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

Neighbors came to pay their respects, offer incense, and bow, but everyone's eyes held a flicker of curiosity and inquisitiveness. Their whispers were so low they were almost inaudible, but the conversation always revolved around Jia Zhangshi, who had just been taken away, and the reclusive Director Li.

Yi Zhonghai was the busiest person at the funeral.

He put in almost the same effort he had when he arranged his own son's funeral, running around making arrangements, directing people, and receiving factory colleagues and distant relatives who came to pay their respects.

He paid for a better coffin, added more incense and paper money, and even paid out of his own pocket to have Sha Zhu cook a few more decent dishes to entertain the guests.

He was trying to use this all-out effort to salvage some of the reputation damaged by the Jia Zhangshi incident, and more importantly, to re-establish contact with Qin Huairu.

He would occasionally walk over to Qin Huairu, who was dressed in mourning and kneeling before the coffin, and whisper a few words of comfort, his tone heavy with concern.

"Huai Ru, please accept my condolences. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, please be sure to tell Uncle Yi. The family will not abandon you and your children."

However, Qin Huairu simply kept her head down, mechanically adding paper money to the brazier, occasionally replying in a hoarse voice, "Thank you, sir," her attitude polite but distant.

Looking at her lowered neck and tightly pursed lips, Yi Zhonghai felt a void in his heart. He knew that the rift was probably hard to mend.

Sha Zhu took the "simp" nature to the extreme.

He acted as if he were the male head of the Jia family, running around doing errands and working even harder than Yi Zhonghai.

She moved tables and chairs, poured tea, greeted and saw off guests, and even returned gifts to less important guests on Qin Huairu's behalf.

His gaze toward Qin Huairu was filled with undisguised heartache and longing, as if Jia Dongxu's death and Jia Zhangshi's disappearance had cleared all obstacles on his path to happiness.

He nestled close to Qin Huairu, his voice so gentle it could melt hearts.

"Sister Qin, take a rest. I'm here. Are you hungry? I've got some porridge on the stove, shall I get you a bowl?"

Qin Huairu remained indifferent to Sha Zhu's attentiveness.

She just shook her head, too lazy to even say a word.

She is currently exhausted, dealing with the tedious funeral arrangements and contemplating her future, and simply doesn't have the energy to deal with Sha Zhu's overly direct emotions.

But Sha Zhu was not discouraged at all. Instead, he felt that Sister Qin was just overwhelmed with grief and needed time. He was willing to wait and was confident that the clouds would part and the moon would shine through.

Li Zhenhua didn't arrive until almost noon.

Unlike the others, he wasn't dressed in dark clothes; he was simply wearing a clean and tidy navy blue Zhongshan suit, and his face didn't show any particular expression.

He stood in front of the mourning hall, took the three incense sticks handed to him by the person next to him, bowed three times casually, and then put the incense sticks into the incense burner. His movements were smooth but carried a clear sense of perfunctoriness.

He didn't even glance at the portrait, nor did he say a few words of comfort to Qin Huairu, who was kneeling on the ground, like the others did. He simply swept his gaze calmly across the entire room.

However, this calm sweep instantly silenced the mourning hall, which had been filled with faint noises.

All eyes, whether open or hidden, were focused on him.

Yi Zhonghai stopped giving instructions and subconsciously straightened his back.

Liu Haizhong forced a fawning smile, wanting to step forward and strike up a conversation, but was deterred by Li Zhenhua's indifferent gaze.

Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses and lowered his head, pretending to arrange the wreaths.

Even Sha Zhu, who was sweating profusely from his busy work, sensed that something was wrong and his movements became stiff.

Li Zhenhua's arrival, without any verbal expression, weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like an invisible boulder.

His detached attitude was a silent declaration: the Jia family's turmoil is over, and I will define the new order.

His presence was a powerful deterrent to everyone present, especially those with ulterior motives.

But some people just don't believe in evil, or rather, they can't suppress their gloating and show-offy thoughts.

Xu Damao hid in a corner of the crowd, watching Sha Zhu's obsequious manner and Yi Zhonghai's forced composure, then glanced at Li Zhenhua's demeanor, his eyes darting around, and his sarcastic habit kicked in again.

He nudged his neighbor with his elbow, making a sound that was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for a few people nearby to hear.

"Hey, see that? As soon as Jia Dongxu left, some people were busy as bees. If you didn't know better, you'd think they were holding a funeral for his own father! And, the house was just quiet now, and some people can't wait to be the father. Tsk tsk, they're really scheming. I could hear them even in the backyard!"

