Siheyuan (courtyard house): My father, Li Yunlong!

"Trouble? What nonsense are you spouting!"

Lou's mother cried out in a shrill voice, somewhat losing her composure.

"Am I talking nonsense?"

Li Zhenhua sneered, his voice not loud, but every word struck the hearts of the three members of the Lou family like a hammer.

"Lou Bancheng! You've weathered many storms yourself, can't you see what the situation is like right now? Do you think this is still the old era where you could call the shots and do whatever you wanted?!"

He addressed him by his first name, his tone sharp and unceremonious.

Lou Bancheng's face instantly turned extremely ugly.

Li Zhenhua didn't give the other party a chance to interrupt and continued speaking sternly.

"Your Lou family can barely maintain a semblance of respectability thanks to your past accumulation, but don't you know how many eyes are watching you from above? How many eyes are waiting to find fault with you and bring you down completely! At this critical juncture, instead of thinking about keeping a low profile and being careful with your words and actions, you're resorting to such despicable means to frame me!"

"Do you really not know how to write the word 'death'?"

Li Zhenhua slammed his hand on the table, making the cups and plates rattle, and his imposing manner suddenly increased, like a sharp sword being drawn from its sheath.

"Forced marriage? Haha, what a joke! You think you can keep the Lou family's wealth by getting close to me? Let me tell you, Lou Bancheng, if I walk out this door today and report what happened last night to my superiors exactly as it happened, do you think they'll believe that I, a promising young and upright cadre, was framed by you, or they'll believe you?"

Lou Bancheng and his mother's faces turned from pale to ashen, and cold sweat instantly soaked their backs.

Li Zhenhua's words were like a cold dagger, precisely piercing their deepest fears.

They only thought about using Li Zhenhua to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy, but deliberately ignored the huge political risks behind it!

"At that time,"

Li Zhenhua's voice was as if it came from the deepest hell, icy and chilling.

"What awaits your Lou family is not a glorious wedding! Instead, your property will be confiscated and you will be exiled! The wealth and fortune you have accumulated over generations will vanish in an instant! Do you believe me?"

"No...it's impossible...Zhenhua, you...you're just trying to scare us..."

Lou's mother was trembling all over and speaking incoherently.

"frighten?"

Li Zhenhua looked at Lou Bancheng, whose face was ashen, and spoke in a softer tone, but with a deeper sarcasm.

"Uncle Lou, you're an old hand at this. Don't you understand the stakes? Is it worth risking the entire Lou family's fortune and lives for a good-for-nothing daughter?"

Lou Bancheng opened his mouth, but found his throat dry and he couldn't say a word.

All his calculations and reliance crumbled completely under Li Zhenhua's merciless analysis and sharp counterattack.

He then realized what a terrifying opponent he had provoked!

This is not a young man they can manipulate at will, but a ferocious tiger that will devour anyone it chooses!

Seeing the terrified expressions on the faces of the three Lou family members, Li Zhenhua knew that the time was almost right.

He decided to deliver the final blow and utterly crush their unrealistic fantasies.

He leisurely picked up the milk on the table, took a sip, and then spoke slowly, as if chatting casually.

"Oh, right, there's something else I should let you know, Uncle Lou. Comrade Lin Taotao's father, my 'Uncle Lin'..."

He paused deliberately, admiring Lou Bancheng's suddenly contracting pupils, before speaking clearly and deliberately, word by word:

His name is Lin Jingyue.

"Lin...Lin Jingyue?"

Lou Bancheng was struck as if by a thunderbolt. He sprang up from his chair, then slumped back down, his face drained of color, his lips trembling, and his eyes filled with boundless fear and despair!

Lin Jingyue!

That name, in a certain circle in Beijing, represents absolute power and an iron fist!

It was a colossal behemoth that Lou Bancheng couldn't even see the toes of even if he looked up!

I was actually... I was actually competing with his daughter for a son-in-law?

This……

This is practically like an old man hanging himself – he's tired of living!

It's over! It's all over!

Lou Bancheng felt a chill in his heart, as if he could already see the tragic end of the Lou family.

Looking at the utterly defeated Lou Bancheng, and Lou's mother and Lou Xiao'e trembling like leaves beside him, Li Zhenhua knew that this confrontation had come to an end.

He stood up, straightened his clothes, and regained his composed demeanor.

"The Lou family's breakfast is very lavish, however..."

He glanced at Lou Xiao'e, his eyes indifferent and devoid of any emotion.

"I hope you can afford the price of this meal. Goodbye."

After saying that, he didn't look at the three limp Lou family members again, turned around, and walked steadily toward the gate.

Sunlight streamed in from outside, casting a long, slender shadow of him, like a victorious king leaving the battlefield he had just conquered.

