Siheyuan: A Hero Returns to Civilian Life and Takes Down the Courtyard's Retirement Clique

In early spring of 1963, Zhou Li, a decorated combat hero from the self-defense counterattack against India, returned to Beijing with his younger brother, Zhou Ming, and was parachuted into the post of head of security at the Third Steel Rolling Mill. Four martyrs in one family, a Tsinghua graduate, and 6,040 enemy troops wiped out by a single battalion: when this record landed at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, the whole alley's schemes went flying.

On the first night after the move, moral paragon Yi Zhonghai came over with a smile. "Director Zhou, just call me First Grandpa Yi." Zhou Li's face turned cold on the spot. "This is a new society. We call each other Comrade." His single sentence left Yi Zhonghai so choked that his old face turned green. In the Deaf Old Lady's room, one old and one young plotted through the night: get Jia Zhangshi to provoke that silly younger brother, force Zhou Li to make a move, then have Qin Huairu accuse him of hooliganism. Only by driving this fearsome man away could their plans for old-age care continue.

But they had no idea Zhou Li had already seen through the cards this courtyard held. As he poured money into renovating the eastern wing, he also announced at the security office, "Do your jobs well, brothers, and you'll have all the rice and meat you can eat every month." The 321 veterans roared with excitement on the spot. Even Deputy Factory Director Li Huaide personally offered him a cigarette and tried to cozy up to him.

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.