Courtyard House: Starting by inheriting the tradition and suppressing the barbarians.

Spring is still chilly, and the weather is unpredictable, with sudden warm spells followed by cold spells.

Although it was already spring of 1969.

But a chilling atmosphere still lingered in the air of Beijing.

In the east of the city, a crowd of onlookers had gathered outside a secluded scholar's residence.

The door was wide open, and sounds of things being smashed and broken could be heard from inside, along with a woman's suppressed sobs.

This is the home of Ran Qiuye, a teacher at Hongxing Primary School.

The yard was a complete mess.

Precious rare ancient books were scattered all over the ground and trampled on at will.

The exquisite calligraphy and paintings were torn into pieces and fluttered in the wind.

Ran Qiuye's parents were two gentle and refined old intellectuals.

He was huddled in the corner, trembling, with injuries on his face and fear in his eyes.

Ran Qiuye was pushed and shoved to stand in the middle of the courtyard.

Her hair was disheveled, and one of her glasses had fallen off.

Her delicate face was streaked with tears, yet she stubbornly held her head high.

"Ran Qiuye! Confess now!"

The leader was a young man with a fierce face, and he was holding a hair clipper in his hand.

"Your parents returned from overseas; that's the biggest piece of evidence!"

"Today we're not only going to ransack your house, but we're also going to shave your head in a humiliating way and parade you through the streets!"

"No! We are patriotic!"

"I came back in response to the call of the nation!" Ran Qiuye argued in a hoarse voice.

"Still dare to be stubborn?"

The young man kicked over a nearby bookshelf and said viciously, "Looks like he won't learn his lesson until he's faced with the consequences!"

"Someone, hold her down!"

"Shave your head first, then put up the sign!"

Several wolves rushed up, grabbed Ran Qiuye's arm, and pushed her to the ground.

"Dad! Mom! Help me..."

Ran Qiuye struggled frantically, but to no avail.

His parents were also tightly controlled.

I watched as the cold clippers drew closer and closer to my scalp.

Watching my parents close their eyes in despair...

Ran Qiuye's heart sank completely into the abyss.

She knew that once her head was shaved in a humiliating way and she was paraded through the streets, she would be in serious trouble.

Then her dignity and her character would be completely destroyed...

In this day and age, that's a humiliation worse than death!

Just as the clippers were about to touch Ran Qiuye's hair!

"stop."

A calm voice suddenly rang out.

Although the sound was not loud, it seemed to have a strange penetrating power.

This caused everyone present to instinctively pause for a moment.

Everyone turned to look.

A military green jeep was parked at the entrance.

A young man wearing a black overcoat was standing next to the car.

He was tall and handsome, with cold eyes that surveyed everything in the courtyard.

He exuded an aura that made people afraid to look him in the eye.

It was Li Xuan.

"Who are you? Mind your own business!"

The young man in the lead was stunned for a moment, then roared, "We're on a mission!"

Li Xuan completely ignored him.

Instead, he walked steadily into the courtyard step by step.

As he walked past the scattered books, he made a point of avoiding stepping on them.

This detail brought a glimmer of light to Ran Qiuye's father's eyes.

Li Xuan walked up to Ran Qiuye and gently pushed away the two people who were holding her down.

The two men wanted to resist, but they found that Li Xuan's strength was astonishing.

It's like a pair of iron clamps; you can't move it at all.

"Are you alright?"

Li Xuan took out a clean white handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Ran Qiuye.

Ran Qiuye looked at the man in front of her, and tears instantly streamed down her face. "You... Li Xuan?"

"What exactly do you do?! Are you trying to rebel?"

Seeing that he was being ignored, the young man in the lead angrily rushed forward and tried to grab Li Xuan by the collar.

Li Xuan slapped him across the face.

"Snapped!"

That slap was swift, accurate, and ruthless.

The slap sent the young man spinning around on the spot, and half of his face instantly swelled up.

"You dare to hit someone?" Everyone was shocked.

"That's exactly the kind of blind fool you are, I'm going to beat you up."

Li Xuan snorted coldly and pulled out a brown paper file folder from his pocket.

Then, he slapped the young man hard across the face, yelling, "Open your dog eyes and see clearly what this is!"

The young man covered his face and opened the file folder with trembling hands.

Inside was a document stamped with the bright red national emblem seal—"A Protection Order for Special Returned Overseas Chinese Talents and Their Families".

