Courtyard House: Home Alone

Back home, Xu Fugui slammed the cloth bag he was carrying onto the table with a "bang," yelling, "You little brat! I didn't intend to kill you because we're neighbors, but you've taken advantage of my kindness!"

"You really think you're invincible just because you've practiced your skills for a few days? Just you wait, I'm going to hold a grudge against you! Heh! I'm going to take your house too!" He grew angrier the more he thought about it, pacing back and forth in the house, his eyes flashing with resentment.

"Lin Yifan, He Yuzhu...you just wait! I'll make sure you know what happens when you offend me, Xu Fugui!" He slammed his hand on the table, causing the oil lamp to flicker and making his contorted face appear even more sinister.

He began to plot how to stir up trouble in front of Boss Lou, so that Lou Zhenhua could "teach" that arrogant Lin Yifan a lesson, and ideally make him have nowhere to stand in Beiping. A seven-year-old child, haha! In that case, wouldn't he be doomed?

Li Guixiang pulled three-year-old Xu Damao out of the kitchen and was startled to see Xu Fugui sitting at the table with a gloomy face.

She quickly put down the shopping basket and asked cautiously, "Honey, what's wrong? Who made you angry?"

Xu Fugui glared at her and said irritably, "What do women know! Don't ask!"

Li Guixiang trembled at his shout and dared not say another word. She silently placed the dishes on the table, then pulled Xu Damao over and made him sit obediently on the small stool.

Xu Damao blinked his big eyes, looked at his angry father, and then at his mother who dared not utter a sound. His little mouth twitched, as if he was about to cry.

"What are you crying for! You good-for-nothing!" Xu Fugui was already annoyed, and seeing his son about to cry made him even angrier. He shouted at him.

Xu Damao was so frightened that he immediately stopped crying, held back his tears, lowered his head in grievance, and clenched the hem of his clothes tightly with his little hands.

Li Guixiang felt sorry for her son, but dared not disobey her husband. She could only secretly give Xu Damao a look, telling him to keep quiet.

Xu Fugui's chest heaved violently, his mind filled with Lin Yifan's cold gaze and the word "get lost," as well as He Yuzhu's mocking words.

The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. He was, after all, a favorite of Boss Lou. In this courtyard, who didn't look up to him?

Today I was humiliated in public by a kid. If I swallow this insult, how will I ever be able to stand up in the neighborhood again?

"No, this can't just end like this!" Xu Fugui slapped his thigh, his eyes turning fierce. "Lin Yifan, aren't you good at fighting? Aren't you powerful? I'd like to see if you can beat Boss Lou!"

He stood up and paced back and forth in the room, like a trapped beast searching for a way out. Suddenly, he stopped, his eyes lighting up as if he had thought of a terrible idea, and a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"I've got it..." he muttered to himself, his face growing even more sinister. "Boss Lou has been looking for an excuse to expand his influence around here lately. If I..." He leaned closer to the table, lowered his voice, and chuckled twice into the air, the laughter sounding particularly jarring in the quiet night.

Li Guixiang listened with a pounding heart. Although she didn't know exactly what her husband was planning, she knew from his expression that it was definitely not going to be anything good.

She hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage and whispered, "Honey, let's avoid trouble. Lin Yifan doesn't seem like someone to mess with, and Mrs. Long, Uncle Zhang, and He Daqing seem to be protecting him quite a bit..."

"You don't know anything!" Xu Fugui interrupted her rudely. "Uncle Zhang? What good is an old geezer like him? And Yi Zhonghai is even less of a threat. In this world, whoever has money and power calls the shots! One word from Boss Lou and he'll be in deep trouble!"

Lin Yifan? Hmph, he's nothing but a rootless duckweed. Once Boss Lou gets angry, he won't even have a place to stay in Beiping!

He became more and more smug as he spoke, as if he could already see Lin Yifan being kicked out of the courtyard house, looking utterly pathetic.

He picked up the cloth bag on the table, pulled out a beautifully packaged Western pastry, took a big bite, and mumbled, "Just you wait, in a few days I'll show him what I'm capable of! From now on, I'll be the one calling the shots in this courtyard!"

Seeing her husband blinded by jealousy and anger, Li Guixiang felt uneasy but powerless to stop him. She could only sigh silently, then lower her head to feed Xu Damao, her eyes filled with worry. This courtyard house was likely to be in turmoil again.

After finishing his meal, Lin Yifan helped Aunt Zhang clear the dishes and then returned to his house in the backyard.

The room was spotless and tidy, clearly Aunt Zhang came to clean regularly. He closed the door, entered the space, and lay down on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep at all. The scene at the military law office during the day kept flashing through his mind, along with his future plans.

Fengtai, Manager Zhou, Stone… names and places swirled in his mind. He knew time was of the essence, and not a single minute or second could be wasted.

Outside the window, the moonlight, like water, quietly spilled into the courtyard.

The next morning, just after Lin Yifan finished training He Yuzhu, he saw Grandpa Zhang leading the waiters from Manager Zhou's teahouse to the backyard. Upon seeing Lin Yifan, they quickly stepped forward and said, "Young master, our manager wants you to come over immediately. He says he has something urgent to discuss with you."

Lin Yifan's heart skipped a beat. Manager Zhou's sudden visit must mean he had important news.

He glanced at He Yuzhu beside him and instructed, "Zhuzi, go home first to wash up and have breakfast. I'll be right back."

"Okay, Brother Fan, you can go without worry." He Yuzhu nodded obediently.

Lin Yifan followed the waiter out of the courtyard, thinking to himself, "There must be news about the cooperation with the Red Party. Such cooperation would be entirely beneficial to the Red Party, so they have no reason to disagree."

He quickened his pace. Manager Zhou's teahouse wasn't too far from the courtyard house; he arrived after passing through two alleys.

Upon entering the teahouse, the waiter led Lin Yifan to the back courtyard.

Manager Zhou was already waiting by the stone table in the courtyard. When he saw Lin Yifan enter, a look of solemnity appeared on his face. He stood up to greet him and said, "Young Master, you've finally arrived."

"Manager Zhou, why are you in such a hurry to see me? Is there something important?" Lin Yifan asked directly.

Shopkeeper Zhou nodded, gesturing for Lin Yifan to sit down. He then sat down himself and said in a low voice, "Young Master, there has been a response to the matter you entrusted to me last time."

After careful consideration, they agreed to your proposal.

Lin Yifan felt slightly reassured, but his expression remained unchanged: "Oh? What exactly do you mean?"

Manager Zhou picked up the teapot on the table, poured Lin Yifan a cup of tea, and continued, "The organization attaches great importance to the weapons, ammunition, medicines, and medical equipment that you can provide, and thanks you for your support."

They hope to meet with the other party as soon as possible to discuss in detail the specific handover methods, time and place, as well as subsequent long-term cooperation matters.