Siheyuan: The Era of Struggle

Chapter 366: Sha Zhu Gives Gifts
Zhang Min heard what He Yuanchao said and thought he was teasing her, so she said without even looking at him:

"Dad probably hasn't left work yet at this hour, how could he come to our house?"

While the couple was talking, He Yuanchao had already ridden his bicycle to a place not far from where the car was parked.

Looking at the familiar Shanghai brand car, Zhang Min quickly glanced at the license plate and saw that it was the car her father used at work. She was a little surprised and said:

"Yuan Chao, you and dad are not leaving now, are you? I haven't packed your things yet!"

"No! Dad called at noon and said he would leave early tomorrow morning."

As he was speaking, He Yuanchao had already ridden his bike to the front of the car and stopped.

Before Zhang Min got off the back seat of the bicycle, the door of the car on the side closest to them opened.

"Dad, why are you here? Are you going to my brother's place now?"

Seeing Zhang Lide getting out of the car, Zhang Min took two steps forward and came up to him and asked.

"Slow down, you're already pregnant and you still don't know how to be careful."

Zhang Lide looked at Zhang Min who hurriedly got off the back seat of the bicycle, and scolded her with a stern face before saying:

"I'm not leaving today. I'm here mainly to tell you something."

Zhang Min was full of confusion and asked in surprise, "What did you tell me to do when you left?"

Before Zhang Lide could speak, He Yuanchao on the side took over Zhang Min's words and said, "Wife, if you have anything to say, please let our father come in and sit down first. What's the matter with standing at the door?"

"What are you afraid of? Dad is not a stranger."

That’s what she said, but as soon as she finished speaking, Zhang Min called Zhang Lide into the yard and went home.

"Don't bother, I'll just say a few words and leave. I haven't told your mom about going to your brother's place yet!"

Zhang Lide stopped Zhang Min from pulling his arm and walked into the yard, and smiled and said, "It will take about six or seven days for me to come back from Yuan Chao.

Don’t come back here to live by yourself these days. Go back to the coal ministry’s staff quarters and let your mother take care of you for a few days. If you need a car, call your uncle Li in the logistics department. I’ve already made arrangements with him…”

It has been almost a year since He Yuanchao knew Zhang Lide, and this is the first time he discovered that his father-in-law can be quite good at nagging.

After a long and rambling exhortation, Zhang Lide finally smiled and sent Zhang Min away, saying, "Xiao Min, go home first. I have something to talk to Yuan Chao about."

Zhang Min heard this and said with some dissatisfaction: "What's going on? You're so mysterious..."

"It's nothing, go inside and rest."

Seeing that he was interrupted by his father before he could finish his words, Zhang Min knew that he might be talking about going to Zhang Zhao's place, so he didn't argue anymore. He hummed, "As if no one wants to listen," and walked into the yard.

In fact, Zhang Lide and He Yuanchao didn't have any secrets to tell each other, but they were embarrassed to say some things in front of Zhang Min.

Men generally want to save face, especially in front of close people.

Watching Zhang Min push the cart into the yard, Zhang Lide pulled He Yuanchao aside and whispered:

"I'm sorry to bother you this time. I originally wanted to find someone from the company to go with me, but then I thought some things shouldn't be interfered with by outsiders, so I called you."

"Dad, look at what you said. We are a family. It's no big deal. If you have any problem, just let me know."

After hearing what He Yuanchao said, the expression on Zhang Lide's face looked much more relaxed.

"Since you said so, I won't be polite anymore. The main reason I came to see you today is this..."

The father-in-law and son-in-law leaned against the wall and whispered for more than twenty minutes before Zhang Lide got in the car and left Chuanban Hutong.

"What's wrong with this father-in-law? What is he thinking? He can't bear to teach Zhang Zhao a lesson, but instead lets me find an opportunity to deal with my elder brother-in-law and his younger brother-in-law." He Yuanchao stood there watching the car turn out of the alley, then turned around with a depressed look on his face and walked towards home.

