Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 310

“I know your brother better than you do; he wouldn’t do anything reckless.”

In the tavern, Fan Jinyou waited for a long time before Zhao Yali finally returned.

"How did it go?" Fan Jinyou asked expectantly.

Zhao Yali nodded, then shook her head: "I've told him everything, but whether it will work out is still uncertain."

Anyway, it's just casual conversation. Whether it works out or not depends on whether the couple will start arguing.

"I hope so, it would be best if they could fight each other." Fan Jinyou was really looking forward to that beautiful scene.

"I think this is very difficult. There's no such thing as an easy thing."

After they finished drinking and returned home, Xiangye stopped He Yuzhu and told him about Zhao Yali's complaint that day.

"Well, I didn't expect her to be so good at stirring things up."

He Yuzhu had felt that Zhao Yali had become much more stable these days, not vying for power and keeping to herself. He never expected that she would secretly engage in these petty schemes.

It's time to teach her a lesson.

When He Yuzhu returned to the house, Xu Huizhen didn't mention Zhao Yali's visit. She just chatted with him normally and helped her daughter change her clothes and put her to sleep.

After the two washed up and lay in bed, Xu Huizhen nestled in his arms and asked softly, "Have you been feeling very frustrated lately?"

"No way? I'm perfectly fine." He Yuzhu knew that they were about to get down to business and start talking, but he didn't know what Xu Huizhen's attitude would be.

"Actually, Elena is not bad either. She is a great beauty from abroad. She is beautiful and has fair skin."

Then he looked up and said, "Do you understand what I mean?"

"What are you thinking about all day? She's a young, unmarried girl. Don't try to play matchmaker. That's all baseless. Has someone been gossiping about you?"

Xu Huizhen rolled her eyes and said, "I don't believe Xiangye wouldn't have told you beforehand. You call him Brother Zhuzi so affectionately every day, don't you have any thoughts about it?"

"Stop talking nonsense. Xiangye is just a young girl. You can't say things like that. It's all untrue. I only need you and Huizhi."

After He Yuzhu finished speaking, he lowered his head and kissed his cherry lips, then put his hand under the covers.

"No, you big scoundrel!" Xu Huizhen scolded.

"Since you know I'm a big thug, you must know what I'm going to do, right?"

"What do you want to do!" Xu Huizhen's cheeks were already flushed with embarrassment as she asked in a coquettish voice.

"What did you say?"

He Yuzhu spoke and acted at the same time, which quickly made Xu Huizhen feel hot all over. Then she struggled to pull a small umbrella out from under her pillow.

"Brother Zhu, wait a minute."

"What are you doing with this?"

"I don't want to get pregnant again. I just finished my postpartum period. If I get pregnant again, people will laugh at me."

......

The next morning, He Yuzhu went to the breakfast stall in front to buy breakfast. Zhao Yali and Fan Jinyou looked at him expectantly, but as usual, they paid for their breakfast and went home.

Then the two huddled together, and Fan Jinyou said, "What exactly did you say to Xu Huizhen yesterday? It didn't seem to have any effect."

"I've said everything, do you think Xu Huizhen is really that magnanimous?"

Fan Jinyou sighed and said, "He probably still thinks we don't have any evidence. Maybe I'll keep an eye on him and see if he and Elena are really having an affair."

"Can it be done?"

"Why can't it work? Just wait and see."

After discussing it for a while, Zhao Yali felt it didn't matter. If she could catch them cheating, she could control He Yuzhu and become a powerful manager, instead of having no influence over the company as she did now.

After having breakfast, He Yuzhu didn't rush to work. Instead, he rode his bicycle into the alley and quickly found Xu Hesheng, the primary school teacher.

"Teacher Xu, are you up?"

"get up."

"Have you had your drink?"

"Have a drink, Mr. He, is there something you need from me?"

Xu Hesheng asked politely.

Actually, people in Beijing ask each other "Have you had your drink?" first thing in the morning. Don't worry, this isn't alcohol; it's tea.

For ordinary people, the first thing they do in the morning is drink tea.

"Have you eaten yet?" That was a greeting I had given you that morning.

At this time, ordinary people get up very early in the morning, usually around four or five o'clock.

Most people don't eat breakfast at home; instead, they go to a breakfast stall, have a bowl of soy milk, and some fried cakes and dough sticks.

Or dried fruit, honey, and snacks to accompany tea.

So you ask someone if they've had a drink in the morning, but you ask them if they've eaten around noon.

