Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

The approval note, boldly written by Factory Party Secretary Yao Jianghe, was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake. After the news of Wang Huanbo's month-long leave spread, it stirred up ripples throughout the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill and Compound No. 95. The factory workers were genuinely happy that their hardworking and meritorious chief engineer could finally take a break. However, in that courtyard house hidden in Beijing, all sorts of people, upon hearing the news, had thoughts that were like dumplings boiling in a pot, churning with various flavors.

On the first morning of the holiday, sunlight streamed warmly into the room through the newly installed, clear glass of the west courtyard. Wang Huanbo, unusually, slept until he naturally woke up. The mental fatigue from continuous high-intensity work quickly subsided thanks to the enhanced physical functions of his body, enhanced by the Super Soldier Serum, but his mental weariness still needed soothing. He got up and slowly practiced a set of the "Gongzi Fuhuquan" style, personally taught by Huang Feihong, in the courtyard. His movements were as fluid as flowing clouds and water, and his breath was as long and gentle as a breeze in a deep valley. He felt his muscles and bones relax, and all his pent-up emotions vanished.

After finishing his routine, he strolled to the backyard. The deaf old lady's house was already brightly lit. She was squinting, comfortably sunbathing in the rattan chair Wang Huanbo had provided. On the low table in front of her lay an empty bowl of porridge and a dish of pickled vegetables—breakfast just brought by Sha Zhu's apprentice, Ma Hua. The house was spotless, the floor paved with gleaming, non-slip tiles, even the corners were immaculate—thanks to the meticulous care of the nanny Wang Huanbo hired for ten yuan a month. What pleased the old lady most was the newly renovated bathroom with its flush toilet and white porcelain bathtub; her quality of life had been completely transformed.

"Grandma, the weather is so nice today, your complexion looks even more rosy," Wang Huanbo said with a smile as he approached to greet her.

Although the deaf old lady was hard of hearing, her eyesight was sharp. When she saw that it was Wang Huanbo, she immediately beamed and waved vigorously: "It's Huanbo! Come and sit down! Did the sun rise in the west today? What brings you to visit this old woman? Didn't you go to the factory to tinker with your rumbling machines?" Her voice was lisp, and she had only a few good teeth left.

"The factory is considerate and gave me a month's leave, specifically to keep you company and chat with you to relieve your boredom," Wang Huanbo said gently as he sat down on the stool next to him.

"Oh my! Happy holiday! Happy holiday!" The old lady clapped her hands, her wrinkled face beaming with joy. "You really should take a break! You're always so busy, it breaks my heart to see you like this! Thanks to you, this old woman is truly blessed!" She pointed to the house and the surroundings, "This house, this furnishing, and Zhuzi making me all sorts of delicious food every day... What good deeds did my ancestors do to deserve such good fortune!"

"Don't worry, you're in for a long time," Wang Huanbo said with a smile. "In a couple of days, I'll take you to the hospital to find a good dentist to fix your teeth and get you a strong, functional set. You'll enjoy eating meat even more and speak more fluently."

"That's great! I'll do whatever you say! This old woman is just waiting to enjoy this blessing!" The old lady was beaming from ear to ear, and despite her crooked teeth, her joy was evident.

As Wang Huanbo came out of the Intermediate Court, he ran into Yan Bugui, who was carefully brushing his teeth by the sink with an enamel mug in his hand. Old Yan was meticulous to the core; he squeezed out a tiny bit of toothpaste, smaller than a mung bean, as if afraid of wasting even a drop.

"Hey! Engineer Wang! You're not at work today?" Yan Bugui asked, his mouth full of foam, his words muffled, but his small eyes darted around Wang Huanbo several times, his mind already racing with calculations.

"Yes, the factory gave me leave to rest for a while." Wang Huanbo nodded, his tone indifferent.

"Oh dear! You should rest! You're the pillar of our factory... no, our country! The weight of responsibility rests on your shoulders, you can't afford to overwork yourself!" Yan Bugui quickly rinsed his mouth, wiped it with a towel, took a step closer, lowered his voice, and put on a humble yet warm smile. "Engineer Wang, well... there's a small matter, I don't know if I should say it... You see, my son Jiecheng is currently an apprentice at the factory, and his performance is not bad, right? I heard... that the factory's computer group has a bright future and is looking to recruit a few clever and educated young people... Could you... put in a good word for him?" He rubbed his hands together, looking at the factory expectantly, as if he had grasped a straw that could change his fate.

