Siheyuan: At the beginning, I can integrate everything!

The large tin horn gleamed coldly under the beam of the flashlight.

Zhang Huaimin walked up to Liu Guangtian.

The kid's crotch was still dripping with yellow water, and his face was smeared in the black mud like a big cat. Right now, he was looking at me with the eyes of someone looking at the King of Hell.

"Brother Guangtian, it's so late at night and so cold, and you're dressed like that..."

Zhang Huaimin slowly raised the megaphone, a smile on his lips, but his eyes were as cold as ice.

"Are you here to scavenge for scraps in this junkyard, or to practice your Iron Head Kung Fu?"

Liu Guangtian trembled with fright, and the handcuffs rattled loudly.

"Brother Huai, Huaimin... no, our ancestors! Our little ancestors!"

He was crying and sniffling, struggling desperately to get closer to Zhang Huaimin's feet.

"I was just confused for a moment; it was all my dad who forced me to do it!"

"He's in cahoots with Deputy Factory Director Li. He said if I stole this stuff, he could ruin me. I..."

Zhang Huaimin didn't even wait for him to finish speaking before pressing the horn switch.

"Sizzle—"

A sharp, electric whistling sound instantly shattered the quiet winter night at the steel rolling mill.

He pointed the loudspeaker at Liu Guangtian's distorted face.

"Since it was Deputy Factory Director Li and Second Uncle who instigated this, Brother Guangtian, you're so aggrieved, shouldn't the whole factory know?"

"Brother Chen."

Zhang Huaimin turned to Chen Bing and said, "Take him to the broadcasting room. Have him read what he just said into the microphone, word for word."

Upon hearing this, Liu Guangtian nearly fainted.

Go to the broadcasting room? Read it to the whole factory?!

Then his father, Liu Haizhong, and Deputy Factory Director Li, wouldn't they all have to go to jail and be punished?!

"No, no, no! I can't go!" Liu Guangtian shook his head frantically, struggling like a dead fish on a chopping board.

"Take him away." Chen Bing said coldly, waving his hand.

Two guards dragged Liu Guangtian towards the broadcasting building like a dead dog.

early morning.

The winter sun had not yet dispelled the chill in the alley.

In the Hongxing Courtyard, every household is busy lighting stoves and making breakfast.

Intermediate People's Court.

Liu Haizhong sat on his own doorstep.

His foot was wrapped in thick bandages, a "work injury" left from yesterday's smashed big toe.

Although he was in excruciating pain, he was in an exceptionally good mood.

He held a large enamel mug and took a sip of the high-quality tea with relish.

"By now, Guangtian should have succeeded, right?"

Liu Haizhong thought to himself, "As long as that box of coils is lost, Zhang Huaimin won't be able to explain himself, and Yang Lixin will definitely be in trouble."

"Once Deputy Factory Director Li takes over, won't my position as deputy workshop director be a sure thing?"

Thinking of this, Liu Haizhong couldn't help but grin, his chubby face squeezing into a ball.

He could almost see himself sitting in his spacious office, bossing around the workers who had once mocked him.

Just as Liu Haizhong was dreaming of getting promoted and making a fortune.

"Sizzle—"

The loudspeaker installed at the entrance of the alley above the courtyard house by the steel rolling mill suddenly emitted a piercing electrical sound.

Followed by.

A cold and authoritative voice boomed like thunder throughout Nanluoguxiang!

"Urgent announcement! Urgent announcement!"

"Last night in the early hours! Liu Guangtian, a worker in Workshop 1, sneaked into the waste disposal area of ​​the classified experimental zone, attempting to steal top-secret national military supplies!"

"He was caught red-handed by the security department and special guards!"

"He has been criminally detained by the public security authorities! A case has been opened for investigation!"

boom!

These few words were like bombshells, causing an uproar in the courtyard.

"Bang!"

The enamel mug in Liu Haizhong's hand fell straight onto the bluestone slab.

The scalding hot tea splashed all over his trouser leg, and the teacup shattered into pieces.

He stood frozen in place, like a wooden stake, completely still.

Those eyes, which had been narrowed to slits from fantasizing about becoming an official, were now wide open, bigger than copper bells.

His eyes were bloodshot, as if they might burst at any moment.

