Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 95 A Destined Farewell, Giving Old Yu a Glimmer of Hope (Please Subscribe)
While learning to cook, He Yuzhu also organized the information he had previously obtained from Ma Wu. Although it was not very timely, it could still be put to use.

After some investigation, he actually found quite a few spies who had stayed behind. Then, those people disappeared one after another, along with their funds and supplies.

Later, He Yuzhu discovered that a random task had been triggered, even though the system hadn't been active for a long time.

[Random Mission: Disrupt the core spy network of Tianjin Xiao Rizi! Completed!]

[Reward: Static space increased by 1000 cubic meters.]

"This is all it took to ruin things?" He Yuzhu was a little confused. "It seems he did a sloppy job. After all, he's not a professional. He probably overlooked a lot of things during the interrogation. There are probably still quite a few people who slipped through the net."

He immediately checked with his consciousness and found that there was indeed an extra part in the static space.

The space, which was already a bit full, is now finally much more spacious.

He Yuzhu thought to himself, "It seems I need to clean things up, otherwise I won't be able to fit any good stuff in later."

With the space expanded, he went on another shopping spree, this time buying pork. He naturally used Hongbinlou as his supplier, which Zhao Xiaonian had helped him contact. He treated Zhao Xiaonian to a big meal for this, but Zhao Xiaonian refused to accept the money.

Much of Ma Wu's intelligence was swept away by the army. After He Yuzhu missed several opportunities, he let go of those he felt had no profit.

Before stopping, he actually did something big; he was originally going to raid the warehouse of a guy who sold opium.

It turned out that the guy was also dealing in cultural relics and weapons.

He Yuzhu didn't stand on ceremony and emptied the warehouse, leaving those people with the junk that had been cleared out of the warehouse.

When they returned and took inventory, wow, there was not only opium inside, but also a batch of gold, weapons, and cultural relics.

The weapons were still from the United States, and the individual soldier equipment was quite complete, including uniforms, rifles, pistols, machine guns, recoilless rifles, etc., enough to equip a battalion.

Even if He Yuzhu didn't punish the guy who lost the things, he probably wouldn't have fared much better.

September arrived quickly. Xiaoman had grown a little taller and her face had become fairer and smoother. She also stopped crying as much as before.

During this time, He Yuzhu asked his master to find someone to help Xiaoman (Qiao Lingyi) get an identity certificate, as well as a pass to enter and leave Tianjin.

If there's no war, the checks aren't strict. But if there is a war, even having a license might not be enough. Of course, having one is better than not having one.

Li Baoguo was shocked. When did this kid start hiding a little girl at home? After some questioning, he...

He Yuzhu's story was mostly fabricated, but he made Xiaoman's experience sound incredibly tragic. After finishing work, Li Baoguo went back with He Yuzhu to see Xiaoman. After seeing her, he secretly told He Yuzhu, "You've hit the jackpot! You've found a beautiful wife!"
"Hehe, luck, luck!" He Yuzhu didn't deny it.

"Your luck is just too good! You just picked one up and it's like this?"

Could He Yuzhu tell his master that the Ma family of Tanggu was destroyed because of this girl?

Although it wasn't his doing alone, it was the Kuomintang who cleaned things up, and he didn't gain any benefit at all. As for the guerrillas, he probably didn't get much benefit either.

As for how he knew, he took a look out of boredom and found only ruins. There was no one left, and all the belongings had been taken away. The yard was full of large pits.

At the end of August, after being tested by Li Baoguo, He Yuzhu graduated and once again shocked the culinary world of Tianjin.

In late September, Lao Zhao came to visit him. Lao Zhao had only come to the city in June and had been busy with work, so he hadn't been able to visit him. He came to see him quietly to thank him for his help on the train.

Don't forget that Old Zhao lived in the courtyard for more than a year. He knew very well that the He family had two cooks. Was it really that hard to determine that it was He Yuzhu?
Chili powder, pepper powder, and Sichuan pepper powder—who carries so many seasonings around and bothers with such trivial matters?

As for why He Yuzhu helped, Lao Zhao asked him, and He Yuzhu replied that the people who came later didn't seem like good people.

Old Zhao wasn't surprised by He Yuzhu's methods of subduing those people, because everyone in the yard knew that He Yuzhu and Xu Damao practiced martial arts in the backyard, and it wasn't that no one wanted to send their children to become He Daqing's disciples, but he wouldn't accept them.

Xu Damao was only accepted because of He Yuzhu. He Daqing said that he would only accept students who were learning to cook in the future. In those days, cooks still had a low status. How could those technicians send their children to learn to cook?

Old Zhao was very happy to come and see He Yuzhu. It was like meeting an old friend in a foreign land. He personally cooked a few dishes for Old Zhao to taste. Old Zhao had never eaten at such a big restaurant before. This meal won over both his mouth and his stomach.

