Chapter 662: Xiao E Heads South

Xie Xiaolan raised her hand and slapped him across the face.

Although it wasn't hard, it carried a hint of annoyance: "Xu Damao, you bastard! Do you distrust me that much? I didn't get with anyone else during those years you were in prison. Now that life is finally stable, why would I go looking for a wild man? Am I sick in the head?"

Xu Damao stood there in a daze, rubbing his face vigorously with both hands, before asking in disbelief after a long while: "Xie Xiaolan... are we really expecting?"

"Of course."

Xu Damao suddenly grinned, smiling like a child: "Great! Great! I, Xu Damao, have an heir! No, after we shower today, we're going to Quanjude to celebrate properly!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Dabao ran in from outside, looking up with his little face: "Mom, are we going to Quanjude? I really want to eat roast duck!"

Xu Damao looked down at Dabao.

With that one glance, a trace of indescribable complexity flashed through his eyes.

When he didn't have children, he treated this child reasonably well. But now that he knew he had his own flesh and blood, looking at Dabao again, he felt a bitter taste in his heart, and the more he looked, the less he liked him.

After He Yuzhu sent Lao Yang and his group away, time flew to the end of July, and it was time for the Lou Family to set off.

He Yuzhu knew clearly that there were checkpoints one after another on the road now, so to avoid trouble, he still planned to drive the Military Factory's vehicle to send them off.

Late at night, the vehicle stopped silently at the entrance of the Lou Family's small building.

When Lou Zhenhua saw He Yuzhu, his eye sockets grew slightly warm: "Zhuzi, thank you for coming to see me off."

"Why are you being so polite with me? We've long been like one family," He Yuzhu said softly.

Lou Zhenhua's face flushed, clearly aware of what had happened between Xiao E and He Yuzhu.

The old man sighed, shook his head, and said nothing.

He Yuzhu asked: "Are you sitting in the front or the back?"

Lou Zhenhua pointed to the truck bed.

He Yuzhu hurriedly laid out mats in the back of the truck to make them more comfortable.

Xiao E sat in the passenger seat, her eyes red; she had clearly just been crying.

He Yuzhu handed over a handful of candies: "When you feel bad, hold a piece of candy in your mouth; it will make you feel a bit better."

Xiao E suddenly burst into tears: "Brother Zhuzi... once I leave, will I really never be able to come back?"

He Yuzhu shook his head gently: "No, wait eight or nine years, when the situation eases up, you'll be able to come back."

Xiao E's dull eyes instantly lit up: "Really? Then the moment I come back, I'll find you first!"

He Yuzhu smiled: "Xiao E, when you get to the south, find a good family to marry into. Don't wait for me; there's no future in it."

Xiao E bit her lip hard and didn't say a word.

There were many checkpoints along the way, but when the sentries saw it was a Military Factory vehicle, they basically didn't stop them.

As they neared Tanggu, several young people rushed up to block the road, but He Yuzhu slammed on the gas and drove straight through.

By the time the three of them reached the port, the ship was already waiting at the dock.

He Yuzhu sent them onto the ship and was just about to turn and leave.

Xiao E suddenly hugged him from behind and said with a choked voice: "When the situation improves, I'll come back to find you immediately."

He Yuzhu patted her back gently, his voice very low: "Once you get there, live your life well and don't think about me anymore."

Xiao E felt both angry and aggrieved; she pushed him away and turned to run into the ship's cabin.

"I put something in your backpack," He Yuzhu shouted.

Xiao E was stunned and hurriedly opened the bundle; inside was a stack of cash and a check.

Looking at the numbers on them, her tears couldn't stop streaming down.

There was also a letter in the bundle, detailing how she should settle her life once she arrived there.

By the time she looked up again, He Yuzhu had already driven away, leaving only the increasingly smaller taillights.

Her tears were like beads with a broken string, unable to stop.

Qianmen Small Courtyard.

Seeing Xu Damao return, Xie Xiaolan did not stand up to greet him as she usually did.

