Siheyuan: From Being Called Shazhu

"elder brother."

He Yuzhu, who had been sitting in the room for the entire afternoon, was called by He Yushui, who was shaking his arm.

"When will Dad come back? He won't come back today again."

He Yuzhu glanced at the other people in the compound who were returning home after get off work, and shook his head with a wry smile.

"Xiao Yushui, are you hungry? I'll cook for you now."

As he spoke, He Yuzhu stood up and touched He Yushui's head.

"Ok!"

Originally, He Yushui was nodding her head because she heard that it was time to eat, but suddenly she shook her head.

"Brother, I'm not hungry. Grandpa said that today is the Little New Year. It's the Little New Year, so I should eat with Dad."

As he spoke, He Yushui patted He Yuzhu's arm like a little adult.

"Brother, be good, wait a little longer, and dad will be back soon."

For a moment, He Yuzhu looked at the sensible He Yushui and felt a little overwhelmed.

He took a few deep breaths and suppressed the emotions that were rising up.

"It's okay, little Yushui. I'll make you something delicious first. We can eat it secretly without telling Dad. When Dad comes back, we can eat it and he won't know about it either."

"What don't I know?"

He Yuzhu was coaxing He Yushui.

Over there, He Daqing pushed the door open.

"Dad, you're back. I missed you so much."

When He Yushui saw He Daqing coming back, he no longer cared about He Yuzhu. He ran to He Daqing and hugged He Daqing's hand.

He Daqing subconsciously wanted to bend down and pick up He Yushui.

But as soon as I bent down, it was like pausing a movie and then replaying it.

He straightened his back and continued to say "hmm" with an expressionless face.

Then, he sat down on the chair like a big boss.

"Can't you see I'm tired from working all day? Why don't you hurry up and cook? Do you want to starve me to death? I thought you would be smarter after working, but I didn't expect that calling you a fool is not unfair to you."

At this time, He Yushui was so scared that she hid behind He Yuzhu.

"elder brother."

"Don't be afraid, brother is here."

He Yuzhu lowered his head, touched He Yushui's little head, and smiled.

Then he raised his head and looked at He Daqing with a strange expression.

"Dad, the door is closed now, no outsiders are allowed in."

He Yuzhu finally figured it out.

From He Daqing's subconscious actions when he first entered the door to the "big boss" demeanor he is now pretending to be.

It's completely deliberate "alienation".

Although He Yuzhu didn't know why He Daqing wanted to be "distant".

However, it is enough to know that there is something going on behind He Daqing's back, which led to the absurd things that happened to He Daqing in recent times.

All that was left was to wait until Xiao Yushui fell asleep at night and then talk to He Dadan.

Sure enough, after being criticized by He Yuzhu, He Daqing's face fell.

"Little bastard, I didn't expect you to have learned a lot from your master in the past two years. Okay, continue to learn more from your master in the future, and I will be relieved."

Having said that, He Daqing returned to his normal appearance.

"Okay, you bastard, go cook. I'm really hungry."

After saying that, He Daqing no longer cared about He Yuzhu.

Instead, he bent down with a smile and opened his arms.

"Little Rain, do you miss your dad?"

Otherwise, why do they say a daughter is her father’s little cotton-padded jacket in his previous life?

"father."

He Yushui, who had been hiding behind He Yuzhu out of fear just now, jumped into He Daqing's arms a few steps from behind He Yuzhu.

have to.

Watching the "parent-child time" of the father and daughter, He Yuzhu felt like an outsider and just smacked his lips resignedly.

At this moment, He Yuzhu felt that he should be under the car, not inside the car... watching how sweet they were...

At night, He Daqing coaxed He Yushui, who had been clinging to him all night, to sleep.

"Zhu Zi, I'm going back to the house first."

He Daqing got off the bed and went back to the ear room.

"By the way, I may not leave tomorrow morning, so you should stay with the rain for the next few days. I will come back in a few days on the 29th, the New Year's Eve."

While picking up the shoes, He Daqing did not forget to give instructions to He Yuzhu.

"Dad, drink something?"

He Daqing was so confused by He Yuzhu's questioning that he forgot how to hold his shoes.

Then, he understood what He Yuzhu meant.

"Okay, you're old enough, drink something."

The father and son drank by the dim light of the kerosene lamp.

After three rounds of wine, the dishes, namely fried peanuts and stir-fried soybeans, were ready.

He Yuzhu, who had been drinking silently, couldn't help but speak.

"Dad, is it because of the fake identity, or because you really want to remarry, so you have to leave?"

Although He Yuzhu had already said this when He Daqing just came back, now that He Yuzhu formally asked the question, He Daqing still subconsciously asked back.

"You know it all?"

Then I felt relieved.

"That's right, we are just walking around here, what can we hide from you guys?"

Then, He Daqing picked up a cigarette, lit it and took a puff.

He Yuzhu, who had traveled through time for more than two years, couldn't help it this time.

