Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 365 Old Friends Gather in the South

At the negotiating table, the two sides engaged in fierce exchanges.

The European representative spoke arrogantly, emphasizing the brand's century-long history and globally leading technology, claiming that although the price was high, it was "worth it."

He Yuxin remained calm and composed, while the engineers beside him broke down the technical details one by one, explaining how the Yellow River solution could achieve lower costs, faster production cycles, and more thorough technology transfer while meeting performance requirements. The financial advisor then clearly compared the return on investment of the two solutions.

Director Gao and the other factory leaders listened very attentively, occasionally bowing their heads to take notes.

The meeting lasted from morning until evening.

During the recess, the European representative approached He Yuxin, his tone much more conciliatory: "Mr. He, perhaps we can talk. Is it possible for us to cooperate? We would provide the core technology and brand, while Huanghe would be responsible for production and some localized R&D?"

He Yuxin smiled and said, "Thank you for your suggestion. But Huanghe's goal is to build independent capabilities and a brand. Cooperation is possible, but it must be based on equality and mutual benefit, not simply OEM manufacturing."

The factory held lengthy internal discussions during the final round of negotiations.

Finally, Director Gao announced the decision: "After comprehensive consideration, we believe that the Yellow River Group's proposal is more in line with the long-term development interests of our factory. We have decided to conduct in-depth cooperation negotiations with the Yellow River Group on the passenger car project!"

The European side left in anger; they were unwilling to accept that someone else had taken all the credit when the discussion had reached its end.

Stepping out of the conference room, the northern autumn wind carried a chill, but He Yuxin felt hot all over.

After he returned, he dialed the number in Hong Kong.

He exclaimed excitedly, "Brother, we've secured one in Changchun! We've decided!"

On the other end of the phone, He Yuzhu's voice was tinged with laughter: "Well done. This is a good start."

"Actually, it's just that we're cheap and offer favorable terms."

“The cost wasn’t high to begin with, and we didn’t use the most advanced technology, but you’ve given me a big problem. I need to find a production line.”

“The capable should do more work, brother, you can’t just keep assigning us tasks,” He Yuxin said with a smile.

After hanging up the phone, He Yuxin dialed her home number in Sijiucheng.

“Xiaoxue,” his voice unconsciously became lighter, “things in Changchun are almost done, I’ll go back to Beijing tomorrow.”

Gong Xue laughed on the other end of the phone: "That's great, Mom was just saying that. Be careful on the road."

"Okay, I'll go back once I've made the arrangements."

At the end of October, He Yuzhu received a call from Mei Sheng, whose tone was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"Pillar, pillar, guess who's here?"

He Yuzhu laughed and said, "Who else could make you so happy, Lao Mei, besides Qianli and the others?"

"Hahaha! I knew I couldn't hide it from you! Our entire division has been redeployed to Huacheng! Qianli is now the chief of staff! Lao Xiong has taken over as division commander, Wanli is the deputy division commander, and Congrong is the deputy political commissar! And..."

Mei Sheng paused, his voice filled with even more laughter: "There's one more person you wouldn't expect."

"Who is it?" He Yuzhu really couldn't think of anyone he was close to.

“Your fifth brother, He Yuyan, I only just found out that he is your younger brother. I was wondering why the name sounded so familiar.”

"You two met up earlier?"

"No, Wanli's regiment is cooperating with other units, including your fifth son's unit. Your fifth son is just as good as you on the battlefield."

"Why did Yu Yan come along?"

"It seems that Qianli personally transferred this position, and now he is the company commander of the 7th Company."

"The Seventh Company, him? Can he handle it!"

“Your brother has achieved top results in various competitions over the past few years and is a combat hero on the battlefield. You underestimate your brother.”

“This kid didn’t explain in detail,” He Yuzhu said.

"I'm just like you, I only tell when I can't hide it anymore."

When are Lao Wu and the others free?

"It'll be a while before I get back, there's a lot to do."

"Okay, then you make an appointment with them and let me know when it's time."

"no problem."

About ten days later, He Yuzhu received another call from Mei Sheng, and the meeting place was Huacheng.

"I'll arrange what I need to do and get going as soon as possible."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu paced around the study, a long-unseen, carefree smile on his face.

