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

Li Yunlong remained silent for a long time, then suddenly downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, exhaling a long breath of alcohol. The anger and confusion on his face gradually turned into complex emotions and a sense of relief.

"Damn it... now that you two say it, it actually makes sense."

He shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness, yet also with the concern of an old friend.

"That kid Zhao Gang... well, since he's made up his mind, it would be disrespectful of me to stop him. I'll go see him again tomorrow, without yelling at him, and ask him where he wants to go. I'll see if I can pull some strings and help him find a stable place where he can get things done."

Seeing the change in his father's attitude, Li Zhenhua felt a weight lifted from his heart, and at the same time, an indescribable sense of accomplishment welled up within him.

The seed he had unintentionally planted might actually help Zhao Gang avoid future turmoil. This was perhaps the most meaningful thing he had done since his rebirth.

"Dad, that's the right way to think. Uncle Zhao is lucky to have a brother like you."

Li Zhenhua said sincerely. Li Yunlong snorted, but his eyes softened considerably, and he picked up a large piece of fish and placed it in Li Zhenhua's bowl.

"Stop flattering me! Eat! But... you're starting to see things more deeply now, not as impulsive as before. Looks like this deputy section chief position wasn't for nothing!"

That night, Li Zhenhua drank quite a bit with his father, Li Yunlong, listening to his father reminisce about the glorious past and talk about his old brothers Zhao Gang, Ding Wei, and Kong Jie. His feelings were complicated.

He could see that his father's attitude towards Zhao Gang's demobilization had changed from initial anger and incomprehension to helpless understanding and support, and more importantly, concern for his old comrade's future.

That night, Li Zhenhua stayed at his parents' house.

The next morning, Li Zhenhua made a phone call to the logistics department and briefly asked for leave.

Then, following Li Yunlong, they walked to Zhao Gang's house, which was also located in the military compound.

The two houses are indeed very close; it only takes a few minutes to get there.

The woman who opened the door was Zhao Gang's wife, Feng Nan, a gentle and scholarly woman who was a lecturer at Peking University.

Feng Nan was somewhat surprised to see Li Yunlong and his son, but she still warmly invited them into the house.

"Old Li, Zhenhua, why are you here so early?"

Zhao Gang was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper when he saw the two men, especially Li Zhenhua, and his face showed surprise.

He thought that Li Yunlong had failed to persuade him yesterday, and that he would come again today to continue to do "ideological work".

Li Yunlong sat down on the sofa with an air of nonchalance, waved his hand, and got straight to the point.

"Alright, Lao Zhao, stop putting on that act. I'm not here to advise you today."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gang's expression visibly relaxed. He adjusted his glasses and gave a wry smile.

"That's good. I thought you were going to slam your fist on the table at me again."

Feng Nan poured Li Zhenhua a glass of water and smiled gently.

"Zhenhua is getting more and more energetic these days. I heard from Lao Zhao that you've become a deputy director?"

"Aunt Feng, you flatter me. I'm just lucky that the factory leaders trust me."

Li Zhenhua respectfully accepted the water glass and obediently responded.

In front of Zhao Gang and Feng Nan, he put away the unruly attitude he had shown in the steel mill and the courtyard, and appeared exceptionally composed.

Li Yunlong picked up the conversation and sighed.

"Old Zhao, I went back yesterday and talked with Xiuqin and Zhenhua for half the night. You, kid, although studying has made you a bit stubborn, you do have a more far-sighted view of things... sometimes than us roughnecks. Your decision, though frustrating, might not be a bad one when you think about it carefully."

Zhao Gang was somewhat moved; he hadn't expected Li Yunlong to change so quickly.

He looked at Li Zhenhua and vaguely felt that the young man's arrival was related to his change in attitude, after all, Li Zhenhua had mentioned a similar idea in a veiled way last time.

"I'm really grateful that you think that way."

Zhao Gang's voice was somewhat low.

"To be honest, this decision wasn't made on a whim. Over the years at the General Staff, I've seen some trends, some people, and some things that have left me feeling very frustrated. You know me, I can't tolerate any injustice, and I've offended quite a few people in order to uphold my principles. Things seem calm now, but who knows when the storm will break? Ding Wei is currently missing, and Kong Jie has been marginalized... I don't want to wait until a knife is at my throat before I regret it. Rather than spending my days in headquarters scheming and walking on thin ice, it's better to step down early and go to the local area to do some practical work that I can."

Li Yunlong nodded heavily, his eyes filled with感慨 about the current situation and a hint of weariness.

