Chapter 339: Bustling Bathhouse

"Brother, did you buy candy?"

Looking at his brother who rushed to him like a whirlwind, He Yuzhu put the chickens and ducks in his hands on the ground, then pointed at He Yushui who was carrying vegetables and said,

"Buy it, buy it, it's all at my sister's place!
This time, my brother not only bought you crispy candies, but also ABC milk candies. What do you think? I didn’t lie to you, did I? "

Following the direction of He Yuzhu's finger, He Jianguo subconsciously looked over there.

Then he jumped up and down in surprise,

"Oh~oh~, Toffee Toffee, you are so nice, brother."

At this time, the deaf old lady who followed He Jianguo also walked out of the east wing slowly with a cane.

Hearing He Jianguo yelling about candy, he also asked with a smile,

"Zhu Zi, what dishes did you buy today? What are you going to cook to entertain Xiao Lou and the others during the New Year?"

Seeing the deaf old lady waiting for him in the front yard so attentively,

He Yuzhu pointed at the food scattered all over the floor.
"I didn't buy anything, old lady, just some common chicken, duck, fish and meat. I plan to stew them and make them into cold dishes today."

As soon as He Yuzhu finished speaking, he heard the voice of Yan Buguiyan from the opposite side behind him.

"Zhu Zi, look at how many vegetables you bought. You said you didn't buy much with such a small amount of food. You are really rich.
The New Year's goods we bought this year were not even half of what you bought.

By the way, Zhuzi, you just said you want to make cold dishes. In addition to [chicken jelly], [meat jelly], and [fish jelly], you have to make some hot dishes such as braised pork elbow, red and white meatballs, and four-happiness meatballs.

I think preparing these eight or nine meat dishes to entertain Director Lou and his family would be quite impressive.”

Hearing Yan Bugui's words, He Yuzhu smiled and nodded.

"Look at what you said about Uncle Yan. If I told them to entertain Uncle Lou and his family according to the rules of previous years, they wouldn't blame me.

Besides, your family conditions are not bad.
Didn't you say you wanted to buy a bicycle a while ago? With your family's financial resources, it's more than enough to buy all these vegetables for me.
Smell the aroma coming from your house. There are chicken, fish and meat. It's so delicious that it makes people drool."

He Yuzhu replied to Yan Bugui in a light tone, and ignored him.
Turning to look at He Yushui and Li Qingshan, he said,
"Yushui Qingshan, you two go into the house and put your things down first, then go to the middle and back yards to fetch the hot water from the stoves, and get ready to kill chickens, fish and stew meat.
We can’t let Uncle Yan and his gang take the cake.”

Hearing this, He Yushui and Li Qingshan returned to the east wing with their belongings, and then took out the kitchen knife and the large wooden basin for He Yuzhu.

Finally, he ran to the middle yard and the back yard to fetch water.

Seeing his elder brothers and sisters busy with things, He Jianguo also excitedly raised his hand and volunteered,
"Brother, you also arrange things for me to do."

"Thank you, brother. You are so young and yet you still want to help. Go back and have candy with the old lady."

After sending away He Jianguo who wanted to help, He Yuzhu brought back He Yushui and Li Qingshan who came back with a kettle and started to prepare the ingredients.

Process the food well.
Having already finished their preparations for the New Year, everyone in the courtyard invited each other to go out to the bathhouse.

The bathhouse was already packed with people, and the pool was as crowded as dumplings.
There are many wealthy people in Nanluoguxiang, and many of the neighbors have their own shops and businesses. What they talk about most at this time, besides the New Year, is the public-private partnership that is in full swing throughout Daxia. …

As he was talking, Li Guichuan looked at Ma Zhiguang, who was lying on his back with his head resting on the edge of the pool, taking a bath.

"Third Master, you are the richest businessman in Nanluoguxiang.

What do you think about this public-private partnership?

We all follow your lead, we will do whatever you say."

Although it is already 1955, Ma Zhiguang still remembers how Li Guichuan attacked him during the cotton and grain war in 49.

Ma Zhiguang, who was lying on his back and dozing by the swimming pool, was immediately furious when he saw him jumping out to flatter him again.

But before he could speak,
The neighbors, alerted by Li Guichuan's words, stopped their discussions and turned to look at Ma Zhiguang and agreed.
"Yes, Third Master.
In August last year, the Military Control Commission designated Dayou Grain Store, Daoxiangcun, Tongrentang, and Liubiju as joint-venture demonstration units.
In September, the State Council promulgated the "Provisional Regulations on State-Private Joint Industrial Enterprises".
In the past few months, comrades from the street office have taken turns to work with us and asked us to agree to the public-private partnership.

But I heard people say that the owners of Dayou Grain Store, Daoxiangcun, Liubiju and other stores appeared very happy in front of outsiders during the day, but they were crying their eyes out behind the scenes.

Third Master, do you think this is true?
You have to give us all an idea, whether we should participate in this public-private partnership or not."

"What is true or not? Why ask? This is true.

My cousin's cousin lived next door to the owner of Liubiju. I heard it with my own ears when I woke up in the middle of the night.

Third Master, this shop of mine is the result of the hard work of several generations. I cannot let this legacy be destroyed in my hands.
You have to give us guys some advice."

Although I heard these neighbors talking and asking me to make a decision, and they acted as if they respected me,
But Ma Zhiguang was not carried away by the compliments from the neighbors.
As an old and shrewd man, how could he not know that these neighbors wanted him to be the first one to take action under the instigation of Li Guichuan?
If nothing happened, they would just thank me briefly.
But if something happens in the future, no matter how active these neighbors are now, they will be quick to add insult to injury later.

So not only did he not intend to take the lead, he also hurriedly distanced himself from the matter.

"Hey, hey, hey, fellow neighbors, that's not what you said.

Old Ma, I am just an ordinary resident of Nanluoguxiang. Apart from having a little bit of money, I have nothing else. It is impossible for me to help you make the decision.

You can do whatever you want with the public-private partnership. You should make your own decisions on your own affairs. It has nothing to do with me.

Don't blame me if anything goes wrong.

Since the anti-corruption campaign in 52, our businessmen have had a bad reputation. If something like this happens again, I will not be able to survive."

Seeing that Ma Zhiguang clearly did not want to be the leader, the neighbors immediately became anxious.
Everyone started to talk at once and use moral blackmail.

However, since Ma Zhiguang was able to build such a large business before liberation, he could not be an easy person to deal with.

It's just that now that we're free, they can't do whatever they want, otherwise these neighbors would definitely have to be punished.

Of course, the reason why these neighbors dared to talk to him like this was precisely because it was a new society and Ma Zhiguang no longer had as much power as before.

(End of this chapter)