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

For Li Zhenhua, his marriage to Lin Taotao was not only the culmination of his personal emotions, but also a crucial step in his political career, signifying that his alliance with the Lin family would be officially made public, and his position would be more secure.

For Lin Taotao, she has married the hero she admires and is about to embark on a brand new journey in life.

The next morning, the weather was fine.

Li Zhenhua specially changed into a brand-new navy blue Zhongshan suit, and his hair was neatly combed.

Li Yunlong, unusually, also wore his old officer's uniform, shaved his beard, and looked very energetic.

Xiuqin wore a deep purple silk cheongsam with a thin woolen coat over it. Her hair was neatly tied up, and she wore a pair of pearl earrings, making her look dignified and noble.

The family of three got into Li Yunlong's car, where the driver had already prepared generous gifts and placed them in the trunk.

In addition to the traditional four gifts (cigarettes, alcohol, tea, and candy), Li Zhenhua also brought several boxes of high-quality tonics and a fine jade pendant, which he obtained through "special channels." These were gifts for Lin Taotao, showing both sincerity and propriety.

The car drove into the heavily guarded compound and stopped in front of the Lin family's small building.

Lin Jingyue's secretary was already waiting at the door, and greeted the three of them with a smile.

In the Lin family's living room, Lin Jingyue and his mother had been waiting for a long time.

Lin Jingyue, dressed in a casual dark Zhongshan suit, sat on the sofa in the main seat, exuding a calm and composed demeanor.

Lin's mother wore a light purple brocade cheongsam, which made her look gentle and graceful.

Lin Taotao sat beside her mother, her face flushed with a shy yet happy blush, her eyes sparkling, glancing at the doorway every now and then.

When Li Yunlong's family entered the door, Lin Jingyue and his mother stood up, their faces beaming with warm smiles.

"Mr. Lin! I'm so sorry to bother you!"

Li Yunlong changed his usual gruff voice; his voice was loud but clearly polite, and even had a hint of barely perceptible tension.

He stepped forward first and grasped Lin Jingyue's hand tightly.

"Please sit down, we're all family, no need to be so polite."

Lin Jingyue responded with a smile, patted Li Yunlong's hand, glanced at Li Zhenhua, and nodded approvingly.

Xiuqin also stepped forward to exchange pleasantries with Lin's mother. The two mothers held hands and spoke politely, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

Li Zhenhua respectfully bowed to Lin Jingyue and his mother to greet them.

"Uncle Lin, Aunt Lin, hello."

Then his gaze turned to Lin Taotao, and their eyes met, everything was understood without words.

After the guests and hosts were seated, the secretary served them fragrant tea.

After exchanging a few pleasantries about the weather and health, Li Yunlong cleared his throat, sat up straight, and his expression became serious.

Li Zhenhua knew that his father was about to get down to business.

"General Manager Lin"

Li Yunlong spoke, his tone sincere.

"Today, the three of us have come here without permission, mainly for a very important matter."

He glanced at Li Zhenhua beside him, then looked at Lin Jingyue and his wife.

"My son Zhenhua and your son Taotao have known each other for over a year. They understand each other well and are very compatible. As parents, we are delighted to see this. Although Zhenhua is young and may be a bit impetuous, he is a person of good character and has a sincere heart for Taotao. His achievements at work are also inseparable from your guidance and support, Brother Jingyue."

Li Yunlong's words were quite appropriate, praising his own son, flattering Lin Jingyue, and expressing Li Zhenhua's true feelings for Lin Taotao.

Li Zhenhua listened from the side, sighing inwardly. His father had gone to great lengths for his marriage and had even tempered his temper considerably.

Lin Jingyue listened with a smile, nodding occasionally, and only spoke slowly after Li Yunlong finished speaking.

"I really admire Zhenhua. He's capable, responsible, and has a strong sense of the big picture. The things he does at the factory are all real problems he solves, which is very commendable. We feel very reassured that Taotao is with him."

Lin's mother smiled and agreed.

"Yes, Zhenhua is a sensible and steady child. Taotao has praised him to us many times. It is fate that the two children can come together, and it is also a blessing for our two families."

Hearing such clear affirmation from Lin Jingyue and his wife, Li Yunlong and his mother beamed with joy, feeling a great weight lifted from their hearts.

Li Yunlong pressed his advantage, his tone becoming even more fervent.

"Since that's the case, shall we settle this matter? Look, the betrothal gifts..."

Lin Jingyue waved his hand, interrupting Li Yunlong.

