Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 355 The Fourth Prince's Engagement
“Our group has offices in North America and Europe, mainly for collecting industry information and looking for cooperation opportunities,” He Yuxin said reservedly. “If there are specific needs in China, we can look for them specifically.”

After pondering for a long time, Mr. Zhou finally sighed: "To be honest, many of our factories can't even afford good second-hand equipment now. The country is facing a foreign exchange shortage, and every penny must be used wisely."

He Yuxin expressed his understanding: "Therefore, we are also considering other cooperation methods. For example, equipment leasing, or repayment in installments using products or resources."

Mr. Zhou looked at him and asked, "Can you really do this? Aren't you worried about cash flow problems?"

"This can only be described as a new business we've started; our group doesn't expect to make money from it," He Yuxin replied.

Zhou's father finally showed his first smile of the day: "Good, good. People told me that looking for Huang He was the right way to go, but I didn't believe them. It seems I didn't look for the right person."

"I'm just my brother's spokesperson in mainland China. This new business was only recently proposed by my brother, and we haven't had time to start it yet."

“That’s how it started. I’ll have someone bring you a list, and your group can evaluate it,” said Mr. Zhou.

"can!"

"By the way, when is your older brother coming back? Could you introduce me to him?"

"The introduction is a bit of an exaggeration. My brother probably won't be able to come back anytime soon, and you know the situation there."

"That's true, let's wait for an opportunity."

"Yes."

What is your family's opinion on white doves?

“My parents like her very much. They even asked them when they were getting married. I just don’t know what you and Aunt Zhou think.”

"I've been keeping an eye on Yu Yan, and I'm very satisfied with him in all aspects. But today is a huge surprise to me. I never expected that someone would return to China to join the army and serve the country."

“His lifelong ambition has always been to be a soldier, but there are no soldiers in Hong Kong,” He Yuxin said.

"Oh, it's not just because of the white doves?"

“Yes, otherwise my older brother wouldn’t have been able to bring him back,” He Yuxin said.

"You really don't know what your older brother did before? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." Zhou's father was even more curious about He Yuzhu's past identity.

"Uncle Zhou, you should ask him directly."

"I understand!"

The two chatted about other things, mainly about the business and operating model of the Yellow River, and it wasn't until an hour later that they came out of the study.

In the living room, Zhou Baige was whispering something to He Yuyan. When she saw them come out, she immediately sat up straight.

Mr. Zhou was in a much better mood and his attitude towards He Yuyan became more friendly: "Yuxin, Yuyan, why don't you have dinner at home tonight? Have your aunt cook a couple of dishes."

He Yuyan looked at her third brother, and He Yuxin nodded with a smile: "Then we'll have to bother Uncle and Auntie."

However, He Yuxin still made a phone call home and hinted that the marriage was almost done, which made Chen Lanxiang very happy.

The atmosphere at dinner was much more harmonious. Zhou's father no longer had a stern face and even had a few drinks with He Yuxin and He Yuyan.

As he was leaving, Zhou's father saw him to the door and said to He Yuyan, "During your vacation, come and visit Baige often."

"Yes, Chief!"

"You should call him Uncle Zhou!"

"Yes, Uncle Zhou!"

Zhou Baige smiled so hard her eyes narrowed. Her father's words meant he accepted He Yuyan.

It was already dark when we left the Zhou family's house.

The jeep drove along the quiet winter streets, the heater inside was on full blast, but He Yuyan felt her palms getting a little sweaty.

He glanced at his third brother, who was driving: "Third brother, Uncle Zhou didn't give you any trouble, did he?"

He Yuxin, focused on the road ahead, smiled upon hearing this: "Difficult? Not at all. We had a good chat and even discussed a big deal."

"Oh!"

He Yuxin glanced at her younger brother, "You're quite something, kid. You're so badly injured, yet you're still keeping your mouth shut. If it weren't for that slap from Mom, were you planning to keep it a secret forever?"

He Yuyan awkwardly touched her nose: "It's all in the past, there's nothing to say. Saying it would only make my family worry."

"Nonsense!" He Yuxin's tone was unusually harsh. "That was a life-threatening incident! If Mother finds out from someone else, she'll be even more upset."

"Understood," He Yuyan replied softly.

