Volume 1, Chapter 39: Falsely Accusing Su Jianshe of Soliciting a Prostitute

"Master, I heard that Sha Zhu was acting violently in the street and that you were the one who subdued him? Are you alright? If anything happened, just tell me, and I’ll take the boys to make him realize the consequences of laying a hand on you!"

Liu Dazhuang hurriedly poured his master a cup of hot tea and asked with concern.

"I’m fine. Just focus on your cooking!"

As Su Jianshe sipped the hot tea, he suddenly understood why the factory leaders loved drinking tea and reading the newspaper. It felt quite good.

After dismissing his apprentice and inspecting the kitchen, Su Jianshe began to instruct Liu Dazhuang. "When cooking in large batches, first, the heat must be fierce so the food cooks through—don't be like Ma Hua, who can't even get the dishes cooked properly! Second, you must be generous with the seasonings so the flavor can penetrate. Look at you, you’re so stingy with the spices; how could the food possibly taste good?"

At this moment, the crowd watching Su Jianshe teach Liu Dazhuang moved closer, some even quickly sketching down the steps in their notebooks. Ma Hua, who was sweeping the floor nearby, witnessed this and felt not envy, but an overwhelming sense of desolation.

"Why is my master so dull, and why does he keep things from me? Look at how Su Jianshe treats his own apprentice!" Ma Hua thought, his heart filled with indignation.

Elsewhere, in the rolling mill’s restroom, Sha Zhu, with cotton balls stuffed in his nose, was using a broom to clean up the trash. Suddenly, he sneezed several times, blowing the cotton balls right out.

"Who the hell is cursing me? Just you wait!"

Looking at the filth before him and recalling the leisurely days of cooking in the kitchen and sipping tea, Sha Zhu was consumed by rage. But a moment later, he continued sweeping while grumbling curses. He was penniless, his home’s food supply had been raided by Bang Geng, he had no dinner in sight, and he would likely have to squeeze into a room with the Deaf Old Lady tonight.

At this thought, Sha Zhu threw the broom down in a fury, splashing filth all over himself. His face turned livid, and he started retching repeatedly. "Su Jianshe, you just wait! You took my job and made me scrub toilets—this isn't over!"

Night fell. As Su Jianshe brought Chu Yan home, he was struck by the unusual silence around him, which made him feel slightly uneasy. He didn't know that Sha Zhu, who hated him most, was still working overtime in the restroom, covered in filth. Su Jianshe didn't dwell on it; the two of them went home to eat and bathe. Seeing his brother Jianshe’s impatience and expectant look, Chu Yan blushed, as if remembering something.

The sky was dim, and the cold wind bit. In the courtyard, every household was busy preparing dinner. As the chill deepened, many families began stocking up on coal, making their meals look somewhat meager. Yan Bugui, the calculation-obsessed Third Uncle, exercised strict control over the family's diet, specifying the exact daily portion for each person.

Just then, an enticing aroma wafted through the air. The entire family’s mouths began to water involuntarily.

At the Jia residence:

"Su Jianshe’s family is eating meat again! Qin Huairu, hurry up and go buy some meat! Didn’t you take twenty yuan from Sha Zhu? Go now!"

Mrs. Jia, smelling the fragrance, slammed her chopsticks down and shouted at Qin Huairu with a sour expression. "Look at what they’re eating, and then look at ours! It's cornmeal mush every day, and the pickled vegetables are about to go bad! The children are so young; they need nutrition. Go take the money and buy some meat!"

Jia Dongxu, lying on the heated brick bed (kang), also roared, tortured to the point of madness by the scent of the meat.

Qin Huairu hurriedly explained, "Mom, Dongxu, we really don't have any money left. That twenty yuan is all gone. The white flour buns, snacks, candy, painkillers, and food coupons I bought for you were all purchased with that money."

"I don't care! You go ask Sha Zhu for more! The children are so young; how are they supposed to grow without meat? Look at what Bang Geng has become—what kind of mother are you?"

Hearing this, tears fell from Qin Huairu’s eyes. She picked up a porcelain plate and ran out.

"Useless thing, can't even get a bit of money! What use is she?" Watching Qin Huairu’s retreating figure, the obese Mrs. Jia cursed, though she couldn't help but look intoxicated by the aroma in the air.

However, Qin Huairu did not go to Sha Zhu. Instead, she turned and went to Yi Zhonghai’s house, and shortly after, she left the courtyard quietly with him. When she returned, her face was glowing, and she appeared refreshed. Without a second thought, Qin Huairu grabbed the money she had "borrowed" from Yi Zhonghai and the bag containing pork bones, and hurried off to the supply and marketing cooperative again.

