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

Parts of the anonymous letter, especially the parts about Li Zhenhua and Qin Huairu's "ambiguous relationship" and "abuse of power for personal gain," were learned by Yi Zhonghai through some covert channels (perhaps hints from Gao Jianshe, or fragmented information he obtained from familiar old workers in the factory).

For Yi Zhonghai, this was a golden opportunity for revenge!

He didn't dare to spread the word himself, but he had a better "megaphone"—Xu Damao.

Yi Zhonghai found an opportunity and pretended to be worried as he spoke to Xu Damao.

"Da Mao, have you heard? Apparently, people in the factory are gossiping about Zhenhua and Huai Ru, saying really nasty things. If this gets out, how much will it affect Zhenhua's future! And how will Huai Ru, a widow, face people in the courtyard afterward?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao's eyes lit up immediately.

His hatred for Li Zhenhua had long since seeped into his bones, and he was just looking for an opportunity to take revenge. Yi Zhonghai's words immediately ignited the fire in his heart.

"Master Yi, are you telling the truth? What gossip?"

Xu Damao asked impatiently.

"Sigh, I only overheard an old colleague at the factory mention it casually. He said something about Zhenhua using his position to get Huairu into the factory, and the two of them... sigh, I'm too embarrassed to say it out loud! He also said that anonymous letters have been sent to higher-ups!"

Yi Zhonghai hesitated to speak, his expression one of deep sorrow, perfectly portraying the image of an elder who "cares about the younger generation but is powerless to change their fate."

"Anonymous letter? It's been reported?"

Xu Damao was so excited he almost jumped up.

"I knew it! Li Zhenhua is definitely up to something! He acts all high and mighty all day, but he's a hypocrite! Master Yi, this can't be left like this! We have to let everyone in the compound know his true colors!"

Yi Zhonghai quickly pretended to stop him.

"Da Mao, don't do anything reckless! How can you make things up without any evidence? Besides, Zhenhua is a cadre after all; we can't afford to offend him!"

The more he tried to stop him, the more enthusiastic Xu Damao became.

"Master Yi, you're just too honest! If he dares to do it, why shouldn't we? Don't worry, I know what I'm doing and won't say anything reckless. It's just... it's just to warn everyone to be vigilant and not be fooled by some people's appearances!"

Thus, with Yi Zhonghai's tacit encouragement and Xu Damao's vigorous dissemination, rumors about Li Zhenhua and Qin Huairu spread rapidly throughout the courtyard like a plague.

The content was even more offensive than the anonymous letter, filled with vulgar imaginations and malicious speculations.

"Have you heard? Director Li and Jia's daughter-in-law have been having an affair for a long time!"

"No wonder he went to such lengths to help Qin Huairu after Jia Dongxu died; it turns out he had an affair!"

"I was wondering how Qin Huairu, with a rural household registration, managed to get a job as a warehouse keeper in the factory. It's all because of her connections!"

"Tsk tsk, he usually seems quite serious, I never expected him to be this kind of person..."

"Poor silly Zhu, he was always so eager to bring her food, turns out he'd been cuckolded all along!"

These rumors, like invisible knives, are cutting through the tranquility of the courtyard.

When the neighbors saw Li Zhenhua and Qin Huairu again, their eyes became complicated, filled with curiosity, disdain, sympathy, and schadenfreude.

Even if you don't dare say anything to someone's face, the pointing fingers and whispers behind their backs are enough to create immense pressure.

Qin Huairu was the first to sense this change.

She keenly sensed the strange looks from those around her, especially the sudden silence and eerie smiles of the women when they huddled together.

When she learned from Banggeng's hesitant words about the filthy rumors circulating in the courtyard, she was struck dumb, her face turned deathly pale, and her whole body went cold.

Overwhelmed by immense humiliation and fear.

She knew that her relationship with Li Zhenhua was not honorable, but it was more of a cold transaction and a helpless dependence, not as sordid as the rumors described.

These rumors not only tarnish her reputation, but could also ruin the job she worked so hard for, and even endanger her and her children's lives!

She dared not go out, dared not make eye contact with her neighbors, and went to and from get off work every day like a thief, with her head down and in a hurry.

When I got home that night, I held my children and tears streamed down my face.

She felt an unprecedented sense of helplessness and despair, as if the whole world was filled with malice.

At this moment, the only person she could rely on was Li Zhenhua.

She was even more eager to grasp at this only straw.

