Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

In the afternoon, the workers returned to the yard one after another after finishing their shifts. As soon as they entered, someone couldn't wait to shout:

"Did you all know? The steel rolling mill is going to expand its machine tool production line!"

"We've set up a dedicated workshop so that our factory can mass-produce precision machine tools in our country!"

These words instantly enlivened the once quiet courtyard.

The three older women washing vegetables, the two older women mending clothes, and several old neighbors relaxing at the door all gathered around, their faces full of surprise and excitement.

"Really? That's fantastic news!" "Absolutely! It was even on the radio. Chief Engineer Lin made a huge contribution, which is why the factory decided to expand!"

"What's even more impressive is that the director of the machine tool workshop is Lin Jianjun from our institute!"

"Lin Jianjun?"

"No wonder! With Chief Engineer Lin as his son, Jianjun is really lucky!"

"That's right, he's now the workshop foreman."

Discussions arose one after another, and everyone's minds became active.

The machine tool workshop has just been set up and will definitely need to recruit people. If we can get in through connections...

Working under Lin Jianjun would not only make the job easier, but you might even get a promotion and a raise.

"Speaking of which, there's some big news at the factory today!"

Another worker lowered his voice and said mysteriously.

"Liu Haizhong from the forging workshop was publicly criticized by the factory and had 5 yuan deducted from his wages!"

"Compared to Lin Jianjun, he's far inferior." While praising Lin Jianjun, everyone couldn't resist taking a jab at Liu Haizhong.

His words were full of disdain.

At this moment, Liu Haizhong walked back to the courtyard house dejectedly.

Along the way, he could feel the strange looks from his neighbors and hear their whispers, which made him furious.

He was seething with anger when he pushed open the door, plopped down in a chair, and looked so gloomy it could drip water.

"Dad, you're back!" The second son, Liu Guangtian, ran out of the house excitedly.

"Dad, I heard that Lin Jianjun has become the director of the machine tool workshop, and the workshop was just set up and they're hiring!"

"Do you think you could pull some strings and get me in? Working under Director Lin, I'm sure I'll have a bright future!"

Liu Guangtian's words instantly ignited Liu Haizhong's long-suppressed anger.

He abruptly raised his head, glaring at Liu Guangtian through gritted teeth, and asked, "That's all you've heard? Nothing else?"

Liu Guangtian paused for a moment, then said with a blank expression:

"No, is there any other news? Did some unlucky guy get into trouble?"

"What a loser!" Liu Haizhong completely lost his temper and stood up abruptly.

He grabbed the enamel mug from the table and smashed it hard against Liu Guangtian's head.

"You blind bastard! I've been bullied like this, and you still want to be a lackey for the Lin family! I'll beat you to death, you spineless coward!"

The enamel mug slammed down on Liu Guangtian's head with a loud crash, instantly cracking open.

Fresh blood flowed down his forehead.

Liu Guangtian cried out in pain before he could even react.

Liu Haizhong then pulled out his belt and began whipping him wildly on the body and head.

"Serves you right for being so useless! Serves you right for thinking about others! Serves you right for not making your father proud!"

Liu Guangfu and his second aunt were so startled by the sudden turn of events that they stood frozen in place, momentarily speechless.

Liu Guangtian screamed in agony as he was beaten, and soon collapsed to the ground, his head covered in blood.

Only then did Liu Haizhong stop what he was doing.

He looked at Liu Guangtian, who was lying unconscious on the ground, and then at the belt in his hand, which was already stained with blood.

Only then did she come to her senses. "Guangtian...Guangtian, how are you?"

Aunt Er and Liu Guangfu then realized what was happening and rushed over screaming.

The second aunt held Liu Guangtian's head, crying her heart out: "Guangtian! My son! You can't be hurt!"

Liu Guangfu panicked and shouted, "Quick! Get someone to help! Take him to the hospital! Get him to the hospital right now!"

Hearing the commotion, the neighbors rushed over.

Everyone was shocked to see Liu Guangtian lying on the ground with his head covered in blood and Liu Haizhong looking utterly terrified.

"What happened? How did it get like this?"

"Quick! Find a tricycle and take him to the hospital!"

Several kind neighbors quickly found a tricycle and carefully lifted Liu Guangtian onto it.

Liu Haizhong, his second aunt, and Liu Guangfu followed closely behind, rushing to the hospital.

In the hospital's emergency room, Liu Guangtian lay on a hospital bed as a doctor stitched up his wounds.

The gauze was soaked with blood, a horrifying sight.

Zhao Xiulan, Lin Weidong, and Lin Jianjun also rushed over upon hearing the news. Upon seeing this scene, Zhao Xiulan's face instantly turned ashen.

She walked up to Liu Haizhong, her eyes filled with anger, and said sternly:

"Liu Haizhong! What exactly are you trying to do? Guangtian is your own son! How could you be so cruel?"

"If Guangtian doesn't wake up, even if you're his father, you'll go to jail!"

Liu Haizhong lowered his head, muttering repeatedly, "I didn't mean to, I was just confused for a moment."

"I didn't mean to."

It wasn't until late at night that Liu Guangcai slowly woke up.

He opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling, a sharp pain shooting through his forehead, and his body aching all over.

He recalled the scene of his father brutally beating him, and his heart was filled with fear and despair.

From childhood to adulthood, his father never gave him and his younger brother a kind look. He would either beat or scold them, always thinking that they were useless and not as good as other people's children.

But he never expected his father to be so ruthless this time, almost beating him to death.

A chill ran through Liu Guangtian as he stared at the ceiling.

His eyes gradually hardened. He no longer wanted to live like this. He wanted to separate from the family and completely break away from this home that was devoid of warmth and filled only with violence.

Meanwhile, Lin Weidong and Lin Jianjun had already returned home.

The father and son sat at the dining table; the food had gone cold, but they had little appetite.

"I never expected Liu Haizhong to be so extreme," Lin Jianjun sighed.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Lin Weidong got up and opened the door, only to see Yan Bugui standing at the door with a bottle of wine in his hand and a fawning smile on his face.

"Weidong, Jianjun, are you home?" Yan Bugui asked as he walked in.

He placed the wine bottle on the table and said, "I heard that Jianjun has become the director of the machine tool workshop, so I came here to congratulate him."

Lin Weidong and Lin Jianjun exchanged a glance, both seeing the doubt in each other's eyes.

"Uncle, you're too kind," Lin Jianjun said.

Yan Bugui smiled and said, "Jianjun, I heard your machine tool workshop was just set up and you're looking to hire people, right?"

"Look, my sons Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang are both quite capable. Could you recruit them?"

"We feel at ease working with you." He said, while giving Lin Jianjun a meaningful look, hoping that he would give him face.

Lin Jianjun's smile faded, and he said tactfully, "Uncle, I'm really sorry. The machine tool workshop has strict standards for hiring."

"Moreover, it has to go through the factory's unified assessment, it's not something I can decide on my own."

Yan Bugui's smile froze; he hadn't expected Lin Jianjun to reject him so directly.

Undeterred, he added, "Jianjun, we're all neighbors in the same compound, we see each other all the time, can't you be a little more accommodating? They can learn, young people learn quickly!"

Lin Jianjun shook his head and said, "Third Uncle, it's not that I'm not flexible."

"The factory has its own rules, and I can't break them because of personal relationships."

Seeing that the two were adamant, Yan Bugui knew that there was no point in continuing the argument, and his smile turned into embarrassment.

"Okay, I got it."

"You guys keep busy, I'll be going now."

After saying that, Yan Bugui picked up the wine and went out.