Chapter 233: I Need to Change into New Clothes (Leak at Home, One Chapter Cancelled)

Lao Lu was gripping Li Zhongfa's hand in excitement, when suddenly Li Zhongfa asked, "Sanitation worker?"

He froze for a moment, his flushed, excited face instantly turning furious.

"You old bastard, first thing you say when we meet is 'sanitary worker'?"

"Back then I knew you were two-faced—publicly ordering us not to think for ourselves, to focus solely on the war, but secretly using your position as company commander to curry favor with the sanitary staff."

"."

Lao Lu's torrent of curses drenched Li Da Ju in shame, leaving him with a face as dark as the bottom of a cooking pot.

"What are you blathering about? How old are you, still speaking without restraint?"

Li Zhongfa scolded sharply while glaring at Lao Lu and making frantic eye signals.

Lao Lu followed the direction of Li Zhongfa's twisted mouth and spotted two little kids with ears perked up and eyes gleaming.

Especially that Wen family girl—usually so cool, calm, and serene—now her big eyes spun wildly!

"Cough—Ang~"

Lao Lu cleared his throat, wiped his tears, and looked Li Ye straight in the eye: "Old Company Commander, what's your relationship with this kid named Li Ye?"

Li Zhongfa beamed, pulling Li Ye forward and lifting his chin: "There—he's my grandson, a student at Beijing University, top scorer in Dongshan Province last year, provincial number one!"

Lao Lu visibly startled, then sincerely said: "Provincial number one? That's impressive, truly."

Li Zhongfa beamed even brighter: "What about you? Where's your grandson studying?"

Lao Lu rolled his eyes: "My grandson's already working—a proud member of the working class."

"Oh come on, how could you let him be a worker? We suffered back then from lack of education—you should push him to study harder!"

Both old men were no pushovers—Lao Lu had just mocked Li Zhongfa as two-faced, and now Li Zhongfa was striking back with his own grandson.

Lao Lu's mouth twisted into a sneer: "Your grandson got provincial first place—what does that have to do with you, an old illiterate? You couldn't even read better than me in literacy class."

"Cough, cough, cough, cough~"

Li Ye kept coughing, subtly poking Li Zhongfa's back.

Grandpa, this isn't the place to bicker—your future granddaughter-in-law's hearing all this gossip, and when it gets back to Grandma Wu Juying… hehehe.

Though still emotionally stirred, Li Zhongfa realized the situation was inappropriate and told Lao Lu: "I'll go in first to pay a visit. When I come out, we'll have a proper long chat—you wait for me! Don't you dare leave!"

"I'll wait for you, for sure," Lao Lu hurriedly said. "Go tend to your business first—we've got plenty of time to catch up, old comrades."

Lao Lu held Li Zhongfa's hand and walked to the guardhouse of Zhongliang Courtyard.

Though they were old friends, registration was mandatory—Lao Lu didn't cut corners on this.

But as he glanced at Li Zhongfa's work ID, Lao Lu frowned: "Old Company Commander, how come you're only a Zhengke?"

Li Zhongfa replied: "It's Fu Chu. I only resumed work two years ago—every position was filled; getting any assignment at all was lucky."

In the early 1980s, this was common—many veteran comrades resumed work but got no real posts, only acting deputy roles before retirement.

Not just Li Zhongfa's Fu Chu—there were even vice-ministerial ranks holding empty titles. Their rank was high, but the position was hollow; Li Zhongfa's case was actually quite good.

Lao Lu shook his head: "That's too much of a waste—you were a company commander back in '41."

"Waste? What waste?" Li Zhongfa glared sternly. "Compared to brothers who died, what do we have to complain about?"

Lao Lu paused, lowered his head, and muttered: "Yeah… no waste. We got lucky."

"Enough brooding. This is fate. Alive means you're lucky. Dead means you're a martyr."

Li Zhongfa scolded Lao Lu, turned, and left the guardhouse, following Wen Leyu toward Wen Qingsheng's home.

But after walking a few steps, he heard Lao Lu shout loudly behind him: "Gao Shuyi is still alive! She's living well in Shanghai!"

Li Zhongfa froze like he'd been struck by the Hibiscus Acupoint Technique, then slowly, stiffly turned his neck.

The tears he'd just stopped flowed again, cascading down.

Seeing Li Zhongfa cry, Lao Lu grinned silently, then added one more line.

"She married the political instructor."

"."

