The Courtyard House: He Yuzhu Returns with Boundless Hatred for Revenge

Ran Qiuye hadn't expected that the man would go back to fetch help so quickly. Before she could even finish her words of advice, chaotic footsteps and shouts came from the street corner.

"This is outrageous! How dare they hit our GWH leaders!"

"Hurry! Arrest that madman and take him to a public denunciation meeting! Let him experience our methods!"

The man who had been slapped twice by He Yuzhu was now leading a dozen or so men charging over. Each wore a red armband and carried wooden sticks and shovels, looking menacing. Pedestrians along the street avoided them like the plague, afraid of getting involved.

Ran Qiuye's face turned deathly pale, and her whole body trembled uncontrollably again. She knew all too well how these people were; if she fell into their hands, she would be severely injured, if not killed. She wanted to tell He Yuzhu to run, but it was too late.

A dozen or so people spread out in a fan shape, surrounding He Yuzhu and Ran Qiuye in the middle.

The leader of the group, his face contorted with rage, shouted, "Kid! Today I'm going to make you face a life-or-death situation!"

A tall, thin man next to him chimed in, shouting, "You actually assaulted our patrol captain! You're asking for trouble! Come back with us for questioning! I suspect you, like this woman, are a capitalist roader mixed up among the people!"

It's over, it's over. Ran Qiuye felt utterly hopeless, knowing that the comrade who had stood up for her today was truly doomed. Was she really a jinx, as her neighbors said, bringing bad luck to everyone she associated with? Was there really no place for her in this world?

Despair filled his heart, but then he saw the man beside him simply chuckle. Then, an unbelievable scene unfolded.

He took a few steps forward, and before anyone could react, he kicked the so-called captain again!

"Ouch!" The man was kicked to the ground again, clutching his stomach and screaming in pain.

Those nearby rushed to help, and just as they lifted the person up, He Yuzhu caught up and launched two more powerful attacks from the left and right!

"Slap! Slap!"

The man was beaten until blood seeped from his mouth and nostrils. He was completely stunned, covering his face in disbelief. He hadn't said anything, so why was this guy hitting him? How dare he do that in front of so many people?

"Beat him up!"

Just as everyone was about to go up after hearing the leader's instructions, He Yuzhu let out a roar, instantly silencing everyone present.

"Let's see who dares!"

"I'm the logistics director of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. What kind of bullshit disciplinary team is this? They're just a bunch of trash from the neighborhood committee. They're just tiny officials, yet they dare to ride roughshod over the people?"

"Even your superiors, your superiors' superiors, have to stand at attention and report to our factory's Director Li Huaide! Who do you think you are? Try arresting me! Believe me, I'll squeeze your shit and piss out!"

The scene fell silent instantly.

Those red armband-wearing men who had been so aggressive just moments before were now frozen in place, as if struck by lightning, not daring to move an inch. It was true they were from the GWH (Government Affairs Bureau), but Li Huaide, the director of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, was the top official in the entire district's GWH, their superior's superior's superior. Crushing them would be as easy as crushing bedbugs.

The captain, his face covered in blood, nearly collapsed to his knees. He had no doubt about the truthfulness of He Yuzhu's words. In this day and age, anyone daring to impersonate a leader of a major factory was in for a world of trouble. This man in front of him, who had risen to the position of logistics director, was no less powerful than Li Huaide, and might even be a confidant of Director Li. To crush him would be a piece of cake for him.

"Director He! I had no idea you were coming! Please forgive me! Please forgive me!"

He Yuzhu didn't even lift his eyelids. "Get out. Disappear from here right now. I don't want to see you."

Everyone felt as if they had been granted a pardon and turned to run. The captain, clutching his stomach, also tried to run, but after taking only two steps, He Yuzhu's voice came from behind him again.

"return."

The team leader shuddered, forced himself to turn back, and hurriedly bowed and scraped, "Director He, is there anything else you need?"

He Yuzhu pointed to Ran Qiuye, who was standing there dumbfounded, and said, "This woman is now under the management of our Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. You're no longer involved. Understand?"

"Understood, understood!" The captain cursed inwardly, thinking that rank really does crush people. Such a good woman was indeed not for him; they had all been taken by the high-ranking officials.

Not daring to show it on their faces, they nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, we will never bother her again!"

He Yuzhu waved his hand, as if shooing away a fly, and the man, as if granted a pardon, ran into the street like a stray dog. Then, He Yuzhu turned and smiled at the stunned Ran Qiuye, "Teacher Ran, can we have a proper talk now?"

. . . . . . .

Sitting in Ran Qiuye's home, He Yuzhu felt as if he were in another world. In his previous life, he had also been here and even cooked a meal for Ran Qiuye. It was on that occasion that they talked a lot, and almost fell in love right there. It was truly a memory he didn't want to recall.

But this house in front of me, where is there even a trace of what it used to be?

Everywhere was dilapidated, with furniture missing parts, tattered clothes and books... Clearly, the house had been raided and ransacked multiple times in recent years.

"Director He, please have some water. I really don't have anything good here, just plain water, please don't mind." Ran Qiuye brought over a bowl of water, and upon closer inspection, she noticed that the bowl was chipped, indicating that this woman's life had become extremely miserable.

He Yuzhu took the bowl, thanked her, and said, "Teacher Ran, please sit down too. I have something important to tell you."

Ran Qiuye obediently sat down, her hands nervously clasped together, her head lowered, not daring to look He Yuzhu in the eye, but her mind was racing.

She knew her own family situation well; she was the daughter of a capitalist roader, a "stinking intellectual," someone who would be trampled on even after being beaten to the ground. And the other party was the logistics director of the steel mill—what could such a high-ranking official possibly want from her?

Ran Qiuye wasn't a child anymore. The experiences of the past few years had shown her far too much of the darkest side of human nature. She knew all too well what was hidden in the eyes of those men wearing red armbands when they looked at her. Some wanted to take advantage of her, while others simply wanted to use her as a plaything. The only reason she had been able to hold on until now was because she was stubbornly holding on.

The person in front of me just saved me, but who knows what he's up to?

What if, what if he makes that kind of request?

What should I do?

Reject? Then life would be even more unbearable. With just one word from him, those people could ruin her life.

Agree? Ran Qiuye bit her lip, a sharp pain shooting through her heart. She was still a virgin, her life utterly innocent; was she really going to...? A wave of overwhelming sadness washed over her, and tears welled in her eyes.