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

Zhou Yufei gently knocked on the office door, then pushed it open and entered, her voice tinged with caution: "Brother Li, you wanted to see me?"

Li Jing'an glanced at her and said in a calm tone, "Oh, where have you been? We still have guests to entertain at noon, and they're all waiting."

"Something came up at my parents' place, so I was a little delayed," Zhou Yufei quickly replied, straightening her clothes as she did so. "How many people are in the party for lunch? I'll go arrange the private room and dishes right away."

"Seven or eight people, you keep an eye on things and make sure nothing goes wrong," Li Jing'an waved his hand.

"Okay, I'll go right away." Zhou Yufei nodded in agreement, turned around, and tiptoed out. After leaving the house, she breathed a sigh of relief and composed herself.

Silence returned to the office. Li Jing'an pulled a piece of paper from his drawer—a letter of denunciation. His fingertips traced the paper, and he suddenly chuckled, muttering under his breath, "Damn, this old woman really knows how to pat herself on the back."

The letter was absurd—it even mentioned the minister, saying that once, while dining at the guesthouse, the minister deliberately touched her hand, clearly having improper thoughts about her. The letter was embellished with extravagant details, like a theatrical performance. Li Jing'an glanced at the signature; it belonged to the oldest waiter in the restaurant, almost forty years old.

He frowned and casually tossed the letter onto the corner of the table. But a moment later, he picked it up again, his fingertips lightly tapping the tabletop as he secretly pondered: "Flies don't land on eggs without cracks..." Then, recalling what he had inadvertently witnessed a while ago, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and a subtle smile slowly crept onto his lips.

Before he knew it, it was noon. Li Jing'an was already waiting at the entrance of the guesthouse. When he saw Li Huaide and his entourage approaching from afar, he quickly greeted them with a smile: "Oh... Director Li, you've finally arrived."

Li Huaide glanced around at the people coming and going from the guesthouse, lowered his voice, and said with some concern, "Jing'an, didn't I tell you? If you want to get together, just go to the canteen at our steel mill. It's too conspicuous here, with people from the metallurgical system coming and going. It won't sound good if word gets out."

Li Jing'an waved his hand dismissively, then put his arm around Li Huaide and led him inside: "Don't worry, Brother Li, I specifically chose these few days. There are no reception duties at the station, and not many outsiders. It's very safe."

As he spoke, he led everyone around the restaurant lobby and into a secluded corner of the staff canteen at the very back. Li Jing'an had specially arranged a private room there, in a quiet location where no one else would notice it.

Upon entering the private room, Li Jing'an, a hint of smugness on his face, asked with a smile, "How about it, Brother Li? I chose a good spot, didn't I? It's secluded and quiet."

Li Huaide looked around and nodded with a smile: "Well done, you've got a good eye for detail. This is quite a thoughtful arrangement. Who would have thought that such a hidden place would be tucked away in the staff canteen? Haha, then I'll have to try your guesthouse's cooking today."

"Just relax and wait. I can't guarantee anything else, but I've specifically spoken to the kitchen staff to make sure they bring out the best cooking skills so everyone can eat and drink well," Li Jing'an boasted, patting his chest.

As soon as everyone was seated, Zhou Yufei quietly entered the private room and asked in a low voice, "Brother Li, are all the guests here? Shall we serve the food now?"

Li Jing'an nodded in acknowledgment, and Zhou Yufei turned and went out to give instructions. Before long, one hot dish after another was brought to the table by the waiters, a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, looking very exquisite.

As soon as the waiter filled everyone's glasses with wine, Li Jing'an waved his hand and said, "Alright, this is none of your business. Go out first, and I'll call you if I need anything." There were outsiders present, and some things were inconvenient to say—he was preoccupied with important matters and naturally didn't want others to be there.

The waiter withdrew in response. Gou, the head of the security department of the steel rolling mill, immediately stood up and took the initiative to pour tea and wine, bustling around and being exceptionally attentive.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the atmosphere at the table gradually warmed up. Seizing the opportunity, Li Jing'an leaned forward slightly, looked at Li Huaide, and asked with a hint of probing, "Brother Li, I have a question for you—does our steel rolling mill have any plans to build new staff housing this year?"

Li Huaide put down his wine glass and shook his head: "The factory doesn't have the budget for this this year, nor has it approved any housing construction quotas, so there's no hope for now. However, I did hear that in the Ministry of Metallurgical's headquarters residential compound on Ande Road, some newly built buildings are being allocated housing."

These words instantly perked Li Jing'an up, his eyes lighting up as he quickly asked, "Really? Are there any requirements or restrictions for applying for this house?"

"There are definitely restrictions, and they're very strict." Li Huaide paused, then lowered his voice and said, "In principle, cadres from the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry's directly affiliated units in Beijing are eligible to apply. But as you know, the actual situation is that the quotas are basically reserved for cadres in the ministry's headquarters, and only the main leaders of a few large factories can get them."

He glanced at Li Jing'an and added meaningfully, "At your level of deputy division chief, normally you wouldn't even be considered. But you're different—because you have a father-in-law who's a leader in the municipal party committee. With that connection, the ministry will definitely be willing to do you a favor. This matter has a chance."

Li Jing'an was deeply moved and quickly asked, "What are the specific procedures? Who should I contact?"

"This isn't difficult. You don't need to go directly to the ministry," Li Huaide said slowly, taking a sip of his wine. "Just submit a housing application to the steel rolling mill's office, stating that your family is experiencing housing difficulties. The mill will then submit a formal document to the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry's Administrative Department on behalf of the company, and the rest will proceed smoothly."

Upon hearing this, Li Jing'an immediately picked up his wine glass and respectfully raised it to Li Huaide, his eyes filled with undisguised eagerness: "Brother Li, I'd like to toast you—this matter is entirely thanks to your help."