Chapter 72: The First Signs of Famine

Chapter 72: The Famine Begins to Show Its Prototype

After meeting his master and master's wife, He Yuzhu took Song Jinfeng to visit his senior fellow apprentice Peng Dahai a few days later. Song Jinfeng also won the affection of his senior fellow apprentice and his wife.

His senior fellow apprentice and his wife were no longer at Encheng Residence. It was a day in May when Leader Zhou came to Encheng Residence to taste Tan Family Cuisine. He had a thorough understanding of Tan Family Cuisine and saw the difficulties it was facing, so he proposed to help them relocate to a large restaurant.

His senior fellow apprentice and his wife were overjoyed. Since they could hardly keep the business going and were already preparing to dissolve it, this was a sudden turn of fortune, and Tan Family Cuisine was ultimately moved to the Beijing Hotel.

It could be said that the leader had saved Tan Family Cuisine.

His senior fellow apprentice also asked He Yuzhu if he would like to come to the Beijing Hotel to help him out.

As He Yuzhu enjoyed a relatively free routine working at the municipal bureau cafeteria, and going to the Beijing Hotel would mean cooking only Tan Family Cuisine, he politely declined his senior fellow apprentice's kind offer.

Song Jinfeng also took He Yuzhu to meet several elders who had helped her after her parents sacrificed their lives.

He Yuzhu's honest and sincere demeanor won their approval.

After both sides met each other's families, their interactions became even more frequent. Yuzhu also grew close to Song Jinfeng, beginning to follow closely behind her like a little tail.

As time passed, Song Jinfeng became increasingly busy. First came the people's commune grand canteens offering free collective meals, immediately followed by the nationwide mass steel-making movement. As a neighborhood office clerk, she had to run around constantly to convey instructions and organize the masses.

Watching history move along a familiar path, He Yuzhu knew the great famine was not far away. Yet what could he do? He could only watch and consider himself fortunate if he could ensure his close relatives and friends did not starve to death in the coming years.

As the end of the year approached, He Yuzhu began delivering grain to his master's home.

On this day, He Yuzhu rode his bicycle with two large bags of cornmeal into his master's courtyard.

The master's wife asked, "Zhuzi, what have you brought here?"

After securing the courtyard gate and placing the bags from the bicycle onto the ground, He Yuzhu told the master's wife, "Mistress, I had someone procure some cornmeal."

Looking at the two large bags of cornmeal, the master's wife asked, "Zhuzi, where did you get this from? You mustn't do anything dangerous."

He Yuzhu replied, "Don't worry, Mistress, there's no problem at all. Figure out where to hide it so nobody discovers it."

The master's wife said, "Let's put it in the cellar in the back courtyard."

He Yuzhu followed the master's wife to place the two large bags of cornmeal in the cellar and covered them up.

He Yuzhu said, "Mistress, in a few days I'll get you some sweet potatoes and other things."

The master's wife scolded, "Why are you bringing in so much stuff? If we can't finish it, it will get infested with bugs."

He Yuzhu explained, "Mistress, the situation outside isn't very good. When you have grain in hand, your heart doesn't panic."

The master's wife warned, "Then you still shouldn't take risks. If something happens to you, what will Yuzhu do?"

He Yuzhu reassured her, "Rest assured, I've been gathering it bit by bit, so it won't attract anyone's attention."

"Mistress, I have things to attend to, so I'll be leaving first."

With that, He Yuzhu hopped on his bicycle and rode off.

Before the Lunar New Year, He Yuzhu successively and secretly delivered some cornmeal, sweet potatoes, and potatoes to his senior fellow apprentice's home and his senior sister's home.

A few days before the New Year, supplies grew increasingly tight, and butcher shops and other stores sold out early every day.

He Yuzhu made a trip to the black market. There were fewer people selling grain, and prices were exorbitant. Even so, fine grains were simply unavailable; only a small amount of coarse grain was being sold. Pork was even scarcer, snatched up the moment it was brought out.

On New Year's Eve, He Yuzhu invited Song Jinfeng, who was spending the holiday alone, to celebrate at his master's house.

Song Jinfeng protested, "This isn't right, is it? We aren't married yet, and I'm coming over to spend the New Year with you all. This won't do."