That night, she risked knocking on the door of Li Zhenhua's backyard hut again, this time disregarding the potential risks of the late hour.

When Li Zhenhua opened the door and saw her pale face and swollen eyes from crying, he immediately understood what had happened.

He let her into the house and closed the door.

"Zhenhua...the whole compound is talking about...about us..."

Before Qin Huairu could speak, tears streamed down her face; her voice trembled, filled with fear.

"I see."

Li Zhenhua's voice was unusually calm, even carrying a hint of coldness.

"It was Yi Zhonghai and Xu Damao who did this."

"Then...what should I do? They said such awful things, I...I can't face anyone anymore...Will my job also be affected...?"

Qin Huairu grabbed Li Zhenhua's arm as if it were the last piece of driftwood.

Looking at her terrified expression, Li Zhenhua felt a surge of irritation, but even more so, he felt anger towards the mastermind behind it all.

He patted Qin Huairu's hand firmly.

"What's the panic? A few rumors can bring you down? Director Yang at the factory is a shrewd man; he won't believe these things. As long as you don't make any mistakes, no one can touch you. As for the gossip in the yard..."

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

"Let them spread rumors if they want to. The innocent will remain innocent, and the guilty will remain guilty. What you need to do now is pretend nothing happened, go to work as usual, and live your life as usual. The more calm you appear, the less market those rumors will have. Remember, the more afraid you are, the more pleased they will be."

"But... Sha Zhu..."

Qin Huairu was worried about another powder keg.

"Silly Pillar?"

Li Zhenhua snorted coldly.

"If he believes me and comes looking for trouble, that's fine. I have my own ways of dealing with him."

After comforting Qin Huairu and calming her down, Li Zhenhua told her to go back quickly.

He knew that he had to take measures as soon as possible, otherwise if things went wrong in the courtyard, it would take up a lot of his energy.

At the same time, Sha Zhu also heard those rumors.

At first, he didn't believe it, but as more and more people talked about it, and the details became more and more realistic, coupled with Yi Zhonghai's "unintentional" sigh from the side: "Zhu Zi, I know you are good to Huai Ru, but some things... sigh, you have to take it easy..." Sha Zhu's jealousy and anger were finally completely ignited.

He felt like a complete fool, being manipulated by Li Zhenhua and Qin Huairu.

Several times, with red eyes, he wanted to confront Li Zhenhua, but Yi Zhonghai, who "coincidentally" appeared, stopped him.

"Zhu Zi! Calm down! What's the point of making a scene without any evidence? Beat him up? That's illegal! You'll get arrested and lose your job, is it worth it?"

Yi Zhonghai earnestly advised, "The most important thing now is to stay calm!"

Li Zhenhua is currently in the eye of the storm; he may already be under investigation by higher authorities.

If you act impulsively now, he might turn the tables on you! Wait! Wait for solid evidence, wait for him to slip up on you!

When the time comes, you won't even need to lift a finger; someone else will take care of him!

Qin Huairu... will eventually see who truly cares for her!

Yi Zhonghai's words seeped into Sha Zhu's simple mind like venom.

He felt that Yi Zhonghai's words made "a lot of sense," and he forcibly suppressed the urge to take immediate action. However, he had nowhere to vent his anger, which could only be transformed into a deeper resentment towards Li Zhenhua and an anxious wait for an opportunity for "revenge."

The way he looked at Qin Huairu was filled with pain, disappointment, and a twisted possessiveness.

The atmosphere in the courtyard house became more oppressive and tense than ever before.

Beneath the calm surface, undercurrents surged, with suspicion, resentment, and fear intertwined, like a giant powder keg waiting for a single spark to ignite it.

The undercurrents within the steel rolling mill could not be completely suppressed and eventually attracted the attention of higher authorities.

The reports about Li Zhenhua, the young deputy director of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, being "corrupt in his lifestyle," "abusing his power for personal gain," and "lacking firm principles" have been cleverly linked by some people with ulterior motives to the current political climate that emphasizes class struggle and opposes the erosion of bourgeois ideology. This has transformed the issue from a mere controversy over personal character into one with a certain political overtone.

That morning, Li Zhenhua was in the logistics department office holding a meeting with the purchasing department and warehouse managers to discuss the material reserve plan for the next quarter.

The meeting was only halfway through when there was a knock on the office door, and Director Yang's secretary poked his head in with a serious expression.

"Director Li, excuse me. Factory Director Yang requests your immediate visit to his office; it's urgent."

The secretary's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to make the attendees sense the unusual atmosphere.

