Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

In the early morning, Nanluoguxiang was not yet fully awake, and the alley was filled with the mixed smells of coal smoke and breakfast stalls. Workers went to work in groups of three or five, carrying lunch boxes, chatting and laughing as they walked out.

Just then, a deep, pleasant engine sound broke the tranquility of the alleyway as it approached. A black, gleaming sedan slowly pulled up outside the grand gate of No. 95 courtyard. In those days, cars were a rarity, instantly attracting the attention of all the residents on their way to work.

"Hey! A little car! Who's here?"

"Judging from the license plate... it looks like Director Lou's car!"

"Lou Bancheng? What's he doing in our compound?"

Amidst the surprised gazes of the crowd, the car door opened, and Lou Zhenhua stepped out. Today, he was wearing a dark gray woolen Zhongshan suit, his hair was neatly combed, and he wore a warm yet dignified smile.

Uncle Liu Haizhong, his belly protruding, walked out with his hands behind his back, swaggering towards the factory, ready to enjoy the "official prestige" of his seventh-grade forging worker status. Upon seeing Lou Zhenhua, his small eyes lit up instantly, his face plastered with a fawning smile, and he rushed forward, his back unconsciously bending slightly.

"Oh! Director Lou! What brings you here? Did you come to see me? Is there some urgent task at the factory?" Liu Haizhong thought to himself with a smug smile. Could it be that there's some important part in the factory that only I, Liu Haizhong, can handle? Director Lou came to invite me in person?

Lou Zhenhua was startled by Liu Haizhong's sudden appearance. Upon closer inspection, he recognized him as Liu Haizhong, the seventh-level blacksmith from the backyard. He vaguely remembered Liu Haizhong; his skills were decent, but he was obsessed with officialdom and liked to put on airs. Lou Zhenhua frowned slightly, but maintained a polite demeanor: "Oh, it's Master Liu. I don't live here, I don't live here. I'm here to see Comrade Wang Huanbo."

"Looking for...looking for Wang Huanbo?" Liu Haizhong's smile froze instantly, as if someone had grabbed his throat, his chubby face turning bright red. He felt the surrounding neighbors' gazes instantly fill with mockery and ridicule, wishing he could disappear into the ground. So they weren't looking for him! His fawning demeanor just now had become a complete joke!

"Yes, I have something urgent to discuss with Comrade Wang." Lou Zhenhua ignored the embarrassed Liu Haizhong and walked straight towards the west courtyard.

Yi Zhonghai happened to be going out when he saw this scene, and his heart skipped a beat. Lou Zhenhua actually drove to pick up Wang Huanbo himself? And so early? It seems that Wang Huanbo's importance in Lou Zhenhua's heart is far greater than he imagined! His plan to "give Wang Huanbo a hard time" will probably have to be reconsidered, and at least it can't be done openly.

Xu Damao and his father, Xu Fugui, hid behind the moon gate and saw everything clearly. Xu Fugui lowered his voice and said to his son, "See that? Director Lou came to pick us up personally! What kind of treatment is this? Damao, remember what I told you yesterday? This Comrade Wang is a real benefactor! You have to pay him respects!"

Xu Damao's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, "Dad, don't worry! I, Xu Damao, may not be good at much else, but when it comes to sucking up to powerful figures, I'm absolutely a natural!"

Just as Lou Zhenhua reached the entrance of the west courtyard, the wooden door creaked open from the inside. Wang Huanbo, dressed in a well-fitting navy blue Zhongshan suit (prepared in the system space), walked out smartly, carrying a brand-new leather briefcase.

"Uncle Lou? Why are you here so early?" Wang Huanbo was also a little surprised to see Lou Zhenhua.

Upon seeing Wang Huanbo, Lou Zhenhua immediately broke into a genuine smile, stepped forward, and grasped Wang Huanbo's hand: "Huanbo, I'm so sorry to bother you so early. There's been an emergency at the factory; a crucial rolling mill has suddenly broken down. The technical department has been working on it all morning, but they still can't find the problem. That's why, since you're reporting for duty today and are an expert in this field, I shamelessly came to pick you up and asked you, the master, to take a look."

