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

Uncle Yan Bugui, hunched over with his back bent like a taut bow, his face plastered with obsequious flattery, held two bottles of fine wine and two packs of good cigarettes in his hands and respectfully pushed them onto Li Jing'an's desk. His voice was tinged with ingratiation: "Director Li, please help me out. Could you get the factory to return Jie Cheng's file? My child's future depends entirely on you."

Li Jing'an glanced sideways at the cigarettes and alcohol on the table, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly before relaxing. He then adopted a troubled expression and slowly began, "Oh dear, Third Uncle, I'm embarrassed by what you're saying. I didn't expect things to go wrong like this, but personnel transfers are handled by the factory's personnel department. Even if I wanted to intervene, I had to follow the rules. It's not like a simple word can make a difference. At most, I can inquire about the situation for you."

"You've gone to so much trouble, you must go to so much trouble!" Yan Bugui bent down even lower, almost touching the table, his eyes full of pleading. "As long as you're willing to help, whether it works out or not, our whole family will remember your kindness."

Li Jing'an picked up his teacup, took a sip, and tapped his fingertips lightly on the table. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly spoke, "Well then, Third Uncle, this matter can't be resolved in a short time. I'll work on it for you slowly. Don't worry, I will definitely get this done before next year's recruitment, and I won't delay anything."

Yan Bugui wanted to say a few more words of thanks, but he noticed that Li Jing'an's expression gradually faded, and his eyes held a hint of impatience. Yan Bugui instantly understood, and awkwardly shut his mouth, not daring to say anything more. He silently calculated in his heart that as long as the matter could be accomplished, this little bit of effort was nothing.

Just as Yan Bugui was pondering how to take his leave, Li Jing'an seemed to suddenly remember something important, slapped his forehead, and said in a lighter tone, "Oh, right, I happen to have something I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"Go ahead and say it! I'll do anything I can without hesitation!" Yan Bugui seemed to have seized the opportunity to show off, so he straightened his back a little and agreed repeatedly, his eyes full of eagerness.

Li Jing'an pointed to the courtyard outside the window, his tone tinged with helplessness: "As you can see, it's been windy and snowy these past few days, the yard is a complete mess, with a thick layer of snow. I'm so busy at the factory, I don't have time to clean up. I was wondering if you could help me tidy up and remove the snow from the roof? Would that be convenient for you?"

"Convenient, convenient, so convenient!" Yan Bugui agreed repeatedly, but a bitter smile appeared on his face. He knew in his heart that he needed Li Jing'an's help, and even if he was unwilling, he could only bite the bullet and agree, not daring to say a word of refusal.

Seeing this, Li Jing'an chuckled with satisfaction and patted Yan Bugui on the shoulder: "Then I'll have to trouble you. As you know, I don't have many close friends in this courtyard, and I only interact with you the most. So, when something happens, you're the only person I can think of." He paused, picked up his coat and put it on, "I have some urgent business to attend to, so I won't lock the door. You can just come and pack up. I trust you."

After saying that, Li Jing'an made a gesture to see him out. Yan Bugui didn't dare to stay any longer, and obsequiously agreed before turning around and slinking out of Li Jing'an's house, feeling utterly resentful with nowhere to vent his frustration.

After leaving his own yard, Li Jing'an went straight to the backyard and found Xu Damao, who was idling around. Without saying a word, he handed the house key to Xu Damao: "Third Uncle will be cleaning my yard later. You go and keep an eye on him, be a supervisor, and don't let him slack off."

Xu Damao took the keys, his eyes lighting up instantly. He immediately bent over, his face plastered with a fawning smile, nodding repeatedly as he assured him, "Brother Li, don't worry! Leave this to me, I guarantee I'll handle it flawlessly! If Yan Bugui dares to slack off, I'll be the first to punish him!"

Li Jing'an gently patted Xu Damao on the shoulder, which was a sign of his approval. In fact, he had originally considered sending Xu Damao to the task in Shimo Village, but after thinking it over, he felt that his relationship with Xu Damao was not yet at the point of entrusting him with important responsibilities. This kind of small task of supervising and cleaning was just right for him. It would win people's hearts and he would not have to worry about any mistakes.

Xu Damao clutched the keys, feeling secretly pleased. He thought it was a sign that Li Jing'an trusted him, and quickly asked, "Brother Li, when are you coming back? Where should I put the keys? Should I leave them at the door, or should I hand them to you personally when you return?"

Li Jing'an sighed, rubbed his temples, and looked tired. "I have to go away for a few days. I haven't been feeling well lately, and I always feel weak all over. I want to find a place to recuperate."

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao's face immediately filled with concern. He took half a step forward and asked anxiously, "Oh dear, what's wrong? Why are you feeling unwell all of a sudden? Did you overwork yourself at the factory? Is there anything you need me to do? Just let me know!"

"As you know, we leaders worry about everything in the factory every day, which is both physically and mentally taxing. Over time, we develop a lot of minor health problems." Li Jing'an waved his hand, his tone tinged with emotion. "I just went to the hospital for a check-up yesterday, and the doctor said I need to rest and recuperate. So, I'm going to Xiaotangshan Sanatorium for a few days to relax properly."

Xu Damao squinted, bending even lower, his tone full of concern and flattery: "You've worked so hard! For the sake of the factory's development, you've even neglected your own health. You're a true role model for all of us! Don't worry, while you're gone, I'll take good care of the house and manage the yard perfectly. Just focus on your recovery and come back when you're fully recovered!"

Seeing Xu Damao's sensible demeanor, Li Jing'an felt very gratified. Just as he was about to say a few more words, a clear car horn sounded outside the courtyard gate, indicating that the car that was picking him up had arrived.

"Alright, the car's here to pick me up, I should go." Li Jing'an patted Xu Damao's arm, his tone decisive, "I'm leaving everything at home to you, don't let me down."

"Don't worry! I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Xu Damao stood ramrod straight, nodding repeatedly in agreement. Watching Li Jing'an's retreating figure as he strode out of the courtyard gate, a smug smile appeared on his lips. Holding the key in his hand, he felt he was one step closer to Li Jing'an.