Courtyard House: Home Alone

Boss Liu also looked helpless and shook his head: "Who says otherwise? We can only take it one step at a time. By the way, Brother Tang, what kind of birthday gift are you planning to give? Something too shabby is embarrassing, and something too expensive is just too much of a financial burden."

The fat man thought for a moment, then frowned: "I'm having a problem with that. Giving him money seems too vulgar, and he might not even like it. Giving him gifts, on the other hand, I don't know what he likes."

I heard his father has recently become obsessed with antiques and calligraphy. How about I go to Liulichang and try to find something?

"The antique and calligraphy market is very complex. Do you know anything about it? You might end up spending a lot of money on a fake, which would be a huge loss and could even upset him," Boss Liu warned.

The fat man said with a pained expression, "Then what do you suggest I bring? I can't go empty-handed, can I? It's only the day after tomorrow, and there are still two days left including today. I really don't know what to bring. I'm so worried!"

The two chatted back and forth about the birthday gift, their words filled with dissatisfaction with Wang Kui'an and helplessness in the face of reality.

Lin Yifan listened from the side, his eyes gradually turning cold. Wang Kuian? Major Sato? He silently repeated these two names in his mind, a cold smile curving his lips.

This Wang Kuian, as the deputy director of the Beiping Police Bureau and the number one traitor to the Japanese, not only plundered the people's wealth but also colluded with the Japanese to persecute resistance fighters and ordinary people. Such a scoundrel cannot be allowed to live.

And that Major Sato should be the Special Higher Police Major who was in contact with Qian Liugen and the others, responsible for arresting his own parents. Now he's going to celebrate the traitor's birthday, perfect, let's take care of him all at once! Lin Yifan picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

Having decided to take action, Lin Yifan no longer hesitated.

He needed to quickly ascertain the layout of Hongbinlou, the specific procedures of the birthday banquet, and the movements of Major Sato and Wang Kuian to ensure everything went smoothly. He calmly paid for his tea, left the teahouse, and headed towards Hongbinlou.

Hongbinlou is located in a relatively prosperous area of ​​Beiping City. It is a well-known restaurant that is always packed with customers.

Lin Yifan could see the magnificent three-story pavilion from afar, with its vermilion gate and high-hanging gold signboard, exuding a luxury that was out of place with the tense atmosphere around it.

He did not approach rashly, but instead wandered around several nearby streets, carefully observing the surrounding environment of Hongbinlou.

The main street in front of the gate is busy with people, making it difficult to hide or evacuate; the back gate leads to a relatively quiet alley, at the end of which is a cluster of messy houses, which is a good option.

He noticed that most of the windows of Hongbinlou faced the street, and there were balconies on the second and third floors. Security did not seem to be particularly tight. Perhaps Wang Kuian thought that with the Japanese backing him up and in the heart of the city, no one would dare to mess with him.

Lin Yifan sneered inwardly; this gave him a perfect opportunity.

Meanwhile, Wang Kui'an was restless in his office. He had indeed sent out invitations a few days ago to celebrate his father's birthday in order to make money.

But who knew that the situation in Beiping would take such a sharp turn for the worse in the last two days? Two airports and two military camps outside the city were hit by accidents one after another, resulting in the deaths of several thousand Imperial Army soldiers.

The Imperial Army troops in the surrounding areas have now retreated back into the city, leaving only a small number of patrol personnel in the urban area, while the rest are holed up in the military police headquarters and headquarters.

The city was in a state of panic, and he felt his eyelids twitching, sensing that something bad was about to happen.

He even considered cancelling the birthday banquet, but invitations had already been sent to all the celebrities and wealthy people in Beiping. If he canceled it at the last minute, not only would he lose face, but it would also give those who were waiting to see him make a fool of himself an opportunity to take advantage of him.

Moreover, he was hoping to make a fortune from this birthday banquet to make up for the shortfall he had incurred after being reprimanded by the Imperial Army for "poor security."

"No, we can't cancel it!" Wang Kuian paced back and forth in his office, gritting his teeth as he muttered to himself, "With Major Sato personally overseeing things, and the people I've arranged, there shouldn't be any problems."

Perhaps, he could use this birthday banquet to demonstrate his loyalty to the Imperial Army and consolidate his position.

Thinking of this, he suppressed his unease, picked up the phone on the table, and began to urge his subordinates to strengthen security on the day of the birthday banquet, especially the protection of Major Sato, and to ensure that there were no mistakes.

On the other end of the phone, his confidant repeatedly agreed, promising to make sure everything was perfectly arranged. Only then did Wang Kuian feel a little relieved. He picked up the ginseng tea on the table and took a sip, but a trace of anxiety was still hard to hide in his eyes.

Unbeknownst to him, a pair of cold eyes had already set their sights on him and his birthday banquet, and a new storm was quietly brewing.

For the next two days, Lin Yifan did not rush into action, but instead spent his time like an ordinary citizen, moving around the vicinity of Hongbinlou.

He even ate two meals at a small noodle shop opposite Hongbinlou, slowly eating his noodles while observing the people coming in and out of Hongbinlou through the window.

He saw the restaurant staff busily purchasing various ingredients and moving tables and chairs, clearly making meticulous preparations for the birthday banquet the day after tomorrow.

Occasionally, one could see several burly men in black short jackets with bulging waistbands patrolling the entrance and surrounding area, their eyes wary. They were probably Wang Kuian's men, responsible for the perimeter security of the birthday banquet.

I even saw He Daqing carrying a lunchbox home from get off work. I wonder what will happen to Hongbinlou after this operation. I can only apologize to He Daqing in my heart.

However, it's probably not a big problem. The Japanese are too busy taking care of themselves to care about the life or death of a lackey like you.

Besides, the Japanese still have a little over 600 troops stationed in Beiping. Why not take this opportunity to wipe out the rest of the Japanese and let the people of Beiping have a good New Year first?

Time quickly passed to the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, the day of Wang Kuian's father's birthday banquet.

As night fell and the city lights came on, Hongbinlou was brightly decorated, creating a festive atmosphere. Within a 200-meter radius of the building, more than 300 fully armed puppet police officers were deployed to maintain order.

The entrance was bustling with activity, and a constant stream of guests, mostly prominent figures in Beiping and some sycophantic businessmen, were arriving for the banquet.

Wang Kui'an, dressed in a brand-new silk mandarin jacket, stood at the door welcoming guests with a radiant smile. He accepted all the red envelopes and birthday gifts offered by the guests, and his smile grew even brighter.

Lin Yifan crouched in an alley two hundred meters away, his mental energy covering a radius of more than two hundred meters around Hongbinlou, carefully observing every corner inside and outside the building.

His mental power was like an invisible net, capturing all unusual auras and movements.