Chapter 6

Before Xu Damao could say anything, the surrounding neighbors had already chimed in with agreement. Xu Damao was left speechless. He had suffered a crushing defeat today—his hen was stolen, his matchmaking failed, and now he had even lost a bet. He had never felt so utterly humiliated, and for a moment, he even thought about giving up on life. He had originally planned to beat up Shazhu and then take Lou Xiaoe back with him, but now all hope was completely gone. After standing there for a moment and feeling too ashamed to face anyone, he turned and left.

Seeing that the matter was resolved, He Yuzhu was quite happy. "Time to eat!" He Yuzhu announced loudly, "The 'Dragon' 'Teng' premiere is starting!" Immediately following that, he rattled off a sequence of numbers, then mentioned the specific time and location for "Longteng Transfer," and finally added, "The resource group has been established." Upon hearing this, the crowd instantly grew excited.

With delicious food right in front of them, everyone was drooling and eager to indulge to their heart's content. However, the table could only seat eight people, which meant not everyone's wish would be granted. All eyes were focused on He Yuzhu. This was not just about eating; it was a matter of face. Who got to sit at the table not only reflected what He Yuzhu thought of them, but also indicated their status within the Siheyuan. The young people and the women didn't care too much about this, since in that era women rarely sat at the main table anyway. Crucial as it was for certain individuals—such as Second Uncle, who had just stepped up to defend Xu Damao and was now extra nervous for fear that He Yuzhu held a grudge against him—it mattered a great deal.

First, He Yuzhu carefully helped the Deaf Old Lady to the seat of honor, then invited First Uncle and Aunt Yi to take their seats. This gesture left Aunt Yi deeply moved; it was the first time she had ever sat alongside First Uncle in a place of such importance, and she silently praised He Yuzhu for his kind heart. Once the two of them were seated, He Yuzhu felt completely unbothered, viewing everyone else merely as "trash." Yet he understood that even trash, if utilized properly, could become a resource. If the courtyard were left with only him, his younger sister, and First Uncle's family, would it still retain any vitality? As someone equipped with decades of modern thinking, He Yuzhu was not about to blindly push everyone away. There were only three empty seats left at the table now, with the Deaf Old Lady, First Uncle, and Aunt Yi occupying three of them, alongside He Yuzhu and Lou Xiaoe. Knowing He Yuzhu's personality, once He Yuzhu returned, she would claim a spot as well. Without a seat at the table, it would be hard to get along in the neighborhood in the future.

Second Uncle walked up with a ingratiating smile, grinning broadly as he said, "Our boy Shazhu is just so genuine! Whenever he makes something good, he always thinks of the neighbors!" He Yuzhu didn't even lift an eyelid, merely sweeping his gaze casually across the crowd in an attempt to find a few faces that weren't entirely repulsive. Wherever his gaze landed, people would subconsciously straighten their postures. If this scene were set during military training, one would probably have heard a chorus of crisp "Here!" responses long ago.

... ... ...

While observing the neighbors, He Yuzhu motioned for his apprentice Mahua to sit down. As a guest, there was nothing improper about Mahua taking a seat. Everyone guessed that next in line would probably be Second Uncle and Third Uncle. Yet judging by Shazhu's expression, he seemed to have other plans.

"Aunt Er, Third Aunt, you two work your fingers to the bone all year round—you should sit down and rest today too." At the sight of this, Third Uncle immediately blocked Third Aunt. "Shazhu is just being polite, don't you go taking him seriously and sitting down! Hurry back, you still have a tub of laundry to wash!" Second Uncle wasn't as quick-witted as Third Uncle, but he copied Third Uncle's tactic and pulled back Aunt Er, who was just about to sit down. "If you don't go cook, what are the kids going to eat when they get back?" Onlookers chuckled quietly to themselves.

First Uncle couldn't bear to watch any longer. He had always valued the appearance of harmony. Still, since this was Shazhu's private treat and not official business, he couldn't say much. First Uncle glanced at Shazhu, and seeing no reaction from him, lowered his head in silence.

"Second Uncle, Third Uncle, you two are in the wrong here. This is the new era; you can't cling to old-fashioned ideas and discriminate against women!" "Women hold up half the sky!" "Second Uncle, you love listening to the radio, so you should know quite a bit—am I making sense or not? Five years ago, the media already put forward the slogans 'equal pay for equal work for men and women' and 'women hold up half the sky'."

