Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

10:30 a.m.

Hongxing Primary School, Principal's Office.

Yan Bugui stood before Principal Han's desk, his hands hanging at his sides, trying to remain calm. He had been notified that the principal wanted to speak with him, and assumed it was because something had gone wrong with the final exams for his class. He never expected to hear this kind of news.

"Teacher Yan," Principal Han said kindly, even getting up to pour him a glass of water, "you've worked diligently at our school all these years, and the school leaders have all seen that. Now, Comrade He Damin has personally called, specifically requesting that you go to his side to provide support, serving as the deputy head of the finance department. This is the organization's trust in you, and also a great opportunity for your personal development."

Yan Bugui's glasses nearly slipped down; he subconsciously adjusted them, his voice a little dry: "Principal Han, is...is this true?"

"Of course it's true!" Principal Han patted him on the shoulder. "Boss He will send someone to handle the formalities. You should hand over your teaching duties as soon as possible. You can go and register this afternoon."

Afternoon? So soon? Yan Bugui was somewhat dazed. He was drinking at He Damin's house last night, hearing him say things like "going through an interview process" and "needing to wait for the new leader to take office." How come the transfer order came this morning? What happened to that legendary "interview"?

But soon, overwhelming joy dispelled that sliver of doubt. Deputy Section Chief! Deputy Section Chief of the Finance Department! Not "possibly," not "in the future," but "reporting in this afternoon!"

"Thank you, Principal Han! Thank you, organization!" Yan Bugui nodded repeatedly, his eyes behind his glasses gleaming with barely suppressed light. His mind was already racing: what should the deputy head of the finance department's monthly salary be? Managing accounts and supplies, could he expect some "internal benefits"? His years of meticulous budgeting skills were finally going to come in handy!

Principal Han looked at him with a hint of disdain. Did a primary school teacher really think he could handle being the deputy head of a company's finance department? But on the surface, he maintained an encouraging smile: "Do a good job, Teacher Yan. When you go to 'Red Star,' cooperate well with the new leadership and don't embarrass our school."

"Yes, yes, definitely, definitely!" Yan Bugui bowed and left the principal's office, his steps light as if he were walking on clouds.

At the same time, at the steel rolling mill.

Li Huaide's efficiency was nothing short of lightning-fast. Less than an hour after He Damin hung up the phone, Liu Haizhong was summoned to the logistics department office.

"Master Liu, please have a seat." Li Huaide greeted him with a beaming smile, his friendly attitude making Liu Haizhong feel somewhat flattered. He was just a workshop worker and didn't usually have much contact with "lucrative departments" like the logistics department, let alone be personally received by the head of the logistics department.

"Director Li, did you need something?" Liu Haizhong, with his slightly protruding belly, tried his best to appear composed.

"Great news!" Li Huaide tapped the table. "You know the 'Red Star Service Center' in the northwest suburbs, right?"

Liu Haizhong's heart skipped a beat: "I know, He Damin's..."

"Yes, Boss He just called personally, specifically requesting that you be transferred there to serve as the deputy director of the maintenance workshop!" Li Huaide's tone was relaxed, as if he were talking about a trivial matter. "This shows that they think highly of you, and it also shows the organization's trust in you. I'll process your paperwork today, and you can report to 'Red Star' this afternoon."

Liu Haizhong was stunned.

He had considered many possibilities. Perhaps he would have to wait for He Damin to communicate with the new leader, perhaps it would take ten days or half a month, perhaps there would be interviews and assessments... He was even prepared for a protracted battle and was considering whether he should visit He Damin's house more often during this time to build a relationship.

But only one night had passed. He woke up to find the transfer order had arrived?

"Director Li, this...this is too fast!" Liu Haizhong stammered.

"Quickly?" Li Huaide laughed. "Master Liu, Boss He is waiting for people! He's about to start a joint venture and is short-staffed right now. You have the skills and experience; you'll be able to handle things independently. This is a good thing, so why aren't you happy?"

"Welcome! Welcome!" Liu Haizhong quickly expressed his opinion, his voice trembling with excitement, "I just... I just didn't expect that Boss He..."

He recalled what He Damin had said last night—things like "needing to wait for the new leader" and "going through the interview process"—it was all just modesty! Boss He had already made his plans; there was no need to wait for any new leader! What was a letter of recommendation? With just one phone call, he could be transferred directly from the steel rolling mill to "Red Star" as deputy director!

