Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 301 Veteran
Half a month later, He Yuzhu went out to sea, and only he knew the destination of his trip.

After he returned, he went to see President Liang again.

Another half month later, a group of engineers and veteran technicians from Xianyang arrived in China.

A week later, the technicians returned to China, taking with them a catalog and several core technical parameters.

Two weeks later, President Liang called He Yuzhu: "Mr. He, the negotiations over there have yielded results. The price is 40% lower than the initial offer, but our foreign exchange shortfall is still significant."

"Is the money for our daily life okay?" He Yuzhu remembered that there were still quite a few notebooks in his space that he had obtained from robbing gangsters during his several trips to the east.

“Yes, yes, that would be more convenient,” said President Liang.

“I’ll get ready then. But it’s all cash, quite a lot. You’ll need to have someone ready to count the money,” He Yuzhu said.

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away. When can you send it over?" President Liang even used honorifics.

"The day after tomorrow."

"can."

On the third day, He Yuzhu did not go to the Bank of China in Hong Kong. However, Huang He dispatched two vans, each with two armed Taishan security guards, and drove directly into the Bank of China's underground parking garage.

During the inventory, it was discovered that the notebooks varied in age, with the oldest dating back to the 1950s. Only after confirming that they were still usable did the bank staff breathe a sigh of relief.

The final tally revealed a staggering 120 million yuan. President Liang was ecstatic; it was like a windfall. Although it was just a loan, it solved the funding problem for that major domestic project.

Therefore, President Liang called He Yuzhu again: "Mr. He, thank you so much."

"That should be enough, right? If not, I'll think of something else."

"It's enough, it's enough, but Mr. He has been saving this money for a long time."

"I collected these years ago and had forgotten about them until I recently found them while cleaning out the warehouse."

Bank Manager Liang nearly dropped the phone. He had completely forgotten about so much money; what if he lost it?
"Then Mr. He should take a good look at the other warehouses. It would be bad if there were any others that were lost."

"Thanks for the reminder. By the way, please transfer all these notebooks to China and replace them with ours; we might need them."

"Okay, okay." President Liang was even happier now. They didn't have to pay them back, and they even got a large investment from the domestic market.

After the call ended, He Yuzhu summoned Chen Sheng.

"Ah Sheng, I have a new job for you, and after thinking it over, you're the most suitable one."

"Boss, you say it."

"You need to set up a cathode ray tube research laboratory; the space needs to be large enough."

"Boss, we have absolutely no experience with this!"

"I'll handle the basics, but there's one more thing you need to do while you're preparing."

"what's up?"

“Go to Xiao Rizi to poach engineers. If you can’t poach them, hire some retired or resigned people. Then recruit some people from universities in Hong Kong and Singapore to come back and study.”

“No problem, I’ve done similar work in the Singapore lab.”

"Alright, go find Ah Lang about the land. Although you're familiar with it, he's the one in charge of real estate after all."

"Understood, I will take care of it."

"Then go, the sooner the better, and remember to keep it a secret."

"Boss, what about the funds?"

"I'll let Lingyi know; you don't need to worry about the funds."

"Okay, I'll get back to work."

In June, Xu Damao returned home to dismantle the refrigerator factory equipment and also to visit his parents, wife, and children.

Of course, the first thing I did upon returning was to report to He Yuzhu.

How is things in China?

"Brother, what kind of place did you pick? It's all wasteland."

"What if the people with fertile land would let us use it?"

"That's not what I meant. I meant there's nothing around."

"Once the factory is built, it'll be fine. There's a car factory right next to it."

"It's not built yet, so I'm sleeping in a temporary house. You have no idea how hot it is."

"So you've come here to complain to me?" He Yuzhu said with a smile.

"No, no, what I mean is, could we build a batch of buildings like we do in Hong Kong?"

"Didn't you talk to the people over there about this? What's the point of you coming to me?"

“I told you, it’s not that they don’t have the authority. See if you can pull some strings with the higher-ups.”

"What's the situation with Yang Tao?" He Yuzhu asked instead of answering him.

"It's similar to mine, but his area is bigger, so he has more to build."

"You came back just for this?"

"I'll come back and dismantle the equipment."

"Where are you going to put it now that you've taken it apart? I think you've just come back to rest," He Yuzhu joked.

"Hehe, you really understand me, brother. I wouldn't have thought much of it before, but after staying in Hong Kong for so long, I'm finding it hard to get used to."

"It's hard to go from extravagance to frugality! Let's not rush the equipment; we'll talk about the warehouse later," He Yuzhu said with a smile.

“Yes, that’s the word. I know how to handle the equipment issue. Oh, and there’s one more thing,” Xu Damao said.

"Just say what you need to say, stop beating around the bush."

