Life in siheyuan era

Shen Lanbo stood in front of the guardhouse, facing a young police officer who solemnly said to him, "Comrade Shen Lanbo, I am Liu Xiao, Secretary to Comrade Zhang Limin. Please come with me."

Shen Lanbo glanced again at the three-story building in front of him and followed Liu Xiao inside. They walked up to the third floor, turned left, and stopped in front of an office. Liu Xiao called out, "Report!" Hearing the response, "Come in," he opened the door and invited Shen Lanbo inside.

The office was about sixteen square meters in size, with standard furnishings. Zhang Limin was sitting behind his desk, writing something with his head down.

Shen Lanbo looked at him, turned, walked to the coffee table, picked up two teacups, poured two cups of hot water from the teapot, returned to the desk, and placed one cup beside Zhang Limin's hand and the other in front of himself.

At this moment, Zhang Limin put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and asked in a deep voice, "Why are you only coming now?"

Shen Lanbo replied softly, "The day before yesterday, Zhiyuan and I finalized the plan's content, but the Political Commissar said three days. Plans don't change that quickly, so I wanted to wait."

This answer made Zhang Limin's face stiff. He said coldly, "I asked you two on Wednesday at noon. Today is Saturday..." He raised his wrist to check his watch, lowered his arm, and said sternly, "3:50 PM, it's already been more than three days."

Zhang Limin's voice was stern, but Shen Lanbo still replied softly, "You said three days, but you didn't say if it was three full days or three 'virtual' days."

He explained it in detail, and Zhang Limin listened attentively. After he finished speaking, Zhang Limin said in a deep voice, "I agree with this plan. Specific details need to be improved. I will form a written report based on your oral report and submit it to higher authorities."

After a moment of contemplation, he continued, "This matter requires your father's cooperation. Because of your father's special status, the organization will also have to report it upwards. If things go wrong, it may require ZX's approval."

Zhang Limin's words made Shen Lanbo's eyes widen. He thought the organization had spoken to Shen Jue, but Zhang Limin's statement negated this guess.

Seeing his expression, Zhang Limin asked suspiciously, "What's wrong?"

Shen Lanbo smiled wryly and replied, "On Monday, my father called my mother, asking me to invite Zhiyuan to our house for a visit on Sunday. At that time, I thought of one possibility: the organization had spoken to my father."

Hearing his reason, Zhang Limin asked in astonishment, "How did you come to that conclusion?"

He then waved his hand gently, pondered for a moment, and said, "You believe that I always act according to plan, and that arrangements were already made before you two were transferred, and then you deduced it to Section Chief Luo."

"And your father should be on official business at this time. According to his style, he shouldn't have called. So, combining these two points, you made this deduction?"

Zhang Limin's deductive ability was indeed strong. In a short while, he had figured out the cause and effect clearly. After speaking, seeing Shen Lanbo nod, he continued, "Do you know why I went to the branch as a Political Commissar?"

Shen Lanbo didn't know, so Zhang Limin told him, "The reason is very simple. Our counter-espionage work has become routine, ideologically rigid, and formally solidified, with no new ideas or methods. I wanted to change my mindset, so I thought of going to the most difficult place to temper myself. Therefore, the higher-ups approved my going to the plateau."

Listening to Zhang Limin's explanation, Shen Lanbo nodded lightly, and then listened to him ask, "Do you know why I was transferred back?"

Shen Lanbo replied, "Your thinking has changed."

"No." Zhang Limin flatly denied it, and then said, "The reason is more complicated, but no matter how complicated the relationships here are, the goal is the same. A major weapon developed by our country has entered a critical period, and no mistakes can be tolerated, including counter-espionage work."

"The great powers and TW know that our country is developing this major weapon. They say they absolutely don't believe we can develop it, but in reality, they have sent a large number of spies to infiltrate our country to sabotage it. Therefore, counter-espionage work is imminent."

"Although the focus of this research work is in the Northwest, several research institutes in Beijing are also key, including the supporting military industries, which are mostly in Beijing. Therefore, the counter-espionage work in Beijing is more arduous than in the Northwest. After all, the Northwest can adopt militarized centralized management, but we can't do that here."

Zhang Limin said this, and Shen Lanbo understood everything. Zhang Limin felt a heavy responsibility on his shoulders, fearing that there would be even the slightest mistake, and bringing two trusted and beloved generals by his side would make him feel more at ease. The truth was that he had no plans at all, and he had overthought things.

Understanding this, Shen Lanbo's face showed a wry smile. He heard Zhang Limin say another sentence, "Our country is developing the atomic bomb."

Hearing this news, Shen Lanbo's body shook, and he asked with wide eyes, "It's in the critical period?"

"That's right." Zhang Limin affirmed, and then asked, "Do you still want to submit this plan?"

Shen Lanbo pondered for a while and replied firmly, "Submit it." He didn't know that decades later, there would be a special term called "pitting one's father."

But at this time, he didn't care about "pitting his father" and was sure that Shen Jue would definitely agree.

However, Zhang Limin pondered for a moment and said, "I will make corresponding changes to the details, trying not to involve your father, but to achieve this, you must also change your past style."

