Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

Lin Weidong arrived at the office early. On the table were the subsequent optimization drawings for the machine tool modification, as well as several workshop material application forms awaiting approval.

He had just picked up his pen when the office door was pushed open, and Director Yang walked in carrying two steamed buns, a somewhat unnatural smile on his face.

"Dongzi, busy?"

Factory Director Yang placed the steamed buns on the table, pulled up a chair and sat down. "I just bought these from the canteen. Eat them while they're hot."

Lin Weidong put down his pen and politely shook his head: "Thank you, Director Yang, I've already eaten."

Factory Director Yang rubbed his hands together, then changed the subject, lowering his voice slightly: "Dongzi, Li Huaide treated you to dinner last night, didn't he? That kid's no good, you'd better stay away from him."

Lin Weidong looked up at him but didn't reply.

Factory Director Yang sighed and continued, "He relies on his father-in-law being a leader in the Ministry of Industry to act arrogantly in the factory and try to meddle in everything."

"Take Yi Zhonghai's matter for example. He's been stirring things up behind the scenes, hoping things will get chaotic in the factory so he can seize power. You're a key technical worker, so don't let him use you as a pawn."

Listening to Director Yang's words, Lin Weidong felt increasingly disgusted.

Yesterday, Yi Zhonghai had clear and irrefutable evidence, but Director Yang treated him leniently because of the old deaf woman's favor. Now he's come here to criticize Li Huaide, which is nothing more than an attempt to win him over and consolidate his position as director.

This two-faced behavior is even more repulsive than Li Huaide's blatant attempts to win him over.

He responded casually, "I understand, Director Yang. I'm only in charge of technology; I have no interest in getting involved in personnel disputes within the factory."

Factory Director Yang was rebuffed. He awkwardly said a few words, "Focus on the technology," and then got up and left.

Watching his retreating figure, Lin Weidong frowned, his resentment towards Yang Weimin deepening—this man seemed to value technology, but in reality, his mind was full of calculations and favors.

After being demoted and fined, Yi Zhonghai lived a very frustrating life.

He lost face in the workshop, and when he returned to the courtyard, he was pointed at and gossiped about by the neighbors. With nowhere to vent his anger, he set his sights on Sha Zhu.

Knowing that Sha Zhu was soft-hearted and proud, he would bring Sha Zhu's cornmeal, which he himself was reluctant to eat, every day and say, "I'll be counting on you to take care of me in my old age."

Secretly, he wanted Sha Zhu to stand up for him and cause trouble for Lin Weidong.

Every time Yi Zhonghai came to visit, he would either find an excuse to leave or refuse outright with a cold face, saying, "I'm just a cook, I can't manage things at the factory."

After several attempts, Yi Zhonghai's enthusiasm was met with indifference, and his initial hope gradually turned into resentment. He secretly cursed through gritted teeth, "You idiot Zhu, just you wait and see, you'll be crying later!"

In the past few years, Zhang Guilan had lived a meager life at the Jia family's house, eating nothing but sweet potato porridge and pickled vegetable buns at every meal, with very little oil or fat, and she had actually lost weight. Her once plump figure had become slender, and the sorrow in her eyes had faded somewhat, revealing a delicate beauty.

With Jia Dongxu bedridden and Jia Zhangshi being stingy and mean, Zhang Guilan lived like a servant in the Jia family. Only she knew the grievances and resentment in her heart.

In the middle of the night, the vegetable cellar in the courtyard was piled high with cabbages, potatoes, and radishes stored by each family. Yi Zhonghai sneaked in furtively, and soon after, Zhang Guilan also came in with her head down. The two huddled together in a corner deep inside the cellar, speaking in hushed tones.

"Are you serious? You can help me divorce Dongxu?"

Yi Zhonghai sighed and reached out to take her hand: "Guilan, would I lie to you? I've seen all the suffering you've endured in the Jia family. As long as you stay with me, I'll definitely protect you from now on."

Zhang Guilan hesitated, her mind wavering.

She had had enough of living in the Jia family all these years, but divorce was not an easy thing to do in this day and age.

Just as the two were struggling, the cellar door suddenly slammed shut with a loud bang!

Immediately afterward, Lin Weidong's voice rang out from outside, clear and loud, carrying throughout half of the courtyard: "Come quick! Someone's stealing from the vegetable cellar! Everyone come and see!"

Lin Weidong had noticed that Yi Zhonghai was acting strangely lately, and tonight he saw him and Zhang Guilan go into the vegetable cellar one after the other, so he knew what was going on.

He deliberately locked the door and shouted, wanting to expose this shady business to the neighbors.

The shout startled everyone in the courtyard.

Yan Bugui was the first to run out, still clutching his abacus.

Upon hearing that someone was stealing, Jia Zhangshi immediately jumped up, grabbed a broom from the corner of the wall, and rushed towards the cellar. Zhao Xiulan also heard the commotion, quickly put down her work, and hurried after her.

"Open the door! Open the door quickly!" Jia Zhangshi pounded on the cellar door.

He shouted in a shrill voice, "Which heartless bastard dares to steal from the Jia family!"

Lin Weidong stood aside, watching coldly. Only after the neighbors had gathered enough did he slowly take out his key and open the cellar door.

As soon as the door opened, Yi Zhonghai and Zhang Guilan's flustered figures were exposed to everyone.

The two were disheveled, their faces filled with panic, and Yi Zhonghai was still holding Zhang Guilan's wrist. Anyone who saw the scene would understand what was going on.

Jia Zhang lunged forward, grabbing Zhang Guilan's hair. "Gods! You shameless slut! I'll beat you to death! How dare you cheat on Dongxu with someone else!"

Zhang Guilan screamed in pain, tears streaming down her face, but she couldn't break free from Jia Zhangshi's tearing grip.

Yi Zhonghai panicked and rushed forward to pull them apart, shouting, "Stop hitting them! It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!"

"A misunderstanding?" Zhao Xiulan squeezed in, her face ashen.

Pointing her finger at Yi Zhonghai's nose, she yelled, "Yi Zhonghai! Have you no shame? How could you do such a disgraceful thing! How can you face an old woman like me?"

An elderly woman stood outside the crowd, her face pale, clutching her chest and gasping for breath, tears streaming down her face, unable to utter a single word.

Yan Bugui stood to the side and said, "Tsk tsk, I really didn't expect that an old man would do such a thing. So shameful, so incredibly shameful!"

The neighbors were in an uproar, pointing and whispering among themselves.

"You can never truly know a person's heart just by looking at their face. Yi Zhonghai always seemed like a respectable person, but I never expected him to be so despicable!"

"Zhang Guilan is also pitiful. She was tormented like that in the Jia family, and yet she ended up on this path..."

"This matter has blown up; it definitely needs to be handled by the neighborhood committee!"

Yi Zhonghai felt utterly ashamed under everyone's gaze, his face flushing red and then turning pale, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

He knew that after this incident, his reputation in the courtyard was completely ruined, and he would never be able to hold his head up again.

Madam Jia threw a tantrum, hitting Zhang Guilan while cursing Yi Zhonghai in a shrill, piercing voice: "Yi Zhonghai! You've disgraced the Jia family! I'm not finished with you!"

Chaos erupted at the entrance to the cellar, with cries, shouts, curses, and discussions mingling together, turning the entire courtyard upside down.

Lin Weidong stood on the periphery of the crowd, coldly watching the farce unfold.

He locked the door and called for help, intending to completely shatter Yi Zhonghai's hypocritical mask and make him pay the price for his actions.