Chapter 181

"Well, you want to come to my house?" Zhao Yali was confused. The conditions of her house were such that it was impossible to have guests come.

"What's the matter? Lao Bao is not at home. You don't dare to let me come to your house?"

Li Zhiguo made a joke that he had seen Zhao Yali's husband and eight children, but had never been to her home.

"How can that be possible? If you really want to go, I'll be so happy."

What does Zhao Yali have to be afraid of? If she really has any ideas, she can just let the children hide in bed. But she can only think about it. How could she be so lucky as to have a man that even Xu Huizhen couldn't get?

"Then it's a deal. I know your address. I'll be there at 4pm. You'll be off work early."

Li Zhiguo was about to leave and go to the backyard to see Li'er, the daughter-in-law he had chosen, but he also wanted to see what Xueyi would think when she grew up.

Xu Huizhen knows how to make money, but she only gave birth to daughters, and in the end the daughters ended up living in her son-in-law's family.

As for Zhao Yali's eight children, even though it is difficult to raise them now, they will be very powerful in the future. When she quarrels with others, just say "I have eight sons" and the other party will run away. They are so scared.

"Leader, I have something to ask of you."

Fan Jinyou quickly stopped the man, saying that he was in trouble.

"Xiao Fan, do you have something to say? Okay, go to the side and talk."

Li Zhiguo put Xueyi down and asked Zhao Yali to take him with him. He and Fan Jinyou went to the convenience canteen next door.

"Tell me, what's the matter? Can't pay the rent or something."

He had time to smoke a cigarette, which was nice.

"It's not the rent, it's that my family is out of food. Some of my mother's relatives came to borrow food, and now my family doesn't have enough food. Do you think there is a way to get the canteen to give me some food? I will save up my food coupons to make up for it in the future."

Fan Jin is suffering. His mother's trouble has made the already poor family even worse off.

"No food? Nowadays, people in the countryside eat from a big pot, and the people's canteens can be built as much as possible."

Li Zhiguo thought of the Great Steel Production Campaign last year, when every household in the village donated all their cooking pots. The village also entered the People's Commune period, when people ate in the big canteen and made as much food as they wanted, yet it was still not beautiful.

He couldn't even save the iron pot at his father-in-law's house, so there was no way back.

Last year, his concubine and Xu Huizhen had a big fight over the iron donation issue.

In the end, Chen Xueru spent thousands of dollars out of her own pocket to collect scrap metal and finally won three kilograms of iron from Xu Huizhen. She was happy about this for several months and became the top star on the list in the 1950s.

"Li Zhiguo, you don't know that the commune cafeteria allows people to eat as much as they want for free, but they eat too much and run out of food, so they come to my family for help.

My mother suddenly had an idea and thought I could get food in the canteen, so she borrowed this month's ration. I'm short of 30 kilograms of food, so I won't have anything to eat tomorrow."

Fan Jinyou is having such a hard time. Don’t you realize what year it is now?

"Xiao Fan, what you did is against the rules. If you are found out, you will be punished. It will also affect the operation of the cafeteria. I can't help you.

But I heard that Director Ma has a daughter waiting to get married. Aren’t you single? If you go and capture her, you will become a relative of Director Ma, and you will be worried about having no food to eat. "

Li Zhiguo thought about the time two years ago when he asked Wang Qinian to arrange this marriage, but it didn't work out.

"You mean Little Pig Sister? I can't carry those 200 pounds."

Fan Jinyou still wanted to find a rich and beautiful widow. He was already old and didn't even have a house, so he needed to start a family and build a career.

"Little Pig Sister still weighs 200 pounds? You think you're worthless, but there are still people who care about you."

Li Zhiguo shook his head and wanted to leave immediately, but he had not finished smoking his cigarette.

Fan Jinyou was stunned for a moment, and then said quickly: "Yes, this is a disaster year, we have to lose some weight, how about I try?"

"You have to give it a try. If you become a relative of Director Ma, and I can still let you continue to work, I will immediately promote you to the position of lobby monitor, and you will be on an equal footing with Old Ma."

Li Zhiguo thought, there were only two people in the cafeteria, a kitchen team leader who cooked, and a lobby team leader who made fire.

"Then I'll go find Director Ma right now?"

Fan Jinyou couldn't sit still anymore. He got a promotion and a raise, and married a fat, rich and white woman. A happy life was just around the corner.

"Go ahead, good food should be eaten early. I'm counting on you."

He had finished his cigarette, and after Fan Jinyou left, he was ready to take Xue Yi to the backyard to seek justice.

……

"Brother-in-law!"

"Cai Quan Wu!"

Old Cai came out of the yard with Li'er, pushing a cart with his second child Ping'er in the cart. The two children had been bored at home for a long time and wanted to go out for a walk.

