Chapter 49: Another New Year's Eve, Part 2

Chapter 49: Another New Year's Eve, Part 2

He Yuzhu brought Yushui to his master's house, where his senior sister Fan Ting and her family had already arrived.

Upon seeing the brother and sister, Fan Ting greeted them with a beaming smile. "Zhuzi, I love the wooden carving you made of our family of three!"

"Senior sister, I'm glad you like it," He Yuzhu replied.

Zhou Jianye chimed in, "Zhuzi, when did you learn how to carve? Can you carve other things as well?"

"I only just started learning not long ago," He Yuzhu answered. "Simple things are fine, but more complicated pieces still require practice."

"My boss is getting a promotion soon," Zhou Jianye said. "When you have time, help me carve something with a good auspicious meaning. I want to use it as a gift."

"Sure, no problem," He Yuzhu readily agreed.

He Yuzhu went into the kitchen to help his master's wife prepare lunch. After the meal, Yushui and Xiaohu started making a fuss about going ice skating.

With no other choice, He Yuzhu had to agree.

The master's wife said, "It's the New Year, don't just coop yourselves up at home, go out and have some fun. Fan Ting, you should go too; I'll watch the child. You can help Zhuzi keep an eye on Xiaohu and Yushui."

Hearing this, Fan Ting felt tempted. She hadn't had a proper outing since giving birth.

"Alright, let's all go together then," Fan Ting agreed.

The group of six rode three bicycles straight to Shichahai.

Upon arriving at the lake, they parked their bicycles and rented ice skates and ice sleds.

Yushui, Fan Yao, and Xiaohu put on their skates and immediately glided out onto the ice.

"Slow down, you three! Don't go crowding into the busy areas!" Fan Ting shouted anxiously when she saw the three youngsters skating onto the rink without waiting for the adults.

The three kids paid no attention. With no other choice, the older ones quickly put on their skates and went in to catch them.

After a round of chasing, each adult managed to catch a child. Following a stern lecture from Fan Ting, the three youngsters finally quieted down.

The group skated and played around the rink. After a short while, He Yuzhu noticed that his senior sister Fan Ting and Zhou Jianye were missing.

He Yuzhu stopped and looked around, spotting the two in a corner of the rink. Senior Sister Fan Ting was sitting on an ice sled while Zhou Jianye slowly pushed her along, the two of them chatting and laughing happily.

Feeling like he had just been forced to watch a romantic display, He Yuzhu decided not to go over and subject himself to it, choosing instead to skate back and join Yushui and the others in their game of tag.

After a while, He Yuzhu called Fan Yao, Yushui, and Xiaohu over to the shore to take a break.

"Fan Yao, Yushui, Xiaohu, stop skating for a moment and come over here to drink some water and rest," He Yuzhu called out.

He had bought a flask of hot water at the shore and mixed it with the cold water they brought, resulting in a pleasant, drinkable temperature. Seeing that all three had finished their water, He Yuzhu said, "Sit here and rest for a bit before you play again."

Children are naturally restless; unable to skate anymore, they started playing with the ice sled on the shore instead—one sitting while the other two pushed—and they were having just as much fun.

Watching the three of them play by the bank, He Yuzhu said, "You guys play here for a bit, I'm going to sit down and rest."

"Got it, we know!" the three answered in unison.

"Zhuzi," He Yuzhu heard someone calling him. He turned around to look and saw阎埠贵 (Yan Bugui) walking toward him.

"Teacher Yan, where are you coming from?" He Yuzhu asked.

Yan Bugui replied, "I was just over there fishing. I heard someone calling Yushui, so I came over to take a look, and I didn't expect to actually run into you all."

"Is that so? You're out fishing in such cold weather, Teacher Yan. Are they biting?" He Yuzhu asked.

"Not bad," Yan Bugui said. "Once you break through the ice, you can still catch some fish."

Then, changing the subject, Yan Bugui asked, "By the way, what's going on with your house? Why did the neighborhood committee arrange for someone to move in?"

He Yuzhu answered, "Nothing much. The house was sitting empty and it was a bit of a waste, so I just sold it to the neighborhood committee."

"Sold it?" Yan Bugui said, sounding somewhat agitated. "How could you sell it? You didn't even say a word to us before selling it."

"I sold my own house, it doesn't really have anything to do with other people, does it?" He Yuzhu said, his tone turning slightly cold.

"How does it not have to do with us?" Yan Bugui argued excitedly. "When you sell a house, you should discuss it with the three courtyard grand uncles! How can you just sell it quietly like this?"

He Yuzhu retorted, "Do I need your approval to sell my house? Are you people higher up than the neighborhood committee? I sold this to the neighborhood committee. If anyone disagrees, they can take it up with them themselves."

Seeing that He Yuzhu was displeased, Yan Bugui softened his tone slightly. "I didn't mean it that way. I'm just saying you should have asked the people in the courtyard first. If nobody wanted to buy it, then you could sell it to someone else."

"Would the people in the courtyard be able to pay me cash? Could the people in the courtyard buy me a house near my workplace?" He Yuzhu asked irritably.

"Then you've moved to a new place?" Yan Bugui probed.

"Of course, otherwise where would Yushui and I live?"

"So where are you living now?"

Not wanting to disclose his new address to people from the courtyard, He Yuzhu said, "I'm living around my master's neighborhood."

After chatting a bit longer, He Yuzhu learned that Banggen, the "little saint of thieves," had been born, the rolling mill was expanding its recruitment, and quite a few new rolling mill employees had moved into the courtyard.

After a brief conversation, Yan Bugui hurried back to his fishing spot.

Senior Sister Fan Ting and Zhou Jianye walked over to get some water. "Zhuzi, who was that person you were just talking to?"

"An old managing grand uncle from my previous courtyard. Just stopping by for a chat," He Yuzhu replied.

"Oh." Fan Ting didn't ask any further and went back to playing with Zhou Jianye.

After playing for a while longer, He Yuzhu called everyone together and announced it was time to go home.

That evening, after having dinner at his master's house, He Yuzhu brought Yushui back home. Yushui had played a bit too wildly that afternoon, and as soon as they got home, sleepiness overtook her. She collapsed onto the bed and refused to move.

With no other choice, He Yuzhu heated up a basin of water and washed her feet. By the time he finished, Yushui was already fast asleep.

He took off her heavy clothes, changed her into pajamas, and tucked her into the quilt. Yushui let out a couple of soft mumbles, turned over, and stayed fast asleep.