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

He Yuzhu slapped his other hand directly on the holster at his waist, exuding a murderous aura.

"I'm telling you right now! You bunch of heartless beasts aren't even worthy to carry the shoes of our leader! If you dare take another step forward, I'll handcuff you all and send you back to the branch office to be skinned alive on charges of 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble and assaulting high-ranking state officials'!"

"roll!"

He Yuzhu suddenly exerted force with his arm and threw Yi Zhonghai away. Yi Zhonghai fell headfirst into the muddy ground where the snow had not yet dried, feeling dizzy and disoriented, not daring to utter a sound.

Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui were so frightened that they retreated repeatedly, scrambling back to their own roof as if avoiding a plague.

Just then, the gate of the He family's house in the Intermediate People's Court was pushed open.

He Daqing walked out, holding a gleaming kitchen knife, wearing a white apron, and beaming with health.

He glanced at the disheveled Yi Zhonghai and his entourage, and mercilessly launched into the most biting mockery in the old Beijing alleyways.

"Hey! Hey old men, what kind of evil kung fu are you practicing? Why do your kneecaps turn as soft as noodles when you see Chief Lin?"

He Daqing brandished the kitchen knife in his hand, sneering repeatedly.

"Weren't you all pretty arrogant when you were seizing their houses? What, now that Chief Lin has become a vice minister and Factory Director Lin has been reinstated, you want to come and lick their boots?"

"Pah!" He Daqing spat a mouthful of phlegm onto the ground.

"Why don't you take a piss and look at yourselves in the mirror? Do you really think everyone in the world is like you, forgetting everything after a good lesson? Commander Lin is a true dragon in the sky, while you are just bedbugs in this gutter! Bedbugs dreaming of climbing the social ladder? Keep dreaming!"

These words were like sharp knives.

They tore the last shred of dignity left for Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and others to shreds and threw them on the ground to be trampled on.

Throughout the entire courtyard, not a single neighbor who was peeking from behind the windows dared to speak up.

Xu Damao, hiding in the crack of the backyard door, watched this scene. His legs went weak with fear, and he wet himself, a foul stench filling the air. He was now only thankful that He Yuzhu hadn't overheard his boasting; otherwise, he would have been beaten to a pulp.

Lin Yang did not look at those beasts who were like stray dogs.

He turned to He Yuzhu and said calmly, "Zhuzi, come inside with me and get some documents."

"Yes, sir!"

He Yuzhu stood guard beside Lin Yang like a loyal door god.

Lin Yang took steady steps, stepping on the bluestone slabs, and pushed open the main door of the Lin family's main house.

··········

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, the cold wind outside, mixed with the fawning whispers of the people in the central courtyard, was completely shut out.

The room was dimly lit, but it had a rare warmth. The coals in the stove were burning red-hot, and the kettle was hissing softly.

Lin Fan was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), clumsily and carefully holding a swaddled baby in his arms. It was Ding Qiunan's second child, their little daughter, whom she had just given birth to not long ago. Beside Lin Fan's legs, eight-year-old Lin Jianguo, dressed in a slightly oversized altered old military uniform, was looking up, his dark eyes fixed on Lin Yang as he walked in.

"Yangzi..." Lin Fan raised his head, his voice trembling.

These past three years have been incredibly frustrating for him. From a high-ranking deputy director and then director of the steel rolling mill, he was purged by Ma Yue and his gang for refusing to participate in the Great Leap Forward's steel production campaign and smashing up the machinery. He was then relegated to managing brooms and rags in the logistics warehouse. If Li Yunlong hadn't led his troops to forcibly break down the detention center door back then, he would have lost his life inside.

Lin Yang took off his woolen military overcoat, casually hung it on the iron hook behind the door, and strode forward. He looked down at the sleeping baby in his older brother's arms, then reached out and rubbed Lin Jianguo's head before pulling over a long bench and sitting down opposite Lin Fan.

"Brother, I'm sorry to have wronged you." Lin Yang's voice wasn't loud, but it carried immense weight.

Upon hearing this, Lin Fan, a man in his thirties, instantly had tears welling up in his eyes. He gently handed the swaddled baby to Ding Qiunan, who was walking over, and rubbed his rough hands vigorously on his knees, trying to suppress the soreness in his eyes.

"I'm not aggrieved." Lin Fan shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "As long as our family is safe and sound, that's better than anything else. You're doing something earth-shattering in the Northwest. The conditions there are harsh; I heard they can't even get water. What's my little trouble compared to that? Besides, if you hadn't arranged for Qiu Nan to cover for me beforehand and had Chief Li come to my rescue, I'd probably be eating cornbread somewhere right now."

Ding Qiunan walked over carrying two enamel mugs, filled with boiling water. A relieved smile appeared on her usually aloof and ethereal face.

"Yangzi, have some hot water. How many days will you stay this time?" Ding Qiunan asked softly.

"Just three to five days." Lin Yang picked up his teacup to warm his hands. "We can't do without people in the Northwest. Our major project has reached its most critical stage. The Soviets not only withdrew their experts, but they didn't even leave behind a single useful blueprint. They even burned the crucial data. They're bullying us."

Lin Yang's gaze turned cold and sharp. He looked at the flickering flames in the furnace and slowly said, "They think that without them, we Chinese would have to beg for food and wouldn't be able to build the nation's most important weapons. I came back this time for two reasons: first, to report on my work, and second, to resolve the problems on your side. Brother, I've had Ma Yue apprehended by the security bureau and handed over to the judiciary. I've had everything investigated—his embezzled funds over the years, his use of steel mill supplies to bribe officials—explained clearly. He deserves to be executed ten times over."

Lin Fan took a deep breath and nodded: "The factory is in a huge mess right now. The past few years have been too extravagant, with unrealistic and unrealistic targets. They've dismantled perfectly good precision machine tools to smelt scrap metal, and skilled workers have been sent to clear wasteland. Now the factory can't even complete its normal production tasks."

"So you have to take the responsibility back." Lin Yang stared into Lin Fan's eyes. "The higher-ups have already issued an official document to correct the mistakes of the left. You go back to be the factory director. Don't be afraid of offending people. With me here and the military backing you up, if anyone dares to lay a finger on you again, I'll make sure their whole family never recovers."

As the two brothers were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the door.

"Get out of here! Who gave you permission to come here?"

That was He Yuzhu's voice, filled with undisguised murderous intent. Immediately following was a muffled "bang," as if some heavy object had been kicked away.

Lin Yang frowned, got up, and pushed open the door.

On the courtyard floor tiles, Jia Dongxu was writhing in the mud, clutching his stomach, his face deathly pale. Not far away, Liu Haizhong, carrying two bottles of counterfeit Moutai he'd somehow acquired, trembled with fear, unsure whether to advance or retreat. Yi Zhonghai huddled by the sink, too afraid to even lift his head.