I painted an aircraft carrier on the courtyard house for Dongda University.

Zhou Weiguo found it laughable and said directly, "Who said I'm a section-level cadre? Our technical section has been upgraded to a technical department. I'm sorry, but I'm the head of the technical department."

Wu Jinbu looked incredulous: "Impossible! The steel rolling mill is only a department-level unit now, how could it possibly be upgraded to a separate technical department? Zhou Weiguo, don't be unreasonable! Your workshop is taking up too many of the steel rolling mill's resources. As the factory leader, you must reclaim these resources for production! I'm giving you three days to clean up this workshop and let me take it over, to restore production to the factory! This is outrageous! How can a technical department occupy such a large workshop? Nonsense! Go back to your technical department office!"

After saying that, he turned and left without waiting for Zhou Weiguo's reply.

Watching Wu Jinbu walk away with a smug look on his face, Zhou Weiguo chuckled as he saw him off. He really wanted to see what kind of joke this fool would make when he came to take over the workshop three days later. As for telling Li Huaide and Vice Minister Wang about this? Absolutely unnecessary. Life was already so boring; why not have someone add a little fun?

Just then, the red sedan slowly approached from a distance.

The car came to a smooth stop, and Natasha and He Yuzhu got out of the car one after the other.

Zhou Weiguo quickly stepped forward and asked, "Have you prepared everything?"

Zhu Zi looked embarrassed and scratched his head, saying, "The things are all prepared, but it was all paid for and paid for by my aunt."

Natasha laughed and teased, "Silly boy, you said you were going out with your aunt, how could I let you spend money?"

Zhou Weiguo laughed heartily: "Let's go, let's go, stop dawdling."

He then got into the driver's seat, started the car, and drove out of the factory.

The car drove straight to the Emei Restaurant.

Zhou Weiguo, carrying large and small bags, got off the bus first, followed closely by Natasha.

Only He Yuzhu stood blankly on the car, seemingly lost in thought.

Seeing this, Zhou Weiguo shouted impatiently, "Stop dawdling, He Yuzhu, get down here now!"

He Yuzhu then hurriedly got out of the car with a hesitant look on his face.

As soon as he turned around, he saw a man dressed as a waiter warmly greet him, a sight that left him momentarily bewildered.

Judging from their eagerness, has Emei Restaurant not yet undergone public-private partnership?

The waiter was already surprised to see the guests get out of the car, but he was overjoyed to see that there were foreigners traveling with them.

But when he caught a glimpse of the heavy package in the guest's hand, he began to have doubts—this doesn't seem like they're just here to eat.

Just as I was wondering whether to ask, another person got off the bus. This person looked very familiar. Who was it? Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Sha Zhu!

The waiter exclaimed incredulously, "A pillar?"

Upon hearing that familiar voice, He Yuzhu's voice trembled: "Hey! Brother Ersheng! I've come to see Master."

Upon hearing this, the waiter was overjoyed and quickly reached out to lead everyone into the shop.

As soon as Zhou Weiguo stepped into the restaurant, he frowned and looked at Zhu Zi with a puzzled expression.

He Yuzhu looked around in astonishment and said, "Brother Ersheng, what happened to our Emei Restaurant? I noticed the entrance was smaller earlier. And why are you dressed like that and working as a waiter? Where's Brother Dasheng?"

Ersheng looked helpless and stammered for a long time before finally inviting everyone to their seats and saying, "I'll go to the kitchen and call my father out."

Before long, the waiter led an elderly man and woman out of the kitchen.

The middle-aged woman, around forty years old, became instantly agitated upon seeing the pillar.

The elderly man, in his fifties or sixties, was initially taken aback, then his eyes filled with joy. However, when his gaze fell upon Zhou Weiguo and Natasha, he suppressed his emotions and said solemnly, "May I ask what brings you two here? I apologize for not greeting you properly."

Seeing this, and observing Master Zhu's reaction, Zhou Weiguo guessed that Master Zhu was probably in trouble. He quickly smiled and explained, "Brother Wu, don't misunderstand! I'm Master Zhu's maternal uncle, Zhou Weiguo, we're all family."

These words confused Wu Yousheng. He thought to himself, "Why is this kid calling me 'brother'?"

After realizing it was Uncle Zhu, he smiled and said, "Brother Zhou, please have a seat! Let's chat. You've returned from Baocheng?"

Zhou Weiguo was slightly taken aback. After a moment's thought, he suddenly kicked the pillar in the backside and yelled, "What are you standing there for? Kneel down and kowtow to apologize!"

Zhu Zi obediently did as he was told, kowtowing three times with a thud, his voice choked with emotion, "Master, Mistress, it was all my fault back then! I was deceived a few years ago and mistakenly blamed you for my father abandoning me and Yu Shui, which is why we lost contact. Last night I told my uncle about it and he gave me a severe scolding. I've come today specifically to apologize and beg for your forgiveness!"

Wu Yousheng was shocked, staring intently at He Yuzhu as he said, "What did you say? He Daqing abandoned you and Yushui? Didn't you both go to Baocheng with He Daqing?"

He Yuzhu looked equally bewildered: "No, Master! Back when I was learning to cook from you, one day I came home and suddenly found my dad had disappeared with his money. Then an old man from afar said my dad had run off with a widow, and that he had looked for you before he left, but you kept it from me. I was young and naive then, so I believed him and never came looking for you again..."

Wu Yousheng's face instantly turned extremely ugly, his finger trembling as he pointed at He Yuzhu: "What? He Daqing abandoned you and went to Baocheng? This isn't right, something's not right!"

Zhou Weiguo sensed there was more to the story and quickly reassured him, "Brother Wu, please don't get agitated! If it's convenient, tell us what exactly happened back then?"

Wu Yousheng slowly sat down, leaning on the table, lost in memories: "Back then, you were learning to cook from me, and then suddenly you disappeared. At first, I thought something had happened at home, and I was going to send Dasheng to check on you. But before we could even set off, someone came to tell me that your father had taken you and Yushui to Baocheng. I was worried, so the next day I took Dasheng to your house. We ran into the old man in charge of your courtyard, and he said the same thing, so I believed it... But I never expected... Ah! Silly Zhuzi, how have you managed all these years? That beast He Daqing, didn't he leave you a way out?"

He Yuzhu then realized that he had been tricked all along.

Tears welled up in her eyes: "Master, those years were so hard! After my father passed away, he left me a job at the steel mill and some money, saying he'd send me ten yuan a month. But that guy in the yard swindled all of it! For years, I treated him like a thief, running errands for him, constantly hungry and cold. If he gave me or Yushui a bite to eat, we were incredibly grateful. To earn money, I neglected Yushui; she almost ended up in a shelter several times. It wasn't until a couple of years ago, when I became the head chef at the steel mill, that things got a little better. If my uncle hadn't come looking for me, I'd probably still be caring for that bastard until his death!"