Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 16 Yi Zhonghai returns to hospital

After finishing his breakfast, He Yuzhu sat there without moving.

He rummaged through his mind, searching through the regulations one by one.

May 1949. Beiping had just been liberated. The municipal government promulgated the "Provisional Measures of the Beiping Municipal People's Government for the Management of Street Vendors".

All vendors setting up stalls in this city must apply for registration and obtain a business license.

He Yuzhu regained his composure and lit a cigarette.

You need a license to sell boxed meals.

No license is fine. There are plenty of unlicensed vendors. But those bastards in the compound, if they knew he was making money selling boxed lunches at Qianmen Railway Station, they would definitely report him.

Jia Zhang's family, Yan Bugui, Liu Haizhong.

And then there's Yi Zhonghai, that childless man. Given his personality, let alone a crooked nose, even if he lost his legs, he'd crawl away and report him.

A license is required.

However, even if they do it, they pretend they don't, waiting for someone to report them.

Whoever goes, dies.

He Yuzhu stubbed out his cigarette and pushed his bicycle out the door.

Military Control Commission.

The soldier on guard at the gate saw him and paused for a moment.

"It's you again?"

He Yuzhu grinned: "Looking for Comrade Chen."

The soldier looked him up and down and let him in.

He was wearing the same clothes. The cadre frowned slightly when he saw He Yuzhu.

"Hey kid, you're here again? What brings you this time?"

He Yuzhu stood there, rubbing his hands together.

"Uncle, I've come to ask you for help."

Chen Xiangqian put down his teacup.

"Beg me? Last time you reported Officer Wang, I reported it for you. Her actions are on record, and she was originally supposed to be transferred out of here. But her former boss protected her, letting her stay here to await punishment and make amends. So, what trouble have you gotten into this time?"

"No trouble. Serious business."

He Yuzhu took a breath.

"Uncle, I need money."

Chen Xiangqian remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"I'm currently repairing the courtyard. After finishing the house, I won't have much money left. I want to find some work to make a living."

"Finding a way to make a living is a good thing. What do you want to do?"

"Selling boxed lunches."

Chen Xiangqian raised an eyebrow.

"box lunch?"

"Yes. Qianmen Railway Station. They sell it for a few hours at noon. One meat dish and two vegetable dishes, three cents a box."

Chen Xiangqian didn't speak, but tapped his fingers on the table.

He Yuzhu quickly tried to play the victim.

"My He family has a long tradition of cooking. Look at me, I'm only sixteen, barely a kid. Which restaurant would hire me? I'm thinking of buying a tricycle and some equipment while I'm still owed wages, and going to the train station to sell boxed lunches."

Chen Xiangqian nodded.

"That's a good idea. But do you know what you need to sell boxed lunches?"

He Yuzhu pretended to be stupid.

"What do you want?"

"license."

Chen Xiangqian pulled a document out of the drawer and spread it out.

"In May 1949, the Beiping Municipal People's Government promulgated the Provisional Measures for the Management of Street Vendors. Street vendors were required to apply for registration and obtain a business license. Those operating without a license were fined if caught."

He Yuzhu blinked.

"Uncle, how would I know any of this? I don't even know a handful of characters. I don't even know which way the door of the Industry and Commerce Bureau faces."

He took a step forward.

"Isn't this the government serving the people? The people are begging you. Please help me get a license plate!"

Chen Xiangqian was so angry he laughed.

"You little brat."

He leaned back in his chair and stared at He Yuzhu.

"When I first met you, you were full of hostility, like someone owed you a life. Now, you're all smooth talk."

He Yuzhu chuckled.

Chen Xiangqian picked up the teacup and took another sip.

"Okay. It's good for young people to be lively. I'll take care of this for you. But tell me the truth."

He put down his teacup and stared at He Yuzhu.

"Are you sure your cooking skills are up to par? What if nobody buys the boxed lunches you sell, and all your hard work goes to waste? You won't even be able to pay the construction workers."

He Yuzhu stopped laughing.

"Uncle, to be honest with you, I just finished my apprenticeship a few days ago."

"Completed the apprenticeship?"

"You know Fengzeyuan, right?"

Chen Xiangqian nodded.

"Manager Luan of Luan Academy, please keep me working at Fengzeyuan. Give me a separate Sichuan cuisine kitchen."

Chen Xiangqian's eyes widened.

"Fengzeyuan will keep you? You must be bragging, kid!"

I didn't blow it.

He Yuzhu looked into Chen Xiangqian's eyes.

"My skills are too good. If I stay, I'll be competing with my master for his livelihood. I definitely can't do that."

Chen Xiangqian was skeptical.

He Yuzhu continued.

