Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

Hearing her say that, Liu Yuheng thought for a moment and didn't insist anymore. He just nodded and said, "Alright, take care of yourself. If you stand for too long, sit down for a while and don't push yourself. When it's time to give birth, it's best to go to the hospital instead of making do at home. Have Erhe call me then, and I'll arrange the car and bed. You don't need to worry about it." As he spoke, he glanced at Liu Erhe, "Erhe, remember this."

Liu Erhe immediately put down his chopsticks and nodded vigorously: "Brother, don't worry, I remember. I'll definitely tell you in advance." After he finished speaking, he turned to Liang Fangfang and said in a tone with a hint of admonition, "Did you hear that? Big brother said that when you give birth in the hospital, don't worry about the money."

Liang Fangfang nodded and gently stirred the soup in her bowl with a spoon, a faint smile on her lips.

Liu Yuheng picked up another piece of food with his chopsticks, turned his gaze to Liu Shuanzhu, and asked casually as if he had remembered something, "Father, how's business at your restaurant now that it's a joint public-private enterprise?"

Liu Shuanzhu was sipping his wine when he heard this. He put down his glass, wiped his mouth, and said, "It's alright, a little worse than before, but it's still in Dongzhimen, a good location, so there are still quite a few customers. After the public-private partnership, a manager was sent over to manage the accounts, so we veteran chefs can just focus on cooking, and our wages haven't decreased."

After listening, Liu Yuheng pondered for a moment, put down his chopsticks, looked at Liu Shuanzhu, and said in a more serious tone, "Dad, how about I help you get transferred to the factory canteen? The work there is stable, you don't have to worry about things like at the restaurant, and you don't have to worry about any changes in the future."

After hearing this, Liu Shuanzhu remained silent for a few seconds, then waved his hand, his tone carrying the stubbornness typical of an old-fashioned person: "No need, no need. I've worked in that restaurant for most of my life. I can tell you where the stove is, how to adjust the fire, and what heat to use for each dish with my eyes closed. If I move to a different place, I'll have to readjust."

He picked up his glass, took another sip, and continued, "Besides, now that it's a public-private partnership, the manager, although not very good at cooking, has been quite polite to us and hasn't made things difficult for us. If things really get too tough, I'll naturally talk to you. Things are fine now, so there's no need to bother."

Liu Yuheng glanced at Liu Shuanzhu, seeing his composed expression, which didn't seem like a polite refusal, and decided not to try to persuade him further. He could only nod helplessly, "Alright then. If anything changes, remember to let me know."

Liu Shuanzhu responded.

Sitting next to him, Liu Erhe ate a piece of braised pork. As he chewed, he seemed to remember something, put down his chopsticks, looked at Liu Yuheng, and asked with some curiosity, "Brother, I heard that the Ministry of Heavy Industry is going to be split up? Is it true or not?"

Liu Yuheng paused, his hand still holding a chopstick, and looked up at Liu Erhe with a hint of surprise in his eyes. He remembered that he had never mentioned this matter to Liu Erhe before. The plan to dismantle the Ministry of Heavy Industry was still in the internal implementation stage and had not been officially announced in the newspapers. Logically, it shouldn't have reached the ears of ordinary workers in the steel rolling mill.

He put down his chopsticks, looked at Liu Erhe, and asked, "How did you know? Who told you?"

When asked this, Liu Erhe scratched the back of his head and said with a matter-of-fact tone, "Our workshop director said it. He mentioned it when he came back from a meeting a few days ago. He said there's a big plan from above. The Ministry of Heavy Industry is going to be split into several ministries. We don't know who will be in charge of our steel rolling mill or who will be the new leader. The workers are all talking about it."

After listening, Liu Yuheng thought for a moment and nodded: "What your workshop director said isn't wrong. The Ministry of Heavy Industry is indeed going to be split up; it's a decision made from above. The specific division into several ministries and how to allocate functions are already being drafted. Your steel rolling mill..."

He thought for a moment and continued, "It should be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry, so there shouldn't be any major changes. As for whether the leadership will be changed, that depends on the arrangements from above, and it's not something you should worry about."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Liu Erhe, his gaze becoming more serious than before, and his tone becoming solemn: "Erhe, in the factory, just be a good worker, do your job well, take the exams and get your wages, and don't get involved in anything else. If anyone tries to push you to be a workshop director or team leader or anything like that, don't accept it. You're not cut out to be an official; you can't compete with those office-based cadres in your factory."

Upon hearing this, Liu Erhe was taken aback, his expression showing some confusion: "Brother, isn't being a workshop director a good thing? The salary is high, and your words carry weight, so why not take the position?"

Liu Yuheng shook his head, his tone carrying the wisdom of someone who's been through it all: "There's no such thing as a free lunch. You think it's a good job? When the higher-ups impose tasks, the workers below will be disgruntled, and there will be all sorts of overt and covert relationships involved. You'll be caught in the middle and suffer from both sides. I know your personality; you're a great worker, but you can't handle those complicated matters. In the end, you'll not only suffer yourself, but you'll also easily offend people."

He picked up the water glass in front of him, took a sip, and continued, "Just focus on being a worker, hone your skills, get a fifth-grade or sixth-grade worker rating, and earn a living with your skills. You'll never be afraid of anything."

After hearing this, Liu Erhe remained silent for a few seconds, put down his chopsticks, and nodded seriously to Liu Yuheng: "Brother, I remember. I promise not to cause trouble and to honestly do my job as a fitter."

Seeing that he had taken the advice to heart, Liu Yuheng nodded, and a smile returned to his face.

Sitting to the side, Liu Tingting seemed to understand but not quite, but she sensed from Liu Yuheng's tone that this matter was very important. For once, she didn't interrupt or joke, but quietly lowered her head and ate her rice.

The meal lasted for nearly an hour, and most of the dishes on the table were eaten, while half of the wine bottles were empty.

The night outside the window grew deeper and deeper, and sporadic firecracker sounds came from the alley, crackling twice before falling silent again.

Liu Yuheng glanced at the clock on the wall; it was almost eight o'clock. He put down his chopsticks, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, and stood up. "Alright, we should head back now. It's getting late; Qingwan needs to rest early."

Yao Qingwan also stood up, put on her coat, and adjusted her collar.

Wang Xiuhe quickly stood up, picked up a cloth bag from beside the stove, and stuffed it into Yao Qingwan's hands: "These are the pickled vegetables and steamed buns I made today. Take them back with you so you don't have to cook again tomorrow morning."

Yao Qingwan declined a couple of times, but finally accepted it and thanked her.

Liu Yuheng nodded to everyone in the room, then glanced at Liang Fangfang and added, "Remember what I said, if anything happens, have Erhe call me. Don't delay."

Liang Fangfang quickly responded.

The two lifted the curtain and stepped out of the east wing, where a cold wind immediately rushed towards them. Liu Yuheng walked in front, shielding Yao Qingwan from the wind. The two walked side by side through the courtyard, pushed open the gate, and their footsteps gradually faded into the quiet alley, soon swallowed by the night.