His words were ostensibly a mockery of Sha Zhu, but also subtly implied a connection to Yi Zhonghai, and even hinted at the ambiguous relationship between Qin Huairu and Li Zhenhua.

As soon as he finished speaking, the already eerie atmosphere in the mourning hall plummeted to freezing point.

Sha Zhu suddenly turned his head, glaring at Xu Damao with eyes blazing with fury, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. Yi Zhonghai's face also turned extremely ugly.

Just as Sha Zhu was about to rush over and attack, and Yi Zhonghai was about to shout a reprimand, Li Zhenhua made his move.

He didn't even look at Xu Damao, but just clicked his tongue softly, as if he had heard some boring noise.

Then, he raised his eyelids, his gaze like two cold rays, landing precisely on Xu Damao's face.

There was no scolding, no warning, just a fleeting glance.

Xu Damao's smugness and sarcasm froze instantly, as if all the blood had been drained from his face, turning him deathly pale.

He felt a chill rush from his tailbone straight to the top of his head, as if his heart was being gripped by an icy hand, and even his breathing stopped.

Li Zhenhua's eyes were devoid of any emotion, yet they were more terrifying than any angry roar. It was a condescending indifference, as if looking down at an ant, as if he would be crushed the moment he uttered another word.

Xu Damao made a "clucking" sound in his throat, but couldn't utter a single word.

He instinctively took a half step back, almost tripping over the long bench behind him, and awkwardly grabbed the wall to steady himself.

He lowered his head, not daring to look at Li Zhenhua a second time. His whole body trembled slightly uncontrollably. The courage he had shown in his earlier provocation had vanished, leaving only boundless fear.

Li Zhenhua withdrew his gaze, as if nothing had happened, and said something indifferently to Yi Zhonghai beside him.

"Master Yi, thank you for your hard work."

Then, he turned around and left the mourning hall unhurriedly, without exchanging any words with Qin Huairu from beginning to end.

His departure slightly eased the suffocating oppressive atmosphere in the mourning hall.

But everyone understood what that brief moment meant.

With just one sentence and one look, Li Zhenhua firmly established his absolute authority in this courtyard house.

Xu Damao's silence is the best proof of this.

The rest of the funeral proceedings were completed in a more somber and cautious atmosphere.

No one dared to whisper anymore, and no one dared to show the slightest sign of anything unusual. Sha Zhu was still busy, but he was noticeably more restrained.

Yi Zhonghai was still hosting, but his back view appeared even more hunched and aged.

When Jia Dongxu's coffin was carried to the cemetery outside the city, Qin Huairu, supported by her younger sister Qin Jingru, followed behind the procession.

She glanced back at the receding courtyard house, her gaze sweeping over the familiar gate, past the neighbors with their varied expressions, and finally, seemingly unintentionally, towards the backyard.

After Jia Dongxu's funeral, Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill seemed to return to its former order.

The roar of the machines masked the grief of the past. The workers were still busy on the assembly line, but after meals, discussions about the changes in the Jia family and Li Huaide, the new director of the logistics department, quietly permeated the corners of the workshop.

A week later, the factory's routine meeting was held in the solemn and dignified conference room of the factory building.

Seated around the oval-shaped long table were all members of the factory's leadership team, as well as the heads of the main workshops and departments.

Director Yang sat upright in the main seat, his expression calm.

On the left are several deputy factory directors, and on the right are the heads of key departments such as production, logistics, and security.

Li Zhenhua, as the deputy director of the logistics department, was in a relatively low position, but his upright posture and calm demeanor made him impossible to ignore.

The meeting proceeded according to the agenda, with production scheduling, technological innovation, logistical support, and other topics discussed in an orderly manner.

As the newly appointed head of the logistics department, Li Huaide presented his work report in a clear and organized manner, with detailed data, fully demonstrating his professional competence and thorough preparation.

He spoke humbly and kept a low profile, but when his eyes occasionally met those of Director Yang, the unspoken understanding between them was still noticed by some observant people.

Just as the meeting was drawing to a close and everyone thought it was about to adjourn, Li Huaide coughed lightly, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and his gaze swept across the room before finally landing on Director Yang's face. His tone became particularly somber.

"Director Yang, leaders, comrades. I have something to say about today's factory meeting that I feel I must emphasize again and urge the entire factory to be highly vigilant."

The conference room fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on Li Huaide.

