Chapter 106

He Yuzhu returned to the kitchen in high spirits.

Sure enough, happiness is often built on the suffering of others; this is an instinct, an instinct from the heart.

Just like seeing a young person fall on the road, most people's psychology is definitely schadenfreude, rather than thinking about whether the person is hurt.

Even if a good friend goes up to help, they often have a look of concern on the surface, but in their heart, they can't help but laugh out loud.

This is human nature; it has nothing to do with right or wrong, nothing to do with justice and evil, and nothing to do with deep-rooted bad habits. It is an instinct in people's hearts, an instinct engraved deep in the heart and genes.

In the final analysis, this instinct is to survive happily. In ancient times, food was limited, people were starving, and everyone was considered a potential threat to the survival of others.

If someone is unlucky, for example, injured, their ability to obtain food is greatly reduced, or they cannot obtain food at all.

This not only means that others get more food, but it also means that this person's potential threat to others is greatly reduced, which is a pleasant thing.

He Yuzhu admits that he is a person who has not detached himself from low-level interests. Like the incident of Xu Damao flying, it just makes him happy, and it is a happy feeling from the heart.

After He Yuzhu returned to the kitchen, he excitedly told Liu Lan about this incident, hoping that Liu Lan would spread the word.

He didn't receive the expected reply, so He Yuzhu looked at Liu Lan strangely. He saw that Liu Lan was no longer her usual sharp-tongued self, but rather coyly and softly said: "Silly Zhu, no, Director He, can you lend me twenty catties of corn flour?"

He Yuzhu couldn't help but frown: "Has the situation become so bad that even Liu Lan, who works in the kitchen, can't hold on? It seems that Liu Lan hasn't gotten involved with Li Huaide yet, otherwise, Liu Lan wouldn't come to borrow grain from him."

"In the original drama, was it because I didn't lend grain to Liu Lan that Liu Lan stole grain from the factory and was caught by Li Huaide, and Li Huaide used this as a handle to manipulate Liu Lan, and the two of them got involved?" He Yuzhu thought to himself.

He Yuzhu really didn't expect the situation to reach this point. He Yuzhu faintly remembered that during this period, we had been providing food aid to the "Big Old Black" countries, but he didn't expect that our internal situation was like this.

He Yuzhu couldn't help but think of the "rather give to foreign friends than to domestic slaves" routine played by the old witch Cixi.

"Ten catties will do, just let me handle the emergency first. I'll pay you back when I get my salary next month," Liu Lan saw He Yuzhu frowning and thought she had asked for too much, so she hurriedly changed her words.

"No problem. Come to my house to get the grain after work tonight. Go quietly, don't attract attention," He Yuzhu said.

He Yuzhu knew that he couldn't manage the big things, so he could only do what he could: first let himself live well, then let his own people live well, and finally, help as many people as he could.

"Understood, understood! Thank you so much," Liu Lan said excitedly.

"How will you thank me?" He Yuzhu said on a whim.

Liu Lan glared, then puffed out her chest and said sharply: "I want to thank you like this, do you dare? Haha."

This meat delivered to his door, it would be a waste not to take it. However, He Yuzhu thought it wasn't the right time. Taking advantage of rich people is a kind of pride, but taking advantage of Liu Lan at this time would be purely kicking someone when they are down.

No matter what, he had to give the grain to Liu Lan first. If Liu Lan was willing then, he wouldn't be polite.

He Yuzhu rolled his eyes and then waved his hand: "Hurry up and get to work, spread the news about Xu Damao throughout the entire Rolling Mill."

"Okay, I'm good at this," Liu Lan said and ran out, returning after a while.

"Is it done? Your efficiency is too high," He Yuzhu said incredulously.

He knew Liu Lan's speed at spreading rumors was fast, but not this fast.

"The news about Xu Damao eating shit has already spread like wildfire; there's no need for me to spread it at all," Liu Lan said, rolling her eyes.

He Yuzhu thought about it; this must have been done by Liu Haizhong. Who told Xu Damao to reject Liu Haizhong's face at that time, and in front of so many people? It would be strange if Liu Haizhong didn't deal with Xu Damao severely.

No matter who spread it, as long as the result was achieved, it was fine.

In the afternoon, He Yuzhu asked the Canteen Director Niu Fen if there were any banquets in the evening. Niu Fen said directly that there were none, and he could just get off work on time.

He Yuzhu thought about it, and it made sense. It had only been a month since the security department bombing case, and there was still a small team from the investigation group in the factory. Even if Li Huaide was stubborn, he wouldn't dare to commit a crime against the wind at this time. He would have to wait until this matter subsided and the small team from the investigation group left.

