Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

Three days later, a new batch of track plates emerged. The inspector, holding measuring tools, carefully measured each one, growing increasingly excited with each measurement. Finally, he raised the measuring tools and shouted, "98% pass rate! All meet military standards!"

Thunderous applause erupted in the workshop, and the workers swarmed around, lifting Lin Weidong up in the air.

The next morning, the steel mill, accompanied by a drum and gong team, delivered a large red banner to the Lin family that read "Serving the Country with Technology, a Model for Youth".

The gold lettering on the banner gleamed in the sunlight.

Furthermore, the steel rolling mill specially appointed Lin Weidong as an "honorary technical consultant," paying him a monthly salary based on his engineer level, with additional subsidies during holidays.

Lin Weidong became the pride of the entire street.

After He Daqing and the others dispersed, they arrived at the Lin family's house carrying a bottle of bulk liquor: "Jianjun, I told you your Dongzi is a good catch!"

Sha Zhu was even more so, patting his chest to everyone he met: "Dongzi is my brother, so don't hesitate to ask if you need anything!"

Uncle Yan Bugui, carrying his abacus, approached Lin Jianjun's house and said, "Jianjun, Dongzi is quite the expert now. My son, Yan Jiekuang, also enjoys tinkering with machinery. Could Dongzi give him some pointers during his vacation? Maybe he can even get a job as a technician at the steel rolling mill!"

Only Xu Damao, hiding in the shadows of his own corner, watched the bustling scene in front of the Lin family's house with a gloomy face, his nails digging deeply into his palms.

He secretly inquired about Lin Weidong in the courtyard and overheard people saying that "Lin Weidong has been involved in a national-level classified project, and according to regulations, he should undergo a strict political review, and his ancestors for three generations should be investigated."

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! He remembered that He Daqing had cooked for capitalists in his early years, and Lin Jianjun had worked as a technician in a steel rolling mill. With just a little embellishment, he could fabricate "evidence" that "the Lin family had a past relationship with capitalists and that Lin Weidong was colluding with foreign powers."

That would ruin Lin Weidong's reputation!

Lin Weidong was sitting at his desk when a system notification sounded in his mind: [Host has overcome a core problem in military industry and promoted advanced technology, and has been awarded the following rewards: "Precision Machining Blueprints" and "Priority Participation Rights in Military Projects"].

The day after Lin Weidong returned to Harbin Institute of Technology after the winter break, a political upheaval broke out on campus.

A crowd had gathered in front of the bulletin board, where several brand-new posters, written in glaring red ink, proclaimed "Exposing Lin Weidong's collusion with foreign powers and his blind faith in Soviet revisionist technology."

The signature reads "Revolutionary Student Group".

The leader was Zhou Tao, the graduate student who had been humiliated by Lin Weidong earlier.

The posters embellished and fabricated "evidence".

"Lin Weidong praised foreign machine tool technology and belittled domestic equipment. His participation in military projects copied Soviet revisionist plans, which is suspected of leaking state secrets."

They even distorted his design of an underground water circulation cooling device into "outdated technology discarded by Soviet revisionism".

Zhou Tao, along with several radical students, was shouting and yelling in the department.

"Bring Lin Weidong out! Make him explain clearly whether he is a spy colluding with foreign powers!"

Rumors spread quickly throughout the campus, and many students who were unaware of the truth joined in the commotion. Even some researchers in the project team looked troubled.

In those days, once someone was labeled "colluding with foreign powers," the consequences were unimaginable.

Zhang Qiang and Li Ming were so angry that they were about to rush up to argue, but Lin Weidong grabbed them.

"Don't rush, the innocent will clear themselves." Lin Weidong's eyes were calm, but he already knew in his heart that Xu Damao was definitely behind this.

Sure enough, not long after, the department head hurriedly found Lin Weidong: "Weidong, the school has received a complaint letter from the Beijing street office."

"The report accused you of 'colluding with foreign forces and fabricating military technology,' and attached so-called 'evidence,' which was provided by a man named Xu Damao."