"It's about the road. You didn't see the road over there. It's worse than the road I took with my dad when we went to the countryside to show movies."

"and then?"

"What else could it be? The local authorities want us to pay for road repairs, and they've been causing us a lot of trouble lately."

"The person you're in contact with isn't involved in this matter?"

"They can't control it!"

"It really is"

"Is it true that bad people come from poor and remote places?" Xu Damao exclaimed.

"It's not just about the road, is it?"

"How do you know they still want factory openings?"

"How did you reply?"

"I said it doesn't count for what I say."

"If you do the same thing again next time, go and contact the local demobilization and resettlement office and ask if they have any people they can't arrange. The factory's security department should get things sorted out first."

"That's right, how come I didn't think of that? This also solves another problem: materials going missing at the construction site." Xu Damao slapped his forehead.

“I think you’re not using your brain. You’re only thinking about what the higher-ups are doing. Just treat them the same way you did when you were sent to the countryside. Also, tell the demobilization and resettlement office that there’s no limit to the number of demobilized and resettled soldiers. They’ll be accepted if they come back in the future. If the disabled can find a job, they’ll be given priority.”

"Brother, how did you know there were any injured or disabled people?"

"You know everything?" He Yuzhu didn't understand what was going on.

"Well, I didn't stay there for nothing." Xu Damao didn't mention it, but he understood in his heart that this matter was indeed easy to discuss.

"Xiangdu is too small. Why don't you go to Huacheng or Nanning?"

"understood."

"Anything else?"

"That's all. You need to pay more attention to the road issue. This kind of constant commotion isn't sustainable."

“If you get the security department sorted out, most of the problem will be solved. As for the road, I’ll think about it. It’s not just about spending money.”

"Okay, I'll go home now. I miss the kids a bit."

"Get lost, get lost, I think you just miss your wife."

"I want them all, I want them all!" Xu Damao turned and walked out.

After Xu Damao left, He Yuzhu picked up the phone and dialed President Liang's office number.

"President Liang, this is He Fei. There's something I'm afraid I'll need your help to make a connection with," He Yuzhu said.

The bank manager on the other end of the phone spoke with his usual warm voice: "Mr. He, you're too kind. Whatever kind of person you need, I'll definitely help you find them."

"That's right. There's been some resistance at the implementation level regarding the two factories in Xiangdu, and we need someone to help coordinate it."

"Obstacles? Really? The local government should be very supportive!" President Liang exclaimed in surprise.

"President Liang, you've been in Hong Kong for a long time, so here's what happened," He Yuzhu briefly described the situation.

"This, this is really unexpected."

"It's actually quite normal. After all, if such a large factory is built, the farmers around it won't be doing well either. It would be strange if they didn't have any concerns."

"So how do you want to solve this?"

"Could someone from the province step forward and work with our people to resolve this matter?"

"Let me give it a try."

“Tell them that we can resettle veterans, including disabled veterans who are still able to work. We can also recruit local veterans, but they must meet our requirements.”

"Are there any specific requirements? I'd like to discuss them with them."

"Those who have received an education are preferred, and those from families facing genuine hardship will be given priority. Of course, this is not something they can decide on their own; we will send someone to verify it."

"I understand, your offer is very good."

"There's also the road repair issue. It's not that it can't be repaired, but I can't just let it go to waste."

"So you mean, first of all, the road isn't just used by my family; once we've repaired it, the local people will definitely use it too, right?"

"Yes."

"Then they also need to put in some effort. The local government needs to give us preferential treatment or compensation in other ways. Otherwise, we can only ask Director Zheng and his team to coordinate. The joint venture car factory is not just owned by Huanghe alone."

"That's to be expected."

"As for the specifics of compensation or policies, we can discuss that in detail."

"Alright, I've noted down everything you've said. Is there anything else?" President Liang asked, putting down his pen.

"That's all for now. My men have come back to me complaining."

"Oh, I didn't expect there to be so many specific issues. I'll help you make the contact; wait for my reply." "Okay, thank you, Manager Liang."

"No need to be so polite. I'm the one who should be saying thank you and feeling embarrassed."

"Then I'll hang up, I won't disturb your work anymore."

"Okay, beep beep beep"

A few days later, He Yuzhu received a phone call, which he initially thought was a letter from President Liang.

"Hello?" He Yuzhu answered.

"He Sheng, it's me!"

"Mr. Huo? Is there anything I can do for you?"

"He Sheng, you're always joking. Can't I call you if I don't need anything?"

"Yes, yes, anytime is fine."

"But there really is something. Someone asked one of my captains to bring you a message."

"What message?" He Yuzhu asked, puzzled.

"The other party only said that he was 'Commander Wu's old comrade-in-arms' and left a mainland number, asking you to call him when it's convenient for you." Huo Sheng said, reciting a string of numbers.