At this moment, Liu Haizhong gained a completely new understanding of He Damin's abilities. This wasn't just a wealthy boss; this was a person with a powerful background and immense influence! Getting on his good side by associating with this powerful figure would be incredibly lucky!

"Alright, stop standing there like an idiot." Li Huaide waved his hand. "Go back and pack your things, say goodbye to your colleagues in the workshop. Report to 'Red Star' on time this afternoon, don't embarrass our factory. Work hard, 'Red Star' and our factory might have cooperation in the future, and you'll be the liaison."

"Yes, yes, thank you, Director Li! Thank you, Director Li!" Liu Haizhong nodded vigorously and backed out of the office. As soon as he stepped out, his back, which had been slightly hunched from years of bending over, straightened instantly.

He's the deputy director! He's the deputy director now!

2:30 p.m.

A dusty, gray bus stopped at the bus stop outside the "Red Star" gate. Yan Bugui jumped off the bus, carrying an old briefcase—containing several lesson preparation notebooks he had used for many years of teaching and a fountain pen he had used for over a decade; this was all his possessions. He looked up at the imposing gate, at the black plaque with gold lettering that read "Red Star Vehicle Repair, Sales and Service Center," took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

Almost simultaneously, Liu Haizhong arrived at lightning speed on his old bicycle. He had changed into his most treasured blue Zhongshan suit, his hair was meticulously combed with hair wax, and his leather shoes were polished to a shine. Although the leather was somewhat cracked, it did not affect his spirit at all.

The two met at the gate.

"Old Yan!" Liu Haizhong propped up his bicycle, his face beaming with barely suppressed smugness. "You're here too?"

"Master Liu!" Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses, his face beaming. "I didn't expect it to be so fast..."

"That's right! Boss He is really..." Liu Haizhong lowered his voice, gave a thumbs up, "It's just a matter of a word! I've worked in the steel rolling mill for almost twenty years, and this is the first time I've seen Director Li handle things so efficiently!"

Yan Bugui nodded in deep agreement. He had been teaching for over a decade, and this was the first time he had ever seen Principal Han so polite to someone. It was all thanks to He Damin.

Guided by the security guard, Old Zhou, the two arrived at the personnel department on the first floor of the office building. Chen Xueru was the one who received them.

"Teacher Yan, Master Liu, welcome." Chen Xueru smiled politely and spoke gently. "President He has an important meeting today and specifically asked me to receive you both. The onboarding procedures are ready; you just need to sign these forms to confirm."

Yan Bugui took the form and examined it carefully. It included sections for position, salary, and probationary period. Deputy Section Chief, monthly salary of 120 yuan, three-month probationary period—this was two or three times more than his 40 or 50 yuan a month as a teacher! His heart raced, his hand holding the pen trembled slightly, but he still couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "General Manager Chen, is this…probationary period mandatory?"

Chen Xueru glanced at him, still smiling, and said, "These are the unified personnel regulations before the joint venture. Everyone has a probationary period. Teacher Yan is a key financial staff member. After the probationary period, he will be officially hired, and there is room for salary increase."

"Oh, okay, okay." Yan Bugui said no more and quickly signed the document.

Liu Haizhong was even more straightforward. He wasn't very literate and struggled to decipher the form, only recognizing the words "Deputy Director of the Repair Workshop." He signed his name with a flourish, not forgetting to ask, "General Manager Chen, does this deputy director position include an office?"

"Yes, there is." Chen Xueru nodded. "There's an office for the deputy director on the second floor of the repair workshop's office building. Master Liu can familiarize himself with the environment first. The workshop director will be arriving in a couple of days, so please take care of the workshop's daily affairs during this time."

"Of course! Of course!" Liu Haizhong straightened his back, feeling that his "leadership skills" that had been suppressed for many years finally had a chance to be put to use.

After the formalities were completed, Chen Xueru personally led the two to familiarize themselves with the environment. First, they visited the finance department—a spacious and bright office with two rows of metal filing cabinets against the wall, and an abacus, ledgers, and an old-fashioned hand-cranked calculator on the desk. Yan Bugui looked at the brand-new abacus beads, a glint of light flashing behind his glasses.

Looking into the maintenance workshop—the tall factory buildings, the neatly arranged lifts, and the busy young technicians—Liu Haizhong watched the workers in their uniforms, skillfully operating their tools, and began to plan in his mind: how to divide the work among these dozen or so groups, how to ensure safe production, how to hold the morning meetings…

As evening fell, the sun began to set.

