Courtyard House: I Have Countless Bodyguards

Yan Bugui raised his voice eight octaves, rubbed his hands vigorously on his clothes again, then reached out and tightly grasped Liu Jianguo's hand, shaking it vigorously up and down as he said:

"My name is Yan Bugui. I teach at Hongxing Primary School. I can barely be considered a cultured person, haha."

Thanks to the trust of the street office and Director Wang, I am also a liaison officer in the hospital.

If you need any errands, odd jobs, or need to ask for information in the future, please don't hesitate to ask! Don't be shy!

His smile was warm, but the calculating look in his eyes did not escape Liu Jianguo's notice.

Liu Jianguo sneered inwardly. This Yan Laoxi was indeed living up to his reputation; the scheming undertones in his enthusiasm could be smelled from afar.

He remained expressionless, his handshake firm but neither cold nor overly enthusiastic.

"Teacher Yan, you're too kind. We'll be neighbors from now on, so let's look out for each other. I'm new here, and I'll have to ask you, a long-time resident, for advice on many things."

Just then, more and more people from the Intermediate People's Court arrived after hearing the news, their footsteps and chatter growing louder as they approached.

Upon receiving the news, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong quickly walked over from the moon gate in the front yard, one after the other.

Yi Zhonghai was in his early forties, tall and with a steady gait. He wore a kind smile befitting his status, and his eyes held the composure and scrutiny of an old worker.

Following behind him was Liu Haizhong, who was slightly younger and had a slightly chubby belly. He had a smile on his face and tried to put on an air of authority, but his smile always revealed an undisguised fawning desire to curry favor with those in power.

"Director Wang!"

Yi Zhonghai spoke first, his voice loud and clear, revealing the down-to-earth spirit unique to the working class.

"This must be the new Director Liu, right? I'm Yi Zhonghai from the steel rolling mill's fitter workshop. Welcome! Welcome to our compound, No. 95!"

He proactively extended his large, calloused yet exceptionally strong hands to Liu Jianguo, his gaze honest and direct as he shook hands, carrying a sense of assessment.

Liu Haizhong quickly squeezed forward half a step from behind Yi Zhonghai, deliberately raising his voice a few decibels, with a touch of exaggerated enthusiasm:

"Oh my! Director Liu! You're so young and promising! Such a handsome man! I'm Liu Haizhong, also a forger at the steel rolling mill! From now on, we're not only neighbors, but also comrades-in-arms from the same factory! What a coincidence! Please don't hesitate to speak up if you need anything!"

When he shook hands, he almost held Liu Jianguo's hands with both hands, leaning forward and adopting a very humble posture.

Liu Jianguo quickly judged that Yi Zhonghai was the cornerstone of the institute, with high prestige and a calm demeanor, a person who needed to be dealt with cautiously. Liu Haizhong, on the other hand, was an official-minded, shallow-minded, pretentious, and concerned with saving face; perhaps he could be used.

He responded just as politely, his tone neither humble nor arrogant:

"Master Yi, Master Liu, hello. I'm new here and don't know many of the rules in the factory or the yard. I hope you two can guide me in my work and life in the future."

He deliberately used the term "master," which is more respectful and carries a sense of equality in the factory, instead of the more common "old man" in the yard. This showed respect for the other person's status in the factory while subtly maintaining a certain distance.

Seeing that more and more people were gathering, Director Wang raised his voice and addressed the men, women, and children who had gathered:

"All the old neighbors are here! Perfect! Let me formally introduce you all again! Comrade Liu Jianguo is a combat hero who earned a first-class merit on the Korean battlefield! He has now transferred to our Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill as the deputy director of the security department! From now on, he will be a member of our No. 95 compound! Director Liu prefers a quiet life, so let's all look out for each other!"

No sooner had these words been spoken than a gruff voice came from behind the crowd:

"Make way, make way, what are you all looking at here for?"

A tall, middle-aged man wearing a greasy apron and with a somewhat arrogant look squeezed in from outside, carrying a net bag in his left hand containing several aluminum lunch boxes with the words "Red Star Canteen" printed on them and some vegetables and radishes, and a wine bottle in his right hand.

It was He Daqing. He reeked of the distinctive smell of cooking oil in the kitchen, and his cheeks were flushed red from the cold wind.

He glanced at Director Wang and the unfamiliar face of Liu Jianguo, and then saw that the two "old men," Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, were also by his side. He paused for a moment, then asked casually:

"Director Wang, Master Yi, what's going on? Has the new leader come to inspect?"

Yi Zhonghai explained to him in a low voice:

"Daqing, this is our new neighbor, Director Liu. He bought the east wing of our compound."

He Daqing gave an "Oh," looked Liu Jianguo up and down a few times, his eyes showing little respect but rather curiosity and a "nothing special" expression, and muttered:

"Wow, quite a young section chief. Okay, you guys keep chatting, my lunchbox is getting cold, I need to hurry back and heat it up."

After saying that, he didn't stand on ceremony and, carrying his things, shuffled towards his own house in the backyard, clearly more concerned about the food and the drink in his hand.

Liu Jianguo took it all in, gaining a clearer understanding of the power structure and personalities within the compound. Yi Zhonghai represented prestige, requiring careful dealing with him; Liu Haizhong, driven by ambition, could be appropriately manipulated.

Yan Bugui is scheming, so we must be careful; He Daqing is reckless and his intentions are unclear. This pool of water is indeed deep. My arrival, like a stone, has already stirred up ripples.

Director Wang opened the gate to the courtyard and led Liu Jianguo around inside, noticing Liu Jianguo's satisfied expression.

Having achieved his main objective, Director Wang said to Liu Jianguo:

"Director Liu, we'll head back now. Section Chief Lu will contact the factory's construction team as soon as possible to arrange the renovation and door replacement. Just relax and get ready. If you need anything, or if any of your neighbors have any problems, feel free to come to the neighborhood office to find me."

"Thank you so much, Director Wang! Section Chief Lu, thank you for your hard work too!" Liu Jianguo thanked them again and escorted them to the gate of the hospital.

Section Chief Lu looked at Liu Jianguo and said, "Director Liu, you don't have a place to stay yet, do you? Come back to the factory area with me."

Liu Jianguo locked the courtyard gate, though the lock was rusty, and carrying his simple luggage, followed Section Chief Lu back to the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. As the deputy director of the security department, he should at least have a temporary dormitory or office to make do with for a few nights.

By the time I returned to the steel rolling mill, it was nearly dusk. Workers were pouring out of the factory like a tide, each with a face etched with the weariness of the day and a longing for home.

After parting ways with Section Chief Lu, Liu Jianguo walked against the flow of people to the small building where the security department was located. The corridor was somewhat dim, and most of the offices were locked. He found the director's office; the door was ajar, and light shone from inside. He knocked, and Director Wu's slightly hoarse voice came from inside:

"Come in."

Liu Jianguo pushed open the door and entered. Wu Tiansheng was wearing a cotton-padded coat, sitting behind his desk tidying up documents, seemingly preparing to leave work. Seeing Liu Jianguo, he seemed somewhat surprised and raised his eyelids slightly.

"Jianguo? It's so late, and you're still not settled? I thought you'd be busy with things at the yard for days."

"Director Wu," Liu Jianguo stood at attention and gave a brief report, "The east wing is temporarily uninhabitable and needs major repairs. I was thinking of coming to the office to report for duty first, see if there's a place to rest temporarily, and also to familiarize myself with the work."