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

They looked at the deaf old woman, a look of disbelief flashing across their faces.

This old man... why is he helping Li Jianguo instead?

Upon seeing this, Xu Damao immediately perked up.

He slapped his thigh and made to walk out, saying, "Alright! I'm used to running around anyway, I'll handle this!"

He walked over to Li Jianguo's bicycle and skillfully kicked the kickstand away.

But as soon as he stepped onto one leg, the deaf old lady spoke again.

"stop!"

She stared at Xu Damao, a rare glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes: "Don't go to that police station again! How many times have you been there? Who knows if you two have been having an affair?"

Xu Damao almost burst out laughing.

He turned to look at the deaf old woman: "What's the difference? Aren't all police officers involved in solving cases?"

"Just go when I tell you to! Why all the nonsense?"

The deaf old woman glared at him, her eyes seeming to bore two holes into him: "If you can't do it, let someone else do it!"

Xu Damao raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, his smile full of self-deprecation: "Well, so no matter what, I'm always the least popular one in this courtyard."

He pushed off the pedal, and the bicycle wobbled and disappeared into the night.

This time he rode a long way, passing through two alleys and going around to the police station on another street, where he called over two unfamiliar faces.

He was a man in his forties with a square face and a calm demeanor.

He was in his early twenties, fair-skinned and clean-cut, and looked like he had just started working.

The two followed Xu Damao into the courtyard.

A square-faced policeman stood in the courtyard, his gaze sweeping around before finally settling on Li Jianguo: "Who called the police? What's going on?"

Qin Huairu rushed forward to greet her.

She walked up to the square-faced policeman, her eyes reddening again, tears welling up but refusing to fall.

She lowered her head, her voice soft and gentle, tinged with a shy reluctance: "Officer... it was... it was me who called the police."

The young policeman looked her over curiously: "What case?"

Qin Huairu bit her lip, her voice even lower: "I... I was cleaning the house today and I found... I found that one... one piece of underwear is missing."

The young policeman paused for a moment, then blurted out, "Stealing women's underwear? Is this guy crazy?"

"Shut up!"

The square-faced policeman gave a low reprimand, his gaze remaining fixed on Qin Huairu's face, signaling her to continue.

Qin Huairu sniffed, her voice trembling with tears: "There are many young women in our compound, and everyone is panicking because of this. We just want to... we just want to find this person."

The square-faced policeman nodded, his expression serious: "You did the right thing. This kind of person has potential criminal motives. Finding them sooner can prevent more serious things from happening."

Qin Huairu raised her eyelids, glanced at him timidly, and then quickly lowered her head again: "We...we were just thinking of searching house to house..."

At this point, her voice choked, and tears finally fell, splashing onto the ground and creating a small water droplet.

The young policeman felt sorry for her and patted his chest to assure her, "Don't be afraid, ma'am! With us here, no one will dare to do anything to you!"

Qin Huairu glanced at him gratefully, then raised her hand and pointed at Li Jianguo.

The finger gleamed a ghastly white under the light, like a torture device used to accuse someone.

"There are only two unmarried young men in our compound. He's a new resident, so everyone thought we should start investigating them first..."

Her voice was filled with accusation and grievance: "But he... he wouldn't let me search, and he even hit me!"

The deaf old woman nodded vigorously beside him, her nods sounding like a chicken pecking at rice: "That's right! He even hits an old woman like me! He threw my grandson, Shazhu, a long way away! He's just guilty! He wouldn't let us search, that's why we invited these two comrades here!"

The two policemen's eyes both fell on Li Jianguo.

The young policeman's eyes already held scrutiny and vigilance.

The square-faced policeman had a deep look in his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, Xu Damao interrupted again.

He stood to the side, a mocking smile on his lips: "Officers, don't listen to their nonsense. This Director Li is an engineer at our steel rolling mill; he works on top of top-secret projects."

He paused, drawing out his words: "An engineer's room, is it something just anyone can rummage through? What if they damage some blueprints, or leak some secrets, and enemy agents get the benefits..."

The two policemen were stunned at the same time.

"engineer?"

The square-faced policeman looked at Li Jianguo with a more serious expression in his eyes.

Li Jianguo nodded slightly, his expression calm: "Yes. I'm currently in charge of some project research at the steel rolling mill. Specific details involve confidentiality requirements and cannot be disclosed."

Upon hearing this, the expressions on the two policemen's faces changed.

The young policeman opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.

The square-faced policeman reacted quickly, immediately taking a step forward and becoming much more respectful: "This comrade just now called you Director Li, so we'll address you that way too."

Li Jianguo nodded, signaling him to continue.

The square-faced policeman rubbed his hands together, and said somewhat awkwardly, "Director Li, we were presumptuous in what happened today. An engineer's room really can't be searched casually. If something happens, we can't bear the responsibility."

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu became furious.

He lunged forward, his face flushed and neck bulging, shouting, "What do you mean by this? You're just going to abandon us? Just because he's the director, you're bending the law for personal gain?"

The deaf old woman chimed in, "What era are we living in? Does Li Jianguo, just because he's a director, think he can be so high and mighty? Does he think he can ride roughshod over ordinary people?"

Yi Zhonghai, fanning the flames from the sidelines, appeared fair but was actually speaking with veiled sarcasm: "Officers, we believe you two are impartial. If we find out who is a pervert, we will definitely punish them severely. But if we don't investigate because they are the director, then this fairness... will be compromised."

