Chapter 37: No One Is With Me

For a moment, the courtyard became quite desolate.

"Zhuzi, that, look, your house has been renovated, when will you heat the kang, and also, what about the New Year's Eve dinner?" The First Elder rubbed his hands, still shaken, and turned to follow He Yuzhu back to Yushui's room.

"Alright, let's make it tomorrow. First Elder, you should get some rest too. You were scared today, right? Haha."

"Sigh, I'm old and useless; today I owe it all to you." The First Elder expressed his gratitude once more.

"It's nothing. We're like family, don't be so formal, it just makes us distant."

"Haha, good. Then whose house will we have the New Year's Eve dinner at, Zhuzi?"

"Hmm, let's see what the old lady thinks." He Yuzhu thought for a moment.

"Alright, I'll go ask the old lady now. You get some rest first." Saying this, the First Elder walked out with a smile on his face.

He Yuzhu wiped the smile off his face inside the room, shook his head, and thought of the miserable Xu Damao again. Sigh, how is this person going to live the rest of his life?

He arrived at his own room, looked at the space that had been partitioned into one bedroom and two living rooms, and nodded with satisfaction.

"Shazhu, is the renovation all done?" Qin Huairu followed him in, looking a bit unnatural.

"Yeah, we'll heat the kang tomorrow night. Bring the kids over to eat; I'll do the cooking."

"Oh, alright. That, about Bang Geng..."

"Sigh, don't mention it. It's fine. He'll be out in a few days this time. In the future, keep him away from those riffraff."

"I know, thank you." Qin Huairu smiled gratefully, then pulled a wad of money from her pocket and handed it to He Yuzhu.

"Sister, what is this?"

"I heard about it. Bang Geng and the others ate and drank everything of yours, and even stole your money. Let me pay you back first."

"No need, Sister. The public security officer will return that money to me. If you have time, why not help me clean up Yushui's room? It's almost New Year's. If she comes back and sees how messy I've made it, she'll go crazy, haha."

"Alright, I'll go do that now."

It was as if nothing had happened, as if everything had returned to the starting point.

Only they all knew that some things, once they happened, could never go back...

Yesterday is like the eastward flowing water, leaving me far behind and impossible to keep...

Qin Huairu dared not think about the things that terrified her, burying them deep in her heart, and then forced a smile as she tidied up bit by bit for He Yuzhu.

It was just that she didn't know why she had become increasingly afraid to look directly at the sun recently.

He Yuzhu shook his head, stood in his room, and signed in. Although the items were never anything particularly good, what if he signed in a skill point?

One must always have dreams.

Sure enough, it was two more Down Jackets. That was alright. He hadn't seen Yu Haitang lately; he didn't know where she had gone, and he hadn't seen her at the factory either.

Lou Xiao'e had gone and never returned. He didn't know how her move was going, or if her parents had taken her to Xianggang.

He sighed with a sense of loss; his entanglement with this world was growing deeper and deeper.

Having no appetite to eat, He Yuzhu closed the door and walked out. He walked all the way to the road and bought two sturdy door locks. He couldn't forget to lock the door in the future; who knew so many things could happen.

Walking aimlessly, He Yuzhu inexplicably arrived outside the Big Leader's courtyard. He looked at the sky, then turned and headed elsewhere.

Logically speaking, having a system and seeing the beasts in the Siheyuan each end up more miserable than the last, he should be happy. But for some reason, he just felt waves of emptiness and a sense of having no place to land.

The world was so vast, yet he felt as if he were all alone.

There was no sense of belonging.

After wandering for a while longer, He Yuzhu thought for a moment and went to his staff apartment building, intending to see what kind of shape the people Ma Hua found had left his place in.

Arriving at the sixth floor, he looked at the shoe box by the door opposite. He hadn't expected someone to have moved in after just a few days.

He Yuzhu raised his hand, fished the key out from the small window of the restroom by the door, and opened the room.

He Yuzhu took one look and saw the room was full of all kinds of cement, sand, wooden strips, and boards. It looked like it wouldn't be livable for a month or two.

Lighting a cigarette, He Yuzhu shook his head. He sat there blankly for a long time, only coming to his senses when his stomach growled.

"Going home!" He cheered himself up, gave himself a smile, and thought about how many things were still waiting for him—how could he be so disheartened here?

"I have been harmed by wine and lust; from this day forward, I shall abstain from alcohol!" He made a silent vow in his heart and walked out, feeling refreshed.

"Creak." The door opposite opened just then, and Yu Haitang walked out with a face full of smiles.

"Uh..." Yu Haitang froze when she saw He Yuzhu, her face instantly turning pale.

