Siheyuan: He Yuzhu since 1958

Maybe it was because He Yuzhu's cooking was too delicious, or maybe the leader had been hungry for too long. Anyway, the leader only took seven or eight minutes to finish the whole bowl of raw beef porridge, with an expression of wanting more.

"He Yuzhu said, "Big leader, you can't eat too much at one time. I'll make some preserved egg and lean meat porridge later. Put it on the stove to warm it up. Wait until you wake up before eating. When you recover and the doctor says you can eat, I'll prepare all the hard dishes for you. I guarantee that you will eat comfortably and happily."

The big boss smiled and said, "You just know how to coax me."

He Yuzhu said: "I'm not kidding you. I'm telling you the truth."

The big boss laughed and agreed, "Okay! Okay! I'll be waiting to eat the delicious food you cook." Then he looked at his wife and said, "Go get the box from my bookshelf."

"Hey!" Sister Qiao responded, walked to the bookshelf, and took the wooden box containing the phonograph to the bedside. The leader said, "Zhu Zi, how come I have never given you anything in all these years of knowing you? This phonograph was captured as a trophy when I led troops in battle. I will give it to you today."

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Boss, the phonograph is a good thing! Why don't you keep it for yourself?!"

The big boss smiled and replied: "I'll give it to you if I say so! But I won't give you my phonograph for free. You have to cook two more meals for me!"

"Okay! No problem!" He Yuzhu agreed readily.

The big boss smiled and said, "Okay! I won't chat with you today. Let me get some sleep first."

After Sister Qiao helped the leader to sleep, He Yuzhu followed Sister Qiao and his eldest son out of the bedroom. Sister Qiao said, "Zhuzi, today is all thanks to you."

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Sister Qiao, you are too polite. Let's not talk about anything else. Just because of our friendship with the big boss for so many years, he wants to eat the food I cook, how can I not come?!" Then He Yuzhu went to the kitchen again. He used the vegetables in the kitchen to cook some food for Sister Qiao and her son, and made a pot of preserved egg and lean meat porridge for the big boss. Then he said a few words to Sister Qiao, declined the big boss's son's offer to drive him back, and left with two boxes.

Watching He Yuzhu's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Sister Qiao couldn't help but sigh and said, "Over the years, your father and I have met many people. He is the only one who has remained true to his original aspirations."

After leaving the compound, He Yuzhu found a deserted place and got a bicycle out of the supermarket. He Yuzhu tied two boxes to the back seat of the bicycle and rode home.

When He Yuzhu returned home, Lou Xiao'e had already returned. Lou Xiao'e heard the noise, walked out of the living room and asked, "Where have you been?!"

He Yuzhu replied, "A senior leader who I have a good relationship with is sick. He wants to eat the food I cook. His son came to pick me up and made him a meal." Then he asked, "Are you hungry?!"

Lou Xiaoe replied: "A little bit."

He Yuzhu took the phonograph case into the living room and said, "Wait a minute, I'll make you a bowl of wontons."

After He Yuzhu left, Lou Xiao'e looked at the box on the table curiously, walked to the kitchen door, and asked, "Zhuzi, what's in the box on the table?!"

He Yuzhu replied: "It's a phonograph given to me by a senior leader. The vinyl record is also in it. If you want to listen, just play it yourself."

"Hey!" Lou Xiao'e responded, "Don't forget to add shredded egg to my wonton soup."

"Got it!" He Yuzhu responded with a smile, took out a small casserole and boiled water.

Lou Xiao'e returned to the living room, opened the lid of the phonograph with swift movements, picked up the vinyl record on it and started to play. After much selection, Lou Xiao'e finally chose the record "Symphony of Fate" that she and He Yuzhu fell in love with in the TV series.

He Yuzhu was wrapping wontons in the kitchen when he heard the passionate tune of "Symphony of Fate". His hands suddenly stopped. Scenes from the past appeared in front of He Yuzhu. After a while, He Yuzhu sighed deeply and threw the wontons into the casserole.

"Here they are! The wontons are ready!" He Yuzhu walked into the living room carrying a tray, put it on the table, nudged Lou Xiao'e who was sitting in a daze beside the phonograph, and asked, "Wife, what are you thinking about?!"

Lou Xiao'e came back to her senses and replied, "I was wondering, what would have happened if my family hadn't left back then?!"

He Yuzhu said: "It's hard to say what happened back then. But one thing is certain. The family was torn apart and the people died."

Lou Xiao'e then asked: "He Yuzhu, have you heard of this song?!"

He Yuzhu replied, "I have heard it! At the big leader's house. Back then, the big leader protected many people. In the end, he was also targeted by some people. When I went to his house, he happened to be listening to this song. In the end, the big leader listened to my advice and left the city. Countries have their own destiny. Individuals have their own destiny. Things that seem unrelated often change the life of a country or a person." Then he urged, "Don't be in a daze, eat quickly! Otherwise, it will become clotted."

"Hey!" Lou Xiao'e responded, picked up the spoon and started eating.

He Yuzhu smiled faintly when he saw Lou Xiaoe eating. When Lou Xiaoe was halfway through her meal, she noticed that He Yuzhu was staring at her. Lou Xiaoe touched her face and asked, "Is there something on my face?!"

He Yuzhu replied: "No! But watching you eat is a pleasure for me."

"What's wrong!" Lou Xiao'e muttered shyly and quickened the pace of eating the wontons.

Days passed by, and in the blink of an eye it was August, and Lou Xiao'e was not far from her due date. He Yuzhu calculated that the date was almost right, and sent Lou Xiao'e to the hospital in advance to wait for her birth. At noon on August 8, He Yuzhu had just finished lunch with Lou Xiao'e in the hospital. While the two were chatting, Lou Xiao'e suddenly had a stomachache. He Yuzhu saw that something was wrong, and immediately called a doctor.

After the doctor checked Lou Xiao'e's condition, he immediately sent her to the delivery room. He Yuzhu was not idle either. He called Lou Zhenhua and his wife in the hospital, and then returned to the delivery room to wait.

More than half an hour later, Lou Zhenhua and his wife rushed over. Tan Lingya asked, "Zhu Zi, how is Xiao'e?!"

He Yuzhu replied: "I have been inside for almost half an hour. There is still no news."

Tan Lingya comforted him, "Zhu Zi, don't worry. This is Xiao'e's first child, and she's not young anymore, so she won't give birth that quickly."

"I know!" He Yuzhu replied nonchalantly, his eyes still fixed on the door of the delivery room. About twenty minutes later, a baby cried. He Yuzhu finally felt relieved.

Not long after, a nurse came out of the delivery room and asked loudly, "Who is Lou Xiao'e's family member?!"

"Yes! I'm her husband!" He Yuzhu rushed to the nurse and asked, "How is my wife?!"

The nurse smiled and replied, "Both mother and child are safe. Your wife gave birth to a chubby boy weighing 15 pounds. She is cleaning up now and will be out soon. Please wait at the door for a while."