Siheyuan: He Yuzhu since 1958

"Ding-ling-ling! Ding-ling-ling!" Just then the phone on Li Huaide's desk rang. Li Huaide picked up the phone and asked, "Who is this?!"

The voice of the director of Qianjin Textile Factory came from the other end of the line: "Lao Li, I'm Ma Guoxiong from Qianjin Textile Factory!"

Li Huaide thought for a long time but couldn't find the right person, but he still had to be polite: "Lao Ma! What do you want from me?!"

Ma Guoxiong said, "Lao Li, I heard that someone from our factory was arrested by your security department?! Can you please give me some face and release him?!"

Li Huaide said: "I'm not sure about this. Let me ask first. Or you can call me back later?!"

Ma Guoxiong was slightly stunned on the other end of the phone. He never expected Li Huaide to answer him like this. After hesitating for a few seconds, Ma Guoxiong said, "Old Li, if you have any requests, just ask. There's no need to embarrass everyone."

Li Huaide said: "Old Ma, I really don't know the situation. Since you know, why don't you tell me?!"

Ma Guoxiong couldn't say, "I like the chef's skills and want to poach him." Ma Guoxiong said, "It's just that I had some misunderstandings with Master He Yuzhu from your factory."

Li Huaide gave Zhao Lei a look, dipped his hand in the cup and wrote the words "enemy spies" on the table. Zhao Lei understood instantly and said loudly: "Director, our security department just arrested more than a dozen enemy spies!"

Li Huaide immediately showed a bright smile on his face, and asked in a pretentious manner: "Have you made it clear during the interrogation?!"

Zhao Lei answered decisively: "The interrogation made it clear. They all confessed. They planned to force Comrade He Yuzhu to poison the food in the cafeteria."

Ma Guoxiong, who was on the other end of the phone, heard the conversation on the phone and his face changed instantly. He was just lucky and defeated the former director, so he moved from an officer in the factory propaganda department to the director's position. After hesitating for a few seconds, Ma Guoxiong said: "Lao Li! Director Li! There must be a misunderstanding here. I will go over and explain it to you in person!" After that, Ma Guoxiong hung up the phone, looked at the deputy directors standing next to him, and said: "You all heard what I said just now. Tell me what to do now?!"

"The steel mill is too bullying, isn't it?! How about we pull everyone over and get the person back?!"

"Stupid!" Ma Guoxiong glared at the man who had just made the suggestion and said, "There are only a few hundred people in our factory. There are tens of thousands of people in the steel mill. Going to rob people?! You're almost going to die!"

"I think Director Ma should go and talk to the people at the Red Star Steel Mill first. If they can bring the people back at some cost, that would be the best. If that doesn't work, we can only abandon them. At most, we can transfer their jobs to their families and compensate each of them with some money and tickets."

Ma Guoxiong thought about it and nodded, "This is the only way now."

"Director! This is the document just issued by the superior!" At this time, the secretary ran in. Ma Guoxiong took the document and his face changed instantly. The various associations of the Red Star Steel Rolling Plant became the superior unit of the various associations of their factory.

Ma Guoxiong finished reading the document and handed it to the person next to him. Several deputy directors passed the content of the document around and all of them showed embarrassed expressions. Ma Guoxiong said, "Whoever came up with the idea is responsible for it. It is impossible for one person to make a mistake and let everyone suffer with him." After that, Ma Guoxiong opened the drawer, took out some money and bills, put them in his briefcase, and then left the office.

At the same time, He Yuzhu returned home. Huang Ying had also returned and was talking to Zhou Qiao. He Yuzhu parked his bicycle and said, "You guys chat first, I'll go cook."

"Brother Zhuzi! Let me help you!" Zhou Qiao stood up immediately and wanted to follow He Yuzhu into the kitchen. Huang Ying grabbed Zhou Qiao and said, "The kitchen is your brother Zhuzi's territory. Cooking in this house is his job. Don't get involved."

Zhou Qiao said shyly: "How embarrassing is this?!"

Huang Ying said: "Your father and your brother Zhuzi's fourth uncle are comrades-in-arms and friends. You are our sister. What's there to be embarrassed about?!"

After about half an hour, He Yuzhu brought out the food and urged, "What are you still doing sitting here? Wash your hands and eat!"

"Come!" Huang Ying responded and took Zhou Qiao to the bathroom. After washing their hands, Huang Ying and Zhou Qiao walked to the table, smelled the aroma coming from the soup, and said, "Zhu Zi, you haven't made chicken soup for a long time."

He Yuzhu made an excuse, "I was idle at the factory today, and the purchasing department happened to buy a few live chickens. I paid for one. I stewed it at the factory for the whole afternoon. I heated it up again when I got home. It's just right for you two to replenish your bodies." He Yuzhu then picked up a chicken leg for Huang Ying and Zhou Qiao, and continued, "Qiao'er, your job has been arranged. You will be the custodian of the factory's information room, and your monthly salary is 32 yuan."

"Really?!" Zhou Qiao shouted in disbelief, then said excitedly: "That's great!"

He Yuzhu said, "Qiao'er, the reason I arranged an easy job for you is so that you can use your free time to study. If there is a chance in the future, I will find a way to send you to college."

"Thank you, Brother Zhuzi!" Zhou Qiao thanked He Yuzhu and made up his mind to repay He Yuzhu's kindness in the future. Zhou Qiao hesitated for a while and asked, "Brother Zhuzi, can you tell me about my father?!"

He Yuzhu glanced at Huang Ying, pondered for a few seconds, and then told her the slightly abridged version. After that, He Yuzhu went upstairs again, took down two letters written by his fourth uncle to his mother, handed them to Zhou Qiao, and said, "Take a look for yourself!"

Although the content of the letter was incomplete, it indirectly confirmed what He Yuzhu had just said. Zhou Qiao leaned on the table and burst into tears. Huang Ying sighed, reached out and stroked Zhou Qiao's back, and said softly: "Qiao'er, when ordinary people enjoy a peaceful life, there will always be people who carry the burden forward. Your father is one of them. You don't have to be ashamed of having such a father. On the contrary, you should be proud of having such a father. You can't recognize each other now, but there will always be a chance to recognize you in the future."

He Yuzhu continued, "Qiao'er, even though your father is not with you and can't take care of you, you have brothers and sisters now. We are all your family. Okay! Stop crying! Eat!"

With the comfort of He Yuzhu and Huang Ying, Zhou Qiao finally calmed down. He Yuzhu knew that Zhou Qiao had too many knots in her heart, and now she could only untie some of them. If she wanted to untie all of Zhou Qiao's knots, she couldn't rely on them, and could only wait for her father to come and tell her in person.

After dinner, while He Yuzhu was washing the dishes, Zhou Qiao asked curiously, "Sister-in-law, don't you and my brother Zhuzi have children?!"

Huang Ying smiled and replied, "Yes! Your brother Zhuzi and I have four children. But they don't usually live here. They live in Jingyang Hutong. Tomorrow I'll ask your brother Zhuzi to take you there to get acquainted. Brother Zhuzi's grandparents are all over there."

"Sister-in-law!" Just then He Yushui pushed the door open and walked in. Huang Ying smiled and asked, "Yushui, how come you have time to come back today?!"

He Yushui replied, "I missed my brother's cooking, so I brought Yongting over to eat." Then he asked, "Have you all finished eating?!"

He Yuzhu heard the noise and came out of the kitchen, asking, "Why are you back at this time?!" Then he asked, "Where's Yongting?!"

"Brother Zhuzi!" Fan Yongting walked in from outside reluctantly.