Chapter 78: Lou Xiaoe Comes to Call

When He Yuzhu knocked open the courtyard gate of Liu Xiaohua's home, Liu Xiaohua's face immediately broke into a smile upon seeing it was He Yuzhu, and he stepped forward to give him a solid hug.

Inside the house, the stove fire was burning bright, and it was warm and cozy.

Liu Xiaohua pushed a cup of freshly brewed hot tea toward He Yuzhu and said with a wry smile, "Little brother, coming over at a juncture like this... you're here as a lobbyist for Miss Liu, aren't you?"

He Yuzhu held the warm teacup with both hands, feeling the warmth radiating from his palms, and shook his head: "No. I just feel a connection with you. It's cold out, so I just wanted to come over and ask, is there anything you lack? Anything I can get my hands on, I can bring some over for you!"

"Oh?" Liu Xiaohua raised an eyebrow and asked half-jokingly, "You have such great ability, can you even get your hands on Explosive?"

"I can't get the special kind," He Yuzhu said candidly, "but the ordinary kind is no problem, and I have plenty of it."

The hand Liu Xiaohua was using to hold the teapot stopped in mid-air, and the smile on his face froze.

He slowly set down the teapot, his voice dropping low: "I was just joking earlier... actually, even I haven't figured out what exactly I should do!"

"No matter how I explain it, you won't truly believe me," He Yuzhu looked him straight in the eyes, "but I still want to tell you a few things from the heart."

"I am all ears." Liu Xiaohua's expression became focused.

"Last time we ate, you said Miss Liu couldn't see the current situation clearly. Let me share the view of a friend of mine. He said the Nationalist Party's rule over the Mainland won't last more than five years. And this collapse will start from the Northeast... and sweep across the whole country..."

Liu Xiaohua slapped his thigh hard, the sound appearing exceptionally loud in the quiet room: "A master! I only had a vague premonition, yet he can hit the nail on the head with a single word!" After his excitement, he sighed again, his mood sinking, "You and Miss Liu are close, in the end... you still have to help her, right? Will you help me?"

He Yuzhu shook his head again: "I want to save her. If she keeps walking down this path, it's a dead end. It's hard for me to change her mind in the short term. She has been kind to me, so I will pull her back at the critical moment. But I will not help her aid the evildoer."

Liu Xiaohua was silent for a long time, the wind wailing outside the window. His eyes suddenly cleared, and he said: "I already know my choice, but I need your help..."

"I came here today precisely to help you. No matter which path you choose, I can actually send you safely to wherever you want to go."

"What method can you use?"

He Yuzhu smiled: "I can't say. But I believe that with your intelligence, as long as you are given sufficient supplies, you can leave here smoothly on your own, right! In case leaving the city doesn't go smoothly, you go to Dajinsi Hutong No. 30 and wait for me."

Liu Xiaohua's gaze gradually became firm: "What I need is not ordinary stuff, can you really get it?"

"I can."

Liu Xiaohua walked quickly into the inner room and soon brought out a piece of paper and handed it over: "If you can prepare all of these, I will certainly reward you handsomely."

He Yuzhu took it and looked, then raised an eyebrow and smiled: "... And a set of human bones? You are..."

"Can you get it?"

"I can." He Yuzhu picked up the list, memorized it after one glance, and then tossed the paper into the stove fire. The paper instantly curled, charred, and turned to ash. Liu Xiaohua couldn't help but think even higher of He Yuzhu.

"By the way, where is your Warehouse?"

Liu Xiaohua led him through the corridor to the Houyuan and pointed to the west wing room: "That's it."

He Yuzhu memorized the location and carefully observed the surrounding environment, already having a plan in his heart.

As he was leaving, Liu Xiaohua grabbed his wrist, his tone grave: "Brother, no matter what, don't follow their actions."

He Yuzhu nodded solemnly.

After leaving the small courtyard, he braved the cold wind to shop around. In fact, he had plenty of supplies in his space, he only needed to replenish some odds and ends.

At dusk, He Yuzhu returned to the Courtyard, and as soon as he entered the gate, he saw He Yushui wearing a brand-new little red cotton-padded jacket, wobbling as she learned to walk in the yard, her little face frozen red.

He Yuzhu scooped her up: "Little Yushui, did you miss your big brother?"

"Bro-ther, I want bro-ther's candy..." Little Yushui pouted and said in a milky voice.

