Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

"Sigh, well, that's all we can do." A guerrilla fighter frowned, weighed the rope in his hand, and glanced at Ma Gang, who was tied up on the ground, with disgust. "But this cripple is just a pure burden. Carrying him will only delay our escape."

"Stop talking nonsense, tie him up tighter, just throw him into the truck bed!" Another burly team member squatted down and tightened the ropes binding Ma Gang, causing Ma Gang to groan and roll his eyes.

At this moment, the team member in charge of counting the supplies rushed over, his face full of trouble: "Political Commissar, the grain and silver dollars found at the Ma family's house are too much, piled up like a small mountain. Our vehicles simply can't fit them all. What are we going to do?"

The man addressed as the political commissar's face darkened, and he uttered just two words: "On the spot..."

Rumble—!

Suddenly, a violent artillery barrage erupted from afar, shaking the ground slightly. This was followed by a barrage of gunfire, like a torrential downpour, shattering the silence of the night. Judging from the sound, the distance was less than two miles.

"Oh no! Our friendly forces are engaged in firefight with the pursuing KMT troops!" The political commissar's expression changed drastically. He immediately waved his hand and made a decisive decision: "Forget about food and money! Load all weapons onto the trucks, take the men with you, and retreat immediately! We can't afford to waste a single moment!"

"Yes, sir! I'll arrange it right away!" The team member spat angrily. "Damn it, these KMT troops came way too fast, they're like persistent ghosts! By the way, Political Commissar, Old Sun and the others are still holding the line up ahead, should we send some men to support them?"

"Send a squad immediately, with two Type 91 light machine guns, go and come back quickly, don't linger!" The political commissar spoke very fast, his tone full of anxiety.

"clear!"

The team members received their orders and turned to run. In the darkness, the guerrillas swiftly loaded guns and ammunition onto the trucks. No one cared about the grain and silver dollars piled up in the yard anymore; survival and retreat were the top priorities.

The number of Guo troops pursuing them was not large. The battalion of the Third Traffic Police Brigade was stationed nearby. The unit had just completed its integration and its main defense was not in this small town. Therefore, only a company of troops was sent to clear them out.

Three military trucks sped toward the town on a dirt road, their headlights piercing the darkness. But the convoy had only gone halfway when the lead truck suddenly exploded with a deafening roar. The front of the truck was twisted and deformed by the shell, its tires were blown off and flew far away, and the truck bed instantly burst into flames.

This shot was fired by He Yuzhu from behind a slope about one kilometer away.

The night was dark, and the distance was extremely far. The KMT soldiers on the truck couldn't see which direction the shells were coming from. They were so frightened that they jumped off the truck, clutching their guns and lying on the ground, looking around. It was pitch black, and they couldn't see any enemy, not even a ghost.

He Yuzhu's goal was not to massacre, but to delay the march of the KMT army and buy the guerrillas enough time to retreat. He had no interest in leading his own forces to fight a full-scale open battle against more than a hundred well-equipped KMT soldiers.

He crouched low, quickly moved to two concealed positions, set up the mortar, adjusted the angle, and fired two more shells accurately. The two trucks behind were hit one after another, their cargo boxes were blown to pieces, and all the tires were ruined. The three trucks were completely paralyzed on the road and turned into a pile of scrap metal.

After dealing with the truck, He Yuzhu immediately set up the MG42 general-purpose machine gun that he had prepared beforehand. He had already adjusted the gun in his spatial dimension, and then mounted it on a sturdy tripod, switching it to heavy machine gun mode. With a 7.92mm caliber and an effective range of two kilometers, it was an absolute suppressive weapon in the darkness.

He had intended to simply suppress the enemy with firepower and force them to retreat, but a few hot-headed soldiers, relying on their numbers, roared and charged toward the direction of the gunfire. They had only taken a few steps when they were hit by MG42 bullets and fell to the ground screaming.

