Siheyuan (courtyard house): My name is Shazhu!

Late October 1950!

Yanjing!

Courtyard house at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, Dongcheng District!

The main house of the Intermediate People's Court!

8 PM!

"Dad, are you really planning to leave home and go to another place with that widow Bai?" A sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy named He Yuzhu asked the man opposite him in a low voice.

"Zhu Zi, how did you know I was leaving Yanjing? Weren't you an apprentice at the Emei Restaurant?"

The one who spoke was a man who looked to be about fifty years old, with large, puffy eyes and an unchanging zombie-like face. He was He Daqing, the head of the He family.

He is only thirty-seven years old this year, born in 1914, but looks fifty because he looks older.

何雨柱出生在1935年3月10号，已经十六岁。还有一个妹妹何雨水，1944年2月20号，是当年的雨水节。

A week ago, I transmigrated into the body of the 'famous' Sha Zhu from the 'Myriad Realms'. I'm currently a junior apprentice, with two and a half years left until I graduate. I rest on Mondays and don't go home the rest of the time.

Today is Monday. I was playing with her at home when I overheard my younger sister say, "Dad comes home these days, eats, and then goes out again. He doesn't play with me at all. My brother plays with me."

He Yuzhu's heart stirred upon hearing his sister's words, recalling He Daqing and Widow Bai's trip to Baocheng.

Although he didn't care whether He Daqing went to Baocheng or left behind any food or money, after consideration, he still decided to confront He Daqing.

He was, after all, He Daqing’s son in name only, and in the 1950s, there was no benefit in severing his father-son relationship with He Daqing.

If he comes back later, we can't kick him out. It's not worth ruining my reputation over such a trivial matter.

Providing him with care in his old age is a small matter; perhaps he won't come back.

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Father, how would I know? Don't ask, just tell me if you're leaving."

"I'm still considering it. Your Aunt Bai wants me to go to Baocheng; she has two children there. I'm also thinking that we can't fit everyone in the courtyard house, and there's also..." He Daqing hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

"Father, if you really want to leave Yanjing and live elsewhere, I won't object. However, I would like to ask you to grant me two requests."

One option is to transfer the ownership of the two rooms in the courtyard house to me and Yushui, one room each. I don't want to fight over the property with that woman's child more than ten years from now. You should understand.

Secondly, leave me at least one-third of the money you have. Also, leave me my mother's jewelry; it belongs to your daughter-in-law, not to outsiders.

"Zhu Zi, I'll keep some of the money, but you want a third of it. Isn't that too much?"

"You're still an apprentice, and I'm planning to arrange for you to work in the steel rolling mill. The salary isn't high, but the higher-ups value the steel rolling mill." He Daqing stood up excitedly.

He Yuzhu would never tell him that he had a system and was not short of money, but he knew that spending money required a 'source,' as the entire courtyard was full of people eyeing the lives of other families.

"Dad, calm down. We're all adults now. We need to stay calm and not act rashly."

I asked you to leave some money so that you could have a backup plan in Yanjing. If you have a son in Baocheng, it would be best if he could take care of you in your old age.

What if that woman just wants you to "get her involved"? I think that's possible, and I'm sure you can't say for sure right now.

You know, even princes of the previous dynasty couldn't handle widows with children, let alone ordinary people like us.

Another thing came to mind: for the sake of your reputation, I sent Yushui living expenses every month. I won't say how much money you left behind; there aren't any good people in the compound.

If you don't send money, outsiders might suspect you of abandoning your children!

Just send the money to the compound. Yushui is still young; she can't bear your heartless abandonment.

"Zhu Zi, you've got some nerve talking to me like that. Maybe you're right, in this world, there are plenty of widows who want men to take them as lovers."

I understand what you mean. I have 4400 million yuan. I'll leave you 2000 million, five small yellow croakers, sixty silver dollars, and your mother's jewelry.

Every month, I send 50,000 to 100,000 yuan to Yushui. It's not that I don't want her, it's just that I have no choice. I hope she won't resent me... He Daqing is very sensible, having traveled all over the country.

（50年的一套货币RMB和55年3月1号发行的二套RMB是10000：1兑换。这里的4200万相当于55年以后的4200块钱。）

"Father, I'm doing this for your own good. Perhaps you have other reasons you can't say, but I just want to leave you a way out."

The rain is still light. Perhaps she will miss you. I will take her to Baocheng to find you, to the place where you work.

