Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

With a loud crash, the heavy wooden door was pushed open by two police officers, and the scene inside the interrogation room stunned everyone.

Lin Weidong sat leisurely on the edge of the interrogation table, while the once arrogant and domineering Captain Liu was now curled up on the ground.

His forehead was bruised and swollen, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and he was clutching his stomach and wailing incessantly.

After realizing what was happening, Zhang Hongyuan shouted, "What are you all standing there for?"

"Take Da Liu away and lock him in solitary confinement."

Two police officers rushed forward, lifted Liu from the ground, and carried him outside.

Despite wincing in pain, Liu struggled and cried out, "Chief! He assaulted a police officer! You can't side with him!"

Zhang Hongyuan ignored his shouting and turned to Lin Weidong, his face full of apology: "Engineer Lin, I'm so sorry, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Lin Weidong jumped down from the edge of the table, his tone calm but tinged with sarcasm: "Director Zhang is joking, I'm fine."

"I never expected that a rat would crawl into the interrogation room of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, trying to bite innocent people without even knowing the facts."

"Luckily I reacted quickly, otherwise I probably would have been forced to confess under torture today."

Upon hearing this, the officers present all looked ashamed.

Su Zhenbang stepped forward, patted Lin Weidong on the shoulder, and said with a mix of anger and laughter, "You little rascal, you've got some skills, managing not to be bullied."

"Director Su, you flatter me. It was just self-preservation."

Lin Weidong smiled, knowing that if Su Zhenbang hadn't arrived in time, even if he had managed to break free, he would have inevitably faced trouble afterward.

Zhang Hongyuan quickly said, "Engineer Lin, don't worry, I will definitely give you a satisfactory explanation."

Su Zhenbang also said, "Old Zhang, I'm leaving this matter to you."

"Lin Weidong is a rare technical talent in the country, and his safety and reputation must not be harmed in the slightest."

"Four-axis linkage tool machinery is related to military mass production, and we can't afford to delay it."

As they were talking, the office communications officer ran in and said, "Director, Engineer Lin's parents and Director Li from the steel rolling mill are waiting in the municipal bureau compound. They want to see Engineer Lin."

"Quickly, invite them in!" Zhang Hongyuan said immediately.

Soon, Lin Jianjun and Zhao Xiulan hurriedly walked in.

As soon as Zhao Xiulan saw Lin Weidong, she rushed forward, grabbed her son's hand, and looked him up and down: "Weidong, are you alright? Have you been wronged? Those people didn't do anything to you, did they?"

"Mom, I'm fine. Look at me, I'm perfectly alright."

Lin Weidong quickly reassured him, "It was just a small misunderstanding, it's all been cleared up."

Lin Jianjun also breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright."

Li Huaide followed behind, stepped forward, and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Lin Weidong: "Chief Engineer Lin, I'm really sorry, this is my fault, I failed to protect you."

"Director Li, you're too kind. This isn't your fault," Lin Weidong said.

Li Huaide smiled and then greeted Zhang Hongyuan and Su Zhenbang: "Director Zhang, Director Su, I'll head back now."

"There's still a ton of stuff to do at the factory."

Zhang Hongyuan and Su Zhenbang nodded, indicating that he could leave.

Li Huaide glanced at Lin Weidong again before turning and leaving.

Su Zhenbang turned to Lin Weidong and said, "Weidong, come with me to the weapons research institute."

"The research institute has a simple environment. I will arrange the best laboratory and team for you, and the salary and benefits are higher than those in the steel rolling mill. Whatever you want to research, the research institute will fully support you."

Upon hearing this, both Lin Jianjun and Zhao Xiulan were somewhat tempted.

They also felt that the weapons research institute was indeed more stable than the steel mill, and would allow their son to suffer less hardship.

Before Lin Weidong could answer, another set of footsteps came from the doorway.

Minister of Industry Liu Jie, accompanied by several staff members, hurriedly walked in.

As soon as he saw Lin Weidong, he quickly stepped forward, his face full of apology, and offered his hand:

"Engineer Lin, I'm so sorry. It's my fault for not disciplining my good-for-nothing nephew properly, causing you so much trouble! I sincerely apologize to you here!"