Xu Damao, however, was full of joy; as soon as he entered, he hugged her: "Xiaolan! Let's go, we're eating out today! You're carrying my child, you're a great contributor; from now on, you don't need to cook, we'll eat out every day!"

Xie Xiaolan let him hold her, but there was no smile on her face as she said softly: "Damao, I asked Xu Huizhen to help me check at the hospital. The doctor said if we don't get our marriage certificate, there will be big trouble later."

Xu Damao was stunned: "Why?"

Xie Xiaolan looked up at him with a bit of fire: "I'm a widow; having a child suddenly without a name or status is a moral issue, and I'll be dragged out to be paraded through the streets. If it really comes to that, I'd rather abort the child."

Xu Damao pondered for a while and nodded: "Fine, we'll go get the certificate tomorrow!"

Only then did a genuine smile appear on Xie Xiaolan's face.

At the entrance of the Ninety-five Courtyard.

Yan Bugui carried two bicycle wheels that had been kicked out of shape as he walked out, cursing as he went: "He Yuzhu, you bastard! This bicycle of mine cost two hundred yuan! Fixing these two wheels is definitely going to cost me a fortune!"

He grumbled all the way to the repair shop and put the wheels on the ground: "Master, how much to fix these two wheels?"

The old master picked them up, looked them over repeatedly for a long time, and sighed: "Sigh, normally it wouldn't cost much to just true them, but you've got a bunch of broken spokes; it's too much Kung Fu. It'll be at least five yuan."

When Yan Bugui heard "five yuan," it was as if his flesh had been cut; his face wrinkled into a ball: "Master, I won't hide it from you, the school won't let me teach anymore, and I'm very tight on money. We're old acquaintances, can you give me a discount?"

The old master thought for a moment and shook his head: "Four-fifty is the lowest, can't go any lower. Why don't you go ask somewhere else?"

Yan Bugui stood there hesitating for a long time, but with no other choice, he had to leave the wheels: "Fine, fix them quickly for me; I need the bike to go buy groceries and fish, it's really inconvenient without it."

"Done, come get them the day after tomorrow morning."

Early the next morning.

As soon as He Yuzhu arrived at the factory, he saw Xu Damao sweeping the street with a broom.

He Yuzhu stopped and leaned in with a smile: "Damao, this job is quite down-to-earth, isn't it?"

Xu Damao looked up and saw it was him; he glared first, then chuckled: "He Yuzhu, don't say that, you really are my lucky star! Since I started sweeping the streets, I've actually got a son! Doesn't that just make you want to die of anger?"

He Yuzhu was stunned on the spot, muttering to himself: Xu Damao, this guy, logically shouldn't be able to have a son, so how did he suddenly have one?

His mind turned quickly, and he immediately recalled that business back then when Qin Jingru tricked him with a fake pregnancy. Now that Xu Damao is with Xie Xiaolan, could it be the same old trick again?

Thinking of this, He Yuzhu couldn't help but chuckle; the cycle of the Dao truly is fair.

He patted Xu Damao on the shoulder: "Not bad, Damao! You follow behind Li Huaide every day kissing up to him, yet you might not even have a son. Who knew that sweeping the streets would sweep up a son for you instead!"

Xu Damao's face darkened, and he cursed on the spot: "He Yuzhu, don't get cocky! I heard from Xie Xiaolan that your Chen Xueru is about to be cast aside! Haha, hearing that makes me happier than the Lunar New Year! No matter how capable you are, can you even protect your own wife?"

The smile on He Yuzhu's face slowly faded, and his tone turned heavy: "Rest assured, I've already thought of everything you could possibly think of. I, He Yuzhu, have been around for so many years; if I couldn't even protect my own wife, would I still be a man?"

Xu Damao curled his lip: "He Yuzhu, I don't think you have many days left to jump around. Right now you're the one making me sweep the toilets, but who knows, in a few days, it might be me leading you to sweep the toilets!"