"Damn it, who says otherwise! Sometimes I get frustrated too! But my temperament is only suited for leading troops. You're different, you're educated, you can still make a name for yourself in civilian life. Since you've made up your mind, I support you! So, is there any progress on your demobilization? Do you need me, Old Li, to swallow my pride and go talk to the old commander to get you a good position?"

Zhao Gang waved his hand, a relieved smile appearing on his face.

"No need to trouble you. The organization has been very considerate of me, giving me several options to consider."

"Oh? Which positions?"

Both Li Yunlong and Li Zhenhua showed expressions of interest.

Zhao Gang pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Currently, three options have been offered. One is to go to the State Planning Commission as a deputy director, responsible for macro-planning. The second is to go to a local area, to a major industrial province in the north, to join the leadership team as a vice governor in charge of industry. The third..."

He paused and glanced at Feng Nan.

"It's a trip to the Southwest Third Front, to be in charge of the overall work of a new large-scale defense industrial base, which can be considered pioneering work."

Feng Nan added softly.

"That base is tentatively designated as a department-level unit, but the old leader hinted that it's a strategic project, and the benefits and development prospects will be excellent."

Li Yunlong stroked his chin.

"The State Planning Commission is the central government, the vice-governor is a high-ranking local official, and the Third Front is about pioneering new frontiers. Old Zhao, these are all tough positions for you. But wouldn't it be too hard to go to the Third Front?"

Li Zhenhua listened from the side, his mind clear: the former two were prestigious vice-ministerial level positions, but they would inevitably involve many entanglements; the latter, though seemingly starting from a lower level, was a true "local warlord," and in special times, it might be the safest and most virtuous place to realize one's ambitions.

In the long run, this may be the best choice for Zhao Gang.

At this moment, Zhao Gang turned his gaze to Li Zhenhua, seemingly wanting to hear the young man's opinion.

"Zhenhua, you're now also in the industrial system. What are your thoughts on these positions?"

Li Zhenhua sat up straight and spoke cautiously.

"Uncle Zhao, Aunt Feng, my dad is right, conditions in the Northwest are tough. But I think Aunt Feng makes even more sense. That place is a key national project, with a high starting point and high attention, and it doesn't have as many tangled networks of connections. It's perfect for someone like you, Uncle Zhao, who is ambitious and capable, to make a name for yourself. The hardship is only temporary. With your abilities, you're sure to achieve even greater success in that new world. In comparison, the first two choices, although seemingly comfortable, would likely lead you into the kind of environment you want to avoid."

After listening, a glint of admiration flashed in Zhao Gang's eyes.

Li Zhenhua's analysis hit the nail on the head.

He looked at Li Yunlong and smiled.

"Yunlong, look at Zhenhua, that kid has a sharp eye! His analysis is spot on."

Although Li Yunlong had some concerns about the hardships of the Northwest, seeing that his old comrade-in-arms and son thought so, he didn't say anything more and waved his hand.

"Alright! Since you all think it's good, then it's settled! Northwest it is! If you encounter any difficulties, just tell me! I can't guarantee anything else, but if you're short of any supplies, let Zhenhua figure it out for you! He's in charge of procurement at the steel rolling mill now, he's got all the connections!"

These words made everyone laugh, and the slightly heavy atmosphere from before was swept away.

Li Zhenhua also smiled and made the promise.

"Uncle Zhao, don't worry, I will do my best whenever there is anything I can do to help."

After sitting at Zhao Gang's house for a while longer, chatting in detail about the follow-up arrangements for their demobilization and some everyday matters, Li Yunlong and his son got up to say goodbye.

Leaving Zhao Gang's house and walking on the quiet road in the military compound, Li Yunlong was unusually silent for a moment, then patted Li Zhenhua on the shoulder, his tone carrying a complex emotion.

"Kid, your Uncle Zhao made the right move. This world...sigh, you have better insight than your old man. Work hard at the factory, but remember to always be careful."

"Okay, Dad."

Li Zhenhua nodded solemnly.

He knew that after the Zhao Gang incident, his father had a new understanding of him as a son.

After resolving the matter, Li Zhenhua rode his bicycle back to the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

I had barely stepped into the deputy director's office when the door was slammed open with a bang. I hadn't even warmed my seat or picked up my teacup.

Xiao Wang, a young clerk from the Purchasing Department 3, rushed in, panting and pale, barely able to speak.

"Director Li... Director Li! No... something terrible has happened! Something... something horrific has occurred!"

