1952: Walking through Nantongluo Alley

I was wondering why Shazhu was calling me so anxiously. It turns out he wanted to borrow money.

Chen Xiao looked at Sha Zhu and said with a smile.

"Shazhu, you know your brother Chen Xiao is getting married this week. Even though I just sold a batch of old furniture to Uncle San yesterday, I still don't have any money. Otherwise, I wouldn't be selling old furniture."

The expression on Sha Zhu's face began to become lost, but then quickly recovered.

"Brother Chen Xiao is fine. I'd better go ask other people in the compound to borrow some money and see if I can get some."

"Brother Chen Xiao, I'm leaving first."

After saying that, Sha Zhu said goodbye to Chen Xiao and walked home dejectedly.

Looking at Sha Zhu's back, Chen Xiao fell into thought.

When his father He Daqing ran away with the White Widow, didn't he make arrangements with Yi Zhonghai? Every month, he would send a sum of money for Yi Zhonghai to give to Sha Zhu.

He Daqing had some money, which he paid for his living expenses every month. Adding Sha Zhu's apprentice salary, he was already much better off than most of the residents in the courtyard.

Is it possible? ? ? ?

While thinking, Chen Xiao called out to Sha Zhu.

"Shazhu, don't leave yet."

"Brother Chen Xiao, what's the matter?" Sha Zhu stopped and looked at Chen Xiao.

Chen Xiao caught up with Sha Zhu on his bicycle and stopped beside him.

"Silly Zhu, doesn't your father He Daqing give you money every month? Add to that your apprentice salary, there's no way it's not enough for you to spend."

"Could it be that you went to the Eight Great Hutongs?"

Sha Zhu's face turned red when he was asked this question.

"Brother Chen Xiao, why would I go to the Eight Great Hutongs? My salary is barely enough to cover the expenses of me and my sister He Yushui. How could I possibly have money to go to a place like that?"

"Besides, my father hasn't sent a single letter home since he ran off with the White Widow. How could he possibly send me living expenses?"

Sha Zhu gets angry when talking about the White Widow. If the White Widow hadn't seduced his father, he, Sha Zhu, wouldn't have become what he is today.

Chen Xiao asked doubtfully.

"Huh? Did I hear it wrong? I heard that your father, He Daqing, would give you two living expenses every month, and then your uncle would give it to you two?"

"Wait...Brother Chen Xiao, what did you say? You said my father gives my brother and me living expenses every month?" Sha Zhu asked in disbelief.

"I don't know if it's true. The night before your father and the White Widow were about to flee, I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and I heard your father, He Daqing, talking to a master."

"Silly Zhu, why don't you go back and ask the uncle?"

"Also, please don't say I told you. Whether it's true or not, I'm sure the old man will hate me for it."

"Brother Chen Xiao, don't worry, I will never betray you."

Chen Xiao patted Sha Zhu's shoulder, then rode his bike home humming a little tune.

After Chen Xiao left, Sha Zhu stood there alone, muttering to himself.

"I knew it. I knew my father loved Yu Shui and me so much. It's impossible for him to abandon us without caring about our lives..."

Sha Zhu stared into the distance, then clenched his fists and ran all the way to find Yi Zhonghai.

When he arrived at Yi Zhonghai's house, Sha Zhu first cheered himself up, and then he mustered up the courage to knock on the door.

"Silly Zhu, why are you here?"

It was an old lady who opened the door. At that time, Yi Zhonghai was sitting on a chair, enjoying himself with a sip of wine and some peanuts.

"Auntie, I have something to ask Uncle."

"Sha Zhu, what's the matter with you coming to see me?" Yi Zhonghai put the wine glass on the table and looked at Sha Zhu.

"I want to ask about my father, He Daqing..."

As soon as Sha Zhu finished speaking, Auntie and Yi Zhonghai felt a jolt in their hearts, and the expressions on their faces obviously changed, all of which Sha Zhu noticed.

Sure enough! Sure enough, the old man is hiding something from me.

"Didn't your father, He Daqing, run away with the White Widow? Before he left, your father asked me to take care of you two brothers on a daily basis."

Yi Zhonghai picked up the wine glass again, took a sip, and spoke calmly without panic.

"Uncle, does my father He Daqing give my brother and me living expenses every month?" Sha Zhu continued to ask, staring at Yi Zhonghai closely.

Hearing this, Yi Zhonghai's wine glass almost fell to the ground, and then he hurriedly put it back on the table, then cleared his throat and spoke.

"Living expenses? I don't know about that. Why don't you ask the old lady in the backyard?"

"Uncle, does my father, He Daqing, send me a sum of living expenses every month? And then you give it to my brother and me?"

Now that things have come to this, Sha Zhu comes clean.

"Nonsense!" Yi Zhonghai slammed the table angrily, then stood up and questioned Sha Zhu.

"Silly Zhu, who did you listen to?"

"It doesn't matter who told you that. I just want to know if my father He Daqing gives me living expenses every month?" Sha Zhu continued to ask.

"Go find whoever told you to go. I, Yi Zhonghai, don't know about the living expenses." Yi Zhonghai frowned, and even his tone became a little heavier.

"I heard that my father, He Daqing, would send me living expenses every month. And then you, the eldest uncle, would give it to my brother and me."

"Nonsense! What nonsense are you talking about, Sha Zhu? When did your father He Daqing ever give money to your uncle?" Aunt Yi first closed the door, and then started to argue with Sha Zhu.

"Silly Zhu, don't you think about it? Your father, He Daqing, has already cruelly abandoned you and your sister and ran away with the White Widow. How could he possibly provide you with living expenses?"

"Tell Auntie who told you that. That person is slandering your uncle's reputation and trying to sow discord between you and him. Tell Auntie who told you that."

Sha Zhu shook his head, showing an attitude that he would never betray anyone even if he was beaten to death.

Then he looked at the aunt and Yi Zhonghai and spoke slowly.

"Since Auntie and Uncle insist that my father, He Daqing, has never given my brother and me living expenses, I'm going to buy a train ticket tomorrow to find my father, He Daqing. I want to ask him face to face and clarify everything!"

After saying that, Sha Zhu pushed the door open and left.

The aunt looked at Yi Zhonghai.

An old lady kept rubbing her hands and pacing back and forth in the room.

"What should we do now, old man? Sha Zhu will go to see He Daqing in person tomorrow."

"If Sha Zhu really does find He Daqing, we'll be finished. Who knows what the residents in the compound will be talking about us behind our backs."

"Perhaps your position as a great man will be lost, and even your work at the steel mill will be affected..."

Yi Zhonghai stood up from his chair calmly.

"Just let Sha Zhu go find He Daqing. He doesn't even know where He Daqing is, so how can he find him?"