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

A group of people had just left the state-run restaurant.

Li Huaide wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, his face still flushed with alcohol, and said politely, "You've gone to so much trouble today. Next time, just let me know in advance, and we can just eat in the cafeteria. Why spend this money?"

"Hey—Brother Li, what are you saying?" Li Jing'an took a step forward and affectionately grabbed his arm. "Next time we go to my guesthouse, what do I have? We can just check in after we finish our drinks, how convenient."

Li Huaide smiled and put his arm around Jing'an's shoulder, lowering his voice: "Jing'an, that won't do. It's full of people from the metallurgical system, too many eyes and ears, it won't look good if word gets out. Our factory canteen is safer."

"Yes, yes, we'll listen to Factory Director Li!"

"That's right, that's right, Director Li has considered everything very carefully."

Several mid-level leaders tried to smooth things over. Today's meal was organized by them, ostensibly to celebrate Li Huaide's promotion, and they also invited Li Jing'an—although it was a lateral transfer, the prestige of a division-level unit was there, and everyone knew that becoming a division-level official was only a matter of time.

The car pulled up. Before getting in, Li Huaide patted Li Jing'an on the shoulder again. The group stood on the steps of the state-run restaurant, watching the jeep disappear around the street corner.

"Director Li, shall we go?" asked the driver, Xiao Wang, from the side.

Li Jing'an glanced at his watch; it was a little past three in the afternoon. Go back to the guesthouse? Nothing much to do. Go home? Too lazy to go back. Suddenly, a name flashed through his mind—Jiang Yuebai. At this hour, she should have already finished her early shift. Perfect, her home wasn't far from here.

"Xiao Wang, walk me to the street corner ahead, I need to take care of something. Wait for me by the roadside."

"Yes, boss."

The car drove straight and stopped in less than five minutes. Li Jing'an got out and turned into the narrow alleyway with practiced ease. The alleyway was dimly lit, with old brick walls on both sides and piles of honeycomb briquettes and other odds and ends in the corners. He passed through the archway of a large courtyard, where clothes of various colors were hanging to dry. An old woman sat at the door picking vegetables, glanced up at him, and then looked down again.

Li Jing'an walked straight to the last room in the back building.

Before even entering, they could hear children's laughter inside. The door was open, letting in the slanting afternoon sunlight. Li Jing'an stepped across the threshold. Jiang Yuebai's son was playing with his younger sister in the middle of the room, while Jiang Yuebai herself sat on the edge of the bed, head down, mending an old garment. Hearing footsteps, the three of them turned to look at each other.

Jiang Yuebai had been in a good mood these past two days.

Li Jing'an was transferred, and she felt she had finally escaped from his clutches, like a drowning person finally surfacing and able to catch their breath. But now, that person was standing in the doorway, blocking the light, smiling at her.

Her heart sank suddenly, and she didn't even feel the pain when her finger was pricked by the needle.

"Hehe, how's it going, Yuebai? How's work these past few days?"

She stood up, unsure what to do with her hands and feet, and stammered, "Director Li... Director Li, what brings you here?"

"No offense," Li Jing'an said, walking inside and sitting down on the edge of the bed, the bed creaking as he did so, "but with our relationship, why are you calling me that?"

He raised his hand and ran it across her back. Through the fabric, his hand felt like a cold snake. Jiang Yuebai froze, instinctively taking half a step back, her back bumping against the table against the wall.

Seeing her reaction, Li Jing'an's smile deepened.

"Yuebai, I spoke with HR today, the procedures are underway, and in a couple of days you'll go to the First Guesthouse and continue working for me." He stared at her face, asking each word carefully, "How is it? Are you happy?"

Jiang Yuebai felt a tightness in her chest, as if someone was squeezing her and she couldn't breathe. She wanted to say something, her lips moved, but no sound came out.

"Where's Xu Wangshu? What's he doing?"

"I'm going to the neighborhood office. There's work there this afternoon."

"Oh." Li Jing'an's eyes darted to the two children. The older one, about six or seven, was clinging to his younger sister, looking at him timidly. He smiled at the little boy, revealing his teeth: "Little guy, take your sister out to play for a while. I need to talk to your mom about something."

