Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Everyone turned around and saw Director Wang from Jiaodaokou Subdistrict Office pushing his bicycle, walking in with an admiring look on his face.

Director Wang propped up his bicycle and strode to the center of the crowd.

"I heard you having a meeting right at the entrance of the alley."

"Comrade Zhang Dabiao is absolutely right; his awareness is extremely high!"

Director Wang turned to look at Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhangshi, his expression instantly turning serious.

"Old Yi, as the person in charge of this compound, what's going on? What are you thinking now?"

Yi Zhonghai shook his head frantically: "Director Wang, I didn't say anything! I only said that capable comrades could help those in need. That's all I said!"

Director Wang looked at him with a puzzled expression for a long time, then looked around at the others. Xu Damao and the others nodded in agreement—indeed, Yi Zhonghai had only said that one sentence.

Yi Zhonghai originally wanted to emulate Zhang Dabiao's youth mutual aid society. Everyone knows that youth mutual aid societies are a good thing, mainly because they have internal donations and money.

So he also wanted to learn how to force everyone to donate a little, and then pool their money to "do something big".

It's actually similar to the previous forced donations, but they just want to take advantage of the "Learn from Lei Feng" trend to revive it.

Yi Zhonghai had several hundred yuan, but he didn't want to pay for it himself, and he also wanted to control the money of "big guys".

But before I could say anything, Director Wang arrived.

Well, at least we've escaped a disaster.

"Comrade Zhang Dabiao has always been learning from Lei Feng, whether he had money or not."

"The youth mutual aid association he organized not only solved the livelihood problems of young people, but also greatly reduced the burden on the neighborhood. This is a truly exemplary achievement!"

"If anyone has a problem with Comrade Zhang Dabiao, stand up and talk to me now, and I'll give them a good lesson in political theory!"

Director Wang's words were the final word.

The entire courtyard was completely silent.

Yi Zhonghai lowered his head awkwardly, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Liu Haizhong also looked dejected and silently sat back down on the stool.

Jia Zhangshi was so frightened that she hid behind Qin Huairu, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Director Wang then reiterated the details of the "Learn from Lei Feng" campaign, making sure everyone was informed and the explanations were clear before adjourning the meeting. This was her main purpose for coming today, as she still had several other compounds to visit later.

The meeting ended abruptly, and everyone left dejectedly.

Zhang Dabiao thanked Director Wang, put his hands in his pockets, and strolled back to the east courtyard.

Do you want me, Zhang Dabiao, to be the sucker?

Even Director Wang knows to secretly get me some antiques and collectibles; Yi Zhonghai and his gang are trying to get something for nothing.

No way!

------------

The night was deep, and the cold wind still blew.

Behind the threshold of the main room, the stick stalk lurked ominously in the shadows.

He stared intently at the tightly closed gate of the east courtyard.

He was clutching a sharp-edged stone tightly in his hand, his knuckles white from the excessive force.

He gritted his teeth in the darkness, like a wolf cub ready to bite.

He wanted to smash the window of Zhang Dabiao's side room, but he didn't dare.

So he turned around, smashed Sha Zhu's window, and ran away. Sha Zhu, dressed in his clothes, ran out late at night, completely bewildered.

"Who is it? Who is this?!"

"Xu Damao, was it you, you scoundrel? Come out and show me a few moves!"

------------

On March 1, the "Instructions on the Five Antis" were issued, and the political climate in Beijing suddenly changed.

The courtyard house was not peaceful either.

While basking in the sun with a locust tree in her arms in the courtyard, Jia Zhangshi excitedly gossiped with a few older women.

"Have you heard? The higher-ups are going to investigate speculation and profiteering." Jia Zhangshi lowered her voice, but her excited expression was impossible to hide.

"Some people are probably in for trouble this time. With all that rich food and meat every day, how can they possibly make a living like that?"

The neighbor lady came over and asked who it was. Jia Zhangshi gestured with her lip towards the east side of the courtyard.

Immediately, the other women kept their distance from Jia Zhangshi—are you out of your mind?

Are you still picking a fight with Zhang Dabiao?

------------

Sure enough, two days later, people from the ministry came.

It wasn't the police who arrived, but several cadres wearing Zhongshan suits with four pockets. I don't know which department they were from, but they looked quite intimidating.

These days, there's no such thing as counterfeiting or checking someone's work ID first.

The clerk in charge knocked on the door of the east courtyard and asked Zhang Dabiao to verify the situation.

Everyone in the courtyard crowded around the central courtyard, peering and peeking.

Liu Haizhong stood with his hands behind his back, wanting to go up and talk to someone but not daring to.

Xu Damao and Liu Guangqi exchanged a glance, their hearts tightening, after all, the mutual aid association had acquired quite a few things.

Jia Zhangshi hid behind the crowd, her face full of excitement as she watched the show.

Zhang Dabiao walked out wearing a military overcoat, hands in his pockets, and yawned.

The clerk was serious and said that they had received a report from the public that there were a large number of unidentified materials in the east courtyard, which were suspected of being involved in speculation and profiteering.

Zhang Dabiao sneered.

"I do not embezzle, I do not steal, I do not waste, I do not scatter, and I do not flatter."

"Every penny I have, every pound of grain I eat, has a legal source."

"If anyone thinks there's a problem, let the higher-ups investigate. All the ledgers and receipts are here. If a single penny is missing, I'll rip my head off and let you kick it around like a football!"

These words were spoken with great conviction.

The clerk was also taken aback and was about to ask for more details.

Suddenly, a rapid bicycle bell rang outside the courtyard gate. Director Wang from Jiaodaokou Subdistrict Office rushed in, sweating profusely, pushing his bicycle.

"What are you investigating? Who gave you permission to come here and cause trouble!" Director Wang threw down his car and strode over.

Several clerks quickly went to greet him, after all, Director Wang was a well-known figure in the district.

Director Wang pointed at Zhang Dabiao and opened fire on the clerk.

Do you know how much Comrade Zhang Dabiao contributed to the country?

"In the first wave of foreign exchange earnings in 60 years, they made at least $120,000!"

"The second wave in 61, over half a million US dollars! And there was more in 62!"

"Two years ago, they even donated 100,000 remittance certificates, which helped countless elderly people living alone and families of martyrs and soldiers!"

"The hundreds of workers at Hongxing Daily Necessities Factory are all supported by his designs and distribution channels."

"And the youth mutual aid association in this compound, how many young people has it solved their food problem?"

"Two years ago, he almost lost his life trying to save a young woman from a knife attack!"

Director Wang became increasingly angry as he spoke, and spittle flew from his mouth.

"The district and department have long since made it clear that Zhang Dabiao is an absolutely good comrade and a good young man!"

"You dare to frame innocent people based on a baseless anonymous letter? Who gave you the audacity?"

The clerks were scolded until their faces turned red, and they apologized repeatedly, saying that they were just going through the motions according to procedure, and that since the situation was clear, they would go back and report immediately.

As the clerk slunk away, the onlookers in the courtyard were dumbfounded.

Especially Jia Zhangshi, whose old face was as long as a donkey's.

Just then, Xu Damao jumped out.

"Something's not right here! Who would be so bored as to report Da Biao?"

"In our yard—"

"There's a mole!"