Courtyard House: The Long-Lost Eldest Son Returns with Military Merit

Jia Dongming glanced at his watch; it was already 10:23. He replied, "Okay, I'll ride my bike over there now. See you at the factory gate."

After hanging up the phone, Jia Dongming tidied his desk, picked up his briefcase, and left the office.

Just as I reached the stairwell, I ran into Zhang Guoping, who was returning with supplies.

Jia Dongming asked with a smile, "Guoping, have all the supplies been delivered?"

Zhang Guoping was about to go and report to Jia Dongming when he saw him coming downstairs. He quickly said, "Director, the reward from the branch office has been recovered."

Director Li said that our security section deserves the most credit for cracking this enemy spy case, and he specially rewarded us with a freshly slaughtered, large, fat pig weighing over 200 jin (approximately 100 kg).

When Jia Dongming heard that he had been rewarded with a pig, he was somewhat surprised. He then instructed, "Guoping, since the branch office has given us pork, we will not issue the canned beef we mentioned before. Instead, we will give each person half a pound of pork."

Canned beef can be stored; we'll deal with it later.

Zhang Guoping thought this arrangement was appropriate and immediately nodded: "Director, I understand. I'll have the canteen staff divide the meat and notify everyone to come and collect it in a bit."

Jia Dongming added, "By the way, for those three injured comrades, pick out three good pieces of pork belly and send them to their homes."

Could you please take my portion to the logistics warehouse and give it to my sister-in-law?

Zhang Guoping assured him, "Don't worry, Director, I will definitely get it done."

Jia Dongming rode his bike towards the textile factory. Halfway there, he saw Zhang Huanchun and his two companions riding bicycles ahead, so he sped up to catch up. When he got close, he greeted them with a smile: "Team Leader Zhang, I thought I would get there first, but I didn't expect you to be faster."

Zhang Huanchun turned around and saw that it was Jia Dongming. He smiled and said, "Comrade Dongming, I'm leaving right after I finish this call with you."

Besides, the branch office is closer to the textile factory, so it'll naturally be faster than you.

Lin Minghua, who was walking beside Zhang Huanchun, saw Jia Dongming riding his bicycle over. Thinking of the case at the textile factory, he greeted him with heartfelt gratitude: "Deputy Captain Jia! I originally planned to hold a banquet to thank you after the case was closed in a few days. Today at noon, I will use the wine from the textile factory to toast you a few more times to express my gratitude for helping us break through the predicament at this critical moment."

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongming responded with a smile: "Comrade Minghua! I only learned by chance that the fragrance of flowers might trigger asthma, which gave you a clue."

The fact that this case was solved is ultimately the result of the concerted efforts of your entire team.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Baoguo joked, "Deputy Captain Jia! If such a coincidence really happens, I hope we'll encounter it more often in the future, so we won't have to worry about clues going cold or cases piling up into old ones."

As they talked, the four of them arrived at the gate of the textile factory.

Upon seeing them arrive, Factory Director Liu hurriedly led several factory leaders to greet them at the gate, extending his hand to shake Zhang Huanchun's: "Team Leader Zhang, we've been waiting for you!"

After shaking hands with Director Liu, Zhang Huanchun immediately turned to introduce him: "Director Liu, this is Comrade Jia Dongming, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigation Detachment of the Dongcheng Branch and Chief of the Security Section of the Steel Rolling Mill."

The successful resolution of this case at the textile factory was largely thanks to the crucial assistance of Deputy Chief Jia.

After saying this, he introduced Jia Dongming: "Dongming, this is Liu Xiangqian, the factory director of the textile factory."

Jia Dongming immediately stepped forward and shook hands with Liu Xiangqian in a humble manner: "Director Liu, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Although it was Liu Xiangqian's first meeting with Jia Dongming, he had already heard of him—the previous case of the enemy agent at the steel rolling mill had greatly angered several senior executives in the ministry.

To his surprise, this rumored "iron-fisted section chief"

So young.

Seeing Jia Dongming's respectful attitude, Liu Xiangqian also shook his hand firmly and said warmly, "Section Chief Jia! Not long after you took office at the steel rolling mill, you cracked the enemy's plot and protected the special workshop."

Several leaders in the department praised you highly at the meeting.

