Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

After muttering something under his breath, Zhou Feng didn't bother arguing with Niu Aiguo anymore and walked straight outside: "I don't have time to argue with you about this. Ma Yingjie, let's go."

Ma Yingjie quickly followed, as his assistant, he certainly had to agree with Zhou Feng.

"Stop!" Niu Aiguo shouted from behind.

But Zhou Feng and his companion did not hesitate for a moment, nor did their movements change in the slightest.

Niu Aiguo was truly anxious. He waved his hand to the side and shouted, "Security guard! Stop him!"

The security guards on duty at the factory gate were taken aback, but since the deputy political commissar had spoken, they dared not disobey.

After all, they had never actually met Zhou Feng, the deputy factory director.

But Niu Aiguo, the deputy political commissar, was someone you could run into at the factory every day.

Two uniformed security guards jogged over and stretched out their arms to block Zhou Feng.

"Comrade, please...please don't go yet," a security guard said, forcing himself to speak.

Even though he had never met Zhou Feng, he had overheard their conversation and knew who they were.

Zhou Feng had no intention of making things difficult for the security guard; he simply stopped and turned to look at Niu Aiguo.

Niu Aiguo walked over with his hands behind his back, a slightly angry expression on his face.

"Comrade Zhou Feng, do you realize that with your current attitude, I could even call for a factory-wide meeting to criticize and denounce you? With your behavior and mindset, how can you possibly be fit for the position of deputy factory director?"

Looking at the guy's expression, Zhou Feng felt no anger at all, but just a little amused.

He hasn't brought the second batch of hatching eggs yet; he's not qualified for the position.

So, are we going to have this guy give the Double-Handed Ones a pep talk about their ideology and then have them buy eggs in the future?

Seeing that Zhou Feng remained expressionless, Niu Aiguo didn't take it to heart, and even thought it was a sign that Zhou Feng knew he was in the wrong.

"Comrade Zhou Feng, we are all serving the factory, so I'm doing this for your own good. Your work attitude and mindset will cause problems sooner or later."

"Let's get this straight today. Do you have a legitimate reason? If you do, tell me, and I, Niu Aiguo, will apologize to you. If not, then come with me to the factory manager. He'll give you a reprimand and discipline if necessary. You'll still be a good comrade in our factory from now on. What do you think?"

Ma Yingjie stood behind Zhou Feng, wringing his hands anxiously, but given his status, he really couldn't say anything.

Zhou Feng could confront the deputy political commissar head-on, but if it were him, the other side would indeed have the right to hold a large meeting to take him down.

Zhou Feng remained calm, turned around to look at Niu Aiguo, and suddenly grinned as if he had just thought of something.

"Political Commissar Niu, are you sure you want me to say this?"

"Speak!" Niu Aiguo said decisively.

"Okay." Zhou Feng nodded, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small notebook, waved it in front of Niu Aiguo, and then handed it to him. "Look carefully at what's written in this."

Niu Aiguo subconsciously leaned over for a look, and his expression changed drastically.

The words "Special Operations Division" still carry some intimidation.

Unlike the military rank given to Zhou Feng in later generations, Siheyuan World gave Zhou Feng three deputy factory director positions, and also attached a position in the Special Operations Division to him.

With his new identity as a member of the Special Operations Division, everything he did in Beiping became much easier.

However, Zhou Feng hadn't used this identity for so long, and he never expected to use it for the first time here.

"Did you see that clearly, Political Commissar Niu? Are you sure you want me to report all my work to you here?"

Zhou Feng casually took back the ID card that was still clutched in Niu Aiguo's hand, put it in his pocket, and looked at him with a half-smile.

Niu Aiguo's lips trembled a few times, and the veins on his forehead throbbed.

He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but it felt like there was a piece of cotton stuck in his throat, and he couldn't squeeze out a single word.

He had never been in contact with the Special Operations Unit, but he knew exactly what it was responsible for.

Given the nature of the Special Operations Division's work, it's not something he can just casually inquire about!

"Still blocking them?" Zhou Feng turned to look at the security guard.

The security guard instinctively looked at Niu Aiguo.

Niu Aiguo took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and squeezed out two words through gritted teeth: "Get out of the way."

The security guard quickly pulled his arm back and made way for him.

Zhou Feng patted Ma Yingjie on the shoulder: "Let's go, or they'll regret it and have to stay behind for you. Let's raise our awareness."

