Siheyuan: I will never tolerate gambling and drugs!

The courtyard house at dusk.

Night had already fallen, casting a deep blue velvet blanket over the entire courtyard.

Inside the house in the middle courtyard, a dim incandescent light shone, casting a warm glow throughout the small space.

The door creaked open, and a cool autumn night breeze swept in, bringing with it a figure covered in dust.

Xu Lin's shoulders were still covered with a bit of gray dust, and his brows were furrowed with the weariness of a whole day's work. But when he saw the dim, warm light in the room, his fatigue was instantly washed away.

The aroma of food, mingled with the warmth of home cooking, wafted over him, dispelling all the chill clinging to him.

"You're back?"

Hearing the noise, Tan Liya poked her head out of the kitchen, still holding a spatula in her hand, with a few drops of oil on her apron.

Qin Huairu had already placed the last soup on the table and was taking off her apron when she saw him and smiled gently.

On the dining table, steaming hot food was already prepared.

The braised pork belly was stewed until tender and the sauce was rich and flavorful. A plate of stir-fried cabbage, its green and white colors clearly defined. And a bowl of seaweed soup with egg drop soup.

The two little girls had a lot of schoolwork to do, so they had already eaten and gone back to the backyard to study.

Now, only the three of them remained in the room, a warm and tranquil space.

"Go wash your hands, we've been waiting for you." Qin Huairu took his coat and patted off the dust.

Xu Lin hummed in agreement, went to the pool to wash his face, and the cool water cleared his muddled mind considerably.

He sat down at the table, and Tan Liya had already served him a bowl of soup.

"How did things go at the neighborhood office today?"

She asked softly, her bright eyes brimming with concern that was almost overflowing.

Xu Lin took the soup bowl; the temperature was just right. He took a big gulp, and the piping hot soup slid down his esophagus into his stomach, warming him up completely.

He put down the bowl before slowly speaking.

"good."

"I went to several places with Director Wang, mainly several old residential areas in Xicheng District."

Xu Lin didn't go into too much detail, such as the attitude of the street officials, which was either enthusiastic or perfunctory, nor did he mention the various difficulties encountered during the on-site investigation.

He stated it in the most flat tone.

"After assessing the situation, I have a general idea of ​​what's going on."

But it was precisely this calmness that allowed the two women to sense the composure in his words.

That air of strategic confidence made it seem as if no matter how big the problem was, it was nothing more than a few math problems to be solved.

Their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, quietly settled back into their stomachs.

Qin Huairu picked up a piece of braised pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat and put it in Xu Lin's bowl.

She hesitated for a moment, but still asked the question that had been bothering her.

"So you... won't go back to the steel mill anymore? You'll stay here at the neighborhood office?"

This is also the question Tan Liya wanted to ask.

"Temporarily seconded."

Xu Lin shook his head, noticing their worry, and offered another explanation.

"This was a trick Minister Gao left behind. My personnel file and records are still at the factory. District Chief Fang is just borrowing me. Once the project is finished, I'll have to go back."

"Won't Yang Anguo and the others be furious?"

After hearing this, Tan Liya couldn't help but let out a soft snort.

She poked the bowl with her chopsticks, making a loud thumping sound, her tone carrying an undisguised sense of pleasure.

"We went to so much trouble, hoping to get rid of that person, but what happened? They turned around and became the project's chief commander, in charge of the entire Dongcheng District."

"His file is still holding the position of deputy factory director. Let's see how Yang Anguo gets out of this mess!"

Xu Lin couldn't help but laugh when he saw Tan Liya's adorable face puffed up with anger, looking like she was standing up for him.

He reached out and gently pinched her cheek.

"Alright, let's eat."

He didn't say anything more.

Sometimes, doing is more important than saying.

Yang Anguo's fate was sealed the moment he chose to resort to such underhanded methods.

What I need to do now is to do this project perfectly, so that no one can say anything.

The three of them were eating and chatting about everyday things.

Suddenly, there were a few knocks on the gate.

Tap, tap tap.

The voice was neither too loud nor too soft, carrying a hint of hesitation and probing.

"Who could it be so late?"

Qin Huairu put down her chopsticks and bowl, got up with some confusion, and walked towards the door.

At this time of day, most people in the courtyard have gone to bed and rarely visit each other.

She pulled the bolt, and the hinges made a slight creaking sound.

When the door opened, the person standing outside made Qin Huairu pause slightly.

It is Li Huaide.

Li Huaide, deputy director of the steel rolling mill.

He was carrying two bottles of wine tied with red paper rope, the bottles reflecting a dim light in the porch's dim lamplight.

