Siheyuan: The Era of Struggle

Chapter 385 He Yuanchao's Questions
In the 1950s, everything was in ruins and communication facilities were still very backward, and there were many restrictions and inconveniences in making long-distance calls.

At that time, telephones were only owned by government agencies and enterprises across the country. The telephone penetration rate in ordinary households was extremely low, and long-distance calls had to be transferred through the long-distance stations of local telecommunications bureaus. Individuals could not make direct calls.

Furthermore, to make a long-distance call, you need to go to the telecommunications bureau to fill out a form, specifying the recipient's city, workplace, and the name of the phone owner, and prepay the fee. Even then, sometimes the call may not go through due to line problems.

Zhang Lide and He Yuanchao, along with their driver Xiao Wang, quickly arrived at the Quyang Telecom Bureau in their jeep.

He Yuanchao's heart sank the moment he got off the car.

The telecommunications office in front of him could only be described as old and dilapidated. He Yuanchao had some doubts about whether he could make a long-distance call to Kyoto from here.

He only felt reassured when he entered the telecommunications bureau's business hall and saw the service windows with signs for telegrams and telephones.

The service hall was deserted; apart from a few staff members chatting, there were no customers.

When the female staff member behind the phone window learned that the two were making a long-distance call from Kyoto, she checked the time and realized it was almost time to close for the day, so she became somewhat displeased.

If it weren't for Zhang Lide's work permit clearly displaying his associate level and his few kind words, the female staff member would probably have made an excuse to decline the phone call.

Zhang Lide and He Yuanchao didn't take the female staff member's attitude seriously. They didn't ask for much; they just wanted to be allowed to make phone calls.

Seeing the dignified deputy-level cadre smiling obsequiously at her, the female staff member felt her vanity greatly satisfied and didn't make things difficult for the two men anymore. After grumbling a few times, she took out a form and handed it to Zhang Lide.

Zhang Lide took out a pen, filled out the phone form, and then took out ten yuan from his jacket pocket, handing it all to the service window.

After taking the money, the female staff member put it aside, looked at the receipt, and said:

"Vice Minister Zhang, I can give you the phone number now, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to get through at this hour."

"It's alright, it doesn't matter if it doesn't work, thank you for your help, comrade."

Seeing this, the female staff member didn't say anything more. She put down the phone bill in her hand, picked up a black phone on the table, and dialed the Yuantai City long-distance call center.

"Hello, is this the Yuantai City long-distance communication station? This is the Yangqu Telecommunications Bureau. We have a Deputy Minister Zhang Lide from the Kyoto Coal Mine Department who wants to speak with the Kyoto Coal Mine Department's logistics department. Please make a long-distance call to Kyoto..."

He Yuanchao and Zhang Lide stood outside the window, their eyes fixed on the female staff member making the phone call.

The call was answered and hung up several times, and I was told that the long-distance line in Kyoto was busy and the call could not be connected.

More than half an hour had passed, and He Yuanchao and Zhang Lide were about to give up when the female staff member suddenly smiled, quickly saying, "Ma Xiufang's house in the Coal Ministry Logistics Family Compound," before turning to the two men and saying:

"The call to Kyoto is about to go through. Go to call booth number one and make the call."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lide and He Yuanchao, who had initially thought they wouldn't be able to make the call, instantly lost all their sullen expressions.

Zhang Lide happily thanked the female staff member, then turned around and strode towards the No. 1 communication room on the left side of the room with a big smile.

He Yuanchao had originally wanted to call Zhang Min, but seeing how troublesome long-distance calls were, he gave up the idea. He walked to the outside of the No. 1 call booth, took out a cigarette from his jacket pocket, and waited for Zhang Lide to make the call while smoking.

The call wasn't well soundproofed, and even though He Yuanchao had no intention of eavesdropping, every word Zhang Lide said still reached his ears.

In a place like this, Zhang Lide couldn't possibly talk about anything private; he could only let her know he was safe and that he was getting a divorce from Zhang Zhao.

The father-in-law was a meticulous man, and he presented Zhang Zhao's idea of ​​getting a divorce as his own.

The mother-in-law on the other end said something, and the elderly couple started arguing on the phone after only a few words. Zhang Lide's voice was quite loud, attracting the attention of all the staff in the telecommunications bureau's business hall, making He Yuanchao very embarrassed. He subconsciously moved a few steps away from the call area. But to be fair, Zhang Lide's years as a cadre hadn't been for nothing; his ideological work was quite effective.

At first, the two were arguing fiercely, but soon the call quieted down, as if the mother-in-law had been persuaded.

When Zhang Lide opened the door to the call room and called He Yuanchao in to answer the phone, his face was calm, but those familiar with him could still see the smugness in his eyes at a glance.

He Yuanchao assumed that his mother-in-law, Ma Xiufang, had something to say to him, so he didn't hesitate, responded, and walked over to open the door and enter the call room.

"Hello, Mom, this is Yuan Chao..."

"Hahaha~~"

Before He Yuanchao could finish speaking, Zhang Min's laughter came through the receiver.

Hearing his wife's voice, He Yuanchao was a little surprised. Forgetting his embarrassment, he quickly asked, "Why are you at Mom's house at this hour?"

"I wasn't feeling well after lunch, so I took leave and came back early."

"Where does it hurt?"

Zhang Min was pregnant with her first child, and He Yuanchao, having lived two lifetimes, was also having his first child. Lacking experience, he was naturally a little nervous, gripping the phone tightly as he pressed, "Have you gone to the hospital yet?"

"It's nothing, I just feel a little nauseous, don't worry!"

After saying this, Zhang Min seemed afraid that He Yuanchao would worry, so she quickly changed the subject and said, "I have Mom here, so you don't need to worry. But you and Dad must be careful when you go out."

"I know. You need to take good care of yourself while I'm away. If you feel unwell, go to the hospital immediately."

……

Normally, He Yuanchao talks more while Zhang Min speaks very little, but this time it was the other way around. Zhang Min kept talking on the phone, and He Yuanchao couldn't keep up at all, so he could only respond with "uh-huh" and "yeah".

The two were having a sweet conversation on the phone, but the staff at the service center were not happy.

Most of the workers here are women, and they all have elderly parents and young children to support. They rely on their families for laundry and cooking. If they get off work late, there's no one to do the housework. If they're unlucky and have a man with a bad temper at home, the couple might end up fighting.

The staff in the business hall kept checking their time. Finally, a short and plump middle-aged woman in her forties got impatient and got up to walk up to Zhang Lide and gently urged him to hurry up.

Zhang Lide glanced at the time and, seeing that it was almost time to leave work, felt a little embarrassed. After telling the sales clerk, "I'll be done soon," he immediately knocked on the door of the phone booth.

"Get on with the aid to North Korea quickly, so as not to affect other people's ability to get off work."

He Yuanchao heard everything the salesperson said to Zhang Lide. Without lingering, he said a few more words to Zhang Min and then hung up the phone.

After leaving the telecommunications bureau, the father and son called their driver, Xiao Wang, to find a restaurant nearby for dinner before driving back to the guesthouse.

Reaching the door of the room on the second floor, He Yuanchao took advantage of the moment when Zhang Lide opened the door and saw that no one was around. He couldn't help but walk up to Zhang Lide and ask the question that had been on his mind.

"Dad, how did you convince Mom to agree to my brother's divorce?"

(End of this chapter)