Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Lou Xiao'e: "Son, what exactly happened? Why didn't you bring him home so I could see?"

He Aijun scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "Mom, it's not even close to happening yet. Once it's really settled, I'll definitely bring it back for you to see."

Lou Xiao'e: "Second brother, hurry up! Third brother is still young, don't you dare imitate your brothers' nonsense!"

He Yuzhu felt a lump in his throat—this wasn't just double standards; it was clearly a case of "men can act quickly, women must proceed slowly." He dared not utter a sound, much less interrupt.

He Aidang: "Mom, Ma Lian and I have been together for a long time."

He Yuzhu stopped in his tracks, staring blankly at his youngest son, his heart sinking: So they've already settled on a marriage proposal? And it's such a beautiful young woman…

Lou Xiao'e: "I've watched Ma Lian grow up since she was a child. If you dare to mistreat her, I'll skin you alive!"

He Aidang: "Mom, don't worry, we're doing fine."

Lou Xiao'e: "No crossing the line! We can only talk about marriage after you graduate from university."

He Aidang: "I know my limits and I'm not impulsive. Besides, I'm like my dad—once I've chosen someone, I stick with them for life."

He Yuzhu waved his hand with a smile: "Oh, you flatter me—your dad is a role model among men."

Lou Xiao'e glanced at him sideways and snorted.

Lou Xiao'e: "I heard you chased after someone back in the factory? They didn't reciprocate, and you were single for four or five years before you turned around and came after me?"

He Yuzhu quickly waved his hand: "Where did you hear such gossip? I've never had any designs on anyone else. It was only after meeting you that I truly understood."

Lou Xiao'e's face flushed, and she pinched his arm, her voice barely audible, "The children are all here, aren't you ashamed?"

……

On the morning of the third day of the Lunar New Year, Lou Xiao'e finished packing, and He Daqing led the whole family to see He Yuzhu and his wife off at the train station. The sacks and the children's outgrown clothes had already been shipped with the train.

The group escorted her to the platform. Lou Yue's eyes were red, and she clung tightly to Lou Xiao'e, refusing to let go. Finally, He Yushui gently persuaded her to let go.

He Yuzhu squatted down and looked the children at eye level: "At home, you must listen to your aunt and grandfather. Your father and mother are going south this time to help more people build bridges and pave roads—so that children can travel ten miles less to school and that every family can have their bowls filled with white rice earlier. We are reluctant to part with you, but we also hope that when you grow up, you can also reach out and lend a helping hand to others."

Lou Xiao'e rubbed her sore eyes: "Alright, it's windy here, you should go back now. Mom will come back to see you when she has time."

After saying goodbye, He Yuzhu took Lou Xiao'e's hand and boarded the train. They were the only two people in the entire carriage, with their two soft sleeper tickets for cadres.

The train traveled south, passing through flat plains before crashing into rolling green hills. Lou Xiao'e had never seen such a sight before, and she gazed at it intently from the window—she had lived in Kyoto for thirty-eight years and had never stepped out of the north, so how could she have ever seen such layers upon layers of greenery and mist?

Lou Xiao'e: "Zhuzi, there are so many mountains, and the land is all taken up by rocks. How are people supposed to eat?"

He Yuzhu: "So the villagers here are really risking their lives to farm. The fields are cleared by cutting down trees and splitting slopes, and the harvest is less than half of what we have in the north. There are many people and little food, so life is very difficult."

Lou Xiao'e: "But we can't even swing a hoe properly, how can we help?"

He Yuzhu: "We're here to find a way out, not to swing hoes. If we really wanted to work in the fields, why send me? We could have just invited some experienced experts from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences; they're much better at it than I am."

Lou Xiao'e: "That's true, I can't even tell the difference between wheat seedlings and chives... So when will our sacks arrive?"

He Yuzhu: "Uncle Liu arranged it all in advance. This train will not only carry the two of us, but also our family's luggage to Dongli County."

Lou Xiao'e kept peering out the car window, and He Yuzhu didn't disturb her—she would rest when she got tired. The three-day, two-night trip was enough for her to etch the southern landscape into her eyes frame by frame.

The train slowly pulled into Dongli County Station. He Yuzhu carried bags and helped people, directing them as they moved the sacks and clothes being transported into the station warehouse. He then rushed to the county guesthouse to settle Lou Xiao'e into a room. He himself still had to rush to the regional administrative office to report for duty—the county committee's appointment had to be done step by step according to the rules, and he couldn't skip levels.

As soon as He Yuzhu stepped into the district committee compound, Yan Xudong recognized him at a glance, quickly stepped forward, and grabbed his hand tightly. "Comrade Yuzhu! We've been waiting for you—it's been almost half a year since we last met. Did you come to the district on business today?"

He Yuzhu nodded with a smile: "Hello, Secretary Yan. I'm here to collect my appointment documents for Dongli County."

Yan Xudong laughed heartily: "So it's you taking over as the 'top leader' of Dongli County! I was wondering who had that kind of influence. Thanks for your kind words, I've just been promoted to the position of District Party Committee Secretary. From now on, we'll still be old comrades-in-arms on the same front!" He stepped aside and introduced you—"Come, let me introduce you—Huang Tao, Secretary of the District Organization Department. He personally escorted you to your new post this time, which is a real courtesy from the organization."

He Yuzhu quickly expressed his gratitude: "Thank you for your trouble, Secretary Yan."

"Hey, we're brothers, what trouble is this?" Yan Xudong waved his hand, turned and called out towards the door, "Xiao Zhang, quickly invite Secretary Huang over!"