Wang Huanbo's heart skipped a beat; it would be a perfect opportunity to test the quality of his [Advanced Mechanical Proficiency] skill. A gentle yet confident smile appeared on his face: "Uncle Lou, you're too kind. This is my duty. Let's go to the factory now."

"Okay! Okay! The car is right outside, let's talk as we walk." Lou Zhenhua warmly put his arm around Wang Huanbo's shoulder, and the two walked outside side by side.

As they passed the Intermediate People's Court, Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu, and others came out and saw Lou Zhenhua and Wang Huanbo's intimate posture, which filled them with mixed feelings. Jia Dongxu looked at Wang Huanbo's upright figure and smart clothes, and then thought of his own oil-stained work clothes, feeling a pang of jealousy.

Liu Haizhong stood there awkwardly, watching Wang Huanbo and Lou Zhenhua walk past the car, chatting and laughing. Lou Zhenhua even opened the car door for Wang Huanbo himself! This treatment... Liu Haizhong had worked at the steel rolling mill for over ten years, and Director Lou had barely even given him a second glance!

Amidst the complex gazes of the crowd, the car emitted a faint plume of exhaust fumes and drove away from Nanluoguxiang.

On the truck, Lou Zhenhua gave a detailed account of the malfunctioning rolling mill: "It's an old-fashioned rolling mill, a pre-1949 machine, but it's always been the mainstay of the workshop. This morning it suddenly jammed, and the transmission system was making a loud, abnormal noise. Section Chief Liu from the technical department brought people to inspect it, and they said the main shaft gear might be severely worn and needs to be replaced. But we can't find the parts for the time being, and if the shutdown lasts too long, the production delays will be a real problem."

Wang Huanbo listened quietly, his mind already constructing mechanical structure diagrams and analyzing possible failure points based on the description. The vast knowledge base and intuitive analytical abilities granted by the [Advanced Mechanical Mastery] skill allowed him to quickly arrive at several preliminary judgments.

"Uncle Lou, we'll have to see the situation on-site to know the specifics. But don't worry, there's always a solution for mechanical problems." Wang Huanbo's calm and confident tone reassured the anxious Lou Zhenhua.

"Great! I feel relieved to hear that!" Lou Zhenhua said with a smile. "Also, Huanbo, I've discussed your work arrangements with the other leaders in the factory. The position of head of the technical department has been temporarily held by the deputy head, Liu Feng, but his abilities are limited. Now that you're here, you can take over this responsibility. You'll be given the highest level of rank and benefits. What do you think?"

Wang Huanbo had no objection to this. He knew that Lou Zhenhua was trying to curry favor with him, and that it was a reasonable arrangement based on his abilities and background: "Thank you for your trust, Uncle Lou. I will do my best."

Then, Wang Huanbo casually mentioned, "Uncle Lou, there's another personal matter I'd like to trouble you with. The west wing of the house I live in is fine in every way, except that the water and toilet facilities are a bit inconvenient. Could you see if the factory's construction team could help me renovate it, get running water, and build a small toilet for me in the yard? I'll pay for it myself."

Upon hearing this, Lou Zhenhua waved his hand dismissively: "Hey! I thought it was nothing! Leave this little thing to me! The factory has a construction team ready, and the materials are readily available. Forget about money, consider it a small settlement benefit for you, our technical expert! I'll arrange for someone to go and survey the site and start construction right away, I guarantee it'll be done perfectly!"

Wang Huanbo smiled and thanked him. This was a small perk for joining the company, and it would greatly improve his living conditions, so he naturally wouldn't refuse.

As they spoke, the car had already driven into the gates of Lou's Steel Rolling Mill. Looking out the car window at the familiar steel mill scene (he had seen it when he worked in a heavy industrial city in his previous life), the towering chimneys, the red brick factory buildings, and the metallic and coal-smoke-filled air, Wang Huanbo took a deep breath. The new battlefield had arrived.