Chapter 462: Official Business

He Yuzhu saw through the intentions of Liu Haizhong and Jia Dongxu at a glance and said indifferently, "Everyone, from my perspective, I naturally hope you all participate in this construction aid... But we have been neighbors for many years, and I cannot deceive you. Next, I will lay out the pros and cons of this construction aid clearly. As for how you choose, that is your business. In the future, just don't blame me!"

"How could that be!" Liu Haizhong spoke up first.

Jia Dongxu followed up, "Zhuzi, we don't understand the matters inside. Could you help us act as a consultant?"

He Yuzhu passed a round of cigarettes to everyone and lit one for himself.

After everyone quieted down, he slowly began, "This construction aid is indeed a good opportunity to get ahead. I won't hide it from you all, my father is also going, and he will be serving as the Logistics Director..." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group, "The conditions over there are not considered good, and the language is not easy to understand... You will encounter many unexpected difficulties. But once the factory is built, we will all be heroes..."

Hearing that the father and son of the He Family were both going, the few people immediately sensed the opportunity within and seemed to have made their own choices.

They asked a few more questions about daily life and then left, feeling satisfied.

He Yuzhu saw everyone to the moon gate and was just about to close it when he saw a girl of thirteen or fourteen running over.

Looking closely, it was actually Ma Yan.

"Yanzi, it's so late, do you have something to find me for?"

Ma Yan said with a grin, "The house belonging to the late Li Yong was sold, and my family bought it. We just moved in today."

"I heard you're doing quite well now, you've become a Dianshang?" He Yuzhu asked with a smile.

"That shop isn't big!" Ma Yan was modest in her words, but her eyes revealed pride.

He Yuzhu waved at her, "Since you just moved, I have some things here that are of no use. If you don't mind, just take them all away, otherwise, they'll grow bugs in the storage room."

"That's great! My grandfather was just saying he would go to the second-hand market tomorrow!"

Ma Yan happily followed behind him.

He Yuzhu opened a large storage room, "Pick what you want, take whatever you need."

Piled here were the pieces of furniture He Yuzhu had collected during his trip to the United States. Originally for his own use, later, He Yushui turned the living room into a rehearsal room and converted one of the rooms into a game room, so these pieces of furniture were stored here.

As soon as Ma Yan entered, she was stunned—sofas, upholstered chairs, uniquely shaped cabinets, gold-rimmed tables, and many beautiful carpets.

"These are all quite valuable, right? Would it be inappropriate to place them in my house..." Ma Yan was a bit embarrassed.

He Yuzhu laughed, "If you're embarrassed, how about we make a trade? My family is going to the south for two years, and Yushui isn't going; she's staying at home. After you move in, help me look after her, how about that?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Yan nodded repeatedly, "Thank you, Brother Zhuzi! Don't worry, my Kung Fu is very impressive now; I guarantee I'll take good care of Yushui. Then these things... I won't be polite!"

He Yuzhu nodded.

Ma Yan suddenly leaned in and lowered her voice, "Brother Zhuzi, Xu Damao, Liu Guangtian, and Yan Jiefang from our courtyard, along with a few others I don't recognize, have been eating at He Ji Restaurant and Kaorouji often lately. They look quite wealthy. That Liu Guangtian even showed off to me when he saw me!"

He Yuzhu thought for a moment, "Next time they go to He Ji Restaurant, send someone to notify me. I want to see what these guys are up to."

"No problem!" Ma Yan readily agreed.

He Yuzhu turned and went to the west courtyard, calling Ershuan, Wang Qiang, and Li Lin to help move some of the furniture from the storage room to Ma Yan's house.

Ma Yan sat on the soft sofa and sighed with satisfaction, "Thank you, Brother Zhuzi, this sofa is just too comfortable."

The next day, as soon as he started work, He Yuzhu received the certificate approving his marriage, and he immediately called Chen Xueru.

Chen Xueru's excited voice came from the other end of the phone, "Zhuzi, let's go to the Civil Affairs Section to get the certificate first thing tomorrow morning! By the way, you must go to the Street Office today to get a certificate."

"I will get off work early today and try to get the certificate issued today," He Yuzhu said.

At three in the afternoon, He Yuzhu came out and went straight to the Street Office to find Wang Xia.

He Yuzhu knocked on the door of the director's office.

"Come in!" Wang Xia's voice came from inside.

He Yuzhu pushed the door open and saw only Wang Xia in the office; she was lowering her head to organize documents.

He Yuzhu tossed a few bags of candy onto the table, "Director Wang, I am going to get my marriage certificate with Chen Xueru tomorrow, please issue a certificate for me."

Wang Xia picked up the marriage application, glanced at it, and smiled, "The current legal marriage age for men is twenty. You are only nineteen this year, wait until next year."

"Isn't it just issuing a certificate? Just change the age, who would check that?" He Yuzhu said dismissively.

"He Yuzhu, even if I issued the certificate for you, the District Civil Affairs Section would not register you," Wang Xia said.

"When Jia Dongxu in our courtyard got married, his wife was only eighteen, why was that okay?"

"You don't understand this—the legal age for women is eighteen, and for men, it is twenty. The Marriage Law is written clearly; if you have an opinion, go report it to the superiors," Wang Xia said, handling the matter strictly according to official procedure.

"Sister, make an exception, or find someone to help me change it by one year, can't you? I have never asked you for anything, surely you can't even help with this little favor?" He Yuzhu softened his tone.

"I really can't do it," Wang Xia shook her head, "If you were an ordinary person, this might be easier to talk about. But you are now a Deputy Bureau Level Official; there cannot be any flaws on your record."

He Yuzhu became a bit anxious, "Why do I feel like some people just don't want me to get married properly? My relationship with Liu Rusi was ruined, and now it's Chen Xueru's turn... Why can't you stand to see others doing well?" He was truly angry—he had been tossed back and forth for too long over this marriage.

Wang Xia sighed, "He Yuzhu, there are so many good women in the world, why must you pick one with a problematic background?"

"Director Wang, who I choose to marry is none of anyone else's business! I really regret saving you back then and bringing you to Si Jiu Cheng—you have always asked me for help, yet you have never helped me with a single thing."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xia also flared up, "You are simply ungrateful! Have you forgotten your own words? You said that class background would become very important in the future, and even the restaurant was transferred because of this. You also said that capitalists might be paraded through the streets later... Knowing clearly it's a pit of fire, why must you jump into it?"

"What if I said those words were just me teasing you?" He Yuzhu twitched the corner of his mouth.

Wang Xia smiled, "The founding of New China, class division, the Korean War, the Public-Private Partnership... you predicted them all correctly. I don't believe the 'Great Movement' you spoke of won't arrive."

He Yuzhu was silent for a moment, his tone softening, "Sister, I know you care about me. But I have my principles; I cannot break my promise to others!"

Wang Xia withdrew her smile and said sternly, "As long as I am the Street Office Director for one day, don't even think about getting a certificate if you are underage."

"If you don't issue the certificate, I'll still get married anyway, just to spite you," He Yuzhu said, then turned and strode away.

Wang Xia looked at his angry retreating back and cursed in a low voice, "Ungrateful dog."