It was a little past 6 AM, and Wáng Lìdōng and Hé Yǔshuǐ had already arrived at the long-distance bus station in Beijing. They boarded a bus heading to Bǎochéng.
"Yǔshuǐ, you didn't sleep well again last night? Look at how pale you look."
Wáng Lìdōng said with concern, seeing Yǔshuǐ with panda eyes again.
"I ate too much last night, so I didn't sleep very well."
Hé Yǔshuǐ looked out the window.
She thought about the 30 yuan she had meticulously saved for months, only to have it squandered by her silly brother. Hé Yǔshuǐ hadn't slept much all night.
"It's over 3 hours to Bǎochéng. You should take a nap. Come on, lean on me."
Wáng Lìdōng adjusted his posture so Yǔshuǐ could lean more comfortably.
"Brother Dong, thank you!"
"Hurry up and sleep. I'll wake you when we arrive."
Wáng Lìdōng sighed inwardly.
He and Hé Yǔshuǐ had grown up together and had a very close bond.
Wáng Lìdōng could roughly guess why Hé Yǔshuǐ had been in a bad mood for the past two days.
However, when it came to the matters between the siblings, if Hé Yǔshuǐ didn't want to talk about it, Wáng Lìdōng could only pretend not to know.
But Wáng Lìdōng's dislike for Shǎ zhù grew with each passing day.
After more than 3 hours of bumpy travel, the bus Wáng Lìdōng and his companions were on finally arrived in Bǎochéng.
Wáng Lìdōng discovered that Hé Yǔshuǐ was quite capable; she could sleep soundly on such a bumpy ride all the way.
After a good sleep, Hé Yǔshuǐ's spirits had improved considerably.
"Brother Dong, let's go buy some things," Hé Yǔshuǐ said after getting off the bus and exiting the station.
"Alright, we have to bring something when we visit your father."
Wáng Lìdōng didn't intend to visit Hé Dàqīng empty-handed.
Although Hé Dàqīng was somewhat unreliable, he was Yǔshuǐ's father after all.
He hadn't abandoned Yǔshuǐ.
At the very least, he sent Yǔshuǐ living expenses every month.
At a supply and marketing cooperative, they bought 2 bottles of Fenjiu, 2 bags of peanuts, and 2 cans of canned fruit. Then, Wáng Lìdōng led Hé Yǔshuǐ towards Hé Dàqīng's place of work.
"Hé Dàqīng, someone's looking for you at the factory entrance."
Hé Dàqīng was currently working as a Master Chef in the back kitchen of a State-run Shoe Factory.
He was sitting on a chair in the back kitchen, directing the kitchen staff.
This scene was strikingly similar to the back kitchen of the Steel Rolling Mill.
"Coming," Hé Dàqīng reluctantly got up.
"Who would be looking for me at this hour?"
It definitely wasn't anyone from home. If Widow Bai was looking for him, she would have come straight into the back kitchen.
Before he even reached the factory entrance, Hé Dàqīng saw Wáng Lìdōng and Hé Yǔshuǐ from a distance.
"Dad," Seeing her father's figure, Yǔshuǐ couldn't help but run towards Hé Dàqīng.
"Yǔshuǐ, we haven't seen each other for two years, and you've grown so tall."
Embraced by his daughter, Hé Dàqīng was a bit at a loss for what to do with his hands.
"Uncle He, hello. This is a gift Yǔshuǐ bought for you with her usual pocket money," Wáng Lìdōng said, gesturing with the items in his hands.
"Good, good. Yǔshuǐ knows how to be filial to her father. You're such a good daughter."
Hé Dàqīng reached out and patted Hé Yǔshuǐ's little head, feeling very pleased.
"Why are you two visiting me at this time?"
Hé Dàqīng asked Yǔshuǐ. He recalled that most of their previous visits were around the Lunar New Year.
"I'm starting high school this year. Brother Dong said he had time before school started, so he brought me to see you. He also has something to discuss with you. Dad, have you been well these past two years?"
Hé Yǔshuǐ let go and circled Hé Dàqīng twice.
They say daughters are parents' little padded jackets. As for Hé Dàqīng running off with a widow, Yǔshuǐ only had a little resentment that her father left without saying goodbye.