The car turned into the alley, and the red lanterns at the entrance of the He family's house could be seen in the distance. After entering the courtyard, the two brothers went to the middle courtyard.

The elderly people in the family are all waiting in the main room of the house; even the old lady hasn't had a break.

"How is it?" Chen Lanxiang asked as soon as the two brothers entered the room.

He Yuyan straightened her back: "Report! Uncle Zhou and Aunt Zhou have agreed to let Bai Ge and I date!"

Chen Lanxiang got up and came over, patting him on the shoulder: "Speak properly!"

"Mother, I have something to say to my eldest brother. You should ask the fifth brother first."

"Okay, you go."

After He Yuxin left, everyone started asking He Yuyan questions one after another.

He Yuyan answered each question in turn, but when the topic of identity came up, everyone was still a little nervous.

However, He Yuyan mentioned the change in Zhou's father's attitude and that he stayed for dinner after talking with He Yuxin.

The family finally breathed a sigh of relief, and smiles appeared on their faces. It seemed that the Zhou family didn't mind.

Actually, they were all wrong. If it were He Yuxin and Zhou Baige, the Zhou family would definitely object. But He Yuyan is different; he's a war hero.

The exact number of merits hasn't been determined yet, but it's at least a second-class merit, which means I have a bright future in the military.

Meanwhile, He Yuxin went to the study, closed the door, picked up the phone, and dialed Hong Kong's number.

The phone rang several times before being answered.

"Brother, it's me."

"Calling so late, is something wrong at home?" He Yuzhu's voice came through.

"The fifth brother is back, with his girlfriend."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone. "The Zhou family girl?"

"Yes, I just came back from the Zhou family's house and had dinner."

What is the Zhou family's attitude?

"He basically agreed. However, Uncle Zhou asked a lot of questions about our family, especially what you used to do."

"What did you say?"

“I told him I didn’t know, so he could have a chance to ask you in person.”

He Yuzhu chuckled softly on the other end of the phone: "Good answer. What does Zhou's father do?"

“He’s a mechanical engineer, and he’s not low-ranking. He’s talking to us about importing equipment, which happens to coincide with your previous plan.”

"What exactly did they say?"

“He wants mines, ports, and construction machinery, but can’t afford new ones. As you mentioned before, I proposed a solution of refurbishing and leasing used equipment, and he was very interested and said he would send over a list.”

"Okay, you follow up on this. Be careful to strike a balance; you need to demonstrate your strength, but not go overboard."

"Understood. There's one more thing. Fifth Brother is injured. He has a long scar below his left chest. Mother cried uncontrollably when she found out."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. "Is it serious?"

He said it was a scratch from a shell and that it was already healed. But I noticed that his movements were still a little unnatural.

"Hey, I didn't expect him to go to the front either."

"You'd better be prepared, I think your mother will definitely nag you about it."

"Let him keep talking."

"Brother, I'm still worried about the Zhou family, after all, it's our family."

"It shouldn't be a big problem, otherwise he wouldn't have had that attitude," He Yuzhu said.

"Why don't you ask Uncle Fang?"

"No need, people can't withstand testing," He Yuzhu said.

"understood."

"The fourth and fifth brothers have both settled down, what's going on with you?"

"Um, I haven't decided yet."

"Are you sure you haven't thought it through, or do you think that girl from the Guan family isn't suitable, or have you taken a fancy to someone else?"

"Brother, you're just like our mom."

"Okay, I won't ramble on anymore, you hurry up."

"Okay, bye, beep beep beep."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuxin sat in the study for a while, then went to the main room of the house to chat for a bit before they parted ways late in the evening.

The next morning, Chen Lanxiang indeed called He Yuzhu.

He Yuxin overheard his mother talking into the phone for over half an hour, mostly complaining that he hadn't taken good care of his younger brother, causing the fifth child to suffer such a serious injury.

He Yuyan was about to go out when He Yuxin handed her the Jeep keys and a wad of cash: "Take Baige out for a drive. Don't make the girl squeeze onto the bus in this cold weather."

He Yuyan took the keys, somewhat hesitantly: "Third Brother, is this appropriate?"

“What’s inappropriate about it? Our family situation will be known to others sooner or later. You shouldn’t wear a military uniform. Be more open and generous. Take people out to eat and have fun. Don’t look petty.” Zhou Baige was indeed a little surprised when she saw He Yuyan pick her up in a Jeep, but she forgot about it as soon as she got in the car. It was so much more comfortable than riding a bicycle or taking the bus.