Who would have thought that before I had even walked through an alley, I would meet Xu Huizhi with her two little girls.

"Huizhi, you still have the nerve to come?"

Old Cai was very angry. After Xu Huizhi ran away, Sha Zhu still refused to give up and lived in his house for more than half a year before he was finally persuaded to leave.

During that six months, he couldn't eat or sleep well, and he was always on guard against his nephew. He still feels scared when he thinks about it now. It was all Xu Huizhi's fault.

And Sha Zhu is still single now. He doesn’t dare to get sick, for fear that he will die once he closes his eyes and his wife and children will become Sha Zhu’s.

"Brother-in-law, He Yongqiang is sick and there is no money at home. The children are hungry and haven't had breakfast yet."

Xu Huizhi looked so pitiful. The crops had just been harvested in the countryside, but all belonged to the commune. She had to take care of the children and her father-in-law, so He Yongqiang worked alone and got very little money.

"No, it's no use for you to look for me. I don't have any money."

Cai Quanwu still has five yuan pocket money every month. Today, the 6th, he still has more than four yuan left. I guess Xu Huizhi calculated the time precisely to come and borrow money.

"Brother-in-law, He Yongqiang is really sick and needs twenty yuan. I have no choice but to come to you."

Xu Huizhi was holding a little girl in her arms. She had sparse hair and was malnourished. There was another little girl standing next to her. She was one year younger than Li'er, but she was quite cute.

"I can't do anything about it. Your sister gave you fifty yuan and twenty kilograms of food. You said you would go back and get a divorce, but where is your partner?

Do you know that Sha Zhu has been waiting for you for two years and crying every day? Are you sorry for Sha Zhu?

I don't have any money. If you need to borrow some, go ask your sister or Shazhu."

Cai Quanwu picked up the cart, turned around, and walked back with his two daughters.

"Brother-in-law, wait a minute, brother-in-law..."

Xu Huizhi hurriedly took her two daughters and chased after him.

"Lao Cai, Xu Huizhi, what are you two doing?"

Li Zhiguo and Xue Yi just arrived at the backyard door and saw the scene of them chasing each other.

"Brother Li, bring... come and play."

Cai Quanwu was not sure whether the child was Guan Xiang or Xue Yi, so he made a mistake in calling him that.

"Yeah, come over and take a look. What's going on with you guys?"

Li Zhiguo actually knew without thinking that Xu Huizhi came to borrow money because the crops had just been harvested in the countryside and there was a big pot of rice, so they wouldn't starve for the time being.

"Hello, Brother Li, I'm here to borrow money!"

Xu Huizhi's face turned pale. Her sister had said at the beginning that Brother Li was powerful.

"Borrow money? Then go ask your sister." Li Zhiguo shook his head. This matter is not that simple.

"Li'er, come here. This is Xueqi, it belongs to your uncle... uh, you guys can play together."

"Okay, okay!" Li'er came over and took Xueyi home.

"Xue Yi, uncle will pick you up later."

Li Zhiguo shouted that he didn't want to get involved in the mess here. Last time he heard from Sha Zhu that he was no longer interested in Xu Huizhi.

"Okay." Xue Yi turned around and waved, then ran away following Li'er.

"Lao Cai, I'm going to the silk shop. I'll come pick up Xue Yi at noon."

"Okay, you're busy." Cai Quanwu waited until Li Ge'er left before saying, "Huizhi, go see your sister. I don't have any money."

"Brother-in-law, you have to help me."

Xu Huizhi held the child tightly in her arms. She didn't dare to go to the house without the two girls.

After a while, when she saw Xu Huizhen, she knelt down.

……

"Pianye, I'm busy."

As soon as Li Zhiguo arrived at the silk shop, he saw Qiu Guangpu holding a feather duster. Did he inherit Chuntao's true skills?
"Hey, Manager Li, I haven't seen you for a while."

Pian Ye is a typical old Beijinger. His family has fallen on hard times, but the rules are there and he always addresses you as "you".

"It's boring if you're not hungry!"

Li Zhiguo had just said a few words when he saw Chen Xueru coming out from the inner hall.

"Zhiguo, why are you here today?"

"It's Monday, come and have a look."

The two of them didn't go inside. There were benches in the hall where they sat down and chatted.

Li Zhiguo said, "Xueru, I brought Xueyi out. He's playing with Li'er at Xu Huizhen's place. Go pick him up at noon."

"Well, let's go out together at noon."

Chen Xueru glanced at Pian Ye and asked, "Qiu Guangpu, what are you still doing here?" The more Pian Ye looked at them, the more he felt that the two looked like a couple, talking about children as soon as they met.

