Siheyuan (courtyard house): My name is Shazhu!

Just as Tan Guilan left, Xu Damao rushed in, "Zhuzi, you came back late yesterday, did you run into any Japanese devils?"

Good heavens, over a hundred Japanese soldiers were caught red-handed by the military control commission in Fuxiang Hutong. They're not far from death now. I wonder who reported them to the authorities.

"Me." He Yuzhu didn't care how many Japanese soldiers there were. It had already exceeded a hundred, and exceeding a thousand wouldn't be far off.

"You? I don't believe it. The Japanese have guns. No matter how good you are at fighting, it's useless. These Japanese are no good. The military control commission can easily catch them."

"Otherwise what? They're using planes and artillery; that means it's not just Japanese spies here, it's their regular army. Would they dare come?"

"That makes sense. Everyone around Nanluoguxiang is talking about this today, including our school teachers. We haven't had such a large-scale arrest in years."

According to the school teacher, the entire city of Yanjing is being raided, involving at least a thousand Japanese soldiers. Ideally, all the Japanese soldiers in Yanjing should be wiped out.

If we wipe them all out, how will you become a traitor and lackey when you grow up? You're the kind of person that deaf old lady is talking about.

"We only caught a few Japanese soldiers, just a few beasts, nothing serious, we don't need to worry about it. Da Mao, what else did you come here for? Tell me."

"Nothing important? It's just that the steel mill canteen will be open for work after the National Day holiday. They'll start recruiting. The third canteen is mostly completed, and their kitchen staff can start working."

The workshop needs over 600 workers; recruitment will begin in mid-October, and they'll be hiring later. Didn't you want to know? I came to your house last night, but you weren't there.

"It wasn't me who wanted to ask, it was Yu Shui who asked for Qin Huairu. She wanted to work in the steel mill's canteen to earn money." He Yuzhu didn't hide it from Xu Damao.

"Damn, you and Qin Huairu have a good relationship? He doesn't ask Jia Dongxu but asks you. Qin Huairu is pretty, but have you gotten her yet?" Xu Damao asked in a very lewd way.

"She asked about the rain, not me. Why not ask Jia Dongxu? It's none of my business."

"Qin Huairu is worth having now. In a few years, when she gets older, she probably won't be a good match anymore. We don't need to miss out on Jia Dongxu's wife."

Comrade Xu Damao, don't you know your own thinking, which leads people to cause trouble for no reason? The culprit is you.

"Hehe, Da Mao, you're still young, and your thoughts are quite complex. It's good to not waste your life, but the key is to have the opportunity, right? Where would I find the time?"

"You still don't have enough time. You can't even leave work on time. It's a bit of a shame."

I'm too young, and I don't know who Qin Huairu will end up with. There's no chance with anyone else in the courtyard, so none of them are suitable.

Forget about her for now, we'll talk about her again in three years. Brother, let me know in advance when you have time to cure some bacon; my parents need to cure some too.

It would be best to send Jia Zhangshi in; if she doesn't take the bait, we can keep her for ourselves—a win-win situation. What other pickled products do we have?

"And pickled cabbage and pickled mustard greens, I will pickle less of them because they are too cheap. They are not as convenient as cured pork. If she dares to take four pieces of cured pork, that's 120,000 yuan, enough for her to smash stones for two years."

"Curned pork is better; the price speaks for itself. It's 120,000 yuan. If we don't settle, she'll definitely go to jail. Who does she think she can scare by pretending to be crazy?"

"In the bangs."

"Don't even mention that coward. He looks like a human being, but he's brainless and cowardly. He's a disgrace in the steel mill. The other workers don't talk about him out of politeness, but they all look down on him in their hearts."

Why did Jia Zhangshi do that? Anyone with a modicum of common sense would understand why she did it.

There's another piece of news, I don't know if it's true or not, that the residents in the front yard are renters, not employees of the steel mill, and they're moving out when their lease expires.

The empty houses in the courtyards will be left for the steel mill workers. Those of us without jobs here will have to move out; only those with formal employment can stay.

"It shouldn't be all of them. Yan Bugui and Chu San in the front yard have formal jobs and aren't far from the courtyard, so they probably won't move. As for the others, it depends on whether they can become employees of the steel rolling mill."

"There aren't many good people here. It would be best if they got out of here, especially those two old thugs, Gou Dongxi and Tan Wu, who bully Xiao Lu together."

"Standing up for Xiaolu? He's not exactly a good person, he just has some principles, but not many."

Two years ago, they helped me scare the kids from other compounds, the ones from the No. 91 courtyard, who were all a year or two older than me.

They're a bit better than Gou Dongxi and his gang. In the front yard, only Wu Laogen and Chu San are considered normal. Are there no normal people among the others? Neither the men nor the women are people who want to live a decent life.

"It's good that you understand. It's normal that there are only two households in the front yard."

"The men are out there stealing chickens and dogs, and the women are arguing idly in the yard. They're all so annoying. I'm going back now so as not to disturb your rest." Xu Damao left.

"Did you hear that, Rainwater? The cafeteria will be hiring after they start work on October 4th. You can tell Qin Huairu and ask her to inquire."

Tomorrow, the 3rd, is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I'm going to buy some mooncakes at noon and eat them when I get home in the evening. What kind of filling do you like? He Yuzhu forgot about the Mid-Autumn Festival last year, and He Yushui didn't remind herself either.

"Is it the Mid-Autumn Festival? Five-nut mooncakes sound good. Maybe I should go to Aunt Wen's shop at the restaurant and buy a few; I had them last year."

"Aunt Wen and the others sell them. Buy a couple to try, it'll be a nice little treat for the holidays. I've been working here for over two years, but I've never been to their kitchen where they make staple foods."

"I've been there several times. Aunt Wen and the others taught me how much 'dough starter' to put in when steaming buns, what temperature to use, and how long to let the dough rise."

They even taught me how to steam rice, how to use low heat to prevent it from burning. How much water to add? When to simmer the rice on low heat?

Also, you can't open the pot lid in the middle. You have to rely on smelling the aroma and listening to the sound of the water and rice in the pot to adjust the heat of the stove so that the rice won't be undercooked. I can make it myself after practicing for a while.

I helped them knead the dough, and they all said I was strong. They also taught me kneading techniques to make the dough even and smooth.

"You've learned a lot. They like you going, so you can go. Just don't cause them any trouble. These women work very hard, and their wages aren't high."

"They only make two or three hundred thousand a month. Not only do they have to cook staple foods, but they also have to wash dishes and chopsticks. They have a lot of work to do, and they only have a little rest time in the morning."

"They are all not highly educated and are older. They can't find jobs elsewhere. If they save their money, two or three hundred thousand yuan can support a family of four or five."

Therefore, if you want a good job with a high income in the future, you must have education or a special skill; only then will someone offer you a high salary.

"Just like my brother."

"I'd say I'm a skilled worker, but I'd be better off as a manager."

"I've got it."

Qin Huairu wasn't at the Intermediate Court, so He Yushui went to tell Tan Guilan to tell Qin Huairu tomorrow that the little girl was smart enough.

Back home, I ate the peanuts He Yuzhu fried while reading medical books. Little did I know that peanuts were my favorite food. In my past life, did you, "Silly Brother," live on peanuts to drink and then get tricked?

He Yuzhu didn't drink. He's not old and doesn't have a strong addiction to alcohol. He was still reading. He seemed to feel a sense of accomplishment as his experience points increased.