Chapter 456: Confession

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu felt he had been somewhat schemed against.

In his heart, he had always kept a place for Tian Dan, though he also knew it was merely wishful thinking. Tian Dan could never accept him.

"I have already told you about my situation. I have Liu Rusi over in Hong Kong, a son, and there is one more thing I haven't told you—I have two other confidantes over there..."

Chen Xueru chuckled, a very strange laugh: "Zhuzi, if you had told me this a few years ago, I would have beaten you out the door. But as I've gotten older and met more people, I've learned to let go. Which Boss doesn't have three wives and four concubines? They look respectable on the surface, but have a bunch of illegitimate children in private! I know you inside and out; you are good to women. If it weren't for you, I would have died several times over... I'm sticking with you for the rest of my life!"

He Yuzhu nodded: "Boss Chen is truly magnanimous!"

"Magnanimous? It's just a necessity. You go tell Liu Rusi that when she returns in twenty or thirty years, I'll hand you over to her!"

"You're quite generous, aren't you!" He Yuzhu lit a cigarette. "Boss Chen, I agree. Some day you come to my house to get to know the place, and we'll discuss when to hold the wedding..."

"How about this weekend?" Chen Xueru asked.

"No problem!"

After Chen Xueru finished speaking, she stepped forward and hugged He Yuzhu tightly.

The next day, after He Yuzhu got off work and just walked into the Zhongyuan, he heard a commotion at home.

Walking into the room, he found He Daqing, Shen Guizhi, He Yushui, and several of her little friends surrounding the baby, trying to name her.

"Dad, what name do you want to give my little sister?" He Yuzhu leaned in and asked.

He Daqing spoke up: "My idea is to call her 'He Yubing', what do you all think?"

He Yuzhu joked: "This name sounds cold; it would be better to call her He Luxue!"

He Yushui's eyes lit up and she said: "He Luxue is good."

Xiaoqi, who was on the side, chimed in: "It doesn't sound good. He Luxue sounds like the name of the popsicles we sell!"

He Yuzhu laughed and said: "Xiaoqi, you really are a talent!"

Xiaoqi was stunned, not knowing why Brother Zhuzi was praising her.

Shen Guizhi spoke up: "Then let's call her He Yulu! Her nickname can be Lulu. It carries the meaning of 'rain and dew shared equally'."

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and said: "That name is passable."

He Daqing, however, frowned and said: "What 'rain and dew shared equally'? That's not a good saying!"

He Yuzhu laughed: "Dad, then you come up with a better one!"

"I'll go to the Rolling Mill tomorrow and ask an educated person to come up with a nice name!" He Daqing said stubbornly.

"Dad, you aren't planning to go find Bai Xiaoting from the reception office to help name your daughter, are you?" He Yuzhu asked with ill intent.

Upon hearing this, Shen Guizhi's face immediately darkened: "He Daqing! You actually got Bai Xiaoting into the Rolling Mill? You are truly shameless! I'm not done with you!"

He Daqing hurriedly waved his hands: "Guizhi, don't overthink it. Bai Xiaoting was recruited into the factory with the help of her brother!"

"You're trying to fool a ghost! If her brother had that kind of ability, why didn't he do it sooner? Why did he let her sell Paper Folding Flowers all this time, and only do it after she met you?" Shen Guizhi didn't believe it at all.

He Daqing said with an innocent face: "If you don't believe me, have Zhuzi go to the factory and ask around to see who actually arranged for her to get in."

He Yuzhu understood as soon as he heard it. It must have been Bai Guafu's brother stepping forward while He Daqing pushed from behind.

So he added leisurely: "Mom, do you know what 'fox exploits tiger's might' means?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than He Daqing got anxious, took off his shoe, and threw it at He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu lowered his head, and the shoe flew over his head.

"Dad, you're embarrassed and angry, aren't you? Do you have any idea how old you are? Don't learn from Li Huaide! He has a father-in-law to rely on, but you don't!" He Yuzhu ran away after saying this.

"You bastard! You're going to be the death of me. Guizhi, I haven't done those things, you can't pin them on me!"

