Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 171 New Job, New Journey? Seems a bit difficult!

They all knew that their eldest son had hardly spent any money since he was a child, and had even contributed a lot to the family. But what could they do? He Yuzhu was the eldest son.

After He Daqing left, He Yuzhu began searching for things in his spatial dimension: cloth, cotton, sugar, cigarettes, wine, and tea.

He even found a bunch of old-fashioned items like thermos flasks and washbasins. They were fine for home use, but not suitable for engagements or weddings.

Cigarettes and alcohol are a bit of a problem, due to brand issues. His storage space is full of goods from over ten years ago, and many of these items are no longer available, making them unsuitable for gifting.

The sugar itself doesn't matter; we can just peel off the wrapper.

The next morning, He Yuzhu went out. He Daqing knew that his son was going out today, so he left the bicycle behind.

He Yuzhu returned after making his rounds, and there was a large bundle on the cart now. He dared not bring back a whole bolt of cloth; it was too conspicuous, and it wasn't quite the same type of cloth as what was available now. Who knew if someone would set a trap for him?

There are plenty of people who are bored and have a sharp tongue.

When they arrived at the door, people actually asked questions. The first to ask were Yang Ruihua and Yan Bugui, who had been rebuffed by He Yuzhu several times and had been complaining about it a lot when they got home.

"Zhu Zi, what did you buy? This bag is so big. Do you need me to help you carry it?" She said, leaning forward. It wasn't that she wanted to take anything from him, but she just wanted to see what was inside. He Yuzhu was wrapped up too tightly.

"I have a bicycle here, and my things aren't heavy, so I don't need your help. If you want to help, please move aside, thank you!"

What's in here?

“I have nothing to do with you.” He Yuzhu ignored her.

Once inside the courtyard, the others were less shameless, their eyes constantly scanning He Yuzhu's large bundle. Especially Jia Zhangshi, she dared not provoke He Yuzhu. That night, He Yuzhu beat someone up in public, and then returned home looking perfectly fine.

The people in the courtyard went to inquire about it, but they were warned not to ask around.

After bringing the items home, Chen Lanxiang opened them and asked, "Zhu Zi, is this cloth and cotton from your old stock?"

"Yeah, we only need the money, not the tickets, what's wrong with that?"

"Wait a minute, how come your stock is in such good condition?"

"I don't know either, they just kept it well."

"Is there any more? Can you buy more? It would be best if there were red ones. Mom will also get you two new quilts, and make new clothes for everyone in the family who is not home."

Yes, how much do you need?

"I'll let you know how much it costs once I've measured it correctly."

"Don't worry about the money, I have money."

"Alright then, your dad told me that you have some money on hand now. If you need more, just tell your mother."

"it is good."

"If you have nothing else to do, go and greet Xiaoman."

"Row."

He Yuzhu went out, pushed the cart, and left the yard. When he came back, the two of them returned together.

Xiaoman was a little better than last night, but only slightly, which left He Yuzhu feeling helpless.

After dinner, Xiaoman changed into a dress and appeared in front of He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself, "Even the most beautiful people need to dress up."

"Brother Zhu, Brother Zhu?"

"Ah, oh!"

"What's wrong? Don't I look good in this outfit?"

"It's beautiful, so beautiful, I'm almost ashamed of myself."

"Hehehe, Brother Zhu, you're so funny." Xiaoman laughed happily; how could she not be happy when her sweetheart praised her looks?

"I am serious."

"I don't like hearing that," Xiaoman said, pouting.

"Hahaha, looks like I need to dress up too."

"Then hurry up and go, I'll wait for you."

Even on a sweltering day, He Yuzhu could only wear a shirt, which he paired with military-style trousers.

He plans to have the photo studio make a color one and keep it in the space.

When He Yuzhu came out, Xiaoman's eyes lit up. Although his outfit was common, it looked incredibly smart on He Yuzhu.

In comparison, the boys in the school seemed to lack masculinity.

Today, He Yuzhu's beard was cleanly shaved, which made Xiaoman very satisfied; she was too embarrassed to say it before.

"How is it, Comrade Qiao Lingyi?"

"very good!"

"Then let's go." He Yuzhu gestured for them to proceed.

"it is good."

Before they even left the main gate, Xiaoman became shy again when they arrived at the photo studio. Helpless, He Yuzhu could only goad her.

"Comrade Qiao Lingyi, do you not want to take a picture with me?"

"No, no!"

"Then why don't you go in?"

