Chapter 29 Cruel enough
Before dawn, Yu Zhiyuan helped Xuemei to the bathroom and cooked two eggs for her to eat.

Then he climbed out of the yard and rushed to the pigeon market.

Yu Zhiyuan is also a single man in the New Century. When he discovered that Xuemei ate less at every meal, he realized what was going on.

Blame myself for not caring enough about her.

After a stroll around the Pigeon Market, I bought two kilograms of wilted and wrinkled apples.

I bought ten kilograms of peanuts in shells.

I bought two kilograms of walnuts.

Carrying the things back to the yard.

Light a fire and pour oil from the new kitchen.

Now is not the time to economize.

Yang Xuemei heard the noise and came out to sit in front of the earthen stove to watch the fire.

Yu Zhiyuan watched Xuemei sitting on the small stool with difficulty, and felt worried.

After frying the twisted dough sticks, pour the oil into the oil tank, fry a few steamed bread slices and eggs, then add water and start cooking porridge.

He looked up and saw that it was almost half past seven, so he walked towards the central courtyard.

When Yu Zhiyuan arrived at Sha Zhu's house, he saw Hao Yingjuan cooking cornmeal porridge on a small stove at the door.

"Sister-in-law, is Brother Zhuzi up?"

"Get up and go to the public toilet."

Yu Zhiyuan had just lit a cigarette when he heard Sha Zhu's voice.

"Zhiyuan, what's going on so early in the morning?"

"Brother Zhuzi, can you fry peanuts in the shell? Fry some for Xuemei to take to work. She's been starving lately, so she needs some snacks."

"Well, don't fry that thing. It's very irritating and it's easy to get irritated if you eat it. I'll add some seasoning and boil it in water. Cook it on low heat for the whole morning. It's fine to dry it and eat it!"

"Thank you, Brother Zhuzi. I'll go back and check on breakfast first. You prepare the ingredients and I'll cook it for you."

I went home and served out the porridge, soaked ten pounds of shelled peanuts in a basin, then hurried into the house to serve breakfast to the mother and daughter.

After washing the bowl, he packed Yang Xuemei's snacks and put them on the table.

Then he quickly rubbed the peanuts in the basin clean with his hands.

After Shazhu brought the seasoning packet, he added water, peanuts and started cooking using a large wooden block.

After watching the water boil and the fire roaring in the stove, he changed into work clothes, rode his bicycle and rushed to the steel mill.

After entering the workshop, I was stopped by my master.

"What's going on? Are you here so late?"

I hurriedly told my master about the things happening at home.

"Come back with me this afternoon. There are some dried red dates and raisins left at home. Take them back for Xuemei to eat."

After lunch, Yu Zhiyuan rushed back to the courtyard and scooped the peanuts into a winnowing basket and hung them to dry before he was done.

As soon as the bell rang for the end of get off work in the afternoon, Yu Zhiyuan followed his master to the factory gate.

"Look at you, you're already an adult, but you don't even care if your wife is full. Why are you trying to gain advantage all day long?"

"When Qiaoqiao was pregnant, wasn't it my mother who took care of her? I didn't pay much attention. I must pay attention to it in the future. I will take Xuemei to the hospital for a checkup during the May Day holiday."

"Yes. That's your wife, be more careful. Go get the bicycle quickly."

When Yu Zhiyuan pushed the cart to the gate, Master and Yi Zhonghai were chatting.

Yi Zhonghai saw Yu Zhiyuan coming over: "Zhiyuan will come to our house for dinner tonight. I've told Zhuzi about it. He will cook and we can have some drinks."

"Okay, uncle. I'll go home and cook for them."

"Don't go back to work. Ask Zhuzi to cook more and ask them to go to the old lady's room to eat."

"Okay, I'll listen to you. Then I'll leave with Master first, as I have something else to do."

After Yu Zhiyuan finished speaking, he asked his master to sit on the back rack and pedaled towards his master's home.

"Why did he invite you to dinner?" "How would I know? I can't understand what an old man is thinking."

"It's good to know. Don't let yourself be trapped in it when the time comes. Ask Xuemei and Qiaoqiao to come to my house for lunch from now on. Your mistress will cook for Zicheng and the two of them at home. What can we eat at the street office?"

"Thank you, Master. I'll tell Xuemei about it tonight."

"Master, you are only a level 6 worker. Don't you plan to take the exam for a higher level? You still have another six or seven years before you retire."

"I'm not that ambitious. This is good enough."