Ma Yingjie followed in a daze, and it took him several steps to come to his senses. He then secretly looked back.

Niu Aiguo stood there, his face turning pale and then flushed, but he didn't say a word.

Goodness, no wonder he's our boss!

Ma Yingjie sighed inwardly, as if he had returned to the moment a few months ago when he overestimated his abilities.

Although I don't know what role the leader played this time, the result is the same!

After the two left the factory and got into the car, Ma Yingjie didn't dare to ask Zhou Feng which organization was listed on the certificate.

Zhou Feng leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, seemingly to rest, but a few doubts lingered in his mind.

Logically speaking, he should have Special Operations personnel following him at all times.

In a situation like today, the security personnel wouldn't stop him; they would directly step in to resolve the issue.

Just like that guy who robbed people in the street before.

But just now, they were in a stalemate at the hatchery for so long, and no one came out to break the deadlock.

There's something amiss about this whole thing.

Although he carried the Equalizer, if something went wrong with the Special Operations Unit, a mere gun might not be enough to protect him. It would be better to get back to the courtyard house as soon as possible.

We'll ask Bai Ling properly when she gets back.

Moreover, even if any problems arise, he can return to the modern world in time when the other side breaks down the door.

When the car arrived at the entrance of the courtyard house, Zhou Feng got out and stretched his muscles.

The courtyard was quiet; everyone who was supposed to be at work had gone to work, leaving only a few old ladies sunbathing against the wall.

"Oh, Comrade Zhou Feng's back?" The third aunt squinted at him. "Have you eaten yet?"

"have eaten."

His relationship with the Yan family is only so-so now, except for Yu Li and those few nice-talking juniors.

When the three women greeted him, he simply smiled and waved.

Back in her room, Qin Jingru was resting in bed.

The mattress he brought back from the future was more comfortable than Qin Jingru had ever experienced.

After tidying up the room, I only wanted to lie down for a while, but I felt trapped and didn't want to get up at all.

Squinting, Qin Jingru heard a noise at the door and turned to see Zhou Feng enter. She sat up abruptly: "Brother Zhou Feng, you're back! How's the factory?"

"That's good." Zhou Feng lay down on the bed and pulled her into his arms. "It's just that we ran into someone who just had to argue with me."

"Huh? Who is it? Is someone giving you trouble? Could it be the factory manager?" Qin Jingru asked nervously as she approached.

"It's nothing, it's resolved." Zhou Feng waved his hand, then suddenly remembered something, "By the way, did Bai Ling come today?"

Qin Jingru pouted: "She's not here yet. I'm right here. You still miss her? Oh dear!"

"Don't talk nonsense! I have important business with her!"

Zhou Feng slapped her ample breasts in an annoyed manner, making the girl groan for a long time.

She didn't use much strength, but even though she was a grown woman, Qin Jingru was still a little embarrassed. Her groans and cries were just to cover up her awkwardness.

Zhou Feng and Qin Jingru stayed in the house until it got dark, while Qin Jingru got up early to prepare dinner.

"Brother Zhou Feng, what do you want to eat? I'll make it for you," Qin Jingru asked while getting dressed.

"Just make something simple, don't bother."

"That won't do! You've been out all day, you need to eat something good when you get back." Qin Jingru said, walking out the door. "I'll go heat up some food for you right now!"

With Zhou Feng's guidance, she can now prepare the vegetables in the refrigerator.

Although it feels a little strange, it's really convenient that you can just take the food out of the refrigerator, heat it up, and cook it, and it tastes pretty good!

Zhou Feng smiled and didn't stop him.

"Zhou Feng! Dinner's ready!"

Within minutes, Qin Jingru came in carrying several plates, on which were placed two dishes, a soup, and several warmed-up steamed buns.

"Wow, that's quite a feast." Zhou Feng sat up, took the soup bowl, and took a sip. "Hmm, it's nice and hot."

"What's so great about hot food? It's all pre-made!"

Qin Jingru pouted, but her eyes crinkled with delight at the compliment. She sat down on the edge of the bed, propping her chin up as she watched him eat: "If you like it, eat more."

"did you eat?"

"I'm not hungry, I'll eat after you finish."

"Stop talking nonsense, sit down and eat with me." Zhou Feng broke a steamed bun in half and handed it to her. "What's the point of eating alone?"

This is clearly Beiping after liberation, and this girl is still using some kind of class system. Does she really think she's a concubine?

