Siheyuan: I will never tolerate gambling and drugs!

The courtyard house at night.

When Xu Lin rode his bicycle back to the courtyard house, night had already filled the entire alley.

The November wind, carrying the smell of fireworks, blew incessantly against my face, bringing a refreshing, pungent sensation.

The daytime hustle and bustle still echoed in my ears.

The roar of metal, the hiss of welding sparks, the heavy breathing and beast-like roars of the workers ignited by their desires—that scalding heat, hot enough to melt steel, seemed to still linger in his blood.

After a long day of work, from the details of the equipment modification drawings to the final calculation of the salary plan, and the repeated debugging of each workstation process, every joint and every muscle in my body felt as if all the strength had been drained, leaving me feeling sore and weak.

But he was so excited that he couldn't sleep at all.

The workshop skills competition will be held in a week.

The news spread like wildfire throughout every corner of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill in just one day.

Xu Lin could imagine how many people were holding their breath for him in places he couldn't see, and how many others were sitting on their stools, eagerly waiting to see how he, the newly transferred first deputy factory director, would suffer a crushing defeat in a week.

joke.

Xu Lin only had these two words in his mind.

Those people's focus was still on the quantity of steel pipes and the percentage of defective products.

They simply couldn't understand that in this battle, Xu Lin's goal was never to win against Wang Jianguo, nor against that small workshop.

What Xu Lin wanted to smash was the rigid and corrupt production relationship that had been entrenched in this factory for many years.

What Xu Lin wants to crush is the outdated ideology of seniority-based promotion and slacking off.

This is a revolution.

A general offensive launched against the entire old order in the name of productivity.

The assembly line concept, combined with the management methods of later generations that have been proven countless times to bind human desires and interests to the extreme.

In an era when the working class could live a stable life with a secure job, this was nothing short of a complete dimensional reduction attack.

lose?

What does he have to lose with?

Xu Lin smiled and hummed a tune that no one could understand. He put one foot on the ground and parked his bicycle steadily under the eaves of his house.

"Clang!"

The sound of the metal ladder hitting the ground was particularly clear in the quiet courtyard.

He had just straightened up, preparing to push open the door and go home, when out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure lurking around the lotus gate in the middle courtyard.

The dim light made the shadow appear short and fat.

A round, chubby body stood with its back to him, like a small-headed father who had been inflated and locked in a cage, pacing back and forth anxiously.

The man was wearing a worn-out Zhongshan suit, the buttons taut, revealing the outline of his belly in layers.

With each step he took, his leather shoes made a soft "creaking" sound on the bluestone slabs in the courtyard.

Every now and then, that round little head would peek towards the Xu Lin family's gate, then quickly retreat, looking around warily, the whole action exuding a comical air of a guilty conscience.

Xu Lin stopped what he was doing, and the relaxed and carefree look in his eyes instantly vanished, replaced by a scrutinizing and knowing expression.

He didn't say anything, just watched quietly.

That figure was none other than Second Uncle, Liu Haizhong.

When Xu Lin pushed his bicycle over, Liu Haizhong's entire obese body suddenly trembled, and the fat on his belly quivered under his taut Zhongshan suit.

He turned around quickly and walked towards Xu Lin.

On that square face, the muscles were engaged in a fierce tug-of-war, finally squeezing out a distorted smile that was uglier than crying.

"Oh! Deputy Factory Director Xu! You're finally back!"

The sound was sharp, carrying the intense sensation of hot oil being poured onto cold water.

Liu Haizhong rushed forward in one stride, his waist instantly slumping, his entire upper body forming a respectful arc. His chubby hands nervously wrung in front of him, and every wrinkle on his face was filled with fawning.

"You're back so late... You've worked so hard at the factory, so very hard!"

Looking at his appearance, Xu Lin felt a little strange.

He simply nodded, his voice devoid of warmth.

"Liu Haizhong, is something wrong?"

"Something's wrong! Something's wrong!"

Liu Haizhong nodded repeatedly, his movements hurried and clumsy, his whole body like an unbalanced spinning top.

His small eyes, like searchlights, darted around Xu Lin's door and the surrounding darkness.

His eager yet secretive gaze bluntly revealed his conflicted feelings: he wanted to go inside, but dared not speak out.

"It's not that...it's just that I was thinking that I haven't seen you, Deputy Factory Director Xu, for a long time, so I specially...specially came to your house to see you and report on my work during this period."

