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

The entire courtyard fell into a deathly silence.

Immediately afterwards, a deafening burst of laughter and gasps of shock erupted!

He Daqing laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight, pointing at Jia Zhangshi and cursing, "You old hag! Have you lost your mind? Or did you get your head stuck in a door today? Everyone in the compound knows what a good-for-nothing your Jia Dongxu is! He can't even pass the level three fitter exam, and you still want him to be the deputy head of the security department?"

Xu Damao, also hiding behind the crowd, mocked without restraint: "That's right! Aunt Jia, your skin is thicker than a city wall corner! How did your family drive Brother Lin into the back room before? How did you rob him of his things? Now that he's an official, you have the nerve to lick your boots and ask for an official position?"

Yi Zhonghai stood to the side, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground. How could he have taken on such an idiot as Jia Dongxu as his apprentice, and then ended up with such a clueless mother!

Lin Fan quietly looked at Jia Zhangshi's greedy and shameless face.

He neither laughed nor got angry.

He simply placed his hand slowly on the leather holster at his waist.

"Click".

A very faint yet perfectly clear sound of a metal clasp being undone.

Jia Zhangshi's wailing stopped abruptly.

She stared wide-eyed at Lin Fan's hand on the holster, her pupils contracting sharply, and a stream of yellow liquid trickled down her trouser leg.

"Jia Zhangshi".

Lin Fan's voice was as calm as a stagnant pool, yet it carried a chilling coldness that sent shivers down one's spine.

"The state established the security department to protect factory property and the safety of workers, not as a refuge for selfish, unreasonable shrewish women like you!"

Lin Fan stepped forward and looked down at Jia Zhangshi, who was paralyzed with fear on the ground.

"I, Lin Fan, remember every single one of the ways you treated me before. The fact that I didn't arrest your whole family and send them to jail is already a favor from my brother, Lin Yang."

"And now, you actually dare to shamelessly come asking me for an official position?"

Lin Fan suddenly raised his voice, his voice booming like a bell: "Do you believe it or not?"

"I'm going to handcuff you and Jia Dongxu and take you to the security department's interrogation room on charges of 'attempting to bribe and corrupt state officials,' and let you experience the torture of the tiger bench!"

"roll!"

A furious shout, like a bolt from the blue.

Terrified, Jia Zhangshi scrambled to her feet, dragging her urine-soaked trousers, and fled back to her house like a mad dog, slamming the door shut behind her.

In the courtyard, the undisguised laughter of He Daqing and others rang out.

"Serves you right! You're utterly shameless!"

"Section Chief Lin's words were well-deserved! That shameless old hag deserves to be taught a lesson!"

Lin Fan ignored the flattery of the crowd. He pushed his bicycle steadily into the brightly lit and warm main room.

He knew that from this day forward, in this courtyard house,

It's likely that no one will ever dare to show the slightest disrespect to Lin Fan or the Lin family again.

··········

Red Star Machinery Repair Shop, Medical Clinic.

The afternoon sun shines through the glass, casting dappled light and shadow on the terrazzo floor.

Ding Qiunan was sitting at her desk, holding a pen and diligently making notes in the patient's medical record. She was wearing a faded white coat, her long hair simply tied back, with a few playful strands falling beside her fair cheeks, exuding a cool and quiet beauty.

"Knock knock knock".

A few soft knocks sounded on the door.

Ding Qiunan didn't look up, assuming it was another worker coming to get a leave slip, and said in a flat tone, "Please come in, are you feeling unwell?"

"Qiu Nan, it's me."

A deep, slightly hurried voice came from behind.

Ding Qiunan's hand holding the pen paused slightly, and a hint of surprise, which she herself did not notice, flashed in her cool eyes.

She looked up and her gaze fell on the man who pushed open the door and entered.

Upon seeing this, she was completely stunned.

Standing at the door was Lin Fan.

But today he wasn't wearing his usual old cotton-padded jacket or his serge Zhongshan suit. Instead, he put on a crisp, dark blue Type 50 security officer uniform!

The well-tailored uniform made his slightly hunched back appear straight, and a wide leather belt cinched his waist. Most striking was the bulging leather holster at his side, subtly exuding the authority and coldness of a law enforcement agency.

As the saying goes, "Buddha is made of gold, and people are made of clothes."

Wearing this outfit, Lin Fan shed his previous timid and submissive demeanor as a low-level worker, exuding a steady, reliable, and unassailable masculine aura.

"Lin Fan? You... what are you wearing?" Ding Qiunan stood up in surprise, her beautiful eyes full of confusion.

Lin Fan closed the door to the infirmary with his back, walked to the desk, scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, and blushed slightly.

"Qiu Nan, the factory just issued a document today." Lin Fan's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement. "My younger brother, Yangzi, arrested that corrupt deputy factory director, Li Huaide, at a factory-wide meeting. The security department has also undergone a major reshuffle. Yangzi made the suggestion, and the factory director approved it, appointing me as the head of the security department."

Head of the Security Section!

Ding Qiunan gasped, her rosy lips slightly parted.

Although she was a doctor who didn't concern herself with worldly affairs, she knew exactly what level of cadre the head of the security department of the steel rolling mill was. He was a high-ranking official who wielded real power and could manage hundreds of security officers throughout the entire factory!

"Lin Fan, is this...is this real?" Ding Qiunan walked quickly to him, looking him up and down in his brand-new uniform, her eyes shining brightly.

"Really. They've even issued sidearms." Lin Fan patted the holster at his waist, looking at the girl he loved in front of him, his tone becoming exceptionally gentle, "Qiu Nan, I came here to be the first to tell you this good news."

Looking into Lin Fan's sincere eyes, Ding Qiunan felt an indescribable sweetness and pride welling up inside her.

She was happy, not because Lin Fan had become a high-ranking official or had much power.

What made her happy was that this honest man, who had suffered for ten years and been bullied by the evil neighbors in the courtyard, was finally able to stand up straight and live in the sunlight with dignity!

"Lin Fan, I'm so happy for you." Ding Qiunan's eyes were slightly red as she reached out and gently straightened his slightly crooked collar.

This intimate gesture made Lin Fan's body stiffen instantly, and even his breathing became cautious. He could smell the faint scent of Lysol on Ding Qiunan, mixed with a unique fragrance that belonged only to her.

"Qiu Nan..." Lin Fan took her soft, white hands in his hand, his voice trembling slightly.

"I'm a section chief now, and my salary has increased to administrative level 18. My younger brother left me his newly renovated main house. I... I can support you now. Let's get our marriage certificate after the New Year, shall we?"

This simple and unpretentious proposal had no flowers or diamond ring.