Chapter 215: Lingering Ripples

The news that the Deaf Old Lady was a spy, like a deep‑water bomb dropped in the courtyard, the surface ripples gradually calmed after the security department left, but the under‑water currents and tremors were far from over.

The little house in the back courtyard sealed with a tape became an unspoken taboo for everyone in the courtyard. When people passed by, they instinctively quickened their steps and averted their eyes, as if an invisible, gloomy aura still lingered inside. In the past, the noisy chasing and play of the back‑courtyard children had vanished completely, and even Liu Haizhong's family admonition to his son had dropped several tones.

Fear was the first emotion to spread.

Every household closed its doors and couldn't help but begin to recall and examine every interaction they had had with that "kind" ancestor. What had they said? What help had they given? Had they unintentionally revealed anything? This lingering dread, like cold vines, silently coiled around the heart, especially in the deep, quiet night, sending a chill down one's spine.

Yi Zhonghai was the most affected. Although the security department's investigation did not label him, the feeling of being scrutinized and doubted carved a deep crack in the aura of his "high moral standing" as First Elder. He became much more silent; after work he went straight into the house, rarely patrolling the courtyard hands behind his back or offering "high opinions" any more.

The eldest aunt was even more nervous, feeling uneasy when seeing neighbors, and the brisk vigor she once had had largely worn away.

Liu Haizhong tried to regain his "leadership" authority, and at a family meeting he hammered the table and emphasized: "We must learn the lesson! Heighten vigilance! Keep the string of class struggle taut at all times!"

But the only response he got was the three sons' perfunctory nods and Er Da Ma's worried gaze. He himself felt hollow, and his bureaucratic speech sounded far less resonant than before.

Yan Bu Gui had completely put away his petty scheming and became unusually "well‑behaved". He no longer pried into idle gossip, and even while washing vegetables at the sink he tried to avoid chatting, fearing that too many words would cause trouble. In those calculating eyes now remained only caution and a trace of lingering unease.

Jia Zhangshi, although temporarily too afraid to openly keep the sealed room in mind, found that once a greedy seed is planted it is hard to eradicate. She simply buried the thought deeper, occasionally glancing at the back courtyard, calculating the possibilities after the storm passed. Her friction with Qin Huairu thus grew even harsher, as if she wanted to vent all her inner anxiety and frustration onto the compliant daughter‑in‑law.

Qin Huairu's belly grew larger, making movement increasingly difficult. The mother‑in‑law's sharpness, the husband's cowardice, and the courtyard's oppressive atmosphere were like heavy shackles, leaving her breathless. Occasionally she would look toward the western courtyard, where there seemed always to be a tranquility different from elsewhere.

Lin Xueqing's composed figure, and Li Ping'an's cold yet upright spine, made her, in her desperation, feel a vague envy she herself dared not contemplate.

Sha Zhu and Ma Dongmei's newlywed life was a rare bright spot in this oppressive atmosphere. Ma Dongmei was a spicy and capable woman; she not only kept the new home meticulously orderly, but also managed and cared for Sha Zhu as needed. Sha Zhu's reckless nature was considerably restrained before her, creating a certain "one thing subdues another" harmony.

"Dongmei, does this way of cutting the meat work?"

"Zhuzi, there's too much salt! How many times have I told you, don't press so hard with your hand!"

"Understood! The leader's criticism is spot on!"

The young couple's conversation often made He Yushui cover his mouth and chuckle. The warmth of the new home, to some extent, dispelled part of the chill brought by the Deaf Old Lady incident. Ma Dongmei also keenly sensed the courtyard's oddity and privately asked Sha Zhu: "Zhuzi, I feel everyone in the courtyard… seems quite afraid of our back courtyard?"

Sha Zhu scratched his head and lowered his voice: "Don't bring it up! Who could have imagined that old lady was that kind of person? Now everyone is afraid of getting involved. Only Brother Li Ping'an can stay steady…"

Xu Damao, after the initial fright and brief "activity", completely fell silent. After his father Xu Fugui moved away, he lived alone in the back‑courtyard house, the closest to the sealed room, and felt even more uneasy. At night he couldn't sleep soundly, always feeling movement next door. He wanted to find a wife to bolster his courage, but with the current rumors, which young woman would be willing to marry into this "Spy Neighbor"?

Amid this seemingly stagnant, oppressive afterglow, Li Ping'an's gaze had already turned deeper.

The Deaf Old Lady was captured, exposing the "Old Cat" and cutting off an important enemy‑spy lead, but that did not mean all was well. He knew the enemy was like chives: cut one batch, another deeper batch might still be lurking. After years of operation, was the web she wove comprised only of marginal figures like Yan Bu Gui, unintentionally used? Or are there deeper, more hidden "Sleepers" still unactivated?

Through Wang Dahu, he still maintained covert attention on certain courtyard personnel, especially those who had more contact with the Deaf Old Lady or whose identities, backgrounds, and social ties were more complex. This attention was silent, like spring rain nourishing everything without startling anyone.

At the same time, he poured more effort into the internal purge and security system improvement of the Steel Rolling Mill. The Deaf Old Lady's ability to obtain technicians' information showed that the plant's security was not ironclad. He led the revision of the Confidentiality Regulations, tightened management of key workshops and personnel, and organized several unannounced Firefighting and Air Defense Drills, boosting the plant's vigilance and emergency capability.

Days passed, one after another, amid this surface oppression and covert rivalry.

Autumn deepened, and the courtyard's leaves had almost all fallen, leaving only bare branches pointing to the sky. The crabapple tree in the western courtyard had also shed its splendor, but Li Ping'an knew its roots still silently drew nutrients deep in the soil, awaiting the next spring's burst.

That evening, Li Ping'an returned from work and saw Lin Xueqing sorting some old clothes under the lamp, preparing to donate them to the street to help more needy families.

"The courtyard has been so quiet lately that it's a bit unsettling," Lin Xueqing said softly, folding a half‑worn cotton coat.

"Temporary," Li Ping'an said calmly while washing his hands, "A startled bird needs time to settle. At least it gives some people a chance to collect their thoughts."

"It's just hard for…" Lin Xueqing sighed, not continuing.

Li Ping'an gave no reply. An individual's fate, amid the era's great currents and the courtyard's undercurrents, is often beyond one's control. What they could do was safeguard greater peace; as for each family's joys and sorrows, they were powerless and could not attend to them all.

Night deepened, and the courtyard was once again shrouded in silence. Yet beneath that silence was no longer the lazy slumber of old times, but a rebirth mixed with unease, scrutiny, and cautious vigilance.

Li Ping'an stood at the window of the western courtyard, watching the cool moonlight outside. He knew the downfall of the Deaf Old Lady was only the end of one stage. The struggle had never ceased, merely shifted to a more concealed level. And he, along with countless other guardians like him, had a mission far from its endpoint.