He Yuzhu argued, "How can you spend the New Year all by yourself? It's so desolate and lonely. Besides, we've already met each other's families. If you guys hadn't had such heavy tasks and no free time lately, we would have already held our wedding."

Song Jinfeng insisted, "Let's not do this after all."

Without listening to any more of Song Jinfeng's nonsense, He Yuzhu grabbed her small hand and pulled her outside.

Song Jinfeng stammered, "Hey, hey, wait a minute."

He Yuzhu declared, "Stop talking nonsense. I'm calling the shots here, you just need to come with me."

Song Jinfeng was caught between laughter and tears. "Then at least let me put out the stove fire first."

After extinguishing the fire and locking the door, He Yuzhu rode with Song Jinfeng toward his master's house.

Song Jinfeng secretly wrapped her arms around He Yuzhu's waist, gazing at his broad back and recalling his overbearing manner just moments before, feeling completely safe and secure.

He Yuzhu led Song Jinfeng into his master's home.

The master's wife greeted them, "Jinfeng is here, come inside quickly to warm up."

Song Jinfeng replied, "Thank you, Mistress."

He Yuzhu went straight to the kitchen to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner. Although chicken, duck, fish, and meat were hard to buy outside, with He Yuzhu acting as a massive cheat code, this year's New Year's Eve feast was not inferior to any previous year in the slightest.

As everyone took their seats, Master Fan Dakang raised his glass and said, "We have to thank Zhuzi for tonight's New Year's Eve dinner. If it weren't for him, it wouldn't be this abundant."

He Yuzhu modesty replied, "I just ran around a bit more diligently, and besides, I happened to run into good timing."

Everyone drank a toast together and picked up their chopsticks to eat.

Halfway through the meal, Senior Sister Fan Ting and Zhou Jianye arrived with little Yuanchao.

As soon as Zhou Jianye stepped through the door and saw the lavish dishes on the table, he exclaimed, "Hah! I told Tingting there would definitely be plenty of good food at the New Year's Eve dinner here."

Hearing this, Fan Ting slapped Zhou Jianye lightly and scolded, "Have you no shame at all?"

During the banquet, everyone began discussing the situation outside.

Zhou Jianye remarked, "It's not very optimistic. The food at our institute has gotten worse. Zhuzi, the cafeteria at the municipal bureau must have lowered its standards too, right?"

He Yuzhu nodded, "They've lowered them. There's much less meat than before, and fine grains have decreased as well."

Song Jinfeng added, "The proportion of coarse grains in our rations has increased noticeably now. Our neighborhood office spent the days leading up to the New Year just pacifying residents."

He Yuzhu said, "Before the New Year, I went to the black market. The grain there is much scarcer than before, and prices remain stubbornly high."

Zhou Jianye suggested, "We still need to find a way to stockpile a bit more, just in case."

He Yuzhu asked, "Do you have connections? Don't get yourself caught and leave people with leverage against you."

Zhou Jianye replied, "I'll have to find some relations."

He Yuzhu advised, "Then you'd better forget it. Don't go looking for trouble at a time like this."

Fan Dakang agreed, "Zhuzi is right. Besides, in a famine year, a cook will never starve. There's no need to take risks just for a bite to eat."

After the New Year's Eve dinner, He Yuzhu and Song Jinfeng first escorted Yuzhu back home.

He Yuzhu asked, "Why don't you stay here with Yuzhu for the night?"

Yuzhu chimed in, "Yes, yes! Sister-in-law, you can sleep in my room."

Song Jinfeng declined, "Never mind, I'd better go back. Too many people saw us when we left. If I don't go back, there's no telling how they'll gossip about me."

He Yuzhu offered, "Alright then, I'll walk you back. Yuzhu, stay good at home, your brother will be right back."

Yuzhu answered, "Okay, goodbye, Sister-in-law."

Song Jinfeng waved, "Goodbye, Yuzhu. Sister-in-law will come find you to play tomorrow."

Yuzhu beamed, "Sister-in-law, you promised! You have to come find me to play tomorrow."

Song Jinfeng smiled, "Of course, your sister-in-law keeps her promises."

He Yuzhu mounted his bicycle and rode with Song Jinfeng straight to the large compound where she lived.