Chapter 9

"Oh, Brother Yuzhu, this is all my fault. Just pretend I passed gas—if you need anything in the future, come to me!"

Director Liu was in a state of absolute panic. He was a distant relative of Deputy Director Li and had landed his position through connections. Even with that backing, he knew that if this situation escalated, his safety wasn't guaranteed. Under normal circumstances, authorities didn't intervene unless someone pressed charges, but if this blew up, it would be a serious crime—at the very least, he’d be looking at several years in prison.

"Mahua, take Liu Lan out first and calm her down. Leave this to me."

"Understood, Master. Come on, Liu Lan, let's head out."

Once the two had left and shut the door, He Yuzhu turned to glare at Director Liu. "This can’t end like this. Liu Lan is my subordinate! If word of this gets out, who will ever dare to work with me, He Yuzhu, again?"

"Yuzhu, I was truly muddled. Can we settle this privately?"

"Settle this privately? Who would dare to do that?"

"We can, we can! I'll pay compensation—cash and food. How about I give Liu Lan 50 jin of flour and 200 yuan? How does that sound?"

"What? Do you take me for a beggar?"

Director Liu gritted his teeth, desperation setting in. "100 jin of flour and 500 yuan!"

He Yuzhu knew this was Director Liu's absolute limit. Although the directorship was a lucrative post, even he had limited access to extra cash during these difficult times.

"Fine. But helping you bury a matter this big carries a lot of risk for me," He Yuzhu said, rubbing his chin and feigning concern.

Director Liu, being a cunning man, immediately offered in a hushed tone, "There's some flour and meat in the kitchen that others have given me—take it all!"

"What?" He Yuzhu stood up abruptly.

"W-well, I'll add another 50 yuan. That's all I can do! I've given everything I have!"

"Humph, what kind of person do you take me for? You think I’d take that kind of money?"

While it was only right to seek justice for Liu Lan, He Yuzhu knew that accepting bribes personally would be illegal, and he wasn't about to do anything so foolish.

"Then what do you propose?"

Director Liu looked at He Yuzhu with a pitiful expression, his frustration mounting. He had offered the goods, yet the other man refused to take them—where was he supposed to argue his case?

He Yuzhu pretended to ponder for a moment. "If I don't take something, you'll be worried I'll talk, won't you? But I don't like taking bribes. How about this: give me a few of those bicycle coupons you have. That’ll be enough to show your sincerity."

"Yes, yes, of course!"

In this day and age, shopping coupons were precious, but they weren't cash. Since these were already under Director Liu’s control, it wasn't a difficult task for him. He was eager to leave as quickly as possible before the rest of the kitchen staff arrived and made a private negotiation impossible. He fumbled in his pocket, pulled out a stack of coupons, and handed them to He Yuzhu without even checking them.

Once the items were in hand, He Yuzhu stopped giving him a hard time and stepped aside. Director Liu hurried away.

After he left, He Yuzhu unfolded the coupons. It was a bountiful haul: one bicycle coupon, two watch coupons, and even a television coupon. He Yuzhu tapped the coupons against his palm, feeling satisfied as he returned to the kitchen.

By then, Liu Lan had calmed down, and He Yuzhu told her the outcome of the negotiation. Her tears stopped instantly. People in this era were practical, and there were no other options anyway. With this compensation, her family wouldn't have to worry about living expenses for the next two years.

He Yuzhu remembered the white flour and meat Director Liu had left in the kitchen. He didn't want the benefit, so he went to the back to retrieve them, intending to give them to Liu Lan as well.

Just then, the door curtain was lifted, and Qin Huairu walked in. She used to visit He Yuzhu often, so both Mahua and Liu Lan recognized her.

"Sister Qin," Mahua greeted her.

He Yuzhu glanced at her but said nothing. He had just brought out a bag of flour and over ten jin of pork from the back. When Qin Huairu saw this, her long, almond-shaped eyes widened. It was a massive amount of pork—clearly high-quality lean meat—and the other bag was definitely white flour, at least thirty jin. It was enough to feed her family for two months.

