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

As noon approached, the guesthouse became unusually quiet. Li Jing'an notified all departments to assemble in the main conference room.

Before he even reached the conference room door, it was already bustling with noise, as if a pot had boiled over. The moment he stepped inside, the clamor seemed to be abruptly cut off by an invisible blade, and the entire room fell silent. Li Jing'an's gaze slowly swept over the vast crowd below the stage, and he went straight to the podium, taking his seat in the very center. On the enormous stage, he sat alone, even the deputy director, Lao Huang, was seated in the first row below.

He first slowly surveyed the entire audience, his gaze like a series of hammer blows, causing the people in the front row to unconsciously lower their heads. Then—with a loud "bang," he slammed his hand on the table, the force so great that the speakers on the table emitted a sharp, buzzing sound, startling many people in the audience.

"Those who were there yesterday witnessed it, and those who weren't, I believe, have heard about it, so I won't repeat it." Li Jing'an's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck a chord in people's ears. "But what happened yesterday was definitely not a simple petty theft! This was a serious political incident of a heinous nature! Someone dared to spread rumors and smear our ranks. In my opinion, his ultimate goal is to overthrow our working-class regime!"

When he uttered the word "subversion," he slashed forward with his right hand as if to cleave something unseen in two. The audience fell silent, even their breathing became quiet.

He paused, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, sweeping from left to right and back again: "He's been lurking in the guesthouse for so long; he must have incited some people. We must keep our eyes wide open, dig deep into the ranks of these black sheep, and safeguard our hard-won fruits of the revolution!"

"Everyone, think carefully—has anyone been complaining all the time, saying strange things? Behind that, they might be trying to subtly corrupt you! If anyone recalls any clues, come to my office immediately! But remember, if you know something and don't report it, you'll face the consequences!"

He deliberately emphasized the last four words.

"Furthermore, I want to issue a stern warning to some people!" His voice suddenly rose, then fell back down, becoming cold and slow, "Don't harbor any illusions about escaping the iron fist of the people's dictatorship! Surrendering is your only way out!"

After giving the reprimand, Li Jing'an stood up, dusted off his clothes, and left without looking back. The moment he stepped out the door, the empty hall erupted in a cacophony of whispers and murmurs.

---

In the lounge in the afternoon.

Jiang Yuebai was biting her lip and holding onto the window.

Li Jing'an grabbed her neck from behind, making sure she could see Xu Wangshu at the main gate. He also put his other hand on Jiang Yuebai's waist.

"Wang Shu is really cut out for this," he chuckled softly, a hint of mockery and smugness in his voice. "He did a great job yesterday. I've been thinking about how to reward him. After much thought, the best reward is none other than you, isn't it?"

"How is it? Do you like this reward?"

"Hmm? Say something!"

"Smack"...

Jiang Yuebai let out a muffled groan.

"I love you just the way you are. Don't worry, I'll reward you handsomely."

Hehehe...

Just before the end of the workday, there was a knock on Li Jing'an's office door.

"Come in."

The door was pushed open, and a dark-skinned man stood in the doorway, wearing a worn-out black work uniform. He seemed unsure what to do with his hands, rubbing them against the seams of his trousers. He straightened his back somewhat awkwardly and spoke in a muffled voice, tinged with nervousness: "Chief Li, I... my surname is Liang."

"Master Liang, please have a seat." Li Jing'an gestured to the sofa opposite him, a friendly smile spreading across his face. He even took a step forward to greet him. "What brings you here?"

Li Jing'an then instructed Yang Chunjuan, who had come in with him, to pour water.

Master Liang sat down, placed his large hands on his knees, clenched them, then relaxed them. He took a deep breath, as if he had made a huge decision, and his face flushed slightly: "Chief Li, I...I want to report this!"

Li Jing'an raised an eyebrow slightly, but did not reply. He simply looked at him quietly, his gaze gentle and encouraging.

Hearing his gaze, Master Liang grew bolder and raised his voice: "Our squad leader used to complain to me that life is worse now than before. I didn't think much of it before, but after hearing what you just said, it dawned on me—isn't he trying to revive the Kuomintang? Is he a hidden spy?!"

After he finished speaking, his chest heaved violently as he stared expectantly at Li Jing'an, like a student who had handed in his exam paper and was waiting for the teacher to grade it.

A hint of appreciation flashed in Li Jing'an's eyes, so fast it was almost imperceptible, but a smile of satisfaction appeared on his face. He stood up, walked to Master Liang's side, and patted him hard on the shoulder, the force of his palm causing Master Liang to slightly turn to the side.

"Excellent! Master Liang, your discovery is extremely important!" His voice was filled with genuine praise. "Your discovery proves that our most powerful weapon is mobilizing the masses! With you all here, those bad people have nowhere to hide!"

He withdrew his hand, took a step back, and looked Master Liang up and down, his eyes full of admiration: "This incident shows that you are a conscientious and courageous comrade! The guesthouse needs people like you!"

Master Liang couldn't help but smile, but then felt embarrassed and forced himself to suppress it, making his expression somewhat comical. He subconsciously puffed out his chest.

Li Jing'an then turned to Yang Chunjuan, who was standing to the side: "Go and inform Deputy Director Huang to immediately detain the logistics support team leader and conduct a thorough investigation!" He paused, then turned to Master Liang, "Master Liang, starting today, you will take over your team leader's position."

Master Liang was both surprised and delighted. He jumped up, his knee slamming the chair backward with a screeching sound. He paused for a moment, then straightened his back, his voice becoming high-pitched and shrill: "Ah? Thank you, Director Li! Don't worry, I'll definitely do a good job! When I get back, I'll keep an eye on whether anyone in the guesthouse is still dissatisfied with...dissatisfied with the leadership!"

When he said the word "leader," he stared intently at Li Jing'an, as if to pledge his loyalty.

Li Jing'an shook his head, his tone still gentle, even with a hint of persuasion: "Sigh, Master Liang—it's not that you're dissatisfied with the leaders, it's that you're dissatisfied with the country and the organization."

As he said this, he vaguely thought of Liu Haizhong. Although the two looked very different, their fervent yearning for and dependence on power were exactly the same—their eyes burned with a fire, as if they wanted to have the word "loyalty" engraved on their foreheads for others to see.

Master Liang quickly changed his tune, his voice even louder, as if afraid no one would hear him: "Yes, yes, it's dissatisfaction with the country! I understand!"

"Alright, that's settled then. You can go with Secretary Yang now." Li Jing'an waved with a smile and watched Master Liang leave.

The smile on his face slowly faded the moment the door closed.

I thought to myself, this is only the beginning.

Using this incident, he wanted to establish his authority in the guesthouse and make it clear to everyone—who was the one who had the final say here.

Once there's a first one, there will naturally be a second and a third.