Chapter 7: Coaxing Yi Zhonghai

Head Steward, what's there to not get over? Yesterday I couldn't get over it, but by night I could. Anyway, that's just how things are at home—my dad ran off with a widow, I'm angry, but what's there to be angry about? He taught me cooking; with my cooking skills I won't starve, and feeding Yushui is no problem.

Shazhu, what you say makes sense, but Head Steward wants to say a few heartfelt words to you—these words come from my mouth and go into your ears, and must not let a third person know.

Shazhu knows Yi Zhonghai's main show is coming.

He has experienced this routine in his previous life.

The difference is that Shazhu does not regard Dama as a brother.

Just one sentence.

Yi Zhonghai for his old-age career.

Not well-intentioned toward Shazhu.

Because Yi Zhonghai wants to educate Shazhu into the kind of person who, when faced with something, doesn't think with his brain but randomly throws punches and kicks—a reckless person.

In his previous life, beating Dama, hitting Dama with a blunt stick, letting old women strip Dama's clothes, etc., are all due to this rash psychological factor.

Yi Zhonghai turned Shazhu into a beast that doesn't think.

When encountering things, he habitually uses fists to solve them.

After the fight.

Realizing he has caused trouble.

Regretting alone.

"Head Steward, please speak."

Shazhu wiped the smile from his face and became solemn.

Acting out the whole show.

No matter what, he has to cooperate with Yi Zhonghai a bit.

"In our courtyard, I only obey you; I trust your words, so go ahead and speak."

Seeing Shazhu so reasonable.

Yi Zhonghai is also pleased.

Mistakenly thinking Shazhu is still the Shazhu he knows.

"Shazhu, with just you and Yushui at home, people will look down on you. Outsiders will say you have no one to consult when something happens, and no one to make decisions for you. Head Steward's meaning is, just now you fighting Dama like that won't do; you should beat Dama, and your previous beating of Dama was done well."

To maintain the image of a nice old person.

Yi Zhonghai has gone to great trouble.

With a change of tone, he explains his reason for letting Shazhu beat Dama.

His words inside and out convey that he means well for Shazhu.

"Shazhu, it's not that Head Steward is urging you to beat Dama; it's your current situation—you must beat Dama. Do you know why you need to beat Dama? The Qing is gone; it's just the two of you, Yushui is nine, you are sixteen, and after the New Year you'll be seventeen. This will make those people think you're easy to bully, so you have to package yourself as a troublemaker to make them fear you."

"To make those people fear me, I have to beat Dama."

"This is also unavoidable; Head Steward is an experienced person who has suffered from this, so you must beat Dama. Rest assured, with Head Steward around, beating Dama will be fine; Head Steward will help you."

Yi Zhonghai wears an expression of indulgence, as if letting Shazhu freely punish Dama.

A pretty damn feeling surged into Shazhu's heart.

Yi Zhonghai.

You lack virtue.

Do you know?

"I'm not afraid, isn't Head Steward here?"

Shazhu then kicked the ball over to Yi Zhonghai.

Play me.

No way.

"When something happens, I consult you, Head Steward; if someone bullies me, I ask you, Head Steward, to back me up. You are the Head Steward of our courtyard—who dares not give you face? If they don't give you face, you lash out at them; with me here, they dare not do anything to you."

Yi Zhonghai was startled.

He held a breath in his chest.

In other words, I spoke for nothing.

If I were to help you solve it, I wouldn't need all this nonsense.

"Shazhu."

"Head Steward, I understand your painstaking efforts; following your meaning, Dama still needs to be beaten—I know what to do, it's just bullying Dama, right? You watch."

Shazhu just said it offhand.

His hand is long on him.

Whether to beat Dama or not really is up to Shazhu himself.

Yi Zhonghai surely can't grab Shazhu's hand to slap Dama.

"Shazhu, if you think that way, I'll be relieved. The old lady in the back courtyard has always liked your father's cooking; at noon show off a skill, let the old lady taste your craft. If it works out, the old lady will use connections to make you a formal worker at the steel mill, so you'll have a wage to support your sister. Even if you can't get into the cafeteria, with Head Steward around it's fine—Head Steward will talk to the factory director and let you work as my apprentice."

In his previous life.

The relationship between the deaf old lady and Shazhu became mysteriously linked because of that meal.

Specifically, whose idea was it.

Shazhu doesn't want to know, nor does he care to bother; he only knows that after he made a meal for the deaf old lady, he became her obedient grandson in her mouth.

Originally, the deaf old lady's three daily meals, which Yi Zhonghai and his wife took care of, mysteriously ended up on Shazhu.

Until Qin Huairu appeared and sucked Shazhu dry, the chore of caring for the deaf old lady mysteriously shifted to the eldest aunt's head.

The deaf old lady has a kindness toward Shazhu.

Thanks to the deaf old lady's matchmaking, Shazhu and Lou Xiaoe had a love child; otherwise Shazhu would have ended up with no heirs, and after the deaf old lady died, the house also went to Shazhu.

The problem is that Yi Zhonghai is involved in this.

Shazhu is a bit reluctant.

He deliberately let out a ha-ha laugh.

"This is even better; I was still worrying about becoming a regular employee, thinking about how to support Yushui. With your words, Elder, I feel relieved."

Yi Zhonghai's heart settled.

Shazhu just needs to cook for Long Laotaitai.

In order to show his affection for Long Laotaitai.

Yi Zhonghai deliberately, after Shazhu saw him out the door, said in front of the busy people in the courtyard: "Zhuzi, the old lady doesn't want to eat this either; just make her two steamed buns at noon."

This steamed bun.

Not that steamed bun.

If you really believe it.

Then you're an idiot.

The "steamed bun" Yi Zhonghai refers to actually means meat.

He openly wants to eat meat but feels a bit embarrassed, so he uses this moral blackmail tactic, deliberately substituting "steamed bun" for meat.

Shazhu knows Yi Zhonghai's calculations.

He has lived again.

He has come to understand many things, and also knows many aspects that were unclear and incomprehensible in his previous life.

Long Laotaitai doesn't want steamed buns.

It's meat.

However, Shazhu will not, this time, comply with the wishes of Long Laotaitai and Yi Zhonghai; if you want steamed buns, I'll make you two.

Want to eat meat.

No way.

"Elder, rest assured, I've taken care of the old lady's lunch; it's just two steamed buns, nothing more than adding a handful of coarse flour."

The words sound off.

How is it just a matter of adding a handful of coarse flour?

Don't let Shazhu actually end up making and delivering two steamed buns.

Want to hint to Shazhu.

Because there were too many people coming and going, Yi Zhonghai also gave up that idea, turned and headed for Yagangchang; He Daqing left, the courtyard affairs were barely settled, and the matters inside Yagangchang still needed Yi Zhonghai's attention.

Now Yi Zhonghai is just a level-four worker; his abilities and connections are far weaker than when he was a level-eight worker.

But making Shazhu a formal worker at Yagangchang.

Yi Zhonghai still has confidence.