Chapter 48 Another New Year's Eve Once Again

The Spring Festival arrived quietly, marking the passing of another year. Before the New Year, He Yuzhu sent twenty catties of flour, five catties of pork, along with various vegetables, wine, and spirits to his master, his senior fellow apprentice uncle, and his fellow apprentice brothers. Because a greenhouse had been built in the backyard this year, yielding an abundance of vegetables, He Yuzhu was able to generously share some of the harvest as gifts.

On New Year's Eve, he went to his master's house for the holiday meal as usual. This time, they did not drink much wine; instead, they gathered together with his master's wife to wrap dumplings. After finishing the dumplings, He Yuzhu carried Yuzhu on his back and walked home.

On the first day of the New Year, He Yuzhu brought Yuzhu over early in the morning to pay their respects to his master and master's wife. He presented his master with a pair of finely carved playful walnuts and gave his master's wife a sandalwood comb.

"These walnuts are exquisite. Who did you get to carve them?" Master Fan Dakang asked while turning the walnuts over in his palm.

He Yuzhu replied, "I carved them myself. I also made the comb for the master's wife."

"Zhuzi, you put a lot of thought into this. The master's wife loves it very much."

The master's wife took the comb from He Yuzhu, admiring the delicate patterns carved on it with great delight.

Seeing that both parents had received gifts, Fan Yao and Xiaohu anxiously chimed in, "What about mine? What about mine?"

"Don't worry, everyone has one. All of you do."

He Yuzhu quickly took out the prepared chibi-style carved figurines and handed them over.

"Wow, how cute! I love it." Fan Yao gazed at the miniature version of herself in her hands, unable to put it down.

"Mine looks great too, and I love it as well," Xiaohu declared, refusing to be left behind.

The gift for his senior sister Fan Ting was a trio figurine depicting her, Zhou Jianye, and their child.

"Master's wife, this one is for Senior Sister. I'll leave it with you for now." He Yuzhu handed the figurine meant for Fan Ting's family to the master's wife.

After bidding farewell to his master and master's wife, He Yuzhu took Yuzhu to visit his senior uncle Peng Dahai's home.

After presenting gifts to his senior uncle and senior aunt, He Yuzhu sat down to chat with his senior uncle, while his senior aunt took Yuzhu out to play.

"Zhuzi, how has everything been with you this year? Why don't you come work at the Tan Family Restaurant? It's much more stable than running around everywhere," his senior uncle asked.

He Yuzhu answered, "Senior Uncle, I'm doing quite well. I earn a decent amount, and besides, I still have Fengzeyuan as a foundation. Even if nobody hires me for private banquets for a month, I can still make thirty yuan from Fengzeyuan, which is more than enough for Yuzhu and me to live on."

Peng Dahai thought about the current state of the Tan Family Restaurant and did not press the matter further.

"By the way, Zhuzi, how is Fengzeyuan doing after the joint public-private partnership? Is Manager Luan's word still effective?"

"Fengzeyuan is doing fine right now. Manager Luan is still running things, and the state-appointed manager doesn't interfere much. Senior Uncle, why do you ask?"

"Alas, we just received a notice encouraging public-private partnerships. The other senior uncles and I are wondering whether we should join."

"If we join, will the state have the final say or will we? If we don't join, business isn't all that great. Since Fengzeyuan was the very first restaurant to undergo the public-private partnership, I wanted to ask about the situation."

Peng Dahai was deeply troubled over the future of the Tan Family Restaurant.

"Senior Uncle, public-private partnership is the trend; sooner or later, everyone has to join. Besides, the Tan Family Restaurant has high prices, and the people who eat there are wealthy individuals whose lives aren't particularly easy right now anyway. Once you join the public-private partnership, you get official backing, which can ward off quite a few troubles."

"What you say makes sense. Joining earlier is better than joining later. I'll discuss it with the other senior uncles and try to join as soon as possible."

