Courtyard House: I, the eldest son of the Jia family, have returned from the battlefield.

When Li Xidong uttered those two words, he felt his throat go dry. "All the basic investigation work was completed independently by the comrades in the steel rolling mill's security department, and a closed loop has now been formed."

Section Chief Jia Dongming is right next to me; he can report on each item one by one.

The phone was handed to Jia Dongming.

He cleared his throat and began to narrate in a clear and organized manner: from the secret inspection of the hospital archives on that rainy night three days ago, to the unusual behavior of the female cadre using the alias Zhang Huizi who regularly went to the scrap metal collection station in the west of the city every Wednesday; from the barely perceptible eye contact she exchanged with the known enemy agent liaison twice when they brushed past each other, to the set of key images developed at the Dongfeng Photo Studio last night.

The timing, location, and witnesses of each step were perfectly aligned, like gears meshing together seamlessly.

After a ten-minute explanation, a long sigh came from the other end of the phone. "Comrade Dongming,"

Ma Weidong's voice became particularly serious, "Your security department must continue to keep an eye on Yang Weimin."

Remember, don't alert them, and don't contact them alone.

If field support or technical assistance is needed, coordinate directly with Xidong—but the overall leadership of the investigation must remain within your steel rolling mill.

What does "Mingbai" mean?

"Mingbai".

Jia Dongming gripped the receiver tightly. "This means that before the final crackdown, we must not only investigate Ming's case to find out the truth, but also protect the production order of the steel rolling mill's 3,000 employees from being affected by this storm."

"That's exactly right."

The busy tone of the call being disconnected came through, short and firm.

Jia Dongming slowly put down the receiver and saw Li Xidong standing by the window, looking at the red flag fluttering slightly in the twilight in the courtyard below.

The twilight cast a long shadow of him, stretching all the way to the metal filing cabinet in the corner, where countless secrets of the city were locked away.

And now, there's one more.

After Jia Dongming finished speaking, there was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.

Ma Weidong gripped the phone tighter, his knuckles turning slightly white.

The other person's speculation about the tunnel was like a cold needle, suddenly piercing the depths of his thoughts.

Yes, if those people can spend a year digging and excavating for a workshop, what wouldn't they dare to do? Has the base of the Public Security Bureau building also been hollowed out by termites? This thought sent a chill down his spine.

"Comrade Dongming,"

When Ma Weidong spoke again, his voice was deeper than before, "Your reminder was very timely."

The way this group operates makes it entirely possible that they have planted double or even multiple hidden agents.

Surveillance points may not just be eyes, but also ears, and alarm systems.

He paused, as if quickly sketching an underground network in his mind, "You mentioned drainage ditches... that's crucial."

If utilized, the old underground network of ditches in Beijing would not only be an escape route, but also an excellent channel for transporting soil and concealing traces.

We must begin the investigation immediately, especially the area below the core zone.

Jia Dongming let out a soft sigh of relief on the other end of the phone.

Ma Weidong's understanding and attention made him feel that the pressure on his shoulders was not in vain.

He continued, "Vice President Ma, since the person who gave the warning has been released, there must have been a way out prepared long ago."

I suspect that the internal structure of their stronghold is not simple, and there may be hidden layers or passages that lead directly to underground networks.

The most important thing right now is to prevent them from realizing that we've already gotten close enough.

"Don't worry, we will do it in the most discreet way."

Ma Weidong spoke faster, clearly having made a decision: "You continue to keep things stable on your end. Yang Weimin's identity is special; we must be absolutely certain when we take action against him."

If you are not absolutely certain, it is better to remain inactive.

This pool is too deep; pulling one hair could affect the whole thing.

"I am Mingbai."

Jia Dongming solemnly agreed, "We will act cautiously."

After hanging up the phone, Jia Dongming stayed at the Dongcheng branch for a while longer, and further discussed the intelligence he had sorted out with the branch's responsible comrades.

By the time everything was settled, the sun outside the window was already setting in the west.

He walked out of the branch office and did not return to the security section to ride his bicycle—the factory was closed the next day, and he left his bicycle with his wife, who needed to take food to the hospital, when he left in the morning.

Around 5 p.m., workers leaving the steel rolling mill began to stream out of the gate.

