Chapter 19: Yang Weimin's Hat

"Oh, Haitang is here? You're getting prettier and prettier." Xu Damao, pushing his bicycle loaded with a pile of green onions and radishes, had his eyes light up.

Yu Haitang calculated the time, felt that He Yuzhu was about done cooking, and walked out of the room, just happening to run into Xu Damao, who had returned from showing movies in the countryside.

"Oh, Xu Damao, you're back."

"What wind blew a great beauty into our courtyard today? Have you eaten? Want to grab a bite together?" Xu Damao parked his bike and leaned in.

"No need, Brother Xu, Deputy Director He is treating me to a meal today." Yu Haitang smiled slightly and started to walk around Xu Damao.

Xu Damao got anxious the moment he heard this and blocked Yu Haitang: "Who? Bullshit! What Deputy Director He! It's just a title! How many people can he even manage to be a Deputy Director! Pfft!"

Yu Haitang was stunned; the appointment notice was even announced over the broadcast by her, so how could he not be a Deputy Director?

She looked up and saw Xu Damao's face full of resentment. He had gone to the Big Leader's house too, but he had been kicked out while Shazhu had been kept behind, and it was said he even sat at the table to drink. How could that be?!

It must be that He Yuzhu had badmouthed him behind his back!

Otherwise, why would the Big Leader not watch the film even though it was all prepared?

Didn't she see that the Leader's wife was very satisfied with him?

That damn Shazhu!

"Let me tell you this, if you believe that he can keep this Deputy Director seat steady, then I, Xu Damao, am your son!" The more Xu Damao thought about it, the angrier he got, grinding his teeth and stomping his feet.

"Xu Damao, what nonsense are you spouting? Who is your mother! Tell me, what exactly is wrong with He Yuzhu?" Yu Haitang rolled her eyes at Xu Damao and asked curiously instead.

To say that she, a young maiden, was his mother—this Xu Damao really could say anything, pfft.

Yu Haitang's eye-roll made Xu Damao feel light-headed, and he chuckled, saying, "How about this, Brother will treat you to a meal, how about we talk while we eat?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Lou Xiao'e walked out of the Back Yard with a dark face. She let out a cold snort, looked at the two people frozen in place, and without a word, walked back.

"Sister-in-law, don't misunderstand, Sister-in-law, hey!" Yu Haitang called out a few times, but seeing Lou Xiao'e walk away without looking back, she felt a surge of anger. This Xu Damao!

"It's fine, don't be afraid of her, I'll divorce her sooner or later! Shall we go? Let's go eat, Brother will take you to Quan Beng De for roast duck, how about that?" Seeing that Lou Xiao'e was no longer in sight, Xu Damao immediately regained his spirit.

She had been married to him for so many years and hadn't even produced a single sign of life; what was there to be so arrogant about!

"No need, Brother Zhuzi has everything ready, I'm leaving." Yu Haitang ignored him, nodded, and walked toward He Yushui's room.

"Hey, hey, hey, Haitang, wait for me..." He had just shouted a few times when he saw He Yuzhu poke his head out of the room. Xu Damao was startled, then quickly pushed his bicycle and ran back to the Back Yard.

He could say whatever he wanted behind his back, but face-to-face, Xu Damao was truly afraid of He Yuzhu, because getting beaten up hurt too much...

"The food is ready, I was just about to call you. Why are you bothering with Xu Damao for no reason?" He Yuzhu led Yu Haitang into the room, carefully set out the bowls and chopsticks, and complained.

To be honest, a young girl like Yu Haitang really wasn't his type; she couldn't help with his career, she was overbearing at home, her resolve was weak, she believed whatever she heard, and she wasn't the kind of woman who only knew how to dote on her "older brother~".

Therefore, he had only mentioned this meal casually, but since she had agreed, he would treat her. It was just a meal anyway, and he had to eat too.

"No, I just ran into him and chatted a bit. Brother Zhuzi, your cooking smells so good." Yu Haitang sat down, then playfully stuck out her tongue, ran to the courtyard to wash her hands, and ran back. She closed her eyes and sniffed the aroma, looking completely intoxicated.

"You like it? If you like it, I'll make it for you every day if there's a chance." He Yuzhu chuckled; being affirmed was always a pleasant feeling.

He wasn't flirting or confessing to Yu Haitang; he meant that in the future, he could sneakily add a small stir-fry for her at work, because Yu Haitang didn't have the rank to eat the "small stove" meals, and since he wouldn't be taking leftovers home anymore, he could just set aside the extra for her.