He Yuzhu followed him into the office, his gaze sweeping over the four walls: the furnishings were simple yet dignified, without a trace of extravagance; above the main wall hung four powerful characters—"Serving the Party and the People, Devoting Our Responsibilities and Hearts"—the ink still wet, exuding a burning intensity.

Less than two minutes later, Yan Xudong and a middle-aged cadre with strong eyebrows and a tall, upright figure pushed open the door and entered.

"Comrade Huang Tao, this is the newly appointed Secretary of the Dongli County Party Committee, Comrade He Yuzhu; Yuzhu, this is Secretary Huang Tao, the head of our district's Organization Department." Yan Xudong smiled and said, "Tonight, we'll prepare a small feast at the district guesthouse to welcome Comrade Yuzhu and also chat about work—after all, his official appointment is tomorrow."

Huang Tao reached out and shook hands with He Yuzhu, his tone decisive: "Okay! I'll accompany you the whole way tomorrow morning, and I'll arrange everything, including the car, the people, and the procedures."

Both men held higher ranks than He Yuzhu, and Yan Xudong was his direct supervisor after being transferred to another region. This meal was both respectable and significant—others would probably have struggled to even exchange greetings, let alone be treated with such solemnity.

After a few pleasantries, Huang Tao led He Yuzhu to the guesthouse to settle in. Returning to Yan Xudong's office, he frowned slightly: "Secretary Yan, you and this He Yuzhu... seem to have a close relationship?"

It's no wonder he asked so many questions. Yan Xudong is now the regional chief official, a whole rank higher than He Yuzhu; normally, sending a deputy to receive him would be an exceptionally high honor. But the current setup clearly shows that he is personally involved and showing great sincerity.

Yan Xudong leaned back in his chair, his knuckles lightly tapping the table: "Some things, the less you know, the more at ease you feel. You heard that the Kyoto Party School started its spring semester, right? He's in the first cohort of students, directly dispatched from the Central Committee. Several senior provincial leaders specifically requested that he be 'closely monitored.' This time, he's not here in Dongli to gain experience, but to find a path, to test the waters, just like back in Guyun Town—we'll just keep an eye on things, lend a hand if we can, and if we can't get involved, we shouldn't get in the way or join the fun."

Huang Tao nodded, his mind clear: those who were selected to enroll in the first class must have more than one or two senior figures backing them up. For local officials like them, it was wise to keep their distance from such situations; if they could go with the flow and make a good connection, that would be luck; if they forced their way in, they would only end up in an awkward situation.

That evening, Yan Xudong indeed brought the district's leadership team to the guesthouse. Many people had never even heard of the name "He Yuzhu," but with the top leader personally visiting, who dared to refuse? Face was given to Secretary Yan, and the wine was offered to the organization.

Yan Xudong raised his glass and stood up, his voice clear and resonant: "Welcome back to Dongli County, Comrade Yuzhu! May you work diligently and practically on this land, living up to the people's expectations!"

Everyone raised their glasses, clinking them together crisply, releasing the aroma of the wine.

He Yuzhu straightened up, holding his glass with both hands: "Thank you for the kindness of the regional leaders! This glass of wine warms my body, and what I will remember in my heart is this weighty trust!"

The meal was filled with laughter and pleasantries, as the food and drinks grew cold and the guests gradually dispersed. Only after the last official rose to take his leave did Yan Xudong accompany He Yuzhu upstairs, seeing him all the way to his room.

He patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder: "If you have any problems in Dongli County in the future, come to the district to find me anytime; if you have a project that can help the surrounding area, don't forget to give your brother a hand."

He Yuzhu solemnly replied, "Definitely! I will never let the clerk down."

Yan Xudong smiled and said, "I know you have a solid foundation, a broad vision, and you've been tempered at the Party School. You're not just here to go through the motions. What H Province lacks is someone like you who's willing to get down to work—I trust you."

He Yuzhu's throat bobbed slightly, and he only replied in a low voice: "As long as it can make the villagers' pockets bulge and their backs stand tall, I, He Yuzhu, will do everything in my power."

Yan Xudong reminisced with him about a few old stories, his tone gentle and his smile resolute, until the corridor lights seemed to quiet down before he gently closed the door and left.

He Yuzhu collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep. The next day, as dawn broke and the clock on the wall had just ticked past 7:50, a soft knock sounded at the door.

He rubbed his eyes and opened the door. Huang Tao was already standing outside, carrying a briefcase, looking sharp and efficient: "Secretary He, we can set off now. Early spring in the south is short, and the sun rises late, so it's normal that you're not used to it yet."

He Yuzhu hurriedly apologized, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. I was in a good mood yesterday and toasted Secretary Yan a few more times, so I got up late and kept Minister Huang from getting up!"

Huang Tao waved his hand and laughed, "It's my fault for urging you so much—I have an important meeting this afternoon, so I had to come early in the morning. According to the usual practice, I should arrive at noon when I take office, but we can't wait. We want to get on the ground as soon as possible and get to work a day earlier."

"Let's go!"

"Okay!" Huang Tao waved downstairs, and a military green jeep had already come to a smooth stop at the bottom of the steps. The two climbed into the car, the wheels kicking up fine dust, and sped off towards Dongli County.

……

As the jeep drove into the county government compound, the militiamen at the gate saw the license plate from afar, stood at attention, raised their arms, and saluted. Their movements were swift and decisive, without even trying to stop it.