Chapter 230: Going Back on One's Word

He Yuzhu heard the urgent knocking, flipped out of bed with a start, put on his clothes, and ran out. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Li Xiangxiu standing outside, her small face flushed, her chest heaving rapidly.

"What happened?"

"Five Black Dogs came to the restaurant and took Boss Chen away!"

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu took off running. The cold wind stung his face, but he didn't even notice. By the time he rushed to the restaurant, Chen Qingshan had already been hauled away.

He understood in his heart who was behind the mischief, so he chased all the way toward the East City Branch Bureau.

Five minutes later, he saw six Black Dogs ahead, escorting Chen Qingshan as they walked forward.

Chen Qingshan was tied up with a five-flower binding, and those men would occasionally jab him with their rifle butts or kick him, heaping humiliation upon him, while cursing foully: "Aren't you good at being arrogant? When we get back, we'll let you taste the Tiger Bench and chili water, and make you pay with your life for our big brother!"

He Yuzhu quickly scaled several courtyards and laid an ambush on a high wall along their inevitable path.

When the six men passed by, he leaped down from the wall and struck the back of Chen Qingshan's neck with his palm.

Chen Qingshan fainted on the spot.

The five Black Dogs were stunned at first, but when they saw clearly that the person who arrived was He Yuzhu, they became excited: "You little brat! You're still alive? Then let's settle old scores and new ones together! Brothers, get him!"

He Yuzhu couldn't be bothered to waste words with them; with a thought, he collected all five of them into his space.

He woke Chen Qingshan up. Chen Qingshan opened his eyes groggily, looking at him blankly: "Zhuzi? How... how did I faint? Where did those Black Dogs go?"

"They've all gone to see the King of Hell," He Yuzhu said with a smile, helping Chen Qingshan up.

Chen Qingshan looked around, half-doubting: "Then their corpses..."

"You've been unconscious for twenty minutes; I already threw them all into the well."

Chen Qingshan said worriedly: "What if their superiors come to cause trouble?"

"In this world, you just take it one day at a time! Don't think so far ahead," He Yuzhu comforted him.

Perhaps because the times were too chaotic, or perhaps because those few men were so unpopular, after they went missing, no one came to trouble Chen Qingshan again.

Time quickly reached April of 1948.

The prices in Si Jiu Cheng were like a rocket; if you didn't buy things the day you got paid, by the next day, you couldn't buy much at all.

Of course, this was only the life of the common folk; those wealthy people could still feast and drink, living in luxury.

Inside the study of the Shen Residence, Lou Zhenhua and Shen Shichang sat opposite each other.

Shen Shichang poured tea for him personally before speaking slowly: "Mr. Lou, I heard the special steel newly produced by your steel mill is of quite good quality?"

Lou Zhenhua leaned forward slightly: "Officer Shen, these steel materials are indeed different from the past. The Steel Smelting Furnace was funded and technically upgraded by Miss Liu. Currently, these steel materials are mainly supplied to the Phoenix Bicycle Factory."

Shen Shichang smiled slightly: "I am naturally aware of that. Today, I just wanted to ask your opinion first—we want to use these steel materials for an emergency. As for the Bicycle Factory, stop the supply."

Lou Zhenhua immediately shook his head: "That won't do! We signed a contract with Miss Liu; breaking the supply without cause requires paying a penalty."

The smile on Shen Shichang's face faded a little: "Mr. Lou, don't be muddled when it comes to the great affairs of the Party and State. I am talking to you nicely now... if you don't agree, someone will go to seal your steel mill..."

Lou Zhenhua looked troubled: "Officer Shen, you and Miss Liu are father and daughter; wouldn't it be better to talk to her directly? Don't put me in the middle."

Shen Shichang picked up his teacup and gently blew away the foam: "Fine, I understand what you mean."

After seeing Lou Zhenhua off, Shen Shichang took a car to Liu Rusi's residence.

Ever since the two had a falling out last year, they hadn't seen each other for a long time.

When Pingping brought Shen Shichang inside, Liu Rusi was also taken aback.

Liu Rusi brought the freshly brewed tea to Shen Shichang and said softly: "If I'm not mistaken, you came here today for the sake of the special steel, right?"

Shen Shichang's old face flushed, and he nodded.

Liu Rusi sneered: "What if I just don't agree? Are you going to take it by force?"

Shen Shichang nodded silently.

"Then what do you plan to trade for this batch of steel?" Liu Rusi said unhurriedly, "You must know that if all the steel is diverted, my Bicycle Factory will have to shut down completely, and my losses will be huge!"

Shen Shichang set down his teacup: "You set the conditions."

"I had long expected this day would come, so I had Zhao Ying transport another batch of steel over. But you cannot touch this batch of goods!"

Shen Shichang nodded: "I promise you!"

Liu Rusi stared at him for a long time, her tone softening: "Father, I'll advise you one last time—don't walk down a dark path to the end; leave yourself a way out."

"Xiao Si," Shen Shichang raised his eyes, "I know He Yuzhu isn't dead, and he is right by your side."