Jia Dongming looked embarrassed and said repeatedly, "Director Liu, you flatter me."

As the head of security, maintaining the safety of the factory area is my duty, and I dare not take credit for it.

Liu Xiangqian waved his hand and laughed, "Section Chief Jia, there's no need to be so modest."

"If it weren't for your exceptional abilities, how could you have so quickly identified and rounded up the hidden enemy agents? Your contribution is evident to all."

Jia Dongming remained modest, replying, "I am still a newcomer in front of all of you seniors, and I will need your guidance and encouragement in the future."

Liu Xiangqian smiled and said nothing more, then introduced the other factory leaders to Jia Dongming and the others one by one.

After exchanging pleasantries, he led everyone toward the factory's small canteen.

The dishes were brought into the private room one after another.

After the logistics director poured everyone a full glass of wine, Liu Xiangqian raised his glass to the textile factory cadres present: "Old Gao, Old Zhao, let's toast the public security comrades together with this first glass."

"If it weren't for the police officers quickly identifying the thief and recovering the stolen money based on the clues in the theft case in the finance office, we would probably all have become criminals in the factory."

"Therefore, I propose that we all raise a glass to thank the police officers for eliminating the parasites and recovering our wages."

Zhang Huanchun raised his glass in a humble manner and said, "Director Liu, Deputy Director Gao, and Deputy Director Zhao, it is our duty to safeguard the safety of the people and factories in our jurisdiction. We really don't deserve such thanks."

Deputy Factory Director Gao replied, "Team Leader Zhang, you don't need to be so polite."

The workers toil for a month, relying entirely on this meager wage to support their families.

If it were truly lost, countless families would go hungry.

You've saved so many families!

Deputy Factory Director Zhao also raised his glass in agreement: "Old Gao is right."

"If it weren't for your meticulousness, using the scent of flowers as a clue to uncover the culprit and recover the funds, we would probably still be in the dark, unaware that such a menace was lurking within our ranks."

Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Zhang Huanchun smiled and agreed, "Since the three factory directors have all said so, it would be too formal for us to be modest any further."

Liu Xiangqian laughed heartily: "That's more like it! Come on, let's all drink to this!"

After everyone finished their drinks, Liu Xiangqian waited for the logistics director to refill his glass, then smiled and looked at Zhang Huanchun, saying, "Captain Zhang! This case at the textile factory has truly broadened our horizons. If the facts weren't conclusive, no one would have imagined that such an effortless outcome could be achieved with just a few hints of floral scents."

Upon hearing Director Liu's words, Zhang Huanchun recalled the scene he had witnessed outside the interrogation room and couldn't help but sigh, "Director Liu! To be honest, when I first saw Chen Si's appearance, I thought he had died a natural death."

"At that time, we all thought that the remaining funds would probably never be recovered because of Chen Si's death. Who knew that Director Jia, based solely on Comrade Lin Minghua's description and the fragrance of flowers wafting from the interrogation room, concluded that Chen Si did not die of natural causes, but was silenced by someone."

"So we followed the direction pointed out by Director Jia and soon found out who was behind it and successfully recovered the remaining money. Not to mention you would have such a thought, even I myself find it hard to believe."

After listening to Zhang Huanchun's account, Liu Xiangqian raised his glass and said earnestly to Jia Dongming, "Director Jia! It is thanks to you that you turned the tide at the critical moment, not only identifying the real culprit but also recovering the outstanding wages for us."

Liu Xiangqian paused briefly before continuing, "Director Jia! This glass of wine is for you! Please, make yourself at home!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongming immediately raised his glass and replied, "Director Liu! Although I am the head of the security department of the steel rolling mill, I also serve as the deputy head of the criminal investigation detachment of the branch bureau. This is my duty, so please don't be so polite."

After finishing his drink, Liu Xiangqian asked Jia Dongming with a smile, "Director Jia! There's something I've never been able to figure out. You've only been at the steel rolling mill for three days. How did you manage to detect that enemy agents were planning to use the tunnels buried there to blow up the special workshop?"

Jia Dongming did have the help of the system, but he discovered that enemy agents also had some opportunities.

When Liu Xiangqian asked this question and saw the curious looks on everyone's faces, he smiled and replied, "Director Liu! This matter is actually somewhat related to what you just mentioned about being 'unfamiliar with the place'."

