Siheyuan: Walking the Path of Qin Huairu

It was Sunday, and He Yuzhu and his sister He Yushui came to the tavern. Because it was morning, there were no customers in the tavern. After the greetings, Xu Huizhen asked Cai Quanwu to pour them some tea, and she got up to close the door.

He Yushui stared at Xu Huizhen intently and asked anxiously, "Sister Xu, what do you want to talk to us about? I heard it's about my father." Although a girl in her teens had been abandoned by her father, she couldn't wait to know the news about her father.

Xu Huizhen sighed and said, "As you know, my tavern has a lot of customers and is well-informed. Some time ago, I accidentally learned something about your father, and I think it is necessary to tell you."

After hearing what Xu Huizhen said, He Yuzhu said nonchalantly: "That man has nothing to do with us siblings. I just assumed he was dead out there." Xu Huizhen knew that He Yuzhu was just being stubborn. Didn't he want to know what you were doing here?

He Yushui asked expectantly, "Sister Xu, don't listen to my brother. He has a stubborn temper. Just tell me. I'm listening."

Xu Huizhen said: "I heard that after your father passed away, he sent you living expenses every month."

He Yuzhu looked indignant and said, "Who said that? We didn't receive a penny."

Xu Huizhen: "This money was embezzled by a big uncle in your courtyard."

He Yushui was stunned for a moment, then she covered her face and sobbed, "I said, my dad can't just ignore me. When I was little, he was so good to me, how could he suddenly change so much?"

He Yuzhu also reacted at this time. He stood up and said, "No, I have to go ask the uncle. If he really embezzled the money, I will never forgive him." As he said that, he walked towards the door. Xu Huizhen hurriedly asked Cai Quanwu to stop him. It seems that He Yuzhu is still a hot-tempered person.

Xu Huizhen continued, "He Yuzhu, don't worry. Just listen to me. I just heard it from someone and didn't check it out. You can go find your dad and ask him in person. Or go to the post office where your house is and check. After all, what you hear is not as good as what you see. If you go to Yi Zhonghai without any real evidence, you will only alert him and give him time to destroy the evidence."

Cai Quanwu said: "Logically speaking, even if your father remarried, it is impossible for him to ignore his own children and not even write a letter. There must be something fishy here."

He Yuzhu frowned and asked, "That old man is a level 6 fitter, the highest paid in our yard, and he doesn't have any children to support. He doesn't need that little money, so how could he do something like this?"

Xu Huizhen continued, "The problem is that he has no children. Without children, there is no one to take care of him in his old age. So he cut off the contact between you and your father. If you can take care of you and your sister more and cultivate the relationship between the two families, then you, He Yuzhu, might be able to take care of him in his old age."

He Yuzhu recalled the interactions he had with Yi Zhonghai over the past few years and said, "Uncle Yi is usually a good person, not such a sinister person. Besides, Jia Dongxu in our courtyard is his apprentice, and Uncle Yi seems to want Jia Dongxu to take care of him in his old age!"

Cai Quanwu took over the conversation and said, "Zhu Zi, you are still young. Don't just look at the surface of things. This is called double insurance. You know the principle of not putting all your eggs in one basket? If Jia Dongxu is not grateful, you will be his second candidate for retirement."

Xu Huizhen: "It is said that your father's departure was also planned by Yi Zhonghai. Think about it, even if your father wants to remarry, there is no need for him to leave the city. You should ask your father about these things in person."

He Yuzhu raised his head with tears in his eyes and said, "Sister Xu, thank you for telling us this. Otherwise, my brother and I would still be kept in the dark and think that the old man is a good person."

Xu Huizhen: "Since you and Cai Quanwu are relatives, then we are acquaintances. Knowing such a thing, we naturally cannot remain indifferent."

He Yuzhu stood up again and said, "I'll go to the post office to check now. If it's true, I'll beat him to a pulp." He is truly the God of War in the Siheyuan. He starts fighting as soon as he disagrees with something.

Xu Huizhen advised: "You are still young and are no match for that old fox. Since he dared to do this, he might have a trick up his sleeve. It's better to let your father come forward to solve this matter."

He Yuzhu led his sister away, and Xu Huizhen said to Cai Quanwu, "You go with him and make sure he calms down and doesn't cause any trouble."

Cai Quanwu then followed him, and the three of them went to the post office together.

Along the way, Cai Quanwu kept persuading him: "Zhu Zi, don't be impulsive. Let's get the evidence first. Let the old guy have no way to deny it."

He Yuzhu came to the counter of the post office and asked, "Hello, comrade. I am He Yuzhu from No. 95 Nanluoguxiang. I would like to ask if there has been any money or letters sent from Baoding recently?"

The staff member said without hesitation: "The remittance slip from Baocheng for this month has not arrived yet."

He Yuzhu asked again: "What about last month's?"

Staff: "Yes, every month, but the money is sent to Yi Zhonghai. I heard he is an old man in your yard."

Cai Quanwu: "Comrade, can I ask from which year the letters were sent?"

Staff: "You are not the recipient, so you have no right to check." Cai Quanwu and Zhuzi looked at each other, and both knew that this was most likely true. Yi Zhonghai, the old silver coin, looked honest and kind on the surface, but he was full of bad intentions.

Recalling the year when He Daqing just left, he and his sister almost starved to death, but Yi Zhonghai embezzled their living expenses. He Yuzhu felt a rage in his heart that was about to burst out.

After leaving the post office, He Yuzhu said, "I'm going to take a day off tomorrow and go to Baoding. I'm going to feel very upset if I don't get this matter sorted out."

Yu Shui pursed her lips and said, "Brother, I'll go too. I miss my dad."

He Yuzhu: "You still have to go to school. Find our father. I will try to get him to come back so that you can see your father."

Cai Quanwu asked: "Do you need me to go with you?"

He Yuzhu: "No, I'm already 20 years old, I can't get lost. When my father comes back, you brothers can meet him."

The next morning, He Yuzhu boarded the train to Baoding. He was in no mood to look at the scenery outside the window.

Thinking back to the past few years, he treated the uncle with respect like a father. He didn't obey anyone in the yard except the uncle, and he obeyed the uncle's words. Thinking of this, he smiled bitterly. He was a fool, being fooled by the old fox Yi Zhonghai.