Chapter 57

Sihe Academy

As the sky grew dark, He Yushui returned to the Sihe Academy.

She usually lived in the dormitory and only came back every once in a while to take a look.

He Yushui, with her two small braids, looked beautiful, but her figure was as thin as a bamboo pole, and her face had a sallow complexion.

Don't look at her brother being a chef; she really didn't receive much care.

Shazhu was devoted to Qin Huairu and ignored his sister.

"Yushui is back!"

"The First Aunt is cooking; it smells so good."

"Yushui, hurry up and see your brother."

"What's wrong with my brother?"

"You'll know when you get home."

He Yushui returned home in a daze, pushed the door open, and was instantly hit by a foul odor.

"Brother! Why does it smell so bad in the room!"

Shazhu was sitting there drinking wine, and said unhappily: "If you think it stinks, get out."

He Yushui asked with concern: "Brother, what's wrong with you?"

Shazhu's tone was bad, but He Yushui sensed something unusual.

Shazhu said gloomily: "Your brother is now a night-soil collector that everyone can step on."

"Night-soil collector!"

He Yushui widened her eyes in surprise: "What on earth happened?"

Shazhu began to talk about recent events, and the gloom in his heart dissipated slightly as he poured it out.

He Yushui was dumbfounded; she hadn't been home for only half a month, and so many things had happened.

"Brother, you really need to change your temper."

Her own brother was down on his luck, but she, as a sister, was just a weak woman and couldn't help.

And in her heart, there was a trace of schadenfreude.

He Yushui asked: "Brother, what will you do in the future?"

Shazhu said stifledly: "What else can I do? Take it one step at a time!"

The canteen director suppressed him, the workshop director pushed him out, and Factory Director Yang was away on a business trip, so he could only endure.

He only hoped that Factory Director Yang would lend him a hand when he returned.

He Yushui turned and opened the window, then went to the Jia family.

The two He siblings were strange.

Neither of them took their own brother or sister to heart, but both were very close and attentive to Qin Huairu.

Cao Weiguo made a pot of tomato and egg soup for dinner.

Although the ingredients were simple, the aroma of the egg soup was exceptionally rich.

It drifted to the Jia family, making Banggeng shout and clamor, and Jia Zhangshi grit her teeth in hatred.

"Cao Weiguo, that beast, making egg soup smell so good—isn't he doing it on purpose to make people crave it!"

"He doesn't know how to help our family, only how to take care of his own eating and drinking; he's destined to be lonely for the rest of his life!"

Jia Zhangshi bit into her steamed bun fiercely, constantly spewing evil words.

This made He Yushui, who had walked to the door, feel disgusted.

How could Jia Zhangshi, an old person, have no moral character, speaking ill of people behind their backs?

"Is Qin Jie home?"

He Yushui didn't walk into the room, but stood outside the door and called out.

"Yushui, you're back."

Qin Huairu walked out of the room, walking toward He Yushui with a beaming smile.

"Qin Jie, can you help my brother?"

He Yushui looked at Qin Huairu with hopeful eyes.

Qin Huairu said with a bitter smile: "I'm a widow, how would I have the ability to help your brother?"

He Yushui held Qin Huairu's hand: "Qin Jie, my brother listens to you the most; just manage him more in the future and make him change his stinking temper and bad habits."

Qin Huairu said gently: "Hmm, Zhuzi has helped me a lot, and I also hope he lives better and better."

The First Uncle walked over with his hands behind his back: "Zhuzi, his nature is not bad, it's just that his mouth has no gate, offending people everywhere."

Qin Huairu sighed: "Isn't that so? If he hadn't said the wrong thing, Cao Weiguo might have helped him transfer back to the kitchen."

The First Uncle snorted with a gloomy face: "Hmph, Cao Weiguo is not a good person either; look at his behavior today; it's clearly helping Xu Damao bully Shazhu."

He Yushui said angrily: "How can this Cao Weiguo be like this? When he was an apprentice, didn't my brother take care of him?"

If Cao Weiguo were present, he would definitely answer her without hesitation: "Absolutely not!"