"Manager Li, I have something I want to ask you."

"Master Pian, what do you want to ask for?"

Li Zhiguo was puzzled. Isn't Chen Xueru here? Why does she have to wait for him?
Chen Xueru said hurriedly, "Mr. Pian wants to advance half a year's salary, but that's not possible. Accountant Ye won't do the accounting for us."

"I say, Mr. Pian, you are going to use the money to conquer Niulanshan. Half a year's salary is not a small amount."

Li Zhiguo made a joke, saying that this guy was not a contented person. He used to do business by performing shadow puppet shows, but his turnover was too low and he could not be considered a merchant.

"Look at what you said. I am too old to go to Niulanshan. My sister needs money urgently, but I have no savings. I am very anxious. I asked Chen Xueru about it, but she didn't respond.

I just want to ask you, Master Li, to help me."

Pian Ye bowed, it was really difficult to find someone. If it still didn't work, he could only swallow his pride and go look for Xu Huizhen, because Niu Ye had just found a wife for his son and was also poor.

"How about this, you don't need to take the advance on your salary. I'll ask Xueru to lend you 300 yuan. No need to write an IOU. Just consider it as your father. I will definitely pay it back when I get over it."

Li Zhiguo took a fancy to the courtyard house inherited from Pian Ye's ancestors and wanted to buy it and leave it for his chess studies. However, given Pian Ye's situation, he would have to sell it sooner or later.

"Oh, Master Li, thank you."

Pian Ye was overjoyed. Look, this is a real man. He gave him some face, unlike Chen Xueru who always made sarcastic remarks.

"Master Pian, my man... since Zhiguo has spoken, I will let Lao Zhang get the money for you."

Chen Xueru got up and went to work. Lao Zhang was the store's senior accountant and could use her personal account.

"Master Li, are you this?"

Pian Ye gave a thumbs up, he really understood that the strong Chen Xueru was just a little woman in front of Li Zhiguo.

Li Zhiguo smiled and said, "Is three hundred enough? How about adding a little more? Money is shit. We, the masters of the capital, cannot lose face outside. This is the most important thing."

"Is that so? Then give me another 200?"

Pian Ye felt a little embarrassed, but he was really poor.

Li Zhiguo immediately shouted, "Chun Tao!"

"Coming." Chuntao hurried over. She was an old employee and had never changed her position.

"Go find your sister Xueru and ask her to give Mr. Pian an extra 200. She understands."

"Okay!" Chuntao didn't ask the reason and ran to the inner hall.

"Pian Ye, if you meet Niu Ye, please say hello for me.

The world is not good now. If you two have any difficulties, please tell me. I still have some face here."

He just mentioned it casually, just a casual remark.

After a while, Chen Xueru came over with an envelope containing fifty large black stones.

"Mr. Pian, I am more generous than Xu Huizhen, right?"

"Yes, yes, you are much better than Xu Huizhen. She is second, and you are always first."

When Pian Ye got the envelope, he felt relieved. He only had to give 200 to his sister and save the remaining 300. With money in his pocket, he could stand up straight. He could also go out for a drink when he had time. He would definitely go to Niulanshan to make money.

After Pian Ye was busy, Li Zhiguo whispered, "Xue Ru, don't always compete with Xu Huizhen for the first place. She only has two daughters, and we have a son.

If Xueyi grows up and falls in love with Lier, then no matter how much Xu Huizhen earns, she is still a student of chess."

"Ah! Zhiguo, are you saying that we should let Li'er be our daughter-in-law?"

Chen Xueru's eyes lit up. This inexplicably opened up a new idea. Let's learn chess and live a good life lying down? But this method always feels a little familiar?

However, Chen Xueru reacted immediately and shook her head and said, "Governing the country is not possible. After we learn Yi, we will go to college. Even if we can't become cadres, we will come back to inherit the family business.

Our family is much better off than Xu Huizhen's, and we don't look down on her tavern.

Besides, we have to be ambitious to learn Yi, and we can’t rely on women.”

"What you said makes sense!"

Li Zhiguo always feels that his dignity has been insulted. Isn't it good to rely on women? Men and women are equal. It has been ten years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and it doesn't matter who supports the family.

"Xue Ru, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's talk about something else. What are we going to eat for lunch today? I'm hungry."

"You didn't say you were coming earlier. I'll ask Chuntao to go to the cafeteria to make arrangements."

Chen Xueru quickly called Chuntao. Although they were short of everything now, they could still cook for them occasionally.

With so many employees, some people are reluctant to eat meat. The extra meat coupons can be sold to the canteen. In addition, the canteen buys one pound of meat and frys seven ounces of meat and sells them, so meat coupons can be saved, which is pretty good.

