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

Upon hearing the words "Security Department," Jia Zhangshi, who had been throwing a tantrum on the ground, seemed to be put on pause, and her howling abruptly stopped.

She looked up in alarm, only to meet Jiang Chen's unfathomable eyes.

The image of the "female ghost in red" floating in mid-air that night, the terrifying night that scared her so much she wet her pants, flashed instantly into her mind. That deep-seated fear made all the fat on her body tremble uncontrollably.

Jiang Chen is a living devil! He's really daring to take action!

"I...I..." Jia Zhangshi's lips trembled as she scrambled to her feet, not even bothering to brush off the dust, and darted back into the house, slamming the door shut and leaving Qin Huairu alone outside.

Everyone in the courtyard was stunned.

Jia Zhangshi, who is usually fearless and can lie on the ground for two hours, was scared away by Jiang Chen's words.

Jiang Chen sneered and turned his gaze to Qin Huairu, who was standing alone in the same spot.

Qin Huairu was also pale at this moment; her pitiful mask couldn't hold up in front of Jiang Chen at all. She knew this man's methods all too well; even Deputy Factory Director Li had to show him respect. Her little bit of cleverness was a joke in front of him.

"Qin Huairu, you just said your family is starving?"

Jiang Chen took a step forward, his leather boots making a crisp sound on the bluestone slabs, each step seeming to pound on Qin Huairu's heartbeat.

"Section Chief Jiang, our family really..." Qin Huairu tried to make a last-ditch effort.

"The smell of braised pork wafting from your house last night could even be smelled in the backyard." Jiang Chen exposed her lie without any mercy, his voice as cold as ice. "Did Bang Geng get that fat from drinking thin porridge? If you really don't have money, I don't mind having the security department investigate your family's income sources, and also investigate what's going on with Sha Zhu's lunchbox."

Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu's face instantly turned pale.

It's an open secret in the factory that Sha Zhu brings lunchboxes from the canteen, but if it's really investigated, it'll be considered theft of public property! Not only will Sha Zhu be finished, but she, who has been accepting stolen goods for a long time, won't be able to escape either!

"No! Don't investigate!" Qin Huairu's voice trembled with fear. "I have money! I have money! I'll pay right now!"

She frantically searched her clothes for a while, and finally gritted her teeth, pulled out a cloth bag from her inner pocket, counted out two yuan and a few grain coupons with trembling hands, and handed it to Ran Qiuye.

"Teacher Ran, this is the fine and compensation... My mother-in-law was wrong just now, please... please don't take it to heart."

Ran Qiuye looked at Qin Huairu, who had just been crying poverty and playing the victim, but was now readily handing over money, and felt that her worldview had been shaken. She blankly took the money, and for a moment she didn't know what to say.

Is this what they call "vulnerable groups"?

"And that little bastard." Jiang Chen didn't stop there. He pointed to the Jia family's window, "Make him give a self-criticism in front of the whole class tomorrow. If there's a next time, I'll send him to a juvenile detention center for some training."

Qin Huairu nodded repeatedly, tears welling up in her eyes this time from genuine fear: "Definitely! I'll definitely make him write a self-criticism!"

After dealing with all of this, Jiang Chen's murderous aura instantly subsided.

He turned around, gave Ran Qiuye a crisp military salute, and said with a gentle expression, "Teacher Ran, you've been frightened. Dealing with this kind of scoundrel is no use reasoning with him; we have to use the rule of law and the right methods."

Ran Qiuye looked at the man in front of her.

The stark contrast between his overwhelming domineering presence when dealing with the Jia family and his current polite demeanor towards her was striking. This contrast didn't frighten her; instead, it completely put her mind at ease.

This is what security is.

In this chaotic world, nothing is more appealing than a strong, righteous man who can protect you.

"Thank you... thank you, Comrade Jiang." Ran Qiuye clutched the two yuan tightly, her cheeks flushed, her eyes filled with admiration. "If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't know what to do today."

"It's no trouble at all." Jiang Chen smiled and naturally reached out to take the bicycle handlebars from her hand. "It's getting dark, and the area hasn't been very safe lately. There are no streetlights in the alleys. I'll take you home."

Ran Qiuye was taken aback, instinctively wanting to refuse, after all, they were alone together. But thinking of the terrifying scene just now, and looking at Jiang Chen's open and honest eyes, the words of refusal turned into a soft whisper:

"Well... then I'll trouble you."

The two walked out of the courtyard house one after the other.

Behind them, the neighbors who had been watching the commotion exchanged glances, none of them daring to utter a sound.

Qin Huairu stood alone in the cold wind, watching the two figures depart, clutching the half-empty cloth bag in her hand, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She suddenly realized that all the methods she was so proud of were truly worthless in front of this man.

In the alley, the moonlight was as clear as water.

Jiang Chen pushed the cart, with Ran Qiuye walking half a step to his side. Their shadows were stretched long by the moonlight, occasionally overlapping.

"Comrade Jiang, you were really impressive just now." Ran Qiuye broke the silence, her voice very soft.

"It's not about being imposing, it's just that I can't stand seeing good people being bullied." Jiang Chen glanced at her meaningfully and said, "Teacher Ran, please come visit often. Although there's some mud in this courtyard, we also have good tea."

Ran Qiuye blushed, lowered her head, and nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Um."

That night, some things quietly took root and sprouted.