Before long, back at the Jia house, she immediately busied herself in the kitchen, and soon the smell of meat filled the air. Yet, in the scent-filled Jia residence, no one noticed the unusual flush on Qin Huairu’s cheeks. She gently stroked her abdomen, her expression complex.

...

The night passed in a flash. The sky was bright.

At the courtyard, the First Aunt was preparing breakfast. Seeing Sha Zhu carrying a broom, she asked in surprise, "Zhu, off to work so early? Have something to eat first, don't starve yourself. You just got out of the police station; you need to rest."

Sha Zhu’s face darkened, and he walked away without looking back.

Yi Zhonghai, who had just stepped out, also looked displeased and chided, "Didn't I tell you? Zhu is a temporary worker at the rolling mill now; he has to go early, or he won't pass the review and will lose the job!"

Hearing this, the First Aunt couldn't help complaining, "Then wasn't our money spent for nothing? Sha Zhu is scrubbing toilets now; what will we do for our retirement later? Are you really counting on a toilet cleaner? 'Temporary worker' sounds nice, but isn't he just cleaning toilets?"

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai’s face changed drastically. He turned and went back into his room, unwilling to say more. "A woman’s perspective, she doesn't understand the ways of the world. As long as Sha Zhu stays at the rolling mill, with his skills, he’ll be back in the kitchen sooner or later! Besides, once I take down Su Jianshe, won't his position be Sha Zhu’s?"

With that, Yi Zhonghai wrapped himself up tightly, covering even his face with a scarf, leaving only his eyes exposed. Dressed this way, he headed straight out.

"Where are you going? Breakfast is ready!" Even though the First Aunt didn't understand his attire, she still called out that the food was ready.

"Taking it to the Old Lady!" Yi Zhonghai said as he walked out without looking back. "I have important business after that. Don't worry, I will find a way to get Zhu back to the position of head chef at the rolling mill!"

The First Aunt nodded, appearing to understand yet remaining confused.

Inside the house, Chu Yan, with rosy cheeks, held a towel to wipe her wet long hair, saying with a hint of shyness, "Brother Jianshe, can we not do that in the future? Lately, the aunties have been complimenting my complexion and teasing me!"

Su Jianshe, who had just finished washing up, eating, and bathing, felt refreshed. "That just shows your complexion is truly good!"

Su Jianshe chuckled, not teasing Xiao Yan further. He secretly considered that he would need to work even harder recently to avoid giving the people in the courtyard any leverage.

After the meal, Su Jianshe saw Chu Yan to her workplace and then returned to his dog. He felt that the dog was exceptionally energetic today; its fur seemed brighter, and its tail wagged rapidly.

"Dog, I won't even mention the dog food I gave you yesterday. Tell me today, am I lucky?"

"Woof, woof, woof..."

Without needing any special talent, the dog didn't understand its master’s words, but seeing the dog food in Su Jianshe’s hand, it barked excitedly, a hint of fawning in its voice.

"Fine, I'll take that as a good omen!"

"Ding! Would you like to check in?"

"Check in!"

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a piece of information!"

Information? You can get information from checking in?

Just as Su Jianshe was puzzled, a stream of information flooded his mind. After reading it, Su Jianshe’s expression changed drastically, and his heart burned with rage.

"Yi Zhonghai, you have some nerve! The most hypocritical and disgusting person in the courtyard is none other than you!"

It turned out that to frame Su Jianshe, Yi Zhonghai had colluded with a mistress, and this woman was a prostitute. Yi Zhonghai had instructed his mistress to seduce Su Jianshe, intending to bite back later and falsely accuse Su Jianshe of soliciting a prostitute. Even if he didn't expose Su Jianshe, simply gathering a few people to catch them in the act would be enough to cause Su Jianshe endless trouble on the grounds of "hooliganism" alone. By then, it would be hard for him to escape without paying a heavy price.

Filled with rage, Su Jianshe seemed to have a realization and forcibly suppressed his anger. His face remained grim. "I knew those people in the courtyard would never settle down! As for the charge of hooliganism... Yi Zhonghai, oh Yi Zhonghai, you really thought of everything!"

In the sixties, a charge of hooliganism was far from the simple matter Su Jianshe knew from the future. A slight misstep could lead to a firing squad. Even if wrongfully accused, one could spend the rest of their life in prison. Sha Zhu was able to get off unscathed partly because the mastermind was the "Five Guarantees" recipient, the Deaf Old Lady; partly because Sha Zhu hadn't actually touched Chu Yan; and partly because Yi Zhonghai had used his connections and held Su Jianshe’s letter of understanding! That was why Sha Zhu had been able to get away.

