Chapter 231: University Registration

I originally thought Lu Cheng would definitely approve, and Guo Tuzi knows this kid is very tough.

Last time we fought a brawl, even though they outnumbered us, we still dared to go head‑to‑head with them.

But Lu Cheng just shook his head at his idea.

"Guo Dage, I'm really not a coward. The East Suburb Landfill is just like a small market; if you plan to take all the profit, that crowd will definitely get angry. What will they do when they get angry?"

Guo Tuzi replied without thinking, "What do I care how they act? If they have the guts, they can fight me. I'm a dead man, but I'm not afraid of them."

"Hehe, Guo Dage, fighting isn't the ultimate solution. If we really push them to a frenzy, they'll smash the pot and report to the authorities, saying the landfill has a lot of waste that can be sold…"

Once the relevant departments take notice and order the factory to be inspected, the factory will surely tighten control over the workers. Think about it—will the factory still produce that much waste then?"

Seeing Guo Tuzi pause with his cup, Lu Cheng continued, "I'm afraid then nobody will have food to eat, so a monopoly isn't a good thing. You should understand the principle that a tall tree catches wind."

The market needs a healthy cycle; if everyone can coexist peacefully now, I think that's great."

"Sss!" Guo Tuzi sucked a breath through his teeth.

"After hearing you say that, I thought it over and it really makes sense. I've been a bit too greedy; compared to before, I don't know how many times better I am now."

Lu Cheng lifted his cup and clinked it with his: "Guo Dage, as long as you can hear me, that's enough. I was still afraid you'd get into a cul‑de‑sac of argument.."

Guo Tuzi laughed, "Hah, I'm not very cultured, but listening to you feels comfortable. Every time you point out a few lines, I feel I learn a lot. From now on, the two of us should meet up often."

The cups clinked again, a sip of wine went down, and the two buried themselves in eating Lu Zhu Huo Shao.

The Capital City has several long‑standing Lu Zhu shops; the one we came to is a golden‑sign shop of "Xiao Chang Chen" on South Heng Street.

Their skill in preparing intestines is unparalleled—clean, plump, tender, and without any off‑smell.

A bowl of Lu Zhu Huo Shao, broth and all, makes you break out in hot sweat; Guo Tuzi unbuttoned his cotton‑padded jacket and shouted toward the window.

"Master, two more bowls, more intestines, and make the broth a bit richer."

"Sure thing."

The master grabbed a big ladle, scooped the offal and fire‑roast from the pot, placed them on the cutting board, and began chopping.

Everyone says Lu Zhu is food for the poor, and that's not an exaggeration at all.

To talk about the origin of Lu Zhu, you have to go back to the Qianlong Emperor's southern tour; he invited local chefs to the palace, created a pork medicinal dish stewed with many spices, and named it Su Zao Rou.

But ordinary folk couldn't afford pork belly, so they modified it, substituting very cheap pork offal.

Since they were laborers with no staple food to fill them, later they added durable dead‑noodle fire‑roast, which is today's Lu Zhu Huo Shao.

What started as a poor‑people's treat has become a classic symbol of old Capital City, embodying street culture.

It's similar to beer: when beer first came out, most people couldn't get used to it, saying its taste was like horse urine.

But it's cheap, and as people kept drinking, they got used to it and actually began to enjoy the flavor, so now in Capital City's summer you often see people go for draft beer.

Unfortunately, Capital City is so populous that even if several breweries run at full throttle, they can't meet the demand.

Another bowl of Lu Zhu arrived; Lu Cheng also satisfied his palate today—fat intestines sliced into sections, pork lungs into slices, fire‑roast cut into diamonds, and fried tofu strips soaked in broth.

It's drizzled with garlic paste and fermented tofu sauce; one bite is truly authentic.

Each drank two taels of San Bai and ate three bowls of Lu Zhu Huo Shao.

Guo Tuzi patted his belly, "Little bro, I now finally know what a full stomach feels like—damn, that's exhilarating."

For the poor, that's the only joy—being full and satiated is the greatest wish.

In truth, isn't life just about food and drink? Eat well, drink well, and a life's worth is done; worrying about everything else is useless.

The two, full and satisfied, promised to go for Shuan Yangrou Hot Pot next time.

Lu Cheng headed north, Guo Tuzi went east, passing a pastry shop and brought some back for his wife.

The next day was Lu Cheng's university enrollment day.

Early on, Chen Xianglan dressed neatly and beautifully; today she would personally escort Lu Cheng to register.

"Old Lu, which outfit looks better on me, this one or the one I just wore?"

Chen Xianglan turned her body left and right in front of an old mirror printed with peonies.

Lu Beitang was sitting there reading the newspaper, not even lifting his eyelids: "Both look good."

Chen Xianglan instantly became displeased: "You've looked and just say both look good—why are you men always so perfunctory?"

Lu Beitang had to sit up, raise his eyelids to glance seriously, though his attention remained on the newspaper.

"Ah, this outfit looks better than the previous one."

Chen Xianglan pursed her lips, "Fine, fine, I won't let you look; you can't tell what's good anyway, just keep reading your newspaper, and at night you can hug the newspaper to sleep…"

Lu Cheng walked in at that moment, saw the two bickering, and hurriedly said,

"Mom, this outfit looks better; look, it shows your figure. If you walk with me, whether from behind or the front, people will immediately think you're my sister—so young."

Chen Xianglan, flattered like a flower, then glared at Lu Beitang.

"Look how sweet my son sounds, unlike you…"

Lu Beitang muttered, "Hm, you even believe his nonsense! You're still so young."

"If you can't speak, just shut up."

Chen Xianglan rolled her eyes, "I love hearing lies; they're comfortable to listen to, even if they're lies, I've never heard you…"

As the two argued again, Lu Cheng, accustomed to it, sat beside them.

"Mom, you don't need to see me off; I'm already from Capital City, I know exactly which way the Qingbei University gate faces."

Lu Beitang added, "Your mother isn't trying to send you off; she just wants to bask in the glory."

Chen Xianglan didn't deny; her son going to university is an honor, so of course she wants to bask in the glory.

"You keep talking about me, yet you don't know who gets up before dawn to polish those leather shoes until they shine so bright they reflect a silhouette—don't you want to go?"

Lu Cheng lowered his head and looked; indeed, as his mother said, his father had taken out the pair of leather shoes he only wears on holidays and put them on.

That alone shows how much they value Lu Cheng's university enrollment.

Being stared at by his son, Lu Beitang felt embarrassed and adjusted his foot still in the leather shoes.

His son can go to university, and the happiest of all is Lu Beitang; he feels proud of his son.

This kid used to worry him a lot, and every time he thinks of it he feels like iron that never became steel, both angry and impatient.

But now it's different; when he mentions to his coworkers that he has a son in university, his face flushes with a red glow.

Yet Lu Beitang, like all traditional fathers, is ashamed to express father‑son affection, never openly showing love, and instead uses his solid shoulders to silently support the family, shielding the child from wind and rain.

A father's love is like a mountain, also wordless.