He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat. "Wu Qianli? Could something have happened to him?"

He quickly said to Huo Sheng, "Thank you, Huo Sheng. Let's have tea together another day. I'll hang up now; this call must be urgent."

"Okay, okay, let's have tea another day. You take care of the urgent matter first." With that, Huo Sheng hung up the phone.

He Yuzhu then dialed an international number and asked them to transfer the call to a domestic number.

The phone rang for ages before someone answered.

"Hello? Who is it?"

"I am He Fei, and you are?"

"Old Company Commander, it's me, Liao Wei!"

"Liao Wei?" He Yuzhu began to think about who this person was. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't place the person.

"Peninsula, I'm one of the last batch of recruits to the Seventh Company, the communications officer."

"So it was you, kid. Where are you now? Why are you sending me a message in Lao Wu's name?" He Yuzhu finally recognized him. This kid hadn't even been in the company for a few days when the troops withdrew, and then He Yuzhu went to Shangganling.

"Old company commander, it was the old battalion commander who asked me to contact you."

"What did you say?"

"That's right. After I was demobilized, I went to the Huacheng Armed Forces Department, where I am now in charge of resettlement."

"continue."

"A lot of people have come down from our unit this time. The old battalion commander is asking if you have any way to help."

"Are you injured, or..."

"He's crippled." Liao Wei's voice was very low.

"A lot?"

"Quite a few, the first batch alone had about a hundred," Liao Wei said.

"Some time will pass and someone will contact you. He's currently in Hong Kong, and he'll come to find you when he returns to the mainland."

"who?"

"My childhood friend."

"Old Company Commander, I'd like to ask you how you plan to settle these brothers."

“You can discuss the specifics yourselves. I invested in a factory in Xiangdu, and I was originally planning to have him contact the Huacheng Demobilization and Resettlement Office. Now I don’t need to go there to explain a bunch of things; I can have him contact you directly.”

"A factory? Is it big?" Liao Wei's eyes lit up.

"It's alright, we still need to use it for several thousand people."

"Okay, okay, that's great."

"But let me make this clear: I can't handle things if I lose my ability to work."

"I see!"

"That's good. I won't ask about Lao Wu's situation, and you probably can't say for sure anyway."

"Yes, but the old battalion commander asked me to tell you that the 'guide' you gave me came in very handy! He also asked me to thank you on behalf of the brothers for those two months you led the training," Liao Wei said.

"I only did what I could do; there was nothing else I could help with," He Yuzhu sighed.

"The old battalion commander knew you'd say that. He asked me to tell you that he'll treat you to drinks when he gets back, and we won't leave until we're drunk!"

"Understood. If you can still contact him, tell him to be careful, and also tell Lao Mei, Lao Yu, Lao Xiong, and Wanli!"

“If I can get in touch with them, I will bring it to them. Actually, it wasn’t the old battalion commander who asked me to bring it; it was a brother who came back who brought it.”

"Any other difficulties? Don't be so polite with me!"

"temporarily unavailable."

“Okay, my phone number is ***. You can contact me if it’s urgent, or you can contact my childhood friend, whose surname is Xu and his name is Xu Damao.”

"Understood, old company commander."

"Hanged up, beep beep beep."

He Yuzhu was in a bad mood after hanging up the phone. The first batch of over a hundred disabled people had already been delivered, which showed how bad things were before.

A few days later, Xu Damao once again embarked on his journey to the mainland.

Before he left, He Yuzhu specifically instructed him: "Da Mao, when you get to Huacheng, don't rush back to Xiangdu. Go find a comrade named Liao Wei in the Armed Forces Department. He's one of our own, a former soldier of mine, and now he's in charge of resettlement for demobilized soldiers. Have a good talk with him about our resettlement of veterans. You can handle the specifics flexibly, but the principle is: those who meet the requirements and those who are near Xiangdu should be given priority. If this is done well, perhaps those 'troubles' that are giving you a headache can also be resolved along the way."

Xu Damao nodded in agreement: "Brother, I understand. Liao Wei, right? I've got it."

Two days later, in Huacheng, at the Armed Forces Department.

Xu Damao gave his name and purpose of visit, and was quickly led to a simple office.

A lean, middle-aged man stood up, wearing a faded military uniform, but his military bearing was unmistakable.

He strode forward, grasped Xu Damao's hand tightly, and said with great force, "Comrade Xu Damao? It's me, Liao Wei! I've been waiting for you! Has the old company commander explained things to you?"

"Comrade Liao Wei, hello, hello!" Xu Damao's hand was sore from being gripped so tightly that he grimaced and pulled it back.

"Sorry, sorry, I got a little excited!" Liao Wei said awkwardly, rubbing his hands together.

