Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

The welcoming banquet at Lao Mo Restaurant came to a successful close. The thirty-eight Soviet experts, well-fed and relaxed, boarded two brand-new Red Star minibuses, which smoothly drove towards the Red Star United Industrial Plant in the night. A gentle evening breeze blew in through the windows, and the group, still savoring the authentic Russian cuisine, chatted and laughed all the way, completely shedding their initial awkwardness and unfamiliarity upon arriving in a foreign land.

After about a 20-minute drive, the minibus slowly slowed down and came to a steady stop beside the main road of the Hongxing Family Phase II residential area.

As the car door opened, thirty-eight Soviet experts disembarked. But the moment their feet touched the ground, all their laughter and conversation abruptly ceased. Many instinctively looked up to count the floors, but halfway through, they couldn't help but exchange glances with their companions, their faces filled with disbelief and shock.

Under the cover of night, rows of neat and imposing 24-story high-rise residential buildings rise from the ground. The buildings are tall and new, with clean and sleek facades, wide and airy spacing, smooth and spacious roads, and well-organized amenities. Brightly lit, they exude a modern and sophisticated atmosphere. Such high-rise residential buildings are extremely rare, even in the industrially powerful Soviet Union, let alone in contemporary China.

All the Soviet experts present were deeply moved.

They were acutely aware of the current housing situation in the Soviet Union. Following the war, the Soviet population surged, leading to a massive housing shortage. To quickly resettle the large number of workers and alleviate the nationwide housing crisis, a nationwide, large-scale construction of Khrushchev-style apartment buildings was undertaken. These standardized prefabricated housing buildings, with a maximum of only five stories, were designed to reduce construction costs and accelerate construction. They lacked elevators and garbage chutes, and the apartments were extremely small with low ceilings, mostly ranging from 30 to 60 square meters, resulting in cramped and crowded spaces.

More importantly, many early Soviet-style tenement buildings were extremely rudimentary, lacking independent kitchens and bathrooms. Residents on the same floor shared public toilets and stoves, leading to constant disturbance between neighbors and extremely poor privacy and living experience. Even in the core urban area of ​​Moscow, the landscape was dominated by uniform five-story matchbox-like low-rise buildings; 24-story high-rises with elevators were rare, and even modern residential buildings of ten stories or more were few and far between.

Some in the crowd sighed softly, saying that their family of five was still crammed into a cramped 40-square-meter apartment in Moscow, with curtains used to separate the space even as the children grew older. Others shook their heads and smiled bitterly, saying that even as a senior engineer at a research institute, they were only allocated a one-and-a-half-room apartment, without even a proper study. In the Soviet Union, housing resources were extremely scarce. Even experts like them, with high professional titles and core technologies, could only be allocated small, cramped, ordinary apartments back home. Overcrowding and financial constraints were the norm, and they had no chance to enjoy spacious and comfortable high-end housing.

But the Huaxia Red Star Factory in front of them had built a whole row of 24-story elevator residential buildings. The living conditions and construction standards far exceeded the treatment of cadres and experts in the Soviet Union, completely overturning everyone's understanding.

Just as the group of Soviet experts stopped to marvel, whispering amongst themselves and looking on with envy, a steady engine roar came from afar.

A dignified and elegant Hongqi Xingyao S600L luxury sedan slowly drove up and came to a smooth stop next to the minibus. The door opened, and Li Huaide, the deputy factory director in charge of the factory's logistics support, stepped out of the car with a calm demeanor and approachable manner, dressed in a suit.

The accompanying interpreter quickly stepped forward and stood in front of the expert group, clearly conveying Li Huaide's words: "Fellow Soviet experts, welcome to the Hongxing Factory living area. This 24-story high-rise residential building with elevators in front of you is a dormitory building that the factory has specially vacated and allocated exclusively for you, for your exclusive use and independent management throughout the entire process."

This statement, transmitted through a translator, reached the ears of a group of Soviet experts, instantly filling them with joy and excitement.

They were already mentally prepared to move into makeshift dormitories and make do with what they had, even anticipating a cramped and rudimentary living environment similar to the tenement buildings in China. After all, in their preconceived notions, China's industry started late, had a weak foundation, and was far inferior to the Soviet Union in all aspects.

Unexpectedly, the Red Star Factory's sincerity was so profound that it designated the entire top-tier high-rise apartment building as exclusive dormitories for its experts, with treatment and standards far exceeding their own in the Soviet Union.

Compared to their cramped and poorly equipped living quarters in the Soviet Union, the bright, brand-new, and top-notch high-rise apartments before them were like heaven and earth. A surge of warmth welled up in the hearts of the Soviet experts, and they instantly felt an overwhelming sense of goodwill and sincere admiration for the Red Star Factory and the Chinese staff for their thoughtfulness and care. Some even unconsciously applauded, and several senior chief engineers' eyes welled up with tears as they nodded to each other—this kind of treatment was a level of respect they had never received even back home.

Many experts secretly resolved that they would not hold back or be perfunctory in their aid work in China. They would share all their knowledge and skills, practical experience and process tips accumulated throughout their lives, without reservation, with the engineers and front-line technicians of Hongxing Factory, in order to repay this generous courtesy and sincere kindness.