"I've done the math. Selling boxed lunches earns more than working a regular job. I only sell for a few hours at lunchtime, and I can do other things in the afternoon. I'll save up the money and bring my sister back in a couple of years. I don't feel comfortable leaving her with my stepmother. Once she's back, I'll find a job, and she can go to school. I'll take care of her."

Chen Xiangqian fell silent.

He looked at He Yuzhu.

A sixteen-year-old boy.

What she said was heartbreaking.

"You rascal..." Chen Xiangqian shook his head. "Alright. I'll take care of the license plate for you. It'll only take two days."

"Thank you, Uncle."

He Yuzhu remained standing.

Chen Xiangqian glanced at him.

"Is there anything else?"

"have."

He Yuzhu took another step forward.

"Uncle, could you please help me get another letter of introduction?"

"A letter of introduction? Where to?"

"Tianjin."

"What are you going to Tianjin for?"

He Yuzhu lowered his voice: "Buy some dried seafood."

He then leaned closer to Chen Xiangqian's ear and spoke.

"I'll find an opportunity to cook Tan Family Cuisine for Lou Bancheng. He's a big capitalist, he has a lot of money. I'll go and earn some."

Chen Xiangqian paused for two seconds, then burst out laughing.

"You little rascal, you're really blowing your own horn."

He pointed at He Yuzhu with his finger.

"Tan Family Cuisine. I've never seen it, but I've heard of it. Why don't you just say you can cook every kind of cuisine in the country?"

He Yuzhu looked at him intently.

"Uncle, I will learn everything from now on. Right now, I only know Tan Family Cuisine, Sichuan Cuisine, Huaiyang Cuisine, and Shandong Cuisine."

Chen Xiangqian could no longer laugh.

The way he looked at He Yuzhu.

It doesn't sound like bragging.

"Alright... fine. I'll issue you the letter of introduction. Buy a lot in Tianjin and bring some back for me. Many of my soldiers and I have never eaten seafood before. You must accept the money."

Chen Xiangqian opened the drawer, took out a letter of introduction, wrote it, and stamped it. He then took out more than thirty yuan from his pocket.

"Thirty-odd yuan. Is that enough?"

He Yuzhu reached out and took it.

That's enough.

He didn't mince words and simply put the money in his pocket.

"Uncle, don't worry. I'll cook you a seafood feast when I get back. You'll see what I mean when you try it."

Chen Xiangqian waved his hand.

"Go ahead. Come pick up the license plate the day after tomorrow."

He Yuzhu bowed, turned and left.

Chen Xiangqian sat in the chair, looking towards the door.

He picked up the teacup.

Sixteen years old. Graduated from Fengzeyuan, specializing in Sichuan cuisine. Also studied Tan Family Cuisine, Huaiyang Cuisine, and Shandong Cuisine.

This child is a true culinary genius.

He Yuzhu rode his bicycle home.

As soon as they arrived at the front yard, they saw Tan Xiulan supporting Yi Juehu, walking ahead of them.

He Yuzhu hurried up to him to admire his appearance.

His nose is flat and crooked to the right. His chin tilts to the left.

It turned out to be that square, angular face.

The left side is higher than the right side.

It's like two people are working together.

"Oh, Yi Juehu is back?"

Yi Zhonghai's body stiffened.

"What happened to his face? Which hero slapped him?"

He Yuzhu pushed his bicycle and followed beside him.

"Your technique is a bit rusty. It's so uneven, not even asymmetrical."

Yi Zhonghai's lips trembled slightly.

I didn't dare to speak.

Tan Xiulan helped him into the east wing.

The door closed.

Jia Zhangshi stared, bewildered by Yi Zhonghai's grimace. She swallowed the drool dripping from his mouth and quickly went inside to close the door.

He Yuzhu looked at the door of the east wing.

In his past life, Yi Zhonghai relied on this face.

Square and upright, honest and kind.

He's been pretending to be a good person for decades.

Everyone in the courtyard calls him "Grandpa".

Who doesn't say he's fair? Who would believe he'd scheme against people?

This childless man deceived himself his whole life.

They tricked him into becoming a slave to the entire hospital.

They tricked him into providing for two childless families in their old age and seeing them off in their final days.

Now look what's happened, this face is ruined. Crooked nose, crooked chin.

And the nose and chin are so crooked! I could type it a few more times and still not get the same effect. It's amazing.

He Yuzhu pushed his bicycle toward the house, a smile on his lips.

In the east wing.

Tan Xiulan poured water for Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Zhonghai sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at his curled-up right index finger, realizing that his fitter skills had reached their limit.

He lowered his hand and stared out the window.

A figure flickered across the window of the main room.

He Yuzhu.

Yi Zhonghai shuddered.

Tan Xiulan helped him up. "Old Yi, what's wrong?"

Yi Zhonghai didn't speak, staring at the window.

The figure walked past.

But his hands were still shaking.