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

"My surname is Wang, Wang Defa."

Li Jing'an paused for a moment, his lips twitching almost imperceptibly. He secretly thought the name was quite unique, but his face remained expressionless: "...A good name."

He composed himself and said in a deep voice, "Manager Zhao, you must rectify this matter immediately and guarantee that nothing like this will ever happen again."

Manager Zhao was already sweating profusely, nodding repeatedly and wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve: "Yes, yes, yes, I'll change it immediately, I definitely will! I'll do whatever Comrade Wang says!"

Wang Defa nodded in satisfaction at their attitudes, his tense expression easing somewhat.

"What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and cut some meat for Comrade Wang, pick out a good piece!" Li Jing'an shouted sternly at Li Hongying, who was still faking her tears, his eyes filled with warning.

Wang Defa led his arrogant cousin out of the store, with Li Jing'an and Manager Zhao accompanying them respectfully to the door.

While Wang Defa turned to push his bicycle, Li Jing'an casually asked the little boy waiting nearby a question. The boy proudly tilted his head back, as if afraid no one around could hear him, and loudly proclaimed, "My cousin Wang Defa is the secretary of the university's Youth League branch, and my uncle is a member of the workshop branch committee at the street soap factory!"

Li Jing'an and Manager Zhao exchanged a glance, and their bodies seemed to instantly grow twenty centimeters taller. The respect and tension on their faces froze instantly, and their expressions became extremely subtle, both embarrassed and amused. The huge stone in their hearts fell to the ground with a "thud," leaving only a feeling of absurdity.

Wang Defa, who was pushing his cart over, overheard this. He frowned and looked at his cousin with a hint of reproach: "I told you, don't talk nonsense outside, and don't isolate my family from the people."

After saying that, he looked at the two people who were standing there in a daze with strange expressions. Seeing that they did not respond for a long time, he felt a little regretful. He assumed that they were intimidated by his identity, so he got on his bicycle, picked up his cousin, and drove away.

Li Jing'an stood there, feeling a surge of frustration and resentment, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

I was just wondering which important person's son was traveling incognito to stand up for the people, and I was even thinking about being careful not to offend anyone. But it turns out he's just a nobody.

He laughed in anger, muttering a low sneer, his heart filled with resentment.

What kind of Youth League branch secretary is he? He's just a student, yet he acts like a big shot, even more arrogant than his father-in-law. I was actually intimidated by him just now, and I had to be humble and smile obsequiously. I've really lost face.

He ignored Manager Zhao, his face grim, and walked straight to the car parked by the roadside without saying a word. He opened the door, got in, and drove back to the guesthouse.

He could only swallow this loss – it wasn't worth seeking revenge over such a trivial matter, as it would only make him a laughingstock.

Meanwhile, Manager Zhao returned to the store and pulled Li Hongying, who was still sobbing, aside:

"Sister Hongying, do you know anything about those two boys?"

Li Hongying wiped away her tears, curling her lip in disdain: "What kid knows? Isn't he just the grandson of the old man who manages the backyard?"

"That's right." Manager Zhao's eyes turned cold, and he said in a sinister tone, "Next time they come to buy something, tell everyone else in the store that they absolutely mustn't let them get away with it!"

Li Hongying, who had been crying just moments before, instantly stopped crying. Her eyes lit up, and she felt a mix of joy and anxiety. Somewhat uncertainly, she asked in a low voice, "What about my brother? He won't be angry, will he?"

Manager Zhao patted his chest and said confidently, "Don't worry, Director Li thinks the same way. He's probably holding a grudge too."

Li Hongying immediately understood, a ruthless look appearing on her face. She nodded repeatedly, plotting how to deal with that family next time.

The car came to a steady stop in front of the guesthouse. Li Jing'an opened the car door with a sullen face and walked heavily into the building. The oppressive atmosphere around him made the passing waiters subconsciously slow down.

As soon as he entered his office, he slammed the door shut behind him. He went straight to his desk, sat down heavily in the chair, which creaked and groaned. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and rubbed his throbbing temples. The scene at the grocery store that afternoon kept replaying in his mind.

From Wang Defa's righteous and pretentious demeanor, to his and Manager Zhao's subservient and obsequious behavior, and finally to the absurdity and embarrassment of learning that the other party was merely a university student union secretary and his father just a workshop branch committee member, waves of resentment surged in his chest, his face burning as if he had been slapped in public, utterly humiliated. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, his fists clenching involuntarily. To be completely intimidated by an unknown nobody—it would be a laughingstock if word got out.

After calming down for a moment, remembering what had happened earlier that day, he picked up the internal phone on his desk and dialed the duty room in a cold tone: "Have Xu Damao come to my office immediately, right now!"

Just a few minutes later, there was a gentle knock on the office door. Xu Damao walked in with his back bowed, his face showing his usual respect. He carefully observed Li Jing'an's expression. Seeing that Li Jing'an's face was gloomy, Xu Damao knew that his boss was unhappy. He stood in front of the desk with his hands hanging down, not daring to say anything.

"Brother Li, what can I do for you?"

Li Jing'an glanced at him, suppressing his anger, and ordered in a deep voice: "The guesthouse needs to purchase a batch of badminton competition uniforms. Go to the department stores and sporting goods stores in the city and find out if they sell them. If not, find out where to order them. Make sure it's done efficiently."

"Alright, Director Li, don't worry, I'll take care of it right away. I guarantee I'll find out everything clearly and won't delay anything!" Xu Damao nodded hurriedly, not daring to ask another question. He turned around and quickly left the office, thoughtfully closing the door gently behind him.

Once again, Li Jing'an was alone in the office. The surroundings were so quiet that he could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall, each tick like a hammer blow to his heart. He stared at the desk, the humiliation of the afternoon resurfacing in his mind. The suppressed anger surged up again, and he could no longer hold back. He suddenly raised his hand and slammed it heavily on the solid wood desk.

With a loud "bang," the teacup on the table shook, spilling a few drops of tea onto the surface. He was oblivious, his chest heaving violently. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he felt. With nowhere to vent his nameless anger, he slammed his clenched fist hard on the table.

He grabbed the phone from the table, pressed the front desk number hard, and the moment the call connected, his anger still simmering, he yelled, "Hello, front desk? Tell Jiang Yuebai to come to my office immediately, right now!"