The Fitter Master in the Courtyard: Surrounded by Dead Men

Yang Ping's heart skipped a beat, and he pushed off with even more force.

If I could find an excuse to say I have a headache and go to a hotel to rest, that would be a wonderful thing.

"Xiaobai is hosting."

Gao Yue continued, as if she could read his mind, and gently pinched his waist with her fingertips, "It's in Fengzeyuan."

Don't get any ideas.

The wheels rolled over the road, making a soft, rustling sound.

Yang Ping laughed, raising her voice to the evening breeze: "Look at what you're saying, what kind of wicked thoughts could someone as upright as me have?"

A soft "humph" came from the back seat.

It sounded like a reproach.

But as they turned into that quiet, tree-lined path, the arms around his waist tightened even more.

Fengzeyuan.

Yang Ping knew what was going on.

Zhou Xiaobai's meal was simply to thank him for his help during the unexpected incident a few days ago.

It's only natural to express gratitude for someone who has saved your life.

The road was a bit bumpy.

Gao Yue pressed her cheek against his back and suddenly asked about what happened that night.

Yang Ping then said a few important words, his words carried by the wind, making them sound somewhat disjointed.

"If this happens again..."

Gao Yue's muffled voice came from behind, and her arm tightened around him, "Don't rush forward anymore, you hear me?"

She thought about the gun barrels that might be protruding from the shadows, about the blind trails, and a chill ran down her spine.

"knew,"

Yang Ping readily agreed. As the wheels turned a corner, the warm yellow lights of Fengzeyuan could be seen ahead. "Next time, I'll definitely stay far away."

Gao Yue's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

The outline of Fengzeyuan Garden has become clear in sight.

As the two entered the garden, a waiter quickly led them to an elegant private room.

Inside the room, Zhou Xiaobai was already waiting.

A middle-aged man dressed in a Zhongshan suit sat next to her.

The man sat upright like a pine tree, his back straight, his face serious, and he exuded an air of authority that came from someone who had long held a position of power.

The moment Yang Ping stepped into the room, she could smell the military aura emanating from the man.

Judging from his demeanor, he is no ordinary person; he is probably a general.

"Yang Ping! Gao Yue!"

Upon seeing the two enter, Zhou Xiaobai immediately greeted them.

She then turned to Yang Ping and introduced him, "Yang Ping, this is Officer Zhang's father."

He came all this way today specifically to thank you in person.

Yang Ping immediately thought of the young police officer who had been injured in the leg during the operation.

It seems that the man in front of him is his father.

"Comrade Yang Ping, thank you for saving my son."

The middle-aged man spoke, his tone sincere.

"You're too kind. I just did what I was supposed to do."

Yang Ping responded with a smile.

The middle-aged man took out an exquisite wooden box from his bag and handed it over along with a card. "Comrade Yang Ping, I am deeply grateful for your life-saving grace."

This is a small token of my appreciation; please accept it.

If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can call me at this number, and I will do my best to help.

"That's really unnecessary..."

Yang Ping instinctively wanted to decline.

The middle-aged man, without a word, pushed the item back into his hands, the force gentle yet brooking no refusal. "I have other matters to attend to in the team, so I'll be going now."

Remember, don't hesitate to ask if you need anything.

His words were concise and powerful, carrying an air of omnipotent confidence, as if there were no troubles in the world he couldn't handle.

"it is good."

Yang Ping stopped making excuses and nodded.

His gaze fell on the card: "Zhang Chenghua".

Three words and a phone number came into view.

My suspicions were confirmed: Zhang Chenghua's identity was indeed extraordinary.

In those days, not many households had telephones installed.

Who would have thought that a chance intervention would save that family's child and leave that important person indebted to him?

"Yang Ping, Uncle Zhang's position in the army is extraordinary. There is almost nothing he cannot accomplish within the territory of Xia Kingdom."

You should use this favor wisely; don't bother with trivial matters.

Zhou Xiaobai's tone carried a rare hint of concern.

Ever since Yang Ping saved her that night, the way she looked at him changed. Her former prejudices quietly faded away, and she spoke much more gently.