Although the 7.92mm Mauser bullet is not as terrifying as the 11.43mm bullet of the Maxim heavy machine gun, it still causes excruciating pain when it hits a person, and can instantly penetrate flesh and break bones.

When soldiers were wounded by bullets, even if they couldn't see the enemy's exact location, the Guo soldiers instinctively began to return fire. Instantly, the sounds of light machine guns and rifles filled the air, and bullets rained down on He Yuzhu.

At first, He Yuzhu didn't pay much attention, but when a few stray bullets flew past his head, bringing with them a sharp whistling sound, he was instantly drenched in cold sweat, his clothes on the back completely soaked with cold sweat.

Not daring to be careless, he immediately moved to a new position with the machine gun, steadied himself, and pulled the trigger to fire long bursts of fire. The bullets accurately swept towards the machine gunners of the Nationalist army and the soldiers who were trying to outflank them, suppressing the Nationalist army so much that they could not even raise their heads.

After changing positions seven or eight times and firing a full 300-round ammunition belt, He Yuzhu planned to put away the machine gun and leave immediately. But just then, the sound of a "Type 96" machine gun firing suddenly rang out from the other side of the road. The gunfire was dense and clearly aimed at the Guo army.

He Yuzhu was so angry he almost cursed aloud, thinking to himself: What are these people doing here? Can't they just move the stuff, arrest people, and retreat peacefully? They get a few weapons and come out to show off, they're just making trouble!

The guerrillas who came to support them couldn't see the exact location of the Kuomintang troops at all, and were just blindly firing based on the trajectory of bullets at night. As soon as the gunfire from He Yuzhu's side stopped, all the Kuomintang troops' firepower was instantly concentrated on them.

Having no other option, He Yuzhu crouched down and crept up behind the guerrillas, shouting in a low voice, "There's a whole company of Kuomintang troops on the other side! You can't even see the enemy's position, what are you doing firing blindly? Retreat now!"

Upon hearing the sound, a guerrilla fighter immediately raised his gun and asked warily, "Comrade, which unit are you from? Are you friendly forces?"

He Yuzhu didn't say much, only replying in a deep voice: "The People's Liberation Army!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and disappeared into the night. This kind of pointless war of attrition was not what he wanted to fight. Wouldn't it be better to kill a few petty criminals, traitors and bandits with this energy?

Upon hearing the words "People's Liberation Army," the supporting guerrillas froze on the spot. They only realized after a moment that the other side had no intention of revealing their identities. The men exchanged glances and immediately decided to retreat quietly, sending only one man back to the Ma family compound to report the news, while the rest quickly retreated towards the guerrilla base.

By the time the KMT soldiers cautiously crept into the town, the guerrillas had already vanished without a trace. Their trucks had all been destroyed, forcing them to travel several miles in the dark, wasting a great deal of time and living in constant fear of being attacked by snipers or artillery shells.

Upon entering the town, Company Commander Guo Jun immediately led his men to the police station, grabbed the chief to find out the location of the incident, and then led his team to surround the Ma family compound, three layers deep, so that not even a fly could get out.

After a thorough search, all that was left in the compound were the trembling female relatives and servants, and Ma Gang, who was paralyzed in bed and unable to move. Not even a single guerrilla fighter could be found.

The Guo army company commander leading the team looked on in disbelief, exclaiming, "How is this possible? When did the guerrillas acquire such powerful firepower? Mortars and heavy machine guns—this is not the equipment of ordinary guerrillas!"

This matter was too suspicious, and the company commander dared not conceal it; he had to report it to his superiors immediately. He forcibly requisitioned two bicycles from the police station and dispatched two communications soldiers, rushing to the headquarters of the Third Traffic Police Brigade.

After the news reached the brigade headquarters, it was relayed and exaggerated at each level, and directly became the story of suspected main force of the Communist army infiltrating Tanggu.