Qin Huairu had come to sound He Yuzhu out. He had been ignoring her lately, and she realized something wasn't right. After dealing with He Yuzhu’s sister, He Yushui, yesterday, she had assumed He Yuzhu would come to apologize to her that night, as was their custom. To her surprise, he never showed up.

Early that morning, she had rushed to the courtyard to do laundry, intending to ask He Yushui exactly what was going on. To her disappointment, He Yushui had walked right past her to avoid her. Recalling the pleasant voice of Lou Xiaoe from the day before, Qin Huairu couldn't stay calm. She decided she had to see He Yuzhu; even if it meant letting him have his way, it would be worth it.

Thinking of this, she felt a sweet flutter in her heart. She looked around—luckily, no one was watching. A faint blush appeared on her beautiful face. To her surprise, before she had even said a word, Shazhu was about to give her so much! Even when they were on good terms, he had never given her this much meat.

Filled with joy, she stepped forward. "Shazhu, thank you so much! With the New Year just around the corner, I can't believe you're giving our family so many good things!"

He Yuzhu froze. How could she be like this? He hadn't said a word about giving her anything! Her shamelessness was truly something else. He stopped in his tracks.

"Qin Huairu, didn't I warn you last time to stop hanging around the kitchen? Can't you have a little self-awareness?"

Qin Huairu's face flushed a deep red. "Shazhu, how can you say that..."

"Don't be so full of yourself. Who told you this was for you? This belongs to Liu Lan. It was left here earlier, and she’s just about to take it back!"

Qin Huairu stole a glance at Liu Lan, feeling a sense of disdain. Though Liu Lan was a decent enough girl and looked fine, in Qin Huairu's eyes, she herself was the belle of the factory. Besides, Liu Lan was so thin that a man would probably feel nothing but bones if he tried to hold her.Although Qin Huairu felt that Lou Xiaoe posed a bit of a threat, she didn't feel the same wariness toward Liu Lan. She pondered to herself that He Yuzhu was likely just tired of being lonely and wanted to find some amusement. Thinking this, Qin Huairu felt a sting of jealousy, yet she understood that as a widow, she had to plan her moves carefully and couldn't afford to be too hasty. Despite feeling a pang of heartache over the white flour and pork, she forced a smile:

"Oh, Liu Lan, I’m so sorry! I thought Shazhu had prepared those for me. They look so heavy—can you manage? Do you need me to help you carry them back?"

"No need, Sister Qin. I can handle it."

He Yuzhu handed the items to Liu Lan and told her to go home and rest, saying she didn't need to come back to work for the rest of the day.

After Liu Lan left, He Yuzhu urged Qin Huairu to hurry along.

"Shazhu, please don't think I'm shameless, but my family is really struggling to put food on the table. Just a moment ago, Xu Damao came to me and said he’d give me ten steamed buns if I met him in the backyard after work!"

He Yuzhu understood immediately; this must be the "melon-watching" scene from the original story. In it, Xu Damao tried to get up to no good with Qin Huairu in the factory backyard, only to be caught by He Yuzhu, resulting in a spectacle where the female factory workers stripped Xu Damao of his clothes. Recalling this, He Yuzhu couldn't help but chuckle. He thought to himself that seeing a real-life version of this might be even more entertaining.

There was still some time before noon, so he would have to wait a little longer before dealing with Xu Damao. After shooing away the thick-skinned Qin Huairu, He Yuzhu, along with his apprentice Mahua, Master Yang, and the others who had just arrived, began preparing lunch.There were no guests today, so the meal was much simpler. When there were no guests, lunch usually consisted of various combinations of cabbage, bok choy, radishes, tofu, and vermicelli. Under normal circumstances, only two or three dishes were prepared for a meal. Pork was only added during holidays or when there was a celebration at the Steel Mill, but such occasions were rare throughout the year.

