Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 1077 Qin Huairu started to panic

Not long after, Gu Nan emerged from inside, his steps composed. A few drops of engine oil on his white coat only added to his efficient and capable air. He Yuzhu opened his mouth, wanting to ask what was going on, but Gu Nan's gaze swept over him indifferently, as if he were looking at thin air, before he got straight into the Jeep parked by the roadside. Immediately afterward, Deputy Factory Director Li was seen being escorted by two uniformed men, his head almost buried in his chest, his hair a mess, his usually gleaming leather shoes now dusty, as he slowly moved towards the police car.

He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat, and half of his body went cold—his position as the cafeteria director was completely over. Luckily, not many people knew about it, otherwise he would have no face to save in front of the cafeteria staff. He shrank back, wanting to quickly slip back to the cafeteria, pretend nothing had happened, and continue flipping his wok.

Unexpectedly, just as he reached the corner leading to the canteen, he bumped into Qin Huairu, who was pacing around anxiously. Her blue cotton jacket sleeves were frayed, and she was muttering, "Where did Yi Zhonghai go? Where did that old man run off to?" When she saw He Yuzhu, her eyes lit up instantly, as if she had grasped a lifeline. She rushed forward to stop him: "Zhuzi, you're finally here! What happened? Where's Uncle Yi? I've been looking for him for ages, and Deputy Factory Director Li..."

He Yuzhu had intended to walk around her, but she blocked his way, so he had no choice but to stop and scratch his head helplessly: "Sister Qin, I can't really explain what happened. I just know that Uncle Yi failed the assessment this time and only got a fourth-level fitter rating. When he came out of the office building just now, his face was as green as spinach. Also... Deputy Factory Director Li was taken away by the police and he was even handcuffed."

Qin Huairu had no interest in Yi Zhonghai's fourth-level fitter qualification; whether the old man was promoted or not was none of her concern. What she cared about most was Banggeng—the day of his rural assignment was drawing ever closer, the notification might arrive tomorrow, and without Deputy Factory Director Li's connections, her son would likely really be going to the countryside to till the land and eat dried sweet potatoes. She gripped He Yuzhu's arm, her knuckles white, her voice trembling slightly: "Zhuzi, what happened to Deputy Factory Director Li…? Was he just questioned, and nothing serious? He'll be out in a couple of days?"

He Yuzhu looked at her reddened eyes and sighed inwardly—who would have thought that the person who was making such a bold promise in the tavern yesterday would be a prisoner today? He shook his head, his tone vague and heavy: "It's hard to say... Judging from the situation, it's probably not that easy. Police cars have already driven in; I guess she's committed a serious crime."

Qin Huairu's face turned deathly pale, as if all the color had been drained from her, even her lips were bluish-gray, looking more wretched than the frost at the base of a wall. She staggered back, her lower back slamming heavily against the mottled brick wall with a dull thud. Several pieces of plaster fell from the wall, mingling with dirt and landing on her clothes, barely allowing her to regain her balance. Her lips trembled, and she opened and closed her mouth for a long time, but it felt like her throat was blocked with a wad of waterlogged cotton, and she couldn't utter a sound—Deputy Factory Director Li had been arrested? Was the plan to send corn stalks to the countryside now completely set in stone, with no hope left?

Seeing her distraught state, He Yuzhu's eyes reddened as well. His lips moved, but he ultimately said nothing. He knew that Qin Huairu hadn't slept soundly these past few days because of the matter of the steamed buns, and several strands of her hair had turned white from worry. She spent her days running to Deputy Factory Director Li's house, carrying homemade steamed buns, smiling and saying kind words. Now that her only hope had collapsed, she must be feeling like she was being torn apart. He sighed and turned to walk towards the canteen—life was truly one crisis after another, there was never a moment of peace.

"Zhu Zi!" Qin Huairu suddenly snapped back to reality, as if grasping at the last glimmer of hope. She rushed forward to stop him, her fingers gripping his arm so tightly that her knuckles turned white and almost dug into his flesh. "You said... Deputy Factory Director Li has been arrested now, so my son Banggeng... will he still have to go to the countryside?" Her voice was thick with sobs, the last syllable trembling uncontrollably, like a reed about to break in the wind.

He Yuzhu knew she would ask this, and he had already mentally rehearsed it a hundred times, but he really couldn't come up with a good idea. He frowned, looking at the tears welling up in Qin Huairu's red eyes, his tone full of helplessness: "Sister Qin, this matter... you really have to think of another way. After all, Deputy Factory Director Li has already been arrested and is in trouble himself. He's locked up inside, how can he care about our little things? I... what can I do? I'm just a cook in the canteen, I'm good at wielding a ladle, but I'm just a nobody, I really can't help with the big things in the factory."

Qin Huairu panicked completely. Tears streamed down her face like broken beads, soaking her faded blue clothes and leaving small, damp patches. She gripped He Yuzhu's hand tightly, as if grasping at the last straw, her fingertips turning white from the pressure: "Zhuzi, you have to help me think of something! If it weren't for you, and without Deputy Factory Director Li's help, how would we three survive after Banggeng went to the countryside? That damned Jia Dongxu is unreliable; he's long gone. I'm just a woman raising two young children; I simply can't manage!"

He Yuzhu watched her sobbing uncontrollably, her shoulders shaking with each sob. He felt a pang of unease, a tangled mess of emotions welling up inside him, yet he was utterly helpless. He sighed, his voice deepening, "Sister Qin, it's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that there's really nothing I can do. Think about it, now that Deputy Factory Director Li has been arrested, Gu Nan will definitely take over the factory next. Only if he becomes the factory director will his words carry weight. But you know my relationship with Gu Nan… we've never gotten along. He doesn't like me, and I feel awkward around him. It's a miracle if he gives me a friendly look; he's unlikely to listen to me."

Qin Huairu looked at him through teary eyes, tears clinging to her eyelashes as if grasping at the last glimmer of light. Her voice was hoarse: "Then... now, is it that we can only ask Gu Nan for help?"

He Yuzhu nodded, his tone heavy as if a stone was pressing down on him: Yes, now he's probably the only one who can really call the shots in the factory.

After saying that, he gently pulled away from Qin Huairu's hand, turned around and walked towards the cafeteria, his steps heavy, as if filled with lead.

As Qin Huairu watched his figure disappear around the corner, her legs went weak, and she could no longer hold on. She slid down the wall and sat on the ground, leaning against the cold brick wall. Her tears flowed even more fiercely, and her suppressed sobs echoed in the alley, making people's hearts tighten.

She had originally hoped that Deputy Factory Director Li could mediate and keep Banggeng in the city, even if it was just to get him a job as an apprentice in a small factory. Unexpectedly, he himself got caught up in the mess first. This sudden turn of events caught her completely off guard, leaving her feeling empty and panicked—did she really have to ask Gu Nan for help? But she had no connection with Gu Nan; he was a high-ranking official, would he even look at an ordinary family member like her and help her with this?