Courtyard House: Home Alone

Jiang Xinyi wiped her eyes and immediately said, "Young master, what would you like to eat? I'll make it right away! There are still some steamed buns from this morning in the kitchen. Shall I stir-fry a couple of dishes for you?"

Lin Yifan smiled and said, "Okay, let's make some scrambled eggs."

Jiang Xinyi immediately replied, "Okay! I'll go right away!" With that, she turned around and walked briskly towards the kitchen, her steps light and quick, clearly in a very good mood.

Yu Wenxiu and Xia Yan stayed in the main room to keep Lin Yifan company. Yu Wenxiu poured him a glass of warm water and asked, "Young Master, how did your trip to Tianjin go?"

Lin Yifan picked up his water glass, took a sip, nodded, and said briefly, "Yeah, I took care of some things, and it went fairly smoothly. It just took two days to get there."

He didn't elaborate on the dangers of Tianjin, lest they worry. Xia Yan listened quietly, a hint of inquiry in her eyes, but she didn't ask any further questions. She knew that if Lin Yifan didn't want to talk about something, pressing him would be pointless.

Looking at them, Lin Yifan felt a sense of security welling up inside him. This place was like a safe haven for him in this chaotic world. No matter how turbulent the outside world was, returning here with these people around him brought him a moment of peace and warmth.

He put down his water glass and smiled, "Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. How have you all been these past few days? Nothing's happened at home, right?"

Yu Wenxiu quickly said, "It's alright, it's alright at home. It's just that we were worried about you. Xia Yan even went to Grandpa's place several times to ask. Grandpa said you sent a telegram, but something came up and you had to stay for a couple of days. He told us not to worry."

Oh, by the way, Grandma Long next door comes over every afternoon to teach us how to use guns and daggers.

She paused, a hint of excitement on her face, and continued, "Grandma Long is amazing! Don't let her age fool you, she's much more agile than us."

When she taught us how to aim, she corrected our posture step by step, explaining even clearly how to coordinate our breathing. Now I can fire the gun with my eyes closed!

Xia Yan added from the side, "Grandma Long also taught us some close combat techniques, saying that if we encounter danger, we can protect ourselves even without weapons. When she demonstrated those moves, she was so fast and ruthless that it was reassuring to watch."

Lin Yifan listened, feeling a surge of gratitude towards the deaf old man. These girls, following him, certainly needed some self-defense skills, especially in this treacherous city of Beiping.

"That's good,"

Lin Yifan nodded. "Study hard. It's always good to have more skills, especially in times like these."

As soon as he finished speaking, a soft "sizzle" sound came from the kitchen, accompanied by a rich aroma of eggs wafting over.

Yu Wenxiu sniffed and laughed, "Judging from the smell, Xinyi's scrambled eggs will be ready soon. Her tomato and egg stir-fry is sweet and sour, perfect with rice."

Lin Yifan leaned back in his chair, listening to the soft sounds coming from the kitchen, smelling the aroma of food in the air, and feeling the peaceful atmosphere brought by the two people beside him. The fatigue and tension of the past few days seemed to relax at this moment.

This must be what home feels like—simple, yet incredibly warm.

The next morning, after having breakfast, Lin Yifan went directly to the Municipal Committee, greeted the guards at the entrance, and went straight to Tang Baolin's office, knocking on the door.

A slightly hoarse reply came from inside: "Come in." Lin Yifan pushed the door open and entered, only to see Tang Baolin buried in a pile of documents, his brows furrowed, looking somewhat tired.

He looked up and saw Lin Yifan. A hint of joy flashed in his eyes. He then put down his pen and pointed to the chair opposite him: "Xiao Fan, when did you get back? Sit down."

Lin Yifan sat down in the chair: "I just got back yesterday, and I came over first thing this morning. How are things? Grandpa, nothing much has happened in Beiping these past few days, has it?"

"It's the same as always, but with the addition of Commander Kong and the others, the construction of the granary has been much faster. In another three or four days, the first batch of three granaries will be completed."

The pharmaceutical factory has also increased its output significantly. Currently, it operates on a two-shift system, but once the newly recruited staff becomes more proficient, they can be divided into shifts again, at which point output will increase further.

"Oh, by the way, before I left yesterday, Qin Zhirong and Zheng Shucheng came to see me. They said an old Russian named Andrei contacted them and wanted to meet with me to discuss buying medicine. What do you think..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yifan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought. Andrei? The Soviets? They want to buy medicine?

Penicillin and sulfonamides were among their most critical strategic resources. The Soviets, however, were well-informed and had already set their sights on the pharmaceutical factories in Beiping.

His mind raced; the Soviets' visit at this moment was definitely not just about buying medicine.

Given the current international situation, they must have deeper considerations, perhaps preparing for an impending large-scale war, or perhaps trying to influence the situation in China by controlling the supply of medicines.

"Grandpa, what's the background of this Andrei? Do Qin Zhirong and the others know anything about him?" Lin Yifan asked, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible caution.

Tang Baolin shook his head: "I don't know the specifics. Qin Zhirong only said that he was sent by the Soviet Union and was very cautious. He only contacted the two of them."

Lin Yifan was silent for a moment, then a glint flashed in his eyes: "The Soviets are always generous, but they are also prone to making exorbitant demands, and they have a very clear purpose."

We can sell the medicine, but we must never let them think we can't live without their orders. More importantly, we need to figure out their true intentions and what they can offer us.

Oh, and that German guy named Hans, I reckon he'll be here in a few days. I was originally planning to make some arrangements in Beiping to visit my parents and sister.

However, this means it will probably have to be postponed for a few more days.

He paused, then continued, "You can meet him first. Find out how big Andrei's appetite is. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

The meeting place was chosen at the municipal council, where there were many people and he wouldn't dare to play any tricks. You should talk to him as the "ghost's" spokesperson and first probe his background.

Ask him how much medicine he needs, what specifications he wants, and what price he's willing to pay. Remember, whatever his terms, don't agree to them yet. Just say you need time to report back, and that you need to wait for 'Ghost's' approval.

Tang Baolin nodded, a look of approval in his eyes: "You're right. This Russian guy suddenly showing up at our door, we really need to be careful. I'll make the arrangements now, we'll meet him this afternoon."

"good,"

Lin Yifan stood up. "Then I won't bother you any longer. I'll go check on the pharmaceutical factory and also discuss the follow-up special training with Chen Gongshu. After you and Andrei finish talking, we'll meet again to discuss the next steps."

"Alright, go ahead." Tang Baolin waved his hand, picked up the documents on the table again, but his mind was clearly no longer on the words. Instead, he began to ponder the details of his meeting with the Soviet man that afternoon.