But just then:

[System Prompt: Host, please be aware that the other party is suffering from an incurable infectious disease. For your own safety, please remain calm.]

Su Jianshe: "???"

An incurable infectious disease???

Su Jianshe was stunned. Then, he took a sharp breath. Could it be that Yi Zhonghai’s mistress had a venereal disease!?

!!

Su Jianshe had heard of the reputation of venereal diseases! Once infected, there was no other way than taking suppressive drugs in the early stages. Eventually, the infected person would die due to a weakened immune system. Terrifying!

"Yi Zhonghai, you really want to put me to death! If I really got infected... wouldn't my whole life be..."

However, the enraged Su Jianshe seemed to recall something. He couldn't help but repeatedly look back at the memories in his mind. "This is Yi Zhonghai’s mistress?"

Wouldn't that mean Yi Zhonghai had already been infected?

Su Jianshe stroked the dog in front of him, feeling somewhat confused... Did Yi Zhonghai not know she was sick? Wait!

Suddenly, the corner of Su Jianshe’s mouth twitched, thinking of something terrifying. "Hey, damn, I heard Yi Zhonghai not only has an STD but also had an affair with Qin Huairu, and Qin Huairu passed it on to her husband, and maybe Xu Damao and Sha Zhu also..."

Of course, this was just Su Jianshe’s own speculation. The truth would only be known after a hospital checkup. But as long as there had been contact, the possibility was extremely high. At this thought, the corner of Su Jianshe’s mouth couldn't help but twitch slightly.

He would have to be extra careful in this courtyard from now on! He thought to himself, with a touch of malice: "Yi Zhonghai, this old guy, has no children—could it be because of this disease?"

He gently patted the head of the dog beside him, shook his head, and stood up to head toward the rolling mill.

"Tsk tsk, according to the system, Yi Zhonghai’s mistress is actually quite decent-looking? It's just that I don't have the blessing to enjoy that."

"Sha Zhu, oh Sha Zhu. Aren't you always shouting about wanting to find a wife? Today I'll do a good deed and give you this opportunity. Don't thank me~"

In the kitchen, Su Jianshe ignored the flattery of the others and glanced at Liu Dazhuang while holding his tea: "Dazhuang, your heat control is still lacking. Look, this dish is overcooked, and the flavor is lost."

"Thank you for the guidance, Master!" Liu Dazhuang said gratefully.

The hot food was served, and Su Jianshe left after giving a few simple comments. As he left, he saw a group of people slacking off and couldn't help but sigh: "So unproductive! It seems I need to find some work for them to do."

Su Jianshe thought about how to whip the kitchen into shape while heading toward the supply and marketing cooperative, intending to ask about coal prices. He hadn't gone far when a woman in a red cotton jacket bumped into him.

Su Jianshe: "..."

That’s a bit too careless, isn't it?

Su Jianshe, a master of Baji Quan, naturally stepped back, making room for the woman to pass.

"Oh my~"

The woman pretended to stumble, glanced at Su Jianshe resentfully, and then stood up quickly. When her eyes met Su Jianshe’s face, a flash of amazement crossed her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, truly sorry!"

Li Lanhua looked at the fair-skinned man in front of her, unable to hide her joy. She had been in this business for so long, and this was the first time she had met such a handsome young man! She apologized repeatedly, afraid of causing Su Jianshe any disgust.

Su Jianshe glanced at her indifferently, having already realized that this person was likely the mistress of that old guy Yi Zhonghai. "Efficiency is quite high," he thought.

But to avoid raising suspicion, he offered a few words of comfort and pretended to walk away.

"Hey~ Don't go, don't go! I accidentally bumped into you just now; why don't you come to my place, and I'll help you check if you're hurt! My name is Li Lanhua; what’s your name?"

Li Lanhua was dressed in a red cotton jacket, fashionable for the era, and her appearance was fairly delicate, with a certain seductive air in her movements. But in Su Jianshe’s eyes, this not only lacked beauty but appeared vulgar and unbearable. She wasn't even as good as Qin Huairu, he thought, let alone the fact that, in his mind, Qin Huairu wasn't even fit to tie Xiao Yan's shoes.

And she thought she could scheme against him, Su Jianshe, with this kind of quality? How ridiculous!

He looked at the red cotton jacket on Li Lanhua with disgust; the cuffs were already stained with black grime, and oil stains were faintly visible on her chest and abdomen.