He picked up the intercom: "Lingyi, come here for a moment."

Xiaoman quickly came in: "Brother Zhu, what's up?"

"Get ready, we're going to Huacheng." He Yuzhu said in a light tone, "Qianli, Wanli, and Congrong's troops have been transferred to Huacheng. Also, that kid Yuyan has been transferred there too."

"You must be so happy now! All your old buddies live nearby. Yu Yan is back? This is wonderful news!" Xiao Man exclaimed with delight.

"Yes, I'm very happy."

"By the way, didn't you ask where White Dove is?"

"I forgot about that."

"You can forget this too? I should have asked Yu Yan in the past."

Two days later, in Huacheng, at the military region's guesthouse.

As soon as He Yuzhu and Xiaoman arrived, Meisheng and Wu Qianli were already waiting at the door.

Wu Qianli was wearing a brand-new school officer's uniform. His posture was still upright, and his face showed some signs of hardship, but his eyes were as sharp as ever.

He saw He Yuzhu, strode forward, and the two hugged tightly, pounding each other's backs.

"Pillar!"

"Qianli! Good heavens, he's become the chief of staff!"

"I can't compare to you, Mr. He!" Wu Qianli released him, smiling as he looked him over. "You look good. It seems you're doing quite well as a capitalist."

"Get lost! You never say nice things to me when we meet." He Yuzhu laughed and scolded, then looked at Xiong Jie, Yu Congrong, and Wu Wanli behind him.

Xiong Jie was even more aggressive than Wu Qianli, slapping He Yuzhu's back so hard it made a loud thud: "Zhuzi, long time no see."

"Aren't you afraid of killing me? Do you think I'm still a teenager?" He Yuzhu said irritably.

“With your physique, even a young man in his twenties isn’t as good as you. I’m wondering why you don’t seem to age,” Xiong Jie laughed loudly.

Yu Congrong wasn't much better off, but he was even worse off, begging for mercy after being slapped by He Yuzhu: "Stop, stop, stop, Zhuzi, are you trying to kill me? Or are you blaming me for the old bear slapping you?"

"Hahaha, who told you to be stronger than them, you old codger?"

“You’re much stronger; you didn’t even react.”

Upon seeing this, Wu Wanli quickly shook hands with He Yuzhu, but He Yuzhu wouldn't let him off the hook, patting him so hard he cried out, "Ouch!"

"Brother Zhu, I didn't offend you."

"I like you, okay?" He Yuzhu laughed.

“Okay, okay,” Wu Wanli hurriedly replied.

Then he turned to Xiaoman and said, "Hello, sister-in-law!"

"Okay, okay, your brother Zhu Zi has been talking about you guys a lot lately."

"Really? This big capitalist has time to talk about us gunmen?" Wu Qianli joked.

“Really, he used to carry a gun too,” Xiaoman said with a smile.

“Haha, that’s true. This kid used to be one of my soldiers,” Wu Qianli said.

“They are my soldiers too,” Yu Congrong retorted, not wanting to be left out.

"What, are you guys trying to form your own faction? Are you taking advantage of the fact that I never mentored him?" Xiong Jie protested.

“I’m one of Brother Zhu’s soldiers,” Wu Wanli said.

"Hahaha, fellow villager, you really are the only outsider here, just accept it."

“I knew him before you did, didn’t I, Pillar?”

"Yes, yes, you, Old Xiong, dared to lead a hundred or so men, wearing only thin clothes, to climb ice and snow. You're no slouch on the battlefield," He Yuzhu said, patting his shoulder.

"Are you praising yourself? If you hadn't given us these cotton-padded coats, we would have been frozen solid," Xiong Jie said irritably.

"What, are they not telling the truth?" Yu Congrong asked.

“That’s still better than you, you big dummy. You’re really fierce, taking down eight planes with just a submachine gun. If it weren’t for Zhu Zi, you would have been roasted!” Xiong Jie said.

"Don't insult people by revealing their weaknesses, you know? I'm a deputy political commissar at the division level now, after all."

"What, you think you can't address me as 'Commander Yu' when you see me? Deputy Political Commissar Yu!"