His apprentice, Mahua, was very diligent. Although he had been at the mill for less than a year, he could already handle these standard dishes quite well. Because of this, He Yuzhu was able to relax. He took out the last of his Pu-erh tea, steeped it in his enamel mug, and began to sip it leisurely.

Soon, it was time for the meal service. Mahua and the others went to the canteen window to serve the food, leaving He Yuzhu with nothing to do. He picked up his enamel mug and went to find Sister Hua. Sister Hua was a prominent figure at the mill.Renowned for being a master at catching adulterers, she specialized in exploiting men's weaknesses. He Yuzhu sat down among a group of women, an angry expression on his face. "Sisters, right now there are certain bad elements trying to take advantage of us female workers." "Sister Hua, you are the expert on this sort of thing, you simply must take charge of this matter!" "Strip him of his clothes!" Sister Hua instantly perked up, slamming her chopsticks down on the table with a *crack*. "That's a must!" He Yuzhu quickly played along with what she wanted. "Strip him of his clothes! Wait, is that person you're talking about Xu Damao?" "She who knows me is Sister Hua! I didn't say who it was!""Just as I expected. You wait, today I am really going to teach him a lesson!" "This bastard, he still hasn't come clean about last time!" Sister Hua turned to the female workers beside her and said, "Master Chen, I'll go block him first. You all hurry up and follow. Today we're going to see his true colors!" "Got it, you go ahead, we'll be right there!" Sister Hua put down her bowl and chopsticks and immediately stood up. A group of female workers left noisily. He Yuzhu watched them leave with a smile, and as he turned around, he saw an elderly man eating nearby. The old man had always been a peace-loving person, so naturally he wouldn't interfere in such matters. He Yuzhu quietly hid in the outer room to listen to the commotion. A commotion of chaotic sounds drifted over. "Undo your buttons, undo your buttons!" "Don't move, stop thrashing around!" "Alright everyone, I give up!" "You'll yield now, won't you?" He Yuzhu chuckled to himself. Seeing that the affair was almost over, he strolled back to the kitchen with his hands clasped behind his back. After greeting Mahua and the others, he walked to the entrance of the Steel Mill, boarded a bus, and prepared to buy a bicycle. After a ride of seven or eight stops, he soon arrived at the Department Store. The supply and marketing cooperatives only sold everyday necessities; luxury items like bicycles, watches, and sewing machines could only be purchased at the Department Store. It was still early, so He Yuzhu was not in a hurry. He strolled leisurely starting from the first floor, and finally reached the bicycle counter. He Yuzhu looked at this bicycle and touched that one, feeling as though these memories intersected somewhat with his past life. When he was in college, he had bought an old second-hand bicycle, intending to take the girl he liked out for a spin on the weekend. Yet when he pushed the bike and waited at the school gate, that girl got into a BMW instead, driving away with a strange man and leaving him behind. Such was life. Girls nowadays would probably rather laugh while sitting on their own bicycles. In this era, a bicycle was even scarcer than a supercar of yesteryear. "Master, are you choosing Phoenix or Permanent?" "Permanent." "Very well, do you have your bicycle coupon with you? If you do, come pay." "Hold on, let me look a bit longer." Actually, there wasn't much to choose from, just those two brands. Even so, He Yuzhu thoroughly enjoyed the sense of fulfillment that came from making his selection amidst the female salesperson's envious gaze. Half an hour later, under the female salesperson's disgruntled gaze, He Yuzhu finally settled on a bicycle. After paying promptly and happily, He Yuzhu left in a great mood. Straddling the bicycle, he felt as light as a feather. "So happiness is really this simple!" Late at night, the garden was quiet and still, with only the gentle sigh of the wind. The nocturnal scenery was enchanting, and his state of mind was at ease. The flowing stream stirred up ripples, moonlight spilled across the water's surface, and the breeze accompanied his singing, creating a tranquil and beautiful atmosphere. The song was the Chinese version of "Moscow Nights", which was also part of the soundtrack of the film "In the Heat of the Sun". Riding his bicycle, He Yuzhu couldn't help humming the tune, singing it over and over again.