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

Detention room of the security department of the steel rolling mill.

Li Jing'an strolled leisurely to the door and gestured with his chin toward the security officer on duty. Upon recognizing Li Jing'an from the guesthouse, the officer, without a word, pulled out a brass key from his waist and swung it open the iron gate with a clang.

The door hinges creaked jarringly. Li Jing'an stepped inside, his gaze sweeping casually across the room. Inside, besides Sha Zhu, were Xu Damao. The two were arguing heatedly, their faces flushed and spittle flying, when they heard the door open. As if someone had suddenly grabbed their throats, they both turned their heads sharply.

"Brother Jing'an!"

The two spoke in unison, each shouting louder than the other.

Li Jing'an frowned, his gaze falling on Xu Damao, his tone clearly surprised: "Why are you here too? I thought it was just Sha Zhu alone."

Xu Damao's face instantly fell, his already listless expression turning into a mournful one. He took two steps forward, rubbing his hands, and sighed with a bitter expression, "Brother Jing'an, you've finally arrived! I was arrested just after noon, they said someone anonymously reported me for taking bribes and local specialties during a movie screening in the countryside—they've slapped a bribery charge on me!"

Li Jing'an frowned slightly, a hint of disdain on his face, and said in a nonchalant tone, "It can't be that serious, can it? It's just showing movies in the countryside, collecting some local specialties, and having a home-cooked meal. Why are you taking it so seriously and arresting people?"

The words had barely left his mouth when Sha Zhu immediately perked up. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, sneered, and shouted gloatingly, "Haha! Xu Damao, you've finally met your match! You deserved it! You've been squeezing every last drop of profit out of the farmers; you deserve to be killed!"

Xu Damao's face instantly turned a deep purplish-red. He pointed at Shazhu and cursed, "Shut up! Shazhu, stop kicking me when I'm down! Those were gifts from the villagers of the commune, given willingly, it's just goodwill! Unlike you—you steal food from our factory workers every day, pilfering meals from the canteen, and you still have the nerve to talk back to me?"

Sha Zhu, stung by the criticism, jumped up from the dilapidated bench, his eyes wide and veins bulging in his neck: "That was leftover food from cooking special meals for the factory leaders, it was with their approval! What does it have to do with ordinary workers? Don't try to smear me!"

Xu Damao looked at him with disdain, sizing him up as if he were a joke: "Leftovers? Who are you trying to fool! Everyone in the hospital knows what kind of person you are, Sha Zhu. You carry that aluminum lunchbox in and out every day, sucking the blood of the canteen's pots and pans, taking advantage of the public funds. Don't you know how much? And you still dare to talk so arrogantly here!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Sha Zhu instantly exploded, rolling up his cotton-padded jacket sleeves to his elbows, clenching his fists, and charging towards Xu Damao, roaring through gritted teeth, "I'll beat you to death today!"

Xu Damao shrank back in fright, his legs trembling. He scurried behind Li Jing'an, clutching his clothes tightly, and peeked out, shouting, "Silly Zhu, I hit a nerve! Are you getting angry now? If you're so tough, don't act like this in the house. Go settle accounts with Xie Hui!"

"Alright! Stop it, all of you!"

Li Jing'an's face darkened, his voice suddenly rising several decibels. He reached out and firmly stopped Sha Zhu from lunging forward, his eyes sweeping over the two of them: "You're already locked in the same room, and you're still arguing endlessly? Don't you think things are getting serious enough? Don't you think you've been locked up long enough?"

Sha Zhu stopped, panting heavily, glaring at Xu Damao as if he wanted to devour him alive. He turned to Li Jing'an: "Brother Jing'an, you have no idea—that Xie Hui is a real scoundrel! Just because I beat him up, this is his revenge!"

Xu Damao quickly nodded in agreement, his face contorted with misery: "He's probably behind this too!"

Xu Damao stared at Li Jing'an expectantly: "Brother Jing'an, you have to help me!" Sha Zhu also looked at Li Jing'an.

Li Jing'an said to Xu Damao, "Damao, no one can provide solid evidence for your case. Just insist that the gifts were given voluntarily, as a matter of courtesy. Don't give a shred of proof, tell everyone who asks." He then turned to Shazhu, "Zhuzi, if anyone asks you about taking the food, just blame it on the factory leaders, and nothing will happen."