Qin Huairu sighed: "Cao Weiguo is not a good person, but he has ability; we still have to persuade Zhuzi to hurry up and get on good terms with Cao Weiguo so he can help him transfer back to the kitchen as soon as possible; he can't keep cleaning toilets."

The First Uncle frowned and pondered; Qin Huairu's words made sense.

Although Cao Weiguo's behavior today made him very unhappy, Cao Weiguo was truly capable.

Not to mention whether Cao Weiguo could support him in his old age in the future, just looking at the present, Cao Weiguo was the best candidate to help Shazhu.

Shazhu was the person he had chosen to support him in his old age; he couldn't keep being a night-soil collector.

The First Uncle said in a deep voice: "Let's go find Shazhu, and then take him to find Cao Weiguo for help."

He Yushui bowed obediently: "Thank you, First Uncle!"

Several people endured the stench and walked into the room, starting to persuade and guide Shazhu.

Shazhu said resentfully: "It's good enough that that villain Cao Weiguo doesn't fix me; would he kindly help me?"

The First Uncle said: "I will use my old face to speak for you, but you must also lower your posture; when asking for help, you must have the attitude of asking for help; no matter how unwilling you are, you must endure it; your most urgent task now is to transfer back to the kitchen."

He Yushui said anxiously: "Brother, you're a night-soil collector; what matchmaker would be willing to introduce a match for you? What girl would take a fancy to you?"

Qin Huairu also advised: "Zhuzi, asking for help is not shameful; being laughed at is shameful; tell me, how many people in the courtyard aren't laughing at you for being a night-soil collector?"

Shazhu said with an ugly face: "Fine! Fine! Fine! I'll go ask that villain Cao Weiguo, is that enough?"

A group of people walked out of the house and marched toward the Cao residence aggressively.

The First Uncle called out from outside the door: "Weiguo, come out for a second."

Cao Weiguo put down his steamed bun, opened the door, and looked at them: "First Uncle, what is this?"

The First Uncle said kindly: "Weiguo, we're here to ask for your help; you know about Zhuzi's matter; he just had a slip of the tongue and had no bad intentions; for the sake of being neighbors in the same courtyard, please help him."

Shazhu said reluctantly: "Cao Weiguo, help me transfer back to the kitchen, and I will definitely repay you."

Cao Weiguo said with a bitter smile: "I'm very willing to help, but this time it was Deputy Factory Director Li who spoke, saying he wanted to severely punish Brother He for destroying worker unity and having corrupt ideology; I'm just a small deputy director; even if I go to plead, Deputy Factory Director Li won't listen."

Shazhu said angrily: "I just complained a bit, how did I destroy worker unity and have corrupt ideology!"

Cao Weiguo said sternly: "Brother He, this hat wasn't put on by me, but by the leadership and coworkers; and what you said really gave people a handle; with that line about the workshop not being a place for humans, it wouldn't be unjust even if they dragged you out for a struggle session."

Shazhu was speechless, the First Uncle's face was ugly, and He Yushui widened her eyes in shock.

She didn't expect her stupid brother to dare say such "rebellious" words!

The First Uncle also blamed Shazhu for being unpromising and reckless.

But since it concerned his old-age support, he couldn't ignore it.

The First Uncle said: "Weiguo, Zhuzi really had a slip of the tongue this time; he is kind-hearted and has no bad intentions; he has already deeply reflected on his mistakes; you are the most promising person in our courtyard, so please help Zhuzi; if he keeps cleaning toilets, I'm afraid he won't be able to marry a wife in this life; do you have the heart to see him lonely?"

Cao Weiguo sighed: "First Uncle, I'll give you face, and for the sake of being neighbors for many years, I'll help Brother He; you guys go back first, and I'll have a few words with Brother He alone."

The First Uncle beamed with joy: "Good, good, I knew you were a kind-hearted and affectionate young man."

Having received a satisfactory answer, the First Uncle, Qin Huairu, and He Yushui left.

Shazhu remained at the door alone, wearing a stinking face.

Cao Weiguo whispered: "Brother He, I won't give you any empty talk; I will try my best to help you transfer back to the kitchen, but this matter can't be done with just words; it requires some action."

Shazhu asked stupidly: "What action? Do you want me to write a self-criticism?" ===== CHAPTER 59 =====