"I'm afraid, I'm ashamed."

"What's there to be ashamed of? Where did that girl who blocked my way and insisted on coming home with me go?"

"Don't tell." For Xiaoman, this was a dark history. She had been shameless back then, and of course, she was also glad that she had been shameless. Otherwise, it would be hard to say whether she would be alive now, let alone living such a good life and going to university.

"So, are you going in or not?"

"Let's go in, who's afraid of who?" Xiaoman said, biting her lip.

The photographer praised the two of them as a perfect match, and He Yuzhu asked to take more pictures, even asking if there were any nice backgrounds.

After looking for a while, I still wasn't satisfied with any of the photos. I figured a normal background would be fine. At first, Xiaoman was a bit reserved, and the photographer kept saying, "Lady, smile more naturally, even more naturally."

Afterwards, Xiaoman seemed to have figured something out, and her face lit up with a bright smile.

The photographer's words changed: "Yes, yes, yes, just like that, a little closer, a little closer, click, all done!"

After the photoshoot, they settled the bill and were told the photos would be ready in a week. He Yuzhu requested that several photos be printed and the best ones colored, and the photographer agreed.

However, the master made a request, which He Yuzhu refused. Not only did he refuse, he also said that the negatives had to be given to him.

What's the request? I just want their photos displayed in the shop window.

He Yuzhu doesn't have that habit of letting people see him every day. Besides, it's best not to leave any photos of him outside, given his work and what he's going to do later.

Finally, the photographer watched the two leave with a frustrated look on his face. He felt that He Yuzhu and his partner's photos would definitely attract more young men and women to take photos at his shop.

After taking the photos, Qiao Lingyi didn't go back to school and took the afternoon off. He Yuzhu suggested they go out for a walk, and the two of them started riding bicycles around Beijing.

To be honest, Qiao Lingyi hadn't explored Beijing much. Today, she was very happy to follow He Yuzhu around and listen to his introduction of Beijing.

She was quite reluctant to leave as she walked back, and the thought of going to school again tomorrow made her even more reluctant.

Then, for the first time ever, she suggested going to see a movie. Of course, He Yuzhu didn't object. They ate something outside and then went to the movie theater.

We watched "The Eternal Wave," which was chosen by Xiaoman. He Yuzhu thought she had chosen it because she heard it was a good movie.

While watching, he could clearly sense that Xiaoman's emotions were fluctuating greatly due to the plot's twists and turns, and she even held his hand at some point.

Finally, I heard the words, "Comrades, farewell! I will miss you!"

Xiaoman was already in tears.

He Yuzhu patted her hand and comforted her, saying, "It's just a movie."

“I know, but I also know there’s something real.” Xiaoman said softly.

"Xiaoman." He Yuzhu squeezed her hand tightly to try and calm Xiaoman down.

"I'm sorry."

"No need to say anything more, the show's over, let's go."

"it is good."

After leaving the movie theater, on the way home, Xiaoman didn't say a word. When they reached a secluded spot, He Yuzhu spoke up.

"Xiaoman, I don't care what you hear or see, you have to keep it to yourself and not tell anyone."

"Does that include you too?" Xiaoman's foot suddenly stopped pedaling.

"Including me."

"Brother Zhu, do you know something?"

"Whether I know it or not is not important; what is important is that you cannot say what you know in any situation."

"Okay, I understand. I won't tell. You're here today, so..."

"I understand, and I'm telling you this now, even I can't do it."

"why?"

"You'll find out later, I can't tell you." He Yuzhu was also in low spirits.

"It seems you really do know everything. You know who I'm talking about, don't you?"

He Yuzhu did not answer.

"I understand, I'd rather die than tell."

"It's not that serious, I'll take care of everything."

"It's so good to have you, Brother Zhu."

Actually, He Yuzhu had been wondering why Xiaoman reacted so strongly on the way here. He then realized that Xiaoman must have found out about Wang Cuiping. As for how she found out, it didn't matter. What mattered was that this matter had to be kept secret.

It may not have much of an impact now, but when the wind picks up, it could be deadly.

The key issue is that it affects more than one person. First of all, Wang Siyu basically has no future left.

It's hard to say where Wang Cuiping will go. Xiaoman is registered under Wang Cuiping's household registration. Do you think people will believe you if you say it's not related?
Then there's the He family, who are so close to Wang Cuiping, is that clear enough?

Of course, He Yuzhu had no regrets about taking Wang Cuiping back to Beijing. Even in the end, He Yuzhu had a way out, but he was just unwilling to take that step.