And on the attached list, the names of Ran Qiuye's parents were clearly written!

"Based on the latest instructions from the State Council!"

"Patriotic overseas Chinese who returned to China in the early days of the People's Republic to participate in its development are considered key individuals under state protection!"

"No unit or individual may conduct unauthorized searches, seizures, or insults without the approval of higher authorities!"

Li Xuan's voice was icy cold, "Your actions today are undermining the country's united front policy!"

"This is tarnishing the country's reputation!"

"Are you capable of bearing this crime?"

"Huh? This..."

The young man's legs began to cramp as he looked at the bright red seal.

Although he was arrogant, he knew that some official documents these days were very powerful and not to be trifled with.

"A misunderstanding...it's all a misunderstanding..."

The young man swallowed hard and handed the document back to Li Xuan with both hands.

Forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace, she said, "We...we're leaving now!"

"roll."

Li Xuan uttered only one word.

The group of people were overjoyed and disappeared in a flash.

Not even half of that arrogance from before remained.

The courtyard fell silent instantly.

Ran Qiuye looked at Li Xuan's tall back, her heart pounding.

That... solves it?

It had been bothering their family for months.

It even nearly drove them to their doom!

So Li Xuan resolved it with just a document and a few words?

"Thank you... thank you..."

Father Ran, tears streaming down his face, knelt down tremblingly.

"Uncle, you mustn't."

Li Xuan quickly helped the old man up, saying, "You are an intellectual, a treasure of the nation."

"Suffering a little injustice is temporary; the country will not forget you."

These words warmed the hearts of the two elders of the Ran family.

Li Xuan glanced at the messy courtyard and frowned: "We can't stay here for the time being."

"Those people may be gone, but there's no guarantee that others won't come to harass us."

"Things are getting tense these days, how about... Teacher Ran, come stay at my place for a while?"

"Go...go to your place?" Ran Qiuye blushed.

"I have an empty annex in my backyard where the rainwater stays too, so you can keep each other company."

Li Xuan explained, his tone frank and without the slightest hint of frivolity.

"As for your parents, I have already arranged accommodations for them."

"There are guards standing watch there, it's absolutely safe."

Looking into Li Xuan's clear eyes, Ran Qiuye's shyness dissipated.

Instead, there was endless gratitude and attachment.

......

On the jeep.

Ran Qiuye sat in the passenger seat, turning her head to look at Li Xuan, who was focused on driving.

The setting sun outside the car window shone on his profile, giving him a golden glow.

In this turbulent and indifferent era.

This man was like a majestic mountain, giving her an unprecedented sense of security!

"Li Xuan..." Ran Qiuye called softly.

"Um?"

Why are you helping me? This is risky.

Li Xuan looked straight ahead and smiled faintly: "Because you are a good teacher and a good person."

"Even though this world is chaotic, there has to be someone protecting the beautiful things, doesn't there?"

At this moment, Ran Qiuye felt her heart completely captivated.

He never imagined that his former student would grow into such a towering tree!

It was already dark when we got back to the courtyard house.

Li Xuan led Ran Qiuye into the backyard.

He Yushui had already received the notice and cleaned the side room thoroughly.

"Teacher Ran, you've suffered so much!"

Rainwater held Ran Qiuye's hand tenderly.

After settling everything in, Li Xuan prepared to return to his main room to rest.

"Li Xuan!"

Ran Qiuye suddenly chased after her, "I...I don't know how to repay you."

She took a step forward, as if she wanted to hug him.

Li Xuan, however, took a half step back without making a sound, maintaining a polite distance.

He looked at Ran Qiuye, his eyes gentle yet restrained: "Live well, and educate others."

"That's the best way to repay them."

"It's late, you should get some rest."

After saying that, Li Xuan nodded slightly, turned around and went into the main room, closing the door behind him.

Ran Qiuye stood outside the door, stunned.

She sensed Li Xuan's rejection, a gentlemanly act that stemmed from affection but remained within the bounds of propriety.

Although I felt a little disappointed.

But her respect and admiration for this man only deepened.

In this world overflowing with desires, his restraint is more captivating than his indulgence.

Li Xuan stood by the window, watching Ran Qiuye's retreating figure as she returned to the house, and sighed softly.

He has Hua Youlin.

Although he doesn't mind having more female confidantes in this era.

But he didn't want to give such a good girl any vague or unrealistic hope.

Saving her was out of a sense of morality.

Not touching her is a matter of principle!

......