As soon as he finished speaking, his words carried a hint of ingratiating caution, yet he deliberately adopted the air of someone "paying a casual visit."

Xu Lin knew exactly what was going on.

This old fellow, who usually acts all high and mighty in the courtyard, is now bowing and scraping before me.

This stark contrast can only mean one thing: Liu Haizhong needs something from him.

One doesn't visit the temple without a reason.

Xu Lin didn't point it out, but simply placed the bicycle kickstand firmly on the bluestone slab, making a clear "click".

He didn't rush to open the door, but instead casually leaned against the handlebars of his bicycle.

An air of composure and superiority emanated from him, silently standing like a mountain in front of Liu Haizhong.

Xu Lin waited to see what tricks he could pull.

When Liu Haizhong saw that Xu Lin did not respond, his breath hitched slightly, and his Adam's apple bobbed once.

The smile he forced onto his fat, square face became increasingly distorted, as if his muscles were about to cramp.

His ambition for officialdom made him disregard his embarrassment, and he moved even closer, bowing even more deeply.

His lowered voice carried a sense of furtive secrecy.

"Deputy Factory Director Xu, you have no idea, ever since you assigned me this task at the last meeting, I, Old Liu, haven't dared to slack off for a single day!"

At this point, Liu Haizhong unconsciously puffed out his chest a little.

His "secret report" demeanor made the surrounding night seem solemn, as if he wanted to hear about his "great achievements."

He was referring to the last plenary meeting.

Xu Lin cleverly transformed a denunciation meeting into his personal performance and a display of power.

At that meeting, he publicly assigned tasks to the three old men.

Liu Haizhong was assigned to lead a team to patrol the perimeter of the steel rolling mill for three hours every day after get off work.

"Look, I take Guangqi, Guangtian, and Guangfu with me, and every day after get off work we have to patrol the perimeter of the factory for three hours, catching saboteurs and preventing fires and thefts!"

His eyebrows danced with excitement, his face flushed an unnatural red, and spittle flew everywhere.

His eyes, narrowed by greed, gleamed with an almost fanatical light.

It was a complex emotion mixed with pride, resentment, and a deep sense of satisfaction.

"At first, everyone said I was stupid, saying, 'You, Deputy Factory Director Xu, have already been transferred, why are you still working so hard?'"

His voice carried a barely perceptible hint of complaint, as if he wanted to emphasize the value of his "blind loyalty."

"But who am I, Lao Liu?!"

Liu Haizhong suddenly paused, his voice rising several octaves, as if he were defending himself, or perhaps praising himself.

"I am a good comrade who listens to the Party, follows the Party's lead, and has Party spirit! I obey the instructions of my superiors!"

These words struck Xu Lin as strange and inexplicable.

His lips twitched involuntarily.

That day, he deliberately messed with Liu Haizhong, that old rascal, hoping to see him back down or at least quiet down for a while.

Who could have predicted that his obsession with officialdom would actually make him "persist"?

Moreover, judging from his current appearance, it seems that he has actually tasted the sweetness of it?

"You know what, your trick really works!"

Liu Haizhong was completely unaware of the fleeting expression on Xu Lin's face.

He continued talking non-stop, as if he had opened a floodgate and couldn't stop.

He was immersed in his own world, enjoying the brief peak brought by self-aggrandizement.

"Back when I, Lao Liu, went out, people would at most call me 'Lao Liu,' humph, nothing special!"

He snorted, his disdain flashing like phosphorescence in the night.

"But now? Things are different now!"

As Liu Haizhong finished speaking, he leaned forward and lowered his voice again, adding a touch of mystery.

"Everyone has to give me some respect; they call me 'Captain Liu' whenever they see me!"

The way he uttered the words "Captain Liu" seemed to carry the sweet taste of honey.

Every pore on his body was opening up, and every cell trembled at the mention of that name.

It was an unprecedented feeling of satisfaction that made his bones feel numb.

"Especially those young guys, when they get into trouble, the moment they hear it's 'Captain Liu, arranged by Factory Director Xu,' they immediately cower!"

Liu Haizhong mimicked the timid appearance of those young people, his voice filled with an almost perverse pleasure.

He gestured animatedly as he spoke.

"You wouldn't believe how well-behaved they were, heads down, looking like wilted eggplants!"

