Siheyuan: The Era of Struggle

Chapter 426 Negotiation
"What kind of meal do you want to have with him?"

Sha Zhu said dismissively, "Even if you want to invite him to dinner, you don't need to call him out. Just arrange a private room in the cafeteria."

In Sha Zhu's mind, it was usually the cafeteria director who needed his help. The fact that he wasn't throwing a tantrum and was giving the director face was only because of his second uncle. As for treating him to a meal, that was something the director should do.

Yu Li, who was standing to the side, was furious at her clueless husband. She was about to say something to help him when He Yuanchao spoke first with a long face.

"Just do what I tell you to do, stop talking nonsense."

Seeing his second uncle's stern face, looking like he was about to slap him at any moment, Sha Zhu quickly admitted defeat and nodded, saying, "Okay, second uncle, I understand. I'll get this done in the next couple of days."

He Yuanchao's expression softened upon hearing this, and he instructed, "Don't be stingy with money. Find a decent restaurant, and remember to let me know beforehand."

Sha Zhu was still pondering the matter of inviting the director to dinner, but he couldn't figure out what was going on. However, he didn't dare to argue at this moment. As soon as He Yuanchao finished speaking, he immediately nodded in agreement.

"Okay, Uncle, I understand. I'll let you know as soon as I finish my appointment with the director."

Sha Zhu was completely confused at this moment. After finishing his sentence, seeing that his second uncle was no longer saying anything, he said, "I'm going to the kitchen to get the dishes," and then he walked out in a flash.

Yu Li and Zhang Min got up to help, but Sha Zhu refused to let them.

He didn't want to stay in front of He Yuanchao for even a second, afraid that he would get a beating if he wasn't careful. He knew that his second uncle had wanted to teach him a lesson for a long time.

After Sha Zhu left the house, He Yuanchao smiled and said to Zhang Min:
"Look, you're telling me to talk to him nicely, to reason with him, and that he'll have to listen!"

Zhang Min glanced at Yu Li beside her and saw her looking at her with a disappointed expression. She smiled and said, "This is a matter between you and your nephew. Don't tell me or Yu Li. If you do, we'll look like villains."

This time she finally understood Sha Zhu's personality. He was a stubborn guy who wouldn't budge no matter how much you tried to pull him away, and would only back down if you pushed him. He usually put on a good act in front of her, and she hadn't realized she'd been so blind.

When it came to talking about Sha Zhu, Yu Li had no reservations. She didn't care about being a petty person or anything like that. She glanced outside, then turned to He Yuanchao and said:

"Second Uncle, Zhu Zi is stubborn. Sometimes talking to him nicely doesn't work. You're his only uncle, so you have to keep an eye on him. You should scold him and beat him if necessary."

He Yuanchao naturally understood Yu Li's thoughts, but didn't point them out. He just smiled and joked:
"You said it yourself, so don't be upset if I accidentally break the pillar."

Yu Li knew He Yuanchao was joking, but she said firmly:

"Second Uncle, as long as it's for Zhuzi's good, I won't feel bad if it gets damaged."

Looking at Yu Li's serious face, He Yuanchao was momentarily speechless. It was Zhang Min, seeing her husband being put on hold, who stepped in to smooth things over:
"We're all family, why are you always talking about fighting? Can't we discuss things together?"

Just as Zhang Min finished speaking, Sha Zhu, who had gone to the kitchen to fetch dishes, walked into the house carrying a wooden tray.

Sha Zhu, always quick to speak, couldn't help but chime in after hearing his second aunt's words:

"What are you discussing, Second Aunt?"

Seeing her husband like Mu Guiying—never letting up, always around—Yu Li gritted her teeth and said in a sinister tone:
"Let's discuss cutting you down."

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu was startled, and his hand trembled as he placed the dishes on the table. He quickly looked up at his second uncle and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw He Yuanchao's smiling face.

"What nonsense are you spouting, you old woman? I didn't do anything wrong, why are you hitting me?"

Seeing that Yu Li's eyes were practically shooting daggers, Zhang Min, fearing the young couple might quarrel over such a trivial matter, quickly interjected:
"Alright, enough with the jokes, let's eat! I'm starving."

