I feel right at home in the world of the courtyard house.

As evening fell, the banquet hall of the Chun Guang Hotel was brightly lit, with warm yellow light filling the entire room and dispelling the winter chill.

A steel mill in Shanghai hosted a grand and lavish welcome banquet for its sister company, which had traveled from afar. Three round tables were set up in the large private room, where exquisite Jiangnan specialties were served one after another: steamed sea bass, tender and flavorful; Shanghai-style braised pork, glossy and red; crystal shrimp, bouncy and refreshing; and seasonal vegetables and specialty desserts, their aromas irresistible and mouthwatering. Bottles of wine were neatly arranged on the corner of the table, and teacups were filled with hot tea, all reflecting the host's hospitality.

According to the pre-arranged seating, Li Jing'an and Wei Jialing took their seats separately. As a middle-level manager in the factory, Li Jing'an sat in the main private room with Factory Director Yang, Li Huaide, and other leaders; Wei Jialing, on the other hand, went to the family private room next door with a group of leaders' families. The women gathered together, chatting and laughing, creating a particularly lively atmosphere.

The dinner officially began, and the head of a steel plant in Shanghai was the first to stand up, raise his glass, and deliver a heartfelt speech, warmly welcoming the colleagues from the steel rolling mill to exchange production experience and discuss the development of the industry. Director Yang then stood up in return, raised his glass to express his gratitude for the host's hospitality. The scene was both solemn and enthusiastic, with continuous applause and the crisp sound of glasses clinking.

Li Jing'an's seat was right next to Zhao, the deputy factory director in charge of receiving them: "Director Zhao, I feel very bad for causing you so much trouble today because of my personal matters. I would like to offer you a toast to express my gratitude."

"Director Li, you're too kind. It was nothing at all." Deputy Factory Director Zhao smiled as he stood up. The two clinked their glasses lightly and drank it all in one gulp.

As the strong liquor went down his throat, Li Jing'an put down his glass and was about to sit down when he heard Deputy Factory Director Zhao chuckle softly and say, "Director Li, actually, I've known about you for a long time."

Li Jing'an was taken aback, and his face showed a look of being flattered. He quickly said humbly, "Director Zhao is joking. I am just an ordinary cadre in charge of the logistics and guesthouse. I have no name or surname. How could I be worthy of your attention and have such a great reputation?"

"Don't be modest," Deputy Factory Director Zhao said slowly. "I also attended the work conference held by the metallurgical system before the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I stayed at your factory's No. 1 guesthouse. Originally, I planned to visit you in your office after the meeting, but unfortunately, the factory suddenly received an urgent production task, and I had to return early, missing the opportunity."

Li Jing'an then realized, "So that's how it is. Don't believe those rumors; they're all just hearsay."

Factory Director Zhao didn't say anything, he just smiled.

When the banquet ended, Deputy Factory Director Zhao personally escorted Li Jing'an and Wei Jialing to their car, repeatedly instructing the driver to drive safely and ensure that the two were safely delivered to the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse. His courteous manners were impeccable, demonstrating his sincerity.

The car drove smoothly through the streets of Shanghai, passing through the bustling Nanjing Road, and finally arrived at the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse. Located in a quiet area amidst the hustle and bustle, the guesthouse had a secluded courtyard, lush greenery, and a simple and solemn gray building. The security guards were strict, and those entering and leaving were all well-dressed cadres. The atmosphere was solemn and dignified, completely different from the lively atmosphere of the Chun Guang Hotel.

Li Jing'an, carrying a heavy suitcase, followed Wei Jialing into the hall.

Wei Jialing walked to the front desk and said something to them. The front desk staff immediately showed a more respectful smile, quickly checked the information, and then hurriedly called a waiter. Without registering them, they led the two to their room upstairs.

Pushing open the door, a charming little suite comes into view. The outer room is a small, elegant living room furnished with a wooden sofa, a glass coffee table, and a writing desk, with an enamel thermos and clean teacups on the table. The inner room is a spacious bedroom with a large bed covered in snow-white sheets and blankets, soft and comfortable. Most surprisingly, the room has a private bathroom; in an era of scarcity, this was absolutely top-of-the-line accommodation.

