Siheyuan: I am different He Yuzhu

After finishing his meal, Li Ze did not rest in the office, but came to the kitchen of the steel mill. Li Ze planned to have a good chat with He Yuzhu. When Li Ze came to the kitchen, he saw He Yuzhu helping to sweep the floor in the cafeteria hall. Li Ze stood at the entrance of the cafeteria and watched He Yuzhu and the aunts talking and laughing. Suddenly, an aunt saw someone at the entrance of the cafeteria looking at He Yuzhu, so she kindly said to He Yuzhu: "Zhuzi, you see there is someone looking at you at the entrance. I see he has been looking at you for a while. See if he has something to do with you?"

He Yuzhu turned his head and saw that the person standing at the entrance of the cafeteria was Li Ze. He Yuzhu nodded to Li Ze standing at the entrance of the cafeteria to indicate that he saw him. Then He Yuzhu laughed and said to the auntie, "Auntie Qian, he came to see me. He probably saw that I was busy and was embarrassed to come and disturb me."

"Zhu Zi, then you should go over quickly. I can do the rest of the work by myself. It's hard to say that all these are done by me. You always help me do it." Aunt Qian said embarrassedly.

"Okay then, Aunt Qian, you can do the rest slowly. I'll go over first." He Yuzhu then handed the broom to Aunt Qian and turned to walk towards the cafeteria entrance. Before he even reached the entrance, He Yuzhu greeted Li Ze with enthusiasm: "Brother Li Ze, you've had your meal. How was the lunch today? Is it to your taste?"

Li Ze laughed and said, "My colleagues in the working group all praised your cooking skills, Xiao He. I didn't expect you to be so good at cooking. By the way, I saw you were cleaning. I hope I didn't delay your work."

"It's okay, I'm just helping that lady clean. I'm responsible for the kitchen. As long as everyone is satisfied with the food, that's enough. My essential job as a cook is to prepare good meals for everyone, so that our comrades can have enough to eat and have the energy to build the country." He Yuzhu felt a little embarrassed by Li Ze's praise, and said, touching his head.

"Xiao He, what you said is absolutely right. Now that the armistice agreement on the Korean Peninsula has been signed, we can concentrate on building our country." Li Ze couldn't help but sigh after listening to He Yuzhu's words.

"Brother Li Ze, what are you doing here at the steel mill this time? If it's convenient, just tell me no. If it's not convenient, just pretend I didn't ask." He Yuzhu was very curious about the purpose of Li Ze's visit to the steel mill this time.

After listening to He Yuzhu's words, Li Ze smiled and said, "It's not a big deal. Since you want to hear it, I'll tell you. After the signing of the armistice agreement on the peninsula, the country will strengthen the planning management of various enterprises. I came to the steel mill because I was assigned by the Ministry of Heavy Industry to understand the actual situation of the steel mill, so that the leaders can make plans based on the actual situation of the steel mill."

He Yuzhu suddenly understood and asked, "Is that so? Brother Li Ze, are you working in the Ministry of Heavy Industry now? I remember you were lurking behind enemy lines, so why did you end up in the Ministry of Heavy Industry?"

"Come to think of it, this matter is related to you." Li Ze said with a smile.

"How does it relate to me?" He Yuzhu asked Li Ze curiously.

"At the end of 46, I was arranged by the organization to come to Sijiu City to retrieve a very important piece of intelligence. Unexpectedly, I was followed by a hidden enemy spy. I won't tell you what happened later. After we separated, I returned to the base with the intelligence and reported to my superiors that I was followed by a hidden enemy spy. My superiors considered that I might have been exposed and was not suitable to continue working on the covert front, so they sent me to the Northeast to assist in restoring the local industry. Then I stayed in the Northeast until August 1952. Later, my superiors were transferred to the central government, and I followed him to the Ministry of Heavy Industry. Then this time I happened to lead a team to the steel rolling mill to understand the situation, and we met. By the way, Zhuzi, how have you been all these years?" Li Ze asked with concern.