Li Zhenhua frowned and put down his teacup.

"What's the panic! Is the sky falling down? Tell me slowly, what happened?"

Xiao Wang swallowed hard, his voice trembling with tears.

"It's...it's the workshop! The forging workshop! There's...there's been an accident! People are...people are dead!"

"dead?"

Li Zhenhua's heart skipped a beat, and he abruptly stood up.

The steel rolling mill is a large factory with tens of thousands of employees. Minor bumps and scrapes are commonplace, but a fatal accident is something he has never heard of since he joined the factory!

"What exactly happened? Which workshop? Who died?"

"It's...it's Jia Dongxu from the forging workshop! He...he was operating the overhead crane to lift steel ingots, and somehow, he fell from the high operating platform...he fell into the running rolling mill...he...he died on the spot! When they pulled him out...he was...unrecognizable..."

Xiao Wang's voice trembled with fear.

Jia Dongxu?

Li Zhenhua's pupils contracted. Although he didn't have any good feelings towards the Jia family mother and son, hearing that a living person he had seen just yesterday had died in such a tragic way still sent a chill down his spine and made him feel inexplicably heavy.

"Where are Factory Director Yang and the other leaders?"

"They've all...they've all rushed over! The scene is complete chaos! Director Sun told me to come and inform you right away!"

"Walk!"

Li Zhenhua didn't ask any more questions. He grabbed his hat from the table, strode out of the office, and headed quickly towards the forging workshop.

Before even reaching the workshop entrance, one could hear a chaotic cacophony of cries, shouts, and voices coming from inside.

The area around the workshop gate was filled with workers who were both frightened and curious. Security personnel were doing their best to maintain order and had set up a cordon.

Li Zhenhua revealed his identity, squeezed into the crowd, and entered the workshop.

A strong, nauseating smell of blood and engine oil wafted over me.

The massive rolling mill had stopped operating, and a large pool of dark red blood below was a shocking sight. Several security officers and the factory doctor were surrounding an object covered by a dirty tarpaulin on the ground. The protruding shape under the tarpaulin indicated that it had once been a person.

Factory Director Yang, Sun Weimin, and other factory leaders stood aside with livid faces, while the deputy director of production was yelling at several pale-faced workshop directors and safety officers.

A large group of workers stood around, still shaken, their faces filled with fear and lingering dread.

Li Zhenhua glanced around and saw many familiar faces.

Liu Haizhong, with his protruding belly, stood in front of the crowd, his fat face jiggling, looking terrified.

Sha Zhu squeezed into the crowd, craning his neck to look around, his face showing undisguised excitement.

The most attention-grabbing figure is Yi Zhonghai.

He sat alone on a toolbox not far from the accident site, his hands covering his face, his shoulders heaving violently, emitting suppressed whimpers like a wounded wild animal. His gray hair looked particularly glaring in the dim light.

He seemed to have aged ten years in an instant; the immense sorrow and despair he felt was completely different from the fear and panic of the others around him.

Li Zhenhua walked up to Sun Weimin and asked in a low voice.

"Chief, how's the situation?"

Sun Weimin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his voice hoarse.

"It's over... hopeless... we were directly dragged into this, even a god couldn't help. The Jia family... is truly wiped out now..."

He sighed and pointed at Yi Zhonghai.

"Old Yi... that was his apprentice whom he trained himself, almost like a son... he was too traumatized."

At this moment, Director Yang, suppressing his anger and irritability, walked up to Yi Zhonghai, his tone heavy and unquestionable.

"Old Yi! Now is not the time to cry! Jia Dongxu was a factory worker who died in the line of duty. The factory will handle the subsequent compensation and posthumous recognition as a martyr according to regulations. But the most urgent thing now is for someone to notify his family! Jia Dongxu's mother, his wife... someone has to tell them this terrible news!"

Yi Zhonghai seemed not to hear, still immersed in immense grief, only shaking his head and letting out even more painful sobs.

Factory Director Yang frowned, about to speak again.

Suddenly, Sha Zhu darted out from the crowd, his face flushed and anxious, and patted his chest loudly.

"Factory manager! I'll go! Let me go and inform Sister Qin... no, I mean, inform the Jia family!"

His shout immediately drew everyone's attention.

Sha Zhu, however, was unusually enthusiastic, his tone even carrying a hint of indescribable "excitement".

"Factory manager, don't worry! I live in the same compound as the Jia family, we know each other well! I know what to say! I guarantee I'll get it done! Master Yi can't go in his condition right now!"