Sha Zhu got along well with his aunt Zhang Min, and now that she was pregnant, he dared not neglect her. Upon hearing this, he quickly replied:
"I'll go get the steamed buns, and we'll eat right away."

As he spoke, he picked up the square plate on the table and walked out.

Dinner was simple: a pot of stewed potatoes and cabbage, a plate of shredded radish and pickled vegetables, plus cornbread and steamed buns made from mixed flour that Sha Zhu brought in. There were only four steamed buns in total. Neither He Yuanchao nor Sha Zhu, uncle and nephew, touched them. They each picked up a cornbread and ate it with the pickled vegetables.

Zhang Min and Yu Li simultaneously picked up two steamed buns and put them into their husbands' bowls, but they were both refused. Seeing this, the two did not insist and started eating with the steamed buns in their hands.

After chatting and laughing through dinner, and cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen, the four of them sat in the main room and talked for a while. He Yuanchao glanced at the time, stood up, and said:

"Alright, it's getting late. Your second aunt and I are going back now. You two should get some rest too!"

Seeing his second uncle about to leave, Sha Zhu stood up and reluctantly tried to persuade him to stay:
"We've come all this way, let's stay a little longer!"

Yu Li also got up and came to Zhang Min's side, taking her arm and chiming in:
"Yes, Second Uncle and Second Aunt, if you stay a little longer, it will get too late. You two can stay in the room with the rainwater for the night."

"No, no one has lived here for several days. Your second uncle and I need to tidy up when we get back."

As they talked, Zhang Min followed He Yuanchao outside.

Seeing that He Yuanchao and Zhang Min insisted on leaving, Sha Zhu and Yu Li didn't try to persuade them anymore and followed them out of the house.

Before leaving the house, Yu Li noticed that He Yuanchao hadn't taken the pastry bag on the table, so she picked it up as well.

As He Yuanchao was about to leave outside, pushing his bicycle, Yu Li quickly stepped forward and handed him the bag of pastries.

"Why did you bring this out? Your second aunt and I bought it especially for you. We went too late and couldn't find any good quality ones, so just make do with it!"

Yu Li was very touched when she heard this, but she was a little embarrassed to accept it.

“My second uncle bought these for me. You can take them back. My second aunt is pregnant and gets hungry easily, so these will help her fill her stomach.”

"There are still some at home. These were bought especially for you, so please keep them!"

After He Yuanchao finished speaking, he didn't give Yu Li a chance to speak, and led Zhang Min, pushing their bicycles, out of the yard.

Sha Zhu and Yu Li stood at the gate of the courtyard house, watching He Yuanchao ride away with Zhang Min on his bicycle before turning around and going back inside.

Yu Li placed the pastry bag on the table and said under the pretext:

"My second uncle has been supporting us for the past six months, so we should think about what to buy and send to his family."

Since getting married, Sha Zhu has stopped caring about household matters. He hands over his monthly pay slips to Yu Li and then comfortably becomes a hands-off dad.

"You can arrange this yourself; you can buy whatever you want."

Seeing that Sha Zhu didn't care at all, Yu Li was both anxious and angry. She really wanted to tell him what had just happened, but thinking of He Yuanchao's instructions, she held back.

"Zhu Zi, you need to be more careful. Your second uncle helps you so much, and you're still taking it for granted? Even if your second uncle doesn't care about these things, don't forget about your second aunt!"

After thinking it over, Sha Zhu realized that Yu Li's words made sense, and his expression instantly became serious.

"Then tell me, what should we buy and send to Uncle? I haven't seen him lacking anything!"

Yu Li rolled her eyes at Sha Zhu, annoyed, and patiently said:
"Everything is precious these days, and since my second aunt is pregnant, why don't we buy some more eggs and send them over?"

After hearing Yu Li's words, Sha Zhu scratched his head and said, "My wife, these days they only supply eggs in limited quantities. Even if you have money, they won't sell you more. Where am I supposed to buy so many eggs?"

"Are you stupid? If you can't buy it on the market, why don't you try the black market?"

(End of this chapter)