This news put the Third Traffic Police Brigade on high alert, and they immediately mobilized forces to conduct a frantic search in the Tanggu area. As a result, in the following months, the local guerrillas could only hide and go into hiding, and were eventually forced to go into the deep mountains to hide. He Yuzhu was completely unaware of all the subsequent chain reactions.

After reminding the guerrillas, He Yuzhu ran wildly into the night. After running for several miles, he took out a motorcycle from his spatial storage, twisted the throttle, and the roaring sound of "putt-putt-putt" filled the air. He sped all the way to a barren slope outside Tianjin City, where he found a secluded ditch to hide in.

Exhausted from a night's sleep, he drifted off to sleep. When the sun was high in the sky, he got up, dusted himself off, carefully washed away the traces of gunpowder, changed into a set of patched, worn-out coarse cloth clothes, and carried a bamboo carrying pole. The baskets at both ends of the pole were filled with fresh vegetables he had taken from his spatial dimension. They were lush and green, and looked particularly pleasing to the eye.

After getting ready, he strolled slowly toward the city gate of Tianjin.

Just a short distance from the city gate, a group of KMT soldiers in haphazard uniforms approached. The leader glanced at He Yuzhu sideways, tossed out a few crumpled banknotes, and waved impatiently, "Vegetable seller, take this money, leave your vegetables, and get out of here!"

He Yuzhu didn't want to cause trouble. He bent down to pick up the money, but when his eyes swept over a figure in the middle of the grain collection team, he froze on the spot, his eyes wide open, and he couldn't move his feet.

The woman dressed in plain clothes, standing awkwardly among the soldiers, wasn't that the big-mouthed Aunt Wang he knew—Wang Cuiping?

It turned out that a few days ago, Wang Cuiping was taking a long-distance bus from the city back to her hometown. The bus had only gone a short distance out of the city when it was robbed by bandits from the mountains. All her money was stolen, and she was tied up. Fortunately, she ran into the Guo army troops who were out collecting grain, and that's how she was rescued.

She didn't want to go with the grain requisition team, but she was afraid of being captured by bandits. In desperation, she lied and said that she was an official's wife. The soldiers of the grain requisition team did not dare to offend her, so they took her back to the city along the way.

When Wang Cuiping saw the soldiers of the grain requisition team forcing people to buy and sell, and bullying a country boy selling vegetables, she wanted to go up and question him, but the boy kept staring at her with a burning gaze, making her feel very uncomfortable.

She took out her handkerchief and gently wiped the dust off her face. When she looked up, the boy was still staring at her with a faint smile on his lips. To her, that smile was just the silly grin of someone who had never seen the world.

"What are you looking at? Do you think you can just look at him like that?" A soldier, seeing He Yuzhu standing there motionless, became enraged and kicked He Yuzhu in the leg. "You country bumpkin, get lost!"

He Yuzhu instinctively stepped aside, looked up at the soldier, and asked in a composed but not servile manner, "Sir, why can't I see my relatives?"

"Relatives? You're asking for it, aren't you? A poor vegetable vendor like you dares to claim an official's wife as a relative?" The soldier's eyes widened in fury, and he swung his rifle butt, ready to smash it down on He Yuzhu. "Get out of here! If you don't leave, I'll kill you!"

"Auntie! Is that you? It's me, Zhuzi! He Yuzhu!" Upon seeing this, He Yuzhu immediately shouted to Wang Cuiping, his voice full of surprise.

Wang Cuiping was taken aback at first, then her expression changed drastically when she saw the soldier's rifle butt about to strike He Yuzhu. She hurriedly shouted, "Stop!"

She ran quickly toward He Yuzhu, her skirt fluttering, her expression anxious.

The soldier paused at the shout, nearly hitting his own foot with the butt of his rifle. Startled, he quickly pulled back, cursing his bad luck inwardly. But he knew that this "Mrs. Yu" was no ordinary person; even their platoon leader treated her with respect, and he dared not act rashly.

