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

Jia Dongming explained with a smile, "Mom, all the furniture in my room was old, and we're getting married soon, right? When I went to the trust store to pick out a door, I happened to see this set of furniture. It was in good condition, so I brought it all back."

"Dongming, what's this door for?"

The three women's gaze fell on the solid wood door standing against the wall, and they couldn't help but ask.

Jia Dongming said gently, "Auntie, my job is special. I often don't get home until midnight, and sometimes I have to go out again in the early hours of the morning."

I feel really bad that you and Uncle San always have to get up to open the door.

I was thinking of opening a door in the side courtyard wall so it would be convenient for people to come and go, and so as not to disturb the elderly couple's rest all the time.

The three women knew this perfectly well—every time their husbands opened the door for Jia Dongming, they would receive some benefit.

If he really opens the door himself, this "extra income" will...

But then it's gone.

She immediately became anxious and hurriedly said, "Dongming, what are you saying! Helping the people in the courtyard open the door is Old Yan's duty, why are you being so formal!"

Jia Dongming understood her thoughts perfectly well, and still smiled and said, "Third Aunt, if it's just once or twice, I definitely won't be polite to you."

But my job doesn't have fixed hours, and I feel uneasy troubling you all year round.

Jia Dongming's words left the third aunt feeling empty inside. She understood the reasoning behind it, but the thought of the "profits" from opening the shop late at night was unsettling.

It's completely over. It feels like a penny has been taken away from my pocket, and it's a bitter pill to swallow.

Jia Zhangshi, however, was preoccupied with something else. She leaned closer, her eyes gleaming: "Dongming, Aunt Wang from the front yard was muttering the other day that you're earning over 170 yuan a month now—is that true?"

Looking at his mother's expression, Jia Dongming couldn't help but laugh: "Mom, it's true."

"The steel rolling mill pays me 175.5 yuan a month, and I also have a job at the Dongcheng branch of the police station, which pays me 135.5 yuan a month. Together... it's a little over 300 yuan."

"Three hundred...more than three hundred?"

Madam Jia was stunned. After a long while, she said in a trembling voice, "Pinch me, am I dreaming?"

Jia Dongming didn't make a move, but took out a stack of banknotes from his pocket and gently placed them on the table: "The bureau gave me a 300 yuan bonus today, please keep this 100 yuan."

But Mom, you should keep the fact that I'm earning two salaries to yourself; please don't tell anyone else.

Madam Jia grabbed the money, moistened her fingertips with saliva, and began counting it, hurriedly replying, "Don't worry, don't worry, your mother isn't senile. Do you think I don't understand the principle of not flaunting wealth?"

***

Around 4 p.m., Jia Dongming returned to the security office of the steel rolling mill.

The light from outside the window slanted in, casting a pale golden shadow on his desk. Suddenly, he thought of the blacksmith shop—the rusted iron, the furnace, and the secrets that might be hidden beneath.

He reached out and grasped the telephone handle, shook it a few times, and when the operator's voice came through, he said calmly, "Comrade, please transfer me to the Criminal Investigation Division of the Dongcheng Branch and ask for Captain Zhang Huanchun."

During the brief wait, a faint crackling sound of electricity could be heard from the microphone.

About a minute later, a steady male voice came from the other end: "Criminal Investigation Division of Dongcheng Branch, this is Zhang Huanchun."

Who is it?

"Team Leader Zhang, this is Jia Dongming."

He smiled and said, "I was in such a rush to report this morning that I almost forgot to tell you something important."

"Oh?"

Zhang Huanchun's voice revealed a hint of surprise, "Deputy Captain Jia, please speak."

"There was a theft at the factory last night. The suspect confessed that all the stolen scrap steel was sold to a blacksmith shop in the city."

I sent someone to investigate, and they felt that something was off about the shop.

"I should have had the security department follow up, but since I'm now considered part of the branch office, I should report this to you first."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

When he spoke again, Zhang Huanchun lowered his voice: "Are you talking about... the one by the overpass?"

Jia Dongming's eyes narrowed: "Exactly."

"Did the branch office already have this on their radar?"

"At the beginning of the year, some people reported that unfamiliar faces were frequently seen coming and going from that shop."

