Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

Chapter 1: Wedding Date Set, Foolish Pillar Tries to Overpower Xu Damao

In the last week of September 1958, an unusual atmosphere permeated the air in courtyard number 95 of Nanluoguxiang. This atmosphere contained the impending celebration, the undercurrent of competition, and even a contest that was about to erupt.

On the evening of September 29th, Sha Zhu, carrying two strips of marbled pork belly, hummed an off-key tune as he strolled from the front yard to the middle yard. As he passed the west wing, he deliberately slowed his pace and, in a voice loud enough for the people inside to hear, said to Yu Li, who was preparing vegetables at the door, "Honey, the date's set! It's the end of this month, the 31st! Director Wang from our factory chose it; he said it's a once-in-a-lifetime auspicious day, suitable for weddings, moving into a new house, everything will go smoothly!"

Yu Li blushed and gave him a reproachful look: "Keep your voice down, the whole yard can hear you."

"So what if I heard that? I, He Yuzhu, am getting married openly and honestly!" Sha Zhu's voice grew louder, but his eyes darted to the half-open window of the west wing. "I want certain people to know that the most important thing in my life, He Yuzhu, has been decided! And it happened the day before his wedding!"

In the west wing, Xu Damao, who was trying on a new Zhongshan suit in front of the mirror, suddenly stopped and his face darkened instantly.

September 31st? Only one day earlier than my wedding date of October 1st?!

This is absolutely on purpose!

Xu Damao ripped off the unbuttoned top button of his shirt, his chest heaving. He could picture Sha Zhu's smug face, and imagine the gossipy women in the courtyard gossiping—"See? Sha Zhu's got it all figured out, even getting married before Xu Damao!" "If you ask me, Xu Damao's just a shrewd copycat, always following Sha Zhu around and picking up the scraps!"

"Bastard..." Xu Damao squeezed out three words through gritted teeth, slamming his fist on the dressing table, making the mirror vibrate. The mirror reflected his face, twisted with anger, and the "Dacron" Zhongshan suit he was wearing, specially made for the wedding and costing him fifteen yuan.

"Da Mao, what's wrong?" Qin Jingru's timid voice came from the inner room. She had only recently come to Beijing from the countryside and was temporarily staying at Xu Da Mao's house, so she was not yet aware of the power struggles in the courtyard.

"It's nothing!" Xu Damao snapped irritably, slapping off his new clothes and changing into his old work uniform. He had originally planned to get married during the National Day holiday in October, a double celebration, and take advantage of the festive atmosphere to make the wedding extra grand. Now, Sha Zhu had gotten there a day early, stealing his thunder!

"No, we can't just let it go like this!" Xu Damao paced back and forth in the cramped room like a trapped beast. Change the date? The invitations had already been sent out, and some meat dishes for the banquet had been ordered through connections. Changing it now would be a slap in the face, making it seem like Xu Damao was afraid of Sha Zhu!

If we don't change it, are we just going to let Sha Zhu overpower us?

Xu Damao's mind raced with various thoughts. Should he make the wedding even more extravagant than Sha Zhu's? But Sha Zhu's wedding house, the decorations, the lavish spending... Even if he renovated his house according to plan, there wouldn't be enough time, and the money... Thinking of that 1,500 yuan interest-free loan with a 3% interest rate, Xu Damao felt like a heavy stone was pressing on his heart.

"Then I'll outdo him at the banquet!" A ruthless glint flashed in Xu Damao's eyes. Sha Zhu was the cook; he'd definitely put effort into the food. He had to find a way to get some real good stuff! Pork and chicken were nothing; he'd make something rare! Beef? Lamb? Fish? Yes! He needed plenty of fish—it symbolized abundance year after year! And some good wine too. If he couldn't get Moutai, he'd at least have a few bottles of Xifeng or Fenjiu!

And then there's the wedding car! Sha Zhu will definitely find a car, so I have to find one too! And I have to find more and better ones than him! Doesn't he have Wang Huanbo's car? I have to find a way to get a sedan as the lead car! A jeep won't do, it has to be a sedan!

