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

Chapter 68 The Big Boss

In September 1956, Yushui started junior high school.

On the first day of school, she wore a new dress and a schoolbag that a colleague from the supply and marketing cooperative brought back from Shanghai. It was canvas and looked better than the ones sold in Beijing.

Xu Damao rode a new bicycle with a cotton pad strapped to the back seat. Yushui sat on the back seat, envying Damao for having a new bicycle.

Lou Xiao'e had a women's bicycle, an imported one, dark green, with a curved frame. Yu Shui liked it the moment he saw it, saying it was a hundred times better looking than the current 28-inch bicycles.

Yu Shui had already learned to ride a bike from her sister Xiao'e, and she was looking forward to her brother buying her a domestically made women's bicycle next year.

When she got home from school, she reminded He Yuzhu, "Brother, you promised to buy me one next year. Don't forget."

He Yuzhu joked, "What are you buying? A handcart? It's too ugly for a girl to pull a handcart."

Rain lashed against him. "You stinky brother, it's a women's bicycle. Don't play dumb, I have witnesses."

"Haha. Okay, okay, a women's bicycle, I'll buy it when it comes out next year."

Raindrop blinked: "Is it prettier than Sister Xiao'e's?"

"It's prettier than hers. It's a Phoenix brand, made in Shanghai. You can ride it to school."

Rain chuckled and skipped back to its own house.

In mid-September, Chen Xiangqian arrived on his bicycle and took a note out of his briefcase. "Zhu Zi, Vice Minister Bi called. He invites you to his home; Yang Honglin will apologize to you in person."

He Yuzhu took the slip of paper and glanced at it; it was the same familiar address. He put the paper in his pocket. "Uncle Chen, please come with me."

Early Sunday morning, He Yuzhu took out Tan Family Thick Soup and Beef Brisket from his spatial storage, and also took out several Sichuan ingredients and loaded them into the truck bed.

He hopped on his motorcycle, picked up Chen Xiangqian, and drove towards the big leader's house.

The high-ranking leader lived in a government staff quarters. The two of them registered at the gate and entered the compound.

The red brick building has spacious and bright corridors.

Chen Xiangqian rang the doorbell, and the door opened. A middle-aged woman stood in the doorway, with short hair reaching her ears, and smiled gently. "Are you Comrade Xiangqian and Comrade He Yuzhu? Please come in."

He Yuzhu carried the groceries into the house.

The living room was simply furnished, and two people were sitting on the sofa. One was a high-ranking leader, wearing glasses and with his hair combed back; the other was Yang Honglin.

The senior leader stood up and extended his hand. "Comrade He Yuzhu, Comrade Xiangqian has praised you several times; I'm finally getting to meet you today."

He Yuzhu grasped the hand of the senior leader.

Yang Honglin walked up to him with his cane, not daring to exert too much force with his legs.

"Comrade He Yuzhu, I was wrong last time. I shouldn't have used my power to oppress the working class. I apologize to you."

He Yuzhu grabbed him and stopped him from bowing. "I was also wrong; I acted impulsively that day."

He helped Yang Honglin sit down, and Yang Honglin was stunned. His lips moved, but he swallowed his words.

He Yuzhu took the photo out of his pocket and handed it to Yang Honglin.

"That old deaf man conspired with Yi Zhonghai from the Intermediate People's Court to scheme against my father. He forced him to go to Baoding, where he's still cooking for people to this day. I was only sixteen that year, and I took my seven-year-old sister to Baoding to find him. I left my sister there and came back to take revenge myself."

Chen Xiangqian continued, "That year I was in the Military Control Commission. A sixteen-year-old boy brought a seven-year-old girl to get a letter of introduction. The girl's eyes were red and swollen. Later, after Zhuzi finished his apprenticeship, he asked me for help to get a business license and started selling boxed lunches at the train station."