Li Huaide spoke slowly, his face bearing a mixture of pity and seriousness.

"It was just recently that the tragic accident occurred, in which Comrade Jia Dongxu of the forging workshop died in the line of duty. Although the preliminary investigation indicated that the direct cause of the accident was due to the operator's violation of operating procedures, and the factory, in the spirit of humanitarianism, provided appropriate compensation to the family. However!"

He abruptly changed the subject, raising his voice slightly, his tone carrying an undeniable gravity.

"This bloody accident serves as a stark warning to all of us! It exposes deep-seated problems and hidden dangers in our safety management! We cannot be satisfied with merely handling the aftermath; we must trace the root causes and nip problems in the bud!"

He picked up a document and waved it gesturingly.

"This is a statistical report I had the Logistics Department's Safety Section compile over the past year on minor work-related injuries and near misses in various workshops, especially those involving high-temperature, high-pressure, and heavy equipment operation. The data shows that potential safety hazards in certain areas are on the rise. What does this indicate? It indicates that our safety awareness may have become lax! Safety responsibilities may be ineffective! Safety measures may be merely a formality!"

His gaze seemed to sweep over the purchasing department under Li Zhenhua's supervision (although the purchasing department had relatively low safety risks, warehouse management and material transportation also involved safety), then focused on several production workshop directors, but finally returned to Director Yang.

"Director Yang, esteemed leaders. I believe we must learn from Comrade Jia Dongxu's accident and immediately launch a thorough, comprehensive safety inspection and rectification campaign throughout the entire factory! We must delve into every work group, every position, and every blind spot! We must not only check the safety status of equipment and facilities, but also the implementation of safety regulations and whether employees' safety awareness is adequate! We must dare to expose shortcomings and malpractices. For any problems discovered, regardless of which department or level of cadre is involved, we must hold them accountable and require rectification within a specified time! There will be absolutely no leniency!"

His tone was firm and resolute, conveying a sense of selflessness and that everything he did was for the benefit of the factory.

"I suggest that the factory's safety production committee take the lead, with close cooperation from all relevant departments, to immediately formulate a detailed inspection plan. As the head of logistics, responsible for some warehouse and transportation safety, I have an unshirkable duty and am willing to be the first to accept the strictest inspection and fully cooperate with the entire inspection work!"

These words sound grand and righteous, placing the speaker on a moral high ground.

The meeting room was completely silent. Several deputy factory directors and workshop directors looked at each other, some nodding silently, others frowning slightly.

Everyone could tell that Li Huaide's remarks, which "emphasized safety," seemed to be directed at the entire factory, but his emphasis on "deep-seated problems," "unfulfilled responsibilities," and "accountability for everyone involved" was a veiled attack on the Logistics Department, which had just undergone personnel changes and was now under the actual management of some of the work by the young deputy director Li Zhenhua. In particular, he wanted to disrupt the authority and rhythm that Li Zhenhua had just established in the Purchasing Section.

This was a warning shot, a test, to see how Li Zhenhua would respond, and whether he could seize any possible minor oversights to give him a warning.

Factory Director Yang pondered, his gaze deep.

He naturally understood Li Huaide's subtext.

As the top leader, he is happy to see a moderate level of competition and checks and balances among his subordinates, but this must be kept within the scope that is conducive to the work.

He looked at Li Zhenhua, wanting to see how the young man would respond.

Is it a panicked attempt to defend oneself?

Or should we remain silent and endure it?

Under everyone's gaze, Li Zhenhua slowly raised his head. His face showed no anger or panic at being targeted, but rather a calm demeanor, even with a hint of approval.

He met Li Huaide's gaze and spoke frankly, his clear voice resonating throughout the conference room:

"Director Li is absolutely right! I completely agree and fully support him!"

He first affirmed Li Huaide's proposal, adopting a very high-minded attitude.

This caused a hint of surprise to flash in Li Huaide's eyes.

Li Zhenhua continued.

"Comrade Jia Dongxu's misfortune is a loss for our entire factory, and a severe test of our management practices. Safety in production is of paramount importance; it cannot be overstated. Director Li's proposal to conduct a comprehensive and thorough safety inspection and rectification is, in my opinion, extremely timely and necessary!"

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more composed and forceful.

"Not only should the warehousing and transportation processes in the logistics department be inspected, but the areas under my supervision should be given even greater attention! Safety is paramount, and responsibility is of utmost importance. We cannot wait until an accident occurs before we regret it; we must eliminate potential hazards in their infancy."