Courtyard House: I Have Countless Bodyguards

Liu Jianguo gestured with his chin towards the two bottles of wine, a confident smile on his face:

"Old Li, I'm not bragging, just open it and try it. This military-supplied stuff is on a completely different level from what you find on the market!"

Li Huaide looked at the wine on the table, then at Liu Jianguo's knowing expression, and finally couldn't help but burst into laughter, pointing his finger at Liu Jianguo:

"You! You've got me figured out! You know I like this kind of thing, it's impossible for me to refuse!"

After laughing, he pondered for a moment, quickly calculating in his mind: Liu Jianguo directly manages more than two hundred people in the security department, who are the backbone of the factory. To win them over, he must show sincerity.

So he made a decision:

"Alright! Considering you've thought of the brothers, and also because of this good wine! I'll make a special exception and give you an extra 200 pairs of safety shoes and 200 sets of cotton work clothes! Are you satisfied now?"

He paused, then offered an even more substantial perk: "Furthermore, when distributing meat during the New Year, each person in the factory already has a quota. I'll make a decision: everyone in your security department will receive an extra pound of pork on top of their quota! Now you won't have anything to say, right?"

This statement was half-joking and half-serious, offering a practical and effective gift to win people's hearts.

In fact, both of them knew exactly what was going on.

Those two bottles of specially supplied liquor were just a pretext, a stepping stone, to make the transaction seem less blatant.

Li Huaide's willingness to invest such a large sum was primarily based on a longer-term calculation:

He does need to win over the Security Department, which controls the armed forces, and Liu Jianguo, the young deputy director, is capable and has connections. He already has the actual influence and even represents most of the Security Department, so it is not impossible for him to take over as director in the future.

Investing now is a sure-fire way to make money. Even if Liu Jianguo doesn't become the section chief in the end, exchanging these supplies for the security department to not trip him up at crucial moments, or to do him a favor in certain matters, is definitely not a loss. It's an unspoken win-win deal.

Emerging from Li Huaide's office, Liu Jianguo felt more at ease, and his steps became much lighter. He glanced at the sky; it was still early. He thought to himself that while some in-demand goods didn't require ration coupons, he needed to quickly acquire the necessary equipment.

He immediately instructed Li Bing, who was waiting outside, "Come with me to Wangfujing Department Store."

The two rode the old bicycles provided by the factory to Wangfujing. The department store was crowded with people and had a wide variety of goods, but the sales clerks generally had a sense of superiority that was characteristic of the early planned economy, where people "sat facing south".

In those days, there were indeed signs on the walls that read "Do not beat customers without cause," but the impatience and indifference of sales clerks were the norm.

Liu Jianguo and Li Bing walked to the bicycle counter and looked at the several brand-new "Flying Pigeon" bicycles displayed there. The saleswoman was a middle-aged woman who was chatting with her colleagues by the counter. When she saw them looking at the bicycles, she just lazily raised her eyelids.

Liu Jianguo didn't mind and pointed to the bicycle, asking, "Comrade, how much is this Flying Pigeon bicycle?"

The saleswoman slowly turned around and said in a Beijing accent, "One hundred and fifty yuan a car."

The tone implied, "If you can't afford it, don't ask."

Liu Jianguo smiled slightly, took out a thick wad of RMB from his military satchel, counted out three hundred yuan and slapped it on the counter: "Give me two, both Flying Pigeon bicycles."

His quick action and the sturdy wallet—300 yuan was a considerable sum—immediately stunned the saleswoman, who hurriedly issued a receipt and retrieved the car.

In the end, he spent a huge sum of 300 yuan to buy two brand-new Flying Pigeon bicycles.

Liu Jianguo had a clear plan in mind: one car would be mainly assigned to Li Bing, and could also be used by Li Wu, Li Liang, and a few others when there were emergency missions; the other car would be used by himself for commuting to and from get off work.

After buying the bikes, Liu Jianguo took Li Bing and pushed the two new bikes to the nearby police station to get the bicycle license plates and stamps.

When the police officers at the local police station saw that they were there to process the paperwork for two new cars at once, they couldn't help but glance at them a few more times. However, since the paperwork was complete and the money was clear, they didn't ask any further questions.

Liu Jianguo deliberately kept a low profile, not revealing his identity as deputy director, only saying that he was an employee of the steel rolling mill and that he was handling the matter according to normal procedures, without alerting the leaders of his institute. He didn't want to make a fuss over such a small matter and leave a flamboyant impression.

By the time the stamp was completed, it was already getting dark, just in time for the rush hour.

Liu Jianguo and Li Bing rode their gleaming new bicycles back to Nanluoguxiang amidst the envious glances of passersby.

As soon as I pushed the cart through the gate of No. 95 courtyard, I saw Jia Zhangshi and a well-dressed middle-aged woman with hair oil and a mole on the corner of her mouth talking quietly under the window of the Jia family in the front yard. The woman looked like a smooth-talking matchmaker.

Madam Jia's face showed a mixture of criticism and anticipation.

Upon seeing this situation, Liu Jianguo immediately understood the situation perfectly:

This must mean Jia Dongxu's marriage is on the agenda; Jia Zhangshi is asking a matchmaker to find a spouse for her son! Judging by the timing, it should be around this time. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but be startled. He had transmigrated and merged with the memories, and was now 22 years old. In this era, he had indeed reached the age to settle down and start a family.

The thought stirred within him. But he quickly calmed down: he was burdened by the system and had lofty goals; he absolutely could not allow himself to marry a woman who would be of no help to his career and might even become a burden.

But... just thinking about the woman who was about to marry into the Jia family, the legendary "Thirteenth Aunt," the young and beautiful Qin Huairu, who was also skilled in seduction! That complex emotion, a mixture of primal urges and a certain sense of "prophetic" superiority, tickled his heart like a kitten's paw, itchy and with a touch of inexplicable restlessness.

However, upon further reflection, a complex smile appeared on his lips:

It doesn't necessarily have to be a formal marriage... Watching Jia Zhangshi politely see the matchmaker out of the courtyard, Liu Jianguo also turned his gaze away and waved to Li Bing:

"Go back to the east courtyard first and park your bike there." He then pushed his bike and slowly walked back to the east courtyard.

That night, he lay on his brand-new bed, but Qin Huairu's appearance kept flashing through his mind, along with the thrill of the potential "hijacking" of her. The more he thought about it, the more he felt an indescribable heat and turmoil in his heart. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep until the early hours of the morning.

I don't know how long I tossed and turned before exhaustion finally overcame my wandering thoughts, and I fell asleep without realizing it.

The next day, Liu Jianguo's eyes were a little bluish, but his eyes shone with a determined light.

On his way to work by bicycle, he whispered instructions to Li Bing, who was riding alongside him:

"Li Bing, I'm giving you a day off today. I'll cover for you at the office for now. Ride your bike to Qinjiacun in the suburbs."