The two listened attentively and nodded repeatedly.

Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Li Jing'an turned to leave. Xu Damao, however, seemed to remember something and quickly approached, tugging at his sleeve and pleading softly, "Brother Jing'an, could you please talk to the security chief and ask for a different room? I really don't want to be locked in a room with that idiot Zhu. If I stay any longer, he'll drive me crazy!"

Sha Zhu immediately frowned, waving his hand with disgust, "Perfect! Who wants to be around a treacherous person like you! If you want to switch, go ahead, I'm not putting up with you!"

Li Jing'an casually agreed, his tone perfunctory: "Okay, I'll ask around for you. But I can't guarantee it will work; I can only pass on the message."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and walked out.

From beginning to end, he never went to the security department to mention changing rooms; his promise just now was just a casual remark.

He slowly turned and went back to the guesthouse. When he saw Qin Huairu, he simply said that Sha Zhu and Xu Damao were both locked up, that it wasn't a big problem, and that they would be out in a couple of days. Then he waved for her to get back to work. He leaned back in his office chair, closed his eyes to rest, and completely put the matter out of his mind.

---

Meanwhile, the department stores in the city were warm and inviting.

The glass display cases were bright and clean, and the shelves were filled with all kinds of fabrics and clothing, exuding a lively and bustling atmosphere. Zhou Yufei stood in front of the clothing counter, her eyes sparkling as she examined a row of neatly folded trousers, comparing them back and forth, but she still couldn't make up her mind.

She looked up at the sales clerk behind the counter, a hint of shyness on her face, and asked softly, "Comrade, what kind of trousers would look better and make me look more smart with this Lenin suit I'm wearing?"

The sales clerk sized her up—she was neatly dressed, with a confident look in her eyes, unlike those who only ask questions and don't buy anything. She immediately became enthusiastic, smiling as she pointed to a pair of navy blue straight-leg Western-style trousers on the counter: "These are the perfect match. They're crisp and crisp, and paired with a Lenin suit, they really enhance your image; you'd look like a cadre."

She glanced at Zhou Yufei a couple more times, then tentatively asked with a smile, "Comrade, you're a cadre, right?" Before Zhou Yufei could answer, she added, "Cadres usually wear Lenin suits with white shirts with fine cotton collars to look dignified and sharp."

Zhou Yufei smiled and nodded, her tone firm: "Okay, then I'll trouble you to get me a set of shirt and pants in the right size."

The sales clerk hesitated for a moment, then offered a kind reminder in a low voice, "Sir, this whole set isn't cheap. How about I give you a price quote first, and you can think about it?"

In the past, Zhou Yufei would have definitely thought the other person was mocking or looking down on her. But today, she had money in her pocket and felt confident, so she assumed the other person genuinely cared about her. Her smile softened, and she waved her hand, her tone calm and confident: "No need to trouble yourself, just bring it over. I'll take it. Oh, and also, pick out a pair of leather shoes to match this outfit, comfortable and well-fitting."

A short while later, Zhou Yufei came out of the fitting room.

She wore a snow-white fine cotton collared shirt underneath a navy blue Lenin-style double-breasted suit with a wide lapel and a wide belt, paired with matching straight-leg trousers and brand-new, shiny black leather shoes with round toes and low square heels. Standing there, her posture was upright, her demeanor completely transformed, both sharp and dignified.

The sales clerk's eyes widened in amazement, and she clapped her hands repeatedly, exclaiming, "It looks amazing! You look so smart in this!"

Zhou Yufei felt a sweet warmth in her heart, as if she had been filled with honey. She picked out a soft and warm woolen scarf, paid for it readily, and walked out of the department store with her head held high.

Walking down the winter street, the cold wind howled past, yet passersby frequently cast envious glances—some secretly observed, some whispered praises, and others couldn't help but turn back for a second look. Zhou Yufei felt light and carefree, as if her steps were about to take flight. The pervasive smell of coal and smoke that had filled the city was completely gone; even the cold air seemed sweet, and the whole world felt gentle and bright.