Chapter 36: The Contact Point

"Luo Yang, this is Li Yancheng. I was worried you might have already gone out for lunch and wouldn't be in your office."

"I was just about to head out when your call came through. What's up?"

"Two things. First, I’ve swapped shifts with a colleague tonight. Come directly to the hospital at 8:30 PM; I'll be on duty in the clinic."

"Got it. What's the second thing?"

"The second is a personal matter I need your help with."

"Let's hear it."

"It's about my house..."

Li Yancheng hadn't known who else to turn to. Luo Yang was the only one who came to mind—his current department held immense power, overseeing everything and daring to interfere in anything. If he were willing to help, no one would ever dare to covet his room again.

On the other end of the line, Luo Yang fell silent for a moment before saying, "I understand."

Hearing that, Li Yancheng knew the matter was settled.

"I won't take up any more of your time then. I'll see you at the hospital tonight."

"All right, I'll be there on time."

Luo Yang had become extremely attentive to his own health; he had been keeping his schedule strict for the past few days, canceling anything that might interfere with his treatment. This diligence stemmed from the fact that he was genuinely feeling the effects—the results were exactly as Li Yancheng had predicted for the fifth day of treatment. This gave him a real appreciation for Li Yancheng's medical skills. The young man, just twenty-six years old and born on the same day, month, and year as himself, was truly extraordinary. Since last night, he had even begun to feel fortunate about his desperate gamble.

...

After hanging up, the previously tense look on Li Yancheng's face vanished, replaced by a relaxed expression. He was whistling as he walked out of the duty room when he ran into the staff member who had just picked up his meal.

"Brother Zheng, we've got meat today, right?"

"Yes, braised pork." Brother Zheng held up the lunchbox, showing him the glistening pieces of fatty and lean pork that were enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

"Oh, I'd better hurry then."

"Get going, don't let it run out."

"You got it. Enjoy your meal, Brother Zheng."

...

At 2:30 PM, in the office of Director Liu at the Meishan Street Neighborhood Committee.

Several deputy directors were gathered, all looking grim and troubled by the temporary resettlement work for the residents of Courtyard 31. Director Liu was on the phone, while the deputies whispered among themselves.

"Old Duan, you're close with Li Yancheng. Can you talk some sense into him? Ask him to temporarily vacate his room. He’s just one person; it’s easy to settle him anywhere. But the Yang and Qian families are huge—it’s impossible to move them."

Duan Xin'an looked at his colleague with a bitter smile. "Old Meng, how am I supposed to do that? It’s his own house. If he’s willing to lend it, that shows his noble character, but if he’s not, who are we to say anything?"

"Old Duan, according to housing policy, it’s not compliant for one person to occupy such a large room."

"Then go seize it yourself. Why are you talking to me about policy? Old Meng, let me remind you: the house at Courtyard 20 wasn't allocated by us. They have the land deed. Even though land policies changed after the Liberation, there are explicit state regulations regarding this specific type of property. You’re in charge of this sector; you should know better than me. Why are you acting like an amateur?"

Stung by this rebuttal, Deputy Director Meng was left speechless for a long time. Among the deputies, he was in charge of public housing within the district. He was used to people currying favor with him, and now that trouble had arisen, he was the one suffering the most. Over the past two days, he had struggled to scrape together three and a half rooms, allocating one and a half to the Qian family and two to the Yang family—the latter consisting of nineteen people. Both families were dissatisfied. The two rooms for the Yangs totaled less than thirty square meters; with nineteen people, that was barely over a square meter per person—not even enough to stretch their legs while sleeping. The Qian family’s one and a half rooms were no better for their thirteen members. He had been the one to encourage the Qian family to approach Li Yancheng, and he now knew that Li had flatly refused to get involved. Yet, he still hadn't quite given up.

...

Just as he was about to say something else to Old Duan, Director Liu hung up the phone and tapped the table with his fingers, drawing everyone’s attention.

"Old Meng, I know you’re still eyeing the main room at Courtyard 20, Meishan East Alley. I’m telling you clearly now: drop it. The Municipal Committee’s First Inspection Division has requisitioned that room as a liaison point in our East District. If you still want to target that room, you’ll have to take it up with the leadership of the First Inspection Division."

The call he had just received was from the District Committee leadership, covering two matters regarding Courtyard 20. One was about Li Yancheng’s room, and the other concerned the two rooms belonging to the Cai family in the west wing; it had been decided that one would be vacated for them to arrange someone else to move in.

Director Liu’s words made the deputies gasp, and Old Duan was left stunned. They all knew Li Yancheng’s personal situation perfectly well; it was precisely because they knew he had no powerful backing that some had been tempted to target his room. Who could have guessed that he had quietly established a connection with the Municipal Committee and had the place designated as a liaison point? Anyone with eyes could see that the "liaison point" was just a pretext to extinguish the greedy intentions of certain people.

Deputy Director Meng, upon realizing this, felt as if his chair were on fire; he couldn't sit still, and cold sweat began to pour down his back.

"Director, I... I wasn't... I wasn't eyeing that room."

"Enough. We’re all colleagues here; there’s no point in explaining to me. If you need to explain, do it to the leadership. Let’s move on. There’s one more thing regarding Courtyard 20: one of the two rooms in the east wing will be vacated by tonight at the latest. Arrange for a family to move in immediately. I checked this morning; the room isn't large. I recall that among the seven households in Courtyard 31, there’s a widow with a son. Is that right, Old Meng?"

"Yes."

"Then arrange for this mother and son to move in. The other households have a dozen people each; they wouldn't fit anyway. Go over there tonight, Old Meng, and get the key."

"I understand, Director."

"As for the Qian and Yang families, since their temporary housing is already arranged, tell them to move quickly. The space is small, but there’s no other way; they’ll have to overcome the hardship. As for the remaining four households, I remember the cardboard box factory has plenty of space. Have them make do there for now."