"Damn it, I knew he was up to something—ordered us not to think, to focus on the war, guarded against everything…"

………………

At Wen Leyu's home, the furious Li Zhongfa had already regained his composed bureau chief demeanor, chatting smoothly with Wen Qingsheng and Teacher Ke as if nothing had happened.

At dinner, Wen Qingsheng raised his cup first: "Last time I went to Dongshan, I came and left in a rush, never had the chance to visit you—truly ashamed."

"Now that Old Li has come to Beijing, you must stay a few days—let me fulfill my duty as host and show my gratitude, or I'll never forgive myself."

Li Zhongfa quickly smiled: "Don't say that. Li Ye's been in Beijing over a year—thanks to your care, or with his honest nature, he'd have caused ten times more trouble."

Li Zhongfa had reached bureau chief—he understood social niceties perfectly.

When Wen Qingsheng had passed through Qingshui County without visiting, he'd still sent Teacher Ke and Wen Leyu to formally call on him—no social breach.

Even so, Li Zhongfa was the only one in Qingshui County whom Teacher Ke had ever honored—Teacher Ke never bowed to anyone's face.

As for this Beijing visit, Wen Qingsheng inviting Li Zhongfa home for dinner was really because of Li Ye.

Back in Qingshui County, Li Ye and Wen Leyu were still in that "not quite lovers" phase; only at their final parting had Wen Leyu given Li Ye a crooked, handmade woolen purse—equivalent to a love token.

Now in Beijing, the two young people had advanced quickly; Teacher Ke and his wife found nothing to criticize, and Li Ye was already cooking meals at their home—how could their relationship still be ordinary?

So Wen Qingsheng's talk of gratitude meant nothing to Li Zhongfa—all he cared about was that Teacher Ke and his wife treated Li Ye well. That meant more than eight hundred verbal thanks.

But after Li Zhongfa's humble words, Wen Qingsheng said: "Old Li, you're wrong—I admire Li Ye's honesty."

"In recent years, haven't we seen enough clever people? It's kids like Li Ye—honest, kind, and reliable—who truly matter."

"Exactly~"

Teacher Ke smiled and corrected Li Zhongfa: "Besides, Li Ye isn't just honest—he's kind. If he ever played clever, he'd be sharp as a blade!"

"Really? I've watched him grow up since childhood—I still dare not praise him."

Li Zhongfa glanced at Li Ye beside him, puzzled—what had his grandson done to win over these two bigwigs so completely?

Still, with joy on his face, Li Zhongfa gave Li Ye several warning glances.

【Don't get cocky, kid—act humble.】

Li Ye immediately lowered his head, smiling sheepishly in embarrassment.

Truthfully, Li Ye understood what Teacher Ke and Wen Qingsheng were thinking.

Kindness, as one rises in status, gradually gets suppressed by "rationality."

In fierce competition, on thin ice—who dares act purely on kindness?

Li Ye's past life was full of kindness, which kept him crushed at the bottom for years; only when his heart hardened did he come to this world.

This life, he's a cheat with a "money spent, money returned" mindset—his attitude is entirely different, so this precious kindness remains unchanged.

Teacher Ke and Wen Qingsheng had observed Li Ye from all angles and noticed this uniqueness.

Pengcheng Factory Seven had exploded in growth; the Seven-Inch Blade was rising fast; the boy was triumphant, sharp, and exposed—exactly when true character shows—but Li Ye remained Li Ye.

With vision, talent, and kindness—how could they not snatch him up as a son-in-law before someone else did?

With both of them saying this much, Li Zhongfa was overjoyed, drank a few extra cups without realizing, and by the time they left Wen's home, it was already three or four in the afternoon.

As they walked toward the courtyard gate, Li Zhongfa told Li Ye: "I've had too much—I need you to hold me up tonight. Lu Huai Shui's a heavy drinker—don't let him get me drunk."

Li Ye advised: "Grandpa, don't call him 'Lu Huai Shui'—he's an old man, it's disrespectful."

Li Zhongfa replied: "He's surnamed Lu, his name is Huai Shui—Huai River's 'Huai,' water's 'Shui.'"

"Ohhh," Li Ye understood, then asked: "Grandpa, was Lu Daye your soldier before?"

"Yes," Li Zhongfa suddenly grew somber. "Remember last year when I told you about our unit's breakout, and our company was assigned to cover the rear?"

Li Ye nodded—he remembered. Back then, Li Zhongfa had trusted Old Huai and taken the right fork; everyone else took the left. Li Zhongfa had said none of them returned.