"You can only have two pieces of candy a day," he smiled and pinched her cold little face, "otherwise your teeth will hurt."

"Yushui doesn't have teeth yet!" the little girl retorted unconvinced.

"That was brother's mistake. But if you eat too much candy, you won't want to drink your milk powder!"

"Yushui doesn't!" she twisted her little body in protest.

At this moment, Shen Guizhi lifted the thick door curtain and walked out, exhaling a puff of white air: "Why are you back so early today? Didn't you go to Miss Liu's?"

"Mom, look at what you're saying, as if I'm always hanging around there all day."

"I just think you kid are very precocious, knowing to run to a big girl's house at such a young age!" Shen Guizhi laughed and scolded.

"Mom, you should worry more about Uncle! He's over thirty and still hasn't started a family, maybe one day..."

"You little brat, you're retaliating just because I said a couple of things to you, right?"

"I'm telling the truth, he's always living life on the edge..."

"Life on the edge!" Little Yushui babbled, making He Yuzhu laugh out loud.

At dusk, the Lou Mansion was brightly lit, but the atmosphere was heavy.

Lou Bancheng hurried in, and Tan Lingping quickly took his coat, which was carrying the chill of the air.

Lou Bancheng shook his head at Chen Xueru and Mrs. Chen, his expression heavy: "Sister-in-law, things are difficult. Zheng De insists that Boss Chen hired someone to cause injury, and demands that the shop be donated for free before he will let it go."

Mrs. Chen covered her face and wept upon hearing this, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Chen Xueru gripped the corner of her clothes tightly, her teeth grinding together. In her heart, her resentment toward He Yuzhu surged again—if he hadn't meddled, things wouldn't have gotten to this point. It's all his fault for interfering! No, she must settle the score with him!

Seeing Chen Xueru's bitter and deep-seated look, Lou Xiaoe quickly hugged her gently: "Sister Xueru, don't be too anxious, I'll ask Dad to think of a way."

Chen Xueru suddenly looked up: "Uncle Lou, do you know where He Daqing lives? I want to go find him to talk about something."

Lou Bancheng was a bit dazed by Chen Xueru's jumping thoughts, but having seen storms and waves, he thought for a moment and said: "His family lives with Xu Fugui's family, that is, at Nanluoguxiang No. 95 Courtyard." He turned and instructed Tan Lingping: "Since Xueru wants to find Master He, you take your sister-in-law and Xueru there together."

"Uncle Lou, I can go by myself." Chen Xueru grabbed her coat and walked out.

"I'm going too!" Lou Xiaoe followed.

Lou Bancheng shook his head and looked at the two Bodyguards: "Xiao Wu, Xiaoqi, you follow them, pay attention to safety."

At the entrance of the No. 95 Courtyard, He Yuzhu was returning from the restroom when he saw Chen Xueru and Lou Xiaoe getting out of a car.

Lou Xiaoe saw He Yuzhu and ran over affectionately.

"What wind blew the two young ladies here, who are you looking for?" He Yuzhu said with a smile.

Lou Xiaoe spoke first, chirping: "The photos you took are really beautiful, can you help me take a few more?"

"Sure, one Big Ocean per photo, still want to take them?"

Lou Xiaoe froze and said in a low voice: "I... I didn't bring any money."

"It's fine, you can also give it when you pick up the photos."

"Are you stupid! Even going to a photo studio doesn't cost this much. He is swindling you out of money!" Chen Xueru grabbed Lou Xiaoe.

Lou Xiaoe shook her head instead and said earnestly, "But he takes good photos!"

Chen Xueru did not reply further, turned around, and said to He Yuzhu, "Can we find a quiet place to have a few words?"

He Yuzhu shook his head: "It's not good for your reputation for us, a lone man and a lone woman, to whisper to each other."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xueru's eyes instantly turned red, and her voice trembled slightly: "It was you who got my father sent to the Police Bureau."

He Yuzhu looked completely innocent, "Miss Xueru, we must speak with evidence!"

"It was you who beat those people, and they said you were a hitman hired by my father!" Chen Xueru pointed at He Yuzhu's nose and said.

"Heaven and earth are my witness, I didn't hit anyone, you must have seen wrong!" He Yuzhu argued sophistically.

"You, you dare to do it but don't dare to admit it, you're not a man!" Chen Xueru said.