Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

After entering the house, Widow Li strode up to the deaf old woman, pointed her finger at her nose, and shrieked angrily, "Old hag, you think your protector has come? A convict, childless and without descendants, can barely protect himself, how could he protect you?"

She felt like she was carrying a bombshell, filled with fear of her identity being exposed.

Yi Zhonghai had lived in the courtyard for over a decade and was very perceptive. If the deaf old woman were to reveal even half a word to him, the secret of his mountain bandit wife would be exposed.

A sly glint flashed in the deaf old woman's cloudy eyes. She saw through Widow Li's panic, and her chapped lips moved slightly: "What are you thinking? Do you think I don't know? Are you afraid I'll expose your past and let you experience the taste of labor camp?"

"How dare you!" Widow Li was struck on a sore spot and rushed forward in a fit of rage, covering the deaf old woman's mouth and nose with both hands, her eyes filled with murderous intent.

"I'll teach you to talk nonsense! I'll kill you today and that'll be the end of it!"

The deaf old woman was suffocating, her face turned red, and she struggled wildly with her hands and feet.

Widow Li pinched harder and harder, but then she thought again and suddenly let go. She didn't dare to really kill the deaf old woman, and she didn't dare to leave any marks on her body.

The neighborhood committee will come to inspect from time to time. If they see that the deaf old woman is injured, they will definitely ask why, and then their identities may be exposed.

"Hmph, you're lucky you survived!"

Widow Li, panting heavily, warned fiercely, "Remember, you're not allowed to talk to anyone from now on, especially Yi Zhonghai!"

"If you dare utter a single word, I have plenty of ways to make you wish you were dead. Even if the neighborhood committee comes, I can kill you beforehand. At worst, we'll both die!"

The deaf old woman coughed violently, her eyes filled with fear.

She never imagined that her glorious life would end in such a state, and she never expected the shadow of death to be so close to her.

The pride that once belonged to the concubine had long been worn away, and the instinct for survival led her to remain silent.

She was indeed afraid of death, but even more afraid of Widow Li's desperate, all-or-nothing madness.

When Yi Zhonghai returned home, an older woman had already cooked a steaming bowl of noodles with two poached eggs on it and placed it in front of him.

But as he looked at the noodles, his stomach growled with hunger, and he felt a tightness in his chest, completely losing his appetite.

When he returned today, the people in the compound stared at him like needles, some with curiosity, some with sympathy, but mostly with disdainful pointing fingers.

Back in the day, he was the eldest man in the courtyard, in charge of all the affairs in the courtyard. Everyone respected him and had to be mindful of his mood.

Now, he has become a released convict, returning in disgrace, and those who once treated him with utmost respect are now gossiping behind his back.

This dramatic fall from grace filled him with resentment.

He hated Lin Weidong's boundless glory, hated Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui's hypocritical pleasantries, and hated everyone in the courtyard who laughed at him.

"Eat something, what if you get sick from starving?" an older woman advised.

Yi Zhonghai pushed the bowl away, his tone grim: "I can't eat!"

He sat in the chair, his face ashen, pondering: Widow Li is keeping a close eye on the deaf old woman; she must have something on her that she's afraid she'll reveal.

Once Widow Li is not home, he must go and have a good talk with her. Perhaps he can find a chance to turn things around and regain control of the courtyard.

In the west courtyard, the soft lighting made the room feel warm and inviting.

Lin Weidong and Su Wanqing sat side by side on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), with a fist's width between them, and a faint ambiguity filled the air.

Freshly brewed tea sat on the table, its steam rising and blurring the features of the two people.

Looking at Su Wanqing's flushed cheeks, Lin Weidong mustered his courage and said, "Wanqing, let's... make our relationship clear. Tell my parents that we're together."

Su Wanqing's face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple. She lowered her head, her fingers gently twisting the hem of her clothes, her voice barely audible: "Mmm... okay."

The next day, Lin Weidong deliberately chose a time when his parents were both home to talk to Su Wanqing about their plans.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Xiulan and Lin Jianjun exchanged a glance, their faces showing no surprise, but rather a knowing smile.

"You two,"

Zhao Xiulan patted Su Wanqing's hand with a smile, "Everyone in the hospital knows about this, but you two are still keeping it a secret."

Lin Jianjun chimed in, "Yes, everyone in the factory says that Weidong and Engineer Su are a match made in heaven, but no one dares to say it to your faces."

Lin Weidong and Su Wanqing exchanged a glance, both seeing embarrassment in each other's eyes, and their cheeks instantly flushed.

It turns out that what they thought was a secret affection had long since become an open secret.

"Now that we've brought it all out into the open, let's get engaged as soon as possible!"

Zhao Xiulan pressed her advantage, her tone urgent, "I think the year after next would be perfect. I'll have someone calculate the auspicious date and pick a lucky time to hold the wedding. That way, I'll feel at ease."

Lin Weidong quickly waved his hand: "Mom, no rush. The truck project is just starting out. I want to finish the car business first, produce results, and then marry Wanqing in style."

Su Wanqing nodded: "Auntie, I'll listen to Weidong. Career comes first, it's okay to postpone the wedding."

Seeing their resolute attitude, Zhao Xiulan didn't press the matter further. She simply smiled and said, "Alright, as long as you understand, don't keep me waiting too long!"

Yi Zhonghai's return was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating quite a stir in the courtyard. He became the main topic of conversation among the neighbors during their leisure time.

"Do you think Yi Zhonghai will still want to act like a big shot now that he's back?"

"What are you thinking! He's a convict, we're already being generous by letting him stay in the yard. You call him a big shot? He's more like a bastard!"

"It's hard to say. Who knows what mischief Yi Zhonghai might be planning this time he's back!"

Yan Bugui sat at his doorstep, cracking sunflower seeds and chatting with his neighbors.

As Yi Zhonghai listened to the gossip about him in the courtyard, the fire in his heart grew increasingly uncontrollable. He wanted to take revenge on these people, to exact a severe punishment on them.

Looking at his current situation, he felt somewhat powerless. He used to be an eighth-grade worker and the head of the compound, so he could still do something. But now he was completely powerless.

He could only hope that the deaf old woman might have any chance. He had been looking all day. Widow Li spent her time sunbathing in the yard and occasionally chatting with the people in the yard.

He couldn't find an opportunity at all. In fact, Widow Li was also wary of Yi Zhonghai. She dared not let the deaf old woman leave the house now.