Li Zhongfa sighed: "They took the left path. I thought they were all dead… never expected anyone survived."

"Oh~"

Li Ye sensed Li Zhongfa's low mood and didn't press further—he'd have chances to ask later.

But when they reached the guardhouse, Lu Huai Shui was gone—replaced by a young man.

"Young comrade, where's Lu Huai Shui?"

The young man stood and smiled: "You're Comrade Li, right? Master Lu went out on urgent business. He asked me to pass on a message—please leave your address. He'll contact you tonight."

"Oh, okay—I'll write down my contact info."

Li Zhongfa wrote his hotel name and phone number on the paper.

The Li grandfather-grandson pair returned to the hotel, waiting for Lao Lu to call—tonight they'd get him drunk together.

But they waited and waited—until seven or eight at night, no one came.

"Grandpa, didn't you hear? Lu Daye had an emergency. Why not go ask where he lives tomorrow?"

"Hmph, something's off," Li Zhongfa narrowed his eyes. "You don't know how many tricks that guy's got—he's probably plotting something again!"

Li Ye laughed: "I don't think he's that bad. You're overthinking."

No sooner had Li Ye spoken than the hotel front desk called: "Room 206, phone call."

Li Zhongfa bolted downstairs, snatched the receiver, and barked: "You damn Lu Huai Shui, where the hell have you been? I've been waiting and haven't eaten yet! Are you even drinking tonight?"

"."

"Hello? Talk!"

"."

Li Zhongfa shouted several times—no sound from the other end.

Just as he thought the line was broken, a muffled sob came through the receiver: "Company Commander… it's me!"

"."

Li Zhongfa felt his head explode—blood surged straight to his skull.

After a moment, Li Zhongfa stammered, "Are you Comrade Gao Shuyi?"

"It's me!" The woman on the phone sounded on the verge of tears, her words unclear: "I got a call from Lu Huaiwater this afternoon, and I waited forever before I got your number—"

"The phone always wouldn't connect. Now I'm finally at ease. Lu Huaiwater didn't lie to me."

"How dare he lie to you? If he did, I'd beat the yellow bile right out of his belly."

"Comrade Captain, you're how old now, and still so reckless?"

"Yes, yes, yes—we're all old. I was just blowing off steam. I haven't trained in fists or feet for years; my body's no good anymore."

Li Ye: "."

【Grandpa, weren't the guys you beat up two years ago not my cheap old man, right?】

But the voice on the other end immediately grew tense upon hearing Li Zhongfa say "my body's no good anymore": "Captain, where are you hurting? I'll come to Beijing tomorrow—I'll take you to the hospital for a checkup."

"What? You're coming to Beijing? I—I'll head back to Dongshan tomorrow."

"Don't go back to Dongshan," the voice on the phone hardened. "I'm flying there tomorrow morning. You'll stay in Beijing and wait for me."

"Huh? Uh, uh, okay."

Li Ye watched Li Zhongfa from the side, seeing him nervously agree, and couldn't help smiling.

But after Li Zhongfa carefully hung up the phone, he turned around and switched to the face of a superior.

"Go get me two sets of each style from Fenghua Clothing—I need to try them on for size."

"."

Li Ye blinked, suppressing a laugh: "No need to try sizes—I had them custom-made for you a few days ago, and haven't mailed them back yet! I'll bring them over first thing tomorrow."

Li Zhongfa glared: "First thing tomorrow? Go get them tonight."

"Hahahaha~"

Li Ye finally burst out laughing: "Grandpa, it's just an old comrade meeting. Why so eager and formal? Besides, I think she won't care what you wear."

"What do you know?"

Li Zhongfa's gaze sharpened, as if a warrior had reignited his battle spirit.

"If your Grandma Gao is coming, then that Liu guy will come too. Forty years ago he couldn't beat me—now that we're old, I won't let him win."

Li Ye nodded solemnly: "Understood. Completely understood."

Li Zhongfa snorted, then turned to Li Ye: "You dress up too. Wear that outfit from the TV show—give me some extra prestige."

"Okay, definitely okay—we'll outshine them, Grandpa and me."

The kitchen in our place leaked, dripping down to the floor below. We tore apart the cabinets to find the leak, spent ages fixing it. Luckily, the neighbor downstairs is easygoing—otherwise, who knows how bad it would've gotten? He only renovated last year! Even after fixing it, I still felt ashamed.

So… dear readers, be generous—forgive Old Feng!

(End of Chapter)