"Dowry is just a formality; the sentiment is enough. The key is that the two children can live a good life together, respect and love each other, and make progress together. Our Lin family doesn't care about those empty formalities."

Even so, Li Yunlong insisted that the driver bring in the prepared gifts and place them one by one on the coffee table in the living room.

When the exquisitely carved jade pendant with excellent translucency was brought out, even Lin's mother couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Oh my, this jade pendant is so beautiful, it's such a waste of money."

Li Zhenhua spoke at the opportune moment.

"Auntie, this is a small token of my appreciation. I hope Tao Tao likes it."

Lin Taotao looked at the jade pendant, then at Li Zhenhua, her face flushed and her eyes filled with joy. She nodded gently.

With the bride price issue resolved smoothly, the atmosphere became even more relaxed and pleasant.

The conversation naturally turned to the two young people.

Lin Jingyue looked at Li Zhenhua and said earnestly.

"Zhenhua, now that you and Taotao are engaged, you're all grown up now, and your responsibilities will be heavier. You not only need to do a good job at the factory, but also manage your own little family well. Taotao can be a little temperamental sometimes, so you need to be more tolerant of her."

Li Zhenhua immediately answered respectfully.

"Uncle Lin, don't worry, I will definitely treat Tao Tao well and not let her suffer any grievances. I will try my best to balance work and family."

Lin's mother also gave Lin Taotao some instructions.

"Tao Tao, you should also learn to be considerate of Zhenhua in the future. He is busy with work and under a lot of pressure. You should support him more and take good care of his life."

Lin Taotao nodded obediently.

"Mom, I know."

Looking at the perfect couple before them, the four elders all wore smiles of satisfaction and contentment.

Li Yunlong was even happier, and his voice unconsciously grew louder.

"Haha, great! That's wonderful! Mr. Lin, we're practically in-laws now! We'll have to have a good drink together after these two kids get married!"

Lin Jingyue also laughed heartily, a rare occurrence for him.

"Alright! I'll definitely keep you company! I know your drinking capacity, so you'd better go easy on me!"

The living room was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.

Li Zhenhua was filled with emotion as he watched this scene.

This marriage held far greater significance for him than anything else.

It means that he has finally fully integrated into one of the highest power structures of this era, gaining unprecedented protection and resources.

Lin Jingyue's approval is not only an affirmation of him personally, but also a strong endorsement of his future path.

From now on, he will have greater influence and more room to maneuver on the stage of Beijing and even at a higher level.

Of course, he also knew that the closer he was to the Lin family, the greater his responsibility would be.

He must be more cautious and work harder, and he must not make any mistakes that would disappoint the Lin family's expectations. He must also better protect himself and those around him.

He secretly vowed to make Lin Taotao happy and to make good use of the advantages brought by this marriage to achieve his greater ambitions.

at the same time.

Ding Wei returns to Beijing.

Life is not happy.

The hustle and bustle of the city and the polite calculations among neighbors suffocated him, who had been working silently on the farm for many years.

He especially disliked Li Zhenhua's calm, meticulous, and shrewd manner.

Ding Wei couldn't see the straightforwardness of the soldiers he was familiar with in Li Zhenhua. Instead, he saw a kind of smoothness and controlling nature that belonged to the "officialdom" that he instinctively disliked.

When the two occasionally met, Ding Wei would mostly remain silent or offer a perfunctory greeting, and the atmosphere was always somewhat stiff and cold.

Li Yunlong was caught in the middle, feeling extremely conflicted. On one side were his brothers-in-arms, and on the other was his son, whom he was very proud of.

He tried several times to act as a peacemaker, inviting Ding Wei and Li Zhenhua to drink together.

"Old Ding, although Zhenhua's methods are different from ours back then, he has good intentions and has done a lot of practical things for the factory and the workers!"

"Zhenhua, your Uncle Ding is a straightforward person. He's been on the farm for a long time and isn't used to it right away. Please be understanding!"

However, the effect was minimal.

Ding Wei would usually just drink in silence, at most humming in response, and remained noncommittal about Li Yunlong's praise of Li Zhenhua.

Li Zhenhua behaved appropriately, offering toasts and speaking when necessary, with a respectful attitude, yet one could still sense an invisible barrier between them.

Li Yunlong's mediation was like punching cotton – futile and only made the atmosphere at the dinner table more awkward.

Seeing his old comrade-in-arms grow increasingly despondent, and his son's calm demeanor masking a growing coldness in his eyes, Li Yunlong felt anxious and frustrated, yet utterly helpless.

That afternoon, the weather was rather muggy.