It wasn't something shameful. Afterwards, Wáng Lìdōng and Hé Yǔshuǐ continued to live their comfortable little lives. Therefore, in this lifetime, Hé Yǔshuǐ and Hé Dàqīng still had a pretty good relationship.
"I'm fine, your father is doing great." Hé Dàqīng's eyes felt a little sore as he watched this scene, and his heart felt warm.
Looking at his daughter, who now stood taller than his shoulders, showing concern for him.
Compared to the attitude of Widow Bai's two sons towards him, Hé Dàqīng couldn't help but feel emotional; his own children were truly different.
"Yǔshuǐ, and Lìdōng, wait here for a moment. I need to inform someone inside. Just wait for me here, I'll be right back," Hé Dàqīng said before hurrying back into the factory.
Only a few minutes later, Hé Dàqīng returned to the guardhouse, a little out of breath.
"Old Liu, thanks!" Hé Dàqīng offered a cigarette to the guard, Old Liu.
"It's a small matter, Master He is too kind." The guard, Old Liu, looked at the Da Qian Men cigarette with surprise.
He knew Hé Dàqīng; he was the head chef in the back kitchen, and his cooking was reportedly praised by the factory leaders.
However, this man was usually very stingy. But after glancing at Hé Yǔshuǐ and Wáng Lìdōng, Old Liu seemed to understand the reason.
Hé Dàqīng took Yǔshuǐ and Wáng Lìdōng to a restaurant called 'Yángyánghóng'.
After the three found a table by the window, Hé Dàqīng began ordering dishes.
"Dad, there are already three dishes. That's enough. If you order more, the three of us definitely won't be able to finish them," Hé Yǔshuǐ immediately spoke up to stop him, seeing her father's intent to order more.
"Yǔshuǐ, it's rare for you to visit. Let's eat more. Don't worry, your dad can afford it."
Seeing this, Yǔshuǐ didn't insist further. She knew that with her father's culinary skills, his monthly salary and side income wouldn't be small. She let her father order as he pleased.
After ordering two more dishes, Hé Dàqīng said to the waitress, "Please ask the chefs in the back kitchen to put in some extra effort."
The waitress didn't show any particular expression and replied, "We certainly will."
It seemed that her In-laws Father frequented this restaurant and was quite familiar with it.
After ordering the food, Hé Dàqīng carefully examined Hé Yǔshuǐ.
After all, they hadn't seen each other for two years, and his daughter had changed quite a bit.
She had grown taller, her features had developed, and thankfully, her looks hadn't taken after him.
Seeing that Hé Yǔshuǐ's face still had a little baby fat, he knew that his daughter had been well taken care of by Wáng Lìdōng.
"Yǔshuǐ, has Wáng Lìdōng bullied you these past two years?"
"Dad, no such thing. Brother Dong has been very good to me. How could he bully me? Dad, guess what level chef Brother Dong is now?"
Hé Dàqīng glanced at Wáng Lìdonga, who was sitting to the side like a transparent person.
"Level six? Or level five?"
Hé Yǔshuǐ was surprised.
"How did you guess? Brother Dong is already a level 5 chef."
"Oh, is he really level 5?!"
Hé Dàqīng had just said it casually, but he didn't expect to be right.
He remembered meeting this kid the year before last, and he had just been promoted to level 7 chef.
Good heavens, one level per year.
Such talent made Hé Dàqīng a little envious.
For the profession of a chef, everyone's skill level is roughly the same in the early stages if they work hard. But the higher up you go, the more the difference in natural talent becomes apparent; some people can only trail behind, eating dust no matter how hard they try.
"Hmm, not bad, Little Dongzi. It seems my judgment was good. Keep up the good work."
As for his daughter's fiancé, Hé Dàqīng's attitude was as it was.
"How is your older brother? How has he been these past two years? Has he found a girlfriend? He doesn't even think about visiting me, that rascal."
Hearing this, Hé Yǔshuǐ's smile gradually faded.
"What, did Shǎ zhù get into trouble?"
Hé Dàqīng couldn't help but worry, as Shǎ zhù was the only male heir left in the Hé family.
"Silly Brother is fine, he's still the same. He's just becoming more and more unreliable."
Hé Yǔshuǐ said with displeasure.
Thinking about how poor her brother was now, he was even resorting to stealing her pocket money.