He had a smile on his face, but it looked worse than a grimace, filled with awkwardness and unease.

Qin Huairu certainly remembered this person.

I've met him at the wedding, and I know he's a leader in the factory.

From Xu Lin's everyday words, it became clear how much he and Xu Lin had clashed at the factory recently.

This man was Yang Anguo's number one henchman.

If it were the Qin Huairu of the past, her face would probably be covered in frost by now.

However, during this period, both the subtle influence of Tan and the growth of her own experience taught her how to handle situations calmly and discreetly.

She didn't show any emotion on her face, but simply smiled politely and took the initiative to greet them.

"Oh, it's Factory Director Li. Are you looking for Xu Lin?"

Before Li Huaide arrived, he had imagined countless scenarios of the door opening.

Perhaps it was Xu Lin who coldly asked him what he wanted to do.

Perhaps it was the newlywed Qin Huairu who slammed the door shut.

He was even prepared to be scolded by Qin Huairu.

But what he never expected was that Qin Huairu, who opened the door, would be so polite, her tone as calm as if she were greeting an old neighbor she hadn't seen in a long time.

That address of "Director Li" carried no sarcasm whatsoever, only perfectly politeness.

Li Huaide's heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, instantly fell back to the ground.

Looking at the woman before him, with her gentle features and graceful demeanor, his opinion of her instantly rose several notches.

No wonder Xu Lin married a girl from the countryside.

This kind of composure is not something that ordinary women possess.

"Hello, sister-in-law. Hello, sister-in-law."

Li Huaide nodded and bowed repeatedly, his voice stammering.

"Comrade Xu Lin...is he home? I've come...I've come to talk to him about something."

Hearing the sound, Xu Lin, who was inside the room, also stood up.

He walked to the door and immediately saw Li Huaide standing there, looking very uncomfortable.

A playful smile instantly appeared on his face.

"What a rare guest, Director Li."

He leaned against the doorframe and spoke in a nonchalant tone.

"Please come in quickly."

Li Huaide's old face flushed red instantly when he was addressed with the light but not heavy tone of "Director Li," and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He waved his hands repeatedly, his body shrinking by half.

"Director Xu, please don't call me that, it's too kind of you!"

"Just call me Lao Li, that's all."

A slight smile appeared at the corners of Xu Lin's mouth.

It was a calm composure that indicated control over the overall situation, and a keen understanding of the inner struggles of the deputy factory director before him.

A change in address signifies the complete collapse of a psychological defense.

Li Huaide was no longer visiting as an equal or even superior, but rather as a friend, humbly standing outside the door.

"Old Li?" Xu Lin repeated, as if savoring the words, then his smile deepened. "That's too formal. Come in and sit down."

He stepped aside, making way for the doorway.

This action made Li Huaide feel as if he had been granted a pardon. He nodded repeatedly and quickly stepped across the threshold.

His gaze swept quickly across the room, and when he saw Tan Liya sitting at the dining table, he forced a professional smile and nodded hastily as a greeting.

The two entered the house one after the other.

Qin Huairu's gaze met Xu Lin's for a fleeting moment in mid-air.

In just a moment, Qin Huairu understood the meaning in the man's eyes.

Qin Huairu didn't ask any more questions, nor did she show the slightest curiosity. She simply stood up quietly. After the two of them walked straight to the innermost study, Qin Huairu silently turned around and went into the kitchen, skillfully taking out a tea canister for guests and a clean set of white porcelain teaware from the cabinet.

Before long, Qin Huairu carried a tea tray to the door of the study and gently knocked on it.

After receiving permission, Qin Huairu pushed open the door and entered, placing a pot of freshly brewed Biluochun tea on the desk. She then poured a cup for each of them. The whole process was smooth and effortless, without making a single unnecessary sound.

After doing all this, Qin Huai politely invited Li Huaide to have some tea, then turned and left, gently closing the door behind her.

The sound of the door hinges turning was so faint as to be almost inaudible.

Qin Huairu returned to the dining table and said softly to Tan Liya, who was still eating quietly, "Sister Tan, I can clean up myself later. You must be tired after a long day at work, go home and rest early."

Tan Liya understood that tonight's guest was special, and Xu Lin needed an absolutely quiet environment. Her lingering here too long would ultimately have a negative impact.

She nodded, didn't stand on ceremony, finished her rice in a few bites, got up to pack her things, whispered goodbye to Qin Huairu, and quickly returned to the backyard.

In the large main room, only Qin Huairu remained.

She didn't eavesdrop; she simply quietly tidied up the dishes, managing everything in an orderly manner.

Her man is doing something big.

What she had to do was to turn this home into his most solid and secure haven.

