Courtyard House: Starting as an eighth-grade worker, with too many wives.

The two asked very detailed questions, going over every single detail of yesterday from beginning to end.

Halfway through the questioning, the younger one couldn't help but ask another question to confirm.

"Did you really subdue the assailant all by yourself?"

Li Jianguo nodded.

"I lived in the Northwest and I have some martial arts skills. Back then, in the narrow alleyways, he couldn't really practice his moves."

The two exchanged a glance and didn't ask any further questions.

After asking a few more questions, the conversation shifted.

"Director Li, have you noticed anyone acting strangely around you lately? Are there any suspects? Or... have you offended anyone?"

Li Jianguo remained silent for a while.

He knew who did it. But he had no proof.

He thought for a moment, then smiled.

"There's no one who seems suspicious. There's no one I suspect either. But I have a few people I've offended."

He recounted what had happened after returning to the city: the conflict with the Jia family, his past grudge against Yi Zhonghai, and his several clashes with the deaf old woman. He also mentioned the unfortunate accidents that had occurred.

After hearing this, the expressions on their faces became somewhat subtle.

"These people... are really unlucky."

"Those who do many unrighteous deeds will surely perish."

After asking a few more questions, the two got up to say goodbye.

Before leaving, the older man gave Li Jianguo some advice.

"We understand the situation. We may contact you again. Continue with your daily life as usual, but please be careful. Wherever you go, it's best to go with colleagues or neighbors."

Li Jianguo nodded and saw the person out.

-

On the surface, nothing changed in the days that followed.

Li Jianguo went to work as usual and led his team in their research as usual. The only difference was that someone was always following him when he went in and out; this was the factory's arrangement.

During this time, Qin Huairu came out.

The weather was nice that day. She walked out of the detention center alone.

No one came to pick her up.

She had lost a lot of weight; her cheekbones were protruding, and there were dark circles under her eyes.

Back in the courtyard, she ran into the Third Uncle's family, but they turned and walked away as if they hadn't seen her.

"Why is this person out here?"

"Who knows?"

"Anyway, his reputation is ruined."

Whispers came from behind her. Qin Huairu lowered her head, her eyes red, and ran into the house in a flash.

Jia Zhangshi was inside the house.

The moment he saw her, he launched into a tirade of abuse.

"You shameless bastard! You still have the nerve to come back? All those dirty things you did outside have disgraced my son! If you dare to cause trouble again, get out of here!"

The children huddled in the corner, too afraid to utter a sound.

Looking at the mess in the room, her mother-in-law's ferocious face, and the fearful eyes of her children, Qin Huairu couldn't stop her tears from flowing.

She burst into tears.

The crying came from inside the house, and everyone in the yard heard it. No one came over.

-

Inside the deaf old woman's house.

Yi Zhonghai was serving her water.

Hearing the crying, the two exchanged a glance.

Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up.

"Qin Huairu is out."

The deaf old woman urged him on.

"Go find her. Get a letter of understanding. We can't delay any longer regarding Sha Zhu's matter."

Yi Zhonghai put down his bowl and hurriedly went out.

-

The Jia family.

Jia Zhangshi was still cursing.

She was taken aback when Yi Zhonghai entered the room.

"Grandpa? What brings you here?"

Qin Huairu looked at him with tears in her eyes, as if grasping at a straw.

"Grandpa, please save me..."

"Save you?" Madam Jia exploded. "You're going to seek help from outsiders for your family's mess? Can't I even scold you a couple of times? Have you gotten too used to being a womanizer and now you want to find another man?"

She was about to strike again as she spoke.

Yi Zhonghai stopped her.

"Stop hitting me. I've come to see your daughter-in-law; I have something to say."

Jia Zhangshi plopped down, rolling her eyes.

"What's the matter? Why would she, a woman, want to see me?"

"That's a good thing."

Yi Zhonghai spoke frankly.

"There's no man in your family now, and she's the only one earning money. How will you manage in the future? Wouldn't it be good if Sha Zhu came out? Write a letter of understanding, and he'll be released sooner. With him around, things will be easier for you."

