Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 339 Isn't this He Daqing!
Sun Jianguo adjusted his glasses: "We need to investigate these details step by step in accordance with relevant regulations. The most important thing right now is to formulate an action plan that complies with regulations and submit it for approval from higher authorities. We have already drafted a preliminary plan, which requires Mr. He to cooperate in playing the role of the buyer, but all actions must be carried out in accordance with our prescribed procedures."

He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow: "You mean I have to wait for all these layers of approval before I can take any action?"

"This is a necessary procedure," Sun Jianguo said solemnly. "The work of retrieving cultural relics must be carried out in accordance with laws and regulations. We have already contacted relevant departments and are preparing to establish a joint working group to hold a coordination meeting once a week."

He Yuzhu looked at Lao Fang, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Old Fang coughed lightly: "Jianguo, this matter may not be able to wait that long."

Sun Jianguo, however, said in a serious tone, "Uncle Fang, procedure is procedure. I have already included this operation in this month's key work plan, and I expect to complete the approval process by the beginning of next month. Before that, we can do some preliminary work, such as asking Mr. He to provide a detailed personal profile so that we can file it."

He Yuzhu couldn't help but laugh: "Filing a record? Comrade Sun, you want me to deal with criminals, not to go to work at your unit."

Sun Jianguo frowned: "Mr. He, please understand our working methods. Everything must follow rules and regulations, which is also to ensure the safety of the operation. I have arranged a joint departmental meeting next Wednesday, at which time I will invite relevant units to discuss this issue together."

He Yuzhu turned directly to Lao Fang: "Uncle Fang, I can't do this job. By the time they finish the procedures, those cultural relics will have changed hands countless times."

Old Fang sighed: "Jianguo, your approach might work in government offices, but it won't work on the front lines."

Sun Jianguo insisted, "I believe things should be done step by step. We can first conduct a detailed feasibility study and have experts assess the feasibility of the plan. If Mr. He is interested in participating, he can submit an application first, and we will process the formalities according to the procedures for hiring external experts."

He Yuzhu stood up: "Uncle Fang, I think we should call it a day. Comrade Sun, I wish you a successful meeting."

After Sun Jianguo left with a puzzled look on his face, He Yuzhu said to Lao Fang, "Uncle Fang, where did you find this miracle worker? Does he think this is an office where you're writing documents?"

Old Fang smiled wryly: "His father was my old comrade-in-arms, who worked in the Cultural Relics Bureau his whole life. This kid grew up in the compound of the government office and is used to that way of working."

“Then I can’t work with him. It’s not a matter of ability, it’s a completely different way of doing things.”

"I understand what you mean. So what are your plans?"

"Let's each do our own thing. I just want to ask you one question: can you guarantee the integrity of my work?"

"can."

“That’s settled then. Let Comrade Sun continue with his meeting and report; I’m serious about this.” He Yuzhu handed the folder to Lao Fang. “Let’s leave these documents for their joint meeting as a reference.”

When do you plan to take action?

"What's the rush? I just got back, I need to show the elders around the house." He Yuzhu blinked.

"Okay, then what?"

"Then I spread the word that I was buying goods. Why would I do that? If there's money to be made, why wouldn't those people take it? Besides, if competitors appear, can those who are hiding really hold back? Shouldn't they come out and challenge their rivals?"

"This"

"Uncle, why don't you just cancel?" He Yuzhu advised.

"What, you're disgusted with me?"

"Yes, your thinking is outdated, your methods are even more outdated, and you still do things the same way you did twenty years ago. Don't you think you should retire and enjoy your old age?"

"You brat, am I really that bad?" Old Fang asked, not angry at all.

He Yuzhu nodded seriously and said, "Those of you in this line of work need to keep up with the times, Uncle Fang!"

"Since you've brought it up, then let's be clear about it."

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and gave a few examples of the CA and FBI, some of which he had encountered himself, and some of which he had seen on TV and in movies. Who knows if they are true or false?

"Has it developed to this extent over there?" Old Fang frowned.

"What do you think? This is just something I encountered in business. As for other aspects, well, hehe!"

"Looks like my old bones are getting a bit outdated, but without me here, my guys are really having a hard time getting things done. Do you have any good ideas?"

“Don’t tell me you haven’t trained a successor. Let them go out and do it. How will you know if they can do it if they don’t try?” He Yuzhu said.

"go out?"

"Domestic areas are fine too, but do you think things are peaceful and prosperous right now?"

"I really don't dare to think that. It's just that there are many things we haven't encountered before and can't imagine. By the time we realize it, the opponent has already succeeded. Cultural relics are an example."