……

The aroma of tea wafted through the study.

The rising steam blurred the lights and also obscured the expressions of the two men.

Xu Lin refilled the teacup in front of Li Huaide with water, his movements unhurried and deliberate.

"How was the factory today? Did anything interesting happen?"

He chatted about trivial matters at the factory in a relaxed tone, as if they were just two old colleagues catching up.

As they chatted, Li Huaide felt his back was soaked with cold sweat.

Li Huaide's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly.

The study was small and simply furnished, with a desk, two chairs, and a wall of bookshelves behind it. But sitting here, Li Huaide felt an invisible pressure pressing in from all directions, making it difficult for him to breathe.

Li Huaide felt that he was not facing a young man who was not even twenty years old.

Deep within those calm eyes lay a sharp insight that seemed to see through everything, as if all the turbulent calculations and fears in his heart were laid bare before the other person, laid bare for all to see.

Every second was torture.

Another ten minutes or so passed in vain, each innocuous greeting feeling like a heavy hammer blow to Li Huaide's tense nerves.

Li Huaide finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Smack."

He gently placed the teacup on the table, causing a few drops of tea to spill.

He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice to its lowest level, and spoke with a mixture of caution and determination.

"Director Xu, to be honest, I'm here today to deliver a message to my father-in-law."

"Oh?"

Xu Lin raised an eyebrow slightly, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his hands in front of him.

The main event is finally here.

In the original novel, Li Huaide was able to rise to power quickly after Yang Anguo's downfall because of his father-in-law, who held a high position but never showed his face.

Xu Lin had been waiting for this line.

He just didn't expect the other party to be so impatient and to take the initiative to come to his door so quickly.

"My father-in-law...he wants to meet you." Li Huaide's tone was full of cautious probing.

Xu Lin smiled.

The smile was faint, yet it made Li Huaide's heart skip a beat.

"Director Li," Xu Lin looked at him, his gaze calm yet carrying a piercing power, "Let's not beat around the bush."

"Is it your father-in-law who wants to see me, or do you think Yang Anguo's ship is going to sink, and you want to switch to a bigger ship before it sinks?"

Li Huaide's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

A fine layer of cold sweat instantly seeped out from his forehead, sliding down the wrinkles of his cheeks.

These words, like a red-hot dagger, precisely dissected all his pretense, exposing his deepest opportunism and fear to the light.

"I……"

He opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing violently, but he couldn't utter a single syllable in defense.

In the face of absolute insight, any words seem so pale and powerless.

Xu Lin didn't give him a chance to catch his breath. He picked up his teacup, gently blew away the rising steam, and slowly posed his second question.

"Yang Anguo, you're probably trying to sabotage my efforts on the centralized heating project, aren't you?"

"At the same time, you'll use your father-in-law's connections to pull some shady tricks behind the scenes, won't you?"

boom!

Li Huaide felt a buzzing sound in his head, and he was completely stunned.

His body stiffened abruptly, and his pupils contracted sharply due to extreme shock.

He stared at Xu Lin as if he were a monster, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg, yet he couldn't utter a sound.

These words!

These were the words Yang Anguo spoke to him personally this afternoon in the factory director's office, behind closed doors! The gist of it was almost identical!

How could this kid possibly know?

Does Yang Anguo have people around him?

impossible!

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Li Huaide dismissed it. Yang Anguo was inherently suspicious, and the people around him were all trusted confidants who had served him for years; they couldn't possibly be bought off by outsiders! At the very least, they wouldn't be bought off by the newly arrived Xu Lin!

How did he know that?

Guess?

How could someone guess so accurately! It's as if they heard it with their own ears!

Seeing Li Huaide's horrified expression, Xu Lin's smile deepened.

He certainly didn't plant any spies around Yang Anguo.

He simply understood the thought process of people like Yang Anguo all too well.

When all other options are exhausted, what new tricks can he come up with besides using his authority to hold people back, manipulating power, and using others to his advantage?

Li Huaide's cold sweat had formed a stream that slid down his temples and dripped onto his collar.

He understood completely.

In front of this young man, any attempt to conceal or scheme will only lead to humiliation.

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and made the most crucial decision of his life.

"Director Xu, I'm convinced! I, Li Huaide, am completely convinced! Your predictions are absolutely correct!"

He gritted his teeth, steeled himself, and poured out everything, like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.

"Yang Anguo did assign me these tasks! But as soon as I heard them, I knew he'd gone mad! He'd lost his mind! Going against you, against a project personally approved by Minister Gao and led by District Chief Fang, is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—he's courting death!"

His tone became incredibly sincere, even tinged with a hint of lingering fear and relief.