He would get up before dawn to chop and cook vegetables, and at noon he would ride a tricycle to the train station. He saved up money and gradually renovated the abandoned courtyard next door into a proper yard.

Not long after the repairs were completed, Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui each wrote letters of denunciation, making various false accusations, especially regarding collusion with enemy agents. The Military Control Commission investigated and found these to be false accusations. Yi Zhonghai had been to a labor camp, and Yan Bugui had been detained; both had prior criminal records.

He looked at Yang Honglin and asked, "Old Yang, did she mention any of this to you before you helped her get revenge?"

No one spoke in the living room. Yang Honglin clutched the photo, his face covered in sweat, and after a long pause, he finally managed to say in a hoarse voice that he didn't have it.

The high-ranking leader leaned back on the sofa, tapping his fingers on the armrest. "Xiao Yang, you deserved to have your leg broken."

He turned to He Yuzhu and said, "Zhuzi, you did the right thing. When you are oppressed, you have to rise up and resist. We started the revolution back then because we couldn't stand the oppression. It's not easy for you to struggle and build up your own business and gain a foothold in that kind of place."

He Yuzhu paused for a moment while holding the teacup.

A high-ranking leader in my past life said something similar, but not to him. The way he said it today makes it sound like he considers him a fellow traveler.

He put down his teacup. "What the big leader said really resonated with me. My courtyard house was built with my own skills and the support of government policies. Now I can work as a purchasing agent, and I am where I am today, all thanks to the support this new society has given to the working class."

The high-ranking leader waved his hand, "Don't call me 'high-ranking leader.' Call me 'uncle,' and I'll call you 'Pillar.' You're a very interesting young man."

He Yuzhu said, "Then I'll call you Uncle Bi." The big leader nodded and said, "Whatever you say."

The old man and the young man looked at each other across the coffee table and smiled.

He Yuzhu then looked at the leader's wife, "I see you're young and approachable, so I'll call you Big Sister. Where's the kitchen? I'll show you what I can do today."

The leader's wife happily agreed, smiling gently: "Old Bi, you sit with Xiang Qian and Xiao Yang. Zhu Zi, come with me to the kitchen."

He Yuzhu tied on an apron and started stewing the braised beef brisket in a pot.

Twice-cooked pork goes into the wok, the bright green garlic sprouts curling the pork slices into tiny, lantern-shaped buns. Mapo tofu is served, glistening with red oil and sprinkled evenly with Sichuan peppercorn powder. Fish-fragrant shredded pork is stir-fried, a perfect blend of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty flavors.

The leader's wife stood by watching and said, "Zhu Zi, who did you learn this skill from? It's amazing."

When the earthenware pot was placed on the table and the opening was lifted, the rich soup of the Tan family, mixed with the aroma of meat, gushed out.

The high-ranking leader picked up a piece of beef brisket, chewed it a couple of times, then stopped, looked up at He Yuzhu, and said, "Xiangqian didn't give a complete picture. This skill is no worse than that of a state banquet chef. Zhuzi, you've made me eat this meal; what are you going to do next time?"

He Yuzhu wiped his hands on his apron. "That's easy. I'll cook for you whenever I have time. Uncle Bi, your word is law."

Everyone at the table laughed.

And so He Yuzhu got back on track with the big boss, cooking him a meal every week or two. Each time, in addition to Sichuan cuisine, he would also add a signature dish from another cuisine.

Sometimes he would bring his older sister egg tarts, cookies, and small cakes, making the couple treat him like family.

When the high-ranking leader had free time, I would play Go with him. We played three games, and the high-ranking leader won two and lost one.

He Yuzhu also demonstrated his calligraphy and painting skills, showing profound expertise.

The high-ranking leader and his wife were stunned and asked him who had taught him.

He said, "I learned it all on my own. As Chairman Mao often said, 'One is never too old to learn.' My lack of formal education does not mean I am uncultured."

The senior leader valued He Yuzhu more and more, and their relationship, despite the age difference, was far better than in their previous lives.