"Greetings, Commander!" Yu Congrong stood at attention and saluted.

"Alright, you two stop fooling around. It's embarrassing if the soldiers see you like this!" Wu Qianli said.

He Yuzhu wanted to change the subject, so he looked around and asked, "Where's that kid Yu Yan? Hasn't he arrived yet?"

Wu Wanli laughed and said, "I'm assigning tasks to his company. They'll be there in a bit."

"Is that kid any good?"

"Their training is no worse than yours; they have a whole set of methods."

"That's a folk method, something I figured out myself."

"That's why I had my brother poach him; that kid's a top student from the military academy," Wu Wanli said.

"Do you guys even acknowledge his academic credentials?"

"Whether he's officially recognized or not doesn't change the fact that he's a legitimate military academy student," Wu Qianli said.

"Okay, let's go inside and wait instead of standing outside," Mei Sheng said.

"Alright," everyone said in unison.

After entering the private room in the guesthouse canteen and finishing a round of tea, the door was pushed open, and a tall figure strode in.

He Yuyan, dressed in his training uniform with sweat still on his forehead, immediately stood at attention and saluted upon seeing everyone: "Reporting! He Yuyan reporting for duty!"

“This is a gathering of your brother’s old friends. There’s no need to be so formal. Everyone sitting here is your brother. Once we’re back in the unit, we’ll be your leaders,” Wu Qianli said.

"Yes, Chief."

"You boy!"

He Yuzhu stood up and patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, there are no outsiders here, sit down."

After a careful look, He Yuyan grinned and then turned to Xiaoman, "You've lost weight and gotten darker."

Xiaoman smiled and nodded: "Where's Baige? Has she been transferred over?"

“She’s still at her original workplace, and the paperwork is being processed,” He Yuyan replied.

"Where was it adjusted?"

“Huacheng Military Region Hospital,” He Yuyan said.

"That's great, you don't have to live in two different places anymore."

Amidst laughter and conversation, the dishes were served, and then the men began a drinking contest.

Xiaoman didn't stop them, and just watched the group of men drink one cup after another. Because He Yuzhu's condition was different from usual, she could feel the deep affection between them.

After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation gradually turned to the previous battle.

Xiong Jie put down his wine glass, his expression grave: "The terrain there is too complex, with dense jungles and numerous caves. They are familiar with the terrain, operate in small groups, and appear and disappear unpredictably."

Yu Congrong chimed in, "They are indeed cunning. They rarely engage in direct combat; they mostly launch surprise attacks and ambushes. They lay mines and set traps, making it impossible to defend against them. We have suffered quite a few losses."

Wu Qianli looked at He Yuzhu: "Brother Zhu, the small team infiltration, night reconnaissance, and electronic jamming you suggested back then really came in very handy later."

He Yuzhu waved his hand: "I only talk about it on paper. It's you guys who have figured it out through practical experience on the front lines."

Wu Wanli said, "Brother Zhu, don't be modest. Your jungle warfare technique really works."

Yu Congrong interjected, his tone filled with admiration: "They also suggested using helicopters to quickly deploy small units, control the passes, and cut off their retreat. This allowed us to complete several encirclement and annihilation battles; that was a truly ruthless tactic."

He Yuzhu pondered for a moment: "We just haven't fought a war in too long. Once we get used to the battlefield, no army in the world will be a match for us."

Mei Sheng nodded: "That makes sense."

"Speaking of which, your transfer here this time must be more than just a simple change of garrison, right?" He Yuzhu asked Wu Qianli.

"Oh, what did you hear?" Wu Qianli asked in surprise.

"I haven't heard anything about it. You've been fighting for so long and summarizing for so long, and now you're coming back without doing anything? That's not the style of our army."

"Zhu Zi, your military acumen is still as sharp as ever. It's time to make some changes, but I can't go into the specifics."

"I don't dare listen to what you're saying, so hurry up and get on with it," He Yuzhu said with a laugh.

“You’ve become much more slick than before,” Wu Qianli laughed.

"Hahahaha!" Everyone burst into laughter.

After laughing, He Yuzhu stood up and raised his glass: "Alright, let's not dwell on the past. The important thing is that you've all returned safely. This glass is for you, and for all the soldiers who went to war for our country!"