But in Yu Haitang's heart, it wasn't like that at all. She blushed, gave a soft "mm," and began to beautifully savor He Yuzhu's craft.

As she ate, Yu Haitang slowly dropped her ladylike demeanor and, feeling somewhat aggrieved, put down her chopsticks: "Master He, is there any wine? Let's have some."

"Hey, that's not appropriate, why is a young girl like you drinking?" He Yuzhu was stunned, not understanding why Yu Haitang felt aggrieved.

"I'm in a bad mood, will you keep me company and have a drink? Please?"

He Yuzhu couldn't handle this, so he could only nod and take a bottle of sorghum liquor from under the bed: "This is all I have at home, don't mind it."

"I don't mind, thank you."

Yu Haitang picked up the wine glass and downed it in one gulp, exhaled a breath of alcohol, and her face turned bright red instantly. She stared at He Yuzhu with a somewhat dazed look.

"Brother Zhuzi, why didn't I realize you were such a good person before?"

He Yuzhu smiled and downed his own glass in one gulp. Nonsense, that's because Brother hadn't transmigrated over yet. A man as perfect as him, even in a different shell, was like a firefly in the dark night—so dazzling and eye-catching.

"If Yang Weimin were half as good as you, I'd be content." As she spoke, another glass went down, and Yu Haitang began to cry.

Now He Yuzhu couldn't be smug anymore. A man and a woman alone, why are you crying? If someone heard, they'd think he had done something to her.

With the nature of these beasts, his newly started career would be ruined in an instant.

"Hey, Haitang, don't cry. What exactly happened with Yang Weimin? Tell Brother about it. If it doesn't work out, I'll go beat him up! Stop crying, okay? I'm begging you." By the end, He Yuzhu was almost crying himself; what kind of situation was this.

"Wuu wuu, wah, Brother Zhuzi, you're too good. I, I'm just aggrieved, just let me cry for a while."

"Don't, don't cry. Tell Brother what happened, Brother even has a gift for you."

"What gift?"

Good heavens, He Yuzhu looked at Yu Haitang, who had stopped crying, and was instantly speechless.

He walked to the bed, lifted the quilt, took out a set of cosmetics, and handed them to Yu Haitang.

"This... is this for me?" Yu Haitang looked at the full set of cosmetics in her hands in disbelief, her mouth wide open.

"Yes, stop crying. You won't look pretty if you cry until your face is a mess." He Yuzhu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Yu Haitang stroked the cosmetics one by one, but her heart felt even more aggrieved.

She was the factory beauty, had been dating Yang Weimin for so many years, and had given him everything. And him?

He handed over most of his salary, supported his eldest brother's marriage, then his second brother's, and he had nothing for himself.

In all these years of dating, all he had given her were hair ties and hair flowers, and every time they met, he was impatient to "hehehe."

Was she after his things? No!

It was the attitude!

She had originally thought Yang Weimin was quite good—honest and diligent—but today, compared to He Yuzhu, he suddenly paled in comparison.

Indeed, how much longer could she wait for him?

Was she with him just to support his two brothers' marriages and then squeeze into a room with his parents?

"Brother Zhuzi, do you like me!" Yu Haitang gathered her courage and finally asked this question.

"Ah? No, no, Haitang, don't misunderstand, this..." In an instant, He Yuzhu broke into a sweat. Heaven and earth as his witness, Yu Haitang was pretty, but he really didn't have thoughts in that direction; he was long past the age of looking only at faces. But with the refusal on the tip of his tongue, he didn't know how to say it—after all, this era wasn't like the future.

"Hehe, what are you nervous about, Brother He Yuzhu?" Yu Haitang hugged the cosmetics and sniffed them happily; they smelled truly fragrant.

"No, ah, I'm not nervous..." A line from Uncle Zhao's dialogue escaped his lips, immediately making Yu Haitang bend over with laughter; she raised her wine glass, and the two of them began to drink again.

As they drank, the two of them spoke with increasing enthusiasm, and bottle after bottle of sorghum liquor went down their throats; it took a full three bottles before the two of them were completely drunk and passed out.

Early the next morning, before the sky had even brightened, Yu Haitang clutched her stomach and limped, sneaking out of the Siheyuan while hugging her cosmetics.

Another three days passed in succession, and the wages were finally issued; He Yuzhu finally let out a sigh of relief—if things had continued like this, he would have been reduced to eating dirt.

Furthermore, through checking in, he had also signed in for quite a few miscellaneous things...

For example, Shenbao, Yuting, and the like, as well as a brand-new 28-inch Bicycle!