Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

The deaf old woman, her body hunched over, busied herself in front of the small stove.

Widow Li sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) with her legs crossed, cracking melon seeds with a loud cracking sound, her eyes full of smugness.

"Old man, are you satisfied now? Lin Weidong has fallen. It's a pity this day came a little too late."

The deaf old woman paused, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes.

She thought to herself: It's not too late, not at all. Lin Weidong has lost power, and you, this vicious woman, are about to meet your end. My good days will soon return.

Seeing Widow Li's smug look, the deaf old woman wished she could rush up and tear her face to shreds. She kept thinking to herself: Why aren't those people making their move yet? If they wait any longer, things might get complicated.

At the same time, inside Yi Zhonghai's house, Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong were sitting in chairs, listening to Yi Zhonghai's grand plans.

"Now that Lin Weidong has fallen from power, it is time for us to take back control of the courtyard houses."

"The three of us need to unite and work together as one."

He paused, then continued, "From now on, we'll have one thing in common: win some over and suppress others."

"If everyone in the courtyard stands on our side, what can Zhao Xiulan do? When everyone signs a petition to report her for misbehaving in the courtyard, she'll be in trouble just the same."

Yan Bugui's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded, "Old Yi is right!"

Liu Haizhong chimed in, "That's right! When Lin Weidong was in power, we were suppressed at every turn. Now that he's gone, it's our chance to turn things around!"

The three hit it off immediately, and smiles of determination appeared on their faces.

As dawn broke and before the night had completely faded, Widow Li got up, put on her clothes, and went to bed.

At this time of day, the prices at the market are cheap and there's a wide selection. Carrying a cloth bag, humming a little tune, she walked alone toward the suburban market.

The alley was quiet, with only the sound of her footsteps echoing on the stone pavement.

As we reached the entrance of a secluded alley, three dark figures suddenly emerged from the shadows beside us.

Before Widow Li could react, a thick wooden stick slammed into the back of her head.

She groaned, her vision went black, and she instantly lost consciousness, collapsing to the ground like a lump of mud.

The three men quickly stepped forward, lifted Widow Li, and walked towards an abandoned courtyard house not far away.

The abandoned courtyard house was overgrown with weeds and in a state of disrepair.

The bespectacled man shoved the skinny guy next to him: "This is the last time! If you ever stop moving when you see a woman again, I'll chop you up myself!"

The small, thin man shrank his neck and nodded quickly, "Understood."

The bespectacled man and another burly man walked to the depths of the courtyard. The burly man had a lewd smile on his face and casually closed the dilapidated door.

The skinny man looked at Widow Li, who was lying unconscious on the ground, and a glint of greed flashed in his eyes.

He crouched down, scrutinizing Widow Li's face, and muttered to himself, "I didn't expect this widow to be so attractive, still so charming. It's a bit of a shame to just kill her like this."

After saying that, he pounced on her eagerly.

Fifteen minutes later, the slender man straightened his clothes and stood up with a satisfied smile on his face.

Widow Li slowly opened her eyes. When she saw herself lying naked on the cold ground, with a dressed stranger standing in front of her, her pupils suddenly contracted, and she instantly flew into a rage, struggling to get up.

Before she could make a move, the slender woman waved her hand, and a flash of silver light appeared.

Widow Li felt a chill on her neck, followed by intense pain. She clutched her neck, blood gushing from between her fingers, coughing up blood and saliva. Her eyes were filled with resentment and despair. Her consciousness gradually faded, and she finally collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

The thin man stepped out of the room, clutching a blood-stained razor blade in his hand.

The bespectacled man glanced at him, his tone laced with sarcasm: "This time it took a lot less than before."

"I'm just afraid of delaying things," the skinny guy chuckled.

"It's cleaned up, let's go." After the four-eyed man finished speaking, the three of them poured kerosene in the courtyard and lit a fire. The raging fire quickly engulfed the abandoned courtyard, and the three of them turned and disappeared into the morning mist.

The deaf old woman waited at home until noon, but Widow Li still hadn't returned. Finally, the weight lifted from her heart.

She knew that Li Cuie would never come back.

Yi Zhonghai went to sweep the streets as usual today, only he left home a little later than usual.

He quietly followed behind Widow Li until he saw her being knocked unconscious and taken away in the distance. Only then did he turn around with peace of mind, pick up a broom, and slowly sweep the street, a smile uncontrollably spreading across his face.

At Lin Weidong's home, the atmosphere at breakfast was warm and harmonious. Zhao Xiulan didn't go to the neighborhood office; instead, she was busy packing Lin Weidong's luggage.

Today, Lin Weidong is going to report to the weapons research institute. Although Fengtai is not particularly far from home, he probably won't be able to come back for a while.

Su Wanqing sat to the side, helping to organize the books and drawings.

After lunch, the roar of a car engine suddenly came from the yard.

Two military jeeps slowly pulled up in front of the courtyard house. Their bodies were brand new, and their military green paint was particularly dazzling in the sunlight.

The car door opened, and two officers in military uniforms, with upright postures, and two technicians wearing glasses got out and walked straight towards Lin Weidong's house.

Hearing the commotion, the neighbors in the courtyard rushed out and gathered around, discussing it animatedly, their eyes filled with surprise and curiosity.

"My God! A military jeep! Who are they looking for?"

"Judging by this entourage, they must be someone important!"

"They're not here to see Lin Weidong, are they? Didn't he resign?"

Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong were also squeezed in the crowd, their faces full of doubt.

When they saw the officers and technicians enter Lin Weidong's home, their expressions changed instantly. They never expected that Lin Weidong would receive such treatment after resigning.

Lin Weidong and Su Wanqing followed the officer and technician out of their home, carrying only simple luggage.

Zhao Xiulan and Lin's father followed behind, constantly reminding them, "Take good care of yourself when you get there, and be careful."

Lin Weidong nodded, then turned to Su Wanqing and said, "Let's go." The two walked side by side toward the military jeep and got into the car amidst the shocked gazes of the neighbors.

The car started and slowly drove away from the courtyard, heading towards the weapons research institute.

Yan Bugui watched the car drive away, his face turning pale and then red, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He just couldn't understand how someone who had resigned could be picked up and dropped off in a military jeep. This treatment was even more prestigious than when he was the chief engineer at the steel mill.

The deaf old woman stood at her own door, watching the car drive away, her eyes filled with malice.

Although Lin Weidong still has a job, leaving the courtyard house is also beneficial to him.