Siheyuan starts to activate the task system

He Daqing was smoking, and after finishing one cigarette, he took out another one, as if he had forgotten that the cigarette belonged to him and wanted to smoke enough today. If he hadn't opened his mouth to talk about the past, Zhang Yuan really wanted to snatch the cigarette back. He hadn't smoked many, but this damn He Daqing kept lighting up and smoking.

"Thinking back to the past! How could I be willing to give up everything and leave that old city, uprooting my life and hometown? I really had no choice! I'm sure you all know that Tan's cuisine is a well-known official dish, which only dignitaries could enjoy in the past. To learn this skill and master its secrets, one must be rich and powerful. Because of this, most of those who have mastered the cooking skills of Tan's cuisine have complicated backgrounds, and the ingredients are not very good!" He Daqing just finished smoking another cigarette, lit up another one, took two puffs, and continued.

"So at that time, I had been thinking hard about how to change your identities so as to avoid being implicated. However, things happen unexpectedly. One day, someone came to my house and reported that I had served Japanese officers and traitors when I was a chef. They therefore suspected that I was an enemy spy and threatened to arrest me and interrogate me. This time I was really desperate! After thinking it over again and again, I gritted my teeth and stomped my feet, pretending to be addicted to beauty and couldn't extricate myself, and cruelly abandoned you and Sha Zhu. In this way, I can successfully get out of the predicament and ensure that even if someone investigates this matter in the future, you will not be blamed because of me. Alas... the bitterness of this is not something that outsiders should know!"

After hearing what He Daqing said, Zhang Yuan frowned and asked, "Have you made proper arrangements? I heard Yu Shui say with my own ears that since you left, the life of the brother and sister has been extremely difficult, and they can't even solve the most basic problem of food and clothing."

"Absolutely impossible!" He Daqing shouted excitedly, veins bulging on his forehead. He widened his eyes and shook his head desperately, "How is this possible? I have clearly arranged everything." His voice trembled with anger.

Then, He Daqing took a deep breath, tried to calm himself, and explained: "Before I left, I went to find Lao Yi on purpose. Back then, we were good buddies who were as close as brothers. So, I felt at ease to leave Sha Zhu and Yu Shui to his care, and asked him to pass on 100 yuan to Sha Zhu. In addition, I also used my connections to ask the senior brother from Fengze Garden to accept Sha Zhu as his apprentice. Not only that, I would send money to Yu Shui on time every month for living expenses. Logically speaking, they shouldn't have to suffer such hardships!" At the end, He Daqing's eyes were full of confusion and disbelief.

After listening to He Daqing's words, He Yushui was filled with emotion and grievance, and tears could not stop flowing. He hurriedly explained to his father: "Dad, you really misunderstood! Yi Zhonghai has never really cared about us. He never mentioned the things you mentioned to us. Moreover, because of him, my brother even had a falling out with Fengzeyuan and eventually had to work as an apprentice in the steel mill, but he didn't even get a penny of salary in the first three years!"

He Yushui recalled every detail of the past while telling He Daqing in detail what happened that year. Every incident made him feel heartbroken, and the more He Daqing listened, the angrier he became. He was so angry that his face turned red, and he was so excited that he could not control himself. He slammed the table with a loud "bang", which scared the waiters in the restaurant and they ran over to ask what happened.

At this moment, Zhang Yuan suddenly interrupted and asked: "Okay, in that case, let me ask another question. How do you know the White Widow?" This question made the atmosphere on the scene instantly tense.

He Daqing was smoking his pipe while sinking into deep memories: "My wife passed away early! She left two kids for a grown man like me to take care of. It was so hard for me! Just at this time, Yi Zhonghai found me and invited me to have a drink. After three rounds of drinks, the old man started to talk to me, saying that he had a cousin named Bai, whose husband had just died and had two sons. He asked me if I was willing to live with her. I was drunk at the time and agreed without thinking. As a result, when I woke up the next morning, hey! My goodness, I actually slept with that white widow! Before I could react, Yi Zhonghai, the old bastard, suddenly broke in and grabbed me without saying a word. Then the two of them forced me to agree to a bunch of messed up conditions, otherwise they would not let me go..."

After listening to this, Zhang Yuan suddenly realized that He Daqing was set up by Yi Zhonghai and Bai Guafu. No wonder he was forced to leave the capital and go to Baoding to suffer. Moreover, he was tortured beyond recognition by Bai Guafu, but he didn't even dare to go home, for fear of implicating Sha Zhu and He Yushui. He didn't dare to go back to his real home until he was kicked out of the house.

Zhang Yuan said: "Uncle He, have you ever thought about going back to Sijiu City now?"

"Of course I do, but I'm worried that it will harm Shazhu and Yu Shui." He Daqing said gritting his teeth.

"Then let's go back together now."

"But, if I go back, will it cause inconvenience to Shazhu and Yushui? There is also the issue of composition, just like what I faced back then." He Daqing became hesitant.

"It's okay. I'll find a way to deal with it. I know a sister who married a senior official in the department. What happened to you back then is not a problem. It wasn't just you back then. Many people were forced into it. If there was really a reckoning, many people in the city would not be able to survive."

"Yes, how could I have forgotten? Even Lou Bancheng was like this back then, and he lived a good life and was even a big capitalist. What should an ordinary citizen like me worry about?" He Daqing suddenly realized and became enlightened, but at the same time he felt extremely guilty. "If I had been more sober at the time, I wouldn't have been deceived for so many years and let my two children suffer so much. Now Shazhu must be blaming me in his heart."

"It is true that a bystander sees more clearly than a participant. You have been deceived by Yi Zhonghai," Zhang Yuan comforted.

"In addition, there is another problem that needs to be solved." He Daqing said.

"You mean the White Widow?"

"That's right," He Daqing nodded. "When I came to Baoding, she and I got married. Before I go back to Beijing, I have to break up with her."

"I have a solution." Zhang Yuan said suddenly.