Zhang Huanchun's tone became cautious, "We set up hidden sentries and kept watch for more than half a year, but we still couldn't find any real evidence against them."

The reason we didn't act was to avoid alerting the enemy—if there were still other leads, taking rash action might cut off the trail.

Jia Dongming gripped the receiver tightly.

He knew that if there really was a radio station hidden under the shop, a raid might seize the equipment, but it would also mean that a deeper network might be quietly hidden away.

Jia Dongming gleaned some clues from Zhang Huanchun's narration, and couldn't help but frown slightly.

He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, pondered for a moment, and then spoke: "Captain Zhang, you've been watching for so long, but that shop hasn't moved an inch... Could it be that they already noticed and are deliberately putting on a show for you?"

These words resonated deeply with Zhang Huanchun.

He had his doubts, but he was unwilling to easily question the abilities of his subordinates.

He straightened his expression and said in a calm tone, "Deputy Captain Jia, to be honest, I've also considered this idea."

But think about it, if it were truly enemy agents who had caught wind of something, they should have already vanished without a trace. Why would they be opening the doors every day and making a clanging noise while forging iron? In my opinion, our people may not have given themselves away.”

He paused, then continued his analysis: "In the past six months, there has been almost no progress. There are only two possibilities: either the blacksmith shop was originally clean and tidy, or... they have another extremely secretive way of communicating with the outside world, and our people haven't figured it out yet."

The image of the radio station flashed through Jia Dongming's mind.

He suddenly leaned forward: "There are quite a few farmers going in and out of the shop every day to buy hoes and sickles, Captain Zhang, could the intelligence be hidden in these most inconspicuous transactions?"

"I've checked."

Zhang Huanchun answered readily, "We sent unfamiliar faces to mingle among the customers and secretly followed several leads, but so far we haven't uncovered a single suspicious person."

Jia Dongming had originally planned to hand the case over to the branch office without further ado, but he changed his mind now.

He tapped his knuckles on the table, his voice low but clear: "Why don't you let me take over this case?"

After a moment's thought, Zhang Huanchun nodded in agreement: "Okay."

Since you're interested, I'll have the Third Brigade take over, and their brigade commander will contact you directly shortly.

"it is good."

Jia Dongming replied, "The materials will be transferred to the Third Brigade. I will go to the branch office to officially take over."

Not long after the phone call ended, a smiling face peeked in through the office door.

Xu Damao stepped in sideways, his voice laced with familiar obsequiousness: "Director Jia, are you busy?"

Jia Dongming looked up, slightly surprised: "It's Da Mao. What brings you here today? Come in and have a seat."

Xu Damao strode over to the table, his back unconsciously bending slightly. "Director, I just got back from showing a movie in the countryside at noon. As soon as I entered the factory, I heard the news of your promotion, so I rushed over to congratulate you!"

"I was wondering why I hadn't seen you around the yard these past two days."

Jia Dongming smiled. "So you went to the countryside."

Xu Damao, who had only sat on one side of the chair opposite him, remembered something important and hurriedly said, "My fellow villager insisted on giving me some of his best cured meat. I was thinking of inviting you to my house for a simple meal tonight, both as a welcome dinner and to celebrate your arrival—I wonder if you would do me the honor?"

Lou Xiao'e's image flashed before Jia Dongming's eyes, and his smile deepened: "What a coincidence, Da Mao."

I've already made an appointment with Deputy Factory Director Li tonight.

But... if you have some free time, why don't you come along?

Xu Damao's "What a coincidence"

Upon hearing this, my heart sank, but when I heard the next sentence, my face lit up instantly, and I nodded repeatedly with delight: "I'm free, I'm free! Director Jia, I'll definitely be there!"

"Then it's settled."

Jia Dongming glanced at the clock on the wall. "Five o'clock sharp, see you at the security department's canteen."

As night fell, a jeep rolled through the dust of the alley and stopped in front of the courtyard gate.

Jia Dongming half-supported and half-carried the completely drunk Xu Damao out of the car, then turned to the people inside and smiled, "Director Li, thank you for giving me this ride."

I'll settle Da Mao in first, you should go back and rest early too.

Through the car window, Li Huaide waved with a smile: "Director Jia, you're too kind. See you later."

Jia Dongming helped the heavy, almost unconscious body slowly into the courtyard.