After arriving at the master's house, he took the things and went home. He said goodbye to Yang Xuemei first, then grabbed a handful of peanuts for her family to eat, and used a small hammer to crack walnuts for them to eat.

Yu Zhiyuan and the others saw that the time was almost up, so they sent Yang Xuemei to the old lady, took Qiaoqiao, and carried two bottles of Erguotou into Yi Zhonghai's house.

When I entered the room, I saw Jia Dongxu smoking with his head down.

Yi Zhonghai held a cigarette in his hand, and no one knew what he was thinking.

After saying hello to the two of them, I went to the kitchen to see how the silly rice was going.

"Zhiyuan, come and help Zhuzi clean up. I'll take the vegetables and steamed buns to the old lady."

Shazhu took a chicken wing from the pot and handed it to Qiaoqiao.

"Zhiyuan, do you know what the rules are?"

Yu Zhiyuan shook his head and washed his hands. He took the chicken wings from Qiaoqiao's hand and told her to wash her hands.

Wait for Yu Shui to come and bring the remaining dishes to the old lady in the backyard.

Sha Zhu and Yu Zhiyuan brought the dishes to Yi Zhonghai's table, and the four men and Qiaoqiao started eating.

There were bursts of silence, with only the sound of eating.

After Qiaoqiao was full, Yu Zhiyuan let her go back to her mother by herself.

Yu Zhiyuan poured wine for them and said, "Uncle, what's the matter? We have already eaten the food and will soon finish the wine. Why don't you say a few words?"

Yi Zhonghai picked up the wine cup and drank it in one gulp. He watched Sha Zhu and the other two drink the wine before he put down the wine cup.

"You all know about Dongxu's family. The two children are grown up, and Qin Huairu is pregnant with another one. The whole family depends on Dongxu's food. It's not a solution to keep going like this."

Yi Zhonghai must have made some arrangements, no wonder I didn't see Yan Bugui.

Yu Zhiyuan and Sha Zhu looked at each other and said, "Uncle, I just got married and Yu Shui will be going to high school soon. I really don't have any extra money. The candy and melon seed coupons I used before the wedding were borrowed."

After listening to Sha Zhu's words, Yi Zhonghai nodded.

"Uncle, my family just renovated the house, and Xuemei is going to give birth during the National Day holiday. There's nothing I can do."

Yu Zhiyuan said this and poured more wine for everyone.

Yi Zhonghai took another sip of wine and said, "The factory will conduct an inspection and prepare for expansion next month. I want to give Qin Huairu a place. I will work for a month first and then continue working after I finish my confinement."

Yu Zhiyuan understood at once that he was still keeping an eye on Sha Zhu and wanted to go into the cafeteria, preferably the first cafeteria, and ask Sha Zhu to look after him.

"This matter has nothing to do with me. Are you asking me to persuade Sha Zhu?" Yu Zhiyuan thought to himself.

"Uncle, this arrangement is good. Even though I'm not a formal employee now, I can get a salary, and the Jia family can be more comfortable."

After listening to Yu Zhiyuan's words, Yi Zhonghai nodded.

"Zhu Zi, can you ask Qin Huairu to come to your kitchen? You are the squad leader now."

Sha Zhu's face froze. "Uncle, I've only been the team leader for about a month. Besides, the canteen director has the final say on who can enter the canteen, and there's Deputy Factory Director Li above him."

"Didn't I tell you to talk to the canteen director? If you need anything, just tell me and I'll prepare it for you!"

"No, uncle, you, hey!"

"Yi Zhonghai, you really know how to find loopholes. You let Qin Huairu take the quota that Sha Zhu gave to Hao Yingjuan. What about Hao Yingjuan? You don't want to ask Hao Yingjuan to work in the workshop, do you? You are really cruel. You are using your kindness to Sha Zhu and Yu Shui to force Sha Zhu." Yu Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself that Yi Zhonghai was really vicious.

"Zhiyuan, you have a good relationship with Deputy Director Li?"

"No, sir, I don't have the face to do that. I only found some food for Director Li. I dare not ask for any recruitment. Please don't make it difficult for me." After Yu Zhiyuan finished speaking, he drank and ate by himself, pretending not to see Yi Zhonghai's expression.

This obviously asked Hao Yingjuan to go to the workshop and Qin Huairu to go to the kitchen. Sha Zhu was immediately embarrassed and said, "You are a senior technician in the factory. You should have the face to do such a thing, right?"

(End of this chapter)