As Jia Dongming walked with the crowd, just outside the factory area, a familiar shout came from behind him.

"Dongming! Why are you walking home today?"

Jia Dongming turned around and saw He Yuzhu carrying two aluminum lunch boxes, catching up from behind.

He stopped and waited for the other person to get closer before laughing and saying, "Your sister-in-law Huairu rode the bike away."

Why is the cafeteria so quiet today?

He Yuzhu shook the lunchbox in his hand, his face bearing his usual somewhat simple and honest smile: "I didn't have any entertaining duties, and Ming'er is on break. Yu Shui will be home for dinner tonight, so I just strolled out early."

I'm thinking of going to the market to see if I can find some vegetables.

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something, "Brother Dongming, you're... going to the market too?"

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Jia Dongming nodded, "We need to add some vegetables to the house too."

He Yuzhu's eyes lit up: "That's a perfect coincidence! Let's go together, we can chat on the way."

The two then walked together toward the bus stop.

The setting sun cast their long, thin shadows onto the dusty road.

Before long, the bus swayed and pulled up, carrying them through the increasingly bustling streets and alleys, heading towards the market outside Chaoyangmen.

However, the scene upon arrival at the market was somewhat disappointing.

Although the place was bustling with people and filled with shouts and bargaining, the goods on the stalls were sparse, especially the vegetables, which were few and far between.

Several vegetable stalls were crowded with people, and the baskets were filled with only some poorly shaped vegetable leaves.

He Yuzhu stood on tiptoe and peered around for a while, then scratched his head: "Wow, this is even more sought-after than I thought."

Jia Dongming glanced around, his expression calm, but his mind was elsewhere.

The scarcity in the market and the quiet digging that may be taking place underground are like two faces of this city, one bright and one dark.

He withdrew his gaze and whispered to He Yuzhu beside him, "Let's take another look ahead; perhaps there are still some corners inside that haven't been cordoned off yet."

When Sha Zhu caught a glimpse of the disappointed look on Jia Dongming's face, a knowing smile appeared on his lips, as if this situation had been within his expectations.

He patted Jia Dongming on the shoulder, his voice carrying a hint of familiar teasing: "Brother Dongming, want to pick up some fresh vegetables? Coming to the market at this hour, you're lucky if you can find anything left over."

He changed the subject, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes: "Others may not have connections, but I do have one."

Come with me.

After saying that, he led Jia Dongming into a narrow alley next to the market and stopped in front of a mottled wooden door.

He raised his hand and knocked on the door, then called out, "Is Master Zhou home? I'm He Yuzhu from the steel mill's kitchen."

A short while later, the door creaked open, and a middle-aged woman wearing an apron poked her head out. As soon as she saw Sha Zhu, she smiled and said, "It's Zhu! Old Zhou went out on some errands, but he told me that the meat he saved for you is kept in the kitchen."

Sha Zhu nodded his thanks, then turned to Jia Dongming beside him and said, "Aunt Zhou, my brother here is also looking for some fresh vegetables. Do you have any left?"

The woman shook her head, her tone regretful: "What time is it? All the freshest vegetables have already been picked over."

She paused, then seemed to remember something, "Some small river shrimp were just delivered this evening, still lively and jumping around. Would this comrade like to take a look?"

Jia Dongming didn't come here to make purchases—he just needed an excuse to get rid of the winter goods he had on Minglu.

Hearing that there were fresh river delicacies, he casually asked, "Are the shrimp fresh? What's the price?"

"Two cents a pound, they were just pulled from the river this afternoon, and many are still jumping around!"

The woman answered readily, "It's only two and a half pounds in total. The scale will give you the exact amount, not a penny less."

Jia Dongming immediately nodded: "Okay, I'll take them all."

The woman turned around happily and went into the house to get the goods. Sha Zhu watched from the side, his eyes smiling, but he didn't say much.

As the sun began to set, the two of them returned to the courtyard house, each carrying a cloth bag.

As soon as I entered the front yard, I saw Yan Bugui pacing around with his hands behind his back.

He glanced up and saw the cloth bags in their hands, his eyes lighting up instantly. He leaned forward and struck up a conversation: "Hey, Section Chief Jia, Sha Zhu, you two came back together?"

Jia Dongming noticed that his gaze kept glancing at the cloth bag, and he knew it like the back of his hand, but he just smiled and said, "I went to the market with Zhuzi."

