Chapter 598: Shortages Everywhere

After He Yuzhu sent Wang Xia away, he went down to his own underground storage room.

He checked the basement and discovered that the grain he had left behind was still at least two or three thousand jin, and he hadn't eaten much of the various canned goods; there were also dozens of tins of powdered milk, malted milk extract, and the like remaining.

He Yuzhu came up from the basement and found Shen Guizhi, "Mother, you all are too cautious. If you cook meat, you might fear others smelling it, but if you brew some powdered milk to drink, how could anyone else possibly know?"

Shen Guizhi sighed, "Zhuzi, you don't understand. When people are starving, their noses become exceptionally sharp. One day I drank some of Yulu's powdered milk, and it was smelled by Yang Ruihua. She asked this and that for a long time, and later she even told Jia Zhangshi about it. It spread until the whole courtyard knew. Ever since then, I haven't dared to drink it. Your father is the same; even if he isn't, he has to pretend to be starving."

He Yuzhu sighed again, feeling helpless about this phenomenon.

Not long after, He Yushui returned with Xiaomi, Dahua, and Xiaoqi.

They were all already in middle school and had become young ladies.

He Yuzhu noticed that He Yushui had also become much slimmer, and he joked, "Has life been hard for you all in the year or more that your brother has been away?"

He Yushui's eyes turned red, "Mother is too timid; even when there is food, she won't let me eat it."

"You silly girl, everyone else is as thin as a stalk, but you are as chubby as a little pig. It looks suspicious at a glance, and others would surely say your father is a corrupt official," Shen Guizhi said.

He Yushui pouted.

At this moment, He Daqing also returned from work. His eyes lit up when he saw He Yuzhu, "Zhuzi, why did you suddenly come back? I didn't hear any word of it."

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "I was squeezed out and came back, that's all."

He Daqing nodded with some dejection, "Sigh, life isn't easy for your father right now either. My apprentice Li Huaide has finally shown his true colors; he's been jumping around everywhere, pulling strings, wanting to take away my position as Logistics Director!"

He Yuzhu laughed, "Then why don't you just give that position to him? You can just serve as Deputy Factory Director."

"Then wouldn't I become a commander without an army? Who would listen to me in the future?" He Daqing shook his head.

"My mother says that you are on pins and needles every day as Logistics Director and don't even dare to let the family eat. Why are you still doing this job?"

He Daqing didn't answer He Yuzhu; he vigorously rubbed his old face, "I'm having such a hard time now. Factory Director Yang and I receive countless notes every day; they are all from brother factories coming to beg for favors!"

He Yuzhu comforted him, "Father, don't worry, these days won't last long."

He Daqing's eyes lit up, "Zhuzi, have you heard some wind of something?"

He Yuzhu shook his head, "No."

He Daqing said mysteriously, "The day before yesterday, Lao Yang told me that he might be transferred to the Ministry. Who do you think will come to take over as Factory Director?"

He Yuzhu teased, "Li Huaide, of course."

He Daqing shook his head like a rattle-drum, "Impossible, he doesn't have the qualifications. If he wants to be Factory Director, he has to get past me first."

He Yuzhu smiled, "That's not necessarily true."

Before He Daqing could continue, He Yushui pulled He Yuzhu toward the East Cross Courtyard.

As she walked, she whispered, "The two teachers who teach us vocal music are having a very hard time at home. Brother, can you get them some food? I told Mother and Father, but they didn't dare."

He Yuzhu nodded, "Father and Mother were right to do so; caution is the parent of safety. After all, Father is an official and is in charge of grain; he cannot directly get grain for them... I still have some saved-up Grain Coupons here; you take all these Grain Coupons and give them to them."

He Yuzhu had basically not used any Grain Coupons for the past two years, as everything came from his own space, so the Grain Coupons had naturally accumulated.

When He Yushui saw there were actually four hundred jin, her eyes immediately crinkled into lines as she smiled, "Great! Great! I can give some to my middle school teachers too."

He Yuzhu truly admired this girl He Yushui; from childhood to adulthood, she was always willing to give without conditions and help others without expecting anything in return.

Seeing a hint of longing in the eyes of Xiaomi, Dahua, and Xiaoqi, he asked, "Is there not enough food at home for the three of you either?"

Xiaomi, Dahua, and Xiaoqi all nodded.

He Yuzhu gave each of them 100 jin of Grain Coupons, "If you are short on Grain Coupons in the future, ask your brother for them."

The three girls nodded vigorously.

Xiaoqi said, "Brother, I'll have my father give you money when the time comes."

He Yuzhu waved his hand, "Don't be distant with your brother just because you've grown up. If you were to settle accounts with me, could you even afford to pay me back?"

The three girls all blushed and laughed.

He Yuzhu had dinner with his family. He listened to their advice and didn't do any stir-frying or deep-frying; instead, he opened a few cans and let everyone eat their fill.

He Daqing said with great seriousness, "Zhuzi, you're back. This place is different from the Oilfield; you have to be careful. Everyone else has a sallow complexion, it's not good for you to be looking so well-fed!"

He Yuzhu nodded, knowing this was his father's heartfelt advice.

After finishing dinner, he left the house, drove his car, and went to the home of Chen Xueru's parents in Qianmen.

Upon knocking on the door, it was Chen Xueru who opened it.

She threw herself into He Yuzhu's arms and began to sob softly.

He Yuzhu had never seen Chen Xueru so vulnerable before.

He comforted her, "Xueru, I know you and our son have suffered. It will be better from now on; now that I'm back, I won't leave again."

After a long while, Chen Xueru raised her head and whispered, "My parents are asleep; let's not see them today."

The Chen Family residence was a two-courtyard compound, and Chen Xueru lived in the main room at the front.

As soon as He Yuzhu entered the room, he saw his son He Zheng lying on the bed looking at him.

He picked up his son, but He Zheng was still a bit shy and didn't dare to look him in the eye.

Chen Xueru said with a smile, "A Zheng, hurry and call him Daddy."

The child was very stubborn and wouldn't call out no matter what.

Chen Xueru shook her head and said, "I don't know who this child takes after. You ask him to call others uncle, grandpa, or grandma, and he just won't. He won't even call his own grandfather or maternal grandfather, only Mommy!"

He Yuzhu laughed and said, "Is this kid a bit slow?"

He Zheng immediately glared at He Yuzhu.

"This child has such a temper, I don't know who he takes after," Chen Xueru said helplessly.

"How is your shop?" He Yuzhu asked.

"It's terrible. People can't even get enough to eat, so who is going to buy clothes? Tell me, when will these days pass?"

He Yuzhu shook his head and said, "It will probably last for a few years, right?"

"A few years?" Chen Xueru hadn't expected things to be this serious.

He Yuzhu comforted her, "Many people in your factory are your old employees; if there are difficulties, tell me, I still have some grain."

"Then give me one hundred thousand catties first."

"Don't give it all at once, let me give you ten thousand catties first, okay?" He Yuzhu said.

"That works too!" Chen Xueru's face immediately turned from overcast to cloudy, "Right, what are you coming back for?"

"I was called back by Secretary Liu. First, I will help out in his Anti-Drought Leading Group, and afterwards, I might become the Factory Director of the Rolling Mill."

Chen Xueru looked at him with some disbelief: "You are only twenty-five years old, and they would hand such a big factory over to you?"