Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

"Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong are corrupt in thought, abuse their positions, form cliques in their residential areas, and retaliate against workers who have contributed to the factory. Their actions are egregious and have a very negative impact!" Yang Weiguo announced coldly. "After deliberation by the factory management, it has been decided that Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong will receive a factory-wide reprimand! This will be recorded in their personal files! They will be disqualified from all performance evaluations and awards this year! Their monthly bonuses will be withheld! You two are required to submit a profound self-criticism in your respective workshops! Any recurrence will be severely punished!"

Factory-wide reprimand! Recorded in personnel file! Cancellation from performance evaluations! Bonus deducted! And a written apology must be given in the workshop!

This series of punishments was like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads, leaving Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong feeling icy cold, as if they had fallen into an ice cave. All the face and seniority they had painstakingly built up over decades at the factory vanished in an instant! This was even worse than the neighborhood committee's "probationary period"! It meant their status at the factory plummeted, and they became notorious negative examples!

"Get out! Reflect on your actions!" Yang Weiguo waved his hand in disgust, as if shooing away two flies.

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong left the office dejectedly, their backs hunched, as if they had aged twenty years overnight. They couldn't understand how simply wanting a "share" of the meat and a small advantage could lead to such an irrecoverable end. The neighborhood committee and the factory dealt them a double blow, crushing everything they had built up over decades.

A quiet spot in the factory area.

Jin Aiguo found Wei Chen, who was on patrol, pulled him aside, and looked at him with a mixture of pleasure and seriousness.

"Xiao Wei, the factory's decision is in." Jin Aiguo lowered his voice and briefly recounted the process of how Zhou Jianjun launched his attack at the Standing Committee meeting last week, how Li Huaide assisted, how Factory Director Yang was furious, and how Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong were ultimately given a severe punishment, including a factory-wide reprimand.

When Wei Chen heard this, even though he was mentally prepared and knew that his "complaint" last night would have an effect, he couldn't help but be stunned, and a genuine look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"A factory-wide reprimand? Recorded in their files? And their bonuses were docked?" Wei Chen was incredulous. He knew that his status as a martyr's family member and his previous merits were his shields, but he hadn't expected them to be so powerful, directly triggering a power struggle at the factory's highest levels and causing Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong to pay such a heavy price. This effect... was somewhat beyond his expectations.

Seeing Wei Chen's surprised expression, Jin Aiguo smiled and patted him hard on the shoulder: "Didn't expect that, did you? I didn't expect it to cause such a big commotion either. But, that's satisfying! That's fucking satisfying!"

He suppressed his smile, his expression becoming serious and respectful: "This time, we mainly have to thank our Section Chief Zhou! You have no idea, those few words he spoke at the Standing Committee meeting were so powerful! They completely stunned Director Yang! Section Chief Zhou is usually a man of few words, but he has zero tolerance for injustice! Especially when it comes to the families of martyrs, or to the bullying of meritorious officials—he has zero tolerance for that! When he heard about your case, he slammed his fist on the table and said he would definitely take charge of it!"

A warm feeling welled up in Wei Chen's heart. He would remember Zhou Jianjun's kindness, this silent and stern head of the security department.

"Of course," Jin Aiguo's tone shifted, a hint of mischief in his voice, "Deputy Factory Director Li's 'assist' was also crucial, his finishing blow was spot-on. But ultimately," he looked at Wei Chen, his eyes sincere, "it's still because you're one of our own in the security department! You just made such a great contribution, and then you get bullied in your own yard. Isn't that a slap in the face to the entire security department? Do you think Old Zhou can stand for that? Do you think I can stand for that? Do you think any of our brothers in the security department can stand for that? No way!"

Wei Chen understood. This wasn't just Zhou Jianjun's personal indignation, but also the Security Section, a special department, upholding its authority and honor. He straightened up and solemnly said to Jin Aiguo, "Section Chief Jin, please thank Section Chief Zhou for me! I, Wei Chen, will remember this kindness! And thank you for always standing up for me and running around for me."

"No need to thank me! We're all brothers!" Jin Aiguo waved his hand heartily. "Alright, the matter is resolved. You can focus on your work now. From now on, let's see who dares to mess with you in the compound! I'm off!" He turned and left with light steps.

Wei Chen stood there, watching Jin Aiguo's departing figure, then glancing at the towering steel rolling mill in the distance, a glint of light flashing in his deep eyes. The storm at the factory had temporarily subsided; Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong had paid a heavy price, their prestige shattered. At the street office, Director Wang had also made his stance clear. The Jia family was temporarily intimidated.

I think I can finally have some peace and quiet for a while, so I won't be constantly being watched.

But this isn't the end of the story. The Jia family, Sha Zhu, Yi Zhonghai's retirement, and the drama in the compound are far from over. Hopefully, they won't mess with me!

Yi Zhonghai hasn't even realized his money is missing! Without this money as a foundation, let's see how he wins people's hearts and how he treats the Jia family!

