Chapter 495

Why is Qin Huairu said to be a sucker?

It's very simple.

Last time Bangeng slept with Shi Jiahong, Qin Huairu took out a thousand yuan to settle the matter, Shi Jiahong took three hundred, Shi Jiahong's parents took three hundred, Lao Ma Tou took four hundred.

Four hundred yuan, equivalent to Lao Ma Tou's income for three or four years.

When he saw Qin Huairu, he knew why she had come; she could be considered a major benefactor of his Lao Ma Tou. Just thinking of being able to make another profit, he instantly broke into a grin.

He was very clear about the little thoughts of Shi Jiahong and Bangeng.

One wants to be Chen Shimei, the other wants to be Pan Qiaoyun.

This is also the reason Qin Huairu appears before him; after all, he has returned Bangeng's application with various excuses more than ten times.

Wanting Bangeng to return to the city.

It's not impossible.

Need to add money.

"Auntie Jiahong, you too—why didn't you write a letter before coming? I could have sent someone to pick you up. When did you arrive? Was the journey smooth?"

Although Qin Huairu didn't like being called 'Auntie Jiahong', she didn't dare act presumptuous toward Lao Ma Tou; she endured it and replied with a smile.

"I just arrived today; originally I planned to come later after a while, but something came up that couldn't be explained in a letter, so I came personally. Team Captain Ma, are you in good health?"

"Pretty good, pretty good." Lao Ma Tou responded to Qin Huairu, then suddenly asked when she would return to the city: "How many days will you stay this time?"

"I can't stay many days; this time I took ten days off, spent three days on the way here, and will leave after finishing my business."

Everyone is smart.

See through but not speak it.

Lao Ma Tou knew what Qin Huairu's words referred to; besides bringing Bangeng back to the city, there was nothing else.

The problem is that Bangeng now is not just a person; he is Shi Jiahong's man and the stepfather of her three children.

If it weren't for Shi Jiahong refusing to let go, Bangeng would have returned to the city long ago.

Lao Ma Tou guessed that Qin Huairu's visit this time was to discuss the matter of Bangeng returning to the city.

In order to possibly gain benefits, he pretended not to understand and responded to Qin Huairu's friendly overture.

"Last time you came in a hurry and left in a hurry, without even looking around; this time you must let Jiahong take you around to see the local customs and cuisine of Dongbei, try our specialties like pork stewed with noodles and pig-butchering vegetables, and on your way back, let Bangeng and his wife see you off."

Qin Huairu's face slightly changed.

She also understood the meaning in Lao Ma Tou's words; he simply had no intention of letting Bangeng follow Qin Huairu back to the city, otherwise he wouldn't have said to let Bangeng and his wife see Qin Huairu off to the commune.

I came just for Bangeng.

I must take Bangeng with me.

Qin Huairu exchanged a few more pleasantries with Lao Ma Tou, then immediately steered the conversation to the matter of Bangeng returning to the city.

"Team Captain Ma, I'm looking for you today for nothing else but my son Bangeng. You know the policy has changed, especially in our area; they have issued an expansion plan for Yagangchang, prioritizing recruitment of workers' children. The prerequisite is that the person has already returned to the city. Bangeng staying here means he can't get a share of Yagangchang's business, and this kid isn't cut out for farming—if he farms poorly, it will delay the factory's recruitment, which would be a loss outweighing the gain. I want to put in a word for you: could you let Bangeng first follow me back to the city? Last time I came, I brought nothing; this time I'm in a hurry, just a small token—please don't disdain it."

Several national grain coupons.

They appeared in Qin Huairu's hand.

In the blink of an eye.

They fell into Lao Ma Tou's pocket.

"Bangeng's mom, what are you doing? We're all family—don't make a habit of this, don't make a habit of this." Lao Ma Tou looked at Qin Huairu and said, "Let me be frank: here there's a rule that all youths who marry locally cannot leave; they must put down roots here for life. Even if I issued you a certificate, Bangeng couldn't go back, because Jiahong's father is the head of the commune and must sign this application; if he doesn't sign, Bangeng can't return."

"Ma Ge."

Qin Huairu is also someone who seizes the opportunity.

Just now he was still Team Captain Ma.

Now he has become Ma Ge.

The distance between them has been greatly shortened by this form of address.

"What you say makes sense, and I know it's true, but if we don't try, how will we know the outcome? I only have Bangeng as a son; his grandmother, missing him, has fallen ill. Since filial piety comes first, I can't let my mother-in-law die without seeing Bangeng."

