Courtyard House: Home Alone

He paused for a moment, then asked instead of immediately agreeing, "Mrs. Long, you'd better talk to your son and tell him not to think that the Skinheads are the legitimate party and try to interfere in the affairs of Beiping."

"The Ghost" wiped out all the Japanese soldiers in Beiping. Are they even more formidable than the Japanese? If he wants "The Ghost" to spare him, he'll definitely have to show some sincerity.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Long's dim eyes instantly lit up. She leaned forward eagerly, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "Sincerity? Xiao Fan, tell me, as long as they let my son go, I'll make them show any sincerity they can!"

Seeing her excited expression, Lin Yifan slowly shook his head, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Mrs. Long, the sincerity that 'Ghost' wants is not difficult for your son. It is that he must hand over the Skinhead Party's plans and intentions, as well as all the relevant intelligence he possesses, without reservation."

Only in this way can he prove his remorse and allow "Ghost" to see his value. You should know that "Ghost" always acts based solely on results, not on personal feelings.

If he remains obstinate and insists on going down this dark path, not even a god could save him, let alone me.

Upon hearing this, the deaf old woman's face turned deathly pale, her lips trembling, clearly terrified by Lin Yifan's words. But she also understood that Lin Yifan was telling the truth.

She had long heard of "Ghost's" methods; he was a truly ruthless killer. Last time the bureau chief came to Beiping in person, this Xiao Fan dared to detain more than a dozen people right in front of him. Not to mention her son was just a lowly lieutenant colonel.

She took a deep breath, as if making a firm decision, her eyes hardening: "Xiao Fan, I understand. I'll find a way to contact him immediately and make him hand over everything he knows! I just ask that you put in a good word for me with 'Ghost' and leave him a way out."

Lin Yifan looked at her and slowly nodded: "All I can do is convey his sincerity to 'Ghost.' As for the final outcome, it depends on his own performance."

The deaf old woman looked at Lin Yifan gratefully, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end it just turned into a heavy sigh.

She stood up and bowed deeply to Lin Yifan: "Xiao Fan, I can't thank you enough. This old woman... will remember this." After saying that, she staggered towards the door.

Lin Yifan looked at her slightly hunched back with a complex expression. In this chaotic world, everyone has their own helplessness and struggles. Even someone as seemingly detached as the deaf old woman could not escape the vortex of fate.

He sighed softly, turned and walked to the window, gazing at the familiar scene of the courtyard house outside. The sunlight was still bright, but he knew that beneath the calm surface, undercurrents were already surging.

The deaf old woman's plea for help, the preparation of the pharmaceutical factory, the handling of Prince Asaka Yasuhiko's situation... one thing after another came rushing in like a tide, making him wonder if the Transmigration Bureau was deliberately making him a beast of burden!

He rubbed his throbbing temples, shook his head with a wry smile. Oh well, what's done is done. At least now he has the ability to change some things and protect the people he wants to protect.

He withdrew his gaze, sat back down in his chair, and began to consider the next steps. The pharmaceutical factory was of paramount importance and needed to be implemented as soon as possible.

He took out paper and pen and began to plan the start-up steps of the pharmaceutical factory in detail, from equipment installation and debugging to raw material procurement, and then to personnel recruitment and training. No step could be taken lightly.

However, Dr. Chen and Grandpa Tang should both have their own people, so it's better to leave these matters to them. I can just be a hands-off manager and focus on keeping an eye on the Japanese and the skinheads.

The baby's cries outside the window had stopped sometime ago, and the courtyard had returned to its usual tranquility, with only the occasional bird call adding a touch of comfort to the afternoon.

A wave of fatigue washed over him. Lin Yifan yawned, stood up, closed the door, turned around, entered the space, and lay down on the step bed to sleep.

He slept exceptionally soundly, only waking up leisurely in the late afternoon. He stretched, feeling much better. When he came out of the space, the sky was already getting dark, and the dim yellow light of kerosene lamps illuminated the courtyard.

He quickly washed up and was about to go out to find something to eat when he heard a commotion coming from the front yard, a mixture of a woman's crying and a man's arguing.

"What's going on?" Lin Yifan frowned slightly and walked out following the sound.

In the open space of the front yard, Liu Haizhong stood with his hands on his hips, spitting as he loudly berated Aunt Qian in the middle yard. Aunt Qian, holding her child, looked aggrieved and kept wiping away tears. Several neighbors were gathered around, pointing and whispering amongst themselves.

He Yuzhu was among them. Seeing Lin Yifan approach, he quickly squeezed through and whispered, "Brother Fan, you're finally here! Liu Haizhong is bullying people again!"

Lin Yifan asked, "What happened?"

He Yuzhu said, "It's all about emptying the swill. We have a communal swill bucket in our yard, and everyone takes turns emptying it."

Today it was Liu Haizhong's turn. His wife was too lazy to move, so she just dumped the swill in the corner of the yard. Aunt Qian saw it and said a few words to her, telling her to put it in the bucket.

As a result, Liu Haizhong was displeased, insisting that Aunt Qian was meddling and a jinx, and even called her a jinx and a money-loser!

Lin Yifan followed He Yuzhu's gaze and saw Aunt Qian standing to the side, her face pale, her lips tightly pressed together, and her eyes red, but she was holding back her tears.

Her husband, Qian Qiuming, went back to his hometown for a funeral a few days ago. Because the child was still young, he didn't go with her. She was alone at home with the child when she was bullied by Liu Haizhong.

"Outrageous!" Lin Yifan's eyes turned cold. This Liu Haizhong was indeed a troublemaker; he had only been here a few days before starting to act arrogantly.

He pushed through the crowd and walked over, saying calmly, "Sir, we're all neighbors living in the same courtyard. We see each other all the time. Why get so worked up over such a small matter?"

Besides, taking turns emptying the swill is a rule in the yard. What's wrong with you? You just entered the yard and you're already trying to break the rules?

Liu Haizhong was in the middle of his rant when he suddenly heard someone interrupt with a question that was neither too soft nor too hard. He immediately turned around, his triangular eyes glaring at Lin Yifan: "Where did you come from, you little brat? How dare you meddle in my business?"

"Let me tell you, I'm a forging master at the steel rolling mill. Even Boss Lou calls me brother!" He deliberately raised his voice, as if afraid others wouldn't know his "identity".

Lin Yifan smirked. A blacksmith? In his eyes, that title wasn't as prestigious as He Yuzhu's culinary skills. "So what if you're a blacksmith? Does that give you the right to be unreasonable, break the rules of the courtyard, and bully orphans and widows?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears: "This swill is dumped in the corner. When it's hot, it attracts flies and mosquitoes, and it stinks. Everyone has to smell it. Are you really that selfish?"