He snatched the cigarette from He Daqing and smoked it himself.

"Cough cough."

You know what, the one without a filter is much stronger when you smoke it.

"Slow down."

Looking at He Yuzhu smoking, He Daqing didn't say anything.

Then he took out another cigarette from the box and lit it.

On this side, after He Yuzhu got used to it, he took two more puffs, exhaling smoke while looking at He Daqing.

"Dad, if you are worried about identity fraud, I can tell you clearly that our family is a working class family. Don't listen to other people's nonsense. Do they know as much as I do, your son, who plays with these things all day long?"

He Yuzhu hadn't even had time to talk to He Daqing about remarrying.

He Daqing became anxious.

"Hmm? Are we sure our family members are workers?"

I know very well that my voice is too loud.

However, He Daqing realized that he had lost his composure, so he picked up the wine cup and took a sip to calm himself down, then continued to ask He Yuzhu.

"Zhu Zi, can your company confirm that we are workers?"

"Dad, do you think that if our company can't confirm that my family is a worker, I can continue to work there?"

He Yuzhu picked up the wine cup and joined in.

"Besides, even if I can continue to work there, it has been more than a month. Can you still be so carefree and stay out all night like you are now? You would have been arrested long ago."

Although He Yuzhu had said this, He Daqing still asked again in disbelief.

"Zhu Zi, tell me the truth, are you sure?"

At this time, He Yuzhu felt something was wrong.

"Dad, tell me what's going on. Although our family background is on the edge and fluctuates a bit, it's definitely not enough to be called fraudulent, and it wouldn't cause you to be like this."

"Oh~~~"

He Daqing first sighed, then gave the wine in the cup to Zhou in one gulp.

"Some time ago, someone from your company came to register my background. I heard you mention it once, so I just said worker. But afterwards, it seemed to me that something was not right, so I started to pay attention to it."

As he spoke, He Daqing looked at He Yuzhu.

"Zhu Zi, do you still remember the chef Wu from Emei Restaurant who I sent you to learn Sichuan cuisine last year?"

"Remember, what happened?"

He Yuzhu will definitely remember it.

After all, his current position is still related to Emei Restaurant.

"Master Wu had to work in the kitchen as a waiter because of ingredient issues. Now the Emei Restaurant can no longer operate. He has no choice but to go out and do odd jobs."

? ? ? ? ?

When He Daqing said this, He Yuzhu was full of questions.

"Dad, but what does this have to do with your fear?"

"What's the connection? I asked several old friends. Apart from those masters who didn't have a master and couldn't be called by their name, the rest, like Master Chen from Fengze Garden, Master Qu, the old chef of Dongxing Building, and Master Wu I just mentioned, which one of them is a worker?"

(Dongxinglou closed down in 44 and reopened in the early 80s, so the word "old" is used here to represent the original meaning.)

As he said this, He Daqing glanced at He Yuzhu with disdain.

"Although your father has fallen into poverty in recent years, back then, the three characters "He Daqing" were a living signboard."

"Pfft".

He Yuzhu couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of wine.

"Dad, can we compete with others instead of these guys?"

"What's the difference?"

Although He Daqing was reluctant, he still asked with a frown.

"Difference? There is a huge difference. Those people either run restaurants or receive dividends. You are just a freeloader, why do you have to compare yourself with them?"

"Isn't it based on skill? Whoever has the best skill will go up, and whoever doesn't have a master and can't get a title will be a worker?"

He Daqing frowned and smoked.

If He Yuzhu of later generations might not understand.

Now He Yuzhu understands very well why He Daqing has this idea.

In this era, or rather, before this era.

Although being a chef is considered a low-class job, it is still a skill after all.

As long as it is a craft, it involves the question of the level of craftsmanship.

Those who have good skills and cook delicious food will be praised by others.

Just as He Daqing said just now, he can be regarded as a "moving signboard", which means that no matter which restaurant he goes to, some customers will follow him.

What would the restaurant owner do to retain a master chef like He Daqing?

Give shares.

Just like Master Qu, the master chef of Dongxinglou.

There is also Master Chen from Fengze Garden.

What if you don’t want to work under someone?

Then just go out and do it on your own.

Just like Master Wu from Emei Restaurant.

Also, Master Chen from Fengze Garden.

(Since Master Chen is in partnership with others, whatever he says is correct.)

Because the skill of a chef has been passed down like this, in He Daqing's opinion, having good skills and being able to make a name for oneself can be equated with having shares or working on one's own.

In order to dispel He Daqing's doubts, He Yuzhu talked about policies, documents, and specific cases to He Daqing.

He Daqing was so thirsty from talking that he drank several cups of tea. Only then did he believe that their family were real "workers".

Seeing the relieved look on He Daqing's face, He Yuzhu finally nodded with satisfaction.

"Dad, can you not leave this time?"

But as He Daqing spoke without hesitation, He Yuzhu almost choked to death on the wine.

"No, go!"