A series of thoughts churned and collided in Xu Damao's mind. Jealousy and competitiveness burned like two fires, almost driving him to madness. He completely forgot how desperate he was to raise money for the renovations, forgot the exorbitant interest rates on the loan sharks, and his mind was filled with only one thought: to outdo Sha Zhu! No matter what, he had to outdo Sha Zhu in this wedding!

Meanwhile, at the home of Sha Zhu in the Intermediate People's Court.

Yu Li helped Sha Zhu put the meat away, looking at him with some concern: "Zhu Zi, you insisted on setting it for the 31st, just one day earlier than Xu Damao. Isn't that too obvious? People in the courtyard will start gossiping."

"Go ahead and say it!" Sha Zhu nonchalantly turned on the tap to wash his hands. "I'm going to make it obvious! I'm going to infuriate that bastard Xu Damao! Have you forgotten how smug he was before? Going around bragging that he'd get married before me, that he'd invite me to cook, all he wanted was to see me make a fool of myself! And now? I'm getting married first! Let's see if he can still be so smug!"

He dried his hands, put his arm around Yu Li's shoulder, and said in a more serious tone, "Honey, don't worry, I'm not just doing this out of spite. The 31st is indeed an auspicious day. Besides, we've prepared everything perfectly, so we're not afraid to be ahead of others. I want to see what tricks Xu Damao can pull."

Yu Li sighed, knowing she couldn't dissuade him, and could only urge him, "Then promise me you won't go looking for trouble with him. Let's have a proper wedding. Our life is for ourselves, not for others to see."

"Alright, I'll listen to my wife!" Sha Zhu chuckled and whispered in Yu Li's ear, "However, some formalities still need to be observed. This isn't just to spite Xu Damao, but also for you, and for our parents."

He pulled a notebook from his pocket, opened it, and found it filled with detailed notes about the wedding preparations. "Look," he said, "I've got all the meat, vegetables, and grain for the banquet sorted out through my old connections at the canteen. Thirty catties of pork, ten whole chickens, two baskets of eggs, fifty catties of wheat flour, and one hundred catties of cornmeal. This is the best we've ever seen in our compound!"

Yu Li looked at the bill and was taken aback: "So much? How much will this cost? Zhu Zi, we don't need to..."

"It's necessary!" Sha Zhu interrupted her, pointing to another line of text, "Look here, Huanbo sponsored—20 jin of beef! Two boxes of canned fruit! Yellow peaches and lychees!"

"Given by Engineer Wang? This...this is too precious! I can't accept it!" Yu Li quickly waved her hand. Beef was extremely scarce in those days. Besides being distributed to workers from ethnic minorities, ordinary people would only see it a few times a year. Canned fruit was even more of a high-end gift, only given when visiting an important patient or having very strong connections.

"At first, I absolutely refused." Sha Zhu put away his notebook, a look of emotion on his face. "But Huanbo said that based on our childhood friendship, based on the fact that I always thought about him during the years he was abroad, and based on the fact that I am now his best friend since he came back to China... He said, 'Brother Zhu, this is the most important moment in your life, and the banquet must not be lacking.' Hearing that, I... I felt a warmth in my heart."

He paused, his voice low and somber: "Huanbo may seem aloof and focused on technical work, but deep down he's a man of great loyalty and affection. Back when his parents wanted to take him abroad, all the kids in the neighborhood laughed at him, calling him a 'fake foreigner,' but I didn't care and even played with him. Later, when he came back and became the chief engineer, so many people in the institute tried to curry favor with him, but he barely paid them any attention. Yet, his feelings for me never changed. I'll remember that kindness for the rest of my life."

Yu Li was moved by this and stopped insisting: "Then...then we must thank Engineer Wang properly in the future."

"Of course!" Sha Zhu laughed again. "So, wife, this time our wedding must be beautiful and lively! Let everyone see what kind of wife I, He Yuzhu, am marrying! And let those blind fools in the Yu family give up their crooked thoughts as soon as possible!"