"I told my father-in-law everything. He immediately gave me a severe dressing-down, saying I was foolish and almost got dragged down by that idiot Yang Anguo! Then, he told me to come see you right away!"

"On one hand, it's to show you our stance: we will never be your enemy, much less do anything foolish!"

"On the other hand, I also wanted to ask you, this project is a great thing that benefits the country and the people... can we also do our part?"

After listening, Xu Lin gave him a meaningful look.

This guy is a born speculator.

Their ability to adapt to changing circumstances has reached a level of unparalleled skill.

However, such people are also useful. As long as they are given enough benefits and tied to the same cause, they will become the sharpest and most reckless weapon.

"Your father-in-law is...?" Xu Lin asked calmly, his voice revealing no emotion.

"He...he works in the military control office, his surname is Bai." Li Huaide lowered his voice even further, so that only two people could hear him.

Military Control Office, White.

Xu Lin instantly understood.

"it is good."

He nodded, and without any hesitation, stood up decisively.

"Lead the way."

Li Huaide never expected Xu Lin to agree so readily. He was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed surged into his heart.

"Alright, alright! Director Xu, the car is waiting outside!"

He quickly got up, and almost knocked over the chair because he moved so fast.

Xu Lin walked out of the study, and Qin Huairu was already standing at the door, her eyes filled with a question.

"I'm going out for a bit, I might be back late, you go to sleep first."

Xu Lin gave a brief explanation in a gentle tone.

"Okay, be careful on the road."

Qin Huairu didn't ask any further questions, she just nodded.

Xu Lin followed Li Huaide and quickly walked out of the courtyard gate.

The night was deep, like a heavy curtain, enveloping the entire courtyard.

The dim streetlights at the entrance of the courtyard barely pierced a corner of the darkness, and under their glow, a black Volga sedan sat quietly.

The car's lines are smooth yet sturdy, and its jet-black paint reflects a cold, eerie luster under the lights. It lies steadily on the ground, like a lurking steel beast.

Li Huaide hurriedly ran to the car, opened the back door, and bowed to Xu Lin, gesturing for him to enter.

He adopted a very humble posture, even with a hint of obsequious flattery.

Xu Lin's gaze did not linger on him, but passed over him and landed on the license plate hanging at the rear of the car.

His pupils contracted extremely slightly in that instant.

White background, bright red lettering.

The very first character is as sharp as a knife.

"military".

The impact of this word far outweighs all of Li Huaide's previous words combined.

Xu Lin instantly understood.

Its background was a level higher than he had anticipated.

His face remained expressionless, showing no emotion whatsoever.

Without saying a word, he bent down and sat directly in the back seat of the car.

The car door slammed shut, shutting out the noise and chill of the outside world.

The interior is spacious, and the leather seats exude a unique scent, mixed with a faint smell of tobacco.

Li Huaide followed closely behind and got into the car from the other side, sitting next to Xu Lin, but deliberately keeping a half-body distance.

The driver didn't turn around or ask any questions. After the two were seated, he skillfully shifted gears and released the handbrake.

The car engine let out a low roar, started silently, and smoothly glided into the street, disappearing into the deep night.

Absolute silence fell over the carriage.

Li Huaide seemed somewhat awkward, his hands resting on his knees, his fingers unconsciously curling and opening. Several times he wanted to speak to break the suffocating silence, but when he saw Xu Lin's calm profile, he swallowed his words back.

Xu Lin leaned back in his seat, his gaze fixed on the rapidly receding street scene outside the window.

His brain, however, was working at an astonishing speed.

Military Control Office.

The surname is Bai.

Volga military license plate.

These clues, when pieced together, outline a vast but vague picture.

Li Huaide's father-in-law, that leader surnamed Bai, was definitely not just an ordinary ministerial-level cadre.

To be able to hold a position in the military control department during that special era and to be qualified to have such a high-level official car meant that the power behind it exceeded the scope of the ordinary bureaucratic system.

The other party's purpose in meeting him tonight is definitely not just to "show their attitude" and "do some work" as Li Huaide said.

This was a test.

It is also an assessment.

We need to assess whether Xu Lin qualifies as a worthwhile investment partner.

Having figured this out, Xu Lin's heart calmed down completely.

The unknown is the most terrifying.

Now that we have roughly guessed the opponent's cards and intentions, we have a clear strategy for this game.

The vehicle traveled smoothly without hindrance. Even at several key intersections, the police officers on duty saw the vehicle's license plate and waved it through in advance.

This is the silent display of power.

Finally, the car turned into a large courtyard.

