I feel right at home in the world of the courtyard house.

The office door closed, and the politeness and solemnity on Li Jing'an's face vanished instantly, replaced by a dark and gloomy expression. He suddenly raised his hand and slammed it on the desk with a loud bang, startling Qin Huairu, who was wiping away tears nearby, so much so that she swallowed her tears back.

"You're something else, Qin Huairu!" Li Jing'an's voice was icy cold, filled with suppressed anger. "You really know how to do things, you're really resourceful! You dare to raise prices without permission, that's quite a move! I bet you planned this all along, didn't you?"

Qin Huairu trembled with fear, wiping away her tears as she cautiously raised her head and timidly called out, "Brother Jing'an..."

"Don't call me!" Li Jing'an interrupted her sharply, his tone unwavering. "It's too late to say anything now. We'll talk after Xie Hui's report is submitted and the results are in!"

Qin Huairu bit her lip, hesitated for a long time, and then mustered up her courage to whisper, "Brother Jing'an, that Xie Hui is a new resident who just moved into our courtyard a couple of days ago. He lives in the east wing of the front yard..."

Upon hearing this, Li Jing'an was taken aback.

Lately, he's been spending all his time around Bai Ting, always going in and out through the west gate of the courtyard, never actually leaving the main courtyard, so he had no idea a new resident had moved in. He thought to himself: Xie Hui isn't a character in the original story. It seems that I, like a butterfly flapping its wings, have disrupted the original trajectory and caused a new change.

Shaking off the jumbled thoughts in his mind, Li Jing'an looked up at Qin Huairu and said indifferently, "Since you're neighbors, go talk to him after get off work and see if he can give you face and not pursue this matter any further."

After saying that, he waved his hand impatiently: "You can go now, I want some peace and quiet."

Qin Huairu dared not say anything more, lowered her head, and quietly left the office.

Li Jing'an sat in the chair, feeling a surge of anger. It wasn't that he was really angry at Qin Huairu, but rather at Xie Hui, that young man, for being so ungrateful and not giving him any face at all.

But on second thought, it's understandable that a young person who has just taken office is ambitious and eager to achieve something and climb the ranks.

Besides, Qin Huairu was in the wrong in this matter, and he didn't owe her anything, nor would he clean up her mess. As for how to handle it in the end, it all depended on Xie Hui and the factory's decision; let them do as they please.

Having figured this out, Li Jing'an's anger subsided considerably. He tidied up the things on his desk, locked the office door, and rode his bicycle straight back to his courtyard.

As the sun sets, its orange-red afterglow spills onto the bluestone path at the entrance of the alley, casting long shadows.

As Li Jing'an pushed his bicycle to the gate of his small courtyard, he saw a figure squatting in the corner, peeking out. It was Old Wu.

When Lao Wu saw Li Jing'an, his eyes lit up instantly, as if he had grasped a lifeline. He quickly stood up and hurried over, his face full of a fawning yet uneasy smile.

"Director Li, you're finally back! I've been waiting for you for ages!"

Li Jing'an didn't even glance at him, his expression indifferent, showing no intention of letting him in. He stood outside the courtyard gate and coldly said, "Say what you have to say here."

Old Wu's smile froze for a moment, but he dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction. He quickly stepped forward, his voice low and filled with anticipation: "Director Li, is there any news about Xiao Wu's matter?"

Li Jing'an glanced at him sideways and slowly said, "Consider yourself lucky. Director Yan has already spoken to the leaders of the Municipal Bureau, and things are looking promising."

Upon hearing this, Old Wu was so excited that he trembled all over. He almost bowed to Li Jing'an to express his gratitude, but before he could say anything, Li Jing'an's next words made his heart sink to the bottom.

"However, the matter is not completely over yet." Li Jing'an's tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable authority. "Tomorrow, prepare two more top-quality items and send them to the leaders of the Municipal Bureau. These items must be your most prized possessions; there can be no half-hearted efforts. As long as the items are delivered, your grandson Xiao Wu will be released safely the day after tomorrow."

The excitement on Old Wu's face vanished instantly, replaced by a bitter expression. His brows furrowed, and the corners of his mouth drooped. He had just given away a painting by Zheng Banqiao and a Xuande blue-and-white porcelain plate a few days ago, which had already emptied most of his savings. Now, having to prepare two more fine items was practically killing him.

Seeing his distressed and reluctant expression, Li Jing'an's face instantly turned cold, and his tone was full of warning: "Old Wu, I'm telling you this now. You must bring your best stuff tomorrow. If it doesn't meet the approval of the city bureau leaders, not only will your grandson Xiao Wu be out of there, but you yourself will be in trouble too. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

Old Wu shuddered. No matter how reluctant he was, he dared not utter a word of rebuttal and could only nod with a bitter face.

Seeing this, Li Jing'an added slowly, his tone somewhat matter-of-fact: "Oh, and don't forget to bring mine tomorrow. I've been running around all day these past few days because of your grandson, drinking and socializing with leaders. My legs are worn thin, and my stomach is all messed up. If you don't get me something nice to make up for it, you won't feel right, right?"

Old Wu was stunned by these words, feeling both angry and resentful, but he dared not show it at all. Li Jing'an was openly asking for favors, but since he needed Li's help, he could only swallow his anger and resentment.

Li Jing'an was too lazy to look at his frustrated appearance. After finishing his sentence, he ignored Lao Wu's reaction, pushed his bicycle into the yard, and slammed the gate shut with a "bang," locking it in place and completely blocking Lao Wu from entering.

Outside the courtyard gate, Old Wu stood there, staring at the tightly closed gate. His body suddenly hunched over, his face filled with helplessness and bitterness. He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumped, and he turned around with heavy steps, disappearing into the end of the alley.