"Cheers, to all the soldiers going into battle!" Everyone stood up.

The drinking session lasted until midnight. Xiaoman even asked about the families of these people. After the banquet, everyone stayed at the guesthouse.

The next morning, He Yuzhu and Xiaoman had a simple breakfast at the guesthouse canteen.

Wu Qianli, Mei Sheng, and others had other military affairs to attend to and had already left, only saying that they would meet again in the evening.

He Yuyan changed into a clean military uniform and came over: "Brother, sister-in-law, what are the plans for today? How about I show you around Huacheng?"

He Yuzhu waved his hand: "Huacheng can be transferred anytime. Go see your company, you can go, right?"

He Yuyan paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

The car drove into the military camp, and the sentry saluted and let it pass after checking the license plate and He Yuyan's identification.

The camp was clean and solemn, with loud slogans and footsteps echoing from the training ground in the distance.

The barracks of the Seventh Company were located in a separate area, making them exceptionally quiet.

He Yuyan led her brother and sister-in-law toward the company's honor room.

Pushing open the door, a thick wall of honor comes into view.

The walls are adorned not only with new banners and certificates of merit, but also with many faded old photographs and brief descriptions of the war history.

Xiaoman slowly approached, her gaze sweeping over the black and white images and words.

"In a certain high ground defensive battle, the entire company held its position for three days and nights, repelling seventeen enemy attacks of battalion and company scale, and annihilating hundreds of enemy soldiers."

"They infiltrated behind enemy lines, cut off their supply lines, and successfully coordinated with the main force to complete the encirclement."

Behind each line of simple text lies unimaginable tragedy and sacrifice.

Many of the photos show young soldiers with resolute eyes, and some photos are accompanied by labels indicating the time and place of their sacrifice.

Xiaoman's fingers gently brushed over those names, and her eyes gradually reddened.

She finally understood what kind of war-torn years her husband had experienced, and she also understood why Yu Yan was assigned to this company, which had made great contributions and carried a heavy history.

This is a heritage.

He Yuzhu stood to the side, watching silently, his gaze deep, as if he could see into the distant past through the wall.

He Yuyan said in a low voice, "Every time new recruits go to their companies, the first lesson is here. Brother, the Seventh Company is a good company. You guys have suffered too much on the peninsula."

He Yuzhu gently patted his younger brother's shoulder: "It's all in the past. Now lead the Seventh Company well and don't let down the honor that our predecessors risked their lives for."

“I know.” He Yuyan nodded solemnly.

After having a simple lunch at the army canteen, He Yuzhu and Xiaoman left the camp in the afternoon.

In the evening, everyone had another meal together, but they didn't drink as much as they did yesterday.

After the meal, Wu Qianli and his group apologized to He Yuzhu and his wife, as they had other plans and didn't have time to show the couple around.

He Yuzhu said dismissively, "There's plenty of time to come. It's so close now, you can come whenever you want. But next time you should invite your sister-in-law, brother and sister-in-law, and the children too, otherwise Xiaoman will feel uncomfortable by herself."

“That’s a must. Next time, you should invite your younger children too. It’s good for young people to make more friends,” Wu Qianli said.

"Hmm, I heard from Yu Yan that your kids are all exceptionally good at their studies, and those two boys are even more skilled in martial arts. I'd like to see for myself," Xiong Jie said.

“Then it’s settled. Next time, we must get everyone together. Old Mei, you too. If that doesn’t work, bring your wife and kids to the Special Economic Zone.”

"You make it sound so easy. My wife can come, but the kids' jobs aren't something you can just transfer like that."

“If you can’t arrange it, I will,” He Yuzhu said.

"No, please don't make me make a mistake."

"Come on, you're making mistakes just because you changed jobs? There are plenty of people going into business in mainland China these days."

"We'll talk about that later," Mei Sheng said. He only realized what opportunity truly meant after going to the special zone. It would be a lie to say he didn't have any thoughts about the children's future, but he hadn't thought it through yet.

Since they didn't have time, He Yuzhu and Xiaoman didn't stay in Huacheng any longer and bought plane tickets to return to Beijing.