Wang Huanbo knew perfectly well that Yan Laoxi wouldn't do anything without a profit. He smiled, his tone still calm: "Teacher Yan, I've met Jie Cheng. He's reliable, eager to learn, and has potential. Computer science is technically demanding, and the key is strong skills; you have to pass a proper assessment. As long as he puts in the effort and his skills are up to par, opportunities will come. I'll keep an eye out for him."

"Oh! Oh! With your words, I feel much more at ease! Thank you so much! Don't worry, I will definitely push that kid hard when I get back, make him study like crazy, and never let you down!" Yan Bugui beamed with joy, as if he could already see his son wearing a cadre uniform, sitting in the bright machine room, bringing glory to the family.

Just then, Liu Haizhong, with his large belly protruding, strolled out of the room with his hands behind his back. Upon seeing Wang Huanbo, he immediately forced a smile, but deep in his eyes, there was a hint of undisguised sourness and dissatisfaction: "Engineer Wang is on vacation? It's rare to have such a leisurely time! Yesterday, Factory Director Li came over... did he have some important instructions to convey? Why didn't he hold a hospital-wide meeting so that everyone could learn from him?" He was particularly resentful that when Deputy Factory Director Li Huaide came to the hospital yesterday, he went straight to the west wing without even glancing at him, the "second uncle," and felt that his authority had been seriously challenged.

Wang Huanbo smiled faintly, deftly deflecting the question: "Factory Director Li just happened to be passing by to drop by and chat a bit. There's nothing to convey. Master Liu, you're busy. I'm just taking a stroll." After saying that, without waiting for Liu Haizhong to find another excuse to speak, he put his hands behind his back and slowly walked towards the front yard.

Watching Wang Huanbo's composed departure, Liu Haizhong felt his words stuck in his throat, having met with a blunt rebuff. He felt even more resentful and muttered to himself, "Hmph, what's with the attitude! So what if he knows how to tinker with a few foreign machines? I'm the second-in-command here! Doesn't he understand any manners?"

Wang Huanbo was too lazy to pay attention to Liu Haizhong and the others' ambition and scheming. On the first day of his holiday, he planned to truly relax. Returning to his quiet study in the west courtyard, he closed the door, and with a thought, took out the upgraded Predator microcomputer, now renamed "Pangu," from his system space and put on the specially made bone conduction headphones.

"Pangu, retrieve the latest digital map of Beijing and select parks, secondhand bookstores, and teahouses with moderate foot traffic, tranquil environments, and rich cultural heritage, prioritizing the avoidance of sensitive areas and major traffic arteries," he instructed in a low voice.

"Received, Master. Three optimal leisure routes have been planned for you, focusing on historical and cultural landscapes and local life, and avoiding known areas with dense surveillance and potential risks." Pangu's calm electronic voice rang out clearly through bone conduction.

Wang Huanbo nodded in satisfaction. During this holiday, he planned to temporarily set aside his position as chief engineer and, like an ordinary citizen, immerse himself in the pulse of this ancient capital, experiencing its unique charm. With Pangu's precise assistance and his own extraordinary alertness, safety was assured.

However, what Wang Huanbo didn't know was that while he was planning his leisurely vacation, a storm was brewing at Liu Haizhong's house in the central courtyard. Liu Haizhong sat at the head of the octagonal table with a gloomy face, looking at the thin porridge and pickled vegetables on the table, and comparing it with the possible scene in the west wing, he became angrier and angrier, especially when he thought about Li Huaide's disregard for him, and his jealousy burned.

"Eat, eat, eat! All you do is eat!" He glared at his second son, Liu Guangtian, and youngest son, Liu Guangfu, who were silently drinking their porridge without daring to utter a sound. His anger found an outlet, especially when he saw his eldest son, Liu Guangqi, eating slowly and arrogantly with the air of a student. He was even more furious. "Look at the West Wing! And look at you! A bunch of good-for-nothings! I worked so hard to raise you, hoping you would bring honor to the family, and what have you done? Huh? What face have you brought me?"

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu shuddered in fright, lowering their heads even further. Liu Guangqi raised his head, frowned, and asked with a hint of scholarly stubbornness, "Dad, what's wrong so early in the morning?"

"What's wrong?" Liu Haizhong slammed his chopsticks down on the table, making the bowls and plates rattle. "What do you mean, 'what's wrong'? Wang Huanbo, how many years older than you? Huh? He's already the chief engineer! Even the factory leaders treat him with utmost respect! And look at you! You're stuck in that lousy school, when will it ever end? When will you ever be even half as successful as him?"