When getting off work, He Yuzhu and Liu Lan deliberately got off work a little late, and then Liu Lan followed He Yuzhu home. As soon as the two arrived at the entrance of the hutong, they heard many people discussing Xu Damao eating shit. He Yuzhu couldn't help but laugh out loud: "This time, Xu Damao should be notorious. It's really retribution; he deserved it for sabotaging my blind date."

"It seems Director He is thinking of women, but at your age, it's time to find a wife," Liu Lan said with a giggle.

"Liu Lan, at work you can call me by my title, but when off work, calling me by my title isn't that slapping my face? Just call me Silly Zhu like before. If you're embarrassed, calling me Master He is also fine," He Yuzhu said, but in his heart, he was thinking about making Liu Lan call him "Daddy" in a while.

"Finding a wife is not urgent. I have to look carefully and find a thoughtful, good wife," He Yuzhu said.

"Indeed, when looking for a partner, you must find someone thoughtful," Liu Lan said sadly.

He Yuzhu also knew Liu Lan's family situation. Her husband was unreliable, didn't come home all day, and whenever he did come home, it was to ask for money. Once he had money, he wouldn't come home. If it weren't for Liu Lan taking over her father-in-law's shift, Liu Lan would have divorced long ago.

After the two arrived at the entrance of the hutong, He Yuzhu didn't lead Liu Lan further inside, nor did he bring Liu Lan into the Siheyuan. The Siheyuan had many people with loose tongues and bad intentions. As soon as Liu Lan entered the Siheyuan, heaven knows what those gossiping women would say.

"You wait here for a while," He Yuzhu said.

Liu Lan nodded. She naturally understood that He Yuzhu was not only doing it for her own good but also to avoid trouble. Such things couldn't be done with great fanfare; grain is so precious. If such things were done with great fanfare, it would be easy for something to go wrong.

Liu Lan hid in a corner and waited silently.

He Yuzhu didn't go home but pretended to take a stroll and came back. When he returned, there was a bag in his hand, filled with fifty catties of corn flour and twenty eggs.

"Thank you, Silly Zhu, I really don't know how to thank you," Liu Lan's eyes shone, and she grabbed He Yuzhu's hand tightly and wouldn't let go, saying excitedly.

"Shh—go, I'll see you home," He Yuzhu said unceremoniously.

Liu Lan also knew that it was too conspicuous for her to go back with fifty catties of corn flour. This wasn't five or ten catties that could be hidden at the waist or stuffed into her bosom to pretend to be pregnant. This was fifty catties; if it were snatched by someone, it would be troublesome, not to mention the twenty eggs.

Liu Lan nodded and immediately took He Yuzhu and left the hutong to walk home.

To avoid attracting attention, Liu Lan deliberately took a small path. Although the small path was difficult to walk, there were few people; it could be said that there wasn't a single person on the whole road.

Seeing no one, Liu Lan breathed a sigh of relief. However, it was only then that Liu Lan realized she had been holding He Yuzhu's hand tightly all along. Liu Lan couldn't help but blush and was about to let go when she found her hand was being held tightly by He Yuzhu.

Liu Lan immediately looked up and saw He Yuzhu looking at her with a half-smile, his eyes full of inexplicable meaning.

Both were adults, and some things didn't need to be said too clearly. Although Liu Lan had a sharp temper, she was also a bit at a loss at this moment.

He Yuzhu took the initiative to pull Liu Lan into the woods. Liu Lan didn't resist hard and was pulled in half-pushed, half-willingly.

It was now May, a season of bright spring and vibrant life. This place was also a good occasion for battle, so He Yuzhu and Liu Lan had a "Kun-character Technique" battle, successfully making Liu Lan call him "Daddy."

About an hour later, Liu Lan stumbled out of the woods with He Yuzhu.

"You really are an animal," Liu Lan said with a coquettish smile.

"You're the animal; you were the one shouting the loudest just now," He Yuzhu said with a giggle.

The two of them came to Liu Lan's house while playing and fighting.

"If you lack anything in the future, just come to me," He Yuzhu said, patting Liu Lan's bottom.

Liu Lan rolled her eyes and went home with the grain and eggs.

Seeing Liu Lan go back, He Yuzhu went leisurely to the bathhouse near the hutong, scrubbed himself thoroughly, and went home.

After He Yuzhu returned home, he felt a little hungry. Only then did he remember that he hadn't eaten at all, so he cooked a bowl of egg and scallion noodles. As soon as the fragrance came out, Bang Geng from Qin Huairu's family started making a fuss as expected.

"I want to eat egg noodles, I want to eat egg noodles!" Bang Geng shouted at the top of his lungs.

(End of chapter)