"Look, this afternoon, those guys in Workshop Two who were stealing screws from the factory to use for nailing windows, I yelled at them and stopped them!"

He vividly described the grandeur of his "enforcement" with exaggerated facial expressions.

That was an extreme sense of satisfaction.

The thrill of power and the vanity of being respected and flattered were more satisfying to him than anything else.

This is much more satisfying than having the title of "Second Uncle" but only being able to act domineeringly towards his wife and children at home.

"You have no idea, what about Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui!"

Liu Haizhong suddenly lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of schadenfreude and disdain.

"They gave you the task, but they just brushed it off. They only went out twice on the first day with a group, and when they saw you were being transferred, they all made excuses to quit!"

He snorted, his fat face filled with disdain for the two "old buddies".

"Saying no one's paying overtime! Ha! A bunch of short-sighted fools!"

Liu Haizhong shook his head, as if he were standing on a moral high ground, looking down at those two ordinary people.

"But I, Lao Liu, am different!"

His voice suddenly rose, emphasizing his "uniqueness".

"I consider this an honor! How could a task personally assigned by Director Xu be treated lightly?"

He unconsciously straightened his posture, and his slightly worn Zhongshan suit appeared even more full in the night.

It was as if he could pull out a "Security Chief" armband from his pocket at any moment and announce his new identity to the world.

"I told the children that this is to share your burdens, Director Xu, and to protect the factory!"

This intense craving for officialdom came rushing in like a heat wave.

Xu Lin had seen through it all.

Liu Haizhong's thirst for power wasn't an illness, but a deeply ingrained instinct. For decades, this impulse, like a seedling crushed under a boulder, struggled desperately, yet never saw the light of day. Now, Xu Lin inadvertently lifted that boulder, releasing a beast twisted by hunger. Liu Haizhong's actions are both comical and pathetic. But behind this comicality and pathos lies the truth of human nature, and the allure of power.

Xu Lin raised his hand.

He pressed down slightly, palm up. The movement was light, but the force behind it instantly extinguished the boiling passion in his bangs. His face, flushed with excitement, cooled down rapidly, as if splashed with cold water. The fervor in his eyes also subsided somewhat.

"I see."

Xu Lin's voice was calm and undisturbed.

"You're so thoughtful."

These words, uttered by Xu Lin, were like a key, precisely unlocking all the guardedness hidden in his bangs. His face was instantly covered by an even thicker layer of obsequiousness. His fat, piled up, tried to lift it up, squeezing out the most endearing expression. Sweat glistened on his forehead, reflecting the dim light of the courtyard.

"It's not hard work!"

Liu Haizhong hunched over, his voice rising, revealing an unnatural excitement.

"Serving Director Xu and the people is no hardship!"

He bowed again.

The curve is deeper.

That bulky body appeared particularly submissive in the darkness of the night.

He hunched over, his head almost touching Xu Lin's knees. He wished he could plaster all his fat onto the bluestone slabs to pave a path for Xu Lin.

Liu Haizhong secretly raised his eyes.

His gaze lingered on Xu Lin's face, catching subtle changes in his emotions. A tentative glint in his eyes, like a cat's tail, flickered gently at Xu Lin's feet, hoping for a response.

Xu Lin just watched quietly.

Liu Haizhong's Adam's apple bobbed as he took a deep breath, which carried a sour, rotten smell.

He took another half step closer.

Whispering.

"Director Xu, you're the deputy director now. You must have a few trustworthy people under you, right? What do you think..."

The words were left unsaid.

But the meaning behind those words was already like a fox's tail in the night.

White, furry, swaying in the shadows.

Liu Haizhong finally revealed his true purpose.

Xu Lin chuckled softly to himself.

He knew exactly what was going on in his mind.

That's right.

This nickname has never been wrong.

This guy with bangs is here to try and get a promotion.

Power is like opium. Once you taste its sweetness, you become addicted and unable to extricate yourself. Liu Haizhong is the best example. He usually puts on airs in the courtyard, barely maintaining his pitiful dignity with the empty title of "Second Uncle." But it is ultimately empty and hollow.

Xu Lin, by a twist of fate, assigned him the position of "patrol captain." Even though it was just a nominal job, these past few days had made him feel respected, feared, and even fawned over. Those repeated calls of "Captain Liu" were like sweet dew piercing through Liu Haizhong's thick skin, reaching the depths of his heart...