Xiaoman was still in low spirits on the way home. When they got home, He Yuzhu went to the main room first to let them know that his family was waiting for him.

When Chen Lanxiang heard that the two of them had taken photos, strolled around Beijing, had a meal, and watched a movie, her smile never faded.

She asked when she could pick up the photos so she could take a good look at them. He Yuzhu told her the time and then said that he had to report to his new workplace the next day, so Chen Lanxiang let him go home.

He Daqing added, "You can ride the bicycle first, since your commute is far." He Yuzhu responded and left.

When Xiaoman returned home, only Wang Siyu was at home, and Wang Cuiping was working overtime, so she was actually free.

The next morning, He Yuzhu dressed formally, gathered all his documents, and went out. Xiaoman left early, while He Yushui and the others who were going to school would leave a little later.

Upon arriving at the Ministry of Foreign Trade, He Yuzhu registered and was then seated in a small meeting room to wait.

Only Assistant Liang came this time, and he asked questions as soon as he met me.

"Comrade Xiao He, what's your decision?"

"Assistant Liang, I've made up my mind. I think the Market Development Division is the most challenging position in our department."

"That's how young people should be. I love your drive. Have you really thought it through?" "Yes, I have."

"Haha, Lao Bai and his colleague must be disappointed, but you've saved them a lot of trouble. Their companies are having a real headache about how to arrange things for you."

"Then I'll have to trouble you to let them know that I've joined the department."

"Okay, I'll take you to the company right away."

部长助理带着入职快的很，最后定级定了个13级，155.5元× 1.15（四九城属于六类地区×1.15）≈178.8元

(A slight adjustment has been made here. The information I checked earlier may have been inaccurate. The level is too high; it would be equivalent to a department-level position. There's always room for error in the information I found. Please understand.)
That's the top-level division chief position in a company, but it doesn't count here because of many special circumstances.

When they came out, Assistant Liang even offered a rare explanation: because He Yuzhu was too young, setting the price too high might upset the older folks.

He Yuzhu naturally expressed his understanding. He was parachuted in, and with such a high rank, it was normal for others to have reservations.

As for housing, it's in short supply in Beijing. He Yuzhu gave up his quota, so he doesn't need a house. This greatly relieved the housing management staff. Otherwise, if this up-and-coming deputy director really wanted a house, it would have been difficult for them.

Upon arriving at the department, we first went to the department head's office. Assistant Liang introduced him, saying that the department head was named Lin Changjiang, a middle-aged man in his forties.

"Xiao He, hello, hello! I've heard about you for a long time. It's great that you've come to our office." Lin Changjiang shook hands with He Yuzhu as soon as he came up, showing great enthusiasm.

"Hello, Director. From now on, I'll be your soldier."

"Don't say that, we're working together to get things done."

"Alright, you guys chat. Your colleague can introduce Lao Lin to you. I have something to do, so I'll head back first."

"Take care, Assistant Liang," He Yuzhu and Lin Changjiang said in unison.

After Assistant Liang left, Lin Changjiang took He Yuzhu to the largest office and called everyone over.

When everyone saw such a young colleague arrive, they whispered among themselves, noting that the youngest of them was already twenty-five or twenty-six.

"Everyone, please be quiet. Let me introduce you to our new deputy director, Comrade He Yuzhu. Please give him a round of applause!"

Lin Changjiang clapped his hands, and the scene was silent for a moment before bursting into enthusiastic applause.

"Deputy Director He, please introduce yourself to everyone."

"Hello everyone, my name is He Yuzhu, born in 35. I've been to the Korean Peninsula and studied in Russia. I used to work at a hardware and electromechanical import company. From now on, we'll be colleagues. Please take good care of me!"

He Yuzhu's introduction was short, but the content was explosive, and the audience started buzzing again.

At 23, he's been to the peninsula, studied in Russia, and worked various jobs. Is he some rich kid?

"Please don't misunderstand. Comrade He Yuzhu joined the Korean War in 50, fighting from the first campaign to the fifth. He was wounded in the Battle of Shangganling and returned to China. After that, he transferred to a hardware and electromechanical import company. His work performance was outstanding. He bought the equipment for Baosteel's 80-ton project at a very low price. He negotiated all the new rolling mill equipment in Beijing in the early stages. As for what he studied abroad, that is classified. However, Comrade He Yuzhu obtained two bachelor's degrees and one postgraduate degree. After returning to China, he also participated in major projects and made outstanding contributions."

