Siheyuan, my new life

Hao Aiguo pushed open the door and walked into the workshop director's office, but only the statistician, Xiao Liu, was in the room. He asked directly, "Xiao Liu, where is my senior brother?"

Liu, the statistician, was also aware of Hao Aiguo's special relationship with the workshop director, so he said with a smile, "The director and the others have gone to the production department for a meeting. They probably won't be back for a while. I heard they are discussing the year-end work arrangements and the selection of outstanding workers at the end of the year."

Hao Aiguo reached for his work clothes from the coat rack by the door, grunting as he changed. Since his senior brother wasn't there, he'd find him at lunchtime. With the year-end approaching, everyone had a lot of work to finish, and he needed to get back to his workstation to get busy. His senior brother had repeatedly reminded him privately a few days ago to perform well, especially with the tasks assigned to him by the team, ensuring quality and quantity. His senior brother would try his best to get Hao Aiguo recognized as an advanced worker in the factory, which would not only bring extra bonuses at the end of the year, but also help promote Hao Aiguo to succeed the leader of the third production team next year when they reach retirement age. Production team leaders in the workshop receive a five-yuan monthly subsidy.

Hao Aiguo changed into his work clothes and hurriedly left the workshop director's office. He went to his workstation, called a temporary worker to fetch the workpieces that needed to be processed, and then picked up his tools and started working.

Before 9:30 a.m., Xiong Qingshan, deputy director of the security department, led a group of security guards from the public security section into the noisy fitter workshop. He frowned, glanced at the busy workers in the workshop, and walked directly to the office next to it with a wooden sign that read "Workshop Director". He pushed open the door and went inside.

Startled by the sudden sound of the door opening, statistician Xiao Liu put down the report in his hand and turned to look at the office door. Before him stood Deputy Director Xiong of the Security Department, his face grim, and several security guards following closely behind. He quickly stood up and asked nervously, "Deputy Director Xiong, what can I do for you? Our workshop director, Feng, and two deputy directors have gone to a meeting in the production department. Should I notify them to come back now?"

Xiong Qingshan shook his head slightly and ordered in a serious tone, "You should know Hao Aiguo, right? Lead the way for me immediately."

Xiao Liu was secretly shocked. What had happened to Hao Aiguo? It had alarmed Deputy Director Xiong of the Security Department to personally lead a team to arrest him. Moreover, looking at the many armed security guards outside the office door, the matter was probably serious. However, even though he was thinking about it quickly, he did not dare to hesitate for a moment. He nodded in agreement and walked towards the office door.

In fact, when Deputy Director Xiong led so many security guards into the workshop, some workers had already noticed them. As someone reminded them, the workers who were busy working in the workshop stopped what they were doing and looked over in surprise. They saw several armed security guards scanning everyone present with serious expressions. Some observant workers were even surprised to see two security guards at the back door of the workshop. Clearly, the security department had come to arrest people in the workshop.

Most of the workers in the workshop stared at the security guards with curiosity and inquiry. Only a very few with guilty consciences stood there nervously and uneasy, including Hao Aiguo, who had been full of confidence.

Hao Aiguo had initially thought that He Daqing's words at last night's hospital-wide meeting were just a bluff to scare him, that he would report to the security department leaders. He felt that he had only mentioned it casually at the meeting, and had been scolded by He Daqing and his son, as well as that young man surnamed Guo. Even the opportunists in the courtyard were pointing fingers at him, making him, the third uncle in charge, lose face. He thought that things should be over by now, since everyone still lived in the same courtyard and he hadn't caused He Daqing and that young man surnamed Guo any real losses. Of course, to put his mind at ease, he still planned to talk to his senior brother about the matter. Given their relationship, if anything happened, his senior brother wouldn't stand idly by.

Unfortunately, Hao Aiguo didn't get to see his senior brother, but instead encountered a group of fierce-looking security guards from the Security Department. What terrified him most was that the team was led by Deputy Director Xiong of the Security Department.

Hao Aiguo couldn't understand how such a trivial matter at last night's hospital-wide meeting could have alarmed a deputy director to personally come and arrest someone. Perhaps he was there to handle another major case, Hao Aiguo kept reassuring himself.

To Hao Aiguo's great disappointment, when statistician Xiao Liu nervously led Deputy Director Xiong and his entourage to stop beside his workstation, his heart felt like it was about to jump into his throat.

Xiong Qingshan glanced coldly at the pale-faced man whose legs were trembling slightly, and ordered in a deep voice, "Take Hao Aiguo back to the security department's interrogation room."

The two security guards following closely behind Xiong Qingshan stepped forward, one of them grabbing Hao Aiguo's arm tightly, dragging him towards the workshop door as if he were a dead dog.

It was only then that Hao Aiguo seemed to come to his senses. He roared, "Why did your security department arrest me? Let me go! My senior brother is Director Feng of Workshop Two!"

Xiong Qingshan's gaze swept across the entire Workshop 2, noticing the confusion and doubt on the workers' faces. He said loudly, "Comrades, Hao Aiguo openly forced two state cadres to undermine the state's unified purchase and sales policy. Our Security Department received a report with real names, and we are now bringing Hao Aiguo back to the Security Department for interrogation. Also, which comrade lives in the No. 95 courtyard house in Nanluoguxiang? Please take the initiative to report to our Security Department's security guards truthfully what happened at the courtyard meeting last night. I want to remind these comrades that they must report the facts to the security guards. Our Security Department's Security Section is already investigating the workers in other workshops. Anyone who gives false testimony will be severely punished once the investigation is completed. In serious cases, they will be dismissed or handed over to the public security department."

Upon hearing Xiong Qingshan's words, the people present immediately began to whisper among themselves, and some had already curiously inquired with their coworkers who lived in the courtyard at No. 95.