Speaking of the Yu family, Sha Zhu's eyes sharpened. He knew Yu Li's family situation well. They had two daughters, Yu Li and Yu Haitang, and both parents were educated. The father was a factory worker, the mother a primary school teacher, Yu Li worked in a printing factory, and Yu Haitang was still in school. Three out of the four had stable jobs, making them an enviable high-income family in those days. But precisely because they had no son, some relatives and neighbors harbored thoughts of "taking advantage of the family fortune," believing that the Yu family's wealth would eventually go to their son-in-law. Yu Li's parents were proud and averse to conflict, and had worried about these things quite a bit.

With this wedding, Sha Zhu planned to teach those people a lesson.

Section 2: The Hongqi Sedan Silently Intimidates Rude Offenders

The next morning, Sha Zhu wandered over to the backyard where Wang Huanbo lived.

Wang Huanbo had just finished his morning exercise and was eating breakfast at the stone table in the courtyard, dressed in simple sportswear—milk, fried eggs, and bread, simple yet nutritionally balanced. Seeing Sha Zhu come in, he raised his hand: "Brother Zhu, have you eaten? Want to eat together?"

"I've eaten, I've had some at the cafeteria." Sha Zhu rubbed his hands together, sat down opposite Wang Huanbo, and was a little embarrassed to speak.

Wang Huanbo glanced at him, then put down his cup: "What is it?"

"Um... Huanbo, it's like this." Shazhu organized his thoughts, "Yu Li and I are getting married on the 31st. Everything is almost ready. It's just... it's about the wedding car that I wanted to discuss with you."

"A car?" Wang Huanbo raised an eyebrow slightly. "My Hongqi? Sure, I'll have Xiao Zhao drive it over."

Sha Zhu chuckled, his eyes gleaming. "Yes, it's your...stretched Hongqi. The Starry Night...Guard one!"

Wang Huanbo paused, looking at Sha Zhu: "You want to use a Hongqi as the lead vehicle?"

"Yes!" Sha Zhu gestured excitedly. "I rode in one in Wangjiazhuang last time, wow, the feeling was so smooth and impressive! The windows were so thick, the sofa was so soft, and there was even a small table and a refrigerator! This car was the lead car, picking up Yu Li, how prestigious that would be!"

He leaned forward, lowered his voice, and his tone became serious: "Huanbo, it's not just about saving face. You know a bit about Yu Li's family situation, right? They only have two daughters and no sons. Their family isn't poor, but some relatives and neighbors have ulterior motives. They think that since no one will be able to carry on the Yu family's legacy, they can covet their assets. Although my parents-in-law are sensible people, they can't stand those petty people gossiping all the time, so they must be unhappy."

Wang Huanbo nodded, signaling him to continue.

"This time, I just want to borrow your Hongqi to pick up this bride." Sha Zhu straightened his back. "These days, who doesn't know about the Hongqi limousine? It's the car of high-ranking officials! Are people who can ride in this car ordinary? I want to show those scheming people in Yu Li's alley that Yu Li didn't marry an ordinary cook! Her husband knows important people who can ride in Hongqi cars! The Yu family's son-in-law is not to be trifled with! Want to mess with the Yu family? They'd better think twice about their own strength!"

He spoke with some excitement, his face slightly flushed: "Huanbo, this tactic is called... it's called 'Striking the Mountain to Shock the Tiger'! No, it's called 'Take Down the Thugs of Hongqi Town'! No need to argue or make a scene, just park the car there, and those people's crooked thoughts will be put away! For Yu Li's sake, and for my parents-in-law to have some peace and quiet in the future, I have to borrow this car no matter what!"

Wang Huanbo listened quietly, tapping his fingers lightly on the stone table. He understood Sha Zhu's thoughts. This seemingly carefree brother was actually very shrewd; he genuinely wanted to protect Li and her family, and to stand up for them. Using this method to deter those unscrupulous scoundrels, although somewhat opportunistic, was perhaps the most direct and effective approach in this environment.