Yang Ping nodded silently.

He understood perfectly well.

Unless it's a matter of life and death, this number should never be dialed lightly.

That person came and went like the wind; if it weren't for the matter concerning his son's life, he probably wouldn't have personally come to visit.

"Yang Ping, I've also prepared a thank-you gift for you."

Zhou Xiaobai took out a jade pendant from her bosom and handed it to him, saying, "I got it from my father to thank you for saving my life."

The jade pendant was lustrous and its carvings were exquisite; one could tell at a glance that it was no ordinary object.

"Xiaobai, this is too precious."

Yang Ping still declined.

Without saying a word, Zhou Xiaobai shoved the jade pendant into his hand.

Seeing her resolute attitude, Yang Ping had no choice but to thank her and put the jade pendant away.

During dinner, Gao Yue and Zhou Xiaobai chatted enthusiastically, while Yang Ping only occasionally chimed in.

Before we knew it, the meal was coming to an end.

I won't bother you any longer.

Zhou Xiaobai stood up to say goodbye, a knowing smile in her eyes.

After seeing the guests off, Yang Ping turned around and saw a faint blush on Gao Yue's cheeks.

He understood immediately, said nothing, and nimbly mounted his bicycle, carrying her once again towards the Jinghua Hotel.

The headache lasted for three hours before gradually subsiding; this time, my body seemed to have a better tolerance.

The air in the workshop was filled with the smell of metal and machine oil.

Yang Ping sat at the workbench, the oddly shaped part in his hand making a uniform friction sound as the grinding wheel turned.

His repeated practice over the past few days has made his skills increasingly steady, and he can now consistently reach the threshold of an eighth-level fitter, delivering qualified parts about eight out of ten times.

If things continue like this, in a few more days, they should be able to reach the mid-level of the eighth tier.

"Master Yang!"

Lu Shuitian's voice called from behind.

In fact, Yang Ping had already noticed that someone was waiting nearby, but the work at hand did not allow for the slightest distraction, so she did not turn around.

Lü Shuitian was sensible enough to stand quietly at the back without disturbing them.

Yang Ping stopped what he was doing and turned around. Only then did he see Li Chengde standing next to Lü Shuitian. The man had just been standing in a blind spot; he had only heard his voice but had not seen him.

"Director Li!"

Yang Ping blurted out.

"It's Deputy Factory Director Li."

Lu Shuitian quickly corrected him in a low voice, "Don't call me by the wrong name."

"It's alright, it's alright."

Li Chengde smiled and waved his hand, but the lines around his eyes betrayed his undisguised enjoyment.

"Deputy Factory Director Li."

Yang Ping immediately changed his tune.

Although Li Chengde said he didn't care, he probably cared about this "vice" position more than anyone else.

If you don't really care about words, then promotions lose their flavor.

Yang Ping was not surprised that Li Chengde had been appointed as the deputy factory director.

In a few years, when the winds of change blow, this person will most likely be promoted to the position of factory director.

Since joining the factory, Li Chengde has been climbing a ladder to the clouds, from deputy director to director, and now deputy factory director. He will probably be in charge of the entire factory in the future. His promotion momentum is like an arrow shot upwards.

"well."

Li Chengde nodded repeatedly, his eyes almost disappearing from his smile.

Yang Ping smiled slightly and returned a calm smile.

Yang Ping had just taken up the position of deputy factory director, and the novelty was still fresh in his mind. However, he knew that once this wave of enthusiasm subsided, he would probably have other thoughts in his mind.

Li Chengde was currently basking in the glory of being the deputy factory director, a satisfied look on his face. Only after he had enjoyed it enough did he leisurely bring up the important matter: "Yang Ping, the big boss has sent word that he wants to invite you to dinner."

"It's set for this weekend. Come to the factory at 3 PM, and a car will take you there."

"Okay, I'll be there on time."

Yang Ping agreed readily.

Upon hearing this, a hint of sadness flashed across the eyes of Lü Shuitian and Xie Quancai, who were standing to the side.