The front door was still ajar, and a dim light shone from inside.

He had just stepped across the threshold when someone rushed out of the house—Yan Bugui rubbed his hands together, a warm smile spreading across his face: "Director Jia! You're finally back! Oh my, Da Mao... how much did you drink?"

Yan Bugui smiled broadly: "Huai Ru specifically told me earlier that you would be returning late tonight and asked me to leave the door open."

I've been thinking about this all along, so I decided to wait for you here.

Jia Dongming waved his hand: "Thank you for your trouble."

Once the house is all tidied up in a few days, I'll host a dinner party for you.

"From now on, my neighbors can just call me Dongming. Calling me 'section chief' is too formal."

Hearing "set up a table"

Upon hearing those three words, Yan Bugui's eyes lit up—he still vividly remembered the taste of the meal and drinks at the Jia family's house last time.

He rubbed his hands together and laughed, "That would be great! Dongming, you go ahead with your work, I'll help you get Da Mao inside?"

These days, Qin Huairu and her mother-in-law have moved to the side courtyard, so Lou Xiao'e hasn't gone there anymore.

Although Jia Dongming had tried it on his own wife twice, whenever he thought of Lou Xiao'e's ambiguous smile, he felt a fire burning in his heart, and he was determined to make her submit.

With Xu Damao completely drunk, this was a golden opportunity, and he certainly wasn't going to let Yan Bugui follow him to the Xu family.

Seeing Yan Bugui reach out to help, Jia Dongming stepped aside to block him and said with a smile, "Third Uncle, you should go and close the courtyard gate. I can handle Da Mao by myself."

Yan Bugui was just putting on an act, so when he heard him say that, he readily stopped and said, "Alright, then I'll bolt the door."

Dongming, you should get some rest too.

The blue bricks beneath the moon gate were damp.

Jia Dongming helped Xu Damao through the central courtyard, and without stopping, headed straight for the deeper courtyards.

Meanwhile, Qin Huairu waited and waited at home but no one came. Finally, she put on her coat and went out.

As soon as she reached the moon gate, she saw her husband supporting Xu Damao as their figures disappeared around the corner leading to the backyard.

A dim light was still on in the winter wing of the backyard.

Jia Dongming helped the man to the door and knocked on it: "Xiao'e, Da Mao drank too much, I brought him back."

Inside the house, Lou Xiao'e had prepared hot water for a bath early in the morning.

Hearing the commotion outside, she didn't even bother to put on her outer robe, and rushed to open the door wearing only her smoky purple silk nightgown—the thin, soft material clung to her body, outlining her undulating curves in the light leaking through the crack in the door.

The moment the door opened, the smell of alcohol wafted out.

Lou Xiao'e frowned slightly when she saw her husband slumped on Jia Dongming's shoulder, but her voice was soft and weak: "This good-for-nothing, he always has to trouble Brother Dongming."

He stepped aside to make way, saying, "Come inside quickly, it's chilly outside."

Jia Dongming's gaze swept over her, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

He carried Xu Damao into the inner room and placed him on the kang (a heated brick bed). When he turned around, he was met with Lou Xiao'e's eyes, which were very close to his own.

He lowered his voice and chuckled, "The person has been delivered; I should be going now."

"Thank you, Brother Dongming."

Lou Xiao'e verbally agreed, but took a half step forward.

Jia Dongming strode out of the inner room, his gaze sweeping across the dark courtyard like a hawk's—the paper windows of each household were all dark.

He suddenly turned around, pulled the woman who had followed him into his arms, and lowered his head to seal her soft lips with his own.

Lou Xiao'e let out a soft moan, her arms wrapping around his neck like vines.

A tingling sensation spread from their lips and teeth to every part of her body. Her legs went weak, and she melted against his chest.

In the front yard, Qin Huairu had already boiled a full pot of water.

She stared at the dying embers in the stove, waiting and waiting, but finally couldn't sit still any longer. She pulled her clothes tighter and went to the backyard to look for them.

The night was so dark it was almost impenetrable.

When she reached the window of the Xu family's house, it was already pitch black inside.

Qin Huairu stood there in the wind, her heart clenching as if something had grabbed her—Fen Ming saw her enter the courtyard, but it was as if she had been swallowed up by the night.