Behind them, in the deathly silence, the faint sounds of Lou's mother's suppressed sobs and Lou Bancheng's desperate sighs could be heard.

Lou Xiao'e stared blankly at the departing figure, her face drained of color, filled only with endless regret and bewilderment.

Li Zhenhua had just returned to the office of the head of the logistics department of the steel rolling mill, and before he could even sit down properly, there was a rapid knocking on the door.

Before he could respond, Qin Huairu rushed in with a panicked expression, her eyes red and her voice trembling with sobs.

"Zhenhua...Director! Something terrible has happened!"

Qin Huairu was panting heavily, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Li Zhenhua frowned slightly, put down the documents in his hand, and spoke in a calm but authoritative tone.

"What's the panic? The sky isn't falling. Tell me slowly, what happened?"

He gestured for Qin Huairu to sit down and poured her a glass of water.

Qin Huairu couldn't sit still. She took the water glass but didn't drink it. She spoke urgently with a sob in her voice.

"It's Bang Geng...it's that good-for-nothing Bang Geng! He...he ran into the cafeteria and stole a bottle of soy sauce! He was...he was caught red-handed by Xu Damao!"

"Stealing soy sauce?"

Li Zhenhua raised an eyebrow. This matter was neither a big deal nor a small one.

If it were an ordinary child who was greedy and stole some food, a reprimand would suffice.

But when it happened to Qin Huairu's son, Banggeng, and at a critical juncture when he, as the newly appointed director, had not yet firmly established himself and was being watched by countless eyes, the nature of the situation was different.

More importantly, it involves Xu Damao and Shazhu.

"What exactly happened? Tell me in detail."

Li Zhenhua's voice revealed no emotion.

Qin Huairu calmed her breathing and began to narrate, her voice choked with emotion.

It turned out that, near the end of the workday, Banggeng got a craving and sneaked into the canteen kitchen to steal some soy sauce to take home and mix with his rice.

He had done this before, and Sha Zhu usually turned a blind eye when he saw it, sometimes even secretly giving him some food.

Unfortunately, Sha Zhu was busy instructing his apprentice on how to cook large pots of vegetables today and didn't notice.

Xu Damao, who had been looking for an opportunity to bring down Sha Zhu and even wanted to use this opportunity to annoy Li Zhenhua and Qin Huairu, somehow happened to wander near the cafeteria kitchen and caught them red-handed.

Xu Damao immediately started shouting, his voice so loud that half the cafeteria could hear him.

"You little rascal, Jia Geng! At such a young age, you're already stealing public property! This is state-owned assets! Come on, let's go to the security office!"

While grabbing Banggeng by the collar, he glanced sideways at Shazhu, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, and said in a sarcastic tone.

"Shazhu, you're the head chef of the cafeteria, the back kitchen is a restricted area. Letting people come in and steal things like that, you have a problem with management! Or are you deliberately protecting Qin Huairu's son because he's her son?"

Sha Zhu blushed red with anger and frustration at Xu Damao's words.

He originally wanted to smooth things over, have Banggeng put down the soy sauce, and just give him a few words of criticism.

But Xu Damao wouldn't let it go, repeatedly accusing him of "stealing public property" and "dereliction of duty," elevating it to a matter of principle.

When Liu Lan, the canteen director, heard the news, she rushed over and was also at a loss when she saw the scene.

On one side is Qin Huairu's son, whom Director Li had taken care of; on the other side is Xu Damao, who is making a big deal out of nothing; and there's also Sha Zhu, who is indeed responsible for oversight.

She dared not handle the matter on her own, especially since it involved Qin Huairu, who was "close to" Li Zhenhua. She had no choice but to quickly ask Qin Huairu to report to Director Li herself and ask the leader to make a decision.

"…Director Zhenhua, Banggeng knows he was wrong. He just had a moment of greed…I'll definitely teach him a lesson when I get back! Please, please don't send him to the security department. He's still young. If he gets a criminal record, his life will be ruined!"

As Qin Huairu spoke, tears streamed down her face; she was truly terrified.

Xu Damao was clearly using this as an excuse to make trouble; his target was probably not just Banggeng and Shazhu, but also her and Li Zhenhua.

Li Zhenhua listened quietly, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.

His face showed no expression, but those who knew him well knew that this was a habitual gesture when he was deep in thought.

In Li Zhenhua's view, Banggeng's theft was not as simple as "a momentary craving".

The Qin Huairu of today is no longer the pitiful widow who earned just over twenty yuan a month to support her entire family.

She is now the director of the guesthouse, and her salary and benefits have increased significantly. Li Zhenhua has also secretly helped her a lot, and her family's living conditions are much better than most families in the compound.

