Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 102 Wang Cuiping Enters the Military Control Commission (Please Subscribe)

He Yuzhu couldn't give an answer. In fact, he wasn't very clear about the policy changes in the following decades. However, there was indeed a saying that property was taken over to the public at the time of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Of course, private property was allowed, but it was not allowed if it exceeded the limit.

He's all alone, so giving him a room isn't a problem, but giving him a whole courtyard would be too much for him.

"I'm not sure either. You can keep it for now, and we'll ask you about it later."

"Alright, then I'll save it for you. Just tell me when you want it."

"Alright, I won't hold back then!"

"If you treat your wife like an outsider, you're no longer my grandson. I'll beat you up."

"Ha ha ha ha."

"Oh, by the way, there's something else your wife wants to ask you."

"You say."

"Isn't that girl from the Wang family quite something?"

"How do you say this?"

"You said that Xiao Zhao from the main room was transferred to the military control commission. Is that Wang family girl too?"

"You are this!"

He Yuzhu gave a thumbs up, no wonder people say that old people are wise and shrewd, this old lady understood most of it herself.

"Does your wife need to be praised? Do you know something? Tell her."

"What, is Madam already trying to build a good relationship?" He Yuzhu teased.

"You're such a chatterbox, you're asking for it!" The old lady lightly tapped He Yuzhu with her cane.

"Actually, I don't know much either. I only know that Aunt Wang went to Tianjin on a mission, but I don't know the specifics of the mission. As for her identity, I wonder if you've ever heard of the guerrillas?"

"Guerrilla forces fighting the Japanese? How could I not have heard of them? There are some outside Beijing."

"Then I won't explain. Aunt Wang is a guerrilla leader, but I don't know which guerrilla area she's fighting for."

"The Wang family girl is a team leader. You really can't judge a book by its cover."

"Hehe, even if others can see through it, I still let her go to Tianjin."

"That's true, the less obvious it is, the better. Did you already know all along, which is why you brought her back to our courtyard?"

"Not really, my Aunt Wang is a pitiful person too!"

"You can say this to my wife, but don't tell the Wang family girl!"

"I know what's important!"

"Alright, I've asked you everything you wanted to ask, Madam. Don't forget about taking you to Wangfujing and the Military Control Commission as you said."

"I understand. So, are you going to the Intermediate People's Court now, or..."

"Come on, Mrs. Fu, let me go to your place. It's so boring being alone here!"

"okay!"

When we arrived at the He family's house, the women chatted together, while the four children were reading comic books on the kang (a heated brick bed).

He Daqing and his son He Yuzhu were in the main room. This time, He Daqing asked about the situation of his two senior brothers and also asked his son if he wanted to work in the factory. He must have discussed it with Chen Lanxiang.

He Yuzhu had no desire to cook for others and refused outright. He Daqing could no longer control his son; there was nothing he could do as his son's skills were not as great. Apart from Tan family cuisine, He Yuzhu had basically caught up with or surpassed him in all other cuisines.

Then He Yuzhu said he had gotten some dried seafood and asked someone to bring it back, which would arrive in a few days. He Daqing became interested, as he hadn't cooked Tan family cuisine for a long time and was a bit rusty.

Another thing is that this family's traditional craft must be passed down, he wouldn't be willing to let it die out with him.

"Once the food arrives, your old man will let you taste what real official cuisine is like."

"Please don't say that to anyone else."

"What's wrong? Is there anything else you're superstitious about?"

"The new government represents the people, the common people. You keep talking about the second-place dish and the government's dish. Aren't you just making yourself uncomfortable?"

"Whether it's serious or not, don't go out and tell others. We can handle it ourselves."

"I've been saying this for half my life and nothing has ever happened."

"From now on, you can just say you're a Shandong cuisine chef. By the way, who is my grandmaster?"

"You brat, your grandmaster is your grandfather!" He Daqing slapped He Yuzhu across the neck and said irritably.

"You never mentioned what dishes my grandfather could cook, or whether he left any recipes or anything like that?"

"You've drained your father of all his skills, and now you're eyeing other things?"

"Just tell me, do you have it or not?"

"Yes, there are imperial dishes, but only a few, passed down from your great-grandfather, which I've never made!"

"Oh, what dish is it? You've never made it before."

“Bear paws and deer tails, do you think your father would take advantage of them?” He Daqing glared.

"Let me see the recipe. Maybe it will be available someday."

"I'll give it to you when no one's around at night. Don't throw it away; it's a family heirloom."

"Don't worry, it won't get lost. I'm just taking a look. What if I actually come across the ingredients one day and don't know how to cook them? That would be embarrassing."

"You? You don't work in restaurants, you don't go to cafes, you're lucky if you don't lose your skills, and you can still find ingredients."

"You're looking down on us. These aren't the only places where we can find ingredients."