"The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease..." Wei Chen muttered to himself, a cold smile curving his lips. "Very well. The stage is set, the lights are on, and those who are meant to perform will eventually do so. But next time, I hope you can come up with something new."

He adjusted his hat brim, straightened his back, and continued his patrol of the factory area with steady steps. Sunlight fell on his epaulets, reflecting a metallic, cold, and resolute gleam. The game of chess in the courtyard was far from over.

The steel mill's work bell still rings on time, breaking the dawn in Beijing. But for Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong in No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, this sound, which used to symbolize order and power, now sounds like a death knell, piercing their eardrums with pain.

The ruthless hand of Wang Guifen, the director of the neighborhood committee, was like a cold iron yoke, firmly binding their necks. Their status as "big shots in charge" turned into a humiliating "probationary period." Although they weren't dismissed, the two men haven't been having an easy time lately, living with their heads in the balance every day.

Every day after get off work, without fail, they had to report to the subdistrict office. Under the stern gaze of the young staff, they held those mimeographed "ideological study materials" that reeked of strong ink, and wrote out their heart-wrenching "profound self-criticisms." The "Master Yi" and "Master Liu," who were once highly respected in the subdistrict office, have now become "Comrade Yi Zhonghai" and "Comrade Liu Haizhong," who are criticized by name by the staff.

What made them even more ashamed was the even heavier blow from the steel rolling mill. The factory-wide notice of criticism, personally signed by Director Yang, was like a huge list of shame, posted on every prominent bulletin board in the factory area.

The document, in black and white, listed their crimes of "moral corruption" and "retaliation against the families of heroes and martyrs," using harsh and merciless language. The report concluded with punitive decisions: "to be recorded in their personal files," "to be disqualified from all performance evaluations and awards this year," "to have their monthly bonus withheld," and "to be required to conduct a thorough self-examination in their respective workshops." Every word was like a red-hot branding iron, searing into the faces they had painstakingly maintained for decades.

In the courtyard houses, the former grandeur of being a powerful figure with a retinue of followers and absolute authority has long since vanished. The neighbors' gazes towards them have become complex and distant; the awe has disappeared, replaced by avoidance, inquiry, and even undisguised contempt.

Walking through the alley, the familiar neighbors either pretended not to see them and hurried past, or gathered in small groups behind them, pointing and whispering like flies, their voices lingering.

"See that? That's the 'old man' who got singled out for criticism by both the factory and the neighborhood committee..."

"Tsk tsk, I heard they're holding a denunciation meeting in the courtyard? And the person being denounced is the meritorious person who brought hundreds of kilograms of meat to the factory? And he's even a martyr's family member!"

"He's utterly wicked! He pretends to be a moral exemplar all the time, but behind everyone's back he does nothing but shady things!"

"Serves him right! That's karma! I'll stay away from people like that from now on, they're bad luck!"

Yi Zhonghai was hunched over, his steps heavy as if filled with lead. His usually composed face, which wore the mask of "moral authority," was now ashen, as if covered with a thick layer of dust. His eyes were empty, filled only with deep weariness and unspeakable shame.

His carefully cultivated "elderly care persona" and "moral facade," built up over decades, were shattered into nothingness by the repeated blows of Director Yang and Director Wang.

He dared not look anyone in the eye, as if everyone's gaze held a mocking thorn. He just wanted to quickly disappear into the workshop, into the cold, roaring machines, and numb himself with the arduous labor.

Liu Haizhong was even worse off. His obese body seemed to have shrunk a size, and his once straight back, always ready for "leadership inspections," had now collapsed.

His greasy, fleshy face sagged, and his eyes were filled with fear and confusion. His once-proud "official authority" had become the biggest joke, and the withheld bonus made him wince in pain.

What he fears most now is going to the forging workshop. The thought of having to give a "deep self-criticism" in front of his former apprentices and colleagues who used to treat him with utmost respect makes him want to disappear into the ground. He has even started to become paranoid, always feeling that everyone is looking at him with schadenfreude.

Xu Damao, who shared the backyard with Yi and Liu, was also having a hard time. Like a frightened rabbit, he huddled in his fairly spacious projectionist's dormitory, losing all interest in the once lucrative and prestigious job of showing movies in the countryside.

The scene at the hospital-wide meeting that day played on repeat in his mind like the most terrifying nightmare. He clearly remembered how he was driven by jealousy to jump out and sarcasticly "praise" Wei Chen to death, how he used "crickets" to subtly mock Wei Chen, and how he tried to add fuel to the fire in the storm stirred up by Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong.

At that moment, all he wanted to do was see Wei Chen suffer, to see this kid who suddenly appeared and always outmaneuvered him suffer misfortune, and his heart was filled with a twisted sense of pleasure.

Xu Damao was terrified that Wei Chen's revenge would come so quickly. Seeing the fates of Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, he was on tenterhooks lately!