As soon as she entered the room, Zhang Min glanced behind He Yuanchao, and when she didn't see Zhang Lide, she smiled and said, "Dad is gone."

"Ah."

Seeing that He Yuanchao was worried about the lawsuit, Zhang Min took the coat he took off and asked in confusion, "What's wrong? What did Dad tell you that made you so worried?"

He Yuanchao walked to the dining table, picked up the thermos and poured water, and answered truthfully: "It's nothing serious, your father just asked me to find an opportunity to beat up your brother and his brother-in-law."

Zhang Min was stunned for a moment when she heard this, then she smiled and gave He Yuanchao a blank look.

"Just be poor!"

After saying that, she no longer paid any attention to her man who was joking with her, hung her coat on the clothes hook by the door, and turned around to leave the house.

Seeing that his wife didn't believe him, He Yuanchao didn't chase after her. He sat at the dining table, picked up the teacup, and started to drink water with slurps.

It took He Yuanchao the time to smoke a cigarette and finish drinking his water. He was about to go to the kitchen to help Zhang Min with the chores when he suddenly heard the sound of Sha Zhu talking in the yard.

"Second Aunt, is my uncle home?"

"Inside the house, you and Yu Li go in quickly."

Not long after Zhang Min finished speaking, the door was opened from the outside.

Looking at Sha Zhu who came into the house carrying a cloth bag, He Yuan glanced behind him and asked, "Where's your wife Yu Li? Why didn't she come in?"

"I'm in the kitchen with my second aunt!"

As he spoke, Sha Zhu, with a smile on his face, came up to He Yuanchao, took out a pack of cigarettes, handed one to him, and then swiftly took out a match to light it for him.

He Yuanchao took a puff of his cigarette, looked at Sha Zhu standing in front of him, and said, "Tell me, what's the matter with you being so attentive?"

"Nothing, I just came to tell you and my second aunt that Yu Li has been transferred to a regular job."

After hearing this, He Yuanchao finally understood why Sha Zhu looked like he had been drinking Grandma Xi's milk since he entered the house.

These days, having a formal job means having a stable job. Not only do you not have to worry about your own food, clothing, housing and transportation in the future, but even the livelihood issues of your descendants are solved.

What's more, Yu Li became a formal employee, which also meant that Sha Zhu's family became a dual-income family.

Although there are many dual-income families in Kyoto, don't forget that it has only been ten years since liberation. Many people came to the city through factory recruitment, and there are still many families that rely on one person's work to support them.

The situation of Sha Zhu's family can be said to be not as good as the best, but better than the worst.

Just when He Yuanchao wanted to ask the couple whether they had gone to thank Li Weimin, he saw Sha Zhu, who had just finished speaking, take out two bottles of Moutai and two packs of Qianmen cigarettes from the cloth bag he brought.

"Uncle, this is a little gift from Yu Li and I. Don't think it's too little."

He Yuanchao looked at Sha Zhu who pushed the thing in front of him and his face immediately frowned.

"Zhu Zi, what do you mean? Second uncle needs this little thing from you? Hurry and bring it back to me. It's better for you and Yu Li to live a good life."

Seeing his second uncle getting angry at him, Sha Zhu didn't take it seriously and said with a grin, "You can't talk to me about this matter with my second uncle. You have to talk to Yu Li. It was her idea to buy things."

He Yuanchao, the head of the Shazhu family Yu Li, knew about it and quite agreed with it.

Hearing that it was Yu Li's idea, He Yuanchao's expression became much better, but he still said without smiling:
"Tell Yu Li that I appreciate her kindness, but I have to take this thing back."

After saying this, He Yuanchao asked, "Didn't you two go to Director Li's house? If you haven't, you can give this to him. Yu Li will have to rely on him to take care of her in the grain store in the future."

(End of this chapter)