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

When I left Donglaishun, the sky was already pitch black, and the north wind was howling, stinging my face.

"Let's go, I'll take you home."

Li Zhenhua pushed his bicycle and said it quite naturally.

After a day and a night of fighting side by side and the frank conversation at the dinner table just now, he felt that this was the proper gentlemanly conduct.

Lin Taotao seemed to accept this familiarity without refusing, simply giving a soft "hmm" and following beside him.

The two cycled slowly along the quiet streets, continuing their conversation from the dinner table. They talked about details of the case and bizarre things they had encountered at work, occasionally arguing over differing opinions. The atmosphere was relaxed and harmonious.

Li Zhenhua discovered that, beneath the serious exterior of a police officer, Lin Taotao was actually a rather interesting girl—quick-witted, sharp-tongued, and with a touch of competitive spirit.

Before I knew it, the bicycle turned into a wide, almost too quiet, tree-lined avenue.

Tall walls lined both sides of the road, through which the outlines of trees and sparse lights could be vaguely seen, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

Li Zhenhua's heart skipped a beat; he knew this place all too well.

This is no ordinary residential area.

Sure enough, a heavily guarded gate appeared ahead, with armed guards standing ramrod straight, vigilantly watching their surroundings.

The scale and atmosphere here are clearly a level above his own, which is mainly occupied by military officers!

This is at least the core area where top-level officials reside!

Li Zhenhua slammed on the brakes, braced himself with his feet, and turned incredulously to look at Lin Taotao, who had also stopped beside him. His eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape, and he remained speechless for a long time.

Lin Taotao felt a little uncomfortable under his ghostly expression. Her cheeks flushed in the dim light of the streetlamp, and she subconsciously avoided his gaze.

"You...you live here?"

Li Zhenhua's voice had changed tone as he pointed at the imposing gate, finally managing to find his own voice.

Lin Taotao rolled her eyes at him, somewhat embarrassed and angry, and said stubbornly.

"What's wrong? Is it not working?"

"No... this... this is what you call 'poor and lower-middle peasants'? Advancement through ability?"

Li Zhenhua felt a bit confused, and his tone was full of absurdity.

"Comrade Lin Taotao, aren't you being a little too 'rich' for the sake of being 'poor'?! The people living in this courtyard are probably..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Taotao's face turned even redder, like a ripe apple, and she interrupted him, both embarrassed and angry.

"Decades ago, which family wasn't poor peasants?! You, Li Zhenhua, are allowed to have connections, but my ancestors weren't allowed to work hard?"

As she spoke, seemingly to cover her embarrassment, she raised her fist and lightly nudged Li Zhenhua's arm.

"You've made a fool of yourself!"

The punch wasn't very powerful, but it made Li Zhenhua laugh, and at the same time, he finally understood.

Well, this guy is the real hidden master, with an unfathomable background.

My previous wealth was probably not enough to compare with theirs.

Just as the two were having this slightly awkward and teasing interaction, a black Hongqi sedan silently pulled up and stopped beside them.

The streamlined body of the car gleamed faintly in the night, and the license plate number was understated yet exuded an extraordinary aura.

Upon seeing the car, Lin Taotao's expression instantly changed. Her girlish demeanor vanished completely, replaced by an expression of "Oh no!"

The front door of the car opened, and a middle-aged driver in military uniform with a lean physique stepped out briskly. He walked quickly to Lin Taotao, his attitude respectful but his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"Miss, the commander has seen you and wants you to get in the car and go home."

Lin Taotao sighed helplessly, stomped her foot in frustration, and turned to Li Zhenhua, who was still in a daze, and quickly said.

"Um... I... I'll head back now! Li Zhenhua, thank you for the mutton today! Come visit me sometime!"

After saying that, without waiting for Li Zhenhua's reaction, he bent down and climbed into the back seat of the car at the driver's silent urging.

The driver didn't leave immediately. Instead, he gave Li Zhenhua a sharp once-over, his gaze seemingly trying to see right through him, scrutinizing him and carrying an unspeakable depth of meaning.

After a moment, the driver nodded slightly, turned around, got into the car, and closed the door.

The car started slowly and drove smoothly toward the gate of the compound. The guards clearly recognized the car and quickly saluted to let it pass.

Li Zhenhua stood there, pushing his bicycle, looking at the car's taillights with mixed feelings, his mind still processing the impact of the words "leader" and "Miss".

Just as the car was about to disappear completely into the darkness deep within the courtyard, the rear window suddenly rolled down a little bit.

A masculine profile, exuding authority and possessing strong, resolute features, flashed past the car window, his deep, calm gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Li Zhenhua, who was standing by the roadside.

Just one glance!

Li Zhenhua instantly felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, and his blood seemed to freeze!

It was an indescribable sense of oppression, as if I had been glanced at by a sleeping lion, my heart stopped, my breath stopped, and even my thoughts froze!

His legs went weak, and he almost collapsed on the spot!

My goodness... it's... it's actually...

The car window rolled up, and the car disappeared completely from sight, leaving Li Zhenhua standing frozen in the cold night wind, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

After a long while, he finally managed to grip the handlebars of his bicycle, letting out a long, trembling breath, feeling as if he had just brushed with death.

Li Zhenhua practically floated back to the courtyard house while pushing his bicycle. All the way, the image of that imposing profile and that unfathomable gaze kept flashing through his mind, and his heart was still pounding uncontrollably.

Only when he stepped onto the familiar threshold of the courtyard house, and the outline of the old locust tree in the front yard came into view in the dim light, and the air was filled with the unique smell of coal smoke, dinner, and a faint odor of urine, did his heart, which had been hanging in the clouds, seem to find its anchor and slowly fall back to reality.

The commotion coming from the courthouse sounded somewhat familiar to him at that moment.

From the direction of the Jia family, Jia Zhangshi's extremely penetrating curses pierced the night sky.

"...A jinx! You can't even wash a dish properly! What good are you? A freeloader! Our Jia family is truly cursed for eight lifetimes to have married such a plague-bringing wretch like you!..."

Interspersed among them were Qin Huairu's low, suppressed sobs.

On the other side, at the home of Second Uncle Liu Haizhong, the scene was quite different.

The authoritative reprimand from Liu Haizhong and the sharp cracking of the rattan cane against flesh could be clearly heard, interspersed with the muffled groans and cries of children enduring pain.

"...I'll teach you to steal eggs! I'll teach you to embarrass me! I'll beat you to death, you good-for-nothing!..."