He Yuyan drove her to the Summer Palace.

In winter, the lake is covered with a thin layer of ice, and there are few tourists.

The two walked slowly along the corridor, and Zhou Baige finally couldn't help but ask, "What exactly does your family do?"

He Yuyan stopped and looked at her seriously: "My family situation is a bit complicated. My older brother went to Hong Kong a long time ago and is now doing some business. I came back because I wanted to join the army."

"It's that simple?"

“It’s that simple.” He Yuyan held her hand.

"As long as you're good to me, that's enough." Zhou Baige nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

Afterwards, they went to eat roast duck and watch a movie. It wasn't until evening that He Yuyan took Zhou Baige home.

Three days later, Zhou's father's secretary delivered a list of urgently needed equipment, including the names and quantities.

He Yuxin immediately faxed the list to He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu quickly called back: "I've looked at the list, and it's more than I expected. You should first organize a team to investigate the specific situation of these factories in China, especially their technical level and acceptance capabilities."

"Understood, I'll make arrangements right away."

"Have Zhou's father send someone to take the lead."

"know."

In late January 1984, He Yuyan and Zhou Baige's vacation was about to end.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhou specially arranged a family banquet, inviting the He family to their home.

The He family felt it wasn't appropriate, so they invited the Zhou family over. When they arrived at the He family's courtyard house, Mr. and Mrs. Zhou were quite surprised. They had thought the He family would also build some kind of villa, like capitalists in the old society, but they didn't expect them to live in a traditional courtyard house.

The He family was not reserved at all and treated the Zhou family to a very generous and hospitable welcome.

However, there was a minor incident in the middle. He Yuyan's two brothers-in-law, Zhou Weimin and Zhou Weiguo, attacked He Yuyan, ostensibly to test their future brother-in-law.

Despite their combined efforts, they were still defeated, and Zhou's father's face turned ashen.

He Daqing also scolded He Yuyan.

The two men didn't seem to mind their loss and pulled He Yuyan aside to discuss military matters. They assumed that He Yuyan, being just a common soldier, would be taught a lesson.

As a result, He Yuyan gave the two brothers a good lesson, talking fluently about everything from World War I to World War II and the founding war of the nation, and then about the Vietnam War. In the end, even Zhou's father joined in.

Then Zhou's father realized that it was a real waste for his future son-in-law to be a common soldier, because those theoretical knowledge, war history, and battle examples cannot be learned just anywhere.

However, it was impossible for him to get special treatment. But after returning home, he still called his old comrade-in-arms and asked him to keep a close eye on his son-in-law.

A few days later, He Yuyan and Zhou Baige left Beijing. Chen Lanxiang and Zhou's mother both cried their eyes out. Chen Lanxiang was worried that her son was in danger again, and Zhou's mother was crying because she would not see her daughter for a long time again.

Just a few days after He Yuyan returned to the team, the He family celebrated another joyous occasion.

On the 18th day of the twelfth lunar month, He Yuyao and Cherie Chung held their engagement banquet at the largest restaurant owned by the He family in Hong Kong.

Although it was an engagement, it was quite a grand affair.

The Zhong family had never seen anything like this before, but Cherie Chung remained poised and elegant.

Privately, Zhong's parents kept asking their daughter what the He family's true identity was. Didn't they say their son-in-law was a policeman? What kind of important people were these?

Chung Chor-hung didn't explain much, and he didn't know the specifics either.

A few days later, Yang Tao went to Xiangdu.

The first batch of mass-produced vehicles from Xiangdu Automobile Factory officially rolled off the production line.

Red flags were waving in the factory area. Many leaders from the province and city came. This is a key joint venture in Guangdong Province.

Yang Tao, dressed in a suit, stood in the crowd.

When he lifted the red cloth covering the first minivan that rolled off the production line, the audience erupted in applause.

This minivan, named "Yellow River Sailing," has a square appearance and spacious interior, and immediately secured orders from the postal system and several state-owned enterprises.

Next to roll off the production line was a batch of family cars, modeled after popular European styles at the time, but modified to suit domestic road conditions.

This car has also attracted a lot of orders, mainly for taxis.