"So you need to align with international standards as soon as possible. I mean aligning with them in terms of thinking, methods, and technology."

"It's tough," Old Fang sighed.

"Then there's nothing I can do. You'll have to evolve on your own. Others can only help so much, and you can't trust outsiders anyway."

"We'll talk about that later. One last question for you, Xiao Sun, are you really not planning to cooperate with him?"

"We won't cooperate unless it gets out of the way of official business."

"Alright then!" Old Fang said.

"Don't worry, I've prepared the cards, I can definitely handle it. I've already had the car sent from Hong Kong, it's on its way. As for the rest, we'll deal with whatever comes our way."

"Okay, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Don't let those guys surnamed Sun be idle. Make them force those digging people to do something, the tighter the better. You guys should be best at this."

"You little rascal, you always do this kind of thing."

"What else can we do? Let those guys hide or run away?"

"Okay, I'll arrange it. I'll let you know when the time comes. Don't mess it up, kid."

"I can do this anytime."

Don't make big promises too early.

"Whether it's just empty talk or not, we'll find out in time. By the way, my people need to be relocated; I don't think this place is safe anymore."

"You can make your own arrangements, but don't cause trouble."

"I know."

After Lao Fang left, He Yuzhu led his men to the courtyard where Wei Yidao used to live.

Wang Hongxia also bought a yard next door and tidied it up a bit.

It's a good place for people to live, and the location is secluded, making it perfect for arranging these people.

The next day, he asked He Yuxin to prepare the outfits—a black suit for each person, plus a pair of sunglasses.

Although He Yuxin was puzzled, he still went to make the arrangements. After all ten people changed into black suits and put on sunglasses, their aura changed immediately. Standing there, they were silent and cold, with a rather intimidating presence.

"Okay, okay, that's the way it is. What were you thinking, brother? You really brought up the momentum right away."

Can He Yuzhu say he learned it from watching a movie? Of course, there have been similar things in North America for a long time, but they usually only have one or two. To have so many would be quite a spectacle.

He Yuzhu instructed those people not to move around unnecessarily in the near future, and that he would send someone to deliver food.

"Yes, boss!"

"Okay, I'm leaving first."

On the way home, He Yuzhu said to He Yuxin, "Third brother, take me to see that antique shop tomorrow."

"Brother, it's not finished decorating yet?"

"Let me take a look at the layout," He Yuzhu said.

"Oh, right, Yaozu and the others are asking you to take them out to play."

"We'll talk about it when we have time. They're so big now, they can all go their own way. Let's each get a bicycle and go wherever they want."

Do you think our mother would give in?

"How old are they? When I was their age, I had already come back from the peninsula."

"Can that be the same?"

"I'll go back and tell Mom."

"Okay, then you tell me yourself."

When we got home, the children surrounded us.

"Dad, when are you going to take us out to play?" He Ningxue asked.

“Yeah, it’s so boring staying at home,” He Yaozong added.

"Are there times when you can't stand still?" He Yuzhu asked, looking at his second son.

“We’ve come to a new place, so we can’t just stay at home all the time. You and my third uncle are both busy, and Grandma won’t let us go out on our own. Why don’t you talk to Grandma about it?” He Yaozong said.

“Okay, I’ll talk to your grandma,” He Yuzhu said.

"That's great!" He Ningxue exclaimed happily.

He Yuzhu brought this up during dinner, and Chen Lanxiang said, "Can't you take some time to take the kids out for a walk?"

“Mother, they’re all grown up now, they can do many things by themselves,” He Yuzhu said.

“But they’ve never left the house!” Chen Lanxiang said.

“Going back to Beijing is like coming home. It’s much safer here than in Hong Kong,” He Yuzhu said.

"Lanxiang, let the children walk on their own. In the Qing Dynasty, children their age would go out to receive guests on their own. Zhuzi had already come down from the battlefield by then."

"Alright, you guys better not cause any trouble when you go out."

"Thank you, Grandma!" the children said hurriedly.

"I'll find you some old bicycles later. You can go wherever you want, but you have to be back before dark," He Yuzhu said.

"How about I go with them?" said He Yuzhu's second uncle.

"Second Uncle, they're all quite old, and they even know kung fu, so it'll be alright."

"Row."

“Then get me a car too, I’ll go see your master and the others,” He Daqing said.

"Just have Yuxin take you there."

"No, I'm afraid they won't be able to adapt. Get me a bicycle, I'll go see those old brothers," He Daqing said. "Okay, I'll get a few more. Xiaoman, if you can't stand staying still, go out for a walk with the kids too," He Yuzhu said.

"I think I'll stay home. I'm afraid Mom won't be able to manage all the work by herself."