With this commotion, He Yuzhu completely forgot to mention the matter of Chen Xueru.

At the entrance of the courtyard, Yan Bugui muttered to Yang Ruihua with a dark face: "Jiefang has been acting strange lately. He comes home later and later at night... he doesn't even eat breakfast at home anymore. He's grown a 'dog treasure'!"

Yang Ruihua didn't take it to heart: "Isn't he tutoring his classmates? They provide dinner. I heard that family is quite well-off and often eats meat. He probably ate too much at night and hasn't digested it by morning! I think this is quite good; we can save a bowl of porridge and a steamed bun at home."

Yan Bugui sighed and said: "I asked Teacher Zhou who teaches Jiefang, and he said he's always distracted in class lately. Do you think he's too tired from tutoring? Should we stop earning this money?"

Yang Ruihua immediately shook her head: "It's fifty thousand yuan a month. Without this money, our lives will be much tighter."

He Yuzhu was in the East Cross Courtyard thinking about what to cook; he had started a fire in the family, so he figured no one would be cooking tonight.

Just then, Yi Zhonghai walked in and said: "Zhuzi, come on, your Aunt Yi made a few dishes, come over and have a few drinks with me."

He Yuzhu roughly understood what he wanted to do and didn't stand on ceremony.

There were four dishes on the table: shredded pork with bean paste, scallion-braised lamb, stir-fried mixed vegetables, and pork stewed with vermicelli.

To be able to make these four dishes in this era, they had truly put in the effort.

Yi Zhonghai poured a glass of wine for Zhuzi and said: "Zhuzi, I'm happy today, keep me company for a few drinks!"

He Yuzhu asked: "Why isn't Aunt Yi sitting at the table to eat?"

Yi Zhonghai said: "She made a lot of food, so she divided half of it and went to eat with the old lady. It's just right for us two to have a heart-to-heart."

He Yuzhu nodded.

Yi Zhonghai raised a glass of wine and said: "Zhuzi, great kindness cannot be repaid with words; it's all in the wine!"

He Yuzhu shook his head: "Uncle Yi, I didn't do anything. The one you should be thanking is Doctor Lin."

Yi Zhonghai sighed: "In previous years, I was scared by those charlatans! I spent a lot of money in vain, solved no problems, and even delayed the treatment. This time, I didn't hold much hope for Doctor Lin either... I didn't expect it to really work... I just feel guilty toward Doctor Lin..."

"Doctor Lin is indeed capable. If it weren't for her, my mother probably wouldn't be here!" He Yuzhu downed the glass of wine in one gulp. His heart felt a bit more bitter.

Yi Zhonghai took a large red envelope out of the cabinet and handed it to He Yuzhu: "Zhuzi, this red envelope was prepared the moment your Aunt Yi was found to be pregnant. Who knew Doctor Lin wouldn't give me a chance to thank him? Your Aunt Yi has been nagging me about this for several days. I figured you would be able to contact him, right?"

He Yuzhu smiled and said: "To tell you the truth, I can't see him right now either."

"That doesn't matter," Yi Zhonghai said: "You take it for him first! Give it to him when you see him; otherwise, I won't be able to rest easy!"

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and accepted it on behalf of Lin Wanning.

"Uncle Yi, I'll hold onto this red envelope for her for now and will definitely pass it on when I have the chance. You must take good care of Aunt Yi; she's getting on in years..."

Yi Zhonghai nodded repeatedly: "I know, I know. I will accompany her to the hospital for regular checkups. Originally, we thought we would just spend our lives as the two of us, but I didn't expect the heavens to open their eyes and still leave a descendant for our Yi family!"

Yi Zhonghai shed tears of happiness.

He Yuzhu laughed and said, "Maybe from now on, Aunt Yi's luck will turn around! Maybe she'll be able to give birth to a few more children for you! You'd better work hard and earn money!" He Yuzhu joked.

"You brat, are you making fun of me?" Yi Zhonghai said.

He Yuzhu walked out of the Yi household and happened to run into Xu Damao, who was sneaking around in a corner discussing something with Liu Guangtian.