Several banknotes.

They were stuffed into Lao Ma Tou's hand by Qin Huairu.

He glanced at them casually.

Ten yuan.

Lao Ma Tou was very eager for the money Qin Huairu slipped him, but this money wasn't easy to take.

Shi Jiahong could boast about enjoying blessings by returning to the city with Bangeng.

He looked at Qin Huairu with a serious expression.

"Bangeng's mom, getting Bangeng back to the city is easy; as long as Bangeng brings Jiahong back with him, Jiahong will naturally go work for her parents."

Qin Huairu let out a sigh.

She also knew this was the best choice.

It's not that I look down on Shi Jiahong; I also want to marry You Fengxia to scheme for Shazhu's house. If Shi Jiahong goes with Bangeng to the city, how can the Jia family get an extra room?

"Ma Ge, you're not an outsider either; I, Qin Huairu, will speak plainly: our family's situation in the city is like this."

Qin Huairu raised her little finger, not caring about saving face, and laid out the truth, hoping to frighten Shi Jiahong into not daring to follow Bangeng back to the city by revealing the Jia family's difficult circumstances.

"Our family of five lives in a Big Courtyard with twenty-seven or twenty-eight households. My mother-in-law is ill, so I'm the only one working at Yagangchang to earn money; my job is cleaning toilets, spending all day with waste. Our family lives in a room under twenty square meters—my mother-in-law, my two daughters, me. If Jiahong goes with Bangeng back, we'd have several people crammed into one room."

"I remember when Bangeng first came, he said you were a cadre and that your family lived in a detached Siheyuan."

Qin Huairu's old face flushed.

It was enough to tear Bangeng's heart apart.

That's pure bragging.

It's utterly without limit.

Bangeng cares about face, Brother Ma—it's not that Bangeng refuses to bring Shi Jiahong back to the city; it's that our family's situation really isn't good. Just thinking of Shi Jiahong crowding into one room with us makes me feel uneasy. Shi Jiahong married Bangeng to enjoy blessings; she shouldn't end up not getting any blessings and still suffer alongside Bangeng! My point: help me get a certificate. I'll take it to the commune; as long as Bangeng returns to the city, gets into Yagangchang, is assigned a Yagangchang apartment, and then brings Shi Jiahong over, we're all parents—we need to think for the children.

Old Ma stared at Qin Huairu without saying a word.

Qin Huairu felt a bit creeped out being stared at, and for a moment she didn't know whether Old Ma's gaze meant he believed her nonsense or didn't believe her nonsense.

Old Ma was stunned for over ten seconds.

He said, "Brother Ma, you have discerning eyes—am I lying? You can't be fooled. I just told Bangeng that as long as he returns to the city and gets into Yagangchang, secures a house, I'll bring Shi Jiahong back."

"What about the children?"

Speaking of the children, I'm also torn—"a mother loves her children no matter what," as the saying goes. Qin Huairu clenched her back teeth and said to Old Ma, "This is what I think: although Shi Jiahong's three kids now call Bangeng Dad, they are ultimately the blood of the eldest nephew, your descendants, Brother Ma. If they come to the city with Shi Jiahong, it sounds good in name, but they'd suffer; they're all rural registrations without grain rations. Even if Bangeng gets into Yagangchang, our combined wages wouldn't be enough—we can't spend all our money on grain."

Old Ma silently thought to himself.

Qin Huairu is no simple woman—at the very least she's far more capable than Bangeng. Though she clearly dislikes Shi Jiahong's three children, she keeps saying she's doing it for the Ma family's sake.

He had to admit.

People say it's right on the point.

"Does Bangeng's mother have a different idea?"

Brother Ma, it's not that I have a different idea; it's that I get along with you and want to speak frankly. Let me give an example: if Bangeng brings Shi Jiahong and her three children back to the city, my mother-in-law has a bad temper. We live far apart, so the kids might get some scolding, or even get beaten— we wouldn't mind, but you're different. You're the grandfather of those three children; could you really stand by and watch them be bullied? Isn't that beyond your reach? I'm also a widow; my mother-in-law urged me to remarry, but I've remained widowed to this day because I feared a stepfather would give Bangeng and them trouble. You understand my feelings, and you know my thoughts.

"You want me to leave the three children with you?"

"The three kids won't suffer if they stay with you; you're their grandfather. If they really went to the city with Bangeng, they'd only end up getting mistreated."

"Let me think about it."

