Uncle Shazhu, a simple-minded man in a courtyard house, persuades people with reason.

On the way back, Luo Chengjun, displaying the magnanimity of an old revolutionary, sincerely apologized to He Ping'an. He Ping'an accepted the apology readily. Of course, when it comes to matters of dignity, a reaction is necessary!

At Jing'an Bookstore, He Ping'an's lengthy essay of over a thousand words directly addresses the Northwest. He first states his stance, then reveals his sharp and assertive nature…

"Equality for all, equality between officers and soldiers, is the spirit of our Communist revolution! I believe that no matter when, where, or what one's status, one must never betray the original intention of the revolution! Luo Chengjun in Beiping, and all the leaders in the Northwest, should take this to heart..."

He Ping'an wasn't reckless. The reason he dared to make the big shots criticize themselves was partly due to impulsive anger, but more so because it was a well-thought-out strategy.

Putting aside the "Emperor's Forbidden Artifact" in his possession, the current environment is truly excellent. "The revolution is not yet complete, comrades must continue to strive!" Speaking the truth is timely.

Most importantly, he believed in the magnanimity of these powerful figures; a broad and open mind was more than enough. At worst, he'd just laugh it off, and as for…

He Ping'an glanced at Luo Chengjun, who stood there dumbfounded, and then looked away. If it weren't for the fact that this guy had risked his life to protect him in the Ma Hanshan family massacre case, would Luo Chengjun's name even deserve to appear on this telegram?

Self-reflection is a mistake, but what do you call it if you reflect on it along with the boss?

As expected, a reply was received shortly after the telegram was sent, and the bigwigs happily admitted their mistakes and criticized themselves!

Luo Chengjun then wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, still shaken. "You really have guts! What if... you little rascal!"

Suddenly, He Ping'an thought of a possibility, and his eyes narrowed. He glanced at Luo Chengjun, who was still sweating in late autumn, and a mischievous smile appeared on his face.

"Since you were worried about me, I'll give you a big gift!"

He Ping'an wrote another telegram, guessing that some big shots would probably give him a nickname like "He the Cannon." Nothing sounded as good as "Honest and Reliable Young Man"!

"He Ping'an, you little bastard, once the revolution is victorious, I will definitely have a duel with you!" Luo Hongjun jumped up and down in anger, his face flushed red.

"Luo Chengjun, don't be ungrateful. I'm making you famous! Who knew you, Luo Chengjun, before? Now, everyone in the Party and the army knows your name, 'Luo the Cannon' of Beiping."

He Ping'an's smile grew increasingly malicious:

"Think about it, with the support of the Northwest this time, you've completely secured the title of 'Cannon.' All those other 'Cannons' are just imposters in front of you. If they're so capable, let them also register their names in the Northwest!"

"Cannon, what a great name! It sounds so powerful. Much better than your 'army' stuff. Really!"

After saying that, He Ping'an left Jing'an Bookstore with a grin!

Afterwards, in the eyes of the Northwest bigwigs, He Ping'an was not only capable, fearless, and insightful, but also bold and principled. Hmm... though the bigwigs still preferred to call him "the rascal"!

Time never stops for anyone... The year has passed, and it's early spring again.

Li Guifen, nearly four months pregnant, was already showing, completely exposed to everyone. The beasts knew perfectly well whose child it was, and no one dared to say a word.

The way they looked at Yi Zhonghai grew increasingly strange. These beasts, who had a grudge against Yi Zhonghai, even stared intently at the top of his head – utterly disgusting.

Yi Zhonghai, like a hibernating viper, seemed to have been provoked... and he made a desperate gamble on the Jia family. Not only did he take good care of the Jia family mother and son in their daily lives, but he also used his connections to bring 16-year-old Jia Dongxu into the steel rolling mill.

Within days, he spent a fortune on a banquet in the courtyard. With all the birds as witnesses, he accepted Jia Dongxu as his apprentice. It was obvious he was going to establish the master-apprentice, father-son dynamic!

Interestingly, at the banquet, Yi Zhonghai openly admitted to scheming against the He family and kowtowed to He Daqing in public to apologize, saying that he would repent and vow to be a kind and helpful neighbor in the future!

It must be admitted that Yi Zhonghai's title as the ultimate boss of the Zhutian Bird Manor is well-deserved; he's an unkillable cockroach. He grows stronger with each setback, becoming more resilient with each battle—he has truly discovered his hidden strength…

Shining brightly on the path of hypocrisy—truly a good leek to be harvested!

On the He family's side, He Yuzhu officially bid farewell to books and, through the introduction of He Daqing's master, became an apprentice to a Sichuan cuisine master to learn cooking, following the old path in the drama.

Everything remained the same for He Ping'an. He would read books, play games, and when he had free time, he would go to the Lou family to steal their treasures. When the mood struck him, he would tease the animals in the yard.

However, Yi Zhonghai is currently cultivating an image as a helpful neighbor who doesn't cause trouble; Jia Zhangshi... Jia Dongxu has already started working at the factory, and she's currently busy finding a wife for her son, so she doesn't have many other commitments.

As for the rest of the bangs, they're trash... let's not even mention them!

His life was mundane and uneventful, and his work was equally uneventful. It wasn't that he had nothing to do; it was mainly because He Ping'an's abilities were undeniable. What would be an impossible task for ordinary people—assassination and rescue—was merely commonplace for him.

This is probably the only regret for cheaters... The experience is terrible; they only need to work overtime for a short while before there's no more work to do!

Time flew by, and it was mid-October 1947. The great battle was still raging, the Kuomintang's momentum was in our hands, and our party was launching local counterattacks. These things were far removed from He Ping'an's life; he was currently at the hospital with He Daqing, accompanying her during childbirth.

"Wow..."

A baby cried several times before being born, and the delivery room door was opened from the inside.

Congratulations Mr. He, both mother and child are safe and sound!

He Ping'an took Li Guifen's pulse and found she was just exhausted from work, but there were no other problems. He glanced at the child, said goodbye to He Daqing, and strolled away from the hospital.

The Eight Great Hutongs were arguably the most famous area for romantic escapades in Beijing and even the whole country. Only the Qinhuai River in the south could rival them…

Wearing a black silk robe underneath a fur coat and a melon-shaped hat, and casually toying with an exquisite jade pendant, He Ping'an's appearance as a nouveau riche visiting the capital immediately caught the attention of the madam of Cui Liu Yuan.

The Eight Great Hutongs was a place where more than a hundred brothels gathered, not that the brothels were named Eight Great Hutongs.

"Oh, sir, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here? Our Emerald Willow Garden..."

Disguised, He Ping'an looked impatient. "Enough talk... Hurry up and call out your top courtesan. I have plenty of money..."

"Yes...yes...yes! Sir, please wait a moment!"

The madam, having had a dull conversation, felt somewhat embarrassed and obediently went upstairs to call for someone.

He Ping'an's disguise to come to the brothel was also considered a mission, as instructed by the Lou family's little beauty!

The young lady turned 19 next year, almost 20. In the past year, the Lou and He families have gotten to know each other well and established initial trust. To further deepen their ties, a natural progression... marriage!