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

When Li Jianguo rode his bicycle back to the gate of the compound, the moon had already risen halfway up the sky.

The silvery moonlight shone down, illuminating the alleyway brightly, making every bluestone slab clearly visible.

I didn't drink much tonight; the slight buzz was just right. The alcohol flowed through my veins, relaxing every nerve while keeping me alert.

Thinking of the expressions on Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai's faces in the corner of the cafeteria today, he couldn't help but feel relieved.

The two men sat in the corner, watching others devour meat and drink wine, watching them toast and laugh around Li Jianguo. Their expressions were priceless. Jealousy, resentment, bitterness, and a hint of barely concealed greed mingled on their faces.

I pedaled faster, and the bicycle traced a light arc through the alley, its wheels making a crisp sound as they rolled over the bluestone slabs.

He met a few neighbors and greeted them with a smile and a nod.

The group of people looked at each other, somewhat puzzled.

"Why is Director Li so happy today?"

"You didn't know? The factory is having a celebration party today, and Director Li is the main character."

"I've heard about the engine issue too."

"Tsk tsk, so young, I wonder if she has a boyfriend."

"Even if he doesn't have a boyfriend, he wouldn't be interested in your daughter. Don't overthink it."

Laughter drifted through the alley, startling a night owl perched on the wall.

As Li Jianguo pushed his cart into the courtyard, someone called out to him.

"Director Li."

Lou Xiao'e emerged from the shadows, the moonlight casting a long shadow on her. Her expression was hesitant, her brows slightly furrowed.

Li Jianguo stopped, and the bicycle stood steadily in his hands.

"Da Mao's family? Is something wrong?"

Lou Xiao'e looked around to make sure no one was there, then took a step forward and lowered her voice.

"Director Li, I just saw Sha Zhu sneaking out of your room. Please be careful."

Li Jianguo's eyes darkened slightly, but the change was only momentary before a smile appeared on his face.

"Okay, thank you for reminding me."

Lou Xiao'e nodded, turned and disappeared into the night, her footsteps so light they were almost inaudible.

Li Jianguo pushed his cart to his door and looked down at the lock.

The moonlight shone on the latch, revealing fresh scratches and a metallic sheen that differed from its surroundings.

He gave a cold laugh, a laugh so low that only he could hear it.

Push the door open and go inside.

The room was pitch black, with only moonlight filtering in through the window, casting dappled shadows on the floor. The shadows of the furniture stretched long, like a group of silent guards.

He didn't let his guard down; he reached for the table, struck a match, and lit the kerosene lamp.

A dim, yellowish light spread out, illuminating the room in a hazy, indistinct way.

Starting from the entrance, I carefully inspected every spot, one by one. Under the table, behind the cabinet, and in the corner piles of clutter.

under the bed.

He crouched down and held up the lamp to shine inside.

The light pierced the darkness, illuminating the corner under the bed.

A red blob was tucked away in the innermost corner, mixed in with dust and cobwebs.

Li Jianguo put down the lamp, found the fire tongs he used to pick up charcoal from behind the door, reached in, grabbed the lump of charcoal, and slowly pulled it out.

A bright red woman's underwear.

The fabric is a bit old, the color is faded and mottled, and the edges are pilling.

Li Jianguo picked it up with tongs, glanced at it from afar, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Silly Zhu, silly Zhu."

He threw the underwear on the ground and poked it with fire tongs. The red patch spread out on the ground, very glaring.

"Where did you get this thing?"

Moonlight streamed through the window paper, illuminating the red patch, making it appear so vibrant it seemed to drip blood.

Li Jianguo stood up, looked down at the lump of something, and a cold smile slowly crept onto his lips.

Since you've already started this, don't blame me for starting it the next big time.

If I don't send Sha Zhu in today, I'll have wasted this second chance at life.

He bent down, picked up the underwear again with the tongs, and went out the door.

The window of Sha Zhu's house was not closed tightly, leaving a gap about two fingers wide.

Li Jianguo walked to the window, casually tossed his hand, and the red ball flew in through the window crack, flipped in the air, and landed on the floor of Shazhu's house.

He thought this kind of garbage was dirty.

After finishing these tasks, he returned to his room, turned on the lamp, and spread out the drawings.

He hasn't yet used the more advanced technologies that the system rewarded him with.

The blueprints provided earlier were just the tip of the iceberg. The truly core concepts remained hidden in his mind.

He picked up the pen, the nib hovering over the paper, but then stopped.

His gaze fell upon the pitch-black night outside the window, and he sighed softly.

Things from this era are still too outdated.

Technological development is a systematic project. Breakthroughs in a single area cannot lead to long-term success. It's like building a house; if you only build one pillar very high while the other parts lag behind, it will collapse sooner or later.

Take engines as an example. Before his rebirth, China's engine technology had achieved complete independent intellectual property rights and was at the forefront of the world in many fields. Turbofan engines, gas turbines, and even the core components of aero engines all had their own technology.

Such achievements are the result of the collective progress of countless fields.

Material.

Lighter materials, more heat-resistant materials, and longer-lasting materials.

Without these, even the best design is just empty talk. What's the use of a beautifully drawn design if it can't be built, or if it breaks down after a few days?

He opened his notebook, turned to a blank page, and picked up a pen.

The pen tip scratched across the paper, writing a few words.

Materials research and development.

This is the next key step.

Carbon fiber composites, high-temperature alloys, ceramic matrix composites. These things are still unattainable dreams in this era, but he has a path in mind.

The pen tip continued to move, and lines of writing spread out on the paper.

The courtyard suddenly became lively.

Li Jianguo raised his head and listened intently.

Qin Huairu's voice was sharp and piercing, piercing through the night like a knife cutting through the silence.

