Chapter 24: Ma Hua Gets Arrested

"Ma Hua, you stop right there!" Pangzi quickly caught up to Ma Hua, his face looking fierce and menacing.

"What do you want, Pangzi? Spit it out if you have something to say!" Ma Hua looked at him with disdain; he had already been kicked out of the small kitchen by his master, so what was there to be smug about?

"Heh, what are you acting so high and mighty for? What are you holding?" Pangzi reined in his expression, turned his head, and stared at the mesh bag Ma Hua was carrying to ask.

"None of your business?! Don't go looking for trouble, I'm telling you, Pangzi!" Ma Hua's heart skipped a beat, but he shook his head nonchalantly and prepared to leave.

Who would have thought Pangzi would suddenly lunge over, wrap his arms tightly around Ma Hua, and ask: "Is this stuff you brought from the kitchen? Tell me! Today, as long as you agree to deal with Shazhu with me from now on, I'll let you go; otherwise, wait for your death!"

Ma Hua struggled hard, feeling breathless from being squeezed, and endured the pain to ask: "Pangzi, I don't understand what you're saying! What on earth do you mean?"

Seeing Ma Hua's pained expression, Pangzi loosened his arms slightly and said: "No need to pretend. Weren't you also kicked to the big kitchen by Shazhu to chop vegetables? The things you're holding must be stolen. As long as you agree to deal with Shazhu with me, I'll let you go; otherwise, I'm sending you to the Security Department!"

Ma Hua's eyes darted around, and he agreed, but no matter how he tried to fish for information, Pangzi wouldn't say anything, forcing Ma Hua to go to the Security Department to report He Yuzhu.

Seeing the Security Department right before his eyes, Ma Hua could only sigh helplessly.

"Speak, what's the situation?!" Inside the Security Department, a security guard sat behind a desk, holding paper and a pen to record the two men's statements.

"It's like this, Wang Baowei, He Yuzhu stole public property to curry favor and distributed it to Ma Hua. The evidence is solid; look at Ma Hua's mesh bag!" Pangzi smiled as he stepped forward, pointing at Ma Hua.

Pangzi wasn't afraid of Ma Hua turning on him, because if he didn't implicate He Yuzhu, the charge of theft would fall solely on Ma Hua himself. Pangzi didn't believe Ma Hua was stupid enough to sacrifice himself for He Yuzhu.

"Is that so, Comrade Ma Hua?"

Ma Hua smiled and said: "No, I took the things myself; it has nothing to do with Deputy Director He."

Pangzi was stunned, turning his head to look at Ma Hua in disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost.

"Comrade Ma Hua, are you sure?" That Wang Baowei tapped the table and continued to ask.

"Sure!"

"Good, sign it. As for the truth of what you said, we will investigate. You go stay in the room next door first." Seeing Ma Hua sign, Wang Baowei signaled to another colleague beside him to take Ma Hua inside.

"Wang Baowei, don't listen to him. It was clearly given to him by He Yuzhu; I saw it myself," Pangzi said anxiously.

"Alright, understood. You sign too; we'll need you to testify later. You go stay in the room next door as well."

"Huh? Me too? And I have to testify?" Pangzi was stunned and sheepishly wanted to back away, but he was stopped by another security guard and taken to Ma Hua's room.

Ma Hua looked at Pangzi and shook his head; a despicable and shameless villain, talking to him was just a waste of breath.

"Ma Hua, is your brain broken? Do you know what admitting guilt means?!" Pangzi ran in front of Ma Hua, furious, his spit flying everywhere.

Ma Hua muttered a few words under his breath. Pangzi didn't hear clearly and leaned in to ask: "What did you say?"

Suddenly, Ma Hua crashed into the wall with a thud, fell to the ground, and shouted: "Ah! Someone's hitting me! Help!"

The security guards outside the door rushed in with a clatter. Looking at the miserable Ma Hua, several of them pinned Pangzi to the ground and said viciously: "Hitting people, are you?! Let's educate you!"

"No, it's not like that, he's framing me, don't, don't hit, ouch." Pangzi almost shed tears; the city's schemes were too deep.

On the other side.

He Yuzhu returned to the courtyard with Qin Huairu and arrived at Yushui's room.

The originally messy room had already been tidied up neatly by Qin Jingru, who was even washing cloth shoes for herself. A warm current suddenly flowed through He Yuzhu's heart, and he felt a bit reluctant to push her toward that scum Xu Damao.

"Hey, no need to be so polite, why are you washing shoes?" He Yuzhu quickly stepped forward.

"It's fine, Brother He. My sister told me everything; you're the deputy director of the cafeteria. I think you're quite good, hehe, what do you think of me?" Qin Jingru stared with wide eyes, looking pure.

"Good, very good. You're being too polite, put them down quickly. Tell me what you like to eat and I'll go buy it for you."

"It's fine, my sister's family won't let me go, saying the old lady is sick and likes quiet, so they let me wait for you here. I saw your place was too messy, so I tidied it up. Men, living alone, it's bound to be messy, you only need to worry about the outside, the home needs a woman to tidy up, that way it's warm, hehe."