It was late autumn, and the locust trees in the alley had mostly shed their leaves. The bare branches against the backdrop of the gray walls and blue tiles gave off a chilly feeling.

As soon as the car that was picking up He Yuzhu and the others turned into the alley, they saw He Daqing waiting at the gate.

When the car arrived at the gate of the courtyard, He Daqing said, "Why are you only coming back now!"

He Yuzhu got off the car carrying his luggage, and Xiaoman followed behind, laughing: "Dad, why are you waiting outside? It's so cold!"

“Your mother asked me to come out and greet her; this is the third time I’ve come out.”

“Ah, it’s not like we don’t know our own house,” He Yuzhu said.

"Your mother is anxiously waiting for her eldest son and daughter-in-law."

"Let's go, let's go back quickly." He Yuzhu picked up his things and walked inside.

After entering the central courtyard and putting their belongings in the side room, He Yuzhu and the others went into the main room.

Chen Lanxiang, Gong Xue, and Zong Chuhong were chatting on the kang (heated brick bed) in the inner room. The two of them were feeling unwell and easily fatigued.

He Yuzhu could still smell the aroma of Chinese medicine in the yard, knowing that it was a pregnancy-stabilizing soup that his father had prepared for his daughters-in-law according to an old recipe.

When the group saw He Yuzhu and his companions come in, they tried to get off the kang (a heated brick bed).

Xiaoman quickly waved her hand: "Mother, Xiaoxue, Chuhong, don't move. We're all family, why are you being so formal?"

"Come sit on the kang (heated brick bed), it's warm." Chen Lanxiang patted the edge of the kang.

"it is good."

He Yuzhu placed the various snacks he brought from Guangzhou on the kang table: "I brought you some Cantonese snacks."

"Thank you, brother!" the two women said hurriedly.

Chen Lanxiang followed in, saying, "It's good that you're back. Right now, we really need people—Gong Xue is almost seven months pregnant, and Chu Hong is over six months pregnant. I'm watching them every day, making sure they drink their herbal medicine, counting their fetal movements, and preparing three meals a day. Your father is always busy at the stove, and he relies on Yuxin to do all the grocery shopping, but he's also so busy at his company that he's practically never seen."

"Mom, Dad can just buy the ingredients for the restaurant he's going to and bring them home. Why bother having someone run errands for him? If you're too busy, just hire someone!"

"No one outside is as reliable as one's own people."

"Why not? How about I send the people from Hong Kong back to you?"

"Can it really be sent back?" Chen Lanxiang was somewhat tempted.

“There’s no problem with it. They’re paying a lot of money. I’ll even buy them plane tickets home if they want.”

“I’ll think about it and ask them to come all the way from home,” Chen Lanxiang said.

"What are you thinking about? How about I find two people here for you? They don't live at home, they can help you during the day. And we can leave a driver at home so you can just have the driver take you wherever you need to go. What do you guys think?" He Yuzhu finished talking to Chen Lanxiang, but the last question was directed at Gong Xue and Zhong Chuhong.

"this."

“How about this, I’ll send both of your mothers-in-law here with you. They won’t live here; they can live in the old house. What do you think?” He Yuzhu said.

Chen Lanxiang didn't care, but Gong Xue and Zhong Chuhong were very interested. How could a young woman not want to have a baby with her own mother by her side?

“Mom, I think we should do as Brother Zhu said and bring Xiaoxue and Chuhong’s mother over. We can also leave a driver at home. That way, we can all feel at ease.”

"Is it troublesome?" Chen Lanxiang asked.

"No trouble at all. Just have them call home first, and I'll have someone pick them up."

"Okay, Xiaoxue, Chuhong, are you willing?"

“Yes, Mother! Let’s make the call right now!” The two girls beamed with joy.

"Oh dear, you should have said so earlier! How am I supposed to know what you're thinking if you don't tell me? Look at the mess this has made," Chen Lanxiang complained.

Weren't we afraid of putting you in a difficult position?

"Am I that hard to talk to? Fine, go make a call. If it really doesn't work, I'll have your father come over for Chinese New Year this year. Anyway, there's enough room, so you won't have to run back and forth."

Let's ask.

"Hey, slow down, slow down!"

(End of this chapter)