Li Zhenhua's heart stirred slightly, but he remained outwardly calm and nodded to the attendees.

"That concludes today's meeting. Please go back and refine the plans for the issues we just discussed, and we'll discuss them again at the next meeting."

After saying that, he calmly tidied up the documents on the table, got up and left the office with his secretary.

The secretary remained silent throughout the journey, and Li Zhenhua did not ask any further questions.

He could sense that what was bound to happen had finally arrived.

Upon entering the factory director's office, I saw Director Yang standing by the window with his back to the door, the cigarette in his hand half-burned, and a long pile of ash he had forgotten to flick off.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around, his face showing undisguised worry and a hint of anger.

"Zhenhua, sit down." Director Yang's voice was a little hoarse.

Li Zhenhua sat down on the sofa and calmly looked at Director Yang.

"Factory manager, what happened?"

Factory Director Yang sighed heavily, stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, walked to his desk, picked up a document stamped with an official red seal, and handed it to Li Zhenhua.

"Take a look at this. It's an urgent notification I just received."

Li Zhenhua took the document and quickly scanned it.

The document, issued jointly by the superior authority and the discipline inspection department, is a notice regarding the establishment of a joint investigation team to verify and investigate issues related to Li Zhenhua, deputy director of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

The investigation team is composed of discipline inspection cadres from higher-level units, cadres from the industrial system, and comrades from relevant municipal departments. It is a high-level team, and the factory is required to fully cooperate. The investigation team will directly enter the steel rolling mill to carry out its work this afternoon.

"They moved so fast."

Li Zhenhua put down the documents, his face showing no sign of panic, but rather a faint sneer at the corner of his mouth.

"Looks like someone can't wait."

Director Yang was both impressed and anxious looking at his calm and composed demeanor.

"Zhenhua! What time is it? How can you still be laughing? This isn't an internal factory investigation; it's a direct investigation team from above! Such a high-level investigation clearly aims to bring you down! Those people... they've really gone all out!"

Li Zhenhua raised his head, his gaze clear and firm.

"Factory manager, rest assured. I, Li Zhenhua, am an upright and honest person. The things said in these anonymous letters are pure fabrication and slander, and cannot withstand any investigation. It's good that the investigation team is here; they can clear my name."

That's one way of saying it!

Factory Director Yang paced back and forth anxiously.

"But public opinion can be devastating! No matter the outcome, the investigation team's arrival will be a huge blow to your reputation! Moreover, the process of such an investigation is torture... They will definitely try every means to find fault with you, and may even target those close to you, such as Qin Huairu... I'm afraid she won't be able to withstand the pressure and will say something inappropriate, which would be even more troublesome!"

Li Zhenhua pondered for a moment and then spoke.

"Factory Director, the innocent have nothing to fear. I have already explained my relationship with Comrade Lou Xiao'e and Comrade Qin Huairu to you and the organization, and I have a clear conscience. If the investigation team wants to investigate, let them investigate. As for Qin Huairu, I will keep her calm. The important thing is that the factory's work cannot be disrupted, especially logistical support, which is related to the production and life of the entire factory."

Looking at Li Zhenhua, Director Yang felt his anxiety subside somewhat when he saw how calm Li Zhenhua was.

He patted Li Zhenhua on the shoulder.

"Zhenhua, I believe in you. I will cooperate fully with the investigation at the factory, but I will also be careful not to let them disrupt normal production. You... you must stay calm. If you need any support from the factory, just ask."

"Thank you, factory manager."

Li Zhenhua stood up.

"If there's nothing else, I'll go back and prepare to receive the investigation team this afternoon."

Back in his office, Li Zhenhua closed the door, his composure fading slightly, and his eyes sharpening.

He walked to the window, looked down at the bustling factory area, and sneered inwardly.

Wang Dashan, Gao Jianshe, and their ilk indeed resorted to the most insidious tactic, attempting to destroy him through this political investigation.

Did they think this would bring him down?

That's incredibly naive.

He was not worried about the investigation itself.

Aside from a few normal interactions in public, there was nothing inappropriate between him and Lou Xiao'e, and Lou Bancheng kept the boundaries even clearer.

As for Qin Huairu, her work arrangements were conducted in accordance with regulations, and her conduct during the lubricant incident was evident to all. The so-called "lifestyle issues" are utter nonsense. As long as Qin Huairu doesn't panic, no evidence will be found. The rumors circulating in the courtyard are not worth refuting.