It seems the top leader didn't intend to include them.

Li Chengde then instructed Yang Ping not to be late before walking away with his hands behind his back.

Lu Shuitian came over and asked about the progress of the alien parts. Hearing that Yang Ping's success rate had stabilized at 80%, his previous disappointment at not being invited vanished instantly, and he left happily.

Only Xie Quancai remained, his shoulders slumped, his face filled with dejection.

"Master, how about... I try asking the higher-ups if I can give you a ride?"

Yang Ping spoke up, half-jokingly.

"No way!"

Xie Quancai immediately waved his hand, his tone resolute, "They specifically invited you. If we force someone else to go, what if it displeases the leader? Wouldn't that be a disaster?"

He could still distinguish between what was important and what was not.

If his apprentice can get close to a high-ranking leader, that's an incredible opportunity. If this old guy ruins it, he'll regret it for the rest of his life.

"You should have trained me to be a level eight worker sooner rather than later, that would have been better than anything else."

He quickly changed the subject.

Yang Ping laughed when he heard this. His master was really too honest, thinking that becoming an eighth-level fitter was something that could be done casually.

"Master, don't worry. When have I ever fallen behind you? Follow my method and hone your skills to the top level seven first. Level eight will come naturally."

He softened his voice and spoke earnestly.

"Um."

Xie Quancai nodded, his brows gradually relaxing.

Yang Ping did not refute it. This apprentice was indeed very skilled, and the techniques he taught were very practical. He also studied hard and in a short period of time, he jumped from a novice to a mid-level.

However, the senior workers under his command were so dull-witted that it was a headache; nearly twenty days had passed, and not one of them had passed the assessment for promotion.

Yang Ping shook his head and turned back to continue polishing the parts.

He needs to quickly improve his proficiency and stabilize the yield rate.

As for the dinner invitation from the leader, it's still a rest day, there are still two days left, so there's no need to rush.

It was three in the morning, and the night was deep.

Yang Ping sat cross-legged on the bed and slowly opened his eyes.

He hardly slept at all those nights, constantly circulating his innate internal energy throughout his body to temper his physique.

Over time, my body has become noticeably more solid.

If he were to encounter a similar perilous situation as Zhou Xiaobai had that day, he was confident that he could subdue the other party before they could react, and his actions would be much more composed than before.

He got out of bed, quietly moved to the door, and listened carefully to the sounds coming from the courtyard.

Tonight he plans to go to ** to scout out some ways to make money.

The plan to train assassins can no longer be delayed.

Among the assassins I've encountered recently, there are many who are in their seventies or eighties, and even some who are over a hundred years old. I imagine there are many more who have yet to show their faces.

Yang Ping did not want to wait until the day they met, but some people could not withstand the passage of time.

The most urgent task at hand is to raise a million yuan to extend the lives of all the suicide soldiers by five years, ensuring their safety for at least five years.

The courtyard was completely silent.

Yang Ping gently pushed open the window, her figure emerging like a cat, then disappearing completely without making a sound.

He walked a distance along the dark alley before taking out a bicycle from his hidden compartment, mounting it, and heading towards **.

In those days, apart from major intersections, ordinary streets and alleys were unlit.

The road ahead was submerged in heavy darkness, its outline almost indistinguishable, with only the faint sound of wheels rolling over the ground guiding him through the vast night.

The night was as dark as ink, but Yang Ping's eyes could see clearly in the darkness. He rode his bicycle through the alleys without worrying about bumping into walls or pedestrians.

The destination of this trip was a hidden market in Dongdan, which was only a ten-minute bike ride away.

As he approached the market intersection, he spotted several figures loitering in the shadows, their eyes lazily scanning the surroundings.

In these days, supplies are scarce and supply and demand are often unbalanced, so the authorities have tacitly allowed the existence of these markets to alleviate the pressure, without really cracking down on them.

But the venue still needs someone to watch over it—these watchmen are the eyes and ears, reporting any suspicious activity; and the vendors have to pay a "guarding fee".

It's no different from the money for a stall.