Courtyard House: Inheriting the Restaurant, the Jia Family Wants to Get It for Free

The next morning, Cheng Shuhai did not go to the construction site of the new factory, but went directly to the street office.

He placed the forged list of recommendations on Director Wang's desk.

"Director Wang, please take a look at this."

Director Wang picked up the list, glanced at it, and his expression changed.

"Damn it! Who dares to forge our neighborhood committee's official seal?!" She slammed her hand on the table in anger. "Shuhai, don't worry, I'll get to the bottom of this!"

"An investigation is definitely necessary," Cheng Shuhai said calmly, "but not now."

"Huh?" Director Wang looked at him, puzzled.

"I suggest we send this list, along with the fake official seal, to the Public Security Bureau for technical verification and filing," Cheng Shuhai said. "Then, we'll keep quiet until the recruitment exam is over, and then make this public."

Why?

"Because if I expose this now, it will only alert the enemy. The person behind it will immediately hide. We won't be able to catch him." A cold glint flashed in Cheng Shuhai's eyes. "I want him to think that his plan has succeeded. I want to see just how many people are involved. Then, I'll wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

Director Wang looked at Cheng Shuhai, secretly admiring him. This young man, though young, was so shrewd and experienced.

"Okay, we'll do it your way!"

For the next few days, nothing happened in courtyard number 95.

Those families who submitted their names all thought things were settled and were secretly pleased, just waiting for the exam to be a formality before receiving their admission notices.

Xu Fugui dared to stand up straight when he saw Sha Zhu. Yan Bugui was calculating that once his brother-in-law entered the factory, he would receive an extra "tribute" every month, and the wrinkles on his face beamed with joy.

Three days later, the first open recruitment exam for the new factory was officially held.

The examination was held in the auditorium of the steel rolling mill. Hundreds of people crowded the entire auditorium.

Cheng Shuhai did not personally intervene; he entrusted everything to Qin Huairu and Chen Xueru.

Qin Huairu was responsible for checking all candidates' registration information and admission tickets at the entrance of the examination hall. Chen Xueru, along with several female cadres borrowed from the street office, patrolled back and forth inside the examination hall to supervise examination discipline.

After the exam started, a young man sitting in the back row acted suspiciously. When the proctor wasn't looking, he took a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket and carefully prepared to slip it under the exam paper.

He thought he was being discreet, but he didn't realize that Qin Huairu, who was standing on the podium, had seen everything he did.

Just as he was about to plagiarize, Qin Huairu quietly walked up behind him.

"Comrade, please hand over what you are holding."

The young man was startled, his hand trembled, and the note fell to the ground.

He panicked immediately and tried to stomp on it, but Qin Huairu picked it up first.

The slip of paper was covered with densely written answers to the exam.

"I...I didn't! This isn't mine!" The young man blushed and began to deny it.

"Caught red-handed, you still want to deny it?" Chen Xueru walked over, her face icy cold.

Seeing that his scheme had been exposed, the young man suddenly changed his expression and began to shout loudly.

"What right do you have to arrest me! Let me tell you, I'm related to Director Wang! If you dare to make a scene and offend Director Wang, it won't look good for anyone!"

He thought that bringing out this large Buddha statue would scare the two women.

But he was wrong.

Qin Huairu didn't even glance at him, but simply picked up a red pen and wrote two large characters heavily on his exam paper.

"Cheating".

Then, in front of all the candidates, he coldly said, "Your exam qualification is cancelled. Leave the examination room immediately."

"You...you dare!" The young man was completely enraged and wanted to throw a tantrum.

Just then, Cheng Shuhai walked in from outside the door.

Behind him followed Old Zhao and two comrades in police uniforms.

"What's going on?" Cheng Shuhai asked knowingly.

Chen Xueru briefly recounted what had happened.

Upon seeing the police, the young man's arrogance immediately diminished, but he still stubbornly insisted, "I...I'm a relative of Director Wang! You can't treat me like this!"

"Director Wang?" Cheng Shuhai looked at Old Zhao.

Old Zhao nodded and said to the policeman beside him, "Take the man away first and find out who gave him this answer."

After dealing with the cheating students, Cheng Shuhai walked up to the podium and picked up the microphone.

His gaze slowly swept over all the candidates present, and also over those "connected" residents from Courtyard No. 95 who were mixed in with the crowd and looked nervous.

"Everyone, I know that many of you here today hope to get a job in our new factory. I also know that many of you have pulled strings and sent notes to prepare for this exam."

"However, today, in front of Mr. Zhao and the police officers, I am going to announce a new regulation."

His voice, transmitted clearly through the microphone, reached every corner of the auditorium.

"From today, from this moment on, anyone we verify who attempts to enter our factory through back channels or by submitting favors will be disqualified from employment, regardless of their test scores or who introduced them!"

"Especially," his gaze sharpened, "anyone who dares to use my name, Cheng Shuhai's name, or anyone in my family's name to swindle and cheat, or seek special treatment, will not only be permanently banned from employment, but the person who passes on a note to him or speaks on his behalf will also have their name recorded and reported to the relevant authorities!"

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over my head.

This sent a chill down the spines of those in the courtyard who were still clinging to a sliver of hope.

They finally understood that Cheng Shuhai was serious. He not only refused to give others preferential treatment, but he even personally sealed off his own back door.

Old Zhao stood to the side, looking at the upright young man on the podium with admiration in his eyes.

He knew that Cheng Shuhai's move was called "cutting off his own hands and feet to prove his innocence."

In the most resolute way, he declared to everyone that what he wanted to build was an absolutely fair kingdom where the system would prevail.

The commotion in the examination room has temporarily subsided.

That very evening, however, Old Zhao approached Cheng Shuhai again with a document in hand.

His expression was more solemn than ever before.

"Shuhai, something's happened."

He handed a notice stamped with a red "urgent" seal to Cheng Shuhai.