After the conversation, He Yuzhu and Yuzhu had lunch at their senior uncle's house before leaving.

Returning to his master's house in the afternoon, Yuzhu went out to play with the master's wife, Fan Yao, and Xiaohu, while He Yuzhu stayed behind with his master.

He Yuzhu informed his master about the Tan Family Restaurant's impending public-private partnership.

"This is the general trend. Back then, Manager Luan saw the situation clearly and resolutely pursued the public-private partnership, making it the first restaurant to do so. The state only symbolically sent a manager, and Manager Luan still calls the shots at Fengzeyuan. That is the advantage of joining early."

"Manager Luan certainly has foresight," He Yuzhu remarked.

Fan Dakang fell silent for a moment before continuing, "Alright, let's put that aside and talk about you. You've turned eighteen this year, what are your plans?"

"I don't have any particular plans. Things are pretty good as they are right now. My income is good, and I can support Yuzhu."

Fan Dakang asked, "I'm asking you, don't you plan to find a restaurant and settle down? You must know that if you want to advance your culinary rank, you need stable professional experience."

He Yuzhu replied, "I don't plan on taking tests to upgrade my rank anymore. A level-three chef's certificate is enough for me; I have no use for a higher one. Besides, I'm still young; I can always take the exams later on."

Hearing this, Fan Dakang sighed, "Your culinary skills are beyond doubt, but I'm afraid you'll let them rust."

He Yuzhu reassured him, "Master, don't worry. I won't let my cooking skills go to waste."

Fan Dakang nodded, "As long as you know what you're doing."

Before long, the master's wife returned with Yuzhu and the children.

Yuzhu was waving a Monkey King mask around, showing off to He Yuzhu, "Older Brother, look! The master's wife bought me this Monkey King mask."

He Yuzhu teased her, "It looks great. Let Older Brother wear it for a moment, shall we?"

"All right, Older Brother, put it on," Yuzhu agreed readily.

He Yuzhu put on the mask and shouted at Yuzhu and the others, "Your Old Sun has arrived! Where do you three little demons think you're running off to?"

With that, He Yuzhu lunged playfully toward Yuzhu and the children. The three of them shrieked and ran out into the courtyard, the four of them chasing each other around in high spirits.

After watching for a while, the master's wife came out to stop them, "Alright, stop fooling around, come inside quickly. It's so cold outside, don't catch a cold."

With the master's wife giving the order, the four of them obediently went back indoors. As He Yuzhu stepped across the threshold, the master's wife lightly patted him on the back, "How old are you now? Don't you know how cold it is outside? Leading them into such wild games."

He Yuzhu chuckled sheepishly and walked inside without a word.

After dinner, He Yuzhu brought Yuzhu home. Once Yuzhu fell asleep, He Yuzhu sat at his desk and pondered the matter of public-private partnerships. Previously, it was factories like the steel rolling mill, and now even a relatively small establishment like the Tan Family Restaurant was starting down this path.

By 1955 and 1956, public-private partnerships would reach their peak, and even small taverns would be unable to avoid it.

Opportunities to cater private banquets outside would also dwindle. Fortunately, he could still make good money over the next couple of years.

Forget it, no use overthinking. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

He Yuzhu stopped pondering and went to bed.

Early the next morning, after He Yuzhu and Yuzhu finished breakfast, they had nowhere in particular to go.

"Older Brother, where are we going to play today?" Yuzhu asked.

"How about Older Brother takes you ice skating later?" He Yuzhu considered for a moment and suggested.

"Yay! I haven't been ice skating in ages," Yuzhu said happily.

He Yuzhu retorted, "What do you mean you haven't been in ages? Didn't I take you just last week?"

Yuzhu replied, "Well, that still means it's been several days since I last skated."

Watching Yuzhu's playful stubbornness, He Yuzhu said helplessly, "Alright, alright, I'll take you right now."