Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 98 Finally Back in Beijing, Even Entering the Door is Troublesome (Please Subscribe)
When the food was served, it was just as He Yuzhu had said, that I almost swallowed my tongue. He Yuzhu had prepared several dishes of Sichuan cuisine and halal cuisine. The ingredients for the New Year were plentiful, with chicken, fish, meat and vegetables all on the table.

Chicken stew with mushrooms, braised beef strips, twice-cooked pork, sweet and sour carp, hot and sour shredded potatoes, stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, and steamed buns.

After finishing his meal, Zhao Fengnian joked to He Yuzhu, "You've spoiled my palate. I'm in for a rough time eating cabbage and potatoes when we get back."

"Don't be silly, what would your military control commission eat during the Spring Festival? If you want to eat, come over often. Anyway, I prepared extra for the New Year, so I won't shortchange you on a pair of chopsticks!" He Yuzhu laughed.

"No, no, I can't keep coming here to freeload meals," Old Zhao waved his hands repeatedly.

"You can see for yourself. By the way, Uncle Zhao, when can we get the letter of introduction?"

"Why don't you come with me later? It'll be good for you to get acquainted with the place, so you can come to me if you need anything."

"Aunt Wang?"

"Then let's listen to Lao Zhao and get it done sooner rather than later."

"Okay, is there anything we need to prepare?"

"No need, it's enough that the person has arrived."

In the afternoon, the four of them went to the Military Control Commission together. With Zhao Fengnian, the deputy director, acting as guarantor, the letter of introduction was issued smoothly.

However, Wang Cuiping and He Yuzhu also had an additional document written by Zhao Fengnian, which proved what the two had done and their contributions, and was stamped with their personal seal.

Then, Zhao Fengnian took Wang Cuiping to the director's office again while he left He Yuzhu and Qiao Lingyi in the lounge. When they returned, Wang Cuiping's eyes were red.

Zhao Fengnian asked He Yuzhu to escort the two women back. He knew a bit about the boy's abilities. Although no one dared to use a gun on the street, there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be other people with ill intentions.

On New Year's Eve, Lao Zhao was tricked into having a New Year's Eve dinner by He Yuzhu.

Four and a half people, four families, spent a unique New Year.

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, He Yuzhu brought fish, meat, and vegetables produced in his space to Yuan Taihong's house. Yuan Taihong was not surprised by the fish and meat, but he was really surprised by the eggplants, cucumbers, and tomatoes. What season is this? And these vegetables are growing so well. He quietly pulled He Yuzhu aside, and He Yuzhu said that someone he had recently met had helped him get them.

He was asked to stay for lunch, and in the afternoon He Yuzhu went to Li Baoguo's place again. The setup was the same, but Li Baoguo asked much more detailed questions than Yuan Taihong. However, He Yuzhu's questions were mostly false, so Li Baoguo couldn't do anything about them. He could only remind him to be careful, as there are still many bad people out there.

In Beijing, at the No. 95 Courtyard in Nanluoguxiang, the He family didn't have such a happy New Year. Their son couldn't come home, and they didn't know if he was safe.

Chen Lanxiang started nagging about it from the twelfth lunar month. He Daqing initially tried to comfort her, but later stopped talking. He was worried himself.

At first, the old lady said that good people are always blessed, but after rumors spread that there was fighting in Tianjin, she stopped mentioning He Yuzhu to the couple.

The family had everything they needed, but one person was missing. Chen Lanxiang started crying during the New Year's Eve dinner, and then He Yushui followed her mother and started crying too. Eventually, the old lady couldn't hold back her tears either.

Xu Damao asked his brother Zhuzi twice when he would be back after the holiday started, but his father scolded him and he stopped asking.

If we're talking about someone who's secretly happy, it's probably Jia Zhangshi from the front yard. She's happy when the He family is down, and she even eats an extra bowl of rice because her son is now earning money.