Li Jing'an looked around, extremely satisfied, and couldn't help but smile slightly, secretly rejoicing at Wei Jialing's arrangement.

As soon as Wei Jialing entered the room, she shed her fatigue and went straight to the soft bed. She stretched and yawned lazily, "Ah, I'm so tired. After sitting on the train all the way, I can finally get some rest."

Li Jing'an put down his suitcase, rolled his eyes at her, and said helplessly, "What are you tired about? We've been traveling by car the whole way, without walking a single step. I carried all the luggage by myself, and I didn't complain at all, but you're the one complaining first."

"Taking the train is torture too, my whole body aches and aches," Wei Jialing retorted confidently as she turned over.

"You call this tiring? What about those who sit in hard seats? They must be exhausted!" Li Jing'an squatted down, opened his suitcase, and said casually.

"How can that be the same?" Wei Jialing pouted and said innocently, "I think hard seats are pretty good. So many people are crammed together, chatting, singing, and telling stories all the way. It's lively and the time flies by. I don't feel tired at all."

Li Jing'an was too lazy to argue with her, and just nodded perfunctorily: "Yes, yes, you're right, hard seats are the best."

Just then, the red telephone on the bedside table suddenly rang, its crisp ring breaking the silence of the room.

Wei Jialing got up and answered the phone. After listening for a few minutes, a sweet smile immediately appeared on her face: "Hello, Uncle Wang, it's me... Yes, we just arrived at the guesthouse. We're staying very well, thank you... Okay, I'll remember that. We'll definitely come over tomorrow."

After hanging up the phone, Li Jing'an looked up and asked, "Who called?"

"It's Uncle Wang, an old friend of my dad's from the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee," Wei Jialing said with a smile. "He invited us to his house for dinner tomorrow to try some Shanghai home-style dishes."

Li Jing'an frowned slightly, looking somewhat embarrassed: "Ah? I have to visit and learn from a steel plant in Shanghai tomorrow. My schedule is packed during the day, how can I find time to eat?"

"It's not like you're going during the day, it's at night. Go after you finish studying," Wei Jialing explained.

"Oh, okay then." Li Jing'an breathed a sigh of relief, then casually asked, "Will you come with me to visit tomorrow during the day?"

"I'm not going, it's no fun." Wei Jialing shook her head, her tone cheerful. "I made plans with Sister Zou to go shopping on Nanjing Road tomorrow during the day, to buy new clothes and leather shoes, and to really explore Shanghai."

"Sister Zou?" Li Jing'an was taken aback for a moment before realizing, "You mean Li Huaide's lover?"

"Yes, we made the arrangement in the car."

"Okay, then you guys go ahead and explore, but be careful." Li Jing'an nodded, silently planning the next few days of inspection and free time.

"By the way, how many days will you be staying on this study tour?" Wei Jialing asked curiously as she leaned closer.

"The plan is for a total of one week. Excluding the two days for travel to and from the destination, we will officially visit and learn from a steel plant tomorrow. The remaining four days are basically free time, and we can explore Shanghai around," Li Jing'an said truthfully.

"Great! Now we can finally have some fun!" Wei Jialing cheered and skipped into the bathroom.

Li Jing'an continued packing, taking out their toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, soap, and other toiletries and arranging them neatly on the bathroom counter.

A moment later, Wei Jialing's excited voice came from the bathroom: "Jing'an! Come and see, there's a bathtub! Let's take a bath together!"

Li Jing'an refused without even looking up, saying, "No, it's too small to be crowded together. You can wash yourself first."

"No, no, I just want to shower with you." Wei Jialing pouted and whined as she peeked out from the bathroom.

Li Jing'an looked up at her stubborn expression and knew he couldn't win against her. He cursed inwardly: Damn it, I'm completely trapped in her clutches, there's no escaping me now.

With no other choice, he could only sigh, put down what he was holding, and get up to walk towards the bathroom.