The gate to the courtyard was towering, and in the guard post at the entrance, two guards stood tall and had sharp eyes.

Upon seeing the Volga approach, one guard stepped forward and saluted, while another quickly opened the heavy iron gate.

The entire process was conducted with not a single unnecessary movement, demonstrating the discipline characteristic of soldiers.

As the car entered the courtyard, the roadsides were lined with neatly trimmed pines and cypresses, which appeared even more verdant and solemn in the night.

The air seemed to be filled with the smell of iron and blood.

The car slowly came to a stop in front of a two-story villa with warm lights.

Li Huaide breathed a long sigh of relief as if he had been granted a pardon. He immediately opened the car door, then went around to respectfully open the car door for Xu Lin.

"Director Xu, please."

Xu Lin got off the car.

A cool night breeze blew as he looked up, his gaze calmly sweeping over the building before him.

The red brick walls and Western-style structure appear exceptionally quiet and solemn in the night. The soft, non-glaring light shining through the windows adds a touch of warmth to this imposing building.

He withdrew his gaze and followed behind Li Huaide, stepping on the bluestone steps towards the heavy solid wood door.

The door was not closed.

Li Huaide gently pushed it open, and a scent mixed with old books, a faint aroma of tea, and a hint of herbs wafted towards him.

It's a unique scent that comes with the passage of time.

The living room on the first floor is simply yet dignifiedly furnished with dark wood furniture and several calligraphy works with vigorous strokes hanging on the wall.

There was no television, only an old radio sitting in the corner.

The entire space was so quiet that you could hear each other breathing.

The wooden floor beneath your feet, worn and aged, emits a dull, heavy echo with each step, each step feeling like a tap on your heart.

Li Huaide led Xu Lin straight to the second floor.

The stair railings were worn smooth and warm from being rubbed.

Finally, Li Huaide stopped in front of a thick wooden door.

He straightened his collar, his expression becoming more serious than ever before.

He raised his hand and, using the pads of his fingers instead of his knuckles, gently knocked three times on the door.

"Thump, thump, thump."

His voice was steady and rhythmic.

A moment later.

"Come in."

A deep voice came from inside the door.

The sound wasn't loud, but it possessed an undeniable penetrating power, as if it could drill directly into a person's bones.

Li Huaide pushed open the door, but instead of going in first, he turned sideways and gave Xu Lin his place.

The study was dimly lit by an old-fashioned table lamp.

Xu Lin stepped inside.

The moment he entered the room, his gaze was immediately drawn to the figure behind the desk.

He was a man in his early fifties.

He wasn't wearing civilian clothes, but rather an old military uniform that had been washed until it was slightly faded.

The shoulder insignia on the military uniform have been removed, but the faint marks left on the fabric and the crisp shoulder lines silently tell of the arduous years its former owner had lived through.

The man's hair was neatly combed, and his temples were already tinged with the color of frost.

He simply sat calmly behind that large desk, his back as straight as a javelin.

His aura was both extremely restrained and extremely sharp, like a national weapon hidden in its sheath, its cold gleam already shining through even before it was drawn.

What's most striking about him is his eyes.

Those were eyes that had truly emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Profound, sharp, and imbued with the scrutiny and insight of someone who has been through countless battles.

Any lie, any pretense, any scheming, under the gaze of these eyes, seems to be instantly stripped away, leaving nothing to hide.

"Dad, Director Xu has arrived."

Li Huaide's voice was even lower than when he was outside, carrying a respect and nervousness that he himself was unaware of, breaking the stagnant silence in the study.

The man referred to as "Dad," Bai Shouye, did not speak immediately.

His gaze swept across his son-in-law's face for a moment, then, like two tangible searchlights, precisely locked onto Xu Lin.

That gaze started from Xu Lin's forehead and moved inch by inch downwards...

There was no hostility, no judgment.

Yet it carried a chilling sense of oppression.

That wasn't just a simple observation, but a kind of analysis.

A comprehensive assessment, from the physical to the mental level, of someone who has intruded into one's territory, by someone in a superior position.

Xu Lin felt as if every pore of his body was being completely pierced by that gaze.

He did not dodge.

He did not back down.

He didn't deliberately try to please them.

The moment Bai Shouye's gaze fell on his shoulder, Xu Lin moved.

His body tensed up in an instant.

With a crisp "snap," his heels snapped together, and his body stood ramrod straight.

With his right hand, fingers together, he swiftly and precisely raised it, stopping it beside his temple.

A perfectly standard military salute.

The movements were crisp and clean, without the slightest hesitation, and full of steely power.

The air in the entire study seemed to jolt the moment he completed that action.

"Hello, Chief Bai, I am Xu Lin."