“I’m not busy with anything, I’m just cooking a meal, you should go,” Chen Lanxiang said.

After dinner, He Yuzhu drove out for a while, then found a place, rummaged through his spatial storage, found five bicycles, threw them on the roof, and brought them back.

Upon seeing the bicycle, He Daqing exclaimed, "Zhu Zi, where did you find this? How did you manage to bring back such an old bicycle?"

"Everything's fine. You can try it if you don't believe me. By the way, Dad, you haven't ridden a bicycle in so many years. Can you still ride one? There are so many more cars on the road now than before."

"No problem, I'll try it now."

"Let's go for a walk with Grandpa too," the younger children said.

"Go on, but be careful."

"understood"

He Daqing rode his bicycle, with his three grandchildren following behind, slowly making their way out of Nanluoguxiang.

Having not ridden for many years, the handlebars were a bit wobbly at first, but I quickly got the hang of it.

The summer night breeze was still a bit hot, but the group of men didn't feel anything. The familiar gray walls and tiles lined both sides of the road, but many places had new slogans painted on them, and there were also some unfamiliar shops.

They rode north along Di'anmen Outer Street. As He Daqing pedaled his bicycle, he pointed things out to the children: "See that grocery store? It used to be an oil and salt shop over there. Oh, and there used to be an old locust tree there. Looks like it's been cut down."

He Yaozu, He Yaozong, and He Ningxue looked around curiously.

As they approached the Drum Tower, He Daqing stopped and pointed to a roadside stall selling Beibingyang soda: "Are you thirsty? Grandpa's treating."

After riding for a while, the group felt a bit thirsty and didn't refuse.

The four men parked their bikes, gathered around the stall, and drank chilled orange soda.

Looking at his grandson and granddaughter, He Daqing couldn't hide his smile and a hint of smug satisfaction. In the past, he would never have dared to imagine that he would have this day.

After going around in circles again, the men rode back.

When He Daqing rode to Nanluoguxiang, a fat man wearing glasses came towards him. He was so busy talking to his grandchildren that he didn't notice him at all.

He didn't notice, but the fat man was stunned when he saw him.

"This person is still alive? How is that possible? He's been missing for twenty years!!!" the fat man muttered.

Just then, He Daqing's voice came again. The fat man chased after him for a few steps but couldn't catch up. He panted heavily and said, "It really is He Daqing. He's back, but why isn't he back at the hospital?"

So he shouted at the top of his lungs, "He Daqing!"

Unfortunately, the grandfathers had already ridden far away, but He Ningxue, who had good hearing, asked, "Grandpa, I think I heard someone calling you."

"You misunderstood. Who called me? Go home, go home, or your grandma will worry again."

"Oh."

Meanwhile, Liu Haizhong stood there, stunned for a moment, and looked in the direction where He Daqing and the three young men had disappeared on their bicycles. His heart was churning.

“That’s right, it’s He Daqing! He’s dressed quite well.” Liu Haizhong muttered, frowning as he walked back.

"Who are those three young men? Why are they calling him grandpa? He Yuzhu's children are all grown up already? When did they come back? Where are they staying?" A series of questions swirled in his mind.

When he got home, he didn't say anything, but when he went to bed, he started making pancakes, flipping them over and over.

"Honey, what's wrong with you?"

"It's nothing, I just can't sleep well."

"Because it's the second or third child?"

"Why bring them up? They're such a pain in the neck," Liu Haizhong said irritably.

"Then what's bothering you? You can't even sleep soundly."

"Never mind that, just go to sleep."

The next morning, after breakfast, Liu Haizhong began to wander around the Nanluoguxiang area.

After wandering around for about an hour, he stopped outside a house with a plaque above the gate that read "He Residence".

He knew this place very well; in fact, he was the one who led the raid on this house, which was already empty.

No one moved in after that, and the door was locked all year round.

But now the gate is brand new, the vermilion gate is polished to a shine, and the steps at the entrance are also clean.

Most importantly, he could vaguely hear voices inside, and not just one or two.

He pretended to be passing by, strolled over slowly, and craned his neck to try to peek inside, but the door was tightly closed.

Then he lingered around in front of the house, passing by every now and then, his eyes never leaving the gate of the "He Residence".

This was no good either. Passersby were giving him strange looks. Liu Haizhong had no choice but to run to the old locust tree at the entrance of the alley to watch people play chess. However, his mind was not on the chessboard at all. He kept glancing in the direction of "He's Residence".

Around nine o'clock, the gate of the "He Residence" creaked open.

First, two young men came out, followed by a young woman. The three of them pushed their bicycles out the door and rode straight towards the Forbidden City.