"Hi, what is your sister doing? Alright, then thank you. Don't bother with the shoes after you finish, I'll go buy you something to eat." He Yuzhu walked out awkwardly.

"How is it, do you like her? Do you want to consider it some more?" Qin Huairu saw He Yuzhu's awkward expression, chuckled, and her tone was full of temptation.

"Forget it, you. I'm going to buy groceries." He Yuzhu glanced at her and rode his bike away.

Along the way, the bustling He Yuzhu bought quite a few snacks, vegetables, and even some fruit.

Then, he found a deserted spot and took a rack of ribs, a pig's leg, a crucian carp, and the remaining two sets of cosmetics from the System Space, securing them firmly on the back seat of his bike.

It was fortunate that Yushui hadn't returned yet, otherwise, these cosmetics wouldn't be enough to go around.

Returning to the courtyard, He Yuzhu hummed a tune and immediately started the stove to heat oil and stir-fry dishes.

Whatever, let it be, take it one step at a time. To hell with Xu Damao anyway.

Having made up his mind, He Yuzhu felt a sense of clarity in his heart.

After the meal was cooked, he served some for the three children, and then the three of them set the table in He Yuzhu's room and began to eat.

"Today, I'm happy, let's have a drink." Qin Huairu looked at her somewhat reserved sister and smiled.

"Huh? Sister, I don't know how to drink." Qin Jingru shyly glanced at He Yuzhu and said bashfully. This was naturally an act; in reality, her alcohol tolerance wasn't bad, but since it was their first time sitting together, she was afraid He Yuzhu would look down on her.

"Exactly, why drink? Eat the food, eat the food." He Yuzhu also had a headache; mentioning drinking made him think of Yu Haitang, whom he hadn't seen for quite a few days.

"Drink a little, your sister wants to drink, you two keep her company." Qin Huairu insisted and took out a few bottles of sorghum liquor, pouring drinks for everyone.

The atmosphere among the three was actually quite harmonious.

Qin Huairu was intentionally playing matchmaker, He Yuzhu looked ambiguous, and Qin Jingru was very satisfied.

After all, unlike in the TV show, there was no interference from Xu Damao now, and He Yuzhu had become a Deputy Director; Qin Jingru was naturally extremely satisfied.

As they drank, the three of them started to get a bit tipsy.

"Jingru, how is your Brother Zhuzi? Do you like him?" Looking at the tipsy Qin Jingru, Qin Huairu asked with a smile.

"Satisfied, too satisfied. A Kyoto household registration, has a house, has a multi-story building, no need to take care of parents-in-law, and a monthly salary of 【redacted】 yuan. Only a fool wouldn't be satisfied, hehe." As she spoke, Qin Jingru kept staring at He Yuzhu, the smile on the corners of her mouth impossible to hide.

"Hi, you flatter me, you flatter me. Come, eat some more food, don't just drink." He Yuzhu lit a cigarette and placed a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs for Qin Jingru and Qin Huairu respectively.

"As long as you're satisfied. It's getting late, tonight, you just rest here, I'm heading back first." Qin Huairu patted her sister's shoulder with a mischievous smile.

"Huh? No, sister, I, this, no." Qin Jingru was startled; she was still an unmarried girl...

"It's fine, from now on, we're one family." As she spoke, Qin Huairu picked up a handful of peanuts and stuffed them into He Yuzhu's mouth just as he was about to open it, instantly stifling his words.

Then she gave He Yuzhu a fierce glare, stepped on his foot, walked out, and locked the door from the outside.

"Hey, who did she learn this locking-the-door trick from!" He Yuzhu swayed, speechless, and sat back down.

Qin Jingru twisted the corner of her clothes, too shy to speak, her heart filled with longing for a beautiful future.

Seeing this, He Yuzhu scratched his head in embarrassment; it was all happening too fast, and his heart was in a turmoil.

"You... this, sigh, no, you sleep on the bed, I'll sleep on the floor." In the end, He Yuzhu still said these words.

"No, Brother Zhuzi, I like you, I'm willing to be with you!" Qin Jingru raised her head, revealed a smile, and then closed her eyes.

After a while, Qin Huairu tiptoed away from under the window with a smile and returned to her own room.

Looking at Jia Zhangshi, who was starving, Qin Huairu asked with a smile: "Mom? Are you hungry? Do you want to eat some dirty food?"

Jia Zhangshi immediately shed tears: "Tsk, tsk, tsk."

The night passed, and before dawn, Qin Huairu snuck over and opened He Yuzhu's door, then slipped back into her own room.

"It's bad, Master He, Director He, it's not good, Ma Hua has gone missing."

The constant knocking on the door woke up He Yuzhu and Qin Jingru, whose eyes were already swollen from crying.

"You sleep a little longer, remember not to let anyone know you slept here last night." He Yuzhu ruffled Qin Jingru's hair, hurriedly put on his clothes, and walked out.

"What happened? Tell me carefully." Looking at Ma Hua's anxious mother, He Yuzhu asked in a deep voice.