Chapter 223: Starting a Factory

He Yuzhu nodded and said, "Not just our family, the Wang Family, the Li Family, and the Ding Family all need to lie low for a while; this Siheyuan is no longer a place to live."

Upon hearing this, Shen Guizhi patted her lapels, feeling a bit excited instead: "If we go, we go! Being cooped up in the city is stifling; it's better to go back to the countryside and be free." As soon as she finished speaking, she turned to pack her luggage; her posture didn't look like she was fleeing, but rather like she was heading out to the market.

Half an hour later, before dawn, He Yuzhu led the three families and slipped out of the courtyard without a sound.

Yan Bugui, under his covers, pricked up his ears and nudged Yang Ruihua beside him: "Listen, why are the footsteps outside so chaotic?"

Yang Ruihua turned over and muttered: "It's early in the morning, does people going out have anything to do with you?"

"If you ask me, it's the He Family running away!" Yan Bugui lowered his voice.

These words made Yang Ruihua instantly sober, and she sat up with a start: "If the He Family really ran away, wouldn't their house be empty? Can we buy that house? The renovation in that house is really good!"

"Just keep quiet for a few days!" Yan Bugui advised.

He Yuzhu entrusted Ding Li and her daughter to Wang Jiazhi, while he himself took the Wang Family and the Li Family to Heifengzhai.

Seeing Shen Guizhi, He Daqing rubbed his hands happily: "Mother of his, I wanted to let Zhuzi bring you here for a long time, but I was too embarrassed to ask. I didn't expect you to actually come!"

"If it weren't for Zhuzi causing some trouble, we really wouldn't have been able to gather here." Shen Guizhi complained, but her eyes were hidden with smiles.

He Yushui rushed over and hugged He Daqing's thigh, calling out softly: "Daddy!"

He Daqing scooped up his daughter, kissed her cheeks several times, and asked: "Did you miss Daddy?"

"I did." He Yushui's voice was soft and sweet.

He Daqing immediately grinned from ear to ear, but when he looked at He Yuzhu, his expression sank, full of blame: "Zhuzi, it's the middle of winter, what kind of trouble are you stirring up again?"

He Yuzhu smiled bitterly: "It was all because Lao Zhou asked me to help save someone that I messed up the prison... and brought disaster upon myself, implicating Mother to suffer here."

"What suffering or not suffering, I think this place is quite good." Shen Guizhi looked around and nodded with satisfaction.

He Yushui was even more in her element; in less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, she was happily off to play with the children in the Shanzhai, accompanied by Xiaomi, Dahua, and Xiao Hei.

No sooner had He Yuzhu left than Si Jiu Cheng exploded into chaos.

As the news of over a thousand prisoners escaping spread, the entire city was filled with panic.

In the study of the Shen Residence, Liu Rusi and Shen Shichang were staring at each other, the atmosphere tense and ready to snap.

Shen Shichang slapped the table: "Xiao Si! He Yuzhu is simply lawless this time! Tell me, did you participate?"

Liu Rusi sneered, "Father, it's still debatable whether this was done by Zhuzi. Even if I wanted to participate, I don't have that ability, do I?"

"Stop playing dumb with me, tell me where He Yuzhu went!"

Liu Rusi shook her head: "Father, if you don't trust me this much, you might as well just arrest me."

"Xiao Si, over a thousand prisoners have all run away! The Principal is furious, the officialdom of Beiping is about to change! I must catch the mastermind!" Shen Shichang said angrily.

"Back then I begged you to show mercy, but you insisted on doing things by the book. Now, only two days later, you come to me for a solution; what solution could I possibly have?" Liu Rusi's tone was cold, her gaze as sharp as a knife.

Shen Shichang was choked into silence, then said bitterly: "I must catch this brat... I didn't expect him, he ran so fast..."

Liu Rusi leaned over and lowered her voice: "Father, if you want to catch the mastermind, isn't there a prison guard missing in the prison? Why don't you just pin this on him?"

"But what about the death of Bureau Chief Lou? Should I pin that on the prison guard too?"