"Your personality is modest, and this needs to change. Be more high-profile, let people know that you are the son of a high-ranking cadre, which will help your 'fishing' plan."

"Alas, I knew you wouldn't change! Let me help you. Do you know that Director Li is your father's comrade-in-arms?"

"It's normal that you don't know. After he finishes the meeting and comes back, I'll take you to see him. When we get off work, Director Li and I will send you off together. Tonight, you'll know what you need to know."

Shen Lanbo accepted Zhang Limin's help. The two discussed some more details. Zhang Limin asked, "What is Zhiyuan doing?"

"Their director asked him to write a 'Comprehensive Management Plan,' which is due in early April. He wants to write it this afternoon, revise it on Monday, and hand it in. Their section chief is treating them tonight, and he wants to take the opportunity to improve his relationship with the responsible deputy director."

Listening to Shen Lanbo's introduction, Zhang Limin nodded and replied, "Zhiyuan's writing is good. The 'Comprehensive Management Plan' is not a difficult task for him. What's rare is that, in order to consolidate the rear, he doesn't hesitate to restrain his rigid personality and try his best to befriend neighbors and colleagues, all for the sake of his parents and brother!"

Hearing Zhang Limin say this, Shen Lanbo looked at him in surprise.

Seeing Shen Lanbo's expression, Zhang Limin said mysteriously, "After Zhiyuan returned home, he tried his best to befriend 'Fool Zhu' and 'Aunt Yi' in their courtyard, and visited the oldest deaf old lady in the whole courtyard. His reputation in the courtyard is very good."

"On the first day of work, he beat Hu Biao for a classmate and demolished the illegal construction of the hoodlum Xu Lao Er's house, and is working hard to create a good reputation."

Speaking of this, Zhang Limin looked at Shen Lanbo, and then smiled, "I even scolded him for being brainless, but in fact, he had already thought of it."

Shen Lanbo sighed and replied, "It's not that Zhiyuan didn't think of it, it's just that he didn't want to. Political Commissar, what you're doing isn't right."

"You thought I would send someone to monitor Zhiyuan? The truth is that I know a neighbor in their courtyard. He helped me when I was doing intelligence work in Beijing. After I talked to you two on Wednesday, I went to see him, and I learned in the conversation that he and Zhiyuan are actually neighbors."

"And his female section chief is a cadre sent down from the branch. Her boyfriend works in the Criminal Police Detachment. Is it difficult to know what's going on with him at work?"

"Don't ask me, I will absolutely not tell you who that neighbor is, and don't tell Zhiyuan and make him suspicious. Afterwards, just say that I issued a gag order. Just say one thing, the safety of his parents and brother is my responsibility."

Zhang Limin had said things to this extent, and Shen Lanbo couldn't say anything more. At this time, he talked about the content of the phone call Zhou Zhiyuan made to him.

Hearing this information, Zhang Limin immediately picked up the phone and dialed an internal number. After connecting, he said in a low voice, "Team Leader Sun, please come to my office."

Putting down the phone, Zhang Limin turned to Shen Lanbo and said, "No matter what this matter portends, we can't let it go. I just called Sun Haiwu, the team leader of the Criminal Police Detachment, and asked the Criminal Police to investigate first."

Shen Lanbo nodded lightly. Zhou Zhiyuan spoke lightly, so he didn't pay much attention to it, and put the mutton fat jade aside to talk about later.

For him, this arrangement was not wrong. The "Plan" was the focus, so Zhang Limin didn't criticize him. The two said a few words, and they heard a "Report" sound. Shen Lanbo took the water cup and walked to the sofa to sit down.

He sat on the sofa and drank water, which made the middle-aged man who came in look at him in surprise.

This middle-aged man was Sun Haiwu. Zhang Limin deployed a secret mission to him: "Lao Sun, arrange for reliable people to secretly monitor Liu Wenxiang of the museum. Report any situation directly to me."

Hearing this arrangement, Sun Haiwu was puzzled. No case involved Liu Wenxiang. If it was counter-espionage, Deputy Director Zhang should have arranged for the First Division, so why was it arranged to the Criminal Police Detachment?

What puzzled him even more was the young man sitting on the sofa leisurely drinking water. How much did Deputy Director Zhang trust him that he didn't even avoid him when arranging secret work?

He had known Zhang Limin for more than ten years. It was under Zhang Limin's guidance that he, a detective among the old policemen, joined the organization.

He understood Zhang Limin. This person was cunning and extremely suspicious. Of course, this was a professional habit.

He also had this habit. After accepting the mission, he walked out, glanced at Shen Lanbo again, and a cloud of doubt flashed in his eyes.

But the scene that developed later surprised him. When he got off work, Sun Haiwu saw Director Li and Deputy Director Zhang personally accompanying the young man down the stairs. Before leaving, Director Li also patted the young man on the shoulder enthusiastically, with an affectionate attitude.

Deputy Director Zhang personally drove the young man away, looking like he was personally sending the young man home.

This scene caused a lot of discussion, but no matter what the content was, everyone was sure of one thing: the young man must be the son of a high-ranking cadre.