Li Yunlong went to a meeting at the military region, while Li Zhenhua was busy at the factory.

Feeling bored being alone in the house, Ding Wei strolled out of the courtyard and wandered aimlessly along the alley.

He habitually avoided the main roads with crowds and turned into some relatively quiet alleys, enjoying the rare tranquility while also cautiously observing his surroundings.

Habits formed over many years are hard to change overnight.

Just as he walked into a dead end with almost no pedestrians, a black Volga sedan suddenly stopped beside him without any warning.

The car door suddenly opened, and three burly men dressed in ordinary Zhongshan suits, but with sharp eyes and efficient movements, stepped out and surrounded him in a triangular formation.

What made Ding Wei even more uneasy was that he keenly noticed that two of them had bulging waists, clearly indicating that they were carrying weapons!

"Who are you people?"

Ding Wei tensed up instantly, his cloudy eyes becoming sharp as an eagle's. Although he was old, the aura he had forged on the battlefield remained.

He instinctively took a half step back, leaning against the wall, looking for a possible opportunity to fight back or escape.

A middle-aged man with a stern face stepped forward, lowered his voice, but his tone carried an unquestionable command.

"Comrade Ding Wei, please come with us. There are some things we need to ask you."

"Do you know the details? Which organization is it from? Do they have the necessary paperwork?"

Ding Wei asked in a deep voice, his mind filled with doubts.

This approach is unlike that of the police or a typical investigation unit.

You'll know when you get there.

The man didn't answer, but simply gave a wink.

The other two immediately stepped forward and, seemingly politely but actually forcefully, grabbed Ding Wei's arms.

It is very strong and has obviously received professional training.

Ding Wei struggled for a moment, but the other side had more people and weapons, and he was old and weak, so he was no match for them in a direct fight.

"This is kidnapping!"

Ding Wei roared, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Comrade Ding Wei, cooperating with me won't do you any harm."

The leader's tone remained cold as he warily scanned the empty alleyway.

Ding Wei's mind raced with thoughts.

Who is it? Is it targeting me? Or is it someone trying to use me to deal with Old Li? Or... is it because of my sensitive status as someone who has just returned?

He knew that in this situation, resistance would only make things worse.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger and humiliation, and stopped struggling.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

He gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words.

He wanted to see what they were really up to!

Seeing that Ding Wei was cooperating, the three men stopped talking and quickly "invited" him into the back seat of the car, sandwiching him between their left and right sides.

The car door slammed shut, the car immediately started, and sped away from the quiet alley as if nothing had happened, leaving only a little dust behind.

The car traveled on the bumpy dirt road for nearly two hours, the scenery outside the window gradually changing from the edge of the city to the desolate countryside, and finally entering a hilly area.

Ding Wei was blindfolded, but based on his years of military experience, he could sense that the vehicle was spiraling up the mountain and the atmosphere around him was becoming increasingly tense. He could vaguely hear the training commands and the sound of vehicle engines coming from afar.

When the blindfold was removed, Ding Wei found himself in a heavily guarded military base.

The high walls and electric fences, the heavily armed sentries, and the unique sense of tense order permeating the air all told him that this was no ordinary place.

After rigorous checks at multiple checkpoints, the car finally stopped in front of an inconspicuous two-story gray building.

The three men led Ding Wei into the small building without saying a word, and along the quiet corridor to the door of the innermost office.

The middle-aged man at the head of the group knocked on the door, and a steady voice came from inside.

"Come in."

The door was pushed open, and Ding Wei was led inside.

The office was simply furnished, with a large desk and a huge military map hanging on the wall. A figure in an old military uniform, with gray hair but a straight back, was looking at the map with his back to them.

When the man slowly turned around, Ding Wei's pupils suddenly contracted, and he froze on the spot as if struck by lightning!

That weathered yet still dignified face, those deep, sharp eyes that seemed to see through everything…

It turned out to be... his former superior from the unit he served in, the commander Ding Wei once respected and feared the most.

"Teacher...?"

Ding Wei's voice trembled with extreme shock and disbelief, almost cracking.

He subconsciously straightened his already somewhat hunched back, as if he had returned to the way he looked when he was inspected in the army years ago.

The instructor didn't speak, but instead looked Ding Wei up and down with his hawk-like eyes. His gaze lingered for a long time on Ding Wei's gray hair, rough face, and faded old military uniform. His eyes were complex, showing regret, scrutiny, and an indescribable heaviness.

The office was deathly silent, with only Ding Wei's heavy breathing remaining.