"As for me, you can tell from my height that I'm doing pretty well. When we met and parted, my father arranged for me to learn cooking from a chef at Fengze Garden. I worked as an apprentice with a master for several years. In 51, my father went to Baoding with a widow, and I came to work at the steel mill to take care of my sister." He Yuzhu briefly told Li Ze about his experience. Suddenly, He Yuzhu said excitedly, "By the way, Brother Li Ze, I'm now an active member of the Workers and Peasants' Party. Next year, I can join you and become a member of the glorious Workers and Peasants' Party."

When Li Ze heard He Yuzhu say that he had become an active member of the Workers and Peasants Party, he was surprised and asked, "I remember that the steel mill only had union representatives, but no party branch. How did you become an active member of the Workers and Peasants Party?"

"I am a member of the party branch of the street office where I live. Director Wang of our street office is my training contact. By the way, Brother Li Ze, I heard from Director Wang that when I officially join the Workers and Peasants' Party, I will need 1-2 recommenders. At that time, can I ask you to be my introducer for joining the Workers and Peasants' Party?" He Yuzhu looked at Li Ze with hope.

"No, Xiao He, my party organization affiliation with the Workers and Peasants' Party is with the Ministry of Heavy Industry, not with your street office party branch. You applied for it from somewhere, and the local party branch will be your introducer. But don't worry, since the director of your street office has become your training contact, I think there will definitely be someone to introduce you to the party by then. Xiao He, I really didn't realize that you have become so outstanding in these years. What have you done to make the director of your street office personally become your training contact." Li Ze said with a smile.

"It's nothing. Didn't the country call for donations to the cutest people before? I just actively responded to the country's call and donated some money to the cutest people. This is what I should do. Compared with those heroes fighting bloody battles on the battlefield, what I did is nothing." He Yuzhu said embarrassedly.

Li Ze looked at He Yuzhu's expression and became more and more curious about how much money He Yuzhu had donated. However, he did not plan to ask He Yuzhu in person. Instead, he would wait until he was done with the steel mill and returned to the department to ask his comrades in Dongcheng District about He Yuzhu's deeds. "By the way, Xiao He, where do you live now?"

"As for me, I live in the middle courtyard of the Siheyuan at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang." After answering Li Ze's question, He Yuzhu casually asked about Li Ze's address: "What about you, Brother Li Ze?"

"As for me, I live in the staff housing compound of the Ministry of Heavy Industry. You're welcome to visit my home when you are free. My wife, your sister-in-law, has always wanted to meet you, my savior." Li Ze said with a smile.

"Okay then. When I have the chance in the future I will go to your house and cook a meal for you and your sister-in-law, so that you and your sister-in-law can see my cooking skills." He Yuzhu agreed with a smile.

Li Ze looked at his watch and said, "Xiao He, it's getting late. I have to go back to work. Let's talk later. If everything goes well and we finish collecting the data today, I will go back to the department tomorrow. If you have anything to do, you can come to the Ministry of Heavy Industry to find me."

"Okay, Brother Li Ze, you should get busy. Work is important." He Yuzhu quickly advised.

"Then I'll be leaving. Comrade Xiao He, goodbye." Then Li Ze solemnly extended his right hand.

"Yeah." He Yuzhu also stretched out his right hand and held Li Ze's right hand. The two smiled at each other, and everything was said without words.

The next day after Li Ze successfully completed the investigation of the steel mill, he returned to his office in the Ministry of Heavy Industry. After finishing his work, Li Ze leaned back in his chair to rest when he suddenly thought of He Yuzhu. He picked up the phone, dialed a few times, and said, "Please help me connect with Qian Dakuan, the district committee of Dongcheng District, Sijiucheng." Then a friendly "OK, please wait a moment" came from the phone.

After a while, the call was connected, and a deep voice came from the receiver: "I'm Qian Dakuan, who are you?"

