Siheyuan: He Yuzhu since 1958

"Master He, this tricycle is great! Where did you get it?!" He Yuzhu just rode his tricycle into the gate of the Nanluoguxiang Public Security Bureau. Wu Guoyong's voice rang in He Yuzhu's ears. He Yuzhu stopped the tricycle and said, "Where else can it be from? Of course I bought it. The leader of our factory heard that my wife was pregnant, so he gave me a tricycle ticket." He Yuzhu took out the receipt and continued, "I just went to the department store and bought something. It's still warm!"

Huang Ying walked out of the reception hall and saw He Yuzhu sitting on a tricycle, chatting with someone. So she walked over and asked, "Where did this tricycle come from?!"

"Wife!" He Yuzhu called out, and replied, "I bought it!" He then explained, "It's not safe to take you to and from get off work on a bicycle. My boss happened to give me a tricycle ticket, so I bought the tricycle. I'll go back to the courtyard later and ask the third uncle to build a ramp at the gate, which will also make it easier for bicycles and tricycles to enter and exit."

Huang Ying looked around the tricycle and said, "Come on! I'll take you to smash the steel stamp."

When they arrived at the place where the stamp was to be smashed, Huang Ying handed the tricycle to her colleague, then pulled He Yuzhu aside and said, "Zhuzi, this year the superiors have given each police station a bonus. Let each station purchase its own supplies for the New Year."

He Yuzhu asked: "Wife, you are not taking over this matter?!"

Huang Ying replied: "No! I just want to ask if you have any connections."

He Yuzhu said: "You should at least tell me what you want to buy?!"

Huang Ying said, "Food and meat are best."

He Yuzhu understood instantly and asked, "Wife, tell me the truth! Do you want to donate those things in our house?!"

Huang Ying smiled awkwardly and said, "We have so much food at home that we can't finish it. What if it gets spoiled if we leave it out for too long?!"

He Yuzhu replied: "Those are our family's life-saving food. No one can tell how long this situation will last. You have used up all the food. What will we do in the future?! Forget it. But I can get you some meat."

Huang Ying's eyes lit up when she heard He Yuzhu say that he could get meat. Without waiting for Huang Ying to ask, He Yuzhu said, "For my sake, meat will cost one yuan per pound without a ticket. Tell me how much you want. When I go to purchase for our factory, bring yours with me."

"Wait a minute! I'll go ask." After saying that, Huang Ying turned and left.

About a quarter of an hour later, Huang Ying appeared in front of He Yuzhu again and asked, "Zhuzi, 200 kilograms of meat, is that okay?!"

He Yuzhu asked: "Two hundred pounds is enough?!"

Huang Ying said with a guilty conscience: "It's almost done."

Huang Ying had just told Zhang Hu and He Ping about the meat. After discussion, the three decided to give five catties of meat to each person in the station and the remaining fifty catties of meat to the bureau. At least, the people on duty during the New Year in the bureau could have a bite of dumplings with meat.

He Yuzhu agreed, "No problem! I'll bring it to you tomorrow." Then he said, "I'll park the tricycle at your station first. I'll come over and ride it later!"

"Got it! Be careful on the road!" Huang Ying watched He Yuzhu leave the police station. When she was about to return to the office, she saw Zhang Hu coming out of the reception hall. Zhang Hu asked, "Zhuzi is gone?!"

"Gone!" Huang Ying replied, and asked, "Director, why is my name not on the list of people on duty during the New Year this year?!"

Zhang Hu said, "Don't you know what's going on with you? What if something goes wrong while you're on duty? What will you do to Zhuzi? Besides, you know the notice from the department, don't you? Do you want me to break the rules?!"

Huang Ying grinned and said, "That's not what I meant."

Zhang Hu said, "Although the comrades don't say it, they all think of you in their hearts. Just take care of your pregnancy peacefully and try to give birth to a big fat boy."

After leaving the police station, He Yuzhu rode his bicycle straight to the steel mill. When he arrived at the mill, He Yuzhu parked his bicycle, took out the list, took out a pen, ticked a few items on the list, put away the list, and walked towards the office building.

"Knock! Knock! Knock!" When He Yuzhu arrived at the door of Li Huaide's office, he reached out and knocked on the door.

Li Huaide heard the knock on the door and responded, "Come in!"

He Yuzhu pushed the door open and walked into the office, saying, "Brother Li, I have worn out my lips with my uncle for your matter. They don't have much stuff." After that, He Yuzhu handed the list to Li Huaide and said, "The ones with ticks on them are the ones that can be shared with us. As long as the quantity does not exceed 100 kilograms, there is no problem. The price is also around the limit."

Li Huaide took the list and read it carefully. Although many of the things he wanted were not on the list, compared to what he could get from other channels, He Yuzhu could get more things. Li Huaide said, "Everything is 100 kilograms." Then he asked, "When can I get the things?!"

He Yuzhu replied: "Tomorrow! But you have to pay first."

Li Huaide thought for a few minutes, took out a small abacus, fiddled with it in front of He Yuzhu, and said, "Okay! I'll give you the money now. You deliver the things to the address I gave you." After that, Li Huaide wrote an address and handed it to He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu took the address, looked at it, and put it in his coat pocket. Then Li Huaide opened the drawer on the left side of the desk, took out a wooden box from it, counted out the money, handed it to He Yuzhu, and warned: "Zhuzi, don't make any mistakes."

He Yuzhu replied: "Don't worry! I will deliver the things to you tomorrow morning before work."

Li Huaide nodded and said, "I'll wait for you there at six o'clock!"

After leaving Li Huaide's office, He Yuzhu took his bicycle and left the steel mill. After returning the bicycle, He Yuzhu came out of his house carrying a bag of cement, walked to the front yard, and said to Yan Bugui who was tending to the private plot, "Third Uncle, how about introducing a job to you?!"

Yan Bugui smiled and asked, "Can you introduce me to a job?!"

He Yuzhu nodded and said, "Uncle, have you seen the cement?!"

Yan Bugui replied: “I saw it!”

He Yuzhu said, "I got a tricycle. Now, for the convenience of entering and exiting, I want to build a slope at the door. But I don't have time, so I thought of you, Uncle San. I will provide the cement and I will give you two yuan as wages. Can you take this job?!"

Yan Bugui rolled his eyes and replied with a smile: "Sure! Don't worry, leave this job to me, the Third Uncle. I promise to make it beautiful for you!"

"Okay! The cement is given to you. I'll give you one dollar first. When you're done, I'll give you another dollar." After saying that, He Yuzhu took out a dollar and handed it over.

Yan Bugui took the money and said, "Okay, go ahead and do your work!"

After He Yuzhu left, Yan Bugui started to work. He first found a few broken bricks to block the steps at the door, then mixed some mud and cement together to pave the slope. After that, Yan Bugui found a piece of broken grass from somewhere and covered the slope he had just made, muttering with a smile: "Okay! This money is well earned."