Wang Cuiping ran up to He Yuzhu, looked him up and down, her eyes filled with shock: "You...you're really Zhuzi? How did you end up in Tianjin?"

Wang Cuiping at this moment was no longer the impulsive and reckless guerrilla captain who had just come to the city from the countryside. In the past two years, she had lived on the edge of a knife, suffered countless beatings from society, and endured countless losses. She had long since learned to conceal her abilities and be cautious. She would never be foolish enough to ask He Yuzhu how he came from Beijing to Tianjin, as that would only expose their identities.

What shocked her the most was He Yuzhu's transformation. Two years ago, this boy only reached her shoulder and was just a young upstart. But now, he was a whole head taller than her, with a straight posture. His features had matured, and he had shed his youthful naiveté and gained a more composed demeanor. She almost didn't recognize him.

"Auntie, my mother misses you and talks about you every day, so she asked me to come to the city to see you. I didn't expect to run into you here by such a coincidence," He Yuzhu said with a smile, her tone full of sincerity.

Wang Cuiping's eyes instantly reddened, and her voice trembled slightly: "How is your mother...?"

"I'm doing well, in great health. It's just that I haven't received a letter from you for so long, and I've been worried about you every day, not eating or sleeping well," He Yuzhu said truthfully.

Upon hearing this, Wang Cuiping almost burst into tears. She had only lived in the courtyard for two short months and thought that in the chaos of the world, she would never have any contact with that family again. Unexpectedly, the family still remembered her. This kindness warmed her heart and made her feel a pang of sadness.

"It's so chaotic outside, with war and chaos. How could your mother let you run around outside alone? It's so dangerous," Wang Cuiping said reproachfully, her tone full of concern.

"It's okay, Auntie, I'm all grown up now and I can take care of myself." He Yuzhu grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

At this moment, the platoon leader of the grain requisition team came over with a polite smile on his face: "Mrs. Yu, so this vegetable seller is really your relative. Since we're family, why don't you let him come back to the city with us? It would be good to have someone to look after you."

Without a second thought, Wang Cuiping immediately shook her head and refused: "No need, I'll just leave him my address. My house is a mess right now, it wouldn't be convenient for him to go there, and it would only cause more trouble."

She knew better than anyone that Yu Zecheng must already know about her kidnapping by bandits, and the secret service bureau where Yu Zecheng worked was full of shrewd people. Taking He Yuzhu back would inevitably lead to a thorough investigation, and she couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't accidentally expose her identity.

She and Yu Zecheng were dancing on the edge of a knife, every step was like walking on thin ice. If her negligence led to Yu Zecheng's exposure, or even caused He Yuzhu's accident, she would not be able to atone for this sin, even if she died.

Seeing this, the platoon leader stopped insisting and nodded: "In that case, Mrs. Yu, please tell us quickly. We still need to rush back to report and can't afford to delay too long."

"Okay, I'll just say a few words, it'll be quick," Wang Cuiping replied.

"Please go ahead, Mrs. Yu." The platoon leader tactfully pulled the soldier next to him back a few steps, at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, just enough to hear the two's conversation but not to disturb them.

Wang Cuiping grabbed He Yuzhu's arm and said in a low voice, "Zhuzi, it's really inconvenient for your family to entertain you right now. Listen to your aunt and go back quickly. Please give your mother my regards and let her know you're safe. I don't have a single penny on me right now. All my money was stolen by the bandits. Once I've settled things at home, I'll send some money to your family."

"Bandits?" He Yuzhu's expression changed, and he hurriedly asked, "Auntie, are you hurt? Are you alright?"

"It's alright, it's alright, don't worry." Wang Cuiping quickly waved her hand to reassure him, "Weren't we rescued by the grain requisition team leaders? We just lost some money, but we're all fine, that's better than anything."