"I can lend you the car," Wang Huanbo said calmly. "Have Xiao Zhao drive it; he'll be at your disposal the whole time."

"Great! Huanbo, I knew you were a good friend!" Shazhu was so happy he almost jumped for joy.

"However," Wang Huanbo changed the subject, his expression turning serious, "I cannot attend the wedding ceremony."

"Huh? Why?" Sha Zhu was stunned. "You're my best buddy! If you don't go, that's so..."

"Brother Zhu, listen to me," Wang Huanbo interrupted him, gesturing for him to sit down. "It's not that I don't want to attend your wedding. The wedding procession is crowded and complicated. Recently, Minister Lin and Minister Wang from the Security Department spoke with me about some research projects I participated in that may have attracted unnecessary attention. There are indications that some unidentified people have been seen near our institute. For safety's sake, and to avoid disrupting your big day, I need to minimize my public outings during this period, especially to crowded places."

Sha Zhu's excitement vanished instantly, replaced by worry: "Spies? Coming for you? Those bastards! Huanbo, you'd better be very careful! Have Minister Lin and the others made the arrangements? Should I...?"

"Don't worry, the security department has made thorough arrangements," Wang Huanbo smiled and reassured him. "I'm very safe here. I just won't be joining the wedding procession. But I will definitely be at the wedding banquet, and I'll have to toast you and your sister-in-law a few times."

Although somewhat disappointed, Sha Zhu knew what was important. Wang Huanbo's safety was paramount and could not be taken lightly. "Alright! Then you must be careful! At the banquet, we won't leave until we're completely drunk!"

With the most crucial issue of the lead car resolved, Sha Zhu felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. With a Hongqi sedan leading the way, the wedding procession's grandeur was guaranteed, and half the battle in "deterring" the Li family was won.

Section 3: Da Mao grits his teeth and agrees to drive; each party has their own ulterior motives in making the deal.

After leaving Wang Huanbo's place, Sha Zhu was in a great mood, humming a little tune as he walked towards the front yard. As he passed Xu Damao's window, he deliberately cleared his throat and knocked on the windowpane.

"Xu Damao! Is Comrade Xu Damao home?"

There was a rustling sound inside. After a while, Xu Damao opened half of the window, his face stern: "What?"

"Hey, you're home." Sha Zhu grinned. "I need to talk to you about something. I'm getting married on the 31st, and we're short one car for the wedding procession. We live in the same compound, and you're a projectionist who often goes to the countryside and knows the procession well. Could you lend me your Red Star brand car to help transport some of the dowry or something?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao nearly flew into a rage. "You idiot Zhu, you got married before me, and now you want to borrow my car? To use my car to transport your dowry? Dream on!"

He opened his mouth to refuse, but the words caught in his throat. His mind raced, calculating what he was doing.

Sha Zhu's wedding will definitely require someone to provide transportation. Besides Wang Huanbo, who owns a car, Yi Zhonghai, an eighth-grade worker, previously purchased the right to use a Red Star brand car to pick up and drop off his nephew and niece at school; Liu Haizhong, a seventh-grade worker and also a careerist, followed suit and bought the right to use a Red Star brand car. Faced with Sha Zhu's request, he'll surely want to show off and will probably provide a ride for Sha Zhu. If I refuse Sha Zhu's request, then Sha Zhu's convoy will be complete, with a Red Flag sedan leading the way, followed by several smaller cars—what a spectacle…

And I need a car for my wedding on October 1st! Qin Jingru is from Qinjiacun, and the journey to pick her up is long; I can't do it without a car. As a film projection team leader, I might be able to borrow a jeep, but a sedan? Difficult! If I refuse Sha Zhu now, will I have the nerve to ask him, Yi Zhonghai, or Liu Haizhong for help with transportation when I get married? Even if I do ask, will they readily agree?