Time flew by and it was the last day of January. When the news of the peaceful liberation of Beijing was broadcast on the radio and loudspeakers, Tianjin was once again in an uproar.

He Yuzhu went to the train station again and was told that it would take two more days for the train service to resume and that the station had not yet been taken over.

After that, He Yuzhu made the trip almost every day until February 5th when he was told that the line would open the next day. He Yuzhu ran home to get his letter of introduction and quickly bought three tickets.

He Yuzhu went to buy tickets, while Wang Cuiping and Xiaoman started packing things at home.

Xiaoman really didn't want to leave these things behind, but she couldn't take many of them with her, which made her so anxious that she burst into tears.

Wang Cuiping understood her thoughts and could only offer advice, while also trying to pack as much stuff as possible.

Then he went to Yuan Taihong's place and asked him to help deal with the house. He told Yuan Taihong to handle the things he couldn't take with him. Yuan Taihong asked if he needed to send them away, but He Yuzhu refused.

Then he went to Li Baoguo's place again and told him that he would leave tomorrow. Li Baoguo asked him why he was in such a hurry. He Yuzhu said that he hadn't spent the New Year at home and that he had to go back for the Lantern Festival.

Li Baoguo asked the same question, whether he wanted to see He Yuzhu off at the station, but He Yuzhu still refused.

After leaving Li Baoguo, He Yuzhu went to the Military Control Commission again to inform Zhao Fengnian so that Zhao Fengnian wouldn't worry about not being able to find anyone later.

When Zhao Fengnian found out, he told He Yuzhu to wait, and then he went to ask the Military Control Commission if there was a bus going to Beijing, so he could ask them to take care of him on the way.

A short while later, Zhao Fengnian brought over an officer surnamed Zhou, who helped He Yuzhu recognize him. They then explained where they had been sitting in the car and finally told He Yuzhu not to hesitate to ask for help if needed.

That Zhou, the clerk, also said, "If you need anything, just come to me!"

He Yuzhu thanked him repeatedly. After seeing off Officer Zhou, Zhao Fengnian gave He Yuzhu some more instructions and told him the names of several people, saying that if he encountered trouble when he returned, he could go to the Military Control Commission to see if these people were there.

Among them was his lover, Wang Hongxia.

The next day, Yuan Hongtai, Li Baoguo, and Zhao Fengnian all came to see them off at the station, as if by prior arrangement.

Yuan Taihong and Li Baoguo asked He Yuzhu to write a letter after he got home, and to come visit his master when he had time. He Yuzhu agreed to all their requests.

Zhao Fengnian also sent a letter to let me know he was safe and sound, and said that he would visit No. 95 Courtyard when he returned to Beijing.

He Yuzhu and his two companions boarded the train with their bags and suitcases. After the train started moving, their feelings were different.

He Yuzhu was worried about his family and longed to return home.

Wang Cuiping lamented leaving this place of sorrow, feeling lost about the future.

Qiao Lingyi was worried about whether she could adapt to the new place, whether the He family could accept her, and whether she would have the opportunity to pay respects to her mother in the future. In short, her heart was full of complex emotions.

The three of them, each lost in their own thoughts, drove in silence for a long time. Finally, He Yuzhu broke the silence, inviting the two women to eat and introducing them to Beijing, hoping to calm their minds.

Having temporarily put aside her worries, Xiaoman started chattering away, asking all sorts of questions. She had never ridden a train before, as her mother had taken her to and from Tianjin by boat, and now she was starting to find it all new and exciting.

As for safety on the train, there's really no need to worry. The people responsible for maintaining order on the train aren't the train police, but soldiers, and there are quite a few of them. He Yuzhu didn't even see a single thief along the way.

As for the gun, there was no security check at the time, so it was naturally carried on the train in her luggage. After getting on the train, Wang Cuiping put the gun in the small bag she was holding in her arms so that it would be easy to take out.