Liu Rusi smiled charmingly: "Just say Bureau Chief Lou died of a heart attack."

On the other side, at He Ji Restaurant, Jin Hai was already flushed from drinking, yet he still held his glass, refusing to put it down.

Xu Tian reached out to stop him: "Big Brother, stop drinking, you'll really feel sick if you keep going."

Jin Hai pushed his hand away, his tongue slurring: "I, I feel stifled! That little brat He Yuzhu has harmed me terribly! To save my life, I had to offer up my family fortune to those above..."

Tie Lin slammed the table: "Big Brother, don't worry, once I catch He Yuzhu, I'll definitely kill him!"

Jin Hai shook his head, a glimmer of clarity showing through his drunken eyes: "We agreed long ago... public is public, private is private." He pointed around the restaurant, "His master still has half the shares in this shop... business must go on."

Xu Tian advised softly: "That prison job, it's fine not to do it; focusing on business might not be a bad thing."

"If I don't be this Prison Warden..." Jin Hai smiled bitterly, "I don't know how many people are waiting to take my old life. Even that Xiao Erduo had someone send a message saying I bullied his brother in prison and wants to settle the score with me... From now on, I'm counting on you two." His voice grew lower and lower, and he nearly collapsed onto the table.

Tie Lin hurriedly replied: "Big Brother, I'm just a small Group Leader, my words don't carry weight. If it really comes to it... why don't you go to Shanghai to lie low?"

He Yuzhu hadn't even had two days of peace in the Shanzhai when Regimental Commander Yang arrived in a rush with a First Team of men.

"Regimental Commander Yang, why are you being so polite? Did you come specifically to see me?" He Yuzhu teased.

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm here to build an arsenal!" Regimental Commander Yang said straightforwardly.

At this moment, a round figure emerged from the crowd and gave He Yuzhu a solid hug.

He Yuzhu was stunned for a moment before recognizing the person: "Liu Xiaohua? How can you still be fat under such difficult conditions?"

Liu Xiaohua scratched his head embarrassedly: "I have a constitution that gains weight even from drinking cold water. Many people see me and tease me, saying I must have embezzled military pay—I'm more wronged than Dou E!"

Regimental Commander Yang interjected: "He Yuzhu, we are going to build an arsenal in the Shanzhai, you need to help out."

Liu Xiaohua quickly added: "I heard from Lao Yang that you are very good at getting supplies, can you get us a few machine tools? And steel..."

He Yuzhu looked at the increasing list of materials and felt troubled: he did have a few second-hand machine tools stored in his space, but things like copper were hard to come by; it seemed the Bicycle Factory had to be started.

"Stop for a second!" He Yuzhu interrupted him, "Do you think I can perform magic? Where am I supposed to get so many things for you... even if I used Liu Rusi's connections, I might not be able to get them!"

Liu Xiaohua immediately cupped his hands in a salute: "Please, please! Everything depends on you!"

Seeing him like this, He Yuzhu nodded: "Don't worry, I will do my best."

Having accepted a new mission, He Yuzhu naturally couldn't stay in the Shanzhai for long.

At dawn the next day, he packed his gear and prepared to leave. Before departing, he left several catties of candy for his sister and ensured the house was well-stocked with rice and flour, then drove back to Si Jiu Cheng.

When Liu Rusi saw He Yuzhu, she was first shocked, then hurriedly said: "Zhuzi! My father has arranged hidden sentries nearby, didn't you see them?"

He Yuzhu was also shocked and said: "I watched from outside for half an hour and didn't see anyone!"

"You came over in such a rush, is something the matter?" Liu Rusi asked.

"Before I went to prison, didn't we agree to start a Bicycle Factory? How is your progress on that?"

Liu Rusi shook her head: "I was about to start, but once you got into trouble, how could I have the heart for it?"

"Now that I'm back, let's hurry up and get the Bicycle Factory running. You go handle the paperwork, and I'll find a way to get the equipment," He Yuzhu said.

Just then, urgent knocking came from outside. Liu Rusi's face turned pale and she said: "Oh no, the people my father sent have discovered you!"