Conversely, if he agreed to Sha Zhu's request now, Sha Zhu would owe him a favor. When he got married, Sha Zhu would be less likely to refuse when he asked Sha Zhu for a ride. Besides, they were all from the same compound. If Xu Damao helped him with his ride, shouldn't Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and even Wang Huanbo also do something in return? Would they have the nerve to refuse to provide a ride when he got married?

This is a great deal!

Xu Damao's mind raced for a moment, his gloomy expression slowly softening, even managing a forced smile: "Hey, Zhuzi, a wedding is a big deal, using a car is only right! We're family, no problem, I'll definitely provide a car for your wedding on the 31st!"

Sha Zhu was a little surprised; he hadn't expected Xu Damao to agree so readily. He had been prepared to hear Xu Damao's sarcastic and veiled remarks.

"Hey, Xu Damao, did the sun rise in the west today? So quick and easy?" Sha Zhu looked at him suspiciously.

"Look at you, Zhu Zi, what kind of person do you take me for?" Xu Damao said magnanimously. "Marriage is a major life event, how could I not help? Besides, we'll be neighbors from now on, it's only right to help each other out!"

He abruptly changed the subject, revealing his true colors: "But Zhu Zi, I'm getting married soon too, just one day after you. When it comes to the wedding procession, my bride is from the countryside, it's a long way, so about the transportation… could you help me with that too? We don't need much, just a small car as the lead vehicle, and a couple more for hauling supplies. You have connections with the older men in the neighborhood, could you put in a good word for me? And with Engineer Wang… if it's convenient, could you…"

Sha Zhu immediately understood. So that's what he was waiting for! Trading his own car for my help in arranging a convoy? This Xu Damao, he's really shrewd!

However, Sha Zhu hadn't originally intended to hold Xu Damao back on the matter of providing a car. Firstly, he genuinely needed a car; secondly, having Xu Damao provide the car was itself a form of "commanding" him, giving him a way to keep him in check; and thirdly, he wanted to see what kind of trouble Xu Damao could cause so he could compare with him.

"Sure!" Sha Zhu slapped his thigh and readily agreed. "You provide the vehicle, and I'll pass on the message. But let's make it clear, I can't guarantee whether Uncle Da and Uncle Er will agree or whether Engineer Wang is available. I can only say I'll ask around for you."

"Just ask! Just ask!" Xu Damao was overjoyed. With Sha Zhu intervening, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, those power-hungry officials, would definitely agree. As for Wang Huanbo... although the chances were slim, what if? Even without a Hongqi, a Shanghai-brand sedan would do!

With their own agendas, the two reached this "deal." Sha Zhu left satisfied, while Xu Damao closed the door, rubbing his hands excitedly. He began to calculate: with Sha Zhu's help in arranging the wedding, his bridal procession would have at least three cars! How prestigious would it be to drive into Qin Family Village in such a grand manner! Even the village chief would have to look at him with more respect! Wouldn't Qin Jingru's relatives be green with envy?

As for the cost of borrowing the car? That Red Star brand car was already mine; using it for a bit won't hurt me. This deal was totally worth it!

Section Four: Yi Liu readily agrees, busy protecting the covert network.

With Xu Damao dealt with, things went much more smoothly for Sha Zhu afterwards.

He first went to find Uncle Yi Zhonghai. Uncle Yi Zhonghai was at home listening to the radio when he saw Sha Zhu arrive, and quickly asked his wife to pour him some water.

"Uncle, my engagement with Yu Li is settled, it'll be on the 31st." Sha Zhu got straight to the point, "We'd like to use a car for the wedding procession, what do you think..."

"Great news, Zhu Zi!" Yi Zhonghai beamed. He was genuinely happy for Zhu Zi and thought he and Yu Li were a good match. "The date is set! You need a car, right? No problem! I'll arrange a ride for you on that day!"

Yi Zhonghai was a level eight fitter, a highly skilled technician with a high status and wide network of connections in the factory. Furthermore, what he had done to Sha Zhu before was indeed somewhat unethical. He readily agreed, firstly because he genuinely wanted to help Sha Zhu, and secondly, as a respected elder in the compound, it would be a source of pride for him if Sha Zhu used his car for his wedding.