After a train ride of more than three hours, the three finally arrived in Beijing. As they exited the station amidst a massive crowd, He Yuzhu noticed that there were many more soldiers patrolling the station square.

There weren't that many people waiting for a ride, so they called two rickshaws over. Wang Cuiping and Xiaoman shared one rickshaw, while He Yuzhu shared his own.

After giving the address, the two rickshaws headed towards Nanluoguxiang, one after the other.

As Xiaoman looked at the unfamiliar city from the rickshaw, her heart began to pound again. She clung to Wang Cuiping's arm and said, "Aunt Wang, I'm scared!"

"What are you afraid of? Aunt Wang is here."

“I’m afraid Zhu’s family won’t want me.” “It’s alright, Zhu’s parents are very good people, they won’t make things difficult for you.” Wang Cuiping said this, but what she was thinking was: “At worst, I’ll adopt this girl, so that she’ll have a proper title when she marries Zhu. If she’s raised in the He family, she’ll become a child bride, and that’s not the way things are in the new society.”

"Oh!" Xiaoman replied softly, clearly still worried.

“Aunt Wang is here!” Wang Cuiping patted her little head. She was confident because of the gold bars left by Yu Zecheng, and of course, the supporting documents.

As the car entered Nanluoguxiang, He Yuzhu was still a little excited, because he would be able to see his family.

When the car stopped at the gate of No. 95 Courtyard, the three of them got out and bumped into Xu Damao, who was setting off firecrackers with a group of children outside.

When Xu Damao saw that it was He Yuzhu who got out of the car, he cheered and rushed over.

"Brother Zhu, Brother Zhu, you're back! I missed you so much!"

As she spoke, she threw herself at him and hugged him tightly.

"Hahaha, Xu Damao!" He Yuzhu picked him up and spun him around several times.

Xu Damao, who had been put down, shook his dizzy head and ran as fast as he could into the courtyard, shouting, "Master, Mistress, my brother Zhuzi is back! My brother Zhuzi is back!"

At that shout, everyone in the courtyard came out of their homes. By the time He Yuzhu led Wang Cuiping and Xiaoman into the courtyard, Jia Zhangshi had already rushed to the gate.

Upon seeing that it really was He Yuzhu, his face turned ugly, and he cursed under his breath, "It really is that little brat who's back. How come he didn't die out there!"

Upon seeing Wang Cuiping behind He Yuzhu, she was first surprised, then said sarcastically, "Oh, isn't this the Wang family girl who married into Tianjin? What, did your in-laws abandon you and kick you out? This isn't your home. What are you doing back here? Looking for your cousin? Your cousin ran away himself, and you can't find him."

Jia Zhangshi's mouth was incredibly fast; she rattled off a string of words in a blur.

"Slap!" Wang Cuiping didn't tolerate her.

"You dare hit me? What did I say wrong?" Jia Zhangshi lowered her head and was about to bang it against him when He Yuzhu saw this and stepped in front of Wang Cuiping. What a joke, she's heavily pregnant, would it be good if she banged on him?
Jia Zhangshi's head was held down by He Yuzhu's large hand, and he waved his hands wildly.

"He Yuzhu, get out of my way! I'm going to fight her to the death!"

"Zhu Zi, let her go! I'll teach this shrew a lesson she can't just say whatever she wants!" Wang Cuiping was also furious; Jia Zhangshi's every word was piercing her lungs.

"Mmm..." Jia Zhangshi wanted to say something more, but Jia Laonian, who arrived shortly after, covered her mouth, pulled her back a bit, and said with a forced smile, "Zhuzi, Wang family sister, you're back. I'm sorry, your sister-in-law has a bad mouth. I'll teach her a lesson when I get back."

He's been burned too many times. Every time he messes with the He family, they either get beaten up or lose money. What's the point? He just wants a quick verbal sparring session, but his wallet hurts.

Jia Dongxu, who arrived shortly after, glared fiercely at He Yuzhu.