"Old Qian, it's me." Li Ze said with a laugh.

"Old Li, it's you, you heartless man. I heard that you were transferred from the Northeast to Sijiucheng last year. You've been back for so long, but you didn't even treat me to a meal. What's wrong? Your boss looks down on me, your old comrade." The person on the other end of the phone said rudely.

"Old Qian, aren't you busy with work? You know that too. I'll invite you to my house in a few days. I'll personally pour you some wine to apologize for your sin." Li Ze said helplessly.

"That's a deal. I won't come back until I'm drunk." The person on the phone said with a smile. "Tell me, Director Li, what can I do for you?"

Listening to the sarcastic words coming from the other side of the topic, Li Ze smiled helplessly and said: "Old Qian, you understand me best. I really need your help with something."

"You kid, as soon as you stick your butt out I know what you're going to do. How could you be so kind as to call me when you have nothing to do? We've known each other for so many years, and I still don't know who you are." Qian Dakuan said mercilessly.

"Hehe, you really said it. I won't waste time with you. I want to ask you about someone." Li Ze said with a smile.

"Who is it? Can you ask Director Li to call personally?" Qian Dakuan asked curiously upon hearing this.

"I met an acquaintance yesterday. He lives in Nanluoguxiang. The person I want to ask you about is him. His name is He Yuzhu." Li Ze said without further ado.

"He Yuzhu, I do know a man named He Yuzhu in Nanluoguxiang, but I don't know if he is the person you want to inquire about. What does the person you want to inquire about do?" Qian Dakuan said cheerfully.

"He is 18 years old this year and works as a chef in the canteen of Lou Zhenhua's steel mill outside Dongzhimen." Li Ze thought for a moment and added: "He is very tall and handsome."

Qian Dakuan exclaimed after listening to Li Ze's description. Li Ze heard Qian Dakuan's exclamation and asked quickly, "What's wrong, Old Qian?"

"It's okay. I just happen to know the person you are asking about. Why are you asking about him?" Qian Dakuan asked curiously.

"Do you remember that in 46, when I was on a mission, I was followed by a hidden spy and was saved by a child. That child was him. You are the head of a district after all, so how do you know him?" Li Ze asked curiously.

After listening to Li Ze's words, Qian Dakuan couldn't help but sigh: "I didn't expect this young man to be so powerful. Well done. He is not an ordinary person. He is the pride of our Dongcheng District."

Upon hearing Qian Dakuan's words, Li Ze quickly asked, "What did he do?"

Qian Dakuan said calmly, "You know, in 51, the whole country made fried noodles for the cutest person."

"I know. I was in the Northeast at that time, and we also organized it there. Lao Qian, don't waste time, just tell me." Li Ze said anxiously.

Qian Dakuan didn't keep anyone in suspense, and directly told Li Ze all about He Yuzhu's deeds: "Then you should know that suddenly one day the country stopped organizing people across the country to make fried noodles because of him. He invented the semi-mechanized fried noodle tube, which greatly improved the efficiency of making fried noodles. Instead, he improved the recipe of fried noodles. It is said that Commander Hong of the logistics of the most lovely people tasted his improved fried noodles and said they were good. Later, he took out 40 yuan from his salary every month to donate to the most lovely people, and he stopped donating until the armistice agreement on the Korean Peninsula was signed." Qian Dakuan paused here deliberately and kept everyone in suspense: "Old Li, do you think that's it, right?"

"Old Qian, please speak quickly and don't interrupt." Li Ze said hurriedly.

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore. You thought that was it, but He Yuzhu not only donated his monthly salary to the cutest people, he also hosted wedding banquets through the Nanluoguxiang Street Office, but he didn't take a penny of the money he earned, and donated it all to the cutest people. Oh, he is the famous Ghost Hand Chef in Sijiu City. In more than two years, he has hosted nearly 2 banquets, and the money he earned from the banquets plus his monthly salary, he has donated nearly 300 million to the cutest people."