"You..." He Yuzhu was just about to speak when he saw the look of constant pleading in Yu Haitang's eyes, and he immediately shut his mouth.

Sure enough, a strange man's voice came from inside: "What's wrong, Haitang?"

"Ah? Nothing, you just lie down." Yu Haitang answered casually, then closed the door and pushed He Yuzhu downstairs.

"Are you... here to see me?" Yu Haitang stood in the dim hallway, head bowed, her shoulders heaving; it was clear she was crying.

"Ahem, don't cry. What's wrong?" He Yuzhu rubbed his nose and cleared his throat awkwardly. He had just been thinking about Yu Haitang, and he hadn't expected that in just a few days, she would have moved in right across from him.

"I'm sorry, I still can't let him go. Let's... let's just pretend nothing ever happened. He can't live without me." Yu Haitang pleaded with a sobbing voice.

"Uh, alright." He Yuzhu was even more speechless. The two walked out of the unit door one after the other, not saying another word.

"Well... then I'll be going back." He Yuzhu looked at Yu Haitang, who was following him with her head down, stopped, and said.

"I'm sorry, Brother Zhuzi." Yu Haitang hugged He Yuzhu's broad chest from behind, then looked at He Yuzhu as he turned his head, closed her eyes, and kissed him through her tears—a touch and then away.

Then she ran back without looking back.

He Yuzhu touched his lips, which tasted a bit salty; his already low spirits felt even more depressed...

"Who is he?!" As soon as she entered the door, Yu Haitang saw Yang Weimin looking at her with a face full of rage.

"Who? Who what?" Yu Haitang smiled, asked as if she didn't care, and started to walk inside.

"You tell me, who is he?! How good have I been to you? Whatever you want, I give you, yet you cheat on me?! If you don't give me an explanation today, I'm not done with you!"

"It's nobody! Nobody! Are you ever going to stop?"

"I'm not done! We've only been apart for a few days? Do you think I can't feel it? Do you think I'm stupid? You tell me! Who the hell is he?! You bitch!"

"Slap!"

"You're hitting me? Yang Weimin? You're something else, I'm not living with you anymore!"

"Don't, I was wrong, Haitang, boo-hoo, don't go, I can't live without you."

He Yuzhu naturally knew nothing of their melodrama, and returned to the Siheyuan carrying two locks.

Looking at the lights throughout the courtyard, yet not a single one left on for him, he actually felt a bit of nostalgia for Teacher Liang...

Regardless of why they had come together, at the very least, whenever he returned home, that lamp was always lit for him.

That feeling is called home.

"I must be losing my mind, actually thinking of her, ha, I'm sick!"

After a sleepless night, He Yuzhu got up early and made his way to the Rolling Mill.

"Deputy Director He, Factory Director Yang is looking for you." Liu Lan snatched He Yuzhu's tea mug from Ma Hua and brought it over eagerly.

"What's up, Sister Liu? Did you find money or something, so happy?" He Yuzhu blew the tea leaves aside and teased.

"As if, I'm just showing you respect, hurry up now, Factory Director Yang is waiting for you."

"Alright, I'm going right now."

Walking all the way to Factory Director Yang's office, He Yuzhu knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"Factory Director, you were looking for me?" He Yuzhu smiled.

"Yes, your 'Battle of Wits' performance has become famous. Look, the Little New Year is in two days, and the factory is planning to organize a variety show, inviting comrades from the Cultural Work Department. You represent the factory and perform 'Battle of Wits' to take them down a peg!" Factory Director Yang sat in his chair, pointed to the seat opposite, and instructed.

"That's fine, but 'Battle of Wits' requires three people..." He Yuzhu looked troubled; why was he always being made to act like a performer? There was no good food in it, only a fool would do it.

"Haha, don't worry, we have Wang Danyang in our factory, who is the sister of Wang Danyue, the star of the Cultural Work Department, plus Li Wei from the propaganda department. You all hurry up and rehearse together, no difficulties, right?"

"That works. Since the leader has spoken, if there are difficulties, we must overcome them; if there are no difficulties, we must create them and overcome them anyway!" He Yuzhu patted his chest. Since you've put it that way, what else can I say?

"Good, go to the propaganda section and find them; they are already waiting for you."

"Then I'm off." Closing the door behind him, He Yuzhu marched valiantly and spiritedly to push open the door of the propaganda section.

The first thing that caught his eye was a young woman who looked just like the carpenter's wife in *Mr. Donkey*, with a pitch-black face and wide, stark-white eyes staring at him.

He Yuzhu was stunned and turned to run...

Looking at that face, who could focus on singing 'Battle of Wits'...

Factory Director Yang, you've set me up!