Qin Huairu loved her children dearly and never skimped on food or clothing for the three Banggeng siblings.

In this situation, for Bang Geng to steal a bottle of soy sauce is no longer a matter of being forced by circumstances, but a matter of character.

"He is cold-hearted by nature, has unclean hands and feet, and will take advantage of anyone who takes an inch."

Li Zhenhua made a judgment about Bang Geng in his mind.

This kid has been spoiled by Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu in the past, and his selfish and self-serving mentality is deeply ingrained.

If we don't discipline them now, they will surely become a menace in the future, not only implicating Qin Huairu but also potentially causing trouble for ourselves.

As for Xu Damao, he's just a clown, but his intentions are despicable.

Sha Zhu is loyal but simple-minded, and he doesn't learn his lesson no matter what. He also needs to be taught a lesson.

Liu Lan handled the situation well, knowing to ask for instructions and report, which shows that she understood her place.

"A small matter?"

Li Zhenhua spoke slowly, his tone calm, but it made Qin Huairu's heart jump into her throat.

"Qin Huairu, do you think this is a small matter?"

Qin Huairu was taken aback by the question, looked up at Li Zhenhua's deep eyes, and dared not answer.

"If Banggeng dares to steal soy sauce now, he'll dare to steal even more valuable things in the future! Although Xu Damao has a despicable mind, he's right about one thing: this is stealing public property! It's a heinous crime!"

Li Zhenhua's voice became stern.

"Moreover, this happened in the cafeteria, while Sha Zhu was on duty, and it even involves your son, Qin Huairu! How many people were watching? If I let this go so easily today, how will the logistics department manage things in the future? What will become of the factory's rules and regulations? What will people say about me, Li Zhenhua? That I'm protecting my cronies? That I'm bending the law for personal gain?"

A series of rhetorical questions struck Qin Huairu like a hammer blow, turning her face pale as she realized the seriousness of the problem far exceeded her expectations.

"Director, I...I know I was wrong. I didn't raise my child well...Whatever you say, I'll do it!"

Qin Huairu was completely at a loss and could only place all her hopes on Li Zhenhua.

Li Zhenhua stood up, walked to the window, looked down at the workers who were gradually gathering to watch the commotion, and gave a cold smile.

"What should we do? Since someone wants to escalate this, then we'll follow the rules! And we'll do it flawlessly, so that no one can say anything!"

He turned around and looked sharply at Qin Huairu.

"Go wait in the cafeteria. I'll handle it myself."

After saying that, Li Zhenhua strode out of the office and headed straight for the cafeteria.

Qin Huairu quickly wiped away her tears and jogged to catch up.

A large crowd had already gathered at the entrance of the cafeteria's kitchen.

Xu Damao was smugly grabbing the drooping stem of a stick, spitting as he "preached" to the onlookers.

"Look everyone! This is what happens when you steal from the public! A child so young already stealing—what will they be like when they grow up? They must be dealt with severely! And those responsible—not a single one can be let off the hook!"

Sha Zhu stood to one side with his neck stiff, his face ashen. He wanted to retort but couldn't find the right words, and he was panting heavily with anger.

Liu Lan looked anxious as she tried to maintain order.

"Everyone, disperse, disperse. The leaders will handle this. Don't crowd around here!"

Just then, someone shouted.

"Director Li is here!"

The crowd parted automatically to make way. Li Zhenhua walked over expressionlessly, his powerful aura instantly silencing the noisy scene.

Upon seeing Li Zhenhua, Xu Damao's imposing manner diminished slightly, but he still forced himself to speak.

"Director Li, you've come at the right time! Please be the judge. Jia Geng stole soy sauce from the cafeteria, caught red-handed! Sha Zhu mismanaged the situation and covered it up! This must be severely punished!"

Li Zhenhua didn't even glance at Xu Damao. His gaze first swept over the trembling Banggeng, then over the blushing Shazhu, and finally landed on Liu Lan.

"Director Liu, what are the specific details?"

Liu Lan quickly stepped forward and objectively and concisely reported what had happened, without embellishing the story or showing favoritism to either side.

After listening, Li Zhenhua nodded.

He walked up to Banggeng and looked down at the boy.

Banggeng was so frightened that he didn't dare to lift his head and was trembling all over.

"Jia Geng, Xu Damao said you stole government-owned soy sauce. Do you admit it?"

Li Zhenhua's voice was not loud, but it carried a chill.

"I...I...I just wanted to make some soy sauce to mix with rice..."

Banggeng tried to explain in a low voice, his voice trembling with tears.

"The soy sauce in the cafeteria is public property. Taking it without asking is stealing."

Li Zhenhua definitively defined his character.

"Maybe some people spoiled you before, but not here. Stealing will be punished."