"Thank you so much, sir!" Sha Zhu thanked him quickly, and then told him about Xu Damao. "Xu Damao is getting married soon, and he asked me to ask if you could help him with a ride? His wife is from the countryside, and it's a long way."

Yi Zhonghai frowned. He didn't have a good impression of Xu Damao, thinking he was slippery and unreliable. But since they were from the same courtyard and Sha Zhu had spoken up, he couldn't very well refuse.

"Alright, since you said so, let's do it together. But we need to make it clear to Xu Damao that he'll pay for his own gas."

"That's for sure! I'll talk to him about it later!" Sha Zhu agreed, but in his heart he thought that Xu Damao was so stingy that he would probably have to spend a lot of time calculating the cost of gas.

After leaving Yi Zhonghai's house, Sha Zhu went to his second uncle Liu Haizhong's house.

Liu Haizhong was scolding his son at home. His second son, Liu Guangtian, had gotten into trouble again and was hanging his head, taking the scolding. When he saw Shazhu arrive, Liu Haizhong reluctantly shut up and put on the airs of a domineering second uncle.

"Zhu Zi, what's up?"

Sha Zhu repeated his purpose.

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong's small eyes lit up. A delivery trip? Great! This would allow him to show off his great-uncle's influence! Although he was only a level seven forger, not as good as Yi Zhonghai's level eight, he was still a team leader and had some power in the factory. Moreover, he had recently been figuring out how to get closer to the new Deputy Minister Wang (he assumed Wang Luofei was the deputy factory director in charge of production). With Sha Zhu's wedding, Wang Huanbo would definitely be there—this was a perfect opportunity to make contact!

"No problem! Leave it to me!" Liu Haizhong patted his chest loudly. "I'll personally arrange a ride for you, no problem! The 31st, right? Be there on time!"

Liu Haizhong readily agreed to Xu Damao's request. An extra car meant more face, and it would also make Xu Damao owe him a favor—why not?

And so, Sha Zhu's wedding procession was basically formed: Wang Huanbo's extended Hongqi sedan led the way, followed by Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong's car, plus Xu Damao's car. In those days, the four-car procession was an absolutely impressive configuration.

As for Xu Damao's own fleet, with Sha Zhu's help, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong agreed to assist, so he would at least have two cars as a base, which would save face.

Wedding preparations were in full swing, and the No. 95 courtyard appeared to be immersed in festive activity. But beneath this calm, another thread was quietly tightening.

In the backyard, in Wang Huanbo's study.

Lin Hongjie and Wang Luofei visited again. Unlike the previous formal report, this time it was more like a casual chat between friends, but the atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

"Engineer Wang, based on our monitoring and investigation over the past two weeks, we can confirm that at least three different forces have recently shown unusual interest in you and the Red Star Factory." Wang Luofei's voice was low, but every word was clear and forceful.

"The first group has obvious signs of activity and relatively crude methods, like peripheral reconnaissance personnel. They are the 'scrap collectors' and 'census women' that Yan Fugui mentioned before. We have already grasped their basic physical characteristics and activity patterns, and are currently setting up surveillance, preparing to play the long game."

"The second group is more covert. It was discovered through surveillance of 'Night Owl' and the 'Shadow' who met with him at the Spring Festival Restaurant. This person has strong counter-surveillance capabilities, and our people lost track of him. However, through detailed investigation and technical analysis of the restaurant, we have basically determined that this person has likely come into contact with some kind of special cooling medium related to the 'Ark' project. His target is very clear: core technology."

Wang Luofei paused, her eyes sharpening further: "The third group is the latest discovery, and it's the one that alarms us the most. They seem to be paying particular attention to your personal movements, social relationships, and especially your recent activities. The date of Comrade Sha Zhu's wedding and your participation—information that should be relatively private—seems to have caught their attention. We have reason to suspect that they might use a wedding, a gathering of many people, to test you or create trouble to achieve some kind of goal."