But there is really nothing we can do about staple food. Every family is short of it and cannot get enough to eat.

In the store, Li Zhiguo took the time to call He Yumei to chat alone for a while, then looked at the account book and got busy with work.

It was almost time, so he went to pick up Xueyi to eat.

As a result, I met Xu Huizhi squatting in the alley with her two children, looking pitiful.

"Brother Li!" Xu Huizhi quickly asked her eldest daughter to call for help. "Quick, call Uncle Li."

Chunfen was obedient and shouted, "Uncle Li!"

"Huizhi, did you borrow the money?"

Li Zhiguo did not get off his bicycle. He grabbed a handful of candy from his pocket and leaned over to put it into Xiao Chunfen's hand.

Xu Huizhi said quickly: "Why don't you thank Uncle Li quickly?"

"Thank you Uncle Li."

Chunfen is one year younger than Lier. What could she understand? She just listens to her mother's instructions.

"Brother Li, my sister only let the children eat something, but didn't give them any money. He Yongqiang is sick and is waiting for 20 yuan to save his life."

Xu Huizhi couldn't borrow money and couldn't go back. After being kicked out by her sister, she squatted in the alley, trying to wait and see if she could wait until Cai Quanwu came out.

Li Zhiguo shook his head. Xu Huizhi was still holding a child, and she looked really pitiful. But one also had to think about how He Yongqiang abandoned his wife and children. Xu Huizhi could forgive anyone except He Yongqiang.

"Huizhi, I have money but I can't lend it to you. Your sister is my brother's wife, and I have to consider her feelings. How about this, I will ask about the situation for you."

Li Zhiguo reached out and ruffled the messy hair of Xu Huizhi's second daughter, Lixia.

"Thank you, thank you Brother Li."

Xu Huizhi bowed quickly, as he was a high-ranking official.

"Let's go." Li Zhiguo rode away on his bicycle.

"Mom!" Xiao Chunfen was a little at a loss holding the candy in her hand. She had never eaten this before.

"Chunfen, this is candy. Your Uncle Li is a good man."

Xu Huizhi grabbed the candy and peeled one for her eldest daughter. Seeing that her younger daughter was crying, she fed her half of it. She ate the remaining half and then continued to squat there waiting.

"Learn chess!"

"Dad." Xue Yi ran over and shouted, then turned around and said, "Li'er, this is my dad."

"Oh, it's uncle."

Li Zhiguo hugged his son, and when he saw Li'er running over, he simply hugged him in his arms as well. It was not difficult for him to hold the two children.

"Hello, Uncle Li." Li'er is four and a half years old and very cute.

"Okay, Li'er is really good."

As they were talking, Xu Huizhen came out of the house and Lao Cai also came out of the kitchen. The people in the He family have a talent for cooking, and Lao Cai has already learned to cook.

Xu Huizhen said, "Brother Li, have lunch here. I asked Lao Cai to cook."

"That won't work. Food is in short supply right now. I'll go to the cafeteria over there to eat. Let them arrange it."

Li Zhiguo put the two children down, let Xueyi play for a while, and then went into the house.

"Sister-in-law, I ran into Xu Huizhi in the alley ahead when I came here. It looks like she's going to stay here because she can't borrow money."

Upon hearing this, Xu Huizhen said angrily: "Don't pay attention to her, she is also heartless. Sha Zhu loved her so much at the beginning, but she just wouldn't leave.

At the time I said she had a hard life to live through, and now she is borrowing money again after just two years. Her life will not get better in the future. Can I still take care of her for the rest of her life? And also take care of He Yongqiang?"

"That's right!"

Li Zhiguo shook his head. "Okay, I'm just asking casually. Don't mention Huizhi's matter to Shazhu. He has finally come out of this situation. Don't let him delay it again."

"That's right. I don't want to introduce Huizhi to Shazhu anymore. She is not worthy of Shazhu and has been trapped by He Yongqiang."

Xu Huizhen thought that Shazhu was a good guy, otherwise... forget it, missed it.

"Okay, I'll take Xue Yi over there, and let the two kids play together when we have time. You keep an eye on the store. I don't know how much we can make in a bad year, but we can't lose money either."

In addition, if you encounter people fleeing famine, you can donate money without asking me for permission. However, this money cannot be donated in obscurity. It must be donated under the leadership of the public manager. Do you understand? "

Li Zhiguo will not only say this here, but will also ask Chen Xueru to do so later. Who says capitalists cannot have a conscience?

"Hey! I'll listen to you."

Xu Huizhen had long known about Li Ge'er's character from Lao Cai and her own contacts. He would basically not do anything without benefit, so donating money was taking advantage.

(End of this chapter)