Qin Jingru smiled and took the biscuit, nibbling on it in small bites.

The two sat side by side in the warm and cozy room, which was quite peaceful.

After dinner, Qin Jingru cleared away the dishes to wash, while Zhou Feng went back to bed to rest.

It was completely dark when Qin Jingru returned to the central courtyard, and the lights in each household were turned off one after another.

Around nine o'clock, when Zhou Feng was drifting off to sleep, he suddenly heard a noise outside.

His eyes snapped open, and he reached for his waist.

"Zhou Feng, it's me."

Bai Ling's voice.

Zhou Feng breathed a sigh of relief and withdrew his hand: "Come in, the door isn't locked."

The curtain was lifted, and Bai Ling slipped in.

She was dressed in navy blue casual clothes, her hair was clipped behind her ears, and she looked a little tired.

"Have you eaten?" Zhou Feng asked, sitting up.

"I've already eaten." Bai Ling sat down at the table, poured herself a glass of water, gulped down two big mouthfuls, then let out a long sigh and leaned back in her chair.

Zhou Feng waited until she had recovered before asking, "What happened?"

Bai Ling was silent for a few seconds, then sighed softly: "The people from the Special Operations Division have all been transferred back today."

"all?"

"All of them." Bai Ling nodded. "From top to bottom, not a single one was left out; they were all transferred back to headquarters."

"What's going on?"

Zhou Feng frowned immediately. Although he felt a lack of freedom from being watched by them before, he felt unsafe now that they had all left.

Bai Ling took another sip of water before organizing her thoughts and slowly began to speak: "There have been recent changes at the top. A new director of the Revolutionary Committee has arrived, surnamed Qian. He's a ruthless character. He wields a lot of power, and as soon as he took office, he declared that he would 'thoroughly investigate all special units.'"

"The Special Operations Division is the first to bear the brunt." Bai Ling's voice carried a hint of bitterness. "Our unit is special by nature, and the work we do is also special. Normally, we are not under the jurisdiction of the local authorities and are directly responsible to the higher-ups. But now the Revolutionary Committee's power is greater than the sky, and even units like ours have to be investigated."

"What kind of review?"

"In the past, we conducted thorough investigations, interviewing each person one by one, checking their family history for three generations, their social connections, their political stance, and whether they had any 'problems.' From the department head to the clerks, everyone had to go through this process."

After listening, Zhou Feng remained silent for a long while.

Of course he knew what the Revolutionary Committee was.

A product of a special era, at this point in time, the Revolutionary Committee wielded boundless power. Not to mention a special operations division, even higher-level units could be investigated if they were allowed to.

"So your people are all under investigation right now?"

"Yes." Bai Ling nodded. "The director took everyone back to cooperate. Before he left, he asked me to pass on a message to you."

"What did you say?"

"During this time, try to keep a low profile and avoid going out if possible. The Special Operations Division cannot be mobilized at the moment, and the entire unit is under investigation. Nobody knows what the outcome of the investigation will be. If you cause any more problems at this time, and someone reports it to the Revolutionary Committee, it will be a big problem."

Zhou Feng frowned deeply: "How long will their investigation take? I was given a hard time by a deputy political commissar at the factory today, and I even used my Special Operations Unit credentials. Is that okay?"

"It's hard to say," Bai Ling shook her head. "If it's quick, it'll take a few days; if it's slow... it could take ten days to half a month. It mainly depends on what Director Qian wants to do."

"What about my situation?" Zhou Feng asked. "The hatchery and breeding farm isn't finished yet."

Bai Ling thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry about things at the factory for now. Let Ma Yingjie keep an eye on things. Your priority right now is to make sure you don't get into trouble."

Zhou Feng nodded and said nothing more.

Even if the Revolutionary Committee has great power, it can't control him here.

Anyway, he has two escape routes, so if all else fails, he can always go back to the modern world and hide.

However, the hatchery and breeding farm hasn't purchased the hatching eggs yet, and if he doesn't take care of it, the entire farm will have to come to a standstill.

All that effort before the new year was for nothing!

Seeing Zhou Feng's furrowed brows, Bai Ling roughly understood what he was thinking and gently reached out to smooth his brows: "Don't worry, this will pass quickly, and things will return to normal."

Looking up at Bai Ling, Zhou Feng pursed his lips.

This big event won't be easy to get over. Although he's the butterfly flapping its wings, he doesn't think he has enough influence to affect this matter!