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

In late July, as the weather in Beijing grew hotter, the popularity of Yi Zhonghai gradually faded.

Even the most delicious melon, once you've eaten it down to just a thin rind, it's no longer worth chewing. The best option is to throw it in the trash and pick a new melon to quench your thirst.

Gao Xiaosheng, the community security officer, finally completed his first dispute mediation.

The matter was simple: two young workers, due to a lack of coordination, started blaming each other, and their insults escalated until they ran out of the workshop and got into a physical fight.

Coincidentally, Gao Xiaosheng happened to be patrolling the factory and arrived at the scene before the workshop director.

Following the instructions of Section Chief Zhou Jiasheng, he and Li Shuguo adopted a strategy of first controlling and then mediating, and directly took action to subdue both workers.

Then, Gao Xiaosheng personally experienced the importance of the "mass line".

Throughout the entire mediation process, Gao Xiaosheng and Li Shuguo were unable to get a word in edgewise.

The workshop director gave the workers a thorough dressing-down, and when he got tired of yelling, he called over their respective mentors to take over the work.

For half an hour, the two masters kicked and punched their apprentice, and they didn't stop talking either. The force they used was much more ruthless than Gao Xiaosheng's.

After they had vented their frustrations, the workers made a grand entrance, using the simplest language and gestures to explain the importance of teamwork and cooperation among the workshop workers.

Yes, that's right. Some pulled ears, some yanked arms, and some kicked butts. Everyone showed off their skills.

Only when the two men's minds and bodies were beyond their limits, and they willingly admitted their mistakes to each other, did their coworkers reluctantly let them off the hook.

It's not that everyone is deliberately messing with each other. The consequences of a fight among workshop workers are similar to Liu Haizhong hitting his child. It's not just a matter between two people. At least, their chances of being selected as an outstanding workshop at the end of the year are slim.

Gao Xiaosheng and Li Shuguo watched the whole thing from the sidelines until the very end when the workshop director shook Gao Xiaosheng's hand and apologized repeatedly, saying that he had delayed the security patrol.

Looking at the two disheveled, expressionless young workers, Gao Xiaosheng genuinely felt that they might not have suffered such a terrible fate if they had fallen into the hands of the security department.

Fortunately, the security department was small, so they weren't being attacked by hundreds of workers in turn like they are now.

In the end, Gao Xiaosheng only said a few polite words and had the two workers shake hands, thus resolving the dispute.

After walking more than ten meters, I clicked my tongue in regret, wondering why I didn't feel any sense of accomplishment at all.

Section Chief Zhou said that the work of the security officers was quite extensive and varied, but now it seems that's not the case. It doesn't matter whether he's there or not; the workshop director can manage everything perfectly well.

But soon, Gao Xiaosheng changed his mind. He realized that he still had a role to play as a security officer.

In the evening, Gao Xiaosheng returned home from get off work and was helping He Yushui in the kitchen when Sun Youtian knocked on the door and came in.

"Brother Sheng, there's something I think I should tell you."

Sun Youtian sat in the chair, took a couple of sips of water from his teacup, wiped his mouth, and said...

"Hmm? What is it? Tell me."

Gao Xiaosheng took out a cigarette case and handed one to Sun Youtian.

"It seems like there's gambling going on in our factory."

Sun Youtian's words made Gao Xiaosheng's eyes shine brightly, like a 100-degree light bulb.

Since he used Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong to participate in the lottery seven times more than ten days ago, things have been calm in the yard and there hasn't been a chance for him to make a sale in the factory. He hasn't made a single sale.

"How many people? What time? Do you know the location?" Gao Xiaosheng fired off a barrage of three soul-searching questions.

Sun Youtian scratched his head. "The number shouldn't be too many, maybe... twenty or thirty people?"

"The time is usually after lunch break, the location is unclear, but it should be not far from the factory."

Gao Xiaosheng pressed further, "How did you know? Who told you?"

"I was chatting with a few people at the table next to me in the cafeteria at lunchtime today."

"From what they've been saying, it seems like they go out to gamble for a while after dinner every day, and then come back before going to work in the afternoon."

"Yesterday, one of the people playing Pai Gow probably got carried away and came back half an hour late. They got a lecture from the workshop foreman and the other workers."

"So they reminded each other to be back on time so they wouldn't get scolded."

Sun Youtian frowned, carefully recalling the scene at the time. After thinking for a moment, he added, "I guess they might not be from the same workshop. One of them looked like an electrician, and the other two, with red and dark faces, were probably furnace workers."

Gao Xiaosheng rubbed his hands together excitedly.

Twenty or thirty people, if we catch them all and lock them in the detention room, even if each of them gets slapped twice, that's enough for four or five ten-pulls.

The opportunity to get rich and reach the pinnacle of life has arrived!

"Old Sun, can you recognize those people? Come to the main gate after you get your lunch tomorrow and point them out to me, okay?"

Sun Youtian hesitated for a few seconds, then slowly shook his head. "Brother Sheng, I doubt he'd recognize me. I was afraid of being discovered, so I didn't dare look at their table. I just stole a couple of glances."

"However, they are not very old, they look to be only in their twenties."

Gao Xiaosheng's joy diminished considerably. He had originally intended to act quickly and reap a wave of lottery chances, but now it seemed that things wouldn't be so simple.

With a factory employing 3,000 people, at least several hundred would loiter outside the factory area every noon. It wouldn't be easy to pick out a small group of gamblers from among them.

If there are enough people, it's fine; spending a few days tracking will always yield some results.

But the security department is short-staffed, so where would they find extra manpower to assign to him?

"Well, it's alright. It's good enough that we know there are workers gambling. We'll find out the truth eventually if we investigate slowly."

"Old Sun, keep an eye out when you go to the cafeteria these days. If you recognize any of those people, come find me anytime."

Gao Xiaosheng quickly adjusted his mindset and patted Sun Youtian on the shoulder with a smile.

A quick solution was out of the question, so I had to work harder, searching for a needle in a haystack at the factory gate every noon.

The time to test one's luck is approaching again. Hopefully, the good fortune accumulated from all the lucky draws will come through at this crucial moment.

"Brother Sheng, the steamed buns are ready. Could you bring them to me? And the stir-fry will be done soon too."

He Yushui's voice came from the kitchen.

"Okay, coming right away." Gao Xiaosheng turned around and called out, then pressed down on Sun Youtian, who was trying to get up, "Old Sun, finish your meal before you leave."

"No need, I'll just make something when I get home," Sun Youtian waved his hand and refused.

Honest people have a sense of right and wrong. Last time he ate beef and mutton at Gao Xiaosheng's house, he only brought a bottle of cheap liquor, which already gave him a considerable advantage.

I felt a little guilty about staying for a free meal.

"Brother Sheng, wait until you catch the gamblers and do a good deed before you treat me to dinner. Let's skip it today."

Sun Youtian's attitude was sincere and resolute.

Gao Xiaosheng couldn't persuade him otherwise, so he could only raise his hand from Sun Youtian's shoulder and say, "Okay, it's settled then. Once the case is solved, let He Yuzhu cook, and we'll have a good meal together."

He then casually stuffed the cigarettes that were on the table into Sun Youtian's shirt pocket.

He knew that even though the two were neighbors and had a good relationship, things couldn't be based solely on friendship, otherwise it would be difficult for the relationship to last.