Siheyuan: At the beginning, I can integrate everything!

Xu Damao hummed a little tune as he rode his bicycle to the countryside to show movies.

The brawl at the Intermediate People's Court ended hastily amidst a chorus of curses and swears, as the older women were too exhausted to continue fighting.

Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui, each clutching their bruised eyes, glared at each other resentfully before heading home.

The courtyard house enjoyed a rare brief period of peace.

But beneath this calm surface, undercurrents are surging wildly.

As night fell, the cold wind grew even more biting.

In the cramped room of the Jia family in the middle courtyard, the dim kerosene lamp flickered.

Jia Zhangshi sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), rubbing her aching lower back from yesterday's fall, her triangular eyes gleaming with malice.

"Old Yi, this matter can't just be left like this!"

Jia Zhangshi lowered her voice and gritted her teeth as she looked at Yi Zhonghai, who was sitting at the table.

"That little bastard occupies two large brick houses, by what right?"

"Huai Ru went to ask for a room last night; that little bastard must have given her some kind of spell to make her come back spouting nonsense!"

"Let's do it tonight at midnight, pry open the lock on his side room, and move all our old cabinets and broken benches inside!"

Jia Zhangshi's plan was very shrewd.

In this day and age, it's common for things to be done before they're done.

Once people moved in and their belongings were moved in, the house became, in effect, the property of the Jia family.

Even if the matter escalates to the local neighborhood committee, they can simply say it's a "borrowed stay" or "helping to look after the house."

Yi Zhonghai held an empty teacup, his brows furrowed, his face terribly gloomy.

At yesterday's hospital-wide meeting, Zhang Huaimin's words about "extinction of the family line" were like knives ripping into his heart.

Yi Zhonghai enjoyed his moment in the limelight in this compound for decades.

I have never been humiliated in public like this by a little kid before.

Moreover, this kid is too strange.

Not only is he ridiculously strong, but he also knows national policies by heart.

Keeping him around would be a disaster!

"Alright, Sister-in-law Jia, we'll do as you say."

A ruthless glint flashed in Yi Zhonghai's eyes as he finally made up his mind.

"No matter how smart that kid is, he's still just a five-year-old child."

"We'll make our move when he's fast asleep in the middle of the night."

"Even if he wakes up by then, it'll be too late. What can he do to us then?"

The two discussed it and even came up with an excuse to deal with the neighbors' questions.

In the stillness of the night, the courtyard was filled with the sound of snoring.

Jia Zhangshi was clutching a rusty iron lock, while Yi Zhonghai was holding a crowbar.

The two men crept up to Zhang Huaimin's door like thieves.

The door to the side room was tightly shut.

Madam Jia touched the sturdy wooden door greedily, her mouth practically watering.

"Old Yi, quick, pry it open!"

Yi Zhonghai nodded, inserted the crowbar into the crack in the door, and prepared to exert force.

"Ahem!"

suddenly!

A powerful and resounding cough echoed through the spacious front yard of the courtyard house.

The sound was particularly clear and jarring in the quiet of the night.

Yi Zhonghai's hand trembled, and the crowbar fell to the ground with a clang.

Jia Zhangshi was so frightened that she sat down on the cold bluestone slab with a thud, her heart almost jumping out of her throat.

The two turned their heads in alarm.

At the main entrance, beams of light from several flashlights shone straight in, blinding them.

By the light.

The moment he saw who it was, Yi Zhonghai's face turned as white as paper.

Director Wang of the Nanluoguxiang Subdistrict Office!

Director Wang was wearing a dark blue woolen overcoat, his face ashen.

Two burly, serious-looking street office staff members followed behind him.

It turns out that Director Wang went to the district this afternoon to attend an emergency meeting regarding "preferential treatment for families of martyrs and soldiers".

The meeting emphasized the need to severely crack down on those who attempt to seize the property of martyrs' orphans.

After the meeting, Director Wang still felt uneasy.

I recalled the greedy look in Jia Zhangshi's eyes and the hypocritical face of Yi Zhonghai when I took Zhang Huaimin back to the compound yesterday.

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.

She had experienced firsthand the beasts in this compound.

So, she and her team decided to launch a surprise attack that very night to check on Zhang Huaimin's situation.

did not expect.

They caught them red-handed the moment they walked in!

"Yi Zhonghai! Jia Zhangshi! What are you two doing in the middle of the night, standing in front of the martyr's house with crowbars?!"

Director Wang's angry shout was like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

The anger and authority in that voice froze the air in the entire courtyard.