"Does anyone have any other questions? You can ask Deputy Director He directly."

"no!"

The responses were loud and orderly.

This time, all the doubts in everyone's hearts were dispelled. What kind of resume was this? It was legendary! He went to war at the age of 16 and came back alive. Then he went to the Russian bear and bought a bunch of scarce things. They knew how difficult it was to study abroad on a government scholarship. They themselves had been there. Moreover, he had two bachelor's degrees and one master's degree. As for major projects, they dared not delve into them. Those were all subject to confidentiality regulations.

"Then, please introduce yourselves."

"Hello, Deputy Director He, I am Wang Tielin, the head of Section 1."

"Hello, Deputy Director He, I am Zhang Zhihong, the head of the Second Section."

"Hello, Deputy Director He, I am Zhao Junfeng, the head of the Third Section."

"."

The three departments and more than twenty people were introduced in just a few minutes, but their job descriptions were not mentioned.

After the introductions were finished, Lin Changjiang said, "Deputy Director He, come on, I'll take you to your office."

"it is good."

He Yuzhu's office was right next to Lin Changjiang's. It was separate and not very big, about ten square meters, with just a desk, chair, and filing cabinet.

"I'll have them bring back the office supplies for you later. As for our department's work, we won't assign you anything specific since you're new. I'll have someone send you some documents first so you can familiarize yourself with them."

"Okay, Director."

"By the way, feel free to ask me any questions. I work right next to you."

"No problem, Director."

After Lin Changjiang left, He Yuzhu took a closer look at his office, which looked very clean as it had just been cleaned.

As for where his ex went, that's not something he cares about.

Before long, someone delivered a complete set of supplies to He Yuzhu, including office supplies, teacups, lunch boxes, and thermos flasks.

"Deputy Director He, could you tell me what else you need? I can get it for you." The person who came was a young woman in her twenties.

"You are Zhao Lingling, assistant to the section chief."

"Deputy Director He has a good memory."

"The section chief said he needed to give me some documents, and you're the one sending them over, right?"

"Yes, but it will be later. The departments need to summarize it again."

"Ok, no problem."

"Deputy Director He, is there anything else? If not, I'll go take care of my work now."

"Go ahead."

Not long after Zhao Lingling left, the heads of the three departments came over with their teams. The introductions were just brief.

They still need to leave a good impression on the new leader, right? This deputy director will be specifically in charge of a certain section in the future, but it's not fixed. So, in a practical sense, He Yuzhu is the one currently in charge.

From their brief introduction, He Yuzhu learned that the department's work was not going smoothly, the external situation was not good, and they could not go to many places.

They've basically explored all the markets they can reach, or at least that's their opinion. There's not much to sell domestically right now, and importing is expensive. They often won't negotiate anything that's not on their agenda because they don't have the budget.

In the afternoon, the data was delivered. He Yuzhu took a look and found that most of the countries were socialist. The West's attitude towards China was basically one of blockade, because they were somewhat afraid of the war on the Korean Peninsula.

Of course, there are still some ways to do things domestically. Some businessmen in Hong Kong are patriotic and will help with some entrepot trade, so that the goods can come in. However, this is definitely not on a large scale; the quantity is very small and cannot solve the big problem.

He Yuzhu is now more concerned about the food issue. There are basically only a few major food exporting countries in the world: the United States, Canada, Australia, France, Argentina, and Russia.

The only country that can trade directly with China is Russia, but given the current situation, it's difficult to expect Russia to help in the next few years.

There were also some pieces of news that puzzled He Yuzhu, namely foreign aid.

This includes food supplies and aid in the construction of infrastructure such as textile factories, bearing factories, cement plants, railways, and bridges.

The two oldest ones made He Yuzhu's teeth chatter; they were a pair of ingrates!

After reading it, he considered it carefully and concluded that there might not be a better choice under the current circumstances. The higher-ups were very wise.

Then he started thinking about what he could do, since those countries with which he had established diplomatic relations were either in Europe or Africa.

Then there are Bulgaria, Poland, and other Eastern European countries in the Soviet Union; these places were also very poor after the war.

Those capitalist countries include Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Finland, and Norway.

The only place worth visiting is Switzerland; they're rich.

"Should we rob someone?" This thought popped into He Yuzhu's mind.

But money can't solve all the problems; the main issue is still food, food.

He Yuzhu rubbed his throbbing temples.