At the same time, the television factory in Jidong also officially started production, and He Yuxin went to cut the ribbon.

On the assembly line, workers are assembling 14-inch color televisions.

Televisions are in high demand right now, and many families have to use coupons to buy them, so this television factory's production has come at the perfect time.

Last year, the Yellow River Group's sponsored research projects at various universities in mainland China also yielded results.

Several projects achieved a series of breakthroughs with the support of funding.

He Yuzhu didn't care how the technology was applied in mainland China, but these projects directly propelled the development of the second-generation aircraft at the Yellow River Helicopter Factory.

Hong Kong, Yellow River Helicopter Factory.

Inside the brand-new assembly workshop, a sleek helicopter with a fresh paint job is undergoing final testing.

Compared to its predecessor, it has a more elongated fuselage, a significantly increased proportion of composite materials, and a redesigned rotor system.

The factory's chief engineer stood aside, accompanying Gu Yuanheng and several key technical personnel.

The chief engineer, unable to hide his excitement, introduced: "President Gu, the comprehensive test data for the second-generation aircraft is out. The maximum range, service ceiling, and payload capacity have all been greatly improved, especially the high-altitude performance, which far exceeds that of comparable general-purpose helicopters in the world. Noise and vibration control have also taken a big step forward."

Gu Yuanheng carefully examined the test report and nodded: "What about stability? That's of utmost importance."

"It has been tested repeatedly and is very reliable. Thanks to the weight reduction of the new materials and minor improvements to the engine, the best balance has been found between maneuverability and stability. The veteran pilots who participated in the test flights all said that the handling feel has improved by more than one level."

"Okay, I'll report to the boss right away." Gu Yuanheng said with a smile. The Yellow River Helicopter Factory has finally evolved from imitation to independent research and development, and even better helicopters will be born here in the future.

Later that evening, in He Yuzhu's office, He Yuzhu carefully reviewed the second-generation helicopter test report that Gu Yuanheng had sent over.

Looking up at the excited Gu Yuanheng, he said, "Old Gu, you did a great job. You can decide on the rewards for the people who participated in the project, and I'll approve it."

"thank you boss."

"You can't relax yet. When you get back, make arrangements to prepare a detailed promotional document as soon as possible, highlighting its comprehensive performance, especially its adaptability and reliability."

"Understood. I'll have the technical department work overtime to get the data ready within a week."

"Do you know where to push the data once it's ready?"

"Boss, we can't sell anywhere else, only in the north."

"Okay, contact this company." He Yuzhu took out a business card and handed it to Gu Yuanheng.

"Changjiang Trading Company? Boss, is that Li Donggua back?" Gu Yuanheng asked in surprise, looking at the name on the business card.

"Ahem, ahem, this is a company that came from China and has nothing to do with the person surnamed Li."

"The Yangtze River?"

"Well, it's probably based on the Yellow River," He Yuzhu said helplessly.

“It startled me. I thought Li Donggua had made a comeback and gone to the mainland to stir up trouble again.”

“If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have completely forgotten about him. I’ll have someone keep an eye on him. This company has nothing to do with his family. You should contact them and ask if they are interested. It would be best if it were a long-term partnership, and ideally, a joint venture factory in China.”

"Is the environment permissible?" Gu Yuanheng asked.

"No, not really, but it should be soon. It'll be almost done once we finish the negotiations."

"Okay, I'll get ready when I get back."

The technological breakthrough in helicopters reminded He Yuxin of something else, so he called Xiaoman over.

"Xiaoman, what's the communications lab up to these days?"

“It’s a second-generation Han-style pager!” Xiaoman said.

"Are they short-handed?"

"It seems a bit redundant."

“Okay, there’s a new project that needs their help.”

"What, it's still a pager?"

"No, mobile phones, Motorola has already launched them."

"It seems expensive, but does it really have potential?" Xiaoman asked.

"Absolutely, the cost will come down as technology advances."

"So what is our goal?"

"Imitate them first, then surpass them!"

"Okay, I'll make arrangements."

"Let them get more staff. Also, the R&D department for radio frequency base stations should be separated so that we can start researching analog signal base stations."

"Oh, are you worried about being held back by technology over there?"

"Yes and no, that will be important in the future too."

"Okay, is there any more?"

"temporarily unavailable."

(End of this chapter)