These words struck a chord with both the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Jia Zhangshi's eyes darted around.

"Will he be able to help us after he gets out?"

"Having written a letter of understanding means I owe you a favor. If he doesn't help, come to me."

Yi Zhonghai patted his chest confidently.

Jia Zhangshi turned her head and shouted at Qin Huairu.

"Go write it now!"

Qin Huairu dared not delay and quickly found paper and pen to write a letter of understanding.

As she handed it to Yi Zhonghai, she couldn't help but ask a question.

"Will Sha Zhu really be able to come out soon?"

Before she could finish speaking, Jia Zhangshi grabbed her hair and pulled her back.

"When he comes out is none of your business! What, your man's no longer functional, so you're eyeing someone else?"

"Mom, I didn't..."

Qin Huairu cried as she tried to explain, not daring to utter another word.

Yi Zhonghai took the letter of understanding and turned to leave.

-

the next day.

Yi Zhonghai asked someone to deliver the letter of understanding.

The matter wasn't serious to begin with, and with the victim's understanding, Sha Zhu was released quickly.

Yi Zhonghai went to pick him up personally.

While waiting at the door, he saw someone come out.

He was so thin he was practically skin and bones, with sunken eyes, a hunched back when he walked, and a blank stare, as if he had lost his soul.

Yi Zhonghai looked at it carefully for a while before recognizing it as Sha Zhu.

He was stunned.

"Silly Zhu? You... what happened to you?"

Upon hearing the sound, Sha Zhu trembled all over, covered his head, squatted down, curled up into a ball, and shivered.

He came out.

But the person is already ruined.

-

on the way back.

The loudspeaker on the roadside utility pole blared.

"my country's latest generation engine was designed and manufactured by engineer Li Jianguo. This engine uses entirely new alloy materials, offering numerous advantages such as light weight and low energy consumption. This technology is at the forefront of the world, and my country has reached a globally leading level in this field..."

The announcer's voice was strong and clear.

Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu stopped in their tracks at the same time.

People on the street also stopped.

"Isn't this the engineer who built the car last time?"

"Yes, that's him!"

"They've built another engine? Better than the foreign ones?"

"What they say over the loudspeaker, how could it be false?"

"Our country can surpass foreign countries now?"

"Very good!"

The chatter rose and fell, and everyone wore a smile.

Sha Zhu stood in the crowd, listening to those words, his face expressionless.

Yi Zhonghai glanced at him, then lowered his head and continued walking forward.

-

The deaf elderly woman was at home.

Someone brought over a package of snacks.

Daohua Village.

She was stunned when she saw the package of pastries.

how many years.

She has been waiting for this for so many years.

This is a code.

She was left behind before the founding of the People's Republic of China. After the founding of the PRC, the organization ordered her to go undercover, waiting for her to make her move. She waited for a year, two years, three years... but nothing came of it.

She thought she had been forgotten.

Unexpectedly, it came at this time.

The deaf old woman's hands trembled slightly. She opened the pastry box and pulled out a slip of paper from the bottom.

"The organization needs the blueprints for a new engine. Steal them. If you can't, destroy them. Under no circumstances should the engine be allowed to see the light of day."

As she looked at those lines of text, the corners of her mouth slowly curved into a smile.

A glint of light flashed in his cloudy eyes.

Li Jianguo.

It's Li Jianguo again.

Her first task after being awakened was still directed at him.

it is good.

very good.

She lit the note, watched the flames lick it, and watched it slowly turn to ash.

This time, she can mobilize all people and resources.

This time, she wanted to see if that little beast could still live.

-

Steel rolling mill.

Old Zhou has arrived.

The factory was bustling with activity early in the morning. The place was decorated with lanterns and streamers, cleaning was underway, the canteen was preparing food, and everyone had changed into clean clothes.

Factory Director Yang was dressed in a neat Zhongshan suit, his hair was freshly cut, and he looked incredibly energetic. He rushed into Li Jianguo's office, urging him to hurry up.