Upon hearing this, Second Uncle fell silent. He usually liked to throw his weight around and enjoyed pondering such matters whenever he had free time, so of course he knew it inside out. Shazhu was usually thrifty, yet he had gone out of his way to buy a radio solely for listening to the news. Whenever he listened, he always turned the volume down to the minimum, claiming it was to save electricity. It was hard enough just for the kids in his household to catch a listen.

Many of the women burst into applause upon hearing this, while Second Uncle and Third Uncle looked on helplessly as Aunt Er and Third Aunt took their seats. With dark expressions on their faces, the two men turned and walked away.

He Yuzhu couldn't be bothered to pay them any mind. Right on cue, He Yuzhu returned, and everyone started eating, showering Shazhu with praise for his culinary arts. Even Lou Xiaoe, who usually had a poor appetite, found herself eating with great relish.

It was He Yuzhu's first time meeting Lou Xiaoe, and assuming she was her older brother's girlfriend, she quietly questioned He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu told her not to ask and just eat first.

He Yuzhu asked again, "Brother, I've graduated from high school and want to take the college entrance exams. What do you think?" Without lifting his head, He Yuzhu replied, "Terrible idea! Who has the mind for college right now?" Unconvinced, He Yuzhu retorted, "If I get into Tsinghua or Peking University, I'll bring honor to the He family!" He Yuzhu sneered, "The old He family doesn't need you to bring glory to our ancestors. Just managing to feed yourself will be good enough."

Naive by nature, He Yuzhu was frequently taken in by Qin Huairu. Sometimes she would rather go hungry herself than give food to Qin Huairu's family. Yet she failed to realize that doing so might end up harming her brother. Though He Yuzhu harbored resentment toward Qin Huairu, the bond between siblings remained. He insisted that his sister take a job at the textile mill instead of staying at the Steel Mill.

"I want to work as a teacher at Third Uncle's school!" He Yuzhu suggested once more. "Absolutely not!" He Yuzhu opposed it firmly. This was truly difficult to explain clearly; he certainly couldn't just come out and say he wanted to keep her farther away!

At that moment, an elderly uncle chimed in, "That's right, Shazhu, how wonderful it would be to let Yuzhu stay at the Steel Mill. You have a good relationship with the factory leaders. I heard the broadcasting position is currently vacant, and Yuzhu has a pretty face and a pleasant voice."

"Uncle, please don't stir up trouble. I'm just a cook; it's my good fortune that the leaders enjoy my cooking, but if I used that to angle for other positions, my conscience wouldn't rest easy!" He Yuzhu spoke with righteous sternness, putting on the air of an upright gentleman. "Besides, I've thought about it—the Steel Mill is mostly men and the work is heavy. The work at the textile mill is relatively lighter, which suits Yuzhu better."

"Indeed so!" As they chewed on the dishes He Yuzhu had prepared, the crowd naturally had to save face for him, and upon hearing this, they nodded in agreement.

He Yuzhu raised no further objections. The textile mill had already been one of her options to begin with, and quite a few of her classmates worked there. Most importantly, there was still a full semester left before graduation, so there was plenty of time and no need to rush a decision.

During the meal, an aunt tried to play matchmaker between He Yuzhu and Lou Xiaoe, but was intercepted by an uncle. Lou Xiaoe was originally supposed to have a matchmaking meeting with Xu Damao, so letting word of this out wouldn't sound very good. He Yuzhu wasn't in any rush either; he hadn't even figured out who he wanted to choose as a wife in the first place! Both palms and the back of the hand were made of flesh; choosing between them was truly difficult!

"This won't work and that won't do—why must I go to the more distant textile mill instead of staying at the Steel Mill?" This question was indeed difficult to explain away; he couldn't very well admit it was because he wanted to keep her at a distance!

The uncle spoke up once more, "That's right, Shazhu, wouldn't it be great to let Yuzhu stay at the Steel Mill? You've got good connections with the factory leadership, and I hear there's an opening for a broadcaster. Yuzhu is nice-looking and has a lovely voice, too."

"Uncle, please don't add to the chaos. I'm just a cook; the leaders liking my food is my honor, but if I were to rely on that to scheme for other positions, my heart wouldn't feel settled!" He Yuzhu adopted a serious tone, striking a posture of absolute integrity. "Furthermore, I've considered that the Steel Mill is mostly men and the work is strenuous. The textile mill offers lighter work, making it a better fit for Yuzhu."

