Courtyard House: I Have Countless Bodyguards

Liu Jianguo returned to his office, the deputy director of the security department at the steel rolling mill. He had barely sat down when his secretary, Li Bing, tiptoed in, placed a freshly brewed cup of hot tea in front of him, and then reported in a low voice:

"Director, there are two men outside looking for you, one named Liu Jiefang and the other Wang Weiguo. They said you sent them. Should we bring them in?"

Liu Jianguo picked up his teacup and blew on the steam. After listening to Li Bing's words, he immediately understood that these must be the two new assassins summoned by the system, who appeared with the distinctive names of the era, "Liu Jiefang" and "Wang Weiguo".

He nodded and said to Li Bing, "Yes, these are the two people I've been waiting for. Let them in."

Li Bing responded and went out, quickly returning with two strong, steady-looking young men. Upon seeing Liu Jianguo, the two men immediately straightened their backs, their eyes filled with absolute loyalty.

Liu Jianguo carefully examined them, nodded in satisfaction, took out the letter of introduction that the political commissar had just written from his pocket, handed it over, and gave a succinct order:

"You two, Liu Jiefang and Wang Weiguo, take this and go to the district public security bureau to report to the political commissar now. The political commissar will arrange your specific tasks."

Then, he turned to Li Bing, who was standing to the side, and instructed him:

"Li Bing, go to the Public Security Section and find Section Chief Wang Liang. Tell him I have something to deliver to the branch office and ask him to arrange for Li Cheng to take a few people to No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, my east wing."

He lowered his voice and said, "Tell Li Cheng personally that I have prepared two fat pigs in my yard. Tell him to bring a few reliable men and make sure they are safely delivered to the district public security bureau. Tell him it's a small token of our factory's security department's support for our brother unit."

This is to fulfill the "promise" he made to the political commissar.

After arranging these two matters, Liu Jianguo leaned back in his chair, slowly sipping his tea, and began to ponder:

Over the past month, through nighttime inspections and personnel adjustments, the security and public order departments have been basically streamlined, and Li Wu and his team have gained a firm foothold. With the Lunar New Year approaching, this is a crucial juncture. It's time to have a "chat" with Li Huaide, the deputy factory director in charge of logistics.

Li Huaide is quite ambitious and will definitely want to compete for the factory director position in the future. He needs the support of departments with real power, and our security department is the one he must win over.

He's been showing signs of trying to curry favor lately, and I can't let this opportunity slip by. If I can get some extra New Year's benefits from him for the two hundred or so guys in the security and public order departments—like new shoes or new uniforms—the effect will be immediate.

What will people in other departments think after seeing this? They'll definitely think:

Working under Director Liu means you'll get what you deserve! The Security Section and Public Order Section get it, but you don't? That's the biggest proof! It's much more effective than empty rhetoric.

With that thought in mind, Liu Jianguo no longer hesitated.

After Li Bing finished his business and returned to report, he took out two bottles of special-supply liquor wrapped in kraft paper without any labels from under his desk (actually from a small world) and handed them to Li Bing.

He then led Li Bing directly to Li Huaide's deputy director's office in the factory's office building. Upon arriving, they found the office door ajar and the light on inside.

Liu Jianguo gestured to Li Bing, telling him to wait outside, while he knocked on the door and, without waiting for a response, called out:

"Old Li! Busy?" He pushed open the door and walked in, appearing very familiar with him.

Once inside, he didn't wait for Li Huaide to greet him. He walked to the sofa, found a comfortable spot, and sat down as naturally as if he were in his own home.

After sitting down, Liu Jianguo didn't say anything. He just leaned forward slightly, with a half-smile on his face, staring intently at Li Huaide, who was sitting behind the desk.

His sharp gaze, carrying a scrutinizing and "you know what I mean" tone, made Li Huaide, who had originally wanted to put on airs, feel extremely uncomfortable, his mind racing with unease and a sense of awkwardness.

Li Huaide felt a little uneasy under their gaze, chuckled dryly, and broke the silence:

"Hey, Comrade Jianguo, why are you... why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face? Get to the point!"

Liu Jianguo chuckled and got straight to the point: "It's nothing serious. Old Li, isn't it almost Chinese New Year? The end of the year is tough, so I'm... here to beg for your money!" He said the words "beg for your money" with a straight face.

When Li Huaide heard that they had come to ask for something, he felt more at ease. As long as they had something to ask for, things would be easier to handle.

His smile softened a bit, and he said, "You really don't hold back! Fine, just tell me, what good stuff from my logistics department have you got your eye on?"

Liu Jianguo waved his hand dismissively, as if it were the most natural thing in the world: "I'm a soldier, it's my nature to say what I mean, no beating around the bush! If I have difficulties, who else should I turn to if not the organization?"

Just then, Li Huaide's secretary brought in two cups of hot tea, gently placed them on the coffee table in front of Liu Jianguo and Li Huaide, and then quietly withdrew, closing the office door behind him. Only the two of them remained in the room.

Li Huaide picked up his enamel teacup, blew on it, and gestured:

"Have some water, have some water. Don't worry about the New Year's goods. The factory's welfare plan for this year has been finalized. Everything that's supposed to be there will be, and your security department will definitely get its share." He started with an official tone, trying to probe Liu Jianguo's intentions.

Liu Jianguo didn't reach for the teacup; he sat up straighter, and his expression became serious.

"Old Li, let me tell you the truth. Whether I, Liu Jianguo, personally receive a reward or not is secondary."

He pointed vaguely towards the security post outside the window. "But my two hundred or so men are eagerly awaiting the New Year! I just took over as deputy director, so I have to do something practical for them, otherwise how can I gain their respect?"

He spoke sincerely, "For the past month, I've gone on patrols and inspections with them many nights. In the dead of winter, the northwest wind was like a knife. I saw that the shoes on the brothers' feet were worn out, and their cotton-padded coats were thin and old."

I'm really upset about this! So, I've swallowed my pride and come to you, the head of logistics, to ask for some extra help! Maybe you could get the guys a little something extra, like... a new pair of shoes, a new down jacket?

His approach of seeking benefits for his subordinates was reasonable and hard to refuse.

After saying that, he leaned back, crossed his arms, and wore a roguish yet resolute smile. The meaning was clear: I've set the terms, and you know the benefits (supporting your bid for factory manager). If you don't give me a satisfactory answer today, I'm really not going to leave.

Seeing that Li Huaide was still hesitating, Liu Jianguo added fuel to the fire, lowering his voice and speaking in a somewhat mysterious tone:

"Besides, Lao Li, I can't come empty-handed this time. I've saved two really good bottles for you. They're specially supplied; ordinary people can't get their hands on them!" This was both a gift and an implication of his own power.

After saying that, without waiting for Li Huaide's response, he raised his voice and shouted towards the door, "Li Bing!"

The office door opened in response, and Li Bing walked in carrying the two bottles of specially supplied liquor, which were wrapped tightly in kraft paper. He gently placed them on Li Huaide's desk, then bowed slightly to the two leaders before quietly leaving. The whole process was clean and efficient.