The translator quietly relayed the experts' sentiments and statements to Li Huaide. After listening, Li Huaide smiled confidently, feeling completely at ease.

All the hard work and sleepless nights spent on planning, clearing rooms, inspecting facilities, allocating vehicles, and arranging security over the past few days have paid off. From the banquet reception to the accommodation arrangements, every step was carefully planned and executed, which finally won over the hearts of these foreign experts and laid the most solid foundation for subsequent technical assistance and project implementation.

Then, Li Huaide raised his hand to signal, and the staff immediately stepped forward and began the check-in and allocation process in an orderly manner.

The relocation plan was extremely meticulous and thorough, demonstrating the rigor and comprehensiveness of the Hongxing Factory. The first to third floors of the building were all reserved for security officers and drivers from the factory's security department. Firstly, the low ceilings and convenient access facilitated 24/7 patrols and enhanced security; secondly, it allowed for immediate response to the experts' travel needs, providing services promptly and comprehensively ensuring the personal safety and convenient travel of the thirty-eight Soviet experts.

The ground-floor parking lot is fully equipped, with two large-capacity Hongxing brand minibuses and ten Hongqi Xingyao S600L luxury sedans neatly parked, exclusively for the expert team. For group trips, factory visits, and on-site research, the minibuses are used—comfortable, spacious, and with ample carrying capacity; while for a few experts working alone, running errands, or commuting short distances, the luxury Hongqi sedans are used—respectable, convenient, and readily available, ensuring top-notch travel standards.

After security and travel arrangements were fully in place, the remaining high-quality rooms on floors four through twenty-four were left for the thirty-eight Soviet experts to choose from and move into at their own discretion.

Full of anticipation, the experts pushed open the door one after another. What they saw refreshed their understanding once again. Everyone's face showed great amazement, as if they had just had their eyes opened.

Each apartment features a square layout and spacious interior, with three bedrooms, a separate study, a large and independent living room, and a closed-off private kitchen. The functional areas are clearly defined and well-organized, fully meeting all the needs for living, working, studying, and relaxing.

The bathroom features an advanced wet and dry separation design, complete with a flush toilet, heated bathtub, and shower equipment. It is ready to use immediately after installation and testing. The entire house is delivered fully furnished, with a complete set of furniture including sofas, tables, chairs, beds, and storage cabinets. The extra-large viewing balcony is bright and airy with excellent lighting and ventilation, truly allowing you to move in with just your bags without any additional furnishings.

Some people reached out and touched the gleaming bathtub, shaking their heads in admiration; others opened the French windows of the balcony, gazing silently at the well-maintained gardens of the community below; still others sat at their desks in the study, their fingertips lightly tapping the surface, their faces filled with satisfaction. Such perfect, comfortable, and high-end living conditions were beyond the reach of ordinary Soviet workers and technicians, and even highly skilled individuals such as Soviet university professors and senior chief engineers might not have been able to enjoy them.

The Soviet experts were completely convinced and turned to Li Huaide to bow their gratitude. Their words were full of sincere thanks, and they repeatedly praised the thoughtful arrangements and top-notch treatment provided by the Red Star Factory.

Seeing everyone's satisfied and happy expressions, Li Huaide felt even more pleased. He secretly thought to himself that all the busy preparations and hard work day and night during this period had now turned into a perfect result, and all the hard work had paid off.

The atmosphere was warm and harmonious, and everyone was delighted with the generous treatment. However, Vasily, a KGB undercover agent hidden among the experts, stood at the back of the crowd with a smile on his face that was no different from that of the others, but his heart had already sunk to the bottom.

He nodded and thanked everyone, his movements natural and flawless, but his hands, hanging by his sides, clenched tightly, his fingertips turning white.

In all the intelligence he had received beforehand, China was portrayed as a stereotypical country of poverty, backwardness, weak industry, and rudimentary living conditions, a land of scarcity and devastation awaiting reconstruction. He had already assumed that the country's development level and living conditions lagged far behind those of the Soviet Union. This mission was supposed to be a low-level infiltration, easily stealing core technologies.

But the rows of 24-story high-rise residential buildings with elevators, fully modern home facilities, well-organized community amenities, a fleet of luxury cars, and a layered and rigorous security system completely shattered all his preconceived notions.

A seemingly backward Chinese factory was able to provide residential facilities and hospitality far exceeding those of Moscow's core urban area; the ability to build such a large-scale modern residential complex in just a few years demonstrates that its construction capabilities, industrial foundation, and logistical mobilization capacity are far more complex than they appear on the surface.

His gaze swept impassively over the security personnel on the first to third floors, over the building entrances and elevator shafts, and over the neatly arranged Hongqi sedans in the parking lot. His vigilance surged wildly. Ostensibly a security arrangement to protect experts, it also effectively controlled personnel; such a sophisticated logistical system meant that the Hongxing Factory's level of secrecy must far exceed intelligence estimates.

Vasily suppressed the fear and gravity in his eyes, forcibly maintaining a calm smile on his face, and thanked and echoed the crowd, but the fear in his heart had already reached its peak.

He even subconsciously recalled Wang Huanbo, the overly young chief engineer at the banquet. Someone capable of managing such a large-scale industry could not be an ordinary person.

The waters at the Red Star Factory were far deeper than the KGB headquarters had anticipated; the mission was also several times more difficult than expected.