"Quite true!" Eating He Yuzhu's cooking, the guests naturally had to show him respect, and they all expressed agreement upon hearing his words.

He Yuzhu offered no opposition; the textile mill was indeed one of her backup choices, and besides, quite a few of her classmates worked there. She still had a full semester left before graduation, so she wasn't in a hurry to lock down her future workplace.

Amidst the meal, an aunt made an attempt to pair up He Yuzhu and Lou Xiaoe, only to be headed off by an uncle. Lou Xiaoe's original plan was to meet Xu Damao for a matchmaking arrangement, and if word of this got out, people would start talking. He Yuzhu wasn't in a rush either; he hadn't yet decided which young woman he wanted to marry. Torn between options, it really was a dilemma.

"That is completely out of the question!" Being a student might bring harm to others, while becoming a teacher could lead to misfortune; neither path was suitable.

"Since neither this nor that works out, why not let Yuzhu stay at the Steel Mill instead of making her go all the way to the textile mill?" This question was tricky to answer; he certainly couldn't blurt out that he wanted to send her away!

At this juncture, the uncle chimed in: "True enough, how great would it be to keep Yuzhu at the Steel Mill? You have a fine rapport with the factory leaders, and I hear the broadcasting role has a vacancy. Yuzhu has a proper appearance and a pleasing voice."

"Uncle, stop adding to the mess. I am merely a cook; the leaders appreciating my meals is my blessing, but if I were to leverage that to scheme for other posts, my conscience would be troubled!" He Yuzhu maintained a resolute attitude, projecting the image of a righteous man. "And I've also weighed that the Steel Mill is predominantly male and the labor is heavy. Yuzhu will have an easier time at the textile mill."

"Indeed so!" Tasting his culinary handiwork, the company naturally had to give him face, and they nodded along in consensus.

He Yuzhu still raised no objections; the textile mill had always remained among her alternative plans, plus numerous schoolmates were employed there. With an entire semester remaining until graduation, there was no pressing need to finalize her decision.

Mid-meal, that same aunt made another pass at matching He Yuzhu with Lou Xiaoe, only to be blocked by the uncle. Given that Lou Xiaoe was initially set to meet Xu Damao for a prospective match, letting such news spread would be rather unseemly. He Yuzhu naturally felt no urgency either, as he had yet to make up his mind regarding which maiden to take as his bride. Caught between choices, it truly was a perplexing puzzle.

There was simply no good way to explain this matter; he could hardly come right out and say he wanted to ship her off!

At that moment, an elderly uncle chimed in: "That's right, Shazhu, wouldn't it be better to leave Yuzhu at the Steel Mill? You're on good terms with the factory bosses, and I hear the broadcasting position is short-staffed. Yuzhu is decent-looking and has a sweet voice to boot."

"Uncle, please stop creating more trouble for me. I'm just a cook; the leaders favoring my food is my fortune, but if I used that to secure a position, my conscience would not be at ease!" He Yuzhu stated with deadpan earnestness. "Besides, I've thought it over—the Steel Mill is mostly men and the work is quite grueling. Yuzhu will have it easier at the textile mill."

"That's a fact!" Partaking in He Yuzhu's dishes, everyone naturally had to afford him some respect, and hearing this, they nodded in unison.

He Yuzhu offered no further dissent. The textile mill had already been one of her considered options, and quite a few of her classmates worked right there. More importantly, graduation was still a semester away, leaving plenty of time.

Over the course of the meal, an aunt showed an inclination to pair He Yuzhu and Lou Xiaoe together, but was intercepted by another uncle. Lou Xiaoe was originally supposed to go on a blind date with Xu Damao, and if word of this got out, it wouldn't look very proper. He Yuzhu himself wasn't in a hurry; he hadn't figured out just yet which one he ought to pick as his wife! What a tough choice!

"That simply won't do!" To remain a student might cause trouble for others; to become a teacher invited bullying—neither path fit.

"If this place won't do and that place won't either, why must I go to the further-away textile mill instead of staying at the Steel Mill?" This situation remained rather awkward to clear up; he couldn't very well confess his desire to pack her off elsewhere!

At this, that same uncle spoke up once more: "Precisely, Shazhu, wouldn't keeping Yuzhu at the Steel Mill be wonderful? You're on good terms with the factory leadership, and I hear the broadcasting role lacks personnel. Yuzhu has a proper look and a clear voice."