Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

The lights of the Beijing Special Operations Bureau burn brightly late into the night.

Li Keqin sat upright at his desk, his fingertips pressing down on the investigation report that recorded Wang Huanbo's extraordinary skills. The doubts in his heart were like a heavy stone pressing down on him, and he could not dispel them for a long time.

He had been deeply involved in the intelligence front for decades, a seasoned veteran of many battles, and the head of the Special Operations Bureau, wielding the power of life and death investigation. According to his authority, seniority, and the Bureau's regulations, any target he identified as suspicious or with doubts, regardless of their status or position, he had the authority to directly order their detention, interrogation, and thorough investigation without prior notification.

But this time, faced with Wang Huanbo, who was shrouded in suspicion, Li Keqin hesitated to make a move.

Simply because this person is too important and too special.

Throughout the country, everyone knows of Wang Huanbo's remarkable achievements. Since giving up everything in the United States in 1954 and resolutely returning to China, he has devoted himself to promoting the rise of Chinese industry. One after another, groundbreaking technologies were implemented, and one after another, domestically produced equipment was launched, filling countless gaps in the domestic industrial, electronic, and military fields, and propelling the country's industrialization process forward.

Not only was he himself a patriot who devoted himself to the country and made great contributions to the nation, but his overseas Wang family also kept their hearts with their homeland for decades. Together with the Hongmen, they broke through layers of blockades and continuously supplied the country with scarce materials and earned huge amounts of foreign exchange. They are one of the most solid and reliable overseas patriotic forces in the new China.

Such nationally recognized pillars of the nation and loyal heroes are not people that Li Keqin could investigate or interrogate privately. If he were to take any improper actions, it would not only chill the hearts of these heroes, but also stir the hearts of countless patriotic overseas Chinese and returned scholars.

With this in mind, Li Keqin had already made up his mind.

It is absolutely unacceptable to investigate and handle this matter privately; it must be reported to the central government for a decision.

He suppressed all his subjective speculations and abandoned his personal intuition, and with the most rigorous and objective attitude, he worked through the night to compile a complete report. The report only truthfully listed all the unusual and suspicious points: Wang Huanbo's resume only showed records of learning wrestling in his childhood, with no professional special operations or intelligence training experience; when his wedding banquet was attacked, he displayed a killing prowess far beyond ordinary people, comparable to top elite agents, in the desperate situation of protecting his wife, instantly killing multiple armed enemy agents in a few breaths; his combat skills, combat mentality, and fighting instincts all defied common sense; he possessed unfathomable strength, which he had kept hidden for many years, completely inconsistent with the identity of an ordinary chief scientific engineer.

The entire report only states the facts and lists doubts, without making any convictions or assumptions, and fully adheres to the rigorous standards of intelligence work.

The report was finalized, stamped, and sealed just as dawn was breaking.

Li Keqin dared not delay and personally carried this top-secret report to Zhongnanhai to seek instructions from the highest level.

Inside the office in Haizili, the morning light was warm, but the atmosphere was not relaxed.

The two gentlemen happened to be in the same room, discussing the advancement of national industry and subsequent Soviet aid. When the secretary presented Li Keqin's top-secret report, the two gentlemen read it side by side, scrutinizing every word.

The next second, with a soft "snap," the second manager firmly placed the report on the desk, his fingertips carrying a hint of force. His expression was solemn, his eyes revealing no extra emotion, yet he possessed an imposing and dignified air befitting someone in a high position. His tone was not loud, but every word carried immense weight.

"Comrade Keqin, you've handled this matter poorly."

The moment those words were spoken, the air in the room seemed to freeze.

The second manager, with sharp eyes, continued in a deep voice, "Comrade Huanbo resolutely returned to China in 1954 and dedicated himself to the front lines of industry for many years, working tirelessly and overcoming numerous difficulties, making outstanding contributions to my country's modernization. Just because he displayed extraordinary skills when his wife and children were in dire straits and their lives were hanging by a thread, he's to be listed as a suspect?"

"Protecting one's family in times of crisis is human nature and a man's duty. This isn't a point of suspicion; it's a matter of course. To investigate him based solely on this is unacceptable. What will people think of those who have rendered meritorious service? What will people think of those students returning home from abroad?"

The second manager's seriousness was not a momentary impulse, but rather the result of years of careful planning and profound consideration.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the country was in dire need of reconstruction and extremely poor, with a severe shortage of high-end talent and industrial technology. It was he who personally took the lead, extending sincere invitations through various channels around the world, and appealing to overseas Chinese students and patriotic elites around the world to return to China and jointly build a new China.

Wang Huanbo was one of the top talents who responded to the call of the motherland and resolutely returned home.

Born into a wealthy overseas family and a graduate of a prestigious university, he possessed top-notch knowledge and unlimited potential. However, he abandoned all the lucrative opportunities in the United States, returned to China alone with a huge sum of foreign exchange of 50 million US dollars, handed over all of it to the country without keeping a penny, and devoted himself to the construction of his motherland without hesitation.

It is utterly absurd that such a sincere and meritorious person is now being subjected to unwarranted suspicion and investigation by the national security department simply because of his extraordinary act of protecting his wife in a desperate situation!

The second manager took a deep breath, his tone growing increasingly solemn, carrying an undeniable weight of seriousness: "The impact of this matter will extend far beyond Wang Huanbo alone. Once the news spreads, those scholars who have left their families and homes to return to the country to contribute will be disheartened, and those students still overseas, yearning to serve their country, will hesitate. We cannot allow those who wish to serve their country to shed blood and tears, nor can we personally cut off the path to attracting the world's best talents."

Every word was powerful and every sentence heartfelt, revealing the profound vision of building a nation on talent, and also demonstrating the responsibility and authority of a premier.

The shopkeeper stood quietly, looking at the report on the table with a calm expression, and did not immediately reprimand the man.

He fully understood Li Keqin's caution and sense of responsibility. As the head of the Special Operations Bureau, in charge of national espionage and security, he dealt with darkness, conspiracies, and lurking spies year-round. Being suspicious, cautious, and proactive was not only his job but also an essential quality for a top-level espionage leader.

This is understandable, but it does not mean I support it.

The shopkeeper looked up, his eyes filled with admiration and emotion, his mind filled with the many remarkable achievements Wang Huanbo had made since returning to China.

He abandoned his life of luxury and returned to China with a huge sum of money, handing it all over to the government. Starting from scratch, he tackled countless challenges, developing three-axis CNC machine tools, a full range of civilian and military vehicles, microcomputers, the Ark Reactor, and new military artillery. One after another, these cutting-edge technologies were put into practice, breaking foreign technological monopolies time and time again, and single-handedly supporting the backbone of industry and technology for the new China.

These outstanding young people, with their deep love for their country and their patriotic fervor, selfless dedication, and unwavering spirit of daring to forge ahead, overcoming adversity, and serving the nation and its people, reminded the instructors of their own youth when they devoted themselves to the revolution and fought with fervent passion to save the nation.

Their sincerity is evident, their loyalty shines as bright as the sun and moon.

After a moment of silence, the shopkeeper spoke, his voice steady and powerful, carrying an undeniable weight: "Li Keqin's vigilance is good, but his vision is too narrow, and he's a bit cold."

As soon as he finished speaking, the shopkeeper gestured for Li Keqin, who was waiting outside, to come inside.

Hacken Lee pushed open the door and entered, his posture upright and his expression serious, his back taut. He stood quietly in the hall, already prepared to accept criticism.

The second-in-command spoke first, his tone serious, analyzing the pros and cons, the overall situation of public sentiment and talent development, and his words were merciless, directly pointing out the hasty and inappropriate nature of the report. Every sentence was based on the bottom line of national security work and the overall situation of national talent development.

Hacken Lee stood with his head bowed, listening quietly throughout, his back straight the whole time, without uttering a single word of explanation or complaint.

He knew perfectly well that everything the second manager said was true. Putting aside his instinctive caution as a secret agent, he deeply admired Wang Huanbo's patriotism and unparalleled achievements. No one could deny that this young chief engineer, single-handedly, had saved China's industry from decades of detours and allowed the nation's strength to flourish.

However, while we admire each other, we must also fulfill our duties.

As the director of the Special Operations Bureau, responsible for the nation's intelligence and defense security, he was bound by the responsibilities of his position. Merit should not overshadow doubt, and doubt should not obscure merit—this was a professional principle ingrained in his very being. He had to completely set aside personal feelings and admiration, maintaining absolute vigilance against all anomalies and hidden dangers, preferring to investigate errors cautiously rather than overlooking omissions. This was not directed at Wang Huanbo personally, but rather a responsibility to national security, a bottom line he had to uphold.

After the second manager finished criticizing, the manager slowly spoke, his tone relatively calm, which could be considered as mediating, but he still seriously pointed out Li Keqin's problems, with the composure and authority of a leader.

"Comrade Keqin, I acknowledge your sense of responsibility in safeguarding national security and preventing problems before they arise."

"But you must remember that we rely on millions of comrades who are devoted to serving the country in our revolution and construction. We cannot treat meritorious officials with great force just because of one unusual occurrence, and we must not let the hearts of the people be chilled."

The shopkeeper's gaze was solemn as he delivered his final, supreme instruction, his words clear and unambiguous: "You may investigate, but you must not make a big fuss or mobilize a large force."

"We will conduct a silent investigation, verifying suspicious points on a small scale until the matter is clear. We must not let Comrade Wang Huanbo notice anything, and we must not allow any information to leak out."

"These heroes have paved the way for the country and devoted themselves to its cause. We must be their strongest support, not a burden that distracts or discourages them. Upholding the bottom line and maintaining proper boundaries is my absolute order to you."

Upon hearing this, Li Keqin felt a sudden sense of clarity. He solemnly raised his hand in a standard military salute, his voice steady and restrained, devoid of any extraneous emotion, conveying only resolute obedience to orders: "Yes, sir! I will resolutely carry out the commander's instructions! Strictly control the scope of knowledge, conduct a covert investigation, and absolutely not disturb Comrade Huanbo, nor leak a single piece of information!"

At this moment, the tone was set in the imperial court.

Suspicion can be investigated, merits cannot be overlooked, and hearts must not be chilled.

A storm that nearly shook the national talent landscape and chilled the hearts of promising young talents returning to China has quietly subsided into a low-key retreat. However, the mysteries surrounding Wang Huanbo remain buried deep, awaiting their quiet unveiling in the future.