Lin Weidong received the letter of complaint, which stated that "Lin Weidong had praised foreign machine tools in his early years, and his father, Lin Jianjun, had close ties with capitalist chef He Daqing, who was suspected of passing on military intelligence."

They even fabricated the lie that "Lin Weidong had contact with unidentified individuals during the winter vacation."

"That's utter nonsense!"

Zhou Tao, along with several radical students, seized the opportunity to cause a disturbance in the department office, shouting, "Lin Weidong's research project must be stopped! He must be isolated and investigated! We cannot allow him to continue leaking state secrets!"

Just as tensions were rising, a system notification sounded in Lin Weidong's mind: [The host has been subjected to malicious accusations and political attacks, triggering emergency rewards: "Military Industry Confidential Project Protection Order (National Level)" and "Reverse Investigation Permission for Accusations"].

Lin Weidong said to the department head, "Director, there's no need for further review. I'll contact Comrade Chen from the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense right now and have him testify for me."

In front of everyone, he dialed the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

Less than two hours later, a military jeep drove into the Harbin Institute of Technology campus. Old Chen, accompanied by two guards and carrying a document stamped with the official seal of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, went straight into the department office.

"Who is questioning Comrade Lin Weidong's innocence? Who is interfering with national military industry projects?"

As soon as Old Chen entered the door, he exuded an aura of authority. "Comrade Lin Weidong is a key national military industry talent under protection. His technical solutions are independent innovations that have been repeatedly verified by the expert group."

"After its implementation, the pass rate of military parts nationwide increased by 40%, which is verifiable!"

Old Chen slammed a thick document on the table. "This is Comrade Lin Weidong's appraisal report on military projects. It has the signatures of more than a dozen academicians."

"This is a state-issued protection order for classified projects, which clearly stipulates that no unit or individual may interfere with the work and life of core military personnel; otherwise, it will be considered as obstructing national defense construction!"

Zhou Tao's face turned pale, and he stammered, "But...but someone reported that he was colluding with foreign powers and had connections with capitalists."

The department head stated, "As for those big-character posters spreading rumors and those who maliciously report others, they must be dealt with seriously!"

The news spread quickly, and the big-character posters on campus were torn down on the spot. Zhou Tao and other radical students were severely criticized by school leaders, given major demerits, and required to publicly apologize at a department-wide assembly.

Meanwhile, in the Hongxing Courtyard in Beijing, police officers came directly to the door and arrested Xu Damao on the spot as he was secretly destroying "evidence".

"Xu Damao, you are suspected of fabricating facts and maliciously reporting key personnel in the national defense industry, thus hindering national defense construction. Come with us!"

The moment Xu Damao was handcuffed, Jia Zhangshi was so frightened that she shrank back into the house.

She had previously wanted to join Xu Damao in smearing Lin Weidong, but now she was filled with lingering fear.

Yan Bugui shook his head and said, "Good and evil will ultimately be rewarded; this is the consequence of harming others!"

He Daqing added, "Let him try spreading rumors again. Now he knows what's what!"

News of Xu Damao's fate quickly spread throughout the neighborhood: he was sentenced to three years in prison for "fabricating facts and obstructing national defense construction" and was dismissed from the steel rolling mill.

His wife, Li Xiulian, was utterly disappointed. Xu Damao was already infertile, and now he had lost his job, so she immediately filed for divorce.

Xu Damao's family property has now been sold off to pay compensation, leaving him truly disgraced and penniless.

That evening, Lin Weidong returned to dormitory 302. Zhang Qiang and Li Ming surrounded him, their faces full of admiration: "Team Leader Lin, you're amazing! Even the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense is backing you up. That Xu Damao kid really asked for trouble!"

Lin Weidong smiled, and the system notification sounded in his mind: [The host has successfully resolved the political storm and malicious accusations, and safeguarded the interests of the national military industry. He has been awarded the following rewards: "Core Technology for Automation Transformation of Machine Tools in the 60s" and "Leading Position in Sub-projects of Military Industry Projects"].