Courtyard House: From Deputy Division Commander to Civilian, Progressing All the Way

Yi Zhonghai gripped the window frame so tightly that his fingernails broke off.

He used to despise He Daqing and He Yuzhu the most, thinking they were just a pair of brainless brutes. But now, these two brutes have clung to Lin Yang, this towering tree, and have risen to prominence!

But Yi Zhonghai could only live in constant fear, like a rat in a sewer.

"I was blind! If I had taken Zhuzi as my apprentice back then, if I hadn't offended Lin Fan, my son might be the one going to the Soviet Union today!" Yi Zhonghai pounded his chest in anguish, filled with regret.

In the backyard, from Liu Haizhong's house, came the sounds of things being smashed and broken.

"Useless! All of you are useless!"

Liu Haizhong, holding a feather duster, beat Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu until they were crawling all over the ground.

"Look at He Yuzhu! He's already gone abroad! You two useless pieces of trash can't even get temporary jobs at the neighborhood committee! What use are you to me!"

Liu Haizhong was consumed by jealousy. He dreamed of becoming an official and traveling abroad for research. But now, that honor had fallen on the head of a cook he had once looked down upon.

Inside the Jia family's house.

Jia Zhangshi hid under the covers, not daring to even show her head.

Hearing He Daqing's boasting outside, she trembled with fear.

"He went to the Soviet Union... Sha Zhu went to the Soviet Union... If he comes back, he'll definitely be even more powerful. I must never mess with their family again, or they might really shoot me..." Jia Zhangshi muttered desperately in bed.

Qin Huairu sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at her face in the mirror, which was somewhat haggard from childbirth. A deep sense of loneliness and resentment flashed in her eyes.

She once thought that marrying Jia Dongxu, a city dweller, was already a good thing.

But now, seeing Lin Fan become the factory manager and He Yuzhu become a police officer and even go abroad, she suddenly realized how foolish and ridiculous her initial choice had been.

If... if she could have gotten together with Lin Yang, or even He Yuzhu...

Unfortunately, all of this is just wishful thinking.

……

three days later.

Qianmen Railway Station in Beijing.

An international train bearing the national emblem is quietly parked on the platform.

This international train, named "K3," will traverse the vast Mongolian steppes, cross the snow-covered forests of Siberia, and finally arrive at the heart of the Soviet Union—Moscow.

The platform was heavily guarded.

Lin Yang, dressed in a smart woolen overcoat, stood in front of the train carriage door, saying goodbye to his family who had come to see him off.

Tian Yu held Lin Weiguo, who was several months old, in her arms. Her eyes were slightly red, but she had a strong smile on her face.

"Yangzi, it's cold in Moscow. I packed three thick sweaters and knee pads in your bag. Make sure you wear them," Tian Yu whispered.

Lin Yang reached out and gently pinched his son's chubby little face, then pulled Tian Yu into his arms.

"Don't worry, honey. I'm going to negotiate, not to fight a war. At most, I'll just have to waste some time talking to those Soviet bureaucrats. You stay home and take good care of yourself and the kids."

Lin Fan and Ding Qiunan also stood to the side.

Lin Fan is now the factory director of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, and he exudes a steady and reliable leadership aura.

"Yangzi, don't worry. I'll keep an eye on things at the factory. Once the Soviet equipment arrives, I guarantee the steel mill's output will double again!" Lin Fan solemnly assured him.

"Brother, thank you for your hard work." Lin Yang patted Lin Fan on the shoulder.

Not far away, He Daqing was holding He Yuzhu's hand, giving him countless instructions and advice.

"Zhu Zi! When we get abroad, keep your eyes peeled! Your mission now is to protect Vice Minister Lin with all your might! Even if someone fires a gun, you have to shield the leader with your own flesh! Do you hear me!" Although He Daqing was reluctant, his tone was unusually stern.

He Yuzhu, dressed in civilian clothes with a bulging waist, nodded vigorously: "Dad, don't worry! I, He Yuzhu, am Chief Lin's shield! Anyone who wants to touch the chief will have to step over my dead body first!"

"Ugh—!"

A long whistle pierced the morning sky.

The announcement of departure came over the loudspeaker on the platform.

"Board the vehicle!"

Lin Yang turned around decisively and strode onto the train.

Zhao Gang, Shen Zhiyuan, Qiao Jian, He Yuzhu, and other core members of the delegation followed closely behind.

The car doors closed slowly.

Accompanied by the heavy creaking of steel wheels rubbing against rails, this special train, carrying the hopes of China's industrial take-off, slowly pulled out of the platform and roared towards the distant north, facing the rising sun.

……

Inside a deluxe sleeper carriage on the train.

It was temporarily converted into a meeting room for the delegation.

Outside the car window, the scenery of the North China Plain was rushing past.

Lin Yang sat in the main seat, took off his coat, and his deep gaze swept over the delegation members sitting on both sides.

Zhao Gang, notebook in hand, stood solemnly. Chief Engineer Shen Zhiyuan adjusted his thick-rimmed glasses; before him lay a thick stack of Soviet technical specifications. The young translator, Qiao Jian, also sat upright, his eyes gleaming with the fearless spirit of a newborn calf.

He Yuzhu stood straight at the door of the private room like an iron tower, watching the corridor warily for any movement.

Comrades.

Lin Yang tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table, the sound deep and powerful, instantly drawing everyone's attention to the highest point.

"Our trip to Moscow isn't to visit relatives, nor is it to be like being a primary school student."

Lin Yang's eyes were like two drawn swords, exuding an undeniable, iron-blooded domineering aura.

"Although the Soviet Union promised to give us 156 projects, their domestic technical bureaucrats will definitely try to hide the most core and top-notch equipment and blueprints, and give us some second-rate defective products instead."

"Our country is currently impoverished and in dire need of reconstruction. These 156 projects were achieved with the blood and sweat of millions of volunteer soldiers who fought on the Korean battlefield!"

Lin Yang slammed his hand on the table, the sound like thunder.

"Therefore, we must not back down or compromise at the negotiating table!"

"Chief Engineer Shen, your task is to keep a close eye on the technical specifications, even down to the parameters of a single screw, which must meet the most advanced standards!"

"Qiao Jian, your task is to discern the Soviets' bottom line through translation and communication. Don't be afraid of offending people; we are equal partners, not beggars!"

"Old Zhao, you're in charge of overall coordination and keeping things stable internally."

Lin Yang stood up and looked out the window at the gradually desolate northern land.

"Our team is a sharp dagger thrust towards the negotiating table in Moscow!"

"Whether the other side is an arrogant technocrat or a cunning politician, we must use a knife to pluck out every last drop of the industrial lifeblood that our new China needs most from between their teeth!"

"Did you understand?"

"clear!"

Inside the private room, everyone stood up in unison, their eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit.