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

"Chief Prosecutor, I have something to report to you." Xiao Han gently pushed open the office door of Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang, looked at the person behind the desk who was engrossed in reviewing documents, and said in a low voice.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang put down his pen, looked up at him, and raised an eyebrow: "Xiao Han, what's the matter? Didn't you go to investigate Deputy Director Xie's case today? Why are you back so soon?"

"Hehe, I went straight to the Housing Management Bureau early this morning. I just found a clue and came back to report to you as soon as possible." Xiao Han walked up quickly, deliberately lowering his voice, with a mysterious look on his face.

"You've found a lead so quickly? You're quite efficient, kid." Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang put down his pen, leaned forward slightly, and was clearly intrigued.

"Hey, it's not really a concrete result yet. The director of the Housing Management Bureau told me this news himself—the person who arranged for Deputy Director Xie's partner to move to a new house is a leader from the steel rolling mill."

Upon hearing this, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang frowned instantly, his tone somewhat dismissive: "He's just a company leader, what's there to worry about? Investigate according to the rules, don't hesitate. Don't forget, Xie Hui's background is not simple, the Chief Prosecutor always flatters him. We don't need to offend him for no reason, but we can't let things slide either."

"Don't be in such a hurry! This leader of the steel rolling mill is no ordinary factory-level cadre. His father-in-law is Leader Wei of the Municipal Party Committee!" Xiao Han took half a step forward, lowered his voice, and emphasized the weight of the matter.

"Wei? Which Wei leader? Could it be..." Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang's pupils suddenly contracted, his hand holding the pen paused, and his face was full of disbelief.

"That's right, it's him, exactly." Xiao Han's lips curled into a smug smile, clearly very satisfied with the news he brought. It was exactly the same reaction that made the usually composed Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang lose his composure when he heard the news at the Housing Management Bureau.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang's pen moved incessantly between his fingers, the tip tapping lightly on the table, revealing the turmoil and calculations in his mind. "Good, this is truly a stroke of luck! Xie Hui has powerful backers, and the Chief Prosecutor's constant currying favor is all for the sake of his influence. Before, I had no way to make a move and could only remain inactive. Now, the situation is completely different."

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Xiao Han quickly probed, "Chief Prosecutor, shall we continue investigating this case?"

"Investigate? Of course we'll investigate! Not only will we investigate, but we'll investigate openly and aboveboard!" Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang suddenly came to his senses, a hint of excitement and calculation flashing in his eyes, his tone exceptionally firm.

"Huh? This matter involves Leader Wei from the Municipal Party Committee. Why don't we just inform Xie Hui about the situation and let them handle it internally? Why do we have to get involved?" Xiao Han said, looking puzzled.

"What do you know! If we just tell Xie Hui and let them settle it privately, how will we get any credit? Xie Hui has connections, but compared to Leader Wei, he's still a step behind. This is a golden opportunity for us! Come on, I'll go to the steel mill with you later." Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang glared at him, his tone filled with disappointment and reprimand.

"Huh? Chief Prosecutor, it's not proper for us to go directly to the steel mill! According to the rules, we should go to the housing management bureau first, and then to Xie Hui's girlfriend's home to verify the situation. The housing exchange was handled by the housing management bureau, and it's not directly related to that leader at the steel mill!" Xiao Han was stunned for a moment, and quickly expressed his concerns.

"Why can't you think straight! If we don't go to the steel mill, how will Leader Wei's son-in-law know that we're investigating a case and helping him clear his way? How can we get in touch with him? And how can we expect him to do us a favor?" Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang lowered his voice, pointing out the problem word by word.

"Hehe, Chief Prosecutor, you're really cunning... no, you're shrewd and calculating!" Xiao Han suddenly realized, but as soon as he said it, he met Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang's slightly dangerous gaze. He quickly changed his words and smiled apologetically, but in his heart he was secretly cursing.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Li Jing'an looked at the two men in prosecutor's uniforms. When the security guard announced their arrival, he assumed it was Xie Hui coming to his door, but they were two unfamiliar faces. He calmly stood up and shook hands with both of them, saying, "I am Li Jing'an. May I ask who you two are?"

The deputy chief prosecutor, Huang, immediately stepped forward, bowed slightly, and firmly grasped Li Jing'an's hands with both of them, his face beaming with a warm and respectful smile: "Hello, Comrade Li. We are from the Municipal Procuratorate. My surname is Huang, and I am the deputy chief prosecutor of the procuratorate."

