Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Ma Hua: "Liu Hu quit his job at the canteen and came over to lend a hand! Now things are much easier."

He Yuzhu: "Why did he suddenly quit when he was perfectly fine?"

MCA: "They've got their sights set on you! You left, they went home to discuss it, and the next day they submitted their resignation."

He Yuzhu: "How much are you paid?"

MCA: "We're family, how could we mistreat them? One hundred and fifty ringgit a month, no matter what."

He Yuzhu nodded.

Before he finished speaking, Liu Hu leaned out of the kitchen and called out crisply, "Master!"

He Yuzhu patted him on the shoulder: "After you finish work tomorrow, come to my house for a visit, have a pot of wine, and chat about real things."

After saying that, he followed Lou Xiao'e to the newly acquired courtyard house—she had just bought it a while ago and brought him there to see how to decorate it. She planned to open a Tan Family Private Kitchen; the idea was suggested by He Yuzhu over the phone, and she made the decision on the spot.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, the first impression was one of spaciousness—even more grand than the traditional courtyard house they had lived in years ago. As the two walked and looked around, He Yuzhu pointed out various places and said, "These pillars need to be repainted in vermilion; those two illegally constructed sheds on the east side need to be completely demolished; the pond needs to be dredged and the water changed, and a few pink lotus plants should be planted; the carved decorations on the lintel that were pried off should be re-inserted using old wood to restore their original appearance; and the blue brick floor should be polished by an experienced craftsman to reveal its natural color."

Lou Xiao'e: "Just these things alone will cost a lot of real money."

He Yuzhu: "We cater to discerning customers, not just casual diners. They come for the refined experience. They're not after a full stomach, but for the attention to detail."

Lou Xiao'e: "If you walk another hundred steps, there's a small courtyard house listed for sale. I've already paid half the deposit, and the transfer will be tomorrow. What do you think I'll use it for?"

He Yuzhu helped her lock the courtyard gate, then turned and walked towards that spot. After circling around, he nodded: "Don't rush into construction. Just demolish the unsightly outbuildings. We'll discuss how to use it afterward."

As the two strolled along, they unexpectedly arrived at the entrance of their old residence and pushed open the door. Yan Bugui immediately spotted He Yuzhu and hurriedly greeted him—he had long heard that this man was now a renowned clerk. The two walked to the house where they had gotten married years ago, now inhabited by Aunt Yi. Upon seeing He Yuzhu, she smiled and waved, "Come in and sit down! Zhuzi, you've lost weight. Have a hot meal here with me today. Your uncle will be off work soon; let's have a good drink together."

Lou Xiao'e often visits, but He Yuzhu hasn't shown up for more than half a year.

Aunt Yi: "Zhu Zi, your uncle hasn't retired yet."

He Yuzhu: "Isn't it time yet?"

Aunt Yi: "I'm a few years short. I haven't reached retirement age yet, so I can't receive a pension."

He Yuzhu responded. Lou Xiao'e rolled up her sleeves to help wash the rice and chop the vegetables. Just as the food was ready, Yi Zhonghai pushed open the door and came in.

Yi Zhonghai: "Zhu Zi! Xiao'e! You've finally arrived! We must drink our fill today!"

He Yuzhu: "I came here especially to see you two."

After dinner, Aunt Yi chatted about the changes in the courtyard—though nothing drastically changed: Qin Huairu gave up her factory job to Banggeng and went to work odd jobs at the neighborhood office, and in her spare time she would lend a hand in the black market, living a stable life; Liu Haizhong's family remained the same; Yan Bugui's children had all married and lived separately, and there was little contact between them; but Yi Zhonghai, taking advantage of the fact that some people had moved to the tenement building, bought the old house that they had vacated.

When He Yuzhu and Lou Xiao'e returned home, he immediately called his old colleagues to arrange a small gathering at his home the next day; tonight, he specially hosted Ma Hua and his group.

In the evening, Ma Hua and his wife, Liu Hu, Liu Lan, and Yang Chengyi arrived one after another at the gate of He Yuzhu's villa. He personally opened the door to welcome them, and everyone sat down in the living room, where tea had been prepared and wine had been warmed.

He Yuzhu raised his glass and said with a smile, "We're all old buddies who have worked side by side for many years. Today, there's no hierarchy, no rules, just a chance to have a good time—drinking, laughing, and opening our hearts."

As soon as the dishes were served, everyone started chatting enthusiastically, expressing how much better life was than before—this year, grain rationing was relaxed, and the amount of grain coupons issued had doubled; the country had also imported a large amount of grain from overseas, and the chefs in the canteen were all highly skilled, making steamed buns and fried dough sticks that their families could easily sell at a street stall, allowing them to work and earn money at the same time.

Yang Chengyi opened his mouth several times as if to speak, but swallowed his words back. He Yuzhu noticed the slight frown between his brows and understood perfectly. After the banquet ended, she quietly pulled him aside: "Let's talk alone later."

After several rounds of drinks, everyone got up to say goodbye. He Yuzhu saw them all off at the courtyard gate, and finally accompanied Yang Chengyi as they slowly walked out.

Yang Chengyi rubbed his hands together and asked in a low voice, "Uncle, I'd like to deal in some more liquor... Is everything going smoothly for you right now?"

He Yuzhu nodded: "From now on, you can just pick up the goods from the warehouse behind the villa every day. What, haven't the two kids worn you out yet? You're already panting after just getting started?"

Yang Chengyi smiled and nodded without saying a word.

He Yuzhu paused, then lowered his voice: "Although the situation has eased a bit, it's always better to be safe than sorry."

"I understand, I know what I'm doing."

He Yuzhu turned around and went inside. Lou Xiao'e was bending over to clear the dishes. He rolled up his sleeves and went to help her.

