Chapter 35: The One Who Calls Himself Wenye

Xu Daming had a flash of inspiration.

He had been tricked by Shazhu twice.

But there is a mistake in the mistake.

An opportunity has come.

This is a blessing in disguise.

He puffed out his chest.

"Comrade Hongmei, if you really want to eat the meal Shazhu makes, it's not impossible."

"Show your ability."

"It's not about showing my ability, you don't know, I and Shazhu are brothers." Xu Daming's thumb pointed at himself, "I got Shazhu to cook; Shazhu wouldn't dare not do it, he has to bring out this twelve percent of his true skill."

"I don't believe you, Xu Daming. You say Shazhu quit, but Yagangchang is a big factory—how many people want to get in there, so why would Shazhu just quit?"

"It's just that he couldn't become an apprentice."

It's also quite a fortunate coincidence.

Yi Zhonghai, who was doing business in the Propaganda Department, inadvertently overheard the conversation between Xu Daming and Shi Hongmei; his mood instantly soured, as if he had eaten a dead fly.

Shazhu doesn't work at Yagangchang.

Yi Zhonghai's plans came to nothing.

Long Laotaitai told Yi Zhonghai more than once that Shazhu was the best person to support Yi Zhonghai in his old age, and that instead of focusing his thoughts on Jia Dongxu, he should pay more attention to Shazhu.

Because of listening to Laotaitai's words, Yi Zhonghai persuaded the cafeteria director with a pack of Front Gate cigarettes as a bribe, forcibly delaying Shazhu's promotion to apprentice worker by a year.

Doing so.

This was also something Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to do.

He has no blood relation with Shazhu, and Shazhu's parents are still alive; to just show up and bluntly say, "I, Yi Zhonghai, need Shazhu to support me in my old age,"

He was worried about being refused.

So Yi Zhonghai wanted to artificially create difficulties for Shazhu, and when Shazhu couldn't persist, to appear as a savior, making Shazhu feel grateful and indebted to him, thereby moving Shazhu to support him in his old age.

The plan was doomed from the start.

Shazhu just threw down the tools and quit.

If it weren't for this noon's reception meal, Yi Zhonghai wouldn't be so anxious; it's precisely because of this meal that the factory director of Yagangchang declared that all future reception meals would be prepared by Shazhu.

Shazhu is in the cafeteria.

Easy to say.

Not working.

Why should I make it for you?

The cafeteria director is going to be unlucky.

When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact.

Because of the cafeteria director's misfortune, Yi Zhonghai also has to go along and eat the melon.

Yi Zhonghai can now only pin his hopes on Jiēdào; as long as Jiēdào doesn't find Shazhu a job, there is still room for redemption.

He probably never imagined that Shazhu already had in hand a letter of introduction from Jiēdào to work at the scrap yard, arriving there on time.

……

The scrap recycling station is about six li from the Siheyuan; since today is Shazhu's first day at work, he naturally wants to leave a good impression.

After settling He Yushui down,

Shazhu arrived at the scrap yard on Route 11.

A courtyard facing the street, neither too big nor too small.

Although there is a guard booth at the gate,

there is nobody inside.

He shouted a few times.

Seeing no one respond,

Considering that he himself is also a worker at the scrap yard, Shazhu simply went inside and saw seven or eight people gathered around, listening to a man who looks about forty talk about those previous matters.

"It's not that Wenye is bragging; back when the little devils were around, Wenye was like this."

He raised his thumb high.

Those watching the spectacle deliberately flattered him with a few remarks.

Wenye's interest grew even higher.

His words became increasingly nonsensical.

"One day, I, Wenye, and a few driver masters were waiting for work at the city gate, sitting and chatting, when a female devil in her attire walked past me; I didn't even glance at that little lady, and just because I didn't give her a sideways glance, something happened."

"Wensan, stop bragging; if you're really that popular, how come you're still a bachelor?"

"Wenye really isn't bragging; a few female devils leading several little devils, all the little devils holding guns, the leader even with a knife, came to settle scores with Wenye; I, Wenye, shouted loudly, and at that moment scared the little devils—dozens of guns pointed at Wenye, yet Wenye didn't take them seriously."

"Wensan, I heard you were scared piss your pants by someone."

"Is Wenye the type who gets scared piss his pants by the devils?" Wensan continued: "After all, we're Chinese; when the little devils come to our turf, they have to listen to us. Wenye, I, fearless in the face of danger, faced those dozen guns and walked up to the leader of the little devils."

Wensan waved his right hand in front of everyone.

"With just this right hand, I, Wenye, at that time slapped the leader of the little devils 108 times with my right hand, making him dizzy and collapsing to the ground; the remaining dozen or so little devils, seeing how fierce Wenye was, all ran away, and I, Wenye, then entered the city."

"Wensan, I heard you were slapped dozens of times; if it weren't for the land patrol officers interceding for you, you'd have been hacked by the little devils long ago."

"Station Chief He, you've come." Wensan smiled and said, "I was just playing with them to pass the time."

Station Chief He!

Shazhu's heart stirred.

The gaze looked toward the person whom Wen San called Station Chief He.

Inside the recycling station, whoever can be called the station chief is definitely the head of the recycling station.

"Station Chief He, hello, I'm He Yuzhu, sent by Jiēdào Director Wang, this is my letter of introduction."

While Shazhu was introducing himself,

He also handed over the letter of introduction that Director Wang had issued to him to Station Chief He.

This is likely because Director Wang had previously greeted Station Chief He, so he knows Shazhu a bit better.

"You are He Yuzhu." His gaze swept over Shazhu from head to toe. "Old Wang wasn't mistaken; you're indeed a fine young man, Xiao He. Since you arrived at our recycling station, our recycling station truly shines."

Regardless of whether it's just polite talk,

At least their attitude,

makes Shazhu very pleased.

Unlike the indifferent attitude at the Yagangchang cafeteria, where you come if you want and don't if you don't.

Truly, one is heaven, the other earth.

They cannot be compared.

"Station Chief He, you overpraise me; coming to work at the recycling station is my honor."

"You kid, you're still being modest." Station Chief He formally introduced Shazhu to the recycling station workers: "He Yuzhu, elementary school education, self-taught."

Just that elementary school education.

Instantly made everyone look up to Shazhu.

A cultured person!

"Moreover, He Yuzhu is also the inheritor of Tan family cuisine, with a hand‑down culinary skill, truly masterful."

Wen San let out an involuntary exclamation.

"Tan family cuisine, that's a private dish that many officials and nobles queue up to eat."

The faces of the surrounding people instantly changed.

The chefs of Tan family cuisine are on a completely different level from these poor people; they come and go by carriage and never lack money.

Station Chief He mentioned Shazhu's status as the inheritor of Tan family cuisine not to disgust these people, but because there is a declaration of severing ties in Shazhu's possession behind the pot.