"Oh, Chief Prosecutor Huang." Li Jing'an nodded calmly.

"I don't deserve it, I'm just a deputy chief prosecutor, a deputy position." Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang quickly corrected him with a smile, then turned to introduce the person next to him, "Let me introduce you, this is Section Chief Han from our Self-Investigation Section."

Unexpectedly, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang introduced Li Jing'an directly, which saved Li Jing'an the trouble.

Meanwhile, Section Chief Han, who was waiting to shake hands with Li Jing'an, looked embarrassed and kept muttering to himself: "This old Huang is such a scoundrel. Yesterday he was righteously saying that the chief prosecutor had no bottom line, that he was just sucking up to Xie Hui, and that the country would be ruined by them sooner or later. Damn it, how come you've changed so much today? You have even less bottom line than the chief prosecutor! Look at your face, you're all scrunched up from smiling, I think you're about to kneel down and hug his leg."

Li Jing'an, oblivious to the subtle tension between the two, gestured for them to sit on the sofa, casually offering them cigarettes. Only after they were seated did he speak: "What brings you two leaders to see me today?"

"Comrade Li, our procuratorate received relevant information and came to communicate with you to verify it." Deputy Procurator General Huang leaned forward slightly, carefully choosing his tone, and his attitude was exceptionally humble.

Li Jing'an frowned almost imperceptibly: "Is it related to some case?"

"It's not really a case, it's just a routine matter of verification. We'd like to ask if you are aware that the house your father currently lives in is currently undergoing a property exchange process with someone else?" Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang quickly softened his tone and asked gently.

Upon hearing that it was about a house swap, Li Jing'an's slightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed, and he said calmly, "That's true. I knew about it beforehand. May I ask what went wrong?"

"That's right. The other family involved in the exchange said that they didn't exchange houses voluntarily. They were pressured by the housing management office and the housing management bureau and had no choice but to agree," Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang said truthfully, keeping a close eye on Li Jing'an's expression.

"I really don't know about this situation." Li Jing'an said calmly and confidently. "I went through the whole formal process when I applied for the house exchange. I personally went to the housing management office to register. As for how they handled the follow-up, I was not involved and had no way of knowing."

"Understood, understood. We naturally trust Comrade Li's character. You are so busy with your affairs, this is no small matter for you to trouble yourself with. We came here today firstly to verify the situation with you, and secondly to give you advance notice so that the subsequent investigation can proceed smoothly. We have absolutely no intention of disturbing you," Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang quickly agreed with a smile.

Li Jing'an chuckled softly and said calmly, "Chief Prosecutor Huang."

"Oh, Comrade Li, you're too kind. I'm the Deputy Chief Prosecutor. You can just call me Lao Huang." Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang quickly corrected him again, adopting an extremely humble posture.

"It's all the same." Li Jing'an waved his hand, his tone calm. "I appreciate that you two came to inform me in advance today. I hope the procuratorate will handle this matter impartially, thoroughly investigate the ins and outs, and reveal the truth. Don't let idle gossip ruin my reputation. You agree, don't you?"

"Comrade Li, rest assured, I've taken your words to heart! We will definitely be pragmatic and investigate thoroughly to the end, ensuring you receive a satisfactory explanation, and we will never tolerate any violations!" Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang immediately straightened his back and solemnly stated.

"Then I'll have to trouble you two." Li Jing'an nodded slightly, then warmly invited, "How about this, tonight at my guesthouse, I'll treat you to a simple meal and a couple of drinks, just to make friends. I've always enjoyed making friends from all walks of life."

"Comrade Li, we are honored by your hospitality! But your matter is not yet settled, so how can we be worthy to drink your wine? Once we have thoroughly investigated this matter and settled it for you, I will personally visit you to ask for this drink!" Deputy Chief Prosecutor Huang said with a smile, respectfully declining the offer.

"Okay, it's a deal!" Li Jing'an agreed with a smile, then looked at Section Chief Han, who had remained silent, and added, "Section Chief Han, you must come along, don't be shy."

Section Chief Han, still slightly embarrassed, straightened up immediately after being called out by Li Jing'an. He quickly stepped forward, forcing a polite yet restrained smile, and nodded slightly to Li Jing'an.