Xu Hesheng was quite surprised. Although he often chatted with He Yuzhu in the tavern, their relationship was only that of nodding acquaintances, not close enough for them to visit each other in person.

After all, I saw him last night and he didn't say anything. Why would he come knocking on my door so early in the morning?

He Yuzhu said, "Teacher Xu, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Mr. He, you're too kind. Please tell me what you need."

He Yuzhu said, "The street has received another notice requiring all government agencies to eliminate illiteracy within 1-2 years, eliminate illiteracy in major enterprises within 2-3 years, and then eliminate illiteracy in the whole society within 3-5 years."

"I've heard about this matter. I wonder what your purpose is in bringing me here?"

He Yuzhu said, "Here's what I'm thinking: most of our friends in this tavern are illiterate. Could we take the lead and help these neighbors learn to read so they can study for a while?"

According to the superior's plan, the first priority is to scan government agencies, then enterprises and public institutions, and finally ordinary people in society.

This is a plan from higher-ups. After all, it's impossible to carry out literacy work on everyone at once; there isn't enough time, energy, or teachers.

We must first eliminate illiteracy within government agencies, then extend it to all working employees, and finally to ordinary residents and farmers in rural areas.

He Yuzhu wanted to take the lead and hold a literacy class in the tavern.

Actually, if Zhao Yali hadn't gossiped to his wife, He Yuzhu wouldn't have wanted to cause trouble. But since Zhao Yali had made her move, he was going to take this opportunity to make her suffer a big setback.

"Run a literacy class?" Xu Hesheng was dumbfounded.

“Yes, almost everyone here is illiterate. Since you’re a teacher, you can help them find a day to learn. Anyway, the higher-ups have a requirement that everyone learn to recognize 2000 characters within 3 to 5 years. It’s better if we help them learn two years earlier.”

"That's great! I agree."

Xu Hesheng suddenly had many thoughts. If he helped his neighbors learn to read and write, and started some kind of organization, he could become a model citizen.

I've always wanted to ask my supervisor for a raise, but I haven't had a suitable excuse. If the literacy class could be successfully run, and I became an advanced worker, getting a raise would be a piece of cake.

"Thank you, Teacher Xu. You can come over every afternoon; I'll take care of everything else."

"Okay, I'll be there on time this afternoon."

After speaking with Xu Hesheng, He Yuzhu came out of the alley and found Cai Quanwu, who was unloading goods at the entrance of the grain store.

"Mr. He, did you need to see me?"

"Yes, you know a lot of people here, could you help me make a blackboard?"

He Yuzhu himself is a carpenter, so of course he can make blackboards, just ordinary ones. An apprentice could make them, and he wouldn't stoop to making something so common.

"Make a blackboard?"

He Yuzhu said, "It's just a blackboard standing on the ground."

Then they introduced the specific dimensions and finally asked, "Do you know anyone here?"

"Yes, leave it to me. I'll make a trip for you in a bit."

"Tell him to hurry, we need it this afternoon."

"okay."

After visiting Cai Quanwu, He Yuzhu went to see Master Niu. Master Niu was stunned for a moment after hearing what he said.

"Mr. He, what made you think of starting a literacy class to teach us to read?"

He Yuzhu asked, "Uncle Niu, don't you think the government has done so many things for us ordinary people?"

"Okay, of course it's good. Anyone who dares to say no is heartless."

"Yes, our government truly cares about the people. In the past, all the officials tried to squeeze a few cents out of the people's pockets, but only our government will sincerely do practical things for the people."

"Yes, the neighborhood has already started the illiteracy campaign. As ordinary citizens, we should also actively respond to the neighborhood's call. So this afternoon, I invited Teacher Xu to teach everyone to recognize simplified characters, so that everyone can learn 2000 commonly used simplified characters in a very short time."

"This is great news. I fully support whatever ideas you have, Mr. He."

"Then I'll thank you in advance, Uncle Niu. It's actually very simple. We'll just set up a literacy class in the breakfast shop. Uncle Niu, please invite all the neighbors and relatives to come and learn together."

"Okay, I should thank Mr. He on behalf of everyone. Thank you for giving them the opportunity to learn to read."

"You're too kind, Mr. Niu."

After persuading Master Niu, he turned to Master Pian. Master Pian was literate, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to do this kind of work, but he still readily agreed.

Turning the corner, I saw Li Yikuan, who sells sugar figurines, setting up his stall. I walked up to him and asked him to make two sugar figurines for me. After paying, I started talking about attending literacy classes.