Wang Huanbo listened quietly, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the desk. He wasn't surprised. From the moment he decided to bring out those cutting-edge technologies, he anticipated attracting covetousness. He just hadn't expected it to happen so quickly and so directly.

"What do the two ministers mean?"

"Our advice is that you shouldn't personally attend Comrade Sha Zhu's wedding procession on the 31st, or the subsequent wedding banquet," Lin Hongjie interjected, his tone sincere and serious. "The procession route is long, and the environment is unpredictable. The banquet will be crowded and chaotic with a diverse range of people. Although we will deploy plainclothes officers, we cannot guarantee absolute safety. Your safety is of utmost importance."

Wang Huanbo remained silent for a moment. He understood the security department's concerns and trusted their professional judgment. Officially, he couldn't allow himself to become a target for the enemy, posing a risk to the country and the project. Personally, he didn't want his presence to bring any potential danger to Sha Zhu's joyous occasion.

Although he really wanted to see his childhood friend marry his wife in a grand and glorious way.

"I understand." Wang Huanbo finally nodded. "I won't go to the wedding procession. As for the wedding banquet... I'll make a brief appearance at the end, during the newlyweds' toasting, offer a toast, and then leave. I'll keep it under ten minutes. Is that alright?"

Lin Hongjie and Wang Luofei exchanged a glance. Wang Luofei pondered for a moment and said, "Okay. We will clear the area and maintain security. But you must follow our instructions and not act on your own."

"No problem," Wang Huanbo agreed readily.

After finishing their business, the atmosphere relaxed a bit. Lin Hongjie smiled and said, "Engineer Wang, you're really good to Brother Zhuzi. I'm reluctant to ride in that Hongqi all the time, but you lent it to me without hesitation."

Wang Huanbo smiled and said, "Zhuzi is my brother. I'll definitely help him with his wedding if I can. Besides, he borrowed the car not just to save face, but also to support Yu Li's family. He's a responsible person. I should help him with this."

After seeing Lin Hongjie and Wang Luofei off, Wang Huanbo stood by the window, gazing at the newly renovated house in the courtyard, decorated with bright red "double happiness" characters, his gaze distant.

The Hongqi sedan can intimidate petty people in the city.

But how do we guard against wolves lurking in the shadows?

He turned and walked back to his desk, opened a drawer, and inside lay a strangely shaped, silver-gray pistol and several small silver devices resembling button batteries. These were some "gadgets" he had made privately using scraps from "Ark" and his forward-thinking ideas. They weren't very powerful, but they were enough to protect himself in critical moments or create chaos.

Hopefully, I won't need it. He closed the drawer, thinking to himself.

Outside the window, the setting sun bathed the gray bricks and tiles of courtyard number 95 in a warm orange-red hue. The sounds of children playing, adults calling out, and pots and pans clattering together created a symphony of everyday life.

Under the peaceful twilight, plainclothes officers from the security department had already silently appeared at the entrance of the alley, outside the courtyard wall, and even in the neighbor's house. Some of them disguised themselves as shoemakers, some as peddlers, and some as "newly moved-in" tenants. Their vigilant eyes, hidden beneath their seemingly ordinary appearances, closely watched every little movement.

An invisible protective net has quietly enveloped No. 95 Nanluoguxiang and its surroundings as the wedding date approaches. At the center of this net are the soon-to-be-happy Sha Zhu and Yu Li, the core technical expert Wang Huanbo who carries crucial secrets, and the countless people in the courtyard who are either envious, jealous, calculating, or sincere.

September 31st is getting closer.

Amidst the festive red silks and the shadow of covert warfare, a slow, murky unfolds within this ancient courtyard. Everyone is caught up in it; no one can remain uninvolved. A unique "battle," blending local wedding customs, interpersonal relationships, competitive rivalry, and clandestine operations, is about to begin. The outcome will not only concern face and substance, but also safety and crisis. In the autumn of 1958, the hutongs of Beijing quietly await its opening.