The two children did not move.

The little boy hugged his sister tighter, glancing at Li Jing'an and then at his mother.

Li Jing'an's smile faded, and he turned to Jiang Yuebai, gesturing to her with his eyes. Jiang Yuebai stood still, her breathing becoming increasingly rapid, her chest heaving. Li Jing'an's expression gradually darkened; a smile still lingered on his lips, but the light in his eyes turned cold.

The room was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.

She finally moved. She walked over to the two children, squatted down, hugged the little boy briefly, then let go. She didn't dare look them in the eye, but whispered, "Zhaoming, take your sister out to play for a while. Mommy... Mommy needs to talk to Uncle about something."

The little boy looked up at her, his eyes holding something that Jiang Yuebai dared not look directly at. He didn't speak, but took his sister's hand and walked step by step towards the door. When they reached the threshold, he turned back for one last look.

Jiang Yuebai closed the door.

Her hands trembled as she closed the door. The sound of the latch locking sounded like something breaking.

The little boy hadn't gone far. He sat on a rock not far from the door, holding his younger sister, facing it. He didn't know why he was sitting there, or how long he would stay. He held his sister close, and she played with the hem of his clothes, humming something.

He just stared at the closed door. From behind it came the faint creaking of the bed, a suppressed gasp, and the man's broken voice, as if asking something, his voice heavy with breath.

The afternoon sunlight moved across the courtyard wall, then back again. Sounds echoed from the front yard: people going in and out, talking, hanging laundry. He just sat there, motionless.

After an unknown amount of time, the door opened.

Li Jing'an walked out, adjusting his collar and belt as he went. Sunlight shone on his face, and he squinted, a look of contented laziness on his face. He paused as he passed the children.

The little boy stood up, tilted his head back, and stared straight at him.

Li Jing'an felt uncomfortable under that gaze—there was something in those eyes that he couldn't quite put his finger on, something that inexplicably irritated him. He raised his hand and slapped the little boy on the head, making the child stumble.

"What are you looking at?"

The boy didn't cry. He staggered to his feet and looked up at him again. Tears slowly welled up in his eyes, glistening, but he didn't let them fall. He bit his lip and remained silent.

"Zhaoming—"

Jiang Yuebai greeted the two children at the door. Her hair was a little messy, and her complexion was off. She pulled the two children into her arms, holding them so tightly that it was as if she wanted to embed them into her body. The little boy buried his face in her shoulder, his body trembling, but he didn't cry out.

Li Jing'an glanced back, not embarrassed at all, but instead laughed: "Hehe, I was just joking with the child."

Jiang Yuebai didn't say anything, but just hugged the child tighter.

"Leader Li? What brings you here?"

It was Xu Wangshu. He came in from the courtyard gate, carrying a broom and shovel on his shoulder, his trousers splattered with mud. When he saw Li Jing'an, he paused for a moment, then a smile spread across his face. He leaned his tools against the wall and quickly came to greet him.

"Oh, I was just passing by today, so I stopped in for a bit and brought you some news." Li Jing'an dusted off his sleeves, resuming his leader-like demeanor. "Yuebai is being transferred to the First Guesthouse in a couple of days. I've also found you a temporary job there, guarding the gate. I just told Yuebai, so you can both go together."

"Really?" Xu Wangshu nodded and bowed repeatedly. "Thank you, Leader Li! Thank you, Leader Li! This is wonderful!"

"No need to thank me, it's mainly because your wife did a great job, I have high hopes for her." Li Jing'an smiled, patted his shoulder, and said, "Alright, I'm leaving."

"Oh? Aren't you going to eat before you leave?" Xu Wangshu asked, pressing for an answer. "There's still some food at home..."

"No need." Li Jing'an had already taken a few steps when he turned back, his gaze passing over Xu Wangshu and landing on Jiang Yuebai. She stood in the doorway, backlit, so his expression was obscured; only the two children in her arms were visible. He smiled knowingly and said, "I'm already full."

He strode out.

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the courtyard fell silent.