Chapter 16

Wang Baoguo picked up the cigarette on the table, took a puff, and said, "What's there to fear? I'm here with your brother Ping'an; if anything happens, your brother will settle it for you. If anyone dares to scheme against you, Zhuzi, just tell me—your senior brother I've been hanging around in the district for so many years isn't just for nothing."

Li Ping'an chimed in, saying, "Exactly, tonight we four brothers will just stand behind our master—no need to say a word; our presence alone will scare them to death."

That's right, Brother Zhuzi—if they dare to scheme against you, I, Shuanzi, will be the first to object.

Good grief, He Yuzhu, seeing this situation, that won't do—let's not start fighting again later. He quickly said, "Baoguo brother, Ping'an brother, Shuanzi, don't rush; they still don't have? Tonight we'll have the master explain things clearly to them; tonight we don't need to speak—just let the master speak."

Wang Youde took a cigarette, He Yuzhu lit it with a match, then said, "Zhuzi is right, Baoguo, you need to rein in your temper; tonight we're here to give Zhuzi face, not to start a fight."

After a while of idle chat in the room, Shuanzi saw the radio He Yuzhu had placed at the foot of the room and said, "Brother Zhuzi, you bought a radio?" Having said that, he ran over and gazed at it in amazement.

"This is the broken one I bought at the procurement station yesterday, but after I spent the whole night fixing it, it's working now—aren't you jealous, Shuanzi?"

"Of course it is, Brother Zhuzi—this is a radio after all; when did you learn to fix radios?" Wang Youde and the other two also looked at He Yuzhu with astonishment.

"Hey, I was just tinkering idly; I didn't expect to actually fix it. If you want one, go buy a set at the procurement station, bring it over and I'll fix it for you—Baoguo brother, Ping'an brother, Master, when I have time I'll make one for each of you too."

Wang Baoguo laughed heartily, "That's great—now I can bask in Zhuzi's glory, not bad, not bad," and then patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder.

At that moment the clay-pot chicken was already boiling; He Yuzhu walked over, tasted it with a spoon for saltiness, added a bit of salt, stirred, and upon smelling the aroma Wang Baoguo hurried over, took a look, and said, "Nice, Zhuzi—today you've given me plenty of surprises; this taste is great."

"That's because, although Brother Baoguo and I are studying Sichuan cuisine under our master, we are also legitimate inheritors of the Tan family cuisine."

He Yuzhu and the others were talking when they heard Yi Zhonghai outside striking a gong and shouting that a meeting was starting. He Yuzhu greeted Wang Youde and the others to go to the courtyard for the meeting, then moved an official's hat chair from inside and placed it below the doorstep, letting Wang Youde sit on it.

Soon the people in the courtyard trickled over to the central courtyard, seeing so many strangers gathered at He Yuzhu's gate, all with rubbernecking expressions watching He Yuzhu's group. Xu Daming followed his father Xu Fugui over, but Xu Daming didn't just stare like the others; he walked up to He Yuzhu and said, "What's up, Shazhu, causing trouble outside and getting people to come to your home?"

He Yuzhu gave him a sideways glance, thinking, "If it weren't for you collecting corpses for us in our past life, I'd have kicked your ass by now; though I do thank you for that, Lou Xiaoe, in this lifetime you can forget about it." He Yuzhu realized he was thinking too far ahead—this brat is only thirteen this year.

"You little brat, you've had your fill—watch out, I'll kick your ass." He Yuzhu said that and then ignored him.

Seeing Xu Daming and He Yuzhu chatting there, Xu Fugui shouted, "Daming, what are you doing? Hurry over!"

A major feature of meetings in this courtyard house is that everyone either stands or sits on a small stool or bench; only the three senior stewards have a square table in the middle with three official's hat chairs beside it as their seats, but today an extra official's hat chair was added for He Yuzhu's master, Wang Youde.

If Elder Lady Rong also came to the meeting, because she is the oldest in the courtyard she would certainly have a chair as well, and precisely because of her age she usually doesn't come out for meetings.

Agenda item one: The second elder of the courtyard house, Liu Haizhong, spoke to open the meeting, saying, "Everyone, quiet down, quiet down"—his bearing was that of a leader through and through; this second elder was definitely an office-seeker, constantly trying every means to become an official, even his everyday manner imitates the factory's leaders.

"Now the meeting begins—please have the chief elder of the courtyard house speak."

Agenda item two: The chief elder of the courtyard house, Yi Zhonghai, delivered an important speech: "Ahem, um." Yi Zhonghai cleared his throat and said, "Today we've called everyone together because our courtyard's He Daqing and the White Lotus Flower from Baocheng went to Baocheng and won't be returning to our courtyard." As soon as he finished, the people in the courtyard began to discuss.

Clang, clang, clang—Liu Haizhong struck the table with his teacup a few times, saying, "Quiet down, quiet down."

"Haha, Shazhu, your dad ran off with someone else!" Xu Daming stood up and shouted loudly.

The crowd in the courtyard erupted in cheers and snickers; Liu Haizhong slapped the table several times before everyone quieted down.

He Yuzhu glared at Xu Daming, "You little bastard, if you want a beating, just keep shouting."

"What's up, Shazhu, you're still letting people speak?"

"Daming, sit down and shut up." Xu Fugui hauled Xu Daming onto a stool, then said, "Zhuzi, don't take it to heart—Daming is still young, don't be like him."

He Yuzhu glanced at Xu Fugui without speaking; then Wang Youde spoke: "Everyone, I am He Yuzhu's master, Wang Youde; standing behind me are my disciples; I and He Daqing are sworn brothers, and although Daqing has gone to Baocheng, I am still here."

"Zhuzi is young; if he ever offends any of you, please be tolerant. If it really can't be helped, you can come find me at No. 13 Courtyard, Yuhua Hutong."

"But if I find out that anyone dares to bully the Zhuzi siblings," he said, then Wang Youde stood up and shouted, "Baoguo!"

Then we saw Wang Baoguo walk over to the official's hat chair, say, "Here, Master," and with a slap of his foot he broke the chair's backrest.

"My official's hat chair, made of red date wood!" He Yuzhu cried out inwardly in anguish.

The courtyard fell silent, no one speaking. Seeing this, Yi Zhonghai thought, "Oh no, I'm killing the vibe!" He wanted to act tough but didn't dare, so he hurriedly stood up, walked to Wang Youde, grabbed his hand, and said with a grin, "Brother Wang, what are you doing? Our Courtyard House No. 95 is a civilized courtyard; rest assured, if anyone dares to bully Zhuzi, others need not say anything—I won't stand for it. Rest assured, the Zhuzi siblings will not suffer bullying in our courtyard."

Seeing how things had turned out, Yi Zhonghai hurried to smooth things over, saying to the people in the courtyard, "Tonight there's really nothing else—since everyone already knows, let's just disperse."

Seeing there was no more excitement to watch, the people of the courtyard house gradually returned to their rooms.

After exchanging pleasantries with the three senior stewards, Wang Youde led He Yuzhu and the others back inside.

The master and his five disciples drank and chatted until after nine o'clock before leaving; after seeing everyone off, He Yuzhu didn't tidy up the room, just lay down on the bed and fell asleep directly.