He Daqing, do you know how I've lived these past years?

"Old Jia, come on! Down this one!"

He Daqing raised his wine glass to Jia Gui and downed it in one gulp. Jia Gui, no less formidable than the other, also drank it down in one go.

"Da Qing, let's get straight to the point, no beating around the bush. Just say it."

He Daqing then filled Jia Gui's cup with yellow wine and said brightly:

"Old Jia, you know I'm just a cook, making a living with my skills. I think I'm pretty good, but these days all the restaurants have master chefs in charge, so I wouldn't get a good job there. Can you help me find a job?"

Jia Gui downed another gulp of the yellow wine in his cup and said:

"Qing'er, it's not that I, Lao Jia, don't want to help you, but the chefs at the mansion have been with General Le for years, risking their lives for him. The food in the military camp is all cooked in large batches, and you're using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. You'll be exhausted, and if you don't cook well, you'll get a beating."

Without saying a word, He Daqing took out two small yellow croakers from his pocket and stuffed them into Jia Gui's hand, saying:

“Old Jia, this is what I’ve saved up over the years. One of the coins was my wife’s dowry. You know we have two kids to feed, and I can’t keep doing odd jobs outside all the time.”

Upon hearing this, Jia Gui nodded and tossed the small yellow croaker back to He Daqing, saying:

"What do you take me for? Take the money back. Back when Fatty and I were down on our luck, you were the only one who would treat us to a meal. Putting everything else aside, just the fact that you bought me yellow wine today instead of trying to fool me with some cheap liquor, makes me feel obligated to help you with that. Let me think about it."

After saying that, he took another gulp of the freshly poured yellow wine from the Qing Dynasty and said:

"I've got it! What do you think of Lou's Steel Plant? I see some people from your compound working there. With your skills, you could definitely get a job as a canteen manager."

He Daqing hesitated upon hearing about the Lou family's steel factory. After all, the house had been a private gift from Lou Bancheng's concubine, and the thought of Ya Li brought tears to his eyes.

When you can't even make ends meet, who cares about face or feelings?

He Daqing nodded in agreement, and Jia Gui urged him to drink three cups in succession.

Seeing the Zhonghai wife, who was eating quietly while holding He Yushui, she smiled and said:

"Sister-in-law, don't just eat rice, eat some vegetables too! Da Qing's cooking is absolutely amazing!"

"dong dong dong"

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

Jia Gui also tapped his head and said:

"Look at my memory. I asked my nephew Dongxu to come and get some vegetables to take back. It's not like we're strangers here, is it?"

He Daqing also shook his head and said:

"Isn't your nephew my nephew?"

So he opened the door, let Jia Dongxu in, took the bowl from his hand, and began to scoop some food out of each dish.

Jia Dongxu also clenched his shoulders and said:

"Thank you, Uncle. Thank you, Uncle He. Thank you, Auntie."

Jia Gui also grabbed Dongxu, picked up a chicken leg from the bowl, and stuffed it into his mouth, saying:

"My dear nephew, it's a pity he didn't get much education, otherwise I could have taken him with me. But he'll be ready to settle down soon, and then I'll have to find him a job."

At this moment, Zhonghai's wife also spoke:

"Brother Jia, Dongxu's father had an accident at the steel factory. If we can find someone to talk to, he can go directly to work in his father's place."

"But his mother..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jia Dongxu hurriedly snatched the bowl from Da Qing, who was still picking at his food, and bowed, saying:

"Thank you everyone, I'm going back now. My mother raised me all by herself, it wasn't easy for her, she had her reasons."

After saying that, he immediately ran out.

Jia Gui shook his head and said:

"Sister-in-law, please don't mind her. My cousin's wife may be unworthy, but she has certainly done her part in raising my nephew, even if she hasn't done anything particularly meritorious. At the very least, she has been incredibly hardworking. I'm just worried that Dongxu will be led astray."

He Daqing shook his head, closed the door, and refilled the wine.

Jia Gui blinked rapidly and said:

"Alright, I'll leave after I finish this drink. I have a young wife at home, and it wouldn't be good to go back late. Come find me tomorrow, and I'll take you to the steel factory to report for duty."