"It's alright, my brother told me to come here first as soon as I arrived," Xu Damao said, rubbing his hands.

"Great, Comrade Xu, sit down, sit down and let's talk!" Liao Wei's eyes lit up, and he pulled Xu Damao to sit down, then poured him a glass of water.

"What's the specific situation on your end?" Xu Damao asked.

Liao Wei took out several thick lists and documents from the drawer. "Comrade Xu, here's the situation. I've taken in a group of soldiers who aren't from the local area. They're all good soldiers, but they all have injuries. Originally, they all wanted to go back to their hometowns and didn't want to be a burden on the country, but the old battalion commander insisted on sending them over."

"Oh, he's also one of my brother's soldiers?"

"You could say that, since many of their leaders were once your brother's men." Liao Wei came up with a suitable explanation, fearing that something might happen to Xu Damao.

"I understand. Where are they now?"

“The files are with me. Some of them I really didn’t want to bother the government, so I went back to my hometown. Why don’t you take a look first?”

“Okay.” Xu Damao took the file and started flipping through it.

Looking at the simple information on the list: name, age, disability status... he suddenly understood why He Yuzhu attached so much importance to it.

Many of these are teenagers, around eighteen or nineteen years old. This is not just about solving the labor shortage, but also about taking on a heavy responsibility.

He said seriously, "Comrade Liao Wei, don't worry. My brother specifically instructed that we should take anyone with labor capacity. Right now, the only positions we can arrange are warehouse management, gate patrol, quality inspection, and canteen helper at the construction site. As for other positions, I'm afraid they're not feasible for the time being. We'll see after the factory is built. What do you think?"

Upon hearing Xu Damao's words, Liao Wei's gloomy expression vanished considerably, and he excitedly reached out to shake Xu Damao's hand again: "Oh! Comrade Xu! Thank you so much! The old company commander is truly so righteous. I thank you on behalf of my comrades!"

He was about to bow when Xu Damao stopped him, saying, "I can't accept that. Besides, these people deserve it."

"Hey, you don't know, looking at these brothers, my heart..." Liao Wei's voice choked up a little.

“I understand, I understand!” Xu Damao quickly replied.

"I won't say much in thanks. I'll treat you to drinks tonight. I have a bottle of ten-year-old Moutai that I've stored away. Comrade Xu, you must come."

"No rush, no rush. It's still uncertain who invites whom. I have something I need your help with."

"Need my help? Just say so, and I'll do whatever I can," Liao Wei said.

Xu Damao recounted in detail how local villagers obstructed construction, demanded quotas, and requested road repairs, emphasizing in particular the losses from stolen construction materials and the safety hazards.

Liao Wei listened, his brows furrowing deeper. "Hmph! Such a thing exists? Didn't you contact the local police?"

"I've looked, but it hasn't been very effective," Xu Damao said helplessly.

"So what do you want?"

"I want you to help me make a connection, whether it's a local official or a powerful figure, as long as it helps me resolve this matter."

"It's probably difficult to completely resolve your issue, but there's an opportunity now. Some of these people are from your factory," Liao Wei said, pointing to the documents.

Xu Damao hadn't finished reading it and hadn't noticed it at all.

"Resettling veterans, especially disabled veterans, is encouraged by policy and is also a key task of our armed forces department. Your factory's initiative to take on this responsibility is the greatest support for our local work!"

Xu Damao still didn't quite understand.

Liao Wei continued, "You've solved a major problem for the armed forces in Xiangdu, so how could they not show some appreciation?"

"Oh, I see. Are there any other veterans or professionals, local ones? We'll take them all," Xu Damao said, suddenly realizing.

"Take them all?"

"Yes, my brother said we'll accept anyone from the team, but of course, I have one condition: we won't accept anyone with bad character."

"Of course, we can't be bothered with people who have bad character," Liao Wei nodded.

"When would you like to help me contact them over there?"

"Comrade Xu, look at our situation. If you don't mind, you can stay at my place tonight. I'll personally go to Xiangdu with you tomorrow!"

“Sure, I’ve been sleeping in the workers’ shed for the past two months, how could I complain?” Xu Damao said.

These words made Liao Wei look at Xu Damao in a new light. He had thought Xu Damao was someone who couldn't endure hardship based on his appearance, but he didn't expect him to be sleeping in a workers' shed.

If Xu Damao knew what he was thinking, he would definitely tell him, "If I don't sleep in the workers' shed, I'll sleep in the open!"

That night, the two of them got very drunk. They started talking about things from the 1950s and found common ground. Liao Wei realized that Xu Damao was originally from Beijing. No wonder the old company commander said they were childhood friends. He had never understood what that meant until now. They had grown up together, practically naked.

(End of this chapter)