Chapter 505: All the beasts saw Lin Shengli, just like mice seeing a cat

Qin Huairu saw an opportunity and stepped forward, pretending to mediate: "Everyone stop arguing, how about this: Damao, you apologize to Shazhu; Zhuzi, don't hold a grudge either. We're neighbors—harmony brings wealth."

Her words, both overt and subtle, all favored Xu Damao; she also secretly gave him a meaningful look, meaning: "I'm speaking up for you this time, so you owe me a favor later."

Shazhu wasn't stupid anymore; he saw through Qin Huairu's thoughts and said angrily:

"Qin Huairu, stop meddling! Last time you stirred me up to argue with Damao, trying to mooch off my meat buns; now what are you up to? My business—none of yours!"

Qin Huairu's face instantly turned red; she stood there embarrassed, unable to speak.

The surrounding neighbors also saw it, secretly chuckling: this Qin Huairu is still the same—can't stand others doing well, always trying to mooch a benefit.

Liu Haizhong hid at his own doorway, peeking out secretly, not daring to step forward to mediate.

He's become honest now, just wanting to live a peaceful life without stirring up trouble.

Yan Bu Gui stood outside the crowd, thinking: let them argue; best if they both lose, and I can enjoy the show.

Just then, Lin Shengli returned from outside, passing the Siheyuan gate, heard the noise inside, frowned, and went in.

The people in the courtyard saw him and instantly fell silent.

Xu Damao was frightened and stepped back two paces; Shazhu stopped shouting, and Qin Huairu quickly lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze.

Now, seeing Lin Shengli, they were like mice seeing a cat.

"What's going on?" Lin Shengli's gaze swept over everyone, finally resting on Shazhu and Xu Damao.

Shazhu quickly said: "General Lin, Xu Damao has taken over the vegetable plot I cleared, stole my cucumbers, and trampled my vegetables!"

Xu Damao hurriedly defended: "I didn't, I just planted some eggplants, I didn't pick his cucumbers……"

"Whether or not, just ask the neighbors in the courtyard and you'll know." Lin Shengli interrupted him, his tone icy: "The land in the Siheyuan belongs to whoever cleared it—that's the rule. Xu Damao, pull out your eggplant seedlings, apologize to Shazhu, and compensate him for his losses. Otherwise, I'll have the Joint Defense Team come talk to you."

Xu Damao turned pale with fright, didn't dare to argue further, and quickly nodded:

"I'll pull them out, I'll do it right now! Zhuzi, sorry, I shouldn't have taken your land; I'll pay you for your cucumbers."

Saying that, he hurriedly ran to the Houyuan, pulled out the eggplant seedlings he had just planted, then took five yuan from his pocket and handed it to Shazhu:

"Zhuzi, this is compensation for your cucumbers; please accept it."

Shazhu took the money, snorted, and said nothing.

Lin Shengli glanced at Qin Huairu and said coldly: "Mind your own business, stop always trying to stir up trouble and mooch off others. If I see you stirring up gossip in the courtyard again, don't blame me for being harsh."

Qin Huairu shuddered with fright and quickly nodded: "I understand, I won't dare again."

Lin Shengli didn't linger, turned and walked out of the Siheyuan.

The people in the courtyard also dispersed; no one dared to gossip anymore, with Lin Shengli present, nobody dared to cause trouble.

Returning to the Research Base, good news came from the laboratory.

"Dad! We succeeded!" Lin Zhengpeng ran over excitedly, holding the test report: "We optimized the anti-interference algorithm; now the avionics and weapons systems' linkage delay is only 0.2 seconds, 0.6 seconds faster than the US F/A-18, and once a target is locked, the missile can fire instantly."

Lin Shengli took the report, flipped through it quickly, and the test data on the screen showed that all parameters met expectations, even exceeding them.

He smiled: "Good! Well done! Next, we'll conduct Full System Integration to ensure there are no loopholes."

"Understood!" everyone replied in unison; the laboratory again buzzed with busy sounds, but every face bore a smile—solving one problem brings us a step closer to success.

In the evening, Lin Shengli returned home.

Zheng Juan had already prepared dinner; several women and the children were waiting for him.

"How's it going? Is the research going smoothly?" Zheng Juan ladled him a bowl of soup.

"Smooth, the avionics and weapons systems linkage test succeeded, with latency lower than the US military's." Lin Shengli took a sip of soup, smiling, he added: "By the way, there was a minor incident at the Siheyuan—Xu Damao took over Shazhu's vegetable plot; I've already settled it."

"Those people are just idle." Qin Jingru pursed her lips, "But with you around, they can't stir up any trouble. By the way, Pengzi, don't forget your blind date next Saturday."

Lin Zhengpeng's face flushed, he nodded: "I remember; the First Flight preparations are almost done—I'll definitely be there."

"That's right." Han Chunyan laughed, "When the time comes, wear the shirt I bought for you, give a good performance, and aim to succeed on the first try."

The children gathered around Lin Zhengpeng, teasing him back and forth, the courtyard filled with laughter and cheer.

Lin Shengli looked at his family before him, his heart warm.

Doing scientific research is for the nation, so that family and ordinary people can live peacefully; and the companionship of family is also his motivation for research.

As night deepened, the lights in the manor gradually dimmed.

In the Research Base's laboratory, some were still working overtime, but everything proceeded in an orderly manner.

The Siheyuan also regained temporary peace; those beasts dared not cause trouble lightly.

Lin Shengli lay in bed, thinking that the day of the carrier aircraft's first flight was drawing near, thinking of his children's marriages, thinking of the nation's defense cause, his heart full of anticipation.

He knew there were still many things to do in the future, but as long as the family united and the team worked together, no difficulty would be insurmountable.

Meanwhile, in the Siheyuan, Xu Damao crouched at his own doorway, looking toward the Houyuan, his heart full of suppressed anger, yet he dared not erupt.

Qin Huairu lay in the broken shed, thinking she hadn't gotten any benefit during the day, her stomach growling with hunger.

Shazhu sat at home, sipping a little liquor while pondering in his mind to plant some more greens......