Siheyuan: The Era of Struggle

Chapter 359: Flowery Affairs
An old couple living in the coal ministry's staff quarters tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, and a young couple living in Chuanban Hutong, Chongwenmen, were also lying on the bed, talking.

"Don't take my dad's sullen face seriously. I think he was just worried about plugging the hole."

He Yuanchao smiled and glanced at Zhang Min who was lying on his shoulder and talking. He stroked her back and said, "Oh! I didn't realize that. I thought your dad thought I wasn't working hard enough!"

Hearing the tone of the voice, Zhang Min knew that her man was teasing her, but she didn't take it too seriously. She patted He Yuanchao's chest and said with a smile:

"Then why didn't you explain to your father-in-law when he was around? What's the point of complaining to me now?"

……

The couple chatted for a while while lying in bed. Zhang Min said in a negotiating tone, "It shouldn't be a problem to get money from my parents who are helping North Korea. The key is the food coupons. We still have some national food coupons saved. How about giving them some first?"

Although Zhang Min was a person who didn't care about what was happening outside, she was aware of the current situation. She was not sure whether she could exchange the food coupons for food, and she was just doing this to show her filial piety.

Zhang Min was in charge of keeping all the money and valuables in the house, but she would discuss everything with him, no matter big or small, especially with her mother-in-law's family. This made He Yuanchao feel very comfortable, and he felt that the couple were truly of one mind.

"We don't have any use for the food coupons at home for now. If mom and the others need them, you can take them."

After saying that, he felt that his words were a bit stingy, so he quickly said, "Forget it, don't ask anymore, just take it."

It was almost midnight. Zhang Min was pregnant and easily fell asleep. She talked to He Yuanchao about Zhang Zhao and Lu Wenli for a while and fell asleep unknowingly.

Seeing this, He Yuanchao curled his lips, covered her with a quilt, tiptoed to the edge of the bed, and then closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Early the next morning, He Yuanchao got up early, practiced boxing and then started busying himself with making breakfast.

I cooked a pot of millet porridge, boiled four eggs that my godmother Liu Lihua brought for me, and cut a plate of shredded mustard greens and pickles.

After everything was tidied up, He Yuanchao went back to the room and asked Zhang Min to get up and wash up.

Looking at the steaming breakfast on the table, Zhang Min felt very happy. After washing her face, she smiled and said as soon as she sat at the table:
"Why did you get up to make breakfast? Just call me to make it next time."

It should be said that although Zhang Min comes from a high-ranking official family, she is not at all spoiled. After getting married, she is basically the one who cooks, washes clothes and does housework.

This not only surprised Liu Lihua, who was familiar with the character of the people in the compound, but also shut up those who were muttering behind He Yuanchao's back about how he might be being bullied at home.

He Yuanchao peeled an egg and handed it to Zhang Min, jokingly saying, "You are now a great contributor to our family. How dare I bother you with such a small matter."

Zhang Min took the egg and rolled her eyes at He Yuanchao. "You're just pregnant, how can you be so delicate?"

The couple ate and chatted, and soon finished their breakfast.

"Wife, why don't you take a few days off and have a good rest at home!"

After finishing his meal, He Yuanchao got dressed and prepared to go to work, looking at Zhang Min beside him and spoke.

"Oh! I've told you many times that I'm not that squeamish since I'm newly pregnant. Besides, it's boring for me to be alone at home. It's better for me to work at the office where time passes faster!"

After hearing what Zhang Min said, He Yuanchao didn't try to persuade them anymore. The couple put on their coats, locked the door, and pushed their bicycles out of the yard.

Originally, Zhang Min planned to ride her bike to work by herself, but this time He Yuanchao refused to agree no matter what and insisted on picking her up to and from work. He also told her that if he didn't have time to pick her up after get off work in the evening, she should take the bus back.

Zhang Min listened to her man's nagging instructions. Although she didn't say anything, her heart felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey. She secretly felt lucky that she didn't miss this marriage opportunity.

After safely sending Zhang Min to the East City Branch, the couple said goodbye and He Yuanchao sped up his bike to the steel plant. Thinking that he would become a father in a few months, He Yuanchao couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth.

"What good thing must have happened to the director? He is so happy so early in the morning."

As soon as I arrived at the steel plant by bike, Li Jiefang, who was guarding the gate security room, opened the door and came over to say.

Li Jiefang is now a cadre and no longer has to guard the security room except when he is on duty. However, this guy refuses to change his habit of blocking him at the factory gate.

He Yuanchao was too lazy to talk to him now, so he asked directly, "Why, do you want to see me for something, or are you just hanging out here to have some fun?"

Although he knew it was a joke, Li Jiefang had an instinctive awe for He Yuanchao and did not dare to neglect him at all.

He looked around mysteriously, then pulled He Yuanchao to the wall of the security room and whispered, "I saw Li Huaide from the logistics department and Liu Lan from the cafeteria getting together when we were about to get off work yesterday."

"What are they mixing up? It's normal for them to move around for work, one in logistics and the other in the cafeteria."

After saying this, He Yuanchao looked at Li Jiefang's face, which was trying not to laugh, and suddenly realized what was happening. He said seriously, "You can't just say something like this without evidence."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Jiefang leaned over to He Yuanchao's ear and said, "Isn't it evidence that two people were hugging and biting each other with their big white butts exposed in the logistics warehouse?"

After Li Jiefang finished speaking, seeing that He Yuanchao didn't say anything, he thought he didn't believe it, so he quickly said, "If this happens the first time, there will be a second time. Director, if you don't believe me, we will catch them in the act next time."

It's not that He Yuanchao didn't believe it. He was sighing in his heart at the power of historical inertia. He knew that the two of them were together when he watched TV in his previous life, but he didn't expect it to happen so early.

Li Huaide had been at the steel plant for less than two months, but he had never expected that this old man would succeed.

Thinking about how Liu Lan had been getting close to me intentionally or unintentionally some time ago, I guessed that she had some purpose, but I didn't know if it was worth it to pay so much for it.

Li Jiefang, who was standing by, saw that He Yuanchao had been silent for a long time, thinking that he had concerns, and tentatively said, "Director, why don't you just not show up for this matter? If anything goes wrong, you can help me speak up for me or something."

"What are you thinking about?"

He Yuanchao looked at Li Jiefang with dissatisfaction and said, "Am I the kind of person who lets my subordinates take the blame when something goes wrong?"

Seeing He Yuanchao's sullen face, Li Jiefang felt nervous and hurriedly said with a smile: "Director, that's not what I meant. If you don't show up, won't you have more room to maneuver?"

"Okay, don't explain."

Seeing that Li Jiefang was a little nervous, He Yuanchao no longer had a stern face. He came close to him and whispered, "Don't make a fuss about it, and don't deliberately follow it. Just pay attention to it occasionally."

After He Yuanchao finished speaking, Li Jiefang was stunned for a moment, but he quickly reacted and smiled and complimented: "High, high, high, it's really high."

Seeing Li Jiefang's funny and playful appearance, He Yuanchao couldn't help but laugh and said, "Get lost, stop talking nonsense to me, just do what you need to do."

"No, Director, I have something else to do!"

As he spoke, Li Jiefang put away the smile on his face and carefully explained to He Yuanchao the things he was confused about at work.

"It's hard to explain in a few words, and this is not the place to talk. Come with me to the office."

After saying that, He Yuanchao rode his bike and carried Li Jiefang towards the office building.

(End of this chapter)