Chapter 1202: Cousin

Qixi Festival, 1966

It happened to be the weekend, and Song Dashan brought Song Ying and Song Yuzhu, carrying large and small bags, to visit his daughter and grandson.

Upon arriving at the place and seeing it, his son-in-law's new home was truly beautiful.

In the scorching summer, the courtyard was shaded by green trees, and bamboo and flowers were planted along the base of the walls.

The gray-tiled gatehouse, the three main rooms, and the two side rooms were all bright and clean, making one feel comfortable just looking at them.

Looking again at his daughter, who was in her postpartum confinement, she was full of energy, and his little grandson was also fair and chubby; even his wife had become fairer and plumper.

This allowed the heart that Song Dashan had been holding in suspense to finally settle.

Song Yuzhu clung to Song Yulan's side, curiously teasing her little nephew.

Song Ying stood honestly by his father's side, listening to his brother-in-law and father chatting about matters.

Song Dashan had come this time for two reasons: first, to visit his daughter and grandson, and second, to secure a rice bowl for Song Ying.

Nowadays, movements were being carried out everywhere; factories were shutting down, students were stopping classes, and Song Ying had even joined the Red Little Soldiers to stir up trouble everywhere, participating in several armed struggles, getting his head broken and bleeding—as a father, he couldn't stop him no matter how he tried.

With no other choice, he could only come to find Cao Weiguo, hoping Cao Weiguo could arrange a job for Song Ying in advance so he wouldn't be out causing trouble and fighting everywhere, potentially leading to some disaster.

Cao Weiguo thought for a moment and said, "This time, Song Ying won't go back with you. I will pull some strings and strive to get him into the factory as an apprentice."

Upon receiving this reply, Song Dashan was grinning from ear to ear, saying "good" over and over again.

Mother Song also felt a sense of relief and, grabbing Song Ying by the ear, warned him, "From now on, you must listen to your brother-in-law. If you dare to disobey, your father and I will break your legs!"

Song Ying begged for mercy, "Mom! I'll listen! I'll definitely listen! Please let go! My ear is about to fall off!"

Mother Song said viciously, "It would be better if it fell off! You grew those ears for nothing anyway! Come with me to the kitchen to help!"

Song Ying was press-ganged by Mother Song, while Cao Weiguo chatted more and more warmly with his father-in-law.

Song Yulan coaxed the child to sleep, "Dad, keep your voice down, don't wake the baby."

Song Dashan laughed, "Look at me! I was so happy I forgot. Weiguo, let's go outside to chat, and you can show me around."

Walking into the courtyard and seeing the three old hens kept in the chicken coop, Song Dashan reminded Cao Weiguo not to keep too many, as having too many would lead to having one's tail cut.

Cao Weiguo laughed, "Dad, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Yulan is in her postpartum confinement, so these chickens won't be kept for long."

He had to attend three or five meetings a day at the Rolling Steel Factory, and through constant exposure, he also knew the current policies.

If it weren't for Song Yulan being reluctant to part with them, these three chickens in the house would have already turned into chicken bones.

However, the child's one-month celebration was in a few days, so these chickens definitely wouldn't be kept.

Cao Weiguo led his father-in-law around the courtyard and also went to the vegetable market and the supply and marketing cooperative.

The bustling scene of people everywhere made his father-in-law exclaim that he couldn't handle it, saying there were far more people here than at big fairs or temple festivals.

When they returned home from outside, Song Yuzhu had already started serving dishes to the table.

Five dishes and one soup made his father-in-law mutter that it was no wonder the old woman had gained weight; anyone who ate such good food would put on meat.

After lunch, his father-in-law and mother-in-law set off together to return to the countryside, while Song Ying and Song Yuzhu stayed in the city.

Although his mother-in-law felt sorry for her daughter, there was, after all, her eldest daughter-in-law at home who was about to give birth.

If she stayed in the city to serve her daughter all the time, it was inevitable that the eldest daughter-in-law would have opinions.

His mother-in-law left reluctantly, leaving her younger sister-in-law in the city to help.

Song Yuzhu was already in junior high school; although she wasn't old, she was a good hand at housework.

She diligently tidied the house, swept the floor, washed clothes, washed diapers... making Cao Weiguo feel embarrassed, repeatedly telling his sister-in-law to rest, but she just couldn't stay idle.

