Siheyuan, my new life

He Yuzhu shook his head in confusion and said irritably, "Dad, stop beating around the bush. Since you know that my brain is not working well, why are you still deliberately keeping me in suspense? Isn't that annoying?"

He Daqing sighed helplessly. What else could his son do? He whispered, "Have you noticed? Ever since you met Secretary Lin on the way to the steel mill with me for the first time, good things have happened to you one after another. First, Deputy Director Li Huaide made you a regular employee, then you became the head chef in the canteen of the Security Department Training Base, and then you were accepted as an apprentice by Deputy Director Xiong Qingshan. Think about it carefully, isn't that right?"

He Yuzhu frowned and thought about it carefully, and finally said hesitantly: "Dad, are you saying that all this is because of Secretary Lin?"

He Daqing sighed softly: "Zhu Zi, you also studied Sichuan cuisine with your master for two years in Hongbin Building, so you should have some understanding of the back kitchen, right? In fact, the situation in the steel rolling mill canteen is similar to that in Hongbin Building. According to the normal process, you have to work as a kitchen helper in the canteen kitchen for at least one year before you have the hope of becoming a regular chef. This is also based on the premise that I am the deputy director of the canteen. Otherwise, most people have to work as kitchen helpers for three years before they have the opportunity to become a regular chef. You were able to become a regular chef on the same day because Li Huaide wanted to give Secretary Lin a face. Let me tell you, becoming a regular chef in a job that is very important in the eyes of ordinary people is only worth a face from Secretary Lin, not even a favor."

After taking a puff of cigarette, He Daqing continued: "In fact, it's not just you. Even I was able to become the director of the canteen at the Security Department Training Base and become a deputy-section-level national cadre, all because of a word from Secretary Lin. Moreover, if it weren't for Secretary Lin's reminder, I'm afraid I would have been plotted against by Yi Zhonghai and the White Widow. From what we know now, Yi Zhonghai just wants to drive me out of the courtyard and out of Sijiu City. If it weren't for Secretary Lin's help, I'm afraid you and Xiao Yushui can only be plotted against by Yi Zhonghai in this courtyard. Even if your grandmother wants to protect you as much as possible, think about it, how old is the old lady? How long can she protect you? What's more, the old lady is not convenient to move. With Yi Zhonghai's character, if he wants to plot against you, the old lady may not be able to protect you."

He Yuzhu now felt so angry whenever he heard Yi Zhonghai's name that he wanted to give him a good beating.

He Daqing continued, "I'm telling you this tonight to make you understand that you are able to have what you have today thanks to Secretary Lin. Although you can't help Secretary Lin at all now, you have to remember his kindness in your heart."

He Yuzhu nodded solemnly and said, "Dad, I will remember Secretary Lin's kindness in my heart."

He Daqing smiled with relief and said: "Then I will tell you why I gave them cigarettes. Zhuzi, you also know that Director Qin wanted to make public the scandals of Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu to let the people around and the steel mill know the true face of Yi Zhonghai. In this way, it will be much more difficult for Yi Zhonghai to make a comeback in the future. In fact, Director Qin could just send someone to arrest Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu and take them to the Security Department for interrogation. He would not have to mobilize the police station director Chang and the street office director Wang to the No. 95 courtyard. Director Qin did this on the one hand to deal with Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu and let them suffer, and on the other hand to solve your worries. You have to worry about this. If Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu succeed in their plan, you won’t be able to get married and have children in the future. You may even lose your job and go to jail. The reason why I gave cigarettes to those managers is that they know it in their hearts. When they go back to publicize these things, they will mention your innocence and let outsiders know that all these are the plans of Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu. This will also protect your reputation. Even if I don’t give cigarettes to those managers, they will go back and publicize according to the leaders’ wishes, but the intensity may not be guaranteed, and they will not take the initiative to say good things about you, so we are not at a loss at all for this line of Peony cigarettes.”

After hearing this, He Yuzhu rarely argued with his father, but just nodded silently.

He Daqing suddenly remembered something and immediately reminded him: "When you come back tomorrow afternoon, give Li Botao a pack of Sanwu cigarettes and tell him that you asked for them from Su Wenshu in the secretary's office at noon."

He Yuzhu asked in confusion: "You clearly took the cigarettes from home, why did you make up such nonsense to fool people?"

He Daqing sighed: "Tonight when I was waiting for Director Qin and his men at the gate, Li Botao proposed to exchange three pounds of pork for a box of Sanwu cigarettes. How could I possibly exchange the cigarettes given by the secretary for pork? What would happen if it got out? But I couldn't agree to him too easily, otherwise, firstly, he wouldn't be too grateful, and secondly, he would know that this thing is not so easy to get. So I told him that the cigarettes that the secretary gave me were snatched away by Deputy Director Li Huaide, but I can let you get a box from the secretary's office. At this time, Fang Dahu also told Li Botao that you have already worshipped Deputy Director Xiong as your master. In this way, whoever wants to take advantage of you in the future will have to think carefully about whether they can deal with your master. Do you understand?"

He Yuzhu rubbed his slightly swollen head and nodded repeatedly in agreement: "Okay, got it, I have to go back to the room and sleep, my brain is about to explode now."

He Daqing watched his son hurriedly wash up and return to his room. He also put the cigarette butt in the ashtray and prepared to go to bed.

In Yi Zhonghai's home, his wife Qu Xiuqin did not turn on the lights but sat alone at the eight-immortals table in the living room, holding a cigarette in her hand and taking a puff from time to time. The flame of the cigarette butt kept flickering in the darkness.

Tonight, Qu Xiuqin sat at the door with an expressionless face and watched the entire process of the courtyard meeting. It was not until this moment that she realized that Yi Zhonghai could not help but do such a stupid thing again.

Qu Xiuqin wanted to use an axe to chop open Yi Zhonghai's head to see what was inside. Yi Zhonghai was still receiving more than half an hour of ideological education from the street office every day. It was not long ago that he was dismissed as the manager of the courtyard house, and people on the street still mentioned it from time to time.

According to Qu Xiuqin, Yi Zhonghai should just spend this period of time honestly as he said that night, hone his skills in the factory, and when things have calmed down, directly pass the exam to become an eighth-level fitter. By that time, who would be so blind as to continue to mention the ugly things that Yi Zhonghai had done in the past?