavenly music to Xu Damao's ears.

Instead of reaching out to help, he lightly kicked Xu Damao on the shoulder, saying, "Put the things down and get in here."

Xu Damao felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He scrambled into the house, stood in the corner with a forced smile on his face, and didn't even dare to sit down.

"Forget about the deputy director position." Jiang Chen sat in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table. "However, I still have influence with the disciplinary team. In a while, I'll suggest to the factory that you be reinstated."

"Thank you, sir! Thank you, ancestors!" Xu Damao was so excited that he almost knelt down again.

"Don't thank me yet." Jiang Chen's eyes turned cold. "What I need you to do is very simple. The courtyard has been too quiet lately. Since some people don't want me to have an easy time, then nobody should have an easy time either. Especially that idiot Zhu, and Liu Haizhong..."

"I understand! I understand!" A ruthless glint flashed in Xu Damao's eyes. "That idiot Sha Zhu, I've wanted to teach him a lesson for a long time! And that old bastard Liu Haizhong! Don't worry, sir, you don't need to lift a finger, I'll make sure they're completely subservient!"

"Go ahead." Jiang Chen waved his hand, as if shooing away a fly. "Close the door behind you."

Xu Damao thanked him profusely and left, carefully closing the door behind him. Standing in the cold wind, he touched his knees, which no longer felt like his own, but his face showed no humiliation. Instead, it revealed a wild joy at having found a new backer.

What difference does it make who you serve as a dog? Serving as Jiang Chen's dog means you can eat meat!

inside the house.

Jiang Chen looked at the two bottles of wine on the table with a playful expression.

"Shazhu's been jumping around a lot lately, perfect, the wicked need the wicked to deal with them. Using this mad dog to bite those beasts will save me some trouble."

With Xu Damao subdued, the game in this courtyard is now truly alive. Next, it's time for that self-important He Yuzhu to taste the bitterness of being betrayed by his own people.