Liu Rusi smiled bitterly: "I've never seen a father like you; you don't go out to scheme against others, but you love scheming against your own daughter!"

"You've caused trouble again recently; do you know who suppressed it?" Shen Shichang said indifferently.

Liu Rusi smiled slightly: "Thank you. You can take all the special steel produced by Boss Lou, but don't you dare have designs on the technology in the factory. If I find out, I'd rather destroy that blast furnace."

Shen Shichang looked at his daughter, his tone suddenly softening: "Seeing you make your business flourish, I am happy in my heart. You are better than all your brothers and sisters."

"This is the first time you've praised me. I'll thank you for that!" Liu Rusi said, lowering her eyes.

After seeing Shen Shichang off, Liu Rusi immediately summoned He Yuzhu: "My father and his people really did have designs on the steel mill, just as we expected."

He Yuzhu nodded: "In the Lou Steel Rolling Mill, there are at least eight hundred eyes for the Party and State; it couldn't be hidden. However, the steel smelting technology we possess is something even the British and Americans don't have. I don't want these technologies to fall into the hands of foreigners. If your father and the others want to seize the technology, I would rather blow up the steel mill."

"They don't have that intention for now, but my father already knows you are by my side. What should we do?" Liu Rusi said.

"There is no wall in the world that doesn't let the wind through; it couldn't be hidden. Anyway, they can't do anything to me, so let's just leave it at that!" He Yuzhu said with a bitter smile.

He thought to himself that he, this transmigrator, was truly miserable; ever since he transmigrated, he had hardly had a moment of leisure, either fighting enemies or on the way to fighting enemies.

Liu Rusi joked: "Your old flame is arriving; I'll trouble you to go to Tianjin to pick her up. This time, it's not just steel being transported, but also Steel Smelting Equipment."

"You said Zhao Ying is coming too? That's great. I haven't seen her in a long time!"

He Yuzhu arrived at Tianjin Port two days early. He didn't stay idle and thoroughly scouted the port inside and out.

Although Shen Shichang promised Liu Rusi not to have designs on this batch of steel, He Yuzhu didn't believe that group of people at all.

He wandered around the port for two days and discovered that two Warships looked suspicious.

He snuck onto the Warship during the night, captured an officer, and asked about their mission; it was indeed aimed at that batch of steel.

It seems the request Liu Rusi made actually betrayed the information that there was steel on the ship. These people were already becoming a bit insane.

He Yuzhu immediately contacted the cargo ship via radio, telling them to slow down in international waters. He then took advantage of the night to hijack a small freighter and set sail for the high seas.

When he met Su Qing and Zhao Ying, who were escorting the shipment, on the high seas, Su Qing remained reserved, while Zhao Ying was more outgoing, coming up and giving him a big hug.

She looked He Yuzhu over carefully, her eyes full of surprise: "Zhuzi, it's been over a year; you've gotten fairer and grown taller, you must be at least 1.75 meters now, right?"

He Yuzhu nodded with a smile and complimented her: "Sister Ying hasn't changed a bit, and you've become even more feminine."

Zhao Ying pouted and said: "I have to disguise myself after getting off the ship, lest someone tracks me down to settle old scores!"

"No one in Beiping or Tianjin is investigating your old cases anymore; everyone is busy preparing for war!" He Yuzhu reassured her.

Zhao Ying asked: "Why did you have the ships stop in international waters?"

"Someone has designs on our fleet. Tell me, which ships are that batch of Steel Smelting Equipment and steel materials on?"

Zhao Ying pointed to the fleet: "Ship No. 2 carries the Steel Smelting Equipment, Ship No. 3 is mainly steel materials, and the other ships are full of grain and sundries."

"Then I'll go check Ship No. 2 and Ship No. 3 first." He Yuzhu said, preparing to leave.

Zhao Ying grabbed him: "What kind of tricks are you up to again, kid?"

"I need to see the goods to have peace of mind," He Yuzhu said.

"Xiao Si promised me in a telegram that no one would dare touch this batch of steel!" Zhao Ying said.

He Yuzhu scoffed: "His father's word is worth nothing."

Zhao Ying pursed her lips and smiled: "In the two years I've been gone, have a lot of things happened between you two?"

"Aside from anything romantic, everything else has happened." No sooner had He Yuzhu finished speaking than Zhao Ying laughed and slapped him: "You brat, you're getting more glib!"

"I also wanted to ask how things are between you and Brother Su Qing."

Zhao Ying pouted and said: "Our relationship is like two parallel lines."

"That's very philosophical; did you go to Harvard to study, sister?" He Yuzhu said.

"Stop being glib with me, hurry up and get to work, and make me some Boiled Fish when you're done."

He Yuzhu boarded the two cargo ships one after another and tucked the Steel Smelting Equipment and all the steel materials into his space.

After returning to the main ship, he said calmly: "Set sail, let's head into port."

As soon as the cargo ship steadied at Tianjin Port, two Warships flanked it from left and right, their cannons pointed directly at the cargo ship. Zhao Ying turned pale with fright: "What do they want to do?"

He Yuzhu said in a low voice: "They're here for this batch of steel."