"Fine, fine, you're always right, I can't argue with you. You'll be in charge of cooking lunch today, make some dishes I've never tried before."

"Alright, you're in charge."

As a result, He Yuzhu served sauerkraut fish at noon, which was considered an innovative dish at that time. It is now commonly eaten and even pre-prepared.

When He Daqing saw him making it, he asked who he learned it from, since this dish doesn't seem to be Sichuan cuisine.

"What do you think of my own idea?"

"It looks promising, but I wonder how it tastes."

"You can have it. If you think it's delicious, I'll teach you how. This dish doesn't cost much and should be quite popular in the cafeteria."

"Then it's settled, so don't hold back. After all, I'm your father."

"Do I really need to make such a fuss?" He Yuzhu rolled his eyes.

As a result of this dish, everyone at the table had a much stronger appetite, and they steamed an extra batch of steamed buns made from the two-part dough, and finished off all the soup and broth.

He Daqing muttered, "It tastes good, but it uses up a lot of food."

Xu Damao and his sister, who stayed for dinner at the He family's house, were so full they could barely walk, so they stayed to continue playing.

Perhaps because of the baby in her belly, Wang Cuiping couldn't stop eating this dish with its special sour taste, and in the end, He Yuzhu had to help her back.

He Yushui's already round belly grew even bigger, and she kept asking her brother when they would have sauerkraut fish for the next meal.

The afternoon was similar to the morning, but dinner was much simpler because we had eaten too much at lunch. Before we knew it, it was time to start work. He Daqing went to work, while He Yuzhu went to the Military Control Commission with Wang Cuiping and Xiaoman.

(It's worth mentioning here that the Military Control Commission of Beijing was actually located outside the city, in Liangxiang Town, FS District. For convenience, we'll assume it was inside the city.)
Since we're going to live permanently in Beijing, we definitely need to register. But when we asked, they said the new household registration system hasn't even started yet. Instead, they helped us get two certificates so Xiaoman can go to school first.

As for Wang Cuiping, after she submitted her supporting documents, the person handling the matter glanced at them briefly and then went to find someone else.

A few people arrived shortly after, and Wang Cuiping was taken away.

He Yuzhu still tried to stop them, insisting that he had to find out exactly what they were going to do.

Wang Cuiping stopped him with a look.

Actually, Wang Cuiping had something she hadn't told anyone: the intelligence that Yu Zecheng seemed to have obtained was in her possession, and Yu Zecheng told her that it could only be given to 'the farmer'.

Why not give it to Lao Zhao? Because the time they've known each other for too short a period of time is too short, and she's not sure if she can get it right.

After He Yuzhu and Xiaoman finished their business, they waited in the lobby. Not long after, several jeeps arrived outside, and a few officials-looking men got out and hurried inside.

Soon after, someone came out and told He Yuzhu and the other person to go back first, as Comrade Wang Cuiping still had things to do. They would safely send Comrade Wang Cuiping back after she finished her business.

He Yuzhu didn't ask any more questions, and pulled Xiaoman, who still wanted to know what was going on, out of the military control office.

"Brother Zhu, is Aunt Wang alright?" Xiaoman asked anxiously, tears welling in her eyes.

"It's alright, Aunt Wang is practically home there. What can her family do to her?" He Yuzhu comforted her.

"Well, why don't we wait outside?"

"No need. The people who came earlier all came by car. Maybe Aunt Wang will also go back by car and get home before us."

When the two returned, they were naturally questioned. Three went out and two came back; how could they not be worried?

The newly appointed gatekeeper, Jia Zhangshi, who was bored and just kept an eye on the things happening in the courtyard, became a little excited. Wang Cuiping hadn't come back, and the little girl seemed to have cried. Could that mean the house would be vacant? She wondered to herself.

Unfortunately, she had no one to share this wonderful thing with, which made her feel a little anxious.

Unfortunately, the person who shared it didn't return. Wang Cuiping came back in the afternoon, accompanied by a man with a pistol and two men with long guns.

As soon as they entered the compound, Jia Zhangshi saw the soldiers and thought they were there to arrest someone. She took off running home, faster than a rabbit, which was completely out of character for her voluptuous figure.

Wang Cuiping and the others only saw a figure flash by, and then they heard a 'bang, click' as the door closed and was bolted.

This scene left those who came with Wang Cuiping completely stunned.

"Comrade Wang, what's going on?"

"They're probably afraid of joining the army!" Wang Cuiping said uncertainly.

Are we really that scary?

"They must be treating you like soldiers of the Khoshut Party."

"Well, it seems that liberation is only the first step. There's still a long way to go. The Military Control Commission will be very busy from now on," the leader sighed.

“Yes, this isn’t the west side. We don’t have a strong grassroots foundation here, and the people don’t understand us.” Wang Cuiping nodded.