"Old Zhou is almost here, hurry!"

Li Jianguo also changed into new clothes today, the same gray Zhongshan suit, but it looked exceptionally crisp on him.

Factory Director Yang looked him up and down, his expression sour.

"I shouldn't have stood next to you. I thought I was pretty handsome, but compared to you, I'm no good."

Li Jianguo smiled.

You look very energetic today.

"What's with all the talk about spirit? With your towering height of over six feet, who's going to even look at me?"

The two bickered as they walked toward the factory gate.

"You, with such great qualities, how come you're still single?" Factory Director Yang suddenly remembered something. "I'll have to look into your personal life later."

"Please don't play matchmaker."

"What's there to be nervous about? Are you going to eat me if I introduce you to someone? Your standards for a partner are known everywhere, I'm really impressed. You really don't plan to get married?"

"Better to have nothing than something bad."

The two talked as they walked to the factory gate.

A car drove in.

Old Zhou got out of the car. He was wearing a gray Zhongshan suit, the cuffs of which were slightly faded from washing, but it was clean. The old man had gray hair, but his back was ramrod straight, and he exuded an air of authority as he stood there.

He smiled when he saw Li Jianguo.

"Long time no see."

Li Jianguo went to greet him.

"Mr. Zhou, how are you feeling?"

"It's fine. They're watching over us every day, and they won't even let us smoke."

The group walked towards the office building.

-

in the office.

Factory Director Yang poured the tea and left.

Old Zhou took Li Jianguo's hand and patted it.

"He's promising. He's really promising. I was so happy when I heard the news that I couldn't sleep all night."

Li Jianguo looked at him and said earnestly.

"I can do even better. I've said before that we want to catch up with, and even surpass, foreign countries in terms of technology. I will do it."

Old Zhou nodded.

Okay. I believe you.

A messenger came from outside to announce that the commendation ceremony had begun.

-

On the factory square.

Several thousand people stood there, a dark mass.

Li Jianguo stood on the stage, a large red flower pinned to his chest. Old Zhou personally pinned the medal to his clothes.

The flash went off.

This scene was frozen in time.

The people in the audience watched with a mixture of envy, jealousy, and admiration in their eyes.

Old Zhou's face darkened in that instant.

The gentleness and kindness that had once graced his face vanished completely, like the receding tide. In its place was a sternness as sharp as a blade, and his eyes seemed to see right through to the bone as they swept over everyone present.

"I had heard about it before I came."

His voice wasn't loud; it could even be described as calm. But what weighed on that calmness was heavy, like a boulder, pressing down on everyone's heart.

"Li Jianguo was assassinated a few days ago?"

Director Yang felt a tightness in his chest and instinctively straightened his back.

"Yes." He dared not conceal anything or utter a single unnecessary word. "We have already set up a special task force and are conducting a thorough investigation. Once the mastermind behind this is identified, they will be severely punished without exception."

Old Zhou nodded. But his gaze did not soften in the slightest because of this statement.

"This matter must be addressed urgently and thoroughly."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word like a nail hammered into wood.

"Who is Li Jianguo? He's an indispensable engineer for our country, a pillar of strength capable of advancing science and technology by five to ten years. How could such a person be assassinated right here in his own backyard, right under our noses?"

His gaze slowly shifted from Director Yang's face, sweeping over Director Li standing behind him, and then over the group of people from Jida University.

Everyone lowered their heads. Their faces stung as if they had been slapped, filled with shame.

"I know now is not the time to talk about these things."

Old Zhou took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.

"But I hope you take these words to heart. Give me a result, an explanation, as soon as possible."

He knew better than anyone that those cold blueprints and those roaring machines were no match for a living, breathing person.

There was no urging or pressure beforehand, all for the sake of waiting for today, for this resounding wake-up call.

He wanted everyone to know that Li Jianguo was a junior whom he, Zhou, valued and was not to be messed with.

"Mr. Zhou, don't worry."