[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji":3,"chapter-the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-29":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Siheyuan: Food, Love, and Family in 1960s Beijing",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2314079,4526,"Chapter 29","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-29",29,"\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua looked at Li Xuewu and asked for his opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu explained: “As long as the street allows me to renovate the house—just a few windows is all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua patted Li Xuewu’s shoulder and said: “You’ve got heart, Xuewu. Fine, I’ll call Director Wang of the street right away. Their patrol unit is begging our factory security team for help. Speaking of the security team, I just remembered—you’ll take charge of the militia and the factory security team from now on. I don’t trust anyone else to manage them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu stood up and replied: “Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua stood up, pushed Li Xuewu back into his seat, crushed out his cigarette in the ashtray on the coffee table, returned to his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed the street office using his contact list.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello, Director Wang? This is Dong Wenhua from the Rolling Mill Factory Security Department. Yes, here’s the thing—our militia company commander and factory security team captain, Comrade Li, lives on your street. His family is large—nine people crammed into one room. Could you help resolve this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, it’s Li Xuewu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right. His father is a doctor at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. I just learned about this situation. The young man is very understanding of the organization—he only asks that the outer courtyard’s back rooms be assigned to him. He’ll pay for the renovations himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I know your difficulties. Our factory security team is preparing to expand recruitment. Give priority to your street’s young men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright then. I’ll have Comrade Li go see you. Make sure this is handled properly—your street’s patrol duties rest on his shoulders.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood, understood. I keep my word. How could I ever deceive you, Director Wang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s settled then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu stood up excitedly as Dong Wenhua hung up the phone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Teacher, for your care.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua walked over and pushed Li Xuewu back onto the sofa. “You call me Teacher? Don’t be so formal. Besides, your family is truly struggling. Your father supports the whole household—you must honor him well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu said: “Your teaching is right. I didn’t want to live far away so I could be near my parents.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua smiled. “Good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sister Xie stood up and said with a smile: “I don’t have time to waste here with you two teacher-student pair. Should I take Xuewu to the Security Section myself, or will you arrange it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua said: “I’ll call Wang Jindong to come pick him up. You go ahead and take care of your business—we’ll talk properly this weekend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sister Xie saw Li Xuewu rise to see her off, walked him to the door, patted his arm, and said: “Alright, young man—you’ve got some skill. Let’s keep in touch, sis. If you need anything, come to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Wind and Moon of the Five Dynasties’ Rivers and Mountains”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu said gratefully: “Thank you, Sister, for helping me so much—I’m deeply grateful. Let’s get together this weekend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sister Xie no longer insisted on formality, said “Alright,” and went downstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu entered Dong Wenhua’s office, emptied the tea leaves from Dong’s cup, took fresh tea leaves from the cabinet, steeped them with hot water from the thermos, and placed the freshly brewed tea beside Dong Wenhua.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua sat on the sofa, waved for him to sit, and spoke softly: “Security work is complex—you’ll interact with many workers. You need resolve, but also strategy. It’s different from military methods. You must unite with your colleagues, especially Wang Jindong—he’s hard to get along with. Deputy Director Li has tried several times to replace him, but Director Yang shut it down each time. I’m not saying you should fear him—find common ground in your work. I believe your capabilities are equal to his.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu understood Dong Wenhua’s meaning: Wang Jindong was Director Yang’s man. Deputy Director Li wanted to replace him with his own appointee, but failed repeatedly. Dong Wenhua was a cultured man, not deeply versed in security work, but skilled at uniting subordinates and respecting Fu Bin’s leadership. From Dong’s tone, Fu Bin was also dissatisfied with Wang Jindong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua lit a cigarette and said to Li Xuewu, who had just blown out the match: “Theft is rampant in the factory—canteens, workshops, every department. Start there. A thief inside can’t operate without help from the Security Department.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Dong Wenhua being this explicit, Li Xuewu knew exactly what to do. No wonder Sister Xie had immediately shown her dissatisfaction with the Security Section—it was a coordinated move between Dong Wenhua and Fu Bin to communicate with Deputy Director Li and remove Wang Jindong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu said: “Teacher, rest assured. In the south, I was a reconnaissance soldier—specialized in capturing prisoners, hunting spies. I’m an elite. Once they reach out, I’ll pull out their rat’s tail.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua picked up the phone and said: “Good. I’ll call Wang Jindong now. You’ll report to the Security Section, temporarily assigned to the Public Security Division, and concurrently serve as militia company commander and factory security team captain. I’m giving you full authority—produce results as quickly as possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu replied loudly: “Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One phone call from Dong Wenhua, and less than ten minutes later, a knock came at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua said softly: “Enter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A muscular man in his thirties, about 1.73 meters tall, entered. He took a careful look at Li Xuewu, who sat before Deputy Director Dong’s desk, smoking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Wenhua spoke first: “Jindong, come in. This is Li Xuewu, the security cadre sent by Personnel. A demobilized officer. He’ll be assigned to your Security Section. Leadership says his background fits perfectly—he’ll lead the Public Security Division as division chief, militia company commander, and factory security team captain. Take him around, show him the ropes, and handle the handover.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Jindong frowned. The militia company commander and factory security team captain had always been held by the Security Section chief—how could a new Public Security Division chief take both positions?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though confused, he still said: “Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu extinguished his cigarette, stood up, nodded once to Dong Wenhua, and followed Wang Jindong out the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, Wang Jindong said nothing except asking what branch Li Xuewu served in and where he was from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu answered briefly, in few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment Dong Wenhua made that phone call, this war without smoke had begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Jindong took Li Xuewu to Personnel’s Labor Protection Division, helped him collect a security uniform, a weapon belt, bedding, cotton shoes, a military overcoat, and a winter cap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu carried the bundle and followed Wang Jindong to a row of back rooms on the other side of the main gate guardhouse. They entered a dormitory with only four bunk beds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Jindong: “This is the watchroom. You, me, and Security Division’s Comrade Zheng sleep here when on duty. We have to light the stove ourselves—the coal’s right outside. Put your things down first, then change into your uniform.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu nodded and changed clothes right there in the room. The factory-issued cotton garments were warm: a quilted jacket with stitching, cotton pants, a dark blue police uniform with “Factory Police” on the armband, dark blue trousers, and fur-lined cotton boots.\u003C\u002Fp>",1216,"2026-06-20T13:46:54.288Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d352f15a69f4e9b814b3edc52b99c2c49b016775d0d027a1477adb616e50f49e","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-30","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-28",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-cover.jpg"]