Several neighbors who were still awake heard the noise and peeked out, still wearing their clothes.

Seeing this, everyone gasped in shock.

Yi Zhonghai was so frightened that he trembled all over, and cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

He never expected that the director of the neighborhood committee would come to inspect things in the middle of the night.

If this confirms the charge of "breaking into a martyr's home in the middle of the night and seizing the property," then...

Not only will he lose his status as an eighth-grade worker, but he will probably have to spend the rest of his life on the farm!

"Director Wang...you've misunderstood!"

Yi Zhonghai stammered as he tried to explain, his mind racing, searching for an excuse.

"This...this lock is a bit loose. I came here specifically to fix it because I was worried about Huaimin's safety..."

Madam Jia quickly echoed, her voice trembling like a leaf:

"Yes, yes, yes! We mean well! Our Jia family is the most kind-hearted..."

"fart!"

Director Wang wasn't buying it at all and immediately started swearing.

"Repairing locks with a crowbar in the middle of the night? Do you think I'm a three-year-old?!"

"Yi Zhonghai, you're supposed to be an eighth-grade worker at the steel rolling mill, and an old man in the compound!"

"So this is how you led the bullying of the martyrs' orphans?!"

Director Wang strode up to Yi Zhonghai, his sharp gaze making Yi Zhonghai feel utterly ashamed.

Just then.

The door to the east wing creaked open.

Zhang Huaimin, dressed in a neat little cotton-padded jacket, came out rubbing his eyes.

In fact, he had already known about the situation outside the door through the system's warning.

Coming out now is just adding fuel to the fire.

"Grandma Wang, what brings you here?"

Zhang Huaimin pretended to have just woken up and looked scared, gazing pitifully at Director Wang.

"What were those two old men doing outside just now? It was so loud, it scared me to death!"

"I thought some bad guys were coming to steal my dad's plaque."

These words were spoken.

Director Wang looked at Zhang Huaimin's innocent, yet frightened little face.

The anger in his heart burned even more uncontrollably.

These adorable and sensible orphans of martyrs, how could these beasts bring themselves to do such a thing!

"Huaimin, don't be afraid. With Grandma Wang here, no one will dare to lay a finger on you!"

Director Wang shielded Zhang Huaimin behind him and turned to face all the neighbors in the courtyard.

She took a deep breath, her voice booming like a great bell, echoing throughout the entire courtyard.

"Listen up, everyone!"

"Comrade Zhang Huaimin is the only surviving child of Zhang Dashan, a martyr from the Security Department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill!"

"His house, his pension, even a needle and thread in his house!"

"They are all under the direct supervision and highest level of protection of our subdistrict office and district government!"

Director Wang pointed his finger sharply at Yi Zhonghai and Jia Zhangshi.

"Anyone who dares to have any ulterior motives towards his property."

"No one dares to bully him because he's young."

"Don't blame me, Wang, for being ruthless!"

"Catch one, hand them over to the police station immediately, and sentence them to a labor camp in the Northwest! No leniency whatsoever!"

These words were forceful and menacing.

It was like a Damocles' sword hanging over everyone's heads.

Completely crushing the competition! A blatant slap in the face to the official stance!

Yi Zhonghai's legs went weak, and he almost knelt on the ground.

He nodded and bowed repeatedly, his back soaked with cold sweat.

"Yes, yes, Director Wang is right, we would never dare to have any disloyal thoughts..."

Madam Jia was so frightened that she kowtowed repeatedly, and her previous arrogance had vanished into thin air.

The neighbors who had been watching the commotion were also stunned by Director Wang's imposing manner.

The way they looked at Zhang Huaimin changed once again.

If before I was in awe of his intelligence and wickedness.

Now, it's pure terror.

This five-year-old child is like a rock that you can't touch.

Standing behind him is the real state apparatus!

Whoever messes with them will die!

Seeing that the deterrent effect had been achieved, Director Wang snorted coldly and turned to leave with his staff.

Before leaving.

She squatted down and took out a packet of White Rabbit milk candy wrapped in red paper from her pocket.

It was stuffed into Zhang Huaimin's small hand.

Director Wang patted Zhang Huaimin's head, his tone becoming incredibly gentle.

"Huaimin, take this and eat it."

"If anyone dares to bully you, go to the neighborhood office and find me."

After speaking, Director Wang stood up.

She looked at Zhang Huaimin and left behind a sentence that made everyone present, especially Yi Zhonghai, go crazy with jealousy once again.

"Huaimin, the factory will send someone tomorrow to handle the transfer of your father's pension."

"Get ready."