Lou Xiao'e looked up and smiled: "You should go and rest. You've been on the train for days, you're exhausted."

"After we finish tidying up, we'll go upstairs to sleep."

The next morning, He Yuzhu brought two boxes of pastries to Peng Mei's house. Having returned to Kyoto, he felt he had to see his older sister first—she had protected and cared for him all these years. He knew his way around and pushed open the door.

Peng Mei was making tea when she looked up and smiled, "You ran around down there, did you notice anything different?"

"It's just that eating, drinking, and daily life are still a bit out of sorts."

"I've heard about your transfer back. Director Qiao's idea is that this time we need to go through the proper procedures for supplementary training; the last time at the Party School doesn't count as formal graduation."

"I will definitely visit him to thank him later."

"Old Zhang will be over after get off work soon. We'll eat at home today, so you can take this opportunity to catch your breath—you've lost so much weight that your cheekbones are showing, and your face is tanned too."

"Okay, sis."

After the meal, He Yuzhu bought a few more presentable gifts and headed straight for Qiao Weimin's house—he couldn't just keep the kindness of his old leader in his heart.

……

Peak Villas on Hong Kong Island

Standing on the balcony, Mr. Lou gazed into the distance, his tone gentle: "The atmosphere has indeed loosened considerably. I want to go back and see how they've been doing all these years."

Lou's mother agreed, "It's more spacious than before. Let's go back and take a look together."

Lou's father waved his hand: "Let's leave the business here for now and wait a couple of years."

Lou's mother nodded: "Let's go back and take a look, no need to make a fuss."

Although the procedures for returning to China were complicated back then, as long as the materials were complete and the channels were open, it was still possible to make the trip. Lou's father obtained all the necessary documents properly, and together with Lou's mother, they took a boat to Guangdong, and then transferred to a slow train to go north. Along the way, specially assigned cadres accompanied and escorted them, and after arriving in Beijing, they were directly handed over to the comrades of the United Front Work Department, who then accompanied them throughout the process of reuniting with their relatives—this was an unshakeable rule during special periods, and all returned overseas Chinese seeking their roots went through this process.

At this moment, He Yuzhu was squatting in the courtyard of the Prince's Mansion, overseeing the renovation. This courtyard would later be transformed into "Tan Family Private Kitchen," emphasizing the authentic old Beijing flavor, with carved beams and painted rafters, blue bricks and gray tiles, and even the window patterns were being remade according to old designs.

For the past two months, I've had to personally teach Ma Hua how to cook. As soon as Liu Songgui finishes his work in the canteen in the afternoon, he rides his bicycle to help in the kitchen, earning a steady 100 yuan a month; Ma Hua is putting in a lot of effort to learn, noting down knife skills and cooking techniques in his notebook.

Lou's parents followed the comrades from the United Front Work Department to the Third Factory and went straight to the guardhouse to inquire.

Lou's father politely asked, "Comrade, may I ask if He Yuzhu is still working in the factory canteen?"

The security guard shook his head: "He was transferred a long time ago, he doesn't work here anymore."

"Do you know where he lives now?"

"Over there at Qianmen, the steel mill courtyard."

The group rushed to the courtyard house. As soon as they stepped through the gate, they saw Yan Bugui squatting in front of the screen wall tending to several pots of jasmine. Lou's father approached and spoke to him:

"Hello, may I ask if He Yuzhu lives here?"

Yan Bugui was taken aback and quickly stood up: "Oh, you're looking for Director He? He moved a long time ago! He's living in the old Lou family villa now."

The comrades from the United Front Work Department immediately turned the car around and drove all the way to the front of the Lou family villa. Lou's father looked up at the familiar wrought iron gate, his eyes welled up, and tears silently streamed down his face—after decades of separation, he was finally stepping back onto the bricks and stones of his homeland. He took a deep breath and raised his hand to ring the doorbell.

Lou Yue was sitting in the living room haggling with Lou Xiao'e when she heard the doorbell ring. She skipped over to open the door, peeked inside, and saw a bunch of unfamiliar faces. She blinked and asked:

Who are you looking for?

Lou's father asked gently, "Is this He Yuzhu's house?"

Lou Yue stepped aside gracefully and said, "My dad isn't home, but my mom is. Please come in, he'll be back soon!" Seeing the officers in military uniforms standing nearby, she felt reassured and not at all intimidated. She warmly invited everyone to come inside and wait.

When Lou's mother saw her daughter, her hand trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke Lou Yue's head.

As soon as everyone stepped into the living room, Lou Xiao'e turned her head and froze, then burst into tears, rushing over to hug her parents tightly, her shoulders shaking violently as she sobbed uncontrollably. Seeing this, Lou Yue's nose tingled, and her eyes instantly reddened as well.

Mr. Lou patted his daughter on the back, his voice slightly hoarse: "Silly girl, why are you crying? We've come to take you home! Don't cry, or the leaders will laugh at us."

Lou Xiao'e tried to stop sobbing, but her mother hugged her tighter and tighter, as if she would float away if she let go.

"Tell Mom quickly, how have you managed to get through these past ten years?"

Lou Xiao'e wiped away her tears as she recounted the past. Upon hearing that her fourth son was named Lou Mancang and her fifth son Lou Yue, Lou's father's face lit up with a smile, and he nodded repeatedly: "Good names, spirited! In our area, that would be called 'modern thinking'."

Lou Xiao'e took Lou Yue's hand and said softly, "Yueyue, come here quickly—these are your maternal grandparents. You always ask why other people have grandparents but we don't? Here they are!"

With a smile, Lou's mother opened her handbag, took out a brand-new digital watch, and snapped it onto Lou Yue's wrist. She then pulled Lou Yue into her arms and stroked her cheek with her fingertips.