"It's good that you're alright. Money is just an external thing." He Yuzhu breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "Auntie, don't send us money. We're doing alright at home. It's just that my mother is worried about you. By the way, how is my uncle treating you? Has he been mistreating you?"

Wang Cuiping felt a warmth in her heart and quickly nodded, "Yes, yes, I'm fine. Your uncle treats me very well, so don't worry about me."

"That's good." He Yuzhu was relieved. "Auntie, where do you live? I'll write it down and come visit you when I have time."

Wang Cuiping hesitated for a moment, but finally whispered the address: "15 Edinburgh Road. But don't go there unless it's absolutely necessary. Your uncle is very strict and serious. He doesn't like strangers coming to his house casually. If you go there, you'll make him angry."

Her words were actually a veiled warning to He Yuzhu that the place was dangerous and he shouldn't go there unless necessary. She knew He Yuzhu was young but shrewd, and his mother was even smarter; she would definitely understand the meaning behind her words.

As for why He Yuzhu suddenly appeared outside Tianjin, she didn't have time to investigate further, nor did she dare to ask too many questions, for fear of saying too much and making a mistake, which would be noticed by the grain requisition team next to her.

What she didn't know was that Lao Zhao, who was supposed to meet them in advance, had his trip delayed by an unexpected accident on the train and hadn't been able to contact them yet. So she wouldn't know about He Yuzhu's trip to Tianjin until Lao Zhao got in touch with them.

"Okay, I've got it. 15 Edinburgh Road." He Yuzhu nodded seriously.

"You should hurry home and be careful on the way. I have to go back too, or your uncle will be getting impatient." Wang Cuiping urged He Yuzhu to leave, feeling both reluctant and worried.

"Auntie, please take good care of yourself. I'm leaving now," He Yuzhu said reluctantly.

"Go on, go on, be careful on the road, don't go into the city unnecessarily, it's not safe outside, and don't stay out for long." Wang Cuiping repeatedly urged, her eyes getting redder and redder.

"Okay, Auntie."

He Yuzhu waved his hand, picked up his empty carrying pole, and turned to walk towards the city outskirts. Wang Cuiping watched his retreating figure, secretly wiping away tears, took a deep breath, and turned to the platoon leader, saying, "Platoon leader, we can go into the city now."

"Alright, Mrs. Yu, please wait a moment." The platoon leader smiled and turned to call over a soldier next to him, stuffing a few silver dollars into his hand, whispering a few words of advice, and then kicked the soldier and pointed at He Yuzhu's back.

The soldier looked reluctant, but dared not disobey orders, so he quickly caught up, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Hey, vegetable vendor, wait a minute! The money for the vegetables hasn't been settled yet!"

He Yuzhu stopped and turned back, asking in confusion, "Huh? Didn't the boss already give us the money?"

"I miscalculated the bill earlier and gave you too little. Here's the money for the rest of the food. Take it!" The soldier deliberately spoke loudly, clearly on the orders of the platoon leader, to be heard by Wang Cuiping. He was afraid that Wang Cuiping would go back and whisper in the ear of her "official uncle" and make things difficult for them.

"Okay, okay, thank you, boss! Thank you, boss!" He Yuzhu smiled as he took the money, not even counting it, and stuffed it directly into his pocket. In his eyes, this devalued currency was so cheap it wasn't even good enough to wipe his butt; it was utterly worthless.

"You're welcome, it's my pleasure." After saying that, the soldier didn't dare to stay any longer and turned around and ran back to the grain requisition team.

Before getting into the car, Wang Cuiping took one last deep look at He Yuzhu's back, her eyes filled with complex emotions—reluctance, worry, and a hint of barely perceptible relief. She then resolutely turned and boarded the car, knowing that there were more important matters at home waiting for her to attend to.

Once the grain requisition team's trucks had completely driven away, He Yuzhu immediately stopped, took out fresh vegetables from his spatial storage, refilled the basket, then picked up the load and turned back towards the Tianjin city gate.

