Chapter 43: Tianjin

Time passed, and the National Day holiday came and went. During this period, He Yuzhu was occasionally invited by Lou Banchang to cook at the steel rolling mill for several days at a time. As the joint state-private ownership of the mill was finalized and the transition of power completed, Lou Banchang became a shareholder with no administrative duties and stopped summoning He Yuzhu to the plant. Meanwhile, the government began a vigorous expansion of the steel rolling mill.

Once He Yuzhu found himself with free time, he thought of the sea within his personal space. To populate it with marine life, he would have to travel to the coast. After all, once seafood reached the capital, it was immediately snatched up by major restaurants and the wealthy; it was rare to see live seafood in the local markets.

Tianjin is located on the coast of the Bohai Sea, at the mouth of the Haihe River. It has been famous for its abundant aquatic products since the Yuan Dynasty, with a reputation for its fish being even finer than those of the Jiangnan region. It offers a vast array of shrimp, crab, pufferfish, icefish, sea cucumber, abalone, mantis shrimp, and various sea fish.

Tianjin is not far from the capital; it boasts rich marine resources, a prosperous commercial sector, and a vibrant culinary culture. Tianjin cuisine, which originated among the common people, benefits from its geographical location and has developed unique characteristics by drawing from various traditions. With convenient train service, it takes only about three hours to reach, making it He Yuzhu’s ideal choice.

He decided to take advantage of the weekend to bring his younger sister, Yushui, along to see the ocean and experience the world outside.

One day, He Yuzhu approached his master, Fan Dakang, to request leave. "Master, I would like to ask for a few days off. I want to take a trip to Tianjin."

Hearing that He Yuzhu intended to visit Tianjin, Fan Dakang was perplexed. "What are you going to Tianjin for?"

He Yuzhu replied, "Aside from helping out at the Fengzeyuan restaurant, I have nothing else to do. I want to take advantage of my youth to travel, broaden my horizons, and learn about the culinary culture of Tianjin."

Fan Dakang thought for a moment and asked, "When are you going, and for how long?"

"Two days," He Yuzhu said. "I’m taking Yushui with me. We'll leave on Saturday and return on Sunday."

"You’re taking Yushui? It’s not very safe out there. Can you take care of her?" Fan Dakang asked with concern.

"It will be fine," He Yuzhu said confidently. "We’ll take the train during the day; there won't be any problems."

Seeing that He Yuzhu had made up his mind, Fan Dakang stopped objecting. "Very well. When you are away from home, don't be impulsive. If something happens, run away immediately—don't stop to watch the commotion. Look after yourself and Yushui."

"Yes, Master, I will take good care of us both."

Still uneasy, Fan Dakang continued to advise him: "Go back and prepare properly. Carry something for self-defense. Keep your money in separate places, not all in one spot."

"I’ll remember that, Master," He Yuzhu promised.

After giving his final instructions, Fan Dakang waved his hand, dismissing him. "Alright, go on then."

He Yuzhu left once he saw his master had no more to say.

To visit Tianjin, He Yuzhu needed to obtain a travel permit from Wang Dong. Only with this letter could he purchase train tickets and secure lodging.

He Yuzhu rode his bicycle to the neighborhood office to find Wang Dong. He happened to run into him just as he was returning.

"Brother Dong!" He Yuzhu called out to him.

Wang Dong turned around, recognized He Yuzhu, and handed his bike to a colleague to park. He waited for He Yuzhu to approach. "Zhuzi, what can I do for you?"

"I want to take a trip to Tianjin and need you to write me a travel permit," He Yuzhu said, offering him a cigarette.

Wang Dong asked, "All of a sudden? What are you going to Tianjin for?"

"To see the sea, broaden my horizons, and learn a few culinary tricks while I'm at it."

"Your cooking is already so good, and you still want to learn?"

"Learning has no end," He Yuzhu replied. "Besides, Tianjin cuisine has its own unique features. I want to experience it."

"Alright, I'll take care of it for you."

Wang Dong went inside and returned shortly after, handing the permit to He Yuzhu. "I've got it ready."

"Thanks, Brother Dong. I'll bring you back some local specialties," He Yuzhu said.

After bidding farewell to Wang Dong, He Yuzhu went to the train station to buy tickets to Tanggu, then picked up Yushui from school.

That evening at dinner, He Yuzhu said to her, "Tomorrow, brother is taking you out to play. How does that sound?"

Upon hearing that her brother wanted to take her out, Yushui immediately asked with excitement, "Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to see the sea."

"Yay! I've never seen the sea before!" Yushui exclaimed, overjoyed.

He Yuzhu added, "Not only have you never seen it, neither have I. Tomorrow, we’re going to Tianjin to see the ocean."

The next morning, He Yuzhu woke Yushui up, they had breakfast, locked the house, and headed to the train station.

"Yushui, hold my hand tight and don't wander off. If you get lost, you won't be able to find me," He Yuzhu warned, looking at the bustling crowd.

"Okay," Yushui said. Seeing so many people, she felt a little nervous and gripped her brother's hand tightly.

While waiting at the platform, He Yuzhu spotted several pickpockets at work, but since he was with Yushui, he chose not to intervene. Soon after, boarding began.

Once on the train, He Yuzhu made sure Yushui was seated by the window. He kept the window closed until the train was moving to prevent anyone from climbing through it.

After a bumpy three-hour ride, they finally arrived. Since it was Yushui’s first time on a train, she had spent the entire journey excitedly staring out the window without resting. By the time they disembarked, she was exhausted, so He Yuzhu checked them into a nearby inn.

After resting, Yushui recovered, and He Yuzhu took her to a restaurant for lunch. He ordered several local specialties: silver fish, large shrimp, and the "Eight Treasures Tofu."

After their meal, he took her to buy various local snacks and specialties before returning to the inn for the night.

Early the next morning, he woke Yushui up, and they headed to the beach to watch the sunrise.

As Yushui shrieked with delight, chasing the waves, He Yuzhu focused his consciousness to probe the life beneath the sand. He collected mantis shrimp, shellfish, and sea snails, storing them one by one into his personal space.

Yushui picked up several pretty shells. "Brother! Brother! Look, aren't these beautiful?"

"Yes, they are."

Yushui put the shells into her bucket and ran off to find more.

After playing on the beach, He Yuzhu took Yushui to the local seafood market. Yushui looked at all the strange creatures and asked their names, which He Yuzhu answered one by one, though some were even new to him.

As he wandered through the market, He Yuzhu would discreetly store a few of the more abundant species into his space to allow them to multiply. For the rarer ones, he simply paid for them.

By the end of their market trip, the variety of seafood in his space had significantly increased. He carried a bucket filled with seafood out of the market and, whenever no one was looking, transferred them into his space to accelerate their breeding before taking them out again, all to ensure Yushui wouldn't notice anything strange.

After lunch and a brief rest at the inn, He Yuzhu and Yushui began their journey home.