"Guang...Guangtian...was arrested?"

Liu Haizhong's lips trembled, and a hissing sound like a broken bellows came from his throat.

Stealing top-secret state military equipment?!

This is a capital offense!

How could this happen? Wasn't it supposed to be foolproof?!

The announcements over the loudspeaker continued.

But the next voice changed to a male voice filled with sobs, fear, and despair.

It was Liu Guangtian!

"I am Liu Guangtian! I confess! I plead guilty!"

"I didn't mean to steal government supplies! It was all my father, Liu Haizhong! He ordered me to do it!"

"He said that Deputy Factory Director Li ordered him to confiscate Consultant Zhang's materials and asked me to steal them so he could frame Consultant Zhang!"

"My dad's obsessed with becoming an official! He's conspiring with Deputy Factory Director Li to sabotage things! Please, officers, be lenient with him!"

The recording was played.

The entire Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, along with its staff quarters, was in an uproar!

Not only did they steal military supplies, but they also colluded with the deputy factory director to frame a national-level top-notch scientific researcher?!

This is an absolutely shocking and appalling case!

Inside the courtyard, the neighbors, who were originally busy with their own things, were now at work.

Like a tidal wave, it surged into the Intermediate People's Court in an instant.

Dozens of eyes stared at him with shock, disdain, and even schadenfreude.

They all stared at Liu Haizhong, who was slumped on the doorstep.

"My God! Bangs, you're really going to ruin this!"

Aunt Wang pointed at Liu Haizhong's nose and started cursing.

"Huaimin was such a good son to our institute, and you, just to get a lowly official position, actually let your own son do something that could cost you your life!"

"Exactly! He always acts like some big shot in the yard, but behind everyone's back he's colluding with the deputy factory director to sabotage things!"

"They haven't even washed themselves clean after falling into the latrine yesterday, and now they've caused this mess again. The Liu family has truly lost all face!"

The neighbors chattered amongst themselves, their spittle practically drowning Liu Haizhong.

Yan Bugui also pushed his bicycle and stood at the front of the crowd.

He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, looked at Liu Haizhong's grief-stricken appearance, and shook his head repeatedly.

"Old Liu, oh Old Liu, you've really brought shame upon your family, a disgrace to your family, a ruined family tradition!"

"After all that scheming and plotting, he landed his son in jail and lost his own life in the process!"

Yan Bugui sighed, but inside he was overjoyed.

Luckily, I reacted quickly and apologized to that little brat beforehand, even giving him a box of tea.

Otherwise, Yan Bugui would probably have suffered the same fate as him today.

Liu Haizhong listened to the accusations and insults around him.

It felt like countless bees were buzzing wildly in my head.

He looked up at the neighbors who he used to scold but were now pointing fingers at him.

An unprecedented surge of shame, fear, and despair rushed to the top of my head.

It’s over.

It's all over.

He didn't get the official position, but his son got imprisoned.

He himself instigated his son to steal military supplies. If this crime is proven, he will definitely face death!

"puff--!"

Overcome with anger and anxiety, Liu Haizhong suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes rolled back, and his massive body became like a mountain of flesh.

He fell straight off the threshold and collapsed to the ground, convulsing and fainting on the spot.

"Ouch! Blood's spitting out of my bangs!"

Another chaotic scene erupted in the courtyard.

At this time.

In the No. 1 Precision Workshop of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

The roar of the machines was deafening.

Yi Zhonghai was wearing a level-two work uniform that was covered in oil stains.

He was hunched over, sweating profusely, desperately polishing a complex part in front of a machine tool.

He had been working continuously for four hours without moving.

Since being demoted and placed on probation at the factory, he has endured countless scornful looks in the workshop.

Even the apprentices who used to follow him around calling him "Master" now dare to boss him around.

He is not willing!

Yi Zhonghai is a level eight fitter!

He wanted to use his excellent skills to re-weld a perfect part.

He wanted to prove to Director Yang that Hongxing Factory couldn't do without him! He could return to his peak!

"Clang! Clang!"

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth, the file in his hand moving precisely across the metal surface.

Right at this crucial final moment.

The workshop door was pushed open, and a small figure appeared, hands behind his back.

With a chilling sense of oppression, I slowly walked into the workshop.