Courtyard House: From Deputy Division Commander to Civilian, Progressing All the Way

The little girl was exquisitely beautiful, with fair skin and bright, clear eyes that revealed her innocent and carefree nature.

This is Lou Zhenhua's only beloved daughter, Lou Xiao'e, who will become one of the important figures in the future courtyard house.

At this time, Lou Xiao'e was still a carefree young lady, unaware of the tragic experiences that would follow. Curious, she ran to the sofa, blinking her large eyes, and looked Lin Yang and Tian Yu up and down without any hesitation.

"Xiao'e, don't be rude! These are Secretary Lin and his wife, quickly greet them as uncle and aunt." Lou Tanshi quickly pulled her daughter to her side and gently scolded her.

Lou Xiao'e, however, was not afraid. She stared at Lin Yang's handsome yet somewhat weathered face and called out in a clear voice, "Hello, Uncle Lin, hello, Aunt Tian."

Tian Yu looked at the adorable little girl and felt a surge of affection for her. She took out a handful of White Rabbit milk candies from her pocket and handed them to her, saying, "Xiao'e is such a good girl. Here, Auntie will give you some candy."

Lou Xiao'e took the candy and thanked him sweetly. Then, her gaze fell on a scar on the back of Lin Yang's hand.

It was a scar left by shrapnel, which, although healed, still looked somewhat grotesque.

"Uncle Lin, how did you get this scar on your hand? Does it hurt?" Lou Xiao'e asked curiously, pointing to the back of Lin Yang's hand.

Lou Zhenhua's expression changed, fearing that his daughter's innocent words would anger this decisive secretary. He was about to speak up to stop her when Lin Yang smiled and waved his hand.

Looking into Lou Xiao'e's pure eyes, Lin Yang's facial features softened.

"Oh, this is from when Uncle was fighting bad guys, he got scratched by their weapons," Lin Yang said gently.

"Beat up bad guys? Is Uncle Lin a policeman?" Lou Xiao'e's eyes lit up instantly, filled with admiration.

"Uncle isn't a policeman, uncle is a soldier. He's a member of the People's Liberation Army who protects our country."

Lin Yang leaned back on the sofa and patted the seat next to him: "Come on, Xiao'e, sit here with Uncle. How about Uncle tells you a story?"

Lou Xiao'e cheered and immediately broke free from her mother's hand, ran to Lin Yang's side and sat down, resting her chin on her hands, looking like she was all ears.

Lou Zhenhua and his wife exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes. They hadn't expected that Secretary Lin, rumored to be incorruptible and impartial, would have such an approachable and tender side.

"Uncle will tell you a story about a warhorse. Its name is Black Lightning."

Lin Yang's deep gaze seemed to pierce through the barriers of time, returning to that era of war and turmoil. His voice was deep and magnetic, slowly echoing in the spacious living room.

"It was during a heavy snowfall in northwestern Shanxi. We were surrounded on a lonely mountain by a group of vicious enemies. We were out of ammunition and food, and had even eaten the grass roots. Black Lightning was a magnificent horse, completely black without a single stray hair, and it was our cavalry company commander's prized possession..."

Lin Yang's narration was devoid of any flowery language, but the raw cruelty and tragedy he experienced were vividly presented to the audience through his steady tone.

He recounted how Black Lightning darted back and forth through a hail of bullets to deliver the meager amount of ammunition to the trapped soldiers; he spoke of how, during the final breakout battle, the company commander was seriously wounded, and Black Lightning carried him, forcefully carving a bloody path through the enemy lines; and finally, to cover the retreat of the main force, Black Lightning let out a long hiss, his body riddled with bullet holes, and collapsed into a pool of blood.

The living room was extremely quiet.

Not only Lou Xiao'e, but also Lou Zhenhua and his wife, as well as Tian Yu and Xiao Li standing to the side, were all captivated by the story.

Lou Xiao'e's eyes reddened, and large tears rolled down her fair cheeks. She sniffled and asked in a tearful voice, "Uncle Lin, is Black Lightning dead? It's so pitiful..."

Lin Yang reached out and gently ruffled Lou Xiao'e's hair, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"It died. But it didn't die in vain." Lin Yang's voice became firm and powerful. "It is because of countless warhorses like Black Lightning, and countless soldiers like our company commander who are not afraid to sacrifice themselves, that we were able to defeat the bad guys, and that Xiao'e, you can sit in this beautiful house and eat White Rabbit candy peacefully without being afraid of gunshots in the middle of the night."

Lou Xiao'e nodded as if she understood, then suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Lin Yang.

"Uncle Lin, you are a great hero. When Xiao'e grows up, she wants to be like you and become a useful person for the country!" The little girl's voice was still childish, but it was filled with an unprecedented seriousness.

Lin Yang laughed heartily and nodded approvingly: "Good! Uncle will remember that."

At that moment, the atmosphere in the living room became exceptionally harmonious. Lou Tan looked at Lin Yang gratefully. She knew that Lin Yang's story was not only for his daughter, but also a vivid lesson in patriotism for their capitalist family.

"Master, Madam, the dinner is ready," a maid came over and respectfully reported.

"Secretary Lin, Madam Lin, please move to the dining room. Let's eat and chat today," Lou Zhenhua warmly invited.

The restaurant was also very tastefully decorated. The long mahogany dining table was laden with a sumptuous feast.

Braised sea cucumber with scallions, steamed grouper, braised lion's head meatballs, roast duck... every dish was a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, clearly prepared with great care. It demonstrated the host's sincerity without being overly extravagant.

During the meal, both host and guests enjoyed themselves immensely. Lou Zhenhua didn't mention any factory business, but instead chatted with Lin Yang about the local customs and traditions of Beijing, as well as Tian Yu's amusing anecdotes from the cultural troupe. Lin Yang also appeared very easygoing, his humorous and witty conversation completely putting the Lou couple at ease.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Lou Tanshi took Tian Yu and Lou Xiao'e to the living room to watch TV, which was a rare item that Lou Zhenhua had asked someone to bring back from abroad.

Lou Zhenhua then respectfully gestured for Lin Yang to proceed.

"Secretary Lin, if you don't mind, please come to my study to sample my treasured Da Hong Pao tea. I'd like to consult you privately about some specific matters concerning the factory."

Lin Yang put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and a knowing glint flashed in his eyes.

He knew that the real drama of the night was finally about to begin.

"When in Rome, do as the host says, Director Lou, please."

The two walked up to the second floor, one after the other, and entered Lou Zhenhua's private study.

The study is very large, with three walls lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with various Chinese and foreign classics, economics monographs, and some rare and unique ancient books. In the center of the room is a huge mahogany desk, behind which hangs a calligraphy and painting by a famous artist that reads "Tranquility Leads to Far-Reaching Vision".

As soon as the heavy, soundproof wooden door closed, the study fell silent, with only the ticking of an old-fashioned grandfather clock in the corner.