The family is waiting for the food to be cooked, so I'll head back now.

Yan Bugui was always fond of taking advantage of others, but he dared not act recklessly towards Jia Dongming.

Seeing him carrying the bag towards the central courtyard, he turned around and clung to Sha Zhu, rubbing his hands together and laughing, "Zhu Zi, Uncle San has hidden a bottle of good wine here! I'll provide the wine, you provide the dishes, shall we have a couple of drinks tonight?"

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu immediately showed a look of disgust: "You call that watered-down wine good wine? It's just bad timing today, Yu Shui is coming back from school, I have to get her something nice."

After saying that, he picked up the bag and left.

Yan Bugui, having been rebuffed, stood there clicking his tongue and muttering, "Mingming smelled the aroma of meat just now... That silly Zhuzi, he's gotten clever now."

In the middle courtyard, Jia Zhangshi was sitting by the threshold, sewing shoe soles by the daylight.

Seeing Jia Dongming come in carrying a cloth bag, she quickly put down her needlework and put on a smile: "Dongming, you're back just in time! Aunt Wang came over this afternoon to say she's found a girl for you and invited you to come to the yard this morning to meet her."

Jia Dongming paused in his tracks: "Which family's daughter is she? How old is she? What does she do?"

Madam Jia squinted and thought for a moment before slowly saying, "Her name is Lin Qiuyue, and she's twenty-five."

Her father sacrificed his life years ago, and now she has taken over her mother's job at the supply and marketing cooperative.

There is also a younger brother and a younger sister in the family.

A few years ago, her mother was ill, and her younger siblings were still young, so it was delayed.

Last year, her mother recovered, and her younger brother graduated from vocational school and got a job as a technician at a machine repair shop. That's when they started urging her to find someone.

Twenty-five years old—in this day and age, that's considered a long time late, but in Jia Dongming's eyes, it's the prime of life.

After listening to this, Jia Dongming slowly nodded: "Alright, then Mingtian will take a look."

When Jia Zhangshi saw that her son had agreed, her face immediately lit up with a smile: "Good, good! Once this matter is settled, Mom will immediately arrange your marriage."

"When you have more children, it will be lively and joyful, and then Mom will feel at ease."

Seeing his mother's joyful expression, Jia Dongming said helplessly, "Mom, this is nothing, and you're already thinking about your grandson."

"Of course!"

Madam Jia straightened her back, her tone full of pride, "With my son like this now, what kind of girl can't he find?"

Just then, Sha Zhu sauntered into the courtyard and, upon hearing the conversation, stepped forward: "Auntie is right! Brother Dongming, with your monthly salary of over a hundred yuan and a courtyard with five rooms, how many girls in Beijing would be eyeing you?"

Jia Dongming smiled and turned to look at him: "Zhuzi, you're not a kid anymore, do you have a clear idea of ​​what's going on? Since Aunt Mingtian is here, let her keep an eye out for you too."

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu immediately pictured a handsome face and blurted out without thinking, "I... I just want to find someone good-looking, and he has to be a city resident."

Jia Dongming looked at his sun- and wind-exposed face and shook his head slightly: "Zhu Zi, not to criticize you, but with your standards, you probably won't find someone easy to find."

Sha Zhu retorted, "Why is it hard for me to find a job? I'm a proper cook at the steel mill, earning thirty-seven yuan and fifty cents a month. I have a main room and a side room in the yard, and I earn my own money and spend it myself."

Yes, I'm not as wealthy as you, Dongming, but with my looks and qualifications, can't I even find a pretty wife?

Jia Dongming spoke gently, yet each word was clear: "Zhuzi, with your qualifications, it wouldn't be difficult for you to find a pretty girl in the countryside."

But we'll have to look in the city...

He paused for a moment, then said, "I'm afraid that won't be easy."

"On what grounds?"

Sha Zhu raised his voice a bit, "You can find someone in the city, but I can't? You'd better give me a straight answer today!"

Jia Dongming wasn't annoyed. He just slowly said, "Zhuzi, you're not bad in terms of looks, but your face makes you look much older than your actual age."

When men and women look for partners, who doesn't consider looks? Are those attractive, employed girls in the city more interested in finding a dashing young man, or...?