Red Star Sihe Academy

Jia Family

Qin Huairu was pouring sweet talk into her cousin's ear: "Yanru, anyway, if you want to enter the city, this is the only way. I've said these same words eight hundred times already. If you want to be a farmer for the rest of your life, facing the yellow earth and backing the sky, then consider it me being meddlesome!"

Qin Yanru hesitated, "Sister, I know you're doing this for my own good, but Jingru said that Shazhu, that He Yuzhu, is particularly stupid."

Qin Huairu said excitedly, "Him, stupid? You ask my mother-in-law! Anyone who says Shazhu is a fool is the fool themselves!"

Jia Zhangshi told a story from the side: "Oh my, He Yuzhu's nickname is Shazhu, but he is not stupid! If you want to ask how this nickname came about, that's a long story... That year, the war had just ended, and Shazhu wasn't old, about the age of Banggeng. His father, He Great Qing, was a cook. That day, I don't know what happened, but he insisted on letting Shazhu go sell steamed buns alone. It was Shazhu's first time selling things, and he didn't even know how to hawk; he only knew how to keep a smiling face, and it was others who told him to learn to hawk..."

"If you want to talk about it, this Shazhu was unlucky enough. The first time he sold things, he ran into a cart of wounded soldiers grabbing things. Shazhu folded the buns into a basket, picked it up, and ran... If you want to talk about it, these wounded soldiers were also stubborn; just because Shazhu bumped into him like that, he chased him in one breath from Nanshuncheng Street to Chaoyang Gate... Regardless, this Shazhu was a native Kyoto child, and he knew the roads well. After twisting and turning, he finally shook off the wounded soldier. These buns were something Shazhu exchanged his life for."

Qin Yanru laughed, "So that means Shazhu is really quite stupid. It's just buns, can they be more important than life? What if that wounded soldier had opened fire?"

Qin Huairu glared and retorted, "Hey! How is that called stupid! Do you know how important those buns were to a family? Without the buns, the whole family would have to go hungry."

"I haven't finished yet!"

Jia Zhangshi continued, "This Shazhu, after shaking off the wounded soldier, you'd think he would go straight home, but no. Halfway there, Shazhu sold the buns to a passing merchant. Then the child came back covered in sweat, still shaken and panting, holding the money. He handed the money over to his father in full. His father took the money and counted it—guess what? The money, hey! It was all fake! Oh my, his father wouldn't have it and jumped around in this courtyard cursing, 'You Shazhu, you silly thing, you should have just carried the buns back! Shazhu, Shazhu!' Hey, that's how the name Shazhu came about. Later, everyone followed suit, and after calling it that, it just became what it is!"

Qin Huairu said, "Yanru, don't listen to Qin Jingru's nonsense. This He Yuzhu is not stupid; on the contrary, he is quite smart. Otherwise, he couldn't have become a master chef. In this area, whenever any family holds a banquet and invites someone to take charge of the ladle, the first person they think of is He Yuzhu. If you succeed with him, you can just enjoy your life in peace from now on."

Qin Huairu said irritably, "Yanru, don't listen to Qin Jingru's nonsense. She doesn't get along with He Yuzhu, which is why she goes around badmouthing him. Listen to me, this He Yuzhu only got a disciplinary action because he argued with someone; it was a small mistake and doesn't matter. You tell me, who in this life doesn't make mistakes? He is a genuine descendant of Tan cuisine, and his cooking is delicious. In this area, whenever any family holds a banquet and invites someone to take charge of the ladle, the first person they think of is He Yuzhu. Moreover, many leaders also like to eat the dishes he makes. It won't be long before he is transferred back to the kitchen. You don't know, the kitchen at the Rolling Steel Factory can't do without him as the master chef. If you succeed with him, you can just wait to enjoy your life."

Qin Yanru asked, "Then how much is Shazhu's monthly salary now?"

Qin Huairu: "More than twenty yuan a month, and this He Yuzhu also cooks banquets for people every few days, and he can get at least five or six yuan in hard-earned money each time. This condition is rare in the entire Kyoto."

Jia Zhangshi: "Yanru, just trust your sister. This Shazhu is a rare good man. If you succeed with him, you will definitely be able to live a good life."

Qin Yanru thought for a moment: "Hmm! I trust my sister!"

Qin Huairu laughed: "Good! He Yuzhu went out to cook again today, I don't know when he will be back. You rest well, tomorrow I will arrange for you to meet He Yuzhu." ===== CHAPTER 1204 =====