Courtyard house: Just the right amount of pressure, leaving you bewildered but not brain-damaged.

As they walked out of the detention cell, Li Shuguo put his arm around Gao Xiaosheng's shoulder, a gossipy expression on his face.

"Brother Sheng, what exactly is your relationship with Jia Dongxu? I don't understand."

"Didn't you say you were going to get back at him? Why are you talking to him so much today?"

Gao Xiaosheng shrugged and shook off Li Shuguo's hand. "It's so hot, stay away from me."

"Didn't I teach him a lesson? Didn't you see those three slaps?"

"I reminded him because I was afraid of disrupting Section Chief Zhou and the work group leaders' plans."

Li Shuguo curled his lip; he didn't believe a single word Gao Xiaosheng said.

"You have the nerve to call that a mouth? I swat mosquitoes harder than you do."

"Brother Sheng, tell me the truth, isn't Jia Dongxu your half-brother? Are you two playing the elder brother-like father role here?"

"I was very naughty when I was a child, but as soon as my dad lifted his foot and picked up his shoe, I would immediately behave and nod vigorously no matter what he said."

"You're planning to do that too? So that from now on, all you have to do is raise your hand and Jia Dongxu will obediently listen to you?"

Li Shuguo was not only smarter than those beasts in the yard, but he also had a rich imagination.

Gao Xiaosheng slapped Jia Dongxu for two consecutive days, a total of eight times.

However, while it may not be very harmful, it is extremely insulting. Even combined, it is not as severe as what Li Shuguo said.

This made him wonder.

Thinking back to the initial plan between the two of them to take special care of Jia Dongxu during militia training, it all seemed like a script for "the transformation of a rebellious younger brother".

"Come on, we both speak with a strong Northeastern accent, while Jia Dongxu speaks with a Beijing accent. We're just ordinary neighbors."

"No, they're neighbors who can't stand each other."

"Hurry up, report to Section Chief Zhou, and then this job will be done."

Gao Xiaosheng took two quick steps. Some details were indeed hard to explain. He couldn't very well say that he went easy on the person so that he could hit them a few more times. What normal person would believe such nonsense?

Li Shuguo followed behind Gao Xiaosheng, his suspicion undiminished.

So what if he has a Northeastern accent? Didn't he say that they are half-siblings?

Maybe Gao Xiaosheng's biological father came to Beijing right after he was born. Back then, there were so many people who wanted to escape Northeast China, and Beijing was the closest city.

"Knock knock"

"Enter."

"Section Chief Zhou."

Gao Xiaosheng and Li Shuguo stand at attention and salute.

"It's you guys. Sit down, I'll pour you some water."

Zhou Jiasheng only showed his capable military demeanor when returning gifts; as soon as he put his hand down, he transformed into a smiling, easy-going person.

"The matter was handled well. At the meeting this morning, Wei Bai, the leader of the working group, gave high praise to the work of the security department."

"It not only brought the situation under control and deterred the workshop workers, but also created a favorable opportunity for the working group to carry out the next step of its publicity campaign to cultivate workers' sense of ownership."

Gao Xiaosheng's lips twitched slightly as he listened, while Li Shuguo's eyelids drooped.

Zhou Jiasheng, as expected of a former instructor, could recite just a few words that those roughnecks couldn't even memorize, let alone speak with intonation.

"Hey Li, what's wrong? Didn't sleep well on patrol last night? Tired? Have a smoke to perk yourself up."

Zhou Jiasheng placed two teacups in front of Gao Xiaosheng and Li Shuguo, and then took out a cigarette case to offer cigarettes.

"The working group has already drafted the punishment decision for Comrade Jia Dongxu."

"A fine of 50,000 yuan and an extension of the apprenticeship period by 18 months."

"Put these up on both sides of the main gate tomorrow afternoon."

"Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

Zhou Jiasheng smoked a cigarette, his gaze shifting between the two men.

Li Shuguo turned to look at Gao Xiaosheng, and seeing that he didn't speak, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "Section Chief Zhou, isn't this a bit too heavy?"

"An apprentice's salary is 180,000, and a low-level worker's is 300,000. That's a difference of 120,000 per month. That's a huge amount of money lost in a year and a half."

After listening, Zhou Jiasheng nodded noncommittally. "Well, Xiao Gao, is there anything you'd like to say?"

Gao Xiaosheng looked up at Zhou Jiasheng, thought about it carefully, and shook his head, saying, "No, I believe the organization's decision was made after careful consideration."

The punishment for Jia Dongxu was indeed too severe.

Three days of detention and a 50,000 yuan fine are minor issues; the real problem is the extended apprenticeship period.

Losing more than two million yuan, those dozen or so kilograms of scrap material must have been worth far too much.

However, he strongly suspects that Zhou Jiasheng is engaging in entrapment.

The penalty decision was already drafted before they even thought to ask the person in charge for their opinion?

Do they think that their differing opinions will force the working group to reconvene for discussion?

That's utter nonsense.

"Slippery," Zhou Jiasheng chuckled, but his tone was full of admiration.

That's right, he was indeed testing the two of them, no, he should be saying he was testing Gao Xiaosheng.

Li Shuguo had been working under him for several months, so he knew exactly what kind of person Li Shuguo was.

Talkative, irresponsible, lacking in cleverness and wisdom, he's clearly a reckless fool, yet he always pretends to be both wise and brave.

The reason for creating this exam question is that Gao Xiaosheng's success in solving the problem this time was largely due to luck. It was like his first move after getting out of the academy, and he used it to eliminate the people in the academy.

If I hadn't lived in the same courtyard as Jia Dongxu, if Jia Dongxu hadn't stolen scrap metal, if...

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs." The case was perfectly resolved, but Zhou Jiasheng did not have a comprehensive understanding of Gao Xiaosheng's abilities and whether he could shoulder the heavy responsibility.

Now, at least he knows that this kid isn't straightforward and is definitely much better at handling interpersonal relationships than Li Shuguo.

"Alright, I won't hide it from you. Apart from the 50,000 yuan fine, the working group's decision won't be implemented."

"Based on the current progress, we should be able to officially take over the steel rolling mill by the end of the year, and then implement the eight-level worker system, which will be just in time for the assessment after the Spring Festival next year."

"Comrade Jia Dongxu meets the requirement of having worked for a full year, so he is naturally eligible to apply."

"Xiao Gao, go to the detention room later and explain things to him clearly. Don't let the punishment be too harsh and cause any trouble."

Zhou Jiasheng paused, then added, "Well, the main thing is not to make baseless accusations against people."

If the two people opposite him were smart, they wouldn't have needed to say that last sentence, but Zhou Jiasheng wasn't sure.

Li Shuguo is definitely not a smart person.

Gao Xiaosheng looks somewhat like him now, but I'm not 100% sure.

"Section Chief Zhou, don't worry. Brother Sheng just warned Jia Dongxu. Now, even if he had three times the courage, he wouldn't dare to say anything reckless."

As Gao Xiaosheng nodded, Li Shuguo spoke, his expression, tone, and actions brimming with arrogance.

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was a prophet who nipped danger in the bud.

"Oh? How did Xiao Gao warn you? Tell me the details?" Zhou Jiasheng became interested.

Li Shuguo spoke and gestured, making sure to mimic the three symbolic mouths, and his voice and tone perfectly imitated Gao Xiaosheng, vividly recreating the scene.

"Haha, not bad, not bad."

Zhou Jiasheng nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, that's settled then. Release Jia Dongxu before you leave work tomorrow, and now go about your business."