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

Seeing the crude and simplistic way that Director Yang and the security department were handling the case, Director Zhang couldn't help but speak up and offer a reminder.

"Um... controlling just these two people isn't enough."

He spoke carefully.

"Everyone here needs to be brought under control and questioned one by one."

Factory Director Yang readily agreed and nodded.

"That's what we'll do!"

"Bring them all under control!"

Those who had no connection to the matter were immediately stunned by these words.

"Director Yang! We really have nothing to do with this!"

Liu Haizhong and others tried their best to refute the claims.

But their voices were all weak and feeble.

"It's okay, everything will be fine after the checkup."

Factory Director Yang wouldn't listen at all.

The entire yard erupted into chaos.

Everyone was seething with anger—they had come home from get off work hoping to relax, but instead, they were caught up in this mess, with a gun pointed at them and no idea what would happen next.

Who wouldn't be worried?

In the midst of the panic, all sorts of complaints arose.

They complained that Li Jianguo was making a mountain out of a molehill, and also that the thief had caused trouble for everyone.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"This is so annoying! If I had somewhere else to move to, I'd really like to move!"

"This is never going to end!"

Hearing the noisy commotion, even the usually good-tempered Factory Director Yang turned cold.

"Shut up, all of you!"

He glared angrily and shouted sternly.

"If this matter isn't resolved today, no one here will have a moment's peace! Not just you, but me too! Everyone stay put!"

As soon as Director Yang got angry, the courtyard immediately fell silent.

Most of the people in this compound rely on the steel rolling mill for their livelihood, and they dare not disobey Director Yang.

The scene fell into an eerie, deathly silence.

The atmosphere was so frozen it was suffocating.

Just as the stalemate was at hand, for some unknown reason, Sha Zhu suddenly struggled and shouted.

"Why should I?!"

Sha Zhu struggled fiercely, his face full of defiance.

The veins on his neck were bulging.

"It's just a stupid notebook, why are you detaining us all? You're just using this to settle personal scores!"

He glared at Director Yang with resentment, his words becoming increasingly rude.

"I refuse to believe that no one can control you! Workers and farmers are the masters! I'm going to sue you!"

He was jumping up and down like a madman.

"I'm going to report this to my superiors! You're oppressing the working class!"

He pointed to the people around him.

"They are all evidence!"

As he spoke, he began to incite others without any formal instruction.

"Don't you all feel wronged? We didn't do anything, why are we being treated like criminals!"

When he said that, even Director Yang was stunned for a moment.

But Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old woman reacted with astonishing speed.

Yi Zhonghai suddenly stood up and responded loudly.

"Comrade He Yuzhu is right! Ever since Li Jianguo came to this hospital, we haven't had a single day of peace! Why can he use his privileges to bully us honest people? I refuse to accept this!"

He glared fiercely at Director Yang and Director Zhang.

"You are aiding and abetting evil! A factory director and a police station chief, and you just let him bully ordinary people? You are executioners! You are his accomplices!"

The deaf old woman, sitting in her wheelchair, was so angry that she kept slapping the armrests.

"You're just bullying me! I'm an old lady who lived through wartime; you can't scare me!"

She's incredibly arrogant.

She used to gain a lot of benefits by adopting this attitude.

She thought it would be the same this time.

After they finished shouting, Li Jianguo stepped forward with a cold smile.

"You guys still think you're right?"

He stood there, looking down at Sha Zhu.

A contemptuous smile played on his lips.

"A tattered notebook?"

Suddenly, his face darkened.

His tone suddenly became sharp and piercing.

"Do you know what's written in that notebook?!"

"Those drawings are for the X-1 engine—a key component—that just went into production!"

"They're about to die, and they don't even know how they died!"

"If the contents of that notebook were to leak out, you wouldn't be able to pay for it with your life!"

Li Jianguo was also anxious.

Although he has already started developing a new engine, it will be some time before it is ready for mass production.

With this one, I can earn some foreign exchange now, and when the new one comes out, I can earn even more.

This opportunity must not be wasted.

He simply took the lead and began to direct.

"I've been away from home for the past few days, so the most suspicious people are the people in this yard!"

His gaze was like lightning.

"Deaf old lady, Yi Zhonghai, you two have been acting suspiciously these past few days. I reasonably suspect you have a motive for committing a crime!"

He glanced at the others, his expression serious.

Everyone present is a suspect, to varying degrees. If you have any leads, please report them!

"This courtyard is now sealed off. No one is allowed to enter or leave!"

He looked at Jia Zhangshi, who was huddled in the crowd and trembling, and spoke coldly.

"There was a theft in the courtyard before, which was done by the Jia family. From this perspective, the Jia family is highly suspicious."

"No...it wasn't us!"

Jia Zhangshi tried desperately to refute the claims, but no one believed her.

"During this period, Sha Zhu is definitely one of the people who has a grudge against me and has been staying in the hospital without going to work."

Li Jianguo continued.

"He has the strongest motive. Arrest him and interrogate him thoroughly!"

As soon as he finished speaking, these people were dragged into the courtyard for on-site interrogation.

To prevent collusion, Director Zhang used all his knowledge to isolate and detain them.

Everyone else was also placed under surveillance.

"Director Li!"

The third uncle had a bitter face.

He was a teacher who valued his reputation above all else, and now he had suffered this undeserved calamity, feeling deeply aggrieved.

"We're all honest and law-abiding people, you know that. We've lived here for so long, why are you even targeting us?"

"Third Uncle".

Li Jianguo did not give any preferential treatment to anyone.

"If you're truly innocent, the investigation will be over. But until then, you are still a suspect."

Everyone was brought under control.

The deaf old woman sensed something was increasingly wrong with the situation.

Li Jianguo's confident demeanor didn't seem like he was searching for spies in a needle-in-a-haystack situation.

He seemed very certain that it was someone from this courtyard who did it.

They didn't even consider other possibilities.

She was completely panicked.

She simply started yelling.

"It's one thing to arrest other people, but why won't you even spare an old woman like me? My leg is broken! I'm a recipient of government assistance! If you do this, I'll report you!"

Speaking of the "Five Guarantees Households", she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, I gave myself this identity back then.

Most of those who qualify for the "Five Guarantees" program are family members of martyrs.

This identity itself is a talisman, saving you countless troubles.

This is why the authorities value her so much.

At this moment, she desperately wanted to use this identity as a shield for herself.

It would have been better if she hadn't mentioned "the five guarantees".

This remark struck at the very spot that angered Li Jianguo the most.

He walked up to the deaf old woman with a blank expression.

Then, in full view of everyone—

"Snapped!"

Another heavy slap.

The deaf old woman was able to avoid falling off her wheelchair only because someone was there to support her.

"you?"

Li Jianguo sneered as if he had heard a joke.

"A person receiving the five guarantees?"

He looked down at her, his eyes full of mockery.

"You really should be investigated. With your character, how can you be a recipient of the Five Guarantees? There must be a lot of shady secrets hidden here, right?"

He spoke with absolute certainty.

The deaf old woman's mind went completely blank for a moment.

He was completely stunned.

How much did she sacrifice for this identity back then?

Every step was meticulously planned, making it impossible for ordinary investigations to uncover the truth.

He couldn't possibly know!

There's absolutely no way he could know!

The deaf old woman desperately tried to convince herself, struggling to sit up straight.

"Stop talking nonsense! My status as a recipient of the 'Five Guarantees' is a government-provided benefit!"

"I now suspect..."

Li Jianguo's voice wasn't loud, but it struck her heart like a heavy hammer.

"You're not a recipient of the Five Guarantees!"

The words fell.