Feeling frustrated, Liu Guangqi couldn't help but retort, "Dad, can people be compared? Engineer Wang is a genius, and I've heard he has overseas connections and wide networks! I'm just an ordinary student, how can I compare?"

"You dare talk back!" Liu Haizhong hated his son most for challenging his authority as the head of the family, especially when compared to the rising star Wang Huanbo. He instantly flew into a rage, stood up abruptly, grabbed a feather duster leaning against the wall—he couldn't bear to hit his own son, Liu Guangqi—so he lashed out at Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu beside him! "I'll teach you to talk back! You two are such good-for-nothings! I'll beat you to death! You've brought shame upon me!"

"Dad! Stop hitting me! I didn't talk back!" Liu Guangtian screamed, clutching his head. Liu Guangfu also cried out and dodged in all directions.

The second aunt quickly stepped forward to pull him away, saying, "Dad! Stop it! The child has to go to school soon!"

"Go to school? What's the point of going to school! Will going to school make you a chief engineer? Will it make the factory manager look up to you?" Liu Haizhong was furious. He shoved his second aunt aside and hit her harder, the feather duster whistling as it fell.

Liu Guangqi watched as his two younger brothers were beaten, crying and screaming for their parents. His father's face, twisted and contorted with rage, turned deathly pale, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably. He knew in his heart that this beating was most likely directed at him.

Liu Haizhong, exhausted from beating him, panted heavily and pointed at the trembling Liu Guangqi with a feather duster: "Guangqi! You listen up! You're the eldest! You have to set an example for your two good-for-nothing brothers! Study hard! Study like your life depends on it! You have to be like Wang Huanbo someday, an engineer! A chief engineer! So that I can stand tall and proud too! Do you hear me?!"

Looking into his father's eyes, reddened by violence, Liu Guangqi felt fear completely overwhelm his resentment and grievances. He nodded repeatedly, his voice trembling, "I...I heard you, Dad, I promise I'll study hard, I'll study hard..." However, deep down, the thought of getting married as soon as possible after graduation and escaping this suffocating family grew wildly like weeds, becoming clearer and more urgent. He had recently met a female classmate; although her appearance was ordinary, her family was said to be well-off, and her father was a minor official in the district. This, perhaps, was an opportunity...

In the front yard of Yan Bugui's house, a different scene of calculation unfolded. Yan Bugui sipped his thin porridge, so thin it reflected his image, and earnestly instructed Yan Jiecheng, who had just woken up and was still drowsy: "Jiecheng, Engineer Wang is on holiday! This is a golden opportunity! Be quick-witted, be diligent, run errands in the west courtyard, keep an eye out for anything, help Engineer Wang clean the yard, do some errands, leave a good impression! If Engineer Wang is in a good mood and puts in a good word for you at the factory, getting a better position will be a piece of cake!"

Yan Jiecheng frowned, somewhat reluctantly: "Dad, Engineer Wang is on vacation. It's not appropriate for me to keep bothering him, is it? Besides, I think learning technical skills in the workshop is quite good, it's more grounded..."

"You don't know anything!" Yan Bugui glared at him, looking at him with exasperation. "What future can you get by swinging a sledgehammer in the workshop? You need to follow the right person! Who is Engineer Wang? Even a little bit of his money is enough for you to enjoy for a lifetime! Listen to me, you won't go wrong! Tonight... tonight you go to my place and take my treasured packet of high-quality tea leaves to Engineer Wang. Just say it's for him to try! It's a small gift but a big sentiment!"

Yan Jiecheng looked troubled and muttered, "What good stuff hasn't Engineer Wang seen? Why would he be interested in our tea dust? It would be too embarrassing to send it to him..."

"You!" Yan Bugui stomped his foot in anger. "How can you be so dense!"

In his study in the west courtyard, Wang Huanbo remained oblivious to the undercurrents in the front courtyard caused by his presence. Standing by the window, gazing at the patch of blue sky in the courtyard, he planned his holiday itinerary. The roadmap planned by "Pangu" was clearly presented in his mind. A brief rest was for better progress. The mundane life and conflicts of interest within this courtyard were merely a small ripple in the torrent of history. His journey was to the stars and the sea, a long and arduous path to truly make this land strong. The tranquility before him was precious, yet destined to be fleeting. He took a deep breath, his gaze calm and far-reaching.