He Damin stood by the office window, watching Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong walk one after the other, one carrying a briefcase and the other pushing a bicycle, towards the gate of the park below. Both of them walked with light steps, their backs revealing undisguised pride and anticipation for the future.

Chen Xueru walked in and stood next to him.

"All the formalities have been completed," she said softly. "In the finance department, Old Li, the accountant, was a bit upset about the sudden appointment of a deputy section chief. I told him that Teacher Yan is our old neighbor and would be a great help with the accounting and inventory, so he didn't say anything more. In the workshop, the group leaders haven't reacted much to Master Liu becoming the deputy director yet; most are just observing."

He Damin nodded: "That's normal. Whether they accept it or not, whether they can continue, depends on their own abilities. We've paved the way; how they walk is their business."

Chen Xueru was silent for a moment, then said, "Brother Damin, do you think... won't they feel that things are going too smoothly?"

He Damin turned his head to look at her, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Yes. But so what? If things go smoothly, it's a favor. If things don't go smoothly, it's a test. They only want to see the 'smooth' side, not the 'test.' Yan Bugui won't think about why the finance department happens to be short of a deputy section chief; Liu Haizhong won't think about why Li Huaide is so efficient. They'll only think, 'I, Yan Bugui/Liu Haizhong, am indeed a capable person, and Boss He has a discerning eye.'"

He paused, then turned his gaze back to the twilight-shrouded park outside the window: "So, they'll definitely 'keep going'—at least until they get a taste of what it's really like to be a deputy section chief or deputy director."

Chen Xueru didn't ask any more questions. She stood quietly with He Damin, watching the last rays of sunlight sink below the horizon. The streetlights in the park lit up one by one, illuminating the path leading to the gate in a dim and warm light.

Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong have already gone far away. Tomorrow, they will officially begin their new life in this industrial park as "Deputy Director of the Finance Department" and "Deputy Director of the Maintenance Workshop," respectively.

In the more distant future, when the curtain is fully raised on the public-private partnership, when the new leadership team moves in, and when the "one-yuan rent" lease contract is officially signed... what kind of drama will these two old neighbors, each with their own dreams and calculations, perform on this stage that He Damin has carefully laid out?

Chen Xueru didn't know. But she did know that He Damin was never a useless player.

"It's time to go back." He Damin looked away, picked up the car keys on the table, and said, "Zhu Zi said he stewed pork ribs tonight, Yu Shui has been talking about it for two days."

"Okay." Chen Xueru smiled faintly and took his arm.

Night fell. The jeep drove out of the "Red Star" gate and merged into the gradually quieting streets of Beijing. Outside the window, lights began to twinkle in every home, and under each light, someone was calculating their days and building their future.

Meanwhile, in a courtyard house in the city, the third and second aunties were in their respective homes, planning what delicious food to cook for their husbands who were about to "become leaders" that evening. They were also thinking about how to repay He Damin's favor in the future—how to make it last longer and be more valuable while they were still alive.

The lights in the Yan family's house stayed on very late. Yan Bugui repeatedly wiped the brand-new abacus under the lamp, fiddling with the beads, which made a crisp sound.

The lights in the Liu family's house were also on. Liu Haizhong pulled out a "Workshop Management Manual" that he had kept hidden away. Although he had bought the book ten years ago, he had never seriously read more than a few pages of it.

The lights in the east courtyard were also on. He Damin and Chen Xueru had dinner with He Yushui and chatted with He Yuzhu about his progress in learning to drive and repair cars. Yushui was doing his homework at the table, occasionally looking up to ask his uncle about a few unfamiliar words. He Daqing and Qin Huairu sat to the side, chatting casually.

Calm, as usual.

Today's ten-minute phone call and the two personnel forms signed this afternoon seem like nothing more than ordinary footnotes to this summer.

But Chen Xueru knew that some things had changed.

She looked at He Damin beside her. He was looking down at the exercise book that Yushui had handed him, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he was thinking about how to explain that arithmetic problem. The orange light fell on his face, softening the deep and sharp features that seemed out of step with the times.

This man, so shrewd in the business world, who left two "idle" pieces in front of his old neighbors in the courtyard house, what is he really planning in this summer that is about to undergo tremendous changes? The future of Hong Kong, the future path of cultivation...