Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

A week later, the renovation project of the west courtyard and the deaf old lady's house was completed to a high standard and with high efficiency, thanks to Wang Huanbo's ample financial support and Captain Li's dedicated supervision.

When Wang Huanbo and the deaf old lady entered the newly renovated house, surrounded by Sha Zhu, Yan Bugui and his wife, and a group of curious neighbors, everyone was stunned by the sight before them.

The west courtyard: the old brick floor has been replaced with a gleaming terrazzo floor, the walls are painted snow-white, and the windows have been replaced with bright glass windows. In the kitchen, the brand-new stove is covered with white ceramic tiles, and clear tap water flows freely when the gleaming faucet is turned on. Most astonishing is the separate bathroom! The walls and floor are entirely covered with elegant light-colored tiles, the toilet is as white as jade, and next to it is a shower area separated by a curtain, equipped with a brass showerhead! These conditions are among the best, not only in No. 95 Courtyard, but even in the entire old city of Beijing!

The deaf old lady's house has also undergone a complete transformation: the floor is now paved with non-slip red bricks, the walls have been repainted, and the roof has been treated for moisture protection. It also has running water, and a small bathroom has been partitioned off in the corner, complete with a flush toilet and washbasin. Although it's simpler than the west wing, for the elderly woman, it's a world of difference.

"Oh my goodness! This...this is like a palace!" Yan Bugui rubbed his wide-eyed eyes in amazement.

"So bright! So clean!" The three women exclaimed with envy.

Madam Jia peeked through the doorframe, her eyes red with jealousy, and muttered under her breath, "You spendthrift son! All he knows is how to enjoy himself!"

Yi Zhonghai watched from afar, his heart filled with mixed feelings. This Wang Huanbo had easily won people's hearts and prestige with real money and material things, making his empty "moral" preaching seem pale and powerless.

The deaf old woman touched the smooth wall, turned on the cold tap, and sat on the unfamiliar toilet. She was as excited as a child, tears streaming down her face: "Good...so good...I've lived for over seventy years, and I never imagined I could live like this...Young master...thank you...thank you..."

Wang Huanbo helped the old lady up and said with a smile, "Grandma Sun, you can rest assured and enjoy your life. From now on, you won't need to leave the house to use water or go to the toilet."

With his "backyard" settled, Wang Huanbo devoted more of his energy to the work at the steel rolling mill. Under his leadership, the technical department conducted a thorough "check-up" and "maintenance" of all the equipment in the plant. Leveraging his advanced mechanical expertise, Wang Huanbo was able to accurately identify potential wear, misalignment, and design flaws in the equipment. He led the technicians and experienced workers in meticulously adjusting, repairing, and making localized improvements to each piece of critical equipment. Bearings that needed replacing were replaced, gears that needed repairing were fixed, and precision calibrations were performed to the highest possible level.

Following this round of meticulous maintenance, the steel rolling mill's equipment reached its peak operating condition since its establishment! Equipment failure rates decreased significantly, production efficiency improved markedly, and product quality became more stable and reliable. That month, Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill (its new name after the public-private partnership) exceeded its production targets set by higher authorities, ranked among the top in product quality evaluations, and received commendation from the Ministry of Industry!

Factory director Yang Weimin and the newly arrived factory party secretary, Secretary Wang (the old revolutionary), were overjoyed. At the general meeting of all employees, they gave special praise to the technical department, especially its head, Comrade Wang Huanbo, calling him "the technical soul of the Red Star Factory" and "an intellectual role model for the working class!"

Wang Huanbo's prestige in the factory reached new heights. The workers genuinely admired this capable, approachable, and tangible young section chief.

Meanwhile, with Lou Zhenhua's active cooperation and Wang Huanbo's assistance, the process of the joint public-private ownership of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill progressed exceptionally smoothly. The cadre team sent from above quickly took place: Party Secretary Wang was principled and upright; Factory Director Yang Weimin was knowledgeable and energetic; Deputy Factory Director Liu Hongyan was in charge of production; Logistics Minister Li Huaide… well, a shrewd and opportunistic character, but currently relatively well-behaved. Lou Zhenhua retained 30% of the shares, serving as chairman in name only. He had also adjusted his mindset well, no longer interfering too much in specific management, and instead had time to frequently meet with Wang Huanbo for tea and chess, discussing business management insights.

What made all the beasts in the factory even more envious was that, in order to commend Wang Huanbo's outstanding contributions and to facilitate his work (after all, he often had to go to the ministry to report), at Lou Zhenhua's suggestion, the factory's Party Committee decided to provide Comrade Wang Huanbo with a brand-new Mercedes-Benz car and a full-time driver! The driver's surname was Zhao, he was in his thirties, with a sharp face and was taciturn. It was said that he had served as a reconnaissance soldier in the army, was extremely skilled, carried a Colt M1911A1 pistol, and also served as a bodyguard to protect Wang Huanbo's safety. Wang Huanbo even vacated a room in the west wing as driver Zhao's room.

When that black, streamlined Mercedes-Benz first drove into Nanluoguxiang and stopped at the entrance of No. 95 courtyard, the commotion it caused was more than twice as great as that of Lou Zhenhua's old car!

"A Mercedes! That's a Mercedes car!"

"My God! Section Chief Wang's treatment... is even more impressive than Director Lou's back in the day!"

"They even have a personal driver! What kind of high-ranking official must they be?"

Yan Bugui stared at the car, calculating its value. Liu Haizhong's eyes widened with envy, dreaming of one day driving one himself. Jia Zhangshi's curses were practically overflowing with jealousy. Yi Zhonghai stood at his doorstep, watching Wang Huanbo calmly get into his car, the driver respectfully closing the door. He felt a profound sense of powerlessness. Wang Huanbo's rise to power was unstoppable. His retirement plans faced an unprecedented crisis.

Xu Damao became even more determined to cling to Wang Huanbo's coattails, spending his days figuring out how to better serve "Brother Wang."

Wang Huanbo sat comfortably in the back seat of the car, watching the street scenes rushing past the window, his heart at peace. This was just the beginning. With the steel rolling mill as a platform and the system's assistance, there was still much he could do. As for those clowns in the compound, as long as they didn't cross his bottom line, he wouldn't bother with them for the time being. After all, his stage was the whole world.