"Due to poor health, Director Lin of our factory's security department has been hospitalized for a long time, resulting in the three brigades under the security department operating independently."

My arrival just so happened to block others' path to promotion, so on my first day in office, the three battalion commanders joined forces to ostracize me.

"What Director Liu just said, 'I'm unfamiliar with the place,' is exactly how I felt when I first arrived at the steel rolling mill."

To quickly establish myself in the security department, I had to familiarize myself with the environment first. So, during the day, I wandered around the factory area and unknowingly ended up near the special workshop.

"At that time, I saw a lonely little house about 30 or 40 meters away from the special workshop. I was curious, so I asked someone about its purpose."

Security personnel informed us that this building had been used by the security department in its earlier years, but was left unused after the special workshop's security office was built.

"The factory originally planned to demolish the building, but it was not demolished for some reason and has been left standing ever since."

At first, I didn't think much of it, but later, while using the restroom, I overheard two cleaners complaining that someone was behaving badly, dumping slag into the septic tank every day.

As the saying goes, the speaker may not mean anything by it, but the listener may take it to heart.

The complaints of the two cleaners subconsciously reminded me of that empty little house.

So, with a tentative mindset, I secretly observed the movements within the house.

"It was discovered that several people were using the cover of night to remove slag from the hut into the septic tank of the toilet."

Taking advantage of his absence, I quietly slipped into the house and discovered a tunnel leading to the special workshop, as well as something buried beneath the workshop.

"At that time, I was not familiar with my colleagues in the security department, nor did I know whether the department had been infiltrated by enemy agents. So I sought out my old comrade-in-arms, Wang Dapao, the director of Jiaodaokou Police Station. With the cooperation of the police station, we finally found out the identities and number of enemy agents and wiped them out in one fell swoop."

After listening to Jia Dongming's story, Liu Xiangqian, recalling Yang Weimin's matter, asked curiously, "Director Jia! I heard that Yang Weimin was arrested because of his wife, who is said to be an enemy agent infiltrating Beijing. Is this true?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongming nodded slightly and replied solemnly, "Yang Weimin's wife, Zhang Huizi, is the leader of the enemy agents in our factory."

Yang Weimin had a habit of taking factory work home to handle, and Zhang Huizi took advantage of this to steal a lot of secrets.

When we went to arrest Zhang Huizi, we found a newly copied confidential document in Yang Weimin's home.

"I do know Zhang Huizi. She used to be a nurse at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. After marrying Yang Weimin, she was transferred to work at the People's Hospital."

Unexpectedly, this woman turned out to be a spy sent by the enemy.

After listening to Jia Dongming's words, Deputy Factory Director Gao recalled Zhang Huizi, whom he had met once before, and couldn't help but sigh.

After listening to Jia Dongming's account, Liu Xiangqian raised his glass and said to everyone at the table with a smile, "Come, come, come! Let's not talk about these troublesome things, let's drink!"

We had to go back to work in the afternoon, so the dinner at the textile factory ended around 1 p.m.

Liu Xiangqian took four envelopes from Deputy Factory Director Gao and handed them to Zhang Huanchun, Jia Dongming and others one by one, saying with a smile: "Captain Zhang, Director Jia, Brigade Leader Lin, Deputy Brigade Leader Zhao, thanks to your help this time, the factory was spared a great loss."

The factory has prepared a small gift; please accept it.

When Zhang Huanchun saw the envelope, he assumed it was money from the factory and quickly declined, saying, "Director Liu, solving cases is my job. Taking this money would be against the rules. Please take it back."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiangqian immediately realized that the other party had misunderstood, and explained with a smile: "Captain Zhang has misunderstood. As cadres, how could we do such a thing?"

The factory is expanding soon and needs to hire 300 apprentices.

The envelope contains a job application letter. If anyone in your family needs work, you can bring this to the factory to report for duty.

Upon learning that it was a job introduction letter, Zhang Huanchun's heart stirred—his two younger sisters were still unemployed, and this letter was indeed crucial for his family.

However, considering the preciousness of the job opportunity, he suppressed the thought and politely declined, saying, "Director Liu, this letter of introduction is too valuable, we cannot accept it, but we appreciate your kindness."