"Which bastard dares to steal from me?!"

The people in the courtyard were all awakened by that shout.

Doors opened one after another, lights came on, and figures moved about. Footsteps were chaotic; some were asking what was going on, some were shouting for silence, and some were cursing.

Yi Zhonghai was the first to rush out of the house, his face showing just the right amount of surprise, an expression that seemed to have been rehearsed countless times.

"What happened? Did you lose something?"

Sha Zhu followed closely behind, standing next to Yi Zhonghai, his voice louder than anyone else's.

"We absolutely cannot tolerate thieves in our compound! We must find them!"

Qin Huairu stood in the center of the courtyard, head down, fidgeting, her fingers twisted together.

"I...I lost my underwear."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

The courtyard instantly erupted in chaos.

"What? Stealing women's underwear?"

"Where did this pervert come from!"

"That's shameless!"

"Which family in our compound doesn't have women? This kind of person must be caught!"

In this day and age, the theft of a woman's intimate clothing is a major incident. It's not just about losing something; it's about losing face, it's about humiliation, it's like being slapped in the face by everyone.

The crowd was filled with righteous indignation and their emotions were running high. Some were waving their fists, some were cursing, and some were whispering among themselves.

Yi Zhonghai raised his hand and pressed it down.

"That's right. This kind of thing should never be tolerated."

He looked around, his gaze sweeping across every face, his voice steady and powerful.

"The Jia family lives in the backyard. Those who could get in must be people from our own courtyard. I suggest we search every house. Let's see which shameless person is really in the way."

Sha Zhu immediately chimed in, his voice louder than anyone else's.

"Yes! Search! Anyone who doesn't allow a search is guilty!"

Some people were unhappy with these words.

The eldest daughter-in-law of the third uncle stepped forward, frowning and with her hands on her hips.

"Who searches? How does the search work?"

Her gaze swept across the men's faces, filled with wariness and distrust.

"What if something gets lost during the search? Besides, is it a woman's house that you can just barge into?"

Uncle Yan Bugui nodded and pushed up his glasses.

"Making such a fuss over a woman's dress, isn't that a bit excessive?"

Sha Zhu immediately jumped up, pointed at Yan Bugui, and almost poked him in the face with his finger.

"Third Uncle, what do you mean by that? Are you feeling guilty?"

Yan Bugui's expression changed, and he was about to speak when Yi Zhonghai spoke up again.

"How about this?"

His tone softened, becoming that of a fair mediator.

"If you're going to search, two people should go. One man and one woman, to supervise each other."

He paused, then his gaze swept over the crowd again.

"What do you guys think? Is this okay?"

After a few whispers and a buzzing sound, the crowd finally nodded reluctantly.

The search party was decided – Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu would search together. Qin Huairu and Xu Damao would search Sha Zhu's house.

"Okay, let's do it this way."

Yi Zhonghai made the final decision, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

Xu Damao jumped up.

"Why are you searching our house first?!"

He glared at Yi Zhonghai, his face full of resentment.

"What, you doubt me?"

Yi Zhonghai frowned, his tone tinged with impatience.

"Xu Damao, we're not just searching your house. What's wrong with starting with yours?"

In the past, Xu Damao might have just accepted it without hesitation.

But things are different now.

He was a favorite of Li Jianguo, and even respected by Director Yang in the factory. Everyone in the factory would respectfully address him as Master Xu.

What right do those idiots like Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai, who were relegated to the stone warehouse, have to boss him around?

"no."

Xu Damao stiffened his neck and held his chin high.

"Why not search Sha Zhu's house first?"

The two men faced off, their gazes clashing in the air, neither willing to back down. The search stalled, the atmosphere tense and fraught with danger.

Sha Zhu spoke up from the side.

"To put it bluntly, single men are the most likely to do this kind of thing."

His gaze swept across each person's face.

"In our department, only Director Li and I are single. Everyone else has a family. How about this—"

He looked at Li Jianguo's house, his gaze filled with undisguised malice.

"Search Director Li's place first, then my house, and finally everyone else's. Hurry up, don't waste time."

When Xu Damao heard that they were going to search Li Jian's country, he instinctively wanted to object.

Lou Xiao'e, however, grabbed his sleeve.

Never mind.

She lowered her voice, a voice only the two of them could hear. Her eyes flickered, carrying a deeper meaning.

Xu Damao was stunned for a moment. He saw Lou Xiao'e shake her head slightly at him, and swallowed the words that were about to come out.

Lou Xiao'e knew what was going on.

Li Jianguo is such a smart person, and he gave the warning in advance, so he shouldn't be fooled by these two scoundrels.

Let's see how it goes first.

The group of people surged toward Li Jianguo's house.

Footsteps were chaotic, flashlight beams swayed back and forth, some people were whispering, and others were urging each other to hurry up.

Li Jianguo stood at the door, watching the group of people surge in.

He leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, looking relaxed, as if watching a play that had nothing to do with him.

The moonlight shone on him, casting a long shadow.

His gaze lingered on Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai's faces for a moment before shifting to Qin Huairu.

The woman had her head down, so her expression was obscured. But her slightly trembling shoulders betrayed her nervousness.

"Director Li."

Sha Zhu walked up to him with a forced smile, a smile so fake it could be wrung out.

"We've got a pervert in our compound who steals underwear, and everyone's talking about searching every house. We'll start with your place, you don't mind, right?"

Yi Zhonghai walked up from behind, his tone serious, like an elder upholding justice.

"Director Li is a leader at the steel rolling mill; he's definitely highly conscious of his position. He certainly wouldn't want something like this to happen in our institute, right?"

Li Jianguo looked at them and suddenly smiled.