"Let's go, we'll only be done with our mission once we get you home."

"Fine!" Wang Cuiping said helplessly. She had originally intended to have it delivered to the gate, but insisted on bringing it inside.

Upon entering the central courtyard, Wang Cuiping pointed to the west wing and said that she lived there.

After inspecting the house where Wang Cuiping lived, the official nodded and said that the conditions were good.

Then he asked, "Should we talk to the people in the hospital and ask them to take care of you?"

Wang Cuiping shook her head and said, "No need, the people in this courtyard are all very nice."

Actually, she was afraid of scaring the people in the courtyard. Judging from Jia Zhangshi's appearance, everyone was still afraid of soldiers.

That was indeed the case. The old lady, Chen Lanxiang, and Zhao Cuifeng were all at the He family's house, but subconsciously, their fear of soldiers prevented them from coming out.

He Yuzhu wasn't afraid; he went straight out the door.

"Aunt Wang, you're back. Is everything done?"

"It's done, Pillar."

"Comrade Wang, is this the young comrade He Yuzhu you mentioned?"

"Yes, that's He Yuzhu."

"Is he really 13 years old?" Meng Yutang was a little confused. The boy in front of him was taller than him and was very strong. Except for his face, which was so young, he didn't look like a child at all.

“I have a birth certificate from Peking Union Medical College Hospital!” He Yuzhu replied. He had asked about it before. Back when he was born, ordinary people could get into hospitals as long as they had money. Since it was his first child, the old lady had He Daqing take him directly to the hospital to give birth.

"Ahem, that's not what I meant. Hello, Comrade Xiao He. My name is Meng Yutang, and I will be Comrade Wang Cuiping's colleague from now on." Meng Yutang extended his hand.

"Colleague?" He Yuzhu couldn't be rude when someone reached out their hand.

"Yes, yes, from now on Comrade Wang Cuiping will also be under our Military Control Commission, and she will work with me in the Ministry of Public Security."

He gripped He Yuzhu's hand tightly; he was trained, and seeing He Yuzhu made him eager to grab her, his hand itching to reach out.

He Yuzhu originally intended to just give it a light squeeze and then pull it back, but the guy opposite him still used force. He could tolerate that, so he also started to increase the force in his hand. His palm was a fifth larger than Meng Yutang's.

"From now on, Comrade Meng, you must take good care of my Aunt Wang. Otherwise, as her nephew, I won't stand for it. I'll definitely report this to your leaders!"

As He Yuzhu spoke, he continued to increase the pressure on his hands. Meng Yutang was fine at first, but his face changed color later, turning from white to red and then to purple.

It wasn't just the pain in his hand; He Yuzhu's words had also made him choke. Two soldiers beside him had their guns in hand, and just as they were about to lash out...

"Pillar!" Wang Cuiping called out at the right moment.

"Hey, Aunt Wang, I'm just saying hello to your colleague, asking him to take good care of you in the future, since he's in danger in your area."

He Yuzhu let go, and Meng Yutang breathed a long sigh of relief. If he had held on any longer, he was afraid he would have ruined his hand.

"Yes, yes, I'll say hello. But with a nephew like you, Comrade Wang, do you think I need to take care of you as your aunt?" Meng Yutang said with some resentment. He knew that He Yuzhu had given him a warning, and he probably understood why.

Wang Cuiping was an outsider. All he knew was that she was a guerrilla captain who came from Tianjin. What she did in Tianjin was top secret and he had no right to know. He only knew that she had made great contributions and was originally supposed to be assigned to logistics, but she insisted on being assigned to the public security department. He was a regular soldier, so he couldn't help but look down on her a little.

He didn't know why his superiors agreed, because they had dealt with the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics in Tianjin for several years and were very familiar with their methods.

It was an order from his superiors to come and deliver the person. His superiors also told him to take good care of the new comrade and to check whether Wang Cuiping's place was suitable and whether there was any danger.

As it turned out, when he arrived at their doorstep, he couldn't resist the urge to fight and ended up getting a rude awakening.

“That’s different. At work, it’s definitely you men who take care of me, but at home, it’s naturally me who takes care of me!” He Yuzhu said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, yes, young comrade, perhaps we could have a friendly spar?" Meng Yutang knew he was in the wrong, so he didn't really know what to say.

There's a reason why he didn't clash with He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu had helped the underground Communist Party in Beijing and Tianjin, which was meritorious, and there's evidence to prove it.

If it weren't for the fact that they couldn't hire him because he was too young, we probably would have become colleagues by now.

"No problem, Comrade Meng, I'm very free, I'm always available!"

"I'll find you, Comrade Xiao He!"

"That's enough for you two, Comrade Meng Yutang. You should go back and report for duty. I'll be reporting for duty in a few days," Wang Cuiping said hastily, seeing that the two were still arguing.

(End of this chapter)