The praise never stopped. When he learned that He Yuzhu had already completed his apprenticeship, he was even more shocked. He gave him a thumbs up and jokingly said that he would definitely ask He Yuzhu to cook for him a few more times in the future.

He Yuzhu said "no problem" directly, while Lao Zhao seemed hesitant to speak during the meal.

"Uncle Zhao, just say what's on your mind. Hesitating like this isn't like you!"

"I saw your Aunt Wang, and I told her about your cooking lessons in Tianjin. She said she won't come to see you and that you should focus on your studies!"

"Okay, then tell my Aunt Wang that if she's having a hard time, she can come to me. I'll treat her like family again. That man of hers can take a punch from me, right?" He Yuzhu joked.

Old Zhao was so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged. Yu Zecheng was just a scholar, only slightly stronger than a chicken. A while ago, Wang Cuiping defeated Ma Kui and killed Lu Qiaoshan. He still dared to bully Wang Cuiping. He was lucky not to get beaten up. Besides, he had also tested the waters and it seemed that this fake couple had become a real couple.

"Don't you dare, her husband can't take a punch from you." Old Zhao waved his hands repeatedly.

“I was just saying, since it’s inconvenient for my Aunt Wang to come see me, I won’t force her. You can also tell me that if I need anything, I can come to Hongbinlou to find me, or if I can’t find her, I can come to No. 18 Nanzhujia Hutong.”

"I've noted it down. I won't tell anyone this address. Thank you!" Old Zhao said solemnly. He knew that He Yuzhu had asked him to pass on the message, which was also to tell him that he could go there if he encountered any problems.

In fact, there's a sense of unease in Tianjin right now because fighting has broken out in the north, and it's being reported on the radio and in the newspapers. As for the accuracy of the news, He Yuzhu can only chuckle.

Old Zhao should know the truth, and naturally he also knows that this is the most dangerous time, and some people are going to do something desperate. He Yuzhu was able to provide a safe house at this time, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and he deserves to be thanked.

Old Zhao left without leaving any contact information, and He Yuzhu didn't ask.

In October, He Yuzhu resigned from his job and wanted to return to Beijing because he was worried about his family.

Before leaving, he planned to visit Wang Cuiping, only to find that she had left and Yu Zecheng was the only one at home. He Yuzhu knew that Wang Cuiping had escaped because she had been exposed, but why didn't he go to see her? Perhaps it was because he was afraid of implicating her.

So he sneaked into Yu Zecheng's house at night and left him a very short letter.

The letter contained only a few lines:

First, Yu Zecheng should immediately request permission from his superiors to evacuate after completing his mission; he cannot wait.

Second, Wang Cuiping is fine, and they will meet again.

Third, if evacuation is impossible and you are forced to go to Hong Kong Island, find an opportunity. As for Wang Cuiping, he will take care of her and guarantee that she will be fine.

At the end of the letter, he left a message that he could find her in Nanluoguxiang, Beijing. It wasn't because he was bold, but because Yu Zecheng would never betray Wang Cuiping. It was a way of leaving him with hope, so that even if he was eventually taken to the island, he would know that his wife was still alive and being taken care of.

He did all this simply to do his best and leave the rest to fate. He hoped that the inevitable farewell wouldn't be the last. He wanted to find a way to bring this aunt back to Beijing, so she wouldn't have to go back to the mountains to raise her unborn child alone.

If Wang Cuiping hadn't appeared at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, he wouldn't have asked about these things, and even if he had seen her, he probably wouldn't have cared. But Wang Cuiping had crossed paths with his family, and just because he called her "Auntie," he had to do something about it.

When Yu Zecheng woke up the next morning and saw the letter, he was almost driven insane with fright.

After reading it, he remembered Nanluoguxiang and quickly burned the letter. Who was this person? How dare he make such a promise and even predict his future? He panicked.

He wasn't this panicked even when he was stealing that most important piece of information. He burned the letter, went to the bathroom, filled the sink with water, and soaked his face in the water for more than a minute before he calmed down.

His mission was completed just a few days ago, but he couldn't contact his superiors, which was a serious problem.

……

After leaving Yu Zecheng's house, He Yuzhu passed by the bank on his way back and saw several large trucks parked in the distance. Perhaps to avoid attracting attention, there were not many soldiers guarding the bank.

People were constantly loading boxes onto the truck. Judging from the weight of the boxes, He Yuzhu guessed that they were probably filled with gold.

"They've made enough money with gold yuan and are about to run away!" He Yuzhu thought to himself.

