Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

In the evening, smoke curls from chimneys in Nanluoguxiang.

Liu Erhe pushed his Phoenix brand bicycle into the No. 95 compound. On the back seat sat Liang Fangfang, who had just finished get off work at the supply and marketing cooperative. She was carrying a bag of pastries wrapped in oil paper, which Sister Zhang had given her that afternoon, saying that they were homemade and that she should take them back for her two children to try.

Liu Erhe set up the bicycle frame, and Liang Fangfang got off the back seat, dusted off the corner of her clothes, and the two walked towards the east wing one after the other.

Before even reaching the door, Liu Erhe could hear voices coming from inside. He lifted the curtain and immediately saw Liang's mother sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), clutching a handkerchief in her hand, talking to Wang Xiuhe. Her expression held a hint of worry that she couldn't hide.

Wang Xiuhe sat opposite her, picking vegetables as she listened, nodding occasionally, her expression becoming serious.

"Mother? What brings you here?" Liu Erhe asked, somewhat surprised, as he stepped across the threshold. "It's so late, why aren't you home?"

Liang Fangfang quickly walked over, placed the pastries she was carrying on the table, sat down next to her mother, and took her arm, asking, "Mother, what happened? Why do you look so pale?"

When Liang's mother saw her daughter and son-in-law return, her lips moved, and after hesitating for a long time, she clenched the handkerchief in her hand even tighter, her voice filled with trepidation and unease: "You're finally back... I came here today because I was really unsure of what to do and wanted to ask you."

She paused, then looked up at Liu Erhe: "Your dad came back around noon today. He usually doesn't come back at noon, but he suddenly came back today. He packed two changes of clothes and an old canvas bag, and told me he was going on a business trip."

"I felt something was off, but I didn't dare ask too many questions. When he came back, he was followed by a young man in an officer's uniform with a pistol on his waist. He looked like someone from the military."

As Liang's mother spoke, her voice lowered further, and she twisted her handkerchief tightly between her fingers: "I stood at the door for a long time, feeling very panicked. When has your father ever taken someone like this with him when he goes out? He's just a fitter at a steel mill, he can go on a business trip, why is he being followed by someone with a gun? The more I think about it, the more frightened I become, I don't know if something has happened."

She glanced at Liu Erhe again, her tone almost pleading: "Erhe, could you go ask Yuheng? Yuheng is a high-ranking official, worldly-wise, and knows many people. If something really happened to your father, he'd definitely know. Go ask him, so I can have some peace of mind."

Upon hearing this, Liu Erhe was stunned for a moment, his casual expression turning into one of astonishment. He exclaimed, his voice rising a few decibels: "My dad didn't come to work today! I thought he had taken leave. Nobody in the workshop could say for sure. The foreman just said it was approved from above, but nobody knew where he went. I didn't think much of it at the time, assuming something had happened at home. I never imagined it was like this!"

His shout immediately sombered the atmosphere in the room. Wang Xiuhe put down the dishes she was holding, her expression turning serious. She glanced at Liu Erhe, then at Liang's mother.

"Erhe, hurry up and ride your bike to your brother's place to ask about the situation. Your brother works in the ministry, knows a lot of people, and is well-informed. If it were a normal business trip, your in-laws wouldn't be accompanied by armed men. There must be something going on. Go and find out what's going on, then come back and let us know, so your mother-in-law can rest assured."

Liu Erhe nodded immediately and turned to leave. Liang Fangfang also stood up and patted her mother's hand, saying, "Mother, don't worry, sit down first. Erhe and I will go ask around. If there's any news from my brother, we'll come back and tell you right away. You stay here with me and don't scare yourself."

Mother Liang nodded, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back.

Liu Erhe had already reached the door. He turned back and glanced at Liang Fangfang: "You're coming with me? Okay, let's go. The bicycle is still outside."

The two quickly left the east wing. Liu Erhe pushed the Phoenix brand bicycle out from under the wall, and after Liang Fangfang was settled on the back seat, he pushed off with his feet, and the bicycle steadily drove out of the courtyard gate.

There weren't many people on the streets in the evening, with only a few bicycles occasionally passing by, their bells ringing twice.

Liang Fangfang sat in the back seat, one hand gripping the edge of the seat. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke, her voice slightly hoarse from the wind: "Erhe, do you think my dad... he won't have gotten into any trouble?"

Liu Erhe stood firmly on the ground, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, and tried to keep his tone calm: "Don't overthink it, it should be fine. Dad has worked in the factory his whole life, he's skilled and well-liked, what could possibly happen to him? Maybe he was just temporarily pulled away by his superiors to do some technical work, and they didn't have time to explain in detail to the family."

Hearing this, Liang Fangfang remained silent for a few seconds, then softly hummed in agreement, without asking any further questions. But Liu Erhe could feel that her fingers, gripping his shirt at the back of his waist, hadn't loosened their hold; they were much tighter than usual.

The two rode all the way to the gate of the compound in the north of the city. Liu Erhe stopped at the gate, took out his ID from his pocket and showed it to the sentry, then gave the sentry Liu Yuheng's name. The sentry checked it, pointed inside, and waved for them to pass.

Liu Erhe got back on his bike and rode along the cement road in the courtyard to the familiar blue-brick building. He parked the bike, walked to the door with Liang Fangfang, and knocked twice on the door.

Footsteps soon came from inside. The door opened from the inside, and Yao Qingwan stood in the doorway wearing an apron with the sleeves rolled up to her forearms, her hands still covered in flour.

She was taken aback when she saw Liu Erhe and Liang Fangfang standing at the door. Then a smile bloomed on her face as she stepped aside to let them in: "Erhe, Fangfang? What brings you here at this hour? Come in, come in, we're cooking."

The two entered the house, and Yao Qingwan closed the door, inviting them to sit on the sofa in the living room. As soon as Liu Erhe sat down, he saw Liu Zhiyuan lying on the sofa carpet, playing with building blocks.

Liu Erhe reached out and gently rubbed his head, calling out "Zhiyuan".

Liu Zhiyuan looked up at him, recognized him as his second uncle, grinned, and called out "Second Uncle" in a childish voice before lowering his head to continue building his blocks.

Yao Qingwan returned to the stove, stirring the food in the pot as she turned her head and asked, "What brings you two here today? Have you eaten yet? My food is almost ready, so we can eat here in a bit."

Liu Erhe rubbed his hands together, his expression showing a hint of anxious inquiry: "Sister-in-law, where's my brother? He hasn't come back yet?"

Yao Qingwan paused for a moment with the spatula in her hand, turned her head to look at him, and said in a natural tone, "He's on a business trip. He said it was a task temporarily assigned by the department."

Liu Erhe and Liang Fangfang exchanged a glance. Liang Fangfang's expression visibly crumbled, her lips twitched, and the slight ease she had managed to maintain when she first entered the room vanished instantly.

Liu Erhe frowned, a hint of disappointment in his voice: "On a business trip? When will he be back? Did he say where he went?"