Siheyuan: At the beginning, I can integrate everything!

The northwest wind howled through Nanluoguxiang, and the sky was as gloomy as a dirty rag.

The air above the Hongxing Courtyard seemed thicker than usual, making it hard to breathe.

The radio broadcast rousing slogans all day long, and the slogans on the streets changed again and again.

The wind direction has changed.

Intermediate People's Court.

Liu Haizhong's home.

On the table was a plate of pickled vegetable dumplings, and next to it were two black steamed buns that had sprouted a little green mold.

Liu Haizhong didn't touch his chopsticks; his stubby fingers tapped the table absently, making a dull "tap-tap" sound.

He stared at the cornbread, his thick chin trembling slightly with each breath.

"I can't live like this anymore," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Aunt Erda came over with a bowl of thin rice soup and carefully placed it beside him.

"Honey, make do with this. We haven't even got our food stamps for next month yet."

Liu Haizhong slammed his hand on the table, causing most of the soup in the bowl to spill out.

"Eat, eat, eat! All you ever do is eat! That little brat Guangtian went to jail, and I've been shoveling manure at the factory for three months!"

His eyes were bloodshot, like a gambler driven to the brink of despair.

"I'm a level seven blacksmith, for goodness' sake! Why should I put up with this humiliation?"

The second aunt shrank back in fright and dared not utter a sound.

Liu Haizhong suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the room, his leather shoes clattering on the floor tiles.

"The world has changed...this is an opportunity!"

He suddenly stopped, a fanatical glint flashing across his fat face.

"The factory is about to establish a revolutionary committee; this is a golden opportunity for a reshuffle!"

As long as he can find a typical example and make a great contribution, Liu Haizhong will be able to rise from serfdom and sing songs of triumph!

Liu Haizhong put on his faded old work clothes, pushed open the door, and strode towards Yi Zhonghai's house.

Inside Yi Zhonghai's house.

The coal briquettes in the stove were almost fully burned, emitting a faint warmth.

Yi Zhonghai sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding a worn-out file in his hand, his eyes vacant.

He was demoted from an eighth-grade worker to a second-grade worker, and his wages plummeted. Now he has to think twice before buying a good piece of meat.

"Knock knock knock".

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Old Yi, are you home?" Liu Haizhong's raspy voice rang out from outside the door.

Yi Zhonghai frowned almost imperceptibly, then slowly walked over and unlatched the door.

"Old Liu, what a rare guest. Come in."

Liu Haizhong squeezed into the room, closed the door tightly, and cautiously glanced out the window.

Only after making sure no one was eavesdropping did he move closer to Yi Zhonghai and lower his voice.

"Old Yi, you've heard about what's going on at the factory, haven't you?"

Yi Zhonghai put down the file, wiped his hands with a tattered rag, and his eyes revealed a shrewdness and wariness.

"I've heard a bit about it. What, do you have something to say about it?"

He grinned, revealing a few yellowed teeth.

"Old Yi, we're the veterans of this compound. Are we just going to be overshadowed by a little brat for the rest of our lives?"

He pulled up a bench and sat down, leaning forward.

"A storm is brewing, and the factory is selecting key members for the Revolutionary Committee. If we can achieve something at this crucial juncture..."

Liu Haizhong rubbed his hands together, his tone full of seductive meaning.

Yi Zhonghai's eyes flickered as he picked up the glass of cold water on the table, took a sip, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"Grades? What grades do you mean?"

"Make an example of them!"

Liu Haizhong slapped his thigh suddenly, so excited that spittle flew everywhere.

"Think about it, in our compound, who's the most arrogant right now? Who's behaving like a typical capitalist?"

He lowered his voice and gestured with his finger towards the front yard.

Yi Zhonghai looked in the direction he was pointing, and his heart clenched suddenly.

"You mean... Zhang Huaimin?"

Yi Zhonghai swallowed hard, his voice trembling involuntarily.

"Old Liu, are you crazy! There are armed soldiers standing at his door!"