This time, he passed through the city gate checkpoint without incident and entered the city smoothly. He found a secluded and deserted alley, put away his baskets and carrying pole, changed into a clean and neat set of clothes, took out a bicycle from his spatial storage, jumped on, and sped towards the small courtyard where he rented a place.

When he arrived at the courtyard gate, he put away his bicycle and gently knocked on the gate. There was no reply from inside, but he could clearly hear light footsteps.

He Yuzhu smiled and leaned closer to the crack in the door. He immediately saw Xiaoman's round eyes peering out warily.

Upon seeing He Yuzhu, Xiaoman's eyes lit up instantly, and she immediately opened the courtyard gate.

As soon as the door opened, a small figure rushed out like a fledgling returning to its nest, hugging He Yuzhu tightly around the waist, burying her head in his chest, and sobbing, "Brother Zhu, you're finally back! I was so worried, I didn't sleep a wink all night, afraid something had happened to you..."

The little girl's tears fell like beads from a broken string, soaking He Yuzhu's clothes, and her shoulders trembled as she cried.

He Yuzhu smiled helplessly, gently patted her back, and walked into the yard with the "little pendant" in his hand. He then closed the gate behind him and locked it.

"Why are you crying? I'm back safe and sound, aren't I? I'm completely unharmed, not even a scratch." He Yuzhu gently comforted me. "By the way, did you make breakfast? I've been running all night, and my stomach is growling."

Xiaoman raised her tear-streaked face and sobbed, "No...no, I was so worried about you that I stayed by the door and couldn't concentrate on cooking at all..."

He Yuzhu frowned: "Don't tell me you were keeping watch in the yard all night too?"

Xiaoman quickly shook her head, her face slightly flushed, and said a little shyly, "No...no, I'm afraid of the dark, I don't dare to stay in the yard alone..."

"Alright, I know you're a coward." He Yuzhu smiled and ruffled her hair. "Since you didn't cook, I won't eat at home. Just grab something to eat. I have to go to Hongbinlou for work. If I'm late, my boss will scold me."

As he spoke, he gently pulled away Xiaoman's arms that were holding him.

Xiaoman immediately grabbed his sleeve, her eyes reddening again, and pleaded in a tearful voice, "Brother Zhuzi, please don't go out at night anymore, okay? It's too dangerous outside. Xiaoman is so scared, afraid you'll never come back..."

"I understand, I promise you, I'll try not to go out at night anymore." He Yuzhu softened and promised with a smile, "I'll bring you something delicious when I come back tonight, your favorite kind."

"Really?" Xiaoman's eyes lit up instantly, and she sobbed, "Then...then you must come back soon, I'll be waiting for you at home."

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon." He Yuzhu patted her head. "I'm leaving now. Remember to lock the gate and don't open it to strangers."

"I understand, Brother Zhu, take care and come back soon!" Xiaoman nodded vigorously, stood at the gate of the courtyard, and waved her little hand as she watched He Yuzhu leave.

He Yuzhu waved his hand and turned to walk towards Hongbinlou. The reason he was in such a hurry to come back was because he was worried about Xiaoman being home alone. Now that he saw that the little girl was safe and sound, he was relieved and could go to work with peace of mind.

Hongbinlou Restaurant was bustling with guests as usual that day, and the kitchen was especially busy. The sounds of woks being tossed, vegetables being chopped, and people calling out orders mingled together, creating a lively and bustling scene.

As soon as He Yuzhu entered the kitchen, he immediately changed into his work clothes and threw himself into the busy work, chopping vegetables, preparing ingredients, and assisting others. His movements were quick and orderly.

During a rare free time, he was called to his master Li Baoguo's side again, who personally taught him new Sichuan dishes. Li Baoguo's Sichuan cooking skills were unparalleled; he was proficient in all the numbness, spiciness, freshness, and aroma. He Yuzhu learned diligently and grasped the concepts quickly, earning repeated praise from Li Baoguo, who said he was a promising culinary talent.