After saying that, he drank the wine in his glass, swayed slightly, slowly opened the door, and walked out.

After seeing Jia Gui leave, He Daqing took out a cigarette and slowly smoked it.

Zhonghai's wife ate a few bites of rice and said:

"I'll put the rainwater in the next room and come over later to help you clean it up. You can sit here and sober up."

After saying that, he carried the rainwater to the next room, and returned a moment later to start clearing away the food on the table.

The Qing emperor, already seated on the edge of the bed, stared at the swaying figure before him with blurry eyes, and suddenly growled in a low voice:

"Yali"

So he rushed forward, closed the door, bolted it, and pounced on it.

"The Qing Dynasty, that is me."

"woohoo"

……

Qinjiacun cornfield

"Little Qin, you're still so radiant."

Yi Zhonghai, holding a woman and smoking a cigarette, said in a wicked tone,

The woman also smiled and slapped him, saying:

"I have to go back now; my husband might have to go back too."

Yi Zhonghai pulled the woman, who was wearing trousers, over and said:

"What's the rush? I have ten silver dollars here. Take it and buy some good food for the child."

The woman also smiled and said:

"That's good, save it for our son's wedding."

Yi Zhonghai said softly:

"They're hiring in the city right now, do you want to give it a try?"

The woman shook her head and refused.

"We're too busy with laundry and cooking at home, and sometimes we also have to work in the fields. Maybe I should send my son."

Yi Zhonghai shook his head and said:

"No, they're hiring female workers."

"Why don't we send Huairu to take a look?"

The woman hesitated for a moment before agreeing, reasoning that at 14, she could start working and get married in a few years.

So the two quickly tidied their clothes and headed towards Qin Family Village.

"Huai Ru, this is your Uncle Yi. He'll take you to the city for a trial job tomorrow."

Fourteen-year-old Qin Huairu, who had just returned carrying freshly gathered pig feed, was overjoyed to hear this.

Yi Zhonghai, seeing the curvaceous, voluptuous, and righteous-looking young woman before him, chuckled with longing.

When Qin, the head of the household, returned from his farm work and heard the news, he took out some rice wine from home and drank a few cups with Yi Zhonghai before becoming too drunk to drink and going back to his room to rest.

After the other children returned to the house, Yi Zhonghai smiled and picked up the woman, carrying her inside. He then covered Qin Dangjia's head with a blanket.

He grabbed the woman, and suppressed sobs could be heard coming from inside the room.

……

next morning

How could you let Master Yi sleep in the woodshed?

While scolding his wife, Qin Dangjia said with a smile:

"Master Yi, I'm so sorry. Next time you come, I'll hunt some game, and we'll have a good drink together. I'll leave Huai Ru's matter to you. Whether it works out or not, it's alright."

Yi Zhonghai nodded with a smile and then led Huai Ru, who had been prepared long ago, out of the courtyard.

Half an hour later, after looking around and finding no one, Yi Zhonghai said to Qin Huairu behind him:

"Little Qin, we have this little path. Once we cross this mountain, we'll soon be in Beijing."

Qin Huairu looked at the overgrown, desolate road, hesitated for a moment, and then followed.

But a moment later, Yi Zhonghai grabbed him, forcefully pressed him to the ground, and covered his mouth. Terrified, he hurriedly pricked himself with a needle.

Yi Zhonghai laughed heartily:

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you today, but don't yell. You haven't seen many people on the way here, have you?"

After saying that, he groped her, opened his mouth full of smoke, and lunged at her.

After half an incense stick's time, Yi Zhonghai, smoking a cigarette, took out a dozen or so silver dollars and threw them at Qin Huairu's feet, saying:

"Why are you crying if you're not hurt? From now on, you're mine. If you don't behave, I'll tell the whole village."

Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu stopped crying and clung to Yi Zhonghai's leg, begging for mercy.

Yi Zhonghai nodded in satisfaction and said:

"I'll come over once a month from now on. Take this money back and tell the factory thinks you're too young and should wait until you're older. This is a subsidy."

Qin Huairu nodded in despair, picked up the silver dollar from the ground,

Yi Zhonghai stroked her twin braids and whispered:

Grow up quickly!

Qin Huairu also trembled as she listened.

……