But when his gaze fell on Xiaoman, his eyes lit up and he stared at Xiaoman, scaring her so much that she hid behind Wang Cuiping.

"Where are you looking? You crotch-planting idiot? Believe me or not, I'll gouge your eyes out and stomp on them."

"What's it to you? My name is Jia Dongxu, don't give me nicknames!" Jia Dongxu's face turned red.

"Keep your eyes to yourself, or I'll gouge them out."

"Who are you to her? What business is it of yours?" Jia Dongxu shouted, craning his neck as he hid behind Jia Laonian.

"Useless!" He Yuzhu cursed and continued walking inside.

Seeing her son being taken advantage of, Jia Zhangshi struggled to break free from Jia Laonian's grasp and was about to start cursing, but when she saw the person about to come out of the hanging flower gate, she held back.

He Daqing and Xu Fugui were supporting the old lady, Chen Lanxiang was carrying He Yushui, Zhao Cuifeng was carrying Xu Xiaohui, and there was also Xu Damao.

"Old Nian, Zhu Zi is back today, and I'm in a good mood. I don't want to argue with your family. Hurry up and take your wife and son back home. Don't bother people here!" The old lady spoke first.

"Yes, yes, old lady." Old Lady Jia dragged Madam Jia Zhang along and whispered, "Dongxu, come back with me!" and headed home.

"Father, Mother, Madam, Uncle Xu, Aunt Xu, Yushui, I'm back!"

"Hey, my pillar, come here and let your mother see him." Chen Lanxiang's eyes were now completely on He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu rushed over in a few strides, and Chen Lanxiang hugged her son tightly, sobbing softly.

"Mom, don't cry, let brother hold you!" He Yushui helped Chen Lanxiang wipe away her tears, then reached out her arms for He Yuzhu to hold her.

"Mom, I'm back now, don't cry!" He Yuzhu hugged He Yushui with one arm and comforted her.

"Why are you crying during the New Year? You should be happy that Zhuzi is back! And don't just focus on your own family reunion, have you forgotten someone else?" The old lady tapped her cane and said.

The old lady's words reminded everyone that there were two other people standing at the door.

"Wang family girl, why did you come back with Zhuzi?" Chen Lanxiang asked with some surprise when she saw that it was Wang Cuiping.

“I ran into them. I couldn’t stay in Tianjin any longer, so I came back with them. I hope you can give me a place to stay, ma’am!” Wang Cuiping said with a smile.

"Who is this girl next to you?" Chen Lanxiang was also a little surprised when she saw Xiaoman.

"This one, you should go back and ask your son."

"Alright, it's freezing cold. You're not cold, but this old lady is. Daqing, Fugui, what are you standing there for? Go help with the luggage. Zhuzi, come here and help your mother."

"Hey!" they all exclaimed in unison.

He Yuzhu broke free from her mother's embrace and went to help the old lady. Chen Lanxiang immediately noticed that Wang Cuiping was heavily pregnant and hurriedly came forward to help her.

"Girl, you're pregnant. Where's your husband's family?"

"Sister-in-law He, this is a long story."

"Then we can talk about it slowly later. Go home, go home, don't get too cold."

Xiaoman was a little disappointed that no one greeted her. Wang Cuiping grabbed her hand and said, "Come on, this is your home now. What, you're afraid to go in now that we're home?"

"Ok!"

After the group passed through the moon gate and entered the central courtyard, the door of the Yi family was closed. Li Guihua had just wanted to come out and say something, but Yi Zhonghai, with a dark face, pulled her back.

Originally, He Yuzhu's fate was unknown outside, and Yi Zhonghai, like Jia Zhangshi, felt that those who had it were envious and those who didn't.

Jia Zhangshi said it was because He Yuzhu was more outstanding than her son, while Yi Zhonghai said it was simply because he didn't have one, and there never would be.

Now that He Yuzhu is back, and the He family still has both a son and a daughter, it's no wonder he's in a good mood.

(End of this chapter)