The group of people, talking amongst themselves, put the two policemen in a very difficult position.

The young policeman was sweating profusely, looking at this and then that, unsure of what to do.

The square-faced policeman also looked troubled.

He steeled himself and looked at Li Jianguo, his tone pleading: "Director Li, you see... this matter isn't a huge problem, but it's not insignificant either. What... is the best way to resolve this?"

Li Jianguo looked at him, a gentle smile appearing on his lips.

"Comrades, please don't be embarrassed. I understand how you feel. I also live in this compound, and if there really is a pervert, it would be a threat to my safety as well. I wholeheartedly support finding this person as soon as possible."

The two policemen exchanged a glance, both seeing a sense of relief in each other's eyes.

Li Jianguo continued, "Since everyone thinks I'm highly suspicious, I can accept being searched by the two comrades."

The young policeman almost burst out laughing, but quickly composed himself.

The deaf old woman persisted, scoffing, "What a pretentious act! Officer, I guarantee it, he's the pervert! Arrest him right now! Otherwise, he'll ruin even more girls sooner or later!"

Sha Zhu nodded vigorously, "Officer, you don't know, ever since he came to our compound, he hasn't given us a moment's peace! He's a jinx! Don't let him fool you!"

Yi Zhonghai maintained his impartial demeanor: "You two are fair-minded people. Once you find out who it is, punish them severely. We trust you both."

The two policemen, who were being held up uncomfortably, looked at Li Jianguo with a hint of sympathy in their eyes.

The square-faced policeman tentatively began, "Director Li, what do you think of this..."

Li Jianguo waved his hand, interrupting him: "Comrades, don't worry. Since I've agreed to the search, I won't make things difficult for you two. We're all serving the people; I'm not that pretentious."

The square-faced policeman breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a bit more favorably disposed towards the young man.

"However, I have one condition before the search."

The two policemen's hearts jumped again.

"Director Li, please speak."

Li Jianguo looked at them and said calmly, "My conditions are within the scope of your duties."

He paused, then asked, "I remember that our country's laws have provisions regarding defamation and slander, right?"

The square-faced policeman paused, then understood, and nodded emphatically: "Of course! It has existed since ancient times! We punish those who damage another's reputation according to the law, and we will never tolerate it!"

Li Jianguo nodded, his smile fading and replaced by a solemn expression.

"That's good."

He looked at Yi Zhonghai and the others, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"These people are convinced that I am the pervert who stole underwear, and they blocked my door to search my room. This has caused great damage to my reputation."

The square-faced policeman immediately replied, "I understand what Director Li means. After we finish our search, if we don't find any evidence to prove you are the thief, we will punish the person spreading the rumors according to the law."

Li Jianguo nodded: "My request is very simple. If these two comrades can prove that I am not a thief, then I demand that they publicly apologize and pay the corresponding price. I want them punished to the highest standard."

The square-faced policeman agreed without hesitation, his tone resolute: "Falsifying a senior national engineer is a crime that should naturally be punished severely. Director Li, rest assured, we will handle this impartially."

Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai almost burst out laughing when they heard this.

They exchanged a glance, their eyes brimming with barely suppressed elation.

That underwear was stuffed under Li Jianguo's bed by Sha Zhu himself.

Now Li Jianguo has jumped into the pit himself and even buried himself in the dirt. Isn't that courting death?

Sha Zhu took a deep breath, trying his best to look normal, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

Yi Zhonghai was more experienced than him, and his expression revealed nothing; he simply nodded slightly.

"No problem, we'll do as the police officer says."

"We fully accept this. If it's truly a rumor, then it absolutely cannot be let off lightly."

Qin Huairu echoed, her voice still soft, but the smugness in her eyes was impossible to hide: "We must not let this kind of pervert get away once we find him."

Sha Zhu added, "If it weren't for Director Li's doing, then we should apologize and be punished."

Xu Damao felt that something was wrong when he heard this.

He tilted his head to look at Sha Zhu, his eyes full of scrutiny: "Hey Sha Zhu, why are you talking like you've already convicted Director Li? Or... do you know something inside?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the heads of the two policemen.

They immediately became alert, their eyes fixed sharply on Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai.

The square-faced policeman said in a deep voice, "We will never let a bad person go unpunished, nor will we wrong an innocent person. No matter who did it or whether it was a frame-up, we will get to the bottom of it."

"If it's the latter..."

His gaze lingered on Yi Zhonghai's face for a moment: "Those who make false accusations will never have a good end. They will be severely punished."

Sha Zhu shuddered, a chill running down his spine.

He quickly reassured himself: It's okay, they won't find anything on me. It's Li Jianguo who's doomed, not me.

Two policemen were about to go in and search.

The deaf old woman spoke again: "No way! Just the two of you going in? Who knows if you know him? What if you're protecting him? He's the director!"

These words were a direct attack on the two policemen. The younger policeman's face darkened, and the square-faced policeman also frowned.

Yi Zhonghai quickly tried to smooth things over: "Officer, the old lady was just worried and wanted things to be handled more fairly."

He smiled and suggested, "How about this, one person from our compound can go in with the two comrades to search. They can supervise each other and ensure fairness."

The square-faced policeman thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay."

Although he was unhappy, he didn't mind having one more person as long as the matter could be resolved quickly.

Qin Huairu immediately stepped forward, her eyes red-rimmed, and said aggrievedly, "I'm the victim, so...maybe I can go?"

"no."

Li Jianguo interrupted her directly, his tone leaving no room for argument.