Courtyard House: Starting as an eighth-grade worker, with too many wives.

"We moved here not long ago."

he's gone.

Yu Li stood there, watching his back, and suddenly smiled.

"It tastes really good."

She muttered to herself, fanning herself with her hand; her face felt a little hot.

We need to find out who this person is.

She walked home with light steps, humming a little tune.

The courtyard was bustling with activity.

The third uncle sat in the middle of the courtyard, his eyes red-rimmed, crying.

He came home from get off work and immediately sensed something was wrong as soon as he opened the door. He looked up and saw that the spot on the wall was empty.

There's always been a painting hanging there. It was passed down from his father, said to be by a painter from the late Qing Dynasty. It's not worth much money, but it's a keepsake his father left him. Every day he looks up at it, as if his father is still here.

It's gone now.

He first searched the house for half an hour, but found nothing. Then he sat in the yard and cried, crying as if his father had died—no, his father had died long ago, this time it was his father's memory that was lost.

The neighbors gathered around, some genuinely anxious, others just watching the spectacle.

"That's not anything valuable, who the hell would be so heartless?"

"Those who steal family heirlooms will die a horrible death!"

The third uncle cried so hard he couldn't speak, so he wiped his tears with his sleeve until it was wet.

Jiang Min came out at this time.

She arrived at the courtyard house long after class. Li Jianguo had given her the key, so she went inside to wait and tidy up the house for him. Hearing a loud commotion outside, she went out to check it out.

Just as I reached the door, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted:

"I saw it! Comrade Jiang just passed by Uncle San's door!"

All eyes turned to them at once.

The third uncle raised his head, his eyes frighteningly red, and stared at her.

"Was it you? Did you steal my father's painting?"

He stood up and rushed this way.

Jiang Min was terrified.

She'd never seen anything like it. The people she interacted with were all classmates, teachers, and superiors, always polite and courteous; it was rare to see someone blush and shout like that. She'd never seen anything like this—with bloodshot eyes, ready to pounce and devour her.

She stepped back.

She retreated all the way to Li Jianguo's door, her back pressed against the door panel, as if the door could give her a sense of security.

"It wasn't me..."

She shook her head, her voice trembling.

"I don't know, I didn't take it..."

"Who else could it be but you?" Qin Huairu suddenly spoke, her voice shrill. "You were the only outsider here today. If you didn't steal it, who did?"

She took a step forward and stared at Jiang Min.

"Our compound has been so quiet lately, how come something's gone the moment you arrived? If you ask me, we should search it! A quick search will tell us if it was her!"

She turned around and rallied the others.

"Isn't this what Director Li loves to do most? If you can't explain it, just search for it. A search will clear things up!"

Some people in the crowd nodded.

"That's right, a quick search will make it clear."

"Then... should I search?"

A hint of smugness appeared on Qin Huairu's face.

Jiang Min leaned against the door, her heart pounding like a drum. But upon hearing the words "Director Li," she suddenly calmed down.

She recalled Li Jianguo's usual demeanor.

I recall the tone of his voice and the way he looked at people.

She slowly straightened up.

"You...are you going to search Li Jianguo's house?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the surroundings.

"You dare?"

Qin Huairu's smile froze instantly.

The few people who had been echoing the sentiments just moments before suddenly fell silent. Some looked down at their shoes, while others turned to look at the sky. Some of the more astute ones quietly took two steps back and hid themselves in the crowd.

Yi Zhonghai stood in the corner, quietly watching this scene, and shook his head slightly.

He was all too familiar with this tactic. He used the same method on Li Jianguo back then—using morality to pressure him and force him to submit. And what was the result?

He glanced at Qin Huairu, then at Jia Dongxu—that kid had slipped back at some point and was now hiding behind someone, his eyes darting around.

Young people never learn.

At this moment, Uncle Er stepped forward.

He had been waiting for this moment for far too long. Ever since Yi Zhonghai stepped down, he had been the top leader in the institute, walking with an air of authority. But he had never had the chance to show off his power until today.

He cleared his throat and strode forward, his belly protruding.

"What's all the noise about? What are you all arguing about?"

He looked around, his gaze lingering on Qin Huairu's face for a moment before shifting to Jiang Min.

"Comrade Jiang, since you've moved into our compound and this has happened, you should abide by our compound's rules."

Jiang Min looked at him without saying a word.

The second uncle took this silence as tacit approval of his authority, and straightened his back even more.

"We won't make things difficult for you, we'll just go in and take a look. If there's nothing there, it'll clear your name, won't it?"

"This isn't my house," Jiang Min said. "It belongs to Li Jianguo. He's not here. If you want to search, wait until he comes back."

The second uncle's face darkened.

"Why don't you just stay here and keep an eye on things? It's not like they're stealing from your house, what are you so nervous about?"

Jia Dongxu suddenly appeared.

"Second Uncle is right! We'll just go in and take a look, but we absolutely won't touch his things!"

He rushed towards the door, reaching out to grab Jiang Min—

"Get out of the way! Don't block the way!"

"What are you doing!"

Jiang Min couldn't dodge in time, and he grabbed her arm. The grip was extremely strong, pinching her painfully.

"Let me go!"

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!" Jia Dongxu ignored her and desperately tried to pull her away.

Just then—

"What are you all doing?"

The sound came from the courtyard gate.

not tall.

Yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

Jia Dongxu's hand recoiled as if burned. He abruptly turned around—

Li Jianguo pushed the station there.

Meat and malted milk powder hung from the handlebars. The setting sun cast a stark silhouette behind him, obscuring his expression.

He walked in step by step.

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, each one striking a chord in people's hearts.

He walked over to Jiang Min.

"You're back..."

Jiang Min's tears welled up instantly. She grabbed his sleeve, her voice trembling, and recounted what had just happened in a very fast voice. She said that the Third Uncle had lost something, that they suspected her, that they wanted to search the house, and that she hadn't let them in.

Li Jianguo listened quietly.

After listening, he patted her hand.

"Well done," he said. "Thank you."

He raised his head.

His gaze swept over them one by one.

The gaze swept across the face of the third uncle, then across Qin Huairu, then across the face of the second uncle. Finally, it settled on Jia Dongxu.

Jia Dongxu shrank back, wishing he could disappear into the crowd.

"Who gave you the audacity?" Li Jianguo asked, his voice low, "to harm my men while I was away?"

No one answered.

The courtyard was so quiet that you could hear the sound of a spatula stirring in a pan next door.

The second uncle's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately no words came out. He suddenly regretted it—what had he done? He'd been tricked by that rascal Jia Dongxu!

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai came out.

He walked slowly, step by step, as if he were weighing something.

"Director Li," he began, his tone cautious yet tinged with something else, "you are a man of status, a hero who has been featured in the newspapers. Who in our compound doesn't respect you?"

Li Jianguo looked at him but didn't say anything.

Yi Zhonghai continued, speaking slowly but clearly: "But you also know that when something is lost, everyone searches the premises—this rule… was set by you beforehand. How come now—when it's your turn, this rule doesn't apply?"

After he finished speaking, he looked up at Li Jianguo.

A barely perceptible hint of expectation lingered in his eyes.

That's a tricky way of putting it. It both flatters Li Jianguo and elevates him to a high position. If they don't allow the search, it's a contradiction and an act of bullying; if they do allow the search—

Yi Zhonghai waited quietly.