So he wasn't in a hurry to go home. After the people finished loading the truck, he quietly followed them. After following them for a while, at a bend in the road, when the truck behind them hadn't caught up, he climbed onto the truck carrying the gold.

Then he started exchanging boxes of other things for gold, otherwise the driver would have noticed if the car suddenly became lighter.

Old grain, everyday weapons, and anything else that's currently disliked but takes up space are all thrown into the car.

After going through this process several times—getting off and getting back on the bus, changing things—He Yuzhu left the convoy and disappeared into the night. As for how these people would explain themselves when they got back, that was none of his business.

After returning home, He Yuzhu began working on leaving Tianjin.

However, before leaving, his master still had to give him some instructions. He visited both of his masters' homes, bringing them food and dried goods.

It's fine for apprentices to give gifts during holidays, but He Yuzhu took too much. Yuan Taihong and Li Baoguo initially refused to accept it because He Yuzhu was giving away all the money he earned in Tianjin, and might even be losing money.

After He Yuzhu shared his guess, his two masters, who weren't stupid, realized that with the fighting so intense in the north, they didn't know when it would reach Tianjin. In times of war, the most precious thing is food.

Then they also began to secretly purchase food. They didn't return the food that He Yuzhu sent, but they remembered this favor.

Zhao Xiaonian had helped He Yuzhu, and He Yuzhu naturally reciprocated. In the end, Zhao Xiaonian accepted the gifts only after He Yuzhu insisted, and said that he would definitely go to Beijing to find He Yuzhu in the future.

At this time, He Yuzhu no longer went to Hongbinlou Restaurant; he spent his days going to the vegetable market and seafood market.

He doesn't need to buy vegetables; he has already stocked up on fruits, seafood, ham, and other such items.

He also bought some cloth and cotton, and all kinds of seeds—he bought everything he could get his hands on.

October arrived quickly, and on the 1st, He Yuzhu went to the city gate as usual to see if he could leave the city, but he still couldn't.

On his way back, He Yuzhu unexpectedly ran into someone and hurried over to greet him.

"Aunt Wang, Aunt Wang, is that you?"

"Zhu, Zhuzi, what are you doing here?" Wang Cuiping exclaimed in surprise, half of it genuine and half of it feigned.

She knew He Yuzhu was in Tianjin, but she never expected to run into him so coincidentally. He had never even considered going to Hongbinlou, fearing it would implicate He Yuzhu.

"I'll go to the city gate to see if I can get out of the city. I've finished my apprenticeship and plan to go back to Beijing. By the way, Aunt Wang, why are you dressed like that?"

"This isn't the place to talk. Come with me," Wang Cuiping said, looking around.

"okay!"

Wang Cuiping led He Yuzhu to a secluded spot.

"Zhu Zi, you'd better stay in Tianjin. There's going to be a war."

"My uncle said that?"

"No, I broke up with that person, and now I'm looking after houses for others!" Wang Cuiping used "that person" as a substitute when talking about Yu Zecheng, her face full of sadness.

"What's going on? He can't bully people like this. I'll go with you to find him," He Yuzhu said indignantly.

"No, no, keep your voice down. It's not his fault. He had no choice. Besides, you can't find him now. He's gone."

"Gone? Where did you go?"

"It should be to the south!"

Hearing this, He Yuzhu realized that the two must have met that time, so he said, "Aunt Wang, where do you live now? If you can't find a place, you can move in with me. We can look after each other."

"This"

"What's wrong, Aunt Wang? Are you not treating me like your nephew?"

"No, I'm not vomiting." Wang Cuiping started gagging halfway through her sentence.

"Aunt Wang, Aunt Wang, what's wrong? Should we go to the hospital to see a doctor?" He Yuzhu thought it must be morning sickness, but he couldn't say it directly; he was still a child.

"No need, no need, Auntie is pregnant."

"I've got it! Do you know that guy? He actually dared to abandon you and your daughter!"

“He doesn’t know, I only found out myself.” Wang Cuiping’s face was very dejected.

Is it safe for you to look after houses for people?

"It's relatively safe, within the high walls and compound."

“You didn’t go to see my Uncle Zhao. I saw him last month. He sent you to Tianjin and then just left you there?” He Yuzhu said angrily.

"He didn't know I was still in Tianjin."

"Where is he? I'll go with you to find him."

"No, I don't know where he is," Wang Cuiping said, shaking her head.

"You should come back with me. Don't go looking after houses for others anymore. You're pregnant now, and I can help take care of things."

Wang Cuiping hesitated for a moment, perhaps it was the baby in her belly that made her make up her mind.

“Okay, then you and your aunt go back and get some things. I’ll also tell them that I’ve found a relative.”

"Okay, let's go now."

"Let's go."

"Don't walk, let's take a rickshaw."

(End of this chapter)