"Zhu Zi, I feel you've become smarter and more polite. You're no longer that stubborn, silly Zhu Zi. I'm very relieved. Take good care of Yu Shui; I might come back."

"Rain is also my sister. I have a responsibility to raise her to adulthood. You can rest assured about that."

Before you leave, spend some time with Yushui if you have free time. When are you going out of town without notifying us? Tomorrow we're going to the military control commission to transfer the house title.

He Yuzhu had mixed feelings about his younger sister He Yushui, but decided to see if she was truly an ingrate.

The TV series has 'Silly Zhu's' responsibility and her problems. He Yuzhu wants to treat her better after He Daqing leaves, and wants to see with his own eyes what He Yushui will be like in the future.

Okay, she's my own sister. No, I'll raise her until she's eighteen, then kick her out.

"Okay. We'll go to transfer the ownership tomorrow afternoon. I'll give you the money now."

After He Daqing finished speaking, he got up, crawled under the bed, took out an iron box, opened it, and found a stack of money inside.

"Give me a hand." He Daqing asked He Yuzhu to help carry the large wardrobe.

He moved the wardrobe aside and took out three more boxes from under two floor tiles, two of which were the size of ordinary lunch boxes and the other was slightly smaller.

"Zhu Zi, this is twenty million yuan for you. This is your mother's jewelry, just a ring and earrings." The father and son began to divide the 'money'.

"Father, you should keep the gold and silver dollars at home; it's safer to keep them at home than to take them to Baocheng."

"I told your Aunt Bai that there's gold and silver dollars in the house, plus over 20 million yuan. I'm taking three small yellow croakers and 25 silver dollars with me; you hide the rest."

Having traveled all over the country for twenty years, He Daqing quickly thought of many things and stopped resisting leaving more money for He Yuzhu and his sister, so as to leave himself a way out.

And they also kept something in reserve for the White Widow.

What Aunt Bai? He Yuzhu just pursed his lips. Who did she think she was?

He Yuzhu was quite satisfied with his cheap "father's" choice, and kept four more small yellow croakers and more than sixty silver dollars.

He had 20 million yuan, nine small yellow croakers, and 123 silver dollars, which would put him in the top three in the courtyard house.

The money was carefully packed away; the jewelry, gold, and silver dollars were placed in a large box and then put back under the wardrobe.

He Daqing carefully packed his share of money, gold, and silver dollars and placed them under the bed.

"Pillar, is there anything else?"

"Does she really have to leave? She can't bring the child to Yanjing. Our house isn't big enough. We can buy a house or rent a place outside."

That Aunt Bai is very beautiful; she could seduce you to live in another city. The more beautiful a woman is, the less trustworthy she is.

One more small thing: once you find work, write a letter to the Emei Restaurant. If Yushui misses you, I'll take her to visit you.

"My leaving Yanjing isn't just about your Aunt Bai; there are other things too. You're not an adult yet, so I won't tell you now. We'll talk about it another time."

At least your Aunt Bai is still young, she's only twenty-eight. What do you mean she's beautiful? You seduced me, how disrespectful!

The money was sent to the courtyard house, the letter to the Emei Restaurant—what are your thoughts on that?

"I hope someone in the courtyard gets bold enough to intercept the money you sent. This will test them and give us some leverage," He Yuzhu said without hiding anything.

"Damn, Zhu Zi, when did you become so scheming? There are more than a dozen households in the courtyard now, are there no good people among them?"

"It's quite possible that you'll intercept the money I sent you. What are you going to do about it?" He Daqing went from surprise to a smile.

"Let's see who it is. If I don't like someone, I can give them peanuts. The decision is mine, isn't it? Besides, if they eat peanuts, I'll even get compensation. I won't lose out."

"Zhu Zi, it's good that you have this idea. If they behave themselves, it's fine. If they act recklessly, it's okay to give them peanuts. You can't live here without being ruthless."

I used to worry that you were stubborn and didn't think things through, but now it seems you've become more intelligent and less soft-hearted. I'm sure you won't be easily swayed either.

I agree with your approach. "He Daqing has never been a good person."

"I just wanted to see what kind of people lived in the courtyard. I've been an apprentice for half a year, and I haven't been back to the courtyard much. I guess I'm an 'outsider' with a clearer perspective. I felt that some people were acting very strangely." He Yuzhu was making excuses for himself.