He Yuzhu left his office and called over Section Chief Wang Tielin, asking which countries he could visit. The answer he received was very disappointing: he couldn't go to Northern Europe unless he went with a delegation.

Eastern Europe is a viable destination, but it involves going through Russia.

He Yuzhu really had the idea of ​​lying down. He couldn't go anywhere. What was he doing?
"Forget it, let's wait for an opportunity," He Yuzhu thought to himself after Section Chief Wang Tielin left.

He felt like a hero whose talents were wasting, and even wondered if he had come to the wrong place.

Another day passed, and Lin Changjiang even came to ask if He Yuzhu was adapting well and starting to familiarize himself with the materials.

He Yuzhu reported a very slow progress, but Lin Changjiang didn't pay any attention to it.

When He Yuzhu got home from get off work, he first told his family that he had been hired by the department and that he had learned about his salary and benefits. His family was very happy.

However, he seemed a bit listless, so He Daqing and Chen Lanxiang asked him if he was having trouble at work or if he was having difficulty getting along with others.

He Yuzhu said that it wasn't that; he was just tired from looking at the documents all day. After dinner, everyone told him to go home and rest early.

Over the next few days, He Yuzhu continued to review documents, but he also informed his subordinates that they should let him know if there were any overseas business opportunities.

Opportunities don't just happen by chance; they only come when he comes along.

A week passed just like that. During this time, the He family started preparing for the engagement banquet. They didn't invite many people: Wang Hongxia's whole family, some people from He Daqing's workplace, and Xu Damao's family. The relationship between the two families has eased somewhat because of Xu Damao.

He didn't say what company He Yuzhu worked for; it's just an engagement, we'll talk about it when we get married.

There's another family I should mention. He Daqing forgot to tell He Yuzhu that his Sichuan cuisine chef, Li Baoguo, and his family have come to Beijing.

He didn't tell He Daqing anything after that. He had hired Li Baoguo as the head chef, intending to give He Yuzhu a surprise.

He Yuzhu also called Lao Fang, who said he was busy and that the engagement didn't count. He added that he would definitely send the wedding gift after the wedding, but the wedding couldn't be announced so hastily because he couldn't arrange a time.

As for the front yard, He Daqing and his wife discussed it and decided to set up two tables there.

Xiaoman took a day off on Saturday, and the family was busy with preparations. Even Wang Cuiping tried her best to handle her work. Xiaoman is like her own daughter, and she wants to be involved in everything about her daughter's engagement.

However, a small problem arose on Saturday. He Daqing didn't have enough chicken, duck, fish, and meat. Fortunately, He Daqing made a phone call to He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu asked He Daqing to borrow a tricycle to go home, as he needed it.

After getting off work and having dinner, He Yuzhu went home, rode his tricycle out, and He Daqing asked Xu Damao to come along, but He Yuzhu refused.

When He Yuzhu returned, he brought half a pig's carcass, a pig's head, a set of pig offal, and a total of 8 tables. He also prepared eight chickens, eight fish, a basket of eggs, and some other vegetables.

This time, no one blocked their way in the front yard; they assumed that the He family had already arranged it and had gone out to pick up the goods.

He Yuzhu had covered the car with burlap sacks, so you couldn't see what was inside. When they got home, He Daqing lifted the burlap sacks and was shocked to find there was so much stuff inside.

"Zhu Zi, where did you get all this stuff? How much did it cost? Is there a problem?"

"Don't worry about it. It's my engagement, so spending some money is no big deal. When have I ever had a problem buying things?"

"Are you planning to stop living your life from now on?"

"Dad, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. If there's any extra pork, you can make some cured pork so that we can have more meat at home in the future."

"Okay, you can't spend money like that in the future. And you know what to say when your mother asks you questions."

"Got it. By the way, do we need to deal with it tonight?"

"Of course, meat will spoil if left overnight."

"I should have done it first thing tomorrow morning."

"Alright, how early can you get up? When the master arrives, is there still time to prepare? Hurry up and get to work."

Then the father and son started working, and gradually the whole family pitched in. The large stove in the backyard, which hadn't been used for a long time, was also lit up, and He Yuzhu was going to cook pig's head and offal.

As for how to handle the meat, He Yuzhu asked He Daqing which chef he had hired for tomorrow and what kind of cuisine he would cook. After learning that it was Sichuan cuisine, he began to unload the meat.

He Daqing dealt with the excess meat. Some of it was dropped into the well in a basket, and the rest was salted and cured. Making cured meat takes a lot of work.

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(End of this chapter)