Before coming.

Qin Huairu already braced herself for Old Ma not immediately agreeing to her proposal.

It concerned her own vital interests.

She definitely needed to think it over carefully.

She had to give it some time, though she believed her proposal would move Old Ma.

After exchanging a few polite words with Old Ma, she rose to say goodbye and left.

……

Bai Xu Restaurant.

Shazhu looked at the man who had come to his door claiming to be the manager of the third canteen, feeling slightly surprised. He glanced at the man: black leather shoes on his feet, gray cloth pants on his legs, a Qing-blue Zhongshan jacket on top, and a pen tucked in the left chest pocket.

He was still a cultured person.

In his early forties, with thick brows and big eyes, wearing a pair of thick glasses, no hat, his hair displayed the style of the middle-aged support staff in full.

In his left hand he carried a half-new synthetic leather briefcase.

He presented well.

He gave the impression of a canteen manager.

The third canteen he spoke of was none other than the precursor to the Bai Xu Restaurant, which would open later.

We'll take his words as true.

Scenes like today's, Shazhu had imagined many times before.

At this time, wanting to go solo is no easy feat—there's sure to be pressure from all sides, and all sorts of people will come to cause trouble. Shazhu had also been setting up Bai Xu Restaurant, and this was the first time he'd encountered someone coming to his door to make trouble.

"Why use the idiom 'come to the door to cause trouble' to describe him?"

Sorry.

Shazhu, who has lived two lives, confident he wouldn't be mistaken, pointed to the nearby chair and said a few polite nothings.

Huaihua brought over two cups of boiling water with great attentiveness.

Shazhu nodded at Huaihua.

That counted as approval of the girl.

Seeing that Shazhu didn't give her a cold look, Huaihua's heart finally settled; she had truly worried that Shazhu would disregard her and kick her out.

She chatted away with Thus: Thus: Mahua, Liu Lan, and the others, leaving the scene to Shazhu and that bald-headed fellow.

"May I ask your esteemed surname?" Shazhu asked the bald-headed fellow.

"No need for formalities; my surname is Wang, Wang Haijun."

"Comrade Wang, you said you're the manager of the third canteen."

"Yes, yes, yes—I am the manager of the third canteen, and this is my ID."

Wang Haijun took out his work ID from his package.

He placed it in front of Shazhu.

Shazhu didn't even glance at the work ID pushed toward him; whether Wang Haijun's name was genuine, whether he really was the third canteen manager, had nothing to do with him.

Although the third canteen and Bai Xu Restaurant are in the same location and room, they're essentially different due to the different eras; moreover, this is an asset of Yagangchang, and the contract signed by both parties expired years ago.

In other words.

The third canteen manager Wang Haijun looking for Shazhu makes no sense; Shazhu wouldn't indulge him, so he deliberately ignored the ID Wang Haijun handed over.

Seeing Shazhu ignore him and not check the ID, Wang Haijun felt a jolt and thought to himself, "This guy called Shazhu is really a reckless troublemaker who doesn't play by the rules."

While taking back his work ID, he also squeezed out a few smiles on his face.

"Master He, I've long admired you—your cooking skills are absolutely top-notch." He gave a thumbs-up in front of Shazhu and kept flattering him, "This restaurant, with a chef like you in charge, business will surely be great—when are you opening?"

"Master He, let's get down to business." Wang Haijun pointed to the wall sign that says no randomly scolding customers, and said, "We're both running eateries; most things inside are ready-made, so you don't need to do extra work—like this sign, it saves you from writing it; plus these tables, chairs, and the kitchen stove, chopping block, etc., just use what's already there."

"Master He, then let's get down to business." Wang Haijun pointed to the slogan on the wall that said no random scolding of customers, "We're all running eateries; there's plenty of ready-made stuff inside, no need for you to do extra work—like this slogan, saving you the trouble of writing it, and these tables, chairs, right, the stove and chopping block in the back kitchen, etc., just use what's already there."

The other party was here to ask for money.

If it can be settled with money, then it's not a problem.

If it can be solved with money, then it's not a problem.

The problem is there's no money.

Wang Haijun wanted to take things like tables, chairs, and stoves, and demanded money from Shazhu, destined to come away empty-handed.

They did not speak.

They watched Wang Haijun perform.

"These things, I was the one who originally arranged them; they are the collective's contribution. We cannot let the collective suffer any loss, not even a single cent. I went to Master He for no other reason than to ask you: convert these things into money, and just give me the money."