Then the door slammed shut again.

Liu Haizhong looked at the three people's backs, unsure of what to do, but he continued to wait, unwilling to give up.

Another half hour passed, and the gate opened again. This time, He Daqing himself came out, pushing a bicycle with some things hanging on it. It seemed he was going out to see someone or do something.

Liu Haizhong quickly walked over there.

Just as He Daqing was about to ride away, he raised his voice and called out, "Hey! Isn't this Brother Daqing? You're back!"

He Daqing was nearly startled to the point of falling over by his shout. He braced himself on his feet, turned his head, and looked at him in confusion, asking, "Who are you? Don't you know that scaring someone can be deadly?"

"I'm Liu Haizhong, from the west wing of the front courtyard, the one you used to live in!"

“I used to live here, you must have mistaken me for someone else,” He Daqing said, then turned and got on his bike and drove away.

Did he recognize him? Of course he did. This fat guy is no good, and he has no intention of dealing with him.

"Hey, Qing Dynasty, Qing Dynasty, don't go!" Liu Haizhong was still shouting from behind.

Unexpectedly, He Daqing rode faster and faster, and Liu Haizhong said angrily, "Who is this guy?!"

Xiao Man, who was closing the gate from inside, heard the shouts outside, peeked through the crack in the door, and then walked towards the central courtyard.

"Xiaoman, who's calling you 'Dad' outside?"

"Liu Haizhong from the front yard before."

"Fatty Liu, how did he find us?" Chen Lanxiang asked.

"I don't know, maybe we just happened to run into each other."

"What did your dad say to him?"

“My dad... my dad pretended not to know him at all.”

"This old guy has even learned this trick." Chen Lanxiang laughed.

"It's better to pretend we don't know each other. What kind of monsters and demons live in that courtyard? It's better to ignore them. Didn't you hear Hongxia say during dinner that the courtyard is almost a mess?"

“That’s for sure, there’s not a single one that’s easy to deal with,” Chen Lanxiang said.

"By the way, they recognized the Qing Dynasty. Will they be in trouble?" the old lady asked worriedly.

"What's wrong? This isn't like before."

“What if someone comes and asks, ‘Where did we go?’” the old lady said.

“Madam, just say you went to Hong Kong. So many people went to Hong Kong back then. The fact that we can come back now means that our identity is legitimate,” Xiaoman said.

"Oh, so Zhu Zi told you that?"

"Even without Brother Zhu telling me, the fact that we can live here peacefully proves that we are aboveboard."

"That's good, that's good!" the old lady said.

The old lady actually changed her mind at the last minute. On the way back, she kept thinking about her yard, otherwise she wouldn't have reacted so strongly when she passed by.

Originally, the old lady planned to go for a visit the next day, but when Wang Hongxia revealed the story of courtyard No. 95 during dinner at Quanjude, she immediately backed out.

After that family moved out, the courtyard became incredibly lively, especially since the families that moved in afterward were also quite eccentric.

He Yuzhu was stunned. He had gone down a completely different path, but Widow Qin still managed to catch a blood bull, and the blood was much more abundant than that of the silly Yuzhu in the original story.

He was a cadre, a widower, and also had children. In the end, his own children came back from the countryside and were unemployed, while the Qin family's children were all sent to factories. Then, as time went on, the house became the property of Old Jia. You have to admit, that widow was quite shrewd.

Then the child went directly to the street office to sever ties, and no amount of persuasion could change their mind. In the end, they were placed in a new home, but it was far away from Nanluoguxiang.

The other two families suffered the same fate: Liu Haizhong was truly a model of 'filial piety and loving father,' while Yan Bugui was completely outmaneuvered by his own children.

Now, apart from the Jia family's children, most of the younger people no longer live in the courtyard.

The reason Wang Hongxia said the house was difficult to sell was because the Jia family wouldn't move out, and they were even urging other families not to sell either, hoping that their children would take care of those people in their old age.

Everyone was stunned when they heard this. If they couldn't even rely on their own children, how could they expect to rely on other people's?

What kind of logic is this? Yet the people in that courtyard actually believed it. Isn't that ridiculous?

By the end of the story, Wang Hongxia almost choked with laughter. She had heard the latter part from a former colleague, who had already been transferred to the district.

"Hongxia, is that courtyard unclean?" the old lady added.

"Oh, old lady, you've lived there for almost seventy years, and you're asking me?"

"This is too eerie. Could it be that my son Zhuzi used to be able to keep it under control?" The old lady looked at He Yuzhu.

"You know what, it's actually quite possible." Several of the older folks laughed.

(End of this chapter)