That's a national treasure that even top leaders have personally received; he wouldn't dare touch it even if he had ten lives.

"What are you afraid of!"

Liu Haizhong snorted disdainfully, a ruthless glint in his fat face.

"Those soldiers are also paid by the state! What's the situation now? The higher up they are, the more likely they are to cause trouble!"

He counted on his short, thick fingers, listing Yi Zhonghai's crimes one by one.

"Look at him, he's only five years old, but he rides in a military jeep every day, eats specially supplied meat, and wears fine fabrics."

"This is not the behavior of the proletariat! This is clearly typical bourgeois hedonism!"

Liu Haizhong became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he could already see Zhang Huaimin being criticized and denounced.

"We just need to seize on his lifestyle issues and label him as a 'foreigner' or a 'bourgeois tail'!"

"When the higher-ups investigate, even if he has incredibly powerful connections, he'll be in deep trouble!"

Yi Zhonghai fell silent, head down, staring intently at the tattered rag in his hand.

It felt like two cats were scratching at his heart.

On the one hand, fear of Zhang Huaimin's background made him hesitant to act rashly.

On the other hand, the humiliation of losing his position and the extreme desire for power burned his reason like poisonous fire.

If he can bring down Zhang Huaimin, he can not only vent his anger, but he might also be able to return to his peak.

"Old Liu, are you sure about this?" Yi Zhonghai looked up, his voice hoarse with a sense of desperation.

"Leave it to me!"

When Liu Haizhong saw that he had relented, he was overjoyed and patted his chest to assure him.

"I've found out everything. The new security officers at the factory are all greenhorns who love to make examples of others to gain credit."

"Let's gather evidence first, then I'll personally lead the raid..."

Before he could finish speaking, footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

With a creak, the door was pushed open.

Qin Huairu walked in carrying an empty basin, her face blue from the cold, her eyes as still as stagnant water.

"Uncle, Uncle," she greeted softly, placing the basin in the corner.

Liu Haizhong looked at Qin Huairu, his eyes darting around, and a plan came to mind.

The Jia family now hates Zhang Huaimin to the core, and isn't Qin Huairu a perfect "witness"?

"Huai Ru, have you been struggling to make ends meet these past few days?" Liu Haizhong asked feigned concern.

Qin Huairu bit her lip, a hint of hatred flashing in her eyes.

"We've run out of cornmeal at home, and there's still no sign of Dongxu's compensation..."

"Do you want revenge?" Liu Haizhong suddenly lowered his voice, interrupting her.

Qin Huairu suddenly raised her head, staring intently at Liu Haizhong, her breathing becoming rapid.

"Second Uncle, what...what do you mean?"

Yi Zhonghai remained silent, simply tossing the tattered rag back onto the table.

Liu Haizhong smiled smugly, a smile that, combined with the thick flesh on his face, made him look particularly ferocious.

As night deepened, the wind grew increasingly fierce.

In the east wing of the front yard.

Zhang Huaimin leaned against the warm kang (a heated brick bed), fiddling with a Rubik's Cube in his hand, his expression calm.

The holographic radar had already scanned the movements of the Intermediate People's Court thoroughly.

"A bunch of stupid idiots who don't know what's good for them."

He chuckled lightly, "Since you're so eager to die, then I'll grant your wish."

A few days later, at the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

The loudspeaker on the radio was broadcasting the latest personnel appointments on a loop.

Liu Haizhong was wearing a newly issued green military uniform. Although the uniform was a size too small, it made his stomach look like that of a woman who was ten months pregnant.

But at that moment, he felt that this was the most majestic battle robe in the world.

He stood in front of the mirror in the dormitory, which had a broken corner.

Rough fingers were carefully pinning a red armband to his left arm.

The four bold characters on the armband were eye-catching.

"Deputy Captain of the Revolutionary Committee".

Looking at himself in the mirror, Liu Haizhong's lips curled up wildly, and the muscles in his face twitched violently.

"Zhang Huaimin...this time, I'll show you just how many eyes Lord Ma really has!"