Courtyard House: I Have Countless Bodyguards

The meeting had just ended, and it was nearing the end of the workday, when the loudspeakers over the factory area blared out precisely on time, broadcasting Qin Huairu's clear, melodious voice:

"All employees of the factory, we are now broadcasting an important personnel appointment and removal notice: After deliberation by the factory's Party Committee and approval by the higher authorities, Comrade Liu Jianguo has been appointed as the Director of the Security Department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill... Comrade Liu Jianguo has long been conscientious and responsible in his work and has a firm stance..."

The official appointment notice was broadcast to every corner of the factory.

The broadcast continued, and the heads of various departments who had just left the office building after the meeting, as well as the workers in the factory who were packing up their tools to go home, all heard the news.

Immediately, a low murmur of discussion arose from all directions.

"Wow! Director Liu has been officially promoted!"

"Wow, that's really impressive for someone so young! Only twenty-two, right?"

"Tsk tsk, such a young section chief." Envy, admiration, curiosity... all kinds of eyes and discussions were focused on the young section chief who had just sat in the main seat for the meeting.

After Liu Jianguo finished dealing with the backlog of documents in the security department, it was already dark outside the window, and the office building had become quiet.

He rubbed his throbbing temples, packed his things, and pushed his bicycle out of the factory gate.

Back at the entrance of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, just as I parked my car, Uncle Yan Bugui emerged from the west wing of the front courtyard, lifting the curtain and peeking out with a fawning smile. He cupped his hands and said:

"Oh, Director Liu is back! Congratulations on your promotion! It's such an honor for our institute to have such a young director like you." The news spread really fast.

Liu Jianguo gave Yan Bugui a perfunctory few words of politeness: "Congratulations, congratulations, it's all thanks to the organization's cultivation."

He then pushed the cart into the courtyard and went straight back to the east wing.

As soon as they entered through the moon gate, they saw the lights on in their own kitchen. Qin Huairu, wearing an apron, was busy at the stove, and the aroma of food was already wafting out.

Hearing the noise, Qin Huairu turned around, her face filled with genuine joy and a hint of pride, her voice soft:

"You're back! I heard... you became a section chief. Congratulations, Jianguo!"

Her eyes sparkled, as if she were even happier than if she had been promoted herself.

Liu Jianguo took off his coat, casually sat down at the octagonal table, and smiled:

"It's nothing, just a normal job transfer."

He glanced at the two plates of cold dishes and the bowl of soup already laid out on the table, then looked at the kitchen. "Isn't the food almost ready? Why are you still busy?"

As Qin Huairu deftly stirred the vegetables in the pan, she turned back and gave him a reproachful look:

"Look at you, this is such a joyous occasion! I specially bought extra meat and a couple more dishes to celebrate a little. It'll be ready soon, sit down and rest for a while."

Just as Qin Huairu brought the last hot dish to the table and the two were about to eat, the gate of the east courtyard was gently pushed open a crack.

Tang Jingxian appeared at the doorway, and under the light, her appearance startled both Liu Jianguo and Qin Huairu.

Her face was pale, with dark circles under her eyes, a dull gaze, and chapped lips. She looked extremely haggard, clearly having not rested well for the past two days.

Liu Jianguo was indeed very surprised.

He had made things so clear that day, and he thought that with Tang Jingxian's pride and family background, she would never take the initiative to come looking for him again.

He quickly suppressed his surprise, put on a natural expression, and stood up to greet them:

"Jingxian? What brings you here? Haven't eaten yet? Perfect timing, Huairu just finished cooking, want to grab some together?"

He tried to keep his tone as gentle as possible.

Tang Jingxian didn't say anything, but silently walked to the table, pulled over a chair and sat down, lowered her head, placed her hands on her knees, and unconsciously twisted her fingers together.

Qin Huairu keenly sensed that something was wrong, especially Tang Jingxian's distraught appearance and the invisible tension between her and Liu Jianguo.

She quickly arranged the rice and chopsticks, and whispered, "Jingxian, time to eat."

He then sat down cautiously, not daring to say a word.

"Let's eat."

Liu Jianguo picked up his chopsticks, breaking the silence.

The meal was eaten in unusual quiet, with only the slight clinking of bowls and chopsticks.

Halfway through the meal, Tang Jingxian suddenly looked up at Liu Jianguo with a complicated expression, and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice:

"I heard... you've become a section chief. Congratulations."

These words touched Liu Jianguo's heart. It seemed that even under those circumstances, she was still paying attention to his news.

Seeing this, Qin Huairu quickly added:

"Yes, congratulations on your promotion, Founding of the Nation."

Liu Jianguo replied simply, "Thank you."

A suffocating silence fell over the dinner table once again.

Just as the meal was about to end, Tang Jingxian seemed to have used up all her strength to raise her head again, looking directly at Liu Jianguo. Her face was a mixture of struggle and a desperate resolve as she spoke, word by word:

"Liu Jianguo...I...I've thought about it. I...I don't mind whether you can marry me or not."

These words struck Liu Jianguo like a thunderbolt, causing his hand holding chopsticks to freeze in mid-air. He was truly shocked.

Although the People's Republic of China was founded not long ago, and some older generations may still hold outdated views, young women of the new era like Tang Jingxian, who come from privileged backgrounds, are educated, and have respectable jobs, have long since accepted and embraced the concept of monogamy.

The fact that she could say she didn't care about the title speaks volumes about the struggles and sacrifices she made.

Liu Jianguo quickly regained his composure. He put down his chopsticks, leaned back slightly, and looked at Tang Jingxian with a scrutinizing gaze, a slightly playful and probing smile playing on his lips.

"Jingxian, do you know what you're saying? You can't just say things like that. I'm not exactly a faithful person; I've had my share of romantic entanglements, and I might not settle down in the future. Is it worth it for you to do this?"

He deliberately spoke in a flippant tone, wanting to see just how determined she was.

Tang Jingxian's nails dug deeply into her palms, but she met Liu Jianguo's gaze without flinching. Although her eyes were already red and her voice trembled, she repeated with unusual clarity, "I can accept it."

These four words seemed to drain all her strength and shatter the bottom line she had always held firm to.

This time, it was Liu Jianguo's turn to fall silent.

He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, his mind racing as he weighed his options.

To be fair, Tang Jingxian is a top-tier marriage prospect in this era, considering her family background, appearance, job, and abilities.

My previous rejection was largely due to the foresight that she wouldn't be able to accept my infidelity.

Now, she has actually taken the initiative to say that she doesn't mind, which has undoubtedly far exceeded his expectations.