After a long day at work, He Yuzhu remembered his promise to Xiaoman and specially made a sweet and sour pork dish in the kitchen of Hongbinlou Restaurant. Xiaoman is from Jiangnan and has a natural preference for sweet food. This sweet and sour pork dish was just right, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, which was exactly her favorite dish.

Carrying the packaged sweet and sour pork, He Yuzhu hurried back to the courtyard. Xiaoman was already waiting for him at the gate. When she saw him return, she immediately jumped up and down to greet him.

"Brother Zhu, you're back! Where's my food?" Xiaoman looked up, her eyes sparkling.

"Here, I made you sweet and sour pork. Eat up." He Yuzhu handed her the lunchbox.

Xiaoman took the lunchbox and eagerly opened it. A sweet and sour aroma wafted out. She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat heartily, her mouth full of sauce. Her little face was chubby, like a little hamster stealing a bite.

After finishing the last piece of meat, Xiaoman patted her round belly and slumped into a chair, unable to even walk, which made He Yuzhu laugh out loud.

What He Yuzhu didn't know was that his unexpected encounter with Wang Cuiping outside the city gate brought a minor crisis to Yu Zecheng and Wang Cuiping, who were lurking in Tianjin.

When Wang Cuiping returned to her residence at 15 Edinburgh Road with the grain requisition team, she found not only Yu Zecheng at home, but also Lu Qiaoshan from the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics.

It turned out that Lu Qiaoshan brought people over to take a statement from Wang Cuiping about her kidnapping. During their conversation, he unexpectedly learned that Wang Cuiping had met a nephew from Beijing outside the city.

This news immediately aroused Lu Qiaoshan's suspicion. He immediately sent people to Wang Cuiping's hometown to investigate and find out the true identity of this "nephew".

Fortunately, Yu Zecheng noticed Lu Qiaoshan's intention and subtly changed the subject, drawing Lu Qiaoshan's attention back to Ma Kui, who had been the subject of suspicion, thus temporarily averting the crisis.

After learning of Wang Cuiping's address, He Yuzhu also secretly went to 15 Edinburgh Road.

But as soon as he got close to the neighborhood, he noticed that there were unfamiliar figures loitering around the alley entrance and street corner, their eyes wary, clearly spying on the house.

He Yuzhu's tracking and counter-tracking skills were directly granted by the system. With his extensive experience, he immediately concealed his presence, hid in a hidden place, and did not approach any closer. Throughout the entire process, no one discovered his presence.

He originally intended to secretly leave Wang Cuiping his hiding address, telling her that if she encountered danger, she could go there to hide and be safe. As for Yu Zecheng and Wang Cuiping's undercover mission, he had no intention of getting involved. The waters were too deep, too many things were involved, and getting mixed up with these people from the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics would make things impossible to explain after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and would only bring him a lot of trouble.

Moreover, he knew nothing about undercover work and had no experience whatsoever. If he did something good but ended up harming Yu Zecheng and Wang Cuiping, it would be a great loss.

Having confirmed Wang Cuiping's address and learned that she was temporarily safe, He Yuzhu stopped paying too much attention to the situation there. He knew that as long as the original plot didn't change, Wang Cuiping wouldn't be in immediate danger, although the ending wouldn't be perfect. However, there were still six months until the Kuomintang's collapse, so there was still time to figure things out later.

During this period, He Yuzhu devoted all his energy to learning Sichuan cuisine. He was determined to learn Li Baoguo's Sichuan cuisine skills as soon as possible and graduate successfully.

Otherwise, according to the original plot of the Siheyuan, his master Li Baoguo would not go to Beijing until 1955. He couldn't just keep waiting in Tianjin. He needed to master his skills so that he could return to Beijing as soon as possible and protect the people he cared about.