Lin Weidong was taken aback for a moment, then quickly extended his hand to shake his: "Minister Liu, you flatter me."

"It's not heavy, it's not heavy!"

Liu Jie sighed, his face full of guilt. "I originally wanted Boda to learn from you and gain some practical experience."

"I never expected him to do something so stupid."

He paused, then said, "Engineer Lin, I know you've been wronged."

"But I still want to implore you to stay at the steel rolling mill."

"You will be needed to oversee the mass production of four-axis CNC machine tools, and subsequent military projects will also depend on you."

"Don't worry, I will never let anyone disturb your work again, so you can focus on your research and development."

Seeing Liu Jie's sincere attitude, Lin Weidong said, "Director Su, thank you for your concern and kindness."

"I still want to stay at the steel rolling mill. The four-axis machine tool was developed at the steel rolling mill, and mass production is not yet complete. I can't give up halfway."

Seeing this, Su Zhenbang didn't press the matter, but simply said, "Since you've made up your mind, I won't force you. Remember, the doors of the weapons research institute are always open for you."

"Thank you, Director Su."

Liu Jie breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Lin Weidong was willing to stay: "Good! That's great! Engineer Lin, don't worry, I will definitely give you a satisfactory explanation later."

Ji Mingyuan pushed open the door with a livid face. In the living room, Ji Boda and Liu Shuya were sitting at the dining table eating.

The four dishes and one soup were neatly arranged, as if the uproar at the Municipal Bureau that afternoon had nothing to do with them.

"Snapped!"

Without saying a word, Ji Mingyuan strode forward, grabbed the edge of the table with both hands, and flipped it over violently!

The porcelain bowl and plate fell to the ground instantly, splattering soup and rice all over the floor.

Liu Shuya screamed and instinctively dodged backward.

Ji Boda dropped his chopsticks on the ground, startled, and forgot to swallow the food in his mouth.

"What did you do today?!" Ji Mingyuan stared intently at Ji Boda and asked, enunciating each word clearly.

Ji Boda shrank back and stammered, "I just had a few words with Lin Weidong at the factory, and he hit me first and then accused me of changing the parameters of the machine tool."

"Snapped!"

Before he could finish speaking, a loud slap landed hard on Ji Boda's face.

Ji Boda was knocked to the ground, his cheeks instantly swollen and red, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Ji Mingyuan looked at Ji Boda on the ground and said, "Say it again, 'If you tell even one lie, I'll break your legs!'"

Seeing this, Liu Shuya quickly stepped forward to pull Ji Mingyuan away: "Old Ji, what are you doing? Boda has already been wronged!"

"Get out of my way!" Ji Mingyuan shoved Liu Shuya away.

Ji Boda was terrified by his father's ruthlessness and stammered out the whole story.

Liu Shuya retorted, still unconvinced, "He's just an engineer who came from a working-class background. Even if he made a mistake, what can a peasant do to him? Are we afraid of him?"

"How is it?"

Ji Mingyuan, enraged, laughed coldly, "Do you even know who he is? The entire Municipal Public Security Bureau is in an uproar! Liu Jie has already personally gone to apologize to him!"

"You think he's just a peasant? He's the head of a key national military project, a brilliant graduate student from Harbin Institute of Technology, and a senior engineer at a steel rolling mill!"

"None of these titles are worthy of someone like you calling a peasant. You're pushing our whole family into a fire pit!"

Liu Shuya was rendered speechless by the scolding, and the resentment on her face gradually turned into panic.

She never expected that Lin Weidong, who seemed so ordinary, would have such a powerful background.

Ji Mingyuan took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and pointed at Ji Boda and Liu Shuya, saying, "Now, you two come with me to Lin Weidong's house immediately to apologize!"

"You must sincerely earn his forgiveness, otherwise even the Liu family won't protect you two fools this time!"

"Quick! Go get the best cigarettes and alcohol in the house, and also take that box of ginseng, and the money in the drawer, pack it all up!" Liu Shuya realized what was happening and quickly got up and went into the house.

Ji Boda didn't dare to delay. He got up from the ground, covered his swollen face, and stumbled along with his mother to pack their things.