Chapter 8: Chapter Eight: He Daqing and White Lotus Flower

Maybe everyone wonders why it's called White Lotus Flower—cough, cough—I could say it's the lotus that automatically pops up after typing the white characters? Don't worry about it; it's just a passerby who won't show up again later.

The three walked to the door, Xiao Li knocked on the door, a woman's voice came from the courtyard saying "Who's there?" and then the door opened.

After the door opened, a woman looked at Shao Jimin and the three, trembling, and said, "Comrade, what business do you have?"

"Are you White Lotus Flower? Does He Daqing live here?" Shao Jimin said.

"He Daqing does live here; what do you want with him?" White Lotus Flower was really frightened—she had just arrived in Baocheng today when people from the garrison came looking for her, and she thought He Daqing had done something wrong.

"This is He Daqing's son, He Yuzhu; he's the one looking for He Daqing—go call him out," Shao Jimin said, pointing at He Yuzhu.

White Lotus Flower finally relaxed, but then immediately tensed up again—after all the trouble it took to trick He Daqing into coming to Baocheng to join the gang, she wouldn't have to send him back to Old Beijing today, would she?

Seeing White Lotus Flower not move, He Yuzhu immediately understood and said, "Aunt Bai, don't worry—I'm not calling my father back; I just have some things to discuss with him."

Hearing He Yuzhu's words, White Lotus Flower finally relaxed; her face instantly blossomed into a smile, as if flowers had just opened.

"You're Zhuzi, right? I've often heard Daqing talk about you two siblings—come in quickly." White Lotus Flower opened the door, ushered the three inside, then turned and shouted into the house, "Daqing, come out quickly—Zhuzi is here!"

Hearing the voice, He Daqing rushed out of the house anxiously and said to He Yuzhu, "You idiot Zhuzi, didn't I tell you not to come looking for me? How did you get here?"

"He Daqing, watch your attitude," Shao Jimin said with a stern face.

Only then did He Daqing notice the two—Shao Jimin in military uniform carrying a wooden crate—and he immediately kicked He Yuzhu in the butt, saying, "You ungrateful wretch, you've turned against me, and you've even brought the People's Liberation Army to arrest me!"

"He Daqing, if you make another move, we will take action against you," Shao Jimin said, stepping forward two paces.

He Daqing mumbled a couple of sentences and then said nothing more.

He Yuzhu then said, "Dad, I didn't come to take you back; I just have some things to ask you, plus it's about Yushui—you didn't leave me an address, so I could only ask the local Military Administration Committee comrades."

Then he turned to Shao Jimin and said, "Director Shao, may I speak with my father?"

Shao Jimin said to He Daqing, "You two go inside to talk, but you must mind your attitude, He Daqing—although pursuing your own happiness isn't wrong, after all you abandoned your children; Zhuzi, we'll wait for you in the courtyard."

"Director Shao, you and this comrade come into this room; it's freezing cold outside," White Lotus Flower said to Shao Jimin with a smile.

Shao Jimin nodded in agreement and followed White Lotus Flower and the three into the house.

Inside, He Daqing and He Yuzhu sat opposite each other, staring silently. Unable to bear it, He Yuzhu said, "Dad, I don't object to you and Aunt Bai coming to Baocheng, but Yushui is only nine—what are we supposed to do with her?"

"Didn't I find you a job at the steel mill? Why didn't you go?" Hearing He Yuzhu's words, He Daqing's voice softened—how could a father not feel for his children? But He Daqing also had his own difficulties, which he dared not speak of.

"I did go, but I went straight to Lou Dong; now I'm the head chef of the second canteen, earning 32 yuan a month—just missing the extra allowance a squad leader would get compared to what you used to have."

"What? You became head chef?" He Daqing looked at He Yuzhu in disbelief.

"Yeah, at the Emei Restaurant my master said I've graduated, and this morning I even did a tasting; Lou Dong said my skills aren't worse than yours," He Yuzhu mused and then added.

"Dad, you and Aunt Bai came to Baocheng because you have some difficulties, right?" After saying that, He Yuzhu looked at He Daqing.

He Daqing's expression changed instantly; he glanced outside and lowered his voice to He Yuzhu, "Zhuzi, have you heard something?"

Seeing He Daqing like that, He Yuzhu was about ninety percent sure and said, "No, Dad—I just feel… let's not talk about that for now. Dad, I've also thought about Yushui staying with you, and I'm not at ease either, since as the saying goes, a stepmother brings a stepfather; I know what kind of person you are, son, and that's also why I didn't bring Yushui here. But you must send me money every month—this money isn't for me, it's for Yushui; I want to support her through college, so you need to give me at least twenty yuan a month."

Upon hearing twenty yuan, He Daqing's eyes widened and he snapped, "You little brat, why don't you ask for a hundred yuan? How much do I even make a month?"

"Dad, with your skills you could walk anywhere sideways—just casually find a factory and you'd make thirty or forty yuan a month; even taking odd jobs here and there you'd easily pull in ten or twenty yuan monthly."

He Yuzhu actually didn't want He Daqing's money, but thinking of his father's miserable old age, he decided after all to take it—someday he'd have to support him in his old age, so it was just saving up for him.

After further haggling, they settled on fifteen yuan a month, and He Daqing sent it directly to the steel mill.

In his previous life, He Yuzhu brought He Yushui together to Baocheng; although he also found the address from the Military Administration Committee, back then there was no phone call from Director Wu.

Thus there was no incident of Shao Jimin accompanying them; the siblings never saw He Daqing before White Lotus Flower drove them back, after which He Yuzhu fell ill, and all subsequent matters were handled by Yi Zhonghai, which is why the diversion occurred.

"Dad, it's not that I don't trust you, but over time one sees people's hearts—I'm afraid Aunt Bai might… so I want to sign an agreement with you, and also have you write a certificate proving that the two houses in Old Beijing you left are for me and Yushui."

"You little brat, sigh, fine—do as you say," He Daqing said, then went to get paper and pen.

After He Daqing finished writing the agreement and certificate, both of them stamped it with their handprints; He Yuzhu then called Shao Jimin over to sign and stamp the witness column.

Seeing the matter settled, Shao Jimin greeted He Yuzhu and left with Xiao Li.

After the two left, White Lotus Flower smiled and said to He Yuzhu, "Zhuzi, are you hungry? Aunt Bai will cook for you." Seeing her expression, He Yuzhu thought, "If it weren't for what happened in my past life, I'd really believe your evil tricks!"

"Don't bother, I'll go out to eat with my dad—I happen to want to talk to him about other things, but rest assured I won't take him away," He Yuzhu said after finishing, then looked at He Daqing.

"Don't bother, tidy up the house—I'll take Zhuzi out to eat," He Daqing said, then took He Yuzhu out.

After the two walked away, White Lotus Flower spat and said, "You little bastard, you scared the hell out of me—I painstakingly pulled together this gang, it can't just fly off like that; no, I'd better hurry and hide the money."